5 Steps Towards a Successful Print Campaign

Good planning and preparation can make a huge difference when it comes to running a print campaign.  Putting aside some time to define the objectives of a campaign; and benchmarking your current position so you can understand the effectiveness of a campaign, is time well spent.  

Here are our tried and trusted 5 steps to delivering a successful print campaign. 

1) Set A Baseline 

In order to fully understand whether a print campaign has been successful, or not; you must first measure and understand the norm.  I.e. what are your average sales figures for the time of year, what’s your average website traffic and amount of social media interactions, or footfall to your establishment etc. 

It you are measuring physical footfall to a premises then you may need to spend some time counting visitors to work out a daily average, prior to running a print campaign.  

Management reports can give you useful sales information.  Google Analytics and other monitoring software can be used to generate reports giving you details of normal website traffic and social media activity.  

If the aim of your campaign is to capture data to build up your contacts database, it would be useful to audit your existing mailing list first so your data is clean and you have an established spreadsheet or database for adding new contacts to. 

Work out how many sales or enquiries you expect to generate from your print campaign then set a realistic budget based on the predicted response.  You need to at least cover the costs of your campaign and ideally generate a profit. 

2) What’s Your Call to Action?

The most important thing to consider when planning a print campaign is ‘What do you wish to achieve?’  

Set clear, specific goals for your print campaign for example;  

• Increase sales of a new or existing product or service by X%
• Generate X amount of enquiries and/or sales appointments
• Build brand awareness among a specific demographic
• Drive volume sales during a certain time period i.e. Christmas, Summer etc. 
• Expand your business in a particular sector, or introduce it to a new market/s

Once you have a clear objective for your print campaign, make sure your creative tells people how to respond.  There are many different ways you can do this, but limiting response mechanisms to 1 or 2 clear routes means your print won’t be confusing or overwhelming.  

If you are including an offer on your print you’ll probably want to make it time-limited to encourage take-up and make it easier to track responses to your campaign once the offer period has expired. 

Phone Numbers - When including a phone number on print; make sure it is clear and easy to read.  Dial the number on your artwork before it goes to print to avoid a wrong number being printed (even if you know the number really well!).  You may also want to consider setting up a dedicated phone-line or telephone number to receive responses from your campaign. 

  

Email - If you want to be contacted by email consider setting up a specific email address that is relevant to your print campaign e.g. summerspecial@pepper.co.uk, christmasprint@pepper.co.uk or postcardoffer@pepper.co.uk.  Make sure the email address works and the person receiving emails knows how to process them. 

Website - To direct visitors to a specific page on your website make sure you use a unique URL or sub-domain e.g. www.pepper.co.uk/postcardoffer.  This will make it easier to track how many people have visited a targeted page on your website via website statistics software like Google Analytics. 

Vouchers & Coupons - Your print could include a physical voucher to be redeemed online or offline for example; in a shop, restaurant or leisure outlet etc.  Vouchers and coupons are a great way of physically tracking a response to a campaign.  

QR Codes - A unique QR code can be quickly and easily generated for your creative and linked to a destination website page of your choice.  As suggested above; you might also like to consider setting up a unique URL so that visitors to a specific page on your website can be tracked.  

Social Media Accounts - If one of your goals is to increase your social media network, be sure to include relevant social media icons on your print.  A great deal of people are now familiar with the more common social media icons and the convention that your business can be found on those networks. 

3) Measuring Success 

Tracking and measuring the performance of a print campaign is really important as it allows you to work out the return of investment and whether or not your campaign achieved its objectives. 

Having benchmarked your statistics prior to a print campaign running, it should be easy to tell what impact your campaign has made. 

You’ll be able to monitor things like; whether you have received more telephone calls, enquiries or website visitors.  Look out for spikes in your sales figures or a larger than normal amount of new customers after or during your print campaign.  Vouchers and coupons can be recorded as physical evidence of a direct response to your campaign. 

If you included unique URLs on your print, you’ll be able to track visits to dedicated website pages via Google Analytics.  Monitoring software can also be used to gauge response to your brand and/or offers on social media channels like Twitter and Facebook.  

4) Sprat to Catch a Mackerel!

Depending on the goals set for your print campaign you may not necessarily see a direct increase in sales.  Indeed your campaign objectives might be to increase brand awareness, fix appointments or target a new market sector.  

With effective measurement in place you’ll be able to see the success of your print campaign via different statistics other than sales.  For example; establishing appointments gives you a opportunity to present your products and services to a potential client.  Initial enquiries generated from a campaign that do not convert into sales straight away, have led to an initial relationship being formed between your business and a prospect who may go on to buy from you in the future.  You may have captured valuable contacts data for people who have registered an interest in your business. 

Even in cases where someone has not responded to your print campaign, they have encountered your brand.  This means they are more likely to response to future brand touch points presented to them. 

5) Refine & Fine Tune  

By measuring the performance of your print campaigns (the successful ones and the not so), you can learn from them and fine tune your future campaigns.  Disregard the things that don’t work, do more of what did work, try different sales messages and offers or focus on a narrower demographic so your next campaign is more targeted.  

Overall, maintain a consistent brand identity throughout your creative to build brand awareness and recognition.  Make sure that future campaigns follow the steps outlined in this Blog and ensure that staff are briefed on any print campaigns and know how to respond appropriately when responses come in. 

We’d love to hear your thoughts.  Why not tell us about your successful print campaigns?  Maybe you are planning a print campaign and would like some advice – don’t hesitate to get in touch and feel free to ask us if you have any questions.  

Planning a direct marketing campaign?

How to prepare artwork files for a print campaign

How to Brief a Print Supplier

The work your print supplier produces for you will only be as good as the brief you give them.  Therefore, it’s important to give them as much information as possible to ensure a great result.  It might be worthwhile (and certainly more cost-effective) to have several print jobs done at the same time e.g. brochures, mailers, letterheads, flyers, etc., so have a think about all your printing requirements that could possibly be done at the same time.

Read on for our top tips on getting the best results from your print supplier:

1. Timescales

Your print deadline is probably one of the first things your agency will need to know. Depending on whether you’re starting designs from scratch, or simply need a re-print, your deadline is a very important factor in the briefing stage.  Obviously the more notice you can give your print supplier the better; so approach them as soon as you know you have a project coming up.  Your print options could be limited if turn-around times are tight.

You will certainly need to factor in extra time for a more complex print job and be prepared to either extend your deadline or consider simpler options if you are considering a  complicated print job with a tight deadline!

2. Budget 

Let your print supplier know if you have a set budget for your print job and if there’s any flexibility in the amount you have to spend.  Many factors can affect what your final costs will be.  It is always helpful for a print supplier to know the limitations of your budget and how flexible you are, so they can make the best recommendations.

3. Quantity

Be clear on the quantity of print you require.  It is usually more economical to print larger quantities, but do bear in mind the shelf life of your print.  If it’s stationery or a brochure, is there a chance that your contact details may change in the near future?  Or is your print advertising a time-sensitive offer or event.  Obviously in these situations it is probably more appropriate to consider a smaller print run that will give you enough stock but not leave you with lots of leftovers containing old or out of date information.  

Do you know how long your last batch of printed stationery lasted?  Looking at your last invoice and the quantities you ordered will tell you how much you used over what period of time. 

4. Size, Format & Colour

Have a clear idea about what size and format you require.  Standard size formats A4, A5 etc. are more common sizes your print supplier will have in stock, which will result in a quicker lead-time.  When stock has to be cut to a non-standard size it will have an impact on how long your print job takes. 

If your business uses specific corporate colours, it will help your print supplier if you give them the Pantone reference numbers.  Pantone produces swatch books that help designers see the different ways colours look when printed on coated, uncoated, and matte stock - their colours are the design industry standard.  If you are still trying to decide on colours, it’s a good idea to use their swatch books to choose ones you like as colours seen on a computer screen could look very different when printed.  You can read more about Pantone’s Matching System® here.

5. Environmental Requirements

Prior to briefing your print supplier it’s a good idea to check whether your business has a environmental policy in place as this may affect the materials you are able to use.  

Regardless of your company’s environmental policy, as the person in charge of a print project you may want to consider environmental options anyway.  Many print agencies have a commitment to providing environmental solutions as a matter of course.

Pepper can help you to improve your green credentials and have gone to great lengths to acquire environmental accreditations...  

• Pepper is an FSC® Certified Printer (The Forest Stewardship Council) showing dedication to the responsible management of the world's forests
• Pepper is ISO 14001 accredited recognising environmental awareness, monitoring and continual improvement
• We are committed to reducing our Carbon Footprint through effective waste management, recycling, use of environmentally friendly materials and carbon neutral mailings options

Recycled Paper

Pepper only uses FSC® paper unless specified otherwise.  Recycled paper is the greenest option overall; it supports UK recycling companies and provides a market for UK paper waste. Its production requires less energy and fewer chemicals, plus it provides a market for paper waste in the UK and encourages more recycling. 

Inks

The majority of our inks are vegetable-based as opposed to traditional petroleum-based inks.  These are much more environmentally-friendly as they come from a sustainable source and produce far lower levels of VOCs (volatile organic compounds), which helps to reduce air pollution by minimizing toxic emissions.

Polywrap

Pepper offers a number of different biodegradable polywrap options to reduce the environmental impact of direct mail packaging.  We offer customers 3 types of polywrap materials which we can discuss with you.

6. Formatting Your Artwork

It is important that any artwork you have designed yourself or had designed for you is formatted correctly for printing with sufficient bleeds, image resolution, embedded fonts etc.  A good graphic designer will know exactly how to format artwork for printing.  For further guidance you can refer to our guidelines on formatting and submitting artwork.

7. Design (if required)

You may have artwork ready to go, in which case your print supplier will simply quote you for printing and any assembly required.   

Some print agencies, like Pepper provide an in-house design service and can work with you to design your marketing materials and literature, or tweak an existing design.  When briefing a designer, typically they will want you to supply the following information ...

• A clear design brief - limited to one key message
• Guidance on the look, feel and style you’re trying to achieve e.g. retro, modern, futuristic
• Who is the target audience / demographic for your campaign
• Do you have samples of designs you like/don’t like 

The clearer you can be about these points, the easier it will be for a designer to come up  with creative you’re happy with.  Being clear from the outset will also speed up the whole process as there will be less chance of having to tweak initial designs.

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Do you have any questions about preparing a marketing campaign that uses print as its core sales driver?  Are you tasked with updating your corporate stationery and don’t know where to start?  Whether your print job is big or small we’re happy to answer any questions you might have.  We look forward to hearing from you. 

Get Your Print and Marketing Communications on Trend for Summer 2013

After the high of national events in 2012, which saw some huge graphic design projects including the Olympics and Golden Jubilee Celebrations take place.  2013 is shaping up to be a year of budget sensitive, smaller design and marketing projects for many businesses.  This is influencing the way printing jobs are approached and designed, which in turn is affected by technological advancements in printing techniques.

Executing smaller print and marketing projects means it’s even more important to get your creative design and marketing messages right so you reap maximum benefits from your campaigns.  

Read on to find out what’s hot and what’s not for print and design in Summer 2013. 

1. Less is more: flat design

Many major international brands rebranded and/or changed their logos in 2012, with a common theme: minimalism.  Like Windows 8, flat colours with a clear lack of gradients was a popular change.  Microsoft’s 25 year old logo is no longer in italics, eBay has a definite flatter design with no overlapping font; even Twitter’s iconic bird was simplified further and lost some of its feathers.  These brands know that flat design works better when viewed on phones and tablets.  See the before and after logos.

Most recently ITV changed its logo drastically; the logo colour palette changes to pick colours that suit the programming backdrop.  Although detailed, its lack of background lends itself to imagery overlay and a change of mood depending on the programme it accompanies.

2. Imagery: simplified for the digital age

The digital age continues to influence all areas of design such as the need for websites to be viewed on tablets and smartphones.  Whilst many graphic design trends are influenced by fashion, practical use within these digital applications can be another key factor.

Increased use of smartphones and tablets means that iconography, rather than clipart, has become more and more popular.  However, for printed material, large photographs with text overlay look professional and make a great statement.

Instagram is a big influence with its retro imagery; its users are used to the easy application of filters to create weathered, Polaroid-style images.  Hand drawn illustrations are also making a comeback and add a more personal feel to graphic design.

3. Colours: bright and bold

Emerald is Pantone’s colour of the year - a bright, vivid traditional green.  Their fashion colours for Spring 2013 include Grayed Jade, Dusk Blue, African Violet and Poppy Red; all very fresh, clean colours. These lend themselves well to flat design, a lack of gradients and clean lines suited to digital viewing.

4. Typography: easier to read 

Large type in bold fonts - Slab Serif typefaces for example - are popular not just for their looks but also for easier viewing on portable devices.  Like illustrations having a more intimate feel, a hand-written font adds personality and individuality to a design, making it a friendlier typeface to read.  Another key trend is the use of multiple fonts in one design; as long as they complement each other they work well to produce a very modern design.

Web designers are aware of the importance of white space and this has influenced the lack of crowding around text - again, less is more and legibility is key. 

5. Smaller projects, higher quality

2012 was the year of huge events with their associated design projects.  By contrast 2013 is proving to be a year when businesses are revisiting their budgets and turning to high quality, smaller print runs.  The recession still continues to have an effect, but technological advances mean new print techniques and finishes are being employed.  Digital printing continues to become more popular than traditional print techniques.

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Are there any key trends in design that you’ve seen this year?  Have you found the trend for flat design to be a welcome change from all the gradients and drop shadows that have dominated design over the last several years?  Let us know what you think. 

Hitting the target with direct mail campaigns

We’ve all suffered the irritation of having to sift through a slew of junk mail on a Saturday morning.  It’s not surprising, therefore, that a lot of companies have been put off considering direct mail campaigns for themselves.  With the right planning, some know-how and a little inventiveness, direct mail can be an effective weapon in your marketing, sales and promotions arsenal.

Of late direct mail response rates have seen a revival, particularly in the tech-savvy 18-34 year old demographic (http://www.forbes.com/sites/marketshare/2012/03/11/direct-mail-alive-and-kicking/).  It is widely considered that printed creative is now seen as something special to keep and it has earned its place as a different, meaningful medium that can be heard above the digital noise of social media and email marketing.

So what should you be considering to make your direct mail campaign effective?  Here are Pepper’s top five tips:

1. Pain is gain

Consider a campaign that will scratch an itch, or soothe a pain.  A direct mail campaign that solves somebody’s problems, or appeals to their mode of thinking will be more effective as it will feel like it is speaking to them.  If a customer feels like they are being understood, they’re more likely to engage with your business.


2. What and who are you aiming for?

It’s time to put away the shotgun mentality of direct mail campaigns and to consider a sniper rifle instead.  Direct mail can be a numbers game, but you have to be aiming at the right demographic first.  Be bold and highly selective in honing down your mailing lists and aim only for individuals that meet your strict marketing criteria.  Fewer, well-aimed mailings are better than relying on mass-market pot luck.

Once you’ve pinpointed your target audience, think very carefully about your message and use only one theme in your communications.  Multiple messages will leave people feeling confused and unsure about what you are saying to them.


3. Get personal

Somebody is more likely to open a piece of mail that is addressed personally to them.  Make sure you spell their name correctly and check that gender titles are also right!  It is quick and efficient to merge all sorts of data on to a printed mail campaign, so get inventive and maybe consider different enclosing solutions.  Also think about key dates, such as birthdays, or appeal to people in a particular town.


4. The clock is ticking

Although creative print is more likely to be retained by the recipient, don’t give people the excuse to file it under ‘maybe later’.  Making your direct mail time sensitive is a great way to increase your response rates and track the feedback of a campaign.  Make it clear that the recipient has a limited time in which to respond to your offer.  Additionally, scarcity is the best friend of time-based triggers; not only is there limited time to respond to an offer, there is also limited stock.


5. Get Creative

Research shows that a well designed piece of direct mail is more likely to get a response; particularly if it utilises clear, bold colours and has a simple message (http://www.mmc.co.uk/knowledge-centre/Expert-advice/How-to-use-eyetracking-to-maximise-the-effectiveness-of-direct-mail/).  Beyond getting the basic anatomy of your design right (i.e. a well-placed logo and clear message), being creative is more likely to get you noticed.  There are obvious triggers, such as putting something inside an envelope to encourage people to open it, but your communication will be enhanced by standing out from the crowd, making people smile and giving them a real reason to engage with the mail you’ve sent them - maybe they want to show it to their friends.

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Tell us what you think; without naming and shaming, what have been the worse bits of junk mail you’ve received and why?  What do you enjoy receiving in the post and which, if any, direct mail campaigns have you responded to?

5 tips for managing print collateral

Look in to your office store cupboard; we’re willing to bet that there is some unused print collateral in there; anything from dusty, out-of-date brochures, through to unused stationery with the wrong address on it. Take heart, you’re not alone in having a surplus of unused print collateral. Not only is unused print costly it’s also wasteful and impractical - what else could you be storing instead?

So what if you could avoid a surplus of print in the first place? Here are Pepper’s top 5 tips to better print management:

1. Think Direct
How about if your print never even found its way to your office, but went directly to your customers and prospects? A well-managed mailing list can be invaluable in helping you target your customers, know exactly what quantities to print and manage the timing of a campaign. Next time you print, think that a well planned direct mail or direct print campaign could be the answer.

2. Piggy back
If a direct campaign won’t work for you consider using other distribution and fulfillment methods to spread your message to the widest possible audience. How about inserting print in to magazines or newspapers, or simply distributing handouts on foot or at a trade exhibition?

3. Use your staff and set targets
Make sure your staff are well equipped with brochures and that they know how to use them. Set a target to distribute a set number of brochures within a certain amount of time. Before you order your print be realistic about how your field staff may be able to use it and consult with them to establish what will be most useful.

4. Beware the stock cupboard
You know the old cliche; if you fail to plan you plan to fail. Don’t order print with a store cupboard in mind - it’ll simply stay in there. Think about print in terms of fulfilling set objectives over a fixed period of time.

5. Find the balance
Simple economics dictate that it’s cost-effective to print in larger quantities, right? Well, certainly, printing too few and relying on re-prints will probably mean you pay more in the long run, but it’s also a costly exercise to print in huge quantities and have a lot of surplus. You’ve probably got the idea now; plan your print to ensure that you get the quantities spot-on.

Tell us what you think; what have been your most successful print campaigns and what has spectacularly failed for you?

The Benefits Of Litho Printing

Litho printing is a fantastic option if you have runs of over 250 pieces as the price usually reduces based on the amount you order. The image quality of Litho printing is far better than digital printing, so if you have any shading or fine detail on any of your images Litho printing would defiantly be the better option for you. To find out more about the huge selection of Litho printing services we have available visit us online at http://www.pepper.co.uk/

The Benefits Of Digital Printing

Digital printing is much cheaper than traditional printing methods such as  Litho printing (lithography) this is because plates are not necessary. Digital printing is a great option if you have less than 250 pieces to print and a small budget as you have lower start-up costs and  much faster turn-around times. To find out more about our fast digital printing services visit us online at http://www.pepper.co.uk/