Wes-Tex Printing Blog

PANTONE’s 2013 Color of the Year winner: Emerald!

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 21:20 GMT

The color experts at PANTONE release their choice for Color of the Year annually, but the choice isn’t an arbitrary one. The selection process takes into consideration a broad spectrum of factors from projected fashion design trends to economic projections and general state-of-the-industry considerations. Described as lively, radiant, and lush, Emerald is a verdant green chosen for 2013 because of its psychological profile—enhancing sense of well-being and security and promoting balance and harmony.

According to Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the PANTONE Color Institute, “Green is the most abundant hue in nature—the human eye sees more green than any other color in the spectrum. As it has throughout history, multifaceted Emerald continues to sparkle and fascinate. Symbolically, Emerald brings a sense of clarity, renewal, and rejuvenation, which is so important in today’s complex world. This powerful and universally appealing tone translates easily to both fashion and home interiors.”

For more than ten years, PANTONE’s Color of the Year has influenced product development, packaging, and graphic design. PANTONE 17-5641 Emerald can be cross-referenced to all PANTONE libraries including PANTONE PLUS for graphic design. Check out this graphic from PANTONE for Emerald’s complete color technical specs:

Color of the Year as a marketing tool for your business
A powerful marketing tool for PANTONE, printers can use the Color of the Year as a marketing tool, as well. PANTONE has prepared a suite of marketing products from posters to mugs to iPhone cases designed to spark Color of the Year conversation. Using some of these tools to spark conversation with your clients can serve dual purposes.

First, it’s an easy to translate example of your level of industry knowledge. Sometimes jargon in the printing industry is confusing, but everyone understands the concept of a color of the year. While waxing poetic on the virtues of advancement in hot stamping technology might cause eyes to glaze over, the concept of color trends is much more mainstream.

Second, once the conversation is opened about using the Color of the Year in product design, it’s time to start considering places to use the Color of the Year in materials you print for your clients. This can be the ideal time to pitch a new brochure, poster, flyer, or post card concept integrating the new color.

To read more about the 2013 Color of the Year and to find marketing and informational resources about maximizing the impact of Emerald on your business this year, visit PANTONE’s Color of the Year page.

How do you feel about color trends and their impact on independent printers? Are they an innovative marketing angle or too transient to make an impact? Do your customers know about the Color of the Year? And if they don’t, would it interest them? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Three ways to make sure YOUR customers LOVE THEIR PRINTER this Valentine’s Day

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 17:54 GMT

Let’s take this baby for a test drive. If the proof is in the pudding, then having samples of your products available for customers is one way printers can make it easier for their customers to see what they can expect from their orders. Keeping samples on file in the office is a simple proposition, but another good way to secure business is to offer a free sample kit by request on your website. Rather than try to present something comprehensive, create a simple form that will allow you to identify what your potential buyer is looking for and then create a custom sample kit for them with a few basic options that might meet their needs. Not only is it a good way to show your stuff, it’s an excellent method to capture contact info from someone you know is looking to make a purchase.

I’m in a hurry to get things done. It’s pretty safe to assume that most of your customers are rush and rushing, and delays are no fun. One of the most sought after characteristics customers are looking for in a print shot is fast production and speedy shipping timelines. Fast turnaround means having a proof-approval system in place to ensure that errors won’t be made, as well as creating premium options for expedited shipping and processing.

What do you want from me? The best print shops offer a variety of service levels. This means providing printing around pre-made templates in addition a full spectrum of graphic design service. Downloadable templates are becoming very popular and can be a way to advertising your premium graphic design chops. And for customers who want to do their own design, making sure you have artwork guidelines clearly available both at your shop and online can make things easier for them in-house.

What have you found important to your customers? Is there anything specific that makes a client choose you over another printer? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below.

Greeting cards aren’t just for Christmas…maintain your card printing business all year long

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 20:31 GMT

To stand out among the crowd, encourage your business customers to shift the focus of their greeting card marketing campaigns to other holidays. Greater impact of the recipient of the piece could mean greater return on marketing investment, and you’ll get credit for your creativity in the bargain.

January – Commemorate the political process with a patriotic card sent out in time for Inauguration Day, January 20, 2013.

February – Suggest your clients send out something sweet for Valentine’s Day. As a design bonus, Valentine’s Day cards lend themselves well to eye catching printing techniques like foil stamping. Schedule your distribution to arrive on or before Feb. 14.

March – Sending out St. Patrick’s Day wishes could lead to a marketing pot of gold. Whether it’s a post card offering a St. Patrick’s Day incentive or just a note to remind their customers to wear green on March 17, St. Patrick’s Day greetings are a welcome addition to any mailbox.

April – In 2013 Easter falls on March 31, but even if you aren’t sending out a card to celebrate the Bunny, April is the perfect time to mail out spring greetings.

May – Thanking Veterans for their service with a card on Memorial Day, May 27, 2013, is not only an excellent way to remind your customers of your respect for the Armed Forces, it’s also the right thing to do and can go a long way toward reminding those who served that we appreciate their sacrifices.

June – Usher in the start of summer with a greeting card reminding your clients of some important things to consider as they plan their vacation season. Whether you’re sharing a summery recipe or sun or water safety tips, letting the people you do business with know you care could pay off in a big way for your clients.

July – Happy Independence Day on July 4! A red, white and blue card in the mailbox in July is a sure fire way to work up some goodwill for your clients’ business.

August – The only month without an official holiday, August is back to school month. Encourage your clients to send out a greeting card celebrating the end of summer.

September – Labor Day means sales and incentives, and what better way for your clients to package their special offers than as part of a Labor Day greeting card campaign. In 2013, Labor Day falls on September 2.

October – Decorate your Halloween cards with Goosebumps and using thermography printing when you send out spooky greetings on October 31, 2013. Sending a Halloween greeting card is a great way to scare up some name recognition for your clients in October.

November – Let your clients’ customers know they’re valued and appreciated on November 28, 2013. Sending a Thanksgiving card will beat the holiday greeting card rush and stand out as something different. Your clients will be grateful they took your advice!

When do you send out greeting card campaigns? Do you think your clients get better results than with more generic mailing programs? Share your greeting card experience in the comments below.

Understanding the USPS Every Door Direct Mail program opens new options for print shop customers

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 20:17 GMT

The service is structured quite simply—business owners pick the neighborhoods they want to reach, and a Postal Service Letter Carrier delivers printed pieces to every home while they deliver the day’s mail. A powerful, cost-effective way to market to customers in a target market area, the program is promoted primarily through local printers.

While businesses can administer the Every Door Direct Mail service themselves, working with a printer is a popular alternative for program participation for several reasons. First and foremost, many business owners are intimidated by postal service programs. They don’t understand the workings and options available to them, and having a print shop that is familiar with the USPS program requirements takes the stress out of their printed marketing campaigns.

Secondly, using a printer to coordinate their Every Door Direct Mail campaign means a business can receive one-stop service. They are able to have their neighborhood targets identified and pieces designed, printed, and forwarded to the USPS, all in one place with confidence that the campaign will be managed effectively.

Plus, it’s an easy service to sell to your customers. In sharing Every Door Direct Mail options with their customers, there are several key factors print shop owners can use to promote the program:

It’s personal contact. A piece of direct mail isn’t like an advertisement that’s distributed in a magazine. It’s a personal contact that lands directly in the hands of consumers.
Everything is optional. From the size of the mailer to its content, there are almost no constraints to the contents of an Every Door Direct Mailer piece. You can include coupons, menus, event calendars, and more in any shape or size you want to print provided your piece doesn’t exceed a maximum weight of 3.3 ounces and a maximum quantity of 5,000 pieces per day.
It doesn’t get any lower than this. At as little as 14.5 cents per piece, there is no more cost effective option for mailing available. Period.

If you have customers who may be interested in the Every Door Direct Mail service, the United States Postal Service has several informational resources available online printers can use to educate their customers about the program. A good place to start is https://www.usps.com/business/every-door-direct-mail.htm. Specifically, the information found in PDFs of the program overview, retail fact sheet, and quick reference guide can be helpful to keep on hand or readily available to e-mail out in response to program queries.

Have you had good luck integrating Every Door Mail Service from the USPS into your business model? We’d love to hear how you did it an how your customers responded in the comments below.

12 New Year’s Resolutions for Printer’s

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 20:47 GMT

12 New Year’s Resolutions for Printer’s

Once upon a time in ancient Babylon, the New Year began with promises to return borrowed objects and pay off the previous year’s debts. A few thousand years later, the concept of the New Year’s resolution has changed—a lot. But the premise remains the same: the start of the New Year means an opportunity for change and improvement.

Whether it’s defining clear business goals, reforming bad habits, or identifying projects to target in 2013 we have some suggestions for printers ready to commit to twelve months of self-improving.

Join a business association. Whether it’s your local chamber of commerce or a national network like Printing Industries of America, investing in professional development is a sure sign to yourself and others that you’re committed to growing your business.
Don’t make do; get new. Parting with dollars for capital improvements isn’t always easy, but if pieces of your office equipment are held together with duct tape and a prayer, stop trying to limp along and commit to getting what you need. That doesn’t mean it’s time to open an expense account and outfit the office in the latest collection from GreeIn High End Office Furniture, but if a physical asset is inconveniencing your business, it’s not worth holding on to.
Develop a realistic succession plan. If your luck runs out unexpectedly, there needs to be a usable structure in place to keep the doors of your business open even if you aren’t there.
When you say you’re going to start delegating, actually do it. Small business owners are used to doing everything themselves. But the fact is, a ship sails more smoothly when the Captain accepts the fact that the navigator is better suited for charting a course, the quarter master is in charge of the books, and the boatswain makes sure the mechanics are in order. At a print shop, this means things like relying on your office staff to process orders, your book keeper or accountant to maintain accurate records, and your suppliers to deliver a quality product.
Make fun mandatory. You can’t serve your customers well if you never take time to tend to your own needs. In crafting your schedule, commit to leaving time for yourself and add it to your schedule so it can’t be easily pushed to the side. Remember, you are your print shop’s most important asset.
Track the trends. If something new is happening in the printing industry, you need to know about it. Whether it’s following the latest innovations in 3D printing technology or understanding enhanced finish options, if your customers come to you curious about an emerging printing technology, make sure you know everything there is to know about it.

Are you making a commitment to change or improve the way your shop does business this year? Tell us about it in the comments below.

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Sabrina Hamilton is the Marketing Programs Manager for Wes-Tex Printing, and is a regular contributor to the Wes-Tex blog. Wes-Tex Printing is a wholesale printer servicing print resellers with thermography, foil, embossing, flat, or full color printing. Check us out at our website Wes-Tex.com, Facebook , Twitter, or YouTube.

New Year Resolutions from Westy

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 23:28 GMT

New Year Resolutions from Westy

As the 2013 New Year approaches and as we look forward to how we can improve our own lives, both personally and professionally, we wanted to stop and ask Westy how business cards should improve themselves. In 2013 Westy thinks all business cards should follow these resolutions!

I will make sure my fonts are able to be read by others, and avoid people making that awful “squinty face” at me.
I will refuse to be placed on anything less than 12-point paper
I will only add high-quality images and graphics, as I do not want to look pixilated
I will make sure I look like my marketing partners when I land in other people’s hands. For it is a shame when I look different from the website.
I will get in shape and trim off the unwanted information, I will be on a SOWN (Share only what is necessary) diet.
I will be hip by letting everyone know how to get to my social sites.
I will stand out from the crowd, but I will not be a business card misfit.
I will make sure that I am in large supply, as I do not want to miss an opportunity to let people know about me.
I will not use the same color font as my background.
I will not, will not, have handwriting changes! I will however ask my printer to make the changes and print me again!

Let us know your resolutions for 2013 below!

Happy New Year!

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John Kublank is the Marketing Coordinator for Wes-Tex Printing, and is a regular contributor to the Wes-Tex blog. Wes-Tex Printing is a wholesale printer servicing print resellers with thermography, foil, embossing, flat, or full color printing. Check us out at our website Wes-Tex.com, Facebook , Twitter, or YouTube.

Motivational Strategies Lead To Increased Sales Performance

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 19:47 GMT

Motivational strategies lead to increased sales performance

Everyone wants to make money. Everyone wants to make sales. But when numbers are down, sometimes wanting just isn’t enough.

Traditionally, sales motivation has come through compensation, but there’s a flaw in that system. Motivating with the bottom line as your sole marker recognizes only results and ignores the efforts put into the means associated with the end. Using beyond-the-box motivational strategies can help bring your sales team together and increase overall performance when sales are down.

Sales Achievement Strategy No. 1 – Set ATTAINABLE Goals

There’s nothing wrong with shooting for the moon, but there’s also a lot to be said for baby steps. You know that feeling of satisfaction you get when you cross an item off a to-do list? Setting realistic goals is the same principle. That’s not to say you should reward EVERYTHING, but if a goal seems unattainable, it’s much easier to give up rather than try to reach it.

Sales Achievement Strategy No. 2 – Incentivize Un-Usually

Every business model has a general process and strategy. When sales are down, shaking that process up can lead to growth. For example, if your shop usually doesn’t focus on prospecting, at slow traffic times creating a prospecting strategy can help keep your sales staff occupied, drive traffic, and increase overall business. There will probably be an initial investment, but it stands to bring with it a very large return.

Sales Achievement Strategy No. 3 – Peel the Carrot, Sharpen the Stick

One way to inject enthusiasm and vitality into a sales campaign is to adjust the standards of accountability and reward. In most motivational systems, there is a both performance “carrot”—a reward for excellent performance—and a “stick”—a consequence for substandard performance. Peeling the carrot (making the reward more attractive) and sharpening the stick (tightening accountability standards) is a two-prong strategy that not only shakes up the status quo, but also gives employees two very good reasons to optimize their performance.

How do you motivate your staff when sales are down? Do you have motivational strategies that have worked to get you through slumps in the past? We’d love to hear your advice. Please share in the comments below.

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Printing quality today…it’s all (or at least a lot) about the color

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 23:01 GMT

Printing quality today…it’s all (or at least a lot) about the color

In 2010, the United States Federal Reserve made a $1 billion error in the printing process of its $100 bills. The problem was caused by sporadic creasing of the paper on which the bills were printed. Quite simply, it was a quality control error.

The actual processes involved in printing are often very complex, and small irregularities and errors in them can make for very big problems, particularly in the area of color consistency and quality. One of the most important things a printer offers its customers that discount commercial printing outlets cannot is a high level of quality control.

Familiarizing yourself with these common quality issues that may affect color integrity, and their solutions, can help you offer your clients a high level of customer service that meets and exceeds their expectations.

Prevent Pantone Color Shifting: Pantone color is an industry best practice, but when UV or aqueous coated, Pantone color can shift in ways that bring unpleasant surprises to final printed products. In order to avoid re-printing due to PMS color shifts, make sure to let your ink vendor know if you’ll be aqueous or UV coating the order, particularly if you’re using PMS Reflex Blue, Violet, Purple, Rhodamine Red, Rubine Red, or Warm Red.

Account for Misregistration in Presswork: No matter how accurate your CtP or how stable your press, presswork is by definition the covering of absorbent paper with ink and water and squeezing that covered paper under pressure in a press. This means that there will always be a possibility for misregistration in presswork. Despite the fact that some degree of misregistration is normal in many printing processes, there should absolutely be no point at which the loss of register happens between ink layer and compromises the color or image integrity.

Finalize Glossy Finishes: For an ink to end up with a glossy finish, there must be a film on the surface of the paper able to provide a SMOOTH covering layer for the pigment particles in the ink. If the surface coating is less than perfectly smooth, glossy finishes will lose their sheen.

Because of the expectations set by high-quality, digital design proofs, printing customers bring high expectations to their orders, and as a printer, it’s your ultimate responsibility to make sure that those expectations are satisfied. Keeping an eye toward quality control might take a bit of effort, but it will leave you with happier clients and fewer reprints.

Are there any specific aspects of quality control you’ve run into consistently? Share your experiences in the comments below.

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Laugh it up…13 ways to have fun at your print shop

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 20:38 GMT

Laugh it up…13 ways to have fun at your print shop

As printers, we love our jobs, right? Even if going to work every day feels like you’ve won the employment lottery, there’s always room to improve employee morale, have a little bit more fun with your patrons, and generally make the place you earn your living into a place you—and your customers—love to visit.

Take a look at these suggestions we’ve come up for fun-tastic workplace improvement at your shop.

Design on a dime. Themed decorations brighten up any office, and in a small space like you’re lobby, it doesn’t take much to make a big impact. Worried about offending potential customers who don’t celebrate particular holidays? Keep your décor seasonal and secular—no one’s going to be rubbed the wrong way by a sparkly snowflake.
Music tames the savage beast. It’s sad but true that sometimes when we see our customers, they’re visiting not to place a new order, but for less-than-pleasant reasons. According to a recent study by the University of Buffalo, background music calms stressful customer service situations.
Relax the back. Have a spa day for your customers and employees by inviting a massage therapist to come spend the day giving five- and ten-minute mini chair massages. Therapists looking to expand their client bases will sometimes even come out and offer their services free of charge.
Dress for success. Bet you didn’t know August 28 was National Bow Tie day. Whether it’s costumes on Halloween, green on St. Patrick’s day, or something fun and off the wall like Bow Tie Day, integrating fun change-ups to the dress code can give your employees a charge and your customers something to remember you by.
It’s Avon Calling. Or Pampered Chef. Or the Schwann man. Inviting outside vendors to your business can be convenient for employees, break up the day, and give you something to market to your customers—like this Tweet: “Scentsy rep the office Tues at 10. Pick up something smelly when you come for your stationary order!”
Game on! Whether it’s chair Olympics, bin basketball, or boss tennis, integrating games into your day makes for lighthearted fun and friendly competition.
It’s a Dog-Eat-Dog World. Kind of like bring-your-kid-to-work day (only with fewer tantrums and no red dye number 7), bring your pet to work day can brighten up the office and spark smiles in customers and employees alike.
Give it away. Everyone loves a contest. Whether it’s a big sweepstakes or just an everyone pick-an-incentive-from-a-hat drawing, hosting a give-away is not only fun, it’s an actual marketing strategy.
Treat yourself. From bagels to brownies to a full-on potluck, snacking together is delicious. Keep things fresh by trading off who brings in the goodies.
Light the way. A dark office makes for dreary workers and glum surroundings. Switch out your old light bulbs with new natural light versions.
Plan to be spontaneous. Fun in the workplace doesn’t necessarily have to be pre-arranged. If inspiration for entertainment innovation strikes, don’t be afraid to just relax and go with it.
Tap the brain trust. Don’t be afraid to ask your employees or customers for suggestions about livening up the office. Two heads are better than one—especially if those heads are planning something fun!

And last (but certainly not least)…
Smile. That’s it. Just smile. Answer the phone with a smile in your voice. Greet customers with a grin. Tell your employees good morning and actually mean it. Having a good attitude makes every work place more pleasant.

Have office fun strategies you swear by? Share them in the comments section below!

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Marketing 101: Gearing up for an e-mail marketing campaign

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 23:16 GMT

Marketing 101: Gearing up for an e-mail marketing campaign

Whether you’re starting a 33-Touch with a new prospect, targeting existing customers with an 8x8, or setting up a timed cold-contact drip, e-mail marketing campaigns are a cheap and effective way to get your message out to the world. But if you’ve never rolled out an e-mail campaign before, starting the process can be a little intimidating. This simple guide will help you craft your first e-mail campaign or refine what you’re already doing to make it more effective.

Build an audience. The first thing you have to do to deploy an e-mail campaign is have a database of working e-mail addresses. Here are a few ways to get them:

Existing customer e-mail records. Every customer you work with, every potential client who calls with a question. Every person you meet on the street. Any place, any time, if there’s a way humanly possible for you to capture an e-mail address, get it and add it to your database.
Search out e-mails wherever they may be hiding. Chamber of Commerce directories, online listing sites, staff directories. There are many, many places you can go to capture email addresses. And if it’s published online, it’s fair game to e-mail at least once (maybe not twice—every e-mail blast MUST contain an opt-out process).

Manage the list. Once you have an e-mail database established, make sure you’re managing it responsibly. If you get bounced e-mails, remove the address. If someone requests to opt-out of your messages, make sure you remove their name from your list.

Choose your tools. You can send e-mails a variety of ways. Traditional text messages with no attachments have the least chance of being caught in SPAM filters, but HTML e-mails, embedded images, and PDF attachments let you pretty up your messages. Whether you decide to send directly from your Inbox or use an HTML generating tool (like the free one linked here), it’s up to you to decide the right type of e-mail blast to send.

Mind your Ps and Qs. Make sure not to commit any e-mail marketing faux pas. Always proof read your e-mail carefully for content—nothing looks less professional that spelling and grammar errors in an e-mail. Also, keep in mind when designing that many e-mail programs have default settings to hide graphic elements to speed up downloading. Don’t rely on pictures to relay your message.

Timing is everything. When e-mail blasting, there is a fine line between advertising and annoying. Some common e-mail campaign breakdowns include a 33-Touch Campaign—33 targeted contacts over the course of a year and an 8x8 Campaign—eight weekly contacts in eight weeks. Whatever e-mail schedule you adopt, though, make sure what you’re sending out is useful and relevant to your recipients’ needs.

Do you have experience with a successful e-mail blast campaign? Share your tips and tricks in the comments below.

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