5 Tips to Increase Sales with Brochure Printing

Back in the day

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 17:00:54 GMT

I can remember when MacIntosh computers were released in January of 1984, with 128K RAM of memory. It changed my life forever. When I opened Bartleby Press in 1986 it was a business in name only but that tiny screen computer revolutionized the print industry. I began by typesetting for a franchise print firm that used linotronic processing for their typesetting. For those of you under thirty it might as well as been as old as setting lead. The process for typesetting copy was either positive or negative. Positive is a photographic print that was then sent to a layout artist who cut and pasted (literally) copy in a format that was sent to a plate maker. The exposed press plates were made of paper and used on the press to create impressions. Consider the time and precision of labor needed to line up copy with a rule! With the MacIntosh typesetting was fast, accurate and inexpensive. I still employ an Eskofat camera for paper plates and will until it breaks and I cannot find replacement parts but the rubber cement, exacto knife and rules have all but disappeared in the art room. The art tables are reserved for piles of paper or a coffee stand.

I still have my Mac 512 and it works although I have not turned it on in years. It sits in the pressroom on a shelve in plain view. When I walk by the RipIt (computer to plate system), the digital press and the offset presses I am astounded at our progress in the print world and the continued success of the printed word in the Internet age.

About the Author:Thomas Miner is the founder of Bartleby Press, a printing firm.

Mapping a Message for Your Marketing Campaign.

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 10:33:05 GMT

1. Do you know your Market?

Once you have defined your target audience your focus is and should be on customer pain points. Verifying and collecting that information is a difficult task that requires expertise and funding but for the small business you can begin by analyzing your own database. Knowing your current customer demographics is a good start: Their age range, male or female, education level, geographic location, what are their common pain points can you solve, as well as how they prefer to buy. This information will help you shape your marketing message.

2. Do you know where to find your market?

Find publications, clubs, associations, websites, conventions and other traditional networking events that serve the market. Evaluate your social media and connect/network much the same as you would in a room full of people.

3. Do you have a position statement?

Have a position statement that is succinct and to the point. Most important, be able to describe your business in short phrasing that rolls off you tongue without a second thought.

4. Do you have a call to action?

Solve a real problem. Meet a basic need. Repeat the benefits you provide for the price.

5. Define the offer in terms of benefits and assets.

Assets are what your service brings to the table or your product value. They refer to tangible aspects of your product like availability, delivery options, and your level of service.

Benefits are what your product or service offers that fulfill your customer’s needs. That which removes his pain point. They connect your product or service with value/emotion and the bottom line.

6. Do you have a system in place that will connect your marketing to sales?

Individual marketing pieces should be considered only a part of a larger plan that will lead your prospects to becoming customers. Begin by creating a plan so you know how all the pieces fit together to help your customer make the journey from prospect to paying customer. You may have to hire a 3^rd party that can be objective and hand you an executive brief outlining a plan of action.

Drive prospects from one marketing arena to another — from your traditional introductions to your social media network—e-mail newsletter to your website and your Facebook page, LinkedIn, Twitter and such. Weave your message and keep them engaged no matter where they interact with your company.

About the Author:Thomas Miner is the founder of Bartleby Press, a printing communication service.

Write Powerful Church Bulletin Articles That Parishioners Will Read

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 11:06:27 GMT

How many phone calls have you received asking what times are Mass? Registration for Religious Ed classes? And all the information was in your Sunday bulletin!

A powerful written message can tell a story, report news, or help a cause. Smart writers know that great writing can get your message read. Writing takes time, and some skill, which catapults visibility of the message and drives results. Remember there is little room for long drawn out explanations of your cause. Reduce the basics of your message down to one sentence that answers the 5W’s of reporting – who, what, when, where and why. To get the results you want, follow these 4 steps.

Have a great headline

You only have a few seconds to grab a reader’s attention, so be sure to craft a headline. Lead with a concept, not your ministry name — your audience probably knows about your ministry, but they do care about finding a good story. Lead with a compelling concept to draw them in. Be creative — don’t confine yourself to the headlines you see create a headline that stands out. Test — test your headlines just like you would any other content. Find the headline that grabs attention and makes the reader want to learn more.

Avoid jargon

When writing bulletin copy remember to minimize technical jargon. Although relevant for some cases, jargon may confuse your audience and turn them off to your message. To engage new readers who may not be knowledgeable, write for a broader audience and increase the likelihood the content is shared. Keep it simple, and offer explanatory resources like your web page, contact name and phone number.

Provide resources

We don’t live in a one-dimensional world, and your bulletin shouldn’t look one-dimensional either. Provide added value to your bulletin article by including photos, links to source material and any other in-depth resources, giving your readers the assets they need to fully understand the news you’re providing them. Remember, we live in a digital world, so be sure these resources are web-ready and in the correct formats for web publication. The easier you make it for a parishioner/reader, the more likely they are to pick up on your message. ??

Proofread

Errors in grammar and spelling can take away from your overall message. Write your bulletin article in word processing document instead of a text file or online submission form. When you’ve got it drafted, print it out and proofread your writing. Correct and rewrite, then proofread again.

Keep your audience in mind when creating your bulletin article and stick to these 4 tips. When you put the thought and time into creating a truly killer bulletin article, you’ll find it can gain readership to your bulletin and help promote your message.

About the Author: Thomas Miner is the founder of Bartleby Press, a church bulletin printing service.

When is it best to use Digital Printing

Sun, 2 Jan 2011 19:18:54 GMT

Offset printing is the most common method of high volume printing while digital printing is gaining momentum as an important short run print method. It saves time, there is little variation in the print process, and it can print in hours. You can also add variable data printing to personalize your direct mail without slowing down the printing process.

Digital printing can be less expensive for small businesses that prefer a small print run as there is very little set up cost involved. Therefore if you want small quantities of business cards or flyers, brochures and promotional products you may be best served by opting for digital print. If you need large quantities of high-quality print, offset printing offers the better solution.

If you want to find out more about printing services contact Thomas Miner at Bartlebpress.com

5 Tips to Increase Sales with Brochure Printing

Wed, 8 Dec 2010 10:01:43 GMT

Brochures are the foundation of any marketing campaign and provide your customers with a tangible document that communicates your most pertinent information.
• Define the purpose of the brochure. Set goals, time lines and tracking features to monitor the results of the campaign.
• State benefits that apply to the customer. Make it easy for customers to buy the products and services listed on the brochure.
• List Company Contact information with various contact methods via phone, e-mail, Website and a physical address.
• State a call-to-action? Lead readers through a marketing message and let them know what they need to do to take advantage of the offer. Also, don’t forget to include pertinent codes, coupon information or tracking mechanisms.
• For brochure mailing, use coating stock for more vibrant colors and it is more scuff resistant from mailing. Thicker, heavier paper stocks create a substantial feel to a brochure, while thinner paper stocks work well if the brochure needs multiple folds.

Thomas Miner
Bartleby Press

There are no Cheap Online Printing Services

Mon, 6 Dec 2010 09:20:22 GMT

No matter what people tell you……there is no such thing as cheap online printing. No more so than if you sell YOUR services or product cheap. You will pay one way or another. Added charges for adjusting your art work, reprints from flawed designs that are ignored in the print process and, of course, there is the shipping.
The reality is that if you want quality printing at a reasonable price, seek out a relationship with a printer. If he is worth his salt you will benefit in the long run. He can help you save money with your print projects, be a great resource, and watch out for you during the print process.
Check your local printers first and leave the cookie cutter Internet brokers alone. There is a local print service that can help you for as little as they advertise. And by all means look for local printing services on-line.

Thomas Miner
Bartleby Press

Flyer Printing as Cost Effective Advertising

Wed, 1 Dec 2010 15:54:38 GMT

Flyer printing can be a really useful means of getting the word out about your business. If you provide a fairly common service or product, you should consider flyer printing as a means of advertising for your business.
Flyer printing can be done with little expense and the more flyers you print, the lower the cost. There are printing services that will give you inexpensive quotes and provide your business with flyer printing services. Flyer printing has been an effective form of advertising for literally hundreds of years.
In fact, flyer printing was one of the very first types of commercial advertising ever put into use. Tacking a flyer on walls, and trees, telephone poles, and street signs was probably the first form of outside billboard advertising. Although with today’s laws and regulations, it is not recommended that you plaster outside walls, poles, or signs with your business flyers.
The best place to put them is up on community bulletin boards such as those often found in Laundromats and grocery stores. Lots of businesses do door-to-door canvassing, featuring flyers. Sometimes flyers are handed out in parking lots and strip malls.
One of the best things you can do to bring attention to your business is to feature color flyer printing in your advertising. Pink, blue, and green are among the favored colors for flyer printing.
Pink paper is often chosen because it grabs the eye of the recipient. Blue is a color that people find comforting and it relays a feeling of security and professionalism. Green, of course, is the color of money.
If you are considering printing a large number of flyers (thousands) at one time, you might want to look into the services of a local printing service like Bartleby Press.
Whatever way you choose to distribute your newly designed flyers, you will want them to have a clean layout with a call-to-action message. Flyer printing often involves offering a special discount or a coupon for savings to the flyer recipient. Often, it is the special offer that brings them through the door .

Thomas Miner
Bartleby Press