A beautifully designed and printed wall or desk calendar is more than a decorative object. It is also a powerful source of information. No, not just as a means to help you remember what day of the month it is (sheesh!). It can also say a tremendous amount about the company that published it.
If you really want to make a statement about who you are and what you stand for, think carefully about the graphics you use on your corporate calendar. If you are a company that is proud of it's corporate-social investment programmes, then using photographs depicting colourful birds or flowers is not going to say anything about your commitment.
On the other hand, hard-hitting photographs depicting the very people or communities you are helping is going to say a lot about you. Particularly when combined with honest and compelling titles. Sure, planning a calendar campaign is a lot harder than giving your logo and details to a printer to overprint on a generic template, but think of the impact the former option could have on your campaign.
Free calendars are always appreciated by your customers and potential clients. More than that, they act as a silent salesforce that delivers your most potent message over and over again without being annoying or intrusive.
Properly designed calendars should combine both functionality and art for a powerful corporate presence in any office or boardroom. Choose wisely.
For more information, contact Dean Young on Tel +27 11 708 7807 or Fax +27 11 708 7845.
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Print Ads or Adwords? Which is Better?
The simple truth is that printed adverts like leaflets and brochures and Google Adwords both have their place in any marketing campaign. In fact, both offline and online marketing campaigns are essential in driving traffic to your website or business blog for that matter. If managed correctly, both campaigns have the ability to increase interest in your company and services and improve your ROI (Return On Investment). One thing is certain, both print and internet marketing campaigns are essential to your company's growth and success.
For online newbies, getting your site ranked highly by the major search engines is a daunting task. Heck, it is even a battle for experienced internet marketers. Google Adwords is a great way to drive traffic to a new website, but it requires a steep learning curve. Nor does it end there! In order to get your ads to show in the top 10 sponsored links requires that your ad is relevant and matches the content of your web site. This requires that your web site is Search Engine Optimized. Having a pretty web site just doesn't cut the mustard and without some SEO and Adwords fine-tweaking, your site will hang way back on page 1,409 000 for a search query, never to be seen.
Brochures or leaflets, on the other hand, are relatively cheap to print and distribute and have the advantage of getting your message across immediately as well as advertising your web site for potential customers to visit. As with any marketing campaign, your brochure or leaflet should be compelling enough to arouse interest in your company and service and invite buyers to phone you, email you or visit your web site. If writing compelling ad copy is not your strong point, hire an experienced copywriter and graphic designer to do it for you. It will be money well spent.
To drive traffic to your web site, include your URL on your calling cards, letterheads, calendars, invoices, brochures and at the bottom (or top) of every fax and email you send. Invite people to visit by simply asking them to log on and tell you how your site can be improved or what other products and services they would like to see there. Offer them an incentive; a discount on their next order for the best, implementable suggestion they email to you before the end of the month. The aim is simply to generate interest and get a dialogue going with your clients.
For more information, please contact Dean Young on Tel +27 11 708 7807 or Fax +27 11 708 7845.
For online newbies, getting your site ranked highly by the major search engines is a daunting task. Heck, it is even a battle for experienced internet marketers. Google Adwords is a great way to drive traffic to a new website, but it requires a steep learning curve. Nor does it end there! In order to get your ads to show in the top 10 sponsored links requires that your ad is relevant and matches the content of your web site. This requires that your web site is Search Engine Optimized. Having a pretty web site just doesn't cut the mustard and without some SEO and Adwords fine-tweaking, your site will hang way back on page 1,409 000 for a search query, never to be seen.
Brochures or leaflets, on the other hand, are relatively cheap to print and distribute and have the advantage of getting your message across immediately as well as advertising your web site for potential customers to visit. As with any marketing campaign, your brochure or leaflet should be compelling enough to arouse interest in your company and service and invite buyers to phone you, email you or visit your web site. If writing compelling ad copy is not your strong point, hire an experienced copywriter and graphic designer to do it for you. It will be money well spent.
To drive traffic to your web site, include your URL on your calling cards, letterheads, calendars, invoices, brochures and at the bottom (or top) of every fax and email you send. Invite people to visit by simply asking them to log on and tell you how your site can be improved or what other products and services they would like to see there. Offer them an incentive; a discount on their next order for the best, implementable suggestion they email to you before the end of the month. The aim is simply to generate interest and get a dialogue going with your clients.
For more information, please contact Dean Young on Tel +27 11 708 7807 or Fax +27 11 708 7845.
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Choosing The Right Print Company For You
The fact of the matter is not all print companies are created equal. Print companies vary in physical size, press size, technological investment and commitment to service and deadlines. All these factors will impact on your experience with a particular printer. So, who do you choose?
If you are a first time commercial print buyer, it is in your best interest to ask a print company for a reference or two. Tell the printer what kind of print work you will be needing now and in the future and then ask for some references to other clients with similar printing requirements. They should be happy to supply you with the information.
What about pricing? Sure, pricing plays an important part in the whole process and print prices can vary enormously from one printer to another. Does this mean a particular printer is trying to rip you off if he is 30% more expensive than the nearest quote? Not necessarily. Once again, a smaller printer may be cheaper on 1000 business cards than a bigger company. But the bigger company may be far cheaper when it comes to ordering 50 000 brochures!
You may find the solution in selecting different printers for different jobs. The old saying of "horses for courses" applies here. If you have a very wide print requirement, it would pay you to have more than one print supplier. Check pricing and check credentials. Do not make a choice based upon the pricing of one job alone.
Commercial printing may be Gravure (massive, long run reel to sheet presses), Web (medium, long run reel to sheet presses), Litho (short to long run sheet-fed presses), Digital (small sheet fed digital prints) or a combination of the above. Find which one best suits your printing requirements on quality, speed and pricing.
Our company, Coral Print CC is a B2 Format Litho Printer. This means we run a maximum sheet size, which is approximately 83% of A1. This allows flexibility in running small to medium-high print volumes at very economical prices.
Contact Dean Young for more information on Tel +27 11 708 7807 Fax +27 11 708 7845
If you are a first time commercial print buyer, it is in your best interest to ask a print company for a reference or two. Tell the printer what kind of print work you will be needing now and in the future and then ask for some references to other clients with similar printing requirements. They should be happy to supply you with the information.
What about pricing? Sure, pricing plays an important part in the whole process and print prices can vary enormously from one printer to another. Does this mean a particular printer is trying to rip you off if he is 30% more expensive than the nearest quote? Not necessarily. Once again, a smaller printer may be cheaper on 1000 business cards than a bigger company. But the bigger company may be far cheaper when it comes to ordering 50 000 brochures!
You may find the solution in selecting different printers for different jobs. The old saying of "horses for courses" applies here. If you have a very wide print requirement, it would pay you to have more than one print supplier. Check pricing and check credentials. Do not make a choice based upon the pricing of one job alone.
Commercial printing may be Gravure (massive, long run reel to sheet presses), Web (medium, long run reel to sheet presses), Litho (short to long run sheet-fed presses), Digital (small sheet fed digital prints) or a combination of the above. Find which one best suits your printing requirements on quality, speed and pricing.
Our company, Coral Print CC is a B2 Format Litho Printer. This means we run a maximum sheet size, which is approximately 83% of A1. This allows flexibility in running small to medium-high print volumes at very economical prices.
Contact Dean Young for more information on Tel +27 11 708 7807 Fax +27 11 708 7845
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