Archive for year: 2011

Holiday Procrastinators Will Pay!

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How many times have you let this happen to you: 

It’s early fall and you are thinking about this year’s Holiday Greeting cards.  You have your list of family, friends and worthy recipients in mind.  You think how unique and uncluttered it would be to send a Thankgsiving Day greeting card. 

But time slips away.

Veteran’s Day is certainly a card-worthy holiday, but the card selection is not in abundance. 

Time marches on. 

Chanukah seems to go on for days, Christmas is gone before you know it; Kwanzaa seems festive enough, but then it is so close to the Official New Year’s Greeting Day. So overdone.

So you panic, and instead, you do nothing. 

Ahh, but there is a light, or a holiday, at the end of the tunnel.  Nothing says We Are Thinking of You During This Holiday Season like a well worded, well timed, Valentine’s Day Greeting Card.

But this year, if you follow this path, it will cost you.

The USPS is officially raising single piece postage rates effective January 22, 2012.

Some of the more more noticable increases that will affect the Greeting Card givers are:

  • Letters (1 oz.): 1 cent increase to 45 cents
  • Letters additional ounces: unchanged at 20 cents
  • Postcards: 3 cent increase to 32 cents
  • Letters to Canada or Mexico (1 oz.): 5-cent 85 cents

Prices will also change for other mailing services, including Standard Mail, Periodicals, Package Services.  The increases for these vary according to a variety of laws, inflation and the Consumer Price Index.

So, what does this all mean for your Holiday Greeting Cards?

Finish them! Now!

And let us know if we can help in any way.

(A special thanks to Hilary DeMillo @hilarydemillo for allowing us to use the photo above.  The vintage stamps bring back fond memories.)

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Paul Strack, CustomXM

@pstrack

Hot Dog Marketing

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While we always try to have informative and engaging speakers for our quarterly Lunch & Learns, we certainly received a bonus in the local celebrity of Hot Dog Mike (@hotdog_mike). In continuing with our theme of True Confessions – Real Life Stories of Marketers in the Digital Age, Mike had the daunting task of addressing our fourth marketing point – Something Blue.

No, he was not going to talk to attendees about anything that was particularly depressing.  Instead, he was going to share his experiences using social media (Facebook  and Twitter) to promote and grow his business. How is this something blue?  You see, both Facebook and Twitter icons are blue in color.

Any good marketer knows that one of the first rules of engagement is Know Thy Audience.  In other words, who fits your demographic  profile?  When posed with that question, interestingly enough, Hot Dog Mike responded, “My demographic is shockingly, everybody.”  Man, woman, child.  Politicians, lawyers, musicians, student, librarian, police officer.  You name it, they (we) all gotta eat, right?

So how and why did he use social media to engage with this vast demographic audience?  Surprisingly, in the beginning, Mike wasn’t a big fan of social media.  But he did realize that in order to promote his product (in other words, he needed to market), he had to use a mechanism to help spread the word about what he was all about. And social media tools fit that need. 

Takeaway point – communicate your message using the tools that your target audience prefers to use.

Mike also realized that social media was an excellent tool to use for listening to his prospects, and his potential audience. And because it is a conversation, a dialogue, Mike used this tool to engage with his audience. 

Takeaway point – A successful marketer must use available channels to engage, interact, and react with his or her audience.

After establishing his internet presence using Facebook and Twitter, Mike began using these tools in a manner that fit his personality.  Yes, he is certainly about food, but he is also about his community, and he was looking for ways to incorporate ways to use his food truck to give back to the community. Again, his engagement with his audience allowed him to achieve these objectives.  Mike explains “my brand is me,” so all things related to social marketing are handled by Mike himself.  That way he is certain that it has his look, his voice, his feel.

Takeaway point – In matters of social media marketing, be yourself. Be transparent.  People generally prefer to engage with a person as opposed to a brand.

So there you have it, marketers in today’s digital age continue to use Something Old (direct mail), Something New (QR codes, pURLS), Something Borrowed (communications) and Something Blue (social media) in a variety of ways to ensure their success.  Cross media and multi-channel marketing tools provide for more effective ways to help you Market Smarter.

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Paul Strack, CustomXM

@pstrack

True Confessions – Something new for Better Beginnings

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Continuing our recap of True Confessions exposed during our Lunch & Learn held September 29th, it’s time to hear about Something New.  And how appropriate it was for to hear from that sharp, young up-and-comer from  The Communications Group, Jason Brown (@JBrown935). Jason spoke to the audience on how Something New – QR codes, personalized URLs (pURLs) and microsites helped his client educate childcare providers about the resources now available from  the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS).

DHS was participating in the Arkansas Early Childhood Association Conference. Their goal was to introduce “Better Beginnings,” the new Quality Rating Improvement System for childcare providers.

Jason explained that his client desired a campaign that would:

  • Drive conference attendees to the DHS booth for the purpose of introducing the new childcare rating system
  • Assist in educating attendees about online resources that are available to assist them in meeting Federal Standards for childcare providers
  • Gather valuable data about attendees’ knowledge and awareness of the new regulations through a list of survey questions.

Takeaway point:  Before embarking on any marketing campaign, clearly identify its objectives.

To help achieve these objectives, 900 cards were distributed to all attendees. These cards included both a QR code and a unique URL that encouraged respondents to visit a microsite to learn more about the DHS program. An additional option of taking the card to the trade show booth was offered as well.

Takeaway point: Always include multiple response mechanisms to make it convenient for your target audience to respond.

To encourage participation on the online survey, a prize was offered to all who completed the survey and redeemed the resulting coupon at the tradeshow booth.  All participants who entered received a note pad and were included in a drawing for one of four iPod shuffles. The response was quite overwhelming – over 280 people completed the survey and visited the DHS booth during the tradeshow.

Takeaway point: People like to get stuff – no matter how small.  Give people an incentive to respond to your call for action.  And then reward them for doing so.

Jason explained that not only was this campaign successful based upon the objectives outlined above, it proved valuable for obtaining additional information that will be used in future educational outreaches to childcare providers.

So, as True Confessions in the marketing world continue to evolve, don’t be afraid to try something new.

Next up, Hot Dog Mike shows his success with Something Blue.

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Paul Strack, CustomXM

@pstrack

True Confessions – That Dinosaur will Hunt

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We recently hosted our quarterly Lunch & Learn, and as always, the speakers and topics provided a cornucopia of marketing morsels.  Titled True Confessions – Real Life Stories of Marketers in the Digital Age, it actually turned out to be more of a something old, something new, something borrowed & something blue– type event.

All in attendance seemed to be in agreement that marketing communications – the art of telling a story, promoting a product – is certainly an activity that is borrowed.  It’s nothing new really.  It’s just that now, there are so many more techniques available that allow us to be more effective in how we do it.

Brian Bush of Stephens Inc. opened the presentations with the discussion of something old.  And no, it had nothing to do with Brian himself.  Brian told the story of how Direct Mail, that dinosaur of direct marketing, is leading to success with his target market.  Here are some of the nuggets he shared:

  • Because of its strong brand awareness, Stephens has never really felt the need for a direct marketing campaign.  So this direct mail approach was certainly a new endeavor.
  • Along these same lines, because of the Stephens brand and image, Brian said that many investors believed that they did not possess the wealth necessary to be worthy of being a Stephens’ client.  Takeaway point: There is often a disconnect between how you perceive your brand, and how prospects perceive your brand.
  • Brian also shared that the first approach to the carefully selected database was a direct mail campaign that drive respondents to landing pages (pURL campaign).  While it did have some success, more respondents preferred to contact Brian via phone or email, rather than online. Takeaway point: Know your audience and learn how they prefer to communicate.  Today’s marketing tools allow you to do that quite effectively.
  • Because of the lack of response to the actual PURL campaign, that particular response mechanism was eliminated in future mailings.  Takeaway point: Measure your results, not only to repeat methods that are successful, but to eliminate those that are not.
  • Finally, Brian touched briefly on the design aspect of the marketing pieces.  While a flashy, engaging, even humorous approach was briefly considered, it was decided to use a more corporate conservative approach.  In today’s volatile stock market environment, an even-keeled, serious tone is more effective.

Or, to put it another way, Greg Henderson (@jgreghenderson), summarized this takeaway point best with a tweet:  Old rich guys do not like color on their mail.

So while some may consider direct mail to be a dinosaur of available marketing channels, for Brian Bush and Stephens Inc., it still is causing folks to take notice, and react.  And that is what good marketing does.

Up next in our True Confession series, we will learn how Jason Brown (@jbrown935) of The Communications Group used something new to attract attendees to its client’s trade show booth.

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Paul Strack, CustomXM

@pstrack

Now this is how to use QR codes!

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So much has been written lately about QR codes that I felt compelled to write our own Best Practices list for their use.  But I always seemed to find excuses to overcome that compulsion.  However, last night while begrudgingly shopping for a printer at the world’s largest retailer, which is something I rarely enjoy, I was able to experience many of these Best Practices first hand.

First, some background information – Oldest son is heading off to college.  He needed a printer.  Which one to buy?  What accessories are needed?  What bells and whistles are included?  So, we stumbled across a printer with this QR code on the outer box:

These are the Best Practices I noticed:

1) Size and White Space.  It was a nice size code, not too small, not to large. We recommend no smaller than 1”x1”. And note the white space/border around the edge. This helps insure faster and more accurate scan rates.  Remember, white space is our friend.

2) I really like the instructional diagram.  Remember, smartphone users and those that know what a QR Code is and how to use them are in the minority. For now, anway. We must continue to educate the public whenever and wherever possible.

3) Same as Number 2.  Educate the user.  They may be intrigued by the funny square graphic, but they may still not know what to do with it. One item missing here, in my opinion, is an instruction telling the user to download a QR reader if they don’t have one. Remember, users cannot scan a code if they don’t have a reader.  Remind them that it’s a free download.

4) And going back the point that not everyone can scan a code: we suggest that you always provide the URL link in addition to the QR code.  And in both cases, make sure that the QR code and the link is trackable!

So, I scanned the code, and where did it take me?  Did it create added value for the end user?

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Yes it did!  First,  the scan of the code directed me to a site that was optimized for viewing on a mobile phone!  Beautiful.  So many codes I scan do not do that! That is why we keep repeating the key component of successful QR code implementation: Make It Mobile Now! The quick scan gave me access to volumes of information about this printer that I could not find, or read, even if it was on the box packaging. Now let’s look at the next page on the mobile site:

It contained almost everything I needed to know about this printer.  So helpful, and yes, it did create added value for the end user.  It gave me something for my effort of scanning the code.  That is a key best practice to remember – if a user will take the time and effort to scan your QR code, you MUST reward them with something of value.  It can be a discount, an offer, humor, or just more information that is not readily available…but it must be of additional value.  Give them that, and they will keep coming back.

We also always instruct our users of QR codes to measure the results.  Make the link trackable.  I couldn’t tell if these folks did that, but my guess is that they did. And in the end, I did give them the measurable results they were looking for:  I purchased the printer.

For more information about recent QR code usage and demographics, click here.

And let us know how you see QR codes being used.

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 Paul Strack, CustomXM

@pstrack

Print Lives, But My Industry is Killin’ Me. A Response to the Response to President Obama.

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Those of you who know me personally know that when it comes to politics, controversy and even food, I am pretty much like Switzerland. I try not to offend, and not be easily offended. I typically remain neutral. Industry communications over the past week, however, have caused me to become a little more outspoken. 

In one instance, one of our trade associations issued a video response to cost cutting efforts by President Obama in his attempt to eliminate wasteful printing.

In another episode of outrageousness, our industry produced, and in my opinion, regrettably shared, a video titled “The Sexy Side of Print.”

I realize our industry has struggled, but there seem to be better ways to promote our efforts than these two examples.

Below is my video response to the first action that brought me out of neutrality.

Here is the video reply to the President’s message that prompted my response:

Here is the link to President Obama’s video. For some reason, I was unable to embed it properly here.

I am still too disturbed by what I saw on the “sexy print” video to have formulated a response to that!

Good Grief! Another On-Line Relationship Exposed!

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It started innocently enough, as do most on-line, long distance relationships.  One evening after hours, I was alone in my office surfing the internet, and came across this website that was truly engaging.  It seemed to offer something that I had been missing.

So I explored further, digging deeper into the background. I reacted to what I saw.  Making sure it was a match I felt comfortable with, I shared some information, and inquired further. Then there was reaction on the other end. Some emails quickly followed; some even contained very interesting attachments. All very good stuff. Then along came Twitter and the relationship blossomed.  The messages were delivered timely, and all seemed to be speaking personally to me. As the inquiries intensified, so did the responses to them.  Email, direct mail, text messages, and yes, even that first, somewhat nervous “live” phone chat.

Our much anticipated face-to-face meeting came during a conference, in a restaurant near Chicago’s Midway airport.  As expected it was slightly awkward at first.  But then, because we had developed this relationship on-line, meeting in real life only confirmed the fact that this was bound to happen, sooner or later:

I invite you to join my friend John Foley (@johnfoleyjr) for our next Lunch & Learn series on Thursday, June 23rd from 11:30 – 1:00.  This exciting session will introduce to you the best methods of a multi-channel marketing approach to increase your marketing effectiveness.  Register here.

In the meantime, since John will be visiting us from Boston, he wants to make the most of his Arkansas experience.  He has already expressed a desire to experience a HubCap burger.  What suggestions do you have?

The USPS is trying; really they are…

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The financial struggles of the US Postal Service have been well documented, and the news for this year hasn’t seemed to improve any.  In spite of its marketing success, direct mail volumes have continued to decline. And yet, we see this as good news!

How is this good news?  The dire situation of the USPS is bringing about a new way of thinking within some areas of its operation.  The Postal Service is trying to rethink and retool its current business model and is making strides in trying to be more customer-friendly. And like businesses in the private sector (us!), they are looking at ways to grow by implementing innovative programs.

Two of its newest programs provide excellent, simple, and affordable marketing opportunities for small businesses. And in spite of the decline in direct mail volumes, the effectiveness of direct mail marketing campaigns continue to breed success. 

Here are two of the programs that we encourage businesses to consider:

Every Door Direct Mail

This program is actually a rebranding of the Simplified Addressing Process, but it is worthy of a look. In its basic form, Every Door Direct Mail lets business saturate an entire residential zip code (or zip codes) with qualified mail pieces for as little as 14.2 cents postage per piece. Additionally, the pieces can be mailed without applying individual names and addresses, allowing users to easily target a specific geographic area.

So imagine you own a restaurant, a dry cleaner, an auto dealership, an apparel store or a fitness center. You have a special event, offer, or program you need to spread the word about. You want to specifically target residences in nearby zip codes.  And you want to target EVERY SINGLE RESIDENCE. This program is ideal.  No databases or mailing list required. No addressing or labels.  And all at a single piece postage rate as low as 14.2 cents each.

One caveat with this program is the unusual mailpiece size that is required to qualify. By definition, it must be a “flat” or “parcel”.  Some common sizes in this category are: 6.5”x9”; 6.5”x11” 8.5”x11”. Pricing for turnkey implementation of this program can be found here.

For more information, you can visit the USPS site, or contact us and we would be happy to help implement a program for you.

Summer Sale & Mobile Barcode promotion

We mentioned this last week, but it’s worthy of another look. 

For a while we’ve been talking about how QR codes can be used to help bridge the gap between the physical (printed)  and the digital worlds.  These 2d mobile barcodes help make the printed piece more engaging, and often more relevant for the targeted recipient.

Recognizing this, the USPS is offering a Summer Sale on qualified mail pieces that contain a QR code.  During July and August, you can save 3% on postage on Standard and First Class letters, flats and cards that include a QR code that can be scanned and read by a smartphone.

We go into a little more detail in this recent blog post.

Double Whammy

For those adventurous and somewhat spontaneous businesses, you can actually take advantage of BOTH of these USPS programs.  A qualifying mail piece – flat – that is distributed using the Every Door Direct Mail process that is printed with a QR code, may qualify for a 3% savings off the 14.2 cent mail rate.

Yes, the USPS is struggling. And out of its struggles come opportunities for business to enhance their marketing efforts in an inexpensive, and effective way. It’s worth a look.

It’s Official – USPS Says QR Codes are Hot.

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It’s Official!  The Postal Regulatory Commission has approved the USPS 2011 Mobile Barcode Promotion. And it’s not just any barcode we are talking about. Of course it’s our beloved 2d codes commonly referred to as QR codes.  You know, those quirky little pixilated squares that are popping up in magazines, on products, and yes, in direct mail.

For a limited time, from July 1 through August 31, 2011 the Postal Service is offering mailers an upfront 3% discount on First-Class and Standard Mail letters and flats that include these mobile barcodes. And unlike other promotions offered by the USPS, this one is pretty straightforward and available to most all mailers and marketers.

To qualify for this Summer Sale, these guidelines apply:

  • Mobile barcode must be two-dimensional and readable by a mobile smartphone. One dimensional barcodes do NOT qualify.
  • Mailing documentation must be submitted electronically and postage must be paid using a Permit Imprint. Current electronic submission methods include: Mail.XML, Mail.dat and Postal Wizard.
  • Participating mailers will be required to affirmatively claim this promotion in electronic postage statement submissions, certifying each mailpiece contains a mobile barcode either within contents of mailpiece or on outside of mailpiece.
  • All mailpieces in a mailing statement must contain a mobile barcode.
  • With the exception of IMb full service discount, only one incentive per mailing will apply.
  • Mobile barcode must be used for marketing and advertising purposes. Mailpieces containing mobile barcode that convey information about the postage value, destination, sender and machine serial number for security do not qualify.
  • And to make it even more appealing, Non-Profit mailers are eligible for the discount as well. (They were excluded from the original proposal.)

So why the Summer Sale?

Like so many marketers are currently doing, the USPS wants to take advantage of the recent buzz being generated by QR codes.  The Postal Service sees the use of these codes as a great way to link the physical and digital world of direct marketing, and this gives marketers another opportunity to include them in their marketing strategy. Additionally, the Postal Service hopes to demonstrate to mailers how this tool can increase the value of direct mail.

If you need a little more detailed information on this promotion, go here.

If you would like more information on marketing uses for QR codes, please contact us and we would be happy to discuss ideas with you.

Move Over QR Codes; There’s Some Thunder from Down Under

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While still reeling from yesterday’s announcement that Google killed the QR code, even more disturbing news will come out of Australia tomorrow (due to the time zone difference) about the future of our 2D friend.  For the unwashed, a QR, or Quick Response code, is a two-dimensional bar code that bridges the gap between the physical (printed) world and the digital world. 

I subscribe to an obscure Australian blog entitled G‘day Print. It’s a cutting edge blog devoted entirely to the proliferation of print in the land Down Under.  Recent topics described success stories using innovative printing techniques to increase attendance at local footy matches and green printing initiatives used in Fairy Floss packaging.

The latest entry that caught my attention was a digital code that was not only as innovative and fast as QR codes, but even more powerful than the up and coming NFC (near field communication) technology, called PDQ codes.  (After doing more digging, I found the PDQ moniker is only temporary, meaning Pretty Damn Quick).  The codes are flexible enough where size doesn’t really matter. They can be printed on the largest pair of daks, or the smallest of Australian rubbers. But the most amazing facts about these codes are that in addition to becoming as ubiquitous as QR Codes, they have the ability to be specifically targeted for different market segments, and they have the ability to function way out in the Woop Woop where there is little or no connectivity.

As a paid subscriber to the G‘day Print  blog (These mates are crafty with their pay wall restrictions), I was able to obtain some yet unreleased information about the first attempt at a targeted PDQ code.

So consider this…you have a code that is extremely easy to scan by phone, or if there is little or no connectivity, scan via THE HUMAN EYE, instantaneously giving you the immediate information you need to engage, react, or interact. The paid sneak preview of this code allowed me to view one targeted specifically for the health care industry, the outdoor game acquisition industry, and the higher-end retail industry. 

Imagine this:

The code for the health care industry assists medical professionals in immediate identification of a patient’s area of need.

The code for the outdoor game acquisition industry enables users to increase their effect ROI.

And the code used for the higher-end retail industry gives immediate notification of a more hip, cooler experience than your average discount retailer.

Amazingly enough, all of this is accomplished with a single code.

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 Paul Strack, CustomXM

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