Set the Tone for Your Print Advertising Campaign with Envelope Printing

Envelope printing, when used as part of a print advertising campaign, is similar to opening presents. When you’re unwrapping a gift with a pretty bow or pristine wrapping, you expect what’s inside to be equally exquisite. When you open a letter which is housed in a plain white envelope, you kind of expect the content to be boring. On the other hand, if the envelope is made from textured linen paper and has a bold, colorful design that catches your eye, you tend to be more curious to know what is inside. This just goes to show how important it is to invest in good quality envelopes.

As a business owner, you might be surprised at the number of benefits that you will enjoy from envelope printing. Here’s a quick list:

  • Envelope printing is still an effective form of print advertising.

Everything is digital these days so it is a novelty to receive something tangible, especially in the mail. With envelope printing, you can mail out a greeting card on the birthday of your customer, for example. With a good quality envelope and a nice greeting card inside, the recipient of the card will surely remember your brand. If you’re opening a restaurant, distribute sample menus inside well-designed envelopes to make a great first impression to potential customers.

  • The design of the envelope sets the tone for the rest of your print advertising campaign.

A complete set of print advertising materials include envelopes, letterheads, brochures, flyers, notepads, menus, and business cards. If you are sending out mailers, the envelope is the first thing that a customer sees. The design of the envelope determines whether the recipient will be interested enough to open what’s inside, or throw the mail directly to the trashcan. You don’t want this to happen, so make sure to invest in good quality envelope printing and design.

Perhaps the best part of including envelopes in your print advertising campaign is that it’s cheap. You can have 250 envelopes printed for just $105 or less than fifty cents each. The higher the quantity, the lower the per piece cost becomes. Despite its affordability, envelope printing remains to be one of the most effective forms of print advertising, so make sure to include it in your arsenal of printed promotional materials.

Top Tips for Envelope Printing and Designing

Unless it’s a postcard, the first thing that you will see when you receive something in the mail is the envelope. This is why for business owners, it is crucial to invest in good quality envelope printing. Not only do envelopes leave a great first impression to the recipient of your business mailer, but they also set the tone for your print advertising campaign. Combined with flyers, brochures, postcards, and menus, envelope printing will go a long way towards selling your brand and the products or services that you are offering.

How to Effectively Print Envelopes

Now, how do you create an effectively designed and well-made envelope? Here are a few tips to remember:

  • Design the envelope in a manner that’s consistent with your branding.

When you visit an aesthetic clinic, you’re supposed to be impressed with how clean and, well, aesthetic the office is. The same thing applies when you’re receiving a mailer. Whether it’s a flyer, a brochure, or a sample menu, the design of the envelope matters. If it’s just a plain white envelope which does not even have a logo of the company, you would not know what the content of the mailer is all about. On the other hand, if the company invested in good quality envelope printing, there will be an eye-catching design and a logo. If you’re a business owner, make sure that the colors used, the logo, and the overall design of the envelope is consistent with the image you’d like to portray as a brand.

  • Decide which size is best suited for your printed mailers.

There are different sizes of envelopes to choose from:

  • 875” x 8.875” (return envelope)
  • 125” x 9.5” (standard letter envelope)
  • 25” x 7.25” (greeting card size)
  • 6” x 9” (invitation size)
  • 9” x 12” (fits 8.5” x 11” letterhead)
  • 10” x 13” (fits a folder)

The standard envelope printing sizes should work, but there should be no stopping you from using the bigger sizes for a bolder impression. If you’re trying to gain the loyalty of your customers, for example, send them greeting cards housed in A7 sized envelopes during the holiday season. Make sure to include something nifty like a discount coupon, a bookmark, or a door hanger with your logo in it that they can use.

  • Choose the right material.

Lastly, select between textured linen envelopes and super smooth envelopes. A 70# paper stock is always a great option because of how significant it feels to the hand.

By keeping these things in mind, you can effectively design an envelope that will complement the rest of your print advertising materials.

Ditch the Boring White & Make Way for Creative Envelope Printing!

Most businesses use plain white envelopes for correspondence but did you know that you can use envelope printing to creatively promote your brand? Here are the reasons why you should immediately ditch the boring white business envelopes and go for more specialized ones:

  • You can use envelope printing as a promotional tool.

When you’re newly launching a brand, you want your message to be consistent. This means that you should use the same colors, design, and logo in all your printed advertising materials. Don’t skip the envelope because this is actually the first thing that customers see! Let’s say that you are sending out brochures in the mail to a group of potential suppliers. When you go for customized envelope printing, the recipient of your mailer will be impressed once they see how much time and effort you put on coming up with the envelope design. If the envelope looks the same as the brochure, it makes your marketing message impressive, consistent, and effective.

 

  • You can include it as part of an affordable advertising campaign.

The good thing about launching a full-on print promotional campaign is that it is affordable and effective. If you will print envelopes, postcards, brochures, flyers, menus, and other materials, you don’t have to spend that much. An envelope with an enticing design can cost you as little as $0.16 each.

 

  • Envelope printing can be personalized.

Depending on your budget and the design that you have in mind, you can take your pick from envelopes of different sizes. There are standard sized envelopes, greeting card size, invitation size, and large-sized envelopes that fit a letterhead paper or a standard-sized folder. For the paper type, you can choose between textured linen or super smooth.

  • There are a multitude of other benefits from envelope printing.

Another great benefit of envelope printing is that it targets offline customers. Customers who are not necessarily tech-savvy may want to receive traditional printouts in the mail – be it a postcard or a brochure. In fact, the novelty of receiving something tangible in the mail instead of just digital ads may also prove to be attractive to the technically inclined generation. This means that the appeal of printed promotional materials is universal.

 

Finally, envelopes are versatile and can be used to mail out postcards, brochures, flyers, and other marketing materials. With all these benefits and more, there is no reason for you to say no to the prospect of using custom printed envelopes as part of your marketing campaign.

Master the Technique of Printing EDDM Postcards

One of the easiest, cheapest, yet most effective forms of print advertising is postcard marketing. Specifically, you need to print EDDM postcards and take advantage of the “Every Door Direct Mail” service offered by the USPS or United States Postal Service. Here, the postal service will send out your printed marketing material to a specific group of people or even all the households in an area of your choosing. Using the US Census data, they can filter the addresses by age, income, household size, or any other demographic. This makes for an effective yet affordable print marketing campaign.

The Physical Aspects of Postcard Mailers

Consistency is key if you would like to succeed at postcard marketing. If you have an in-store promotion, for example, you can mail out postcards which can serve as the customer’s discount coupon. During holidays or a customer’s birthday, you can do the same thing and print EDDM postcards then mail them out for good measure. The more regularly you send out those promotional postcards, the better brand retention is – and the more loyal your customers will grow.

Now, to master the technique of postcard marketing, you must learn about the physical aspects of these unique mailers. Here are a few things to remember when you print EDDM postcards to use for promoting your brand:

  • Make sure that the postcard is the right size.

Since you will be using the EDDM services of the USPS, there are some size-related requirements that you need to stick to. Other sizes may not be accepted as EDDM, so it’s better to choose the acceptable options. A 6” x 11” postcard is said to be the most effective in mail promotional campaigns while small business owners prefer the 6.5” x 9” size. If you want, you can also go for half the size of a computer paper, or one that’s as large as a greeting card.

  • Also consider the thickness of the paper used.

There are different card stock options when you print EDDM postcards. The thinnest is a 12-pt. card which is like a very thin cardboard, while the thickest is similar to a credit card, with a 32-pt. stock number. The thicker the paper, the heavier the weight. In terms of cost, if one piece of postcard does not exceed the minimum dimensions declared by the postal service, then you will be charged minimal costs for mailing. If you exceed the maximum sizes, you might have to pay more for postage.

Make sure that the overall design of your postcard matches the card stock thickness, size, finish, and the material used. By familiarizing yourself with the various physical aspects of postcard mailers, you can turn your print marketing campaign into a huge success.

Size Matters: Selecting the Right Size when You Print EDDM Postcards

You may have noticed how a lot of companies offer to print EDDM postcards, along with other printed materials. But what’s the difference between a regular postcard and EDDM postcards? If you are launching a full-fledged print marketing campaign to promote your business, it might be difficult to mail regular postcards – especially if you don’t have an extensive collection of customer mailing addresses just yet.

With EDDM, you can simply choose a zip code, neighborhood, or even demographic like a certain age group within an area – and the USPS will take care of mailing out those postcards for you. The service is called EDDM or Every Door Direct Mail, which is just what the name implies: your mailers are delivered to every door within a certain area. In the next section, we will find out which factors you need to consider when you print EDDM postcards to promote your business.

Factors to Consider when Printing Postcards

You naturally want your print marketing campaign to be a success. When printing postcards, what are the most important factors that you need to consider? Take a look:

  1. Size

When you print EDDM postcards, here are some of the most popular sizes to choose from:

  • 4” x 6” – The size of a typical neighborhood flyer.
  • 5” x 7“ – Greeting card size.
  • 5” x 8.5” – Half the size of a computer paper.
  • 5” x 9” – The size preferred by small business owners.
  • 25” x 11” – Popular among big corporations.
  • 6” x 11” – The size which is most effective in mailing campaigns.
  1. Thickness

Next, consider the thickness of the paper used. There are card stocks which have the same thickness as a credit card. Others are thinner or thicker, ranging from 12-pt. to 32-pt. depending on the design of the card and probably your budget, you can opt for very thin, medium thick, or ultra-thick cards.

  1. Material & Finish

Finally, go with a company that provides good quality paper material. For the finish, you can choose from high gloss, matte or a combination of both.

When deciding on the size, thickness, material, and finish as you print EDDM postcards, all these factors should blend well together to come up with a printed promotional product that will effectively get your marketing message across.

 

Map Out a Strategic Marketing Campaign when You Print EDDM Postcards

Are you planning to print EDDM postcards to promote your business? If yes, then you have taken the next right step in getting the word out about your brand. EDDM stands for Every Door Direct Marketing which is just what the name implies: marketing materials for your business will be delivered at every door. This is provided by the United States Postal Service (USPS) and because of its affordability, ease of setup, and high targetability, a lot of businesses would do well to take advantage of EDDM.

Steps to Map Out an EDDM Marketing Strategy

Whether you are newly launching or reintroducing your brand to a specific target market, you can easily of print EDDM postcards or other marketing materials and use it to promote your business. Here are a few easy steps to follow if you want to map out an EDDM marketing strategy:

  1. Decide on the route that you will use for sending out mailers.

By now, you should already have a business plan which includes your target market, and how you plan to reach out to such an audience. For example, if your target audience is males who are aged 18 years and up, the design when you print EDDM postcards should appeal to them. The same thing holds true if you are offering a service that’s targeted to a more general clientele. After determining your target audience, you can decide on the route that you will use when sending out mailers.

 

  1. Use the EDDM online tool at the USPS website.

The USPS has an EDDM online tool that allows you to map a route for your mailers. This can be based on a zip code, a demographic, a neighborhood – you can even filter by income, age, or household size. The date is based on the US Census. This is a very useful marketing tool provided by the postal service.

  1. Design then print EDDM postcards.

As mentioned earlier, you need to design then print EDDM postcards in such a way that it appeals to your target audience. Make sure that the size of the postcards, for example, are accepted by the USPS. After mapping your route, you simply need to bundle up those postcards and make a payment to USPS – then they’ll take care of the rest of it for you. Another advantage to enjoy when you print EDDM postcards is that the rate is less than the price of a stamp. Moreover, there is no need for you to collect mailing addresses from your customers because USPS already has the data that you need.

 

After mailing out the postcards, make sure to follow up with your customers. Postcard marketing in particular requires consistency from your end. If you want to mark your brand’s name in the minds of your customers, be consistent and regularly mail out those postcards to establish loyalty to your brand.

A Glimpse at the Process & Benefits when You Print EDDM Postcards

The United States Postal Service (USPS) encourages the use of EDDM or Every Door Direct mail services, which is why it pays to print EDDM postcards if you want to promote your business. Here, we will have a glimpse at the EDDM promotional process and its benefits for entrepreneurs – whether they have a small or big business venture.

EDDM: The Process

The goal of the USPS providing EDDM services is to help business owners promote their brand within the local community. Whether you are having a big sale, opening another store in a new location or if you want to bring more customers to your doorstep, you can print EDDM postcards. Through USPS’ EDDM, printed ad materials like postcards are distributed to every home along a specific route. If you have a barbershop, for instance, the postcards you had printed out will be mailed by USPS to every house within the area – thus the name Every Door Direct Mail.

EDDM: The Benefits

Next, what are the benefits of EDDM? When you print EDDM postcards to promote your business, you can enjoy these perks:

  • No need to put together a mailing list.

One of the biggest challenges of marketing any brand is putting together a mailing list which you can use to reach out to customers. With EDDM, there is no need for you to collect email or mailing addresses. By simply identifying the carrier route and the date when you’d like the postcards to be sent out, the USPS will assign a mail carrier to deliver your marketing message to every household in the area.

 

  • Enjoy excellent marketing results within a reasonable budget.

The fact that you’re distributing marketing material to everyone within the vicinity of your business makes your marketing campaign highly targeted. Another bonus is that USPS has great rates so this advertising technique is very affordable.

 

  • Have a flexible print marketing campaign.

Finally, you can print EDDM postcards or any other marketing material that you’d like within your target area. After having them printed out, simply arrange them into bundles, attach a facing slip, then deliver the marketing materials to the nearest USPS branch. After making a payment, the postal service will handle the delivery of your marketing message to every household within your target area. It’s that easy.

 

Key Characteristics of Effective High-End Business Cards

Are you thinking about distributing high end business cards to your clients? If yes, you are on the right path because high-quality cards equate to a better impression of your brand in the minds of your customers and clients. As compared to thin, barely readable business cards, spot gloss business cards that are made using the offset printing process is the better choice. Not only will customers be impressed with your brand, but they will also equate it with the quality of services or products that you are offering.

So how can you say that a business card is high-end? Here are some of the characteristics of high-end business cards:

• It is readable, accurate, and well-designed.

Even if you are in the creative field, there is no need to go gaga over crazy-looking fonts – especially if they are not readable. Your goal in creating a business card is to indicate all your necessary contact information, so it should be readable. High end business cards are also designed in such a way that it reflects your image as a brand. More importantly, the information should be accurate and complete. You can skip the office address if you are a purely online business. If you’re a real estate agent, you need to include your contact number and email address. Also think about including your social media information, especially if this is one of the main ways that you interact with customers.

• Close attention is paid to the even the smallest details when printing out the card.

Another key characteristic of high-end business cards is that they are printed with close attention to detail. The US standard size of spot gloss business cards is 3.5”x 2”. With very little space, every typographical error or printing mistake will painfully stand out.

• There are special features to make the card stand out.

In a stack of plain linen business cards, what will make high end business cards stand out? Unique features like rounded edge, or plastic or recycled paper material are a few examples. Spot gloss business cards are also considered high-end cards because gloss is added to outline specific areas like logos or a name. Do take note that some features are only available if you will go with offset printing, so it is better to choose offset printers in the first place.

If you want attention-grabbing, high-end business cards, go for something like spot gloss business cards that will truly make your brand stand out.

Must-Remember EDDM & Postcard Printing Tips

EDDM stands for Every Door Direct Mail marketing. It can be part of your business’ print promotional campaign where you can finish a 4 x 6 postcard printing task and have it mailed out to every door within a specific address. If you have a line of organic products targeted towards women, for example, EDDM will work because there is a large percentage of households with women. On the other hand, if you are offering a service like real estate brokering, you might be better off going with a targeted 4 x 6 postcard printing and marketing list. Not all households would have owners who are interested in selling or buying property, so it makes more sense to create a targeted list first.

Whether you decide to launch an EDDM or a targeted 4 x 6 postcard printing mailing campaign, here are a few tips to make it more effective:

• Invest in high-quality postcards.

When looking for a 4 x 6 postcard printing company, go for offset instead of digital printing. There might be some extra cost involved but considering the professional look of the results, offset is worth it in the end. The images are razor sharp and there is a wider color palette that you can use in the design, not to mention more options in terms of paper finish.

• Include a call-to-action.

Be it an EDDM or a direct mail marketing campaign, you must know what to write in the postcard in the first place. The smallest postcard size available is 4” x 6” – which gives you very limited space to work with. The call-to-action should suit your marketing message, and it should be attention grabbing.

• Test a small portion of the market first.

What’s good about postcard marketing is that you can use it to test out a small portion of the market first. If you are launching a new scent, for example, you can mail out postcards as discount coupons to your first 100 customers first. If you get a good response, that is when you can mail out the same postcard to the rest of your mailing list.

• Be aware of hidden costs.

Lastly, EDDMs are usually part of a printing package offered by companies working with the United States Postal Service. When taking advantage of printing and mailing packages, make sure that you are aware of all the costs involved. Also take note of the size restrictions – you might have to spend more when mailing jumbo postcards as compared to the standard-sized ones.

 

Will You Really Save Money with DIY Inexpensive Business Cards?

If you’re a small business owner, you might think that you are saving money by purchasing a desktop printer for all your printed marketing needs instead of ordering inexpensive business cards from professional printing companies. Although there might be some advantages to taking the DIY or do-it-yourself route when it comes to printing promotional materials, there are a few downsides to it as well. In the next section, we will look at the pros and cons of DIY versus professional printing.

DIY versus Professional Printing

• DIY Printing 

DIY or do-it-yourself printing involves purchasing a decent desktop printer so that you can print out business cards, postcards, brochures, flyers, and similar marketing materials. Using a computer desktop printer may allow you to produce inexpensive business cards but when it comes to results, nothing beats the quality of professional printing. Business cards will make a huge impression to your customers because it’s a representation of your brand. If your desktop printer can only produce business cards that look homemade, your clients and customers will definitely not be impressed. Perhaps the only exception is when you are offering affordable products or services, so you want to create business cards that are quite simple.

Another disadvantage of DIY printing is that you still have to spend money on the hardware, paper, ink, and maintenance. If you have inexperienced staff, they might not set up the printer properly so instead of saving money, you might end up wasting even more of it due to rookie mistakes.

• Professional Printing 

With professional printing, you can order inexpensive business cards without compromising on quality. There are many professional printing companies that have a purely online ordering process, so you won’t even have to visit their office. You can make use of their online design tools or downloadable templates so that you can create a design for inexpensive business cards. They might be inexpensive to order, but the results are still professional-looking and impressive.
In the end, any extra investment on hiring a professional company to print inexpensive business cards is still worth it. By leaving it to the pros, you can have high-quality business cards that will impress your customers – without spending any more than what’s necessary.