Swift Blog

Do you think all printers are the same? Not at all! Even though two print shops might have the same equipment, they might have very different philosophies, quality standards, and customer relationships. To help you find the right partner for your printing needs, here's a quick checklist of questions you'll want to ask during the vetting process.

1. Do they prioritize customer service? From the first interaction, you should feel valued. Your printer should listen to you, take the time to walk through your options, and help you find solutions when you're stuck.

When you create marketing campaigns, are you reflecting your value proposition in everything you do? You might think you only sell products, but it’s more than that. Think about a company like Campbell’s. Sure, the company sells soup, but its tagline is “Mmmm, Mmmm. Good.” Its ads show families around the table, enjoying a meal together. The company’s value proposition isn’t, “We sell soup.” or “We help you create healthy meals your family can enjoy together.”

Innovative companies know their value proposition and communicate it, directly and indirectly, every time they send a direct mail piece, blast an email, or design product packaging.

Not every print piece needs a “wow” factor, but what happens when it does? Maybe you are launching a new line of high-end clothing or cosmetics or have an audience for luxury goods you want to impress. That’s where print embellishments come in. Print embellishments are visual or tactile add-ons that create a higher level of engagement than even the best 2D designs can do.

When you need that extra “wow” factor, consider one of the following options:

Are you looking to boost your marketing results by going multichannel? Businesses looking to amplify their direct mail efforts often pair direct mail with email. That's a great strategy. But you know what else is a great strategy? Pairing direct mail with social media.

What makes direct mail and social media so complementary? Customers love direct mail and social media and use and respond to each channel differently. Print's tangibility leaves a deeper footprint in consumers' brains, resulting in more accurate recall and higher buying intent. At the same time, social media is proven for ongoing, spontaneous communications that keep your customers entertained and engaged. With both channels providing different benefits, why not pair the two?

If you listen to all the buzz, you’d need many data points to create relevant, personalized mailings. The reality is that sometimes, name and address are enough. Let’s look at three ways to use a single data point to create more relevant mailings than you might expect.

1. Geographic mapping.

When was the last time you updated your product brochures? Are you still selling all of the same products? Are there new products you need to add? How about your customer base? Has it evolved? Does the messaging need to be updated to reflect who your customers are now? It might be time if you haven’t updated your brochures in a while. Here are six tips to get you started.

1. Hit the highlights.

Whether it's a postcard, an email, or a webpage, your call to action (CTA) motivates your target audience to respond to your offer. Simple changes can often make a big difference, so testing your CTAs to see if they can be improved is essential. Let's look at three real-life examples to see why.

Case Study #1: The Power of Exclusivity

Any type of relationship starts with emotional intimacy. Business relationships are no exception. This is why many companies are investing in customer intimacy strategies.

Is customer intimacy just a fancier way of referring to customer engagement? Nope. Customer engagement is designed to create online and offline interaction with customers using tools such as surveys, social media activity, clickable links, interactive print, and so on. Customer intimacy is different. By definition, it is based on a relationship, not just a response or activity. By their very nature, relationships create a bond of loyalty and advocacy that, in a business environment, directly impacts the bottom line. Relationships are sticky. Thus, customer intimacy is deeper and less fickle than other measures, and it’s worth your time to figure it out.

Paper is more than just a surface for printing. It has its own character. It can evoke warmth or coolness, brightness or subtlety, and feel earthy or extravagant. Let’s explore some essential elements that give each paper its own personality.

1. Brightness Levels: Brightness indicates how much light reflects off the paper, rated on a scale from 1 to 100. A higher brightness (closer to 100) means your colors will stand out more vividly. Papers with lower brightness, particularly uncoated ones, tend to soften colors.

Sure, the volume of direct mail may be declining, but its importance is not. Direct mail plays a unique role in the marketing world and is something digital channels cannot replicate. Let’s look at five reasons why.

1. Print retains authority. Digital marketing is often perceived as low-cost, which diminishes its impact in the eyes of consumers. In contrast, handing someone a brochure, a physical coupon, or a direct mail piece creates a sense of value and credibility.

As concerns about synthetic materials, excessive packaging, and carbon emissions rise, consumers seek sustainably produced and packaged products. But does this growing awareness lead to changes in purchasing habits? A recent survey reveals that it does.

Here are three key insights from the “U.S. Retail Sustainability Perceptions Benchmark” survey (eMarketer/Insider Intelligence) that can inform your marketing strategies:

Content marketing is one of the most effective methods for driving revenue, engaging customers, and enhancing client retention. However, like any marketing approach, it requires a well-defined strategy. Where do some of the most significant challenges lie? How can you overcome them? Let’s look at three main areas: delivering value, establishing routines, and creating processes.

1. Delivering Value: Many marketers are stuck in a cycle of mundane tasks and repetitive content distribution rather than finding innovative ways to provide unique value to their customers. Don’t be one of them! Whether you’re creating content for direct mail, email, or social media, customize your content for each channel. Each channel has distinct advantages and limitations, so tailor your message for each audience.

When designing your next print project, achieving the best results requires attention to detail and understanding how to prepare your designs for print. Whether you're working on a business card, a brochure, or a poster, following these nine tips will help ensure that your print project turns out its best.

1. Use CMYK Color Mode: Design in CMYK color mode rather than RGB. Printing presses create colors using blends of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (CMYK) inks, so designing in this mode ensures that your colors will look as intended in print.

Nowadays, everyone wants to stretch their marketing dollars, but we all want the best results, too. The good news is, you can do both! Here are five tips for budget-conscious marketers that will save you money and boost your results simultaneously!

1. Use targeted mailing lists.

Marketers intuitively understand what surveys have told us for years: Direct mail ROI rises dramatically when direct mail is part of an integrated, multichannel marketing strategy.

According to NAPCO Research, response rates from direct mail campaigns increase by 41% when used as part of an integrated marketing campaign compared to mailings not integrated with other channels. ROI rise nearly 63%.

One way to make a strong impression with printed material is by incorporating embellishments like specialized coatings, textured finishes, and custom die cuts. While these enhancements are not new, many businesses are unaware that they are both accessible and affordable, whether you are printing offset or digital.

Which of these popular enhancements might capture the attention of your target audience?

Hand on packaging plans

If you manufacture food or beverages, you know how difficult it is to stand out on the retail shelf. But what if you could do something simple: turn heads and win new customers without changing the primary product? You can—it’s limited edition labels and packaging.

Let’s say you produce craft beer, and there is a jazz festival in your local area every year. So, for the festival, you create a “pick your favorite” limited edition line of labels featuring different instruments, such as saxophones, trumpets, and trombones. You can also design labels featuring jazz greats such as Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, or Dizzy Gillespie. Add the name of the festival and the year, and you will have a powerful marketing tool that every craft beer enthusiast at the festival will want to buy.

In today's saturated market, consumers are bombarded with countless options, making it easy for your brand to get lost in the noise. However, implementing the right strategies ensures that your brand remains at the forefront of your customers' minds.

1. Promote Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP).

As the summer sun blazes and your competitors take time off, you should be gearing up. Summer is the perfect time to review and prepare your content strategy for your fall marketing blitz. Here's how to turn the summer lull into a productive season for your business.

1. Think Ahead with Fall Themes

Are you selling into the B2B market? Then you know that an increasing number of stakeholders are involved in the purchase process, and sellers face a more complex buyer's journey than ever before. How do you break through? Content marketing (and lots of it)!

Printed materials such as direct mail, newsletters, and multi-piece kits are well suited to selling into the B2B market. Once delivered, these pieces often remain visible for days, weeks, or even months during the various stages of the research and decision-making process. Printed pieces can also be easily shared between team members.