We’ve heard it before, and maybe you’ve even said it yourself: “I delete most of the emails I get. I don’t think email really works.” It’s an honest thought. But here’s the thing: you aren’t your print buyer. Just because email doesn’t resonate with you doesn’t mean it doesn’t work. In fact, many of your print buyers rely on email as their primary way of hearing from businesses they trust. Some aren’t active on social media. Some toss printed mail in the trash. Some skip websites altogether and just wait for updates to hit their inbox. Visibility For Printing Companies Matters If you’re not showing up where your customers are paying attention, even if that’s not where you prefer to engage, you’re invisible.And when you’re invisible, you’re forgotten. That “I didn’t know you did that” moment?That’s the sound of a missed opportunity echoing in your inbox. You’re Not Trying to Reach Everyone. Just the Right Someone. It’s easy to assume your audience behaves like you do. But marketing works best when you meet people where they are, not where you wish they were. Even if 90% of your list scrolls past your email, that remaining 10% may be your best


Email marketing is a powerful tool that keeps your print business connected with your print buyers and drives conversions. However, for your email campaign to succeed, you must be certain your intended recipients will open and read each email. One of the best ways to ensure this is by optimizing your email preheader text, which can have a significant impact on the success of your email campaigns. Continue reading to learn more about how you can maximize the effectiveness of your email preheader and get the most out of your email marketing efforts. What is an Email Preheader? An email preheader is the text that appears right after your subject line in the inbox of your print buyers. This text provides further context to your email and can pique the recipient’s interest in reading what you have to say. It also makes it easier for them to decide if it is worth opening your email or not. By optimizing this area of your email, you can improve the odds of your emails being opened and read, resulting in higher open rates for your campaigns. Are Preheaders and Preview Text Different? Although often used interchangeably, preheaders and preview text are two


Though it can be tempting to stay status quo with your email list for the sake of numbers, the truth is a smaller list of responsive email contacts is of higher quality and greater benefit to your print business. If your email list contains a large number of unresponsive contacts, it’s time to ask yourself why and what you can do about it. You want your print buyer subscribers to rapidly open and respond to your messages and have appreciable reactions to your email campaigns. But how do you accomplish this? Here are ten do’s and don’ts for maintaining an email list of responsive contacts and keeping you out of the junk folder: Do: Seek Reader Consent for Subscribing Don’t: Buy Email Lists Buying lists of contacts will provide you with a larger base audience; however, it doesn’t guarantee engagement. By allowing your readers to choose to subscribe to your emails, you have a greater chance that these people are interested in your print products and marketing services and will respond to your email campaigns. One of the most effective tools to encourage print buyers and prospects to subscribe to your email list is offering them a reward in exchange


About seven years ago, I shared a tip about one way I stay in vacation mode when I’m on vacation. It’s important to me to honor my family by not letting my attention drift back to work. Knowing that “checking my email just for a few moments” is a surefire way to get sucked back into work, I established a safeguard. I asked Rachel to read my email for me. That’s why I wrote about how Rachel, the Human Auto-Responder, Reads My Email at that time. And there’s the big, bold headline: I Don’t Like Auto-Responders   A New Perspective It’s funny how time can change one’s perspective because today, I’m going to share a different tip on preventing emails from sucking you out of vacation and back into work. And guess what, this tip requires autoresponders!!! So what changed? Rachel changed! She’s no longer in a position to read all my emails. As the Director of Marketing at Marketing Ideas For Printers, her day simply doesn’t allow her the time required to be my email babysitter. In that same post, I said, I understand that not everyone has the luxury of having someone like Rachel available to respond to emails. Well, guess


What’s the big secret to getting print buyers to open your emails? Attention-grabbing headlines. Because your print buyers are busier than ever before, a lot of business emails end up going straight into the trash. But this doesn’t have to happen to you with strategic subject lines that can get your emails noticed and read. Emails that have a high success rate begin with a subject line that immediately grabs your print buyers’ attention and pulls them into the body of the email. The most effective subject lines have a personal appeal, piquing your audience’s curiosity and encouraging them to dive into the additional email content. With the all-new Email Marketing For Printers solution available now, here are some of top tips for writing subject lines that get your emails opened: 1. Keep it personal Personalization using merge tags can help you customize email subject lines to include the print buyer’s name, company, or specific geographical location. Personalized subject lines yield an excellent response when it comes to open rates. These types of customized subject lines are particularly effective if used alongside marketing initiatives such as birthday offers, post-purchase feedback requests, or even your monthly direct mail newsletter. 2. Use


A sustainable marketing strategy is all about balance. Yes, we love (and are partial to) print, but it’s not the end-all, be-all if you’re genuinely focused on meeting your print buyers where they’re at. And where are they? Everywhere: print, online, social media, in-person, and in your email inbox. Did you know that 73% of businesses use email as their primary source of communication? You need to be a part of those conversations, and email drip campaigns are the perfect place to start. What Are Email Drip Campaigns? Email drip campaigns (also known as “drip marketing campaigns,” “automated marketing campaigns,” “drip campaigns,” and “drip mailings’) are a series of marketing communications sent in sequence to lead your print buyers to the point of purchase. Drip campaigns get their name for the ongoing value they provide to your subscribers, gradually providing them with helpful information, updates, products, and notifications. These emails can be more education-based (as you’re used to receiving from us) or more focused, personalized, and timely, like a welcome campaign. In drip marketing, you send emails in response to your print buyer’s actions (or inactions) based on certain triggers. Triggers can be specific timelines, time frames, or other things,


Did you know that your customers and prospects assume you’re an expert in marketing as a whole – print, digital, online, offline, and everything in between? That means, Your marketing expertise can’t stop at direct mail. When you embrace the benefits of email marketing, you’ll not only be helping your business personally, but you’ll be showing off your other marketing-ninja tactics as well. Here’s proof. Here are three ways email newsletters help you win at selling more printing. 1. Email Newsletters Build Connections What is the most important thing you can do for your customers, especially in recent times? Connect with them. When you deliver a newsletter consistently, it helps your brand come to mind when the times comes that your customers and prospects do need a product. Although the medium is different than print, the idea is the same: to be regularly connecting with your audience. Connection is meaningful because it means they know you. If they know you, they can like you. If they can like you, they can trust you. And if they trust you, they will buy from you. Think of it like this: how many times have you gone to purchase something and found a


If you’re struggling to get the word out that you’re ready, willing, and able to help others with their print marketing needs, here are some must-haves and must-dos to help drive traffic to your website using social media and email marketing. What to Post on Social Media Social media should be a melting pot of engaging content. A good rule of thumb when posting to social media is to follow the 10-4-1 Rule. This concept was made popular by social media gurus Kipp Bodnar and Jeffrey Cohen in their book, The B2B Social Media Book. The 10-4-1 Rule breaks down like this: For every 15 posts you post to social media: 10 – should come from outside sources, or in other words, other people’s content. This would be the type of content that you get delivered to your inbox each morning through the social media subscription through Marketing Ideas For Printers. 4- should be your own content. This could be your own blog content, website content, or fun and unique “behind-the-scenes” types of things. 1 – should be a link to a landing page or a more blatant sales pitch. These are the posts that direct people to “Click here


Chart showing print buyer rebound after COVID-19

Has your world recently been filled with clichés like these: “Tough times don’t last, tough people do.”  “This, too, shall pass.” “Every cloud has a silver lining.” I don’t know about you, but I don’t need clichés right now. I need some real breakthroughs. As Harry Truman once said, “The only thing new in the world is the history we don’t know.” Tough times have been happening from the beginning of time, and you know what? They all come to an end eventually and a new season begins. Instead of tossing around clichés, how about anticipating, dreaming, and planning for that new season that is coming? How about inspiring your print buyers to do the same? Now is the time that you can be a leader for them and help guide them to success through your messaging. Below are three examples of recent email messages I’ve sent to my clients during this time of COVID-19 that I hope you can use and personalize for your clients as well. I want all print buyers to be ready for the next season, waiting in anticipation for the word GO! Email: A New (Better) “V” Word Isn’t it interesting the language that is


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