MI4P, Author at Marketing, content, & technology to help printers sell more printing

Ecommerce is no longer a “wave of the future.” It’s a necessity. As part of that expectation, consumers are counting on your printing firm to be able to take credit card payments through your website and be trusted with the transaction details. Remember the pre-internet days of taking a credit card payment? You lugged that big slider thingy up onto the counter, put your NCR receipt paper in there with the credit card, and then slid it back and forth a dozen times until you magically created a semi-readable etching of the information. Ahh… those were the days; life was slower back then. Today, however, life’s quickened pace has meant that credit card payments have to hit on all markers of fast, secure, and safe. The creation of the digital space and the Amazon-like ordering experience means consumers, small business owners, and credit card companies need a way to protect themselves against digital fraud. Data and information need to be protected with just as much fervor as physical currency. And, if your printing firm wants to take credit card payments via your website, that’s where PCI compliance comes in. What is PCI Compliance? Payment card industry (PCI) compliance is a

Let’s be honest. The COVID-19 pandemic has been rough. Everyone has had to learn the art of the pivot to stay relevant. But remember, there’s always a silver lining. Printers, just like you, have been forced to lift their heads up out of the day-to-day busyness of running a printing firm and instead, thoughtfully review things like their staffing capacity, profitability of jobs, product focus, processes, marketing strategy, and more. At Marketing Ideas For Printers, we spend a lot of our time, energy, and words to remind and convince printers like you to ditch the “I’m only a printer” mindset. There has never been a better time to throw out those feelings of inadequacy and step into your true role and calling as the expert marketing consultant that can help meet and exceed your buyers’ needs. To help inspire you, we’re featuring a printer each month as our Marketing Ideas For Printers’ Print Marketing Expert of the Month. These highlighted printers reflect the innovative spirit necessary to branch out, try new things, and find new ways to remain a powerful resource for their customers. Introducing A-Link Printing: 40+ Years of Creativity in Printing Our first Print Marketing Expert of the

Pop quiz! Which of these two statements is true? Your print buyers prefer to do business with: A company they already trust and have a relationship with. A company they’ve never done business with. It seems like an easy enough question, right? But, then why is it that when businesses look to increase their sales, they focus on selling to new prospects instead of their existing customers? Keep in mind that the probability of selling to a new prospect is only 5-20%, while focusing your efforts on existing customers brings that probability up to 60-70%! Cross-selling and upselling is a great way to maximize your sales efforts and increase your revenue. And, these tactics don’t just benefit your sales numbers. Cross-selling and upselling helps breed customer happiness and deepen relationships because you’re ultimately delivering more value. What is Cross-Selling? Cross-selling can be summed up by asking yourself one question: What additions can you provide to what your print buyers have already purchased? The “Golden Arches” (a.k.a. McDonald’s) are known for one of the most famous examples of cross-selling of all time with their familiar question, “Do you want fries with that?” That innocuous question was a subtle yet ingenious marketing

No matter which path is best for your business, the right solution is waiting for you in the all-new content available now! Don’t work harder; work smarter and let these powerhouse projects do the work for you. Take a look! National Direct Mail National Direct Mail is a great option for your national marketing campaigns. With no use restrictions, you are free to use the content wherever you please, both online and offline! The June issue (available for download now) encourages your print buyers to put their name front and center with the staying power of labels, clings and magnets, and your help. Make a great impression while at the same time helping your customers create an impossible-to-ignore presence through print marketing. Pair a powerful direct mail piece along with the included social media and email marketing content, and you have a powerhouse marketing campaign each and every month with National Direct Mail. Printer’s Press Printer’s Press is our number one selling package, and this month’s issue will show you why. So much of the sales revenue your print company brings in depends on the small ways you keep your name in front of customers. How will they think of you

Direct mail marketing is not only an excellent choice for advertising your business (no matter what business you’re in), but it’s also a great way for you, as a printer, to showcase your quality handiwork! You’ve already seen print marketing work firsthand for countless other businesses that you’ve helped personally with their direct mail campaigns. It seems only natural that you would want the same results with direct mail marketing of your own. So, what’s holding you back? Whether it’s time, money, or coming up with the content on your own, you CAN easily provide informative, engaging content on a regular basis that promotes your print business. WHAT IS DIRECT MAIL FOR PRINTERS? Back in 1988, a friendly printer was frustrated that it was so time-consuming and expensive to create his own direct mail marketing. So, he had the idea to create direct mail campaigns as camera-ready artwork so other printers could benefit, too! That friendly printer was Mike Stevens, our late founder. It didn’t take long for other printers to grab hold of the marketing help. Many printers reported that the direct mail campaigns offered provided them with much better artwork than they could design in their own shop,

It’s the first thing people look at when researching a company, yet almost always overlooked when considering their sales team. Your website can easily be your top sales performer and the greatest “hire” you’ll ever make. Consider what Claire Emerson of Copyblogger says, “Your website doesn’t take breaks, it won’t call in sick, and it’s focused on getting the results you want.” Are you overlooking the sales impact your website can make? 3 Ways to Make Your Website Your Greatest Salesperson 1. Interview Your Website. That may sound corny, but think of it this way: did you interview the salespeople you have on your team now? Of course, you did! Start by creating a list of “interview questions” that you can use to evaluate your website. For example, Does your website know and display everything about your print business that it should? Are you reviewing your website’s success on a regular basis? Do you offer your website “training” (i.e., content) on the questions your print buyers are asking? Does your website promote and use all of your current product offerings, services, and pricing? When you hire an employee, you give him or her your time and attention to help improve

Did you know that your printing company’s online ordering process can quite literally set the tone for your customers? Especially now, when 68% of consumers have elevated their expectations of a company’s digital capabilities because of the COVID-19 pandemic. And, across the globe, 49% of shoppers say they’re shopping online now more than they were before COVID. With the uncertainty and chaos of the past year, convenience and simplicity are the buzz words being tossed around when it comes to online ordering, and your print shop will be held to the same standards. 5 Ways to Simplify Online Ordering for Your Print Buyers Your customers expect online ordering to be a streamlined and simple process. Here are five tips to help you get there. 1. Channel Your Inner Print Buyer The most important thing you can do to better your online ordering process, and your print business in general, is to think like a print buyer. From your website to your marketing to your online order forms, review everything through a potential buyer’s lens. Things that seem obvious to those of us in the printing industry can often leave question marks in the minds of our target audiences. What size

No matter how they suffered or excelled through this past year, your print buyers need to be reminded that their own customers are ready for normalcy. Let them know that you’re here with the direct mail content packages that have been ready for you every month without interruption. National Direct Mail With National Direct Mail, you have the perfect solution to target any market in the nation. This mailer has no zip code restrictions and is delivered to you each month, ready to print. The May issue, available for download now, is focused on helping your customers with mailing services, showing how easy it is to leave any mailing project in your capable hands. Show your print buyers how mailing services with you will save them time and money! Printer’s Press Printer’s Press is the perfect-sized newsletter to brighten a customer’s day while at the same time keeping their print projects and your ability to fulfill them at the forefront. The May issue, available for download now, highlights examples of above and beyond customer service, great ideas for postcards, and a unique print project that really thinks outside the box by a major retailer. Inspiration is everywhere, and this direct

Having a great website starts with your home page. Just as a magazine or postcard gives you only a few seconds to capture the attention of your audience, the same is true of your digital doorstep. ”Your website is likely the first impression a potential customer will receive about your company. It’s almost like a first date. The customer simply needs to know that you have something they want and you can be trusted to deliver whatever that is.” – Donald Miller So, what can you do to ensure you grab and keep your print buyers’ eyes on you? Get started with these tips for a home page that is impossible to ignore. 5 Tips for an Effective Print Website Home Page 1. Stand out from your competition. Whether you create a website from scratch or you use a customizable website design template, your goal should be to make your website as unique to you as possible. Most of this uniqueness will come through your copywriting and images, not necessarily from your overall look. Here are a few things to keep in mind to ensure your copy is on-point: Skip the printer jargon and focus on using the same words

Is your printing business customer-focused? Becoming a print-buyer-focused printing firm means focusing on how every interaction helps your print buyer, rather than how it helps your business. While it sounds simple enough in theory, you’d be surprised at the number of business decisions that fail to consider the customer. What is a Print-Buyer-Focused Business? A print-buyer-focused printing firm puts its print buyers at the heart of everything it does, knowing that it will not only help customers but will also help build better relationships, increase loyalty, and ensure overall satisfaction with your business. So, how can you make your printing business more focused on your print buyers? Try these tips to get started. Tips to Make Your Print Business More Print-Buyer Focused 1. Seek to Understand Your Print Buyers’ Perspective The best place to understand someone else’s perspective is to spend some time in their shoes. Empathy is a tremendous gift in business. It will give you insight into the heart of your buyers like nothing else will. And, it doesn’t have to be complicated. You can practice this skill of empathy by simply asking yourself questions as if you’re the print buyer in various circumstances. For example: If a

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