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

September brings print buyers back to familiar routines, fuller schedules, and busier spaces, making visibility especially important. A strong message can still be overlooked when it appears in the wrong place or asks the audience to work too hard to understand it. The September 2026 marketing for printers lineup, available for download now, focuses on solving that problem with table tents and other strategically placed print materials. From lighthearted newsletters and coordinated direct mail campaigns to an article about personalized print and a new white paper on magnetic messaging, these resources help print shops show customers how clear, well-positioned marketing can inspire action. Direct Mail for Printers Subscription Options FastStart Help customers turn tables, counters, and waiting areas into valuable selling spaces. Type: 5.5″ x 8.5″ postcard and 8.5″ x 11″ foldover mailer Centered around the headline “Small Displays. Big Results,” the September FastStart campaign positions table tents as flexible, cost-effective tools for point-of-sale marketing. The postcard and foldover mailer show print buyers how table tents can promote daily specials, seasonal offers, upcoming events, add-on purchases, and customer or employee appreciation messages. They also emphasize one of the format’s greatest strengths: table tents place a focused message directly where customers

Summer is the perfect time for your print buyers’ businesses to evaluate their systems, workflows, and marketing tools that keep operations moving efficiently. For you, that creates an opportunity to position print not just as promotional material, but as an essential business solution. The July 2026 marketing lineup (available for download now) is built around one central theme: helping businesses stay organized, professional, and prepared for the busy second half of the year. From carbonless forms and operational print materials to engaging newsletters and website content, these campaigns help you start meaningful conversations. Each package is professionally written, fully designed, and ready for you to customize, brand, and deploy. Direct Mail For Printers Options FastStart This month’s FastStart campaign gives you a complete, ready-to-use way to promote one of the most practical print products businesses rely on every day: carbonless forms. Built around the theme “Instant Copies for Busy Teams,” this multi-piece campaign (mailer + postcard) positions carbonless forms as operational tools that improve organization, reduce mistakes, and keep workflows moving smoothly. Instead of waiting for print buyers to ask about forms, this campaign helps you proactively promote: Work orders and service call reports Estimates and quote forms Invoices and

While digital marketing can disappear quickly, the right print strategy provides unbeatable staying power. For print shops, June is more than a seasonal slowdown. It’s a chance to equip your business with ready-to-use campaigns that help you stay in front of print buyers and spark new conversations. This month’s lineup is built to help you do exactly that: sell smarter, stay visible, and position print as a long-term marketing solution, especially with high-impact tools like calendars. Each piece is professionally written, designed, and ready for you to brand and deploy, so you can focus on selling, not creating. Direct Mail For Printers Options FastStart This month’s FastStart campaign gives you a complete, ready-to-use way to start conversations around one of the most effective print products available: calendars. Built around the theme “Visibility: 365,” this multi-piece campaign (mailer + postcard) helps you position calendars as a high-value marketing tool, not just a giveaway. Instead of figuring out how to promote calendars yourself, you get: Proven messaging that sells long-term visibility A structured campaign you can send immediately A timely angle (summer planning) that creates urgency How this helps you sell printing:It gives you a turnkey campaign to confidently promote and sell

Spring marketing works best when it feels timely, visible, and easy to act on. One challenge many printers face is helping customers stand out without overcomplicating their message. The May 2026 lineup (available for download now) answers that challenge with a strong neighborhood-focused theme: direct, tangible marketing that gets seen. From door hangers to content-rich newsletters and digital strategy insights, this collection gives print providers practical ways to help clients build awareness, drive response, and stay top-of-mind. Here’s a look at the direct mail and content options featured for May and available now. Direct Mail For Printers Options FastStart For May, FastStart centers on door hangers as a practical, high-visibility marketing piece for neighborhood outreach. This package highlights how door hangers can support time-sensitive sales, Memorial Day promotions, open houses, summer kickoff events, service reminders, and restaurant offers. The content emphasizes useful finishing and response-building options such as tear-off coupons and QR codes, while also positioning the piece as flexible and easy to customize around timing, paper choice, perforation, and messaging. It is a smart way to promote a service that is simple, visible, and built for local response. > Download Samples Local Edge Highlighting local strengths through creativity, Local

Remember the childhood game of “kick the can”? It was fun, simple, and easy. You’d kick a can down the street, pushing the challenge just a little further ahead, never truly resolving it, just postponing the inevitable. But when you’re running a printing business, playing “kick the can” with your pricing strategy isn’t fun; it’s risky. Why Traditional Pricing Feels Comfortable (But Isn’t) Many printers rely on gut instincts and legacy methods to price their services. It feels comfortable. You know your clients, you know your business, and you think you know your costs. But the reality is often different. You’re frequently pricing based on assumptions or guesses, not facts. And when uncertainty creeps in, you instinctively compensate by inflating costs in areas you believe are already covered. You’ve effectively kicked the can a little further down the road. You haven’t solved your pricing discomfort; you’ve just displaced it somewhere else. The Real Problem: Avoiding the Uncomfortable Truth Let’s face it. The reason you’re increasing the perceived cost of something you’re already confident about is that there’s another area in your pricing you’re less certain of. Maybe it’s labor, maybe it’s materials, maybe it’s overhead. You have a sense that

You’ve been there: a new order comes in, the deadline is tight, and the file? Not quite ready. Whether it’s missing bleeds, fuzzy images, or font issues, file prep problems can slow everything down and create more stress than they should. The good news? You can head off most of those headaches by giving your print buyers a little help without piling more work on your plate. Here are four practical ways to set them up for success. 1. Share Common File Prep Pitfalls Not every client knows what goes into a production-ready file, and that’s OK. A simple, printer-approved checklist can make a big difference. That’s why we put together a free guide on the most common file prep mistakes. It’s an easy win: give your customers the info upfront, and you’ll both save time later. >> FREE DOWNLOAD: Top 7 File Prep Mistakes 2. Offer Setup Support That Scales If your clients design their own pieces, you know how often things like margins, trim areas, and safe zones get overlooked. That’s where artwork layout templates can help. Available as a website add-on, these downloadable templates (branded with your company’s logo) include clear design boundaries for popular products and

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

As the fall season draws closer, September brings the perfect opportunity to help your customers refocus, reconnect, and stand out. With routines resuming and back-to-business energy in the air, now is the time for printers to help clients deliver marketing that gets noticed, especially with banners that boost visibility and drive results. The September content—available now for download and print—features tools that make your clients’ messages clear, bold, and effective. From high-impact banners to lighthearted newsletters, every piece is designed to turn heads and support real marketing goals. Here’s a look at what you can start producing today for September outreach. Direct Mail For Printers Options Coffee Break Type: Direct Mail Humor NewsletterDimensions: 8.5″ x 14″Coffee Break Highlighting humor and fun themes, Coffee Break keeps connections strong with a fresh mix of jokes, trivia, and notable dates. This issue features punchlines like: “What do you give a man who has everything? Penicillin.” “My grandma has the heart of a lion—and a lifetime ban from the zoo.” The sidebar article plays with the age-old question, “How many does it take to change a lightbulb?” with witty answers from optometrists, politicians, and programmers. Paired with an October calendar full of trivia-worthy milestones,

What makes a high-value customer say, “Yep, this is my printer”? You could have the best pricing, stellar turnaround, and years of experience, but if that trust doesn’t come across on your website, the sale might not either. And for your dream clients, the nonprofits, schools, manufacturers, and marketing teams you really want, your website is the first sales call. So let’s make sure it’s pulling its weight. Why Trust Details Matter More Than Ever When print buyers visit your website, they’re often thinking: “Can I trust this company to do what I need, on time, without making me look bad?” They’re not looking for bells and whistles. They’re looking for signals—visual, verbal, and structural—that show your shop is experienced, approachable, and built to deliver. The 8 Trust Builders Your Website Can’t Afford to Miss 1. Clear, Clickable Navigation Your website’s navigation should feel like second nature. A first-time visitor should be able to land on your home page and know within seconds what you do, what to click next, and how to place an order. If your website is crammed with vague or internal-facing terms, simplify it. Use buyer-friendly language like “Order Printing,” “Request a Quote,” or “What We