Expand Your Market: 15 Ways You Can Use Direct Mail to Sell in 2021

Life is noisy.

In today’s world, everywhere you look, you’re constantly swamped by ads: buy this, watch this, subscribe now!

How pervasive is this? These stats give us a glimpse:

• Thanks to the internet and new technologies, the average viewer is exposed to between 6,000 and 10,000 ads daily.
• Google has managed to grow its advertising revenue every year for the past 19 years. It made over $134 billion in 2019 alone, just from advertising.
• Sixty-five percent of people say they skip online video advertising – doing so as soon as they get the chance – and 76 percent say this is an ingrained behavior.
• In 2020, the average open rate for marketing emails was around 21%, and more than 20% of marketing emails never made it to a subscriber’s inbox.

In contrast, more than 40 percent of recipients scan or read the direct mail pieces they get, and consumers are 22 percent more likely to purchase products promoted through direct mail than they are products advertised through email.

Maybe this noise overload is one reason younger people are placing greater value on print products. Millennials say they value direct mail in general: 69% of Millennials said they “somewhat” or “very much” like print coupons for restaurants, and 65% said they like coupons for retail businesses. In one survey of Millennials, 75% of respondents said receiving personal mail makes them feel special.

Open the Door with Direct Mail

All of these are wonderful reasons to add direct mail as an arrow in your marketing quiver.

In the digital age, an ink-on-paper sales letter or direct-mail package that your customers can hold in their hands will really distinguish you from competitors. More exposure means higher response rates. Higher response rates lead to more leads. And more leads generate greater sales!

When you’re ready to expand your market, here are several ways to package your message through direct mail.

-- Make an announcement (perhaps using a flashy invitation or an oversized postcard)

-- Send a sales letter or script font note combined with a catalog or brochure

-- Introduce a new product or service

-- Distribute a maintenance or service checklist with a detachable coupon

-- Generate long-lasting impact with a sleek postcard magnet

-- Invite people to attend a product demonstration, educational seminar, or nonprofit fundraiser

-- Send renewal reminders for subscriptions, contracts, insurance policies, or service agreements

-- Send holiday greetings with a special New Year’s offer

-- Welcome inactive customers back with an incentive

-- Get your company in front of fresh prospects using new mover marketing lists

-- Promote a “live” social media event you are hosting

-- Distribute valuable content through educational newsletters

-- Conduct a sweepstakes event or contest

-- Sell seasonal merchandise or products linked with hometown favorites

-- Offer a free analysis or a complimentary cost estimate, review, or consultation

New Prospects = New Possibilities

Some marketers shy away from print, which is truly a loss.

Mastering direct mail can help you strengthen your reputation, drum up leads, entice new prospects, and make you a hero to your clients or boss.

Need some quick-to-print templates or tips on no-hassle mailing lists? Have you considered targeting certain neighborhoods with EDDM (Every Door Direct Mail) Contact us today! We’re here to help.Go to www.printcafeli.com or Call: 516-561-1468 or SMS Text 516-253-4040

 

Tell a Beautiful Story with Five Design Principles

Did you know that 90% of the information processed by your brain is visual?

Design is powerful.

It takes only 13 milliseconds for the human brain to process an image, and 80% of people will remember the visuals they see. In today’s generation, audiences demand short, highly-visual content, and coordinating your design elements is the best way to tell a rich, compelling story.

Knowing this is one thing, but making it happen is another. As a design novice, watching a graphic artist work can be a mystifying experience. How do they know which colors to use? Why do those fonts look so good together? How are these images evoking such an emotional response?

While there are no right or wrong answers in design, basic principles can transform one person’s coloring page into another person’s masterpiece.

Check out principles like these to elevate your designs from good to GREAT.

1. Emphasis

The principle of emphasis demands you ask one question: what is the first piece of information I need people to know?

Like building without a blueprint, starting your publication without a clear idea of your message structure will bring a muddy result.

2. Proportion

Proportion helps you group your design in sections, like consolidating elements by size, amount, or numbers.

Whether it’s columns in a magazine, sidebars on a poster, or pull quotes in a newsletter, proportion communicates importance and helps the brain decode information.

3. Contrast

What do people mean when they say a design really “pops?”

Contrast refers to obvious differences on a page. Contrast attracts the eye, organizes information, and guides the reader. Contrast can be created with varying font pairings or line weights, extreme color differences, and graphics that display opposites. You can contrast a smooth texture with a rough texture, curves with sharp edges, a horizontal image with a vertical one, or widely spread lines with closely packed ones.

For contrast to be effective, it must be strong. Go big! (Think red sneakers with a black tuxedo.) If you are putting two elements on the page that are not the same, they should not be similar. If the items are not exactly the same, make them very different.

4. White Space

White space (or negative, empty space) is the only element that specifically deals with what you don’t add to a design.

Like one diamond set on a stone, white spaces give designs room to breathe and make mediocre images seem more luxurious.

5. Movement

Movement refers to the way an eye travels over a design.

Just like a musician reads notes on a staff, a reader should follow a visual journey through your design. For viewers to engage, they must have a path to follow, so try to tell a “visual story” with a beginning, middle, and end.

To move people through your piece, start with a focal point and then move eyes through the page with subheadings, text boxes, line patterns, etc. Use bright colors to grab attention, jagged lines to build excitement, curves to slow people down, or patterns to guide your viewers. 

First Impressions are Lasting Impressions

While there is no right or wrong design method, principles like these keep visuals stable and cohesive while allowing for movement, unity, and excitement.

Want your first impression to be your best impression? Through the planning, design, and review process, we’re here for you. Whether you’re creating a template or need start-to-finish graphic design, we’re ready to consult, create, and help you bring your best ideas to life in print!

For more Information on all our Marketing Products Go to:www.printcafeli.com

10 Ways to Perfect Your Graphic Design Skills With Domestika’s Online Courses

Graphic design is a complex industry, you can either specialize in a specific area and be an expert in the field, or delve into various areas to widen your scope of opportunities. However, one thing is certain: to stand out from the crowd and become the best at what you do, keeping up to date with the latest trends and techniques is essential to your success.

Whether you want to perfect your technique or learn something new, Domestika is the ideal place to start. Meet a passionate community of creatives and learn alongside renowned experts who are committed to helping you reach your full potential.

5 courses to perfect your graphic design skills

Introduction to Adobe XD

Generating creative solutions to engage the attention of users is what great designers do. However, a UX designer goes a step further in that direction: it’s how the user interacts with the creative solution that is most important. UX designers solve a problem for the user, while also aligning with a brand’s business goals. It is a complex role and one that is becoming increasingly important within design teams today.

Ethan Parry has become a thought leader in UX design, partaking in the Interaction Design Association’s Interaction Awards committee, as well as teaching in Barcelona’s most reputed design universities. With this course, Ethan teaches you everything you need to know to take on a personal or professional UX design project with confidence and skill.

Art Direction for Creative Visual Branding

If there’s a budding Art Director in you, filled with ideas, and searching for the right tools and techniques to build remarkable brand identities, then you’ve come to the right place. Linus Lohoff, is a freelance Art Director for clients like Adobe, Nike, and Comme des Garçons, who wants to show you the ropes and widen your creative scope, so that you too can enchant the world with your visual communication strategy.

In this course, Linus breaks down the art direction profession into a tried and tested step-by-step method, encourages you to find your own conclusions, and leads the way for you to create your own professional brand book, ready to present to a client.

Logo Design: From Concept to Presentation

Balancing simplicity and distinctiveness is one of the most difficult tasks in graphic design, and it can be difficult to achieve these goals while designing a new brand identity or logo.

Sagi Haviv is a New York-based graphic designer and a partner in the design firm Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv. Among the over 60 identity programs he has designed are the logos for the US Open Tennis Championships, Leonard Bernstein at 100, Harvard University Press, Conservation International, and LA Reid’s Hitco Entertainment. In this course he will help you break some misconceptions about design and will help you elevate your work and your portfolio. By the end of this course, you will not only have become a better designer but also a more focused one, with all the tools to design an iconic logo and sell it to a client.

Adobe Illustrator for Graphic Design

Having a graphic communication strategy is the pillar that starts any project, and your best ally to develop the entire visual and graphic world of it is Adobe Illustrator, the most popular and indispensable program for designers worldwide. In this 6-course Domestika Basics, graphic designer and art director Valeria Dubin will teach you from scratch how to use software to create graphic projects from start to finish.

With her extensive experience working for brands such as Barceló Hotels, La Xunta de Galicia, the CCCB and projects such as 25 years of Pixar at the Caixa Forum in Barcelona (Spain), you will learn to use the program to create a logo, a corporate stationery, the design of patterns and textures, and the design of a promotional poster.

1. Master the basic graphic design software

Never feel left behind again in a work meeting or presentation when you are required to prepare a certain project in a very specific way. Keep yourself on the loop for the most popular software and learn to use its interface and basic tools like a pro, such as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe InDesign.

2. Incorporate typography to your designs with Illustrator

Maybe you already know how to vectorize images and create digital illustrations on Adobe Illustrator. But you can also keep advantage of this software to create, vector and optimize your letters in a professional way.

3. Modify an existing type for your logo design projects

You can create a unique logo by modifying an existing typeface. You can start by creating the initial sketch and later convert it into vectors, to adding the final touches for a complete typography customization.

4. Become a typography expert for branding and logo design

From user reading habits to devices, browsers and operating systems … choosing a typography for digital content includes many factors that determine that the texts are legible and look good on screens, so it’s a good idea to learn how to choose the perfect typography for all your digital projects. Also, you can create beautiful logos using only letters, which can be challenging but nevertheless rewarding. You just need to learn how to custom letters for every brand and be an expert typographic logo designer.

5. Go a step further and create your own type!

You could incorporate type design into your professional life as a useful and differentiating tool by learning how to create your own typographic system. The software Glyphs is another preferred tool that will allow you to design and create your own fonts from scratch.

Head to Domestika’s website and check out their catalog of creative arts courses, and get ready to level up your career.

Also Visit Our Website For All Your Marketing Products:  www.printcafeli.com

 

Photoshop vs Illustrator

If you are just starting out as a designer, deciding between Photoshop vs Illustrator might not be an easy task.

So, we’ll lay out some facts for you to decide which one of these Adobe products is a better fit for you. 

Let’s start off with the basics.

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Illustrator is a vector graphics editor and design software that is developed by, well, Adobe. The first version of Illustrator came to life in 1987. It has been regarded as the best vector graphics editing software by PC Magazine in 2018. 

Vectors are points that are used to create perfectly smooth lines. They are scalable images that no matter how large or small you make the size, they look the same when it comes to resolution and clarity. You can zoom up to 900%, and you’ll have sharp & clear designs. 

If you want to create a design from scratch, Adobe Illustrator is a great fit. It gives you the flexibility to create a design that you can also freehand to get the best results.

As above mentioned, if you are on a vector-based project such as logos, designs, or any other type of project, Adobe Illustrator is the way to go.

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is a raster graphics editor developed and published by Adobe, Inc in 1988. It’s been a standard in the digital art industry ever since. 

As the name itself suggests, if you are looking to work on images, whether it is editing or enhancing the image, Adobe Photoshop is the way to go. Photoshop is also great for raster-based art since the program itself is raster-based and uses pixels to create images.

Photoshop was originally developed for photographers, but over time it has grown to help all kinds of artists with their work. It is now widely used for interface designs, web pages, video graphics, banners, and the creating and editing of images.

Photoshop vs Illustrator

Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator are both great graphic design apps, but they have features that make them best for certain tasks and projects.

If you are looking to work with vectors, Adobe Illustrator is the way to go. If your work is pixel-based, you should go with Adobe Photoshop since it uses the pixel-based format to show images. 

Illustrator enables you to create precise, crisp, and editable vector graphics. As aforementioned, these graphics stay sharp in any size. You can use flexible shape and drawing tools to create great-looking logos, icons, other types of illustrations that’ll look good on a business card or a flyer.  

Illustrator works great for artwork that is going to be used in various mediums, and for various types of artworks such as typography, infographics, and one-page design.

However, If you are looking to create multi-page documents, using Illustrator is not a good idea. It doesn’t have the features that are used to set up master pages. 

Adobe Photoshop is great for working with pixel-based images that’ll be designed for print, web, and mobile applications. You can use Photoshop to create flyers that have heavy images, posters, web and app designing, videos, animations, and editing 3d images.

Both these programs have their strong points, and graphic designers usually use both. To have the best workflow, it’s always best to have all the options available in your arsenal.

That being said, if you have a tight budget and can afford to purchase just one, make sure to go with the one that fits your specific graphic design needs.

If that’s the case, there are many factors you should consider. You don’t need to limit yourself to these two apps, either. If you want to be able to design wherever you are with your iPad, Procreate is a great app. If you are not on iOS, there are Procreate android alternatives that you can try. Quite a few of them also work on PC, so you can create new cg artwork wherever you are!

If you were to choose only one of them, which would be your design software of choice? Let us know !

Visit Our Website at: www.printcafeli.com

               The Power Of Belief

Belief is powerful. What you believe in can guide you, give you purpose, and fill you with hope and optimism no matter what may come your way.

2020 has been a year that has required much belief. So much belief that the events of 2020 may make phrases like “Merry Christmas” and “Happy Holidays” feel like they lack the meaning and depth they usually carry.

But, hold on.

Allow me to share one of the greatest stories in history with you – a story where clinging to the belief of a brighter future yet to come marked a moment so significant that we recalibrated our calendar to that moment. 

You may choose to receive this story of a snapshot in time as nothing more than history. Or, if you’re like me and you look at history through a spiritual lens, perhaps you’ll see a deeper meaning as Christmas Day 2020 arrives. 

FINDING BELIEF AMIDST SILENCE

If you were a citizen of the ancient nation of Israel 2,400 years ago, you would be used to hearing words of instruction and caution from those that God chose to speak His words through. In fact, you would have been accustomed to the mighty moves of your nation’s God shown both in blessings and punishment, yet always in Love. 

And then, suddenly, you would have noticed a change – a BIG change.

Silence. All the signs, words, and wonders that you had once become familiar with would have gone suddenly silent as the God of the nation of Israel made a statement. Not an ordinary statement, however. A statement made with silence… lasting for four hundred years!

Can you imagine the uncertainty of such a time? Of such silence? And to top it all off, as a citizen of Israel, you’d be asked to believe that this pause of silence wasn’t the end but rather a time to reflect and anticipate a new beginning. 

What an incredible belief!

This clung-to belief passed on from generation to generation for 400 years. And then, finally, in a most unusual moment, a bright and brilliant star appeared in the sky to announce an end to the silence of the God of the nation of Israel. 

THE TIME IS NOW

Belief carries us forward to each next moment. As we end 2020, it’s time to reflect on a year like no other and to eagerly anticipate a new and shining star!

From myself and the entire team here at The Print Cafe of LI, Merry Christmas! 

          Magnetic Marketing: Using Faces to Command Attention

Our faces reveal multitudes about who we are, what we are thinking, and our intentions toward others.

Lying right under your nose is an awesome landscape of skin, muscles, and features. The face is one of the most profound parts of our body, and it packs so much power! Check out these remarkable facial facts:

• Humans are capable of making 10,000 unique facial expressions.
• The face has the biggest range of muscle structure in the human body, and 43 of these muscles are directly linked to facial emotions.
• Humans regularly flash micro-expressions that last less than 1/25 of a second before they consciously or subconsciously neutralize them. These split-second displays can reveal more than a thousand words (or lies!) ever could.
• Genuine facial expressions are almost always symmetrical. From frowns to smiles, people typically reveal authentic feelings evenly on both sides of the face.

Faces Add Impact in Marketing

How does this play into marketing and print?

First, it’s important to recognize the impact of faces so we can prioritize them in design. Research by Catherine Mondloch showed that newborn babies less than an hour old prefer looking at something with facial features. Humans prefer humans, and people buy from people!

It would be careless to overlook these statistics while continually deferring to inanimate objects. When you’re looking to add that personal touch to your marketing mix, remember faces can help you to:

Connect with People

Large, faceless corporations feel cold and manipulative.

To humanize your brand, feature people, not products! Pictures of real people build empathy and trust among viewers. And eye-tracking studies show that the faces of babies and pretty women are two of the most effective subjects you can use.

Putting faces on your brand allows you to connect with your audience in a relatable way. As you position faces in your ads, remember eyes looking right at people will have the greatest emotional impact because the eyes are the most significant part of the face.

Create Curiosity

Humans have a natural tendency to follow the gaze of others, and we have been coached since birth to follow these visual cues about where we should be looking or going.

Want to build curiosity and engage your viewers? If a face on your poster is gazing toward a text box or a product in the margin, readers will track toward that area as well.

Emotions can also be carried from a subject to the viewer as you set a tone within your design. The emotion in the faces you display can draw people to linger longer before your designs or to be drawn deeper into the message itself.

Cultivate Trust

People react to a photo on a page faster than any other design element, and seeing the people behind a business can establish credibility very quickly.

You can use faces to cultivate trust by using staff profiles on a website, facial photos in welcome displays or high traffic areas, or brochures with testimonials and photos from real customers. If viewers can relate to the people enjoying your product, this will seamlessly build positive associations in their own minds.

When used properly, photos of faces can help you connect with people, create curiosity, and cultivate trust.  Bypass resistance and build connections through the magnetic power of people!

Visit Our Website at: www.printcafeli.com

      Use Themed Booklets as a Strategic Marketing Asset

 

When is the last time you enjoyed a good book? What about a good booklet?

Booklets are everywhere – from the magazine rack at the grocery store to the playbill at your local theater. They are typically smaller than a book (between four and 48 pages), and they are an extremely versatile print product thanks to their size, format, and ease of use.

From mini brochures to media kits, booklets might be a great option for you. Here are some creative ideas to share your message through booklets.

Look Books and Product Catalogs

Today’s consumers crave an experience, so catalogs and look books are a surefire way to reach customers directly and get them excited about your brand.

Gone are the days of dull directories! Today’s designers use the catalog format to feature artistic typography, zingy color, and striking photography. Whether your niche is food, fashion, or custom car parts, fun and fresh catalogs help viewers feel they are experiencing your product in person.

Square Brochures

Is it a brochure . . . a booklet . . . or both?

Booklets can come in all different shapes and sizes, and one trendy option is a square booklet. The compact shape offers a style as savvy as your business, from photography or art showcases to new product launches and tradeshow handouts.

Calendars or Planners

Calendars or handheld planners are practical for everyone, offering branded staying power while conveying your business goals in a way that’s customized to the interests of your audience.

And you can double your impact by combining deliberate calendar planning with irresistible product promotions. Every business has crazy seasons and slow seasons, and planning ahead can provide a strategic opportunity to offset these challenges. Do you traditionally see a slump or spike in your business during key months? Call these out in your calendar by placing special promotions in the calendar, or prepping team members with personalized perks or reminders within your calendar design.

Whether it’s the biggest sales day for local bakeries or the period when your shipping company frequently misses delivery guarantees, highlighting seasonal trends can set you up for success.

Portfolios

Businesses that are into creative work (like architecture, custom designs, or photography) often create portfolio books to showcase their best work.

Whether you provide personal care services or interior design consulting, a well-designed portfolio helps your prospects to get a fair idea of the type (and price range) of services you can offer.

Instruction Manuals

These booklets are also called owner’s manuals.

They contain important information regarding a particular product. Instruction manuals provide step-by-step instructions on how to assemble or install the product. They also contain warranty and guarantee details.

Reference Guides or Reports

Reference guides are like instruction manuals. However, they are usually brief and contain essential details about a product such as do’s and don’ts, features, benefits, and more.

Reports professionally document your company’s progress, financial growth, and mission in an accessible booklet for your shareholders. Data can be boring, so when you display your finances and various charts and graphics, make it pretty or clever (like these infographics, for example). Booklets are an excellent tool for presenting easy-to-read data visualizations!

Find the Best Product for Your Bottom Line

In times of fierce competition, booklets can go a long way toward elevating your message.

But, beyond design, they must be user friendly and durable. Want to turn heads and get the best product for your budget? When you’re ready to visit about paper stocks, binding, or other booklet questions, we’re here to help!

For More Information Go To:https://www.printcafeli.com/store/product-view.html/97-Booklets

Or Call 516-561-1468