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Marketing that makes a mark!

A simple, easy marketing idea

Here’s one of those simple little marketing ideas that anyone can do.

Have you ever thought of using limited-edition postage stamps to get noticed?

The vast majority of business-to-business mail is sent using standard first class stamps, bulk permits, or metered postage strips. Why not add a little style to your mail by using one of the many limited edition postage stamps produced by the United States Postal Service on a regular basis? The USPS limited edition stamps feature beautiful graphic design, quality four-color printing, and are often printed in an attention-getting, oversized format. It’s a simple way to make your mail special.

I have used a different special edition stamp on many occasions over the years. I also used them on my personal correspondence.

This simple idea makes your firm look creative. Limited edition stamps can provide a ‘smile moment’ for the person receiving them — and they look like you care enough to provide the extra effort to send one. Almost everyone enjoys seeing the special edition stamps for the first time. Of course, it’s not the kind of idea that’s going to cause your sales to jump 5% next month, but it’s still worth the extra effort if you believe, like I do, that every action we take provides an opportunity to make a favorable impression on our customers.

John

A Few Rules For Creating Effective Posters

These are a few rules in creating designs as well as in the actual poster printing.
However, while there are little personal rules that one can adopt for oneself, there are a few notable professional cardinal rules that almost all designers should actually follow. In this special tutorial article, I will teach you the most notable rules that you should know. Make sure that you remember these rules if you want your color posters to turn out as professional looking as you want them to be.

1. The larger the better – This is a simple enough rule to follow. Larger size is better. That is why most professionals print posters that are as large as possible for their purposes, and you should do this as well. Larger ones are not only impressive looking, but they are also more highly visible even from afar. This means that larger posters have a larger reach and a greater impact all the time. Always aim for the largest implementation of your design. It will always be well worth it.

2. The more the merrier – Another rule that you might want to know is that the more you print the merrier you will be with the results. More posters of course mean more locations where you can deploy your prints. You can cover a lot more locations with those numbers, giving you the best chance of really communicating with your target market. It is best to always budget to get the most number of your outputs. Believe me, all that would be worth it when you get the returns from those extra prints.

3. Less is more – When it comes to content, the cardinal rule is less is more. While such can indeed hold a lot of information, too much information with lots of graphics can sometimes be too much. It is important for you to realize that it is best to have the most concise content with the simplest but artistic kind of picture or color design. This should help you get a cleaner and more organized look instead of these confusing ones with too much textures and pictures without really having REAL effective content.

Effective Poster Design

4. Know thy readers – In developing effective designs, it is a cardinal rule to always know about your readers. More specifically, you must know their preferences in terms of images and content, as well as the language that usually will be more appealing to them. The more you know about your potential readers, the easier it is to improve and adapt your designs. Do not go for printing without really knowing about your audiences intimately.

5. Pay for the best materials always – Finally, like all other prints, it is best to always pay for the best materials. The better quality the materials, the better those designs will turn out. The glossier and thicker is better really. So try to really spend as much as possible.

Great! Now you know the most important and notable cardinal rules in printing and design. Take all of this to heart and try to do them when your own turn in poster printing arrives.

Pine Press Printing & Mailing delivers. Guaranteed!

Pine Press Printing your friendly hometown printer in Lexington, SC 29072

803-359-9162

Stay in Touch with your Clients

Stay in Touch with your Clients

Don’t let anyone drive a wedge between you and your valued customers.
Your customers are feeling pressure like never before.  Many are concerned and looking for any help they can get.  They are looking to cut costs anyway they can.  So now is the time to stay in touch with them.  Your customers may have been loyal for many years but if someone comes in front of them and you have neglected your relationship they may be tempted to give this new attentive vendor a try. Don’t let this happen to you.

One of the best ways to stay in touch is with a newsletter.  There are many forms of newsletters, from the very simple to the very elaborate.  A client of ours that sells a premium product stays in touch with their customers through a regular mailing of a simple  newsletter.

Another fine way to keep in touch is with postcards.  Postcards are quickly and easily read.  There is no need to open an envelope.  Their postage is less than a letter and there is no stuffing and licking involved.  Lori and I will leave them on the dinner table for the other one to read. You wont catch me tossing a Kohls or Lexington Arms postcard, before she has had a chance to see it!

In addition to using postcards on a regular basis to promote seasonal or special events, postcards can be used to thank customers for business. You can get a stack of postcards made for your business and keep them handy to send out after a job is completed, sending a handwritten note saying “thank you”.
Contests are another was to stay in touch and help you be top of mind with your customers.  One of our clients uses a postcard to announce a contest that he has each year about this time rewarding all his customers with an opportunity to win a vacation get away.  What a great way to stay in touch and say thank at the same time.  And all for a little more than a quarter in postage.

At Pine Press Printing we have the ability to meet what ever you want in terms of newsletters or cards.  We can produce short runs digitally or print thousands of newsletters, all economically.  We have templates of pre-designed cards that we can personalize and even address the envelopes for you.  Or we can custom design something that you want done if you have a vague idea of what you want or if you have a clear idea in your mind.

When you want to stay in touch with your clients, remember Pine Press Printing is here to help
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Pine Press Printing & Mailing delivers. Guaranteed!

Pine Press Printing your friendly hometown printer in Lexington, SC 29072

803-359-9162

Small Business Branding 101

Small Business Branding 101

In the world of small business marketing, certain terms are thrown around quite a bit – so much so that they become cliché rather than tenants of a solid strategy. You’ve heard them before, terms such as “think outside the box,” “something catchy” and maybe the phase “branding”. Despite its overuse at Monday morning meetings, it’s worth reexamining what branding is really about.

As a small business, never gloss over the power of branding. The reason is simple. Branding is the foundation for top-of mind-awareness. It’s the thing that allows customers to remember you despite their daily exposure to thousands of competing marketing messages.

So let’s start at the beginning. What is branding? Branding is simply the consistent means by which you communicate the services, products and ideals of your organization. It’s your identity—the DNA of your business. With proper implementation, branding will highlight key differences that separate you from other businesses in your city, sector and industry. This is vital for those who operate in highly-competitive arenas such as: retail, finance, automotive and so on.

Here are three simple concepts that can galvanize your branding strategy:

No. 1: Know your audience. Successful branding begins with the customer. The projection of your brand should be predicated on the needs, values and lifestyles of your collective audience. All too often companies possess "personalities" that are inconsistent with their customer base. So before launching into an ad campaign, do a little research. Ensure the projection of your company’s identity resonates.

No. 2: Having the right tools. Cramming more and more verbiage into your ads is not the solution for visibility. It’s going to take mnemonic tools to get things to stick. Here are some examples of things you can use to bolster your company’s brand: a jingle, logo, tagline, company colors, a mascot, spokesperson and so forth. Let’s be clear, using one of the previously mentioned items will not magically result in branding; you’ll most likely need several simultaneously. And most important, they will have to be used consistently.

No. 3: Commitment. This may seem like an easy one but you'd be surprised at how many businesses fail to solidify a brand due to a lack of consistency. This is the most critical concept for small business owners when evaluating branding.

Things to remember:

• Don’t cancel ad placements if your phone doesn’t ring right away

• If your budget is limited, don’t “media hop"-- stay with one thing

• If using a jingle, feature it everywhere (radio, TV, on‐hold, Web)

• Don't change up your logo often

• When buying an ad ‐ budget for more than a couple of weeks

• Use your tagline every chance you get

All too often businesses “dabble” with ideas in full view of their audience with no real commitment to a core message or theme. It’s better to consistently run with an average commercial rather than sporadic airing of brilliant ads.


Pine Press Printing & Mailing delivers. Guaranteed!

Pine Press Printing your friendly hometown printer in Lexington, SC 29072

803-359-9162
 

NEW! Large format Laminator.

NEW! Large format Laminator.
We now offer beautiful gloss laminating as well as Foam Board Mounting. This is a common option for many wide format print projects as it makes it easy to display your prints on an easel. Pine Press has several laminating options to choose from. Large or small, we can do it.
Call us today 803-359-9162

The business of designing business cards

The business of designing business cards

Find out why business cards so important in a business relationship, and how designers these days are thinking out of the box to create the perfect card.

Click Here - View Full Screen
Business Cards- We Do them Right!

Pine Press Printing & Mailing delivers. Guaranteed!
Pine Press Printing your friendly hometown printer in Lexington, SC 29072
803-359-9162

Friendships Mean So Much

Rutu Bhonsle and his family are true friends of Pine Press Printing. Along with being our neighbor and dry cleaner since 1998 Rutu also helped create the two large colorful lighted signs in our store front windows. You cant have a better friend & neighbor than Rutu!

                           Rutu & Nicole Bhonsle

From The Greater Lexington Chamber and Visitors Center...

SWEET OF THE WEEK – Zebra Cleaners

Like many true individuals, this issue’s “Sweet of the Week” pretty much goes by one name. “We nominate Rutu,” says Jennifer Pryor at White House Florist, last week’s Sweet. Rutu is Rutu Bhonsle, the India-born entrepreneur who owns and operates Zebra Cleaners with his El Salvadoran wife, Nicole. Besides European-style dry cleaning, Zebra provides alterations and shoe repair, as well as wedding gown preservation and cleaning.

“You won’t find a more cheerful, outgoing fella in Lexington,” Jennifer promises. She and her family have been taking their dry cleaning to Zebra since 1998, when the Bhonsles opened for business near the U.S. Post Office on Augusta Highway. In 2001, Rutu and Nicole opened a second Zebra Cleaners near Lexington High School; in 2010, they opened their third in Irmo. By this summer, they’ll be working in their new downtown Lexington location, next to Pine Press Printing, in the former Miriam’s Petites & Missy Fashions building. Zebra Cleaners (www.zebracleaners.com) just started offering free delivery service.

Nicole and Rutu moved to Lexington from New York in 1993, following a visit here by train. After living in the big cities of Mumbai, New York and Leicester, near London, Rutu was captivated by the South Carolina countryside. They had friends in the area, as well as a fellowship of Rutu’s church, the International Family Church. “We said, ‘Wow, this is something fantastic,’” Rutu remembers.
When their plans to open a bistro didn’t come together, the Bhonsles decided to enter the dry cleaning business. Nicole worked for a friend’s dry cleaning service, and Rutu went to Europe to study dry cleaning methods there. They chose the name “Zebra” for several reasons. One is that zebras are hard to train, just as Zebra Cleaners’ methods are hard to imitate, Rutu says.

Rutu, 49, designs clothing, and plans to open a boutique. His designs will be seen in the Junior Woman’s Club of Lexington’s fashion show March 25. Meanwhile, at Zebra Cleaners, he and Nicole, 42, make a good team. “I handle the marketing and strategic planning,” he says. “Nicole, she’s the main brain.”

8 Tips for Designing & Printing Business Brochures

Marketing and advertising are the keys to business success. Whether you are operating a small business from your home, or a large multinational company, you will find that you always have a need for high quality business brochures. These marketing pieces demonstrate your companies brand and offer current and potential customers the ability to see what you do and the services you are able to provide. Here are eight  tips for designing and printing business brochures.

Pick a Standard Size/Folding Combination

There are a number of standard brochure types and sizes available to choose from. The advantages that come with selecting something standard include lower costs and an easier printing process. Also, if you work with our designer we already have experience with this type of brochure layout.

Decide if You Want Color or Black and White

There is a premium associated with color printing. The cost can be slightly more than printing with simple black ink. Depending on the quantity of brochures that you will order or print, there may be a reduction in the price variance for many thousands of copies. Otherwise, if you plan to print color brochures it is important to realize that there is a increased cost involved.

Choose the Right Paper

A beautiful photographic brochure will be significantly less effective if it is printed on low quality or thin paper. When you work with Pine Press Printing to produce your business brochures, you can expect that we will make recommendations about paper type and weight if we think you should reconsider your initial choices.

Work with a Professional Designer

The investment that you will make in your business when you print brochures is very important. Therefore, you should work with our professionals to ensure that your message gets out and that the delivery is going to catch the attention of potential clients.

Find the Right Message and Use Words Sparingly

No one is going to read paragraph after paragraph of small print on your brochures. It is important to figure out exactly what you want to say and the fastest way to say it. We have expert copywrite experience to help develop those words.

Find the Right Graphics

Regardless of your business, your brochures will probably need to include some type of graphics or photos. The target audience will help to determine what you use, be it graphs, photos, cartoons or just a simple logo. Having a brochure that catches the eye of your target audience is what matters the most.

Be Original

If you can find a way to present your material and market your business creatively and originally, there is a higher likelihood that your audience will not only notice your brochure, but also pass it around! The more exposure your company and your materials get, the better your business will grow.

Brochures are an Extension of Your Business

Brochures are one part of your business branding strategy. They are an extension of your identity and in keeping with that idea, you should make sure that your brochures speak on behalf of your business to anyone who is willing to take the time to listen to your message.

Conclusion

By taking the time to follow these eight simple tips about designing and printing your business brochures, you will be making huge strides in your business marketing. Remember, you never get a second chance to make a good first impression!


Pine Press Printing is here to help.

Best Wishes,
John

5 Sure Fire Tips To Get Closer To Your Customers

Investing your time and finding ways to make clients happy proves you really care and are committed to fostering a long-term relationship.

I would like to suggest you print this list out and post it close to your desk. When you have that rare moment to consider your next move, there will be 5 quick tips right in front of you. Think of a client and implement one of these suggestions. I guarantee you will see results. You cannot go wrong with No.1, try it first.

1. Send a written thank you card, and not just after your first appointment.

2. Take clients out for a meal.

3. Make sure you or your boss call and thank the customer for their business to show them they're important.

4. Who doesn't enjoy getting mail that shows others are thinking about us? Send a card to brighten your customer's day.

5. When you get the first order from a new customer, give them a small thank you gift in return.

Always a good idea: Pay your client a sincere compliment. People like it when salespeople notice and remark on something positive. That's why compliments strengthen relationships.

If you have not received a Thank You card from me yet, you will soon enough. But ask while you are in the shop and we will show you samples of the ones we have created for our own use. BTW we can create you a really cool, custom "Thank You" card. Using your logo, beautiful colors or a photograph to help make it memorable. 


Best Wishes,
John