The Evolution of the Business Card: What You Need to Know

The business card has come a long way since its inception centuries ago.

It has become an essential part of every company's identity. But what is its origin, and why is it relevant in business today?

Where Did Business Cards Come From?

In the 15th century, China introduced "visiting cards."

Essentially, people carried small cards to showcase their importance. Visiting cards were considered a tool for self-promotion and were utilized to request meetings.

What are Trade Cards?

Trade cards were invented in the 17th century to help people find businesses in major cities where addresses were uncommon.
 
During the 17th century, people followed a strict code of etiquette when interacting with each other. With the onset of the industrial revolution in the 18th and 19th centuries, this formality began to blur the line between social and trade interactions.
 
People needed a way to introduce themselves and their businesses, which led to the creation of business cards.

What Were the Most Popular Print Options for Early Business Cards?

The print industry significantly changed in the 18th century, with copperplate engraving losing popularity in favor of the more modern woodcut and letterpress printing.
 
The 19th century pushed the envelope even further with the introduction of lithographic printing. This process enabled business owners to use multiple color options known as stones on their business cards. This novel print technique permitted a maximum of 15 colored stones per individual business card.
 
During the 1890s, die-cut cards grew in popularity and were used by wealthy businesses to create attractive, uniquely shaped cards. These businesses also used folding cards, cards with moving parts, and those that revealed secret messages when held up to light to distinguish themselves from others.

What are Some of the Most Popular Trends in Business Cards Today?

Minimalism

One of the most recent trends in business card design is minimalism.

Minimalist designs focus on simplicity and clear messaging, often using a single color or photograph as a focal point.
 
These cards are often more cost-effective since they require fewer printing and design costs. Additionally, the lack of bulk helps them stand out from the crowd and makes them easier to store in a pocket or briefcase.

QR codes

Another popular business card trend is the use of QR codes.

QR codes are matrix barcodes that can be scanned using a smartphone's camera, allowing people to quickly access contact details or other information.
 
They are often integrated into the design of business cards, allowing potential customers to quickly and easily access information without having to write it down. For example, you could include a QR code that directs individuals to your LinkedIn profile. 

Unique materials

Finally, even the material used to make business cards has evolved.
 
While traditional paper remains popular, plastic and metal cards are becoming increasingly trendy for their durability and modern aesthetic look. Plastic cards can be printed with high-quality images and graphics, while metal cards have a luxurious and professional feel.
 
Although the way business cards are created has changed over time, their purpose remains the same: to provide a tangible representation of who you are and what your business stands for.
 
Whether a traditional paper card or a modern digital one, your business card should make an impression on potential customers and help them remember your company.
 
With the right design, materials, and messaging, you can ensure your business card stands out from the crowd - no matter your industry.
 
Are you looking to create a business card to get your company noticed? Contact our team today to get started!

Boost Foot Traffic to Your Store: Two Proven Print Marketing Strategies

In an era dominated by digital communication, print marketing stands out as a tangible and impactful medium that captures attention and resonates with consumers.

According to one recent study, approximately 70% of households with an income of at least $100,000 are newspaper readers. Along the same lines, it has been estimated that about 95% of those under 25 read magazines. Those are just two of the many statistics that help illustrate that print marketing won't just get your message in front of a larger audience - it will help you reach a younger and more affluent one, too.

However, using print marketing materials is only half the battle. You still need to craft a purpose-driven campaign built from the ground up with a precise goal. Case in point: if you want to boost foot traffic to your brick-and-mortar store using print marketing, there are a few proven strategies you can lean into to do it.

Boost Foot Traffic to Your Store: Two Proven Print Marketing Strategies

Master the Art of Color and Emotion

One of the great things about print marketing, in general, is that it is tangible. 

As opposed to something like an email that can be quickly deleted or ignored, print collateral is something you can hold in your hand. You can put it up on the refrigerator and glance at it throughout the day, a factor that small business owners can utilize with the right approach.

Remember that color choice significantly influences people's feelings when exposed to your messaging when designing your collateral. Red, for example, denotes excitement, passion, and even action. This would be a great color to lean into if you were having an in-person event that people wouldn't want to miss out on.

Yellow, on the other hand, conveys feelings like originality and enthusiasm. If you were sending out a print campaign about a new product launch and wanted people to head into your store to check it out in person, yellow would be one of the colors you would rely on to motivate them.

The Power of Personalized Promotions

Another proven strategy you can use to boost foot traffic to your store involves extracting even more value out of the data your customers are already creating each day.

Every time someone walks into your store and makes a purchase, you learn more about them. Based on that insight, you should create personalized promotions and offer relevant rewards that can only be redeemed in person. If you know people who recently purchased Product A, you could send out an in-person coupon for a discount on the price of the related Product B.

Not only does this help get someone to your physical location, but it also goes a long way towards building trust in your business at the same time. These will help you generate more foot traffic and repeat in-person customers.

If you'd like to find out more information about how you can boost foot traffic to your store with the right approach to print marketing, or if you have any additional questions you'd like to go over with someone in a bit more detail, please don't hesitate to contact us today.

8 Special Day-Themed Direct Mail Campaign Ideas for Summer

Summer is approaching, and along with the warm weather come dozens of opportunities for your company to connect with customers!

Creative campaigns are one of the best ways to engage customers and inspire them to purchase from you. Why not try discounts and promotions centered around unique holidays? 

Research has shown that consumers respond more positively to special day-themed products and promotions than to ordinary campaigns. So here are eight ideas for special day-themed promotions to use in your direct mail this summer!

8 Creative Summer Special-Day Promotion Ideas

1. June 2nd- National Donut Day 

Who wouldn’t be motivated by a sweet incentive?

Try mailing coupons that read “Bring in this coupon for a free donut with purchase!” to draw customers to your store. 

2. June 5th- Thank You Day  

This is a great time to reinforce connections with existing customers.

Mail out a card from your company thanking your customers for their loyalty and choosing to use your services! 

You could even add a discount code (ex., THANK-YOU-5) to nudge them toward another purchase.

3. June 11th- National Children’s Day

A day to celebrate kids should always be celebrated!

Let your customers with families know you’re supporting them and appreciate them by doing something fun for their kids. 

You could include a kids’ craft or coloring page in your mailing packet and information about a sale on any kid’s clothing, decorations, bedding, toys, or games your company might sell. 

4. June 22nd- Positive Media Day 

This is an excellent opportunity to bolster your company’s social media presence!

Mail out a flier celebrating Positive Media Day and encourage customers to follow your company’s accounts. 

You could also introduce a “challenge” for customers to make a funny or uplifting social media post and use your company’s designated hashtag along with #positivemediaday to be entered into a giveaway!

5. June 27th- National Sunglasses Day 

There are a couple of ways you could get creative with this day.

You could try offering a free pair of branded sunglasses to each customer that stops by, offering a discount for each customer that comes into your store wearing their sunglasses, or an online coupon code such as SUNNIES-10 for 10% off.

6. July 12th- National Simplicity Day

Embrace the simple things at your company with this holiday, and encourage customers to do the same by offering a sale price on the “basics.” 

A great way to do this is to create an “essentials” bundle or package of different services and products at a discounted price. Consider sending direct mail that uses the tagline “Keeping it Simple with a National Simplicity Day Sale” or something similar. 

7. July 15th- National Give Something Away Day

In honor of Give Something Away Day, you could give something away to your customers!

The Zero Price Effect has rationalized that customers perceive free products to have a high value because there’s no risk to it since they’re not spending anything. 

An easy example would be a BOGO (buy one, get one) sale or simply including a product of lesser value as a “gift” with any purchase made on that day. 

8. August 8th- National Dollar Day

A creative design for a direct mail piece celebrating National Dollar Day would be to create a rectangular postcard printed with a dollar bill-like image and advertising $1 off each product or service purchased that day.

Go ahead and use some of these ideas, or create your own, to celebrate unique holidays and engage your customers with your direct mail this summer! And when you are ready to print, give us a call. 

5 Ideas to Make the Most of Your Trade Show or Event

Trade shows and other events can be an incredible opportunity to showcase your company’s products and services to the public and network with other companies in your industry.

However, you must craft a strategy to ensure you can make the most impact. 

Here are five things you should do when planning for, attending, and evaluating the results of a trade show. 

5 Tips to a Successful Trade Show Experience for Your Company

1. Set goals

Treat your company’s appearance at the trade show just like a campaign.

What do you want to gain from the event- closing leads, making sales, or increasing brand awareness? Be specific and include numbers: for example, your goal could be to gather at least 150 leads during the event or to sell 30 products.

Also, remember to share your goals with the team that will be at the event with you! 70% of people who share their goals with others accomplish them, while only 35% accomplish them when keeping them to themselves.

2. Create your booth and message

The biggest goal for a trade show is to attract customers to your booth and give them something to engage with once they stop by.

You can stand out from the crowd in different ways- through giveaways or handouts, eye-catching displays, and choosing a booth in a high-traffic area (near entrances or food stations).

The items and signage at your booth should also focus on the central call-to-action for your campaign that day. 

3. Spread the word before and during the show

Make people aware that your company will be at the event!

This will help draw people to your booth once they arrive at the trade show. A great way to do this is through social media ads, email, or direct mail outreach.  

Attendees at the trade show will likely search online to see which booths to visit. Post information, photos, and videos during the show, along with your booth number, so that attendees can come to find you! 

4. Collect information effectively

Meet with the team running your booth before the show starts to discuss your method for collecting leads.

Popular methods for lead collection include paper forms, digital forms, a trade show lead app, business cards, and business card scanning.

Depending on the organizer of the trade show, you may have access to badge scanning technology, which even gives you the option to import the information directly to your CRM. 

Whichever method you use, just be sure everyone on your team is on the same page so that capturing and entering the data is streamlined.

5. Help them remember you

Ensure that anyone you speak to during the event leaves with your contact information or at least something with your company name.

Business cards are classic, and brochures work well, but you can get creative too and use t-shirts, pens, notepads, or stickers. This will remind them to reconnect with you after leaving the event!

For help with show-stopping visuals, memorable business cards, and expert advice, call us! We are your local print marketing resource and look forward to helping you make the most of your next trade show.  

5 Ways to Get Qualified Leads for Your Business

In business, a lead is someone who hasn’t used your products or services YET.

And there are many of those out there, just waiting to be introduced to your business. 

So, how do we grab them and turn them into customers?

5 Ways to Get Qualified Leads for Your Business

1. Personalize with print

The ability to personalize is one of the aspects that makes direct mail so effective in generating leads. 

People are more likely to respond when they feel you are communicating with them directly. 

You can customize dozens of data points, including name, age, or geographic location, and QR codes that lead them to a personalized landing page on your website.  

2. Attract attention with email

Use email marketing to attract new customers and re-engage old ones. 

Whether the email invites customers to return to their shopping cart or promotes your new product offerings and business statistics, emails are one of the best ways to retarget your customers. 

Make your email even more effective by combining it with a print campaign. Research shows that marketing campaigns that utilize email and print experience a higher response rate than email alone. 

3. Get buzz with influencers

Influencer marketing is one of the most popular new forms of online marketing, having more than doubled since 2019. 

These people will promote your business and stir up the talk so that you will also get organic praise.

4. Speak at events

Position yourself as an expert in your field, and you will be able to share your insights with others. 

This can also bring you more speaking gigs and more leads. Everyone wants to hear from an expert, and you will open doors if you advertise your services.

5. Attend trade shows

Hosting a booth at trade shows is a great way to generate leads.

You can maximize your potential to generate leads by offering a giveaway. Collect their contact information, and they can win a prize in exchange. 

Be sure to give them your business card, then follow up with regular postcards, brochures, and catalogs.  

There are many ways to promote your business, but these should help you find more leads. We are here to help you reach your potential. Contact us today to get started!

Starting a New Business? Here are 4 Print Marketing Materials You Need.

Entrepreneurs and startup owners have so many things on their plates that it's not uncommon for certain items to get pushed to the bottom of the list. One thing you don't want to overlook is the can't-miss benefits of print marketing materials!

When done right, your print materials can catch someone's eye — in a way that text, photos, or graphics on a screen can't capture. 73% of consumers prefer printed materials because they can read them whenever needed. After all, people see digital ads second after second, and it all tends to blur together. Here are four materials that a new business can't afford to skip. 

4 Print Marketing Materials Your New Business Needs

Business Cards 

Business cards may seem like a traditional marketing tactic, but that's because they work!

When you are making and exchanging contact information with potential customers or business partners, accuracy is important. Instead of asking for someone's phone so you can input your contact information or risk mishearing a potential client's contact information, give them your business card. Even if they take a photo of it immediately, you're confident they have the correct information.

Include everything about your business, like what you do, who you help, your hours, and the best way to get in touch. Remember: you're a new business, so spell it out. 

Brochures 

A printed brochure about your products or services allows people to delve into the material.

Instead of scrolling through page after page, people can flip at their leisure and take the time to absorb the details.

If your business offers a wide variety of customer options, brochures can also be a great way to break down your marketing into different audiences. For instance, if you run a toy store and sell equally to children and collectors, you could have two separate brochures based on the target demographic. 

Postcards 

This marketing tactic is a massive opportunity for new business owners.

Not only can they catch the attention of people thumbing through their mail, but they're also similar to a business card in that you can condense a lot of pertinent information so that people can quickly grasp the main takeaways. 

Whatever your competitive edge is, whether it's lower prices or a truly stellar staff, don't be afraid to come out of the gate swinging. In addition, you can consider using postcards for various reasons, such as an invitation to a grand opening or an announcement of a new service. 

Thank You Cards 

Your first few customers will be some of the most critical sales ever.

Not only are these people supporting you right off the bat, but they're also the people who will either brag about you or tell their friends and family to stay away. 

It's important to remember that customers typically have a lot of empathy for new businesses, as they realize that most operations will have a few growing pains to contend with. That being said, colorful and sincere thank you cards that tell customers how much you appreciate their support can go a long way. 

Print marketing for new businesses may differ from several decades ago, but its efficacy is undeniable. When you're starting, you'll need people to see your name and business model multiple times before they remember you.

Contact us today to create a list of the materials you need to reach prospective customers for your business! 

 

 

 

5 Helpful Hints for Print Marketing with Booklets

Booklets are a powerful marketing tool for attracting attention, informing the public, or educating customers.
 
Not only can booklets capture your target audience's interest, but they also convey critical messages accurately on various topics.
 
Handing out booklets can be an excellent way to increase brand awareness and subject matter authority. 
 
If you are considering giving this useful product a try, here are some helpful tips to make your booklets successful.

5 Helpful Hints for Print Marketing with Booklets

Before you hit the publish button, consider these five valuable tips!

1. Focus on Proper Brand Positioning

Your booklet's title, brand, and logo are critical components, conveying to potential customers what the booklet is about and why it matters.

If the introductory elements of the booklet are ambiguous, then the booklet's impact will be diminished. 

Consider these additional suggestions for effective brand positioning:

• Ensure your booklet's logo, title, and brand are loud and proud at the top of its cover page.


• Design eye-catching font in big, bold letters to draw attention quickly.


• Consider adding a specific image associated with your organization, event, brand, or business that readers can easily remember as an additional way to make it stand out from others. 

2. Ensure Ease of Reading and Clarity of Your Message

To ensure your booklet communicates its desired message, be sure it is both easy to read and clear to understand.
 
An essential part of ensuring ease of readability and clarity of message is taking the time to read through your work with a critical eye before sending it off for printing.

Remember that too much information can overwhelm readers, while insufficient will seem inconsistent. Thoughtfully consider what amount of content conveys just enough detail without overloading readers so they understand precisely what you want them to know.

3. Select Effective, Engaging Images

The visuals you choose to incorporate in your booklet are fundamental.

Images can capture people's attention and draw them into reading more. For maximum impact, ensure every image in your booklet is of excellent quality. Grainy photos just won't cut it!
 
Since booklets provide more room than other media types, such as brochures or leaflets, take advantage of the added space by including graphs and charts, which will help clarify information for your readers.
 
This lets your potential customers understand exactly what you're trying to convey quickly and clearly. 

4. Employ Vibrant, Eye-Catching Colors

The design of your booklet matters!

The colors selected should be captivating, engaging viewers while creating a visually pleasing experience.
 
Utilize vibrant and appealing hues to attract people to your content.

5. Display Your Contact Information Prominently

Your contact information must stand out to ensure that your booklet is successful.
 
Whether you are advertising for a business or event, including multiple points of contact should be a top priority!
 
Consider adding contact information, such as an email address or website URL, at the end of your booklet, so readers know where to reach you if they have any questions or comments about what was covered.
 
These five valuable tips equip you with all the tools necessary for success!

Are you considering booklets for your next print marketing initiative? We can help! Contact us by phone or email to get started.