ENGAGING MARKETING and CREATIVE MINDS
cover story: pg. 2
REBRAND
How and why to reshape your image pg. 6
POSTAL RATES ARE UP!
Find ways to optimize your direct mail and save pg. 10
WINNING WITH WORDS
When it comes to blogs, what really matters?
VOL. 7, ISSUE 1, JAN/FEB 2017
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EMBRACE THE NEGATIVE Every year, we tell ourselves we just want to be happy, build great relationships and make lots of money. But perhaps that focus is too narrow? Although maintaining a positive outlook is important, we can’t forget the importance of learning from our negative experiences too. Consider the great Charlie Chaplin, who once said, “To truly laugh, you must be able to take your pain and play with it.” So, as we continue into the new year, perhaps our resolutions need to change from chasing the positive to embracing the negative. Every new year brings an opportunity to redefine our business, set new goals, and change our approach. We all strive for a great attitude but the more compelling question may be, what pain are we willing to take in order to achieve our objectives? In other words, what sacrifices are we willing to make to build our brand and carry out our mission? Can we let go of the immediate gratification that dominates our culture and stay the course through adversity? The reality—whether in our personal lives or in business—is that the things we want most are often what cause the most pain. The ones we love will be the ones we fight with the most. The dream job we landed will be the one we stress over the most. The strategies that catapult us to new heights will soon be the ones that no longer have merit and weigh us down. Accepting the never-ending journey of ups and downs in our personal world is human. Similarly, we must embrace the negatives in business because they offer opportunities for growth. While it can be tempting to brush past or avoid our negative experiences, success in business (and often in our personal lives) is rooted in our ability to understand and learn from our mistakes. So this year, take stock in how you handle negative situations. Don’t spend 100% of your time chasing after the glory. Set aside time to reflect on what went wrong and realize that a negative experience might not be all that bad after all. In the first issue of the year, we want to learn from our experience of publishing Tactics magazine. We urge you to provide your feedback, the positive, but more importantly the negative. Help us improve Tactics and provide resources, tools, and content that are helpful to you. You can fill out the survey using the form provided or go to www.surveymonkey.com/r/TacticsSurvey to complete it online. We appreciate your time and look forward to a great year! Warmest regards,
publisher’s note
WHILE IT CAN BE TEMPTING TO BRUSH PAST OR AVOID OUR NEGATIVE EXPERIENCES, SUCCESS IN BUSINESS (AND OFTEN IN OUR PERSONAL LIVES) IS ROOTED IN OUR ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND AND LEARN FROM OUR MISTAKES.
Featured in this Issue:
Variable Data Printing Inside this issue of Tactics you’ll find our reader survey. In addition to helping us improve Tactics magazine, this survey highlights just a small slice of our variable data printing (VDP) capabilities. Using VDP and our HP Indigo digital press we personalized each piece allowing us to track responses and eliminate the need for you to complete personal information. VDP, is the point where print, technology and data intersect to create relevance. It allows marketers to develop highly targeted and personalized campaigns that increase response rates by an average of 6% according to the Direct Marketing Association. This survey is a simple example of VDP in action but with the right data the options are endless. You can target communications to an individual’s interests, latest purchases, previous donations, and other demographics or behavioral trends with variable text and images. That’s why VDP is a great solution for loyalty programs, retail promotions, fundraising campaigns, and more.
Find our survey in this magazine, or at: www.surveymonkey.com/r/TacticsSurvey
Michael Peluso
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How and why to reshape your image By Michael J. Pallerino
Think Hilton, and what comes to mind? In the ever-competitive world of hospitality, another marketplace where Millennials are forcing every brand to rethink their offerings, the Hilton name still carries a lot of cache. Think Hilton, and you think quality, consistency and familiarity. When it came time to evaluate ways to further strengthen its Embassy Suites and Hampton brands, the global marketing team at Hilton Worldwide sought ways to incorporate the mark of Hilton’s excellence into the equation. The decision was a simple, but effective stroke of genius—just integrate the Hilton name into the brands. So, with the stroke of a marketer’s brush, the new “Embassy Suites by Hilton” and “Hampton by Hilton” names and logos are being rolled out across the world. After reviewing historical data from its DoubleTree by Hilton rebranding effort in 2011, and conducting proprietary market research, findings showed that the “by Hilton” association results in increased expectations around service, guest rooms, comfort, locations and awareness of the brand’s association with the Hilton portfolio. As part of its renewed business strategy, Hilton also rebranded other segments across its 12-brand portfolio, including Canopy by Hilton and Curio—A Collection by Hilton. Jim Holthouser, executive VP of global brands, says the rebranding campaign of DoubleTree showed marked improvements across key metrics, such as average daily rate (ADR), occupancy, and revenue per available room (RevPar). In the end, Hilton’s rebranding initiative, like so many other brands that take the leap, centers on reinforcing the consumer experience. In Hilton’s case, consumers now can confidently associate the Embassy Suites and Hampton brands with the quality and consistency of Hilton Worldwide. This includes increasing consumer familiarity of brand attributes such as opportunities to earn/redeem points and benefits with Hilton HHonors, its awardwinning guest-loyalty program.
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Maryann Stump, VP, strategy director at branding agency CBX, says a rebranding doesn’t have to be something new. In fact, many great rebrands are about bringing new meaning to what they’ve been saying all along. “The most important aspect is a strong commitment,” Stump says. “It’s not about having loads of money. It’s about a willingness to make some tough choices. Brands are about trust. Consumers deal with enough change in their lives, so they don’t want their favorite brands to change for no apparent reason. Change for the sake of change can fracture consumers’ trust in a brand.” The steps to rebranding center on some very basic questions, the likes of which vary from brand to brand, but all carry the same premise: hat is the business goal W you must achieve? hat has changed since W your last brand refresh? How is your consumer different? Are there new competitors? re they playing the game A in new ways? hat trends and cultural shifts W are impacting your brand today? The key is in the timing and methodology of your approach. “These are not mutually exclusive,” Stump says. “Method, speed and total commitment should all work together. Small goals yield small results. Only big goals will deliver big results. Big goals can’t be reached without a clear roadmap.”
Change is good If your brand is doing the same things it did on the day you launched, you’re stagnant. Don’t let anybody fool you—change is important. From a few minor adjustments here and there, to a complete overhaul, change is good. One of the most crucial aspects for 4
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“Rebranding requires discipline and rigor, but also the energy and excitement to tell the organization’s new story. Getting this right is as much art as it is science.” – Brian Elkins, Senior Brand Strategy Consultant, Heart + Mind Strategies
companies to understand with respect to rebranding or refreshing a heritage brand is that, intended or not, you’re signaling to your marketplace that something of significance about the business is changing. “Too often, rebranding is undertaken as simply a means to garner attention or underpin a short-term campaign, which can lead to an uptick in engagement in the near term, but will be un-sustained and create risk by disappointing internal and external audiences,” says Brian Elkins, senior brand strategy consultant for Heart + Mind Strategies, a researchbased brand and communications consultancy that has worked with brands such as Western Union, Paychex, Royal Cup Coffee, Wynn Resorts, and Constellation Brands, among others. Identifying and defining the catalyst for your change is crucial. Some, but not all of these catalysts may include new leadership or ownership structure, a new or evolved value proposition or positioning, new or enhanced products, experiences, channels or ways for audiences and customers to engage with the brand. And, as often is the case, updating the articulation of the brand to better align with a combination of these factors. “A successful rebranding campaign requires a coordinated effort across the organization so that the new brand is delivered at every touch point, from senior management to frontline employees and product/service experience,” Elkins says. “Rebranding
requires discipline and rigor, but also the energy and excitement to tell the organization’s new story. Getting this right is as much art as it is science. The brands that get it right put their customers and authenticity at the center of their approach.” In a world where everything is changing and the value proposition to today’s customer is constantly evolving, rebranding often is the right move. With technology, nothing is stagnant, which means you have to stay current by examining your core values and consistent strategic branding initiatives. “Rebranding starts with awareness,” says Chris Rosica, president of Rosica Communications and co-founder of Interact Marketing. “You need to take a good, hard look in the mirror and be realistic about how your brand presents itself to your key audiences—whether consumers, shareholders, partners, individuals, the media and anyone else with whom your brand interacts.” Amazon founder Jeff Bezos once said that “branding is what people say about you when you leave the room.” That said, it’s best you make sure you know what that is and address it as you redefine your brand. “Ask yourself if how you define yourself will be relevant two or three years down the line or even beyond,” Rosica says. “A successful rebranding campaign is based on the same principles as a branding campaign: be authentic, be memorable and be consistent.”
Heart + Mind Strategies specializes in brand strategies (positioning, naming and portfolio architecture), and employee brand engagement and consumer insights/planning. Over the years, it has helped refine and refresh strategies by employing the following five-point checklist:
1
Define First and foremost, identify and clearly define the catalyst or reason for rebranding.
2
Engage Once the case has been made, it’s crucial that leadership not only champions the process, but also plays an active role in building buy-in at every level of the organization. Everybody has something at stake with a successful (re)brand implementation.
3
Measure, and then measure again Establishing a benchmark through research and tracking (quarterly or biannually) against those metrics post-launch is paramount to sustaining a successful rebrand and providing further rationale for investment in the brand.
4
Take stock The excitement of a rebrand endangers the positive brand equity an organization has built over time. One of the most important activities, once measured, is to recognize existing equities to be brought forward and improved, while also identifying baggage you aim to diminish or leave behind.
5
Ownership & accountability Establish a brand governance system from the outset. Too often, rebrands lose steam without people and processes to act as brand stewards going forward. Building a cross-functional team not only reinforces engagement, but also helps ensure consistent implementation and sustained success.
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By Carlos Moreno, Director of Data Services
FIND WAYS TO OPTIMIZE YOUR DIRECT MAIL AND SAVE There’s a lot to think about when putting together a strategy for your next direct mail campaign. You need to develop a compelling offer, a targeted list, and creative that cuts through the clutter. However, one area of direct mail that marketers often overlook is postage; and when postal rates change it can wreak havoc on your marketing budget. While the 2017 overall postal rate increases are within 2%, certain rates did decrease while others went up significantly. That’s why it is important to think about the class, weight, zone, and density to understand the true impact to your marketing budget.
A Big Change for Commercial Mailers For commercial rates, one of the biggest changes comes in the increased weight limit for first class letters. Previously, mailers could send up to 2 oz for the first class letter rate. In 2017, mailers will now pay the same rate for any letter up to 3.5 oz. The increased weight allows marketers to send a lot of material in one envelope without paying any additional postage costs. This is going to be a big win for presort services which can now provide additional value and savings to marketers. For example, previously a 3 oz first class letter would cost $0.91 to send. Now with the 3.5 oz weight limit and qualifying presort services the same letter could be mailed for $0.453—a 50% savings!
Looking for more tips on print and direct mail? Visit our blog! www.shawmutdelivers.com/blog 6
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Commercial postal rates can have a big impact on your marketing budget. See how commercial rates are changing in 2017 and ways you can save on postage.
Letter
SERVICE
2016
2017
Automation 5 Digit
.376
.373
Automation AADC
.399
.403
Automation Mixed AADC
.419
.423
Presorted (Non-Automation)
.452
.453
MAX.
5"
11 1/2"
HEIGHT
3 1/2" 6 1/8"
THICKNESS
.007"** 1/4"
LENGTH
**
Thickness must be .009" or more if more than 6" long, 4 1/4" high, or both.
Flat
SERVICE
2016
2017
Automation 5 Digit
.438
.446
Automation 3 Digit
.630
.630
Automation AADC
.670
.670
Automation Mixed AADC
.750
.750
Presorted (Non-Automation)
.798
.798
Postcards: Up to 1 oz
MIN.*
MAX.
LENGTH
11 1/2" 15"
HEIGHT
6 1/8"
12"
THICKNESS
1/4"
3/4"
HEIGHT
Flats: Up to 1 oz
MIN. LENGTH
HEIGHT
Letters: Up to 3.5 oz
Mail Classes Defined
*
Flats exceed at least one of these dimensions.
LENGTH
Flats are subject to flexibility standards. Can not be too flexible or too rigid. Flat-size mail pieces must be uniformly thick so that any bumps, protrusions, or other irregularities do not cause more than 1/4-inch variance in thickness.
Postcard
SERVICE
2016
2017
Automation 5 Digit
.250
.253
Automation AADC
.263
.266
Automation Mixed AADC
.272
.274
Presorted (Non-Automation)
.283
.284
Shawmut Communications Group 978.762.7500 | www.shawmutdelivers.com
MIN.*
MAX.
LENGTH
5"
6"
HEIGHT
3 1/2"
4 1/4"
THICKNESS
.007"
.016"
HEIGHT
FIRST CLASS MAIL
Not sure what these terms mean? Check out our helpful definitions on the next page.
LENGTH
Looking for ways to save on your direct mail programs? Talk with one of our mailing experts today.
Marketing Mail
(Formerly Standard Mail)
Letters: Up to 3.5 oz
Marketing Mail NONPROFIT Letters: Up to 3.5 oz
SERVICE
2016
2017
SERVICE
2016
2017
Automation 5 Digit
.255
.251
Automation 5 Digit
.140
.134
Automation AADC/ADC
.274
.271
Automation AADC/ADC
.159
.154
Automation Mixed AADC/ADC-Origin
.291
.288
Automation Mixed AADC/ADC-Origin
.176
.171
Flats: Up to 3.5 oz
Flats: Up to 3.5 oz
SERVICE
2016
2017
SERVICE
2016
2017
Automation 5 Digit
.376
.387
Automation 5 Digit
.237
.244
Automation 3 Digit
.467
.478
Automation 3 Digit
.328
.335
Automation AADC/ADC
.522
.533
Automation AADC/ADC
.383
.390
Automation Mixed AADC/ADC-Origin
.539
.550
Automation Mixed AADC/ADC-Origin
.400
.407
Commercial Mailing Services Defined AADC: Automated Area Distribution Center, a presort level in which all pieces are addressed for delivery in the same service area as the AADC. An abbreviation is used on the mail label that identifies the contents as Automated Area Distribution Center mail (i.e., the ZIP Codes on the mail are served by the AADC). ADC: Similar to AADC, a presort level in which all pieces are addressed for delivery in the same service area, however that service area is only served by an Area Distribution Center. The difference between an AADC and ADC is the volume of mail that goes through each center. AADC/ADC: All pieces are addressed for delivery in the service area of the same Automated Area Distribution Center (AADC) or Area Distribution Center (ADC).
Shawmut Communications Group 978.762.7500 | www.shawmutdelivers.com
Automation: Mail that is prepared in such a way that allows the USPS to utilize their equipment to read and distribute mail using a barcode, which includes the delivery ZIP code. Presort: The sorting of outgoing mail by delivery ZIP code in order to take advantage of a cheaper rate of postage. Presorted (Non-Automation): Mail sorted by ZIP code which meets USPS labeling standards but does not meet postal automation criteria. 5 Digit: The delivery address ZIP code on all pieces is the same 5 digit ZIP code. 3 Digit: The delivery address ZIP code on all pieces begins with the same three digits.
Standard Mail Becomes “Marketing Mail” In addition to the rate change, January 22 also marked the official name change of Standard Mail® to USPS Marketing Mail™. The goal of the rebranding is to better communicate to marketers the intended use of this class of mail. Mailers will have time, however, to update their information and change their indicia as this will not take effect until July 2018.
Minimize the Impact with Postal Optimization Postal rate increases aren’t the best news for direct marketers, but don’t let it stop you from reaping the rewards of sending direct mail such as the average reported return on investment of 13 to 1. So how can you minimize the impact of the rising postal rates? Take advantage of these postal optimization strategies. 1. Clean your list It’s a shame when marketers have spent considerable time to develop a great direct mail piece only to have it not reach recipients because of outdated information. When a piece of mail is returned to you it is processed as Undeliverable as Addressed (UAA) and according to |the USPS, mailers spend about $20 billion annually in UAA mail. Your mail service provider can help you reduce the amount of returned mail by running your list through the National Change of Address or NCOA. However, keep in mind that this service can only check against those that actually update their address information with the USPS. In addition to NCOA, a CASS certification can help identify inaccurate address information by improving the accuracy of postal codes used to deliver mail. Ultimately, if you do receive returned mail dedicate the resources to process it. This may include having members of your marketing team or interns update your database with the new address printed on the UAA label. If you don’t receive an updated address, there are many resources and list cleaning services you can use to find updated address information, such as Hoovers, LinkedIn, and Data.com. 2. Use Presort Options The more work you can do to organize or “presort” your mail before it arrives at the post office the better. Ultimately the goal of presorting your mail is to send mail directly to the Sectional Center Facility (SCF)—the last step in the USPS’s lengthy sorting process. This helps to reduce freight between postal facilities and USPS labor involved with presorting which creates greater savings and efficiency for you.
At Shawmut, we analyze your data file to help determine if the addresses you are mailing are eligible for SCF (Sectional Center Facility) or NDC (National Distribution Center) discounts. The USPS offers deeper discounts for Mail Service Providers like us who have the tools to help get mail further into the postal sorting system. We can then pass those savings on to you. 3. Design with Regulations in Mind It may seem obvious but make sure your design team is aware of postal regulations before designing your mail piece. The size, thickness, and weight of the mail piece will dictate mail class and service options as well as your rate. In addition, the USPS has several rules and regulations with regard to where artwork can be placed so it does not interfere with USPS scan lines or address information. 4. Be Aware of USPS Postal Promotions Since 2011, the USPS has developed many promotions and incentives to create awareness of innovative uses of mail. These include the use of technologies like NFC tags or increased use of personalization as well as specialty print effects. In 2017, the USPS will be running several promotions that may help offset the cost of postage increases noted above. One of our favorites at Shawmut is the 2017 Tactile, Sensory and Interactive Promotion which encourages the use of specialty inks, papers, and interactive elements. Through this promotion, mailers can get a 2% discount on eligible Standard Mail® letters and flats as well as Nonprofit Standard Mail letters and flats. To be eligible the mail piece must be approved by the TSI office and include treatments that evoke the senses which neuroscience and neuromarketing research has said to have a significant impact on brand recognition and message recall. 5. Use a Full-Service Provider Navigating the complexities of sending mail through the USPS can be a full-time job. That’s why it’s important to work with a provider that has in-house mailing experts to help you take advantage of as many postal optimization strategies and discounts as possible. You’ll also save money when your mail house and printer work hand-inhand—or even better when these services are offered by the same organization. We’ve seen it happen many times. Marketing and design teams develop an amazing concept for their direct mail campaign, only to find out that the postage breaks their budget. That’s why we always recommend reviewing postage options while planning your direct mail campaign before you begin working on creative. Need help with direct mail in 2017? Contact us and one of our direct mailing specialists will be happy to help you plan your next project.
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Wednesday, while the busiest time of day is noon (EST). The best day of the week to publish blog posts is Sunday, and the best time to publish is at 3 p.m. EST.
WHEN IT COMES TO BLOGS, WHAT REALLY MATTERS?
• The optimal blog title length is seven words, which averages 412 social shares per post. In terms of character count, the optimal number of non-space characters is 41.
Ah, the blog. In the world of content marketing, blogging has become a fundamental building block. A company blog is a great place to share educational thought leadership, industry insight, upcoming events/ announcements, and awesome new content. But with so many blogs the landscape has become increasingly competitive.
So how can marketers make their blog stand out from the crowd? How can they improve social sharing to expand readership? We combed the report and other industry sites to pull together these top five blogging strategies. 1. Blog length: Blog posts that are fairly long— between 1200 and 1400 words—receive the most social shares per post. In addition, blogs with short paragraphs get shared more often, with an average of 151 shares per post. 2. Post Time: As for posting, the most competitive day of the week to publish is on
10
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• Use words that drive emotion and behavior. According to Gerald Zaltman, the author of
5. Make your Posts Scannable: We’ve all heard the stats. The average human attention span is now 8 seconds—less than that of a goldfish. And while there isn’t a direct correlation between the number of headers and shareability of your blog post making your content scannable helps get your message across quickly. Other ways to break up your posts include quotes, bulleted or numbered lists, questions, etc.
AVERAGE NUMBER OF BLOG POSTS PER BRAND PER MONTH VS. AVERAGE NUMBER OF SOCIAL SHARES PER POST (SEPTEMBER 2011–AUGUST 2016)
AVERAGE NUMBER OF POSTS PER BRAND PER MONTH
In fact, according to Track Maven’s “How to build a Better Blog than Your Competitors: 2017 Blogging Report” marketers are getting less and less out of their blogs these days. They are fighting for readership and more importantly shares to spread their content to new audiences. According to the report, over the past five years, the average number of blog posts published per brand per month increased by 800 percent. Across the same time frame, the average number of social shares per post (including shares from Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest) decreased by 89 percent.
• The vertical bar is by far the highest performing punctuation mark in blog titles, with an average of 5,869 social shares per post. The vertical bar is followed by quotation marks, question marks and hashtags.
4. Include Media in your posts: Blog posts with 11 images perform best, with 200 average social shares per post. Blogs with eight videos perform best, with 506 average social shares per post.
SOURCE: TRACK MAVEN
70
3500
60
3000
50
2500
40
2000
30
1500
20
1000
10
500
0
0 SEPT 2011– AUG 2012
SEPT 2012– AUG 2013
SEPT 2013– AUG 2014
AVERAGE NUMBER OF POSTS PER BRAND PER MONTH
SEPT 2014– AUG 2015
SEPT 2015– AUG 2016
AVERAGE NUMBER OF SOCIAL SHARES PER POST
Track Maven’s report looked at data across 65,000 blog posts published across company websites as well as the 20 million plus shares of those posts on social media.
AVERAGE NUMBER OF SOCIAL SHARES PER POST
Winning with Words
3. Blog Titles: Besides the content itself, a blog title can be the most influential in terms of driving up social shares. Given it’s importance we’ve rounded up several tips here related to length, punctuation, words used, etc.
How Customers Think, “95% of all purchase decision-making takes place in the subconscious mind.” Words that make people pay attention such as New, Introducing, and Free can drive up shares. Or use the title to help them avoid a negative result. For example, “How to Avoid these 5 Common Blogging Mistakes.”
We’ll get back to you SURVEY SAYS COMPANIES LACK IN LEAD FOLLOW-UP PROCESSES Marketing gets a lead and passes it on to sales. They follow up and score, right? Not so fast. According to the “Are Your Leads as Good as They Should Be?” report by B2B Marketing and The Telemarketing Co., 30 percent of companies say they have no processes in place to ensure that leads are
qualified. Interestingly, 50 percent say they’re confident in their ability to track and manage leads from cold to close, while 22 percent admit they aren’t sure. The report, based on a survey of over 100 mid- to senior-level B2B marketers, stressed the importance of the human element in lead follow-ups.
SURVEY RESULTS
How marketers are following up on scored/qualified leads
40
The percent of B2C marketers that have a documented content marketing strategy, according to the “B2C Content Marketing: 2017 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends—North America” report from MarketingProfs and Content Marketing Institute. In addition, the report shows that 76 percent say their strategy includes a plan to operate as an ongoing business, not simply a campaign. Thirty-five percent report that their strategy is effective in hitting its goals. The report surveyed 2,562 recipients from a wide range of industries and company sizes from around the world.
55%
21%
Telemarketing
Follow-up sales call
20%
Personalized email
1% Other
1%
Social media engagement
2%
Product demo
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Print Rules
SURVEY SHOWS THE PASSION FOR PRINT REMAINS IN THE DIGITAL AGE In 2016, Graphic Design USA or GDUSA conducted its 53rd annual print design survey sponsored by Verso Corporation. The survey was sent to a random selection of 12,000 GDUSA print magazine and e-subscribers, and generated 1,089 responses. The results show a clear message that print remains essential to the graphic design profession. Designers understand that print has a chance to cut through the digital clutter because of its physical strengths. It provides the human connection that is missing in the virtual world. They also see print as a chance to flex their creative muscle and hone their craft. Since it is harder to hide design flaws in print they understand that superior design, well-crafted production, strategic deployment, sustainable manufacturing and distribution matter as much, or perhaps more, than print’s digital counterparts.
THE TOP 12 TYPES OF PRINT PROJECTS designers spent their time on last year:
1
BROCHURES/ COLLATERAL
7
SALES/SELF PROMOTION
2
ANNOUNCEMENTS/ INVITES/CARDS
8
POP/PACKAGING
3
DIRECT MAIL/ POSTCARDS
4
LETTERHEADS/ BUSINESS CARDS
5
PRINT ADVERTISING
6
POSTERS
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10 11 12
ANNUAL/ CORPORATE/ CSR REPORTS BOOKS CALENDARS
HERE’S A LOOK AT WHY GRAPHIC DESIGNERS FEEL PRINT IS SO IMPORTANT:
97% 82%
of GDUSA readers work in print as part of their mix and spend 72% of their time doing so. buy or specify paper
87%
buy or specify printing
OVER
recommend specific design tools including typefaces, design software, hardware and accessories.
19%
of designers surveyed saw an increase in the amount of print work they did from the previous year and
70% 25%
12
9
PUBLICATIONS/ MAGAZINES/ CATALOGS
saw an increase in package design
Trending with...
Content marketing thought leader Chad Pollitt dishes on what to expect in 2017
What advice would you give today’s marketers on how to stay focused, create conversations and increase conversions in 2017? Today’s marketers who wish to stay focused should start by closing email and not touching their smartphones. Creating more conversation and increasing conversions comes with creating more content. Not just any content, but good, quality, thought-provoking content. I’m really good at focusing when I close my email and don’t touch my phone. It’s definitely something we should all do more of in 2017. How do today’s consumers want to be engaged? That mostly depends on their generation. Some prefer email, while others stick to their social media du jour. Some even prefer to make an old fashioned phone call. That said, I think we can safely rule out faxing. What should brands do to ensure these touch points are consistently hit? Marketers, customer service people and communications professionals will use live “news rooms” to track and listen to social media chatter. Some will even use geofencing on mobile devices to track online conversations happening in their brick and mortar locations. What’s the best piece of advice you can offer today? Be consistent. Brands aren’t built overnight. Whether it’s a personal or business brand, the act of building one is a marathon, not a sprint. Start with creating good content and have a plan for promoting it. Build an audience. Harvest that audience. Rinse and repeat.
C
had Pollitt’s name seems to be everywhere these days. As one of the country’s foremost content marketing thought leaders, Pollitt’s insights are regularly tracked by the likes of Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Inc., Ad Age, and many others. A decorated veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and former Army commander, these days, Pollitt serves as the VP of Audience and co-founder of Relevance, an agency, events company and digital magazine dedicated to content strategy, promotion and marketing. If that isn’t enough, along with authoring several books, Pollitt also is an adjunct professor of Internet Marketing at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business, and adjunct instructor of Content Marketing at the Rutgers University Business School. For more than 15 years, he has been creating profitable online campaigns for some of the world’s most recognizable brands.
The difference in tomorrow’s customer engagement versus yesterday’s is the channels of engagement. We have a generation of people coming up who aren’t interested in calling or emailing a company. How important will customer engagement be? Customer engagement is always important. It’s easier to keep a customer than it is to bring on a new one. Jay Baer wrote a whole book on it, “Hug Your Haters.” The difference in tomorrow’s customer engagement versus yesterday’s is the channels of engagement. We have a generation of people coming up who aren’t interested in calling or emailing a company. They’d rather tweet or post their complaints, problems, concerns, etc. Businesses better be prepared.
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