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Author: Kristen Hollar

Print Campaign Ideas for Higher Ed Marketing

Print Campaign Ideas for Higher Ed Marketing

Print Campaign Ideas for Higher Ed Marketing

Whether you’re looking to recruit new students, engage alumni, or share important updates with faculty and staff, print campaigns are a highly effective medium for higher ed marketing.

Printed materials offer a tangible and personal touch that digital marketing can’t always provide. For example, a well-designed orientation booklet can be held, shared, and stored as a keepsake, capturing the moment of a young entrepreneur’s first years in college.

As a trusted print & mail partner for over 35 years, Preferred Direct has some ideas for using print to connect with your college community…

 

Higher Ed Marketing Print Campaigns

Colleges and universities can target several key audiences through print campaigns. Here’s a few great print marketing strategies for each group. For assistance, contact Preferred Direct.

 

For incoming students and undergraduates

Higher Ed MarketingProspectus / Admissions Booklet: Send a custom designed university booklet to prospective students and show what life at your institution could be. Include a college overview, academic programs, campus life, the admissions process and financial aid options. Attract the next class with engaging images, campus activities, student testimonials and a message from the President or Dean.

ROI tip: send a postcard first to ALL prospective students to sign up for your email newsletter. For those that sign up, follow up by sending the full University booklet. The postcard is a budget-friendly option to generate interest, allowing you to send your valuable printed materials only to those that are more likely to apply.

Program Brochures:  Informative program brochures can help attract and excite students for the degrees they’re most interested in. You can include information on pre-requisites, courses, tuition fees, program events, and semester schedules (or where to find them) for each degree program. Having a separate booklet will help students choose the right course of study and inspire confidence and independence as they navigate their academic career. 

Orientation & Campus Life: Once students are accepted, professionally printed orientation materials can help ease their transition to campus life. Booklets for student housing options, building info and campus maps, student groups and associations and more are all print pieces students need to take full advantage of all your university has to offer.

 

For alumni and donor relations

Alumni Newsletters: Newsletters keep alumni and donors informed about the happenings of their alma mater and how funds are impacting student life and success. Feature stories on recent accomplishments, star programs, sports tickets, upcoming events, student spotlights, and ways to get involved or give back.

Annual Report: Showcasing the impact of donations can be a powerful way to engage with donors too. Consider creating an annual report that highlights project updates, fundraising goals, and program impact that have been made possible through their contributions.

Event Invitations: Printed letters or postcards inviting alumni to events such as homecoming, reunions, seminars, or fundraising galas can help generate excitement and encourage attendance. Be sure to include all relevant event details and a call-to-action for RSVPs.

Transpromo Marketing: Incorporate transpromo marketing into your donor billing letters to maximize engagement and highlight upcoming marketing initiatives. Transpromo marketing is incorporating marketing promotions into your billing materials. Learn more here.

 

For athletics and Greek life

Recruiting Materials: Attract and recruit top talent to your university with rockstar printed booklets. A saddle-stitched brochure or booklet can showcase your programs, scholarships, and success stories from current student-athletes and greek life and convince top performers to pick your programs.

Higher Ed Marketing CampaignAthletics Schedule: Send out athletic schedules and flyers for upcoming sporting events to promote game attendance, highlight star players, and encourage fans to show their school spirit.

Fundraising Campaigns: If your sports teams are in need of additional funding, a well-designed mailer or postcard can help raise awareness and encourage donations from alumni, parents, and fans.

 

 

Your Partner for Higher Ed Marketing

When selecting a print partner for higher ed marketing, you want to choose a reputable and reliable company that has experience working with educational institutions. At Preferred Direct, we understand the unique needs and goals of colleges and universities. Our local, family-owned printer offers print solutions, direct mail services, and bindery options to meet your needs.

Preferred Direct is HITRUST-certified to ensure the security and confidentiality of your sensitive information. Request a project estimate to get started today!

Print Campaign Ideas for Higher Ed Marketing

Print Campaign Ideas for Higher Ed Marketing

Whether you’re looking to recruit new students, engage alumni, or share important updates with faculty and staff, print campaigns are a highly effective medium for higher ed marketing.

Boost Your Political Marketing Campaign with Print

Boost Your Political Marketing Campaign with Print

When it comes to elections, every detail matters. This is especially true for local downticket elections — those that involve smaller, local offices like city council members, school boards and more.

About the authors

Read More
Navigating the Agency-Printer Relationship

Navigating the Agency-Printer Relationship

Navigating the Agency-Printer Relationship

In the fast-paced world of business, collaboration and synergy are key ingredients for success. One very important partnership that often is underestimated is the relationship between your company, your marketing agency and your commercial print partner. In an era where digital marketing dominates, the tactile power of printed materials can be overlooked. Yet, there’s an undeniable charm to holding a beautifully designed brochure or receiving a thoughtfully crafted direct mail piece. This is where the partnership between a marketing agency and a commercial print partner shines. Seamless interaction between these two entities can greatly impact the effectiveness of your marketing and the overall success of your business. In this blog, we’ll explore setting expectations, defining roles, choosing the right partners and the benefits of using a well-connected print partner.

 

Setting Expectations and Defining Roles

The foundation of any successful partnership is clear communication and well-defined roles. When it comes to the relationship between your marketing agency and print partner, the following points need to be established:

  • roles & responsibilitiesDesign Needs & Deadlines: Clearly communicate your design requirements and deadlines to ensure your agency can meet the artwork deadline and your printer can achieve the desired quality in your timeframe.
  • Print Types: Discuss the specifics of the print job, including paper type, color options (full color or black and white), and any bindery, folding, collating or finishing required. Ensure your printer has the capabilities for a wide range of print types, i.e., newsletters, postcards, brochures, handbooks etc. Consider whether you need mailing services as well.
  • Responsibility for Fulfillment: Determine who will handle the fulfillment process. Some print partners, like Preferred Direct, offer comprehensive services that include printing, mailing, and even kitting for promotional campaigns. While some marketing agencies are responsible for kitting specialty client gifts and will need the print piece sent to them for fulfillment.
  • Budget: Transparency in budgeting is essential. Evaluate all costs involved, from the marketing agency’s fees to the printing invoices, shipping charges and more. This holistic view helps prevent surprises down the line.

 

Choosing the Right Partners

direct mail marketing samples pack request

There are several factors to consider when choosing the right marketing partner. The first factor to consider is industry knowledge. A marketing agency that understands your industry can hit the ground running. They’ll have insights into your target audience, competition, and trends specific to your field, all of which will greatly impact the effectiveness of your campaigns. You can also request samples from a marketing agency, this will help you to evaluate the quality of their work and help to determine if they are a good fit with your brand. If the samples include case studies or metrics, you can gain insights into how effective the agency’s campaigns were for their previous clients in your industry. This can give you an idea of the potential ROI you might achieve by working with them.

When looking for the right commercial print partner, you will want to consider things like data security, equipment and technology, customer service, and experience. Protection of sensitive data is paramount. Make sure your print partner has security measures in place to protect your information and maintain client confidentiality. As a HIPAA compliant and HITRUST certified printer, Preferred Direct values the level of security required when dealing with personal information.

Preferred Direct is committed to quality at every step of the way. We use advanced print, fulfillment, and data technology to deliver custom communication solutions, on time and on budget. We take pride in being a highly skilled business partner who can deliver on your most pressing marketing and communications needs. Whether your project is transactional, informational, or promotional, Preferred Direct has over 30 years of experience in delivering engaging, secure print pieces for companies in a variety of industries.

Preferred Direct: A Multi-Faceted Partner

With years of experience in key industries such as healthcare, insurance, finance, energy & utility, and not-for-profit sectors, we have collaborated closely with various marketing agencies. Our extensive capabilities, renowned customer service, swift lead times, nationwide print services, and a data-centric approach have earned a reputation as a reliable, technology-focused print and direct mail partner for companies across the nation. As a family-owned business, we prioritize personalized care and are well-equipped to assist you or connect you with an excellent marketing agency tailored to your industry needs.

The partnership between your marketing agency and commercial print partner is a cornerstone in your marketing strategy. Clear communication, well-defined roles, and selecting the right partners, like Preferred Direct, can elevate your campaigns, simplify the campaign process, and drive substantial results. Teamwork makes the dreamwork!

Print Campaign Ideas for Higher Ed Marketing

Print Campaign Ideas for Higher Ed Marketing

Whether you’re looking to recruit new students, engage alumni, or share important updates with faculty and staff, print campaigns are a highly effective medium for higher ed marketing.

Boost Your Political Marketing Campaign with Print

Boost Your Political Marketing Campaign with Print

When it comes to elections, every detail matters. This is especially true for local downticket elections — those that involve smaller, local offices like city council members, school boards and more.

About the authors

Read More
Preferred Direct’s, Kristen Hollar, featured in HP Graphic Arts Article titled “Fabulously Focused”

Preferred Direct’s, Kristen Hollar, featured in HP Graphic Arts Article titled “Fabulously Focused”

February 10, 2021 – After the success of the HP PageWide T240 installation at Preferred Direct, HP reached out to the company to discuss the history of Preferred Direct and the ROI of the new print technology. Here’s the article content:


If Preferred Direct can be described in one word, it’s surely passionate.

As an industry-leading print, direct mail and digital communications company, the Norfolk, Virginia company thrives on an innovative spirit – something their Director of Operations carries in abundance. Kristen Hollar has worked at Preferred Direct for 18 years, standing ready to meet the marketing and communications needs of any commercial organization in direct mail, digital or, mixed media. She continually looks for new ways to help her customers succeed on all marketing fronts with the help of the HP PageWide We Press T240 HD. But forward thinking has been Preferred Direct’s hallmark for 34 years.

The company was started as a mail shop by owner Bill Nee’s parents out of a spare bedroom in 1987. Bill Nee, Sr. spearheaded the company’s entrepreneurial drive, having worked for years with different mailing, printing and software firms. He determined to write his company’s own software and streamline as many processes as possible. By 1992, the Nees had expanded their offerings into printing, as they found themselves waiting constantly for printers to deliver, which impacted drop rates.

In the ensuring years, as has been their history, Preferred Direct kept innovating, quickly adopting personalization and incorporating variable data processing into production. That dedication to forward thinking served the printer well in a challenging economy. Kristen saw how the 2007 recession impacted competitors that had not yet transitions to digital printing. Kristen kept fulfilling orders, handling runs of any size on short deadlines, and helped her company get through tough times. She believes strongly that customers will always choose vendors with newer ideas, lower costs and speedier turn arounds.

As digital printing came of age, Preferred Direct’s next step was the installation for the HP PageWide Web Press T240 HD. Of its speed and versatility, Kristen says, “It allows us to print on a much larger scale, the color is tremendous, and we can print roll-to-roll on different substrates. When someone comes to us with a need for 100,000 pieces in two days, the HP press makes all the difference.”

Today, with the T240 HD at hand, customers can bring in complete integrated campaigns. With the advent of email, display ads, and SMS, Preferred Direct has watched digital communications grow to 40 percent of their business. But direct mail will remain the heart and soul of their operations.

As Kristen says, “Our evolution into digital marketing happened because we’re always staying on top of technology as it comes to market – always reinvesting in the company and our processes, procedures, and equipment. We believe it’s important to have everything under one roof.


Preferred Direct is an industry-leading commercial print, direct mail and digital communications provider founded by Bill Nee, Sr. in Norfolk, Va. in 1987. Now, 35 years in and in its second generation of family ownership, Preferred Direct is a HITRUST-certified, HIPAA-compliant partner to the healthcare, insurance, finance and other industries nationwide. Learn more at www.preferreddirect.com.

 

About the authors

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Outsourced Medical Billing – The Top 5 Advantages for Healthcare Providers

Outsourced Medical Billing – The Top 5 Advantages for Healthcare Providers

Outsourced Medical Billing – The Top 5 Advantages for Healthcare Providers

If you don’t send patients their bills in a timely manner, your account receivables will suffer and your collection rates will be very low. It may be time for outsourced medical billing.

Should billing be done in-house or outsourced to a direct billing company? There are advantages and disadvantages to both.

Third party billing comes with many advantages. Medical organizations and businesses need cost-effective and efficient ways to collect their hard-earned revenue. Businesses can either outsource medical billing or hire qualified employees to do it in-house. 

Take a look at our blog on the 5 Key Considerations When Choosing a Third-Party Medical Marketing Partner.

Here are the top five advantages of outsourced medical billing:

1. Outsourcing Can Save a Company Money. When billing is outsourced, a company saves money on monthly salaries and benefits for those who would do in-house billing. Flat rates charged by billing companies are generally less than what it would cost to staff an employee to do the same job. Companies who outsource also do not have to purchase or maintain billing software and computer equipment.

2. Outsourcing  Helps a Company Collect More Money and Improves Cash Flow. Billing duties can be slowed and lost in the shuffle of running a business, but billing companies keep billing moving in an efficient way to get money to the medical organization faster. Ultimately, the timely submission of bills increases the influx of cash.

3. Billing Professionals Are Less Likely to Make Errors. Because billing companies have the sole purpose of getting billing correct, they are less likely to make errors. Billing companies are equipped with the knowledge and equipment to ensure that claims and bills are submitted in a thorough, speedy process.  This reduces the amount of denied or rejected claims.

4. Companies/Organizations Can Focus More on Their Patients Leading to Higher Customer Satisfaction. Especially for small medical businesses who cannot hire people to do billing, using front office staff to split their time and efforts between billing and other duties can detract from other areas of their job. Outsourced medical billing improves the office staff’s productivity and can ultimately lead to better customer satisfaction.

5. Adding Advertising Messages to Your Bills Can Encourage Patients to Return and Increase Revenue. When advertising messages are added to bills, using variable data, it is called transpromo marketing. Transpromo marketing is effective because unlike junk mail, people open bills and read them. Medical businesses and organizations can advertise events, vaccines, reminders for preventative treatments or any other relevant messages on bills. Is it flu season? A practice may want to promote coming in for flu shots. Is there a health fair? Advertising on a bill is a good way to get existing customers to be in the knowhow and return to the business.

Whether outsourced medical billing or not depends on multiple factors. Businesses should look at the number of employees, finances, the age of the business and the local labor market. Outsourcing billing can save healthcare businesses and organizations time and money, giving the organization the ability to focus on primary tasks.

Choosing the Right Outsourced Medical Billing Provider

When choosing an outsourced medical billing provider for your organization’s communications, there’s much to consider. Not all print providers have the expertise or equipment to handle the security and volume demands of medical billing.

Below are some key characteristics to look for in your third party provider:

  • direct mail servicesAbility to handle a wide array of variable data printing applications
  • Flexibility in how they can receive your data
  • Experience with billing and postage
  • Compliance with HITRUST and HIPAA
  • Advanced printing technology to ensure the utmost accuracy and print quality
  • Services beyond printing

A medical billing services provider should have all of the technology and measures in place to ensure that your customer data stays safe at all times. For optimal value, also consider if a vendor has the versatility to handle your organization’s diverse needs.

Preferred Direct has years of experience and a stellar reputation in managing variable data and sensitive information to generate invoices and other medical notices, accurately and securely. We guarantee prompt and confidential processing of your information while giving you flexible solutions to accommodate your unique requirements. We can replicate your existing invoice format, give you templates to choose from, or create a custom design to fulfill your vision. You’ll also have several options for submitting your data to us—via our secure FTP site in .xls, .txt, .csv, or .dat formats or send .pgp encrypted files. We can handle printing, folding, inserting, presorting (for postal discounts), and delivering your invoices to the U.S. Post Office. 

When you partner with Preferred Direct, you partner with a data-secure, technology-focused outsourced medical billing provider, dedicated to your goals. Contact us today for an estimate!

Call Preferred Direct toll-free today. 1-833-425-7007

Sources: medicaloffice.about.com, poweryourpractice.com, itservicereviews.com

Print Campaign Ideas for Higher Ed Marketing

Print Campaign Ideas for Higher Ed Marketing

Whether you’re looking to recruit new students, engage alumni, or share important updates with faculty and staff, print campaigns are a highly effective medium for higher ed marketing.

Boost Your Political Marketing Campaign with Print

Boost Your Political Marketing Campaign with Print

When it comes to elections, every detail matters. This is especially true for local downticket elections — those that involve smaller, local offices like city council members, school boards and more.

About the authors

Read More
Nonprofit Marketing – Print & Digital Tips and Tricks

Nonprofit Marketing – Print & Digital Tips and Tricks

Nonprofit Marketing – Print and Digital Tips & Tricks

Print marketing and digital marketing should, no doubt, be a part of your nonprofit marketing strategy. Used in combination, they reinforce and further your organization’s mission and goals. As a commercial printing services provider, Preferred Direct helps many nonprofits maximize the success of their print and digital marketing efforts. In this article, we’re going to share several marketing tips for nonprofits that can help your organization boost awareness, raise funds, and recruit volunteers.

We live in a digital era. But that has not rendered print marketing obsolete. Instead, it has intensified the impact that printed materials have when they’re created strategically and executed flawlessly. Printed pieces will help your nonprofit marketing stand out and provide a tangible way to reach your target audience.

What types of print collateral can help your nonprofit marketing and fundraising efforts?

Before working with a printing company, check to make sure they have the latest digital printing and inkjet printing technologies to produce superior results cost-effectively.

direct mail marketing estimate

1. Get personal and precise with direct mail marketing. 

Print collateral that is personalized to the individual recipient helps to build trust in your organization and incite action. Seek to work with a commercial printing company that offers direct mail marketing services that include: 

  • Variable data printing (text and images) to customize print pieces to each individual on your mailing list.
  • Mailing list services to make sure your direct mail marketing pieces are targeted at the right people based on demographic, geographic, and other criteria.
  • Postage automation to save you time and money through sorting, shipping, and delivery to the post office and by passing along volume discounts. 

2. Stay within budget with on-demand printing. 

By working with a commercial printer that offers on-demand printing, your can keep costs in check for your nonprofit marketing campaigns. On-demand means you’re not locked into minimum order commitments. You pay a low price per unit, even if you only need a small number of print materials produced. Best of all, it’s simple and quick when you want more pieces printed because your digital files are saved and ready to go for your next order. Also, consider the eco-friendly attributes of on-demand printing. Because you can better align your print volume with your actual needs, you conserve paper, electricity, and other resources. 

3. Get help managing your print inventory. 

If you work with a commercial printing company on an ongoing basis, you’ll find that you can save time and money on your nonprofit marketing when the printer offers inventory management services. Inventory control is especially critical when using on-demand printing services. It ensures the supplies you need for your direct mail and other print marketing materials will be readily available when you need them.

 

Nonprofit Marketing – Using Digital Marketing Solutions

 If you have a commercial printer that also excels in digital marketing strategies, your organization will gain efficiency and effectiveness in all of its marketing and fundraising campaigns. It will enable you to ensure consistent messaging—delivered at just the right time for maximal impact. 

1. Create irresistible email marketing campaigns. 

Fortunately, nonprofit organizations have one of the highest average email open rates (25.17 percent) compared to other industries, according to Mailchimp data. 

However, people are inundated with email messages every day, so it’s critical to carefully craft your nonprofit marketing campaigns to rise above the noise. Work with your digital marketing and commercial printing services provider to create email designs and content that will grab attention and compel people to act. 

2. Keep your cause front and center with SMS messaging. 

According to an article on the Crazy Egg blog, research has shown SMS open rates to be as high as 98 percent. Yet only approximately 61 percent of marketers use SMS to promote their brands even though 45 percent of people reply to SMS marketing messages. By marketing your nonprofits events and fundraising campaigns via text messages, you seize a viable opportunity to encourage interaction with your organization. 

Commercial Printing3. Customize your digital marketing communications. 

Tailoring your nonprofit marketing messaging to the individual allows you to build a stronger bond with existing and prospective donors, volunteers, and community partners. Make sure that the commercial printer you choose can handle variable data and personalize messages to individuals on your print and electronic mailing lists. Customized email marketing and SMS marketing messages will help increase recipients’ engagement with your nonprofit. 

Choosing the Right Partner for your Nonprofit Marketing Campaigns

Not all commercial printers have the breadth of capabilities needed to give nonprofits excellent quality and value in both print and digital marketing services. At Preferred Direct, we have years of experience working with nonprofit marketing to minimize costs and maximize returns. We provide a full spectrum of services related to printing, direct mail marketing, email marketing, and SMS marketing.

direct mail servicesWe will work with your nonprofit on all aspects of your projects.

  • Designing
  • Developing mailing lists
  • Printing (digital printing and inkjet printing)
  • Reducing postage costs
  • Mailing
  • And more

Contact us to discuss your nonprofit’s marketing needs! We have the technology and expertise to save your nonprofit time and money while improving the results of your direct mail and digital marketing campaigns.

Request a quote online or call Preferred Direct toll-free today. 1-833-425-7007

 

Print Campaign Ideas for Higher Ed Marketing

Print Campaign Ideas for Higher Ed Marketing

Whether you’re looking to recruit new students, engage alumni, or share important updates with faculty and staff, print campaigns are a highly effective medium for higher ed marketing.

Boost Your Political Marketing Campaign with Print

Boost Your Political Marketing Campaign with Print

When it comes to elections, every detail matters. This is especially true for local downticket elections — those that involve smaller, local offices like city council members, school boards and more.

About the authors

Read More
21 Ways to Add Flair to Your Direct Mail Campaign

21 Ways to Add Flair to Your Direct Mail Campaign

21 Ways to Add Flair to your Direct Mail Campaign

Oliver Wendell Holmes once said, “Learn from the mistakes of others… You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself!”

direct mail advertisingHow do you attract, inform, and appeal to your customers? How do you differentiate your direct mail campaign? Do you use the telephone? Are billboards, radio ads, and glossy brochures more your style? Or do you wait for customers to walk through your door?

Many highly-effective methods exist to promote a business. Direct mail campaigns, however, consistently offer more bang for the buck than many other forms of promotion. If you’re new to the world of direct-mail advertising and promotion, you might be surprised at how easy, effective, and economical it can be. If you’re an ” old hand,” we have some new ideas and a score of suggestions you might not have considered.

Preferred Direct is a commercial printing and direct mail marketing specialist. Founded in 1987, our Norfolk-based company has built its reputation on creative communication and customer service. With more than three decades of collaborative success, helping businesses “tell their stories,” we have become leaders in the field. We continue to craft personalized solutions in the print, direct mail, and digital communications field

direct mail marketing estimate

Direct Mail Campaign Tips

Here is a score of suggestions to energize your creative marketing mail campaign or 21 ways to add flair to your direct mail campaign:

 1. Keep the Message Bright. Convey your message graphically and with few words. Keep it simple and colorful. Rely on a single dramatic image to introduce a product, announce a clearance sale, remind customers of a deadline, or offer a discount.

 2. Upscale the Envelopes. Your choice depends on the message you want to convey. Be creative in placing your sales message on the front of your envelope. A good place to start is with your #10 envelopes.

 3. Include a Token Gift. A coupon for a freebie. A special discount for return customers. A refrigerator magnet, flexible jar grip or mini notepad are all easy envelope stuffers that have value for homeowners.

 4. Make Your Mailer Count. Use a direct mail piece as a calendar countdown to a special event. Choose an eye-catching large type font, and keep the message short and to the point to create urgency. Use color to distinguish your piece from other mail, and follow up with periodic reminders if that’s appropriate.

 5. Never Underestimate Postcards. At one time when people communicated regularly with picture postcards. The appeal still exists. Postcards are fun — and if they’re unique, they’re also sometimes collectible. Use a great photo or a humorous message. A postcard direct mail campaign can jumpstart a new promotion, or serve as a continuing reminder of your services.

 6. Sponsor a Charity. If your business supports a local organization during the holidays or throughout the year, include a pitch for support in your invoice mailings. Send special requests for support as needed. Customers like to be part of charitable efforts: Make it easy for them to participate and to lend a hand! Then send thank you notes for the support.

 7. Employ Special Shapes and Sizes. Let’s be honest. Standard envelopes can be easily tossed in the trash. But the impact of a brightly colored, oversized envelope can’t be ignored. Attract attention any way you can, but be sure your mailer conforms to postal regulations. (We can help you with that requirement. 

8. Fold It Up! Flipbooks require customer interaction and promote engagement. Special folds encourage revisiting pages and allow prospective clients to reread your message in different ways. 

9. Die Cuts Tell a Story. It’s simplistic, but shapes add interest. There’s a reason: Our brains are wired to remember the unusual. Let us help you design a unique mailer that tells your story differently. There are endless possibilities. 

10. Add Sensory Surprise. All too often, a written message is forgettable. But there are other ways to elicit a response. Experiment with texture, scent, or even sound. While not for every business, scratch and sniff cards, a “touchy-feely” insert or a card that plays music will grab its share of attention. Maximize the element of surprise. 

11. Go for 3-D Appeal. The flat is not the only way to send your message. Small boxes and tubes don’t have to cost an arm and a leg, but they are likely to garner lots of extra attention. 

 12. Personalize Your Marketing Materials. Fight the “junk mail” label by personalizing your message. Don’t address mailings to “Resident.” Send birthday greetings and holiday cards. Offer a discount on an anniversary-year purchase, or make a customer feel special by providing incentives using Commercial Printing with Variable Data for continued business support. 

13. Keep In Touch through Newsletters. Let your customers know what you’re doing. It’s only natural to respond to stories of achievement and growth. So, if your business has a good story to tell, don’t hesitate to share it through a monthly or quarterly newsletter, circulated either digitally or in print. Yes, Preferred Direct offers digital services as well as printed and mailing services. 

14. Shine a Spotlight on Your People. Recognize achievement, publicize promotions, and introduce new service technicians. Include photos. Use your direct mail campaign to personalize your business. Add some flair to your marketing. 

15. Celebrate Your City. Partner with other local businesses to promote civic awareness and community celebrations. Show you care about your locale and your customers are likely to respond in kind. 

16. Get Behind Good Causes. While you’ll want to be selective about what you support, don’t feel that every mailer has to be only about business. Many worthwhile efforts can benefit from more public awareness. Always include your name and logo! 

17. Provide Usable Information. If you sell products or offer services, informative mailers about important topics are often welcome and appreciated. Be discerning, but don’t hesitate to share your expertise or communicate your concerns. 

18. Determine the Most Effective Delivery Option. Postage and delivery options affect price, and effectiveness varies. Know your options, or ask your direct mail printing partner for advice.

 19. Know Your Niche. Always consider the unique requirements of your business or industry, governing rules and regulations, and projected changes that will affect your message. Preferred Direct is HITRUST-certified with extensive experience with EOBs, and we assure that health care mailings are always HIPAA-compliant.

 20. Consider New Technologies. We agree that technology is changing the face of the direct marketing industry. We take pride in our ability to embrace new possibilities and pass new technological advances on to our customers.

 21. Track Your Success. No advertising and marketing program will be worth your time, energy, and money unless you know how well it’s working for you. Preferred Direct will work with you every step of the way to help you get it right. 

 

 

Our “can do” attitude has served us well over the past three decades. What can we do to help you? We believe we can help you attract and inform clients, advertise products, explain your services, create goodwill, and establish strong bonds with your customers. We don’t perform magic, but we consistently achieve results by working with you to create magical direct mail pieces. We do it all within your budget constraints and following your timeline. We respond quickly, and we meet deadlines. Why not schedule a call to discuss options? We’ll be waiting to hear from you. At the risk of tooting our own horn just a bit, we have comments and testimonials from satisfied clients all over the country to support our claims. Let us know how we can best help you with your specialty direct mail needs. 

The Preferred Marketplace of Ideas 

Our collective experience over the past 30-plus years has reinforced the values that were exemplified at our founding: Service, Value, and Creative Response to Client Concerns.  

We practice those principles every day in every way, embrace new technology and modern materials, and continue to focus on creative problem-solving. We value your collaboration, comments, and service evaluations, and rely on your feedback as we move in new directions. We value the ongoing relationships we have established with our customers. We will boost your marketing with variable data direct mail and commercial printing. 

direct mail services

Some Preferred Direct Team Members in front of our HP Digital Printer for VDP

For each project, Preferred Direct will provide a project manager to work with you to guarantee fast, efficient, accurate and confidential processing of information for your commercial printing or direct billing project. Our Commercial Printing and Direct Mail Platform provides for medical billing services, municipal utility bills, statement generation, e-billing, and transpromo marketing, a company’s direct billing is completed in a timely and professional manner.

Print Campaign Ideas for Higher Ed Marketing

Print Campaign Ideas for Higher Ed Marketing

Whether you’re looking to recruit new students, engage alumni, or share important updates with faculty and staff, print campaigns are a highly effective medium for higher ed marketing.

Boost Your Political Marketing Campaign with Print

Boost Your Political Marketing Campaign with Print

When it comes to elections, every detail matters. This is especially true for local downticket elections — those that involve smaller, local offices like city council members, school boards and more.

About the authors

Read More