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Author: Kristen Hollar

Your Top 3 Concerns When It Comes to Choosing a Commercial Printing Company

Top 3 Concerns When Choosing a Commercial Printing Company

Outsourcing any job can be nerve-racking, especially working with a commercial printing company for your sensitive and engaging print needs. The finished product reflects your company’s brand and message. The time it saves you is worth it, if you pick the right company.

When you send a job to a commercial printer, you are counting on them to make a quality product that reflects your company and meets your important deadline. Preferred Direct is known for its reputation and expertise. With an A rating and as one of the top commercial printers we can be trusted with any job, big or small. In this blog, we’ll discuss the top 3 concerns when it comes to choosing commercial printing, and what commercial printing companies should be doing to meet and exceed your expectations.

Top 3 Concerns

#1 Cost

When selecting a commercial printing company, one of the first things you need to consider is cost. Is the printer affordable? Does the company offer different printing options to cater to your budget? Is the quality of the print material compromised because of cost?

You should select a commercial printer that keeps its cost low due to the efficiency of the printing process. This means selecting a printer that uses the latest in printing, sorting, and finishing technology. When the cost of print projects is low due to efficiency, the quality of your print materials is not compromised. You receive the best product for the best price, and as a bonus, you receive your items faster.

#2 Late Deliveries

Companies rely on commercial printing for many different reasons, including marketing, billing, and print materials for the day-to-day functioning of your business. Therefore, it is crucial that it is done effectively and efficiently. If a marketing item goes out late it could mean the difference between a successful campaign and an unsuccessful campaign. If bills go out late, you don’t get paid in a timely fashion.

A reputable commercial printing company will always deliver your materials promptly. They will keep in touch, so you know the status of your order. It is important that a commercial printer allows you to track your order, and updates you on each stage of the printing and delivery process.

#3 Poor Customer Service

Are you struggling to get someone on the phone? Do you have questions regarding your project? Do you need help selecting materials and the best printing method for your project? Some online printing companies will communicate via email or chat, but they don’t always have someone available over the phone. Poor customer service makes it more difficult for you, their customer. When selecting a commercial printing company, you need to find a company that has a project manager assigned to your company and project. A project manager can help you select what methods of printing are best for each project, and they can help you find the most cost-effective way to print and deliver your job. Project managers can offer updates on the status of your project and communicate any issues that arise to keep your project moving forward in a timely fashion.

Choosing the Right Commercial Printing Company

direct mail services At Preferred Direct, we make sure to keep your cost down. You will have a project manager who keeps your print jobs on track. Our project managers stay on top of your print jobs and can answer any questions you have along the way. We even provide emergency print services for those fast approaching deadlines. We also provide tracking so you can be assured that your shipment is arriving in a timely manner. Our digital and offset printing technology are top-of-the-line and print quality materials fast, ultimately saving you time and money. When choosing a commercial printing company, you can count on Preferred Direct to be cost-effective, speedy, and customer-friendly.

Call us toll-free today at 1-833-425-7007 or click here for an online quote.

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About the authors

What Is Transpromo Marketing?

by Kristen Hollar | Direct Marketing Solutions, Outsourced Medical Billing, Printing

What Is Transpromo Marketing?

Transpromo Marketing? It sounds like you might be doing a Transatlantic crossing! That would be exciting, but in this blog, we are talking about Transpromo marketing or transpromotional marketing. It’s a way for companies to market to existing customers through existing customer communication channels like statements and bills sent by mail. In this blog, you will learn about transpromo marketing, its uses, and benefits.

Reaching repeat customers is an important part of maintaining a profitable business. How well is your business reaching and retaining your existing customers?

bill printing transpromo marketing Transpromo Marketing is a form of advertising in which businesses place marketing messages in transactional documents. The word transpromo comes from the combination of the terms “transaction” and “promotion.” The marketing messages are placed in the white spaces of these documents, integrated marketing messages on bills, statements, and other important communications.

How Does Transpromo Marketing work?

Using cutting edge print technology, called variable digital printing, individualized bills, statements, and other transactional documents are printed. The targeted marketing message is printed on these statements and then mailed out to customers.

Types of Messages Used in Transpromo Marketing

Coupons – Coupons make great use of white space on a statement, attracting the customer to come back and make another purchase.

Call to upgrade current product or services – Companies can advertise upgrading their current product or services for to new, improved options. An example of a service upgrade might be a telecommunications company advertising their combined internet, cable, and telephone packages to a customer who only subscribes to internet.

Sale or promotion announcement – Announcing sales and promotions helps to give customers a reason to make an additional purchase. An example of this might be a customer who just purchased a new dishwasher receiving word on their billing statement that there will be a sale on other kitchen appliances such as refrigerators and stoves.

Coming soon announcements – Coming soon announcements work toward customer loyalty. By announcing new products or services, exclusively to existing customers. This gives your customer something to look forward to with the company and become an advocate for your brand. Also making it exclusive, customers feel like they have the inside scoop! An example might be a bank announcing they’ll soon be offering a new type of savings account.

Promoting a local charity – Companies looking to promote their social awareness, can use transpromotional marketing to bring awareness to their favorite charity, encouraging their customers to donate. READ MORE on how companies can use their print marketing to support nonprofits and increase their bottom line.

Draw customers to a website – Do you want your customers to read more about your products or services? Give them a reason to go to your website and read about what’s new and happening, while increasing web traffic at the same time.

To fully capitalize on the power of direct marketing for your business, you should only work with professionals. At Preferred Direct, we offer a vast range of personalized marketing services, including direct mail, third party billing, and commercial printing services. We are focused on increasing your ROI and helping you to make the most out of your budget. From design to finishing and mailing, Preferred Direct takes care to make sure you receive deliver high-quality print products that can help increase your company’s ROI.

Call or click for a quote. (757) 461-2730 or Toll Free 1-833-425-7007

Sources: smallbusiness.chron.com, pitneybowes.com, tgidirect.com

Start Your Next Transpromo Marketing Campaign Today!

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Top 10 Things to Consider When Choosing a Commercial Printing Service

by Kristen Hollar | Direct Marketing Solutions, Printing

Top 10 Things to Consider When Choosing a Commercial Printing Service

When choosing the right commercial printing service company, there are many factors you need to take into consideration. It’s not always apples to apples, but there are key things that should factor into your decision to ensure you choose the best provider for your needs.

Key Things to Consider

#1. History in the Business

When you start to do your research, find out how long the printer been in the business. Do they have the experience to do the job at hand? However, note that longevity in a business field does not mean they have kept current and progressed with the times and modern technology. Research the owner or parent company and learn about the products in their portfolio. Ask questions about not only their history but where they see the company going and choose a printer with past experience and a track record of growth. Preferred Direct recently celebrated 35 years and two generations of business. Read more, here.

#2 Wide range of services

With the internet and the multitude of company websites, it’s now easier than ever to research the type of products each commercial printing service provides. Do they offer a full suite of services from design to fulfillment? What kind of finishing capabilities do they offer? Can they handle the quantities or turnaround time your project requires? Not every commercial printer has the wide range of services you may need and you don’t want to discover after the PO that you need to find another company to complete your project. Preferred Direct offers design, printing, bindery/finishing and fulfillment for a variety of campaign communications. We are your one stop shop for full service solutions. Contact us to learn more.

#3 Technology and Equipment

Today’s print and fulfillment technology produce high quality print more efficiently than ever. Printers that invest in new equipment invest in technology that increases productivity and secures your data for personalized print. This can mean lower prices and faster turnaround times for customers. Ask your printer what print technology they are using and what data security processes they have in place to safeguard your data. This is especially important when it comes to printing items like medical explanation of benefits (EOB), medical bills, financial statements, and other HIPAA-compliant or sensitive data. Even more, new technology can also positively impact your printer’s speed, print quality, and pricing, considering newer technology is more efficient, automated, and intuitive than older presses.

#4 Quality of Work

Delivering a quality product is important, and consistency is paramount. Many printers have a sample portfolio to showcase their print capabilities. Ask your commercial printer to see product samples or for client referrals or testimonials. It’s important to see what work your print partner has completed for clients in your specific industry or similar. Past customers have the best first-hand experience and their reviews are insightful. A quality printer, such as Preferred Direct, will happily provide a product portfolio or samples of their best work and many have customers willing to give their honest feedback

#5 Efficiency and On-Time Deadlines

In the commercial printing service market, the most common question is, “How soon will they be ready?” You will have the same question, but there are other factors to consider. Can they provide your company with a quality product while fulfilling your request on time? Do they have on-demand, emergency service capabilities? Do they have digital printing capabilities? Not all jobs are emergencies, but it’s nice to have a printer that can provide a quick turn-around for those occasional moments.

#6 Pricing

The cost and type of your company’s printed materials can determine your return-on-investment (ROI). Find out what factors go into the pricing of your job. If you are getting several bids, make sure it’s an apples-to-apples comparison. Look for a company with fair and competitive pricing and postage, but also consider other factors that add to their value (like exceptional technology and service).

#7 Data Security and Privacy

The world of technology and the internet has provided commercial printing with a wide range of new capabilities and services. Innovative printers utilize print technology, like the Xerox Impika® or HP PageWide digital press, with variable data and personalization capabilities to print your products with personal information. These technologies rely on software that interfaces with the machines and it is important that your printer has the best data security standards to protect your sensitive information. With the handling of data, like variable data, the need for regulations, compliance, and data security has become very important. Privacy, data handling policies, firewalls, backup, and disaster recovery plans are critical. It is critical that you verify your commercial printer’s data security practices to ensure your sensitive data is in good hands.

#8 Customer Service

Outstanding customer service is a must when it comes to your company’s commercial printing service. It should be present throughout the entire job, from start to finish, and into future projects. Correcting designs, verifying information, shipping notifications, etc. are all things a diligent print partner does to ensure you receive the product you imagined. A printer can produce great work, but if their customer service is lacking, it could result in delayed deliveries, incorrect prints, over-ordering, and be an overall hassle for customers.

#9 Project Management and Communication

Your commercial printing job is unique with many details that need to be monitored and managed. The printer you choose should be responsive to your needs. Do they return calls and emails? Do they assign you a project manager? Do they offer suggestions and ask questions? This is a printer who will be dedicated to the quality and on-time schedule of your job, partnering with you to achieve your ROI.

#10 Reputation

Always research a company’s reputation. With the internet, it’s easy to find reviews from customers. Look at reviews and testimonials from both the company’s website and 3^rd party websites like Google+. Keep in mind that no company has 100% positive reviews. People who have had problems are more likely to leave a review than those with great experiences. So if you have a great printer, leave them a positive review on their website, social media, yelp and/or Google.

There are many other elements to consider when picking the right commercial printing service. In this blog, we have given you the top 10 that will get you started on the process of choosing one that is right for your company’s unique needs.

Choose the Preferred Commercial Printing Service Provider

Preferred Direct is a nationwide leader in commercial printing services, with both a national and global reach. Whether the job calls for 10,000 pieces or over 1 million pieces, we are equipped to service small one-location companies to large global entities. Our innovative and superior print technology allows us to print and mail high-quality products, faster. Additionally, we are a HIPAA-compliant and HITRUST-certified Printer practicing the highest standards in data security. Preferred Direct is a leader in technology with the first Xerox Impika® in the United States and other high-efficiency, high-quality printing, binding, and fulfillment technology. We work with companies in a variety of industries, providing printing services, direct mail services, fundraising, and non-profit marketing, fulfillment services and direct billing services. We encourage you to consider Preferred Direct as you consider a new commercial print provider – we strive to be your preferred print partner that delivers.

CLICK HERE to learn more about Preferred Direct and our capabilities and browse through our site to find the commercial printing service best suited to meet your goals. Contact our team today to get started!