Direct Mail: Success and How To Make It Work for You

Direct-mail services can be a major boon to businesses both small and large looking for an economical and less-hassle way to reach a large number of their customer base. Get a list, take my postcards (or brochure or newsletter) and mail. Well that doesn't sound too difficult does it? However, not all direct mail services are equal and as we all know, there are good companies with good direct mail services and then there are the not-so-good companies.

Good direct mailing service providers know what they're doing.

When you do find a good direct mailing service, you can generally trust their advice as it’s based on years of experience. Go to them for advice on postage, which represents the biggest investment of any direct-mail campaign. A reputable direct-mail company can help you identify standard sizes and weight limits for a variety of mediums, including postcards, brochures, packages and more, so you can be sure you're getting the best deal for your money. Also seek your direct mail service’s assistance in mail list procurement if you do not have your own lists. In fact, you should start talking to your direct-mail service before you begin designing your promotions so you can get the sizing down pat.

At Spectra Print Corp we take pride in our customers trust in helping your business succeed in your marketing campaign however, direct mail can’t do it alone. You have to provide your direct-mail service a good mailer to start with - we can help you with that as well.

Contact us and let us handle the pre-mailing design and production of your promotional material including list procurement, address printing, stamping, sealing and mailing - all the time-consuming activities that take you away from the job of running a success business. If your marketing materials require attention, time-limited offers and calls to action - your direct-mail marketing campaign will be primed for success.

Industry Leaders Set to Make a Splash at ICAST

We just delivered catalogs to two major players in the fishing industry: the Worth Company and Strike King Lure Company for their use at ICAST, the world's largest sportfishing trade show, held this year in Las Vegas.


The Worth Company, Stevens Point, WI, is a world class manufacturer of fishing lure components sold to lure manufacturers. Their 112-page plus cover perfect-bound catalog was printed by Spectra Print from client furnished art files.


Strike King Lure Company is an industry leader of lures and terminal tackle with an emphasis on bass fishing. Strike King Lure Company is located in Collierville, TN. Spectra Print handled all aspects of Strike King Lure's 56-page saddle-stitched catalog from design through printing.


Both companies enhanced the functionality of their catalogs, utilizing the latest in mobile technology with Microtag and QR code applications in their printed pieces.


We wish success to the Worth Company and Strike King Lure Company at ICAST.

Still Showing Off: Continuation of Booth Design

In our last post the topic of discussion was creating a booth environment that would give you an edge at your next show.

No one needs to tell you that your booth establishes your show presence and is the central element of how your company will be perceived.

Take a step back, so to speak, and look at your booth from the other side of the aisle. When considering your booth, Spectra Print's Marketing Director Al Scherwinski says, "An effective booth is one that conveys your company's product accurately, quickly and what benefit it brings to potential customers."

If A Picture Paints a Thousand Words ...

Then a booth filled with nothing but text won't grab anyone's interest, but a photograph will.

The use of photography should be a key element of your booth; showing your customers your "product" (even if the product is you!), matching the photography to the brand and conveying the intangible is best left to another post, one we will cover in the near future.

It Takes A Village To Create a Booth

Someone once described their decorating style as "Early Halloween." While it may be a amusing description for a family room, it shouldn't be the way customers see your booth display. Professional graphic artists are a necessity for insuring your booth will look professional and convincing. A good graphic designer can take your concept from a piece of paper and turn it into a compelling design that clearly conveys, in 30-seconds or less, what your products are and what they do.

There are many other factors to consider such as working chairs into the overall design of your booth so they are a part of the display and not a distraction. If you have product demonstrations or products that will be physically on display, you will need cases or a countertop to show them. Panels with laminates as an option or stand along acrylic cabinets can be integrated into the design.

Anyone can put together a show booth with a company logo, a couple of photographs and a stack of brochures and business cards. Creating a show environment that commands attention involves professionals with a solid strategy to help level the playing field.

It's Okay To Be A Show Off

Doing business without advertising is like winking

at a girl in the dark. You know what you are doing,

but nobody else does. ~Steuart Henderson Britt

It never ceases to amaze me how hard small business owners work in order to achieve success. Contrary to popular opinion, there are very few perks to owning your own business: long hours, very little time off, on call and on the clock pretty much 24/7. If love makes the world go ‘round, small business owners are surely the cog that keeps the wheels of commerce turning.

The last few weeks we’ve been out on the show circuit, both trade and consumer, and came away with the knowledge that it is a jungle out there!

In an environment where everyone is in the same boat, how do you stop the parade of potential customers so they don’t pass you by?

Don’t Leave Home Without It

A set of clear goals that is. What are your expectations for the show you will be attending? Are you focusing on business promotion or is this the stage where you launch a new product? You can have more than one goal but you need to be clear about what your participation is going to achieve.

Your Display Is Your On-Site Ad

A successful display is one that is planned with the audience in mind. Who is it that you are targeting with your display? An important question to ask yourself since audiences “shop” shows differently.

Create a Buzz

Invite clients, customers, suppliers and other contacts; this is the stage made for social media and where Facebook and Twitter shine. Do you know your booth number in advance? If you do, make sure to feature the number prominently in your advance advertising.

Build It And They Will Come

Spectra Print’s Marketing Director Al Scherwinski says five basic elements for show booth displays are memorable visuals, headline, copy points, company logo, and web/blog presence.

Select your trade show graphics carefully; simple, bold and clear images work best.

Choose your words carefully and keep your display headline simple, clear and to the point. Chances are, people that did not plan to visit you at the show will more than likely walk past your booth. If this is your only chance to grab their attention, you will need a carefully thought out and compelling headline to make them want to find out more about your company.

It makes sense that the shorter your headline is the larger it can appear on your show booth display allowing your display to reach farther into busy show traffic. Even a small table top display with a short bold message can be seen several yards away.

“Your choice of typeface is also important,” Scherwinski says. “With literally thousands of type fonts to choose from, selecting the right one can seem daunting. The next time you attend a show, notice the displays that grab your attention. They won’t necessarily be large booths but displays that consistently use simple bold graphics.”

It was a dark and stormy night …

While it is tempting to write a description that explains everything your customer needs to know about you - don’t. As much as you would like them to, most show attendees will not want to spend a ton of time reading about your company. Use bullet points, keep your message short, don’t get too technical and remember to keep your company name front and center. Utilize QR codes to feature your social media and web site presence.

Now that you have a stack of requests, make sure follow-up correspondence is priority one when you are packed up and homeward bound.

Next week’s blog post will conclude the show marketing discussion. Stay tuned!