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Archive for the ‘From the Marketers’ Category

Direct Mail Still Works and Consumers Still Want It

Posted on April 17, 2012

A study released by global interactive marketing provider ExactTarget finds 66% of online Americans have made a purchase as a result of email and nearly just as many — 65% — purchased a product or service thanks to direct mail; This is nearly three times the percentage who have purchased after receiving marketing messages delivered via Facebook (20%) and four times greater purchases prompted from mobile marketing messaging (16%).

Based on a survey of 1,481 U.S. online consumers, ExactTarget’s 2012 Channel Preference Survey asked about Americans communications preferences and how consumers want to receive marketing messages.

When asked about how they PREFER to get permission-based marketing messages, 77% of respondents said email.  Direct mail was second at 9% and text marketing messaging was third at 5%.

ExactTarget also asked how ACCEPTABLE it is for companies to send them these different messages through various channels. Direct mail is the only channel where an unsolicited message isn’t viewed as inappropriate by consumers.

ExactTarget states, “Our research into marketing-inspired purchase behavior illustrates that we live in a multi-channel world where brands that can execute campaigns across both mass and direct media will have a distinct advantage over their less coordinated competition. Today’s consumers are cross-channel communicators, and they’re ready to reward those brands that abide by the unique rules that govern each channel.”

Arandell provides customized direct marketing solutions across all marketing channels. With a specialty in the catalog and retail direct mail industry, Arandell’s Marketing Solutions group offers database management services, list hygiene, matchback analysis, email, mobile and social marketing solutions, as well as marketing strategy consulting.

Arandell has done it again…

Posted on April 04, 2012

Arandell Corporation received top honors in the “BEST OF CATEGORY” for the following:

Furniture Concepts – February Free Umbrella
Category: Retail Advertising Inserts (heatset)

Zingerman’s – Valentine’s Day 2012
Category: Web Press Printing, Uncoated Paper (4 or more colors) Heatset

Arandell was also recognized for the following:

Award of Excellence:

Patagonia – Spring/Summer 2012
Category: Web Press Printing, Coated Paper (4 or more colors)

Brooks Brothers – Spring Collection 2012
Category: Product Catalogs (4 or more colors)

Certificate of Merit:

Brigham Young University – BYU Magazine | Winter 2012
Category: Service Catalogs (4 or more colors)

Winning a 2012 Great Lakes Graphics Excellence Award is a print company’s single best opportunity to showcase their best work and prove that they are among the best printers throughout Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.

Graphic Excellence Awards have been presented annually for the last 12 years. Participate in the 2012 GEA’s by entering your finest print work. With over 90 categories, the awards holds something for every type of printer and product. Members and non-members may enter the competition. In March 2012, print experts from the printing industry spend 2 days judging entries. It’s a great opportunity to promote the quality of your work – to the rest of the print community, to your customers and prospects, along with recognition of your employee’s accomplishments.

ACMA Breaking Alert: PRC Approves Mobile Barcode Promo

Posted on March 26, 2012

It isn’t easy to find good news coming out of the Postal Service these days, but here’s a little: This afternoon the Postal Regulatory Commission approved, as proposed, the USPS’s request to offer a 2% discount for catalog and First-Class mail containing mobile barcodes.

Although inclusion of Carrier Route presorted flats in the promo were never of concern, inclusion of Standard Flats came under heavy fire in comments filed by both Valpak and the Public Representative. However, ACMA filed a brief as well in this case, defending Standard Flats despite the category’s being “underwater.” Fortunately, the PRC sided with us. Here’s an excerpt from the PRC’s order of approval:

ACMA supports the inclusion of Standard Mail Flats, stating that catalog mailers would be less inclined to take part in the promotion if this product were excluded. It maintains that excluding Standard Mail Flats would diminish the experimentation and innovation resulting from the 2012 Promotion. In its Reply Comments, the Postal Service emphasizes the strategic value of initiatives like the 2012 Promotion in improving product volumes, essential to the ongoing efforts to improve cost coverage. In particular, the Postal Service asserts that inclusion of Standard Ma il Flats is essential to prevent unnecessary complications to mailers in designing their promotional campaigns and “ensure that Standard Mail Flats’  value to cataloguers remains robust.

The promotion takes place July 1-August 31, 2012. Click here to see the USPS’s resource page. Click here to read the PRC’s order approving the discount.

To learn more, contact Arandell to speak with Don Landis. 800-558-8724 x301

Arandell Corporation Receives Web Offset Association Awards

Posted on March 09, 2012

Arandell, announced today that they received 1st and 3rd place in the 2011/2012 Web Offset Association’s Print Awards, held annually by the Printing Industries of America.

Arandell’s 1st place award was for producing Brooks Brothers Gift Guide 2011, using heatset printing 4/color on coated paper (perfect bound). Arandell was also commended for Zingerman’s 2011 Fall Buyers Guide which was produced using heatset printing 4/color on uncoated paper. The catalogs were assessed on registration, level of difficulty, folding / binding / finishing and overall craftsmanship of product.

Jim Treis, Arandell Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, stated, “The WOA Print Awards demonstrate the hard work and tireless effort our teams put forth to create a flawless artistic marketing piece.  Having the opportunity to win a category is not an easy challenge and something to be very proud of.”

Catalogs Category Now Available in the App Store

Posted on March 09, 2012

According to a new report from Adobe, tablet visitors spent more per purchase than their counterparts on smartphones, PCs or laptops when visiting retail websites in 2011.

Apple already revolutionized the music industry with the iPod, the smartphone industry with the iPhone, and it’s working on publishing with the iPad as well.

Add another to the list: Retail Catalogs.

We at Arandell, noticed yesterday, Apple added one new category to the App Store for the iPad: Catalogs.

The category was empty as of yesterday, but is rapidly being populated today, especially with the next iPad launching. Previously, catalog apps were listed under “Lifestyle.”

We feel catalog shopping on the iPad is particularly popular in rural areas where stores are scarce: the average catalog app user spends about 30 minutes per session shopping. In Montana, the average is 50 minutes.

So why wait? Conversion rates are five times greater through the iPad than through other traditional marketing channels. Its been proven mobile devices increase revenue. Make your channels work together. The iPad version of your catalog can be built differently than your printed catalog, so that the iPad user is enticed to subscribe to your print catalog for additional information or is driven to your website to read more detailed product descriptions/or is even prompted to come to your store to see a product in person.

Mobile Being Integrated with Print and Beyond

Posted on February 24, 2012

Companies integrating mobile technology with print and other media types have increased dramatically over the past two years. Evidence is based on the high degree of awareness reported among consumer respondents, particularly with mobile codes and opt-in text message services. Close to 85% of consumers surveyed were familiar with mobile codes. Specifically, InfoTrends estimates that 180 million Americans have some level of familiarity with mobile codes.

Additionally, InfoTrends finds that there was 194% year-over-year growth of marketers using mobile codes from 2010 to 2011. These codes are being integrated with brochures, direct mail, magazines, and catalogs. While adoption is lower for mobile messaging and augmented reality, these technologies are also being integrated with traditional media to prompt interactivity and engagement.

Contact Arandell to learn how you can integrate print with mobile technology.

USPS Plan for Profitability

Posted on February 22, 2012

Last week, the USPS released a five-year plan designed to return the agency to profitability. Inside this 28-page pdf, you may note on page 13 a section called “Key Items for Consideration.” Among them is a proposal to increase the First-Class stamp to 50 cents. Although there’s no indication of a Standard Mail rate hike, that same section also states, “Pending exigent case could secure moderate price increase.” No further specifics on rate increases are included, but I thought the report is worth a look.

Embracing Technology

Posted on February 20, 2012

The iPad is cool. I have one myself. I love to go on it and check out new apps and view my Flipboard and get the latest news from FlipSports, FlipMusic, Facebook and Twitter. I also have a few of the catalog apps, ones we have created here at Arandell as well as some others. I think they are fun to use to browse through catalogs and maybe even order right on my iPad. It seems like there is new technology coming out everyday, there are certainly new apps coming out everyday. Arandell, known as a premier catalog printer doesn’t fear the iPad we embrace it. It is not going to kill the printing business, it is going to open another channel of communication that you the cataloger can use to communicate with your customer. This is a good thing! Will you still want to have a catalog? Absolutely, it has been proven over and over catalogs drive people to websites and they will drive people to your iPad app too! You want an iPad app, great we can help you. Our operators are standing by to assist you! You want some good old fashioned ink on paper to drive people to your website and app? Good! We got that too. Give us a call and let us know how we can help.

Sincerely,

Scott A. Conway
Account Executive
Arandell Corporation

Do you have an Effective Catalog Printing Process?

Posted on February 16, 2012

If your company offers a variety of products, a simple e-mail or flyer may not be enough to successfully market your goods.  Catalog printing has been used for decades as a way for business owners to bring in greater sales.  Catalogs show up everywhere, from the mailbox to grocery store shelves.  If you are a business owner, an effective catalog campaign can raise brand recognition and sales.

The first step in creating a great catalog is to research your target market and your business.  What type of business is it?  Who are the clients you wish to target?  What do they look for?  What do they need and want?  How can you provide benefits to them?  Once you know the answers to these questions, you can provide a catalog that will give your target audience what they need.

Next, you must bring all the data you researched together so it can be put into a successful marketing strategy.  That leads you to your next step, which is designing the catalog. 

The design and theme of your catalog must be governed by the information to be included.  The information you received from the target clients should give you an idea of the level of professionalism necessary for the work.  For instance, if your target market is purely corporate, you will need a very professional design.  Bright colors and flashy graphics are not appropriate, because the prospects will ignore them, or at worst, won’t even look at the catalog.  If you have a more general audience, a simple, easy design will be best.

The final step to creating your catalog is the printing.  Arandell is a  professional, reputable printing company who specializes in catalogs. We can help you increase the effectiveness of your piece.  Keep in mind that many consumers do not like catalogs because they are considered a waste of paper.  Be sure to have the work printed on recycled paper with environmentally-friendly ink, and have these facts printed on the front and back covers to catch the reader’s eye before they ignore the contents. 

Now it is time to distribute your print catalogs.  This stage is critical for your catalog marketing.  You must research where and how you will give them away so they will bring in optimum response.  Send as many out as possible, but only to the right potential clients.  It is a waste of money, time, and resources to distribute them to uninterested parties in the hopes that someone interested will see them.  They must reach the target audience to be effective.

There are several ways to get your catalogs into the right hands.  They can be mailed, handed out, or included in bags and packages when a client buys something from you.  When you know the potential client has an interest, they are a good prospect for your catalog.

Catalog printing can be a great way to spread information about your goods and services.  An effective marketing plan can increase your sales volume and help your company succeed!

Arandell provides customized direct marketing solutions across all marketing channels. With a specialty in the catalog and retail direct mail industry, Arandell’s Marketing Solutions group offers database management services, list hygiene, matchback analysis, email, mobile and social marketing solutions, as well as marketing strategy consulting.

Why should companies continue to print a catalog?

Posted on February 13, 2012

In such an environment, it seems as if print marketing’s days are numbered. Why should businesses print catalogs, for example, when online catalogs are infinitely more scalable and cheaper to produce?

However, in some ways it is precisely because of the Internet revolution that print is in a better position to succeed than ever before. Consider the facts that online competition has made print more affordable than ever before and that, in today’s cerebral, digital era, print remains tangible and touchable.

Print is Touchable

When it comes to print marketing, print materials are still tangible and touchable in a way that online ads certainly are not.

There is a reason why places such as coffee shops and restaurants still have community bulletin boards littered with business cards, postcards, and posters: Printed materials are still something that you can touch, look at, put in your pocket, and come back to later. You will never be able to pin an online ad to a bulletin board and encourage people to take it home with them.

Instead of printed materials directly competing with online marketing, marketers should see them as complementary to their online marketing efforts. Placing a QR code on a poster that goes into a shop window or on a postcard that gets mailed out, for example, is the perfect way to integrate print marketing with online marketing. Instead of being mutually exclusive, print marketing and online marketing should go hand-in-hand. For instance, a marketer could send out a postcard to a mailing list as a teaser, with a promise that more information for a special deal can be found on the business’ website.

In short, your print marketing efforts should never be in competition to your online marketing efforts; the two should always complement each other. Online marketing capabilities offer something that print cannot in terms of inexpensive scalability and the ability to reach potential customers through a wide variety of interactive channels. However, print marketing still offers capabilities that online marketing cannot. Print will always be tangible, touchable, and portable. And, thanks to the online marketing revolution, print is increasingly more affordable.

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