They’re not taking pictures to add to their photo albums. They’re actually scanning [...]]]>

The Application of QR Codes For Marketing And Fundraising Is Limitless. If You Can Imagine It, You Can Use It.

You’re probably noticing them more and more – these little square barcodes that people are taking pictures of with their smartphones.

They’re not taking pictures to add to their photo albums. They’re actually scanning these codes to get more information.

Information about what? Information on just about anything you can think of.

These barcodes, called QR codes for Quick Response, are used as links to websites, landing pages, Twitter, Facebook, videos, text messages, flyers, posters, coupons, instructions, directions, Paypal ‘Buy Now’, free downloads….

The application of QR codes for marketing is limitless. How about airline boarding passes, business cards, magazines, billboards, postcards, movie trailers, truck trailers, T-shirts, coffee mugs, store windows, even tattoos – if you can imagine it, you can use it.

Did I mention that they can be used for just about any kind of marketing, or even fundraising?

The basic idea is that QR codes have the ability to connect people with each other and to multimedia digital content.

What Is A QR Code?

QR codes have actually been used for over a decade in Japan where they were invented by Toyota as a way to keep track of vehicle parts during manufacturing.

Unlike the older linear barcodes that can only hold 20 numerical digits, QR codes are two-dimensional (2D) and can hold more information, literally thousands of alphanumeric characters of information.

The  code consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white background, and the information encoded can be text, URL or other data.

How Do I Read A QR Code?

If you have a smartphone, you can download a number of different QR Reader apps. Depending on your phone, one may be recommended over another. Some of the more popular ones include i-nigma, BeeTagg, NeoReader, Kaywa and many others. You can check out a list of them here.

Any of these apps take just a minute to download and are free.

In the future, it is hoped that QR readers will become a built-in feature of smartphones.

How Do I Create A QR Code?

You can use any number QR code generators, many of which are available for free online. You can try one out here.

Keep in mind that not all QR code generating software is created equal and some are more robust than others. Paid versions offer more options.

The neat thing is that QR codes can be generated on the fly using free online sources, and as the technology develops even more, it’ll be that much easier to promote your business or your not-for-profit organization with a “call-to-action” or a “viral” buzz using this new technology.

Are QR Codes Popular?

According to a February survey of U.S. smartphone users by MGH, a Baltimore social media marketing company, 32% of respondents said they have scanned a QR code.

They are more popular in North America than Europe, and they are becoming increasingly popular here. Since QR codes are read by special smartphone camera apps, the use of QR codes is highly dependent on the rising number of smartphone users. And that number doesn’t seem to be going down any time soon.

What Is The Future of QR Codes?

When I first noticed QR codes, I really found it amazing that people could actually take a picture with their camera phone, and then access more online information. That was about a year ago.

Since then, I’ve been seeing and hearing a lot more about them.

As a marketing tool, they’re amazing.

Example 1: Imagine you’re looking for a new house and you see a For Sale sign in front of a house that looks really appealing, but you can’t go inside to look around. Until recently, you had to write down, or usually memorize, the realtor’s URL to look it up when you got home.

If you’re lucky, you’ll remember the URL when you get back to your computer.

Now you can just scan the QR code on the sign and watch a virtual tour on your smartphone!

Example 2: A charity wants to raise money by partnering with a sponsor who is providing a special offer that will donate a certain amount of proceeds to the charity. A billboard or a simple postcard with a QR code can be used to raise awareness of the campaign.

As a direct marketer for the past 30 years, I have seen scant use of these codes so far, especially in direct mail. If you’re looking for an edge on the competition, now is the time to boost your campaigns with this technology.

The next generation of barcodes will hold even MORE information, so much that an internet connection will not even be necessary. The content will be embedded in the code itself.

Your imagination is the only thing that will limit their use.

Today, it’s called variable data printing or VDP, among [...]]]>

Personalization Is A Must For Successful Direct Mail Nowadays But Terminology And Choice of Equipment Can Make It Difficult To Implement
 

Thirty years ago, it was called mega-typing, power-typing and even computerized-typing. Hence my first company was called Bradford CompuType, later to become Bradford Direct.

Today, it’s called variable data printing or VDP, among a host of other names – VCI or variable colour imaging, VCP or variable colour personalization, VDI or variable data imaging. It’s even called varuiable data publishing.

Back then, we had a room full of clickety-clackety, noisy daisywheel printers that actually typed one character at a time.
 
A one-page letter took a minute to feed in, type and feed out. At the end of the day, we went home with our heads still humming from the clicking and clacking of 50 computerized typewriters.

Depending on what kind of computer you were using at the time – a mainframe or a mini-computer – you could hook up five printers to one computer monitor.

It was all new territory and there was no software to buy to run the equipment or prepare the data.
 
You were either a programmer to start with, or you quickly became one and designed and wrote your own programs.

In the beginning, with only three little printers on tractor feeds, it was a miracle that any direct mail jobs ever got out the door. But they did.

Save The Children, World Vision and the Canadian Diabetes Association are just three large, thriving non-profit organizations today, thanks in part to those early mailings.

What Made These Mailings So Successful?

They were successful for the same reason that mailings are successful today – personalization.

(I know, I know… I can hear the creative people in the background mumbling about design but let’s not forget about another important leg of successful direct mail called production.)

Sandy Rees, CFRE, lists the lack of personalization on a donor letter as one of the Ten Most Common Mistakes Made In Nonprofit Direct Mail.

In those early years,computerized typing was slow and expensive but the personalization of the letter helped to enhance the power of the ask or offer, and the ROI made the effort worthwhile.

As the ‘one-character-at-a-time’ method of power-typing was gradually replaced in the early 1990s by toner-based laser personalization, a whole new world of options opened up for direct mailers.

Today, we have an even bigger array of options from which to choose.
 
From basic inkjet addressing to black-and-white laser personalization to the high-tech VDP, the choice usually becomes a matter of budget over ROI.

Presently, there are many different digital presses on the market now with new, upgraded models being announced on a regular basis.

How Do You Decide On The Right Printer?

From the ever-popular Xerox DocuColor and iGen3 to the HP Indigo 7000, and many others in between — Kodak, Canon, Fuji , Océ — it is difficult to decide which one would be right for your job.

There are dry-toner models, wet-toner (a special liquid ink ), sheetfed and web presses, all specializing in particular applications.

If VDP is all too confusing, you can’t go wrong with the workhouse of personalization – black toner laser which still accounts for the majority of the variable data personalization market.

From a designer’s point of view, the purpose is usually to enhance the aesthetics of the piece. On the other hand, if the designer is [...]]]>

The Use of Special Coatings in Direct Mail
Must Be Carefully Considered

 
It often happens that a client’s designer designates a particular mail piece to be specially ‘coated.’

From a designer’s point of view, the purpose is usually to enhance the aesthetics of the piece. On the other hand, if the designer is familiar enough with printing and mailing production processes, she (or he) may decide that a ‘protective’ coating is required because of the heavy ink or photo coverage.

Basically, special coatings are applied to a printed piece to either enhance the appeal of the piece and /or to protect it from handling marks like fingerprints and scuffing. Coatings lock in the ink under a protective coating and also help to speed up the drying process.

However, in addition to deciding how you want to enhance or protect your piece, you must also take into consideration whether this will be a Response Device to be completed by the consumer or donor.

Even more importantly, if the piece is to be laser-personalized or used for variable data printing (VDP), you need to be careful how and where the coating is applied.

What are the different kinds of coatings?

There are 4 main types of coatings that can be applied to your printed product:

1. Varnish
2. UV (ultraviolet) coating
3. AQ (aqueous) coating
4. Laminates

Like paper stock, these coatings can come in a variety of finishes, from dull to high gloss.

Varnish Is Probably The Most Common of the Coatings.

This is because it’s normally the cheapest to apply. While it can be applied offline after printing, it is most commonly applied online right after the inks have been applied.

Most printers can apply varnish since it is essentially an ink without pigment — as long as they have the additional printing unit on their press. To artistically enhance a particular area or to NOT varnish a specific area (we’ll cover that a little later), you can use spot varnish.

On the downside, varnish is the least effective way of preventing scuffing and can sometimes discolor white paper as I discovered on a job a few years ago. Running on a large inline web press, the press operator was unable to remove a yellowish tinge on some of the white panels of a multi-panel brochure. After trying to back off on some of the CMYK inks, the only thing left to do was to take off the varnish upon which the yellowish tinge immediately disappeared.

Moral of the story – if all else fails, do not use a varnish.

Although it can be done for protection, it is not recommended to apply varnish (dull or matte only) to an uncoated sheet as it will only seep into the sheet and be lost.
 
Varnishes are applied mostly on coated paper. Depending on the printer, you can get varnishes in various finishes including dull, satin, matte and gloss. The most common are matte and gloss.

While varnish is great for enhancing the appearance of your piece and the best for laser-printing applications, it is however the least effective for protection.
For protection, there are 3 other coatings that can be used more effectively, namely ultraviolet, aqueous and laminate.

An Ultraviolet Coating Is Basically A Clear, Deluxe Version of Varnish.

It is immediately dried as it comes off the press by ultraviolet light instead of heat.

UV coating gives a stronger protection than either varnish or AQ. It also provides a more noticeably richer finish, especially with a gloss stock. It can be applied either as a flood coating or as a spot UV. You can even get textured UV 3-D coatings.

As with most coatings, UV comes in matte (dull, satin) and gloss finishes. It is normally applied as a flood coating although some printers will go out of their way to create a spot UV version. For example, if you are willing to pay for the price of a press blanket, the press operator can cut out the areas where the UV should not be applied.

An AQ (aqueous) coating is water-based and thus more environmentally-friendly. It is however less friendly to the pocketbook than varnish as AQ is more expensive to apply and a special coating tower is required on the printing press. However, a dull or matte AQ can be used for pens (see below).

Laminates go one better than varnish or AQ and seal the piece from water making it water-proof. It is applied either as a film or liquid and dries like a varnish. It would not have much of an application in direct mail except as a premium. Application examples would include menus, posters, signs and banners.

Warning: Be Careful Which Coatings You Use In Your Direct Mail

There are two critical areas where you need to pay special attention to the coatings you are planning to use and how you will apply them.

One is on the Response Device where the consumer or donor will be using a pen to complete personal information to send back to you or your organization. A spot AQ coating, if it’s dull or matte, however will work.

It’s important that a pen or marker work. If the wrong coating is used, you will have a very frustrated donor who may not want to go through the hassle of trying complete the information. The other area not to apply a coating is any area of the mail piece that will be laser- or inkjet-personalized. Toner and ink will not adhere to the coating. In these cases, it is better to use spot applications.

If in doubt, it is best to check with your printer well in advance of any production to discuss your options regarding paper and coatings. However, if you’re still not sure, it’s better to leave the coating off.

This is one of the best reasons to use an experienced direct mail printer.

Tribute cited a new study by the Printing [...]]]>

The Most Economical Method For Producing High-Volume Personalized Direct Mail Is Still Done By Over-Printing With Inkjet Or Laser Onto Offset-Printed Stock.

In a recent article in PrintAction magazine, Andrew Tribute, a consultant with Attributes Associates, looked at the current state of the market for digital printing.

Tribute cited a new study by the Printing Industry Information and Research Organization (PRIMIR) which indicates a projected 15.9%  increase in digital printing versus a 0.3 % decrease in traditional offset printing.

 While digitally-printed pages reflect a much higher value (digital jobs command higher street value because of shorter delivery times and smaller volume charges), based on volume printed, however, offset printing still represents 97% of all printing versus just 3% for digital.

Using figures from Heidelberg’s (the Cadillac of press makers) own projections, worldwide value of print is estimated at $554 billion. This is broken down into 42% commercial printing (publishing and

packaging being the other sectors), and further by process with sheetfed coming in at 38% and digital at 6%.

While Tribute notes that revenues from sheetfed offset printing do not fluctuate much, at the same time, he finds that many projections for digital print growth to be “pretty wild” especially when it relates to personalization, or variable data printing (VDP). Most of this growth will be in the transactional printing market (bills, statements, etc.) using high-speed inkjet presses rather than traditional personalization.

The most economical method for producing high-volume personalized direct mail is still done by over-printing with inkjet or laser onto offset-based stock.

According to Tribute, digital presses are reaching the limitations of their technology, and in their current state, are far too expensve to use for large-scale personalized direct mail versus using an offset/over-print setup.

In addition, inkjet presses are currently not able to achieve the quality of the best offset presses.

The bottom line of the article is that it will take a long time before a true tipping point is reached whereby digital printing becomes larger than offset printing.

Everybody is talking about digital printing nowadays but it may not be a good fit for all. As technology advances, the choices become more difficult.

I read a lot of magazines, newspapers, reports, articles and newsletters about the printing industry. Not unexpectedly, they write extensively about the latest printing [...]]]>

Xerox iGen4

Everybody is talking about digital printing nowadays but it may not be a good fit for all. As technology advances, the choices become more difficult.

I read a lot of magazines, newspapers, reports, articles and newsletters about the printing industry. Not unexpectedly, they write extensively about the latest printing technologies.

In printing, technology has always been ‘king.’ Heidi Tolliver-Nigro in an article entitled, “Digital Printing: It’s Not About Technology Anymore,” (Graphic Arts, Feb 2010) stresses the point that print is no longer print but just another tool in your marketing arsenal. It comes down to matching the technology to the application.

In my direct mail world, it’s always been about personalization. For the past 40 years, we have witnessed the benefits of adding personal data to a direct mail package. We know that consumers and donors respond better to personalized mail.

However, the choice of technology nowadays is daunting. Volume is no longer the main criteria since some of the digital presses can produce up to 9 million monthly impressions. Inkjet technology is comparable now to laser. Paper also becomes a non-issue since the newer digital presses can use a wide variety of stocks.

It comes down to which application is going to be the most effective AND appropriate for your particular organization/company.

Generally speaking, I still see most personalized digital printing being used by commercial enterprises, especially by Fortune 500 companies. Not only do they have the budgets for the upfront costs (before revenues start coming in) but they also have the marketing staff who can focus their energies on managing the campaigns.

In addition, their direct mail is usually integrated with into a much larger marketing campaign incorporating other media such as PURLs, social media and print ads.

hp LaserJet 8000

Non-profits have much smaller budgets. Their timelines are also much shorter. This is where the traditional offset print/laser personalization model is ideal.

Without the extra layer of technology, turnaround times are much quicker. Segmentation and testing can easily be accommodated and costs are lower, so budgets are more easily met.

I have even seen the use of digital printing backfire on non-profit organizations because donors resent the fact that their dollars are being used on more expensive technology.

The bottom line is that just about any kind of personalized direct mail (also called 1:1 printing, variable data printing, variable data imaging) application can be used. It comes down to how you want to represent yourself to your target audience – and, of course, your budget.

Keep mailin’,
Rainer

VDP has been around for at least 30 years ever since I got into [...]]]>

Occasionally I come across articles on direct mail that are insightful for readers of Direct Mail Insider.  Today I am posting a link to a new article on Variable Data Printing (VDP), and specifically how it can help your business.

VDP has been around for at least 30 years ever since I got into direct mail. But in those days, it was mostly a name/address block and a salutation. Very few other variables were used in the copy since relationship marketing had not yet become a common marketing technique.

With the technological advancement of both software and hardware in recent years, VDP has become more sophisticated — and affordable, especially for businesses who can only afford to mail smaller campaigns.

The article I came across is called What Is VDP And How Can It Help Your Business?

Happy reading!
Rainer

P.S. Check out the article and see how VDP can be a powerful marketing tool. Read it here.