Category: Mailing Industry News

What Is Print Media Advertising? Here Are The Latest Trends in 2025.
Print media advertising is a form of mass communication strategy that uses hard copy printed mediums like newspapers, direct mail, banners, billboards, and magazines to reach consumers. The advertising industry identifies print media as one of the oldest mediums used to promote products.

By advertising print services and brands, businesses target to attract and influence consumer buying habits. More so, marketers use print media advertising to reach out to prospects, existing customers, businesses, and the general public.

What Exactly Is Print Media?

In a world where screens dominate every waking moment, print media advertising remains a powerful and trusted way to cut through the digital noise. Whether it’s a beautifully designed brochure, a bold magazine ad, or a direct mail campaign, print materials have a unique way of:
- Capturing attention in a visually overstimulated world
- Building credibility and trust with physical, professional designs
- Driving stronger engagement, often outperforming digital in response rates
According to recent industry data, print media advertising, particularly direct mail, consistently outperforms digital channels like email in response rates:
- Direct mail averages a 4.4% response rate, while email lags behind at just 0.12% (Amra & Elma). That’s over 36 times higher.
- Campaigns using house lists can achieve response rates up to 9%, while prospect lists average around 4.9% (Birdseye Post).
- The Data & Marketing Association reports that direct mail response rates are 5 to 9 times higher than any other advertising channel, including email.
These figures make one thing clear, print media advertising doesn’t just compete—it consistently delivers stronger engagement and results.

These tactile marketing tools prove that print media advertising still packs a punch in 2025—offering brands a tangible way to stand out and stay memorable.

But what exactly is print media, and why does it still matter today?

Print media is a written or pictorial form of mass communication. It is mechanically or electronically generated through methods like impression or photocopying. Modern printers can now produce these communications using automated digital technology, streamlining the creation of vibrant, high-quality materials.

At its core, print media involves the creation and distribution of news, advertising, or educational content through tangible publications—what we often call “hard copies.” These physical formats—such as newspapers, magazines, brochures, pamphlets, posters, and books—allow for a tactile experience that digital channels simply can’t replicate.

One of the standout advantages of print media lies in its ability to capture and reproduce visuals with remarkable precision. Whether in vivid color or crisp black and white, printed images command attention and leave a lasting impression.

Just as importantly, printed materials encourage a deeper, more personal level of interaction. Readers can:
- Feel the texture of the paper
- Flip through pages at their own pace
- Highlight, annotate, or clip sections for future reference
This sensory experience supports stronger recall and comprehension, making print a particularly effective medium for delivering important messages.

Even as digital media continues to evolve, the availability and impact of print remains undeniable. By combining visual appeal with a physical presence, print media continues to engage a broad range of audiences—ensuring that your message is not just seen, but felt.

Examples of Print Media

It is typical for printers to display print media on paper. However, printing firms may also use various substrates such as canvas, fabric, vinyl, and more. The majority of readers, advertisers, and other media users are familiar with the following examples of print media.

Newspapers and Weeklies

Newspapers are good examples of print media where advertisers have a wide variety of options available. The various types of newspapers include weekly, local, regional, evening, or Sunday editions.

Who are the top consumers of newspapers? This print media attracts a wide range of readers. They include individuals with different interests such as sports, business, entertainment, fashion, politics, local and international news.

Furthermore, newspapers sell space to advertisers who need help displaying ads in text, graphics, photographs, and other illustrations. Some advertising agencies spend a fortune to buy double-page spreads, while others pay smaller amounts for classified ads that contain text only.

Magazines

There are various types of magazines advertisers can use for publicizing services and brands. Trade magazines promote specific industries such as electronics, manufacturing finance, and more. Consumer magazines publicize numerous interests, including fashion, health, sport, hobbies, and current affairs.

Other magazines focus on publications for managers and careers such as marketing professionals, engineers, human resource executives, and more.

A majority of magazines are published weekly, monthly or quarterly. Even so, advertisers can still buy space to place adverts either in black and white or color.

Billboards

Billboards and posters are types of print media that allow promoters to reach consumers on the go. They are are typically large prints and graphics and are placed on the outdoors. Placing these banners in strategic positions such as near malls helps advertisers influence consumers close to the selling counters.

Advertising agents place billboards in public places such as airports and train stations to reach larger groups of patrons. The size of these gigantic boards makes it almost impossible for anyone to miss the advert.

Furthermore, promoters can combine digital and print to alter messages, slogans, or pictures on billboards at their set times.

Is Print Media Still Effective in 2025?

News, fashion, manufacturing, and other industries still rely on traditional print media advertising, even as digital platforms continue to dominate marketing budgets. While there has been a modest decline in overall print ad spend, this medium is far from obsolete—in fact, it’s experiencing a strategic comeback.

Promoters continue to embrace print media advertising for its tangible value, longevity, and ability to drive deeper brand engagement. Unlike digital ads that vanish with a scroll or click, a well-designed brochure or flyer can linger in a customer’s hands, office, or kitchen counter—revisited multiple times. This stickiness gives print a unique edge: staying power.

As discussed in Catdi’s detailed overview of print media advertising, print continues to shape buyer behavior. But in 2025, the conversation has evolved—print isn’t just surviving; it’s innovating.

2025 Trends Reinventing Print Media Advertising

One of the key drivers of print’s comeback is variable data printing, which enables personalization at scale. Businesses can now deliver tailored messaging—by name, location, or preference—making print feel more relevant and valuable to consumers.

Another game-changer is eco-conscious branding. Sustainability is no longer a differentiator—it’s a baseline expectation. Many brands are switching to recycled paper, soy-based inks, and carbon-neutral printing processes, aligning their values with today’s environmentally aware audiences (MBA Group, EssenceMediaCom).

Direct Mail: A Trustworthy Channel in an Oversaturated World

Direct mail is enjoying a resurgence as audiences experience digital fatigue. With inboxes overflowing and social feeds jam-packed, something as simple as a postcard now feels refreshingly personal. Recent data shows that direct mail now commands a 9% average response rate, far exceeding the 1% (or less) seen in many digital formats (Passive Secrets).

Latest Innovation in Print Advertising

Tools like QR codes, near-field communication (NFC), and augmented reality (AR) are transforming static materials into interactive, trackable marketing assets that seamlessly guide consumers from paper to pixel. This shift reflects a broader evolution in marketing strategies where print is no longer a standalone tool, but a powerful amplifier when integrated with digital experiences.

Print Advertising is Still Booming in 2025

Retailers are recognizing this shift. While earlier studies noted that 68% of retail stores favored print for its trust and reach, modern insights show that combining print with digital strategies can boost campaign effectiveness by up to 400%. This figure has been confirmed across multiple industry reports and marketing publications, highlighting the dramatic lift in reach, engagement, and conversions when both channels are used together (SoCal News Group, McClatchy, Spartan Marketing)

What’s more, the global print advertising market is projected to grow from $348.31 billion in 2024 to $359.53 billion by the end of 2025 (TBR Blog)., with steady growth expected into the next decade. This growth isn’t just in legacy formats like newspapers and magazines—it’s also in innovative uses like personalized direct mail, smart packaging, and loyalty-focused print campaigns that integrate with CRM and digital tracking systems.

Not Just Print—Smart Print

Modern print media advertising is about more than putting ink on paper. It’s about building memorable experiences through:
- Interactive packaging
- Personalized loyalty mailers
- Print-to-digital hybrid campaigns
- Direct mail that integrates with CRMs and analytics tools
Print today is measurable, strategic, and digitally integrated—a far cry from the static formats of the past.

The Bottom Line

Is print dead? Not even close.

The better question is: How are you using print media advertising in 2025?

The most successful brands don’t see print and digital as competitors—they use them together, strategically, to increase trust, boost conversions, and meet customers where they are (offline and online). Whether it’s a QR-driven postcard or an eco-friendly flyer that doubles as a digital coupon, print is once again at the center of the marketing conversation.

Ready to leverage print media for your next campaign?
Get Catdi’s custom solutions here →

Print Versus Electronic Media – 7 Differences
1. Print media is the older channel of mass communication as compared to the electronic version, which is current and more advanced.
2. It results through publications, while electronic media produces via a computerized medium.
3. The traditional media requires the reader to be literate to read the information. However, literacy is not a priority to go through electronic media because consumers can watch the video or listen to the audio version.
4. Readers pay more for print media than for electronic media subscriptions. With print media, you only buy what you need when you need it. You can also refer to your print at a later time. Electronic subscriptions expire after a specific duration, and you need to renew even when you may only read it once.
5. It is easy to fully pay more attention to a print article than to an electronic medium. Reading an online publication can be distracted by live chat pop-ups, social account messages, or even power outages.
6. Print media is not instant or available 24/7. For example, printers produce newspapers daily, weekly, or monthly. However, electronic media is readily available “live.” You can receive news or commercial updates as they happen through your smartphone, television, or news channel.
7. Unlike electronic media that offer large to limitless space, newspapers, magazines, billboards, and other print mediums have a limited area of coverage.
Which Print Media Is Best for Advertising?

You can decide which print media is best for promoting your brand depending on your target audience and your advertising budget. Even so, newspapers and brochures are the most preferred channels of print media. More so, these print mediums have a high rate of consumer confidence.

Newspaper

This print media is considered one of the best mediums of print advertising. Furthermore, newspaper ads are the oldest campaign tools recorded in the history of the industry. In 1704, Boston News-Letter published a newspaper advertisement selling real estate on Oyster Bay Long Island.

Since then, advertisers have continued to use print media to promote brands and services globally. More so, print is favored across all generations by the seniors and millennials.

For example, a report by NielsenIQ shows that in the U.S, 71% of those aged 18-24 have subscribed to electronic newspaper content. However, 65% of those aged 35 and above in the same demographic read print newspapers from Sunday to Monday.

Regardless of the statistics, this type of print media is the oldest medium for advertising. The newspapers have been a means of advertising for over a century. Businesses find daily journals less costly when compared to other alternatives like billboards, magazines, and postcards.

Brochures

Some promoters prefer to use brochures as the best print media for advertising. Besides the simplicity in design, brochures are informative and tell your customers about your brand or services.

Printing brochures is less costly than other print media like magazines. More so, they cost nothing to disseminate. This print media is the best reminder you can give to your customers after a meeting.

Brochures continue to influence your prospects long after physical contact. Some clients find it faster to read print media than it is to visit a website.

Direct Mail

Direct mail stands out as an effective and enduring tool within the realm of print media advertising. By allowing businesses to send physical marketing materials directly to the homes or offices of targeted individuals, direct mail offers a tangible touchpoint that digital channels cannot replicate.

This form of advertising capitalizes on the personal connection and the tactile experience of receiving and interacting with a physical item. When executed with strategic precision, direct mail can yield impressive response rates and return on investment, especially when the messaging is tailored to the interests and needs of the recipient.

Advancements in printing technologies such as digital printing and data analytics have enhanced the capability of direct mail campaigns to be both creatively captivating and highly personalized, further solidifying its place as a powerful component of any comprehensive marketing strategy.

Benefits of Print Media

Before stepping out to source for the best print media, promoters and businesses must scrutinize the advantages and disadvantages of using this medium.

Listed below are some of the benefits to consider when deciding on this medium for your advertising campaign.

Print Ads Create Credibility and Build Trust

According to research, the older generation of the U.S population has confidence in printed ads. They consider handheld advertisements more credible than their electronic counterparts. More so, millennials also trust print media even though they frequently interact with digital advertising.

Consumer and market research indicates that 60% of interviewed respondents showed confidence in newspapers while 58% preferred magazines. Consumers trust print media more than electronic media because the internet contains high levels of misleading information.

The public tends to believe that print media originates from a reputable source or company. More so, effective flyer print marketing can help drive traffic to your website to create conversions and brand awareness.

Findings from Nielson IQ indicate that the top 5 most trusted mediums by the public include TV ads, newspaper ads, magazine ads, billboards, and radio ads.

High Conversion Rates

As indicated in a report by the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) council, about 80% of consumers respond to direct mail ads. This rate is higher than that of shoppers who react to email ads.

The high response rate experienced in direct mail is why print marketing is more costly than digital marketing. Other print media types such as banners, newspaper ads, brochures, and business cards trigger the same consumer response as direct mail.

Print Helps You Reach Your Ideal Audience

Marketers know that placing ads in print media such as magazines, newspapers, and brochures can help reach your target market or the general public.

Promoters take advantage of the population tally to strategically place adverts in the right place in front of the ideal audience.

Take the example of a physical fitness service provider. A marketer will reach out to sportspeople and individuals who need to stay physically fit by placing an advert on the sports page.

Flexibility

It is the best advertising medium to use when you need to target a specific audience. Print media allows you to choose which section of magazine or newspaper your intended group is likely to read.

This channel of mass communication is not only strategic. But have digital copies, which give marketers more opportunity to reach a wider audience.

Establishes Your Brand

You can reach your target audience by promoting your brand in print media such as magazines, publications, newspapers, and brochures. Printed substrates allow marketers to bring the aesthetic attributes of color, font, texture, and images that help form brand recognition.

Durability

Magazines, brochures, publications, and other print mediums are tangible or hard copy. These items last longer in workplaces and residences, unlike the electronic versions that readers can delete, ignore, or skip with ease.

Readers are likely to keep magazines for a long time and possibly revisit ads more than once or twice.

Substantial Attention Span

Reading from a mobile phone screen is often distracted by pop-up messages or incoming calls. However, consumers consider magazines and newspapers a better medium to read ads because one can focus without being distracted by notifications.

Disadvantages of Print Media

Pay for Your Target Market

High-caliber magazines feature glossy covers, top-notch writers, seasoned photographers, and standout design—all of which come at a price. Advertisers pay premium rates for this level of professionalism and production quality. For example, the average cost to reach 1,000 people with print is over $22, compared to just $3–$10 for digital ads. This makes print a costly option, especially for small businesses with limited marketing budgets. However, the investment ensures your message reaches a more refined and targeted audience.

Timing and Flexibility

Print advertising is inherently slower than digital. Campaigns must be planned well in advance, with content finalized weeks—or even months—before it ever reaches the public. Once an ad goes to print, there’s no opportunity to make edits, respond to current events, or adjust based on feedback. In contrast, digital campaigns can be launched, tested, paused, and optimized in real time. For businesses needing to pivot quickly, print lacks the flexibility today’s fast-paced market often demands.

Decreased Popularity and Reach

The shift toward digital communication continues to accelerate, with more consumers subscribing to email newsletters, mobile updates, and social feeds for instant information. Digital content is also far more shareable, expanding its reach organically through social platforms. As a result, print media is experiencing a decline in popularity, especially among younger, tech-savvy consumers.

That said, print still holds value for specific demographics—particularly older generations such as Baby Boomers, who continue to trust and engage with physical publications. This makes print useful for brands catering to that audience, though overall, it’s becoming harder to reach large-scale audiences through print alone.

Limited Placement Control

Unlike digital platforms, where ads can be precisely placed by behavior, location, and demographic data, print offers far less control over placement. An ad may appear in a section of a publication that doesn’t resonate with the reader, reducing its effectiveness.

Measurement Challenges

One of the biggest drawbacks of print is tracking. While QR codes and unique promo codes have helped bridge the gap, print still lacks the advanced analytics that digital marketing offers—such as click-through rates, conversion tracking, and user behavior insights. This makes it harder to gauge ROI and refine future campaigns.

Risk of Human Error

In the digital space, a typo can be quickly corrected. In print, a single error—whether it’s a misspelled word, incorrect phone number, or layout flaw—can become a costly mistake once distributed. There’s no backspace button after the presses roll.

Creative Limitations

Though print offers a unique tactile experience, color reproduction and design capabilities can be limited. Certain effects—like animations, dynamic content, or precise brand color matching—are easier to achieve in digital environments. This can restrict creativity for brands that rely heavily on strong visual identity.

A Balanced Perspective

Despite these disadvantages, print media is far from obsolete. It offers tangible benefits like credibility, longevity, and physical presence—qualities that digital ads sometimes lack. In 2025, the most effective marketers are those who balance the reach and agility of digital with the trust and impact of print, aligning each medium with the right audience and message.

Conclusion

Print media advertising is the oldest means of marketing that businesses have used to promote their brands. Newspaper ads date back to 1708 and are still here today, but better, bolder, colorful, and on point. Today, with state-of-the-art technology, the print industry is more advanced and vibrant.

More so, printers print media ads on a variety of substrates such as photo paper, fabric, canvas, vinyl, and more. Today, advertisers display adverts on numerous mediums such as billboards, flyers, brochures, business cards, postcards, door hangers, letterheads, envelopes, wrappers, and more.

Print media influences consumer habits in more ways than compared to electronic media. Finally, print is still the best way to grow your brand awareness. And you can trust that by advertising through this industry, your brand or service can move to the next level.
April 18, 2025
Getting Accurate Mailing Quotes: Tips and Tricks for Direct Mail Marketing Campaigns
When it comes to direct mail marketing campaigns, getting accurate mailing quotes is essential for staying within your budget and ensuring that your materials are delivered to the right audience. This is especially true when it comes to postage, the biggest expense in most direct mail campaigns. But how do you go about getting accurate mailing costs? In this blog post, we’ll explore some tips and tricks for getting the most accurate mailing quotes possible.

What are Mailing Quotes?

Simply put direct mail quotes are estimates of the cost to send your marketing materials to a specific number of addresses. These quotes typically include the cost of postage, as well as any fees associated with preparing and sending your materials, such as printing, design, list services and addressing.

Its the Data, Stupid. Getting Accurate Mailing Quotes

To ensure that you get the most accurate mailing quotes possible, it’s important to take the following steps:
1. Determine your target audience: Before you can get accurate mailing quotes, you need to know how many addresses you’ll be sending your materials to. Determine your target audience based on factors such as age, income, location, and interests. At Catdi Printing we work the top data aggregators in sourcing the latest up to date data.
2. Choose a mailing list provider: Once you know your target audience, you can choose a mailing list provider that can provide you with accurate mailing lists. Look for a provider that offers targeted lists that match your target audience.
3. Choose a direct mail printing and fulfillment service: Once you have your mailing list, you’ll need to print and prepare your marketing materials for mailing. Look for a direct mail printing and fulfillment service that offers competitive pricing and high-quality printing. This is where a printer and direct mail house like Catdi Printing comes in. We guarantee our quotes for 30 days and stand behind what we quote so there’s no surprizes.
4. Provide accurate information: To get accurate mailing quotes, you’ll need to provide accurate information about your campaign, including the number of addresses you’ll be sending to, the size and weight of your materials, and the level of service you require (such as first-class or standard mail). Postage is usually the biggest expense and haven’t the latest USPS tools is critical is ensurning that
5. Compare quotes from multiple providers: While we think we offer some of the competitive rates on our mailing service it doesn’t hurt to shop around. Once you have all of the necessary information, compare quotes from multiple direct mail providers to ensure that you’re getting the best deal. However in our opinion not all printers and mail houses are created equal. Quality of printing and turnaround times are important when considering who you trust to handle your direct mail projects.
Why Accurate Mailing Quotes are Important

Accurate mailing quotes are important for several reasons:
1. Staying within your budget: Accurate mailing fees allow you to plan your direct mail marketing campaign within your budget, without any unexpected costs or fees.
2. Reaching your target audience: Accurate mailing costs ensure that your marketing materials are delivered to the right audience, increasing the chances of a positive response.
3. Avoiding delivery issues: Accurate mailing costs help to ensure that your materials are delivered on time and to the correct addresses, avoiding delays and delivery issues.
4. Measuring your ROI: Accurate mailing quotes allow you to measure the return on investment (ROI) of your direct mail marketing campaign, helping you to make informed decisions about future campaigns.
Choosing the Right Direct Mail Printing and Fulfillment Service

Choosing the right direct mail printing and fulfillment service is crucial for getting accurate mailing quotes and ensuring the success of your direct mail marketing campaign. When choosing a service, consider the following factors:
1. Experience: Look for a direct mail printing and fulfillment service with extensive experience in the industry, and a proven track record of success.
2. Quality: Look for a service that offers high-quality printing and fulfillment services, ensuring that your marketing materials make a positive impression on potential customers.
3. Pricing: Compare pricing from multiple providers to ensure that you’re getting a fair and competitive price. While there’s many moving parts to any campaign we have created a simple postcard direct mail calculator that provides you with a solid estimate on what your campaign will cost.
4. Customer service: Look for a service that offers excellent customer service, with prompt and professional communication throughout the entire process.
At Catdi Printing, we offer a wide range of direct mail printing and fulfillment services to help you create successful direct mail marketing campaigns. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you with your next campaign, and to get accurate mailing quotes that fit within your budget.
March 18, 2023
Understanding EDDM Indicia: What It Is and Why It Matters
If you’re in the marketing or advertising industry, you may have come across the term “EDDM indicia.” But what exactly is EDDM indicia, and why is it important? In this blog post, we’ll explain what EDDM indicia is, how it works, and why it matters for your business.

What is EDDM Indicia?

EDDM stands for Every Door Direct Mail, which is a direct mail marketing service provided by the United States Postal Service (USPS). EDDM allows businesses to reach a large number of potential customers in a specific area by delivering their marketing materials directly to every door on a postal carrier’s route.

Indicia, on the other hand, refers to the markings that appear on a piece of mail indicating that the postage has been paid. The indicia usually includes the class of mail, the amount of postage paid, and the permit number of the mailer.

EDDM indicia, then, is the indicia used for Every Door Direct Mail campaigns. It includes specific information about the EDDM campaign, such as the zip code it’s targeting and the USPS EDDM permit number.

How Does EDDM Indicia Work?

When you use EDDM to deliver your marketing materials, you don’t need to have a list of addresses or even a mailing permit. Instead, you can simply choose the carrier routes you want to target using the USPS online tool, and your materials will be delivered to every address on those routes.

To use EDDM, you’ll need to create your marketing materials, such as postcards or flyers, and then bundle them by carrier route. You’ll also need to include EDDM indicia on each piece of mail. This indicia tells the USPS that the postage has been paid for the EDDM campaign, and it provides information about the campaign itself.

Why Does EDDM Indicia Matter?

EDDM indicia matters because it ensures that your marketing materials are delivered to the correct addresses and that you’re paying the correct postage for your EDDM campaign. If you don’t include the correct indicia, your materials may not be delivered or may be returned to you.

In addition to ensuring that your materials are delivered, EDDM indicia also provides valuable information to the USPS. This information helps the USPS track EDDM campaigns and ensure that they’re being executed correctly. The USPS uses this information to make improvements to the EDDM program, which can benefit businesses that use the service.

Another reason why EDDM indicia matters is that it can impact the overall effectiveness of your marketing campaign. When you use EDDM, you’re reaching a large number of potential customers in a specific area. By including an imprinted designation on mail, you’re demonstrating that you’ve taken the time to understand the EDDM process and that you’re committed to delivering a professional, high-quality marketing campaign.

Tips for Using EDDM Indicia Effectively

To ensure that your EDDM campaign is successful, there are a few tips to keep in mind when using EDDM indicia:
1. Include all necessary information: Make sure that your imprinted designation on mail includes all necessary information, such as the USPS EDDM permit number, the zip code you’re targeting, and the class of mail.
2. Use high-quality materials: When creating your marketing materials, use high-quality paper, ink, and other materials. This will ensure that your materials look professional and make a positive impression on potential customers.
3. Target the right areas: Choose carrier routes that are most likely to contain potential customers for your business. Consider demographics, such as age, income, and education level, and tailor your marketing materials accordingly.
4. Include a clear call to action: Make sure that your marketing materials include a clear call to action, such as “call now” or “visit our website.” This will encourage potential customers to take action and engage with your business.
5. Track your results: After your EDDM campaign is complete, track your results to determine its effectiveness. Use this information to make improvements to your next campaign.
In Conclusion

EDDM indicia is an important part of any Every Door Direct Mail campaign. It ensures that your materials are delivered to the correct addresses and that you’re paying the correct postage for your campaign. By understanding how EDDM indicia works and using it effectively, you can create a successful direct mail marketing campaign that reaches a large number of potential customers in your target area.

If you’re interested in using EDDM for your next marketing campaign, Catdi Printing can help. We offer a range of EDDM printing and design services to help you create high-quality marketing materials that will make a positive impression on potential customers. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you with your EDDM campaign.
March 15, 2023
Paper Shortages & Supply: How COVID-19 Has Impacted the Supply Line

Paper Supply Shortage Explained

It’s no secret that the paper supply has been strained for some time now. But what is causing this persistent issue and how will it impact our business. Catdi Printing from the very beginning of the pandemic, quickly transitioned our print offerings and setup a free Covid-19 Resource Page.

There are a few factors at play here: an unprecedented demand for paper, an oversold capacity, strikes and mill global closures- all during to COVID-19 Pandemic. Let’s break it down further.

The global COVID-19 Pandemic created havoc around the world, disrupting businesses and paper supply chains in the process. This led to high prices and less availability of paper- a essential item for printers. In addition, many mills closed their doors due to Covid-19, which only compounded the problem. The lack of available paper has driven up prices and left hotels struggling to find ways to keep up with customer demand. What can you do as a commercial print and direct mail house? Mid-sized mills went out of business during Covid leading to further reductions in overall capacity so its important to stock up on paper ahead of time. Additionally, be sure communicate this shortage in your marketing efforts; letting our customers know that they may experience delays or shortages when trying to make reservations is key.

Paper shortages are a global issue that is most prevalent in developed countries. About 30% of total paper production goes to Asia, with about 50% going to Europe and North America. The United States is the world’s largest paper producer, but it still imports a substantial amount of raw materials from other countries because there are not enough trees in our country. Paper shortages are on the rise, and they’re a problem that is only getting worse. The reason for this lies in our wasteful use of paper products like copy paper, napkins and toilet paper. Paper is made from wood, a natural resource that can’t be replaced.

We use paper for many purposes because it’s cheap and easy to manufacture, and its a natural resource But demand is increasing for this amazing resource. In fact, it’s increasing every year as more people get access to printers and computers. The printing industry is no different. With businesses opening back up the demand for paper products in the form of business cards to direct mailer is having a strain on the supplies.

Spiralling paper prices, Labor Strikes and Shortages Damaging the Printing Business?

The paper industry is currently facing a number of challenges, with prices and shortages both spiraling out of control. This is having a devastating effect on the print industry, with customers uncertain about the future availability of paper and board.

In addition to the price hikes and shortages, graphic product demand has seen a decline in recent months; however, it is almost back to pre-pandemic levels in most countries. The World Paper Coated Fine Board Federation (WPCF) has pointed out that they have experienced an increase in prices and supply problems which is devastating for some customers. The paper mills are on strike, causing a shortage in materials and ultimately financial losses to both parties.

The paper mill strike has been going on for months now, and it shows no sign of stopping anytime soon. This will cause shortages in the short-term – tensions are high across all markets, leading to even further supply problems for forest-based products as well as food and medical supplies that cannot be put on the market due to lack of packaging. In addition to these issues, prices continue to rise as demand outpaces available stock – meaning that users could potentially switch over to digital media if things don’t improve soon.

Unfortunately, the American paper industry is also impacted by the strikes and unrest in Europe. This is having a knock-on effect on jobs, with the industry estimated to have lost 50% of its workforce since 2009. It’s clear that things are only going to get worse before they get better – and if something isn’t done to address the current situation, the print industry could be facing an uncertain future. But…. not all is lost. As supply lines improve and demand curves get flattened things are working themselves out. Catdi Printing has seen that supply lines are improving and inventory is up which means that prices will hopefully start to come down. We have held the line in raising costs accross the board but we dont know how long we can hold out.

How COVID-19 has Impacted the Enviroment Paper Supply, Continued Shortages.

The world’s forests are being depleted at an alarming rate. According to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), more than half of the planet’s original forest cover has been lost. At the current rate, another 40 percent will be gone by 2050.

The problem is not just deforestation for timber or to clear land for agriculture and development; it’s also a matter of demand outstripping supply.In short, too many people are cutting down trees for paper products such as books and newspapers. The world’s population is growing and becoming more educated, which means that more books and newspapers are being consumed. The problem is compounded by the fact that many forests in developing countries have bee degraded to the point that they can no longer produce enough usable wood fiber for paper. In many countries, forests are being cut down faster than new ones can be planted and the program is accelerating.

Paper Supply Shortage at Present

The paper shortage has been an ongoing problem for about 2 years now, but it seems to be getting worse for the time being. The mills can’t keep up with the demand, and as a result, the price of paper is going up. This is causing problems for both consumers and businesses.

Domestic mills are in the same boat as European and Asian mills; they all have higher costs for containers and shipping charges. And because of the COVID-19 pandemic, things have getting worse. Paper mills are experiencing shortages in production, which means that the price of paper will likely stay high for a while.

This is a perfect storm: limited allocations from suppliers coupled with new orders being suspended indefinitely. There are concerns that the paper supply may not be enough to meet demand for notepads and pens. In fact, some companies have been struggling to provide their customers with enough supplies of paper lately.

How Long Will Paper Shortage Last?

It’s hard to say for sure how long the paper shortage will last. On one hand, it seems that things have improved since 2021 and many shortages were resolved quickly. However, others linger on and cause problems for companies all over the world.

What we do know is that paper shortages are temporary. They happen when demand changes, such as during an emergency or a spike in supply. For example, think about what happens at Christmas time when people buy more presents than usual. The stores have to order more supplies to meet the demand, and eventually the new stock arrives and everything goes back to normal.

The bullwhip effect refers to the idea that small changes in demand can result in huge shifts throughout the supply chain. This happens because suppliers base their production levels on past data which may not be accurate anymore–for instance, if there’s a sudden pandemic-caused decrease in demand then suppliers will produce less overall even though people might still want those products (just not as many). As you can imagine, this can lead to big problems further down the line as manufacturers start producing different items altogether or stop production lines altogether until they can get a better estimate of future demand.

So while it’s difficult to say exactly how long the paper shortage will last, we can be hopeful that it will eventually resolve itself. In the meantime, let’s all try to conserve as much paper as possible! This is why we are recommending digital printing or print on demand printing. This way you print exactly what you need and dont over print. However the trade off is that this is done on a digital printer which has a smaller sheet size than our traditional offset presses. We at Catdi Printing are continuing fuill steam ahead and continue to offer our customers solutions to their business regardless what challenges arise.

Why are So Many Printers Out of Stock?

There are a few reasons why so many printers are out of stock. The main reason, however, is the high demand caused by people wanting to print copies of their documents in light of COVID-19. With the pandemic causing widespread panic and uncertainty, many people have turned to printed documents as a way to keep track of their affairs.

Another reason for the printer shortage is that manufacturers simply didn’t expect such a high demand. They thought that people would only use printers for personal reasons rather than for business purposes. As a result, they didn’t produce enough printers to meet the current demand.

There is also a possibility that we may see a shortage of printers in the near future. This is because so many factories have been shut down due to the pandemic. If this continues, it could lead to an overall decrease in printer production and cause another shortage down the road.

So while it’s difficult to say exactly how long the paper shortage will last, we can be hopeful that it will eventually resolve itself. In the meantime, let’s all try to conserve as much paper as possible! This is why we are recommending digital printing or print on demand printing. This way you exactly what you need and dont over print. However the trade off is that this is done on a digital printer which has a smaller sheet size than our traditional offset presses. We at Catdi Printing are continuing full steam ahead and continue to offer our customers solutions to their business regardless of what challenges arise.

May 27, 2022
Best Tips to Make Sure You Cross all the T’s and Dot all the I’s on your Mailers Design
Are you planning your new direct marketing campaign? Do you want to make sure that you get the best response and that the campaign is a success? In today’s post, we’ll share the best tips on making sure you cross all the T’s and dot all the I’s on your mailers design for a successful campaign.

One of the major highlights of a successful mailers design campaign is to be laser-focused on every little detail. All this collectively can make a huge impact on your target audience, which is not an overstatement.

To begin with, it is easy to get bogged down in the design aesthetics. However, there is more to a successful campaign than what meets the eye. Here are some of the best tips to keep in mind for a result-driven mailers design. These tips will help make a lasting impression on your target audience. Did you know that the brain takes only 13 milliseconds to process images perceived by the eye and that it takes only 50 milliseconds to form an impression about your promotional tools?

That’s right, so you really have to make sure that everything is precise and impactful in your mailers design.

So, let’s get started, shall we?

Write a Clear and Persuasive Call-to-Action

No matter how creative and impressive your postcard, brochure, or flyer design is, it won’t contribute to your business if it doesn’t generate the response you want. Put simply; you need a persuasive and clear call to action to guide your audience towards a sale.

After explaining your business offerings and effectively putting your brand message across, it is crucial to have the perfect CTA to ensure your audience is prompted to act. So, just as vital as your direct mail campaign’s design, words, and feel, a CTA should guide your audience to take the next step. Hence, it should be simple, specific, easy to understand, and uncluttered.
- Make sure you mention it clearly so that the readers don’t struggle through the reams of the print to find out what you want them to do. Some great CTA tips include:
- Build a sense of urgency through FOMO tactics (like limited time offer, expiry date, coupons, or vouchers)
- Keep it short and simple
- Separate your CTA from the body copy so that it stands out
Double Check Contact Information

As marketers have to manage and monitor every aspect of the mailers design campaign, mistakes are inevitable. However, what a bummer will it be if you get the basic contact information wrong? Needless to say there is simply no margin for making such a mistake. But sometimes, as marketers are focused on so many other elements of a direct mail campaign, they forget to pay attention to the little details that can cost them a fortune. The last thing you want is a potential customer contacting the wrong phone number.

Therefore, it is advisable to double-check your contact information. Ensure that your email address, phone number, and postal address are correct.

Choose the Right Color Scheme

According to a research study, color increases brand recognition by nearly 80 percent. Here it is essential to understand that the psychological impact of colors is widely used in marketing which helps build your brand image and provoke specific emotions.

Therefore, choosing the right color scheme can significantly contribute to your direct mail design. So, take time to research the market to see what colors are best suited to promote your products and services.

For instance, studies also show that nearly 42 percent of people think that blue is a color associated with reliability and trust. So, keep these little details into consideration to ensure your mailers design campaign is a massive success.

Target the Right Audience and Area

Another aspect you need to focus on is establishing the correct target audience for your company so that your direct mail message can resonate with the audience. Indeed, direct mail is the core channel for bringing new lead generation to the organization. And to ensure this, you need to target the right audience and area.

Get started by establishing your buyer persona. Also, leverage data from the online channels and previous campaigns. All this will give you a clear direction for key demographics such as income, age, gender, occupation, etc. Next, segment your message by its unique characteristics.

Invest in Quality Print Marketing

Print marketing quality plays a pivotal role in the success of your promotions. No matter how strong your brand message may be, if it is not readable and the printing is low quality, your message will fail to deliver. Therefore, invest in quality printing services.

Make sure all the text on your direct marketing tools like postcards or brochures is clear and visible. Remember that the printing of your marketing material can make a big difference. Your audience is likely to read your marketing material if it is well-designed and has high-quality printing.

So, consider these tips for a high-impact and result-driven direct marketing campaign. At Catdi Printing, we specialize in custom designing, printing, and mailing marketing material. Contact us to discuss your direct mail needs, and we can provide you with quality assistance at every step of your campaign, ensuring it is a massive success.
April 22, 2022
How Can Direct Mail Services Help Your Small Business?

Did you know that 70% of Americans say that mail is more personal than other forms of marketing on the internet? And 54% of people were open to receiving mail from brands they were interested in. Of course, you want to make sure that you follow proper direct mail etiquette to ensure you don’t inundate your customers.

But, if you haven’t used direct mail marketing to entice new customers and hold on to old customers yet, then you are missing out on a crucial piece of the advertising puzzle.

Keep reading to find out how you can use direct mail services to build your small business.

Use a Wide Variety of Direct Mailing Tools

The great thing about direct mail marketing is that far from being dead, it’s becoming more and more innovative in the way it markets to current customers. As you might imagine, the customers of the 21st century are quite a savvy bunch and they need to be marketed to in an intelligent and empathetic fashion.

Some direct mail formats you can use nowadays are as follows:

Postcards

Remember the old days when people would send you postcards from holiday destinations around the world. It used to be so exciting to check your mailbox every day to see if something fun had arrived in it. With the advent of same-day delivery and tracking, it’s not so exciting anymore to receive packages in the mail.

But you can bring back that tradition of sending postcards to your customers. It could help bring that feeling of nostalgia into their day and it will ensure that your business stays on top of their mind for a while to come.

Door Hangers

This is another way to get at your audience. It ensures that your customer will not be able to ignore your direct mail, as they would have to open their front door at some point in the day.

Even if your customer only glances at your direct mail piece for a few seconds before they dump it, it would have been subconsciously imprinted onto their mind, so they will remember your business the next time they are searching for related products or services.

Scented Inks

This is an innovation that’s blowing direct mail services out of their normal realm.

One way to do this is by using scented inks, so even if your customer wanted to, they couldn’t ignore the heavenly lavender or rose scent emanating from your mail. You could even use nostalgic scents from your customer’s childhood if you are marketing to a particular generation, like vanilla, pine, or the smell of the ocean.

This is called sensory marketing, and it’s when you use the senses, touch, smell, and sight, to grab your customer’s attention.

A direct mail piece is great for this because it’s all about engaging the senses, definitely more so than internet marketing would be.

You could also take advantage of sensory marketing by using specially crafted paper that feels unique to the touch for your direct mailer pieces. Your customer will have to touch your direct mail at some point in time and using special paper will ensure they sense something different about your piece which could entice them to have a closer look.

Stand Out from Your Competitors

Social media marketing has inundated the world so much that direct mail has become the black sheep of the family that everyone ignores.

But that’s why direct mail services can be such a boon for your business. You can be using direct mail marketing when your competitors are not. This means that you could be marketing to your customers in a less crowded and competitive marketplace.

If yours is the only direct mail piece in the pile of mail that’s related to plumbing services or floral arrangement classes, then it’s more likely to catch your customer’s attention, than if it’s one in a pile of many.

Take advantage of this trend, by getting on the direct mail bandwagon before everyone else does.

Every Door Direct Mail

The United States Postal Service is on your side when it comes to direct mail marketing. It has a program called ‘Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM)’ that allows you to have flat mailers delivered to specific neighborhoods using carrier routes.

The advantageous thing about this is that you don’t need to have a mailing address list at all. All you need to give the USPS is a route and the USPS will deliver your mailer to every house or business on the route (or both). This makes it so convenient for you and cheap as well!

You don’t need to buy expensive mailing lists from companies. You can use EDDM to market to entire portions of a community. This works especially well if you have a local business like a retail store, a dental practice, or something similar.

Don’t Forget to Send Your Customers Something Usable

You’ve probably heard of the psychological effect where if you are kind to someone else, they feel obligated to do something kind in return. This technique is used quite a bit in business and is called reciprocity marketing.

You can use this in direct mail marketing as well, by sending over direct mail pieces that are useful to the customer in some way. It could be as simple as sending them a fridge magnet or a sticker that they could place on their fridge with a list of emergency phone numbers on it.

Or you could even send elaborate items like calendars, diaries, pens, post-it notes, or something related like that, with your business logo on it. Every time, the customer uses these items, they are going to be reminded of your business. And when it comes time to reciprocate the favor, they are more likely to seek out your business to purchase your product rather than your competitors.

Use Custom Print Effects

Think outside the box when it comes to direct mail pieces. It’s quite possible in today’s innovative market to think of something peculiar and be able to find a direct mail printing company that can create that direct mailer piece for you.

For example, maybe you are thinking about adding some holographic designs to your direct mail piece. That’s absolutely a possibility nowadays.

Or maybe you want to create a scratch-off interaction on your mailer. You can do that as well!

Become creative with your direct mail piece – if it hasn’t been done before, that doesn’t mean that it can’t be done at all! Brainstorm with your marketing team and come up with something that your customers wouldn’t have seen before.

All you need to do is try out a direct mail campaign with your new piece. If it works, you can keep going. If it doesn’t, you can scrap the project and try something else.

Follow Direct Mail Etiquette

No matter if you have been in the direct marketing field for a while now, or if you are new to it, there are certain rules and etiquettes you have to follow to ensure you don’t end up alienating yourself from your customers and potential leads. Some of them are:

Do not overwhelm your customers with mailing pieces. It’s better to send some higher-quality direct mail pieces once in a while, rather than sending poor-quality pieces every single week.

Have a mechanism for people to opt out of direct mail campaigns. The USPS has mechanisms for customers to opt out of junk mail, but make sure you have something on your mailing list to allow for that as well.

Try as much as possible to use recycled paper or post-consumer fiber to create your direct mail pieces, so you don’t become a burden on the environment. Also, showcase this on your mailing piece as well to indicate to your customer your eco-friendliness.

Many direct mail campaigns use the information they have gleaned about their customers from research and surveys. Make sure you don’t come across as stalkerish or Big brother-ish when you use this information in your direct mail campaign.

Grow Your Business Using Direct Mail Advertising

It’s easy to dismiss ‘old’ advertising mediums like TV, radio, or direct mail because social media marketing and email marketing have taken over this world. BUT, that would be akin to dismissing traditional meals like meat and potatoes because new foods like quinoa and kale have become more famous.

No matter how the world changes, direct mail services will still be as necessary for the marketing game as email marketing is.

If you wish to take advantage of direct mail services to get at your customers or leads and are located in Houston, then contact Catdi today. We can help you with all your commercial printing needs.

February 18, 2022
The Best 15 Real Estate Direct Mail Tips from Experts

While most businesses profit from direct mail, real estate is perhaps the biggest beneficiary of this type of marketing tool. Real estate direct mail is one of the most effective, fast, and inexpensive ways to gain visibility and reach a wide section of existing and potential clients. Property experts say most businesses can generate leads, list opportunities, and close deals in the shortest time possible using direct mail. Let’s also say that through it, both buyers and sellers can quickly identify each other and transact a wide range of business.

Why Real Estate Direct Mail Works

Direct mail primarily targets specific geographical areas and demographic groups. So all you need to do is define your audience and destination points for your mail delivery. Real estate direct mail is super specific, enabling you to market only to the right buyer persona. In this case, you can also tailor your message to these people for maximum conversion effect.

Meanwhile, it is also easy to track your direct mail campaign and see how effective it is. In addition, tracking enables you to work with client feedback. For example, are they happy with the product? If not, what improvement can you factor in to attract and even expand your client base?

A trackable marketing tool as direct mail permits you to know the exact product that got higher listings. It also provides info with which you can bait in as many buyers as you can.

But how do you track in the first place? There are various ways. For example, do you send reply cards or provide coupons? You can know from the responses if you are making headway. Highly functional landing pages can also give you a quick glimpse of how you are doing with your direct mail campaign efforts.

Real Estate Direct Mail Tips

Real estate is one of the most crowded marketplaces I have ever seen. The only way you can make it with direct mail campaign effort is to stand out by making things classier. You might also have to engage more appealing strategies and tactics in the direct mail to get proper responses. Here are some real estate direct mail tips to help propel your business to even higher echelons.

1. Find the Right Audience for Your Message

Do you know, if you do not have a target audience, then your direct mail efforts could be in vain? This advert tool works best with messages that target only people who can convert. And so, the first thing would be to find who your real estate direct mail recipients are. If I were you, I would start with any available house sellers/ buyers in a specific geographical area.

You can also decide to go by economic status, say, high or low-income housing, determining the exact problem you want to solve. It could be vacant housing, and hence, your message should state so. Tax default and pre-foreclosure issues should also have their proper messages.

2. Create a Mail Inventory Highlighting Target Properties

A mail inventory is a written mailing list that has prospective buyers/sellers’ contacts. This method helps you to create a zip code inventory, too. You can also know the exact neighborhoods your mail adverts are headed.

A mail list also helps gather additional info concerning any of the properties on which you have your sights. For example, you can get details on foreclosure or high equity status. If there are any deceased property owners, you can also use this info to customize any of the messages in your direct mail.

3. Get Hold of the Correct Addresses

I often insist your real estate direct mail list has to have only people who are likely to convert, not just anyone out there. Once you target the right people, you can expect rapid responses within the shortest time possible, which is good for your ROI.

But where can you get these addresses, especially if you are new in the business? Some of the places you can peruse are public records. You can also search from the list of brokers and other available resources both in/offline.

4. Time Your Message for Effectiveness

Like most businesses, real estate also has its high and low seasons. If you have been in business for a while, you already know how predictable the seasons are. For example, records of annual housing sales show November through January of every year to be slow. But starting March onwards, sales soar, reaching their peak around June. I would urge you to use this particular curve to your most significant advantage by using lots of real estate direct mail to reach your target audience.

5. Adapt the Right Frequency

Only the right frequency of sending your real estate direct mail can draw the proper response. Remember, too many messages can be both distracting and annoying. People might think you are bugging them too much. On the other hand, too little direct mail might not produce the desired impact.

So how can you skillfully navigate this course? I suggest you send it monthly during the inactive seasons. On the other hand, the high season can also be your game-changer, and it would be wise to enhance the mail sending frequency. A weekly to bi-weekly mail can suffice. As you move onto the winter months’ low selling season, you can tactfully make your messages scarcer.

6. Compose Unique and Eye-Catching Messages

More than any other marketplace, real estate is busy and flooded. Your voice can quickly get muffled if you use that standard, boring and predictable messages. You now have to stand out by how you design your postcard, flyer, or brochure.

Let the message be memorable, making people glance at your advert a second and even a third time. But standing out should not stop here. If you are erecting a poster, do so strategically for your clients to immediately see. Generally, the geographical area you target should also be a high-traffic area for this particular purpose.

7. Provide Custom Solutions for Your Clients

Each homeowner disposing of their property often has a unique need, separate from the next property owner. Their problems are different, and so should be the solutions. Hence, your real estate direct mail should reflect this, such that a brochure or postcard explicitly addresses your client’s needs. A customized mail piece coupled with a compelling CTA (Call-to-Action) can instantly prompt your prospective buyer into making a decision.

8. Do a Trial Run for Your Direct Mail Campaign

Never assume that your advert can suddenly attract the attention it needs. So, the first thing after that printout is to test the waters to see if it works. In this case, you can start with priority mail. I suggest you only proceed with the entire campaign once you get, say, a 5 % response. Anything below this figure should take you back to the drawing board for a few consultations and improvements.

9. Do Not Wait to Kickstart a Full Real Estate Direct Mail Campaign

Running the whole campaign immediately after a test campaign would be the way to go. At this point, you would have gained the confidence and reassurance that people are positively receptive to the advert. At the same time, you now have a clue about the number of emails you can send each week or month.

The info you keep gathering also helps in both the financial and logistics planning of your campaign. Any volume you keep from now onwards corresponds with the correct numbers of your prospects such that you are neither under/overwhelmed at any given time.

10. Evaluate All Campaign Outcomes

The only way you can know is if your real estate direct mail campaign successfully analyzes the results. Questions include if the results have met your initial expectations. You should also find out which demographic group or geographical area gave the best response and which segment did badly.

Again, see if your campaign has led to any sales or any positive trends towards sales. See if you also got more lead generation due to the postcard campaigns. These are just a few critical examinations, yet it is indicative about how effective the advert was. With the same analysis, you can decide on what improvement you can factor in the next design.

11. Promptly Respond to Customer Queries

An effective real estate direct mail will often have customers knocking and making inquiries. It is also something you have worked tirelessly for, and so you can never take chances with customer responses and questions. Yet again, your credibility is highly dependent on how fast you respond to all inquiries.

It is why you have to be on standby to provide valuable feedback to your prospective clients. While a standard CTA will often have complete contacts, you might still have to create a customer support system to receive and keep track of all incoming calls. Also, establish lead follow-up mechanisms to keep each potential client in the loop and close ready deals.

12. Pay Close Attention to Your Budget

As much as real estate direct mail ranks among the most affordable ways to advertise, you should still track your budget. For example, how much money can you spend before you find a client to close a deal? Also, determine the number of leads you need to have before the ultimate sale. Once you have facts and figures, you can know the approximate amounts to shelve for this type of marketing, and if it all, it is suitable for ROI.

13. Utilize Correct Spacing Techniques

Have you ever seen those postcards that seem overcrowded with messages, with no breathing space? Your real estate direct mail can be overwhelming to the reader. Of course, a typical postcard has limited space, and so the best thing would be to focus only on essential details. I suggest sticking to who you are, what you do and the CTA, or what the client can do about the message.

14. Provide Incentives to Your Clients

Even when times are tough, and all you could be hoping for is to close that single deal, a few enticements could draw the attention you need. Hence, don’t hold onto those coupons and discounts. Instead, dish them out. As for those postcards, design them to comprise freebies, and soon you could find that elusive client.

15. Remain Honest and Consistent at All Times

Most people are hesitant at the mention of real estate. Maybe they got scammed. Perhaps they got a raw deal or didn’t get the best customer support. But you can do things differently. It all starts by setting high standards and a good reputation for your brand by being reliable and honest. It would be best if you also were consistent in dealing with both existing and potential clients. By keeping your word and the lines of communication open, you become valuable.

Who Are the Perfect Candidates for Real Estate Direct Mail?

Real estate direct mail targets specific demographic groups who can boost your efforts via their responses and conversion. I would recommend you send your mail to the following recipients:

Landlords and investors

Most landlords are also absentee homeowners, ready to sell off their property. Assuming this land is an inheritance, maintaining the same can be challenging, so that the owner might want to sell it off.

Property under foreclosure

Foreclosure remains one of the most lucrative aspects of real estate. It is also easy to get info about any homes facing foreclosure. Most homeowners affected by foreclosure would do anything, including selling to avoid poor credit.

Empty rental properties

One of the reasons a rental property remains empty is because of evictions. The more they are unoccupied, the more maintenance becomes an issue, and it is why owners might want to sell.

Properties under probate

Real estate direct mail could also identify probate leads in a situation where a property owner has since died. Perhaps the family is motivated to sell it off fast to avoid repair and general maintenance issues.

Homeowners with tax issues

Local governments have been known to place a lien on properties due to nonpayment of taxes. It is why we have plenty of tax sales to settle all government back taxes. But often, a more brilliant property owner would want to sell even before a tax sale. Direct mail can be the push they need to sell. It is also easy to get hold of addresses for such properties, including a circulation newspaper or local publications.

Listings that have expired

Sometimes, properties on the market do not sell as fast, and the listing expires. You can use direct mail to relist the same property.

Final Remarks

Real estate direct mail campaigns play a huge role in lead generation and conversions. You can also use direct mail to track results and make the necessary improvements. As one of the most affordable marketing tools, you can also save significant amounts of money and keep boosting other business areas.

However, real estate is one of those congested markets. And so, whichever marketing strategy you use, you must be innovative and miles ahead of your competitors. A great tip I often use is the lead-generating companies. They can track public records and give me the full details I need for direct mail. They will scour and provide info on probate and divorce court filings, foreclosure, and even tax delinquency for me to have the report.

July 21, 2021
Why a Funeral Program Is Still the Number #1 Funeral Keepsake

When planning funeral arrangements for a funeral it is a good idea to implement a memorial keepsake of the decease. Each person who attends the funeral looks forward to receiving an obituary funeral program. It tells the story of the life once lived and provides historical and genealogy information of the decease.

The reason the funeral program is the number #1 funeral keepsake is its cost effectiveness. On average you can provide each guest a funeral program for under dollar. In fact, you can reduce that cost by printing a larger quantity as printing cost is determined on a sliding scale. The more you print the less you pay. The less you print the more you pay.

There are many memorial keepsake gifts that can be provided at the funeral but none as cost effective as the funeral program. Another reason the funeral program is an effective keepsake for the funeral is the obituary. The obituary is the life story of the decease. Everyone who attends the funeral wants a copy of the funeral program for this reason. It allows the reader an opportunity to read the official obituary at a later date.

In my professional career I worked as a full color digital Printer, printing obituaries for funeral homes. After working with hundreds of funeral homes many funeral directors do not place great importance on having funeral programs at the funeral. The professional services rendered by the funeral director and casket cost will deplete any ones budget. This creates a minimizing effect for any other specialty services or keepsakes.

The obituary funeral program is vitally important as it contains real world data that can be used for genealogy and historical purposes. I can remember attending my family reunion in Ohio one year. As the family was gathering for one of the schedule events, they began talking about my great-great-great grandfather. I had never seen him or knew what he looked liked. I was curious to see where my dad had got his looks from. To my amazement one of my aunts had a funeral program with his photo on it that she had saved for many years. The publication was dated back to 1926. Apparently the printed publication had been passed down through the family for years.

As a result, I was able to see my great-great-great grand father and read the family lineage. There are many choices available for a memorial keepsake. However, there is only one keepsake that is a true staple in the funeral industry, the funeral program.

May 22, 2021
How to Best Use EDDM Marketing During COVID-19
We understand that the economic state of our country is tricky and every move matters during these current times of crisis. We’ve put together a helpful guide for understanding Every Door Direct Mailing (EDDM), how it benefits local businesses, and how to best use EDDM to succeed in business in the new, post-shutdown world.
1. What is EDDM?
If you’re looking to spread the word about your business to consumers in your area, EDDM just might be the perfect option for you. EDDM, or Every Door Direct Mail, is a proven marketing solution that is an easy to use and cost effective way to spread your message to entire neighborhoods without needing to purchase a mailing list.

EDDM is a marketing option that allows design and printing companies like Catdi Printing to partner with the US Postal Service to send marketing materials right to the door of any neighborhood or zip code you choose. If you’re able to locate specific areas where people in your target market live, your pieces of mail will be delivered to every address within your specified area.

It’s a marketing service that is popular among local and regional businesses whose success depends on getting consistent foot traffic from local customers.

One of the most important elements when it comes to EDDM is analyzing your target market and understanding exactly which customer base you are trying to reach. Regardless of what kind of product or service you offer, the neighborhoods that you market to need to have the spending and lifestyle habits that match what your business offers.

For example, let’s say you own a used car dealership and you’re trying to decide which areas to send direct mail. It’s important to ask yourself the question – Where do my customers live? You wouldn’t want to market to a downtown neighborhood where many people don’t own cars, nor would it be smart to send direct mail to affluent neighborhoods where the majority of people only shop for new cars. Instead, you would need to look for neighborhoods where the average household is in the demographic of consumers who buy used cars.

Another important thing to consider is whether marketing to entire neighborhoods or to specific households makes more sense for your business. With EDDM, you can target certain census demographics like age range, household income, and more. If you’re looking to target certain households, then direct mail could make more sense for your needs.

It’s important to know your options when it comes to direct mail. In addition to EDDM, we also provide standard direct mail services, which allow you to send a wide variety of marketing materials to a very specific target audience after purchasing a mailing list. These marketing materials include brochures, catalogs, newsletters, postcards, flyers, and save the date postcards. This option will allow you to communicate with your audience 1 on 1, which can be a great fit depending on the product or service that your business provides.

There are a variety of companies that offer EDDM, but we want to share the 3 reasons why we believe Catdi Printing really is the best company to help you reach your target audience.
1. We allow you, our customers, to design your own marketing materials using our special templates to guide you through the process. Whether you’re sending a postcard or a full letter, we’ve got a beautiful and conversion optimized template for your needs.
2. We’ll happily target the zip codes you’re interested in, which we will pass on to the USPS.
3. We will print visually appealing marketing materials to your precise specifications and volume for use in your marketing campaign.
Catdi’s proven methods can help boost traffic to your business by providing your audience with valuable information and giving your potential and returning customers a reminder why they love your business and need to make another visit to your store.
1. How EDDM Can Be Great For Local Businesses
If a business is local, offers great products/services and makes customers feel valued, people will keep coming back. But if people don’t know about you in the first place, it really doesn’t matter how great of an experience you provide. The key is to get your brand in front of your target customer base and provide them with a great reason to give you their business.

As we know, everyone prefers to shop for goods and services as close to their homes as possible, as long as the businesses near them provide that amazing customer experience that they’re looking for. Whether American’s are looking for a restaurant, salon, auto repair shop, or anything in between, the ideal situation is to find something close to home. If you’re able to use EDDM to let these customers know about your business, it gives you the chance to earn consistent repeat customers.

As with any high performing goods or services business, location is everything. When you initially were going through the process of choosing a physical location for your store, what factors did you consider? Age and income range, lifestyle, cost of living? The same exact strategies apply to Every Door Direct Mail marketing. The goal is always to put your amazing small business in front of the eyes of nearby consumers who could be interested in spending money with your business.

Even if you have customers who visit you on an occasional basis, reminding people how great your business is can easily take a every-few-month patron and turn them into a weekly visitor.

The great thing about EDDM is the fact that you know a large portion of your customer base lives within a certain distance from your business. Thanks to this insight, you can select that zip code to market to and be able to promote the aspect of your business that you’re highlighting in a very targeted way. Also, you’ll save a lot of time and energy from having to do deeper market research and pay for specific mailing lists.

Not only is EDDM a cost-effective marketing option, it’s also scalable. This means you can slowly increase your frequency or expand your reach as your business grows, which allows you to start small and build over time if money is tight. You’ll be able to track and see approximate conversion rates by looking into the impact your direct mail makes on your business. Make sure you have a system for finding out how your customers heard about you, because understanding which marketing strategies are performing best will let you know which areas to allocate your marketing budget.

If you’re a new business and looking to promote the opening of your store, using EDDM is a great tool for announcing a new business in the community and offering a promotion to create a buzz in nearby neighborhoods. Depending on the type of product or service you provide, organizing an opening night event at your business is a fantastic way to gain some early momentum.
1. The Current Business Climate During COVID-19 – Business Strategy Help
We understand the needs off businesses during these times, this is one reason we Covid-19 small business resource page. A challenging reality of the world we’re now living in is that life moving forward will be very different than the world we were accustomed to. Millions of business owners are at risk of losing their businesses if the pandemic continues affecting our country in the same way that it has been since early March.

COVID-19 has devastated the revenue of small businesses all around the country. As a result, there are millions of American’s working for these small businesses who are at risk of losing their jobs and facing unemployment at a time when the unemployment rate is the worst it’s been since the Great Depression.

The overall impact of the pandemic affects a variety of businesses, with personal service, hospitality and retail being most severely affected. The smaller the organization, the harder they are hit by the shutdowns. Thus far, companies with less than 20 employees have been affected more because they typically lack the cash flow to support extended periods of closure. For example, many restaurants were forced to lay off most of their wait staff to save money while their establishments sat empty.

The biggest challenge and opportunity for these industries now is to learn how they can serve their customers in the new environment.

Because of these factors that are heavily influencing the business world, we’ve entered into a stage where businesses must adapt before it’s too late. Many businesses around the country, small and large, are rethinking their services, products, and marketing strategy to try and understand how to stay afloat.

Every reason to make a change to your business model is being thrown your way in the current climate. Between loss of revenue, stock market fluctuation, and inconsistent product demand, the old methods and business strategy have been thrown out the window and the market is demanding that you adapt to survive. Here are some ideas for strategic change that are worth considering for your business: Adapting the process to deliver the good or service you provide. Shifting your revenue focus to the product that is most valuable in the current landscape. Targeting new demographics and market segments to try and expand your reach if your niche isn’t providing the business you need.

Another great strategy to try is to evaluate what your customer base needs now that we’re living in the post- COVID-19 shutdown world. Because of the sudden shift in cultural landscape, you may have the resources to offer something new or different that will serve your customers needs of today, not the ones they had 3 months ago. Even the smallest of changes can help you operate more effectively and still provide great value to your local customer base.

However, it is important to remember that while some businesses will inevitably have to close their doors for good, there will be others who take this challenge as an opportunity to adapt to the new way of life and leverage their business models to fit the new landscape.
1. Adapting Your Marketing Strategy – Conversions During COVID-19
Here are some tips for adapting your marketing strategy to during the pandemic:

– Encouraging people to spend their money with small businesses as the country reopens from the shutdown. It’s more personal and encourages people to shop local instead of at large chain retailers.

– Incentivize customers to choose your business with coupons and promotions to maintain your loyal base of customers.

– Do as much of your own business as possible with local businesses in your community.

An interesting trend we’ve found is that the more local businesses offer services for free or discounted, the more paid business they have received as well during the pandemic. This is likely due to the fact that customers appreciate the businesses who are doing their part in helping out the community during a crisis and want to do what they can to support the business financially. In times like these, people will try their best to reward companies that are doing the right thing.

Additionally, an important thing to consider is your competition in the industry. When you have close competitors locally and you’re looking to gain an edge, there may never. Evaluate your risks and if you find that allocating some funds to a tool like EDDM can give you an immediate edge in your market, consider making your move. The same way that many businesses went under after the 08’ crash, there were also new businesses that evaluated the current market opportunities and were able to grow and expand during times of struggle. There will also be businesses who do the same in 2020 and on.

If EDDM is right for your business, understanding how to use the marketing tool to gain an advantage in the most competitive of times.
1. How To Use EDDM as a Tool to Keep Your Business Thriving
Neighborhood-Focused Marketing

Like we said before, there is no mailing list required with EDDM, so you will save money. Because of the shift in social behaviors, people have become more hesitant to travel outside of their homes and will opt for the closest available option for whatever product or service they need to find. If your business has been struggling during the nationwide shutdowns and you’re looking for an immediate boost in customer interest, get started with an EDDM marketing approach to reignite interest in your business. It’s only natural for people to have forgotten about the businesses they frequented months ago, so it has become essential to do something to put their eyes back on your brand.

Sending out a piece of well crafted and genuine direct mail can remind your current customers what they loved so much about your business. This is where offering a great discount, a buy one, get one free offer, or something that will show your clients that you care about them can go a long way toward bringing in that much needed business.

Take Advantage of Opportunities to Avoid Postal Limits

When you purchase direct mailings within a certain volume range, which is typically between 250 and 5,000 pieces of mail, you won’t have to worry about purchasing a postal permit. This will allow for big cost savings for your business.

Create a Buzz with Discount Offers

EDDM allows you to put your message in the hands of your customers. If you’re able to find ways to include discounts on the mailers, you will create an incentive for new and old customers alike to come visit the store.

The best part about offering discounts and offer codes is that it can lead to your customers purchasing things they normally wouldn’t consider needing. This is another reason to take advantage of the Catdi printing templates; we’ll take care of providing the appealing visuals, you just need to include the message you want your customers to see in the advertisement.

It’s a Highly Cost-Effective Option

With everything going on in the world, it’s only natural that marketing budgets are going to be tight. EDDM is among the most cost-effective options for direct marketing that can still help you make a large splash in your community. Catdi’s printing uses colors and expert-level designs that pop and makes sure that your ad is being read and not just tossed in the trash with your audience’s junk mail. Our low postage rates will help you send out your first round of advertisements at low-risk costs and then evaluate and see if you need to make any adjustments with the next batch. Times are changing quicker than ever. There’s no way to know exactly what kind of advertising messaging you’ll need 6 months from now. Having the flexibility to send out ads in appropriate quantities and adapt your strategy as time goes by will be crucial in helping you ride out the ups and downs of the pandemic.
1. A Message from the Catdi Team
In times of struggle, all of us at Catdi are here to help you however we can. If EDDM is the right fit for your business and you need assistance designing a logo, choosing a neighborhood to target or anything else at all, don’t hesitate to give us a call. We’ve been around a long time and have watched businesses come and go throughout the years. We want to do everything we can to help make sure your business survives these economic struggles and is around for the long haul. If there’s another marketing strategy that you think would better help your business, we can probably help with that too. Thanks for reading, we’re looking forward to hearing about the many successes of your business moving forward.
May 21, 2020
What Main Advantages Does Print Media Offer?
When a business, any business, wants to reach out and connect with consumers to sell their products or services, they use advertising to do it, and one of the biggest forms of advertising is printed media. In fact, print media advertising has been around for hundreds of years in the form of newspapers, magazines, posters and flyers, among others, as one of the oldest forms of human communication, and is still incredibly popular today even with the advent of computers, smartphones and tablets.

One of the reasons print media advertising remains so popular is simply that it’s tangible. You can hold printed media in your hands, which gives it more credibility. Plus, printed advertising persists. You can leave it on a desk, put it in your pocket or stick it to the fridge, a constant reminder of the company that created it (and their products and services). For these reasons, and more, print media advertising remains incredibly popular and potent today.

Jakarta, Indonesia – August 14, 2019: A printing press machine prints large images.

What Main Advantages Does Print Media Offer?

For any media to have remained so long and still be popular signifies that it must have some excellent benefits, and printed media does indeed have many. Below are a few of the best.
- Printed media leaves a lasting impression as the consumer engages with it in a more in-depth manner.
- Locally speaking, printed publications like newspapers, magazines and even brochures do a great job of reaching out to the people in a particular town, city or geographic region.
- Consumers are more receptive to printed media because they aren’t as distracted when reading it.
- Advertising with print media can be very cost-effective, especially in comparison to TV.
- Printed media can help build a loyal fan-base and, as such, that fan-base is ‘primed’ to purchase anything advertised within.
- Spreading awareness of a product or service can be easier and faster with printed media.
What are Some of the Main Elements of Print Media?

While every type of printed media has its own set of specific elements, they all share many of the same, including the message, the way that message is delivered and the production of the printed media itself. In order to take advantage of print media fully, knowing what you want to say and then crafting your message in the most engaging, exciting or persuasive way is a definite must.
- Production values are the key to successful print media. It should be attractive at first glance, accessible to most consumers and deliver a balanced, insightful message.
- Delivery is also key because in order for print media to be consumed it must first reach consumers. Newspapers, magazines and flyers do this well and provide something tangible the reader can hold in their hands and enjoy at their own pace. It’s also relatively inexpensive compared to other forms of media.
- Reaching a massive audience is also one of the key elements of print media. The more people that consume a printed article, advertisement or story, the more reactions it will achieve.
What Main Benefits Does Print Media Advertising Offer?

While many business owners believe that digital media is the best way to build a brand today the fact remains that print media advertising still works and works very well if produced and delivered correctly. That’s why the biggest businesses in the world still use it on a regular, ongoing basis to build a strong foundation, increase loyalty and build affinity for their brands. Below are a few of the top benefits print media advertising delivers.
- Excellent top-of-mind advertising. Printed ads are the best at keeping a product, brand or service in the consumer’s mind, with an excellent recall value over time.
- Print media delivers excellent returns on the call-to-action (CTA) that it delivers (if delivered well, of course).
- Unlike, say, a smartphone screen, with printed advertising, you can go as big or as small as you like to get the desired results.
- Printed advertising in publications with a loyal following will help build a loyal following for the brand that advertises in them.
- When used in a trusted publication, printed advertising can piggyback on that trust and persuade consumers more easily.
- Where and when you run your printed advertising is easier with print. For example, if you sell high-end timepieces, advertising in The New Yorker magazine is a great choice as the readers of that magazine are more likely to make a purchase.
- The MRI Survey of the American Consumer found that printed advertising in newspapers and magazines had a highly influential effect on consumers.
- Recall rates among consumers are very high with printed advertisements, which increases the likelihood of a consumer taking action afterward.
How To Decide if Print Media Advertising is the Right Choice?

We’ve been talking at length about advertising with print media but, to be sure, there are many ways to advertise effectively in today’s world. That said, if you’re keen on determining if advertising with printed media is the right choice for your business, startup or SME, there are a few things you need to consider.
- The requirements of your particular market
- The budget you will put towards your campaign
- The availability of printed media in your locale
- The strategy you will use to deliver your printed ads
- How deeply you wish to penetrate into your specific market
- The specific message you wish to deliver, and how it will appeal to your target market
- The media choices being made by your competitors
- The type of business being advertised and its size
- The products, services or both that are being advertised
Conclusion

As you can see, advertising with print media is still viable and potent, and should definitely be in the mix of advertising platforms any business uses to brand, reach and connect with consumers. If you need Dallas printing services, have questions or would like to leave a comment, please do so in the space provided.
December 31, 2019
How to Make EDDM Postcards Stand Out For Your Business

Everyday Door Direct Mail is an easy, fast, and cost-effective means of reaching your audience. You get to grow your business and increase revenue without having a mailing list. EDDM postcards provide an excellent way of marketing your business and building more traffic within your neighborhood. You’ll be leveraging the United States Postal Service EDDM Program to deliver your postcards to individual doorsteps. In addition you can read how we help BEST DENTAL in HOUSTON grew their business with our EDDM Marketing Services. Lastly, here are some tips on how to make EDDM postcards stand out for your business:

You need to identify carrier routes, as well as, the specific names and addresses you want to send the postcards to. EDDM postcards save you the cost of purchasing a mailing list.

Besides, there is no permit required before you can use this service. Get the simplified address system from the United States Postal Service (USPS) and enlist the services of a complete 24/7 online print fulfillment provider. You need to stand out from your competitors with postcards that cannot be ignored.

A Guide to EDDM Postcard Marketing

EDDM campaigns have done an excellent job in shutting down the print is dead philosophy. Even though the business world today is digital-fast, digital marketing can only go so far before it is choked out by Adblockers. Physical pieces of postcards are excellent incorporations to your marketing strategy as they maximize your direct reach to potential clients.

Sending postcards to your customers’ doorsteps puts your message right in front of their eyes. All you need to work on is making sure your message is hard to ignore. Catching the attention of your customers if the first and most important step in postcard marketing.

The recent resurgence of interest in EDDM postcards allows you to achieve a more balanced mix of online and offline channels for your marketing strategy. Print opens up an avenue for dialogue between you and your customers, which in the long run creates long-lasting relationships and engaging relationships. You need such solid relationships with your customers to take your business to the next level.

Choosing a company that offers you exposure at the most cost-effective price allows you to gain new ground and build your brand without eating into your business’ capital.

Before you contact a print fulfillment provider, you need to figure out a visual that works best for your business. Just like business websites need to be branded, so does your postcards. This is the key to standing out among your competitors. You can even learn how to design your postcards by going through the ideas your competitors used. Another alternative is borrowing a leaf or two from previous campaigns you have sent out.

How To Make EDDM Postcards: Style Suggestions

1. Avoid Cheesy Taglines

Long gone are the days when people fell for cheesy taglines like the promise of an amazing offer. People are more critical these days, and such taglines will only cost you potential customers. Also, you should steer clear of anything with bold italics, all caps or multiple exclamation marks.

Also, avoid anything that is too elementary to activate the brain. You don’t want to deliver a boring postcard to people’s doors because they’ll feel like you wasted their time. Your focus should be to make a good impression the minute anyone looks at your handy work. Being more innovative and creative is the key to enticing your customers.

Your graphics and wording should trigger your customers to complete a story in their minds and see why they need your professional services or products. When a postcard is engaging, customers will spend more time with it, and this improves your odds of getting new customers. You need to make sure the postcard is designed such that the person reading it has an easy time taking in the information they need to transact with you.

2. Never Assume Your Audience Knows Everything

When you educate your audience, they’ll be more willing to make a purchase. Your headline should draw attention to the body because it is the most powerful selling tool in an EDDM postcard. Using provoking imagery in the body will entice your audience into wanting more information immediate.

Remember, for postcards; it is best to include direct information in the body because referring them to a link is a bit of a stretch. Provide as much information within no more than five sentences because you don’t want customers dropping your postcard before they finish reading.

3. Use What You Know to Personalize the Postcards

Do you know your customers inside out? Use that information in your postcards. Personalizing your postcards is an excellent way of attaining the trust of potential customers. Moreover, it will enhance your audience’s inclination to read the postcards. Sending customers postcards that are addressed specifically to them gives them a sense of familiarity.

Make a point of familiarizing yourself with your market and use the information you gather to be specific with your postcards. Knowing demographics like age, gender, income, and leisure activity is important, and they go a long way in making your customers feeling like they belong.

4. Ask

Once you identify the action you want your postcards to elicit, ask for it. Call-to-actions give your audience a cue for getting what they want. You should aim to gain more than just brand recognition with your postcards. Call-to-action is the key to winning new customers. Do you want your audience to visit your website? Ask.

3. Use Colour to Grab Attention

Always go with color instead of black and white if you want to grab the attention of your audience. However, use colors with moderation because too much will be repelling and confusing. You want to use just enough color to enhance your message but not too much that the postcard is cluttered.

You should choose colors based on the feelings that they elicit. Warm colors, for instance, are energizing and exciting while bright colors are loud and bold. Think about your product and your audience and choose the color that best presents your products. Make the most of your budget to maximize the impact color has on your message.

Conclusion

Using EDDM postcards to market your business locally is an excellent and cost-effective strategy because it saves you from purchasing a mailing list. Ensure you personalize every postcard to enhance your customers’ inclination to read them. These tips on how to make EDDM postcards are a good way to improve your business, but we also invite you to contact us for marketing tools that push your products off the shelves.

July 27, 2019
9 Envelope Printing Tips Guaranteed to Get Your Mail Opened

A common problem with sending mail is actually getting it opened by the recipient. Click here to discover 10 envelope printing tips to get your mail opened.

What if you’re sending mail that is never being opened by the recipient? People receive stacks of mail every day. A lot of it doesn’t even get opened. This is expensive and a waste of time. But what if you can ensure that when you send mail, the receiver is compelled to open it?

With these envelope printing tips, you can guarantee your mail gets opened. Let’s take a look!

1. Request Samples

Before you design an envelope that is guaranteed to get opened, you need to find a printing company to take your order. 🙂

At Catdi Printing we would be happy to provide you with sample envelopes with your design. Make sure to request samples with different types of envelopes. Usually most of the envelopes we print are #9 and #10 envelopes.

It’s especially important to also consider the texture of the design and the envelope. After all, this can make all the difference to determining whether the letter gets opened by the recipient. Some of these envelopes are very expensive and we can’t source them directly from the manufacturer. Also here are some envelopes templates that you can use

2. Customize Your Envelopes

Another option to make your envelopes stand out on the kitchen table is to customize your envelopes. Embossing the letters of your logo or the recipient’s name can really convey a sense of quality.You could also try UV coating to add a shine to your envelopes. This is sure to catch the eye of your recipients.

While it may be expensive, but there’s nothing more irresistible than a silk linked envelope exterior. This will make your recipient feel like royalty.

3. Printing Styles

Before you have your envelope printing, it’s important to consider the three main styles of printing. Take some time research the different styles before deciding which one is most suitable for you.

Off-set Printing

Offset printing, is a printing technique in which the logo or labeling is transferred onto a pre-made envelope. You can also use offset printing to print onto flat sheets of paper. Afterwards, the paper sheets can be made into an envelope.

Flexographic Printing

Often referred to as flexo printing, flexographic printing is carried out in the conversion process from paper to envelope. Unlike the offset approach, flexo printing uses a plastic printing plate rather than a metal one.

Digital Printing

The final printing method to mention is digital printing. Digital printing is best used for non complicated and simply colored envelopes. But they’re also not the most appropriate if you want to print in large quantities.

5. Always Include Your Logo

Your logo is a key part of your brand identity.

It’s essential to include your company logo on the envelope printing. By placing it on the exterior of the envelope you provide the recipient with something concrete by which to recognize you. It also serves as another form of advertisement and exposure. After all, the envelope could be viewed by many eyes before it reaches its destination.

6. Choose Colors Carefully

If you imagine a stack of letters, what color would they mostly be? Yes, the answer is always white. But it doesn’t have to be this way. You can design a letter using any color you like. Remember that different colors have different associations and meanings for people. Yes, of course, it’ll cost a little extra. But this could be a worthwhile investment to make sure your envelope is opened immediately. You should also consider which colors to choose. You may want to choose colors that are in line with your brand colors. If your logo is blue, then it wouldn’t make sense to have a red envelope.

7. Consider Texture and Weight

Before you start envelope printing there’s the paper to consider. The texture and weight of the paper is often an afterthought for many people. However, it can make a huge difference to whether the letter is opened or not. You know the feeling of getting a letter with a special texture. You always want to open it first, don’t you. The same goes for a heavier paper that marks the letter as quality. Everybody notices a letter printed in a weighty envelope.

8. Keep Regulations in Mind

There’s is no point designing the most spectacular envelopes that won’t ever be delivered. There are regulations that you need to consider when designing your envelopes. It’s important to research this before you get started on the design. After all, this is the limitations of your creativity. Regulations can include the requirement to make sure there is a space on the top right corner for the postage stamp. Without this space, the envelope certainly won’t find the recipient.You should also avoid artwork or design elements in the center of the envelope because the address needs to be clear to the postal service.

9. Think of Your Target

Who are you sending your letters to? This is an important question to ask yourself when designing your envelopes. After all, different groups have different tastes.

If the recipients of your envelopes are normally older generations, you may consider a more traditional style of the envelope.

However, if you’re trying to appeal to younger people, you need to inject a sense of fun and joy into your design. Call the printing pros at Catdi Printing at 713 882 4629.

July 17, 2018
Catdi Printing Encourages Direct Mail Services with Regular Sales and Discounts

Some businesses have forgone direct mail marketing efforts because they don’t believe it is an effective method of getting customers. However, with 98 percent of Americans checking their mail daily, the reach and potential impact of this marketing effort are significant. Additionally, 66 percent of consumers have purchased something because of a direct mail flyer or sales paper.

In an effort to help businesses better realize the effectiveness of direct mail services, Houston Printing Services, Catdi Printing, offer regular sales and discounts for their services.“We understand how difficult it can be to find reliable Houston EDDM Printing Services,” stated company representative Carlos DeSantos. “Printing companies will come and go all the time, which is why we are here and intend to stay. The fact is, we rely on marketing efforts that many other companies have “written off” because we know they work. We want to help businesses utilize direct mail with amazing quality flyers that get the results they want and expect.”

Pressman Working at Catdi Printing

One of the main reasons that direct mail is still an effective marketing effort is because people feel as though it is a more personal method than online sales techniques. This helps consumers feel important, which will then encourage them to make a purchase with the company sending the flyers or sales ads.“In addition to offering Houston Postcard Printing Services with your ads and information on it, we also do this at an affordable price,” continued DeSantos. “Our goal is to provide superior direct mail services to meet the need of modern businesses. This will ensure you get the results you want from the direct mail marketing materials you invest in.”Customers interested in the direct mail marketing services offered by Catdi Printing can learn more by visiting the website.

ABOUT CATDI PRINTING

Catdi Printing is one of the biggest and strongest marketing networks available today. The company offers an array of channels to ensure clients receive the most exposure possible for an affordable price. The goal of the company is to continue bridging the gap to help clients gain ground by building awareness for their brand. The network of Catdi Printing is extremely diverse and is able to harness the full power of the Internet to attract more customers than other, similar companies. The services offered by this company are available 24/7 to ensure that businesses can get the marketing products they need when they are needed.

March 25, 2018
10 STEPS TO HELP CREATE A SUCCESSFUL DIRECT MAIL CAMPAIGN

Need further proof that the USPS is upping its customer service game?The USPS published this gem of information to all those looking to increase their ROI with direct mail marketing. Catdi Printing is committed to providing as much detailed information on the direct mail industry to better help them make informed decisions. You can also checkout more information on our Industry News Blog

“Direct mail can be a powerful marketing tool. But launching a direct mail campaign may seem daunting, especially if you’re running a small- to medium-sized business and wearing a dozen other hats.” Read the complete article here

September 4, 2017
4 reasons why direct mail marketing shouldn't be written off

In today’s technology-dominated world, the idea of sending mail through post is laughable, and using it as a marketing tool even more so. After all, why would anyone use this archaic system when virtually every person can be contacted through email, social media, or even text messages? Direct mail marketing sounds like a waste of time and money then. But that isn’t really the case.

Source: New feed

March 21, 2017
Mail goes social

Vincent DeAngelis writes, “Having two children who fall into the millennial generation, I have been forced to understand the phenomenon known as social media. Why do I label it a phenomenon, you may ask? Well, to me texting, Twittering, Facebooking, Instagraming, and Snapchatting to someone IN THE SAME ROOM as you are in is the antithesis of being social. But it is the reality of this technologically crazed time we live in.”

Source: New feed

February 28, 2017
House panel displays bipartisan unity over bill to save Postal Service

There have been days when 2157 Rayburn House Office Building had the feel of a boxing match.

It’s the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee room where Republicans and Democrats have been known to go at each other with vehemence.

That wasn’t the case Tuesday.

Members on each side of the dais went out of their way to praise representatives from both parties for work on legislation designed to save the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) from financial ruin.

For more years than can be easily remembered, the Postal Service has pleaded with Congress for help with its financial situation. Members of Congress, along with postal unions and other interested folks, agreed that the financial picture was bleak, but consensus on getting out of the hole seemed beyond reach.

Now, with bipartisan legislation being considered in the infamously partisan House, hopeless no longer describes the USPS’s future. It’s not fixed yet, but the Postal Service Reform Act of 2017 provides a degree of optimism that for many years was absent.

“We’re actually going to get to the finish line and get a bill on the president’s desk,” Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) told the hearing. “I’d like to see that as a bipartisan reform proposal that we can all get behind and champion. I didn’t get everything I wanted, Congressman (Elijah E.) Cummings didn’t get everything he wanted, but that’s the nature of coming up with a compromise without compromising your principles.” He and Cummings (Md.), the top Democrat on the committee, made a point of thanking Reps. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), Gerald E. Connolly (D-Va.), Stephen F. Lynch (D-Mass.), Dennis A. Ross (R-Fla.) and Brenda Lawrence (D-Mich.), who was a longtime postal employee.

“We’re faced … with 10 consecutive years of financial losses at the Postal Service, totaling some $62 billion. The United States Postal Service isn’t at ‘a’ crossroad, it’s at ‘the’ crossroads,” Chaffetz said. “It’s up to this Congress to address the challenges facing the Postal Service, its customers, the businesses that rely on it, and the taxpayers who will bear the burden if we fail to act.”

Much of what the bill would do is in the weeds of postal finances, dealing with the nitty-gritty of health benefits for employees and retirees, pensions, governance and contracting. Postmaster General Megan J. Brennan said the provision requiring postal retirees to fully participate in Medicare is key because that “would essentially eliminate our unfunded liability for retiree health benefits,” which has been a major driver of postal doldrums.

The National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE) objected to this proposal, saying it would mean a monthly increase in Medicare premiums of at least $134 for postal retirees. “All for health insurance coverage many postal retirees do not want, may not be able to afford, and have previously chosen not to take,” said a letter to the committee from NARFE President Richard G. Thissen.

For customers, the legislation would allow a one-cent increase in the price of a first-class stamp. Centralized, or cluster box, delivery would be used for homes where 40 percent of residents agree, with a waiver for the physically disabled. Before postal officials could close a local post office, they would have to consider the distance to the next one, the availability of broadband Internet service and local conditions, including weather and terrain.

In a demonstration of the exceptional unity around this bill, even the Coalition for a 21st Century Postal Service (C21), an organization of mailing industry trade associations and companies, endorsed the legislation, including the postage increase.

“To put it bluntly, mailers do not welcome rate increases generally, including this one. They are bad for business,” said Art Sackler, C21’s manager. “Nonetheless, we accept the necessity in this unique set of circumstances for the one-time across-the-board 2.15 percent increase … as, from our perspective, a necessary evil to assure longer-term postal financial stability.”

The bill would not end Saturday mail delivery, once strongly advocated by postal officials as a major component of their cost-saving strategy. Brennan acknowledged that would not fly with Congress.

Before the celebration over the bill begins, let’s recall that there has been hope before, only to have it wane as talk faded to inaction. At a January 2016 Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing, the postmaster general, the leader of the letter carriers’ union and a trade association representative all supported Sen. Thomas R. Carper’s (D-Del.) postal reform bill that increased hope but was not enacted.

Notably absent at that point was support from Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), chairman of the Senate committee. Notably, the House bill, which includes some elements of Carper’s legislation, is a thoroughly bipartisan effort led by the oversight committee’s Republican chairman and ranking Democrat.

With that bipartisan backing, optimism grows. The mounting consensus around the House bill builds on the forward momentum generated at the Senate hearing and House committee approval of a bipartisan postal reform bill last year that was never considered by the full House.

“The need for postal reform is as urgent as ever. Fortunately, we also may be closer than ever to enacting reform,” Cummings said. “Only we can ensure that this 240-year old institution — an institution that connects every family, business, and community in this nation — will continue to be there to serve all Americans.”

Read more:

Postal reform consensus develops; 5-day delivery dead

U.S. Postal Service to halt retail sales at Staples stores after union complaints

The exception to Postal Service adage about delivering mail

Source: New feed

February 14, 2017
5 proven growth marketing tips to double your sales
There is a saying that if you aren’t growing your dying.

Growing sales is an art and a science. The art is the communication and the sales and marketing copy. This is the persuasion piece.

The science is the technology needed to discover the data for optimising the conversion paths in the journey from attention to sale. The rise of artificial intelligence and marketing automation provides scale and insights that we as poor mortal humans struggle to discover in the avalanche of data.

Some of the tactics needed to be applied in today’s social web are a world away from the old proven methods of door knocking salesman and cold calling. But the core motivations to human behaviour remain the same………Avoiding pain and running towards pleasure.

The change? Technology now sits at the centre.

But it’s not that different

The old school direct mail marketing world’s ongoing challenge was always optimisation and testing. Making many small mistakes revealed what were the best tactics to get someone to open that envelope.

Did you personalise or write compelling headline offer on the front. What color should it be? White or Yellow?

Does that sound familiar?

Email open rates, click throughs and high converting lead magnets are just digital versions of old school advertising copywriting measurement metrics.

The more things change, the more things stay the same. The message hasn’t changed just the medium.

Fail fast and often

The fast moving digital world almost taunts us to fail fast and often. Because sometimes the cost is just time. Make a small typo in the blog post and it can be edited out in seconds.

But I am not talking about aiming to make mistakes but be willing to commit to spending some of your resources on trialling and testing new tactics.
- We trialled one Flipboard magazine content tactic and on some days its organic traffic generation kicks sand in Facebook’s face.
- We also republished some of our best content on Medium as a trial and attracted a following of over 60,000 readers.
You won’t find that in your average marketing 101 course handbook.

Trial and error and testing can reveal new sources of traffic and improved lead generation because you moved out of your comfort zone.

Focus is key

The temptation is to run off in many directions. The mobile social web is a constant distraction and .

Three areas to focus on include:
- Multi-channel traffic tactics to ensure you aren’t at too much risk from one change in one channel.
- Creating compelling content and monitoring sharing, engagement
- Measuring, testing and improving your conversion rates in your entire sales funnel from engagement to sale.
Let’s have a look at some tactics and growth hacks that help you with achieving those.

#1. Create an online quiz

Many of us have seen the Buzzfeed’s quizzes. They look like simple fun and maybe seen as superficial.

They include these classics.
- Why Are You Single?
- Which U.S. President Are You? (This one is a bit topical at the moment!)
But one of their most popular with over 21 million views is “What Career Should You Actually Have? The reality is that the questio is so compelling that it drives a ton of traffic and engagement.

But there is a serious growth tactic that sits behind that simple tactic. They are great for building your email list and that is a growth tactic worth investing in.

You can custom build them yourself or you can use a platform that makes it easy. One of those is a simple to build templates from Interact and is used by people such Toni Robbins, Cindy Joseph and brands such as Forbes and NBC.

Recommended for You

Webcast, February 16th: Build Your Growth Roadmap in a Day

So check out the Interact quiz building platform and start growing your email fast today. It is a much faster and cost effective way to implement a quiz rather than spending $10,000 on a custom build and take months of work.

It will also help you identify the top tactics and proven templates to grow your email list faster.

#2. Improve sales conversions with a better payment cart page

Increasing revenue online is not just about more traffic. Attention is vital but it’s what you do with that traffic is key.

The journey becomes one of constant optimisation. It’s simple steps like fine-tuning your lead magnet to convert at 3% instead of 2%. That alone can increase revenue by 50%.

SamCart is a tool that you can use to improve your sales funnel and one of its big features is it can improve your checkout page conversion rate by replacing the less than optimal PayPal page with one that converts better.

Here is a typical PayPal checkout page.

Here is a sample of the SamCart page that I created. It includes a guarantee, social proof and even testimonials.

The stats are currently showing around a 50% optimisation improvement. That means 50% more revenue.

The secret to many successful digital entrepreneurs is that they are always optimising every step of the buying journey.

Find more information on Smartcart Here

#3. Grow your traffic by getting more Twitter followers

The question that is often now asked “Is Twitter still worth using?”. The simple answer is “Yes”. The more complex side of that is “how”

Growing your traffic with a bigger email list, building a larger social media following on social and driving more page views with search engines is something that all smart growth marketers commit resources to.

Social Quant is one tool that is adding 10,000 followers a month to my Twitter account. It also helps to increase engagement, boost brand awareness and grow your industry influence.

If there is one key strategy that has been behind my success online then growing and using Twitter well has been key.

Find out more Here

#4. Scaling your efforts with automated webinars

Time is one thing we can’t buy, beg for more of or even steal. So we have to get smart and scale your time and resources. Marketing automation is one of those highly leveraged tactics.

I was watching an automated and pre-recorded webinar a couple of years ago by Russell Brunson who is the author behind “Dotcom Secrets: The Underground Playbook for Growing Your Company onLine”. I was looking to learn more on how to create and optimise my sales funnels. The secret behind effective sales webinars is that they educate first and sell second. The result. I bought an online course for $1,000. The revelation to me me was how effective an automated webinar could be.

That tactic didn’t stop it being a great educational resource and sales tool. Easy Webinar is one of those apps that can help you do that.

It is used by some big names in the online world and these include. Amy Porterfield, John Lee Dumas and Chris Farrell.

Marketing at scale is vital if you want to grow your business.

#5. Pop ups that convert

Getting attention is becoming harder. So using pop-ups that have a compelling offer is almost a requirement for most savvy digital entrepreneurs. This can double your current email list and can covert more than 3% of all your visitors into email subscribers.

One of the best apps to do this is that I have come across is SumoMe.

Their default designs are a great place to start. But you can create your own by using their large range of templates. The stats show that the welcome mat is one of the highest converting list building tactics you can use.

Sumome data shows that it can triple your conversion rate with its full-screen call to action.

Welcome Mat displays a full-screen call to action that shows when visitors land on your site. It encourages your visitors to join your email list and check out your latest and popular blog post!

Popular features include:
- Ability to customize the background, add gifs, videos and completely change the colors
- Mobile and web optimized
- Automatically loads when visitors arrive on your site
- Ability to use display rules to control where your popup shows
- Easy newsletter integration with Mailchimp, Aweber, Constant Contact, Campaign Monitor, GetResponses, Infusionsoft, Mad Mimi, Vero and many more!
Want to be a little less intrusive or even add to the popup then a “smart bar” will not get you the same conversion rate for clicks but it is a nice way to further optimise your list building tactics.

Smart Bar

If you go the top of my blog you will see the “Smart bar” that links to SumoMe and you can start setting it up today. You can also use it on your website to start building your email list.

Over to you

In a fast moving digital marketing landscape the effectiveness of your marketing tactics, the reach of social networks and platform algorithms can change overnight. This means a healthy sense of paranoia needs to be embraced. So looking for new ways to grow your business should be considered in your plans.

Constant innovation, adapting and testing new tactics should be part of your entrepreneurs mindset.

How are you adapting?
Source: New feed
February 14, 2017