In all our years printing, we’ve rarely encountered a project without some budget limitations. Regardless of industry, companies tend to have a keen eye on expenses, and marketing materials are no exception. So how can you maximize your budget? We recommend starting with these tips:
- Communicate with your rep. Great communication throughout a project can help you avoid any errors or unexpected changes. If you’re willing to make some subtle adjustments to your project, your rep might have some great suggestions for money-saving design tips as well. Just ask. Even better, connect with your rep before you begin design to ask about proven formats and existing templates that can reduce printing costs.
- Pay attention to postage and timing. If you’re mailing a piece, aim for the maximum size you can get within a particular rate. Also, keep your eye on whether you’re sending first class, marketing mail, parcel, etc. If you see a storm coming that could back up mail for a few days, it might make sense to hold your project so it doesn’t arrive right in the midst of a big stack. Studies show, midweek is the best time to have mail arrive, as people are likely to come home after work each night and open their mail.
- Gang projects. Take advantage of of saving on set-ups and less run time, plus avoid paper waste by printing multiple projects together. We've recently seen a great example of this by a client who ganged their annual calendar project and their newsletter into one piece, yielding savings over $100,000 in manufacturing and postage costs.
- Explore paper options. Sometimes you want to choose a great paper stock to make an impact. In most cases, however, saving on paper costs can free up money to use in more creative ways. Ask your rep about less-expensive options that will still help your project look great.
- Check, check and recheck. As you surely know, finding errors and making changes is always easier – and less expensive – earlier in the process. Institute a solid proofreading process for your team, and stick with it. It’s an essential way to avoid costly reprints and missed deadlines.
- Integrate Personalization. While personalization can add cost to a project, the ROI can make it worthwhile. Go beyond just adding names to ideas like variable images based on the recipients demographics and geomapping. 88% of consumers want to engage with brands that are setting new standards, and 74% of consumers are looking for brands that treat them better.
Let's explore specific ideas about how to maximize your marketing and print budget together. Let's connect and start the conversation.