Sabtu, 29 Maret 2014

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tentang psd dan tutorial blogging


5 Marketing Tools Postcards Can Replace For Cheap

Posted: 28 Mar 2014 05:00 AM PDT

Postcard for PsPrint customer Joshua Tree Art Gallery.

Postcard for PsPrint customer Joshua Tree Art Gallery.

There are a thousand different ways to market your products and services, some better than others. That's why it's so important for budget-minded small businesses to ensure they're investing their marketing dollars wisely; there's no room for wasted efforts and such a slim margin of error means small businesses need to engage in intelligent marketing strategies from the get-go.

While a comprehensive multi-channel marketing campaign might be the best option, it might also be an unaffordable option for many companies. That's why postcards are such popular marketing tools: they're expected, impossible to ignore and highly effective. In fact, postcards are so powerful they can serve as entire marketing campaigns on their own – and replace less effective and more expensive marketing channels. Here are five marketing tools postcards can replace for cheap.

1.  TV and radio ads

Television and radio advertising can be beneficial, but it can also be expensive. In both cases, targeting is largely limited to geography. Even though you can advertise on stations according to defined demographics, you simply can't achieve the individualized targeting afforded by postcards. That means more of your marketing will be wasted on deaf ears and blind eyes. Postcards, on the other hand, can be sent only to those people who fit your best customer demographics – in other words, those who are most likely to respond.

2.  Newspaper advertisements

Newspapers are dying a slow and stubborn death, and most newspaper ads are simply "visual noise." Unless you're willing to drop a pretty penny for a full-page, full-color ad, your ad probably isn't going to be noticed by your target customers. Plus, you're limited to individual newspaper distribution, regardless of demographics.

3.  Pay-per-click ads

PPC can definitely help your business, and it can be well-targeted. However, competitors not only drive PPC rates up, they also make it far more difficult to be noticed. Since it's unlikely even a single competitor will send a direct-mail postcard campaign on the exact day you send yours, postcards allow you to command singular attention from your customers without interference from competitors, which you get on the same exact page when you invest in PPC ads.

4.  Newsletters

Printing newsletters to send to customers on a regular basis is sound marketing, but not every small business has the budget to send multi-page, full-color newsletters every month or quarter. Instead, you can print "newscards," which are postcards that include one or two interesting stories and can also point customers to your website or blog to read more.

5.  Catalogs

Direct-mail catalogs are among the most powerful marketing tools in the world, especially for niche product categories. However, full-color catalog printing represents a large investment, and even successful retailers might not want to take the initial risk on catalog printing. Postcards are viable alternatives; you can print postcards that feature a representative offering of what you offer in your full online catalog, then direct customers (along with a coupon incentive) to log on to your website to do their shopping.

»crosslinked«

The post 5 Marketing Tools Postcards Can Replace For Cheap appeared first on PsPrint Blog.

Jumat, 28 Maret 2014

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tentang psd dan tutorial blogging


AnimeCons TV, Voodoo Chile Sauces and More

Posted: 27 Mar 2014 08:51 AM PDT

Here at PsPrint we see A LOT of postcard orders. And why not? Postcards are so versatile and make for inexpensive marketing handouts. But there are so many other print promo opportunities, as well, and this week's "Hot Off the Press" includes several ideas. Here are just a few examples:

  • Longtime customer Chronicle Books has printed business cards with its book titles for a long time, and now it's branching out into door hanger marketing.
  • Weyam Ghadbian's design for the Arab Cultural and Community Center would have been lost on anything smaller than a promotional poster.
  • Flyers are not just those items stuck in your windshield – they're quite versatile. You can order a flyer in sizes ranging from 2 by 2 inches to 17 by 12-1/2 inches. Plus, there are finishing options such as scoring, perforations for coupons and even die cutting. Via Brasil Steakhouse and Voodoo Chile Sauces are just two customers who printed flyers recently.

For more examples of PsPrint customers' printing, be sure to check out last week's "Hot Off the Press," which featured a bounty of creative print marketing.

Sticker design by Svetlana Chmakova for AnimeCons TV

image21animeconstv

Club card flyer for Voodoo Chile Sauces

image2voodoochilesauces

Postcard design by Hugh D'Andrade for Bay Area Anarchist Book Fair

image7bayareaanarchistbookfair

Poster design by Weyam Ghadbian for Arab Cultural and Community Center’s Seventh Annual Arab Women’s Conference

image12

Flyer design by Adam Gomes for Via Brasil Steakhouse

image3a

Poster by Men Can Stop Rape for Cumbee Center to Assist Abused Persons

image9mencanstoprape

Club card flyer for "The Get Back" at Beauty Bar

image13

Sticker design by Randall Hoyt for Monadnock International Film Festival

image20monadnockinternationalfilmfestival

Door hanger for Chronicle Books

image16chroniclebooks

The post AnimeCons TV, Voodoo Chile Sauces and More appeared first on PsPrint Blog.

5 Cool Photoshop Actions, Plugins and Add-Ons for Postcards

Posted: 27 Mar 2014 05:00 AM PDT

Photoshop actions, plugins and other add-ons can make postcard design a snap, especially when they reduce or eliminate tedious setup work. In addition, such add-ons can also help you design more vivid and interesting postcards. Whether you want to save time or enhance your postcard design, you'll love the following five cool Photoshop actions, plugins and other add-ons for postcards.

1.  The Picture Postcard Workflow by Dan Margulis

This is one of the most popular – and powerful – Photoshop plugins of all time. It walks you through several actions needed to enhance your postcard images, all according to color mater Dan Margulis' step-by-step editing process.

www.ledet.commargulisppw - Google Chrome_2014-02-18_06-20-21-Optimized

 

2.  Antique postcard textures on Bittbox

Bittbox shares download links for five antique postcard textures. Import them into Photoshop to give your postcards vintage appeal. Perfect for vintage-themed wedding and other invitations!

Free Texture Tuesday 5 Antique Postcards - BittBox - Google Chrome_2014-02-18_06-24-04-Optimized

 

3.  Vintage postcard stamp brushes on Spoon Graphics

Spoon Graphics shares links to several vintage postcard stamps and postmarks to help lend a splash of cool authenticity to your postcard designs.

High Quality Stamp & Post Mark Photoshop Brushes - Google Chrome_2014-02-18_06-27-34-Optimized

 

4.  3-D Photoshop postcard plugin

Some of the best Photoshop plugins are already built in to the system. The 3-D Photoshop postcard plugin lets you instantly turn your postcard in "3-D space," which makes it easier to edit and position within your design. In fact, you can use this tool to add 3-D properties to any layer. Tip Squirrel shows you how.

Using 3D Objects in Photoshop  TipSquirrel - Google Chrome_2014-02-18_07-06-50-Optimized

 

5.  Photoshop postcard layout templates

Not plugins or actions, but every bit as useful, this collection of postcard layout templates makes setting up your print-ready postcard artwork a breeze. Each template comes properly formatted in the right size, resolution and color mode; plus, helpful guides are included such as safe areas, cut lines and bleed lines so you can ensure your postcards will look as great off the press as they do on your computer.

www.psprint.comdownloadtemplatesmailhousepresortedfirstpostcardprstfrst_4x6_2014-02-18_07-12-25-Optimized

The post 5 Cool Photoshop Actions, Plugins and Add-Ons for Postcards appeared first on PsPrint Blog.

Kamis, 27 Maret 2014

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tentang psd dan tutorial blogging


Velvet Business Cards Let Customers Feel Your Quality

Posted: 26 Mar 2014 09:27 AM PDT

chocolatecard

Try our new 15-point velvet paper stock. It’s as smooth as chocolate.

You probably put a lot of thought into your business card design, but how much consideration do you give to your business card stock? If you want to motivate customers to buy, the answer should be "a lot." The reason is because the feel of your business card can have a dramatic effect on how customers perceive you, your brand, and your products and services. In fact, recent studies demonstrate that sensory marketing, or, in this case, tactile marketing, can play a tremendous role in the decision-making process. Softer, heavier "touches" motivate customers to buy – which is why 15-point velvet cover might just be the perfect business card paper stock. In a sense, it lets your customers feel your quality.

Consider the findings reported by Lawrence Williams and Joshua Ackerman in their Harvard Business Review article, "Please Touch the Merchandise:”

  • A study found that people who sat in soft chairs versus hard chairs were willing to offer 28 percent more for automobiles, suggesting that people are more susceptible to persuasive influences when they touch soft objects
  • Another study found that interviewers believed job candidates to be more serious when they conducted interviews while holding heavier clipboards, suggesting that weight makes people seem better qualified even when that weight has nothing to do with a given person
  • Yet another study found that those who drank water from a heavy vessel versus a flimsy cup believed the water that came from the heavy vessel was of greater quality (it was not), suggesting that weight makes things seem more valuable

The article cites several more examples in which touch directly influences decision-making and outcomes. The value in knowing this information is being able to apply it to marketing materials; here, business cards. With a soft, smooth, velvety finish and heavy weight, 15-point velvet cover paper stock has all desired tactile attributes associated with positive persuasion.

Everything else being equal, 15-point velvet business cards can help customers perceive you as being a more serious, friendly and helpful professional. It can also help customers perceive your products and services as being higher quality and of greater value than your competitors'. For such a low investment, it makes sense for any serious business professional to print business cards on 15-point velvet cover stock.

The role of touch in marketing is just beginning to be understood, but it's already being employed by many companies to more effectively promote their products. As the referenced article points out, Apple stores have hands-on display models to take advantage of the role of touch in marketing; in addition, car manufacturers often add dampeners to doors to make them feel heavier when closed in order to suggest quality construction.

I highly recommend you read the Williams and Ackerman article as well as this interview with Michigan Ross School of Business' Marketing Professor Aradhna Krishna. The two articles will help you more fully understand the dramatic impact tactile marketing can have for influencing customer decision-making. Then, consider whether your business cards simply look good, or whether they also feel good. If they don't, it might be time to switch to a softer, heavier touch.

The post Velvet Business Cards Let Customers Feel Your Quality appeared first on PsPrint Blog.

5 Ways to Enhance the Employee Experience

Posted: 26 Mar 2014 04:50 AM PDT

beachscene

More vacation time is an excellent employee perk.

Successful businesses are wrought from the hands of great employees. When you have outstanding employees – the kind of people who love their jobs, love serving your customers, and are darn good at it to boot – you can be confident knowing your business is headed in the right direction. Great employees empower you to trust that your business will operate smoothly when you're not there, and free you to delegate tasks while focusing on business growth.

One of the biggest issues small businesses face is retaining talented employees: When you can't compete in terms of wages and benefits, how can you attract and retain the best employees in your field? The good news is that study after study demonstrates that most employees are more motivated by their work experience than by wages, and it's far easier for small businesses to implement an innovate employee culture that fosters talent retention. Here are five ways to enhance the employee experience this year.

1.  Empower employees to make decisions and innovate

Give employees more control by empowering them to make decisions without your hand-holding, and give employees plenty of opportunities to innovate new ideas. Chances are your employees know your customers better than you do, and they are definitely in the best position to gauge the efficiency of your customer interactions. Encourage employees to present new ideas for serious consideration; when you implement an idea, put the employee behind in charge of managing it. Empowering your employees lends a sense of ownership in your business, and gives them a vested interest in helping you succeed. It will also make your employees happier.

2.  Flexible scheduling and more vacation time

These might be the greatest perks you can offer in lieu of greater wages and benefits. One innovative model eliminates the concept of hourly work and places every employee on set wages; employees are assigned to projects and then are largely free to complete related tasks on whatever time schedule works best for them. Liberal vacation time means happier and hungrier employees, and makes it easier to attract and retain talent. Extended weekends and the ability to work from home are also ways you can be more flexible and foster a happy working environment.

3.  Recognition and rewards

Recognize a job well-done, celebrate career milestones and give performance-based rewards. When employees feel appreciated, they'll want to continue working for you. Rewards don't have to be expensive: a paid half day off, a gas card or reservations at a new hot restaurant can be incredibly meaningful – especially if your rewards match your individual employees' interests.

4.  Breaks in routines

No matter how much someone loves their job, doing the same exact thing day in and day out can take its toll. Seek opportunities to break routines for your employees. One way to do this is to assign team members to specific projects that will help your business grow outside of the day-to-day work routine.

5.  Team building events, minus the team building

Too many companies try to take employees on team-building outings, complete with challenges, games and tasks that no one really wants to do. Instead, treat your employees to a stress-free dinner, trip to the local pub or tickets to a concert. If your community hosts a popular festival, reserve a table just for your employees and their families – and don't expect them to do anything but have a great time. In this manner, you can foster natural team building, which lends itself to a more productive office environment.

How else can you enhance the employee experience this year?

 

The post 5 Ways to Enhance the Employee Experience appeared first on PsPrint Blog.

Rabu, 26 Maret 2014

tentang psd dan tutorial blogging

tentang psd dan tutorial blogging


5 Cool Photoshop Add-Ons for Stickers

Posted: 25 Mar 2014 05:00 AM PDT

Stickers are some of the most versatile print materials on the planet. They can be employed as marketing tools that can be affixed nearly anywhere. They can be fun commemorative photos shared between friends. They can be profitable retail products crafted by graphic designers. Photoshop is a great program for sticker design, and the following five cool Photoshop add-ons for stickers make designing stickers faster, easier and better than ever.

1.  Round photos sticker action

This Photoshop action found on Panos FX lets you instantly turn any photo into a round sticker. The page says it's a perfect action for scrapbooking, but it could similarly be used for any project that requires round stickers.

stickers-tapes  free-photoshop-actions - Google Chrome_2014-02-18_08-36-50-Optimized

 

2.  PSD Covers wine bottle label generator

PSD Covers features a suite of awesome Photoshop actions that allow you to instantly generate mockups based on your designs. This action lets you see how your wine labels will actually appear on bottles; browse around the site for more sticker and label mockup generator actions.

www.psdcovers.comwine001 - Google Chrome_2014-02-18_08-42-09-Optimized

 

3.  Photoshop sticker styles

This collection of eight sticker styles for Photoshop will let you transform text into bright, glossy wordmark stickers with a single click. Intended to be used for mock stickers placed on websites, but the styles could just as easily be adapted for CMYK printing.

Download Free 8 Free Sticker Photoshop Styles at Downloadpsd.com  download PSD _2014-02-18_08-46-40-Optimized

 

4.  Sticker and label Photoshop action creator

This cool set of actions allows you to create unique sticker die-cuts for print, including custom postal stamps and stickers with unique designer edge effects. This action creator was developed by PSD Dude and sells for $4 on Graphic River; and it's well worth the nominal fee.

Add-ons - Sticker and Label Photoshop Action Creator  GraphicRiver - Google Chr_2014-02-18_08-50-32-Optimized

 

5.  Sheet sticker layout templates

One of the best ways to print stickers in bulk is printing sheet stickers, which allow you to print multiple stickers per page. In fact, sheet stickers allow you to print multiple sticker designs at no additional cost. These sheet sticker layout templates are perfect setup tools because they come pre-formatted in the proper resolution, sizes and color mode. They also include helpful lines such as safe areas, bleed lines and cut lines so you can be sure your stickers are perfectly printed.

www.psprint.comdownloadtemplatessheet_stickers2x2-Circle.pdf - Google Chrome_2014-02-18_09-06-55-Optimized

The post 5 Cool Photoshop Add-Ons for Stickers appeared first on - PsPrint Blog.

Selasa, 25 Maret 2014

tentang psd dan tutorial blogging

tentang psd dan tutorial blogging


30 Ways to Market with Direct-mail Postcards

Posted: 24 Mar 2014 05:00 AM PDT

Hot Off the Press Blue Bottle Coffee, Joshua Tree Art Gallery and More  - PsPr_2014-02-25_10-57-47-Optimized

Postcard for  PsPrint customer Trophy Cupcakes and Party

If you're a fan of the PsPrint Blog, you've no doubt read a lot about how postcards can be powerful marketing tools. With a well-targeted mailing list and a compelling offer, postcards are the kings of direct mail; not only are they exceptional at generating response, they're cost effective because they're require the least postage. Those attributes make postcards attractive for companies that want to expand their customer base and boost sales, but you might not be sure what you can market with direct-mail postcards. The answer is pretty much anything, and for your inspiration I've listed here 30 ways to market with direct-mail postcards.

  1. Promote a special discount offer or buy-one-get-one sale.
  2. Turn your postcard into a response card in which customers share friends' information and everyone gets a discount.
  3. Turn postcards into event invitation cards to get guests to your business-sponsored or sales event.
  4. Use postcards to encourage customers to drop in for a charity drive, and give them a per-donation discount.
  5. Print newscards, or postcards as mini-newsletters, as a cheap way to stay in touch with your customer base.
  6. Print mini-catalog postcards that present your featured products and give customers a discount coupon to shop your full catalog online.
  7. Print postcards as thank-you cards to follow up after closed business.
  8. Postcards can also be sent as appointment reminder cards.
  9. Print postcards to inform your customers with relevant information, then offer a consultation to help them make important decisions.
  10. Send postcards with VIP access to your restaurant or night club.
  11. If you're in real estate, send postcards to introduce new neighbors.
  12. Develop a multi-postcard marketing campaign for the full year. Why? Repetition sells; in fact, it's said that 80 percent of sales are made after the fourth contact, while only two percent are made on the first.
  13. Print postcards that promote your accessory items, not just the big Kahunas.
  14. Partner with non-competing companies that share your same target customer base and launch a cross-promotional package your customers can't refuse.
  15. Print postcards with bold text and contrasting colors to command attention.
  16. Similarly, incorporate meaningful or humorous (yet relevant) photos and illustrations to get noticed and help make your point.
  17. Print extra-large postcards to ensure yours doesn't get lose in the mix.
  18. Try die cuts and foil stamps to make your postcards – and your brand – stand out from the competition.
  19. If you have a small budget, start small: only print and mail those postcards you can afford to invest in. Then, use your return to launch a bigger direct-mail postcard campaign.
  20. Print direct-mail postcards that drive traffic to your mobile website with QR codes.
  21. You can also print postcards designed to get customers to download your app; again, QR codes can make this process a snap.
  22. Tap into the power of augmented reality to use postcards as sales demonstration platforms, either in 3-D or linked videos.
  23. Print postcard magnets that are useful in some way (kitchen measurement conversion charts and local sports schedules, for example) so customers see your brand every time they go to the fridge.
  24. Print postcards with perforated tear-off wallet-sized customer cards that can be stamped every time your customers use them until they get a freebie.
  25. Send postcards as maintenance and service reminders: pet vaccinations, oil changes, dentist check-ups and more.
  26. Send postcards with steps to follow and emergency information in the event of an accident, if you're in the auto insurance, body repair, or wrecking industry.
  27. Send a postcard offering a freebie if customers bring a friend along, especially if you operate a restaurant and want to get the word out about your dishes.
  28. Print a customer survey postcard requesting feedback on how you're doing; pay attention to the results.
  29. Send postcards the explicitly point out the differences between you and your competitors, featuring your benefits.
  30. Send postcards for holiday promotions: Valentine's Day, Independence Day, Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving and more.

As you can see, there are many different ways to position postcards to promote your products and services. Think about each as it relates to your specific industry, and you'll undoubtedly come up with dozens more that aren't listed here. Then, get to work developing a winning postcard marketing campaign!

»crosslinked«

The post 30 Ways to Market with Direct-mail Postcards appeared first on - PsPrint Blog.

Sabtu, 22 Maret 2014

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tentang psd dan tutorial blogging


5 Cool Sticker Marketing Campaigns You Haven’t Seen Yet

Posted: 21 Mar 2014 04:30 AM PDT

Stickers are powerful marketing tools, especially when deployed for "surprise and delight" marketing. Surprise and delight marketing is the practice of placing marketing tools – here, stickers – in unusual, expected places in a humorous, entertaining, and/or memorable way. For your inspiration, here are five cool sticker marketing campaigns you (probably) haven't seen yet.

1. Riviera Prive Hotel

To promote its private beach, bar and pool area, the Riviera Hotel in Lebanon affixed these large-format stickers to restroom mirrors at trendy night clubs throughout Beirut. The idea was that patrons could be seen by the hottest people on the beach by visiting Prive, evident by the giant mirrored "sunglasses" in the ads.

The Cool Hunter - Riviera Prive Beirut - Promoting (Sunglasses) A Beach Resort -_2014-02-25_06-53-50-Optimized

 

2.  Science World's Quirky Facts

These stickers were pinned on trees to make it look as though they had been chewed  through by beavers; at the end of the trees is another sticker that says a single beaver can cut down 200 trees each year. The stickers were part of a larger, comprehensive campaign sought to promote Science World, a nonprofit British-Columbia science and technology organization.

Science World's Quirky Facts Commercials › Zuza Fun - Google Chrome_2014-02-25_07-06-06-Optimized

 

3.  Bathroom Stickers: Calgary Horror Convention

To promote its upcoming Calgary Horror Convention, the creepy conference placed these stickers on public restroom doors throughout its target customers' region. Creepy!

Calgary Horror Convention Bathroom sticker  Ads of the World™ - Google Chrome_2014-02-25_07-19-41-Optimized

 

4.  Diet or Regular?

This joint Coca-Cola/McDonald's promotion placed stickers on stair and escalator risers to market Coke products at McDonald's restaurants. The campaign marketed regular Coca-Cola to those who took the stairs, and Diet Coke to those who took the escalators.

Les 500 plus belles pub de Guérilla Marketing - Partie 1 Marketing & Innovation _2014-02-25_08-52-35-Optimized

 

5.  Duracell Powers the City

These stickers were placed on a high-voltage power box in Malaysia, obviously promoting the supreme power of Duracell batteries.

17 International Ambient Marketing Examples - Google Chrome_2014-02-25_08-57-03-Optimized

Which sticker marketing campaign is your favorite, and why? Let me know in the comments!

The post 5 Cool Sticker Marketing Campaigns You Haven’t Seen Yet appeared first on - PsPrint Blog.

Jumat, 21 Maret 2014

tentang psd dan tutorial blogging

tentang psd dan tutorial blogging


Hot Off the Press: Fiber Art Now, Sequoia Elementary School and More

Posted: 20 Mar 2014 08:46 AM PDT

I love chatting with customers about the creative ways they use print marketing. Here are some highlights from this week's collection of the best PsPrint printing:

  • "Fiber Art Now" magazine prints a sticker to adhere to the front of folders for its media kit, which is sent to prospective advertisers.
  • What's better than a bookmark for promoting a book? Plastic Love Monkey Press is doing just that with its marketing for Román Leão's "Inside a Broken Clock." (Bonus tip: PsPrint just lowered the price on bookmark printing!)
  • The Monarch Butterfly Survival Kit's instructions are printed on a handy business card.

Other PsPrint customers in this issue of "Hot Off the Press" choose back-to-basics marketing in the form of the reliable postcard. For nothing but postcard design, please refer to last week's "Hot Off the Press."

Sticker design by Lori Beda Butanis for 'Fiber Art Now'

image2fiberartnow

Business card by Nataly Lace and MisterLogo for Monarch Butterflies Help

image7monarchbutterflieshelp

Booklet cover design by Damion Mosier-Todd for Sequoia Elementary School

image10sequoiaelementary

Bookmark design by Ray Larsen for Plastic Love Monkey Press

image19a

Business card design by Roxanne O’Brien for New Leaf Photography

image1newleafphotography

Postcard design by Ed Halvey for YouthAware Out and United

image15youthawareoutandunited

Sticker design by Cindy Coleman for The Online Outpost

image8theonlineoutpost

Postcard for Africa Yoga Project

image13africayogaproject

Brochure cover design by Boldium's Emma Bernsohn and Igor Gasowski for Finding Rover

image5findingrover

Sticker design by Kim Wilkinson for American Morgan Horse Association

image6americanmorganhorseassociation

Postcard design by Danielle Konya and Peter Wonsowski for Vegan Treats Bakery

image18fatallyyours

Brochure for Best Friends Animal Society

image3bestfriends

Sticker design by Kate Allen for Alabama Baptist Children's Homes and Family Ministries

image22

Postcard for West Coast Contact Improvisation Jam

image20

The post Hot Off the Press: Fiber Art Now, Sequoia Elementary School and More appeared first on - PsPrint Blog.

What Are The Best Colors for Postcard Marketing?

Posted: 20 Mar 2014 05:00 AM PDT

The 40/40/20 rule of direct-mail marketing states that 40 percent of your success is dependent on the quality of your mailing list, another 40 percent on your offer, and the remaining 20 on "everything else." I think it's a good rule of thumb because it emphasizes the fact that you need to reach the right people with the right incentive in order to maximize your return on investment; however, at the same time lumping everything else together into the remaining 20 percent is somewhat of an injustice to the integral role graphic design plays in postcard marketing.

Let's say, for example, you have an awesome offer targeted to the perfect mailing list, but you print that offer in 4-point font. Ludicrous? Perhaps, but it also demonstrates how important graphic design is to your success. That's especially true when it comes to color. The color of your postcard will largely determine whether your campaign commands the attention of the human eye; it will also set the mood for promotion and speak volumes about your brand without the benefit of the printed word. Thus, your choice of postcard color is critical to your success – which begs the question, what are the best colors for postcard marketing?

Three theories for postcard color

Selecting the best postcard color ultimately depends on the overall goals of your postcard campaign.  There are three basic considerations to take:

  • color for attention
  • color for emotion
  • color for brand

You can decide whether to select a color based on one of those considerations; alternatively, you can try to identify colors and color combinations that are good fits for all three.

Color for attention

One of the foremost goals of postcard design is to command attention. Your postcard must be noticed before it can effectively market your products and services. If getting noticed is the primary goal of design, it stands to reason that you would select bright, attention-getting colors for your postcard design: fluorescent yellow, for example. You would then select a color that has high contrast against that base, such as black against yellow, to make your message stand out.

Black and yellow certainly aren't the only colors that command attention, but they do represent the theory of coloring for attention well. Any bright color matched with a dark, contrasting color will work. However, such colors might not fit with your brand or emotional theme.

Notice how road signs that warn you of upcoming turns, animal crossings, and other potential hazards are always in yellow and black; while stop signs are always red and white. These colors were chosen to command attention.

medium_33413040-Optimized

photo credit: CarbonNYC via photopin cc

 

Color for emotion

Customers buy on emotion, justify with logic. This isn't the first time you've read that statement, and if it is to be believed then it means you should print postcards with colors designed to elicit the right emotion from your customer base. Do you want them to be excited? Scared? Do you want to promote feelings of well-being, responsibility or security?

A lot of color theory research has gone into determine just how colors affect our moods, thoughts and emotions. Many brand colors are selected on that basis alone, which is why it's very possible to print postcards that feature colors that reflect both your campaign theme and brand values. However, those colors might not be the most attention-getting, depending on what your theme and values are.

This infographic by Attwood Digital sums up the meaning of color and color psychology in marketing. Check it out to see what colors best align with your postcard message.

The Meaning Of Colour In Marketing  Visual.ly - Google Chrome_2014-02-18_10-28-12-Optimized

 

Color by brand

This is the simplest postcard color choice to determine because it's based solely on your brand, which already has a set of defined colors. Deciding to print postcards that reflect your brand colors can be more difficult, however, as your brand colors might not be all that attention-getting and they might not even match your campaign theme. Still, if you send a lot of postcards (and you should, given the fact that repetition can vastly increase brand awareness and response rates), it's a good idea to make sure customers instantly recognize your brand when they see your postcards.

This infographic by ColourLovers.com, you can see how some of the web's major brands are represented in color.

The Most Powerful Colors on the Web - Blog About Infographics and Data Visualiza_2014-02-18_10-45-52-Optimized

 

What what are the best postcard colors?

Ultimately, the best postcard colors are those that satisfy all three theories: attention, emotion and brand. If you can't identify colors or color combinations that are capable of satisfying all three, then you should determine what aspect of your campaign is most important: getting attention, eliciting emotion or promoting your brand. Then, select the color that best represents that goal. Also, consider alternative ways to satisfy all three theories. For example, if you want to command attention but your logo is a subdued hue, simply print it on one corner of your postcard and use an attention-getting color combination for the rest of the postcard.

Finally, don't forget the 40/40/20 rule. If your offer and mailing list are the most important factors, drawing attention to them has to be more important than drawing attention to your brand or eliciting emotion. If you can't get noticed, you can't earn leads or sales.

What do you think is the best color for postcard marketing?

The post What Are The Best Colors for Postcard Marketing? appeared first on - PsPrint Blog.