What Matters Most

While travelling today, I was reminded of the importance of something we often take for granted: good customer service. The reason I take it for granted is because I have grown accustomed to it because BPI Media Group has the best customer service out there. Let me tell you about my experiences today, and I think you'll be able to relate and we can all better appreciate the folks who make our jobs and lives not only easier, but enriched.

Being on the road teaches you a lot of things: what times to avoid the worst traffic, which exits are easiest to maneuver, and even which gas stations have the cleanest bathrooms. But, one thing you never fully get used to is a flat tire on the side of the road. Yes, this happened to yours truly today while travelling South on I-85.

My poor, tired dog, Hunter, waiting on roadside assistance with me.

Here's what I experienced as GOOD customer service from both roadside assistance and the service department that replaced my tire:

• A friendly voice
• An eagerness to help
• A genuine concern for my "bear in the room" (my bear at the moment was the flat tire that brought me to a screeching halt on a hot summer day and kept me from making forward progress)
• A quick resolution to my problem
• A follow-up call to ensure my satisfaction

Here's what I experienced as BAD customer service from the person sent to put on my spare tire until I could get a new tire:

• An unmet deadline (I was told someone would be there to help me within the hour, and it was 2.5x as long)
• An excuse for not being on time and missing aforementioned deadline
• A lack of professionalism

Fortunately, there were more positive experiences than negative, but these are the types of experiences that either bring customers back or keep them at bay. After working as a customer service representative at BPI Media Group for about 3 1/2 years, I learned what is most important at BPI: customers. That's why our mission statement is: “Our success is measured by the success of our customers.” BPI's customer service team does everything listed in the "good list" above and strives to make your project go as smoothly as possible every time. We want our customers to give us good word of mouth and positive feedback, and that is why customer service is equally as critical as a deadline to us.

Jolie, CSR @ BPI. She helps me with everything! Attention to detail is key for Jolie.

Angie, another CSR @ BPI who's friendly attitude shines through!

Here are just a couple of examples of how our CSRs and production crew at BPI go the extra mile for our customers:
-Customer calls at 1 pm Tuesday afternoon needing 365,000 copies of this mailer.

Not just any mailer. This one is full color, scores, mails and has to be out the door on Thursday (yes, this week!) But that's not all; there are 68 black plate changes for store location versioning and 18 4cp plate changes. It is on press as I type and will be ready to leave our dock by Thursday. Angie helped coordinate and schedule all the details of this project from start to finish to provide our customer with a confident sigh of relief to know this job has been handled.
-Customer emails high priority request for a line review with a big-box home improvement store. They need 53 versions of custom diecut header cards for their product asap. Challenge: dies take time to build. Since the quantity is very low for this initial printing, Jolie helps me figure out the most time and cost-efficient way of printing these: digitally. BPI received files end of day Friday, and these will be proofed, printed, diecut, laminated and in the customer's hands for assembly by this Friday.

These are just a couple of examples of how BPI's sales team works with our customer service team to help our customers' "bears" turn into problems checked off their to-do lists. This brings a smile to everyone's faces and keeps customers just like we want them: long term.
To learn more about our CSRs, sales team and management, click here.
Customer feedback is very important to us. Click here to tell us how we're doing--we really want to know!

Create & Integrate!

What gets your attention and makes you respond? Is it a postcard, an email, a text or a website? Think about that for a minute before answering...

According to an October 2010 InfoTrends study, Capturing the Cross Media Direct Marketing Opportunity, the survey revealed that marketers are using an average of 2.7 media channels for a typical integrated campaign. 53.1% of marketers use 3-5 marketing touches per campaign. So, if you're not using cross-media marketing to optimize the variety of channels, let BPI Media Group help you get started.

Here are a few tips & stats about cross-media and how it can be used to improve your ROI (we even have a ROI calculator you can use at the onset of each campaign!) and become TOM (top of mind) with your customers. Click here for an overview of how integrated campaigns work.

-Qualify your leads. You can do this through data mining or data analytics based on your current customer lists to analyze patterns in buying behavior of your customers. (Ask me about data mining...gems of information out there & this will be the topic of an upcoming blog!)
-Map out a campaign plan. Your campaign should incorporate the following:

• realistic objectives
• graphics that will capture the attention of your audience
• messaging that is relevant and meaningful
• an inspiring offer (whether it's a discount, coupon or FREE swag)
• integration of multiple channels (Tie your print to email and online messaging, consider using a campaign that allows for SMS messaging if it's a logical fit for your business model or add a QR code to your direct mailer. Click here for some stats on mobile phone subscribers in the US--amazing!)
• multiple touches (don't just send 1 or 2 postcards/emails and wish for the best--persistence pays off!)
• and multiple ways to respond (examples: online, email, sms text, QR code via smartphone, phone and yes, even mail)

-Include personalized messaging. Research shows you'll see a lift in response just by incorporating variable data (name, image, messaging) on your direct marketing pieces.
-Add a gurl or purl (general or personal url/landing page) to create a way of gathering info about your customer or prospect. This provides a chance to respond online, which is preferred by most.

(Example of a gurl: www.bpitreasuremap.com and example of a purl: www.ElizabethStewart.bpitreasuremap.com)
Don't be afraid to check out these landing pages, fill out your info & see what pops up in your inbox!


-Most importantly, track your responses (measure your ROI!) and follow up. BPI's dashboard provides you with a way to see all the information captured from respondents.

In a recent InfoTrends & DMA report, response rates were measured by using a variety of marketing channels:
Print, email, web: 8.8%
Print and email: 8.3%
Print and web landing page: 7.7%
Direct mail alone: 3.4%
Email alone: 1.7%

A well-executed cross-media campaign is a great way to lift your response. If you need help with design, planning or even email marketing, please reach out to me. BPI has a fantastic email marketing program which also allows you to view the dashboard in real time to see how, when, where the email is being opened. Remember, failure is likely due to immeasurable results and unreal objectives. Don't let your next campaign be a flop; instead be captivating, relevant and timely.

Our success is measured by the success of our clients. As the lyrics of a Bob Marley song inspire so many, "Stir it up..." This goes for your marketing too!

Demand & Fulfill Your Print!

Have you ever thought to yourself, "I know I ordered several thousand of this item, but I can't seem to find any in the storage closet" , or "...the warehouse is telling me we are out of stock on this item"? Inventory management issues are one of the most common frustrations I hear from clients. Don't let it make you feel like this!

While in one of my favorite cities, Rome, GA yesterday, I learned a lot by listening to one customer's concerns about inventory of printed products, so I thought I'd share some tips on MAM (Marketing Asset Management) and BPI's solution to help alleviate this pain point.
Concerns/Problems heard from marketers about procurement, production, storage & distribution of marketing collateral, promo items & point-of-sale displays:

1. Accountability from CFO for marketing dollars spent: Scrutinized budgets and accountability of where & how marketing dollars are being spent.

2. Obsolete materials: The days of ordering a higher volume to get a price break are over. Take advantage of BPI's print-on-demand solution to lower your costs and print only what you need when you need it.

3. Time-consuming to gather orders from different departments or sales team: It can be labor-intensive for someone to gather this information, enter the orders, and distribute the orders. BPI's storefront solution offers an automated way to simplify this process and can be customized to fit the needs of your organization, large or small.

4. Inventory control issues: When materials are ordered by various departments and salespeople, you never know how much is left in stock & when you should reorder. Our storefront solution keeps track of all orders, manages inventory levels and allows for real-time reporting of activity, so you always know exactly how much you have on hand.

5. Personalizing or versioning for various departments or locations: This can easily be done through digital printing using variable data or overprinting on shells to customize for multiple sales reps or locations.

These are all frustrations that can be alleviated by using a materials management tool such as a storefront solution. This can help improve the efficiency of marketing operations and the dollars saved can then be used to fund new campaigns or projects.

Use this basic formula to help determine how much you're really spending on collateral:

-Number of requests processed-Determine the # of requests processed/week x 52 weeks per yr = total annual requests for materials.
-Average request processing time-Assume the average request takes about 20 minutes. 20 min x # of annual requests = # of minutes each yr/60= # of hrs each yr.
-Hourly processing labor costs-Determine the salary or hourly wages of the employee(s) who process & fulfill these requests for materials x the # of hrs determined from the previous step = labor cost ea year.
-Annual request processing cost-The above 3 steps help determine how much your department spends annually to request, process & fulfill materials.
You should also consider the volume of obsolete materials that are discarded each year as well as shipping costs to get a comprehensive dollar amount for materials management.

Click here to download the Marketer's Toolkit which details this formula.

Click here to watch a short video showing BPI's mail & fulfillment team in action for one of our customers for whom we manage inventory & fulfill orders daily through storefront orders! We have a hard-working team who is conscious of the timeliness of fulfillment requests for materials.

If you'd like to schedule an online demo of our storefront solution or chat about how print-on-demand could help you & your budget, please call or email me anytime. I look forward to hearing from you! I'd love to brainstorm with you about ways to make your marketing materials management easier, even if it is as simple as labeling your last few boxes with bright-colored stickers with "time to reorder" to prevent you from depleting inventory and getting into a back-order situation. Headed out the door again tomorrow for client appointments in and around Atlanta...will report back next week with details to share!

C'mon...Add Some Depth to Your Print!

Ever notice how once you see or hear about something, it is suddenly everywhere you look? That's the case with QR (two-dimensional or quick-response) codes. While scurrying about for BPI client visits, they seem to pop up on billboards. While flipping through a magazine in a lobby while waiting for a meeting, they dot the pages of print advertising. Check your mailbox, and you'll see them popping up in sale papers too.

Go ahead, scan this QR code. I dare ya! You'll just need a QR code reader on your phone such as ScanLife, BeeTagg or QuickMark.

QR codes made their big US debut last year in Black Friday ads offering promotions, coupons, etc. Look for them to return this year with even more of a presence. This is especially true since we are a mobile society who can't part with our blackberries, iPhones or Androids, but this is the beauty of it--we don't have to. 37% of U.S. smartphone users have made a purchase on their phones in the last 6 months (Source: Compete, Inc.). This has caused a boost in the number of mobile sites created where a site can be easily navigated on a smartphone rather than on their image-heavy counterpart viewed on a desk or laptop.
We've had customers incorporate QR codes on their actual products to show product details, on a flyer to promote or register for an event, on posters linking to a video, and even one customer who is planning to do a walking tour of a cemetery by including QR codes on markers to give a new meaning to a virtual tour. Way cool stuff!
So, why add a QR code to your direct mail piece or catalog? You can track it and know where sales are generated! For a quick view of how that works, check out BPI Media Group's Sales Tool. This type of integrated campaign can easily be used to track your ROI and meshed with social media outlets. Think about it: communicate with your customers the way you communicate--mobily & socially.

Two-dimensional codes aren't the only dimension to print. Check your mailbox for BPI's latest postcard featuring this cool lizard.

Check it out, the postcard is printed on our digital press, a Kodak Nexpress, using dimensional coating. Try incorporating this effect on your next direct mail piece. I've got really simple instructions for you graphic designers-just ask me for that. This coating will be sure to gain attention because everyone wants to "feel" it. After all, isn't response what we're all after?

So, the next time you think dimensionally, you don't necessary need the goofy 3-D glasses, you just need to think outside the box and include these cool aspects of print in your marketing campaign. Both of these dimensional options are budget friendly and do one thing: get your company noticed. Give me a buzz or drop me an email, and I'll be glad to chat with you more about ways to incorporate dimension into your printing.

R & R: Resolution and Richness

Today was a day of riding around prospecting. For most in sales, this is always tough, but I rather enjoy it. You never know what business and opportunity is right around the corner...until you get out and look for it! Peppered throughout the day were calls and emails from clients pertaining to the most common problems faced by all marketers and designers: you guessed it, file problems.

If you ask any BPI prepress technician how often they receive perfectly-packaged files, the answer will be almost never. DO NOT feel badly because you're not alone if you have occasional preflight problems. This is one of the main conversations I have when sitting across the desk from a client. A great solution for our clients has been to use our Kodak Insite proofing system. This allows customers to easily upload files and within minutes (REALLY!), a proof is ready to view/approve OR a notice of preflight problems is sent. Any preflight problems will be listed per page and identified as either being inadequate bleed, low resolution images, etc.

I thought I'd share a few common problems and solutions with you today and hope this will be helpful on your next print project. After all, the best way to learn is from our peers & colleagues, right?

Fellow BPI Rep, Wendy, with me in the Kodak booth at the Printing Show in Chicago a few years ago. Always good to enjoy the company of and learn from your peers!

Issue 1: No bleed. For printing, there should be 1/8" bleed. This allows room for the final trim.

Issue 2: Low-res images. For printing, all images, including logos and photos, should be at least 300 dpi. Anything less will not print crisp and clear the way you want your company to be represented on your collateral and marketing pieces. This seems to be a bigger problem in desktop publishing software such as Publisher, but can sometimes be a problem in InDesign too depending on the source of your images files. (Note: All images downloaded directly from a website will be low resolution. Instead, try getting your images from a stock photo provider such as istock or stock exchange. Many of the images on these sites are free or at a minimal cost. Just be sure to check the copyright!)

Issue 3: Rich black text. It is best to only use rich black when you have a large, solid area of black. On all text, keep the black at 100% black only. Here's the formula we prefer for rich black areas of print, just in case you need it:
100% black
40% Cyan
30% Magenta
30% Yellow

Issue 4: Missing fonts. This common preflight problem can be easily avoided when packaging your print files.

Issue 5: RGB images. In printing, the colors used are CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow and black). RGB (red, green, blue) is what most monitors see (tv and computer). If an image prints in RGB, it appears "washed out" or faded.

BPI's prepress department can always answer any questions relative to specific file problems. We also have exporting guidelines that can be very helpful much like the screen shot shown here. As always, please call or email me anytime, and if I don't know the answer, I will get it for you. (If you'd like any screen shots emailed to you for reference in file prep, drop me a note, and I'll be glad to send them right over to you.)

PS-Don't forget to sign up for our bimonthly webinar--this time we'll be covering Kodak Insite! Tuesday, August 9th @ 11 am ET/10 am CT. Click here to join the webinar.

Until next time...Elizabeth