What? No Email!?!

"It happens to everyone," I kept telling myself. "The world will not quit turning," I mumbled a time or two. "I guess I will have to call the customer." When I heard myself saying and thinking these things yesterday, it turned out to be an eye-opening experience. It really does happen to everyone, so when our email stopped working for a total of less than 24 hours at BPI Media Group yesterday, I did what I should be doing every day anyway--met with people face to face and picked up the phone.

Whether it's a technical issue with a smart phone, wifi not working properly or a problem with Google (yes, even they experience technical difficulties like yesterday), there are times when we are not connected to our offices and customers via email. At first, I was in a state of shock, as I always am when something like that happens, but then I realized...I have a lot of time. Time to see people and make phone calls. I attended a networking breakfast that I almost blew off because I thought I was going to be too busy yesterday morning. Then, I met a prospect for lunch and learned that there are some really great business opportunities we have to work together on executing marketing campaigns. I even met someone for coffee and gained a couple of valuable referrals from the meeting. (With all that eating, I'm surprised I wasn't waddling by day's end!)

Without the ball and chain of email and the anticipation of what the next email holds or "waiting" on something to come across, I was reminded of better ways to spend my time. Talking to those who trust BPI enough to work with us and meeting new people. When emails started pouring in very late in the day, I spent a little time catching up and sorting through and then turned it OFF. The kick in the pants that there's more than one way to reach a customer or prospect is a lesson worth sharing. Phone, mail, face to face and yes, even fax. If the message is important, we should mix up the ways we communicate with our customers and prospects. Keep it fresh and unexpected.

Until next time...Elizabeth

Print is Material

If you look on the shelves in the swatch room at BPI Media Group, you'll see hundreds if not thousands of different types of papers. There are different colors, textures, coatings and thicknesses of papers from which to choose for your creative messaging. How do you know which one to choose? Hopefully, this will help and offer you a few more selections for those of you who need variety.

Things to consider when choosing a paper/substrate:

• How will it be used?
• Will anyone write on it?
• Will it mail?
• How long will it be in circulation?
• Do you need it to "stick" to anything?
• Does it need to have recycle content?

If you're going to write on it, or if the end user will write on it, you'll want to select a dull (or matte/silk) finish or even an uncoated (such as offset or opaque). Gloss-coated papers are the most difficult on which to write. You can always gloss coat the front/image side and leave the back uncoated or dull, so it can be written on if this works for the design of your piece.Keep in mind too if your piece will be ran through a laser printer at any time; if so, consider a laser-safe paper.

If it mails, you'll want to make certain it is thick enough to hold up in the mail stream and meet all USPS postal requirements. You'll also want to consider if it is a reply mail card and make sure it is thick enough to mail back as well as be easily written on if applicable.

If your marketing material is going to be around for a while or be distributed and used in the field, you may want to consider a cover-weight paper to add durability. You may even want to consider adding a varnish, aqueous coating, uv or lamination to give it a longer life span. If it is only advertising an event and will be obsolete after a few weeks, you can opt for a text-weight paper in most cases. If your marketing piece is to be used at a trade show, you may want it to be on gatorbaord or foam core (such as a sign or easel) to give it the rigidity it needs to stand alone.

Labels come in all shapes, sizes and stick to all different types of materials. There's gloss, semi-gloss and uncoated for the surface, but the back is more important here because you'll want to consider to what the label will adhere. Think about whether it will need to be permanent adhesive or repositionable. If it will be exposed to heat or cold temperatures, the adhesive will need to comply with those factors as well.

Many environmentally-conscious folks prefer a paper that contains recycle content. There are tons of options for that too, so don't sweat it.

If you have windows or "store fronts" in your brick and mortar facilities, you may need clings for your windows. BPI can print on clings as well as vinyl that will adhere to your wall (think of a fat head that kids have in their rooms on the wall). If you want to do magnets, BPI can also help with that plus window decals, ID cards and other forms of coupon cards.

Here are a few paper selector links from the most popular paper mills, but as always, feel free to contact me if you have a question or just aren't sure which paper or material is right for your project. I'd be glad to help!

Paper Selectors:

• Neenah Paper
• Mohawk Paper
• Sappi Paper

Until next time...Elizabeth