I Need it ASAP!

A great customer recently shared this photo with me, so I thought it was appropriate to share with you all as I'm sure you have all found yourselves thinking this, or better yet, you're the one posing the question, "How soon can I have it?"

Being in a deadline-driven industry, this is a question I hear daily, if not several times a day, so don't EVER feel bad for asking me this question. I promise, you are not the first, nor will you be the last. It is part of my job! Here are a few stats on how quickly BPI Media Group's equipment can work, and these machines can crank out the printed pieces and mail to help meet tight deadlines!

Prepress. If you upload the files for your print project using Insite, you'll receive an email notifying you that your soft proof (pdf) is ready to review within the hour. Once approved, the files will go directly to plate, so your project can be ready for press in a matter of hours.

Presses. Our Heidelberg conventional presses can run 12,000 sheets per hour. Our Nexpress (digital press) can run 2,500 14 x 20 one-sided sheets per hour.

Bindery. Our folders run 10,000 sheets per hour. The perfect binder binds 3,500 books per hour. We can saddlestitch 7,000 books per hour. The shrink wrap machine can do approx 1,000 wraps per hour.

Mail. For magazines or catalogs, we can address 7,000-8,000 per hour; for self mailers or postcards, we can address 15,000 pieces per hour.

As you can see, the machines can run very quickly, so if you are working with a tight deadline, we will work hard to make that deadline allowing you to breathe a sigh of relief and know that your project is in good hands at BPI. By utilizing our storefront for print-on-demand fulfillment, we can ship orders in as little as 48 hours (of course, if it's not a custom item or on a specialty-type paper).

By using our automated proofing system (Insite) or taking advantage of an online storefront for ordering of your collateral via print on demand, we can help you reduce turn-around time and overall costs on your print projects. Paired with all BPI's equipment are our quality employees who have years of combined experience who help you get the most out every asset we have. Don't hesitate to give me a call if BPI can help on your next project (whether it's a rush order or not!).

PS--caffeine usually helps me stay on track and keep up with all the hustle and bustle of the work day. These are my two vices of choice lately:

Until next time...Elizabeth

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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.