Putting it all together

One of the funnest parts of my job is figuring out how to make things work. This project was, well, right up my alley...puzzle pieces! I love a good challenge, and a retail client of BPI Media Group's needed help in creating a fun window display for their stores. As with most challenges, you learn and are better equipped for future tasks once you've got the puzzle solved.

• The challenge: Wide-format produced window displays for retail client
• The details: Cut puzzle-piece shaped materials to go on floor, hang from ceilings, stack on floor as mannequin risers and adhere as window decals.
• The materials: fluorescent plexiglass (1/8" thickness in 48" x 96" sheets), 2" thick ultraboard (black/black/black), clear duratex cling material-printed, palight (3mm thick)-printed.
• The tools: AGFA Anapurna M2500 wide format printer and Colex Router/Cutter.
• The process: With assistance from BPI's graphic designer, Leisa, a puzzle template was created in vector format to allow the shapes to be sized based on the end use. Palight used to cover the flooring area was printed with a black outline to make the puzzle shapes stand out. Palight was cut into individual puzzles pieces then assembled as a solid base. Ultraboard was cut into puzzle shapes to create 4" and 2' risers for the mannequins to sit or stand in the window displays. Clear cling material was used to print the puzzle graphics and cut around the perimeter in the puzzle shape. And finally, the last piece of the puzzle...plexiglass in four bright hues (pink, purple, green and blue) were cut into individual puzzle shapes and drilled with 1/4" holes for hanging using clear fishing line from the ceiling. Some of the plexi puzzle pieces were even printed in white with brand messaging.
• The results: Way cool brand messaging in a unique, bright and eye-catching window display for the client drawing in more customers to their store.

How can we help you with your next print project?

Until next time...Elizabeth

Print is Still Powerful

After reading this article, I felt compelled to share it with you all. When considering your marketing mix and budgets, don't forget print. I don't say that as a print sales rep for BPI Media Group, but as a target for many marketers. The most effective way to get my attention is still through print. What about you?

Take a look at Why Are Marketers Blind to the Power of Print by Joe Pulizzi and let me know your thoughts!

My favorite quote from this article follows: The print vehicle is still the best medium on the planet for thinking outside the box and asking yourself tough questions based on what you read — it’s lean back versus lean forward. If you want to challenge your customers, print is a viable option.

Until next time...Elizabeth

Help Wanted

Wanted: Top Sales

When: ASAP

Where: BPI Media Group

Who: Elizabeth Stewart

Requirements: Becoming a BPI Customer

Details: If you are looking to grow the sales of your company, increase your marketing ROI with trackable results, assist in maintaining brand consistency, provide a means of ordering/distributing collateral through distribution channels and need a trusted partner for these print and communication services, then let's talk.

Until next time...Elizabeth

Benevolence at BPI

If you want to know what kind of people work at BPI Media Group, you can always check them out on LinkedIn,FaceBook and Twitter for some, but there are some things you won't find posted on any of these social media outlets. One of the best-kept secrets is what amazingly generous people make up the team of BPI.

At a recent United Way ceremony, BPI was recognized for the largest per capita giving in 2012. That means our team contributed more than any other local business. Why? Because many of BPI's team members have been on the "needing" side of help before, so we believe in giving back and helping those in need. Ask those who have lost their homes to fire or struggled through tornado damage that affected the North Alabama area where BPI's plant and workforce are located, and you'll quickly see that they help one another through the tough times. This benevolent attitude was nice to be recognized, and BPI continues to give to various civic and non-profit organizations. There's even a Rex Davis Memorial Scholarship that is given to a local high school senior who would like to continue his or her education but may not financially be able to do so. BPI also donates all web development and print to Hospice of Marshall County. BPI is also an official sponsor of Parkinson's Walk Greenville, which is an event in my neck of the woods, Greenville, SC, to raise awareness of Parkinson's Disease since my Mom struggles this disease.

To see other community involvement, check out our "community" page of website.

Until next time...Elizabeth

BPI's FAQ's

The most common question I hear is "Can you do this?" "This" is always something specific, so I wanted to give you a run-down of the things that BPI Media Group can do. We'll call this the question and answer portion of the blog. While we like to consider ourselves a one-stop-shop, if there's a project that is well outside the scope of our capabilities, we have a network of partners and vendors that we can refer you to in order help make your project come to fruition. As you can imagine, over the past eleven years at BPI, I've been asked "Can you...?" more times than I admit because then I start telling my age.

BPI's Can-Do List

• Provide customer service from your project's start to finish.
• Design and layout a brochure, book, magazine, etc.
• Design a website
• Assist with SEO on your website
• Print up to 28 x 40 sheet size
• Print with variable data (personalized messaging)
• Varnish, aqueous, uv coat or laminate
• Print short-runs (yes, thanks to our Kodak Nexpress digital press, we can do one-offs as easy as we can do a few hundred copies)
• Print boxes or other custom packaging and signs
• Offer a fast, online proofing system (ours is called insite & it's awesome!)
• Help with promotional items
• Address and mail (and yes, with intelligent mail barcoding)
• Purchase demographic-specific mail lists
• Saddlestitch, perfect bind, coil bind
• 3-hole drill, shrink wrap, round corner
• Diecut for a unique size/shape
• Ship to your distribution list
• Set up an online storefront for ordering of collateral, stationery, promo items, etc.
• Manage and store inventory of items you don't have room to store at your location
• Process online orders through our fulfillment system
• Provide case studies, white papers and training on new products/services
• Provide order history and tracking for orders through our storefront/fulfillment system
• Manage integrated campaigns (included sms text messaging, email blasts, QR codes, and landing pages-personalized and standard).
• Provide ROI calculator for integrated campaigns and online dashboard for lead generation/tracking.

While this isn't the be-all, end-all of BPI's ever-changing capabilities, this should answer some of the FAQ's I get. If there's anything you want to know if we can do, just ask. I'll be more than happy to help, and if we cannot do it, I'll work dilligently to help find a trusted partner who can help you. For more details about BPI's services, click here.

Until next time...Elizabeth

I'm new to twitter, so please check it out & follow along if you'd like.

Why Not Text It?

One of the things I love most about my job is that no two days are ever the same. Projects change on a daily basis, deadlines are always always staring you in the face and technology is constantly offering a new way to communicate with customers and prospects.

While most people ask me if I'm afraid print will eventually go away, I can confidently say "No, this is not a concern for me or BPI Media Group." Why? Because we have embraced the technology and married it to our print capabilities to offer more ways you can reach out and have better, more meaningful conversations with customers and prospects. Just this morning, I met with a sports marketing professional who was looking for ways to boost attendance at events and engage the fans before, during and after events. My suggestion? Try introducing a text message campaign. It can be as short as a winner will be announced in the last inning, quarter, period, etc of the game or it can last a week, month or quarter depending on your plan. These type of campaigns can be great for give aways which help promote brand awareness and loyalty through promotional items. The key is that a sms text message campaign requires an immediate call to action with almost immediate response.

Click here to view a short video explaining a little more how a text campaign can work, how you can use it to gather leads and follow up with them via other messaging (email, direct mail, text, and don't forget the ancient technology called the telephone!).

Until next time...Elizabeth

I'm new to twitter, so please check it out & follow along if you'd like.