Enjoying The Last Days of Summer

Summer has always been a time to take a little bit of a breather from the frenetic pace of the other seasons. Summer hours, vacations and a slower work schedule give everyone time to spend with their family, catch up on home projects and explore the world around us.

Print Tech is no different. While some have stayed close to home, a quick survey shows that some of our co-workers have vacationed in Washington D.C., North Carolina, Watkins Glen, the beaches of Delaware and the Jersey Shore.

But with the passing of the July heat waves and the coming of shorter days, it's becoming more apparent that Fall is just around the corner. That means cooler days, kids going back to school and most of us returning to business as usual.

So try to take some time during these last couple of weeks of Summer to relax and enjoy yourself; Fall, school, business and our regularly scheduled lives will be here soon enough. You deserve the break and we'll all be here when you get back.

QR Codes Bring Interactivity to Printing

Recently there has been a lot of press about QR (Quick Response) codes. These 2D glyphs were developed in Japan and are capable of containing up to 4000 characters of information.

The information can be read by a dedicated QR Scanner or with free software that can be downloaded on the ever increasing number of smartphones. The code can contain contact information, calendar events, URL's, geo locations or text messages.

In printing, the QR Code can be used to expand on the printed piece. For instance, a catalog might have a small description and a photo of a Flux Capacitor. Since this is probably your first Flux Capacitor, you might want to know what colors they come in, how much power each of the 3 different models uses and if it's still compatible with your 1979 DeLorean. If a QR Code was included, all you would have to do is snap a picture of it with your smartphone's camera and you would be taken to a website containing videos that would answer all of your questions.

Although the U.S. has been slow to adopt the technology, the explosion of iPhone, Android and Blackberry smartphones will make QR Codes an increasingly important marketing tool for enhancing the customer experience.

The Basics of U.S. Mail

First Class Mail

First Class Mail is used for personal correspondence, bills and statements. There is no minimum or maximum number of letters required, however there are size and weight restrictions. It is more expensive than Standard Mail and additional services such as Certified Mail, Collect on Delivery and Certificate of Mailing can be applied to a First Class letter. Another advantage of First Class mail is that if it does not reach its destination due to a bad address, it will be returned to the sender, making it easy for them to update their list.

Standard Mail

A minimum of 200 pieces are needed to qualify for Standard Mail. When using Standard Mail, you need to do the preparation and sorting that result in substantially reducing your cost. This is why printed matter such as flyers, circulars, newsletters and catalogs are most often sent out this way. There are no returns for bad addresses with Standard Mail.

Presort Mail

Print Tech can Presort your mail for even greater savings. With a minimum of 500 for First Class or 200 for Standard Mail, our presortation does much of the work of the USPS, thereby getting maximum postage discounts. This includes reading addresses, placing barcodes and sorting mail according to the destination zip code. After sorting, mail is placed into trays and given to the USPS with payment at the discounted rate.

Variable Data Printing - Mail Merge on Steroids!

Many of us have used Microsoft Word or similar programs and a database to create a mail merge for letters, labels and envelopes. It’s an efficient way of placing names, addresses and other information into text fields so the sender does not have to type out each piece. For Print Tech, that’s only the beginning. With our Variable Data Printing (VDP), we can also change blocks of copy, graphics, colors and photos.

VDP is a form of Print-On-Demand (POD) where information in a database is fed from a computer to a digital printer, creating a personalized piece for everyone on the list.

For instance, a car dealer might want to entice recent car buyers to return for regular servicing. Becky Smith, who paid $56,000 for her new Mercedes, will get 15% off her next servicing if she acts before the end of the month. The postcard could have her name, her salesperson’s name, the special offer and a picture of the car she recently purchased (see photo below).



That same dealer might offer Chris Jones, who purchased a used Ford Pinto, a different discount. His car might require more work at the regular servicing since it’s older, so his offer is only for 10% off and he has to bring his car in before the 15th of the month (see photo below).



The beauty of variable data printing is that these two cards could be run at the same time with thousands of other variations and without ever stopping the press. Each variation is targeted toward the person receiving it, producing response rates up to 20%; rates that are far higher than static mail, making variable data printing a powerful tool in your marketing arsenal.

US Post Office Move Update Processing Saves You Money!

In late 2008, the United States Post Office announced a major change in the rules for both First Class and Standard Mail that help them swiftly complete their appointed rounds and save you money in the process.

The New Move Update standards mean mailers MUST begin using addresses that have been updated within the previous 95 days of the mailing date. For example, a mailing entered on June 23, 2010 must bear addresses that were updated no earlier than March 20, 2010.

The NCOA Link reduces undeliverable-as-addressed (UAA) mail by electronically checking them against the USPS National Change of Address database and then correcting addresses prior to mailing. This eliminates printing and postage costs for mail that cannot be forwarded. The USPS believes "...the revised standards are crucial to the business interest of the mailers as well as the continued vitality of the postal system." They cite 2004 as an example of handling 9.7 billion pieces of UAA mail at a cost of $1.85 billion.

As a Premier Partner of the United States Postal Service, Print Tech can do the Move Update Processing and save you up to 50% on your next mailing. For more information, visit us on the web at www.print-tech.com or call us now at 1-800-422-5527.

Why Print Tech is FSC Certified

In some countries, up to 80% of all timber is illegally harvested, often in violation of human rights and resulting in the destruction of protected forests. The ecological role of forests cannot be underestimated. They provide us with clean water, food, medicine, natural resources and prevent global warming.

The FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), an internationally recognized non-profit organization, was established in 1993 as a response to concerns over global deforestation. They provide a chain-of-custody between production and consumption of forest products. This means that when a job gets the FSC approval, the paper can be tracked to a managed forest, assuring that trees in environmentally sensitive areas have not been cut down.

Print Tech is FSC Certified because we pursue a pro-active “green” strategy. We believe that part of our mission is to reduce our footprint on the environment by using FSC papers, other recycled papers and vegetable-based inks. And whether you print one page from your computer or 10,000 full-color brochures with us, we hope you consider the environment before printing.

Digital Printing at Print Tech

The Xerox iGen3 is Print Tech’s Print-On-Demand workhorse. It is a toner-based (like your laser printer) printer that can print Duplex 14” x 20” sheets in full color.

Using toners instead of inks, the iGen3 has some advantages over traditional printing methods. First, there are no plates, so set-up is less expensive and faster, making them great for short runs. Secondly, there is little waste. If you need to print 137 copies, a digital press can do just 137, eliminating the need for minimum runs and saving everyone time and money.

Finally, with the IGEN’s Variable Data Printing capabilities, those 137 pieces can be personalized with text, graphics, and photographs, giving you maximum flexibility in targeting your recipient.
(iGen3 Video)