Why You Need a Print Tech Web Portal

Print Tech is always online and always ready to streamline the ordering process for static, versioned and variable data documents, ad specialties and inventoried items.

We offer secure, branded web portals that are designed for high paced businesses with multiple locations. Our Print-On-Demand services can be personalized to dramatically increase the return on your marketing investment.

Print Tech Web Portal Features
Private and secure customer portal
24/7 Access
Connect from anywhere through your internet browser
Central ordering for unlimited locations
Digital Asset Library
Customize marketing campaigns quickly and easily
Online Proofing
Reorder business cards, letterhead, envelopes and more!

Benefits
Brand Consistency
Control Costs
Save Time
Reduce Carbon Footprint
Increase Revenue!

Visit our demo at:
www.print-tech.com/printflexdemo

Why Direct Mail Works

With the explosion of e-mail marketing, you might think that direct mail is dead.

Nothing can be further from the truth. Mail is perceived as personal and many look to their mail for financial savings, to stay informed or just to unwind at the end of the day. It can be easily shared with others, point decision-makers to valuable web sites and permits easy comparison and note making.

But most importantly, the response rates from direct mail are 20 times higher than magazine ads, 7 times higher than newspaper ads and almost 40% higher than the average e-mail blast.

When it comes to marketing, direct mail is alive and well and still giving you the biggest bang for your buck!

Signage is Always On Duty

Signs and displays work hard every day as your "silent salesperson" to increase your revenue.

A University of San Diego Study on Signage and Display Return On Investment (ROI) states:

- One additional on-premise sign increased annual sales by 4.75%
- That same sign increased the number of orders by 3.93%
- One additional 36 sq. foot wall sign added $.06 per transaction
- One 144 sq. foot wall sign added $.78 per transaction
- New Signage increased revenue by 5%

Sign Tech will partner with you to create eye-catching signs that will maximize the return on your signage and displays.

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.