Print in the marketing toolbox

Calendars

5 June 2022 Stuart Nimmo

Calendars might be everywhere, but do they get attention? From your phone, desktop pc, outlook diary reminders and more. However, do they get attention? A small thing of aesthetics and function is great but something desirable will always get attention. From loveable puppies to landscapes, a wall calendar gets more than a passing glance.

Also, when it comes to promotional products, the impact of a wall calendar is significant, what other promotional item has a year-long exposure? So, if you’re looking for new promotional products, you can’t go wrong with wall calendars. Let’s start with the key points…

1. Builds Brand Awareness

There is no better promotional item to deliver the essence of your business than a wall calendar. It can subtly get the message across about your business or even provide timely tips. That allows you to present your brand in a unique, creative way that aligns with your image and values. Creative textual content on each leaf can be enough to make your customers smile when they look at it. Ensure that your calendar designs include your company’s name, logo, and contact information so that it’s visible at all times.

2. Generates Goodwill

Gifts for clients are key to creating a positive engagement. Meaning and relevance are critical, functional and useful and will always have more kudos. Wall calendars are a promotional item which achieves a lot. It’s a useful, thoughtful gift, it generates goodwill and develops brand loyalty. People build business relationships with businesses they know, like and trust.

3. It’s Practical and Useful

A calendar is an item that we all use every day, whether we notice it or not. It’s essential for a good organisation, especially if you’re running a business. So, wall calendars are not only an effective advertising tool but also a useful present. Crafting a business promotional calendar can achieve more, it’s not just a promotional tool, but a point of building presence and building trust between you and your customers.

4. Long-Term Exposure

For most people, there is a designated place on the wall for a calendar. When a calendar goes up in January, it usually stays there until December. Meaning your brand name and message will be around for the whole year. Not many promotional items provide exposure for such a long time relatively small investment. Also, keep in mind that the calendar will be seen not only by the recipient but also by anyone who comes to their home or office.

If you prefer something that’s in closer range, you may then opt for a desk calendar. Again as functional as a wall calendars, they can be placed in individual workspaces.

5. Physically Tangible

We live in a digital age and we’re used to all things virtual or online. However, a physical item creates a special interaction between the giver and the receiver making a tangible connection. Think about how many people still prefer to read physical books over e-books. That is also what makes calendars a powerful marketing tool. Your logo or branding won’t be a fleeting message like an Instagram story ad or a radio commercial. It will be physically present in your client’s homes, workplaces and everywhere else. Can you name something else which achieves year-round presence promoting your business and influencing their purchasing decisions?

6. Reciprocity is Contagious

Everyone likes to receive gifts, especially when they’re unexpected. So, receiving a calendar for a current or potential client can create smiles. What’s more, it makes you more likeable. And if a client like you, they’re more likely to remember you and continue to do business with you. Also, think about where most calendars are placed — in an office or cubicle. Those are the places where people make business decisions, which makes them a perfect place for your calendar. One glance at it, and they’ll think of you!

7. Budget Efficient

Customised wall calendars seem like a more expensive gift than they are. In reality, they are pretty cost-effective, especially in comparison to other means of advertising, as they are targeted at existing customers for return business. In simple terms, if you took every client out for lunch, you’d spend more than the price of a calendar. They provide you with targeted brand exposure at an affordable price, wall calendars can be described as one of the most cost-effective promotional products.

8. Environmentally friendly

Calendars don’t need power to be used, we can source environmentally friendly papers, and establish credentials of paper used. Our toner ink is 95% compostable and coupled with a saddle stitch option, we can minimise the impact. Of course, when responsibly recycled, they re-enter the paper production cycle.

9. It’s Simple But Effective

A printed wall calendar is a simple item — no one has any questions about how to use a wall calendar. It does not need batteries, additional parts, or instructions. Unlike with promotional clothing items, there is no wrong size. What’s more, there’s no risk that your contact information or logo won’t fit, as you decide on the size of your calendars. It doesn’t break or tear easily, which means it will serve its purpose for a full year. Wall calendars don’t take up a lot of space. So, a wall calendar is an item that’s easy to distribute, and use. Plus it gets your business in front of your customers throughout the whole year.

10. Size, and scale format to fit all…

Your wall calendar can look however you want it to. Content to match your branding; pictures, message, colour schemes, layout, and size, it can be done! With us being a digital print house, we can produce to meet limited needs, through to volumes. From saddle-stitched options or wirobound, it’s up to you. Above all make sure your branding is where -your clients will be looking at this calendar for a whole year!

Outstanding shining lights of 2021

12 December 2021 Stuart Nimmo

Part 2 of our reflective blogs of 2021. The top 5 projects and the highlights of what we’ve seen in 2021. Projects that have caught our eye for the right reasons and ultimately will perform.

Starting at number 5, Julia Elvin, (personal private project) Christmas Cards, meeting the exacting challenges for Julia in 2020, was an interesting journey, this year we had a progression with this year’s Christmas Card, from original artwork, scanned, retouched, colour balanced and reproduced on some stunning James Cropper Vanguard board (Ivory Cream). Great to use British made products in our print.

In at number 4… Shy Burhan, Shipley based photographer, collaboration, engagement, consideration, inclusion were at the heart of the project we did for Shy in June of 2021. What can only be described as an exhibition catalogue, celebrating the works of a project Shy led. We produced a perfect bound catalogue, with beautifully sharp imagery. Supported Shy in creating the artwork, within an environment she understood and knew.

A significant project for number 3, a book on customer service, geared up for a specific audience and design to build trust and authority on the topic. The author was a definitive point of knowledge on the subject, and the trend for prospects to turn into customers is becoming harder as we get flooded with multiple channels of marketing noise, crying out for attention.

The second most noticeable project(s) of the year, has been the work we’ve done for Flat Stan First Aid, daring to be different, changing the game and engaging and taking on board ideas to progress. Simon’s leadership on actively listening, planning, implementing and careful review process, has allowed him to aim a bit higher in how he pitches and presents. The “how” has been at the key of this work, whether going slightly lumpy and physical with his marketing, addressing tone of voice for communications or thinking more strategically.

The most significant piece of 2021, Nick Shaw, Always Networks, Security book. Nick is a highly credible experienced professional in the world of data and online security, his career progression has given him exceptional experience and it shows. This was part of the enabler in creating a marketing tool, which worked not just on the levels as identified in project number 3 above, but to a higher level. The two-way engagement we had, sparking ideas to deliver, measures, controls, engagement monitoring tools, goes beyond what I call an “ink on paper” print house and makes us a partner delivering marketing support in a realistic SME business environment.

Overall, we love the diversity of what we do, the magic it creates, the journeys it enables for others to progress their objectives. So, if you need the magic of transforming your engagements with real people, with real meaningful physical touchpoints, we have some stunning ways and means. Oh and I should have included this project, for Lee at Fordies Detailing…

Why procrastinate?

3 October 2021 Stuart Nimmo

We all know the facts, customers like being treated as privileged individuals, yet we scatter-gun generic marketing messages hoping they bite.

So why not be savvier?
Communication is best when it is one to one. Communication is best when it is direct and meaningful. So how come so many are just following the flock when being different makes you stand out.

We’ve recently done a select mailing for an event. Being able to have a catchy line which linked to the mailing aided us to get more time with recipients than an online campaign. You’ve heard us before but here’s a refresher on why direct mail is so good…

• A leader in response rates – yes how much physical mail do people get, therefore it attracts more time and attention with the recipient. Can you remember what you saw on whatever social media channel yesterday?

• Highly personalized, with digital print technology, we can add more personalisation than just names and locations, you can make it highly relevant to the individual in many different ways.

• Opened and read, with creative physical mail running alongside so many other channels, it is a refreshing experience for the receiver.

• Creative, lumpy mail creates a buzz, interest which stimulates more of the senses. Doing something which is out of the ordinary size or colour wise, also grabs attention.

• Tangible (physical) – it’s kinaesthetic one of the key learning methods, after all, marketing is teaching your audience about a product or service

• Versatile – seasonal, in shape, in format, in whatever manner you need it to be.

• Familiar everyone loves receiving a piece of creative engaging post.

• Simple to do – HAD-Print are a skilled practitioner with making your requirements fit within Royal Mail’s distribution channels – we take the hassle out of a mailing.

• Trust-building with too many scams being online, the real-world physical item adds kudos to your message about being taken seriously.

• Cost-effective, whether it is using bulk mail rates, specifying to fit within a certain mailing band, a lot can be achieved within the standard letter and up to 100gms

• Highly trackable – whether through delivery or engagement. There are many ways of tracking and monitoring engagement with direct mail. Clever use of short links, QR codes can make this monitorable in a compliant way.

• Highly targeted, we stated social can be a little scattergun in its approach. With careful use of datasets, and demographics targeting can be achieved to the relevant audience.

• A complement to digital marketing, it can link up, feed into and even be used as an engagement tool back. Exclusive offers belong in the club as they say, why not make Direct Mail part of the club USP?

• Data-driven – if you run a CRM, make sure you set triggers to fire crafted physical communications, or Direct Mail to trigger subsequent online progressive actions.

If you need case study material for any of these, have a chat with us. We have worked with some great clients over the years and also have brilliant case studies from peer colleagues around the globe!