Myth: Printed catalogs have been replaced by the internet. Fact: Catalog positively impact purchasing behavior. A printed catalog motivates online customers to visit retail web site more often, stay longer and spend more money. In fact, households receiving catalogs are twice as likely to make an online purchase (Source: comScore case study - USPS). A perfect example of this is Zappos.com, the online seller of shoes (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/07/business/media/07zappos.html) sends out printed catalogs to their customers. Aaron Magness, director for brand marketing and business development at Zappos.com in Henderson, Nev. states that lapsed customers have responded very well to the catalogs. Credits: MakingPaperFun.com and ...

Myth:  You can't recycle catalogs, magazines and direct mail. Fact: Most recycling programs accept a variety of materials. Most domestic curbside and drop-off recycling programs accept a variety of materials, including catalogs, magazines, and direct mail.  Over the past 10 years, the recovery rate for standard mail and magazines has doubled to approximately 40% (Source: Municipal Sold Waste Generation. Recycling and Disposal in the United States). Credits: MakingPaperFun.com and Printing Impressions (Dec. 2009).

Myth: A "paperless" office has no environmental footprint. Fact: The environmental footprint of information and communication technologies continues to grow rapidly. Going paperless comes with an environmental cost. Computers, data centers, mobile phones and telecommunication networks are projected to be the largest emitters of greenhouse gases by 2020 (McKinsey & Company). It is unreasonable to compare digital and print media without taking the entire lifecycle of each into account. Each format has a rightful place in the scope of sustainable communications. Credits: MakingPaperFun.com and Printing Impressions (Dec. 2009).

Optimization means "the action of finding the best solution." Mathematical programming, or optimization modeling, is a branch of mathematical modeling that is concerned with finding the optimal solution to a problem. Initially, optimization was used as a way to mathematically determine the optimal allocation of scarce resources. The concept has been borrowed by businesspeople to aid decision-making.Optimization has been used in the areas of the manufacturing supply chain, airline revenue yields, and financial investment risk assessment. More recently, the concept is being adopted by marketing. Phrases such as site optimization, search engine optimization, event optimization, and campaign optimization must be familiar. ...

Earth Day is here! As a business, it's hard to think about what you can do to make your business greener and more environmentally friendly. One great way to be more eco-friendly is to make sure you employ green printing options. Going green doesn't mean going paperless. While creating E-commerce websites, E-Mail marketing and other online based solutions can greatly diminish your consumption of paper, you still can't completely eliminate printing out of the equation of marketing. No other marketing method combines immediacy and permanency like print media. How can you still take advantage of the benefits of printed materials and ...

Are you considering a direct mail campaign in the near future? Looking for some tips on how to be successful at it? Read on to discover a few proven direct marketing strategies to double or even triple the response rate. 1. Enhanced Data – First and foremost get the right list, and get it right! It is very critical that you set the criteria for the recipients of your direct mail piece. What does that mean for your business? Let’s break it down. 60% of your mails success depends on the list itself. It is imperative that you obtain a mailing ...

For this year you’ve already designed the goals to increase your business. As with any other new year’s resolution, some planning, determination and persistence goes a long way. Whether you’re introducing a new product this year, expanding your services or simply wanting to attract new clients, a cohesive marketing campaign will not only do the trick but will also increase your branding. Just like you’d never want to step into a room full of people with mismatched clothes, you don’t want to present a marketing campaign that matches all your marketing media. If you’re doing a direct mail marketing campaign, ...

Just about everyday, people are trying to up sell their products. You go to a restaurant and you have a choice between a half order or a full order. Your waiter says: “For two more dollars you will get twice as much and can take that home for tomorrow’s lunch.” Your dry cleaners tell you that your 12th garment is free. At the supermarket, you have a “buy two get one free” offer. No matter where you go, people are always trying to up sell you. In these instances, caving in may not be so great. Imagine buying two loaves ...

As I write this, I'm looking at a postcard on my desk telling me to stop in and check out the latest women's designer jeans and handbags at a local high-end boutique. You might be wondering what's wrong with that. Unfortunately, this advertisement fell on deaf ears since I'm not the audience they most likely intended to reach. On the other hand, if they had sent out a postcard for a discount on men's suiting it would've caught my eyes. Let's be honest…how many trees do you kill a day as you're going through your paper mail? We are constantly bombarded ...