Pushing the envelope pays off for printers

Sydney printers learn to expand their vision and incorporate marketing into the business offerings at Print20/20 seminar.

Guest speakers, Michelle Sheehan, director, marketing and business development at Pitney Bowes Australia and Michael Durie, marketing consultant at Australia Post highlighted to the audience the need to transform traditional print jobs into something that makes a lasting impression and keeps customers coming back for more.

 “The traditional print-on-paper market is changing, but not necessarily declining,” Sheehan said. “The mailstream is an opportunity for printers to sell the total business solution, increase revenue per customer, increase average order value and provide more of a one-stop-shop creating more loyal customers.”

Pictured: Marketing gurus, Michelle Sheehan and Michael Durie, bring their knowledge to the printing industry.

 

Printers must also learn to manage data correctly for their customers to ensure the success of a print job. “Data needs to be up-to-date,” Sheehan urged. “The last thing you want is to be sending out a piece of dead mail.”

She also recommended the use of technologies such as envelope design and address validation software, automated folding and inserting machines in helping the aesthetic value of the finished product. “Printers can do more for their customers by making the envelopes looking more professional, appending barcodes for postal discounts. A mail piece needs to look professional,” Sheehan said.

Those who fear the demise of paper-based mail should be alert, but not alarmed, according to Durie, who sees the print and direct mail industries as being intertwined. “In 2010, print does pay off,” he said. “Direct mail is targeted, tangible and you can measure the results.”