Speed Up with Faster Print Quotes

Posted on August 30, 2019 Written by

Sometimes your customers need their quote fast—what can you do to get your quotes faster? As it turns out, there are a few things you can do to help ensure that nothing gets in the way of your quoting process. Often, your quote will arrive faster if we have more information about your order. So, how can you get your quote faster? Here’s what we need to know.

Start With Your Name, Contact Information, and Account Number
Because we work exclusively with resellers, we need to know that you’ve signed up for a Navitor account. That’s why it’s a good idea to put your account number and contact information upfront; it means that we can confirm your account quickly and ensures that we don’t need to double-check your information before getting your quote.

For an additional boost of speed, put your account number in the subject line. It’s an easy way to ensure that we get right to pricing your print products. And speaking of those products…

Product Details in Detail
What do you know about the print piece your customer needs quoted? We can give you more accurate information when you include as much information as possible, and it will cut down on back-and-forth while we try to get the specifics of your order. What information should you include?

  • A basic description of the order. What products do your customers need? Do they need sales sheets? Are they looking for a custom-sized folder?
  • What quantity?
  • What is the finished size of the piece?
  • Does your customer want a stock from our standard selection, or are they looking for a custom-ordered stock?
  • What type of print do your customers need? Do they need spot color print? Full color? Are they looking for a specialty process like enhanced finishes?
  • Does your customer need bleeds?
  • Will the piece feature single-sided or double-sided print?
  • Does your customer want a proof? Will digital work best, or do they want a press proof?

This list can seem like a lot of information, but it really does allow us to create a better and more accurate quote.

Instant Quoting for the Truly Speedy
Our quoting department isn’t the only way for you to get a quote. We also offer our online price calculator for real-time pricing. Simply select your product line from the drop down list on our homepage and click “Go” to start. Once you’ve clicked, you can select your product category, subcategory, and then product details. The calculator will instantaneously calculate online pricing for your order and your order’s production time. You can even click a button to start immediately.

What suggestions do you have for print buyers looking for printing quotes? We’d love to hear your suggestions in the comments below.

Filed Under: Design, Education, Marketing, Print Products, Resources

Create an Autumn Marketing Strategy that “Falls” Together

Posted on August 29, 2019 Written by

We’ve talked through marketing strategies for spring and summer—now it’s time to plan for fall! As the weather gets cooler and the leaves start to change color, your marketing strategy has the chance to change, too! Fall is a great time to regroup before the busy holiday season and much more. Here are our tips for creating your autumn marketing strategy.

Update Your Social Media Look
If you’re looking to dip your toe into a seasonal aesthetic, social media is a great place to start. Share photographs of samples in fall colors—we recommend our education vertical market kit for a splash of orange and back-to-school appeal—and make the most of the warm weather to show off your storefront and outdoor activities. Because social media moves quickly, you can use it as a testing ground for seasonal marketing in your business. Do your customers respond to

Take Advantage of the Nice Weather While You Can
Does winter put a damper on walk-in business? Embrace the fall weather while you’re able to do so! Host an outdoor event like a lunch-and-learn at a local park to teach your customers about new or popular print products, put signs up on your storefront to promote your business, and maybe get involved in some local outdoor charity events when you’re able.

Encourage Early Holiday Shopping
It’s never too early for your customers to start preparing for the holidays, and you can create a marketing message that speaks to that. Whether they want to create a direct mail campaign, craft print for a celebration, or simply need to stock up before the New Year arrives, early holiday shopping can help your customers ensure that they have the print they need on time. And it will give you the chance to take a little bit off your plate at the end of the year—a win for both of you!

And speaking of the holidays…

Work Ahead Where You Can
The holiday season is coming faster than you might think, which makes fall the perfect time to stick to your tried-and-true marketing strategies. Not only will this help streamline the process of creating your marketing strategy, it will give you more time to work before the busy holiday season hits.

How do you market in the fall? Do you have any tips to share? We’d love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Deals, Marketing, Print Products, Resources, Stationery

Poster vs. Poster

Posted on August 23, 2019 Written by

When you think about a poster you probably envision something pretty specific, a concert poster on a bedroom wall or a poster on a bulletin board to advertise a performance. And it can seem like posters are essentially all the same.

But are they really?

As it turns out, they aren’t! The different poster options that we offer—one in our stationery product line and one in our NSP product line—give your customers different things, so we’re bringing them together to compare.

Sizing Things Up
When your customer is looking for a specific size of poster, you want to know which product will give them the right size for the job. This is another difference between our two poster options. The posters from our stationery line are available in four different sizes:

  • 12” x 18”
  • 13” x 19”
  • 18” x 24”
  • 19” x 27”

NSP’s posters, on the other hand, are available in a wider variety of sizes, both smaller and larger. The full list of these posters includes:

  • 8 ½” x 11”
  • 11” x 17”
  • 16” x 20”
  • 18” x 24”
  • 22” x 28”
  • 24” x 36”
  • 27” x 40”
  • 36” x 48”
  • 40” x 60”

What’s Your Preferred Paper?
Paper selection is another way that these poster options differ. NSP’s posters are available in Standard Matte 33 lb. Bond Stock, Super Heavy Matte 55 lb. Bond Stock, Semi-Gloss 100 lb. Cover Stock, and Gloss 100 lb. Cover Stock.

Posters from our stationery line, on the other hand, are all printed on White Gloss 100 lb. Text. This stock is lightweight and ideal for larger orders. Speaking of larger orders…

Just a Few or Many More
One of the biggest differences that you’ll see between these poster options is that posters from our NSP product line are available only in smaller quantities. This product line allows your customer to order between 1 and 50 posters for their smaller projects.

Posters from our stationery product line, on the other hand, are available in many more quantities—many more, in fact. You can order as few as 5 of these posters or as many as 5,000 through our catalog.

Want to order a poster? You can find more information on the posters from our NSP product line here, and you can our sales sheets to help you sell, simply download the sales sheet and add your company information.  If you want to order online, you can also click here to order online.

Filed Under: Marketing, News, Print Products, Resources, Stationery

Should Your Customer’s Stock be Sturdier? The Benefits of Bringing in a Heavyweight

Posted on August 22, 2019 Written by

Your customer has a lot of stock options to choose from when creating their print piece. Do they want something lightweight and budget–friendly, or do they want to invest in something heavier? With so many options to choose from, it’s important for them to know the benefits of investing in a heavier stock—that’s why we’re breaking down the benefits of using a thick or sturdy stock for business cards, postcards, announcements, and more.

Benefits By the Numbers
What do statistics say about the importance of heavyweight papers? According to WestRock, they had had a lot to say. Their research indicates that, when it comes to direct mail pieces, thicker and sturdier stock definitely wins out.

  • 18% of consumers said that their intent to purchase would be impacted by receiving a sturdier piece of direct mail
  • National retailers with sturdier paper saw a 38% response rate

Getting Noticed
Thicker stocks aren’t just great for postcards—they’re a surefire way to get a wide variety of print pieces noticed! One of the reasons for this is that thicker stock makes your customer’s print piece sturdier and more durable than thinner pieces.  When they choose a durable stock, their print pieces will last longer and stick around in consumers’ wallets or mailboxes.

The Unexpected Touch
Unexpected details are always the thing that makes a print piece memorable, and stock could be the unexpected detail your customer is looking for. Imagine pulling out a stack of business cards from a trade show, for example—a pop of color from a color core stock will be immediately noticeable. Even if it’s not a color core stock, the thickest and most substantial business card will be among the first that gets noticed among the stack.

These unexpected touches don’t just get business cards noticed. We mentioned earlier that direct mail is more effective when printed on a sturdy stock, and announcements will have a memorable, luxurious feel when printed on a heavier stock.

Know Your Options
Are your customers ready to bring in a heavyweight? It’s time to introduce them to their options. Many of our cover stocks have a substantial feel, and you can check out color core and extra thick stocks for a thickness that truly stands out from the crowd. The best way for your customers to feel the difference is to see them in person, so be sure to show them samples or pull out a swatch book. If you don’t have one yet you can give our customer care team a call to request yours.

Do your customers love heavyweight stocks? Which ones are their favorites? We’d love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Business Cards, Design, Marketing, News, Print Products, Resources, Stationery

4 Back-to-School Lessons You Can Use in Your Business

Posted on August 16, 2019 Written by

We talked a few weeks back about how you can go “back to school” to keep your business knowledge moving. Today we want you to think back to the lessons you learned when you were in school—and put them in practice in your business! Here are four of the classroom lessons that will help your business thrive every day.

1. Have the Right Supplies
Remember when you were getting ready for the return to the classroom and you got a shopping list of the things you would need that year? Business can sometimes be a lot like that—having the right tools on hand when you start the job is essential.

But what are the right tools? As a professional, unfortunately, you can’t simply pick up your checklist at your average big box store. However, you also have the benefit of experience and can make your own list. Does having a vertical market sales kit on hand for meetings help you make the sale? Make sure you have one of these kits on hand at the start of the next sales meeting. Does one of your customers respond to having a catalog laid out in front of them? Make sure you’ve got that catalog ready—or send them a personalized digital catalog like our zoomCatalog.

2. Take a Moment Every Day to Stay Organized
If your elementary school was anything like mine, you spent some time every day picking up after yourselves, and this is a great habit to build in your business, too! Take a few minutes every day to organize your files, get a few small tasks checked off your list, and straighten things up at your desk. This will help you stay organized, and you’ll find that doing a little every day is much simpler than doing all that organizing at one time.

3. Give Yourself a Break to Recharge
Whether it’s taking a lunchtime breather or getting outside for some “recess,” taking a moment to recharge can be just as helpful for you now as it was when you were in school. Taking that break can help you work more effectively and get more done in the long run.

4. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask a Question
Do you need more information about a new product? Are you unsure how to go about placing an order? Do you just want to have a little more clarity? It can be easy to avoid asking these questions because you’re worried about whether you should already know this information—but don’t be afraid to raise your hand! Whether it’s asking a teacher for more information or asking your print provider for more information about a new product, asking a question is as great an idea in your business as it was in the classroom.

What schoolroom lessons do you still use in your day-to-day life? We’d love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Education, Marketing, News, Resources

Postcards Vs. Letters: Which is Better for Your Customer’s Direct Mail?

Posted on August 14, 2019 Written by

Your customer has a lot of different options for their next direct mail project. Should they print their message on letterhead and send it as a letter? Should they send out a postcard with full color flair? Which mailing will speak to their customers and make the sale? We’re breaking down the big differences between letters and postcards for your customer’s direct mail efforts—here’s what you need to know.

Considering the Cost? Postcards Come Out on Top
When your customers are looking for a budget friendly option for their direct mail efforts, postcards definitely come out on top. Because they are lightweight, traditionally sized postcards are less expensive to mail than any other form of direct mail.

Who are They Marketing To?
When your customer is sending mail to consumers, they need to create a piece that speaks directly to that audience. When they’re sending their mail to the public, they want to pick the print piece that catches attention in the mailbox and immediately captures that attention.

If your customer is targeting businesses, however, a postcard isn’t necessarily the right play. A letter will feel more polished, more professional, and—most importantly—important! Because a letter feels more direct, it is an ideal fit for business-to-business marketing because your customer’s audience will feel like they are being spoken to directly rather than simply marketed to.

Letters are also more effective for consumers who are already familiar with your customer’s business. They will recognize your customer’s branding and are more likely to open the letter when it arrives.

Does their Sales Pitch Rely on Great Images?
If your customer’s business creates visually striking products or provides a stylish service, they might want to focus on inspiring photographs for their direct mail piece and postcards are a good way to do that. Not only do they feature full color print, they put those full color images in front of consumers without even an envelope standing in the way.

They can, of course, include full color images in their direct mail letters, too. They can create sales sheets or brochures to accompany the more formal letter to highlight images of their products.

The Right Print for the Job
At Navitor, we’re pleased to offer you the right print for the job. Whether your customer wants high quality letterhead for their mailing or wants to create a striking postcard, we’ve got product options that are sure to impress!

And if you want to know more about the numbers behind direct mail marketing, take a look at this post on direct mail statistics.

Which print pieces do your customers love most for their direct mail efforts? We’d love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Marketing, News, Print Products, Stationery

Marketing: It’s Time to Shake Things Up!

Posted on August 9, 2019 Written by

alarm clock announcing that it's time to change your personalized print marketing

Whether you’re feeling stuck in a rut with your marketing efforts or you want to reach out to a new audience, sometimes you need to shake things up with your marketing efforts! If you’re looking to make a change, here are a few tips for shaking things up with your marketing strategy.

Shake Things Up on Social Media
Because it moves quickly and changes just as quickly, the social media world can be a great way to shake things up with your marketing strategy. First and foremost, if you don’t have an online presence for your business you should definitely create social media pages as a new way to connect with customers. Once you’ve created these pages, it’s time to get started!

If your marketing is a highly polished and conservative affair, consider using social media to show a more casual, more human face to your business. Depending on your customer base, you might also want to show off the visual flair of the print you provide by sharing photographs on social media. This gives you a chance to show a different side of your business and possibly appeal to a whole new market.

Experiment With Seasonal Marketing
With the holidays coming up, you might want to think about how you can create seasonal marketing for your business. Not only is embracing the holiday season a great way to shake up your marketing and give you the chance to try something new, it is also a great way to experiment with new things without dedicating your marketing strategy to them long term.

Talk to Your Customers
Are you looking for a lower-risk opportunity for change? Talk to your existing customers about what they love about your business and what they wish they had known when they first started to do business with you. You might find that you aren’t highlighting the best that you have to offer and have the opportunity to change your marketing for the better.

Reach Out to Find New Ideas
This isn’t just one way to shake up your marketing—it’s opening the door to potentially endless ways! By reading books or blogs and following social media accounts written by people outside your specific industry you might find inspiring new ideas. As print professionals, you have a lot of choices—read a book on marketing strategies from a professional marketer, read blog posts about the markets that you work with most often, or follow small business owners to learn about a variety of new topics.

How do you shake up your marketing efforts? We would love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Education, Marketing, Misc, News

Labels for Nonprofits

Posted on August 8, 2019 Written by

In a world that’s constantly on the go, why settle for advertising that stays put? Get your message out and about! Cost effective and multi-functional, labels can play a supporting role in engaging donors and increasing the awareness of your cause or organization.

A non-profit organization was looking to create a sticker that would help show support at an upcoming marathon fundraiser. The labels needed to stick firmly to runners’ outfits from the starting line to the finish line and arrive quickly to have in time for the race.

The non-profit was pleased to find that they could create a colorful, custom-shaped label using freeform™ laser cutting and digital printing. Not only was the process budget-friendly and useful in creating a unique label shape and image, it also allowed the label to arrive more quickly. This meant that they had a sticker that was instantly recognizable on every runner, stayed on their clothes throughout the race and had it in time for the race.

The stickers also featured printed label liners to talk about why the labels were created and helped explain the group’s cause to race attendees. This meant that it was easy to distribute not just the labels, but also a message about the importance of showing support.

Of course, not everything about this quick turnaround was down to the label. Sometimes, the choice of supplier is just as important as the choice of which label to print. The non-profit found that, with a little extra help from their supplier to make sure their labels arrived in a timely fashion, the label they chose brought with it some great benefits:

  • Runners were able to show their support and the custom label shape was easily recognized on their shirts
  • Labels stayed adhered to runners’ clothing during the entire marathon
  • With freeform™ laser cutting, there was no additional cost for a die to create the custom shape
  • Printed label liners allowed race organizers to easily explain their cause and why the labels were created

Labels can also assist with fundraising efforts and to secure sponsorships. They can help with drumming up interest, announce a person’s participation in an event or charity drive, thank contributors, and decorate event paraphernalia, just to name a few.

So what types of labels can non-profits utilize? The list is long, but some of the big ones include:

  • Tech Decals & Stickers Sheets
  • Bumper Stickers
  • Mailing Labels
  • Window Decals
  • Promotional Stickers
  • Water Bottle Labels

Whether people choose to run a marathon to help raise funds, wear a fun-and-flirty red dress to stand in solidarity, or simply pin a ribbon to a lapel to show support, there’s a super easy and very visual way to help spread the word about non-profit organizations and fundraisers. Labels Works products! The possibilities for advertising with labels are truly endless and the more the public sees a logo or symbol, the more familiar they become with the cause it represents.

Looking for label inspiration? Check out our selling resources for an online catalog, sales tools and so much more. As always, if you need label or pricing help, please contact Label Works at 800.522.3558 or customercare@labelworks.com. We’re here to answer any of your label questions!

Filed Under: Labels, Marketing, Misc, News, Print Products

Personalized Stamps Help Teachers Make Their Mark

Posted on August 7, 2019 Written by

Imagine writing the same check mark or star twenty times on a page, then turning that page and needing to do it again. If you know any teachers, you know that this isn’t pure imagination—it’s a reality for many educators while they grade assignments. Then multiply the experience by the number of students in the class and by the number of classes that a teacher has to teach throughout the day.

With so many stars or check marks to draw, it’s easy to see why a stamp could be an ideal gift for many teachers.

Whether your customer is a school official looking to thank teachers for their hard work, a nonprofit looking for a way to liven up classrooms, or someone hoping to create a striking teacher gift, stamps are a great choice.

1. Saves Time for Busy Teachers
This is the biggest reason why teachers might want to have some stamps on hand in their classroom. Just like signature stamps, a classroom stamp can help them save time marking assignments and give them back more time in their day. And, as we mentioned before, teachers can grade many assignments every day, so that time savings can really add up throughout the year.

2. Personalization Potential
Every classroom is different, and a stamp is a fun way to personalize the grading process. Rather than using just a smiley face, a message of “Great Job!” or “100%”, your customer can choose to add the teacher’s name to the message for an extra, personal touch. Think of it like a signature stamp with a grading twist!

The design isn’t the only option for personalizing a stamp, however. The type of stamp can also be a great chance for personalization. If the recipient likes color, consider a traditional rubber stamp that can be used with a wide variety of different colored stamp pads. If they value neatness, a pre-inked or self-inking stamp can help them keep their desk neat while still enjoying the benefits of a stamp.

3. Have Fun!
One of the biggest reasons that teachers use stamps in the classroom is that they can be just plain fun! Charming designs, a bit of color, and a little creativity make stamps an enjoyable desktop addition that teachers won’t just use because they are practical—they’ll use because they make them smile.

Do your customers order stamps for gifts? Which stamps are their favorites? We’d love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Education, Marketing, News, Print Products

What Your Customers Say—And What it Really Means

Posted on August 2, 2019 Written by

When you talk to your customers, sometimes you need to decode what they’re asking for. Whether it’s a technical term that they aren’t familiar with or navigating their desire to be polite, talking to your customers can be like a lot like translating. Here are a few of the things you might hear your customers say—and what they really mean.

(And, remember, we love our customers, and we know you appreciate your customers, too. This is only for fun.)

1. What Customers Say: “I definitely need [product].”
What Customers Mean: “I’m pretty sure I need this product because I’ve used it in a similar situation before and I’m not ready to change.”

2. What Customers Say: “I want people to know that this is our brand.”
What Customers Mean: “Make the logo big.”

3. What Customers Say: “Could you make that logo a little bigger?”
What Customers Mean: “Could you make that logo a lot bigger?”

4. What Customers Say: “It’s a shame that you have to work on holidays/weekends.”
What Customers Mean: “This is probably a pain for you, but I’m really glad that you’re open because it’s the only day that I have to place this order.

5. What Customers Say: “Can you make it pop?”
What Customers Mean: “Make it shiny and colorful. Maybe add more detail. No, more colorful.”

6. What Customers Say: “I’m on a tight budget.”
What Customers Mean: “My wish list is much bigger than my budget. I’m probably going to look at your pricing quote and ask if you can adjust the pricing a bit.”

7. What Customers Say: “I like it, but…”
What Customers Mean: “I don’t actually like it at all, but I’m trying to be polite.”
What Customers Might Also Mean: “I’m realizing now that the more expensive thing you showed me before would have made me happier.”

8. What Customers Say: “I don’t have a budget in mind!”
What Customers Mean: “I’ve definitely got a budget in mind, but I haven’t put a number on it just yet.”

9. What Customers Say: “I’ll know what I want when I see it.”
What Customers Mean: “I don’t know what I want, and chances are I’ll want to see every sample you have before I know what I want.”

10. What Customers Say: “What’s the turn time on that?”
What Customers Mean: “I should have placed this order a few weeks ago, but time got away from me and now I need to get it fast.”

11. What Customers Say: “Let’s change it back to how it was before.”
What Customers Mean: “I know I had a lot of requests, but I’m starting to realize that they didn’t get this to look like I wanted it to and it’s easier not to change.”

Have you heard these customer comments? Are there others that you’ve had to decode? We’d love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Education, Marketing, Misc, News
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