Feb
20
The USPS has specific standards for FSMs that have been recently revised.
Length: 5″ minimum and 10.5″ maximum
Height: 3.5″ minimum and 6″ maximum
Thickness: .007 inch minimum (.009 inch if the height exceeds 4.25″,or if the length exceeds 6″, and a .25 inch maximum thickness.
Weight: 3 ounce maximum
The revised standards also include the definition of a panel and lengthy descriptions of permissible fold and panel configurations. Options are provided for sealing, die cuts, perforations, loose enclosures, and attachments.
Feb
16
According to a recent survey commissioned by Two Sides, the nonprofit organization created to promote the responsible production, use and sustainability of print and paper, 70 percent of Americans, including 69 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds say they prefer to read print and paper communications
rather than read off a screen.
Most of those surveyed also believe that paper records are more sustainable than electronic record storage (68 percent) and that paper is more pleasant to handle and touch than other media (67 percent).
Jan
27
This week the United States Postal Service announced its new “2nd Ounce Free” pricing program that enables direct mailers to send letters via First Class Mail weighing up to two ounces for the one ounce postage rate. See following link for the full story;
http://www.printweek.com/News/EmailIt/1114342/CC15001FA0A2497A1BACAEC8F37C2BCC/
For those mailers who were reluctant to add inserts fearing they would go over 1 ounce will now be able to do so for no additional cost. This means that direct mailers can get more creative as they test different strategies to different target markets. Elsewhere in my blog posts you can find more info. related to direct mail. First Class Mail is opened up 95% of the time and recipients spend an average of two to three minutes with each piece, making it ideal for targeted messaging.
Jan
24
Despite the electronic culture in which we live, direct mail still cuts across all demographics and delivers tremendous value as a communications channel. Here are 5 ideas to Boost Your Direct Mail Response Rates;
1. Segment your lists. Sending the same message to all your customers simply doesn’t work anymore. Within your customer and prospect databases you have people in different age groups, education levels, recreational interests and geographic locations. Segment your database into various categories and then tailor the message and graphics specifically to those segments.
2. Testing. In order to understand what works in direct mail, you have to test. Try different images and offers. Continually monitor, measure and refine your message and see what works.
3. Get Creative with the Outer Envelope. The outer portion of the envelope is prime real estate. It’s an opportunity to start communicating your message before recipients even take the envelope out of the mailboxes. Try putting the words “Personal” or “Confidential” on the front of the envelope. Use full color graphics. Try using real or simulated handwriting on the outside of the envelope as they often have a higher opening rate.
4. Add “Bulk” to your Bulk Mail. Enclosing something bulky in your envelope consistently brings in higher response rates because it causes people to wonder what’s inside. It costs more than a flat envelope, but for the right audience and handled with creativity, it can have great impact. For example; enclose a shoelace and tie together a theme of working on a shoestring budget for fundraising efforts.
5. Add Technology like QR Codes or Purls (Personalized URL’s) to attract the younger, mobile market.
 
You can look in previous blog posts to find more information on QR Codes and Purl’s.
Dec
8
Advertising with web keys is an easy way to drive traffic from print to web.
Paper with a USB connection may sound like an unlikely combination, but you are actually not inserting paper into any ports. Instead these custom web keys have a metal connector but the body of the key is designed into a personalized paper shape that is perforated and detachable from a larger piece of promotional material like magazines, mailers or brochures. To use, a customer will simply see a portion of the web key connector and detach it with help from the cardboard’s die-cut.
Beyond the art, these custom paper USB keys give you some real science and numbers—tracking codes, Google Analytics, etc. They use USB 2.0 connectivity and are compatible with both PCs and Macs.
The content of the paper USB insert or web key guides the user or customer to a specific online destination such as a website or e-catalog. This takes the guesswork out of finding the right information for customers, providing an error-free way to drive them to where you want.
This unique type of device is not like the USB flash drive you’re typically familiar with. Paper web keys lack any type of true storage capabilities, but act as a direct and digital path for promotion. They are both seamless and standout with the rest of your promotional materials, which along with cost, makes these worth looking into.
Suggested Uses;
- Self-Promotions
- New Product Launches
- Market Reserach – Online Surveys
- Online Company Stores
- Online Catalogs
- Real Estate Listings
- Business Development
- Online Contests
- Online Company Training
For more information contact Ray Goodson at The Landmark Image rgoodson@landmarkimage.com (707) 451-6422 x301
Dec
5
Coated stock has a surface sealant (similar to varnish on wood). Coating allows ink to sit on top of the surface without seeping into fibers.
Within the coated stock family, there are many different options: matte, dull, satin, and gloss. Gloss is smooth and reflects light back to the light source. It is often the best choice for photographs. Matte is on the opposite side of the sheen spectrum. It can provide a subdued feel and refined appearance.
Please contact us for any paper samples of the various coating types, rgoodson@landmarkimage.com
Oct
24
Fill, Print and Save Adobe PDF Electronic Forms. Eliminate Paper Forms and make them Intelligent, interactive documents. Stop filling-in paper forms by hand!
Whether you manage a small business with just a few employees or a large department with hundreds of employees our Adobe PDF Electronic Forms will help your staff become more efficient and productive.
Do you already have Adobe PDF Electronic Forms but they don’t have the capability of being filled in online or have the data saved once it is filled in? With new Adobe technology we can activate your Adobe PDF Electronic Forms to be filled in online and save the data utilizing the free Acrobat Reader 7.0 or higher. You do not need the full version of Adobe Acrobat.
Besides converting the form fields for fill-in we can also create drop down menus and add calculations to fields so you can; add, subtract, divide, multiply, etc…These time saving features will make your Adobe PDF Electronic Forms intelligent and make your staff more efficient. Drop down menus allow you to select a response from a list instead of typing in the text which saves you time.
Want to you use your Adobe PDF Electronic Forms on an i-Pad? We have a solution. There are many iPad apps out there that say they with work with PDF’s but most are not capable of dealing with fillable PDFs. PDF Expert by Readdle is the best PDF viewer for an iPad we have found. Besides being a really good viewer it also allows you to add highlighting, annotations, inserting text and adding a signature.
To request a sample Adobe PDF Electronic Form, fill out the request below
For a quote on converting your paper based forms, MS Word forms or existing PDF forms send a copy to Ray Goodson, rgoodson@landmarkimage.com (800) 735-8560 x301.
Oct
14
You probably shouldn’t advertise if you haven’t taken the time to do your own research. Don’t gamble your time or money on advertising that’s based on your own preconceived attitudes about the preferences and behaviors of potential customers. Accurate data is easily accessible.
Marketing research helps you know what to say and who to say it to, and spares you the cost of getting it wrong. Though conducting research is an investment, in the long run it can prevent unnecessary spending in the wrong places while helping your business achieve a higher return of investment.
Besides minimizing your risk of advertising to the wrong people in all the wrong places, marketing research also helps you identify new opportunities to build your brand. New opportunities may include identifying untapped areas of the market and new customers or clients.
It is equally important that you conduct research to uncover your brand’s weaknesses or threats that may be lurking around the corner. Sometimes these undiscovered vulnerabilities can act as an Achilles heel for your brand, discouraging growth. The sooner you realize problems or issues, the sooner you can fix them.
Of course, because of the volume of data that exists, it’s easy to experience an information overload. You may find yourself needing the trained eye of experienced, skilled professionals to conduct a thorough evaluation of your brand. At the Landmark Image we can develop, manage, analyze and implement a meaningful survey program then convert it into a dynamic and measureable marketing campaign.
Oct
10
With the advent of electronic money transfers, it has become necessary to, at times, stop the electronic process and print out a physical copy of the check. The IRD (Image Replacement Document) is the name for this reprinted copy. It is a legal, negotiable document that replaces the original check, which was presumably destroyed once it ws scanned and sent electronically. The paper that the IRD is printed on, therefore must contain all of the security features required for Check 21.
Check 21 is short for “Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act.” Passage of this law was accelerated after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 when restrictions in air transportation caused delays in the processing of paper checks. The purpose of Check 21 is to reduce the number of paper checks that must be physcially transported through the banking system. Electronic processing reduces check-clearing time. For electronic transmission to occur, a digital picture (image) of the original check is made and in most cases the original check is destroyed. If needed, a document can be printed from this image and this “replacement” document is referred to as a”Substitue Check” or “Image Replacement Document (IRD).”
Our IRD paper contains many critical security features; UV Blue Invisible Ink, Fluoresent Fibers Embedded in Paper Stock, Thermocromic (heat sensitivve) Ink and Toner Adhesion Enhancement Coating to Prevent Toner Flaking and Liftoff.
Sep
17
What is Electronic Signature Capture and why should I care ?
Electronic signature capture is a technology for signing electronic document files with a handwritten signature. The use of this technology allows for the complete elimination of the mailing, storage, filing, copying, and retrieval of paper documents. This will save your business time and money.
In companies and organizations which process a lot of signed paper contracts and forms, digital signature capture will save literally millions of dollars per year in overhead costs. The savings in an Insurance company with 1000 field agents can be on the order of $25 million dollars per year compared with the cost of using paper documents. The return on investment in your Topaz tablets is in the thousands of percent return. Payback on the investment is measured in days.
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