When
money is tight, try some of these budget stretchers. You'll keep your
important promotions going strong, and still reap substantial savings!
1. Establish the design direction for your campaign before production
begins
Designing campaigns piece by piece can cause huge design problems--like
a logo that is too complex to work on a banner, or an idea that works
for a postcard, but falls apart when it's time to produce a 24-page
book. By making time for everyone to review all aspects of the design
at the beginning of the campaign, you can eliminate many costly problems.
2. Piggyback promotions with other mailings
You probably send lots of mail to your customers. Print plenty of small
invoice stuffer promotional brochures, and slip them into every envelope
you send out.
3. Use economical formats
Standard sizes will save lots of money on printing. For example, every
printer in town can print an 11" by 17" brochure economically, but if
you add one panel to create an 11" by 25.5" piece, you'll see your cost
skyrocket. Save your creativity for the content, not the format, of
your pieces.
4. Use four-color
wisely
Study after study has shown that four-color promotions produce more
results than two-color. Now that computers have made four-color more
economical, the additional expense over two-color is well worth the
cost.
Be sure to select a designer who has the equipment to help you avoid
expensive traditional four-color separations! And, stick to four colors.
A good designer can create a full range of colors using the four basics.
5. Try pre-printed shells or gang-printing
At the start of your campaign, see if any pieces can be designed to
work as a "shell"--with pre-printed color and sections that can be surprinted
later with black ink or photocopied information. It's an inexpensive
way to get the impact of color.
Or, plan to design several pieces that are the same size and color,
then print them at the same time. You'll almost always save on printing
with this technique.
6. Specify house stocks
Printers typically buy one kind of paper in volume. When you print on
"house stock" they can pass the savings on to you.
7. Barter advertising or booth space
Why pay cash if you can pay in services? Contact publications directly
to see if you can arrange to trade your service for advertising space.
You get the exposure without breaking your budget!
8. Test self-mailing brochures
They're almost always cheaper than an involved direct mail package--and
increasingly the results are the same or better. Need to include forms
or envelopes? Bind them to the center of a booklet.
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To learn about how O'Connell Meier can generate bright ideas and boost sales for your orgainzation, give Rich Meier a call at 703.739.2266 or send us an e-mail. For a preview of the sales-boosting techniques we use, visit the association section of our bright idea generator. And for an overview of our company, our experience, and our creative and marketing services visit the About OM section. |
