Maui Printing Company

If you’re like many people, you’ve probably been more conservative in your spending lately. Recent research shows that, during the pandemic , many people were rationing food to save on expenses and grocery runs, and 23% of people were eating more plant-based meals. Discretionary spending has decreased, and consumers are shifting to digital solutions and reduced-contact channels to receive services. On a larger scale, consumers worldwide say they expect the pandemic to affect their routines or spending for at least two to four months. A Shift in Content and Scope In recent months, many companies have shifted the scope and content of their marketing efforts as well. Instead of pushing products and promotions, proactive businesses have focused on building relationships and adding humanness to their brand, including inspirational direct mail newsletters, heartfelt emails, and down-to-earth videos. In one example, eBay championed small businesses that power the nation...

2018 was a strong year for tourism in Vienna. International arrivals totaled around 7.5 million, hotel revenues rose 12 percent in 11 months, and 94 percent of Viennese reported a positive attitude toward visitors. But in this season, the Vienna Tourist Board tackled a new difficulty: negative reviews. While many firms are split on whether to confront or ignore public complaints, Vienna chose a lighthearted tactic, turning so-called “flaws” into strengths by highlighting them in gorgeous photo-based advertising campaigns. In a series of ads mounted in the London underground and in digital bus stops, the Vienna Tourist Board portrayed five fun and beautiful Viennese moments overlaid with mean comments and poor ratings. In one ad , a romantic picture of a couple cuddled in a boat on the serene Danube was captioned “Boooring!” and given zero stars. To highlight how polarizing comments can drag an experience down, the “See Vienna, not #Vienna” ads...

Are you looking to entice a new lead or land a big client? Today’s marketers know direct mail is an especially persuasive medium. According to 2018 direct mail response statistics , direct mail offered a 9% response rate to house lists and a 4.9% response to prospect lists. And one of the most potent tools of the trade is the good old-fashioned sales letter. Want to grab attention with a persuasive, relevant, engaging letter? Here are a few tips: Start with a powerful hook If you want readers to make it past the first sentence, your first paragraph must arouse curiosity, evoke emotion, or resonate with a problem or pain point of a specific individual. People can’t finish what they don’t start, so the opening sentences must be rock solid. Make your sales letter look like a regular letter The most relatable letters are those that feel personal. For a more casual effect, use script font or type-writer styles like New Courier or Prestige Elite. Write with...

What turns you away from a website, advertisement, or a company? Perhaps it’s the message itself or the way a brand is presented. Sometimes the information is just too scattered, time-consuming, or confusing! Today’s consumers face a barrage of competing messages, so each intersection between a customer and your business is critical. These points of contact, or touchpoints, represent points of interaction with a customer or a prospect at any stage of their customer journey. Touchpoints provide you critical opportunities to engage leads, build brand awareness, address concerns, market products or services, or to tell your story. Building an End-to-End Customer Experience Grouping touchpoints chronologically can be helpful as it allows you to see things from an outside perspective. Here are just a handful of touchpoints: Social Media Campaigns Print Advertisements Company Events Product Catalogs Conversations with Company Representatives Landing Pages ...

With the glut of digital marketing, average media consumers are staggering under the weight of spam e-mail and annoying pop-up ads. The “digital deluge” has also prompted a volume decrease in snail mail, allowing direct mail and print promotions to take center stage. Print pleases the eye and demands an emotional response, and people today are craving something real! Today is a perfect time to feature beautiful print promotions. Need inspiration? There are several proven winners. Rules of the Road Your print promotion doesn’t need to be complicated to be effective. Consider the McDonald’s “loving it” brand promotion. In a recent “Wi-Fries” ad , the fast-food giant hoped to entice customers to come, eat, and to stick around a bit. Using the McDonald’s signature “clown red” hue as a backdrop, the ad positioned curved, freshly cooked French fries in the shape of the wireless internet symbol as the focal point. The ...

Bill Gates first met his mentor at a dinner organized by his mom. When his mother suggested the connection, Gates thought he would have nothing in common with him, because this contact was just a “ guy who picks stocks .” It turned out that they had more in common than he realized, and over the years, Gates came to view him as a key mentor and advisor. That man? Billionaire investor Warren Buffett. Today, Gates has created software that runs in most of the computers on the planet. He is a billionaire philanthropist who has given away more than $28 billion while working to eradicate polio. And Gates says that one of the most important things Buffet taught him is that success is not found through net worth but by “having people you care about loving you back.” 4 Keys for Developing a Powerful Professional Mentorship Do you have a professional mentor? If you don’t, this is a great time to get matched with one . The Service Corps of Retired Executiv...

When email marketing began around 1978, its low cost, speedy delivery, and great response rates made marketers wonder if direct mail would disappear forever. Today, that couldn’t be further from the truth. An overload of digital messages has caused open and click-through rates to decline substantially, and many spam filters and firewalls block emails altogether. At the same time, a volume decrease in traditional mail has allowed direct mail marketing to rise to the top of the mailbox, being noticed, read, and responded to more frequently. Need proof? Here are some stats to consider : According to the Direct Marketing Association’s 2017 Response Rate Report, direct mail offered a 5.1 percent response to house lists and a 2.9 percent response to rented lists across all direct mail formats. (In comparison, the 2017 response rate for all digital channels combined was 2 percent.) Eighty-five percent of consumers will open a piece of mail that catches their attention,...

Design is a process that turns an idea or a requirement into a finished product. While many people believe designs just “happen,” that isn’t the case. Some designs may come together quickly, but generally, there are many stages along the way. Whether you need full-service graphic design or collaboration together along the way, it can be helpful to approach the design process in stages. Want to produce more inspiring designs? Approach the process in a strategic, focused way. Here are four key stages: 1. Define & Research At this stage, the design problem and the target audience should be clearly defined. Preparation reviews information such as the demographics of the target market, the key concepts or language that connect with these people, and the focal message you want to share. The more precise you are in this pre-planning, the more targeted your design solutions will be. Here’s one inspiring example: Three is a British mobile communications co...

As COVID-19 shakes businesses around the country, today is a great time to reflect on the victories of those who’ve survived previous financial struggles. In particular, the 2008 recession offers valuable lessons from entrepreneurs who shifted to either a “prevention” or a “promotion” focus. Here are two real-life success stories, with takeaways for your team. Prevention Focus: The Montgomery Group Ernest Montgomery is an NYU grad who launched a creative agency that produces advertising campaigns and manages its talent (photographers, stylists, makeup artists) in-house. In 2008, Montgomery enjoyed modest success, booking clients like American Airlines and Pepsi. He rented a beautiful office on 7th Avenue in Manhattan, expanded his staff to 15 artists, and grew revenue to around $800k/year. But when the recession hit, he was forced to make some difficult decisions. Choosing a primarily defensive strategy, Montgomery cut every expense he could thi...