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5 Ways to Turn This Year's Customers Into Next Year's Fans

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Did you know that acquiring new customers costs five times more than keeping the ones you already have ? That makes retention one of the smartest marketing investments you can make and one of the easiest to overlook. Building loyalty doesn’t happen by accident. It happens through consistent, personal touchpoints that show people they matter. And when it comes to creating those touchpoints, print remains one of the most trusted and effective tools you can use. Here’s how to turn this year’s customers into next year’s loyal fans using smart, strategic print marketing. 1. Start with Gratitude Before planning your next big campaign, take a moment to thank the customers, clients, or donors who made this year a success. A printed thank-you card or postcard makes that gratitude tangible. Unlike an email that disappears in a crowded inbox, a printed note sits on a desk, a bulletin board, or a fridge as a daily reminder that your organization values the rela...

What Print Quality Really Says About Your Brand (Backed by Science)

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When someone picks up your brochure, flips through your event program, or browses your booklet, they’re not just gathering information; they’re forming opinions. From the texture of the paper to the clarity of the layout, every design decision sends a message about your organization’s credibility, attention to detail, and values. In short: your print is your brand. And research proves it. 75% of people who receive printed materials recall the brand easily , compared to only 44% for digital ads. The Psychology of First Impressions Before a reader ever processes your content, their brain makes subconscious judgments about your professionalism and trustworthiness. A person’s impression of a product comes from its physical context: what it looks and feels like before they even engage with it. That’s the silent power of print. A program printed on heavy, matte stock communicates care and stability; a glossy brochure with clean folds suggests energy...

Beyond the Party: 5 Smart Print Projects That Shine This Holiday Season

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The calendar’s full, the deadlines are tight, and everyone’s trying to make a good final impression before the year wraps up. If you didn’t plan your marketing early this year, that doesn’t mean it’s too late to make your brand shine. Even a few small print pieces can help you stay visible, thoughtful, and connected during the busiest time of year. Here are five smart print ideas that work beautifully now and are worth bookmarking for next year’s plan. 1. Printed Thank-You Cards There’s something about a printed thank-you that never goes out of style.  Amidst this season full of mass emails and automated messages, a card with a short, handwritten note feels surprisingly personal. Use them to thank clients, donors, volunteers, or vendors. Keep the message simple: a warm “we appreciate you” and a reminder that you value the relationship. If you’re too busy to handwrite each one, try a hybrid approach: print a s...

4 Creative Business Uses for Folded Cards (That Build Loyalty Year-Round)

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What if your folded cards could work harder and more than once a year? For many businesses, they come out in December, do their job as holiday greetings, and then get forgotten until the next season. But folded cards have more staying power than that! They’re polite, tangible, and versatile: a tool you can use year-round to keep relationships strong and build loyalty. Here are four creative ways to put them to work. 1. A Warm Welcome for New Clients First impressions stick. A folded card tucked into a welcome packet, accompanied by a short note like “We’re glad you’re here,” sets a professional and thoughtful tone. Unlike an email, a card lingers on a desk or bulletin board, quietly reinforcing your brand long after the first handshake. 2. Reorder Reminders That Don’t Feel Pushy Nobody likes a hard sell. But a folded card with a handwritten note, “It’s about time for a refill. We’d love to serve you again,” ...

From File to Fold: Inside the Print Production Process

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Ever wondered what happens after you send a file to print? To most buyers, it feels like the project disappears into a black box until boxes arrive at the office. But the truth is, there’s a careful process happening behind the scenes that's designed to protect your investment, catch mistakes, and add the craftsmanship that makes print worth holding. This Thanksgiving week, it’s the perfect time to pull back the curtain and appreciate the unseen steps (and people) that make your print shine. Step 1: Prepress Checks Before a file ever touches a press, it goes through prepress. Fonts, images, bleeds, and colors are checked. If something’s off, it’s flagged. A proof (digital or physical) is created to confirm the piece before production. What if a typo or color issue could be caught before it ever hits the press? That’s precisely what prepress is designed to do — protect your project and your budget. Step 2: On the Press Once approved, yo...

Flat vs. Folded vs. Everything Else: Choosing the Right Format for Print Marketing

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You’ve got your message. You know who you want to reach. But then comes the tricky part: what format should you use? Postcards, folded cards, brochures, and beyond each have their strengths. And here’s the truth: the wrong format can quietly waste your budget, while the right one makes your message land with confidence. Let’s walk through your options so you can choose with clarity and avoid second-guessing. Flat Pieces: Fast, Bold, and Straight to the Point Picture this: a local gym runs a three-day flash sale. They print simple postcards, a bold headline on the front, and short details on the back. Within hours of delivery, phones are ringing. Why? Because the message fit the format. Flat pieces (postcards, rack cards, flyers) are best when speed and simplicity matter. They’re affordable, easy to distribute, and designed to be read at a glance. Could your message be said in under 10 words? If yes, flat might be your best fit. Folded Pieces: Laye...

From Thank You to Sale: Using Print to Build Customer Loyalty

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Winning a customer is hard work. Keeping that customer is where real growth happens. Research shows it can cost up to five times more to acquire a new customer than to retain an existing one ( Harvard Business Review ). Yet too often, businesses focus on chasing the next lead while overlooking the ones they already have. Here’s the truth: a thank-you is more than courtesy. With the right strategy, it becomes the foundation of customer retention, keeping people engaged, loyal, and coming back again and again. Customer Retention Starts With Print Recognition Every customer wants to feel noticed. If they only hear from you when you’re selling, they’ll drift. Print gives you a chance to show recognition in a way that feels tangible. Imagine sending a card a week after a purchase: “We loved serving you! Here’s a reminder of what’s coming up next.” That single piece of mail not only thanks them, it tells them they matter. Loyalty Grows...