Since paper can be up to half of the costs associated with a printing project, choice of paper is a important consideration when planning any marketing campaign. The paper you choose can affect how your digital designs translate to the real world, but many marketers do not receive training about how to evaluate paper options. Here is a short guide for paper novices:

The United States Postal Service (USPS) has developed a new program called Academic Outreach. The purpose is to engage future marketers and showcase the power of direct mail. The USPS has recruited the nationwide network of Postal Customer Councils (PCCs) to assist with rolling out the program. The program was introduced in May at the National Postal Forum, but was brought to the forefront during the National PCC week in September. Madison Postmaster Paul Nistler and I presented the program to the Greater Madison Area Postal Customer Council on September 27^th.

Last week I attended Brand ManageCamp in Las Vegas where 400+ marketers gathered to discuss branding best practices. Aside from picking up tips from the lineup of keynote speakers, I also popped across the street for a visit of Madame Tussauds wax attraction. Celebrities are masters of personal branding, so much so that some of them only need to go by one name - so among the 100 wax celebrity figures, I discovered some branding lessons to share:

If your business is not seeing the volume of new customers you would like, here are 6 proven tactics to give your location foot traffic a boost:

It's back-to-school time, which means it's also back-to-sports time! The fall sport seasons are ramping up, so here are some ideas to celebrate your local team using custom printed graphic solutions.

Are you sick of the boring tri-fold handout or stitched booklet brochure? If it's time to mix up your marketing collateral format, try one of these unique folding techniques to stand out from the competition.

Business cards are small, but they are mighty. In fact, they may be the most overlooked piece of marketing material at your disposal. But this small item is the one thing that represents you at your first introduction to a new potential prospect, partner or employee. What impression does it give of you and your company?

Often the hardest part about running a local business is getting customers through the door. But once that hurdle has been passed, you can optimize your marketing to take every advantage to upsell a customer for an increased transaction total.

The pocket folder. It's a classic piece of marketing collateral that almost every company uses for representing their brand and distributing materials. But it can also be an overlooked area for differentiation for your business. Here are eight ideas for your next pocket folder design:

Cause marketing has been on an upward trend for the past decade as consumers continue to align their spending with their personal values.