brochures on table, JPS Print Consultants logo blog post about marketing activity post lockdown

How are you preparing to ramp up your marketing efforts?

For the first time in months, the news for the economy is looking positive. The vaccine roll out is a huge success, hundreds of thousands receiving it daily and the takeup is higher than anyone expected.

Now that the lockdown restrictions are starting to ease here in the UK, we have been urging our clients to think about ramping up their marketing activities to increase brand awareness and re-build relationships which may have been lost over the last 12 months.

The pandemic has clearly demonstrated how some companies (within the same industry) have cut back on their marketing and others have changed the way they operate, carried out more marketing and are reaping the benefits.

The best time to advertise your company is when others are not. Now is the perfect opportunity to communicate with your customers and let them know about your current services. A simple message like “we are open, you may not have used our online service before, but we can deliver directly to your door.”

There are many ways of communicating with your customers, you don’t need to be sending out expensive glossy brochures all the time, you could send out leaflets, postcards, smaller brochures or even a letter.

Seasonal events provide the perfect marketing opportunity to reach out to customers

Gearing your marketing towards certain themes or special occasions often helps boost sales – Black Friday probably being the most successful.

There are a number of other occasions coming up – Easter, Father’s Day, a raft of bank holidays and lots of birthdays throughout the year not to mention Christmas which will soon come around again. These occasions make people want to buy for their loved ones, friends and family and it is these occasions that give you the opportunity to tempt them to buy from you. Increase your marketing activity now, whether it be via social media, email or direct mail and gain more customers.

Design, mail and printing services from JPS Print Consultants

We offer a full range of services to help our clients reach their customers, from designing the campaign itself, through to printing and mailing out. 

“JPS Print Consultants have been fulfilling the print and mailing of our seasonal brochures for the past few years. They make the whole process easy and are always quick to respond and ready to help. They deliver to our tight deadlines and keep me updated throughout the project. I would definitely recommend their services.”

Sally Barnard, Lucketts Travel

“We have been working with JPS print consultants for quite a while for the printing of our Mail order catalogues. They offer excellent service, quality and very competitive prices. I would have no hesitation in recommending them. We work with Jason Smith who is extremely professional and at all times helpful.”

Tony Shepherd, Jollimans Essentials Ltd

Our objective is to make the whole process easy for you, so you have peace of mind that the job is being done efficiently and effectively, leaving you more time to carry out your normal job.

Contact Jason at JPS Print Consultants today to see how we can support your marketing activities

To find out more information and discuss your latest marketing plans in more detail please contact Jason Smith on 0800 0834 827 or jason@jpsprintconsultants.com

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Direct mail important during Covid 19 lock-down

Many direct mail specialists believe that with substantially more people working from home than usual due to Covid -19, direct mail will gain more importance. It is likely more consumers will look at direct mail pieces as they now have more time than normal to read their mail.

“I spoke to a customer earlier this week who receives a catalogue every month which she never reads, however, when the catalogue arrived in the post the other day, she sat down with a coffee and looked through it.”

The best time to advertise your company is when others are not. Now is the perfect time to communicate with your customers, even if it is simply to say “We are open, you may not have used our online service before, but we can deliver directly to your door.”

The public will soon get tired of so much screen time and the negative news cycle. It is an important time to advertise and promote your company to ensure your brand demonstrates it’s caring side by communicating with your customers at this difficult time.

Changing shopping habits

We believe more people will be trying online shopping when they wouldn’t normally do so and will continue to shop online even when this crisis is over. Covid 19 is already increasing the amount of online shopping in different demographics (not just now but forever).

With consumer spending on going out curtailed, they are turning to making purchases online for themselves or their home. We understand that many businesses are wary of spending money on advertising at the moment and are concentrating on cash-flow, supporting their staff and staying open. However, consumers will be trying online shopping at home – this is where direct mail can have a huge positive impact on your business. Website visits are driven more by direct mail than any other marketing channels.

Past history in these moments of crisis has shown that the brands that come out the other side really strong are those that advertise through it, and those that hold back on their advertising spend are the ones that struggle to gain momentum when the country returns to the new normal. After the initial period of transition finishes, trade will return swiftly. Those companies that have advertised to their customers during this time will be ahead of their competitors.

Direct mail, more than glossy brochures

There are many ways of communicating with your customers, you don’t need to be sending out expensive glossy brochures all the time, you could send out leaflets, postcards, smaller brochures or even a letter.

JPS Print Consultants have a vast experience in print and direct mail and can help you plan the best campaign to suit your needs and budget.

Contact Jason at JPS Print Consultants today to see how we can support your direct mail activities

To find out more information and discuss your direct mail plans in more detail please contact Jason Smith on 0800 0834 827, or email Jason@jpsprintconsultants.com.

Partially addressed mail blog envelopes

Partially addressed mail – our latest direct mail offering

Since the introduction of the GDPR last year, many companies have been worried about contacting potential customers without consent.  As a result, they have not been able to market themselves as they would like to.  The Partially addressed mail service could potentially overcome this issue as no name is needed to personalise the envelope.  This would address some worries of mailing in a post GDPR world.

Partially addressed mail – an alternative to cold calling for generating new business

Royal Mail have recently brought out a new Partially Addressed service which helps customers overcome the issue of GDPR as no personally identifiable data is required.  JPS Print Consultants can help you save between 5p-10p per item on average over a cold list mailing with Partially addressed mail.

What is partially addressed mail?

This service is for advertisers prospecting to new customers. It is the same as normal addressed mail in that it is targeted but without the use of personal data of the recipients.  The new offering from the Royal Mail uses geo-demographics at postcode level.  However, the mail will be addressed to the household (for example – The Occupier, Book lover, Holiday Maker or whoever you choose).

Partially addressed mail blog envelopes

What are the benefits of partially addressed mail?

Aside from the benefit of simplifying your approach to prospecting, there are significant cost-savings to be made by using this service.

  • 4p saving per item on letter format items
  • 2p saving per item on large letter format
  • Significantly reduced cold data costs as no need to purchase personal data

In addition the service ensures that businesses are GDPR Compliant.

Royal Mail estimate that you will achieve 30% more reach and a solid 86% of recipients are engaged with mail received in this way.

How does partially addressed mail work?

For postcode areas that you are already targeting heavily, partially addressed mail works as a top up in those postcode areas. Your existing customers are removed so they don’t receive more than one letter.

What are the requirements to use this service?

There must be a minimum of 10,000 items per mailing and requirement to mail all households within each targeted postcode. (removing personal addresses, existing customers and suppressed customers).

All partially addressed mail needs to include a declaration to reassure the recipient that no personally identifiable details have been used in the creation of the mailing.

This service is still applicable for customers who are using the existing 70 advertising mail and mail mark services.

Combine the Partially Addressed Service with JPS Print Consultants for fantastic results.

We can provide you with a complete service for Partially Addressed Mail including sophisticated targeting and post project evaluation.

If you would like to find out more information on partially addressed mail and how it can help you, please contact Jason Smith on 0800 0834 827 or jason@jpsprintconsultants.com

 

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Loyalty reward programme launched by JPS Print Consultants

We know how busy work can get.  As Marketing Managers, we are always under pressure to get more done with less budget.  Print and direct mail can often be pushed down the priority list.

JPS Print Consultants want to celebrate being in business for the last 16 years.  We are delighted to launch an exciting brand-new loyalty reward programme for you, our existing customers.  The idea behind launching the programme is to be able to thank loyal customers for using our design, print and mailing services.  We are aware there are many other options for print and mail management and we appreciate the ongoing support of our customers.

Thank you for your loyalty

You can win lots of fantastic prizes!  These include items such as a case of wine, an afternoon tea hamper or vouchers for an exciting lunch. The prizes are easy to qualify for and redeem.  The best part is there is no limit to the number of prizes that each customer can win!

Our reward programme is based on a points system for participating in various activities.  You can earn 5 points for every qualifying activity. Once programme participants reach 50 points in total, they will be eligible for a choice of rewards.

Loyalty_Programme_JPS_Print_Consultants

 

There are 6 easy ways to earn points:

  1. Confirm opt-in to receive further marketing information from JPS Print Consultants
  2. Provide a testimonial/review of our services for our website and LinkedIn pages or a LinkedIn endorsement.
  3. Referral to JPS Print consultants resulting in an order, either from other contacts within a your organisation or another organisation.
  4. If we quote for some work which is not competitive, give us the opportunity to revise the quote for you.  We always aim to beat a competitive quote or at least price match.
  5. A programme participant that currently uses our printing service places an order using one of our other services such as design or mailing.
  6. Let us print something new for you – for example – we currently print your stationery and now you would like us to print your marketing brochure.

We would love to hear from you if you would like to join the programme!  Simply send an email to Jason and we will enrol you straight away so you can start earning your points.

For further information about the loyalty reward programme and your membership, please contact Jason on 0800 0834 827 or Jason@jpsprintconsultants.com

This is a fantastic opportunity to earn some wonderful prizes, start collecting your points today. 

For full terms and conditions for the programme please click here

 

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JPS Print Consultants help customers increase sales with Direct Mail

Direct mail is proven to be one of the most successful ways of driving people to your website and increasing sales. In a recent survey carried out by Market Reach (a division of Royal mail), it was confirmed that the open rates for mail far exceed those of email.

Many people are overwhelmed by the volume of email they receive. As a result, they simply don’t open the majority of marketing and promotional emails that come into their inbox.

The statistics are staggering in comparison with email which has approximately an 11% open rate.  At JPS Print Consultants, we believe the best results are obtained when using printed mail and email as a combination within your marketing campaign.  With the upcoming GDPR regulations on the horizon, we also are seeing that the demand for direct mail is increasing.

 8 reasons why direct mail adds value to your marketing campaign

  1. It is far easier to capture a recipient’s eye with a clever physical piece than email.
  2. The most effective method of driving traffic to website and increasing sales is via direct mail.
  3. Over 71% of physical promotional mail is opened.
  4. Direct Mail is kept in a recipient’s home or office for an average of 17 days.
  5. 23% of mail is shared and passed on to the right recipient in the home.
  6. Direct mail makes people feel more valued and more likely to buy – almost like receiving a gift.
  7. 87% of recipients of direct mail are influenced to go on and make online purchases.
  8. Including direct mail in your marketing mix can increase ROI by 12%.

Direct mail as part of your integrated marketing plan

Online shopping shows no sign of slowing and continues to grow in strength and popularity.  As such, there is an important role for direct mail in the marketing mix.  By sending an actual piece of literature to a customer or potential client, you have an opportunity to demonstrate the value that you can bring to them in a physical and visual manner.

Choosing to deliver a clever piece of marketing in the post offers an opportunity.  Your product or offering can stand out and rise above the noise of the busy digital space.  As a retail business selling a physical product, you can use Direct Mail to show off your product. By using high-res images and strong colours you can demonstrate the quality of what you sell.

Our customers find that many promotional emails are filtered into a different folder in some email clients.  This is even before a customer has a chance to decide if they wish to open it or not.  A targeted physical piece, created with flair and imagination sidetracks these filters.  If a piece stands out, due to clever words, imagery or perhaps shape the recipient often keeps it in a prominent place in the house or office, where more people will see it.  As an example we received a piece or marketing in the post with a plug attached to it.  It told us “not to flush our marketing budget down the drain”.  This level of recall would be difficult to obtain with an email sales message.

That’s not to say that only direct mail is needed.  It is effective as part of the wider marketing mix and should be used to drive customers towards your digital presence.  Physical pieces can be used to inspire a customer to go online and make a decision on purchase.  To be effective with a small budget, businesses use data, technology and a variety of media together to give customers experiences they will remember and want to talk about or take action.

JPS Print Consultants – Print Management Solutions

One client we work very closely with in the retail industry used to mail 20,000 brochures each month this time last year. They are now mailing over 150,000 brochures per month. Our client is extremely pleased with the results they are achieving as a result of direct mail. We can help you grow your business by working with you on your direct mail marketing campaigns.

“You can’t replicate the delight of holding a brochure in your hands. Its having that physical touch that many customers want.” Market Reach

The upfront cost of investing in a direct mail can be more expensive than email.  However, we find that the average lead value of a customer brought in through direct mail is higher.  JPS Print Consultants can help you get more from your marketing investment.  If you are new to direct mail, we can help you save 15% on the postage of your first three mailing campaigns. There are also other postal incentives available if you already send direct mail.

Call us today on 0800 0834 827 or email Jason@jpsprintconsultants.com for more information.

Mail Services – Royal Mail Postal Incentives

Save Money with 4 great Royal Mail Postal Incentives

We are frequently finding that many companies are not taking advantage of the various Royal mail postal incentives that are available.  Here at JPS Print Consultants, a critical element of our ongoing service to all our customers is to help reduce the cost of the postage element of marketing programmes.  We can do this by selecting the best incentive to match your particular marketing activity.

Below is a complete overview of the incentives and campaigns that Royal mail offer. The discounts are in the form of postage credits.  These credits can be redeemed with Royal Mail or any downstream access providers such as Secured mail, Citipost, UK Mail and Onepost.

Royal Mail Postal Incentives

1.  First time users

Royal Mail offer postal incentives to customers who have never used advertising mail or who haven’t used it for the past 24 months.  By taking up this offer, customers can claim a 15% discount for up to 3 mailing campaigns within a 12 month period with a minimum of 10k items per mailing. (single one off mailings do not qualify).  Recent market research has shown that customers like receiving information in the post and are more likely to purchase from you as a result.

2. Testing and Innovation

Companies that already send out mail may want to test different offers and formats to see which works best.  In this situation, the testing and innovation incentive will be of benefit.  In real terms this can boost your ROI by a huge 12%. Discounts vary between 15% for advertising mail and 30% for business mail. This scheme is for mail sent over a 6 month period, sending at least 10k items and can measure testing activity. For business mail, there is an additional 10% discount for 6 months to support the roll out should the test be successful.

3. Scheme for growth

This is one of the royal mail postal incentives for companies that want to grow their business by increasing the amount of mail they send.  Increasing the volumes you send, can have a direct impact on  your sales.

The postage savings enable you to target new customers or increase frequency of mailing campaigns. Discounts are for the incremental mail of 150k items or more sent over a 12 month period.

Users are entitled to discounts on any items posted above an agreed baseline (determined by Royal mail based on your historic advertising mail volumes). Visit the Royal Mail Wholesale website  here for more details.

4. Door to Door mailing

Door drops such as leaflets and brochures effectively connect with a wide audience at a very affordable cost.  A huge 92% of people say they read door drops they receive.  An additional 67% say they were prompted to make a purchase as a result of receiving door drops. For as little as £500 it is possible to reach as many as 8,000 potential households.

This scheme offers a 10% discount for new users of door drops within a 6 month period.

JPS Print Consultants are here to guide you

Let JPS Print consultants help guide you through the royal mail postal incentives system.  We can save money on your postage costs and would love to discuss your mailing requirements with you.  We seek the most cost effective mailing solution for your company.  Please contact Jason on 0800 0834 827 or send me an email at jason@jpsprintconsultants.com.  Our team are happy to support you.  We are able to deliver your whole mailing campaign from initial design concept, print, fulfilment and postage.

Why is it important to get a comparative quote for printing requirements?

A comparative quote can help ensure you are confident in your choice of printing company.  Are you happy with the service, quality and cost of your current print supplier? Most experienced marketers have a preferred print supplier and have used the same company for several years.  Its easy to continue with this approach and by no means unusual.  However, in order to get the best possible service and outcome for your needs, it is always worth re-assessing providers and costs, thus ensuring you have the best solution.

When did you last seek a comparative quote?

JPS Print Consultants are proud of the fact that we really look after our customers!  We also benefit from repeat business which we value tremendously.  We work closely with our clients across all aspects of design, print and mailing.  We consistently help save money on printing costs.   Rarely will one single printer be able to offer the vast range of services that we offer and at such competitive prices.  For example, your current supplier might be competitive on stationery or brochures, but they may not be able to price competitively on everything they produce.

The advantage of using JPS Print consultants is that we can ensure our clients are getting competitive prices everytime on every print job.  This is due to our extensive print experience and ability to fit the right job on the right machine.  We have put together a group of specialist printers who offer different services to form a larger group that is able to meet all your design, print and direct mail requirements.

We are pleased to have several clients who have provided testimonials for us recently.  For example Barracudas Activity Day Camps said “JPS always deliver on time and to the highest quality. As the prices are always competitive too, it is an easy decision of where to get the work printed.” Sarah Price, Barracudas Activity Day Camps.

We would love to offer you the opportunity to save money on your printing costs.  As an added incentive, for the month of November we are offering a free gift when you quote REM0001 and ask us for a new quote.

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Design, print and mailing – ABA select JPS Print Consultants again

Design, print and mailing: customer testimonial

Many of our clients are use the full range of  JPS Print Consultants’ services including design, print and mailing.  One such client is the Arab Bankers Association.  The Arab Bankers’ Association (ABA) is a London-based not-for-profit professional organisation.  Its members work in banks and related industries in both the Arab world the United Kingdom. Through its programmes and events, the ABA fosters improved relations, information sharing and understanding between Arab and British private and public financial sectors.

How do JPS support ABA for design, print and mailing?

Our most recent piece of work for the ABA was to design, print and distribute the 2017 magazine.  During October we have mailed it worldwide to the far East, America and beyond.

We worked closely with The Arab Bankers Association, from initial design brief, through to producing an exciting 84pp magazine with a gold foiled cover.  This gives the magazine an enhanced premium look and feel.

“We are delighted with the design and printing of the Arab Banker magazine.  Since we switched to JPS, our readers have nothing but praise for the new look and feel of the magazine. We find JPS very easy to deal with, and they are responsive to our needs and requests. It is also important to us that JPS is able to provide an end-to-end service.  This begins when we send in editorial material, all the way to the finished product being mailed out worldwide to our subscribers.”

Andrew Cunningham, Editor Arab Banker Magazine, Arab Bankers Association

We also design and print a wide range of marketing materials.  These include seminar leaflets, gala dinner booklets, folders and inserts, invitations, Christmas cards and pop up banners.

Contact us to see how we can help you for design, print and mailing.

JPS Print Consultants support many of our customers with a full range of design, print and mailing services.  However don’t feel we have to do everything! Some clients prefer to use JPS Print Consultants for all their collateral requirements, while others ask us to print and mail and they supply the artwork. We also have clients that supply the print and we carry out the mailing for them – we are totally flexible and happy to work with you in the way that best suits your needs.

Needless to say, the more we can assist you with, the more savings we can offer you.  Get in touch with Jason today and see for yourself how we provide a high-quality service at a cost-effective price.

Save money on your next print and direct mail project

Save money on Digital print and mailing services

Take advantage of our extensive print and direct mail expertise.  We can help you save money on your next project.

Our expert team are pleased to advise you on economical print formats to help you save money on your print costs.  We can also help you maximise cost savings on postage.

Through our years of working in the industry we have built strong relationships with a variety of printers.  This allows us to have access to the right machinery for all different types of print work. As a result we can offer our customers competitive prices whilst maintaining high quality service.

We are delighted to offer our clients a wider range of services than ever. We would love to support you with your design, printing and direct mail requirements. Trust us to ensure the whole process runs smoothly from start to finish.

Have a look round the rest of our website for our full range of services, customer testimonials and sign up for our top tips.

Once you are ready, give us a call or drop us an email and ask us for a quote – you will be surprised at the savings we can offer you.  With Christmas just around the corner, we look forward to helping you prepare for this busy season.