| Through former business and employment roles, I | | | | accounts are typically owned by well-heeled |
| have previously serviced numerous marketing | | | | individuals and corporations, often with millions of |
| communications projects. My own personal path | | | | dollars held "in trust" by a financial institution. A |
| influenced my approach to design and execution, | | | | pension fund or some wealthy kid's inheritance |
| and I learned several lessons along the way which | | | | would be two examples. A few hundred account |
| you will probably find valuable. Some of these | | | | holders might be worth billions of dollars, and they |
| lessons were acquired through business startup | | | | wanted regular reports (and I am certain that |
| experiences that entailed bootstrapping as an | | | | they wanted these reports to look at least as |
| entrepreneur; others were from servicing clients. | | | | good as the bank's marble floors). The solution? |
| There is little incentive for anybody in the | | | | For that client, I preprinted a large quantity of |
| business to tell you how to save big money, and | | | | multi-color layouts with stable information such as |
| the tips that I plan to share with you do make a | | | | the name of the fund and the bank's logo, and |
| few jobs less profitable for certain producers. On | | | | used a portion of these preprints for each update |
| the other hand, if you use this knowledge, they | | | | on the part of the bank to its trust account |
| will R-E-S-P-E-C-T you!Rule-of-Thumb: The More | | | | holders.Here are some other preprinting |
| You Print, the Lower the CostLet's start with an | | | | examples:Business cards are often printed |
| easy concept: the more copies of an item that | | | | "ten-up," on a sheet of cover weight paper. |
| you print, the cheaper each individual copy | | | | Suppose that you printed, in large quantities, a |
| becomes (rule-of-thumb, but of course there are | | | | fancy color logo on these sheets, but did nothing |
| exceptions). I'll use an extreme example, just to | | | | else. If you printed several thousand, you'd |
| help you get your critical thinking cap on and | | | | probably be set for a while (for a much less |
| creative juices flowing. Suppose that you hire a | | | | expensive cost per printed sheet). If you added a |
| designer to create some business identity basics | | | | sales person to your staff, you could then run |
| for your new company, e.g., a logo and some | | | | some of these fancy sheets through a printing |
| basic stationery items. Within the trade, there are | | | | press one additional time, printing only that |
| guidebooks listing the going rates for these | | | | person's name and contact information, as |
| services among professional firms and designers. | | | | appropriate. Fifty preprint sheets would yield 500 |
| However, you will find wide variation these days. | | | | very nice business cards, yet they would cost |
| This is because a desktop computer, the right | | | | you only a fraction of the amount of money that |
| software, and enough talent can enable a designer | | | | you would spend if you (naively) ordered them |
| who is less established, cheaper, and yet just as | | | | separately, starting from scratch with the print |
| capable quality-wise to do a bang-up job for a | | | | shop, each time.Pocket folders are a staple for |
| client.If you care to check out the story of the | | | | many business promotional kits. These can be |
| famous Nike "SWOOSH" logo on the company's | | | | ordered in large quantities. Apply only the logo to |
| Web site, it serves as an example of what I | | | | the front over. Have one of the inside pockets |
| mean by "bang-up job" and "cheaper." Its | | | | "die cut" for business cards (with four small slits, |
| designer, Caroline Davidson, was a student who | | | | typically on the right inside pocket). The business |
| met Nike's founder, Phil Knight, while he was | | | | card contact information and other pocket folder |
| teaching an accounting class at Portland State | | | | inserts can carry the burden of keeping all of the |
| University. When she delivered the logo in 1971, | | | | information, as a package, current. Pocket folders |
| she was paid $35.00. To Phil Knight's credit, after | | | | are usually very pricey, so if you use these in |
| Nike took off, he hired Caroline for many more | | | | your type of business, there are real cost |
| projects and eventually rewarded her with an | | | | advantages associated with ordering these in a |
| undisclosed amount of stock in the company as | | | | quantity that is as large as you can comfortably |
| well as other forms of praise and | | | | afford.The Concept of Salvaging MaterialsHere's a |
| acknowledgement. (I admire an entrepreneur or | | | | lesson I learned the hard way. Let's suppose that |
| anyone who is loyal; when I read this part of the | | | | we printed some letterhead with a layout such |
| story I was really impressed.)We'll use a $75.00 | | | | that a logo appears in near proximity on the page |
| amount for a logo in this example (we can | | | | with other information that is liable to go out of |
| assume there has been some inflation). And, we'll | | | | date. For instance, at the top of the letterhead, |
| make this a two-color printing job. On a small | | | | centered, you place a fancy foil-stamped, |
| printing press, an ink reservoir will be filled with the | | | | embossed logo, and immediately below that, you |
| first color, the first "pass" on the paper will be run, | | | | place your address, phone number, or other |
| and then the same thing will happen again with the | | | | information that is subject to change. Embossing is |
| next color and a second pass of the paper | | | | a process whereby the paper is pressed with a |
| through the printing press. If you have ever | | | | three-dimensional shape, in this case your logo, |
| painted anything with a two-color design such as | | | | which raises the paper in your logo's own image; |
| walls with a different trim color, perhaps around | | | | foil stamping applies a metallic foil to the sheet |
| your house, you will immediately recognize what I | | | | (much like aluminum foil in your kitchen cupboard; |
| mean when I say that cleaning up the mess in | | | | however, it comes in a variety of colors). |
| between can be a chore if you are using some of | | | | Foil-stamping and embossing are very expensive |
| the same tools. You have to clean those tools | | | | processes, especially in small quantities. If some of |
| thoroughly, or you're going to contaminate your | | | | your information does change, there's not much |
| original colors. I've just alluded to the printer's | | | | you can salvage.On the other hand, let's suppose |
| problem. Each color requires a "wash up" and ink | | | | that you designed your letterhead such that your |
| changeover procedure.I'll suggest that each ink | | | | logo appeared centered at the top of the page, |
| color change is $35.00. So far we've spent | | | | as before, but your address and contact |
| $145-still no stationery has been printed. We can | | | | information was at the bottom of the layout, as a |
| now add the cost of paper; we'll make it $20. Of | | | | footer. If some of your contact information |
| course, the printer is going to have some | | | | changed, you could chop off the outdated |
| overhead costs; we'll call that another $20. | | | | information on the bottom, and run the paper |
| Although my prices are hypothetical, if you | | | | through the press again with current information. |
| actually tried this you'd find that I'm not that far | | | | The end result could be some monarch-sized |
| out of the ballpark, by the way. We've spent | | | | letterhead (also known as "executive" letterhead), |
| $185.00, and no stationery has been printed.Now, | | | | or memo sheets, or at least something that you |
| since I told you this would be extreme example | | | | have salvaged instead of throwing everything |
| to illustrate my point, let's suppose that we print | | | | away. Obviously, executing a salvaging strategy |
| just one sheet of stationery: that sheet will cost | | | | requires forethought.The Concept of |
| $185.00. At that price, it should be fit for a king! | | | | Gang-upsSometimes it can be economical to print |
| After you recover from the sticker-shock that | | | | on large commercial presses that accommodate |
| I've just subjected you to, let's look at what | | | | larger sheet sizes. I was previously involved with |
| happens when we increase the quantity. If we | | | | a company that printed poster-maps for various |
| paid to run the press for half an hour for, say, | | | | communities. These posters carried advertising |
| $15.00, we've now spent $200.00 total. During | | | | from various businesses in a given community. |
| that half an hour, we could print 1000 sheets of | | | | One of our early press runs was on a large press |
| stationery (we already figured in paper cost, | | | | that used a sheet size that was big enough to |
| above). This would amount to a unit cost of | | | | carry the image of not only the posters for one |
| twenty cents per sheet.At the above rates, we | | | | such community, but several other items as well. |
| could add $80.00 for another 4000 sheets of | | | | On one large sheet, we printed an order of |
| paper and $60.00 for labor, and we'd have 5000 | | | | posters, several full-color business cards, a pocket |
| sheets of stationery for $320.00; that means | | | | folder, post cards, and other promotional materials |
| each sheet of printed stationery is now just over | | | | for the company, such as "mini-posters" and |
| six cents, or less than one-third the unit cost of | | | | brochures.It was a complex job, which was a real |
| printing 1000 sheets (which is a typical small | | | | pain, according to the printer. However, I also |
| business order). Wow!-what a difference.The | | | | earned the printer's respect since I had |
| Concept of Time and Information InstabilityHere's | | | | successfully planned the most innovative and |
| another rule-of-thumb: If you print it, something | | | | efficient printing yield in the company's history |
| will change. You will change some things | | | | (the printing company was a large commercial |
| voluntarily, perhaps. If you add a new toll-free | | | | press that was several decades old). I don't |
| telephone number because your business is | | | | expect the average reader of this article to |
| growing, that's great; however, now your | | | | pursue one of these types of jobs on his or her |
| business cards and stationery are out of date. In | | | | own, but at least now you know about gang-ups. |
| some cases, information will change without your | | | | You can ask about using a larger sheet size and |
| knowledge or consent. If you live in a high growth | | | | printing more items during the same press run. |
| geographical area, you may find that telephone | | | | Further, in case you haven't noticed, my |
| area codes are changed. You'll get a friendly, | | | | discussion above about ten business cards on a |
| conciliatory letter from the phone company, which | | | | single sheet pertained to a simple "gang-up" |
| ends with bad news: "tough." Next, your friendly | | | | example.More "Tricks of the Trade"There are |
| postal service will notify you of a zip code change. | | | | numerous other tricks of the trade that can be |
| Surprise-you need new materials. I have | | | | applied to the challenge of making your |
| personally received these types of notices, and | | | | promotional tools work smarter for you and your |
| they are not pleasant news. For small business | | | | entrepreneurial enterprise. Even though I am no |
| owners, these notices really have a sting to | | | | longer in the marketing communications business |
| them.As businesses grow, lots of things tend to | | | | as a firm owner (having now moved on to other |
| change. In practice, you'll find that most | | | | pursuits on the Web, as a teacher, speaker and |
| information is dynamic and unstable. In other | | | | writer, et al), it gives me pleasure to accomplish |
| words, you may change addresses, phone | | | | two things by writing this article: 1) I have |
| numbers, office locations, and add employees. If | | | | explained some ways that you can save money |
| you print a client list, you will want to update that | | | | by designing and producing smart promotional and |
| immediately after winning a prestigious new | | | | identity materials; your image is extremely |
| account. I don't want to be negative, but | | | | important, and these materials carry, or will fail to |
| sometimes you must sever relationships that are | | | | carry, that image effectively; and 2) I have |
| reflected in a client list as well. If someone doesn't | | | | (presumably) influenced readers to treat their |
| pay you, I suggest that you "disown" them from | | | | designers and firms with some additional |
| your list. Obviously, you had the misfortune of | | | | respect.The people who do the best work in this |
| servicing a deadbeat company. Even though you | | | | area are true professionals. Despite any |
| were the victim, you just don't want your good | | | | stereotypes you may have, they are more than |
| name associated in any way with someone else's | | | | artists. A competent designer will work with you |
| bad name.When it comes down to it, I have | | | | to convey your marketing message effectively, |
| found that one of the few things that will tend to | | | | and help your business grow. He or she will |
| be stable is a company name, and a logo. You | | | | approach this task with an understanding of how |
| might note that there are exceptions to this rule, | | | | messages are created; what makes them |
| too. If you are planning to evolve from a sole | | | | compelling, and memorable; and how these |
| proprietorship and later incorporate, you need to | | | | messages can best be displayed, produced, and |
| factor that in to your printing plans. If your name | | | | disseminated. Good designers will also take |
| and logo fail due to reasons of marketing appeal, | | | | additional steps to ensure the effectiveness of |
| and you need to realign or otherwise reinvent | | | | their work. For example, they will subject their |
| your business and its identity message, well now | | | | concepts to focus groups and additional research |
| you are in trouble.The Concept of | | | | methodologies.As a business owner, your role is |
| PreprintsPreprinting static graphical or textual | | | | to communicate. Whether you are talking to |
| content can be a partial solution to the problems | | | | employees internally, speaking with customers, or |
| associated with information instability. I still am in a | | | | "pitching" to investors, you need to do this with |
| position to utilize certain materials that I created | | | | passion, conviction, and professionalism. If your |
| years ago. I have thousands of very high quality | | | | promotional materials are poorly conceived, |
| preprinted brochures with stable words such as, | | | | designed, and executed, you can expect to suffer |
| "A Few of Our Recent Clients," printed on the | | | | the consequences. However, let's end on a |
| front side. What's on the back side? Nothing, right | | | | positive note. By making your promotional tools |
| now, they are blank. I can run off a small quantity | | | | work smarter, you can communicate more |
| of these at any time. The price I paid per unit for | | | | effectively, and ensure your success.Dr. Robert |
| these brochures was very low, because I bought | | | | Lahm is the founder of several businesses and |
| so many. Meanwhile, as for any given list itself, | | | | Web sites, an entrepreneurship professor, a public |
| depending on who's on it and when it's printed, I | | | | speaker, and a writer. His typical topics include |
| can run these through a small press using one ink | | | | creativity and innovation, careers, start-ups, and |
| color, which appears along with all of the other | | | | small business marketing. Webmasters and other |
| colors in the finished product.Using a preprinting | | | | article publishers are hereby granted article |
| strategy is very economical. I've done this for | | | | reproduction permission as long as this article in its |
| clients, too. I serviced a banking industry client | | | | entirety, author's information, and any links remain |
| that needed to communicate with a relatively | | | | intact. Copyright 2005 by Dr. Robert J. Lahm, Jr. |
| small group of trust account holders. Trust | | | | |