How Would You LikeTo:

RAISEResponse Rates
INCREASE Total Purchase Dollars Per Customer orOrder
INCREASE ROI
LOWER Costs per Response
LOWER Costs per Sale
     GATHER pertinent information on each of your customers
to market more effectively

Announcing Our NEW state of the art digital press Xerox 800 Press!

(in case you want to jumpright to the big announcement to read more
about our new digital press, click here

Built fromthe ground up to maximize print quality. (Compared withold-technology
printers with added enhancements.) It utilizes new digital ink with chemicallygrown particles for
finer quality and in-line clear dry ink is the key element for special effects.

Very few of these digital presses haveyet to be even put into production ---
Sexton has one that offers virtually unmatched quality in the TwinCities.

THIS ISSUE EXPLORES DIGITAL PRINTINGandhow it is
revolutionizing the way businesses reach out to customers, as well as
how they develop their business or marketing strategies.

How does digital printing differ from conventional offset printing and
why is it fueling the growth of One-to One Marketing using Variable
Data Printing (VDP).

I CAN HELP, Sexton can help, Digital Printingcan help,
Oneto One Marketing can help! –
Implement engaging 1:1 promotions, provide cross-media campaign measurement, andeven streamlines your entire marketing supply chain.

"Sexton Printing has been providing Digital,
VDP printing for many years now"

(This issue won't make you an expert on the subject overnight,but it will show you the potential of digital technology using VDP, and how itcan help you reach your communications objectives.)

See research resultsand comparisons in charts below, of how to lower costs per response, as well asper sale and increasing ROI, not customized vs customized programs.

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY is changing the face of printing.
It makes printing faster and easier to produce, more flexible and reduces the need to
produce and hold huge inventories. It is transforming from a mass medium thatis a
'spray and pray',into a customizedmarketingOne-to-One.

Blending digitalprinting technology with electronic customer databases, VDP allows you to
create personalizedpromotions thatnot only call each member of your audience by name,
but also reflects their personal characteristics, lifestyles and tastes.

VARIABLE DATA PRINTING provides a powerful new tool
to win theattention of your audience, one person at a time,
and frequently captures higher sales, lowers cost per sale/response andincreases your ROI.

VDP is a form of on-demand printingin which elements such as text, graphics and images may be changed from one printed piece to the nextwithout stopping or slowing down the press, using information from a database.

What'sbehind the changeis the marriageof reliable, high-speed digital printing and sophisticated database software,which combine to produce One-to-One Marketingusing VDP for full color documents that look and
feel comparable to conventional offset printing.

THERE ARE TWO MAIN OPERATIONAL MODES -
In one methodology, the document template and the variable information areboth sent to the
press, and the raster image processor (RIP) combines the two to produce eachunique document.

Theother methodology isto combine the static and variable elements prior to printing using specializedVDP software applications. These applications produce an optimized printstream,
such as PostScript, which organize the print stream efficiently so that thestatic elements are
only processed once by the RIP.

DigitalDefined:
With most types of digital printing, there's no film, color proofing, strippingor plate making, no press make-readies, no time consuming changeovers, and lesswaste. Because the images that appear are generated digitally, they can most often be changed'on the fly'.

Digitaltechnology permits quick turnaround, immediate finishing, and no wait-time fordrying and allows
for low-quantity print runs. Books and brochures can be printed on-demand asthey are ordered – eliminating the need to print large quantitiesof materials and then holding them in inventory.

DigitalGoes Personal:
Communicators now have the ability to target messages more precisely than everbefore, and they're going
to town with it. Like hearing your name across a crowded room, personalized communications cut through
the clutter andhelp establish a different relationship; you're not just selling -
you're speaking with prospects person-to-person.

TheReturns:
While some claims seem inflated, research and experience indicate thatpersonalized communications
increase customerretention, the size of the order and response rates 6 times over.
Others say, variable printing varies from double the normal return on the first level to 10 to 15 times on fully variable. It depends onthe data and the relevancy, but it is a very effective tool to increase ROI onyour mailings. Even with higher per-page costs, variable data printingcan make
for a lower cost per response, and higher returns from your communicationsinvestments.

HOW TOINCREASE RESPONSE:

NOTE: +600%, this equates up to 16% total
Full variable data, personalization, customization, database segmentation. ie;specific targets, smaller
quantity, more opportunities to respond.

Use what you know about your customer/prospect

Send them a relevant message

Ask them to act or take action in a specific manner

+20% when utilizing a DimensionalMailer

ODD SHAPES - Have been found to give higher customersatisfaction via non-traditional, die cut mailers.
Some claim that shaped mail can increase response rates over regular directmail by at least
2 to 3 times.
ie. Basketballs,buses, beer mugs, movie tickets, guitars, etc. New Postal regulations
that allow for custom shaped mail in sizes as large as 2x15 to be delivered tomailboxes without envelopes.

VARIABLEDATA RESULTS:

NOTE: when BRC is"pre-completed"with recipients name and address, return rate increases 13%.

PERSONALIZATIONDRIVES RESPONSE: (2004study)

1%=response rate for broadcast black andwhite, no personal info

+1.5%=response rate to black and white, with personalization

+1.5%=response rate with4cp, no personalization

+2%=response rate with4cp, with personalization

+6.5%=response rate with4cp, and deeper personalization in form of purchase history

NOTE: It's not the quantity that issent out, but the number of responses you getback that matters.

(Sincethis is the follow up piece to the September 2012 column, Direct Mail – Raising Response, Lowering Costs, I just want to remindyou of some important facts from that issue, in case you missed it), or click here to read theentire piece ), they are:

•     While the brand perception should be identical, the objectivesper target group will be differentiated, and therefore the investment level,media, messaging and offer. Consumers
can expect offers and messaging to become more comprehensive... and over a period of time
each receives a variety of direct mail communications about their particular objectives,offer and messaging.

•     First off, Sexton's data technologies can help provide you withthe fuel to propel promotions that go well beyond traditional spray-and-prayapproaches. Beginning with existing or freshly acquired data, we can help youbuild a true marketing database by... enhancing itwith demographic or even psychographic information. This greatly improves theusability of the database and gives us a foundation from which to provide valueanalyses and segmentation.

•     And beyond that, we can then develop a profile of each audienceto help tailor marketing messages for them. I think we'll all agree that themore targeted we can make your messages, the better the results will be.

•     Using Integrated Marketing or Multiple Channels and Touch Points,you can also keep the audience interested. Synchronizing campaigns, utilizing'if this, then that occurs' etc.

•     Advertisers and consumers prefer a tangible object, somethingthat can be held or touched. People prefer paper to something that exists onlyelectronically. How many of us read an entire document on the computer screen?

•     "Mail is essential to the multichannel mix. Many believe mail isuniquely positioned to play a major role in a National economical resurgence in2012" Modern Mail quote.

And most IMPORTANTLY bytracking the results, you can easily calculate the cost per response, inquiryor sale.

•     Measurability isa Major Advantage for marketing compared to other communicationtools.

•     Using Alerts inReal Time of when a site has been visited, and what responses havebeen given, gives the ability to follow up in a timely manner. This is criticalfor marketing managers, as well as sales reps and others to gather info quicklyand accurately and respond as needed.

•     UtilizingDashboard Technology-data being generated, gathered and formulatedinto track able, measurable and informative formats in real time. Eachopportunity, what products or services they are interested in, as well asgiving you the ability to monitor your sales teams efforts, follow-up andsales. Integration of online tools is inclined to make your direct mailstronger than ever.

•     In the dashboard, you'll be able to Monitor Up-to-the-Minute Results by campaign anditemize: reports of visitors, actions while on landing pages, downloadsinitiated, data collected, A/B test results, and activities from sources likedirect mail, email, telephone number tracking, and text messaging.

Response Rates of Direct Mail depend on:

^{Integrity of List -} Are you marketing to your target audience, and has the list been run through an address updating software?

^{Profiling -} How to quickly and accurately profile clients thatcan dramatically improve response rate

When client or prospects responds to surveys, PURL, QR codes, offer etc. through a direct link to a micro site-landing page of some sort, it gives you a demographic breakdown about who used the promotional item, which offerthey used, plus the response spend rates and each individuals demographics.

^{Timing -} What's goingon with world events, business cycles, marketing cycles, sales cycles, etc?

^Offer- Is it something ofvalue or interest to your target audience?

^Incentive- Is it worthwhile tothem?  Will it make them act?

^{Call To Action -} Are you telling them what you want them to do, when you want them to doit by, and how you want them to do it?

^{CreativeExecution -} Design, copy, layout, vehicle, etc?

Youmust understand and know your TargetMarket

Themore SPECIFIC YOUR TARGET, thebetter the use of your
marketing dollars, and hopefully the bigger ROI will be.
Sexton can assist you in enhancing your target data.

6 ImportantItems for Direct Mail:

Integrity of Mail List - ifnot geared towards your target audience, will not matter

Timing - what isgoing on in marketplace, your industry, purchasing cycles, world events, etc?

Offer - what youare offering them and why they should act

Incentive - rewardfor acting in the manner you wish them to

Call to Action -is it clear on what you want them to do, how, and when by

Creative -marketing vehicle you use, creative concepts, visuals, copy etc.

NOTE: It is not the cost of the piece, but the RETURN itbrings in. This could be: increased interest,
responses, activations, dollars per sale, sales, total revenue or informationgained in order to make
better decisions in the future.

NOTE: One factor that has been leftout is timing. It is critical that you timeyour programs based on what
is going on with your business, cycles of purchasing, world events, etc.

Data Base is the most important lever

NOTE: 18% of Americans relocate annually, and 2% of your list movesmonthly

Mail List Hygiene

SextonPrinting has been assisting our customers with
their mail list needs for over 14 years.

There areactually 4 levels of Variable Printing -

(These are each done by having a base design programmedshowing what will change, and
then a database that actually drives the fields that will change).

And 5levels of complexity -

WhileVDP opens new options in communications, it's bestto proceed carefully. Theprinting equipment available needs to meet the demands of the job and each typeof equipment has its own weakness and strengths. Working with Sexton, you'll be assured that we areexperienced in handling both the printing technology and the informationsystems needed to drive it.

When starting out, it's best to keep things both simple and subtle. While it's possible to personalize
virtually every aspect of a publication, large numbers of permutations becomemore difficult to manage,
simply assembling all the images and reviewing all the options can bechallenging. It also appears that the
days of boldly calling attention to personalized information are coming to anend. Today, many of the best examples seamlessly weave personalization into theproject without flaunting it. The goal is toreach
customers, not to showcase your technical prowess.

Beforeyou decide to go Variable it's good to keep a few things in mind -

•       Not all commercial printersare equipped to handle VDP, which requires a broader range of skills.

•       Software is easier to use, yet, graphicarts professionals are likely to need the help of information technologyspecialists to acquire and manage the data required. At most printers thatoffer digital
printing IT experts are full members of the production team.

•       Of course, the data must begood. Nothingblunts the impact of a personalized publication more than
a mangled name or title.

•       VDP requires a new way oflooking at costs.Both production times and costs are likely to be higher,
but so are the responses and purchases, which can make VDP more cost effective.

•       No need to print and storelarge quantitiesof copies that may never be used or quickly become out-of-date.

•     In thelong run, it might actually be less expensive to pay as you go and only print the number ofpublications that are required at the moment, without tying up capital inbrochures stacked on a warehouse floor.

Announcing OurNEW state of the art digital press Xerox800 Press!
Built fromthe ground up to maximize print quality. (Compared withold-technology
printers with added enhancements.) It utilizes new digital ink with chemically
grown particles for finer quality and in-line clear dry ink is the key element forspecial effects.

Very few of these digital presses haveyet to be even put into production ---
Sexton has one that offers virtually unmatched quality in the TwinCities.

Clear Dry Ink adds creative effectsthat bring your prints to life and get your messages noticed.

You can create dazzling effects that deliver vibrant,high-definition image quality and a wide color gamut that makes images come tolife.

Cleardry ink enables you to -

• Use it as a spottreatment over an image or text to create a tactile dimension that catches the eye, creates an emotion and spurs actions for the visualeffect of popping off the page. Draws attention to a headline or variabletext.
  
  

• Enhance varied textureson a single printed surface, giving the piece a more high-end polished look. 
  
  

• Highlight a certain areaof a photo to reach out and grab the reader's attention or highlight just a few of its features. 
  
  

• Add a texture over aphoto giving the illusion of dimension, over one word or several, will drawattention to your messages.  Even apply in different levels of intensityto give a layered look and feel.
  
  

• Tinted varnish effectscan increase the depth and overall sheen of a color making it seem to be lifted off the page.
  
  

• Simulate pearlescent ormetallic appearance, a metallic effect can be accomplished now on our state of the art digital press with thistechnique which adds richness, sheen and elegance to your piece.
  
  

• Use it as a watermark and it disappears when the document iscopied. Clear watermarks can also be a powerful yet subtle design elementto elegantly help you make your point.

   

(Highlightedareas in blue below indicate areas where clear dry ink was applied in thisexample.)

•       Make sure to letme know if you'd like to see some of the awesome samples I have of this technique.

Here is some further information onDigital Printing Machines
Some types of Digital Printing Machines

Biggestdifference - most systems rely on toners, not inks.

After they are applied, toners are typically baked onto thesurface of the paper at a high temperature. This is only a problem when usingconventional shells. ie. running a large conventional shell program and thencoming back with a digital imprint over a conventionally printed area havingcolor such as a tinted background. The conventional inks could liquefy causinga smeared type look. A test run would be a good idea. Best case, imprint onto aconventional shell on the white paper surface only.

Many experts recommend against using toner-based printingsystems to print letterhead stationery, feeding it through a high heat laserprinter might cause your name or logo to lose definition.

Compared to conventional inks, toner is also somewhat morelikely to crack when folded. It's important to avoid large floods of color orheavy toner coverage on the folds. Using perfect binding rather than saddlestitching will also help reduce cracking.

Dry toner-based systems typically cannot print at the highresolutions available with the best offset printing, so the use of extremelyfine screens should be avoided.

The electrostatic charge used to attract the toner oftenvaries in strength across the sheet, which make it difficult to controlgradations.

Since few systems allow for the use of spot colors, it canbe difficult to match corporate colors or to print metallic inks.

Keep in mind that what you see on the monitor is NOT whatyou'll see on press. The colors on screen are inherently more vibrant andencompass more of the entire spectrum.

Toner Based Digital PrintingSystems:

Most toner-based systems rely on some type of electrophotographic printing technology. Electro statically charged particles of tonerare attracted to areas of the paper that have received an electrical charge.Then the toner is fused to the paper to form the image.

Xerographic Systems:

A light source scans the image and reflects it onto anelectro statically charged photoreceptive drum. The drum passes over a tonerroller, and dry or liquid toners are attracted to the charged image areas ofthe drum. The drum deposits the toners on an electro statically charged pieceof paper or other substrate, and the toner is fixed to the substrate by heatand pressure. The image and any remaining toner particles are then erased fromthe drum, which is ready for its next image.

Laser Printing Systems:

Also rely on electro photographic technology. The artwork isscanned, converted into digital data and then transferred onto an electricallycharged drum using either a laser or a light emitting diode. Toners areattracted to the image areas on the drum, which then transfers them to thesubstrate.

Ink Jet Based:

Rather than relying on electro photographic technology,these systems use drops of ink applied to the substrate to create the image.Drops leave the nozzle at a rate of up to one million per second, producing aglossy image with a look that comes close to that of a continuous tonephotograph. They use electrical charges to guide the placement of the drops onthe substrate. Drop-on-demand inkjet printing applies drops of speciallyformulated liquid or solid inks in response to a digital signal.

Hybrid Technologies:

Combine digital and conventional offset technology. One type(DI), Direct Imaging, work like a standard sheetfed offset press, but theplates are imaged and prepared right on the machine. DI presses can match theperformance of high quality conventional offset presses, but they do not allowfor variable data, because once the plates have been prepared, they can onlyprint identical copies of the same image.

(ifyou jumped right here from pg 1 to read all about the new press,
clickhere to go back, so you don't miss anything!)

Some informationon Digital Papers:

Having the right paper is important –
Papers used with digital printing should be engineered to work well with tonersand stand up to the heat that can be generated during the image fusion process.A strong surface helps to protect against the picking sometimes caused bytackier waterless inks. A smooth surface helps to hold the toner evenly.

It's especially important to control the moisture content ofthe paper before and during printing. Digital paper typically contains lessmoisture than conventional offset papers, so there's less moisture to evaporatethrough the printed image when the toners are fused by heat. Both temperatureand moisture content are critical for the paper to receive the correctelectrostatic charge during digital printing.

Generally it is best to avoid paperswith heavy textures, since the toner may not adhere evenly or might rub off onthe high spots. Always make sure that the paper's basis weight matches thespecifications of the equipment that will be used to print the project.

Xerox & Xerox PreTemplated stock for Unique & Cool vehiclesthat Sexton offers

Wehave some really COOL and UNIQUE pre template vehicles that you might want toconsider for some of your offerings.

What makes them different –

Theyare pre template sheets that all you need to do is drop your artwork into

Youdon't need to have dies made and paid for

Nordo you need to run tens of thousands of them

Theyare ideal for small qty runs, in 4-color process and can even be personalized

FYI –
Xerox Polyester Paper is a synthetic paper option availabledesigned to take plenty of abuse and still look great.
Consider this for wet weather - chemicals and tearing don't mean a thing tothis tough paper!
Perfect for manuals, catalogs, airline tray inserts, maps, menus, luggage tags,garden plant tags and much more.
Has high opacity and whiteness for excellent brightness and shade.

Neenah's DigitalPapers—

http://www.neenahpaper.com/FinePaper/ByEndUse/DigitalPapers?gclid=CJnTiNi7o7ECFUYCQAod7nWjdA

I do have some ideas that you might want to consider and wouldlove
an opportunity to come in and show them to you. Let me know if you areinterested and we'll set up a date and time to do this.

Food for Thought:

Repetition-is the mother ofrecognition and learning.
The more often you hit the target market with
different and creative pieces, the better chance of having
them recognize and purchase or act on your offer

You also mightfind of interest:

More info listed below that you may find of interest:

Case Studies
Quotes
Sources
Targets

Stay tuned for the next issue of TK's Korner. You just might be surprised!

Please refer back and visit often the entire library of TK's Korners where you will find information on subjects that may be of interest to you like:

Direct Mail Raise Response, Lower Costs
  (LAST MONTH'S COMPANION COLUMN, DON'T MISS IT!)
Avoid Dog House
Creative Coatings Techniques
For Direct Marketers
In-House Mailing Capabilities
Microsites
Picking the Right Paper
PODI case study
Post it to Web vs Print
PURLS
QR Codes
Social Media vs Print plus Integrated Marketing
What Sets Sexton Apart?
Why Print in a Down Market?
Why Work with TK?

BE SURE TO CHECK THEM OUT!

Hope this helps and stay tuned for the next issue of TK's Korner. You never know what might be covered!

If you have a production issue not discussed above that you would like me to address, or a project that needs to be looked at, please give me a call or send me an email. I will do whatever it takes to ensure you get the best value for every marketing dollar invested.

You can also check out my profile, join my network and view more client comments on LinkedIn at:http://www.linkedin.com/in/tomkubinski

Referrals are greatly appreciated, if you know someone I could help, or who might like to receive TK's Korner, please let me know.

Take care and have a great day!

Successfully,
Tom Kubinski, Printing Consultant

Printing Consultant Who Helps You Make Good Impressions
TKubinski@shapco.com
Direct: 612-278-1568
Cell: 612-760-3700

Selected portions reprinted in Print & Media Buyer, a national magazine for the print industry. (Search for Tom Kubinski)

Print & Media Buyer Magazine, Winter issue 2007

Below, please find a PODi case study of nationally recognized campaign plus 3 issues that have been published in a National magazine.

	* PODi - Digital Print Success Story .pdf 2.9 mb
	* Kubinski to Contribute to Print and Media Buyer Magazine .pdf 144 kb
	* "Press Check/A Step by Step Process" SPRING 2008 .pdf 536 kb
	* "File Prep" APRIL 2008 .pdf 704 kb
	* "How to Plan Your Print Project/Nice Price" JULY 2008 .pdf 320 kb

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