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5 Tips for Boosting Your Donor Retention Rate

The average donor retention rate for nonprofits is between 40% and 45%. That means for every 100 donors you have, only 40-45 will donate the following year. But what if you could retain more of them? Imagine the impact on your mission!

The key to retaining donors is keeping them engaged with your mission. Whether you feed the hungry or support childhood education, the more you keep donors connected, the more likely they are to continue giving.

Here are five proven ways to do that:

1. Send an immediate thank you.

Donors want to know that their giving is appreciated and that it makes a difference. When people give online, for example, do more than send an automated “thank you.” Send a follow-up direct mail piece with images of their donation dollars at work. Ask them to opt into your e-newsletter to keep them engaged with the progress of your mission.

2. Keep them informed.

Printed newsletters are a great way to deepen donors’ investment in what you are doing. They provide more space to “dive deep” into projects, introduce donors to people behind the scenes, and give voice to the people and communities positively impacted by their generosity.

3. Ask questions.

When you ask donors’ opinions, it makes them feel valued. It also keeps them invested in your mission. Tell them you want to hear from them. “Where would you like to see more resources invested? Please select your top three.” Or, “Tell us how we’re doing.” Ask questions about what you do well and what could be improved.

4. Invest in a recurring giving program.

Do your donors have the option to make an automatic recurring gift? If not, this is something you should look into. Research shows that recurring donors are retained at a level of 90%.

5. Clean up your data.

Don’t let donors slip away because they moved or changed email addresses, and you lost contact with them. People change email addresses like they change their favorite clothes. People also move, change jobs, and make other changes that require updates to your physical mailing list.

Donors are the lifeblood of your mission, so keep them curious, excited, and invested in what you are doing. Maintain a consistent communication cadence and make donors feel as vital as they are!

The Role of Print Marketing in an Omnichannel Strategy

When it comes to marketing, you’ll want to choose the most effective strategies that will give you the best return, catching the interest of as many consumers as possible. An omnichannel approach is a great way to incorporate multiple methods to create a complex and successful web of marketing materials.

Omnichannel marketing is a sales approach that integrates and coordinates multiple communication channels to provide a seamless and consistent customer experience across all touchpoints. The customer can be engaged through various online, in-store, mobile, and social media platforms, ensuring a cohesive interaction with the brand.

Print marketing is one of your company’s strongest tools within the omnichannel strategy. 82% of customers trust print ads the most when making a purchase decision. Read on to learn about the essentials of print marketing within an omnichannel approach.

3 Things to Know About Using Print Products in Omnichannel Marketing

Incorporating print products into your omnichannel marketing strategy can significantly enhance it. Here are three key aspects to consider when integrating print products into your omnichannel approach.

1. Building Credibility and Trust

Among various marketing channels, consumers often perceive print as more credible and trustworthy than digital ads.
Integrating print products into your omnichannel marketing strategy can enhance your brand’s authenticity and genuineness, ultimately boosting sales and loyalty.

2. Print and Digital Channels

Print materials can complement digital channels effectively, creating a seamless customer experience.
For instance, incorporating QR codes or short URLs on direct mail pieces can drive customers to your website or social media pages. You can also use print to reinforce digital campaigns by sending out printed coupons and email reminders.

3. Print and In-Person Channels

Print materials can be integrated with in-person offers to enhance your omnichannel strategy.
For example, sending printed coupons for in-store redemption or advertising in-store events through direct mail can drive foot traffic. Additionally, using print for billboards, posters, and business cards can enhance the in-person experience and attract more customers to your store.

To create high-quality print materials to help your company market itself, contact sales@imagemarkonline.com today or visit us at imagemarkonline.com.

ImageMark Business Services, Inc. Enhances Production Capabilities with New Ricoh 9500 Press 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Gastonia, NC – May 15, 2024 – ImageMark Business Services, Inc. (ImageMark), a leading provider of innovative print and marketing solutions, is excited to announce the acquisition of the state-of-the-art Ricoh 9500 production press. This new equipment represents a significant investment in ImageMark’s commitment to delivering high-quality, efficient, and cost-effective print solutions to its clients. Notably, ImageMark is one of the first printers in the United States to purchase the Ricoh 9500. 

The Ricoh 9500 is renowned for its exceptional speed, reliability, and versatility. It features inline finishing capabilities that streamline the production process, particularly for booklet and direct mail jobs. This advanced functionality allows ImageMark to produce finished products faster than ever before, reducing turnaround times and increasing overall productivity. 

“Investing in new digital technology like the Ricoh 9500 allows ImageMark to maintain competitive pricing in the marketplace without sacrificing our clients’ high standards for quality,” said Wes Pollock, Chief Revenue Officer of ImageMark. “This equipment enhances our production efficiency and ensures we continue to deliver top-notch print solutions that meet and exceed our clients’ expectations.” 

The Ricoh 9500’s advanced features include: 

High-Speed Production: Capable of printing at impressive speeds, the Ricoh 9500 ensures rapid completion of large-volume jobs, meeting tight deadlines with ease. 

Inline Finishing: The integrated finishing options streamline the production of booklets and direct mail pieces, eliminating the need for separate finishing processes and reducing production time. 

Superior Quality: With outstanding print resolution and color consistency, the Ricoh 9500 delivers professional-grade results that meet the highest standards. 

Enhanced Flexibility: The equipment supports a wide range of media types and sizes, making it ideal for diverse printing needs. 

This investment aligns with ImageMark’s mission to leverage the latest technologies to enhance service delivery and exceed customer expectations. The addition of the Ricoh 9500 reinforces ImageMark’s position as an industry leader, offering cutting-edge solutions that drive business success for its clients. 

For more information about ImageMark and its new Ricoh 9500 press, please visit imagemarkonline.com or contact our customer service team at 800-632-9513. 

About ImageMark Business Services, Inc. 

ImageMark Business Services, Inc. is a premier provider of print and marketing solutions, dedicated to helping businesses communicate more effectively. With a focus on innovation, quality, and customer satisfaction, ImageMark offers a comprehensive range of services including digital printing, direct mail, and contract packaging. Based in Gastonia, NC, ImageMark serves clients across various industries, delivering tailored solutions that drive results. 

Media Contact: 

Cindy McKee
Director of Sales and Marketing
ImageMark Business Services, Inc.
Phone: 800-632-9513
Email: cindy.mckee@imagemarkonline.com   

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For additional information, please visit imagemarkonline.com or contact ImageMark at 800-632-9513. 

9 Innovative Fold Styles for Brochures

Even with the rise of digital media, brochures still hold immense value in marketing and advertising. They offer a tangible and easily shareable platform to showcase your brand or product, creating a lasting impression on potential customers.

With fierce competition in the market, it’s crucial to make your print designs stand out and captivate attention.

One surefire way to achieve this is by incorporating innovative fold styles in your brochures.

Stand Out with Innovative Folds

Ready to take your brochures to the next level? Explore Our Top 9 Fold Styles that are Guaranteed to Make Your Brochures Stand Out

1. Accordion Fold

Experience the timeless elegance of the accordion fold, adding a unique touch to your brochure.

With its captivating zig-zag pattern, this fold creates multiple panels for seamless content placement. Ideally suited for instructional brochures, it beautifully showcases different sections or steps of a process, captivating your audience.

2. Roll Fold

Embrace the art of the roll fold as it gracefully rolls the paper inward from both sides, creating a compact and visually stunning design.

Ideal for brochures with limited content, such as menus or event schedules, it captures attention and leaves a lasting impression.

3. Gatefold

Like the opening of a grand entrance, this gatefold makes a bold and unforgettable statement!

Its ingenious design is perfect for showcasing large, breathtaking images or captivating graphics, creating an engaging experience for the reader. This unique fold adds an element of surprise and intrigue, setting your brochure apart from the rest and leaving a lasting impression on your audience.

4. Converting Fold

Discover the magic of a truly unique style that takes a simple flat sheet and effortlessly transforms it into a captivating three-dimensional masterpiece.

Behold as your brochure comes to life, commanding attention and standing out in any display. This extraordinary technique is especially perfect for product catalogs or pop-up brochures, where every detail demands to be noticed.

5. Z-Fold

The z-fold creates a captivating zig-zag effect, allowing for creative content placement like before-and-after images or eye-catching comparisons.

With the ability to showcase multiple products or services, it’s the ideal choice to add excitement to your brochure.

6. Double Parallel Fold

Elevate your brochure with the sleek and professional look of the double parallel fold.

By folding the paper in half twice, you create four equal panels perfect for organizing your content. This fold style works wonders for brochures packed with information, and its versatility makes it ideal for mailing and handouts.

7. French Fold

Discover the irresistible charm and elegance of the French fold.

With a skillful combination of vertical and horizontal folds, you unveil four panels that exude a captivating minimalist design aesthetic. This folding technique is ideally suited for brochures that require a touch of sophistication and leave a lasting, unforgettable impression.

8. Map Fold

Embark on a journey of information and exploration with the map fold.

This ingenious choice entails folding the paper in thirds, like a letter, with one panel ingeniously flipped over to unveil an expansive unfolded section in the middle. With ample space for content placement, this fold is the perfect match for travel brochures or immersive city guides, letting your readers chart their own course.

9. Half Fold

And finally, we have the timeless half-fold, reminiscent of a book’s embrace.

This elegantly simple yet remarkably effective fold style offers seamless navigation and lends itself beautifully to brochures brimming with abundant information or captivating imagery.

Let your readers effortlessly immerse themselves in a world of knowledge and visual delights.

Want to make a lasting impression with your brochure design? Get creative and incorporate innovative fold styles to elevate the look and feel of your print material.  

Whether you’re promoting a new product or advertising your business, our team is here to help. Contact us today to create eye-catching and innovative brochures that will leave a lasting impact on your audience!

Variable Data Printing: What Is It & How to Use It

Variable data printing, or VDP, is a digital printing method that allows for customizing printed materials with unique information.

This technology has revolutionized the print world by enabling businesses to create personalized marketing materials, such as brochures, postcards, and flyers, that can target specific audiences.

How Does Variable Data Printing Work?

Variable data printing utilizes digital printing technology to customize the content of each printed piece.

The process involves linking a database of personalized information with a print job, allowing for unique elements such as names, addresses, images, or barcodes to be incorporated into the design.

This can all be done in a single print run, making the process quick and efficient.

Why Use Variable Data Printing?

Variable data printing offers many benefits for businesses creating targeted marketing materials.

Here are some of the main advantages:

• Personalization: With VDP, each printed piece can be customized with unique information, making it more engaging and relevant to the recipient.
• Improved Response Rates: VDP has been proven to increase response rates and conversions by tailoring content to specific audiences.
• Cost Savings: With the ability to print smaller batches of personalized materials, businesses can save on printing costs and reduce waste.
• Efficiency: VDP allows for quick turnaround times and eliminates the need for manual mailer sorting and addressing.

How Can You Use Variable Data Printing?

Variable data printing can be used in various ways to enhance your marketing efforts.

Here are some examples:

• Personalized Mailers: Customize direct mail pieces with recipient names, images, or personalized offers.
• Event Invitations: Create unique invitations for each guest by incorporating their names and addresses.
• Loyalty Programs: Use VDP to print custom loyalty cards with unique serial numbers for each customer.
• Variable Packaging: Customize packaging with individualized names or designs to make your products stand out.
• Personalized Brochures: Tailor brochure content and images based on the recipient’s interests or location.

Tips for Using Variable Data Printing

To ensure a successful variable data printing campaign, here are some tips to keep in mind:

• Start with a Clean Database: Make sure the information in your database is accurate and up to date.
• Understand Your Audience: Use the data in your database to segment your audience and create targeted messages.
• Keep it Simple: Don’t overwhelm recipients with too much personalization. Stick to relevant details that will make an impact.
• Test, Test, Test: Before launching a large print run, test your design and database to ensure everything works correctly.
• Consider Integrating with Other Channels: VDP can be combined with other marketing mediums, such as social media or email, for a more comprehensive campaign.

Variable data printing is a valuable tool for businesses looking to create personalized and targeted marketing materials. With its ability to enhance engagement, increase response rates, and save costs, VDP is a must-have for any modern marketing strategy.

Are you interested in seeing how variable data printing can benefit your business? We can help! Contact us today for a personalized consultation and see how we can take your marketing efforts to the next level.

Bridging the Digital Divide: The Vital Role of Print in Reaching Everyone

In today’s digitally driven world, it’s easy to assume that everyone is connected, but the reality is quite different. Millions of Americans still lack access to high-speed Internet—42 million Americans, to be exact. (The FCC defines “high-speed” as download speeds of at least 25 Mbps and upload speeds of at least 3 Mbps.) This underscores the importance of keeping print in the marketing mix. Printed marketing materials like postcards, sales letters, and other direct mailers reach every American, regardless of their Internet connectivity.

Where Is the Divide?

When we think about the digital divide, we tend to think about rural areas, but the lack of high-speed connectivity isn’t just a rural issue. It impacts a diverse range of communities and demographics. Those most likely to lack high-speed Internet access include:

Rural and tribal communities: Remote areas often suffer from limited or no high-speed Internet infrastructure, leaving residents with slower and less reliable connections.

Low-income households: Internet service can be costly, making it a luxury many low-income families cannot afford.

Senior citizens: Older individuals may be less tech-savvy and have limited access to digital resources.

Minority groups: Disparities in Internet access disproportionately affect minority communities, exacerbating existing inequalities.

People with disabilities: Those with disabilities may require specialized technology or face accessibility barriers when using the Internet.

Printed Marketing Materials: A Universal Reach

Amidst this digital divide, printed marketing materials reach every American, regardless of their Internet access or tech proficiency. In essence, they bridge the digital gap. Print is also dependable. It relies on something other than a stable Internet connection, ensuring that your message is delivered consistently.

In a world where the digital divide persists, print remains a reliable and inclusive way to engage with your customers and prospects. By recognizing the importance of this channel and employing the right strategies for creating relevant, engaging communications, you can ensure that your message has the most significant impact!

Advantages of Localized Sourcing

In today’s highly competitive, global marketplace, it’s more important than ever for businesses to optimize their operations and gain a competitive edge. One effective strategy is by adopting localized sourcing. This practice involves partnering with local businesses for goods procurement and other services. In this article, we will explore the various benefits of localized sourcing, as well as the risks non-regional partners can bring.  

Advantages of Localized Sourcing

Whether your business requires direct mail services, web-to-print services, or kitting, choosing a local partner who can help you meet these needs offers many benefits you may not have previously considered.

Economic Benefits

Localized sourcing is an important method of supporting your local economy and injecting capital into your community. This means you are not only playing an active role in maintaining a thriving community but you are also supporting local job creation and retention. Keeping resources within your region ensures you’re doing your part to maintain economic stability and prosperity. It also looks great to your customers and can be a key factor in why they choose you over your competition.

Quality Assurance

When it comes to maintaining quality standards, proximity matters. Businesses that source goods locally gain the benefit of direct oversight over production processes. This means they can better ensure products adhere to their quality specifications and respond promptly when problems occur. For these reasons, local sourcing greatly reduces the risk of faulty or poor-quality products reaching your customers. 

Cultural Understanding

In any type of business partnership, establishing effective communication is crucial for success. Compared to overseas partners, local service providers have an intimate understanding of local business practices and cultural nuances. This not only ensures your interactions are smoother, but more productive as well. Cultural awareness also plays a role in enhancing customer satisfaction, since it means that your products and services can be easily tailored to align with local preferences. 

Environmental Sustainability

Establishing environmentally friendly business practices is more important today than ever before. Environmental awareness is of huge importance to today’s customers, and businesses that can demonstrate their sustainability efforts are reaping the biggest benefits. Localized sourcing allows businesses to lower their carbon footprint by reducing transportation distances. This is a big stride towards reducing your overall environmental impact and meeting your sustainability goals. Opting for a local supplier demonstrates that your business aligns with your customers’ preference for eco-friendly practices. 

Localized Sourcing vs. Non-Regional Partners

While the benefits of localized sourcing are important to consider, it’s also valuable to be aware of the ways non-regional partners can be holding your business back. One issue is that non-local partners typically involve longer lead times and shipping delays. In addition, any trade disputes or political instability that occurs in your partner’s region can quickly disrupt the supply chain, causing production setbacks and cost increases.

Quality Control Issues

Maintaining quality control without direct oversight is challenging. Many businesses struggle to monitor the production processes of non-regional partners, and the result is increased product defects or subpar quality. These issues can quickly damage your business’s reputation and lose your customers’ trust. 

Dependency on External Factors

When you partner with a non-local supplier, your business becomes exposed to many potentially harmful external factors. Fluctuating exchange rates, international regulations, and unpredictable geopolitical tensions can all influence trade and result in unnecessary financial risk.

Strategies for Implementing Localized Sourcing

If you’re ready to experience the benefits of localized sourcing, there are several simple strategies that are a good place to start:

• Identify your local partners and evaluate them carefully
• Build a strong relationship with your local suppliers
• Invest in the technology needed for remote collaboration, if necessary
• Diversify your sourcing options to disperse risk

In addition, you might want to establish a team dedicated to localized sourcing. They can identify your local vendors, develop partnership expectations, and handle the bidding and onboarding process. 

Work With ImageMark for Localized Sourcing

Localized sourcing is a convenient way for businesses to eliminate potential problems while establishing themselves as an environmentally-focused community supporter. If you’re interested in gaining greater quality control over your products ImageMark is here to help you gain a competitive edge. Our kitting, direct mail, and promotional product services have been helping local businesses outpace their competition since 1996. To learn more, contact our experts today.

Print Fulfillment in Charlotte, NC

Growing businesses depend on printing services to create products and packaging that meet customers’ expectations. Outsourcing your print fulfillment needs to an experienced and reliable partner can help you save a significant amount of time and money. At ImageMark, we offer a range of print fulfillment services for customers in the Charlotte, NC area. With over two decades of experience, we have the necessary skills and resources to deliver high-quality printed products for diverse industries.

What Are Print Fulfillment Services?

Print fulfillment services involve picking, storing, packing, and shipping various printed products for clients. These processes can be time-consuming and complex to complete in-house, especially for small or rapidly growing businesses. As such, many businesses in the Charlotte, NC area are turning to print fulfillment companies to help with their printing needs. By outsourcing these services, Charlotte businesses can benefit from quality printing solutions without having to invest in costly labor and equipment.

Benefits of Print Fulfillment in Charlotte, NC

ImageMark’s print fulfillment capabilities offer the following benefits to Charlotte, NC customers:

• Reduce time and cost. We have the necessary expertise, equipment, and facilities to meet all of your print fulfillment needs. This helps you save time and money while allowing you to focus on more important areas of your business.
• Optimize resources. Outsourcing your print fulfillment to a professional allows you to allocate resources to other business operations, such as product development, customer service, and marketing.
• Enhance customer satisfaction. Our print fulfillment services ensure your customers receive their orders on time and with optimal quality. This results in improved customer satisfaction, retention, and brand loyalty.
• Extend your reach. By using a print fulfillment provider with a global or national network, you can expand your reach to customers worldwide.
• Expert printing and shipping capabilities. We have access to advanced printing and shipping technologies to ensure your products get to customers quickly and efficiently.

Types of Print Fulfillment Services Offered in Charlotte, NC

We offer various types of print fulfillment services for businesses in Charlotte, NC. These services include:

• Web-to-print service. Web-to-print, otherwise known as web2print, print e-commerce, or digital storefront, is a solution that helps companies create, produce, and manage marketing materials while maintaining an on-brand appearance. 
• Wide-format printing. Using industrial large format printers, we can print large-scale materials with widths ranging from 18 to 96 inches.
• Print-on-demand. This service involves only printing products once they’re ordered. This can help you save on inventory costs and offer a wider range of products.
• Warehousing and shipping. We can store your printed products in a warehouse and ship them to customers once ordered. This allows your business to keep a larger inventory and ship to customers all over the world.
• Kitting and assembly. We can assemble various products into individual kits. This is a great option for businesses selling products made up of several parts.
• Custom packaging. At ImageMark, we can design and create tailored packaging that meets the needs of your product while ensuring a unique experience for your customers.

Work With ImageMark for Print Fulfillment in Charlotte, NC

Print fulfillment services give businesses access to the printing solutions they need while helping to save time, money, and resources. At ImageMark, we serve the Charlotte, NC area with superior print fulfillment services that ensure your customers receive high-quality products quickly and efficiently. For more information about our print fulfillment capabilities, contact us today.

Data-Driven Marketing: The Key to Achieving Business Success

In today’s marketing landscape, the importance of data-driven marketing cannot be overstated. Gone are the days of relying solely on intuition and guesswork to make marketing decisions. Instead, successful businesses harness data’s power to drive their marketing strategies and achieve remarkable results. What are some of the benefits of building your marketing strategy on data?

1. Precision Targeting

Data-driven marketing allows businesses to target their audience precisely. This precision ensures that marketing efforts reach the right people at the right time with the right message. As a result, businesses can maximize the impact of their marketing efforts and minimize waste.

2. Informed Decision-Making

Data provides insights into customer preferences, trends, and market dynamics. With this information, businesses can make more informed decisions about product development, pricing, promotion, and distribution. This reduces the risk of costly missteps and enhances overall business performance.

3. Improved Customer Engagement

Data-driven marketing enables businesses to engage with customers on a deeper level. By analyzing customer data, companies can gain insights into individual preferences, purchase history, and behavior. This allows for personalized communication and offers, which resonate more effectively with customers, resulting in higher loyalty and increased customer lifetime value.

4. Cost Efficiency

Businesses can significantly increase cost efficiency by targeting the right audience and refining marketing strategies based on data insights. Data-driven marketing reduces spending on ineffective campaigns and helps allocate resources more effectively. This cost-conscious approach leads to higher returns on marketing investment.

5. Competitive Advantage

Businesses that leverage data effectively can outperform competitors by delivering more relevant and compelling marketing messages. This differentiation can lead to increased market share and customer loyalty.

Businesses that embrace data-driven marketing have a distinct advantage in a world inundated with data. Companies can succeed in today’s fast-paced and ever-changing business environment by leveraging data for precision targeting, informed decision-making, improved customer engagement, cost efficiency, and competitive advantage. No wonder data-driven marketing is the cornerstone of modern marketing strategies and a pathway to remarkable marketing success.

“Get More” with USPS Informed Delivery

Did you know that the United States Postal Service offers a free service that gives you an additional digital touch in your postal marketing? This extra touch boosts response rates and increases marketing effectiveness. Did we mention that it’s free?

This service is called Informed Delivery. It uses the scanned images of the mail taken during regular postal processing and inserts them into a daily email digest delivered to the postal customer every morning. Package tracking information on Priority Mail, Priority Mail Express, and other trackable parcels is also provided. Images can be viewed on the user’s USPS online dashboard or in the mobile app, as well.

While Informed Delivery has been around for over five years, many businesses still don’t know about it.

Currently, 56+ million people are signed up for Informed Delivery, and the digest emails have open rates of 65.2%. Most Informed Delivery users check their digests first thing in the morning, so recipients can see your offers on their way even before the physical mailpieces arrive.

With a little extra time and effort (but still free), businesses can mail what the USPS calls “interactive campaigns.” In interactive campaigns, you can add full-color advertising images and clickable links, allowing recipients not just to see but to respond to your offers even before the physical mailpiece hits. You can also check clickthrough rates and other statistics to see how your campaign is working.

How do you maximize your mailpiece for Informed Delivery?

• Keep your design uncluttered and with enough contrast so that your pieces are readable even as grayscale images.
• Make sure that the key elements of your offer are visible on the addressed side of the piece.
• Consider using the full-color image and landing page options in the interactive campaigns.

USPS Informed Delivery is a free service, and you don’t have to optimize your designs in order for it to benefit you. But it sure works better if you do.
Want to learn more? Contact sales@imagemarkonline.com