All About Paper

We love paper. After nearly 25 years of business, and countless print projects, we can confidently recommend the best paper for each project. We work closely with paper suppliers and our local printer partners to choose the perfect paper. Beyond color, you’d be surprised how many versions of “white” there are. Here are the basic paper stock options to consider.

Paper Weight

  • Text – Text weight stock is the weight of standard printer paper. It is used for letterhead, handouts etc.
  • Cover – Cover weight stock is thicker, and similar to what a file folder is made from. It is used for things like postcards or business cards.

Paper Texture

  • Smooth – Both coated and uncoated paper can have a smooth finish
  • Matte – Non-glossy, flat looking paper with very little sheen
  • Satin – Colors will be sharp and vivid, but the finish is less shiny with a lower gloss level
  • Glossy – Glossy paper makes photos pop and colors more vibrant, and has a high sheen

Paper Coating

  • Coated – Coated paper make details sharper and colors denser. Coating can be matte, dull or glossy, and paper can be coated on just one side. Applying coating makes paper difficult to write on.
  • Uncoated – Uncoated paper is used for stationery, envelopes, and other projects you intend to write on. This is the easiest paper to write on because it absorbs ink.

Eco-Friendly

If your company is interested in reducing its environmental footprint, we can source recycled paper made from post-consumer waste, (from 10% to 100% recycled), and can request soy-based ink for your projects.

“Non Paper” Paper

There are several printable plastics and fiber-based papers available that are moisture and tear resistant. They’re often used for menus & envelopes, or in place of printing techniques like lamination.

 

A printed brochure, business card, or mailing is a chance for you to provide a tactile experience to your customer. Choosing a unique or high quality paper stock can really help your print piece stand out.

 

All About Paper2018-05-07T21:01:09+00:00

Repurposing Video Content

So you did a really interesting expert interview on Facebook Live, and it got fantastic engagement from your followers. Now you want to share that message with a larger audience. Great idea! Here are a few ways that you can stretch that content even farther:

1. Add Your Brand Visuals

Download the raw video from Facebook, then send to your videographer. He or she can add your logo and branding, plus make any simple edits necessary. Then upload to either Vimeo or YouTube so it’s easier to share.

2. Make A Podcast

Strip out just the audio, and turn that into a podcast. You can do this with iMovie or a free online audio converter, or you can work with your go-to videographer. You can also edit out any “um’s” or other unnecessary content.

3. Create A Blog Post

Transcribe the interview yourself, or send the video to a transcription service. Then, turn the interview into a blog post.

4. Craft An Email

Write an email to promote the video and include a link to Vimeo or YouTube. Or, write an email that promotes the blog/podcast version of the content and link to that.

5. Create a Facebook Ad

You can either boost the original Facebook Live post, or use the video to create a new Facebook ad. Be sure to think through your goals and call-to-action.

6. Create A Shorter Version

Clip out the best six to ten seconds of the video, and create an Instagram post. Or create a GIF that you can run in a promotional email.

7. Integrate Into Your Website

Feature the video on your website, or use it on your pop-up/squeeze pages.

 

Content creation can be time-consuming, so when you have something that excites your audience, make the most of it! Be sure to use one (or more) of these ideas on repurposing video content to stretch that content gold.

Repurposing Video Content2018-05-07T21:06:54+00:00

Conversations with Computers – What You Need To Know About Chatbots

Common marketing wisdom says go where customers are hanging out. More and more, consumers spend time in messaging apps like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp.

In fact, research shows consumers are using messenger apps even more than social media, with more users on messaging apps than on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Capitalizing on this fact, conversational marketing has popped up in the form of chat bots. A quick chat with a bot provides a really easy way for users to order a pizza or find the perfect shade of lipstick.

Chat bots are programmable computer software that can have a conversation. Bots are primarily used for customer service or information searches, and are widely in use. Brands like Sephora, Disney, Domino’s, AirBnB, H&M, and Spotify have all made chatbots part of their marketing mix.

Of course, there are limits to what chat bots can do. Chat bots can’t completely replace the need for human interaction:

“Bots cannot feel or think or intuit in the same way as people do. They can’t think creatively or display emotional intelligence….the purpose of AI assistants and bots is to enhance the human experience, not replace it.” – ETIENNE MÉRINEAU, Venture Beat

Still, chat bots provide an opportunity to engage with customers, and are a major cost savings. Setting up a call center with real people to operate chat sessions isn’t affordable for most businesses. Chatbots are cheaper than hiring real people, and can be used for routine customer service conversations.

Interested in developing your own chat bot?

Custom bot development costs vary based on how many bots you need and the anticipated number of interactions. Costs to create a simple bot start at $5,000 (plus ongoing monthly maintenance fees), while a more robust bot can cost more than $100,000. Or, you can create your own chatbot with tools like Bot Framework from Microsoft, the bot developer tool from Facebook, or Chatfuel.

So, do you need to invest in building a chat bot right away? No, but it’s definitely something to consider in your long-term marketing planning. By 2020, 80% of businesses want to use chatbots.

Conversations with Computers – What You Need To Know About Chatbots2018-05-07T21:09:47+00:00
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