Customer Service Philosophy

Last night I was at a meeting and someone asked what our printing company did.  I love this place.  I could go on for an hour with an opening like that.  I didn't really answer the question though.  My real answer is anything someone needs.  It's that simple.  Yesterday I wrote a marketing plan, printed brochures, copy wrote and formatted a book for an amazon listing, shipped printed material to customers located thousands of miles away, wrote three tag lines and a whole lot more.  I even made a handmade card for a customer.  It's appropriate and she'll know this is about her when she receives it, but I don't want to spoil the fun.

At the meeting, someone answered for me.  They said, "I always go to heuss printing when I need to get a small job done". 

My initial reaction was WHAT?  We ship internationally, have won national awards for our graphic design and print quality and regularly receive referrals from all over the country to work on campaigns and projects.

Then, I put the brakes on my defensiveness.  Because, wasn't this person giving me a compliment?  They were saying that when they come in with a small project that they don't feel like I put the project off or treat them as less important because it is not a high budget item.  And this makes me happy.

Our company philosophy is that you treat people with thankfulness that they walked in the door.  Every project is important and you never know if the person that copies their piano music today will need 400 shirts tomorrow, or 10,000 magazines next week.

So yeah, we are the place to come to for the small jobs.  and the medium jobs.  and the huge jobs.  At the end of the day the size of the job doesn't matter to us.  What matters is that you walked in our door, ordered through our website or called us for advice.  Every job pays for us to be here and I am so glad to be reminded of that spirit of thankfulness that our customers notice, even on the small stuff.

Ode to Chartreuse

Oh glorious chartreause, whose color we love to use. 
You exist in nature, but not on a goose.
oh this little inch worm, we are amused.

Are you more green than yellow, or yellow than green.

You are the favorite color we have seen.

Does this color exist in our spleen?

We see it outside when we preen.

You look best right next to blue.

But enhance other colors too.

Is that pink or teal next to where we find you?

On a rainy day you make our hearts soar.

When we have a chartreuse front door.

A plant, a tree, an inch worm or four.

Today, let's all use chartreuse some more.

QR Codes and driving effective responses

QR codes are wonderful two-dimensional codes that link print advertising, business cards, signs, anything to the internet or other encoded information about your organization.  The user scans a QR code using a smart phone.  The applications are free and can be downloaded easily. 

A consumer can be asked to use a phone number.

Go to a website.

You can be directed to any url that may play a video, have a coupon, or have information on a new product you may feature.  Need some fun, creative ideas?  We have those aplenty!!!

Here are some ideas:

• Have a scavenger hunt with latitude and longitude placed in the QR code that can be input into a QPS device.  Place your company items or coupons in those locations.  List your info on geocaching websites!
• Activate and engage your brand experience by pointing the code to a url commercial your organization has placed on you tube.
• Have an electronic registration form for a race or conference or event and make the printed brochure link directly the the registration form
• Embed a coupon in your scan code
• Send a direct mail piece that drives traffic to your website
• Send a direct mail piece that is enhanced with behind the scenes information when they use the scan code
• Present users with a mobile alternative for connecting with your company.  What age is your market?  embed sms or text message into your code.
• Use QR codes on a poster with an event date that can link to a person's calendar
• Add a code to your website so vistors can download your contact info

Some facts:

• one third of all Americans have smart phones
• More than 100 major US brands are using scan codes
• the cost to try scan codes is so low that the ROI is high
• if your print piece has a laminated coating, be sure that reflection does not affect scanning
• if you use your scan code on a curved surface, you should test it

Consider using QR codes to generate buzz, support your brand and drive active, interested consumers to your information.  Happy Marketing!

Do you have a good idea?

I'm spending the first hour of my day on monday doing something that I should be doing regularly but haven't done for well. . . .months.  I look like I'm being unproductive; looking through books on my desk, reading other people's blogs, reading the stack of industry magazines that have been accumulating unread in a large stack in the back of my file drawer.  I'm looking for inspiration.  For new ideas.  For something to tear me out of the daily cycle of thinking of marketing ideas for other people and work on my own.


Sure, I can whip out my marketing plan in a few hours of work.  I can send a newsletter out both electronically and in print.  I can send postcards, promotional items, scratch and sniff marketing pieces.  I'm a marketing company after all.  Now and again, I end up stuck.  My ideas dry up.  I sleep all night instead of waking up with middle of the night inspiration that must be written on the notepad next to my bed.  And, here's the thing. . .I don't believe in marketing for the sake of marketing.  Marketing has a purpose.  A message.  Should lead to an action.


Although I've purposely stopped writing in complete sentences, I made that choice.  Marketing is the same thing.  You don't always have to follow the rules.  You are going to break the rules for one reason. . .to have an impact.


So, two cups of coffee have made my hands shake while I type.  I am now going to work on caffeinating my marketing plan.  I'm going to tweak it to incorporate some off the wall thinking.  What a great way to start the week.  Here's hoping that you find inspiration this week!!

Why are some inks raised and some inks flat

Have you ever received a business card with raised lettering?  This is called thermography.  Thermography is created by adding a powder over the ink and then a heat level determine's if the outcome is uniformly glossy or has an orange-peel effect. 

This is great for a variety of applications.  Use thermography carefully when considering envelopes or letterhead.  The hot fuser of those machines can melt areas and damage the printer or copier as well.

If you are using thermography, talk to us about bleeds on the front end.  Cutting thermography can require a die cut. 

Thermography is an interesting alternative to embossing or foil stamping and can add a lot of showiness to a design piece.