9.19.2013

Focusing on the MESSAGE

Been a long time since I posted anything and I think that it is time to revive. 

This is the summary of an e-mail I'd really like to send to a prospect that has museum quality color matching on the top of her list of requirements for marketing materials. The rough part is that the most efficient way to print the job, is most likely not going to match their color standards on an inkjet web press running at full speed: 

Ms. Art Museum VP of Marketing

Thanks for taking the call.

If color matching is the number one deciding factor in all of your marketing pieces, it can definitely be accommodated. We can just chose equipment to match. (equals slower digital presses and more expensive total cost) The more important factor in marketing is the use of known recipient data. (This is what matters in mail!)

Let’s say visitors buy tickets for specific exhibits over the course of the year. You have this information. (I hope ticket master passes back addresses) It might be one exhibit, or they might be regulars, but next time an annual giving campaign comes around you are ready. Visitors now receive something in the mail from you highlighting the specific exhibit(s) that they attended, touching on a memory. (Awww Jim, remember when we went and saw the Monet Exhibit, wasn't that a nice evening?!!!) 

What was more important in the production of the mail piece?  
THE MESSAGE AND MEMORY far outweigh the perfectly color matched image that was printed. The recipient is already getting out their check book and if they want a high res image of a painting, they should have hit the gift shop at the museum or online! 


We are seeing customers embrace data to achieve personal connections with the people that they are reaching out to. Color matching can most definitely be done based on specific equipment, but it is the new age of fast, data driven print technology that is allowing marketers to finally reach out in pleasing full color, with full variable images and messaging, at a price point that makes sense. 

I'm back in the blog game! 
See you all next time. 
Tom