With a variety of ways to connect with your customers — websites, print ads, traditional advertising, content marketing and more — it can be difficult to decide which channel is the most effective. Even in the digital age, print ads engage viewers for more time and a week later, readers show greater emotional response and memory for print ads.¹

This is especially true for tactics such as direct mail and personalized print pieces. A recent study showed that thirty-nine percent of customers tried a business for the first time because of direct mail and sixty percent of direct mail recipients were influenced to visit a promoted website.²

When executing an omnichannel marketing campaign that includes print, project management can be overwhelming. Each channel has its own unique set of challenges. Below are several factors to consider when executing a print component.

• Pricing
  The cost of printing can be complicated to understand, especially when working with multiple print vendors while executing a marketing campaign. Decisions are often made based on cost per piece, which is a relevant number to know, but it is still vital to recognize the true cost and all the factors that go into managing and transporting a print project.
• Transportation time and costs
  Transportation costs are often a hidden factor that can greatly increase the overall cost of commercial print. Traditional printers who produce at a central location and have the work delivered to locations across the country need to build in the cost of delivery. Those delivery charges will increase your overall project cost, and could drag down your speed to market.
• Value of your time
  The value of your team's time can be subjective, but it is important for you to understand. If the commercial printing partner you have selected requires your team to dedicate significant time and resources to managing the project, you need to know that up front and do your best to quantify the impact to your business. What is your staff not doing so they can dedicate time to managing print projects?
• Quality control
  Quality control is vital in commercial print. From managing brand colors and messages to minimizing the need for reprints, it can have a significant impact on the success of any print initiative. In fact, in a recent FedEx Office survey, 85% of the consumers said they equate the quality of a company's printed materials with the quality of services it provides. Consistency and quality can be hard to manage when working with multiple printers who use different machinery, processes and tools.
• Business impact
  Your print provider should consult with you to understand your marketing campaign, so aspects like timing, priority and budget are factored in. Is there the potential to capitalize on a significant opportunity? What other marketing channels are you utilizing? Is speed of delivery the first priority? Is there a need to achieve the lowest possible costs? By understanding these and other priorities associated with each project, a print partner can develop creative solutions and offer suggestions that deliver on business needs.

To learn more about adding print to your marketing efforts and how FedEx Office delivers value for commercial print clients visit fedex.com/intheknow.

¹Print vs. Digital: Another Emotional Win for Paper, neuromarketing.com

²Mail: Convert Browsers into Online Sales, USPS.com