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Written by Jamie Cloak, Marketing Director at Omega High-Impact Print Solutions As we step into the digital frontier of 2024, the landscape of digital marketing continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace. Staying ahead of the curve is not just a choice but a necessity for businesses aiming to thrive in the ever-changing online realm. In this blog, we'll embark on a journey through the latest trends shaping the digital marketing sphere and explore how businesses can adapt to remain at the forefront of innovation. Let's Explore! Interactive Content Engagement Static content is making way for interactive experiences. From quizzes and polls to augmented reality (AR) applications, businesses are increasingly focusing on creating content that actively engages their audience. Interactive content not only captures attention but also enhances user participation and, consequently, brand loyalty. AI and Machine Learning Integration The infusion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) into digital marketing strategies is gaining momentum. From personalized content recommendations to predictive analytics for customer behavior, businesses are leveraging AI and ML to enhance user experiences and streamline marketing efforts. Adaptation to these technologies can significantly improve targeting precision and campaign effectiveness. Voice Search Optimizations With the rise of virtual assistants and smart speakers, optimizing for voice search is becoming imperative. Businesses need to adapt their SEO strategies to accommodate natural language queries and long-tail keywords. Voice search optimization ensures that your content remains discoverable as more users turn to voice-enabled devices for their online searches. Privacy-First Marketing As data privacy concerns grow, businesses must adopt a privacy-first approach to digital marketing. With increased regulations and consumer expectations for data protection, marketers need to prioritize transparency and implement robust data protection measures to build trust with their audience. Video Marketing Dominance Video content continues to reign supreme in the digital marketing realm. Short-form videos, live streaming, and immersive video experiences are key trends to watch. Businesses should incorporate video marketing into their strategies to convey messages more dynamically and connect with audiences on a deeper level. Social Commerce Evolution Social media platforms are evolving into complete shopping ecosystems. Businesses should explore and embrace social commerce features, such as in-app purchasing and shopping functionalities, to meet customers where they already spend a significant amount of their online time. Personalization at Scale Tailoring marketing messages to individual preferences is no longer optional. The demand for personalized experiences continues to rise, and businesses must invest in tools and strategies that enable them to deliver personalized content, recommendations and offers at scale. The digital marketing landscape is a dynamic playground where adaptation is the key to success. As we navigate through 2024, businesses that embrace these trends will not only stay ahead of the curve but also create meaningful and memorable experiences for their audience. By integrating AI, prioritizing interactive content, optimizing for voice search, embracing video marketing, ensuring privacy, exploring social commerce, and delivering personalized experiences, businesses can chart a course to success in the evolving world of digital marketing.

Many businesses have turned away from printed marketing materials, like direct mail, or substantially reduced their investment in the medium. Long gone are the days of sifting through a mailbox full of coupons and advertisements from local businesses. With the promised reach you get from advertising online, it’s hard to blame many businesses for making the decision to go digital. However, the trend to completely cut print marketing from budgets may have been too extreme, and it has left a void for savvy businesses to take advantage. As of October 2022, over 3 million businesses were advertising on Facebook, according to statistics provided by Meta for Business. Another study found that 78% of businesses rely on advertising via search engines and social media. But independent research has found that the amount of money businesses need to invest in advertising online to see a return has increased over the years, making it cost-prohibitive for many small businesses. So, if you are planning to return to the “traditional marketing” method of direct mail, how can you put yourself in a better position to see a return on your investment? Identify Your Target Audience When putting together a direct mail campaign, you have the ability target a very specific group of people and businesses (depending on your product or service) with multiple demographic variables or cast a wide net without much filtering. Before producing a direct mail campaign, the best practice is to identify the audience you want to target for your promotion. If you do not have a list of addresses and you are working with a commercial printer to produce your direct mail pieces, they should be able to help you get a list of customers. Some common variables to consider are: Location Consumer vs. Business Income Level or Annual Revenue Industry (if a business) Age Gender Race Employment Education Level Some of these variables may not be important to consider for your specific product or service. So, if a demographic identifier is not important, do not limit your reach more than necessary. Generate Urgency or Solve a Need To get a recipient to react, you need to give them a reason to do so by creating a sense of urgency or highlighting a problem or need that you can solve. A marketing piece that just provides product or service information lacks a call-to-action (CTA) that will get people to act. Limited-time promotions are a popular strategy for getting people to act within a specified amount of time. This method is great to drive short-term traffic to your website or physical business. Make sure to include a promotion code or instructions for redemption so you can track where customers originated. Another popular strategy is to highlight an issue or need that recipients are likely to have and identify how you can help. This is a great method if you properly identify your target audience and send your direct mail to that audience. For example, home repair services to homeowners, or retirement planning services to employed men and women that are over 40. You know who benefits the most from your product or service. Design to Stand Out A well-planned direct mail campaign can fall flat if the materials lack a design that makes recipients see it, read it, and act. Get creative with the shape, colors, graphics, and interactive features. When many people think of direct mail, they think of a flat piece of cardstock or a letter size envelope with materials inside. That is typically the low-cost, low-return option. Utilize creativity and best practices when designing your marketing piece: Add color throughout the piece. A black and white printed piece won’t grab anyone’s attention. Highlight your main message or promotion with text and/or color that contrasts the rest of the piece. This should be the first thing the recipient’s eyes go to. Avoid low quality graphics or photos. In the eyes of the recipient, a poor image equates to a poor product or service. Limit the amount of text. Use the piece as a quick-read introduction and your website or physical business location as the place for more information. Make the piece interactive with folding, slots, inserts, or other elements that get the recipient engaging with the piece. Include a personalized element, such as a first name. There is a psychologic trigger that makes people respond to something that has a personal element they relate to, such as a name or birthday. Build Brand Recall Creating a one-time advertisement, digital or printed, is unlikely to generate enough of an impression to build brand recall. You should plan a campaign that includes a sequence of multiple advertisements that will trigger a person to recall your brand, as well as the products and services you offer. A campaign is likely to be more successful with a multimedia approach, or a combination of both digital and traditional marketing. This strategy reaches people with multiple touchpoints and in different media, with which they are likely to interact in different ways. For example, you can create a campaign that includes a direct mail piece, a Google advertisement, and a Facebook advertisement, all of which have a similar look and message or promotion, so the recipient/viewer repeatedly sees your brand and is more likely to react. Measure Results One of the most important aspects of putting together a direct mail campaign (or any marketing campaign), which many people forget to consider, is methods for measuring the results. Measuring results will help you not only determine if a campaign was successful, but also adjust strategies and elements as necessary. There are several ways to measure the results of your direct mail: Use a unique coupon code that is only used by direct mail recipients. Create a unique website landing page that is listed on the direct mail piece. Your website analytics will allow you to see how many people visited that page and how many resulted in conversions. Include a QR code in the design of the direct mail. This can lead to a unique landing page or an existing page on your website. Your website analytics will allow you to see how many people originated from the QR code. Add a questionnaire when someone contacts you or checks out that asks how they heard of your business or where they heard about the promotion. If your call to action is a phone call, set up a dedicated toll-free phone number that forwards to your business number and track how many calls come from the toll-free number. Or you can pay for a call tracking software that tracks where calls originated, and many will also record calls that you can later play back. Let Omega High-Impact Print Solutions Help Capitalize on the “novelty” of direct mail marketing for your business. At Omega High-Impact Print Solutions, we can assist with your direct mail marketing in multiple ways: Create a verified list of addresses based on your target audience. This list can be as large or small as you need, based on your desired reach and budget. Provide variable data printing (VDP), which allows personalization of individual pieces and can enhance your marketing initiative. Graphic design services to develop pieces with eye-catching graphics. Marketing services to develop a results-driven campaign to get the most from your investment. Contact us today for your direct mail marketing initiative! Written by Omega High-Impact Print Solutions Marketing Director, Jake Coburn

In today's fast-paced business world, nailing your marketing game is essential for your company's success. But let's face it, handling all the marketing responsibilities in-house can be overwhelming and drain your resources. That's where outsourcing your marketing efforts comes in, and boy, does it make huge business sense! Let’s break down some of the reasons why outsourcing your marketing is a smart business move. Access to Expertise Outsourcing gives you access to a team of marketing professionals who focus solely on marketing. These experts specialize in various areas like print and digital advertising, content creation, social media management, SEO, and more. With their wealth of knowledge and experience, they'll execute your marketing campaigns with precision and efficacy. It's like having a dream team dedicated to making your business shine. Cost-Effectiveness Hiring an in-house marketing team can be costly. Salaries, benefits, training, software, and equipment expenses can stack up quickly. But when you outsource, you get top-tier marketing professionals at a fraction of the cost. You pay for the services you need, when you need them, without the headaches of long-term contracts. It's a win-win, allowing you to allocate your resources smartly and focus on other important areas of your business. Focus on Core Competencies Speaking of focus, as a business owner, your main focus is running your company and serving your customers. Marketing intricacies might not be your cup of tea, and that's okay! Outsourcing your marketing frees up your precious time to concentrate on what you do best. That means increased productivity and better overall results. Let the experts handle promoting your business while you work on running it. Access to Advanced Tools and Technologies Marketing agencies stay up to date and invest in the latest tools and technologies, which can be a challenge for small businesses to keep up with. When you outsource, you gain access to their cutting-edge marketing software, analytics platforms, and automation tools. No need to worry about purchasing or maintaining them in-house. This means you can harness data-driven insights, streamline your processes, and maximize the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns like a pro. Fresh Perspectives and Creativity And of course, outsourcing injects fresh perspectives and creativity into your marketing efforts. External marketing teams bring diverse industry experience and a keen understanding of market trends and consumer behavior. They'll spice up your campaigns with innovative ideas, out-of-the-box thinking, and creative solutions. By teaming up with a marketing agency, you'll breathe new life into your brand, ensuring you stand out from the competition and remain engaging with your target audience. Outsourcing your marketing is a powerhouse move that offers a list of benefits to help your business thrive in today's dynamic marketplace. From accessing specialized expertise and saving costs, to focusing on what you do best, achieving scalability, leveraging advanced tools, and infusing creativity, it's a surefire way to boost your marketing performance and get a great return on investment. Consider partnering with a reputable marketing agency, like Omega, and get ready to outshine the competition. You can click the button below to request a consultation, today.

Written by Omega High Impact Print Solutions’ Digital Marketing Manager, Emily Steel How many times have you entered a shop that you hadn’t originally planned on entering? Can you remember what exactly made you go in? Chances are you don’t quite recall. But think about this: would you have still entered if the store had no sign? Would you have even noticed it in the first place? On the flip side, how many businesses have you been made aware of thanks to outdoor advertising, without ever having seen the storefront itself? This is just one example of how powerful outdoor signage can be. We see outdoor signage everywhere, every day, but we rarely think about how important it really is from a marketing standpoint. In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of outdoor signage and why every business should incorporate outdoor signage into its marketing strategy. 1. Let Customers Know Where You Are The chances that you would be able to locate a certain place of business, even if you were actively trying to, without outdoor signage would be next to impossible. Sure, you could peek inside a window and cross your fingers that you’re in the right place, but let’s be honest; who’s doing that? You probably wouldn’t even get out of the car to check, or just assume the place is out of business. Without outdoor signage lighting the way, your chance of attracting customers is abysmally low. 2. Generates Revenue One of the superpowers of outdoor signage is its ability to influence impulse purchases. When you have enticing and impactful outdoor signage advertising your shop, passersby may become curious enough to check out your wares and make a purchase. This is especially true if your storefront happens to be in a shopping center or area with generally high foot traffic. 3. Nearly Endless Options No business is one-size-fits-all, and luckily, outdoor signage isn’t either. Not only can you customize these marketing tools in just about any way you like, as far as branding, colors, and graphics go, but there are so many different kinds to choose from. Hanging signs are great if you are on a tighter budget and want flexibility, since these small, economically priced signs can be hung from doors, windows, walls, and other places. You may choose to go with wall signs to utilize the exterior of your shop to catch the eye of potential customers. Or, if you really want to go big and maximize your visibility, you can choose to go with high-rise or pylon signage. These are just a few of the options available. 4. Brand Awareness Even when your outdoor signage isn’t luring customers to your store today, that doesn’t mean it won’t entice those same people tomorrow. This is thanks to the brand awareness that outdoor signage can generate. People are exposed to these signs all the time, whether they’re on bikes, driving, or just strolling by. These onlookers will regularly see your sign, and this exposure will ingrain your brand’s name, logo, image, or anything else they may connect with the location into their minds. Brand awareness is created by this ongoing relationship, and ensures they’ll remember you. When they’re in need of a product or service you offer, you will be the first business to come to mind. 5. Cost-effective While you might not immediately assume this about outdoor signage, especially large format types, it is true that this marketing tool gives you more bang for your buck than most. As previously stated, outdoor signage can literally be the deciding factor in whether a single soul steps foot in your store. Boom. Value added. Outdoor signage is also quite durable since it is designed to withstand the elements, ensuring you’ll be able to use it for years to come. Boom. More value. Outdoor signage is truly a worthwhile investment that is sure to pay for itself in no time. Outdoor signage can truly be deemed one of the most powerful marketing tools out there. Not only can it mean the difference between getting noticed and going unseen, but it can also help your brand stick in people’s minds and ultimately boost your revenue to new heights. However, low-quality signage may only serve to drive customers in the opposite direction, so you should make sure you work with a trusted printer like Omega. Want to make sure your outdoor signage is up to snuff? Check out the link here to see some of our previous work and submit an estimate request!

There has been a heavy gravitation toward digital marketing over the past two decades. Many businesses and individuals have relied exclusively on digital marketing to promote. The result has been a flooded market that has become ultra-competitive for face time and left many small businesses unable to compete with large corporations that have multi-million-dollar marketing budgets. In 2022, the “duopoly” of Google and Meta raked in over $280 billion in ad revenue. The total global digital ad spend reached over $560 billion . But with inflation continuing to creep up and a recession on the horizon (if not already here), digital ad spend is going to drastically slow in 2023 and businesses are going to focus marketing budgets on initiatives that are proven or more likely to yield higher ROI. This includes print, which has traditionally done very well in marketing, and presents a nostalgic element that many in the younger generations are grasping for. Here are the print marketing trends we can expect to see in 2023: More Direct Mail As email became a popular “free” tool to send marketing materials, traditional marketing mail fell to the wayside and mailboxes have been left mostly barren. But the exodus of direct mail marketers has left a void in an arena that has reported 5-9% response rate, compared to less than 2% for email. Much of this can be attributed to the advancements in technology and data used for direct mail campaigns. Marketers can hyper-target individuals and businesses based on many of the same demographic characteristics used in online advertising. And rather than competing with hundreds of advertisements vying for attention on a small screen, direct mail pieces are sometimes the only media the recipient has in front of them. Expect to see marketers return to mail origins with more direct mail campaigns filling mailboxes in 2023. Personalized Elements Commercial printing has come a long way from the days of printing presses that use plates and can only print a single graphic repeatedly. These days, digital printers and more advanced technology allow us to incorporate personalized elements in individual pieces using variable data printing (VDP). So, marketers can target individual people and businesses with unique elements that are specific to them – names, messages, images, or logos, for example. Research indicates that over 75% of consumers are more likely to do business with a brand that sends them personalized communications and a slightly higher percentage indicate they are more likely to do repeat business. As marketers have become savvier in the capabilities of print personalization and how to use it, expect to see more targeted marketing materials with personal elements included. Information available in the public domain, purchasing habits, and more are all fair game. Material Exploration We are fully immersed in an age of DIY, enhanced by the number of tutorials people can find online or on TV. But this is not necessarily a bad thing. The trend has made people more willing to try new things and tap into their creativity. As a result, the limits of what can (or should) be done are constantly tested. Luckily, there are nearly countless varieties of materials that can be used for printed marketing materials. In terms of substrates, paper is the obvious substrate that people immediately think of. But even with paper, there are hundreds of styles, weights, finishes, etc. that can be used. Beyond paper, the capabilities of printing with other substrates, such as aluminum, acrylic, glass, PVC, foam, and more have increased exponentially over the years to the point where you might not even be able to tell what material is being used. In an increasingly competitive market, expect to see more varieties of materials used in printed marketing materials in an effort to grab attention and make a lasting impression. Also expect to see more materials with sustainable elements and brands to highlight their use of the materials. Experiential Packaging Packaging that is an experience in of itself is not new, evident in the mass quantity of “unboxing” videos that can be found online. But much of the experiential packaging to-date has been reserved for special gifts to small numbers of recipients or the iconic tech brands, like Apple or Microsoft. Look for more creative and personalized packaging to be implemented by brands in 2023 as marketing teams look to generate more organic and user-generated content from customers. Also expect to see more sustainable materials used in packaging, as an increasing number of consumers report willingness to pay more for sustainable products. Streamlined Digital Alignment Multimedia marketing has been proven to be more effective than single media marketing strategies by increasing touchpoints with repetitive messaging. Many marketers understand this. However, many marketers also struggle to effectively execute campaigns that translate well between digital and printed materials. Traditionally, digital alignment in printed marketing materials has consisted of including a website and social media icons in the piece. In the last few years, QR codes have become much more prominent as businesses embraced the tool during the COVID pandemic and marketers gained a better understanding of how QR codes work. However, there are even more options that have been introduced in recent years and are still in the early adoption phases of their development. NFC tags are like QR codes in that they are digital symbols that connect users to a URL via a smartphone. However, instead of the user opening the camera on their phone to scan the code, they simply tap their phone to the NFC tag, and it takes them to the link. NFC tags can also be smaller than QR codes, so have less of an effect on the design of pieces. Most new smartphones include NFC tag capabilities. SnapTags work the same way as QR codes – the user scans it with their smartphone camera. However, unlike QR codes, SnapTags can be applied to logos and images by adding a black and white ring around the image, which the phone camera scans. Image recognition scan technology doesn’t even need an image that is obviously a code. For businesses that have an app, developers can build image recognition into apps that allows users to use the function to point at images and get information, make a purchase, or activate another experience. Bluetooth beacons (BLE) are technology that don’t need a scan at all. The small beacons can be placed on materials and transmit signals to nearby smartphones to send push notifications. These are great for location-specific marketing methods, such as physical store locations, to send marketing promotions as customers are making buying decisions. Expect to see more strategies that align printed marketing materials with brands’ digital presence and make it easier for customers to access desired digital pages, apps, and tools via more seamless methods. Written by Omega High-Impact Print Solutions Marketing Director, Jake Coburn

Written by Omega High Impact Print Solutions’ Digital Marketing Manager, Emily Steel In light of the events of the previous few years, it may be easy for some to assume that digital marketing techniques have rendered print marketing obsolete. However, this notion is anything but true. As the consumer of today is bombarded with droves of digital ads everyday, print marketing arguably makes more of an impression now than ever before. This is especially true for nonprofits. What would you appreciate more? An email, or a tangible, real-life card? In contrast to digital media, print feels much more sentimental, thoughtful, and warm. And when it comes to corresponding with donors who contribute to your organization purely out of the goodness of their hearts, this is incredibly important. Omega knows this full-well, as we’ve fabricated print materials for non-profit organizations for over half a century. With that being said, let’s take a look at the top print pieces we believe every nonprofit organization should have in their marketing repertoire. Cards Cards are a fabulous multi-tool for nonprofits. Thank You cards are frequently used to express appreciation for anyone who contributes to the organization. In many cases, these types of organizations have several versions of these cards created in order to differentiate between donor “tiers,” which are traditionally determined by the amount of money donated. Other common uses for cards include invites to galas or events, and appeals to past donors to regain their patronage. Fact Sheets Fact sheets are a single-page, informative presentation that succinctly details vital facts about your organization. Short and to-the-point factoids, simple infographics, statistics about your organization, and striking visuals that communicate the story of your organization’s mission are all regularly included in this type of print. You may even choose to make a variety of fact sheets depending on how you utilize them. For example, one that goes with your yearly appeal letter and addresses frequently asked questions about how donations are allocated. Reports Annual reports are a great tool for demonstrating to supporters what their donations accomplished and how you would like to collaborate with them in the future. Instead of a dry overview of your yearly financial statement, annual reports that are easily readable and captivating to the average person invigorate patrons and influence them to continue donating. When properly designed, your annual report may be one of your most important marketing items of the year. Brochures Brochures are extremely useful for acquiring new patrons. A bright brochure with captivating photographs and concise but engaging copy acts as a fantastic leave-behind after meetings with potential contributors, or an excellent event handout. These are your pitch to potential donors in print form, offering detailed information about your organization, your mission, accomplishments, programs, how to get in contact, and more. While print is an important component in any marketing plan, it is uniquely beneficial to nonprofits due to the nature of their existence. Since people contribute to these organizations for purely humanitarian reasons, the nostalgic feeling evoked by print resonates considerably with donors. If you’re looking to spread the word about your nonprofit organization with the power of print, contact Omega today!

By Emily Steel, Marketing Manager at Omega High-Impact Print Solutions Social media platforms have become a must-have for businesses of all sizes to connect with their audience and establish a solid online presence. But let's face it, in a sea of content, it can be quite a challenge to create material that truly catches people's attention. In this blog post, we'll explore some practical tips on how to make social media content that people actually want to see. Know Your Audience First and foremost, you need to know your audience to know what they want to see. To create content that really strikes a chord with them, it's crucial to understand who they are, what they care about, and the challenges they're facing. Take the time to develop detailed marketing personas that capture their demographics, interests, pain points, and motivations. And don't forget to tap into social media analytics tools to gather data on their behavior, preferences, and engagement patterns. This information will be your secret weapon in tailoring your content specifically for whom you want to reach. Be Genuine Another important factor for creating content people actually want to see is being authentic. For the most part, people naturally know when someone is being fake or insincere. That's why it's essential to be honest and relatable in your content. Share your brand's story, values, and personality in a way that feels natural and genuine. You don’t want to give your viewers a used car salesman spiel by force-feeding them over-the-top sales pitches. Instead, focus on providing value, education, or entertainment to your followers. Utilize Visuals Visuals are your best friend when it comes to making captivating content. They're much more engaging and memorable than plain text. So, it’s imperative to include eye-catching visuals in anything you post. Maintaining a consistent visual style that aligns with your brand's aesthetic and tone is also a great idea. This will create an attractive feed that your audience will be compelled to explore. Provide Value Delivering value is crucial when it comes to fostering trust and cultivating loyalty amongst users. Sharing useful tips, tutorials, or resources that address your audience’s pain points is a great place to start. Alternatively, you could choose to educate them on subjects pertaining to your industry. By offering solutions to their problems or responding to their frequently asked questions, you establish yourself as a reliable and valuable resource they can count on. Creating social media content that truly resonates with your audience takes time, effort, and creativity. By understanding your audience, being authentic, using visuals, providing value, and engaging with them, you can create content that stands out and sparks engagement. Just remember, social media is always changing. So it's important to experiment, learn, and adapt your content strategy to keep up with the evolving trends and preferences of your audience.

By Jamie Cloak, Marketing Director at Omega High Impact Print Solutions If you're just starting a new business venture, the many layers to launching a new website can feel overwhelming and endless. There's a lot to be done, but one of the most important (and overlooked) components is to capture the email addresses of your visitors. This is necessary to build a foundation for your subscriber base, allowing you to target them when your site launches, deliver any announcements you may have, and ultimately notify your subscribers when you release new goods. Keep in mind, with your new site, you will need to integrate an Email Service Provider (ESP). Lots of website providers offer native email platforms, but if you find there are limitations on your site's solution, there are plenty of options available to you. Step 1 Purchase your domain and begin to build your site. While it's "under construction", design a captivating Lead Generation Form so you can collect the names and email addresses of your site visitors. This will help you have an audience for your "go-live" date. Step 2 Build out a content calendar. If possible, utilize Microsoft SharePoint or a Google Document so your team can see the cadence and topics in real-time allowing for idea collaboration or suggestions. Theoretically, it's most productive to have 3 to 4 weeks planned/designed out so you have a concrete plan for the coming campaigns. Additionally, this will keep your team on the same page and allow for cross-marketing campaigns to occur via your site, email, SMS, and social media channels. Step 3 Set up your flows/automation in your email platform that will generate revenue with little to no management. Once they are set, they should be able to live for quite some time. Best practice tip: use evergreen photography so you're not committing to a product that may go out of stock, on sale, etc. Some recommended flows to get started are: Welcome Letter. This is a series (about 3-4) of related emails that could offer a note from the CEO, background on the company, and a promo code to be used on the recipient's first purchase. The main purpose of this series is to leave a positive first impression and offer immediate engagement with the subscriber. Abandoned Cart. This is a flow series that is sent to onsite customers who have viewed a product, and shown interest in it by adding it to their cart, but did not complete the purchase. Aim to show the clients the items they added to their cart with a direct link to the goods, as the idea is to gently nudge them back into the sales funnel. If possible, add a promo code to this flow to offer an incentive to convert. 10-15% off should suffice. Thank You. This is an email that is delivered once the customer has completed their purchase. Likely, your website provider will immediately send a confirmation email with transactional information, but this is a different message in nature. The mindset behind a thank you email is to foster customer loyalty and retention, express your gratitude, and ultimately encourage future engagement with the brand. Product Reviews. The purpose of the review email is to gain customer feedback on your product. This will help build credibility, consumer trust, and social proof that your product is leading above the competition. Step 4 Design your email header and footer. For your header, it is important to include your brand logo. This way, the viewer can immediately identify who sent the campaign. Under the logo, create a navigation that mirrors your site's navigation layout. This allows the user to easily jump to the landing page of their choosing. For the footer, include links similar to the navigation offering a simple user experience, and most importantly, a footer should always include an unsubscribe link. This step is critical to avoid being marked as spam. If a recipient no longer wants to receive marketing emails and does not see an unsubscribe link, they may potentially mark the message as spam which can be detrimental to an organization. Best practice tip: utilize your site font and color palette when creating headers and footers so the brand identity remains intact. Step 5 Building the email. The Subject Line is one of the most important elements of any successful email campaign. Since your customers ' inboxes are so competitive, it's important that you capture their attention with a witty and brand-related subject line - just remember to keep it short and sweet. Since over 40% of emails are opened on mobile devices, emojis are a good component to include as well. Next, ensure each individual campaign is strategically designed to offer compelling information while maintaining a consistent pattern throughout. Utilize strong imagery to capture the attention of your recipient and creatively showcase your goods. The a-spot (or first image displayed), will determine if the viewer will scroll below the fold. This is where your photography can really shine and showcase your products. Step 6 Scheduling your email. As you're growing your subscriber list and sending out email campaigns, you may need to run A/B tests for your campaigns and weigh the results against each other to determine the best time to send. Traditionally, mid-day / mid-week are the best times to send campaigns, but it may be beneficial to identify when you have the most traffic on your site. Knowing when people are most engaged with the brand may help push them through the sales funnel to ultimately complete a purchase. A few final thoughts... Email Marketing can be a lot of fun! It's an opportunity to speak directly to your audience and tailor each message to your liking. Ensure your designers all speak in the same brand voice and keep it light and positive. Try to find a harmonious balance between lifestyle photography and in-studio photography to keep the viewers engaged. And lastly, though each individual email should feel unique, you want the viewer to be able to feel a consistent theme throughout all correspondence. If you would like assistance launching an email program, our team of experts is standing by and ready to dig in! Just contact us here , and we will get right back to you!

Written by Omega High Impact Print Solutions’ Digital Marketing Manager, Emily Steel For one reason or another, there seem to be a surprising number of misconceptions floating around surrounding print marketing. Whether concerning its efficacy, functionality, or even its ethicality, there seem to be rumors swirling around every aspect of this time-tested marketing practice. Unfortunately, taking such misinformation at face value can result in missed opportunities to strengthen your marketing strategy. That’s why we’re here to debunk these printing myths for you and show you the light when it comes to print. Myth: Print is bad for the environment. Reality: Print is sustainable. Paper is often misconstrued as being a leading cause of deforestation, and thus, bad for the environment. To be fair, the logic behind this sentiment seems solid at first. Paper is made from harvesting tree and deforestation is caused by over-harvesting trees. So, paper must cause deforestation. However, this is simply not the case. Most paper companies in North America certify that their paper comes from sources that practice sustainable forest management . These practices ensure that trees, one of the planet's only renewable resources, reach the end of their life cycles before being harvested, thereby keeping forestland sustainable. This initiative also financially incentivizes landowners to continue sustainable harvesting of their woodlands, rather than urbanizing them or permanently converting them for some other purpose. Myth: You can’t track the ROI of print marketing materials. Reality: There are plenty of ways to track the ROI of print marketing materials. You might be thinking, “How on earth could you possibly track the ROI of print marketing materials?” You may not be able to track how many people look at your printed materials. However, your marketing pieces don’t need to be digital for you to measure their success. There are several trackable elements that you can include in your print campaigns to measure your ROI: You can use unique coupon codes to see how many sales occurred as a result of customers viewing your ad. QR codes are another great way to track your print. These can be connected to campaign-specific landing pages that allow you to gauge print-driven traffic. You could also include unique social media hashtags that are easily measurable by looking them up on a given platform. If the main goal of your print campaign is to simply get customers to reach out, unique emails and/or phone numbers are a fantastic tool to track these interactions. Myth: Print can’t be customized on a customer-to-customer basis. Reality: Print can be easily personalized via variable data printing. Ma ny people believe that you must print one cookie-cutter design for each individual print job. This poses a problem, especially when it comes to direct mail. Naturally, you would want to add touches of personalization, like names, greetings and other components that tailor your campaign towards different segments of your audience. Luckily, this insinuation couldn’t be further from the truth. Technology now exists that allows you to modify individual aspects of your print, from one piece to the next, in one single run. This is known as variable data printing. Modern machinery has made it possible to do this quickly, effectively, and economically. So it’s perfectly within reach for the average business owner to create personalized print for all their customers. Myth: Print is not an effective marketing tool these days. Reality: Print is just as effective, if not more, today as it has ever been. Today, in the age of digitization, it’s a somewhat common belief that print has become an obsolete form of marketing. If you share in this belief, you may be surprised to learn that print marketing is just as effective as ever and is even superior to many other marketing mediums in a variety of ways. Don’t believe us? Just look at these statistics: 82% of consumers trust print ads when making purchase decisions. Roughly 80% of consumers act on direct printed mail advertisements . 77% of consumers report recalling brands that advertise through print. Print ads are among the top most preferred advertising mediums according to consumers. Print ads require 21% less cognitive effort to process than other types of ads. On average, consumers devote their focus to print ads for 20 minutes or more. Consider that, online, your target audience is being constantly bombarded with distracting content. With print marketing, the number of potential distractions is cut down drastically, making it more possible to engage the target enough to convert them into customers. This is not to say that digital ads should be pushed to the wayside. Digital ads are still effective; however, print can supercharge its efficacy when used in tandem. In fact, when you combine print marketing with your digital marketing efforts, ROI has been shown to increase by a whopping 400%. Now that you know the facts, are you ready to kick your marketing efforts into high gear by investing in print? There’s no better time than now, and no better printer than Omega.Get in touch with one of our printing experts today, by calling (609) 645-1940 , or by simply clicking here.

By Ava Hoch, Marketing Associate at Omega High Impact Print Solutions CapCut is a popular mobile and desktop application. Keep reading to learn how to add audio in CapCut on the mobile app version. Types of Audio in CapCut: ● Music/Commercial Sounds ● Sound Effects ● Extracted Audio ● Voiceover Step 1 Open CapCut and click “Create a New Project”. Step 2 Select the photo(s) or video(s) you would like to add audio. Step 3 To add a song, go to “Audio,” then select “Sounds”. Step 4 Browse the audio library by clicking on each audio label. There are “Sounds” and “Commercial” music audios. Commercial audios are not copyrighted. Step 5 Click the “Download” icon on the sound you want to use. Step 6 Add your sound of choice by clicking the “+” to add the audio to your project. How to Add Sound Effects in CapCut: Step 1 Open CapCut and click “Create a New Project”. Step 2 Select the photo(s) or video(s) you would like to add audio. Step 3 To add sound effects, go to “Audio,” then select “Effects”. Step 4 Browse the sound effects library by clicking on each audio label. Step 5 Click the “Download” icon on the sound effect you want to use. Step 6 Use the search bar to search for specific sound effects. Step 7 Add your sound of choice by clicking the “+” to add the sound effect to your project. How to Add Extracted Audio in CapCut: Step 1 Open CapCut and click “Create a New Project”. Step 2 Select the photo(s) or video(s) you would like to add audio. Step 3 To add extracted audio from another source, go to “Extracted” to import the file of your choice of audio. Step 4 Click the circle in the right-hand corner of the video you want to extract audio then click “Import sound only”. How to Add a Voiceover in CapCut: Step 1 Open CapCut and click “Create a New Project”. Step 2 Select the photo(s) or video(s) you would like to add audio. Step 3 To add a voiceover, go to “Audio,” then select “Voiceover”. Step 4 Tap or press the microphone icon to record. Step 5 Click voice effects next to the microphone icon to browse effects that warp or change the voiceover recording sound. Step 6 Click the checkmark in the bottom right-hand corner to add the voiceover recording to your project. EXTRA: Audio can be edited on CapCut to your liking. Audio can be split, shortened, sped up, or the volume can be altered. An optional copyright check can also be done, this is a great tool for businesses.

Written by Omega High Impact Print Solutions’ Marketing Intern, Noelle Reinhardt Prepress is the process of creating a print layout and performing all steps prior to the finalized project. It consists of converting an idea, such as a photo or sketch, into a printing plate or other image carrier. Digital prepress machines accept information electronically and then transfer the data to a printing plate. It’s important that professional designers catch any mistakes and guarantee pieces are ready to be printed. It is much more costly trying to fix a mistake after prepress. Henceforth, these are the main steps of prepress that produce the finalized piece. Proofread Grammatical errors and typos are minor errors that are easily looked over. A typo will make the piece look unprofessional, which could result in losing sales. Once a grammatical error is on a printed piece, there is no way to undo it. That’s why catching errors prior to printing is vital. Linguistic proofreading checks for grammar mistakes, spelling, and typos. Prepress proofreading includes more of the visual aspect of detecting errors through graphic design. Words may split at the end of lines, length of lines may be uneven, or text spacing may be off. Checking for these errors will ensure the end product is clean and error-free. Image Size and Resolution It’s important to double check the resolution of images before printing. This means checking the resolution from where the final draft is saved. Design files should be saved at the highest resolution possible. Professionals recommend adding pixels after scaling down an image. Enlarging an image 20% more than the original image will result in a blurry resolution. Designs need to be aware of resizing images prior to printing, as the image on the screen may look completely different than the printed image. Ensure Color Accuracy Since images are clear on computers and the brightness of screens can be adjusted, the file image will look clearer. The image may print differently than what is seen on the computer. With that being said, checking the existing color mode of the design is important to guarantee the printed image will look like the design file. It’s imperative to sync the computer screen and printer, as they both view color and light in different spectrums. Since printers offer a fuller range of colors than design software programs, it’s important to note these differences. Define Bleed and Crop Marks A digital file’s bleed, crop, and cuts must be lined up properly. These marks indicate the edges of the design and where the cuts should be made when printed. This cut and finalized piece will give a professional feel, with no blank spaces. The bleed is where parts of text or objects extend past the page boundary. The crop marks indicate where the design will be cut. The slug, on the other hand, is the area that is outside of the bleed that will feature the printer instructions. As processes in prepress, it’s important that these aspects are not overlooked. Ignoring any part will result in white borders or lack symmetry. It’s also important that the preferred stock can be cut through. Imposition This process of prepress is the arrangement of all pages of the design onto the paper. This allows for faster printing and reducing extra paper waste. In the past, imposition would consist of lining up pages to ensure pages are evenly printing back to back. This labor intensive work is now easily taken care of because of Adobe Publisher. This software sets up multi-page designs to be published in a brochure or booklet. Select the Right Paper The last and final step of prepress is selecting the right stock. Different types of paper will create different feels, textures, and visual appearances. Choosing a more cost effective paper can save the company money. It depends on what effect the piece wants to exude. It’s important to take time when considering and choose wisely. The processes of prepress ensure the finalized project is ready to be printed and free of any errors. From the concepts of the design to the final print, prepress is imperative so nothing gets lost in translation. A little error on the screen may become an unfixable mistake on the final print. Prepress is vital as it will save money in the long run and guarantee projects are produced with high standards.

By Emily Steel, Marketing Manager at Omega High Impact Print Solutions In today's digital age, having a strong online presence is essential for any business looking to thrive. One of the fundamental steps in establishing your online presence is creating a Google Business Profile. Whether you run a local bakery, a small consultancy, or a booming e-commerce empire, a Google Business Profile can help you connect with potential customers and stand out in local search results. In this blog, we'll walk you through the step-by-step process of creating a basic Google Business Profile, ensuring that your business is easily discoverable by people in your area and beyond. Step 1 Go to business.google.com/create. Start typing your business name in the search field to see if a business profile was already created. If it was, you can request access to the page from the current owner. If a business profile does not already exist, click the “Add your business to Google” link. Enter your business name as you would like it to appear on Google. Then start typing your business category. Select the most appropriate category. You will be able to change or add an additional category later. Step 2 If you have a physical location that you would like to appear on Google Maps, select yes. If you are an online business or do not want your business to appear on Google Maps, select no. Step 3 If you provide services to a local area(s), you can add select areas by typing the names and selecting from the options that appear. Note: you can be specific or broad with the areas you add in this field. Step 4 Select from the dropdown the country in which your business is registered and does business. Step 5 Enter your business phone number and website (optional). This is included in your business profile and is used by Google to get in contact with you about your business. Step 6 If you would like notifications from Google (activity, tips, etc.), select yes. Otherwise, select no. Enter your business’ mailing address. This will not be shown to the public. Select how you would like Google to verify your business: via phone or a video call to show your office. Add the services that you offer customers. Google autogenerates suggestions. However, you can add your own by clicking Add custom service. Step 7 If you have operating hours that you would like to appear on your Google profile, select the slider next to the appropriate day of the week and enter your open and close times. Step 8 If you would like customers to be able to message you through Google, leave the Accept Messages option turned on. Otherwise, click the slider to the off position, Step 9 Add a business description with keywords that explains who you business is, what it does, and who it serves. Step 10 Add photos of your business that show your products and/or services. These will appear on your Google profile in search results. Step 11 If you would like to immediately start advertising your business on Google, select Start Now. Otherwise, select Skip. When you search for your business on Google, it will show a blue check icon that says You Manage this Business Profile. Step 12 Click your Google result page and it will show a business profile card with the information and images that you uploaded. Click edit your business information to quickly edit the information that appears on this card. Step 13 Click Manage your Business Profile to edit more aspects of your business profile, such as adding the ability to book appointments, adding products, get a Google review link, etc. It may take Google a couple of days to approve your profile and uploaded images. You will get a notification when things are approved. However, check back regularly to make sure everything has been approved and if there is an issue, you can contact Google’s business support if you believe there was a mistake. With your newly created Google Business Profile, you've taken a significant step toward boosting your online visibility and attracting more customers. Remember that your profile is not a one-and-done task; it requires regular updates and monitoring to keep it fresh and relevant. Encourage your satisfied customers to leave reviews, post engaging content, and respond promptly to inquiries. By maintaining an active and accurate Google Business Profile, you'll not only enhance your online reputation but also increase your chances of reaching your target audience and growing your business.