Self-promotion Contest Winners -- Keeping it Real
by Kristen E. Monte
Associate Editor
So, your clients aren't buying the 'Trust us, we're the best' line of marketing any more? Apparently the winners of the 17th annual Printing Impressions Printer's Self-Promotion Contest feel the same way.
Judging by the entries of the past, we have seen an assortment of campaigns, ranging from the extravagant (during better economic times), to the simplistic in recent years. This year's crop seems to focus on getting the job done efficiently and effectively, while remaining true to their core businesses.
Whether you feel you haven't enough money to spend on a good campaign or you are spending too much and not reaping the benefits, the following companies appear to have gotten it just right. Here are the winners of the contest, in no particular order:
One-stop Shop
Outlook Group, Neenah, WI
The Outlook Group didn't go the way of excess to promote its high-end printing technology and practices, rather deciding to prove that 'seeing' really is 'believing.'
Outlook specializes in sheetfed offset, wide and narrow web flexo, UV flexo and rotary letterpress printing, as well as variable data imaging. Its fold-out promotional book showcases all of the company's capabilities up to the most recent advancements, providing clients and prospects with examples of the many different ways its products can stand out from the pack.
Plus, once printing and packaging requirements are finished, Outlook's direct mail solutions allow clients to effectively promote their products.
"It has impacted our ability to prospect and present ourselves in a different fashion," notes Mike von Brendel, vice president of sales.
This entire project was produced in-house. Outlook used a collaborative group of sales associates and management, as well as client service and operations staff for their input. And everything from prepress to printing, foil stamping to lenticular printing, and embossing to finishing, was done under one roof.
A Visual Impression
Integria, Montreal
The marketing department at Integria set out to put together a breathtaking piece that relied solely on visuals to validate its capacity to produce high-end work. The result is a stunning piece that has caught the eye of the industry.
Canada-based Integria was contacted by an American photographer who was frustrated with his images not achieving their full potential when printed on paper. The idea was to show potential clients how their images could be enhanced if photographers and printers worked as a team.
"We concentrated on highlighting our technical know-how in prepress, on areas such as Hexachrome printing, and further enhanced the images with spot varnishes," explains Louise Kralka, vice president of sales.
This campaign has helped Integria open doors in the local and the American markets. "In the U.S., this piece has helped make a name for ourselves as it has won many U.S. printing awards and has given us visibility through several magazine articles," she reveals.
The total cost of the piece was $23,000 and, according to Kralka, has brought much more recognition than $23,000 of advertising ever would have.
"It continues to be a piece that we will be able to use in the future, since we were careful to minimize the text so it would have a long shelf life."
'Can Do' it All
Hillsboro Printing, Tampa, FL
After 86 years in the business, Hillsboro Printing is still going strong with its 'can-do' attitude. As a general commercial printer, Hillsboro's product line includes short-run publications, high-end direct mail packages and marketing collateral.
Its self-promotion contest submission is a four-page, wire-bound booklet, titled "Ingenuity is Always the Solution."
"Our focus was on our company's 'can-do' attitude and ability to coordinate and produce a multitude of different types of print projects," says Jerry Bray, vice president of sales and marketing. "We felt the piece showcased both of those concepts."
Bray adds that Hillsboro has seen an increased and renewed awareness of its capabilities in the local market since the piece has been sent out. The feedback from prospects has also been very positive.
The whole project was conceived and created in-house by the sales staff and the creative department. And the printing was all done on Hillsboro's six-color MAN Roland press. The finishing, including an envelope, foil stamping and diecutting, was all done by one of its preferred vendors.
"This helped showcase our ability to coordinate difficult pieces between multiple specialty vendors," Bray explains.
Viva Las Vegas
Allegra Print & Imaging-East, Louisville, KY
One way to spark interest with clients and prospects is to promote a party that they will never forget. Allegra Print & Imaging set out to celebrate the grand opening of its newest facility, to build awareness of its continued growth over the past 12 years and to highlight its enhanced capabilities within the community. The owners' love of Las Vegas brought it all together with 'Allegra Day.'
Invitations for Allegra's open house were mailed out to existing customers and prospects, which afforded the staff the opportunity to show off their creative talents and printing capabilities to more than 350 attendees. Part two of the promo was to hand deliver a special invitation to a VIP party for valued clients.
The theme, 'Vegas VIP Night,' was continued when each guest arrived and received a 'Vegas VIP Survival Kit,' including playing cards, gaming chips and a Las Vegas visitors guide.
Allegra specializes in graphic design, short-run, full-color printing, digital color printing, black-and-white copying and mailing services. All printed materials for the open house were created and produced in-house, either digitally on a Lanier 5813 color copier, or on its Ryobi sheetfed press.
"Our goal of 'building the print shop of our dreams' had finally come to fruition and we knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime event," says Jennifer Eberle, vice president. "We have always been passionate about our image in the community since day one, and could not wait to share it with our long-time clients. We would do it all over again—it was worth every penny. Our clients that attended the 'Allegra Day' still talk about the event almost one year later."
Picture Says Everything
Burton & Mayer, Brookfield, WI
Burton & Mayer is a full-service commercial sheetfed printer, which specializes in never saying no to its customers. With this kind of take-charge business attitude, one can only expect Burton & Mayer to create an enhanced version of a common promotional piece—the calendar.
For the past four years, Burton & Mayer has run a contest that encourages its customers, vendors and employees to submit their favorite vacation photographs. The photos are judged by a panel of outside judges, and the winning entries are used to produce a calendar using one submitted photograph for each month. Each photo includes a description of where it was taken and identifies who took the picture.
"The main concept behind our self-promo piece is to involve our customers, vendors and employees in our marketing process," reveals Tim Burton, company president.
The production of this calendar also gives Burton & Mayer an opportunity to showcase the latest developments in its company. For instance, the 2004 calendar was produced in six-color Hexachrome process colors plus metallic ink and spot varnish on its new eight-color Komori press.
All of the production on this project was done in-house, from concept and design through printing and binding. The calendar has provided "bang for our buck," according to Burton.
Jumpin' Java
Daily Printing, Plymouth, MN
What is the one way most people jump start their morning? Coffee, of course, and Daily Printing has caught on to that idea with its promotional materials. The self-marketing piece submitted is a booklet about the company, carrying the theme of 'as warm as a fresh pot of java' throughout.
"The main idea behind this piece was to establish a comfort level with our potential customers and to provide a great sample of our capabilities," says Bob Manuel, company chairman.
Wrapped around the booklet is packaging to create the image of a to-go coffee cup and a packet of Starbucks coffee. He adds that this subtlety makes recipients aware of the 'extras' that Daily Printing provides.
The campaign created just the buzz that Daily was looking for to increase their sales. The printer has experienced an increase in sales of about 10 percent this year. The piece was received very positively by the sales force, and has become a popular marketing tool.
Daily Printing invested approximately $60,000 in the campaign, which was amortized over three years—the approximate shelf life of the brochure. Manuel feels the money was well spent.
"I feel strongly that all printing companies need that initial contact piece to augment their sales presentations," Manuel expresses.
Measuring Up
B&W Press, Georgetown, MA
The oldest marketing rule in the book is to create a printed piece that clients and potential customers will keep on, in or near their desks—with your company name always a glance away. B&W Press devised a 36˝ folding ruler destined for its clients' desk drawers.
B&W Press redesigned this piece, which was originally a 24˝ ruler, because it was already such a big hit at trade shows. Their philosophy of 'bigger is better' fueled the refashioning of the promotional tool in the hopes that it is more successful than the original.
B&W Press specializes in printing, personalization and mailing, and direct response formats producing products such as two-way mailers, marketing surveys and insurance brochures.
A Lesson in History
The Hennegan Co., Florence, KY
The Hennegan Co. is a commercial printer that has a history of providing its own prepress work along with a full range of printing, mailing and finishing services. It specializes in high-end printing, including annual reports, catalogs, books, brochures and marketing collateral.
Its recent promotional piece shows off all of these capabilities, along with a company history book, showcasing its 100-plus years of serving the industry.
The printer's promotional book opens with "This is Hennegan" and carries out that promise with concise explanations of what it does, how it's done and for whom it's done—all with beautiful visual images.
Wrapped with the company promotional book is a Hennegan History book, a keepsake of how the company was started and where it has gone, with visuals of everything from a 1886 label created for Christian Moerlein Brewery to printed promotions for the classic 1930s film "King Kong." The images are spectacular and the history endearing—all the while showcasing its 'Showmanship in Printing' and what Hennegan can do for the customer.
