You,Think,Need,Pocket,Folder,P marketing So You Think You Need a Pocket Folder, Eh?
Automation technologies represent a fundamental aspect of any modern industry. The major types of industrial automation solutions, such as DCS, PLC, SCADA, and MES, are used on a large-scale in process and discrete industries.DCS technologie Awhile ago, I got an email from one of the "gurus" I follow and it shocked me. The gist of it was this person wanted to trade services for a household item.To say it floored me would be an understatement.What was worse was a few days later t
Pocketfolders certainly have their place in the marketing materials tool kit. Theyare great for holding cover letters, proposals, a brochure and even a businesscard. Done properly a professional pocket folder design can make a very handsome,professional presentation or sales kit.Theproblem, however, is that most people who use these pocket folders can't resistthe temptation to put everything that's ever been written about their companyinside the folder just because it'll fit!Even ifyou don't succumb to temptation or have your marketing department monitoring youand keeping you from "insert-overload", pocket folders have financialramifications as well.You see,there was a time when offset printing was the norm and most everything wasprinted on large press sheets (20x28 or 28x40). Even today if you want a pocketfolder, this is the type of machinery you'll need to get the job done becausewhen printed, the sheet needs to lay flat and then the pockets are die cut,folded into place and glued down to make that 9x12 piece you're accustomed toseeing. This process requires a fair amount of paper and labor and so it'sreally not cost effective to run fewer than 500-1,000 of them in any one printrun.Howmany folders do you really need?If youtake a look in your company's storage area, I'd bet pretty good money thatthere are boxes of outdated pocket folders, brochures or other marketingmaterials lingering about. This is because companies were told that their unitprice would come down the more they ordered. You weren't being lied to...thatis a true statement. But how many of them will you actually use before thecontent, imagery or bios expire? Probably not as many as you ordered so...areyou really saving money, not to mention trees?Thankfully,digital printing came along and over the last few years has come to the rescueof many corporations, marketing departments and creative agencies that needless than 500 units at any one given time. Just need 5 for a special meeting?No problem. Sure you'll pay a little more for them, but so what if they're $10each - that's only $50 total. It's a heck of a lot better than having 5,000 ininventory and spending $1 each. You'll never use them all before you need toreprint them.Now thereare some trade offs with digital printing. Although the average consumer may notnotice, those of us with a discerning eye and taste for quality paper andabundant options have had our run-ins with digital production. However if youmanage your own expectations and those of your client, the ability to customizeshort runs and the overall cost savings of digital printing makes a lot ofsense.Isa folder without pockets still a folder?Unlikeoffset printing presses, most digital presses max out at 12x18. What that meansis that a standard pocket folder that is 9x12 (to hold standard 8.5 x 11inserts) isn't going to work. Don't worry though. There is an alternative.Bycreating a job jacket style folder, you can achieve most of the same benefitsthat a pocket folder has with a couple of additional benefits mixed in:Include a tab that helps identifythe project or client when stored on a bookshelf or in a file cabinetTell your story on the folder itselfinstead of requiring separate inserts or a separate brochurePrint as few as you really needSave time. Most digital printing serviceproviders can turn your order around in 3 days, give or take as opposed to 2weeks or more for a pocket folderCustomize your message for eachaudience if need beSave trees and save money! Even at$1.50-$2 each, if you only need 150 of them, you're still saving a lot moremoney than if you printed a custom pocket folder on an offset press and had toorder 1,000 of them get the cost breakSonext time you're thinking you need a pocket folder, think twice and ask yourselfhow many you're really going to use over the next few months and what yourtarget audience really needs to hear/see. What's your sales process and howdoes a folder fit in with your overarching marketing plan? Chances are youdon't need pockets to hold a bunch of literature they will probably never read.Your prospects just need a clear, succinct message that contains your brandpromise, presented in a manner that is appropriate to your target audience, anda job jacket style folder may just fit the bill. Article Tags: Pocket Folder, Pocket Folders, Digital Printing
You,Think,Need,Pocket,Folder,P