Marketing in 2014: Out with the Old, In with the New

When the clock strikes midnight on December 31^st, 2013 will officially be behind us. What better time to step back, have a look at your old mail campaigns, and assess what’s in store for the future? This handy guideline to marketing in 2014 can help carve out the path to success.

Millennials are Changing the Game

One thing that marketers will need to realize in the coming year is that consumers, now more than ever, drive the content and channel. Millennials have been raised in an environment of constant messaging and are thus, more demanding. They’ve come to expect certain things out of modern marketing like engaging content and easy accessibility. Businesses who implement a proper system of analytics will better be able to determine which marketing tactics are being utilized by their consumers and will therefore be able to tailor to the Millennial consumer’s preferences.

Consistency is Key

Plan, plan, plan. Repeat it, know it, live it. This is vitally important for direct mail marketing. Now is a great time to have a look at the calendar and map out when you’d like to run promotions, sales, holiday events, etc. Mark them and set yourself a reminder weeks ahead of the start date to have any print materials that you’ll need made. 

Print May, Again, Take the Lead

With rapid advances in technology and social media, many feared the print age was at an end. Fear not, fellow marketers. One technology advance may lead us to a print revival. Augmented reality, or AR, blends new tech with traditional print. Those with the gumption to take the leap into AR in 2014 may very well see their efforts quickly rewarded.

Smaller is Better

Prepare yourself to do away with the idea that large, eye-catching mailers will be sure to get a second look. Studies show that large (over 6” x 9”) pieces are down by 6% in 2013 and they anticipate that number to continue declining. The predicted trend in consumer preferences for 2014? Little is more likeable.

Some of these tips and trends may come as a surprise, others may not. Either way, it never hurts to open your mind to new ways of thinking when it comes to the world of marketing. Follow our guideline and remember that the focus should always be on your customer and you may not even need good luck to be successful in the New Year, but we’re wishing it to you anyway!

Happy New Year from all of us at Tray Inc.!

Alabama’s AJ McCarron Wins The 2013 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award

Alabama Quarterback AJ McCarron is the winner of the 2013 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, presented annually by the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. and Transamerica.

McCarron had an outstanding year in leading the fourth-ranked Crimson Tide to an 11-1 record, completing 67.6% of his passes for 2,676 yards and 26 touchdowns against only 5 interceptions.

A top leader known for his ability to orchestrate an offense, McCarron compiled a 34-2 record (.943) as a starter at Alabama. He holds the Alabama record for throwing 30 touchdown passes in 2012, and once went 291 pass attempts without throwing an interception (the second-longest streak in SEC history).

McCarron, who was a finalist for last year’s Golden Arm Award, was selected from an original field of 30 in the annual competition to name the top college quarterback in the nation. Other finalists for the 2013 award included Tajh Boyd (Clemson), Derek Carr (Fresno State), Jordan Lynch (Northern Illinois), and Aaron Murray (Georgia).

The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award is named after the man many refer to as the greatest quarterback ever to play the game of football. Johnny Unitas was an 18-year veteran of the NFL, who played his collegiate career at the University of Louisville before joining the Baltimore Colts in 1958. His career passing figures include 2,830 pass completions for 40,239 yards, 290 touchdowns, and throwing a touchdown pass in 47 consecutive games.

Candidates for the Golden Arm Award – which has been presented at the end of each college football season since 1987 – must be college seniors or fourth-year juniors on schedule to graduate with their class. In addition to the accomplishments on the field, candidates are judged on their character, citizenship, scholastic achievement, and leadership qualities.

Past Golden Arm Award winners include: Peyton Manning (Tennessee, 1997); Carson Palmer (USC, 2002); Eli Manning (Ole Miss, 2003); Matt Ryan (Boston College, 2007); Colt McCoy (Texas, 2009); and Andrew Luck (Stanford, 2011).

McCarron will receive the 2013 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award at a ceremony to be held this coming Friday, December 13, 6-9 p.m., at the Embassy Suites Baltimore Inner Harbor & Grand Historic Venue, 225 N. Charles Street in downtown Baltimore.

The ceremony will feature remarks by one of Johnny Unitas’ favorite targets during his years with the Baltimore Colts, NFL Hall of Famer Raymond Berry.

Proceeds from the Golden Arm Award help to support the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation. The Foundation provides financial assistance to underprivileged and deserving young scholar-athletes throughout Maryland and Kentucky.

The namesake of the Golden Arm Award has a storied football history. Inducted into Pro Football’s Hall of Fame in 1979, Johnny Unitas was named the top quarterback of all-time in commemorations of the NFL’s 25th, 50th, and 75th anniversaries. In turn-of-the-century listings, he was named to Sports Illustrated’s list of top 10 athletes, Time Magazine’s list of 10 most influential athletes, and ESPN’s series on the 50 greatest athletes of the century

In addition to Transamerica, sponsors of the Golden Arm Award include: Andretti Sports Marketing, Athlon Sports, The Babe Ruth and Sports Legends Museum, Baltimore Sun Media Group, Bloomberg Television, Century Engineering, Coach for America, Comcast, Dunbar Armored and Dunbar Digital Armor, The Embassy Suites Baltimore Inner Harbor & Grand Historic Venue, GEICO, Haddock Investments, HMS Insurance Associates, Inc., Metropolis Funding, Panini, TRAY Inc., The Scott Garceau Show, MedStar Union Memorial Sports Medicine, VAE Visual Aid Electronics Corp, VPC Inc., Weiss PR, Woodberry Kitchen, Wilson Sporting Goods, and ZBest Executive & Global Transportation Services.

To learn more about the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, visit: http://www.transamerica.com/about_us/johnny_unitas_golden_arm_award.asp    
http://www.goldenarmfoundation.com/

A Holiday Direct Mail Marketing How-To

The holiday season provides a great opportunity for direct mail marketing. With the allure of gift-giving season right around the corner, there is no time like the present to build some promotions around your product or brand.

There’s one thing you have to keep in mind, though – your business is not the only one doing direct mail marketing right now. That’s why it’s more important than ever that your direct mail package stands out. Here are some tips to make that happen.

1.)   Seek Professional Help

Get expert help. Hiring a direct mail marketing company can help you craft an appropriate and professional-looking holiday design for your mailer. They also offer postal services that can help speed up the packaging process.

2.)   Don’t Underestimate QR Codes

The value of QR codes should not be overlooked. They can prove to be a valuable marketing tool. The opportunity to engage customers and get them excited about shopping with you is made simpler through a QR promotion.

3.)   Promotions to Get Excited About

This is the promotional portion. Ensure your direct mailers are bringing in the intended customers by offering them something to get excited about. Use mailers to inform potential customers about in-store prize drawings, buy-one-get-one free offers, and exclusive deals.

4.)   Add Intrigue

Recipients opening their mailbox to a stack of mailers are not likely to sift through each one, that’s why it’s important that your mailer stands out. One option is to create a three dimensional mailer. They are a bit pricier than their traditional 2-D cousin, but during the holiday season, that cost is well worth your while.

If the 3D mailer doesn’t interest you, consider other interactive options such as making your mailer into a scratch off. Each scratch off square could link to a particular percentage off of a product or purchase.

Either way, you’re getting your customer more engaged and looking at your mailer longer.

Now you have all of the information you’ll need to get started on a successful holiday direct mail campaign. Just don’t wait too long! With the holidays quickly hurdling toward us, customers are ready to buy.

Do you have any other ideas for creating a great holiday direct mail campaign? Tell us in the comments below.

From social to print, we are going to take you places. Contact us to get started today.






The Tray Way is the blog for Tray, experts in the printing, mailing, logistics and promotional products. You can learn more about our capabilities by visiting our website, as well as ourFacebook and Twitter pages. For information about the company and its successes, visitwww.trayinc.com

Five Finalists Remain for 2013 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award

The annual competition to select the top college quarterback in the nation has been narrowed from an original field of 30 to five finalists for the 2013 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.

Named after the man many refer to as the greatest quarterback ever to play the game of football, the prestigious Golden Arm Award is presented annually by the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. and Transamerica.

The five finalists for 2013 Golden Arm Award are:

• Tajh Boyd (Clemson) – Coming off a 55-31 win against Georgia Tech, Boyd has completed 212 of 318 passes for 2,960 yards (66.7% completion rate) and 32 touchdowns this season.
• Derek Carr (Fresno State) – With two games remaining this season, Carr has thrown for 3,421 yards and 34 TDs, completing 69.5% of his passes for the 9-0 Bulldogs.
• Jordan Lynch (Northern Illinois) – Lynch has led the Huskies to a 10-0 record this season, completing 65.5% of his passes while throwing for 35 TDs and 2,216 yards.
• AJ McCarron (Alabama) – After a 20-7 win over Mississippi State last week, McCarron has completed 177 of 261 passes for 2,228 yards (67.8%) and 21 TDs this season.
• Aaron Murray (Georgia) – While the Bulldogs are only 6-4 this season, Murray has thrown for 2,892 yards and 29 TDs, completing 207 of 324 pass attempts (63.9%).  

 

Candidates for the Golden Arm Award – which has been presented at the end of each college football season since 1987 – must be college seniors or fourth-year juniors on schedule to graduate with their class. In addition to the accomplishments on the field, candidates are judged on their character, citizenship, scholastic achievement, and leadership qualities.

 

The 2013 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award will be presented at a ceremony on Friday, December 13 (Note New Date), in Baltimore, MD. For the 2013 Golden Arm Award ceremony, The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. and Transamerica will be returning to The Embassy Suites Baltimore Inner Harbor & Grand Historic Venue (formerly The Tremont Grand), where the ceremony was held from 2006 until 2010.

 

NFL Hall of Famer, former Baltimore Colt, and the great Johnny Unitas’ favorite target – Raymond Berry – will deliver the keynote remarks at this year’s Golden Arm Award ceremony.

 

Past Golden Arm Award winners include: Peyton Manning (Tennessee, 1997); Carson Palmer (USC, 2002); Eli Manning (Ole Miss, 2003); Matt Ryan (Boston College, 2007); Colt McCoy (Texas, 2009); and Andrew Luck (Stanford, 2011).

 

Proceeds from the Golden Arm Award help to support the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation. The Foundation provides financial assistance to underprivileged and deserving young scholar-athletes throughout Maryland and Kentucky.

 

The namesake of the Golden Arm Award has a storied history. Johnny Unitas was an 18-year veteran of the NFL, who played his collegiate career at the University of Louisville before joining the Baltimore Colts in 1958. His career passing figures include 2,830 pass completions for 40,239 yards, 290 touchdowns and throwing a touchdown pass in 47 consecutive games.

 

Unitas was inducted into Pro Football’s Hall of Fame in 1979. The Hall of Fame, in commemorations of the NFL’s 25th, 50th, and 75th anniversaries selected Unitas as the top quarterback of all-time. In turn-of-the-century listings, he was named to Sports Illustrated’s list of top 10 athletes, Time Magazine’s list of 10 most influential athletes, and ESPN’s series on the 50 greatest athletes of the century

 

In addition to Transamerica, sponsors of the Golden Arm Award include: Andretti Sports Marketing, Athlon Sports, The Babe Ruth and Sports Legends Museum, Baltimore Sun Media Group, Bloomberg Television, Century Engineering, Coach for America, Comcast, Dunbar Armored and Dunbar Digital Armor, The Embassy Suites Baltimore Inner Harbor & Grand Historic Venue, GEICO, Haddock Investments, HMS Insurance Associates, Inc., Metropolis Funding, Panini, TRAY Inc., The Scott Garceau Show, MedStar Union Memorial Sports Medicine, VAE Visual Aid Electronics Corp, VPC Inc., Weiss PR, Woodberry Kitchen, Wilson Sporting Goods, and ZBest Executive & Global Transportation Services.

 

 

To learn more about the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, visit:

http://www.transamerica.com/about_us/johnny_unitas_golden_arm_award.asp 

http://www.goldenarmfoundation.com/

Top 10 Finalists Named for 2013 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award

Narrowed from an original field of 30 of the country’s top college quarterbacks, there are now 10 candidates remaining for the 2013 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm AwardÒ.

The 10 finalists for this year’s Golden Arm Award are:

• Tajh Boyd, Clemson
• Derek Carr, Fresno State
• Taylor Kelly, Arizona State
• Jordan Lynch, Northern Illinois
• Sean Mannion, Oregon State
• AJ McCarron, Alabama
• Aaron Murray, Georgia
• Keith Price, Washington
• Connor Shaw, South Carolina
• Keith Wenning, Ball State

Named after the man many refer to as the greatest quarterback ever to play the game of football, the prestigious Golden Arm Award is presented annually by the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. and TransamericaÒ.

Candidates for the Golden Arm Award – which has been presented at the end of each college football season since 1987 – must be college seniors or fourth-year juniors on schedule to graduate with their class. In addition to the accomplishments on the field, candidates are judged on their character, citizenship, scholastic achievement, and leadership qualities.

The 2013 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm AwardÒ will be presented at a ceremony on Friday, December 13, in Baltimore, MD. For the 2013 Golden Arm Award ceremony, The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. and TransamericaÒ will be returning to The Embassy Suites Baltimore Inner Harbor & Grand Historic Venue (formerly The Tremont Grand), where the ceremony was held from 2006 until 2010.

Previous winners of the Golden Arm Award include: Peyton Manning (Tennessee, 1997); Carson Palmer (USC, 2002); Eli Manning (Ole Miss, 2003); Matt Ryan (Boston College, 2007); Colt McCoy (Texas, 2009); and Andrew Luck (Stanford, 2011). Last year’s winner, Collin Klein of Kanas State, was a Second Team All-American (AP) and the 2012 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year (AP).

Proceeds from the Golden Arm Award help to support the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation. The Foundation provides financial assistance to underprivileged and deserving young scholar-athletes throughout Maryland and Kentucky.

 

The namesake of the Golden Arm Award has a storied history. Johnny Unitas was an 18-year veteran of the NFL, who played his collegiate career at the University of Louisville before joining the Baltimore Colts in 1958. His career passing figures include 2,830 pass completions for 40,239 yards, 290 touchdowns and throwing a touchdown pass in 47 consecutive games.

 

Unitas was inducted into Pro Football’s Hall of Fame in 1979. The Hall of Fame, in commemorations of the NFL’s 25th, 50th, and 75th anniversaries selected Unitas as the top quarterback of all-time. In turn-of-the-century listings, he was named to Sports Illustrated’s list of top 10 athletes, Time Magazine’s list of 10 most influential athletes, and ESPN’s series on the 50 greatest athletes of the century

 

“Despite my Dad’s outstanding on-field accomplishments, he never forgot his humble beginnings and that won him a permanent place in the hearts of everyone who ever knew him,” says John C. Unitas, Jr., President of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. “Giving life to his commitment to ‘give back,’ the Golden Arm Foundation was established to promote football on all levels by providing financial aid to deserving young athletes.”

 

In addition to TransamericaÒ, sponsors of the Golden Arm Award include: Andretti Sports Marketing, Athlon Sports, The Babe Ruth and Sports Legends Museum, Baltimore Sun Media Group, Bloomberg Television, Century Engineering, Coach for America, Comcast, Dunbar Armored and Dunbar Digital Armor, The Embassy Suites Baltimore Inner Harbor & Grand Historic Venue, GEICO, Haddock Investments, HMS Insurance Associates, Inc., Metropolis Funding, Panini, Tray Inc., The Scott Garceau Show, MedStar Union Memorial Sports Medicine, VAE Visual Aid Electronics Corp, VPC Inc., Weiss PR, Woodberry Kitchen, Wilson Sporting Goods, and ZBest Executive & Global Transportation Services.

 

To learn more about the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm AwardÒ, visit:

http://www.transamerica.com/about_us/johnny_unitas_golden_arm_award.asp 

http://www.goldenarmfoundation.com/

Four Reasons Why Direct Mail is Still the Undefeated Hero

Some people are under the impression that direct mail is last year’s marketing plan.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Direct mail is practically the class and quintessential modern marketing plan (and integrating social media and digital marketing only makes a marketing plan exponentially better).

In this post, we will examine exactly why direct mail is so powerful and still so relevant.

Direct mail has shelf-life

Not all advertising mail is discarded and thrown away. Coupons, special promotions, and “save the date” mailings are often placed on the refrigerator or coffee table to be used in the near future.

We can’t send tracking devices with each individual mailing to know and understand exactly what happens to it once it lands in a prospective client’s mailbox, but it is common for these people to arrive, mailing in hand, and ready to make a purchase.

Monitor direct mail response

Coupons are an excellent way of knowing if your direct mail campaign is working.

As you already probably aware, a unique call to action on the mailing can be directly linked to its mailing campaign. Source codes and priority codes are effective ways to see which lists are providing the best responses.

One of the most effective ways of measuring a direct mail campaign’s success is by looking at the bottom line – when business increases there is a way to know the direct mail campaign is working.

Deliver consumers to your website and Facebook page

Some skeptics today say that the internet will eventually phase out direct mail. In the past, we have already discussed why direct mail and social media are not just not enemies, but that they actually complement each other in highly successful ways.

Of course, people do go online to find the information they are looking for.

Websites and Facebook pages have largely become the “store front” for many businesses by giving access to consumers about everything from store hours to store inventory. However, there has to be a reason for someone to visit your website, and direct mail can be the catalyst that sends them there.

Effective advertising

On the first day of marketing school you learned this tip: Anything you can do to keep your name in front of your customers is important to retention of those customers.

Whether a business is just starting off building brand name awareness or they are reminding existing clients that they are ready to serve them, direct mail campaigns makes it happen

Compared to radio, television or newsprint, direct mail is still the best value in advertising.

When are you going to start your next direct mail campaign?

From social to print, we are going to take you places. Contact us to get started today.

Accomplishing Effective and Successful Email Marketing Plans

If you’ve seen our Facebook page lately, you know we’ve been sharing articles on the popularity and importance of email marketing – and how to do it right.

This blog post will serve to help those of you who are excited about this marketing strategy but from a unique angle: let’s take a look at some of the mistakes we can make as email marketers so we know to avoid them in the future.

Without any further ado, what are some mistakes you can make in your email marketing plans?

Just do the following:

Be too focused on incremental tactics 

Sure you can tweak the subject lines all you want, but it won't improve your overall program. Focus most of your time on the big support efforts that will drive major revenue growth. It sounds obvious once we verbalize it, but remember: Taking care of the big things should always be done before the small thing.

Forget to integrate

Remember our blog post about integrating social with print?

Good, because the same is true with email marketing. Email drives subscribers to visit your website, visit your stores, phone your call center, and engage with your social media pages. It also pulls in web and mobile behavior, consumer reviews, catalog assets, and so much more.

Don’t test your tactics

What should you really be doing? Rather than organizing testing as an alternating tactic, use it as a strategic process. Take a progressive approach by testing types of variables that you can leverage and build on for successive testing. But if you want your plan to fail, of course you won’t do this.

Miss the easy stuff 

This is a big one. There are a lot of great avenues to go down, but if you’re looking to have an ineffective campaign, then definitely forget where they are.

See, a "Happy Birthday" email is would have been great and yet too many B2C marketers don't send these messages. "We don't have subscribers' birth dates" is a common excuse. Our solution? Start capturing them. Get a program that helps you capture them so you can start generating revenue.

Avoid the big picture 

Jump straight into redoing your email templates with a responsive design even though your website is not mobile friendly, especially if most of your conversions are happening on desktops, and you ignore the fact that mobile is really about context and content.

From social to print, we are going to take you places. Contact us to get started today.

Important Answers to Critical Postcard Design Questions

We know just as well as you that direct mail is not dead. Well, the Huffington Post agrees with us in a new article published just last month.

With all of that said, let’s discuss postcard design that actually gets results.

Postcard design should not be just taking a larger print, cutting out some copy, and shrinking it down. We aren’t saying that is ineffective, but we are saying you can do a lot better.

Often, postcards can be produced quicker and lower production costs, so they’re easier to get in the mail faster. Messages should be simple, easy to digest, and easy to remember. They allow you to reach your best prospects in their homes, and you can personalize your offer for relatively little additional expense.   
  

In this post, we are going to look at postcard design and ask some fundamental questions. These questions are common and simple, but their answers are often ignored.

Should you use a theme on your postcards?

There is no objective answer to this. Sometimes themes work; other times they fail horribly. Remember, if you must use a theme, at least focus the theme on a product and offer. A “theme” doesn’t benefit consumers, but a product and offer does.

Does your postcard design have an easily identifiable product?

Prospects won’t hunt for the product, so it needs to be in their face without any guesswork involved. Make sure your prospects don’t have to read a hundred words to know what is being offered. If you have no special rate, no incentive, no giveaway, then you have nothing.

Does your postcard feature a definitive call to action?

Adding your basic contact info (phone, web address, etc.) is good, but it’s not a call to action. You need to tell readers precisely what to do next and repeat the offer, like this: “To learn more about our special 10% discount on Product X for all new clients, call us at XXX or visit our website at XXX.” 

Additionally, make sure your postcards includes a method or mechanism to track its ROI. If the CEO asked the marketing department how many loans a postcard has generated, make sure you are able to track that and have an answer.

Do you have a postcard question and answer you think is important? Please share it with us in a comment.

From social to print, we are going to take you places. Contact us to get started today.

3 Ways to Save on Your Direct Marketing Campaign

Direct mail can have astonishing results when a great plan is executed. As we have discussed in the past, social and online marketing have seen a tremendous boost in recent years, but direct mail is still as relevant as it always been.

Consider this: studies show that 65% of adults in the millennial generation prefer to read something on paper.

Clearly, direct mail is an option for a business of any size, but what if your mailing list is big and your mail is complex? Direct mail campaigns can get expensive quickly. However, there are still plenty of ways to keep your direct mail fresh without breaking the bank.

Here are three ways to do just that.        

A Smart List is a Targeted List

Your direct mail campaign is only as good as your list. That’s why it is important to have a smart, targeted list. Make sure the list is up to date and is geared toward an identified responsive audience. If you want the highest possible ROI on your direct mail campaign, your list has to remain updated.

Keep your list updated every year or so by reaching out to each household directly. Especially do this when creating a new campaign or adjusting your service. Make sure each person on your list is part of your target audience. You should include only those who are likely to use your service or respond to your offer.

Know Your Budget; Know Your Capabilities

Keep your budget in mind when formulating your new direct mailing campaign. If certain materials are more expensive to buy large quantities of, avoid them in favor of a less expensive alternative. If some letter dimensions cost more than others to mail, choose a more standard size. Modify your campaign ahead of time if you know you will need to work within a tight budget. Be prepared to adjust multiple versions of your mail to cut down on production costs as much as possible.

Work with Professionals

Businesses often opt to keep things in house, but working with seasoned professionals can yield much higher results. This is necessary for two reasons: 1) We can customize a campaign to suit your exact needs based on past success and experience, 2) You already have a job to perform no matter what industry you are in – the less time you spend on marketing tasks, the more time you have to focus on your other priorities.

Staying in-house on a direct mail campaign can quickly become a process of wasting time and money.

From social to print, we are going to take you places. Contact us to get started today.






The Tray Way is the blog for Tray, experts in the printing, mailing, logistics and promotional products. You can learn more about our capabilities by visiting our website, as well as our Facebook and Twitter pages. For information about the company and its successes, visit www.trayinc.com

How and Why Social Media Matters to Your Business

Just about every business leader has heard about it, but that doesn’t mean every business leader understands it.

Social media is no longer optional. It’s a priority in every business’ marketing portfolio and it’s been this way now for years. The reason social media drives success is because it has revolutionized the way brands and businesses communicate with their customers.

While print marketing is still a valuable form of advertising, social media goes beyond one-way communication messaging. Social media is about engagement. It’s live and it provides businesses with the tool for two-way communication with their customers.

Sadly, only 1 out of 3 small businesses use social media according to research done in 2012 by Gartner, an IT research and advisory company. Furthermore, they also report that 50% of web sales will occur via social media by 2015.

Doesn’t it make sense for every business to be a part of that?

What business owners should know is that social media is now a major part of most people’s lives. That same research shows that 79% of Facebook fans are more likely to purchase from a brand they have connected with on Facebook. Facebook says they have more than one billion users on the site each month as of March 2013.

The statistics are practically yelling about how important this business opportunity is.

This gives brands the opportunity to humanize themselves and start engaging with consumers. In the process, businesses receive the following benefits:

• Increase sales
• Increase prospects and leads
• Build brand awareness
• Improve knowledge of prospects and clients
• Improve marketing ROI
• Become the thought leader in your industry
• Launch new products or services

Here is a checklist for business owners to understand what resources they need in order to effectively manage social media:

•    Know your audience and who you are targeting: age, location, income, etc.
•    Speak AND listen. Social media is not a billboard; it’s a conversational venue.
•    Diversify your content. Post pictures, ask questions, experiment, and be fun.
•    Be professional and personable. Depending on your brand and messaging strategy, you’ll fall somewhere in the middle of the professional-personal spectrum. Make sure messaging is never too stiff or too personal sounding.
•    Know how to manage ROI or employ someone who does. Study metrics and insights and adjust content to what works.
•    Know when to get help. If you are unable to do social properly and effectively, hire someone who can. There is no value in social media if it is not done right.

It’s past the time that every business owner understands social media so they can use it to their advantage. Almost 8 new people come onto the Internet every second. Will they find you?

Contact Tray, Inc. for your Social Media Management Solutions today.

From social to print, we are going to take you places. Contact us to get started today.






The Tray Way is the blog for Tray, experts in the printing, mailing, logistics and promotional products. You can learn more about our capabilities by visiting our website, as well as our Facebook and Twitter pages. For information about the company and its successes, visit www.trayinc.com

Print Media Still Dominates the Marketing Scene

With the quick and steady increase in social media’s popularity, many people have begun to question the importance, value, and relevance of print media.

Does print media no longer matter? Is it no longer relevant?

Is social media replacing the once-considered timelessness of print media?

These are important questions to ask. The quick and dirty is that print media definitely still matters, the details of which we will explain momentarily, which will shine brightly upon the multiple dimensions of print media’s relevance, value, and importance.

Furthermore, if you are questioning whether social media is replacing print media, the answer is an astounding no. You may remember from our post in Marcy, Social Versus Print: Why These Two are Friends – Not Enemies, that “As time moves forward, so does the progress in social and print marketing efforts and emerging avenues for integrating the two.”

But aside from the merging of social and print, where does print media’s relevance stand today?

That’s a great question and if we some great answers. Here they are:

     · Print is Portable – Even with laptops and smartphones, print media still retains the ultimate portability. It’s available to everyone, everywhere, regardless of service or power.

     · Print is Preferred – Many consumers still prefer traditional print material, such as magazines and newspapers, over electronic versions.

     · Print is Visible – While it’s true that sending and sharing electronic media is easier and faster, printed publications are often more visible to the average consumer. No specific keyword, special account, or access is required.

     · Print is Long-lasting– Unlike a window that may be closed, an ad that may be missed, or an e-mail that gets deleted, print media doesn’t go anywhere and can last practically forever.

     · Print is Professional – There is a credibility that is achieved in print that is harder to replicate online. A published article or business magazine carries far more weight than a PDF version found online.

     · Print is Advertising – While there are many different advertising channels, print media is still widely used in advertising. Brochures, flyers, pamphlets, catalogs, and posters are just a few examples. Most importantly, they exist in places where electronic media cannot.

Remember: Print media’s relevance and persistence is ubiquitous in the marketplace – the exact position you want to hold as well. If you want results, print them out and take them.

From social to print, we are going to take you places. Contact us to get started today.






The Tray Way is the blog for Tray, experts in the printing, mailing, logistics and promotional products. You can learn more about our capabilities by visiting our website, as well as our Facebook and Twitter pages. For information about the company and its successes, visit www.trayinc.com

Mythbusting Direct Mail: Dispelling 3 Common Direct Mail Myths

What if we told you that the earth was the center of the universe and not the sun?

What if we said that if you sail your boat far enough you’ll fall off the end of the earth?

You’d probably shake your head, laugh at us, and never take us seriously again – and rightfully so.

We thankfully live in a world where many of the myths people once believed have been disproven in favor of the truth. Myths of course do nothing to advance our endeavors and myths only stifle our efforts.

Well, the same holds true for direct mail. In this post, we will take a look at just three of some of the most common direct mail myths and bust them so we can champion truth and help you succeed in your efforts.

Myth #1: Direct mail is successful when it sells to as many people as possible

Achieving the highest percentage possible in response rates is not the goal - the goal is to maximize profits. Response numbers are tools for analysis and comparison. It's relatively easy to pump up a response rate if all you want is a higher number. Just give away something free. But if your net profit drops then it was never worth it anyway.

Trying to sell to 100% of your list reduces response rates because the message gets diluted in its attempt to be all-inclusive. The most productive mailings talk confidently and directly to the ideal buyer. If that's just 1% of your list, then forget about the other 99%. Sell to the people who want to buy what you're selling.

Want to know more about successful direct mail strategies? Find out all about us here and contact us for more information.

Myth #2: Direct mail has a low ROI

It is true that other marketing channels sometimes provide a higher return on investment (ROI) for a one-time sale, but direct mail provides higher ROI over the long term. Customers acquired through direct mail are often more loyal and have a higher transactional value than those acquired through online advertising or telemarketing. Though the costs for direct mail are often higher than other marketing methods, response rates are also higher, and through testing and optimization, response rates can continuously improve.

Still not convinced? Browse our success stories from some of the leading brands in the world.

Myth #3: Direct mail gets thrown away and takes up space in landfills

The truth is that discarded direct mail represents just 2.4% of municipal solid waste, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the recycling recovery rate has grown nearly 700% since 1990. As a result, while direct mail volume in the United States has grown 57% in 15 years, the amount of discarded mail sent to landfills has remained virtually unchanged (2005 Municipal Solid Waste in the United States).

Even better is the fact that we have green printing processes from eco-friendly inks to environmentally friendly paper options. We have made a strong commitment to greater social responsibility. We will continue to do the things that will solidify the future of our planet and as each generation matures, we want to leave something behind that is a great platform from which the next generation will build.

From social to print, we are going to take you places. Contact us to get started today.

The Tray Way is the blog for Tray, experts in the printing, mailing, logistics and promotional products. You can learn more about our capabilities by visiting our website, as well as our Facebook and Twitter pages. For information about the company and its successes, visit www.trayinc.com

Social Versus Print: Why These Two are Friends – Not Enemies

Social versus print. If you have read the news in recent years, these two platforms are often pitted against one another and media outlets suggest we should place our bets on one or the other.

Print is the classic, trustworthy marketing medium we have always known and that we are already used to. Social is the cool new guy in town; mysterious and with capabilities brand new to the world.

But do we really have to see social and print in binary opposition? Do we have to place our bets on one or the other?

No, we don’t – and we shouldn’t. The most prudent realization is that both are integral and critical platforms in marketing.

Just three months ago, we published a blog on Integrating Digital with Direct Mail. We made numerous suggestions as to how brands can integrate digital marketing plans into their direct mail.

We also came across this article detailing Twitter’s latest move in social marketing: “Twitter is in the process of testing a new advertising functionality through Twitter Cards. If successful, this may give direct marketers a process to generate leads directly from tweets.”

This functionality is great for advertisers since advertisers will be able to deliver their message directly to people, and will get feedback directly. Can this be directly integrated with direct marketing? Yes, and this is only one example.

As time moves forward, so does the progress in social and print marketing efforts and emerging avenues for integrating the two. While many already understand and fully utilize available resources for social media and print marketing plans, many still see social and print as enemies, a sort of “good and evil” where one will eventually vanquish the other.

Whoever is most successful today and tomorrow is the person who sees social and print as complementary efforts.

Having a strong, persistent social presence is no longer an option for brands – it’s a mandatory means for success and survival. Social media leverages a powerful concept - word-of-mouth viral communication – to increase sales, strengthen customer relationships, and keep your business top-of-mind as the “go-to” source for your product or service.

At Tray, we can make you social and grow your brand. We represent a wide array of print equipment and service options, combined with the skill and flexibility to help you communicate your brand in the most attractive, efficient way possible.

From social to print, we are going to take you places. Contact us to get started today.

The Tray Way is the blog for Tray, experts in the printing, mailing, logistics and promotional products. You can learn more about our capabilities by visiting our website, as well as our Facebook and Twitter pages. For information about the company and its successes, visit www.trayinc.com