4 Sales Call Mistakes Your Customers Have Probably Heard This Week

Posted on August 28, 2019 Written by Leave a Comment

No matter who you are talking to, a sales call can be a challenge—especially if your customer has been the recipient of several sales calls recently. Not only are you trying to make sure that your customer knows the benefits of the print you offer, but you’re trying to stand out from the crowd. By avoiding these four sales call mistakes, you’ll stand out from the crowd in the best possible way.

1. Being Too Aggressive
Whether it’s talking about yourself too much or pushing your products even after your customer has said that they aren’t interested, being aggressive is one issue that your customers are familiar with and it probably loses your competitors sales. Instead of being very aggressive with your customers, make sure that you balance your confidence with creating a connection with them. Ask questions about their print needs, offer options, and remember that the final choice of what print to order ultimately belongs to your customers.

2. Using Jargon
Your customer probably has some experience in print, but that’s no reason to fill your call with as much jargon as possible. Many salespeople use jargon in an attempt to sound like an expert, but it can alienate customers and make the call take longer than it needs to be because the customer may need to ask questions later about what those terms mean. If you need to use a technical term—bleed, for example—make sure that you’re also defining the important term in your sales pitch.

Speaking of important information…

3. Lack of Information
Whether it’s fumbling to find important information or talking only about the business itself and not about the products, a lack of usable information can make your competitors seem like they don’t know what they’re doing. Remember that you are the expert—be sure to have the information you need at the ready to ensure that your expertise comes across to your customers. Have your supplier’s catalog bookmarked so you can find that product at a moment’s notice. Keep your notes about previous conversations on hand. Not only will this help the call go more smoothly, but it will also highlight your expertise.

4. Not Giving Your Call a Clear Call-to-Action
Imagine how your customer feels when a sales call ends and they don’t have a clear picture of what’s next. Will they be sent a digital copy of a catalog to browse? Will you be calling back with a quote? What phone number should they use to contact you if they have questions? If you can give a clear call to action—a clear next step to your customer—it makes the sales process easier for them and helps ensure that you’ll get that next call!

What do you consider a big sales call mistake? Did we miss the biggest mistake on your list? We’d love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Education, News, Print Products, Resources

Poster vs. Poster

Posted on August 23, 2019 Written by Leave a Comment

When you think about a poster you probably envision something pretty specific, a concert poster on a bedroom wall or a poster on a bulletin board to advertise a performance. And it can seem like posters are essentially all the same.

But are they really?

As it turns out, they aren’t! The different poster options that we offer—one in our stationery product line and one in our NSP product line—give your customers different things, so we’re bringing them together to compare.

Sizing Things Up
When your customer is looking for a specific size of poster, you want to know which product will give them the right size for the job. This is another difference between our two poster options. The posters from our stationery line are available in four different sizes:

  • 12” x 18”
  • 13” x 19”
  • 18” x 24”
  • 19” x 27”

NSP’s posters, on the other hand, are available in a wider variety of sizes, both smaller and larger. The full list of these posters includes:

  • 8 ½” x 11”
  • 11” x 17”
  • 16” x 20”
  • 18” x 24”
  • 22” x 28”
  • 24” x 36”
  • 27” x 40”
  • 36” x 48”
  • 40” x 60”

What’s Your Preferred Paper?
Paper selection is another way that these poster options differ. NSP’s posters are available in Standard Matte 33 lb. Bond Stock, Super Heavy Matte 55 lb. Bond Stock, Semi-Gloss 100 lb. Cover Stock, and Gloss 100 lb. Cover Stock.

Posters from our stationery line, on the other hand, are all printed on White Gloss 100 lb. Text. This stock is lightweight and ideal for larger orders. Speaking of larger orders…

Just a Few or Many More
One of the biggest differences that you’ll see between these poster options is that posters from our NSP product line are available only in smaller quantities. This product line allows your customer to order between 1 and 50 posters for their smaller projects.

Posters from our stationery product line, on the other hand, are available in many more quantities—many more, in fact. You can order as few as 5 of these posters or as many as 5,000 through our catalog.

Want to order a poster? You can find more information on the posters from our NSP product line here, and you can our sales sheets to help you sell, simply download the sales sheet and add your company information.  If you want to order online, you can also click here to order online.

Filed Under: Marketing, News, Print Products, Resources, Stationery

Should Your Customer’s Stock be Sturdier? The Benefits of Bringing in a Heavyweight

Posted on August 22, 2019 Written by Leave a Comment

Your customer has a lot of stock options to choose from when creating their print piece. Do they want something lightweight and budget–friendly, or do they want to invest in something heavier? With so many options to choose from, it’s important for them to know the benefits of investing in a heavier stock—that’s why we’re breaking down the benefits of using a thick or sturdy stock for business cards, postcards, announcements, and more.

Benefits By the Numbers
What do statistics say about the importance of heavyweight papers? According to WestRock, they had had a lot to say. Their research indicates that, when it comes to direct mail pieces, thicker and sturdier stock definitely wins out.

  • 18% of consumers said that their intent to purchase would be impacted by receiving a sturdier piece of direct mail
  • National retailers with sturdier paper saw a 38% response rate

Getting Noticed
Thicker stocks aren’t just great for postcards—they’re a surefire way to get a wide variety of print pieces noticed! One of the reasons for this is that thicker stock makes your customer’s print piece sturdier and more durable than thinner pieces.  When they choose a durable stock, their print pieces will last longer and stick around in consumers’ wallets or mailboxes.

The Unexpected Touch
Unexpected details are always the thing that makes a print piece memorable, and stock could be the unexpected detail your customer is looking for. Imagine pulling out a stack of business cards from a trade show, for example—a pop of color from a color core stock will be immediately noticeable. Even if it’s not a color core stock, the thickest and most substantial business card will be among the first that gets noticed among the stack.

These unexpected touches don’t just get business cards noticed. We mentioned earlier that direct mail is more effective when printed on a sturdy stock, and announcements will have a memorable, luxurious feel when printed on a heavier stock.

Know Your Options
Are your customers ready to bring in a heavyweight? It’s time to introduce them to their options. Many of our cover stocks have a substantial feel, and you can check out color core and extra thick stocks for a thickness that truly stands out from the crowd. The best way for your customers to feel the difference is to see them in person, so be sure to show them samples or pull out a swatch book. If you don’t have one yet you can give our customer care team a call to request yours.

Do your customers love heavyweight stocks? Which ones are their favorites? We’d love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Business Cards, Design, Marketing, News, Print Products, Resources, Stationery

Could Your Home Office Be Better?

Posted on August 21, 2019 Written by Leave a Comment

If you’ve ever had to spend a day working from home, you know how important it is to have your space ready for your day of work. However, it’s important to periodically take a moment to improve your workspace at home. Whether you work primarily from home or you occasionally spend the day away from the office, here are a few tips for creating the perfect home office. And if you don’t work from home, consider putting a few of these tips in place in your office at work to keep you focused and creative all day long.

Make Sure Your Connection is Ready to Go
Whether it’s your telephone, an internet connection, or both, it’s essential to be able to touch base with your coworkers when you have a question or need to move quickly on a project. While many people work from home to increase their focus, that connection is still essential. After all, you never know when you’ll need that lifeline to get your project done.

Make Your Home Office Feel Like Work Away From Work
You’ve heard of a home away from home—make sure your home office is your work away from work! Be ready to close yourself off from the rest of the house so that you can get yourself into work mode. This is especially true if you’re prone to distraction. Having a different style for your home office and shutting the door when it’s time to get to work can help keep you from getting distracted by laundry, cooking dinner, mowing the lawn, or dusting.

Invest In a Great Chair
Have you ever had to work in an uncomfortable chair? It can have a huge impact on how effectively you work, and if you’re going to spend hours in a chair you want to make sure it’s comfortable. Consider getting an ergonomic chair—and even an ergonomic keyboard—to keep yourself working effectively.

Give it Some Color
Having a colorful, nice-looking space can be a big boost to your productivity, and from light levels to the color of your surroundings, there are a lot of ways that having the right environment can help you work more effectively. Both blue and green have been shown to enhance performance on creative tasks, while those looking to improve their attention to detail might find the color red to be an ideal fit. Light levels can make a big difference, too—a dimmer environment can foster creativity, while bright lights have been shown to be better for analytical thought.

And paint or colored art aren’t the only way to keep you working effectively. Research has repeatedly shown that office plants can improve your productivity, and a window with a view can particularly help you recharge if you have a view of a natural landscape.

How do you create an ideal workspace? We’d love to hear your tips in the comments below.

Filed Under: Admin, Design, News, Resources Tagged: , ,

4 Back-to-School Lessons You Can Use in Your Business

Posted on August 16, 2019 Written by Leave a Comment

We talked a few weeks back about how you can go “back to school” to keep your business knowledge moving. Today we want you to think back to the lessons you learned when you were in school—and put them in practice in your business! Here are four of the classroom lessons that will help your business thrive every day.

1. Have the Right Supplies
Remember when you were getting ready for the return to the classroom and you got a shopping list of the things you would need that year? Business can sometimes be a lot like that—having the right tools on hand when you start the job is essential.

But what are the right tools? As a professional, unfortunately, you can’t simply pick up your checklist at your average big box store. However, you also have the benefit of experience and can make your own list. Does having a vertical market sales kit on hand for meetings help you make the sale? Make sure you have one of these kits on hand at the start of the next sales meeting. Does one of your customers respond to having a catalog laid out in front of them? Make sure you’ve got that catalog ready—or send them a personalized digital catalog like our zoomCatalog.

2. Take a Moment Every Day to Stay Organized
If your elementary school was anything like mine, you spent some time every day picking up after yourselves, and this is a great habit to build in your business, too! Take a few minutes every day to organize your files, get a few small tasks checked off your list, and straighten things up at your desk. This will help you stay organized, and you’ll find that doing a little every day is much simpler than doing all that organizing at one time.

3. Give Yourself a Break to Recharge
Whether it’s taking a lunchtime breather or getting outside for some “recess,” taking a moment to recharge can be just as helpful for you now as it was when you were in school. Taking that break can help you work more effectively and get more done in the long run.

4. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask a Question
Do you need more information about a new product? Are you unsure how to go about placing an order? Do you just want to have a little more clarity? It can be easy to avoid asking these questions because you’re worried about whether you should already know this information—but don’t be afraid to raise your hand! Whether it’s asking a teacher for more information or asking your print provider for more information about a new product, asking a question is as great an idea in your business as it was in the classroom.

What schoolroom lessons do you still use in your day-to-day life? We’d love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Education, Marketing, News, Resources

Matte Finishes are Anything But Dull!

Posted on August 15, 2019 Written by 1 Comment

matte gold foil on a legal business cardMatte finishes are back on trend, and your customers should consider them for their next print piece! Whether they love the look of an uncoated stock or are looking for a subtle touch of metal without a high gloss shine, matte finishes, here are just a few of the reasons your customers should use matte finishes for their next print piece.

Uncoated Stocks Let Texture Shine Through
If your customer is looking for a classic, elegant look, uncoated stocks bring their texture to the forefront! The texture of an uncoated stock gives it a handmade, tactile appeal that feels high end.

Uncoated stocks give your customers a variety of other benefits, too! They are easier to write on, so if your customer is hoping to include a handwritten note on their business card or to sign their announcements by hand they might want to stick to uncoated stocks. Your customer can also be sure that their print piece will look cleaner because fingerprints and smudges won’t show up after their print piece has been touched.

Uncoated Stocks and Color
In matte prints, colors are slightly more muted, giving colors and images a more natural feel. While vibrant hues are a great option for some customers, these subtler colors are a good fit for print pieces with a more muted color palette. This also gives a print piece a more classic feel instead of the sleek look of a coated stock.

Matte Foils are Subtle and Elegant
When your customers think of foil, they probably think of a shiny finish first and foremost. However, they can also choose foils that give them the look of classic gold or silver in a matte or dull finish. Our graphic designers recommend dull foils especially for markets that value a subtle and classic look with high end flair: law firms, financial institutions, and other well-established businesses.

Matte foils also add another benefit: readability. Because there is no glare on a dull foil, they are easier to read and keep your customer’s message and branding in the forefront.

Dull Foil for Designer’s Choice!
Like we mentioned before, when we talked to our team’s graphic designers they had a lot to say about the love of matte finishes. They said that they prefer dull foil because they find it more attractive and more subtle. They also said that dull foil stands out because many printers don’t offer it as an option and as a result it’s a less common finishing touch for business cards, announcements, and other print pieces.

Do your customers like matte finishes? Or do they prefer something shinier? We’d love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Business Cards, Design, News, Print Products, Resources, Stationery

Coming Soon to Navitor.com: Glitter Stock!

Posted on August 1, 2019 Written by Leave a Comment

Are your customers ready to try something new? Have they been looking for an eyecatching stock that will get them noticed? Do they want to add a touch of luxury to their print order?

Have we got news for you!

Coming soon to Navitor.com is Crystal White Glitter Color Core stock. This new addition pairs the heavyweight thickness and unexpected pop of color that comes from color core stock with the sparkle of a glittered surface! Here’s what you need to know about this new option for announcements, business cards, and postcards.

Get to Know the Sparkle: Crystal White Glitter
The crystal white finish of our glitter stock is more than just sparkly. It has a subtle, iridescent look that adds depth and visual interest to the glitter finish. And we are pleased to note that the glitter stays put on the stock’s surface—this means that it won’t lose its sparkle before it’s been handed to the customer.

The glitter also adds a textured surface to any business card, announcement, or postcard that uses glitter stock, adding an extra touch of tactile appeal. This means that when a design features heavy ink coverage and the glitter itself is covered by that ink, there is an appealing textured surface on those areas.

We are debuting Crystal White Glitter as a color core stock, so not only will your customer’s print order include a striking touch of sparkle but it will also feature their choice of five colored cores. And because of the colored core, Crystal White Glitter Color Core stock will weigh in at an impressive 45pt. thickness that is sure to stand out from the crowd.

Truly New!
We understand that your customers want to stand out, and that’s why we’ve brought glitter stock into our offering! It’s truly new to the personalized print market and will make your customer’s business card, announcement, or postcard stand out even more because of that.

Want to know more? Before this new stock goes live on Navitor.com, you can click here to download a free PDF flyer for more information. Be sure to update your email subscriptions, too, so that you won’t miss out on the email when this new stock is available for purchase.

Are you excited about our new Crystal White Glitter Color Core stock? Do you have customers who have been looking for that bit of extra sparkle? We’d love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Business Cards, Education, News, Print Products, Resources, Stationery

Print to Add Polish to Nonprofit Fundraisers

Posted on July 24, 2019 Written by Leave a Comment

Nonprofits of all sorts will soon be hosting the last outdoor fundraisers of the year, and just as soon they will be preparing for the events they host at the end of the year. When they’re planning their events, they should also be planning the print that adds a great finishing touch to their fundraisers. Here are our choices for the print pieces that will add profit to your customer’s next nonprofit fundraiser.

Posters
Are your customers trying to get the word out to a wider audience? Posters could be the best way to raise interest in their community events! And with a variety of quantities available, posters could also be a colorful addition to event promotion even in smaller communities.

Announcements and Postcards
Some of your customers’ events focus on previous donors or top donors, and announcements and postcards are a great way to add polish to those event invitations. Choose postcards for a more informal feel, or use announcements to make the occasion feel a little extra special.

Brochures, Rack Cards and Sales Sheets
Whether your customer wants to include them with a mailing or wants a piece to show donors what their gifts will be doing, informational pieces are an essential way to get the word out about the good work that they do. Brochures, rack cards, and sales sheets are classic pieces that can include text to show off essential statistics or photographs that highlight the people who benefit from a nonprofit’s work.

Event Tickets
If your customer is hosting a raffle or fundraising event, event tickets are essential! These tickets feature practical details like perforated ends for easy raffle use and numbering to make it easy to keep track of attendees. Even better, when your customer chooses full color print they can help make their nonprofit’s branding more memorable.

Folders
Whether it’s organizing instructions for volunteers, putting together forms and information for donors, or keeping documents organized afterward, branded folders are a good way to keep organized. As a bonus, using branded folders is a good way to add that extra touch of professional polish to every document.

Badges
Speaking of event volunteers, badges are a great way to show which people at your customer’s event are working and which are simply attending. Choose labels as temporary name tags for events with a lot of short-term volunteers, or consider window badges, chalk badges or erasable badges  for flexible badges that can be used at event after event.

Banners, Signs and Other Décor
Once your customers are actually at their event, indoors or out, it’s time to personalize the space. Banners are a great fit for events indoors or out, adding a splash of color in your customer’s choice of a variety of styles. Freestanding a-frame signage can guide attendees through buildings, personalize stages and accent sidewalks outside outdoor event venues.

Do you work with customers in the nonprofit sector? Which print products are their favorites? We’d love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Business Cards, Folders, Labels, Marketing, News, Print Products, Promotional Products, Resources, Stationery

Good, Better, Best: Forms and Personalization

Posted on July 19, 2019 Written by Leave a Comment

A personalized form offers your customers a variety of benefits: brand recognition, tailor-made information, the ideal size, and more. However, your customer’s form choice has a big impact on their opportunity to personalize their forms, and some forms offer more personalization potential than others. If your customer is looking for the opportunity to create something perfect for their business, this is your guide to the options they can explore!

Good: Personalized Formatted Forms
When your customer wants just a bit of personalization, formatted forms are ready-made for a variety of different uses. Register forms, receipts, purchase order forms, and sales order forms are all flexible options that many customers can use. Repair and road service forms are more specialized.

And, while we say this option is good, it might be the best option for your customer—it depends on what precisely they need. Formatted forms allow your customers to include text to personalize their forms with information like their company name, address, and phone number. When your customer wants a simple form that simplifies the design process, these could be the forms for them.

Better: 1-Color Custom Forms
If your customer is looking for more control over the content of their forms, 1-color custom forms are a great option. These forms are printed in black ink and offer your customer the ability to design their form from scratch, so unlike formatted forms your customer can choose which information to include and which information isn’t relevant. They can choose the size of form that works best and the number of parts they want on each form.

Custom forms are also available in a wide variety of quantities. For your smaller customers, quantities as low as 250 are available. For larger customers, quantities of 2500 are available in our standard offering, and you can contact us for quotes on larger orders.

But there’s one type of form that offers even more personalization potential…

Best: Full Color Custom Forms
Custom full color forms offer your customers the peak of personalization potential. Not only do these forms offer them the opportunity to design their form from the ground up, they also allow for a wider variety of colors and imagery. Full color gives your customers the chance to personalize their forms with their brand colors, full color logos, or images of their products. They can use this versatility to boost their brand, highlight new products, and more.

Which forms are your customers favorites? Do they love the ease of a formatted form, or do they prefer custom forms? We’d love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Education, News, Print Products, Resources, Stationery

Spectacular Spot Gloss: What You Need to Know About Designing for this Enhanced Finish

Posted on July 18, 2019 Written by Leave a Comment

Whether flat or raised, spot gloss is a finish on the rise, and for good reason! This Enhanced Finish is becoming a popular option for a variety of print pieces, and it can be an excellent addition to your customer’s business card, announcement, or postcard. However, the real strength of spot gloss and raised spot gloss are in the design. Here’s what you need to know about creating spectacular spot gloss.

Having Your Formatting Right is the Foundation of Great Design
Great design starts with great execution. That means having your fonts correctly sized, using the right file and color formats—and, for spot gloss and raised spot gloss, taking a look at our instructions for file creation. Having these basic guidelines in mind will help ensure that your design choices are executed perfectly, making your whole design more impressive. Click here to download our design guidelines, or take a look at our youtube video if you’re more of a visual learner.

And don’t forget about the option to bring spot gloss to new heights. Raised spot gloss can be used in a similar way to spot gloss, but with extra depth added to the shiny accent. It’s a slightly different look—and an interesting, tactile texture—that your customer should consider for their print pieces.

Do You Want Your Spot Gloss to Stand Alone or Make Details Stand Out?
Gloss is a particularly versatile finish because of the sheer number of ways that it can be used—emphasis on “sheer”! Because spot gloss and raised spot gloss are transparent, they can be used to create a wide variety of different looks.

Spot gloss can be used on its own or over a flood coat to create a subtle design element. This option will appeal to customers seeking a minimalist look for their business cards, but it can also create stylish patterns, interesting borders, or subtle text.

When paired with a full color design, on the other hand, spot gloss and raised spot gloss can highlight different bits of the design. Be strategic about the design. Spot gloss can be used as a glossy accent on the most important word of a message or to add a luminous quality to elements of an image like the stars in a night sky or the fire in a fireplace.

What Does Your Customer Want to Emphasize?
Whether it’s your customer’s brand colors, their logo, or a particular part of their marketing message, spot gloss can be an unexpected detail that helps emphasize what’s essential. An unexpected touch of spot gloss in the shape of their logo can be a memorable way to change things up. Using spot gloss or raised spot gloss over the most important part of their message on a postcard can ensure that message is noticed.

Would Coated Stock Be a Better Choice?
If your customers are excited about spot gloss, we understand the temptation to use it everywhere, but it really works better as an unexpected accent. If your customer wants a lot of shine for their piece, they might be better off using a glossy coated stock and leaving spot gloss for a special occasion.

Have your customers ordered spot gloss or raised spot gloss? How have they made sure that their design is extraordinary? We’d love to see you join the conversation in the comments below.

Filed Under: Business Cards, Design, Education, News, Print Products, Promotional Products, Resources
« Previous Page
Next Page »