When you spec a paper with 40% recycled content, do you know what type of recycled paper is actually in it? That 40% might be split between post-consumer waste and pre-consumer waste. What’s the difference? Is one better than another?

Here’s what you need to know.

Post-Consumer Waste: The One Everyone Knows

Post-consumer waste is what most people picture when they think of recycled paper. It’s the mail, newspapers, packaging, and other paper products that consumers use and then put into the recycling bin. It’s the most visible part of the recycled paper stream, which is why many buyers default to specing it exclusively.

Pre-Consumer Waste: What Happens Before the Product Ships

Pre-consumer waste comes from the manufacturing process itself, before anything reaches a consumer. In print production, this includes test prints and press makeready sheets generated during setup, as well as trimmings and offcuts from cutting, folding, and binding operations. Book and magazine publishing, packaging, and wide format printing all produce pre-consumer waste as a normal byproduct of production.

Because pre-consumer waste never makes it into someone’s home, it doesn’t get contaminated by food, drink, or other household waste. That makes it clean and efficient to recycle. The trade-off is that not all print manufacturers have well-developed systems for capturing and recycling it, so actual recycling rates can vary.

So Which Is Better?

From a sustainability standpoint, the honest answer is that neither is categorically better than the other. If they are not diverted, both types of paper waste end up in landfills. Recycling either one offers a genuine environmental benefit.

The preference for post-consumer waste is largely a perception issue. It’s the kind of recycling people can see and participate in, so it feels more meaningful. But if you limit your spec to post-consumer waste only, you’re narrowing your options without a strong environmental justification.

A mix of both gives you more flexibility in paper selection and supports a broader, more complete recycled paper stream. When you spec recycled content, any combination of the two is a meaningful step in the right direction.

Here's what most people get wrong about designing print materials: they think the words are doing all the heavy lifting. They're not. The font is carrying some of the lift, too.

Why is this? Before someone reads a single sentence, they're absorbing a message from your typography. Is this professional or casual? Trustworthy or trendy? Approachable or formal? The font answers those questions in milliseconds.

That's why font choice matters more than people realize. It's also why most DIY designers struggle. Not because fonts are complicated, but because they don't understand what they're communicating.

One Personality, Not Five

The easiest way to look amateurish is to use too many fonts. You see it constantly: a headline in one style, body copy in another, subheads in a third, callouts in a fourth. The piece feels chaotic before anyone reads anything.

Limit yourself to two fonts, maybe three if you're confident. One for headlines and one for body copy is usually enough. This constraint leads to better design because you have to make every font choice intentional rather than just grabbing whatever appeals to you.

Fonts Have Personality

A rounded sans serif feels friendly and approachable. A clean geometric sans serif projects strength and modernity. Serif fonts (the ones with little lines at the ends of letters) suggest elegance and tradition. A handwritten-style font feels personal and creative.

These aren't subjective impressions. They're established associations. If you're designing a mailer for a financial services company, you don't want a playful, rounded font. If you're promoting a kids' event, a formal serif font sends the wrong message.

Think about what you want people to feel when they see your piece, then choose fonts that reinforce that emotion.

The Spacing Problem Nobody Talks About

Most people focus on font choice and ignore spacing. That's backward. Bad spacing makes even good fonts look amateurish.

Proper spacing between letters, lines, and paragraphs makes copy easier to read. It also changes how the piece looks. A tightly spaced block of text feels cramped. Too much space and letters feel disconnected from each other. You need the middle ground.

The tricky part is that spacing that looks right on your screen might not look right when printed. Test it. Get feedback from people whose design judgment you trust. Small spacing adjustments can make the piece more inviting and easier to read.

Consistency Across Everything

If you're creating multiple pieces, such as a mailer, a brochure, and a follow-up postcard, they should look like they came from the same company. That comes from consistent font choices.

Use the same fonts across all materials. Maintain similar hierarchy (headline sizes, body sizes, spacing). This doesn't mean everything looks identical. It means people recognize your brand from the typography alone.

Creativity Within Constraints

Most typeface families come with variations, such as italic, bold, condensed, and light. Even if you stay within the same font family, you have more creative options than you may realize. A bold headline paired with regular body copy with italic callouts (all from the same family) looks polished and intentional.

This is where beginners go wrong. They think they need variety, so they grab different fonts. Professionals stay in one family and use variations for flexibility.

Start Simple, Build From There

If you're designing without professional experience, simplicity is your advantage. Pick a font that matches the tone you want. Limit your choices. Pay attention to spacing. Keep it consistent.

You don't need dozens of fonts or complicated design rules. You need intentional choices that communicate clearly.

That's how you move from "I designed this myself" to "this looks professional."

Wide-format printing is booming. It's not just because bigger is flashier. There are some genuinely smart reasons why more businesses are investing in it.

Images That Actually Stop People

Think about how high-resolution images work on your direct mail. They catch attention. Now imagine those same images blown up to 10 feet long.

Today's wide-format printers produce stunning quality you can see from across a room (or across a parking lot). That's a huge shift from traditional printing. Your visuals command attention at scale in ways traditional-format printing simply can't match.

Print On Basically Anything

Wide-format inks stick to vinyl, plastic, fabric, metal, and even composite materials. Not just paper.

That means your message doesn't have to stay confined to a brochure or postcard. It can live on walls, vehicle wraps, outdoor banners, floors, and windows. It can live anywhere you want to put it. Suddenly, you're reaching customers in places traditional printing never could.

Color That Pops

Most wide-format printers use eight or more ink colors (including white). That's a lot of chromatic power. The result? Graphics that jump off surfaces and photorealistic images that feel almost three-dimensional.

Traditional printing can't create that visual intensity. Wide-format just does it differently.

Put Your Message Where Customers Actually Are

Here's the strategy part: Size and substrate flexibility let you place messaging in high-traffic zones. Bus stops, retail storefronts, building exteriors, vehicle sides. Locations where your target audience spends time.

Most marketing channels fight for attention in crowded spaces. Wide-format lets you own physical real estate where customers can't miss you.

Get Creative (Really Creative)

When you're not limited by paper size and traditional printing constraints, things get fun. Think: Life-size character cutouts. Massive logo installations. Full-wall murals. Dimensional displays that interact with spaces.

Wide-format removes the guardrails. It's an invitation to push boundaries and try things traditional printing won't let you do.

It's About More Than Size

Wide-format's explosive growth isn't about ego or wanting things bigger for bigger's sake. It's about creating immersive brand experiences. It's about positioning your brand in environments where customers encounter it daily. It's about making messaging memorable through sheer visual intensity and unexpected placement.

Want to be unforgettable? Tap the benefits of wide-format print.

Direct mail is one of the most personal channels in a marketer’s toolkit. When someone holds your postcard, they are holding your brand. That moment is brief, but it is yours to own.

Word Count Is Dropping, and That Is a Good Thing

Research from Who’s Mailing What!, a database of nearly 200,000 direct mail pieces, shows that average word counts have dropped significantly over the past two decades. Postcards are down roughly 30%. Self-mailers are down nearly 29%. Even envelope mailers have shed about 24% of their copy.

This is not laziness. It is discipline. Attention spans are shorter, and mail that respects the reader’s time consistently outperforms mail that demands it. Say less, say it better.

Lead with the One Thing That Matters Most

Your most compelling point needs to be front and center. On a postcard, you have roughly three seconds before someone decides whether to keep reading. Ask yourself: if a prospect reads only one sentence, which one do you want it to be? That sentence belongs at the top.

Focus on the Reader, Not Your Company

Copy that leads with “We have been in business for 30 years” is talking to itself. The shift that improves response rates is moving from company-centric to customer-centric language. Instead of “We offer fast, reliable service,” try “Is slow service costing you business?” The first is a statement. The second is a conversation starter. Answer the reader’s first question before anything else: What is in it for me?

Design for Scanning

Most recipients scan before they read. A few design principles consistently improve engagement:

• White space signals confidence, not waste. Crowded layouts feel desperate and are harder to process quickly.
• A clear visual hierarchy guides the eye from headline to call to action.
• One focal point per side keeps the message from competing with itself.

Keep the Call to Action Simple

One clear next step outperforms a list of options. Direct mail’s job is usually just to open the door. Visit this URL, call this number, stop in. The conversion happens later. Ask for something reasonable and make it easy to say yes.

A Few Things to Avoid

• Vague benefits. “Quality service” and “competitive pricing” mean nothing. Be specific.
• Too many fonts or colors. They create visual noise that undermines your message.
• No reason to act now. A deadline or limited offer creates urgency without pressure.

Direct mail rewards focus. Nail the fundamentals with shorter copy, cleaner design, a customer-first message, and one clear next step, and your mail will stand out in any mailbox.

There's a common assumption floating around marketing circles that print is on its way out. Why bother with a postcard when you can send an email in seconds? It's a fair question, but the numbers tell a very different story. Direct mail isn't just surviving in the digital age; it's actively pushing people online and turning browsers into buyers.

The Holiday Season Proves the Point

The holiday shopping season is one of the best pressure tests for any marketing channel. Consumer spending is high, competition is fierce, and attention is scarce. A study by Bain & Co. just a few years ago showed that 76% of holiday shoppers planned to do at least half of their shopping online. So what got them there? For nearly 1 in 5 shoppers, it was a piece of mail. That's a meaningful number for a channel that supposedly nobody pays attention to anymore.

Younger Audiences Are Paying Attention

Here's where things get interesting. When researchers looked at which generations were most influenced by direct mail, Gen Z came out on top at 23%, ahead of Boomers at 18%, Millennials at 16%, and Gen X at 10%. The most digitally connected generation is also one of the most responsive to physical print.

This isn't really a contradiction if you think about it. Gen Z grew up with screens everywhere. A well-designed piece of mail stands out precisely because it's different. Research from Keypoint Intelligence found that Gen Z checks their mailbox more often than Millennials, at 43% versus 36%. And 51% of Gen Z reported purchasing within the last six months as a direct result of receiving mail. That's a conversion stat worth paying attention to.

Gender also factors in. Men were nearly twice as likely as women to make an online purchase after receiving a mail piece, 21% compared to 12%.

What Makes People Act

Knowing that direct mail works is one thing. Understanding what motivates a response is where strategy comes in. Discounts are always popular, but free shipping topped the list of non-discount offers at 61%. Loyalty points, bonus gifts, and free returns followed behind. Put your best offer front and center and make it easy to act on.

The Takeaway

Print has a real and measurable role in any marketing mix. It drives online traffic, reaches younger audiences meaningfully, and creates a tangible connection that digital cannot replicate. Your next campaign deserves a printed piece in the mix.

Just as homes accumulate clutter requiring periodic purging and updating, marketing libraries need decluttering and refreshing, too.

Design trends change. Markets change. Customer priorities evolve. As a result, that brochure from two years ago can start to look outdated pretty quickly. That postcard with the now-discontinued product in the background undermines credibility. Copy reflecting customer priorities from last year no longer resonates today.

What should you do? Identify what still works, eliminate what doesn’t, and refresh what deserves updating.

How Easy Is It to Refresh Print Marketing Content?

Many businesses delay updating materials, assuming they require massive time and budget investments. That’s not always true, and refreshing print materials almost always costs significantly less than creating new ones from scratch.

Often, you don’t need complete redesigns. Updating images, refining messaging, or incorporating fresh design elements can breathe new life into your existing print materials. AI can be used to update existing copy and create new versions targeted to different customer groups or market verticals.

Start with one of your highest impact channels: direct mail. Why? More than three-quarters (76%) of consumers trust direct mail more than digital channels when making purchase decisions; 49% view brands that send mail as more credible, and only 38% trust digital ads.

This trust advantage makes direct mail invaluable, but only when materials appear current and professional.

What Happens When Print Materials Look Outdated?

Just as updating your direct mail has a strong upside, not updating it has a strong downside. Stale designs damage credibility, suggesting your business hasn’t evolved. Outdated imagery or messaging signals you’re behind the curve. Conversely, beautifully designed, embellished mail communicates quality and professionalism, building consumer confidence.

Once you’ve started with your highest-impact channel, direct mail, follow with customer-facing sales materials (brochures, product sheets), trade show materials that customers handle directly, and welcome kits that create first impressions with new customers.

Recent data shows refreshed, quality print marketing delivers 161% ROI and 4-9% response rates (versus 0.12% for email).

What Results Can Updated Print Marketing Deliver?

Don’t let outdated materials represent your brand. Let us help you audit existing materials, recommend cost-effective embellishments, and create campaigns that generate measurable results.

Ensure that your materials reflect current brand excellence. Contact us to refresh your marketing library and leverage print’s trust advantage.

Sustainability matters to consumers, but are eco-friendly claims actually changing how people shop? The answer is yes, though perhaps not in the ways you’d expect.

The “U.S. Retail Sustainability Perceptions Benchmark” study from eMarketer/Insider Intelligence reveals important insights about how environmental messaging influences buying decisions. Here are three key findings that can sharpen your marketing strategy:

1. Consistent Messaging Beats Perfect Credentials

Here’s a surprising fact: Consumers respond more to perceived eco-friendliness than to detailed environmental credentials. Brands that consistently position themselves as sustainable earn that reputation in shoppers’ minds (and win their business) regardless of whether they’re actually the greenest option available.

For example, according to the study, the number one environmental attribute of importance to consumers is “products free from harmful or synthetic materials” (24% giving this answer). Something as simple as adding “All natural!” to the packaging can sway decisions in the retail aisle. Similarly, 19% of respondents prefer companies that give back to the community, so why not add, “We give back! A portion of sales goes to support our local food bank!” 

The lesson? Don’t underestimate the power of clear, repeated sustainability messaging in your branding. Customers remember what you consistently communicate.

2. Help Customers See Their Collective Impact

While shoppers express strong interest in supporting sustainable brands, many feel paralyzed by the scale of environmental challenges. Looking at a single product or package, they struggle to believe their individual choice matters, especially when sustainable alternatives cost more.

Consider the mental math a shopper might do: “Billions of plastic toothbrushes get sold annually. What difference does my $15 bamboo toothbrush make?”

But reframe those numbers, and the story changes dramatically. With 330 million people in the United States, if just 10% switch to bamboo toothbrushes and replace them twice yearly, that’s 66 million plastic toothbrushes kept out of landfills every year.

One person’s choice becomes significant when viewed as part of a collective movement. Smart brands help customers make that mental shift, showing them they’re joining something larger rather than acting alone.

3. Back Up Your Claims With Evidence

“Greenwashing,” or exaggerating environmental benefits for marketing gain, has made shoppers skeptical. With countless brands jumping on the sustainability bandwagon, consumers know they’re sometimes being misled. According to Kantar, 57% of consumers are frustrated that they don’t know whether companies are greenwashing. The challenge is that they don’t always know when or how to verify claims.

This creates an opportunity for honest brands. When you provide specific numbers, detailed information, and third-party certifications, you build trust that sets you apart from vague eco-friendly claims. Transparency becomes your competitive advantage.

The Marketing Opportunity

Customers want to make sustainable choices. What they need from brands is help making those choices feel meaningful, trustworthy, and achievable.

When your marketing consistently reinforces your environmental commitment, helps shoppers understand their collective impact, and provides verifiable proof of your claims, you’re not just promoting products. You’re helping people shop their values.

Ready to strengthen your sustainability messaging? Let’s create materials that connect environmental values with customer action.

Trade shows represent a significant investment for most businesses, but the returns can be exceptional when done right. With hundreds of exhibitors competing for attention during a typical weekend event, standing out requires careful planning and creative execution. Here’s how to ensure your next trade show appearance delivers real results.

Build Momentum Early

Most exhibitors miss a crucial opportunity by waiting until the event opens to start generating interest. Research shows that only about 5% of attendees actually visit individual booths during a show. Transform those odds by launching your marketing efforts weeks in advance.

Develop a comprehensive pre-event campaign using targeted direct mail, email, and social media engagement to qualified prospects. Give potential visitors compelling reasons not only to attend the event, but to seek out your booth specifically.

Prioritize Visitor Experience

While logistics matter, they shouldn’t overshadow the human element of trade shows. Before finalizing your display designs and product selection, invest time in understanding your audience. What challenges are they trying to solve? Which products address their most pressing needs? How will you facilitate meaningful conversations?

Go for Maximum Visual Impact

In crowded exhibition halls, subtlety gets overlooked. Your booth needs to command attention from across the room.

Implement large-scale graphics, clear messaging, and generous white space to ensure your brand registers immediately. Appeal to multiple senses by incorporating relevant scents—freshly brewed coffee for a café supplier or luxurious lavender or chamomile for a beauty products brand. Create interactive experiences through product demonstrations, touchscreen displays, or video content that invites participation.

Demonstrate, Don’t Just Display

Research tells us that trade show attendees remember experiences long after they’ve forgotten static displays. If your product supports hands-on trials, make demonstrations central to your booth strategy. For products that don’t naturally lend themselves to interactivity, get creative with digital presentations or multimedia content that brings your offerings to life.

Capture Leads and Maintain Contact

Your trade show investment shouldn’t end when the event does; plan for follow-up. Capture visitor information through badge scanning, contest entries, or interactive activities that require registration. Establish a structured follow-up process to nurture these connections. Continue conversations, provide requested information, and maintain engagement to convert booth visitors into actual customers.

Need help? Just ask. That’s why we’re here!

Remember the last time a top-performing employee left your company? That moment of dread wasn’t just about finding their replacement. It was the fear that specific customers might follow them out.

Here’s what separates thriving businesses from struggling ones: Sustainable customer loyalty that runs deeper than any single employee relationship alone. Organizations that master this create connections so robust that clients remain committed through personnel transitions and industry changes.

How do you do that?

Recognize the Diversity Within Your Client Base

Your customers aren’t a uniform group. When did you last conduct meaningful research into what they truly value? Understanding the distinct characteristics of your customer base enables you to customize everything from your product lineup to your marketing communications. The deeper your understanding, the more effectively you can meet their needs.

Deliver Authentic Personalization

Genuine personalization of your marketing communications extends well beyond database fields. Leverage insights about their background, purchase history, and expressed interests. The objective isn’t simply to recall someone’s name. It’s to demonstrate that you understand what matters to them.

Establish Diverse Relationship Touchpoints

Consider this common pitfall: A business pairs each client with a single account manager who becomes essential. Then that manager departs, and the client follows suit. Use your marketing communications to foster interactions between customers and various team members. (For example, add the CSR’s picture to your direct mail pieces: “Meet Jessica!”) Ensure clients recognize multiple faces and know numerous people they can rely on. When turnover inevitably occurs, the organizational relationship endures.

Maintain Regular Contact Beyond Sales Pitches

Ongoing communication (the type that doesn’t constantly include a sales request) keeps your organization top of mind with customers. Frequent touchpoints cultivate recognition. This, in turn, generates confidence, and confidence forms the bedrock of loyalty.

Recognize Your Most Devoted Customers

Develop exclusive offers matching their preferences and buying patterns. A loyalty rewards program that genuinely reflects their purchasing behavior proves their dedication isn’t just lip service. It’s appreciated.

The Essential Takeaway

Customer retention demands deliberate strategy, careful planning, and sustained commitment. You’ve invested significantly to acquire your customers. Shouldn’t you invest equally in retaining them?

What does your customer retention strategy look like?