Magazine Printing – We Are Homestead Mamas

Homestead Mamas - Amy

Amy, Owner of Homestead Mamas Magazine

By Kat McDaniel, Principal at MEDiAHEAD

We are printing a new magazine for Homestead Mamas. They’re an inspiring and encouraging community of growers, hunters, foragers, and explorers.

I really enjoyed the story by Nina Mullins – The farmers Who Don’t Know Anything! “Right now, we are still in the ‘Can we make this all work?’ stage of the game. We have had many failures and losses, but also many sweet victories. This has been one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, not necessarily because caring for a tiny farm is difficult (it has its difficulties, though!), but because we are in a season of life where we are getting up early to do all the morning farm chores.

Then we take kids to their homeschool co-op and various activist afterwards, all while trying to work our jobs in between it all to put food on the table. We started all this craziness in our 40’s! And our poor kids… they were living the easy life of school, play and sleep. Then their parents decide to start a farm, and suddenly, they are helping feed chickens, they’re milking cows and mucking stalls.”

Homestead Mamas Magazine Homestead Mamas Magazine

Homestead Mamas Recipes

Homestead Mamas MagazineThere are wonderful recipes from Homestead Mamas – Wild Mushroom Risotta, Pizza Dough, Chevre and Chive Quiche and Saturday Morning Pancakes, my favorite.
View the Recipes

I welcome this magazine as a place for women all over the world, in every stage of motherhood, homesteading, or providing for their families to gather.

Follow them on Instagram – they have over 75M followers!

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New Mover programs powered by targeted mailing lists!

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New Mover ProgramsA New Mover program is a cost-efficient way to introduce your company and start a meaningful conversation with new movers in your target market. The program can be a single postcard or multi-touch programs that run throughout the year with different services and offers. We can combine all the different mailings, no matter where they are in the program and mail them efficiently for you every month.

People are always on the move and according to USPS, 17% of all households change yearly, so this opens up a huge market for local businesses to capture new business.

Targeted Mailing Lists

We offer comprehensive and targeted mail lists. The lists are compiled from hundreds of sources and extremely accurate.

New Mover ProgramsWouldn’t it be nice to greet people in the process of moving at their new address with information on your services? Consumers want personalization – more than just their name, we’ve done postcards with a map from their door to yours or a link to directions. You could also link to a video detailing your services through a QR code on the postcard.

If you target your offer to data that the client is interested in, response rates can be as high as 15 to 25 percent!

If your business or franchise is moving or opening in a new area – we can mail to everyone in a radius that you choose. We can also sort according to specific attributes – income, family size and hundreds of other data points.

Let us know if you are interested in doing a targeted mailing campaign!

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QR codes are back and they are really useful this time!

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QR CodesQR codes are back and they are really useful this time! Who would have thunk it?

Now that you can capture them with your phone and no QR code scanner is needed, they have exploded in marketing. More than two-thirds (67%) of consumers say that QR codes make life easier in a touchless world and 58% favor the greater use of QR codes.

QR Codes for Menus

I was recently in NYC and all the menus were touchless – just a QR code to order. I think we will see more of this as the variant spreads.

QR Codes for Loyalty Programs

QR CodesMake it easy for people to sign up for your loyalty program with a QR code, instead of having them to go to your website. They’re quick and error free – typing a URL is time-consuming and inconvenient on a mobile screen and consumers are also likely to make errors.

QR Codes in Print

Print based marketing has limitations in real estate space – with QR codes you can give consumers a way to access unlimited information. You can also change all the information behind the QR code anytime information or the offer changes without reprinting.

QR Codes to your Videos

You can engage your customer with rich content like video through a QR code – don’t just sell the product, include an informative video on how to use it. Video is very popular right now.

QR Codes for Promotions and Contests

QR CodesBy adding a QR code, you can make your promotions interactive and get input from your target audience. If you run a contest, have them register through the QR code for the product or event to allow your customers to participate. A good example is World Park in NYC – the codes were placed throughout the park and engaged visitors in a quiz on the park’s history, pop culture, art and music, science and geology.

QR Codes on Business Cards

Many of the business cards that we print now – have QR codes on the back so that someone can just capture their information and add it to their phone. Did you know that our portal can automatically generate a QR code with all of your information on the back of your card?

We used them years ago as a gimmick to reach our website, but I would never have guessed that they would come back and be so useful!

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Ho Ho Hold On… The Paper Shortage is No Joke

Scared SantaWe are warning our customers that volatility in the paper industry can hamper their ability to complete print projects in a timely, cost-effective manner for the holidays.

The print and packaging industry is surging for the holidays, and materials are getting harder and harder to find. We started stockpiling paper, envelopes and cardboard months ago in anticipation of the problems with the supply chain. The best way to ensure that you get the paper and envelopes of your choice is to talk to us very, very early in the project so that we can check availability or make suggestions for an alternative stock.

During the pandemic, many machines were taken offline, employees were laid off and several facilities were closed. Many of the paper mills have switched to making cardboard because it is in high demand for shipping boxes.

Paper ShortageFor years paper mills produced many different fun products for the advertising and design industry. They have had to take a serious look at producing papers that are not in high demand. Weights, colors and finishes that don’t sell well are being discontinued.

It comes as no surprise to any of us, that the price of paper and materials are also increasing.

The best thing you can do is communicate with your printer what your projects are for the rest of the year so that they can plan ahead. One of our large kitting clients let us know what their projects were through February so that we could order poster board to print and cardboard to ship to all their stores.

Just like everything right now, there will be times when you need to be patient and flexible. We’ll do our best to make your wishes come true this holiday season!

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5 Tips for Using Print and Digital Communications to Build Trust

TrustNever has trust between customers and brands been more critical. As e-commerce continues to grow, both for health and convenience, a gap is growing, too—between brands and their customers. Trust bridges the gap.

Here are five ways you can use your print and digital communications to increase the level of trust you have with your customers.

1. Be transparent.

Be honest about your intentions with the communication—don’t bait and switch. Buyers are smart. They know when you’re real with them.

2. Show you care.

The more you show that you can relate to your customers’ concerns, the more trust you gain. That’s why empathy has become such a massive trend in marketing. Look at the success of home meal kits. Yes, advertisers promote the great taste of their food, but they also focus on helping families reclaim time out of their over-scheduled days and use meal preparation as a way to spend quality time together.

3. Deliver on your promises.

Things like money-back guarantees, free trials, and “no questions asked” returns are one way to assure buyers that your promise matches what you deliver.

4. Emphasize reliability.

Promote the results of customer service surveys showing high satisfaction rates (for example, “95% of our customers would recommend us to a friend”). Include customer testimonials and even online reviews as part of your print and digital layouts. If other people had a good experience, this increases buyers’ confidence that they can trust you, too.

5. Segment based on values rather than demographics.

Buyers in the same demographic categories often have similar priorities and needs, but when your goal is building trust, marketing to a prospect’s values can be more effective. If you are selling children’s toys, for example, target your message based on the shared value set of being active, involved parents rather than simply being parents of school-age children.
Especially in times of uncertainty, use your communications to convey consistency, transparency, and empathy. It’s a different approach than the traditional direct sell, but it’s highly effective. Especially right now.

Source: Drawn from survey results of “Global Marketing Trends” (Deloitte, 2021)

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We Make Holiday Cards Happen!

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Michele StillwellBy Michele Stillwell, Director of Marketing and Accounting at MEDiAHEAD

Quite a year, right?

The Corona Virus has affected our lives in every capacity. It has taken a toll on all of us that is for sure. 2020 will be a year that will be very hard to forget!

We’ve sheltered in place, socially distanced, covered our faces and washed our hands repeatedly since the beginning of the year. I don’t need to remind you of all the other things we have had to do or could not do for any extended period of time.

I know that 2020 will not be a year that we remember with fondness and reverence, but we believe that it is now more important than ever to send good wishes to friends, family and business acquaintances.

Seasons Greetings CardSending holiday cards shows that you’re thinking of others during this time of year. And there’s a good chance they haven’t seen your smiling face for a while, so what a great opportunity to brighten their day! This is the best time to send a holiday card… any time after Thanksgiving is what we have heard. Sending an annual greeting card can help market your business as well!

Benefits of Sending Holiday Cards

  • It generates goodwill. It’s a contact point that’s non-salesy
  • It is a way to reinforce your brand, by including your logo
  • A great way to win back clients – a simple reminder that you’re still around
  • A perfect way to offer gratitude for their business in 2020
  • Usually, a holiday card will get opened!

Now is the time to send holiday cards and MEDiAHEAD can help. Let us do the work for you. You can create your card, or we can help you. After that, just send us your mailing list and we can do all the rest for you.

MEDiAHEAD - Happy HolidaysIf you have several locations and want different cards for each location, we would be happy to accommodate.

If you have several signatures you would like inside the card, we can assist with that as well.

We want to make this holiday as easy as possible on you and your business. Let’s get some good holiday wishes out to our friends, family, co-workers and other business acquaintances. Spread some cheer this holiday season!

Give us a call at 816-931-7900 or email us at help@mymediahead.com

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Customize and Print your RFPs On Demand with our Web-to-Print Portals!

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Michele StillwellBy Michele Stillwell, Director of Marketing and Accounting at MEDiAHEAD

You need that RFP ASAP! Let us help you with that. We are your partner who can meet your critical needs and have the tools and the equipment to get it done.

RFP = Request for Proposal

Several of our large clients already have an RFP builder on their Web-to-Print Marketing and Distribution portals. With its build on demand functionality, you are the driver.

Imagine you are sitting in your next meeting with your client. Your RFP is personalized with the portfolios of the pictures of the team that’s going to work on their project. It’s specific to their needs and it’s been printed with their personal pricing page. All the company information is included, and you look like a rock star in your presentation. You might even make them think, “If you can execute your proposal this well, I am sure you can execute our project.”

MEDiAHEAD: On Demand RFP PrintingThe great thing about all this content being on your Web-to-Print portal is efficient customization. When your company data information changes, you (or your marketing team) can make those changes in your portal and BOOM! It’s done. The next time you generate an RFP, your company data sections will be up-to-date. The options are limitless!

Demo?

Unique cover pages, adding your company business information, case studies, company information, cover letter, maps, product data sheets and so much more. With our new digital printing press, we can make that cover page thicker, add spot clear, and many other options that no other press in Kansas City can offer.

WOW. You just made a huge impression on your client!

Many people learn more quickly by seeing something instead of reading about it. Let’s do a demo together! We’ll show you what a Web-to-Print portal is all about and how it can help you win more business. Give us a call at 816-931-7900 or email help@mymediahead.com to see what’s possible.

MEDiAHEAD: On Demand RFP Printing

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Our Local Treasure, Tom Corbin

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Corbin Bronze - Coffee Table BookBy Kat McDaniel, Principal at MEDiAHEAD.

Last year I was blessed to work with Tom Corbin and Julia Velasquez on Tom’s new coffee table book, Tom Corbin Continued. It had been thirteen years since the printing of his first book and his new book follows how he has continually grown and evolved over the last ten years.

The New Coffee Table Book

Tom’s wife Susie called me for advice because they were considering printing the book in Italy. After visiting the facility and seeing the quality that was possible here in Missouri, they decided to print with us.

It was a blast to see Tom working, clay flying, in his studio – it’s amazing to see how Tom moves back and forth between clay and canvas and back again.

Julia seamlessly brought everything together on the book. She flawlessly executed the production, design, color correction of all the photos and looked at every sheet during the press run. There’s an intense amount of pressure when you’re producing a 288 page perfectly bound book like this – if something is wrong, it’s going to be around for ten years plus. And I was thrilled to receive a work of art from Tom as a thank you for the work we did on his newest book!

Corbin Bronze - Work of Art

I’ve known Tom and Susie for many years because our daughters went to school together. If you know Tom, you know that he is one of the nicest people. He doesn’t let his success make him unapproachable. They’re also huge supporters of the art community here in Kansas City.

We are truly lucky to have an artist of Tom’s caliber here in Kansas City.

Please visit his studio, in a historic old firehouse, on Southwest Boulevard – it is absolutely packed with incredible sculpture, paintings and furniture.

We need to invest in our local artists to ensure that they thrive and stay in our community.

Corbin Bronze - Coffee Table Book Corbin Bronze - Coffee Table Book

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Announcing our new online order form for even faster printing!

We are so excited to tell you that you can now go to the MEDiAHEAD website and place your order online!

If you’re in a hurry or need your printing in a JIFFY, just go to our site and fill out the easy to use form.

New Order Forms on our website

On standard items (business cards, 8.5 x 11 brochures, postcards) you can pick up your order the very next day! Yep, you heard it here first, the very next day!

Examples of jobs that could be uploaded using our new order form.

Sample File Upload for our new Order Form Sample File Upload for our new Order Form Sample File Upload for our new Order Form

You can upload any of the following file types: jpg, jpeg, pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, pps, ppsx, xls, xlsx, psd. You can upload as many as five documents, but the total size must not be larger than 100MB. If you need to send us more files or more data than that, let us know!

If you want an estimate on your job, you can request an estimate with our online estimate request form. Yes, all at the touch of a few buttons.

We will get back to you quickly.

You will also see a new, little green envelope on our home page. If you have any questions at all during the process of sending a job or filling out the forms, click the green envelope icon. This will allow us to chat about your project!

Don’t forget to check out our blogs, come and meet Izzy or just swing by for a chat with our team here at MEDiAHEAD!

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A good friend helps others. Fundraising for The Mission Project.

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Kathryn McDaniel

By Kat McDaniel, Principal at MEDiAHEAD.

I started working with The Mission Project this year because my stepson is autistic and participates in their program.

The Mission Project allows adults with disabilities to live independently in their own apartments in Mission, Kansas. The Mission Project’s vans drive them to their jobs, one of the requirements of the project. They also receive classes offering social skills and coaching to live a successful life within the community.

Fundraising Dilemma

In previous years, they mailed out the standard letter, envelope and reply card to previous donors. Unfortunately, last year they only raised $3,800 which didn’t even cover the cost of the printing and postage.

This year, because all the participants of The Mission Project live in Mission, we decided to appeal to residents who are familiar seeing them in the community. We purchased a list of the one mile area around their community center, with a household income at a certain level and an age range of 35 to 65 years old.

The Design

Our art director designed a colorful 8 ½ x 16 letter with lots of photos of the residents and we mailed it in a colorful 6 x 9 envelope with a return envelope. We also purchased a website URL for a landing page where they could donate online – AGoodFriendHelpsOthers.com.

The Mission Project 2019 Fundraiser

I’m happy to report that we helped The Mission Project raise over $22,000!

For our annual appeal campaign this year, we set a goal to collect $15,000 in net profit (after expenses). As I mentioned earlier, we raised a little over $3,800 last year. We decided to donate the printing and list research costs and only charged the actual postage for mailing the requests for donations. After expenses of only $1,096.41 we raised $22,431.59!

Personalization is so important in today’s giving climate. People want to feel that they personally connect with the causes they’re donating to. By highlighting a neighbor that they see around Mission – Ellen for example, who has one of the biggest smiles you’ll ever see – we were able to increase donations and increase community awareness for all the participants.

You can learn more about the Mission Project by visiting www.themissionproject.org!

The Mission Project 2019 Fundraiser

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