Unlock Your Company’s Growth Potential with These 10 Direct Mail Tips

Posted on by DigitalTeam

Did you know that direct mail is one of the most effective tools for building strong connections with your customers and driving business growth? By crafting tailored messages that resonate with specific audiences, direct mail can help you boost your return on investment (ROI) and stay ahead of the competition.

However, even seasoned direct mailers can benefit from periodic refresher courses to ensure they’re leveraging the latest direct response fundamentals. If you’re new to direct mail, learning the fundamentals can help you unlock the full potential of this powerful marketing channel.

In this article, we’ll share 10 tips for mastering the fundamentals.

Define your target audience 

Defining your target audience is crucial for the success of your direct mail campaign. Here are some essentials to keep in mind: 

  • Conduct market research to understand the demographics and interests of your potential customers 
  • Develop buyer personas that represent your ideal customers and tailor your message to their needs and preferences 
  • Analyze your existing customer base to identify patterns and characteristics that can inform your targeting strategy
  • Utilize data analytics and segmentation tools to identify the most profitable segments of your target audience and personalize your message accordingly 

For example, if you’re a company that sells outdoor gear, you might define your target audience as adventure seekers who are passionate about hiking, camping, and other outdoor activities. By understanding their interests and behaviors, you can create a direct mail campaign that speaks directly to them, showcasing your products in a way that resonates with their outdoor lifestyle. 

  • Solution:  Data and analytics need to identify target audiences that will have the highest likelihood of response. Your goal is not to just mail to a large group of people, but to mail to a group of responsive people that will grow revenue.

Create a compelling offer 

Once you’ve defined your target audience, the next step is to create a compelling offer that motivates them to take action. Whether it’s a discount, free trial, or exclusive content, your offer should be something that your target audience values. 

What you offer will depend on your industry. If you’re a car insurance company, you might offer premium discounts to students. This not only provides value to your target audience, but also intercepts them at a time when many are getting car insurance for themselves for the first time.  

  • Solution: Make sure Strategy and Creative are aligned and work together to develop offers that will lead to consumers taking action. The key here is offering value.

Personalize your message 

Personalization is key to the success of any direct mail campaign. By personalizing your message, you can create a more meaningful connection with your target audience. 

Generic greetings like “Dear Customer,” are outdated with today’s technology. With variable data printing, you can address your target audience by name. You might also use personalized content that speaks directly to their interests and needs.  

  • Solution: Focus on creative that delivers increased open rates. By using variable data printing, not only can our Creative team design pieces that include unique customer names, but also unique messaging that speaks to the barriers of the customer. The obstacles to a Senior Citizen changing car insurance may be different from a middle-aged family with a new teenage driver. Our team designs with the audience in mind.

Use high-quality visuals 

Visuals are a powerful tool in direct mail marketing. High-quality images and graphics can help your message stand out and grab the attention of your target audience. 

That old phrase “a picture paints a thousand words” is true. Picture this. You’re a fashion retailer with a catalog, but there’s no images of the clothing. Crazy, right? You’re going to want to include high-quality images of your products in your direct mail campaign. This not only showcases your products, but also gives your target audience a better idea of what they can expect when they shop with you. 

  • Solution: We’re a big believer in the power of images. We wouldn’t be in marketing if we didn’t. One of the unique advantages of print marketing is the impact that images can have over time. Unlike digital, print doesn’t just disappear because you close a tab on your browser. Always focus on choosing visuals that draw the reader in and speak to that specific target audience.

Include a call to action 

A call to action (CTA) is a critical component of any direct mail campaign. Your CTA should clearly state what action you want your target audience to take and how they can do it. 

For example, if you’re a food subscription box that offers a discount for new customers, your CTA might be something like “Visit our website to claim your discount.” This not only encourages your target audience to take action, but also provides them with a clear and simple way to do it. 

  • Solution: We believe your CTA should be clear and not difficult. Consumers need to know what action to take and how to accomplish it. By learning your brand and your audience, you are able to pinpoint an effective CTA that consumers are responsive to.

Test and refine your message 

Direct mail marketing is an iterative process. You should always be testing and refining your message to improve its effectiveness. Testing shouldn’t be a one-time occurrence. As your customer base evolves, testing should be a flexible, ongoing process that improves response and ROI.  

You might test different headlines, images, or offers to see which ones perform best.  Testing different mailing lists to see which audiences respond best to your message is also encouraged.  

  • Solution: We talk about testing all day, everyday at Nahan. Why? Because we believe it makes a night and day difference in your ROI. We find that most of the time, marketers just don’t know where to start with testing, and so out of fear, they don’t test. But when viewed as a long-term investment, it’s risky to not test in direct mail testing. If you’re ready to test smarter and drive ROI for your program, download “A Guide to Direct Mail Testing Today” for marketers both new to and familiar with testing. From research, pre-testing, testing, and post-campaign assessment, we cover it all.  

Use a clear and concise format 

Direct mail campaigns should be clear and concise. Your message should be easy to read and understand, and your design should be simple and visually appealing. 

A common way to do this is by using bullet points to highlight the key benefits of your product or service. Using a clear and legible font that’s easy to read is also important. You only have a few seconds to grab the consumer’s attention, so you want to make sure it is readable. 

  • Solution: If it looks too confusing, chaotic, or just too much, odds are the consumer won’t read it. Copy needs to be clear, concise and inspire action. As consumers ourselves, we’ve seen our fair share of direct mail that doesn’t do this correctly. Font that are hard to read, bulk paragraphs in a letter – all of which tell the consumer, it’s too much to read. Our team of copywriters solve that problem by creating mail pieces that flow and highlight the important information to grab the consumer’s attention.

Track your results 

Tracking your results is critical to the success of any direct mail campaign. You want to know what’s working and what’s not so that you can adjust accordingly.  

You might track metrics like response rate, conversion rate, and ROI to see how your campaign is performing.  

  • Solution: They say marketing is just gambling unless you track the results. At Nahan, our Strategists work closely with our clients on setting up tracking for campaign, so we know how to adjust if needed. This is why we believe so heartily in testing to grow your ROI.

Follow up with your leads 

Direct mail campaigns are only the first step in building a relationship with your target audience. After your leads have responded to your offer, it’s essential to follow up with them to continue the conversation and close the deal. 

For example, if you’re a financial services company that offers a free financial planning session, you might follow up with your leads to schedule an appointment. This not only helps you build a relationship with your leads but also provides them with additional value. 

  • Solution: Set up an action plan and process to follow up with your leads, we cannot emphasize the need to do this enough. A response is just a response, unless you do something with it. If your CTA leads people to fill out a form with their email address to receive a free quote – you need to have your Sales team following up with them asap. This will also help you to know whether your offer is resonating with the right audience.

Integrate with other marketing channels 

By combining direct mail with email, social media, or other channels, you can create a more comprehensive and effective marketing strategy. In a study by Gartner, technological research and consulting firm, integrated campaigns across four or more channels outperform single or dual-channel campaigns by 300%. 

For example, you might use direct mail to promote a new product launch, and then follow up with a digital ad display that keeps your brand top of mind for your target audience and encourages them to take action. 

  • Solution: Nahan offers an entire suite of full service direct marketing solutions, and we believe that marketing packs the most punch when doubled up. Many of our customers choose to combine direct mail with digital display ads that keep their brand top of mind. We can help you integrate them to ensure one cohesive message.

Ready to grow? 

Direct mail marketing is a powerful tool that can grow your company. When planning a direct mail campaign, planning around these ten direct mail tips can help you effectively increase ROI.  

Remember: 

  • Define your target audience and create a personalized and compelling offer that provides value to them 
  • Grab your consumer’s attention by only using high-quality visuals and strong CTA’s
  • Test and refine continually to improve effectiveness
  • Track your results and follow up with leads
  • Integrate with other marketing channels to increase response rate even more 

Time to mail? Let’s work together to make a comprehensive direct mail marketing strategy that delivers.  

How Often People Check Their Mailbox and Other Fun Facts

Posted on by DigitalTeam

Author: Melissa Fransen

Every day I stop at our mailbox to get our mail.

I’m also signed up for USPS Informed Delivery emails, so I get an email each morning that contains details of what we’ll be receiving that day in our mailbox.

The catalogs we receive typically end up on the end table in our living room to browse through. In fact, at this present moment, we have about 10 catalogs that we plan to look through again this weekend so we can place some Holiday gift orders. I also have a number of direct mail offers I’ve kept as well and I have those in an organizer in the corner of our kitchen cupboard.

As I was walking down my driveway the other day to get my mail, I started wondering about my mail habits and how closely they match other people’s habits. So, I decided to do some research.

How Often Do People Check Their Mailbox
Photo: cottonbro from Pexels

How Often People Check Their Mailbox

According to the USPS, 98% of people visit their mailbox every day to get their mail and 77% of people sort through their mail immediately. According to a study the USPS conducted, most consumers set aside time each day to sit down with their mail and on average, they spend 30 minutes with catalogs and 25 minutes with direct mail! Here is another interesting statistic, according to a report from MultiChannel Merchant regarding Holiday shopping this year, 37% of people have become more excited to receive their mail and 30% are spending more time reading promotional messages from the mail than before the pandemic.

Informed Delivery

According to a recent update from USPS, over 20% of U.S. households are now signed up for USPS Informed Delivery and the subscription rate is growing with over 350,000 new subscribers weekly. 79% of Informed Delivery users are engaging with the daily emails and 82% of these users are engaging in the mornings.  According to the USPS update we received, the emails are generating a 68% Email Open Rate (which is over 3 times higher than the industry average email open rate of 18%) and a 2-6% Click Through Rate. As a marketer, those stats get me excited!

Other Fun Facts

Here are some other fun facts/statistics I found interesting:

Looking to Stand Out in the Mailbox?

At Nahan, we are proud to offer award-winning catalog and direct marketing services as a part of our product offering. If you are in interested in learning more, contact us today!

Bio: Melissa Fransen is our Marketing Manager. She started with Nahan in May of 2017. Melissa is responsible for Nahan’s marketing initiatives, which includes everything from conference planning to social media initiatives. In her spare time, Melissa enjoys spending time with her husband and enjoying time in the outdoors with family and friends.

Cover photo by Sean Patrick from Pexels

Once Upon a Time in a Land Far to the North: Reflections from Jim Hesch

Posted on by DigitalTeam

Author: Jim Hesch, Customer Service Leader

Once upon a time, in a land far to the North, where the cold wind howls and sun stays low and silvery, I took a journey through a state park in the Arrowhead Region. Each step I took, I heard the crunch of the many layers of snow that melted and refroze and were snowed on again.

I am standing in the snow and as the sun starts to fade; I get an ethereal feeling of peace and winter magic. The winter pixies might be out playing in the hoarfrost.

Land far to the North
Photo by Simon Matzinger from Pexels

When it is really cold, the sun will get a rainbow from a halo of ice crystals called a sun dog; at night the moon can also cast a moondog. Almost spiritual.

I remember one year my mom came to visit us from Palm Springs. It was minus 40 degrees and they went for a walk. I said to my sister, “Let’s time them,” yeah… 30 seconds and they were back… pretty good for a southerner!

I’m glad to be home by the fire with a warm cup of cocoa; my thoughts shift to work. When it gets cold like this, a good Account Manager can bring sunshine to a cloudy, blustery day.

When it is so cold all you can do is laugh or cry, I will go talk to Alicia. I stick my head over the cubicle wall and tell her she is not funny, no fun allowed… Right… Or Mikey V, or is that Mr. V… always cheerful. I can hear him laughing with a customer from my office. He will send out a daily meme that leaves you no choice but to laugh.

Winter sports are really important to us up here in the tundra. It is always good to catch up with Cynthia and her football player / wrestler son. Watching our children or grandchildren play is the best! We also enjoy hunkering down with fun snacks to cheer on our favorite teams with family and friends.

So many of us are home-schooling our children and that brings other challenges (you know when I was in school, I walked to school uphill barefoot in snow storms both ways…) But we really love kids and will gladly talk about them and their wins, struggles, and losses.

Some of us, like my son, have their Christmas tree up already. Me? I have had my Christmas lights on all year, hoping it might bring a little extra joy this year.

We print in a warm, humidity-controlled building and in the winter we start our cars at lunch time. If the car won’t start, we all have jumper cables and pitch in to help each other out. We are proud of our work and the substantial library of products we produce and glad to brave the elements to come in every day…in sunshine or snow!  We are a close people up here, where warm hugs are a must (pre-pandemic).

If you have never seen or heard us boast about our CSAT (customer satisfaction score), you might be interested to know that for 12 months running our score is 88, and overall since we started keeping track it is 83. Get to know our team and you’ll find out why… it will warm your heart.

About the Author: Jim Hesch is a Department Manager at Nahan, was born in North Dakota but spent his early years in California. He is now entrenched in the Minnesota culture of shoveling snow, opinions on the meaning of life, and blogging. Come join us!

Photo by Pixabay from Pexels

The Power of Trigger Mailings

Posted on by DigitalTeam

Author: Melissa Fransen, Marketing Manager

This summer, I placed an order on a website for a family member’s birthday present. Shortly after placing the order, I received a postcard with an offer of 20% off another order. I was looking for another gift for a different family member, so I placed another order, using my 20% off coupon. A few weeks later, I received another postcard with an offer and guess what? I placed another order. I also followed the company’s social media channels.

This is an example of a tried and true trigger mailing loyalty marketing campaign working its magic. And, yes, it works! I went from a first-time shopper to becoming a repeat customer, keeping this brand top of mind along the way. The product quality was great and I received excellent service throughout the process. I was also reminded of my mailed coupon offers through email marketing and through these trigger mailings, I have become a loyal customer to this brand.

How do Trigger Mailings Work?

Have you heard the term Variable Data Printing (VDP)? If not, variable data printing allows your printed piece to be completely customized to an individual based on data and triggers. It is basically the opportunity for 1:1 marketing using print. Check out our blog that is all about VDP and its advantages.

Think about the trigger mailing example I mentioned above. I was sent trigger mailings based on being a first-time customer. They lured me in after my first purchase with an offer. Then, they lured me in with another offer. I became a repeat customer right off the bat. I also plan to do some of my holiday shopping through this brand due to a great experience with all three purchases.

Getting Started with a Trigger Mailing Program Concept

There are many ways that trigger mailings can be used. Think through your customer’s journey with your brand and how you could use triggered mailings to drive business. Here are some examples of questions to ask yourself:

  1. How can I take a first-time customer and turn them into a loyal customer?
  2. How can I take a customer back to the buying journey with their abandoned cart items?
  3. How can I reach out to lapsed customers and bring them back as a customer?

After you’ve thought through these scenarios, then think about all of the marketing channels that you are using to reach that customer and what makes sense from a timing perspective to keep your brand in front of them through all of these channels. Think about where mail makes sense in this equation.

Working with a Printer on a Trigger Mailing Program

Once you have the strategy ready, the next part is executing it. We have a whole team of data experts at Nahan who can help with API integrations, CRM integrations, and custom programming. Once things are set up systematically, the rest is easy. The trigger mailings you have developed automatically take place based on the concept/behaviors you have identified on your plan. Our team at Nahan holds multiple industry certifications to ensure the protection of your data from beginning to end. We help our customers utilize triggered mailings to drive business, and we can help you too.

Ready to Get Started?

Find out more about our marketing services and how we can help you today!

At Nahan, we pride ourselves as being a tech-forward printer who drives results. We invite the opportunity to talk with you about the power of trigger mailings and how you can get started. Why work with Nahan for your trigger mailing program? Check out our 30-second video on what sets us apart. Contact us today!

Bio: Melissa Fransen is our Marketing Manager. She started with Nahan in May of 2017. Melissa is responsible for Nahan’s marketing initiatives, which includes everything from conference planning to social media initiatives. In her spare time, Melissa enjoys spending time with her husband and enjoying time in the outdoors with family and friends.

Print Marketing to Millennials & Gen Z

Posted on by DigitalTeam

Author: Melissa Fransen

Did you know that Millennials spend more time reading their mail than any other generation?  And that 92% of college students prefer reading printed materials to digital material?  Yes, you read that right!  Even in a generation that grew up in a digital world, if your target market includes these generations, you may be missing a big opportunity if you are not utilizing the power of print within your omni-channel marketing strategies. There are a lot of misconceptions about the power of print marketing and today we’re going to explore ideas for reaching these generations with your print marketing strategies.

Millennials (Born 1981 – 1996)

Millennials are the largest generation in the US, representing a population of over 72 million. This generation is tech savvy, social savvy, educated, and spends $600 billion in the United States each year.

The following are some characteristics of this generation: [1]

  • Appreciate experiences
  • Care about values
  • Value purpose
    Print Marketing Millennials
    Photo by Ivan Samkov from Pexels
  • Budget-friendly
  • Want to stay connected
  • Choices are important to them
  • Value sustainability
  • Seek recognition
  • Instant gratification
  • Value speed and convenience     
  • Trust Influencers                                    

Stats: Here are some interesting Millennial stats:     

  • 77% of millennials participate in loyalty reward programs [2]
  • 90% are social media users [3]
  • 88% take the time to look through their mail to make sure they are not discarding useful information [4]
  • 75% say that receiving personal mail makes them feel special [5]
  • 62% have visited a store in the past month based on receiving information in the mail [5]
  • 65% like coupons for retail businesses and 69% like coupons for restaurants [5]
  • 82% cite print as a part of their purchasing journey [6]
  • 89% check their mailbox at their first opportunity [6]
  • 77% pay attention to direct mail [6]

Print Ideas for this generation:

  • Incorporate an omnichannel experience
  • Build trust and loyalty through incentives
  • Be authentic in your communications
  • Variable data printing – make it personal to them
  • Give them choices – “this offer” or “that offer”
  • Let them know what your brand is doing to make an impact to build a connection with them
  • Give them an offer that is quick to redeem and convenient
  • Include content about what are others saying about your brand to establish trust

Generation Z (Born 1997-2012)

This generation represents 20% of the U.S. population and has become one of our most technologically savvy generations, as they grew up with electronic technology and the internet.

The following are some characteristics of this generation: [7]

  • Focus on career/financial stability
  • Strong family influence
    Print Marketing Millennials
    Photo by cottonbro from Pexels
  • Thrifty
  • Value brick-and-mortar experiences
  • Appreciation for physical media
  • Value physical experiences
  • Prefer personal communications
  • High expectations
  • Values cross-functional communications
  • Instant gratification
  • Tactile experiences matter
  • Personalization matters

Stats: Here are some interesting Gen Z stats.

  • 98% of this generation owns a smartphone [8]
  • 2X more likely to shop on mobile devices than millennials are [9]
  • 65% of this generation sees value in coupons, discounts, and rewards programs [10]
  • 72% of Gen Z says price is the key factor in purchasing decisions [11]
  • 88% prefers omni-channel brand experiences [12]
  • 68% of Gen Z expects brands to contribute positively to society [13]
  • Spend about 1 hour each week reading magazines [14]
  • 92% of 18-23-year-olds find it easier to read printed content than digital and the response rate to direct marketing is 37% higher than for email [15]
  • Average attention span of 8 seconds (vs. 12 seconds for Millennials) [16]

Print Ideas for this generation:

  • Coupons to drive them into your store or online
  • Variable data printing – make it personal to them [17]
  • Give them several call-to-actions to different types of media sources
  • Make your offers easy to redeem
  • Consider a unique tactile experience or die-line to gain interest – something that stands out
  • Use multi-media experiences
  • Help them feel connected to your brand
  • Easy, quick visuals to catch their attention
  • Give them an incentive to collaborate with your company – reviews, interactive games, etc.
Print Marketing Millennials
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

Reach Millennials and Gen Z with Print

If you are ready to reach these demographics, we are here to help. Whether it’s unique die cuts, tactile experiences, or something completely out of the box, let us turn your ideas into reality and help you tap into this market with your print strategies to drive results. Download our whitepaper on why direct mail prospers in a digital world and request a sample pack today to get your creative juices flowing!

Bio: Melissa Fransen is our Marketing Manager. She started with Nahan in May of 2017. Melissa is responsible for Nahan’s marketing initiatives, which includes everything from conference planning to social media initiatives. In her spare time, Melissa enjoys spending time with her husband and enjoying time in the outdoors with family and friends.

Cover Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

Nahan Wins Two Golds at the Annual Gold Ink Awards Competition

Posted on by DigitalTeam

SAINT CLOUD, MN – Sept. 15, 2020 – Printing Impressions Magazine, producer of the annual Gold Ink Awards, announced the winners of the 2020 Annual Gold Ink Awards Competition. The Gold Ink Awards are considered one of the industry’s most prestigious print competitions.

Nahan Printing, Inc. is a proud recipient of two Gold awards! The first is a Gold for the Neiman Marcus 2019 Christmas Catalog and the second is a Gold for the Lawrence & Schiller South Dakota Activity Book. The winning pieces are in the “Consumer Catalogs, Web” and “Consumer Catalogs, Sheetfed” categories. In addition to the two Gold award wins, Nahan also received five Pewter awards in the Catalogs division.

This year’s Gold Ink Award winners were chosen from more than 400 entries submitted within 43 different categories. Winning pieces were chosen based on print quality, technical difficulty, and overall visual effect. All winners can be found at https://www.piworld.com/extension/gold-ink-awards/2020/.

 “It is great to be recognized by Printing Impressions for the quality of work we put into every product, each and every day. We are once again, very proud of our team’s commitment and dedication to quality; an asset that continues to set us apart in the industry.” said John Klumb, Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

About Nahan

Nahan Printing is a Minnesota-based, independent, privately-owned, world class printer committed to providing end-to-end solutions that add value to our clients. Since its inception in 1962, Nahan has specialized in catalog and direct mail printing for industries such as retail, ecommerce, financial services, non-profit, hospitality, and more. With a client roster of legendary brands, Nahan prints iconic work that represents the highest level of quality and innovation in the industry. For more information about Nahan, please visit http://www.Nahan.com.

Augmented Reality and Catalogs

Posted on by DigitalTeam

Author: Ken Anderson, National Sales Executive

After the year we’ve had, perhaps you feel 2020 has had us trapped inside an Augmented Reality program.  I know I do! 

What is Augmented Reality (AR)?

To keep it simple, it’s the melding of the real world around us and a computer-generated world.  It’s not The Matrix, Mr. Anderson….

Mostly Augmented Reality has found its place in games and with increasing power of mobile devices and fine-tuned software, it’s getting better with each passing day.  Who knew kid’s games could increase the value of your catalog and bring more customers to your door, physically or virtually?  Augmented Reality will help increase interaction with your catalog and loyalty to your brand.  It can be as elaborate or as simple as you want it to be. 

Using AR with Catalogs

In the early days of AR, the designer of the catalog would have to embed QR barcodes; those little square black and white things of “beauty” that went so well with the fine products you’re selling.  Today, AR will work with image recognition which eliminates the need for QR codes. (Don’t worry if you love them, you can still use them).  The advantages of image recognition is that you can make changes to product information up to and beyond the press date.  You can control the information on the back end of the Mobile App and change it to meet your ever-changing needs.  This ability may even increase the shelf life of your catalog and allow you to move inventory that may be moving slower or alter an offer that has moved a product faster than you thought it would.  That’s a problem most companies need a little of these days.

As AR continues to advance, customers utilize AR to try on clothes, shoes, hats, glasses, and more to see how great they look in your products.  AR will allow them to see how that couch will fit in their family room or how patio furniture will make their back yard perfect for the staycation they’re planning.  Do you sell products that need to be assembled?  Use image recognition and AR to launch an assembly video.  As a dad, I would no longer have to pretend I know how to assemble the new purchase, because secretly the instructions are confusing to me, I can watch the video.  Who wouldn’t love that?

Print brings results, far more than any other channel.  Digital enriches the experience.  Why not combine the two for increased brand loyalty, increased interaction, increased shelf life, and increased sales?  That’s a lot of increases everyone will love. Interested in learning more? Check out our marketing services page!

Bio: Ken Anderson is a National Sales Executive on our Sales Team. Ken has decades of print experience and has ink stains to prove it. He is a father of four and is an avid outdoorsman.  

Get to Know Nahan’s Marketing Manager: A Q/A Session with Melissa Fransen

Posted on by DigitalTeam

Author: Tracy Tougas, Account Executive

Keeping Nahan’s name and quality reputation popping up on Social Media, planning events, creating eye-catching and poignant external marketing materials, and helping to retain Nahan employees is just part of the short list of what Melissa Fransen does here at Nahan. She is a burst of positivity and is always working two steps ahead. I’ve had the opportunity to get to know Melissa and thought you would all enjoy getting to know her a bit too!

Marketing Extraordinaire

Melissa, why did you choose the marketing field?

I love to think differently. I love to create. I love to push boundaries and drive results. That is what I love about marketing and why I chose the career.

What is your favorite part about working at Nahan?

I can’t pick just one. First, and foremost, I love the people. The people at Nahan are truly outstanding and I’m thankful to be surrounded by great co-workers.

Secondly, since I love marketing, there is just something about seeing something come to life. Seeing a brand’s artwork go from a design to a beautifully crafted tangible marketing piece is something truly awesome. Day in and out I get to see what goes through the doors at Nahan, and it’s really something! I’m blown away with what we do. (Interested in seeing some of our work? Request a sample pack).

Tell us about one of your favorite Nahan capabilities?

I’m truly amazed at the capabilities of Variable Data Printing. I’ve been in the marketing field my entire career and before starting at Nahan a little over three years ago, to be honest, I didn’t know that technology like VDP even existed in print technology. It’s amazing how the power of data can be utilized to create a truly customized marketing piece. Instead of doing a campaign of 50,000 of the same exact artwork to 50,000 customers, you can do 50,000 customized unique pieces to 50,000 people and each one will be customized to that specific individual. I love data and the technology component of VDP. API integrations, CRM systems, and custom marketing programs get me excited since there is so much potential with it! 

Melissa Fransen with her husband.

What is the favorite project that you’d worked with in the last year?

I’d say it was our website launch.  We launched our new website in Sept. of last year and as anyone in the marketing field knows, it’s A LOT of fun and it is A LOT of work. I’m really proud of what the team accomplished and we worked with a fantastic partner to bring our vision to life! It was also really fun to discover some really amazing talent we have on our team from awesome photographers to fantastic writers and editors that are contributing to our blog. Check out our website!

On which social media platforms does Nahan appear?

We are on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Follow us to stay in touch!

What do you like to do outside of work?

I love spending time in the outdoors! I like to fish with my husband Mark and we spend a lot of time with family and friends. We have large extended families and live an active life and I’m very thankful for that! There is always something or someone to celebrate. I enjoy traveling. I also like to play the piano and have played since I was six years old. I’ve really been enjoying teaching a few students of my own. With more time at home with the pandemic, I’ve been enjoying reading (which I haven’t done in a while), gardening, and planting flowers.

Melissa Fransen
Melissa Fransen with one of her great catches.

How has COVID-19 changed your role and the marketing Nahan is doing?

Over the past several years, we’ve had a big presence with conferences. Most of our largest conferences have been canceled and we’ll be participating in our first virtual conference this Fall. So, that has changed for us. Our social media presence has been growing, along with our followership, so we’ve been staying very active on our social media pages. We’ve ramped up our direct mail efforts since we are in the industry and we know it drives results. We’ve also kicked off an eNewsletter so we can stay in close contact with customers, job seekers, and more. Since we aren’t having client visits, doing in-person job fairs, and more, this helps us stay connected. (Interested in signing up for the eNewsletter? Sign up below in the footer of our web page).

Tell me something recent that you are proud of…

In 2019, I became a certified Social Media Strategist (SMS) with the NISM. I’m working on my CEU credits currently to keep up with my certification. With the marketing industry constantly changing, I think it’s important to continuously learn so I can stay at the top of my game. In the last 5 years, I’ve obtained this SMS certification and five HubSpot certifications.

I also enjoy volunteering and making others smile. I’ve participated in several volunteer activities over the last couple of years, including United Way volunteer events. Some of my favorites have included writing thank you letters to Veterans, an activity day at a local Nursing Home, and making tie-blankets for babies in the NICU.

Author: Tracy Tougas

Tracy works at Nahan as an Accounting Executive partnering with our National Sales Reps to build customer relationships and meet customer needs. She has been at Nahan 12+ years and another 2 back in the 90’s. In her spare time she enjoys traveling, gardening, hiking, cooking and spending time with friends and family.

Nahan’s Use of Renewable Energy

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Author: Melissa Fransen, Marketing Manager

From purchasing raw materials to efficient manufacturing processes, Nahan considers the environment in our decision-making process across company initiatives. We are committed to being a responsible, environmentally conscious printer.

Renewable Energy Provider

Nahan utilizes Xcel Energy as our energy provider for our 300,000 square foot headquarters, located in St. Cloud, MN. Xcel Energy is leading the way in renewable resources. Xcel Energy is 25% renewable now, is headed to be 60% renewable by 2030, and 100% carbon-free by 2050.

Source:
https://www.xcelenergy.com/staticfiles/xe-responsive/Company/Corporate%20Responsibility%20Report/2019%20CRR/2019_Renewable%20Energy_CRR.pdf

Renewable Energy Breakdown

There are a number of renewable resources that Xcel utilizes for its power supply including wind and solar. See below for a breakdown of energy sources. Right now, in the Upper Midwest (where Nahan headquarters is located), 54% of Xcel’s power supply is carbon free, which is higher than the national average.

To learn more about Xcel Energy’s economic, environmental and social initiatives, watch this short video or view the full report.

Source: https://www.xcelenergy.com/energy_portfolio/electricity/power_generation



Energy-Efficient Devices

Nahan puts an emphasis on utilizing energy-efficient devices in our facility. Some examples of this include using VFD’s (Variable Frequent Drives), Premium Efficiency Motors, and we are in the process of changing some of our lighting from fluorescent to LED. In addition to energy savings, LED lighting emits less heat and reduces the load on HVAC systems.  When Nahan makes decisions to install and update equipment, energy efficiency is always something that is top of mind.

Find Out More

Nahan is committed to being a responsible, environmentally conscious printer and we want to help create a healthier future for our employees, our customers, our communities, and the world. The use of renewable energy resources is just one example of how Nahan is committed to the future. Check out our Environmental Commitment blog to find out other ways that Nahan is working to protect the environment .

Contact us if you have any questions or would like additional information.

Bio: Melissa Fransen is our Marketing Manager. She started with Nahan in May of 2017. Melissa is responsible for Nahan’s marketing initiatives, which includes everything from conference planning to social media initiatives. In her spare time, Melissa enjoys spending time with her husband and enjoying time in the outdoors with family and friends.

Questions to Ask When Selecting a Print Partner – Part 2

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Author: Jim Hesch, Customer Service

It can be quite daunting, challenging, frightening and overwhelming to pick a print partner when you have never printed before. It is common to have many questions. That is why we have developed a list of questions to ask to help make this process easier for you.  Last month, we shared the first set of questions to ask in part 1. In this blog, we will address additional questions to ask.

You may not choose Nahan, but we would like to help you choose wisely.

(Also, here is a link to our FAQ’s page, which contains some useful information).

Environmental Commitment

Location

Technology / Data / Security

“Oooh, technology is the part I like. You guessed it, I am a printing geek. I’d love to tell you about some of our new things at Nahan.” Jim Hesch

We love new toys, things that go faster, do better, do more. Our new CLIDE 2.0 was purchased specifically to do the work our customer needed, (plus it is cool).

(CLIDE means custom digital imaging, it is an integrated folding gluing line that can create complicated folds with tip-ons or clean release cards with imaging / ink jet)

New Toys

The quality of our new in-line ink jet on the web press is second to none, our new inserters run at blazing speeds, our new CLIDE line has incredible flexibility for self-mailers with special folds and attachments. Mike, our Warehouse Manager is especially proud of our new Semi truck. We have also invested in two new high-speed Stitchers in the last 3 years and are pursuing automation and efficiencies today as you read this.

Questions to Ask When Selecting a Print Partner

Interested in a sample pack? We would love to send you one!

My name is Jim Hesch, head of customer service, 40 year veteran of print and never done learning…

Nahan’s Fulfillment Department: An Interview with Jenny Chirhart

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Author: Melissa Fransen, Marketing Manager

Jenny Chirhart

Meet Jenny. Jenny started with Nahan in 1996. Jenny leads Nahan’s Fulfillment department, which is our newest division at Nahan. This new department continues to be a huge growth area for Nahan. We’ve more than doubled our staff count in this department in less than two years and continue to add an impressive amount of customers and projects. I thought I’d take this special opportunity to introduce Jenny and some of the great things that Nahan’s Fulfillment department is up to these days.

Jenny, first tell me a little about your career path at Nahan.

Jenny: I’ve held a variety of roles at Nahan. I started my career in the mail center as a Helper on the high-speed inserters, then I moved into the Quality Checker role, and from there I was a Laser Operator.  I wanted to learn more about the company so I joined the Customer Service team and worked there for nine years, then held positions in Prep and Purchasing. From there, I became a Lead in our Fulfillment department in May of 2018 and became a Shift Leader in July of 2019.

That is fantastic Jenny! Can you give me an overview of how Nahan’s Fulfillment department started?

Jenny: Nahan’s Fulfillment department was started as a result of a customer asking us to do a UPS mailing for them. It started off with small quantities for the project and has grown into a large volume of quantities each week. We’ve continued to expand this area and we are now doing projects for a wide range of other customers as well. One of the great things about Nahan is that when we have a customer that is looking for us to do any type of mailing project to make things easier on their end, we have an awesome team that comes together to find a solution for them.

What types of projects is our team currently doing?

Jenny: Currently, our team is working on a 3-way match mailing project. Basically, we have a three-panel folder that gets a personalized letter and a personalized card added into the folder. Then, this package will go into a pre-labeled, addressed OSE.

What other types of projects have we done?

Jenny: We’ve done a large variety of assemble, pack and ship projects. Two particular projects stand out. One was a tube mailing project, where we put a personalized letter into the tube, taped the ends, and put an address label and meter strip on to mail it and the other, we put together a Holiday gift package last year with calendars and holiday cards included.

What are you most proud of that the Fulfillment team has accomplished? 

Jenny: I’m very proud of this team with how well they work together and help each other. They know what needs to be done and they have fun doing it.

Anything else you’d like to share?

Jenny: This group of individuals are truly amazing to work with. There is a lot of teamwork. They work very hard together to get the jobs done so we meet the customer’s expectations.

Jenny, this has been great. Thank you for your time!

Interested in learning more about our Fulfillment services? Contact us to learn more.

Bio: Melissa Fransen is our Marketing Manager. She started with Nahan in May of 2017. Melissa is responsible for Nahan’s marketing initiatives, which includes everything from conference planning to social media initiatives. In her spare time, Melissa enjoys spending time with her husband and enjoying time in the outdoors with family and friends.

What is Variable Data Printing? A Closer Look.

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Author: Jon Legg, Data Processing Department Leader

In today’s data-driven marketing world, utilizing the power of your data can be the difference between a good marketing campaign and a great marketing campaign that produces a fantastic ROI. A question that we often get asked is “What is Variable Data Printing and how does it work?”

What is Variable Data Printing?

Variable Data Printing is using your customer’s data to change text, images, or other content from one piece of mail to the next.  Instead of printing one form 100,000 times you can instead print 100,000 highly individualized pieces.  And when we say highly personalized we are talking about more than just a salutation line that says “Dear John Doe.” 

At Nahan we have done a wide range of projects that utilize variable data printing.  The following four specific examples show what highly personalized could look like to you.

  1. One project had hundreds of mall locations and for each record, we used a field in the data to variably pull the closest mall to the consumer, a logo for that mall, hours of operation, and a mall directory. 
  2. Another project required us to uniquely link over 400,000 photographs so that each record imaged the correct photograph. 
  3. A third project involved providing each recipient with a personalized map that showed their house on a map, the nearest store, and a highlighted route between the two.
  4. Lastly, another project showcased a piece that changed all of its content based on the consumer.  Family of four?  All content showed family-friendly activities and all images changed to photos of families.  Single?  The entire piece changed to show photos of adults with more of a focus on entertainment and nightlife.

Variable data printing can do all of this and more. 

What is Variable Data Printing

As we like to say, “Where there is data, there is opportunity for customization.”

What Files Are Needed For a Variable Data Project?

At Nahan we can accept all types of files and work with you to get more out of your mail list.  Our preferred file format is a CSV file transmitted to our SFTP site.  We are also able to use API integrations to directly link with our customers to provide a more seamless transfer of data; both to Nahan and back to our customers.  This can include return files, reports, and much more.

How is Data Kept Safe?

In today’s digital landscape we can use data for just about anything, which makes that data extremely valuable.  Sadly, the bad guys know that as well and are constantly looking to get their hands on data.  But Nahan takes pride in keeping your data safe.  We are PCI compliant and are equipped to work with HIPAA data. We have lots of hands-on experience with both.  Beyond that our data processing team is literally in a locked room that requires two different forms of authentication just to get in! Given all the efforts that we put into data security, you can rest assured that not only will Nahan keep your data safe, but we will also put it to work for you! 

Working Together on a Strategy

As a company, we are not afraid of pushing the boundaries of what can be done with data.  We are constantly using the newest technology and then working to perfect it.  We also have a data processing team that is equally unafraid of pushing limits and seeing how much we can do with a simple mail list.  Let’s work together and see what we can get your next mailing to do for you! Contact us or visit our marketing services page to learn more.

Author: Jon Legg is a Department Leader at Nahan Printing and started with the company in 2015.  He currently oversees the Data Processing department as well as the PreMedia department.  This means that any files, whether art or data, all come through Jon’s teams.  When he isn’t at work Jon loves spending time with his wife and daughter, traveling (usually to Disney World), and working with our local theater company both on stage and as a Director. 

Nahan Receives Best Of Category Win In Five-State Print Competition

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SAINT CLOUD, MN – April 13, 2020 – Nahan Printing, Inc. has received a Best of Category award win in the annual Star Awards, a five-state print competition hosted by Printing Industry Midwest (PIM), the region’s trade association for the printing, communication and graphic arts industry.

Competing against entries from printing and graphic art firms throughout the Midwest, Nahan was proud to receive the award for Best of Category – Web Press Printing (Uncoated Paper), which is the highest honor a printer can receive in this category. The winning entry was a mailer produced for a renowned multi-channel artisan jeweler. Nahan also received two Awards of Recognition in the Brochures and Broadsheet (Large) categories for two Self-Mailer formats for an iconic New York-based luxury brand retailer. In addition to these awards, Nahan also received 12 Certificates of Merit in other various categories.

The Star Awards recognizes those responsible for the creation and production of print communications in the Midwest. The competition promotes excellence in print communications and rewards companies and individuals who produce the best in print media.

“We are very proud of our winning team,” said John Klumb, Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

“This was a close competition with a very impressive standard of entries. The judging process was very challenging. Nahan should be proud of the company’s achievement and the excellent work done by employees,” said Steve Bonoff, PIM President.

About Printing Industries Midwest (PIM) and Star Awards

For more information about the Printing Industry Midwest (PIM) and the Star Awards, visit PIM’s website at www.pimw.org or call PIM’s office at 612.400.6200.

About Nahan

Nahan Printing is a Minnesota-based, independent, privately-owned, world-class printer committed to providing end-to-end solutions that add value to our clients. Since its inception in 1962, Nahan has specialized in catalog and direct mail printing for industries such as retail, financial services, healthcare, non-profit and hospitality. With a client roster of legendary brands, Nahan prints iconic work that represents the highest level of quality and innovation in the industry. For more information about Nahan, please visit www.Nahan.com.

Nahan Achieves Recertification of G7® Master Qualification

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Contact: Melissa Fransen, Marketing Manager

April 6, 2020

St. Cloud, MN – Nahan Printing is proud to announce it has achieved G7® Master Facility Qualification of its integrated color management system for producing printed products once again. This is the 11th year in a row that Nahan has attained this qualification. In addition to Nahan being a G7® Master Qualified Facility, two of Nahan’s employees are G7® Experts.

G7® is an industry-leading set of specifications from Idealliance® for achieving visual similarity across all print processes. It is a global standard widely used to measure the color accuracy on any output device.

“This qualification provides third-party verification that Nahan delivers exceptional color matching and color consistency,” said Tim Castellano, Color Technician, Nahan. “This allows Nahan to manage process control better, reduce make-ready, and improve overall efficiency in all aspects of our workflow. For our customers, this consistency also ensures uncompromising color according to their brand standards.”

“Nahan’s Print Quality is Excellent.” Print Production, Online Clothing Retailer

“Nahan continues to be an excellent partner. Their print quality is outstanding, as are the people we work with.” Marketing Manager, Fortune 500 Company

“The G7 process gives the industry the tools and guidelines to more efficiently achieve and maintain that color reproduction. In turn, G7 Master qualified facilities deliver even more consistent color reproduction for their customers,” explains Timothy Baechle, CEO, Idealliance.

Participants in the G7 program pride themselves on color management, process control, and maintaining production efficiency. With the help of certified G7 Experts and Professionals, who are trained in the industry-leading set of specifications for achieving gray balance, G7 Master Qualified Facilities align their print processes to ensure a neutral appearance across multiple devices.

 “Nahan’s qualification is critical to the success of our print buyers and our partners.” Castellano said. “G7 allows our organization to more precisely match a customer’s brand color requirements on a variety of printed products from any technology and application, everything from media and publications to packaging and labels.”

About Nahan

Nahan Printing is a Minnesota-based, independent, family-owned, world-class printer committed to providing end-to-end solutions that add value to our clients. Since its inception in 1962, Nahan has specialized in catalog and direct mail printing for industries such as retail, financial services, non-profit and hospitality. With a client roster of legendary brands, Nahan prints iconic work that represents the highest level of quality and innovation in the industry. For more information about Nahan, please visit http://www.Nahan.com.

About Idealliance®

Idealliance® is dedicated to guiding media production best practices, specifications, and standards, worldwide. To learn more about G7 Master Qualification, please visit http://www.idealliance.org.

Nahan University: Investing in our Employees

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Author: Melissa Fransen, Marketing Manager

Since the opening of Nahan University in July of 2019, a lot has been happening with our training programs and our leadership team is proud of how things are progressing. From an employee perspective since launch, several of our 300+ employees have been involved in a training course thus far and the plan for 2020 is that every one of our employees will have a training opportunity. Doug Karls, an employee of Nahan for over 25 years, is leading the Nahan University initiatives.

“We are just getting started and I’m excited about all of the training opportunities that are in store for our employees. Our employees are our number one asset and if there is one thing that I believe in investing in, it’s our people.” Doug Karls, Trainer

Nahan University Goals

Here are the goals that our Leadership team has set for Nahan University:

  • Basic equipment functionality
  • Educate our team on our quality standards
  • Generate a career path for team members
  • Empower our employees
  • Team building
Nahan University Opening

Training Recap

The focus of the training has started with Operator training on Folders and Inserters, as well as Leadership training. Here is a quick overview of the training thus far:

Operator Training:

  • Basic equipment functionality
  • Problem solving skills
  • Mechanical aptitude
  • Math aptitude
  • Quality standards

Leadership Training:

  • Communication Skills
  • Servant Leadership
  • Creating Effective and Empowered Teams
  • Coaching and Delegating for Success

“One of the biggest differentiators of Nahan in the industry continues to be our quality. The quality of our print, the quality of our service levels, and the quality of our people.” John Klumb, Vice President of Sales and Marketing

Nahan University – What’s Next

Our team is in the beginning stages of launching Brainer’s LMS (Learning Management Solutions) program. This platform will provide learning opportunities for our employees through module-based training on a variety of topics. Topics include everything from Safety, Team Building and Problem Solving to Web Presentations, Marketing, and Microsoft Office. These training sessions can be customized to the individual and tailored to topics that are applicable to our employees.  The full implementation of Brainer’s LMS program is planned for Q2 of 2020.

“At the end of each day, I ask myself what I learned that day. Each and every day I try to learn something new. My goal is for our employees to learn something new every day as well.” Doug Karls, Trainer

Want to learn more about a career at Nahan or Nahan University? Contact us today.

Bio: Melissa Fransen is our Marketing Manager. She started with Nahan in May of 2017. Melissa is responsible for Nahan’s marketing initiatives, which includes everything from conference planning to social media initiatives. In her spare time, Melissa enjoys spending time with her husband and enjoying time in the outdoors with family and friends.

Nahan Named As a Printing Industry Best Workplace in the Americas

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Melissa Fransen                                                          
Phone: 320-217-7319
Email: melissa.fransen@nahan.com

ST. CLOUD, MN – February 6, 2020 – Nahan Printing, Inc. of St. Cloud, MN has been awarded the Best Workplace designation in the 2020 Best Workplace in the Americas (BWA) awards competition. The BWA awards are awarded to companies that create the best environments for their employees in the printing industry. The BWA awards, presented by Printing Industries of America (PIA), is awarded annually to only those companies meeting rigorous standards in human resources practices.

A panel of printing industry HR professionals evaluated applicants in three categories: Communications & Culture, Employee Resources & Benefits, and Safety & Work Environment.

PIA Best Workplaces

“Nahan Printing is one of the premier companies in the printing industry for employee experiences,” said Adriane Harrison, Vice President of Human Relations at PIA. “This award is a testament to Nahan’s leadership in developing an ‘employer of choice’ culture.”

“Winning a BWA award is an honor. We are on a journey to give our employees an exceptional workplace. There have been a number of initiatives that we have put into place this past year that are making a difference: we have implemented values-based leadership, we have opened Nahan University, and we have empowered our employees to ‘Never Stop Being the Best’ by sharing new ideas and exceeding customer expectations,” said Mike Nahan, CEO.

Michael F. Makin, president and CEO of PIA, agrees. “The Best Workplace in the Americas award winners stand among the most distinguished printing industry leaders by human resources standards. Congratulations to Nahan Printing for its outstanding achievement in human resources excellence.”  

ABOUT WINNER

Nahan Printing is a Minnesota-based, independent, family-owned, world class printer committed to providing end-to-end solutions that add value to our clients. Since its inception in 1962, Nahan has specialized in catalogs and direct mail for industries such as retail, financial services, non-profit and hospitality. With a client roster of legendary brands, Nahan prints iconic work that represents the highest level of quality and innovation in the industry. For more information about Nahan, please visit http://www.nahan.com.

ABOUT THE BEST WORKPLACE IN THE AMERICAS AWARDS

The Best Workplace in the Americas (BWA) awards, presented by Printing Industries of America (PIA), recognizes a company’s commitment to quality and excellence, passion for success, and dedication to providing a safety-focused work environment. For more information about the program, visit: www.printing.org/bwa.

Nahan Provides Print & Mailing Solutions for Many European Brands Marketing to US Customers

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Author: Melissa Fransen, Marketing Manager

One of the questions that we frequently get asked is if we provide print and mailing solutions to an International customer base that is interested in mailing to the US Market. The answer is a resounding Yes!

In fact, this continues to be one of Nahan’s specialties and something that we feel truly continues to set us apart in the industry. We have quickly become a printer of choice for retailers and agencies alike in the European market.

Nahan Provides Print & Mailing Solutions for Many European Brands Marketing to US Customers

“If you are a start-up or even an established brand looking to market to a US audience and are looking for a trusted print partner, look no further, our team at Nahan is here to become a seamless extension of your marketing team.  We continue to work with so many great people abroad that have become not only clients but good friends, that really trust our Quality & Service.”

Kelly Marthaler, US & International Catalog/Direct Mail Sales Consultant

Commonly Asked Questions

1. We have formats developed for our UK audience and foreign postal requirements. How do we convert our formats to meet the US postal requirements?

Nahan is highly experienced in working with customers to develop efficient size formats for the US postal stream. Weights and size formats that work in Europe don’t always work here in the US. We specialize in adjusting these sizes or format templates to US formats to help minimize cost and reduce postage rates.  Our focus is really on guiding clients closely through the entire process.

2. What about paper? How does this work?

Our team at Nahan is very familiar with foreign paper spec differences and can help transition to US paper stocks that are of equal or greater paper quality and still be competitively priced.

3. With the time difference, can I expect a quick turnaround on quotes?

At Nahan, you can expect a quote within 24 hours or less. We take a lot of pride in quick-turn quotes and communication. You can come to expect the same timely response from our purchasing and customer service teams even when your office is in a foreign country. 

4. What about mailing schedules? How does this work?

Our postal/logistics team at Nahan works with our customers to develop timely schedules based on in-home dates. We walk through this entire process with each of our foreign clients to ensure there is a clear understanding of what in-homes dates work best with each individual marketing plan and how we can minimize cost as well.

5. What about USPS postal promotions, can I take advantage of these?

Absolutely. Our team at Nahan will guide you through the promotions process to ensure you are getting the most cost-effective rates based on your marketing objectives.

6. What about mailing to other markets, such as Canada?

At Nahan, we utilize the assistance of a third party partner to mail to other foreign markets, such as Canada, and do this quite frequently.  We are close proximity to Canada so this is a very close entry point for us.

7. I’m new to this – how do I even start?

Many of our customers that start out with us don’t have experience in expanding their mailing to the US market. No problem at all! We’ll be very happy to guide you through this process so maximum ROI can be achieved.  We want to take the stress of printing and mailing here in the US out of each foreign marketer’s job. 

Interested in learning more about Nahan’s mailing and marketing services? Contact us today! 

Bio: Melissa Fransen is our Marketing Manager. She started with Nahan in May of 2017. Melissa is responsible for Nahan’s marketing initiatives, which includes everything from conference planning to social media initiatives. In her spare time, Melissa enjoys spending time with her husband and enjoying time in the outdoors with family and friends.

The Fine Art of Finishing Print

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Author: Jim Hesch, Customer Service Leader

Focusing on quality and unique capabilities sets us apart. It’s all in the Presentation.

For the person who, in the end will open your envelope, mailer or book, it is all in the presentation.

Beautiful color, gloss or dull techniques, metallics and foil, or attention grabbing raised gloss UV can certainly grab one’s attention. Using an emboss sculpture die to make a message stand out and look 3D or a tactile coating can enhance a piece, too. A cool fold, pop up, or even an iron cross are tried and true attention grabbers for the end user.

Nahan’s Focus on Finishing

At Nahan, we pride ourselves on the Finishing of our pieces; the presentation, with good quality binding and complicated inserting. Our team is dedicated to make sure the quality of the piece compliments the goal of your recipient, which is ultimately to successfully reach them and get them to open the piece.

“I love working in Finishing, no two days are the same and no two books are the same. It’s the collaboration that makes it fun. I am always learning. Yeah, we are obsessed with going the extra mile.”

– Jim Dombrovski, Finishing Shift Leader

“For those of us who are passionate about Finishing, we get to take a nicely printed sheet and turn it into something cool, and we get to touch it and see it before the customer ever gets to see it.”

– Doug Karls, Trainer

Developing Creative Solutions

We have an incredibly creative team to help you find that eye-catching piece; something unusual or unique and are able to complete affordably. Our capabilities are unique, customizable, and with our creative staff, can be game changers. Check out our marketing services page for more!

In the end, we really like Finishing (first).

Resources

Sappi has a wonderful series of publications that can help you in your creative presentation endeavor.

Check out Bindery Techniques issue #6: https://www.sappi.com/standard-volume-6

Or Issue 4, scoring and folding: https://www.sappi.com/standard-volume-4%E2%80%94scoring-folding

The Neuroscience of Touch: https://www.sappi.com/the-neuroscience-of-touch.

Another fun series in finishing techniques is the Fold Factory, Fold of the Week. Check out their YouTube Videos for inspiration and ideas.

Have Fun, Stay Warm and Tip On…

Our Blogger is Jim Hesch, a manager here at Nahan Printing. Jim has been in the printing trade since 1973 and has a passion for finishing and customer service. 

Is Nahan a Printing or Technology Company?

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Author: Pat Nahan, Vice President of National Accounts

As the printing landscape has evolved over the past two decades, we have all seen huge changes in the way we do our jobs.  Long gone are the days of film and even hard proofs in some cases. We have all seen the benefits of other new and exciting technologies that make getting ink, toner or dyes onto your chosen substrate.  All of this is great, but if your printer of choice doesn’t have the IT infrastructure to support your growing needs then are you really seeing the full benefit of what these advancements can do for you?

Digital Workflow

There are many benefits to a digital workflow but the 4 that I feel benefit the customer most are:

  1. Flexibility
  2. Brand Continuity
  3. Speed to Market
  4. Being able to create a truly tailored message to your consumer

Upon entering into the digital printing arena, it became glaringly apparent to us that to take advantage of this new technology we needed to embrace and fully utilize all that these machines could do.  To execute this we had to take a two pronged approach, the first being security. The second focus was being able to adapt to our customer’s unique needs and to mold our processes around those.  Along with this we had to step out of our comfort zone to truly develop technologies that can meet those needs.  

“Looping back to the title now, I feel that we are rapidly becoming a Technology company that is really great at printing.”

– Pat Nahan

Every day we are taking our years of experience with the ‘big iron” of printing and using it to make the new digital presses better.  The amount of technological development and custom programming that we are doing on a daily basis to meet the needs of our customers is constantly expanding.  Processes that were cutting-edge just 5 years ago are rapidly being replaced with new words like, API’s, web interfaces, and custom integrations.  Is your printer ready to help take you to the next level?

Questions to Ask Your Printer

Ask yourself these five questions when you consider partnering with a printer:

  1. What is their programming strength?
  2. Can they do more than just a presort of my data and take advantage of all their digital equipment can do?
  3. What sort of custom integrations have they done before?
  4. Do they have the knowledge to build any sort of return processing or continuity process that I might need?
  5. Are they a printer that thinks they know how to program or a true four color variable expert? 

Contact us today to learn more about Nahan and how we can help with your next project.

Patrick Nahan has over 20 years of print experience and is the Vice President of National Accounts with Nahan. On a daily basis, Patrick shows the “Nahan Difference” to key accounts and has been instrumental in launching Nahan into the forefront of the ever-changing print landscape. When not at work, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two boys, working on cars, boating and trying to keep up with a hectic youth hockey schedule!    

2019 In Review: An Interview with Nahan COO, Curt Tillotson

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Author: Melissa Fransen, Marketing Manager

2019 was another great year for Nahan and I thought it would be a great time to take an opportunity to interview Curt Tillotson, who serves as Nahan’s Chief Operating Officer. Curt started with Nahan in 2011 after many years at a regional grocer and at Best Buy in business development and financial roles . Outside of work, Curt is kept quite busy with his wife and their seven children. So, without further ado, let’s get started!

What are three accomplishments that you are particularly proud of that Nahan achieved in 2019?

Curt: Well, 2019 was an amazing year with many all-time records established.  I can only pick three?  This is not easy but I will give it a shot:

First, we managed to land over 100 new accounts.  We are very appreciative of all of the companies that trust us to print for them.

Second, our new website was launched in 2019 and it looks amazing!  Take a look when you have a chance.

Third, we continue to invest in our business and have purchased industry-leading equipment which allows us to amaze our customers even more

In three words, tell me what you think made Nahan stand out in 2019.

Curt: PEOPLE! PEOPLE! PEOPLE!  We are so proud of our people.  We continue to create opportunities for them and they step up again and again.

What do you like most about working for Nahan?

Curt: I really enjoy working side by side with this amazing team here at Nahan.  We accomplish far more than I could ever ask or imagine.

Nahan won several awards again for the quality of our work through Gold Ink, Sappi, and PIM – something we are very proud of. Tell me from your perspective, what this means to you.

Curt: Plain and simple, we are the best printer in North America.  All of these awards are a testimony to what our customers tell us every day.  We truly never stop being the best.

Nahan opened Nahan University, our employee training center in 2019, which has already benefited many of our employees. Tell me about how things are coming along with the training center.

Curt: As we go into 2020, there will be a lot of training opportunities for all of our employees.  We believe that is the best way to equip our people to win in the marketplace.

Do you have any New Year’s Resolutions you’d like to share?

Curt: Suffice it to say, I will be part of a weight loss team!

You speak quite often about our Nahan Values. Tell me about one of those values and what it means to you.

Curt: Never Stop Being the Best!

This value epitomizes Nahan Printing and our founders and owners.  We are never satisfied with the status quo.  We always want to make things better. It has been said that the slowest a piece of equipment runs is the first day it comes in the building. That is our attitude day in and day out.  And, it is absolutely critical.  Competition is fierce in the print industry.  Our customers have many choices when it comes to printing.  We have to be the best in the business in order to win.

“It has been said that the slowest a piece of equipment runs is the first day it comes in the building.”

– Curt Tillotson, Chief Operating Officer, Nahan Printing

Nahan supported a number of local charitable organizations again in 2019. Tell me about one that stood out to you this year.

Curt: We supported the United Way more than ever in 2019.  I love the work that United Way does day in and day out.  Not only do they help many, many people who are truly in need but they also make sure that our charitable donations are spent wisely.

What are you most excited about as Nahan goes into 2020?

Curt: Winning!  We have made tremendous strides as a company and I look forward to making even greater progress in 2020.  We have great employees who operate as a team.  We have industry leading equipment.  We have a customer base that LOVES our work.

Bio: Melissa Fransen is our Marketing Manager. She started with Nahan in May of 2017. Melissa is responsible for Nahan’s marketing initiatives, which includes everything from conference planning to social media initiatives. In her spare time, Melissa enjoys spending time with her husband and enjoying time in the outdoors with family and friends.

Top Five Nahan Blogs of 2019

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Author: Melissa Fransen, Marketing Manager

It’s been another great year for Nahan and we have been thrilled at the performance, likes, and shares of our new blog articles that were added to our revamped website launched in October. Thank you for all of your comments and the great feedback! We appreciate you!

In case you’ve missed it, here were our top five performing blog articles of 2019 so you can check them out:

 

  1. Nahan Differentiators that Drive Results
  2. Three Benefits of Working for a Family-Owned Business
  3. Metallic Inks Add Fun and Interesting Effects
  4. Build a Dynamic Plan for Direct Mail
  5. What is Information Security?

We have a ton of great articles in store for 2020, so be sure to check back to our site for the latest and greatest articles. Plus, we also share these articles on our LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter pages. If you have content that you’d like to see from our team in the future, feel free to contact us anytime and let us know. We are just getting started and 2020 is going to be a fantastic year!

Bio: Melissa Fransen is our Marketing Manager. She started with Nahan in May of 2017. Melissa is responsible for Nahan’s marketing initiatives, which includes everything from conference planning to social media initiatives. In her spare time, Melissa enjoys spending time with her husband and enjoying time in the outdoors with family and friends.

 

Winter Paper Conditioning in the Upper Midwest

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Author: Jim Hesch, Customer Service Leader

I hope you will be joining us for press OK’s this winter! While you may need to bring a warm jacket, I promise you it will be 70 degrees inside our pressroom with plenty of warm and inviting smiles to greet you. Fun fact, 90% of our customers are located outside the state of MN with many traveling from both the East and West Coasts. The average January high temperature is 23 degrees F and the average low is 7 degrees F.  The average snowfall is 12”. This is a perfect scenario to make a snow angel on our front lawn. Minnesota takes great pride in keeping its roadways and airports open and free of snow. We love it here (or we wouldn’t stay).

Paper Transportation

 

In winter in the upper Midwest, paper travels by standard truck or rail.  It is very expensive to ship in heated containers, so paper gets very cold during shipping. Cold paper does not run as well; it dries out, wrinkles, has problems with ink drying and can affect print quality, dot gain, and overall color. For paper to perform well, it needs to be acclimated to press room temperature and moisture levels.

Guidelines

 

Paper Company guidelines vary, however, a good rule of thumb is to allow paper to acclimate to pressroom conditions for at least 24 hours and up to 100 hours. The heavier the paper and the colder the outside temperature, the longer it takes to warm up. At Nahan, we plan for paper to arrive a few days earlier in the winter months to allow for paper to acclimate so it runs at it’s best.

Here is a link to Neenah Paper Conditioning chart:

https://www.neenahpaper.com/resources/printer-resources/paper-conditioning

So the advice we have for you is to dress warm and travel to Minnesota to enjoy our winter wonderland and order paper in early so it can warm up.

Here is a link from Minnesota Public Radio on Minnesota’s beautiful winters.

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2013/01/25/photos-minnesotas-bitterly-cold-brightly-beautiful-winter

About the Author: Jim Hesch is a Department Manager here at Nahan, was born in North Dakota but spent his early years in California. He is now entrenched in the Minnesota culture of shoveling snow, opinions on the meaning of life, and blogging. Come join us!

Photo Credit: Adam Rohde

5 Benefits of Working with a Centrally Located Printer

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Author: Matt Deibler, National Sales Representative

 

Print buyers and marketing execution leaders have more variables to consider than ever before. Choosing the right partner is critical and it’s not always an easy decision.  You want to ensure that you identify a printer who has the right mix of capabilities and resources to support the unique needs of your business. You also want to think strategically about where your chosen vendor is positioned geographically. How will this impact the effectiveness of your campaigns? What kinds of advantages or disadvantages does your printer’s location present?

Here are five key benefits that I see in working with a centrally located printer:

 

1) Proximity to Mills

It’s no secret that over the last couple of years, the paper market has become quite volatile. Prices have risen and we have experienced several cycles of tightening supply. Choosing a vendor located near the paper mills is beneficial as it offers greater flexibility. With relationships at the mill level, we are better equipped to service the needs of clients with tight deadlines.  Our location allows us to more effectively locate stock and negotiate on its pricing and delivery.

 

2) Postal Savings

Postage is the single most expensive component of any direct mail campaign, yet it still receives very little attention from many marketing execution leaders. The perception seems to be that postage/distribution is a fixed cost applied equally among all vendors and it is often overlooked during the partner evaluation process. But not all vendors are built the same when it comes to postage and freight and a central location does create distinct advantages. USPS entry discounts (through NDC and SCF sortation) are available to everyone. That being said, it’s not very efficient to drop ship mail from an east coast distribution point to the west coast.  The cost of freight often outweighs the savings on postage. If you are working with national mail files, you will want to ensure that you are aligned with a centrally located printer to handle your mail plan. It’s a huge opportunity to put money back in your budget.

 

3) Speed to Market

In this technology driven age that we live in, speed is everything. If you want higher conversion rates you will need to capitalize on your windows of opportunity as quickly as you can. Speed to market matters. Choosing the right partner to execute on your print and distribute your product in a timely fashion is essential to success in today’s market. Centrally located printers like Nahan have the ability to connect to all points of the country in equal time. So whether your prospect is in FL, CA, WA or NY we can reach them, and we can do so within a time frame that optimizes response.

 

4) In-Home Predictability

Speed is just one element of in-home timing. There are a lot of direct mail vendors who are equipped to push a project through their plant and out into the mail stream quickly, but very few are skilled at targeting and hitting specific, predefined in-home windows. This can make or break a campaign. If you are advertising a dated promotion, sale or offer you are restricted to a defined response period and it’s critical that you make the most of it.  As I mentioned earlier, a central location provides better options with freight and postal and it allows for a more strategic approach with mail planning. If you wish to validate the timing of delivery, most vendors have access to tracking services that can be applied to your campaigns. We use them frequently to gauge our own performance.

 

5) Fulfillment

Fulfillment is a major growth area in our business here at Nahan; it’s a no brainer based upon our location. Whether your need is trigger mail execution, kitting or distribution of inventoried promotional products, it makes sense to align with a centrally located partner. It’s about freight and distribution and that applies to product coming in as well as product going out. Plus, warehouse space is generally more affordable in the Midwest, so it’s a win from all angles.

 

Bio: Matt Deibler is a National Sales Representative based out of Chapel Hill, NC.  He joined Nahan in April of 2018. Matt manages relationships with direct mail clients in all parts of the country.  In his spare time, Matt enjoys spending time with his wife, his two year old son, Malachi and his new baby daughter Reagan.  He is an avid fan of college football and he loves to travel and blog about his life experiences.

Metallic Inks Add Fun and Interesting Effects

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Author: Jim Hesch, Customer Service Leader

 

Gold and Silver

Since the earliest of times, Gold and Silver have been coveted for their brilliance, their eye catching sparkle and richness. We wear jewelry to enhance beauty. Our cars shimmer in the sun; we wash them and wax them to a brilliant luster.  The Automobile industry has long known that sparkly paint and shiny chrome attract the second look, the longing for a new vehicle, and how it speaks of being successful. Even black paint has a sparkle built into it.

 

Metallic Inks

If you are looking to catch your target market’s eye, to increase interest in your printed piece or just add some fun, consider adding a metallic spot color.

Depending on how you use the metallic ink, you can add eye catching luster to the image. The Metallic can also be incorporated into the print to add an interesting effect to black halftones or 4CP. Metallic inks can be blended with other colors to create some fun colors (about 280 standard metallic spot colors on top of the standard Silvers and Golds).  Metallic inks have become more affordable, easier to run and the version we use at Nahan is also Low VOC.  Foils can be much more expensive than Metallic inks, making metallic a more affordable substitute.  Here are a couple of helpful links on metallic ink usage from Eckart’s website:

There are several levels of brilliance that can be used in your project, some that rival foil stamping.

 

Tips

Things to remember when using a Metallic:

  • Always request a drawdown of your color
  • Metallic inks are more brilliant on gloss coated paper
  • If using a metallic on the cover or outside of a mailer you should protect the ink with a varnish or coating

Learn more about Nahan and our capabilities by contacting us today.

About the Blogger: Jim Hesch is a Department Leader at Nahan Printing and has been in the printing industry since 1973. He has held the positions of Press Operator, Operations Manager, and Customer Service Leader.  Jim loves visiting his grandchildren, teaching them to play guitar and reminding them that grades are more important than sports.

Nahan Wins Gold at the Annual Gold Ink Awards

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SAINT CLOUD, MN – September 6, 2019 –

Nahan Wins Awards

Printing Impressions magazine, producer of the annual Gold Ink Awards, announced that Nahan has received a Gold Award in the Consumer Catalogs, Web category for production of the Neiman Marcus 2018 Christmas Catalog. The Gold Ink awards are considered the industry’s most prestigious print competition. Nahan was also recognized with two Bronze awards and seven Pewter awards in the following categories:

  • Consumer Catalogs, Web
  • Business Catalogs, Web
  • Digital Printing, Brochures & Booklets
  • Dimensional Printing

Gold Ink Selection Process

This year’s Gold Ink Award winners were chosen from nearly 600 entries submitted within 47 different categories, including: Books, Catalogs, Commercial Printing, Digital Printing, Magazines, Packaging, and many more.

Winning pieces were chosen based on print quality, technical difficulty, and overall visual effect. All winners can be found at https://www.piworld.com/extension/gold-ink-awards/

“It is great to be recognized by Printing Impressions for the quality of work we put into every product, each and every day. We are once again, very proud of our team’s commitment and dedication to quality; an asset that continues to set us apart in the industry.” said John Klumb, Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

About Nahan

Nahan Printing is a Minnesota-based, independent, privately-owned, world class printer committed to providing end-to-end solutions that add value to our clients. Since its inception in 1962, Nahan has specialized in catalog and direct mail printing for industries such as retail, financial services, non-profit and hospitality. With a client roster of legendary brands, Nahan prints iconic work that represents the highest level of quality and innovation in the industry. For more information about Nahan, please visit http://www.Nahan.com.