This is the first in a series about integrated marketing campaigns. If you want to be kept updated on new posts, subscribe on the form to the right...

Step 1: Print Say Hello to Data...

You’re probably familiar with terms like web-to-print, integrated print campaigns, and multi-channel marketing. These terms get thrown about like rice after a wedding, but they’re not that simple to understand.This post is the first of several that will explain the basics of an integrated direct mail campaign. With this one, we’re focusing on combining print with your database. Each post will build upon the previous one. (When all is done, you’ll have a handy reference guide to share with your colleagues!)

OK. We’d place big bets that you’re not storing photos of your naked self on your company’s marketing portal. And maybe no one on your team is as famous as, say, Jennifer Lawrence or Kate Upton. But does this mean your digital assets that are residing out there in their virtual storage locker are 100% safe from data breaches?

The time may come when all of the corporate assets you want to upload to your marketing portal are digital, not tangible.

To be honest, coming across news that points to the power of print marketing makes our day. Even though print’s reputation has been taking a beating, we stand behind our belief that marketers will be successful through the use of print in their campaigns.

It’s too bad there’s no clearinghouse for information about which printing companies are modern – meaning they’ve continuously kept current with new printing technologies, and they speak the language of today’s marketers. With 30,000+ printers in the U.S. alone to work with, what’s a marketer to do when he or she is searching for a reputable and resourceful printer? A few tips on how to spot a “modern” printer might help.