Tips And Tricks – BUROFORM

Strengthen relationships with strong year-end printing

17 October 2023/in end of year, Stories, Tips And Tricks

The end of the year is approaching, and you know what that means: time to impress. Leave digital for a moment and throw in the tangible. We’re going all-in with tactile, eye-catching and super memorable year-end printing! From textures you must touch to colors that splash off the paper. Jingle bells, here we come!

Order year-end printing?
Get in touch and we’ll get you a quick quote!

Christmas Cards

Great, soon we will open the mailbox and for a change there will be something in it other than bills and advertising. Christmas cards with the most beautiful Christmas wishes on them. Choose a special paper or distinctive printing techniques. At Christmas, it may already be a little more.

Calendars: your brand, all year long

You can’t start planning early enough. Giving your associates a calendar in your style makes you indispensable 365 days. Also include some helpful tips, punishing quotes or tasty recipes that fit what you do. That way, that calendar becomes not only an eye-catcher, but also a topic of conversation!

Wine boxes & champagne boxes: cheers to a strong brand

There is almost no better way to associate your brand with the revelry. Imagine your logo on a stylish wine or champagne box….

Your brand in a tastefully printed box

The possibilities here are endless. From handy office goodies, to a delicious bar of chocolate. The items you choose say something about who you are as a company. A thoughtful selection of items can even be a mini-marketing campaign in itself. Present that in a nice box and you’re in immediately!

From idea to execution, we are ready to help you at our printing company in Mechelen. An end-of-year campaign with physical printing is a valuable investment in your relationships. Interested? Contact us and we’ll make something beautiful together.

Breakfast sessions at printing company Buroform: a hit with us

25 September 2023/in Buroformnieuws, Stories, Tips And Tricks

Ever thought you could experience the best of the printing industry while starting your day with a croissant and coffee? At printing company Buroform in Mechelen, this is the new standard. Buroform recently began hosting bi-weekly breakfast sessions with notable industry speakers.

Trudy Dorrepaal as guest speaker at Café Cliché at Buroform — Dutch book consultant Trudy Dorrepaal showered her guests with physical examples of exclusive art books.

The new generation of printing experts

Buroform Printing Company has always set the bar high with its baseline “FIRST-class printing.” “We’re no rookies at bringing people together. We’ve done that before on a larger scale,” said Jesse Marynen (Chief Print Officer, Buroform). “But now it is precisely the small scale that makes the concept so powerful. Our main goal is to inspire and network. We create an intimate setting where connections go as deep as our passion for strong printing.”

Know-how & ‘street cred’

“The speakers, including ‘paper doctor’ Katrien Maes and Bposter Tatjana Raman, share not only their know-how, but also their life experiences in the industry,” Jesse said. “What you learn with us is not written in any book. It is the quality of the content that makes our breakfast sessions so extremely valued.”

“What you learn with us is not written in any book.”

Simplify print ordering

“We realize all too well ourselves that ordering print materials can be technical and complex. With the breakfast sessions, we equip our customers with the knowledge they need. This is always done in a friendly and approachable way.”

Larah Lezy inspired by book during Café Cliché at Buroform

Inspiration table during breakfast session at Buroform

Tour of the print shop

Each session provides space for networking and for a tour of the print shop. “Most guests love seeing our printing machines up close. It’s a unique look behind the scenes that you don’t easily get anywhere else,” says Jesse.

No marketing and sales pitches

“While many in the printing industry like to eulogize the irreplaceable role of print, paradoxically, they often do so only through digital campaigns or average newspaper ads. That’s comfortable, but it misses the real soul of what we do. If we sincerely want to show the unique and tangible impact print can have, it is time to go beyond the usual marketing talk. It’s high time for action, for delivering First Class printing that amazes our customers and truly highlights the value of our craft.”

Made to measure

The initiative is fully in line with our mission: to make printing accessible and accessible to every company. “We continue to learn and innovate. With these breakfast sessions we take our customers through that process and want to offer them that little bit extra,” concludes Jesse.

Do you also want to keep up with the latest trends in printing? Signing up for a breakfast session at Buroform is easy and free via the Café Cliché website: cafecliche.be/breakfast-sessions.

How does the ROI of a print campaign score?

16 May 2023/in Stories, Tips And Tricks

In a world where online ads dominate, it is easy to write off print advertising as old-fashioned and ineffective. But what if we told you that print can still make a big impact and deliver an impressive ROI (Return on Investment)? According to research conducted by NDP News Media and GfK, it appears that print advertising, such as ads in newspapers and magazines, is still a powerful means of reaching consumers and achieving results. Let’s look at the findings and discover why print still deserves a place in the modern advertising landscape.

Daily newspapers and magazines: ROI Champions

The research shows that both dailies and magazines achieve impressive ROI figures. Advertisements in daily newspapers score an ROI as high as 120%. In other words, every euro advertisers spend on daily newspaper ads yields an average of €1.20. This means that the placement costs of the ads are already more than recouped within the campaign period. Magazines do even better with an ROI of 130%. Despite the lower reach of magazines, they manage to reach the right consumers and get results thanks to their highly targeted audience.

Television and radio: mass reach with moderate ROI

Although television and radio have a wide reach, the research shows that they have a moderate ROI compared to print media. Television achieves an ROI of about 60%, while radio scores slightly higher at 80%. The mass reach of television provides a good starting point, but the abundance of advertising diminishes its effectiveness. In radio, well-timed and powerful messages seem to work especially well to achieve the desired results.

Online banners: modest reach, but still a decent ROI

Online banners are often seen as an efficient and cost-effective means of reaching consumers. Although they have low reach and modest impact, the research shows that online banners deliver an average ROI of 110%. This is partly due to the lower price per GRP (Gross rating Point – percentage of audience reached). Although print ads are relatively more expensive per GRP than radio and television, their impact is so great that they yield a significantly higher ROI.

The influence of your target audience

In addition to ROI figures, it is also important to look at the targeting of the campaign. Print advertising gives you the opportunity to advertise in a very targeted way to a specific audience. This is especially relevant for niche companies targeting a specific market segment. Obviously, then, that’s where that high ROI score lies.

Synergy between online and offline channels

While print advertising has proven its worth, that does not mean it is the only effective form of advertising. In fact, print and online channels can reinforce each other. By creating an integrated advertising campaign, where print ads are supported by online presence, advertisers can reach a wider audience and increase the return on their investment. Combining different channels can create synergy and increase campaign success.

Measuring = knowing

The research shows that measuring the effectiveness of your advertising campaigns is also important. By charting how recipients respond to your campaigns, you can find out if they are producing the desired results. That way, you’ll know exactly what works and can make the most of your future campaigns.

Source:
https://www.ndpnieuwsmedia.nl/roi-advertising/

Also interesting:
https://magnetic.media/news-views/news/spark-2019
https://www.printpower.eu/insight/how-newspaper-advertising-boosts-profit-growth/

Getting your own book printed? Here’s how it works

18 March 2022/in Stories, Tips And Tricks

Thinking about getting your own book printed? Or would you like to present your entire collection in an original way in a catalog or brochure? Then a lot comes with that. Taking care of texts is one thing, but what about the choice of paper? What printing techniques do you prefer? Or how do you have the book bound? All things we guide you through from the first contact. A review.

Briefing

Everything starts with a good explanation. What is your book about? What do you want it to look like? Does the text take precedence or is it mostly about lots of visuals? What paper do you prefer for the cover and interior? These are just a few elements to consider during the initial briefing. The more information you give us, the better the picture we get. So throw all your wants and desires on the table!

TIP: Bring physical examples or create a page on Pinterest with examples. This will give us a clear understanding of exactly what you have in mind.

Ready for takeoff?

Based on your briefing, our experts suggest a number of paper types and finishing options. Do you have some budget left over? Then we like to experiment with special effects and glue work. Feel free to stop by our print shop to see all the possibilities live. Or we can come to your place ourselves and bring a few samples with us, of course!

The creators of “The Maneblussers” visited Buroform to see their creation go into print.

Go!

In several steps, we create a trial version of your book. You get to see every intermediate step, so you can always make adjustments. You come along for print startup. If you want, you can even trigger the machine yourself. Still thinking about a last-minute change? No problem, we will try to adjust where possible.

Once everything is printed, the pages are bound. Depending on the binding method you chose, the book will go through a different machine.

Hardcover booklets for Gimber will be bound.

Getting a book printed takes time and energy. Don’t go overnight and give yourself space to think carefully about each step of the process. When in doubt, let us hear from you. That’s what we’re here for. Any question, reflection or suggestion can only benefit the end result.

Would you like to come by to discuss your project? Make an appointment with kelly@buroform.be. We’d love to sit down with you!

Just love: why our ‘Cupid boxes’ were a hit

4 March 2022/in Stories, Tips And Tricks

What you give attention to grows. This applies to a lot of things, and certainly to the relationship between people. Who is not sensitive to a compliment or attention? By being there for each other, you achieve more together. Clients and partners also deserve a kind word or supportive pat on the back from time to time. Dare to be surprising, so that your message really arrives. The success of our “Cupid Box” is the ultimate proof of this: with this special Valentine’s Day box packed with chocolate, we stole the hearts and smiles of many customers.

Gift from the heart

No one can do without love. Neither do your customers and partners. Once in a while they deserve a little extra attention, showing that you are there for them. In that view, special occasions are the ideal time to show your appreciation. Consider a year-end calendar or Christmas card in December. Or a gift box of chocolate on the occasion of Easter. There are an awful lot of ways to surprise people and make them happy. Our recent Valentine’s campaign is the best example of this. On Feb. 14, our 100 most returning customers received a Cupid Box. A playfully folded box featuring a loving slogan and filled with delicious chocolate.

We could also have sent an e-mail with a nice text, possibly even with a nice video message. That would have worked, but such attentiveness exudes little effort. With our Cupid Boxes, we took a much more creative and playful approach. By developing a special box with a fun quote and tasteful content, we created something tangible that people remember. It is a gift that responds to the senses in several ways. You can see, hear, feel, smell and taste it. In short: a very different experience than a well-intentioned email that is only to be read.

“I received the most adorable gift at the office. How beautiful!!! Thank you very much, that will be tasty.” – Jilka Binnemans – Standard Bookstore

Always overdeliver

The response to our Valentine’s Day campaign was overwhelming. On top of one hundred gifts for our customers, we also gave away fourteen boxes through our newsletter. In no time, we were overwhelmed with responses. Therefore, to still give all those people something, we provided an extra gift. Those who did not receive a Cupid box still received a small gift as a thank you for their enthusiasm. The idea behind that: always overdeliver. Always do just that little bit more than what people expect. Not only will you make a good impression this way, they will remember your attention much longer. Do you remember the last time you received something totally unexpected? Perhaps so, because moments like that stay with you.

“Cupid is welcome to point his arrows at me. ;-) Curious to see what he has in store!” – Jolijn Vannuffelen – LACO

Stand out and stand out

Moral of the story: dare to stand out, stand out and surprise. Drop in on your customers when they are not expecting it. Invest in a corporate gift on the occasion of April 1 or Easter. Pour a special package of chocolate. That way, not only will you arrive in style, your gift will stay on your client’s desk much longer.

“A box full of love for the craft. Very handsome.” – Wim – Image Box

Unpacking with packaging: inspiration for a unique brand experience

14 February 2022/in Stories, Tips And Tricks

For a strong brand, communication is everything and everything is communication, even product packaging. Are environment and ecology important to you? Would you like to exude a sense of luxury? Or do you prefer to come across as playful and creative? Show that so that your target audience immediately experiences who you are and what you stand for. From unique cap shapes and special printing techniques to ecological papers and personalized messages, this is how you add a unique touch to your packaging.

Creative with special hood shapes

In the form of an animal, flower or keychain. Or feature wavy lines or rectangular cutouts. Your packaging can take a wide variety of forms. With hood shapes, you can really go either way. A great example is the Easter boxes from Direct operations, which specializes in unique direct mailings. They chose a colorful box in the shape of the Easter Bunny for their Easter campaign: playful, creative and completely tailored to the message.

Environmentally conscious packaging

Sustainability is an important issue these days, and perhaps for your business as well. That love for the environment can easily be reflected in your packaging. For example, we ourselves use completely ecological packaging for storing our name tags. Not only is it made of recycled paper, during production not a drop of glue is used: beautiful, high quality and environmentally conscious, exactly what we as a printing company want to convey.

Personalized promotional gift

A corporate gift with a personalized message on the packaging? Nothing or no one can beat that. There is nothing more catchy than addressing your customer directly, and for us, creating personalized packaging is a piece of cake. No immediate idea about the text yourself? Then our copywriters will create a dazzling slogan that completely blows your customer away.

Packaging with luxurious appearance

Can it be just a little more? Then you can choose from numerous special printing techniques with a luxurious effect such as foil printing, letterpress and spot varnish. If you combine them with the right paper, you can turn your packaging into something really special. Take this fold-out VIP box we created for RSC Anderlecht. High-quality sulfate board overlaid with a soft touch laminate and combined with gold foil creates an instant luxury feel, perfectly suited to Belgium’s biggest soccer club.

Got a creative idea of your own for Easter? Or need to put our heads together? Connect with us through David and together we’ll make sure your Easter campaign stands out!

Keeping your printed material longer? Keep these tips in mind

1 February 2022/in Stories, Tips And Tricks

No doubt you’ve noticed: time affects the look of printed matter. Paper is a natural product, made from materials that gently degrade over time. Yet you can achieve a great deal with a few efforts. Four golden tips so that you too can enjoy your books, magazines and brochures for as long as possible!

In libraries and archives, the temperature usually does not exceed 18°C and humidity fluctuates between 50 and 55%. In theory, the ideal climate for optimum paper storage. At home or in the office, of course, it’s not all that easy, but the tips below can go a long way toward extending the life of your printed materials:

1. Avoid high temperatures

Paper is sensitive to high temperatures. If it is warmer than 21°C, it will discolor faster. So keep your printing as far away from heat sources as possible. The cooler and drier you keep paper, the longer it will last. A 5-degree reduction can actually double the lifespan of paper!

2. Move paper as little as possible

A point of interest following on from the previous one. When moving paper between two rooms, you need to consider temperature differences. If it is warmer than 8°C at your print’s new destination, it will have an impact. The moisture from the warm air will precipitate on the paper in the form of droplets. And as you know: water and paper, that’s never a good combo.

3. No direct sunlight

Sunlight consists of UV radiation. Which is not only harmful to the skin. Ink is also very sensitive to it. Under the influence of direct sunlight, ink will fade faster. Even if you put your printed matter in the shade, it’s a cloudy day or it’s tucked away behind glass: UV rays will still cause your printed matter to discolor.

4. No to damp areas

Wet is pernicious for paper. Therefore, be careful with poorly insulated rooms or damp areas such as the garden shed, basement or attic. Excessive humidity encourages mold and paperfish. What you can do is package your printed matter properly. For example, in a PE-coated box. Or have your printing finished with a laminate or sealing film. That way it is better protected in advance!

5 examples for a successful corporate gift

28 September 2021/in Stories, Tips And Tricks

In life, you must dare to look ahead. That means thinking about your corporate gift now. One thing is certain: year-end printing will be even more in demand this year than last. Five examples to make your year-end campaign pop!

1. Custom champagne boxes printing

No Christmas or New Year’s party without bubbles. So don’t make it too hard on yourself: a bottle of champagne as a business gift is always appreciated. And even more so when the packaging is fully aligned with your brand’s corporate identity: your customer or partner receives a delicious gift, and you advertise yourself in one gulp.

2. Personalized calendar as a corporate gift

An absolute classic. During the end-of-year period, a printed calendar or weekly planner remains a winner. Especially if you have it personalized. In that case, show off your brand on your client’s wall or desk for 365 days.

The only question: how do you make sure your calendar really stands out? Scroll through our checklist of golden tips to turn a weekday calendar into a stunner of size.

Not much time to put energy into design yourself? Then we’ll integrate your logo into one of our own designed calendars: a corporate gift that requires little effort yet is a highly personalized gift for your customers.

3. Tangible Christmas cakes

Sending your Christmas and New Year’s wishes via Facebook, Instagram or a mailing is easy, but also a bit distant. A persuasive corporate gift may have just a little more depth. Nothing like a Christmas card printed fresh off the press with a personal touch.

Whether that is still of our time? Precisely because everything nowadays goes through digital means, people attach even more importance to the tangible. Research has already shown that a printed message is actually read 87% of the time. Moreover, such a card helps brighten your customers’ workplace. And admit it: this year we can all use some happy Christmas vibes, right?

4. Personalized calendars

New year, new start. And maybe also a new best friend to help with your daily and weekly planning: the paper calendar is all the way back. If you have it personalized, it becomes totally part of your company story. Consider your logo or brand name on the cover. Or let out all the stops, go for a stylish foil-printed design and then use that personalized calendar as a corporate gift. In this way, you are by your client’s side every day of the year.

5. Relational gift wrapping with your own wrapping paper

There is nothing more fun than getting presents. Therefore, don’t look too far. Surprise your customers with creative wrapping paper or a custom gift box. Surprising, original and festive. Sometimes it doesn’t have to be more than that.

Need more inspiration or do we go to work for you? Connect with us at hello@buroform.be

Merry Christmas! Start your year-end campaign early

2 September 2021/in end of year, Stories, Tips And Tricks

St. Nicholas is not in the country yet. Schools have only just opened, but the rollers on our presses are already greased and our printers are in their starting blocks, as the holiday season arrives again. That is, calendar, Christmas card and calendar printing galore! For a stress-free Christmas, starting your campaign(s) for the holidays in good time is a good plan.

*Need inspiration? Our favorites in a row.*

Make a difference

End of year is the perfect opportunity to make a difference. Therefore, stand out with quality printing. It is the way to do something special for clients and associates. With a Direct Mailing , your warm Christmas message lands directly in your mailbox.

Twenty grams of happiness

Paper makes all the difference. During the end-of-year period, emptying your mailbox even more than usual is a time to look forward to. After all, that one will be showered with love, warmth and perhaps your festive designs.

Did you know that the opening rate of Direct Mail is 68.5%? An e-mail is only opened 20.81 % of the time. (Source: Bpost media)

Small gesture!

Christmas card printing doesn’t have to be complex. And the effect is far greater than the effort you put into it. You make people happy with a small gesture. It’s like a Christmas present coming in.

Personalize!

The more personal, the more beautiful. By the way, adding your recipient’s name to a Direct Mail campaign is not difficult, but makes a world of difference. You can send us an excel list of recipients. Our creative studio then does the rest, from design to printing and shipping.

Starting on time pays off.

The end of the year still seems far away, but the earlier you start, the more creative the result in the mailbox. And good to know: at the end of the year, our presses are running overtime. So ordering on time is the message to stress-free thank your relations with an original gift.

Want to work with us on your year-end campaign? Contact us at hello@buroform.be. Would you like personalized Christmas cards? Order them online at our casual print shop: designcards.be.

7 reasons why we love print

30 August 2021/in Stories, Tips And Tricks

We often read and hear the doomsday scenarios: ‘Digital thrives, print bleeds to death’ or ‘Print has had its day.’ Do we at Buroform agree to that? Of course not! A digital way of communicating is a great complement to print and vice versa. Are you also curious why we love printmaking so much? Then read on quickly.

1. Paper is in our DNA

It was the Egyptians who developed something fantastic thousands of years ago. Something we use every day: paper. You see it all around you: from a birth announcement to a magazine to toilet paper. There are so many products that incorporate paper, we can’t live without it. Paper is in our DNA.

2. Print media make us curious

Are you also always curious about the contents of your mailbox? You are not alone! We previously wrote about a survey at Bpost. This showed that as many as eighty percent of those surveyed are curious about their mail. Twenty-seven percent of the mail read, in turn, leads to actions: requesting information, making purchases, … So the conclusion is clear: in our mailbox there are enormous opportunities to reach people.

Need inspiration? Take a look among our tips to personally address your target audience.

Argenta’s Coping with Money Kit teaches young teens how to handle money through play.

3. Reading on paper strengthens your memory

Okay, maybe we’re exaggerating a little bit with this title, but still… When we read on a screen, we scan: we read diagonally and skip sentences or paragraphs. That’s how we lose pieces of the message.

Because we read slower on paper than on a screen, readability is increased and the message seeps deeper into memory. As a result, we remember messages on paper better and longer. Want to communicate an important message or a long text? If so, be sure to choose a printed version.

An absolute gem, those presentation folders for Bank Park.

4. Messages on paper make you focus

Suppose: While reading an email on your smartphone, you receive a message from your best friend. What are you doing? Did you also reply “I open that message”? Many of us will agree with you.

Communicating digitally may be convenient in this digital age, but you still have to take in pop-ups, online advertising and notifications all the time. Messages on paper don’t give you those distractions and offer a pleasant offline peace of mind.

5. Printed matter excites our senses

When we read on screen, we use only one sense: our eyesight. We can look at the screen but are otherwise not stimulated.

Print, on the other hand, offers many more incentives. We’ll take you a moment: you open the mailbox and find a box. You open the box and take out a beautiful invitation to a winter wedding. You look (sight sense) at the invitation very carefully and feel (touch sense) an impression in the card. Your attention returns to the box that also contains a booklet. As you open the booklet, the aroma (sense of smell) of pine trees is released and you hear the rustling (hearing) of paper. Big difference, right?

Wondering how print media can enhance your marketing mix ?

6. Printed matter really speaks to you

Digital ads that may be of interest to you are sought out via cookies. For example, an ad for that one pair of pants you saw online – but didn’t buy – can haunt you for weeks through various websites and in your mailbox.

Printing does not do this. With print, you choose where and when to have certain information brought to you. If you read an article about gardening in a magazine, it means you are interested in this at that moment. If you see an ad about flower pots in the same magazine, you choose on your own initiative – and with greater interest – to view that ad.

7. Printed matter makes an impression

Quality printed materials, more than digital communications, leave an impression. Because your message becomes tangible, you are more likely to make a connection with the person holding the printed material. The fact that printed material is kept longer than a mail only offers further advantages.

Not convinced? Then consider this: How long does a text message with “Thank you” stick with you? And how long will you enjoy a card with that same message?

Conclusion: Is print bleeding to death?

No. There may have been many shifts in our industry in recent years, but print will still be around. Because it leaves an impression, stimulates our senses and makes us occasionally shed a tear.

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