THE CHOICE OF PROFESSIONALS, PRINTING SERVICE

Business printing service remains the cornerstone of effective marketing in today’s world despite of the ease of the computer, mobile devices and the Internet. In the whole scheme of things the Internet is only a partial solution; a door opener and a follow up for the face-to-face meeting. There is nothing more personal than a business card or other printed collateral to leave a lasting impression with your customer. In today’s business atmosphere after the Power Point presentation the tangible piece of descriptive business printing is the vital take-away.

A printing serviceprovide business cards, envelopes, brochures, catalogs, magazines, programs, white papers, forms, contracts and handouts in quantities that are more cost effective than the color copier. For instance, shipping a product to an existing customer is an opportunity for a product update or add-on sale with color brochures and inserts.

If you are attending a trade show, business cards and color printing are a must. Digital printing is perfect for targeting captured audiences. You can map your message directly to a specific customer need.  Partnering with a printing service can assist you with graphic design, layout and color choices that will make a lasting impression. And what about after the trade show? Phone calls, emails, postcards and thank you notes are in order.

I am not saying that digital printing will close the sale for you but a color brochure in the customer’s hand says you care enough to leave something with them. 

About the Author: Thomas Miner is the presidenr of Bartleby Press, an Austin printing service

Why everyone needs a good proofreader…

Copywriters and bulletin editors tend to take things personally. When I was publishing an Irish culture magazine I detested it when something I've written went to a proofreader or copyeditor and my work came back all marked up. "I wanted THAT comma just where I put it!!"

On the other hand, it is embarrassing when I've printed an article and someone sends an email saying "I could not read the article because of the errors?"

When you are gathering copy for your weekly bulletin it may come to you in bits and pieces with the expectation that the editor will clean it up, rewrite it or edit it down for space. That takes time and if you are still putting the bulletin together you are behind the eight ball every week or rolling that massive stone. It tends to create a Sisyphus atmosphere. You remember the mythical cruel Corinth king condemned in Hades to roll a boulder up a hill only to have roll back down again. 


Bartleby Press’ church bulletin service takes the layout process out of your hands allowing for more time to edit and proofread. If you would like more time to proofread and write your bulletin visit www.bartlebypress.com under the Church Publishing and Website Services menu or call us at 512-452-3413

Your Website is a Tool of the Future

A question that I am asked most often is where do you see the bulletin going in the future?

My first reaction is don’t you mean to ask what do you see in the future for parish communication?

When you think about parish communication of activities and events the pulpit announcement is first and foremost as the most effective avenue to reach your congregation. Accommodating parish ministries requests for pulpit announcements can add more than a few minutes to the pulpit announcements and most pastors refrain from a multitude of announcements before and or after Mass. The alternatives are the bulletin and the parish website.

The bulletin announcement or bulletin insert is the next obvious choice. Most submissions can turn into a short novelette rather than the announcement of a coming week activity. Often writers are not educated in copy writing and submit long and repetitive entries leaving the bulletin editor hours of unwanted revision, often subjecting themselves to a writer’s scorn for editorial privilege.  The bulletin should have a singular purpose of highlighting all the activities pertaining to the following week. A short synopsis of succinct copy, art and strong attention grabbing headlines will better serve any parish activity. Any more explanation of a ministry other than basic information (who, what, where and how)should be re-directed to the parish website.

As we entered into the age of information (the creation of the web 22 years old this past February 16) the opportunity to provide vast amounts of information about the many ministries is essential for a thriving parish community. Web-editors are becoming as important as the bulletin editor (most are one and the same). Parish administrators are becoming more aware of the advantage of having an up-to-date comprehensive website. Not only can ministries write pages of information they can send a viewer to links providing more insight to a subject Most recently mobile devices have entered the picture.

Our way of communicating has changed the bulletin from a sole source of information to a point of reference for the website. Integrating and keeping continuity between the bulletin and the website is the new challenge. Pastors and parish administrators wanting to know more about Bartleby Press’ bulletin service and website service should visit our website www.bartlebypress.comunder menu item website services.

About the Author: Thomas Miner is the president of Bartleby Press, an Austin bulletin  printing service