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Wednesday, July 28, 2010

QR Codes Bring Interactivity to Printing


Recently there has been a lot of press about QR (Quick Response) codes. These 2D glyphs were developed in Japan and are capable of containing up to 4000 characters of information.

The information can be read by a dedicated QR Scanner or with free software that can be downloaded on the ever increasing number of smartphones. The code can contain contact information, calendar events, URL's, geo locations or text messages.


In printing, the QR Code can be used to expand on the printed piece. For instance, a catalog might have a small description and a photo of a Flux Capacitor. Since this is probably your first Flux Capacitor, you might want to know what colors they come in, how much power each of the 3 different models uses and if it's still compatible with your 1979 DeLorean. If a QR Code was included, all you would have to do is snap a picture of it with your smartphone's camera and you would be taken to a website containing videos that would answer all of your questions.

Although the U.S. has been slow to adopt the technology, the explosion of iPhone, Android and Blackberry smartphones will make QR Codes an increasingly important marketing tool for enhancing the customer experience.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

The Basics of U.S. Mail


First Class Mail

First Class Mail is used for personal correspondence, bills and statements. There is no minimum or maximum number of letters required, however there are size and weight restrictions. It is more expensive than Standard Mail and additional services such as Certified Mail, Collect on Delivery and Certificate of Mailing can be applied to a First Class letter. Another advantage of First Class mail is that if it does not reach its destination due to a bad address, it will be returned to the sender, making it easy for them to update their list.


Standard Mail

A minimum of 200 pieces are needed to qualify for Standard Mail. When using Standard Mail, you need to do the preparation and sorting that result in substantially reducing your cost. This is why printed matter such as flyers, circulars, newsletters and catalogs are most often sent out this way. There are no returns for bad addresses with Standard Mail.


Presort Mail

Print Tech can Presort your mail for even greater savings. With a minimum of 500 for First Class or 200 for Standard Mail, our presortation does much of the work of the USPS, thereby getting maximum postage discounts. This includes reading addresses, placing barcodes and sorting mail according to the destination zip code. After sorting, mail is placed into trays and given to the USPS with payment at the discounted rate.