Your current website is starting to get a bit long in the tooth and you're ready for a new one! Even before you issue that RFP, here are five things you should consider:

1. What are your goals for the new site? Perhaps it's a certain image you want to portray, a certain audience you are trying to reach, or specific tasks you want users to be able to accomplish – thinking that through ahead of time will be tremendously helpful as you begin to prepare your RFP. And if you've gone so far as to create a preliminary navigation chart for the new site, all the better. The more information you can provide to the companies responding to your RFP about your expectations for the new site, the more detailed and accurate responses you are likely to get.
2. How will the new site fit into your company's overall marketing efforts? We are very into taking an integrated approach to marketing, and we think you should be too. As you think about your goals and objectives for the new site, you should also think about how the new site will work with your other marketing efforts – direct mail, social media, PR, etc.
3. What is your budget? Even if you don't share this information with the companies responding to your RFP, you should have a sense of your financial threshold for the project. A project's budget will often dictate what can be accomplished, so be prepared to prioritize what you want in the new site. Identify those things that are critical for the initial launch vs. those things that could wait for a future phase.
4. Who will be your internal champion for the project? After the project begins, it is tremendously helpful if there is an individual at your organization who is responsible for the success of the new website. While there may be a few individuals who will have input during the process, all project feedback should be consolidated and funneled though this person. Trust me, things will run far more smoothly.
5. And, possibly one of the more important ones (and probably the most overlooked): Who will be responsible for gathering and developing the site's content? Whether it's you, someone else at your company, OR the firm you are hiring, this needs to be decided up front. When there's no plan for this ahead of time, it can severely delay the project's completion. That's when very attractive, very functional "under development" websites sit and wait... and wait... and wait for content.

Forget about your waistline! Why not make this year’s resolution to reduce your carbon footprint? And, what easier way to do so then changing the way you are printing your organization’s materials?

There are LOTS of different ways to do this – choice of printers, choice of paper, choice of ink… you name it. I’ve outlined a few things to consider when looking at the various options so you know just how green you’re going.

OK, so your paper has “recycled content” – many do – but are your printer and/or the paper you’re printing on FSC or SFI-certified? The Forest Stewardship Council promotes responsible forest management globally by certifying forest products that meet the most rigorous standards in the world. Like the FSC, the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® promotes the use of responsibly-sourced forest products.

And, what about chlorine? Be aware that not all “Chlorine Free” paper is created equal.

The good:

Total Chlorine Free (TCF) - has not been exposed to any forms of chlorine during the bleaching stages

Process Chlorine Free (PCF) – is made from recycled fiber that has not been re-bleached with any chlorine-based bleach

The bad:

Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) - is bleached with chlorine compounds, therefore still producing dioxin. It does not use chlorine in its elemental form (chlorine gas), hence the name Elemental Chlorine Free.

(A full explanation of the various paper bleaching processes can be found on the Conservatree site.)

Finally, don’t forget the ink! Soy or vegetable-based inks are a far more eco-friendly alternative to traditional petroleum-based inks. Digital printing, which uses non-toxic toner, produces even less waste and is a great option for the lower-run print jobs.

If you haven't heard about or seen QR codes yet, you probably will soon. The QR ("Quick Response") code—also referred to as mobile tagging—was developed by the Japanese firm Denso-Wave in 1994, and is commonly used in Japan. They allow you to store information—a contact vCard, a web link, destination maps, etc.—within a two dimensional bar code that can be scanned and read using your mobile device's camera.

There are lots of possibilities: on business cards or other marketing materials, on signs, or even in video. In 2007, the band Pet Shop Boys used QR codes in one of their music videos to direct viewers to issue-related information online.

You'll need an appropriate mobile app, of course. There are several available, and if you do a quick Google search of "QR code reader" and the type of device you have – iPhone, Droid, etc.—you should be able to find the one that's right for you. Then it's just a matter of point-and-shoot. The software will read the information bar-code and deliver it up on your device (then you just click on the URL, add the contact info to your Contacts, etc.).

And, there are LOTS of sites out there that you can use to generate the codes. I used this site and created the following:

Once you have the app, just point it at the screen and take a picture – see what you get!

Looking at next year's budget and trying to do more with the same, or even with less? The ins and outs of the U.S. Postal Service direct mail rates and schedules can get complicated, but knowing the basics can save you money. Below are three considerations for your next mailing.  

1. Consider mailing standard presort instead of first class presort. Depending on the physical size of the piece, standard presort can result in substantial savings in postage. For example, a flat piece weighing under 3.3 oz could cost as little as 49.6 cents to mail standard presort. The same size piece (under 3 oz) could cost as much as $1.09 to send out first class presort.
2. Consider the physical size of your mailing. Larger pieces cost more to mail. For example, an 8.5" x 11" flat mailer folded again to 8.5" x5.5" can mail under the letter rate rather than the higher flat rate. The standard presort letter rate (for anything under 3.3 oz) is 27 cents while the flat rate is 49.6 cents. Even if sent first class presort, there would be savings - the letter rate (under 1 oz) is 38.2 cents, while the flat rate (under 1 oz) is 75.7 cents.
3. Consider paper and printing. Choosing a #2 or #3 stock, rather than a #1, could save on printing costs. For example, the cost of printing 10,000 6" x 11" postcards on 100# RIS Value Silk Cover is 15% less than if you were to print on 100# McCoy Silk Cover. And if your print quantity is low, consider digital printing - it can often be much more cost effective than traditional offset printing.

What ways are you saving on direct mail?