All Blog Articles

Grab Attention with an Eye Catching and Economical Tradeshow Display!

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Foam Core Trade Show Booth

Are you overwhelmed thinking about your next trade show? We know how you feel. With hundreds of vendors at any given show, it can seem like a daunting task to create a captivating and cost-effective display. You need to differentiate your business from your competitors. But you also need to reinforce your brand and leave potential customers with a lasting impression of your product or services. So, where do you even start?

Magna IV can help you create an innovative trade show display to grab any audience’s attention. Through its work with its sister company, Incredibly Charming Paper & Gifts, it has developed an in-depth understanding of trade shows and can help businesses navigate the rules and regulations of any venue. With its wide-format printer, Magna IV can also print directly onto light and durable materials, such as foam core, to create the display that works best for your brand.

Foam Core Trade Show Display

Even better, Magna IV has the capabilities to create unique features to help your booth or display stand out in the crowd. It can build custom shelves, use adhesives for an extra graphic element or create custom floor graphics. It can even acquire and print on flame-retardant foam core walls! But that’s not all. Magna IV can also handle your business’ trade show collateral materials like specialty business cards or brochures.

Want to find out more about Magna IV’s services? Check out its latest trade show displays for Incredibly Charming Paper & Gifts, Trade Fixtures, The Plucky Knitter and others. If you need help with your next trade show display, give Magna IV a call at 501-376-2041.

Trade Show Display

How the Landscape of Nonprofits is Changing

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Spotify ads. Email blasts. Text updates. Are you juggling multiple communications channels, but still can’t get donors to contribute to your cause? Magna IV is here to help. Steven Schilling, our senior account executive and in-house nonprofit expert, recently shared tips with Arkansas Money & Politics Magazine on how to attract and retain donors in today’s competitive nonprofit landscape:

Ask anyone with children, and they’ll tell you. It’s hard to get a millennial to focus these days, let alone look up from their phones to have a conversation. Now, imagine being a nonprofit. You’re not only trying to get these potential donors to pay attention, but to take action and contribute to your cause. Is it impossible? The short answer is no.

It’s true that nonprofits today are competing against dozens, if not hundreds, of other organizations who are going after the same donor dollars. It’s also a fact that 60 to 70 percent of donors are now giving once and only once. In the past, people were loyal to charities. That’s just not how it works anymore. Donors bounce around from nonprofit to nonprofit, or simply don’t give at all.

Before you throw up your hands in frustration, remember that it’s all about strategy. How are you communicating with donors? Don’t just send generic email blasts. Make a personal connection and consider your audience.

An appeal to twenty-somethings needs to be entirely different than an appeal to older donors. Take the Arthritis Foundation as an example. Many millennials view arthritis as an “old person’s disease.” Combat that myth by creating video testimonials for Spotify or securing a local celebrity that’s suffering from arthritis to be your spokesperson. It’ll help you attract potential donors’ attention and dollars.

Develop trust with your potential donors. Rule number one? Don’t send canned messages. Follow up in an authentic way by illustrating how donors’ dollars have made an impact. For example, “Your donation helped fund Christmas for four Angel Tree kids.” Send them that personal message, and the donors might consider contributing again next year.

The real key to success is making loyalty easy. Nonprofits’ websites should be clean and functional, with the information about payment methods readily available. Engage with potential donors by collecting their emails or contact information up front for future outreach. And, don’t forget to take advantage of social media. It’s an easy and inexpensive way to target potential donors — just look at how many nonprofits now have a “Donate” tab on their Facebook pages.

Don’t give up! Keep it personal, develop trust and make it easy to be loyal. Follow this simple advice, and you’ll be on your way to attracting and retaining donors for your nonprofit.

Do you need help with your next project? Magna IV provides its nonprofit partners with creative services, multi-channel marketing, kitting for national fundraising campaigns, print and signage solutions, fulfillment and distribution, direct mail services, online marketing portals and more. Contact Steven Schilling at 501-210-2559 or steven@magna4.net today.

Making Your Mark with Fleet Graphics

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Looking to build brand awareness? Visibility is key! Instead of simply using your company vehicles to transport goods or provide services, consider adding fleet graphics to maximize your business’ visibility and leave a lasting impression with your current and prospective customers. Need even more convincing? Numerous studies now report that fleet graphics are the most cost-effective and influential advertising available!

Good news! With our wide-format printing capabilities, Magna IV is a one-stop-shop for your fleet graphic needs. Our skilled team is able to create and produce partial or full vehicle wraps with different logos, colors and messages. We can also help maximize your marketing budget by tailoring your fleet graphics for different marketing campaigns or different demographics. The Magna IV team can even walk you step-by-step through the process—from design to installation—and produce everything in house to further streamline your costs. And since our wraps are made with durable, high-quality vinyl, we can install and remove your graphics without damaging your vehicles’ paints or finishes!

Take a look at some of the recent fleet graphic projects we’ve completed for Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, Heslep Concrete and Rich Logistics. We’ve even updated Magna IV’s vehicles with our new branding! Check out the photos below, and then call us at 800-946-2462 so we can help your business make its mark with fleet graphics!

Rich Heslep

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Making a splash with wide format printing

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As a long-time veteran of the marketing industry, Jon Davis understands the important role relationships play when building a company or organization’s brand. As he likes to say, “In today’s competitive economy, who you choose to deliver your brand message is as critical as the message you’re delivering.” We couldn’t agree more.

Magna IV was recently offered the opportunity to partner with ConAgra Foods on a project for The Jones Center, a recreation and community center in Springdale, Arkansas. They designed a modern space to revamp the leisure pool area for the center’s 20th anniversary, but they needed someone to bring their vision to reality.

That’s where Magna IV stepped in to help. We used our wide format printer to produce large vinyl wall installations, which consisted of four large displays of 25×20 feet each. Next came the window clings. Magna IV once again utilized its wide format printer to develop window samples at different opacity levels—ensuring the right color match—and then custom fitted the clings to fit the various window sizes. Our team also created branded swim towels to match the pool area’s new look.

When The Jones Center hosted its ribbon cutting ceremony a few weeks later, our partner brands enjoyed a successful reveal. We were proud to help ConAgra Foods execute their innovative vision and provide the northwest Arkansas region with a quality, family-fun environment for years to come.

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As sales director, Jon Davis utilizes his first-hand knowledge of the marketing industry to help identify and meet the print needs of vendors and businesses in the rapidly growing northwest Arkansas region. Read more about Jon Davis.

Magna IV Rebranded

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Notice anything different? Over the past few weeks, we’ve given our brand and website a major facelift. Why? Because in our more than four decades in business, Magna IV has moved beyond our traditional printing capabilities to encompass new technologies. Today, our experienced team can do just about anything. We can execute multi-media marketing campaigns. We can streamline customers’ costs by using digital printing and variable data. And we can set up online marketing portals to ensure brand consistency for some of the nation’s largest brands. It’s time that our image and website reflect these growing capabilities.

We’re proud to offer customers a wide range of cutting-edge services and solutions. We can do all types of printing including sheet-fed, digital, variable data, dye sublimation, web-to-print and large format. Magna IV can produce large format signage & displays for trade shows, events and fleet graphics. We can do in-house direct mail campaigns, fulfillment & distribution. Our capabilities don’t stop there, we are also able to do cross-media marketing, graphic design, promotional services and embroidery and branded apparel. The possibilities are endless!

Magna IV is continuing to evolve each and every day. We’re expanding our partnerships across the country by teaming up with non-profits, financial institutions, retailers, restaurant chains and more. We’re being called on to help businesses enhance their print and marketing campaigns, build their brands and grow their customer bases. The good news is we can help you, too. Take a tour of our new website, and then let us know how we can help you execute your next project.

5 Myths That Exist Around The Print Industry Revealed

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You may have questions and concerns when it comes to the use of print within your company or business. From “print is bad for the environment” to “print is dead”, many misconceptions exists around the print industry. Before believing the myths of print, learn the facts! I have tackled 5 of the most common myths of print below.

Myth: Consumption of paper is destroying the environment.

Truth: The print industry is one of the most sustainable industries in the world. Nearly all of the wood used in paper comes from trees that were grown in renewable tree farms. In the United States, two thirds of the paper produced comes from wood chips, saw mill scraps, and recyclable paper. Print is green! 

Myth: Print is old fashioned,

Truth: The print industry is constantly evolving to enhance capabilities and entice customers. Print campaigns remain an important source of marketing for many large corporations such as Nike, Pepsi, and Sharpie. Cutting edge and visually appealing print media keeps customers engaged and buying!

Myth: Print is dead.

Truth: Print is one of the largest industries in the world playing a huge role in the US Economy with a profit of $640 billion annually. The profit of the print industry was up every quarter in 2010 and 2011, the latest years for which statistics were available. Contrary to popular beliefs, print is NOT going anywhere!

Myth: Customers prefer digital media to print.

Truth: Although digital media is cutting edge, most customers still prefer the tangibility of print. A print publication gives a feeling of substance with accessibility and portability. Customers enjoy digital media but desire traditional print as well. A smart marketing plan is all inclusive and focuses on print and digital communications equally.

Myth: Print Campaigns don’t work.

Truth: Print media is engaging and effective. It requires the time and attention of a reader who is actively seeking out entertainment or information. Print ads in newspapers, magazines, catalogs, and even direct mail are excellent marketing strategies to catch and maintain your reader’s attention. It has been proven that direct mail brings in 78% of donations from non profits and is read by 80% of households.

Despite the myths, print is not going away any time soon. Print campaigns are an effective and successful form of marketing that will help you reach clients! Let Magna IV help you will all of your printing needs!

What Can Direct Mail do for You?

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Every so often we get the question, “Does Direct Mail work?” or “Is Direct Mail still viable considering the rising postage costs?” In a society that thrives on technology and social media, the benefits that direct mail continues to offer is often overlooked. Contrary to some beliefs, direct mail is still extremely effective and a marketing strategy that is worth the rise in cost. Direct Mail Marketing Campaigns are targeted, timely and measurable.

Still not sure? Here are a few statistics that you might find interesting:

  • 59% of US respondents agree with the following statement, “I enjoy getting postal mail from brands about new products.” ~ Epsilon’s 2012 Channel Preference Study
  • Four-fifths (79 per cent) of consumers will act on direct mail immediately compared to only 45 per cent who say they deal with email straightaway. ~ Direct Marketing Association (DMA)
  • U.S. Advertisers spend $167 per person on direct mail to earn $2,095 worth of goods sold. A 1,300% return on investment. ~ Print Drives Commerce 2013
  • Direct mail remains the largest single direct marketing expenditure, followed closely by teleservices at $41.2 billion. ~ What They Think

The key to successful Direct Mail is doing it right! Many strategic factors go into a Direct Mail Campaign. First and most importantly you must perfect your mailing list through list research and acquisition. The concept and design of your piece must be appealing and include a clear message and call to action. Lastly, you must evaluate the response you receive from your mail piece. Including your direct mail as a portion of a multimedia campaign is a great strategy. If your mail piece is attached to landing pages, QR Codes or promotional offers it can make tracking ROI much easier.

If your marketing plan has been skipping out on Direct Mail then you are missing out. YES it works, and YES it is effective. If you have any more questions on direct mail or would like to learn more contact Magna IV Communications today.

Do’s and Don’ts: Create the Perfect Print Ready PDF!

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When preparing your files to go to the printer it is important to get all aspects just right so that your final project comes out exactly how you want in a cost effective and timely manner. Below are some of the most important, yet easy steps to ensure that your publication arrives in perfect condition and exactly how you intended!

Do: Use Adobe InDesign, Quark Express, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop or similar programs. These programs are great for creating documents that are designed specifically for print.

Don’t: Use word processing software such as Microsoft Word or Microsoft Publisher. It does not work well for creating desktop print designs.

Do: Input and submit all files in PDF form (Portable Document File). Keep in mind though, that sending only a PDF limits our ability to make any adjustments or changes to your file. Also, be sure that all fonts and images are embedded into the PDF.

Don’t: Send a Low Resolution Jpeg or a Low Resolution PDF, these type of files will make your print job look fuzzy or grainy. The ideal resolution is 300 dpi.

Do: Specify the trim size, the bleed and the trim marks. Bleeds must always extend beyond the edge of the page boundaries. Also, keep in mind that most of your printed files will not be seen on a computer screen but will be held by your viewers. You must make sure that no important information is covered up by the reader’s hands.

Don’t: Use bleed less than .125 inches when creating a print ready file. Additionally, don’t place a company logo without leaving proper spacing around the edges. This is important to make sure that the branded logo stands out on the printed piece.

Do: Ensure that all fonts have the appropriate licensing. Fonts that cannot be embedded into the PDF file cannot be used on the print job. Also, CMYK color settings work well in prepress and generally produce better finished results, however the wide format printing equipment is profiled to reproduce RGB color space much better than CMYK. It is recommended to consult with your print partner to see which is best based on the application.

Don’t: Don’t submit jobs that require “spot” colors without a unique color properly defined in the page layout software’s color pallet. For example, if you desire a specific color of red, you must name it “PANTONE RED 032C” rather than just “red”.

Lastly, we offer several methods of transmitting files including FTP and our Insight marketing portal, which has capabilities to approve your print job online. If you send application files you should compress or “zip” them before they are sent to the FTP. Our marketing portal has tools that permit uploading PDF files directly into the prepress work flow for immediate online proofing.

More questions? Call 501-376-2397 to talk to one of our prepress experts. We are here to help and guide you!!

5 Easy Steps to Better Printing

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1. Always Pay close attention to the details.

Quality printing requires a high attention to detail, especially when special effects are required. Bleed equaling 1/8″ should always be added to your files if bleed is required on the printed piece. Any piece requiring die cutting should include die lines to ensure the proper cuts and scores are made. Foil stamping, embossing, varnishes and coatings also have unique design requirements in order to complete the finished product. If your printing project contains any of these items, please contact your sales or customer service representative for specific requirements before preparing your files to eliminate any lost production time or additional production costs.

2. Check the color mode on your files.

Most design software will allow you to choose CMYK from a number of different color modes. When you are designing for print this will almost always be the mode you will have to work with. Generally, RGB does not convert well to CMYK. Don’t worry, any issues that may arise with the color of your printed piece should be visible on the color proofs.

3. Confirm that you have the correct resolution.

Higher input resolutions produce better final results. If you send a low resolution jpeg or a low resolution PDF, your print job will look fuzzy or grainy. At Magna IV we want your print job to be perfect! The ideal resolution of files to be printed is 300 dpi.

4. Make sure to embed your fonts.

Files without embedded fonts cannot be used for proofing or plating. Also, keep an eye on font licensing. If fonts are purchased without proper licensing we will have the same results as if the fonts were not embedded.

5. Utilize our Insite Marketing Portal and FTP sites.

We offer several methods you can use for transmitting files to us including FTP and our Insite PrePress Portal. If you send application files, you should compress or “zip” them before they are sent to the FTP. The Insite Prepress Portal System provides password protected 24/7 Web access to save you time. Our PrePress Portal has tools that permit uploading PDF files directly into the prepress work flow for immediate preflight report, online proofing and approval.