We pay a lot of attention to paper in our daily lives. Toilet paper that is. They talk about how soft it is, how absorbent, how strong, is it textured, woven. I even found a segment on The Talk. Commercial after commercial about what kind is best. And let’s be honest – we ALL have a preference. I mean Charmin wants me to “enjoy the go.” Cottonelle used to show me cute soft puppies, but now they are talking about my bum. Angel Soft connects to my need for an ideal balance of softness and strength – and warns us that throwing toilet paper at people it no laughing matter!
So it makes me wonder – how much thought are you putting into what kind of paper you are printing on? The Toilet Paper Marketeers are appealing to what their paper can do for their customers and giving us WOW to make their product stand out! Commercials are catchy and funny, but they are talking about paper, folks. Are you putting that much thought into the paper you are sending out to solicit clients? A paper choice can actually make a big difference. Yes sometimes it will impact cost, but it can make a dramatic improvement. And with the digital print era growing stronger and stronger a good paper may not add as much cost to your job as you think.
Nowadays there are hundreds upon hundreds of papers to choose from – and not just card stock vs. copy paper. But colors, textures, finishes that make your paper appear pearlized, metallic, or even satin soft to the appearance and touch. If you thought ribbed paper or paper with little bits of pulp in it was a big deal, time to get out and explore.
You want your direct mail card to stand out from the junk it gets sent out with? Consider using something heavier that can’t simply be wadded up and pitched. Maybe use something eye-catching like a high gloss, or a muted metallic paper. Are you printing a brochure or pamphlet? Handing someone something flimsy that bends over when it is folded isn’t starting out on a great foot. It might say “I don’t care…here is info about my company on this copy paper though!”
Come on people…think outside the box! Or hire me and I’ll help you. 😉 Okay, okay, yeah, I’d love to spend some money to produce really cool stuff, but really cool stuff doesn’t always have to cost a lot. And printing on a quality paper, for a lasting impression (and a piece that isn’t going to arrive looking like crap) IS IMPORTANT. Besides, paper comes by the ream, so maybe you aren’t putting the money into a correct perspective, huh?
You put thought into your toilet paper before you buy it. How much do you want to spend? What qualities do you want your paper to have? How does it make you feel? Is your plumbing going to accept it readily? How many rolls/uses can you get out of a pack? And I’m curious: how many of you go cheap and buy the hard thin paper that chaffs your butt? Think about your paper choices – maybe it’s time for some change!
PS – I buy Cottonelle from Walgreen’s. $5 for a huge pack. It’s soft, absorbent, strong, and doesn’t break the bank.
