Color Web Uses GMC Software to Build Multichannel Campaign and Launch New Digital Printing Business in Less than Sixty Days

With the help of a multi-partner consulting and implementation team led by Gimbel & Associates, and high-end, high-impact communications campaign created with GMC Software, Color Web Printers launched a new digital printing business in under 60 days and created an engagement campaign that captured double-digit response rates. Response Rates Up to 41 Percent Drive New Customer Engagements.

Garden City, NY, March 18, 2011 – With the help of a multi-partner consulting and implementation team led by Gimbel & Associates, and high-end, high-impact communications campaign created with GMC Software, Color Web Printers launched a new digital printing business in under 60 days and created an engagement campaign that captured double-digit response rates.

Color Web is part of Source Media, a larger enterprise with publishing and television divisions. The respected Color Web newspaper-printing division serves award-winning customers, and had solid experience in offset and wide format printing, but had outsourced digital printing.

The Digital Decision
In the fall of 2010, as part of a consulting team, Gimbel & Associates did a comprehensive Color Web analysis, followed by a business plan that included marketing and financials. On behalf of the Color Web Printer division, Gimbel presented the strategy and recommendations to Source Media executive management. In December, the Board of Directors gave approval to the full proposal of GMC document and campaign software, Xerox printing equipment, and Gimbel business development services and training. Color Web then engaged Gimbel & Associates to develop a business development strategy, from analysis to planning to infrastructure to sales training to promotion.

Full Blown Campaign in Less than Sixty Days
“The most exciting thing about this is that in under 60 days, Color Web went from being a company that wasn’t even in the business, to becoming a marketing services provider capable of extremely sophisticated campaigns. Everything came together: the right tools, equipment and training to get Color Web up to speed. It was quite a phenomenon,” said GMC’s Scott Baker, Vice President, Worldwide Channels.

Multichannel Campaign Hits All Touch points
To drive business to the new division, a high-end campaign convinced qualified prospects to visit the Color Web facility and learn firsthand how the company could help them. Gimbel & Associates worked with GMC Software to build and execute Color Web’s first digital campaign using the same tools and practices that Color Web would in turn provide its customers. GMC Software and assistance from GMC’s professional services team were lynchpins of this rapid business development, enabling the integrated creation of multiple components of the multichannel strategy.

Color Web created a sequence of integrated branded, personalized components in high quality color using GMC software and a Xerox iGen color system. “GMC software is a great enabler, not only for huge runs, but also for smaller, highly focused multichannel campaigns like this,” said Roger P. Gimbel, EDP.

GMC Software is the standard for customer communications management, with a suite of tools that enable companies like Color Web to build richly textured, measurable communications. GMC ensured campaign components were integrated and consistent with the overall themes. Overall, the campaign included:

• Open house and private executive roundtable
• Two 6”x9” two-sided full color invitations
• Personalized URL and landing pages
• Online survey, confirmation emails
• Themed reminder emails
• Telemarketing
• Personalized, full color posters and calendars printed onsite
• Docucard personalized agenda and name badge combination
• Campaign dashboard to track metrics
• Event photobooks

Two Themes, Two Mailers
A private executive roundtable and an open house launched the new digital print division. The “Demand More” theme promoted the Color Web open house. The “Embrace” theme invited a select group of prospects to an executive roundtable presentation. Demonstrating convergence of print and multi-channel communications, each mailer went out with a personalized URL, which sent the reader to a customized landing page. After an online survey identified their interests, a confirmation email went out using the appropriate theme. Mindfire software was used to create personalized URLs for the landing pages and a campaign dashboard to track results. A reminder email went out a few weeks later, followed by another two weeks before the event. GMC software ensured the components were integrated and consistent with the overall themes. Telemarketing kicked in as they came down to the wire.

Personalized Color Everywhere
Onsite, a “docucard” was printed for each attendee. Xerox designed these unique folders, which packaged a personalized agenda and a pullout name card complete with each company’s logo. GMC-built personalized posters and calendars were also printed onsite in vivid iGen color as gifts and to showcase Color Web’s new capabilities. Photobooks produced with DigiLabs were sent to attendees later as mementoes and as another personalized reminder about Color Web capabilities.

Real Metrics, Real Results
With the Mindfire campaign dashboard, Color Web could accurately measure results. The “Embrace” themed roundtable invitation went to 56 VIPs, while 380 business people were invited to the open house. Of the roundtable invitees, 23 attended, for an amazing 41 percent response rate. The open house had 38 guests, an impressive 10 percent response rate.

The Mindfire dashboard also captured ROI metrics from click throughs and site visits to landing pages. Of 380 open house invitations, 18 percent went to the site, and of these, 10 percent came to the event. “All these metrics are important because they are real,” said Gimbel. “They show the campaign was a phenomenal success.”

Multichannel Success
“The event was a success because of the team that put in the hard work to make it happen,” said Buzzy Castonguay, Color Web Business Development Manager. “Customers left very excited about the new technology and how it can help their businesses.”

“Expanding into new markets takes more than having a great idea. It’s about finding the right partners from business development to innovation. Whether you have a sophisticated CRM or a simple web-to print solution, the integration becomes a key differentiator. Putting these together is testament to Color Web's success in driving new opportunities,” said Xerox’s Gavin Jordan-Smith, Vice President, Production Workflow and Solutions Line of Business.

[Note to editors: Graphics of campaign components and a full version of the Color Web case study are available upon request.]

Gimbel & Associates Media Contact
Lois Ritarossi, Senior Consultant
lois@rogergimbel.com
781-444-6849

About Gimbel & Associates
Gimbel & Associates is uniquely positioned to assist clients with business objectives. The consulting team of senior consultants each with 25 to 35 years and more of direct industry experience. The company’s diverse expertise in commercial print, digital print, transaction print, direct marketing, database management, fulfillment, variable data and cross media applications and marketing communications, enables them to bring a depth of knowledge resulting in positive ROI for our customers. Cross-functional skill sets span hardware, software, strategy, marketing and operations.

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Gimbel & Associates is uniquely positioned to assist clients with business objectives.

Contact:
Lois Ritarossi
Gimbel & Associates
400 Garden City Plaza, Suite 405
Garden City, NY 11530
781-444-6849
lois@rogergimbel.com
http://rogergimbel.com

This release was published on openPR.