Direct design: when these entrepreneurs needed help producing high-quality marketing materials, they turned to 48hourprint.com to get the job done

Entrepreneur,  Dec, 2005  

Tags: job, marketing

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When Harry E. Gruber, Allen Gruber and Dennis Berman came together in 2000 to found Kintera Inc., they were focused on a single mission: to help nonprofits benefit from the power of the internet. Their San Diego-based business has accomplished just that. Kintera, which stands for knowledge and interaction, provides software to help nonprofits use the internet to achieve their fundraising, marketing, programming and advocacy needs. Building the software required most of their energy during the first year, but, with a solid platform in place, the company has been growing steadily ever since. Now more than 19,000 clients rely on Kintera's services, including the Arthritis Foundation, the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and Boy Scouts of America. And Kintera's projected 2005 revenue is on track to reach between $42 million and $45 million.

But Kintera's growth isn't entirely the result of strong leadership and a powerful idea. It also has to do with the importance Kintera's founders have placed on effective marketing. "I think marketing is critical for large or small companies, but absolutely for small," says Harry. While the founders look within the company to their marketing department for marketing strategies, they look outside, to 48hourprint.com, for top-quality marketing materials.

Kintera first used the Boston-based online printing company earlier this year after being disappointed by their previous vendor's lack of responsiveness. Their first order with 48hourprint.com was so well-executed, they quickly became repeat customers and have already placed more than a dozen orders for postcards advertising their educational seminars on how to use technology to empower communities. They have also taken advantage of 48hourprint.com's mailing services to have the postcards automatically sent out to their designated mailing lists.

While many business owners are drawn in by 48hourprint.com's 48-hour turnaround guarantee and competitive prices, Harry says it's the customer service that really impressed him. "Even if you don't have to get something out that day, just the fact that they will call you back and tell you it was received and when it's going out [is reassuring]," says Harry. "It will allow you to get it off your checklist and continue on with the next project."

Kintera has come to rely on 48hourprint.com's postcards and mailing services, but these are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what 48hourprint.com has to offer. The company specializes in other marketing materials as well, such as business cards, brochures and fliers--and will ship free samples for quality assurance. They make designing simple with their browser-based design tool, Design-Online (www.design-online.com). They also offer invaluable marketing tips and information through their newsletters and blogs. According to 48hourprint.com's director of marketing communications, Tim Kelleher, "We try to be a great resource for our customers, not just for ordering printing, but also partnering and promoting their businesses."

Whatever a growing business's needs--from executing a direct-mail campaign like Kintera's to revamping outdated marketing materials--48hourprint.com is the ideal online resource. "Your customers need to be able to reach you--to recognize you as easily as possible with consistently branded, high-quality materials that represent you well, and with the correct information," says Kelleher. "When you want to reach your customers, you need to be able to do it quickly and efficiently, and we can do it all in one easy step."

For business owners, there's nothing more valuable than simple peace of mind. Says Harry, "What [48hourprint.com] provides is a level of comfort so that we can focus on the really important things."

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