Despite the massive growth in online communications and touchpoints, customers still prefer getting transactional printed statements in the mail. But more importantly, customers also want mail communications that match their online equivalents in terms of an easy-to-understand and personalized experience.

Those increased expectations for engaging print communications raise color printing as a top priority. Mail without color runs the risk of low open rates, lack of clarity and a missed opportunity to build a print brand that matches your digital one. Failing to customize mail to customers’ unique wants and needs also ignores valuable opportunities to connect with specific target audiences.

Switching from toner to color inkjet streamlines printing for faster job times; empowers users to make changes (i.e. Terms & Conditions, contact information) more quickly; and reduces the waste that comes with producing pre-printed forms. All this while also producing more personalized, understandable communications.

Color enhances the user experience

Across industries, brands are producing full color transactional and promotional materials for several reasons. Businesses cited the following for communicating more in color:

  • strengthening brand image (26%)
  • making things easier to read/review (15%)
  • competitive differentiation (15% for promotional documents, 13% for transactional)


More than half of customers say physical mail is a useful reminder to make payments. Many cite other factors regarding their preference for printed statements, such as the ability to keep a personal back-up archive, ease of access, convenience and security. Nearly half also want mail communications to be easier to understand, and many would like to receive more personalized content.

Many companies print in color to enhance the customer experience (56%), contributing to an improved overall brand experience each time an envelope lands in a customer’s hands. Consistent color connects statements to other visual brand elements (digital communications, advertising, etc.), leading 54% of businesses to use color to reinforce and improve brand perception. It might seem like a small touch, but when the same shade of red in a company logo on a printed statement matches the same color scheme and logo coloring on the company’s website or social media handles, it conveys a more cohesive branding experience.

Color also increases a document’s message success, whether it’s promotional or transactional. Charts and graphics can effectively illustrate important data to build a deeper understanding. Customization enhances the investment by creating an opportunity to directly appeal to different target groups. Color highlights the most important information to ensure it catches the reader’s eye, particularly calls to action, which 56% of businesses find become clearer in full color.

Color also counts when it comes to the outside of mailpieces. Another powerful brand touchpoint, colorful messages and graphics on envelopes can help increase open and response rates; 69% of consumers are more likely to open a mailpiece with color text and graphics on the front before those with no headline or graphic.

A touchpoint for business growth

Moving from toner to color inkjet builds a strong foundation for engaging communications that deliver better business results. Color inkjet eliminates pre-printed forms cost, storage, obsolescence and waste – printing everything at once. Printing color logos and forms facilitates a streamlined and faster turnaround. The ability to print “on demand” allows you to make changes to the job quickly for personalization. And, variable data prints allow you to enhance legacy documents to add barcodes for more precise, accurate mailing.

There are also more benefits when switching from toner to color inkjet, which allows businesses to connect with customers on both a broad and targeted level, resulting in a better brand experience and increased response from recipients. Personalized color charts and graphics clearly illustrate data and targeted messages to form a deeper bond between brand and customer. Combining color and dynamic perforation raises the call-to-action and encourages a response.   

Color inkjet elevates transactional documents to drive business performance. Dynamically printing relevant, eye-catching messages and graphics on the outside of the envelope better positions the business by increasing open and response rates. The system also provides proof-of-mailing and allows businesses to leverage the transactional statement for cross-sell/upsell opportunities.

Transactional and promotional mail becomes a strong brand touchpoint when printed with color inkjet, creating a consistent brand experience across both physical and digital channels – meeting customers with the same look and feel no matter what their preference may be.

Communications technology is constantly advancing to best connect your business to your customers – it’s survive or thrive. BlueCrest is here to help our clients thrive.

Power up your print stream with output enhancement and print and mail workflow through Output Management software upstream, print in high-quality color inkjet with AcceleJet or IntelliJet printing systems,  and drive response adding messages to the outside of the envelope in-line during inserting using Print+ Messenger. Easily make the switch and take full advantage of color print, added integrity and dynamic personalization.  Also include additional pages based on business rules and split job load across multiple printers.

BlueCrest printers and inserters provide the engine – and our software gives you the edge.