2012 Heritage Golf Tournament

Aaron Sparks has been a loyal Heritage employee for 8 years, his positive attitude and smile light up a room. Aaron brings that joy to work even through hard times – his wife, of 18 years, Terry was diagnosed with Lupus in 2003 and her condition has continued to worsen over the years. Terry has other diseases including Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, Congestive Heart Failure, as well as Fibromyalgia and Neuropathy. Their medical expenses continue to rise, as many of her medications aren’t covered under insurance, and some treatments are considered experimental so the medications can run up to $3000 per month.





At Heritage, Aaron & Terry are part of our “Heritage family” and we knew this year, our golf tournament needed to benefit them. Proceeds from our 2012 tournament will help cover monthly medications and other medical expenses for the Sparks family.

Here are the tournament details:

Friday, May 18th – Crimson Creek Golf Course, El Reno
Shotgun Start 11:00 AM

$60 Per Player Includes BBQ Cook-Out Awards Dinner Following Tournament
Mulligan’s can be purchased for $5 each, limit 4 per player.


$100 "PAR" – Hole Sponsor Includes: Company Name & Logo Prominently Displayed on Signage at a Hole



$500 "BIRDIE" - Company Sponsor Includes: One Foursome, Awards BBQ Dinner Cook-Out following

If you'd like to play, donate, or get more information please call KJ at 422.2655!

We Roll On...

Mid 2011, we decided that we should look at a new brand message for Heritage. People knew us as Heritage Press and even though that was what our “heritage” was built on our solutions & capabilities had outgrown the name. Plus, us saying “we’re more than just a printer” was getting old. So we began the process, which started with finding someone to hold our hand – and help lead the way.

We picked these girls, and they are amazing. Really amazing.

They interviewed management. They interviewed employees. They interviewed the sales team. They interviewed management again. It was a lot of details and digging – but they helped make it fun all along the way!

So fast-forward to February 29, 2012 – Roll out day! Even though we wanted our message to be clear to our clients and clients-to-be, we needed our message to be clear inside the walls of Heritage! We believed it – we needed our employees to believe it!





Our launch included a breakfast for our employees where management talked about our 38 year history and the reasons why (as a company) we decided to move ahead in this very well defined direction. Then the gals at Braid Creative talked about the vision behind our new message.




It was a great day. It sparked interest, excitement, and we were ready as a team to go out and conquer the world as an Integrated Resource! (That might be a little strong, but we were excited.)





So here we are – Heritage, The Integrated Resource. We are the integrated resource for companies who are looking to promote strategically, print resourcefully and distribute smoothly.





So now go to our website, right here – and watch our video! Then enter our contest to win a Kindle Fire. (See it WAS worth your time reading this!)

Everyday Creativity

Yesterday several of us from our sales team at Heritage headed over to the Moore Chamber of Commerce to attend a workshop titled Everyday Creativity by DeWitt Jones, presented by Jan Astani. We had a great time looking at things in a new perspective, and thinking outside the box!



Curtis even made a friend.



(This picture is more disturbing than I realized. Sorry, and somehow me saying “you had to be there” doesn’t help much either. Oh well, you had to be there.)

Dewitt Jones is one of Americas top professional photographers. Twenty years with National Geographic, photographing stories all over the globe, has earned him the reputation as a world-class photojournalist. As a motion picture director, two of Dewitt’s films were nominated for Academy Awards.

His definition of creative is “the ability to look at the ordinary and see the extraordinary.”

Jan did a wonderful job walking our group through the 9 Steps of Creativity…
• Looking at the ordinary and seeing the extraordinary
• Every act can be a creative one
• Creativity is a matter of perspective
• There’s always more than one right answer
• Reframe problems into opportunities
• Don’t be afraid to make mistakes
• Break the pattern
• Train your technique
• You’ve got to really care

Since I don’t have the rights to use Dewitt’s material I better stop there with the descriptions and definitions…I’m sure he’d prefer you go to your own workshop and hear it for yourself. (That was my creative response, my real response here is I don’t wanna get my rear-end sued for using his stuff without permission!)


If you find a fabulous presenter (like Jan Astani) offering Everyday Creativity, I highly recommend you attend. It was very eye opening.

I will leave you with one thought that I gleaned from the presentation. The quote “put yourself in the place of most potential” really got me thinking. Are you putting yourself and your business in the place of most potential? Are you reaching out to your clients in a way to gain the most potential? Often we do things “just because” or “because that’s the way we’ve always done it” BUT in doing that “thing”, are we putting ourselves and our business in the place of most potential. I can’t stop thinking about it…and I encourage you to think about it too.

Now I’m off to be creative! Okay, first I’ll get some coffee, THEN I’ll be creative.

Personalized Direct Mail + PURLS = Marketing Strategy

We tell our customers all the time how personalized direct mail combined with PURLS can greatly increase their response rates. But, each time we get more data that backs up that statement, we like to share it! People like proof.

Recently this article was posted at PrintJunkie.net. (YES, there is a website for those addicted to print. The first step is admitting you have a problem.)

When you're done reading it, you'll say to yourself, "Can Heritage help me do all that? " The answer is, YES! Yes we can!

A recent article highlighted a prominent Midwest university who successfully deployed direct mail with a PURL to appeal to honors students as part of an admissions campaign. An A/B split test was conducted to research the affect of utilizing variable data printing in a marketing campaign.

Variable data printing tailored the direct mail postcard to the individual student’s interest in major, gender and whether or not they had visited the campus. Images and text were aligned to reflect the individual’s data. The PURL directed the students to a personalized landing page. For the other students, the Midwest university sent a more general mailing.

The university reported a 32% increase in student enrollment in 2010 over the prior year. 91% of those who registered were recipients of the PURL campaign. The use of a more focused mailer resulted in a 29% savings in printing costs.

“It’s all about making it relevant versus having high volume.”

At the same time, a non-profit organization used a personalized postcard and PURL to appeal to donors as part of their annual giving campaign. It reported that their normal donation rate is 2% to 3%. This campaign returned a 14% donation rate. “This is a bit more expensive, but it drove more conversions.”

“The trend is toward more efficiency and figuring out a multichannel approach with a much more layered cadence of communications.”

As online marketing becomes more saturated, innovations in printing and production are driving more marketers to use traditional channels to drive multichannel efforts.

How are you using direct mail in your multichannel marketing mix?

Target Practice

We schmooze twice a year at the OKC Chamber of Commerce event SchmoozaPalooza! (I can now spell it without having to look it up.) It’s a fun event and we always have a great time. This time around Groupon sponsored a vendor lounge and we were treated to free appetizers and drinks – that was nice, REALLY nice! (Thanks Groupon!) We always go to Schmooza with a new theme, something fun and different. This year it was…

Nerf Dart Tag – Fury Fire! (Have I told you lately that I love my job?) It was so fun.

But we weren’t just playing tag- there was a method to our madness. We were talking about hitting your target with One-to-One Marketing. We printed a nifty handout that talked all about One-to-One Marketing (which is a communication of individualized, relevant messages to a large number of recipients.) One of the key points was Proper Targeting + Proper Personalization = Better Response! At Heritage we can help set your company apart and get your message noticed with the use of…

Variable Data Printing – Using customer test and images to speak directly and personally to each of your customers instead of sending everyone the same message/offer.

Cross Media Marketing – Using more than one medium to connect with your audience.

The channels we have available to integrate your company’s marketing efforts are: Direct mail, Email Marketing, Personalized URL’s/Landing Pages, Text Messaging Campaigns, and Social Media. It was a hit! People obviously loved playing Dart Tag with their friends and we even had some customers come by and ask to shoot at us, so we played along and let them. (We think they enjoyed that part a little TOO much!)

We handed out these fun slinky note pads with targets on them (hmmm…I bet I know where you can get some of those if you like them! Hint hint.)

Overall the event was a huge success – I definitely think we hit the TARGET!

New Partnership

We're always excited when we embark on new partnerships with vendors, customers & clients, but this recent partnership is different...exciting, and different, and we're excited to share the news with you.

First, some history...

The Center of Family Love, located in Okarche, Oklahoma, serves as a safe haven and home for over 117 developmentally challenged adults of all ages and abilities. Now in their 30th year, CFL provides a true continuum of care for the challenged adult.

Recently Heritage was set up as a work environment enclave for CFL residents. What does this mean? Well, as an enclave CFL residents come to Heritage to work, and work right alongside Heritage fulfillment employees kitting items and fulfilling certain projects when appropriate. A CFL job coach is assigned to encourage the employees and to ensure that projects and tasks are being completed.

Now for some good ol' fashioned quotes...

David Hardin is Director of Vocational Services at CFL and believes it’s a perfect situation for their folks to work. He said, “It gives them self confidence and makes them excited to come to work each day.”

(This picture was taken when David Hardin & Larry Smith came out to visit the CFL residents working at Heritage.)

Larry Smith, State Use Administrator and Contracting Officer, is pleased with the partnership as well, and said “The CFL residents are happy at Heritage; it brings joy to us knowing that they’re happy and thriving in a safe work environment.”

The enclave partnership between CFL and Heritage is rapidly growing as new projects arrive each week. Curtis Jones, our VP of Sales at Heritage, said “I’m excited to see what opportunities become available for our CFL team, they are capable, meticulous, and are clearly devoted to the work they do! They’re encouraging our employees just as much as we’re encouraging them.”

Ad Club - Heritage Style

Heritage sponsored the monthly OKC Ad Club meeting this past Wednesday. Kent Dean (the guest speaker) is a 22-year veteran of the advertising industry and is also a Licensed Facilitator for True Colors™ . His seminar, Improving Workplace Communication... or Why Do I Have to Work With Freakin' Aliens, was great! We left saying things like, "oh, girl.....you are SO gold!" and "I'm blue, hug me, hug me!" I guess you'd have to be there, to get it. Sorry.

We decided since we were going to be at a True Colors workshop folks should actually get to color! So we had a little coloring contest, winner receives a $100 VISA check card.

We had some great honorable mentions, like...


and...

and...

(I don't think this one was colored with crayons, but we let them enter anyway, just cuz we like them!)

but, there could only be one winner.

The winner is...

Brett Grimes from Third Degree! Great job Brett. I'm so blue I wanna hug you right now!

We also had folks fill out a quick survey online to win another $100 VISA check card, and the lucky winner was Jill Brown with Tierra Media Group! Congrats Jill!

Thanks to all who participated!

Santa voted, did you?

Once Santa heard how cool our Christmas card campaign was he jumped on board and texted in his vote as well!

The results are in...

(drum roll please......)

The Ronald McDonald House received 23% of the votes
Regional Food Bank of OK received 36% of the votes
Infant Crisis Services received 41% of the votes

Each of these fine organizations will receive a portion of our donation based on the percentage of votes they received! (We will be hand delivering checks next week...I'm sure there will be a blog post and pictures in the near future.)

Thank you to everyone who voted...as you can see, your vote counts!

Apple a Day

Recently we decided to try a little direct mail campaign for Heritage! (We wanted to try out some new solutions and track the response rate of the direct mail as well.) At Heritage we have to be able to show our customers, first hand, what's working and what's not when it comes to direct mail. (Studies online show that most campaigns that involve variable data text & imaging can receive more than 19% response rate, as opposed to those using no variable data at only 1% response rate. We had to prove it!)


Our "Sweet Smell of Success" campaign launched a few weeks ago. The piece was designed using variable data text, and looked like an iPad. Once opened, the recipient was asked to "scratch the apple" if they smelled the apple scent they were sent to a website to enter our contest for a iPad give-a-way! Let the scratching begin....

Obviously, we used a green apple scent on the apple, and it smelled great!!! (Made me want some green apple Jolly Ranchers each time I smelled it!) We sent out 489 pieces, and got an overwhelming response rate of 22%! Woo-hoo!

We collected our responses and did a good-ol'-fashioned drawing. This is Tim, he's one of our expert variable data gurus....so we thought he'd be perfect to draw out our winning name. All the names went in....

and our lucky winner was....

Marla Stebens from Pioneer Telephone in Kingfisher, Oklahoma!

She was so fun and so excited she won! (We were excited too!)

We took her some yummy apple treats from Panera Bread!
Oh....and we took her a 3G iPad! (I tried to give her the empty box, but she didn't fall for it!)

Adding personalized creative elements to your direct mail campaigns, such as variable data text & images, scented inks, and scratch-off foils WILL:

• Create immediate emotional engagement with the recipient
• Improve Response Rates & ROI
• Increase campaign recall and brand awareness

SO....are you ready to make your competition green with envy? We can help!

P is for Print

I would love to tell you I wrote the article below, but I didn't. I did a good ol' fashioned Ctrl c, Ctrl v, and pasted it right here. The beauty of the blog is that copy & pasting isn't considered plagiarism when you link the story back to the source. I love that. So here's my highlighted link and many thanks to The Print Council.

The Top Ten Ways Print Helps You Prosper
We all take printing for granted. Perhaps it’s because print has been the world’s number one communications medium for so long we tend to overlook its impact and power.

That oversight could be fatal to a marketing campaign, a product launch, or a branding initiative that is trying to connect with people. People trust print. They feel comfortable using it. And they can’t fast forward past it. This guide to the persuasive power of print provides the top ten reasons why you should consider using print in your next campaign. It doesn’t have to be the only medium you use. But, you most definitely should consider print whenever you want to persuade, inform or entertain. Here are your reasons why...

Print is for keeps.
A Magazine Publishers of America survey found that 24% of readers typically pass an article along to someone else, 23% save the article for future reference, and 13% visit a related website. In action, print’s durability has a positive impact on every message it touches. It says: Your message is significant. That you cared enough to put it on paper. That you are authentic rather than virtual, and you will be there when we need you.

Print is Portable.
Long after their iPod battery is drained, people will still be reading what you send them in print. Print is the ultimate in portability and playability. They can pick up a magazine at a newsstand, buy a book on the fly or grab your brochure from a trade show exhibit. There are no compatibility issues, no need to keep anything charged,and never a worry about screen glare. You can fold print,stuff it,clip it, even scratch-and-sniff it. Print can be carried and consumed anywhere, at anytime: On trains, planes and automobiles. Take it to bed, to the beach or to the bath. There’s no need to boot it up or power it down. Print is always there and always ready to instruct, inform and entertain.

Print drives a higher ROI.
Printing is particularly persuasive as direct mail. According to research by the Direct Marketing Association and the Wharton Economic Forecasting Associates, print’s performance through the mail can be measured in dollars and cents. The DMA researchers found that U.S. advertisers spend $167 per person in direct mail marketing to earn $2,095 worth of goods per person, scoring a return on investment of 13 to 1. Why? Because people gravitate toward print. A total of 38% of households surveyed by the U.S. Postal Service in 2006 found direct mail pieces interesting. That study also found that 85% of mail is either read or visually scanned by recipients. And direct mail is also a great way to expand business relationships and keep customers loyal. A study by the Rochester Institute of Technology Printing Industry Center found that 67% of respondents like getting mail about new products from companies they do business with.

Print is beautiful.
Why do they call it the graphic arts? Because print is beautiful and printers continue to consider every job they do a personal masterpiece. And now, advanced printing techniques — like high-fi color and advanced screening— make their work more appealing and more compelling. Photos seem to jump off the page. Special effects draw the eye to the printed content, and a new generation of papers and substrates make readers want to touch and feel your message. You can’t get any closer than that. The beauty of print will enhance your product or service, giving it a special appeal of its own and an extra tangible dimension that no electronic media can impart.

Print plays well with others.
Sure, the Internet is cool. What’s cooler is using a printed direct mail campaign to draw prospects to a personalized website, then following up with a printed thank-you card or closer. Yes, the World Wide Web provides a real-time interactive environment, but so do the telephone and the television. Print enhances the impact of all of those media by providing your client’s prospects with an extra dimension. One that’s friendly. One that’s warm. One that’s inviting. And, one that they can’t very well ignore because they’re holding it right in their hands. Consider the 2003 research published in the Journal of Advertising Research, which examined the advertising impact on weekly sales of a pizza franchiser. It found that the best combination of media in driving sales is direct mail and national TV advertising used together. The print/broadcast duo doubled the impact of using any one medium alone. An American Business Media study adds more insight into the effectiveness of combining print with other media. According to that research, B-to-B magazines were viewed by prospects as trustworthy and objective, websites were seen as the place where they received timely information, and trade shows were viewed as the place for interactions and to improve their awareness of alternatives. That must be why smart marketers are using all three outlets to maximize their ROI.

Buyers seek print.
Online consumers who received a printed catalog from any given retailer were nearly twice as likely to make an online purchase at that retailer’s website. The finding comes from a com Score survey based on 6,400 responses from online shoppers. The reason for the sales windfall: consumers seek print when they’re ready to buy. That’s a fact supported by a 2005 field study by the Direct Marketing Association. Scoring the primary channels for generating orders, the research found that 60% came from printed catalogs, 24% were inspired by retail settings and only 9% arrived via Internet. The percent of sales by channel also showed print’s pulling power. Paper catalogs accounted for 42% of sales, retail 20%, websites 26% and other channels 12%. In a 2006 study of newspaper readers sponsored by the Newspaper Association of America, 78% reported that they use newspaper inserts to plan shopping and 76% say that these inserts have helped them save money. The moral: If you’re not using print, you’re missing out on big numbers.

Print is credible.
The phrase, “Get it down on paper” has never been more meaningful. Having words and images that you can examine and hold in your hand, review, show to others and keep in a safe place provides a degree of reassurance that no bit-and- byte medium can match. People love the speed and scope of the Internet, but the WWW’s fleeting nature makes them wonder: Am I getting the fast shuffle here? And what’s all this contradictory information? Conversely, our ink-on-paper medium is believable because print is real, print is timeless and print is focused. An increasing number of marketers are leveraging print’s high credibility by using custom publications to get their messages out and absorbed. More than 32 billion custom publications circulate annually in the United States, according to the Custom Publishing Review’s 2006 Annual Report. Total expenditures on the medium amounted to $29.9 billion for the year. The researchers also found that 66% of people surveyed read custom publications and that 80% agree that custom publications contain useful information. They are believers because print is the credible medium.

Print puts them in control.
Telemarketing is the crudest form of cold calling and, with the growth in do-not-call lists, its effectiveness has sunk to an all-time low. In fact, a Time magazine poll ranked telemarketing number four on the list of the worst ideas of the 20th century. Today, it has gotten to the point that many companies stay away from the phone because they don’t want their reputations damaged by overeager telemarketers. But what happens when we add print to the equation? Send prospects a personalized mailing that introduces the caller and lets them tell you the best time to call. Now you’re putting the potential customer in control of the situation. There are no more interruptions at dinner. There is only a positive flow of information between the marketer and the consumer. The bond starts to get stronger, the relationship grows, and the sale becomes a natural progression of the power of print rather than a rude intrusion.

Print is personal.
It’s time to put each prospect’s name up in lights, literally. Or use a skywriter to put your personalized message to them in the clouds. Or maybe you want to include a photo or the specific product in which they expressed interest. Print can do all that and more because print takes marketing personally. Using new variable data printing (VDP) and one-to-one messaging techniques, you can personalize each and every piece of your print campaign — right down to the specific photos you use and every word of your pitch. Did someone say relationship building? According to a 2004 report by Interquest, the response rate for customized color direct mail campaigns ranged from 6% to 75%, with an average of 21%. The response rates were, on average, 5.6 times higher for customized color versions than for simple mail merge applications. The more you individualize print, the more individuals you will inspire.

Print is everywhere.
We’re used to being surrounded by print. We’re comfortable with it. We want more. What do the numbers say? Consider a 2006 survey by the magazine Graphic Design USA. It found that 9 out of 10 of the designers polled have worked in print during the last year. What’s more, a total of 91% of the respondents’ projects involved print exclusively or were comprised of a substantial print component. The survey also discovered that 71% of the designers’ total work hours were devoted to print-driven projects. Look at event marketing. It wouldn’t be possible without print. Programs, posters, signage of all kinds, special commemorative publications — print is on the scene at ball games, motor sports venues, concerts, shows, fairs, museums, galleries and rallies. Wherever a crowd gathers, print can provide a platform for marketers and a fresh perspective for fans. There is even evidence that we like print more than television. Those are the vital signs of a medium that’s vibrant and valuable.

So the moral of the story is...keep PRINTING! It works.

Our 1 Year Anniversary

We started the Heritage blog one year ago today. (Seems like only yesterday, sort-of!)

It's only fitting that the traditional 1 year anniversary gift is PAPER! Makes me think back to all the cool printed pieces we've produced and blogged about. I haven't just blogged about printed pieces, I've blogged about our company history, promotional products, company stores, a Vegas wedding, our amazing customers, some rockin' pimped pumpkins, and even office butt-stations. (You really have to read that last one, it doesn't sound right out of context!)

When I told people around the office it had been one year since I started the blog they said things like...

"wow, really?"

"hmmmm"

"it's been a year?"

"what blog?"

As you can see, this blog is changing lives. It's powerful, I tell ya. Powerful!

Thanks so much to our friends & followers who have read the blog for the past year. It's been so fun and I'm excited to see what happens in the coming year!

Tradeshow Fun

Let's be honest, trade shows are a lot of work! Reserving tables, setting up, traveling, walking to-and-from your car 13 times to get everything you need is a lot of work! BUT, each time we go through that saga, at the end we say "Man, that was fun!"

I think the "fun" comes from the energy of the crowds of people, most are there to have a good time, learn something new, and it doesn't hurt to come home with bags of free goodies!

Recently we attended the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce event, SchmoozaPalooza.
Our VP of Sales, Curtis, (pictured below on the left) brought a air gun with him to the event. It puffs a blast of air across the room and it's hysterical to watch people who get "puffed" because they don't know what happened to them, or where the puff of air came from! It's great fun!

There was, however, another booth with a loaded air gun across the way, which caused some friendly competition! We were literally blown away when this crazy cat rolled up and started blasting us! It was hilarious. (If you're dying to find out how to get your own Airzooka Air Gun, you can check them out here.)

I guess it's the relaxed atmosphere of trade shows, but I love the fact that sales interactions become....uh....much more......informal! I saw a gal wearing this shirt, and I thought it was great...

Clear, concise and to the point. I like that.

Hole in One!

Anytime you plan a golf tournament (or anything outside) in Oklahoma in the month of MAY you're taking your chances. Rain, snow, hail, freezing temps, tornadoes, 110 degree weather, high winds, or even sunshine...the possibilities are endless. On May 7th we took our chances and ended up with an amazing day, despite some mild wind. (Okay MAYBE it was a little more than mild wind.)

The 2010 Jerry Funck Benefit Golf Tournament was a HUGE SUCCESS! (If you don't remember who Jerry is you can read all about him HERE. His daughter Rachael works for Heritage as well.)

The tournament started at 11:30...and everyone was literally blown around the course until about 5:00 PM!

After the tournament we had a cook-out to announce the tournament winners. Our owner, Dave, stepped up to the plate (or grill in this case) and cooked burgers and hot dogs for everyone! YUM!

The golf carts lined up to get some grub! Good stuff!

We could not have pulled off the tournament if it wasn't for our amazing sponsors!

The Bank of Union
Gemini Motor Transport
UPS
Clampitt Paper
Dr Pepper
Roger Hicks & Associates
Musket Corporation
Gemini Coatings
SONIC Restaurants Inc.
S&S Promotions

Tinker Federal Credit Union

Stifel Nicolas
Budget, Box & Bag
Scott & Ashli Ramsay Family
The Shelley Family
Heritage Bindery & Shipping
Prisco Printers Service
Barton Solvents Inc.
Larry & Kathy Miller Family
Kergan Brothers SONIC
Adhesive Compounders
Printing Products, Inc.
Scale Source
D&K
Flint Group
Adams McClure

Heritage Employees

Because of their donations and generosity we exceeded our goal and were able to present Jerry with a $6800 check last Friday!

He was speechless.

We love you Jerry & Rachael!!

Great Job!

We're always happy when we hear that something we printed for a client
receives awards or recognition, because we know that great designers
pick great printers to make their print pieces greater. (I'm thinking
of using this as one of our tag lines, "Heritage - We make it look
greater!" ...yeah I'm still workin' out the kinks.)

On Saturday, February 20, the Oklahoma pro chapter of the Society of
Professional Journalists held its annual awards banquet in Bricktown.
At the banquet, the Spring 2009 issue of the OCU LAW Magazine was
awarded Third Place in the Best PR Publication category and Second
Place for Best PR Publication Cover.

Assistant Dean for Communications and Marketing Damon Gardenhire,
Senior Communications and New Media Content Specialist Nathan Gunter
and freelance graphic designer Whitney Porch accepted the honors for
their work on the magazine.

For more information about the OCU School of Law click here, and for
more about Whitney Porch you can read all about her right here!

Congratulations Damon, Nathan and Whitney, you did a great job!

It's that time of year again...

Got any good April Fool's jokes or pranks? Post a comment and tell us the best prank or joke you pulled on someone, or someone pulled on you. (If you comment, we'll draw a winner and mail you a $10 Sonic gift card! No that's not a prank, it's for real. )

Today for April Fool's I wanted to post that we were giving away $5000 of free printing, all you had to do was call and claim your prize....I thought the boss liked the idea, his comment was "yeah, that's a great idea" (oh wait he wasn't done) "and a great way for you to get fired."

Geeze. Party pooper.

Post your comments by this Friday at 2:00! Let's hear 'em...

Get Schmooz'd

If you live & work in the Oklahoma City area you NEED to be at this event. Not only is it fun, it's a GREAT way to network!

SchmoozaPalooza
Tuesday, April 27
4-7 p.m.
State Fair Park, Travel & Transportation Building

Join more than 1,000 Oklahoma City business leaders as they gather at Oklahoma State Fair Park for some early evening networking at the SchmoozaPalooza Networking Trade Show.

SchmoozaPalooza is sponsored by the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce.

Bring your friends, coworkers and clients to preview the latest products and services from Chamber member exhibitors in a fun and casual networking environment. Live music by Cplus, interactive activities, food tastings, and door prizes make this trade show unlike any other.

Only $10 per person includes one drink ticket and a fun way meet new friends and customers. (Clarification, this event is open to the public. You don't have to be a member of the OKC Chamber to attend, anyone is welcome.)

Heritage will be there with a booth, and we'll have great prizes (really, really great prizes) so make sure you come by and see us!

Mark your calendars now, we'll see you then!

Go GREEN!

You HAD to know that today's blog would be green and totally eco-friendly.

At Heritage we're committed to reducing, reusing and recycling whenever and wherever possible!

REDUCE:
Vegetable oil based inks can be made from a variety of sources including soy-bean, corn and linseed oils. By replacing mineral oil with vegetable oil, this means we can reduce or even cut out volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emissions. VOCs are carbon-containing gases and vapors that are released from solvents used during the printing process. The most significant environmental impact of VOCs is their formation with vehicle exhaust to form photochemical smog. However, in liquid form VOCs can effect water and soil quality. This is why we have opted to use vegetable oil based inks. Pretty cool, huh?

REUSE:
When it comes to protecting and preserving our environmental resources, perhaps no other organization is as well known and respected worldwide than FSC. Heritage is proud to be FSC certified and to support other FSC certified products and companies. Being FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified gives Heritage customers the choice to print on paper that originates in responsibly managed forests.
As a Chain of Custody certified printer, Heritage is entitled to apply the FSC's "checkmark-and-tree" trademark logo (see below) to projects printed on FSC-certified paper. Heritage is only the third printer in Oklahoma to achieve certification.

The FSC Chain of Custody certification reflects Heritage's commitment to environmentally friendly manufacturing practices and provides our customers an additional option to help reduce the environmental impact of their printed materials. Our customers can be confident that when they ask for FSC certified paper, they will receive it!

RECYCLE:
At Heritage we recycle all waste paper including office paper and all aluminum plates as well.

There are many ways your business can GO GREEN as well! Things like...

• Recycling paper, plastic, aluminum, ink cartridges.
• Reuse packing materials and cardboard boxes.
• Eliminate disposable cups, plates and utensils in the break room. Replace with permanent dishware.
• Switch to rechargeable batteries. Large office supply stores even have collection centers for recycling dead rechargeable batteries.
• Use eco-friendly cleaning products that are biodegradable and non-toxic.
• Purchase energy-efficient PCs, printers, and other equipment with the EnergyStar label.
• Donate or recycle old computers and equipment.
• Keep up with regular maintenance of all mechanical equipment.

Finally, I'll leave you with this St. Patrick's Day picture that has absolutely NOTHING to do with going green, recycling, or the environment. I found it online while googling the word "green"(lesson learned: be careful what you google!) Apparently it was taken in 1987 at the St. Patrick's day parade in New York. Wow. This picture is disturbing on SO many levels, but yet you can't stop looking at it, can you?

Happy St. Patrick's Day!