SOLO has today been presented with an inscribed plaque, to mark their achievement as one of Britain's Green Heroes.

The award was presented at the Tower of London by television celebrity and leading botanist Professor David Bellamy, OBE.

The Green Heroes shield is a new annual award presented to companies who have won a Green Apple award for environmental best practice and have additionally demonstrated commitment to helping others follow their environmental lead.

National Organiser Roger Wolens commented, "They are one of our Green Heroes this year and they fully deserve this recognition for their work in encouraging people to think more about issues of waste when planninhg Direct Marketing campaigns. They will also have a broad leaf tree planted in their name by Tree Appeal to further help the environment."

The Green Organisation's work is supported by the Environment Agency, the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management, the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health and various other environment bodies.
Chris Baker has joined SOLO today as their Director of Sales. Chris brings with him a wide range of experience from many years in the printing and packaging industries. Chris is quick thinking and enjoys finding elegant solutions to clients' sometimes complex packing and mailing requirements. At SOLO we have recognised that long gone are the days when huge blanket mailings won new customers for our clients based on numbers alone. Today, if the mailing piece isn't attractive, cleverly personalised and useful then it will be perceived as junk mail.

Buyers are smarter these days and they're inundated with marketing clutter. Temptation isn't enough. Yes, we have to make the mailing piece lovely (interesting) to look at but it's not just about how we tempt customers to open a letter or a package; it's about how we as marketers can deliver ongoing information to our customers that "enriches" them. Our ultimate goal has to be to help customers do their jobs better, or to lead improved lives.

The future of direct marketing is not just about tempting our customers or convincing them to buy more; it's about communicating a message that says, "Regardless of whether you buy from us or not, you need this information..." Smart marketers are doing this today via direct mail.

There will always be a place for direct mail in the years to come, but the mailing piece without highly relevant personalisation and without valuable content will be immediately destined for the bin. Those brands that take the high road will find the kind of profitable customer relationships that drive business success.

If you would like to find out how SOLO can help you and your company achieve these goals with sophisticated design and highly personalised digital print then please call Sue Owen on 0118 941 0101.