Precision Disc Manufacturing Corp.

Precision Disc Manufacturing Corp. specializes in DVD and CD duplication and has recently taken great aims to replace plastic with “green” disc packaging alternatives.

BC, Canada (IPRWIRE) Thurs. Oct. 16th, 2008 — Packaging products in the CD duplication industry have long been dominated by the consumption of plastic and paper, and Precision Disc (also known as Predisc), www.predisc.com is proud to introduce new “green” packaging alternatives for their disc products.

Low-plastic and no-plastic packaging choices are at the forefront of their efforts with printable card-stock proving to be the best all-around material for their “greener” requirements. The end result is a completely recyclable product that is very attractive, versatile and durable, and can be supplied in a multitude of different configurations.

Leading the way for this CD duplication company is their line of printed “Eco” disc sleeves and disc jackets, plus their new Eco-Case with it’s revolutionary bio-degradable disc tray made from vegetable-based starch. “The traditional retail CD or DVD package was entirely comprised of plastic, paper and metal,” explains General Manager Mike Arnold, “so we have worked hard to provide choices that reduce the negative impact on the environment.”

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Most people are familiar with the adage “Don’t judge a book by its cover” which warns us that what lies within may not be properly represented simply by what you see on the surface or facade. When you’re marketing your CD product quite the opposite holds true as the CD packaging needs to encourage and convince consumers of the value and worth of the disc inside.

Competition is fierce in today’s marketplace with a blizzard of marketing and advertising messages vying for our attention, along with retail shelves and e-store pages lined with products to wade through. Now more than ever it’s important to make an excellent first impression, because a few seconds worth of cursory review may be the only chance your product is going to get. With that being the case, your CD packaging decisions need to be properly thought through.

There are a large number of packaging styles to choose from which include off-the-shelf products as well as custom printed or custom manufactured items. You need to pick a style that will be well suited for the type of distribution or environment your product will encounter. Is it a retail product that will be sitting on a shelf surrounded by competing products or perhaps it’s an item that will be purchased on-line and shipped by postal mail or courier? Is it a disc that will be primarily distributed from hand-to-hand through an organization or will it be included within other materials such as in a seminar kit?

The type of package requires careful consideration because you need to determine what level of safety and security the disc will require to survive its environment and what amount of graphics and visual appeal will be required to properly ‘dress up’ the package to entice the consumer to purchase it. A good way to gain some insight is to look at what type of CD packaging the leaders in your industry are using and to evaluate what types of societal trends are in play, such as a shift to environmentally-friendly products and manufacturing methods.

After you’ve picked the style of packaging you will need to consider graphic design (assuming it is applicable to your needs). With the affordability of powerful home computers and ready access to commercial grade graphic design software, an entire generation of do-it-yourself amateur designers has been born. More than any other factor, amateurish design provides the largest impediment for a product trying to make the all-important ‘good first impression’ in a highly competitive marketplace. Again, an excellent benchmark is to look at the most successful of your competitors and evaluate the style and professionalism of their graphic design. Ideally, your product needs to look as good – or better – than theirs.

The final stage of your decision making process will be whom to choose to produce your CD packaging materials. A popular packaging style and impressive graphics will quickly be negated if the quality of printing, assembly and finishing is sub-standard. Do your homework on any potential vendors, always get written quotations from at least three different companies and request samples of work that will be similar in scope to your own. Here’s one final piece of advice: Plan ahead and don’t rush, because there’s another popular old adage that says, “Haste makes waste.”   

What would your business cards say if they could talk? Better yet, what you want them to say? If you had a CD Business Card not only would you have a business card that could ‘talk’ but you’d also have one that could display video, text, graphics, documents and even connect to your website. Imagine handing something that powerful and that dynamic to a prospective customer or client – it would raise your promotional and marketing efforts to an entirely new level.

Behold the marketing tool that can provide all of the following benefits in a single easy to use and low cost format:

• The visual impact of television
• The audio impression of radio
• The detail of a catalog
• The targeting of direct mail
• The interactivity of the internet
• The cost-effectiveness of commercial print
• And the sophistication of new media

While this may sound like a novel concept it’s all based on the same CD manufacturing technology and that has been used for years. Despite its distinctive size and shape it’s no different than any other CDROM and works like any other: Simply place it into any tray-loading CD or DVD computer drive and let the disc and its contents go to work.

As a marketing tool the CD Business Card is the perfect marriage of media and message. The unique and eye-catching disc makes it stand out from traditional marketing materials and helps to increase its longevity and the perception of its value. Bottom line, by breaking the cycle of junk-mail, brochures, pamphlets and catalogs, the success rate and return on investment of your direct-marketing efforts increases.

The disc is the delivery vehicle for the message, but it’s the message that makes the viewer really take notice. Despite its diminutive appearance the disc has enough storage capacity to deliver a dynamic and meaningful presentation that makes a lasting impression about your company, products, services and brand. Through the use of multimedia you have the unprecedented ability to inform, stimulate, educate and even entertain your target audience. Discs are the only physical media which has the ability to link through to the business website for immediate contact, breaking news, premium/incentive offerings, additional information, etc. Providing a link through to your website gives you the ability to measure response, educate the visitor on a wider range of products/services, generate web-commerce, and provides increased hits to support on-line advertising revenue streams.

The effectiveness of marketing with a CD Business Card is remarkable. Research has shown that direct-marketing response rates are between 50% and 600% greater than with traditional direct mail (typical print direct mail generating 1-2% response rates versus disc direct mail generating between 3% and 12% response rates). Research has also shown that marketing with CDs provides 50% to 60% greater memory retention than with traditional printed materials (10-20% retention with print versus 40-60% with CD/DVD).

As easy to distribute as regular paper business cards, your CD Business Card is a natural for meetings, presentations, trade shows, direct-mail and as ‘leave behinds’. If sales is the life-blood of your company you’ll want to investigate this little disc for yourself. It may be small but it carries a big marketing punch.

Society’s growing concern about our eco-systems and the consumption of our natural resources has driven the demand for low-plastic and no-plastic packaging alternatives. This means the writing is on the wall for our trusted old friend the plastic jewel case because CD sleeves made from renewable resources have emerged on the scene.

As derivatives of oil, plastics are being replaced with products made from renewable resources. In the world of optical disc media, printed paper stock and board stock packaging solutions are proving to be an excellent combination of quality, versatility, durability, cost-effectiveness and environmental friendliness.

While forest-based products are not free from concerns over sustainability and management practices, you need to look for companies who use paper stock and board stock produced under the certification of the Forest Stewardship Council. The FSC sets international standards for responsible forest management and in the past 13 years over 90 million hectares in more than 70 countries have been certified according to FSC standards while several thousand products are produced using FSC-certified wood.  

CD sleeves made from printed board stock provide greater versatility in the number of styles and formats available. From a simple single pocket style to multi-paneled and multi-pocketed sleeves, sleeves combine packaging and print into a single product as opposed to traditional jewel cases which require separate printed inserts in order for you to brand your product. Sleeves are able to carry as many discs as required but you can use additional pockets for inclusion of additional printed materials in the form of folders or even stapled booklets. Additionally, if there’s a particular format or style you require which doesn’t appear to be available it’s possible to create a custom die-line to produce your sleeve for a surprisingly low cost.

You’ll want to research potential vendors to find the right style of CD sleeves for your needs and ensure they are able to provide a professional product with the environmentally-friendly standards commonly available within the industry, which include:

• Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified board stock or paper stock. 15pt weight is the industry standard.
• Minimum 30% recycled content contained in the stock.
• 100% recyclable.
• Printed using waterless printing technology.
• Printed using vegetable based inks.

No matter how environmentally friendly or popular the packaging style is, an amateurish appearance gives a negative overall impression of your product. Make sure your design is equal or better than similar products on the market. Make the effort to get the design just right. Need graphic design help? Most quality suppliers should have a designer on staff or be able to refer you to a capable graphics person.

Make sure that you do your due diligence on potential suppliers and always get a written quotation from at least three different companies. Request samples of their CD sleeves to be certain they can provide you with the quality and professionalism your product needs to portray. Simply evaluating a vendor on low cost or fast delivery won’t mean anything if you are delivered a substandard product  – because the quality of the product will directly affect consumers opinions of you, be that good or bad.

When it comes to your important information, there is nothing better than containing it on DVD.  If you are going to use this information for the marketing of your company, you should consider the type of DVD packaging that you are going to use.  There are a number of things that must be considered when you are looking into the packaging of your discs. 

Take a look at all of the options that you have available to you when you are searching for disc packaging.  There are jewel cases, cardboard sleeves and a number of other choices that will come with any of these choices.  For instance, does your project or presentation require more than one disc?  If it does, then you will need a case or packaging that can accommodate everything in one package.  You should also consider any printed material that you will be including with your discs.  If there is a booklet or brochure that must go along with the discs then you will have to consider that there is room in the packaging that you choose.

The look of the packaging is very important too.  A great deal of the look on the packaging will come from what is printed.  This can be your company logo or a description of what is contained on the disc inside.  It is up to you what type of information you include on the front of your packaging.  If you are using the discs to sell a product, you should probably consider putting your company logo on the front.  There is a lot to DVD packaging that you will have to consider. 

Make sure that the materials that are used will stand up to shipping the discs.  If you plan to mail the discs to prospective clients, try and find a packaging method that includes a mailer.  This will eliminate the need to find something to mail the discs in once they are delivered to you.  There is DVD packaging that will accomplish this task. 

You should have a professional design your logo and send it with your order to the company that is designing your DVD packaging.  This will ensure that you have a professional image when you are sending your materials out to prospective clients and customers. 

Using discs and electronic methods to deliver your message to your potential clients is the way that modern marketing is accomplished. There are traditional ways of reaching customers, but none has the power of discs and other electronic methods.  The Internet and the computing generation have changed the way that business is conducted.  It is in the best interest of your business if you learn these new methods and take advantage of them.  The cost is considerably lower and you are now able to reach a wider range of prospective customers.  This will only help you to grow your business larger than you ever thought possible.  Take a look at some of the new ways of marketing a business and get your company on board.  You will find that it is the smartest decision that you ever made.

1. DVD duplication provides a single delivery method for marketing and promotional information that cannot be matched by any other form of direct marketing:

• The visual impact of Television.
• The audio impression of Radio.
• The detail of a Catalogue.
• The targeting of Direct Mail.
• The interactivity of the Internet.
• The cost-effectiveness of Commercial Print.
• The sophistication of New Media.

Through the use of multimedia design, DVDs can relate sounds, images, ideas, and information that can inspire, educate, stimulate, and even entertain the viewer or listener.

2. The best way to stand out from the crowd is to do something unique, different and, whenever possible, something different than what your competitors are doing. Despite the incredibly powerful message that DVDs can deliver, the vast majority of direct-marketing is still done using ‘traditional’ means: Bulky catalogues, clumsy brochures and all manner of junk-mail. Or in other words - fodder for garbage cans and recycling bins.

What’s going to gain you more attention: (A) Sending another piece of junk-mail just like all your competitors do, or (B) providing a unique and meaningful presentation via DVD? The answer, of course, is “B”.

3 Not only does the result of DVD duplication get you noticed, the unique and innovative approach to your marketing makes the all important “good first impression” with your prospect or client. By association, if your message is viewed as being innovative, original and professional, then you also get viewed in the same light and thought of as being progressive, forward-thinking and creative.

4 Due to it being a more unique method of marketing communication, DVD duplication marketing pieces have greater longevity and ‘pass around’ value compared to other types of direct-to-client marketing. It’s a unique and memorable means of contact, which gives it a  perception of value and of being worth viewing. This is especially true for Mini DVD due to its small size.

5. Research has shown a response rate between 50% and 600% greater than traditional direct-mail marketing (ie: typical print direct mail generating 1-2% response rates versus disc direct mail generating between 3% and 12% response rates).

6 Research has shown that memory retention is 50% to 60% greater with disc-based multimedia presentations than traditional printed materials (ie: 10-20% retention with print versus 40-60% with discs).

7. DVDs are more cost effective to manufacture and distribute (in many cases 10% to 40% less expensive) than catalogues, brochures, booklets, etc. Additional savings are realized on postage/shipping costs due to the reduced weight when compared to many printed pieces.

8. Discs are the only physical media which has the ability to link through to your website for immediate contact, breaking news, premium/incentive offerings, additional information, etc.  Marketing through DVD duplication helps to drive website traffic, measure responses to your marketing campaign, generate web-commerce and provides increased hits to support on-line advertising revenue streams.

When you combine the dynamic and meaningful message with such a unique and practical delivery method and then factor in the low-cost of manufacturing and distribution, you will find no better means to promote your business, products and services.

There are many uses for the services of a CD duplication company.  Whether you’re a musician, business person, or other, you can benefit equally from being able to obtain quality disc, print and packaging products in a very cost-effective manner and in a short time frame. If you only need a small handful of discs or a couple of hundred at a time, this is the best solution for you.

The process of duplicating discs is different than that of replication. Duplication is where data is copied from your master disc and ‘burned’ onto pre-manufactured recordable CDR discs (the ‘R’ standard for ‘recordable’). Replication is quite different. It’s a manufacturing process where each CD is injection-molded from polycarbonate pellets into its finished size and shape and then physically stamped with data. While replicated discs are the highest quality and most durable there is a minimum order requirement due to the set-up costs involved with manufacturing. The lack of minimum order requirements is why CD duplication is the best solution for smaller runs of product.

When duplicated discs first became prominent they tended to get a bad rap for inferior quality and appearance compared to large volume replication orders. The truth is, with some attention to detail and use of the right materials there’s no reason why your duplication project cannot look completely professional. Here are 5 tips to help you on your way to a professional duplicated product: 

1. Graphic Design: An amateurish appearance gives a negative overall impression of your product. Make sure your design is equal or better than similar products on the market. Make the effort to get the design just right. Need graphic design help? Most CD duplication companies should be able to help you.

2. Packaging: There is no minimum order for the industry standard packaging solutions such as jewel cases and library cases. They provide professional appearance, are very cost-effective.

3. Printed Paper Inserts: High quality print can be achieved through digital means at a very reasonable cost. 300dpi designs digitally printed in CMYK colour on industry standard 100# gloss text stock can provide excellent results.

4. Quality Discs: Quality CDR media should always be used. There’s no point going ‘cheap’ when quality is what you need. Make sure the media is duplicated at slow speed to ensure the best finished product possible. 

5. Disc Print: A one or two colour silkscreen print is surprisingly cost effective and provides a professional look, but ‘thermal’ disc printing can also provide excellent results. When you’re evaluating CD duplication suppliers ask for some samples in order to weigh the different options. 

Shop around before you settle on one company as there is an abundance of possibilities online that you can use to handle your project. Compare quotes, look at their terms of business and product warranties so you can make sure that you choose the company that will give you the best combination of quality, delivery, price, customer service and dependability. Orders that start well typically end well, so be prepared in advance of placing your order. The necessity to rush is rarely beneficial.

When I say “DVD” do you automatically think of a disc that plays movies and video? Now when I say “Mini DVD” what do you think of? If you were to think, “the future of business-to-business direct marketing” you’d be right.

If sales is the life-blood of business, then effective marketing is definitely the heart that pumps it. With a 1.4 gigabyte storage capacity this little disc provides you with a hugely powerful marketing tool that you can quite literally place in the palm of a client’s hand.

Gone are the days of using a host of different media types to relay different formats of your marketing or promotional message. Through the use of multimedia you now have a means to combine all of your materials into a single dynamic and meaningful presentation Just imagine having a single tool that can deliver the visual impact of television, the audio impression of radio, the detail of a catalogue, the targeting of direct mail, the interactivity of the internet, the cost-effectiveness of commercial print and the sophistication of new media.

Mini DVD discs work exactly the same as their bigger DVD5 or DVD9 counterparts. Simply place one in the tray of your DVD player or the DVD drive in your computer and let the disc go to work. Replication provides the highest quality and most durable method of manufacturing your discs. This process involves injection-molding the discs from scratch using polycarbonate pellets and then physically stamping the data onto the polycarbonate blank. This is different than the ‘duplication’ of discs which is simply copying the data (also referred to as ‘burning’ the data) from your supplied master onto a pre-manufactured DVDR disc (the ‘R’ stands for ‘Recordable’).

Take the time to look around and find the company that will give you the highest quality of manufacturing, print, packaging and customer service for your money.  There are a number of companies out there competing for your business so you will have to do some comparison-shopping before you find the right one, but it’s a very worthwhile investment of your time. Ensure you receive detailed written quotations and thoroughly review each company’s Terms Of Business and Product Warranty policies.

Getting all of your marketing materials together in one place is one of the smartest marketing decisions you can make. You will be able to eliminate all of the clutter that is associated with catalogs, brochures and other printed marketing information and breaks the cycle of junk-mail. Your Mini DVD provides a level of interest and curiosity that cannot be matched by conventional marketing means, so your message is more likely to be viewed and remembered. Additionally, there’s much greater pass around value so you get increased viewer impressions and greater brand penetration.

The Mini DVD can give you all of these benefits with the added power of being very cost-effective to produce. Adding to its cost-effectiveness is its small size and light weight which makes it very economical to mail or ship so you can get it directly into the hands of the people that matter the most – qualified prospects and your customers. 

All the production work is done and now it’s time to get your DVDs manufactured, but how much consideration have you given to the DVD cases and related print? It’s surprising how little attention gets paid to this important element because if the disc and its contents are to be considered as the ‘steak’ then the packaging definitely needs to be thought of as the ‘sizzle’.

There are a lot of packaging options for your discs – which is a good thing – but weighing all the options can also be a bit overwhelming. The first thing you need to do is to think about how your product is going to be sold or distributed because you’ll need to choose a packaging type that suits the way your product will be delivered to market or the consumer. Packaging requirements for a disc that will be distributed by hand through an organization will likely be a lot different than one which is displayed on a retail shelf. The same can be said for a product that will be shipped by postal mail versus a disc that will be provided as a give-away on a desk or counter.

While packaging primarily protects your DVD from damage, it also has the ability to act as a billboard by promoting the disc contained within. Have a look at what type of DVD Cases your competitors, contemporaries, or the leaders in your industry are using because your product needs to look as good, or better, than theirs.

Historically, the most popular packaging product for movie and video releases is still a black DVD library case – also referred to as an ‘Amaray’ case. Available in standard, ‘slim’ and multi-disc configurations, its all-plastic construction provides good durability for the disc and provides a good amount of space for graphic design.

The demand for low-plastic or no-plastic DVD cases is growing quickly, so as a good global citizen you should also look for environmentally-friendly packaging choices. You may find that there is still a price premium for such products but it shouldn’t be very much – and it’s getting more and more cost-effective all the time. Low-plastic alternatives such as Digipak and no-plastic alternatives such as printed board stock DVD sleeves and DVD jackets are emerging as the stars of this new generation of environmentally conscious packaging.

No matter which type of DVD cases you end up choosing, the graphic design component is very important. The consumer’s first impression about your product is going to come from the first thing he or she sees so, not only is does an amateurish design leave a negative impression not only about your product, but it leaves a negative impression your brand as well. Again, do some research to see what your competitors or industry leaders have done so you can make sure your product is going to be able to compare favorably.

There are a lot of companies that may be able to provide discs for you, but far fewer are able to provide you with well-rounded list of packaging alternatives. To save yourself the time and trouble, choose a full service manufacturing, print and packaging company.

How do you decide which DVD replication company is the right one for YOU?
First and foremost you need to be an informed shopper, so here are some pointers that (I hope) will help you in your search:

1. Get referrals: It’s always in your best interest to get referrals from friends because you can learn from their experiences – be that good or bad. Ask some people you know (and whose opinions you trust) about where they got their DVDs made and what type of experience they had.

2. Manufacturer or Broker: Is the company you are researching the actual manufacturer of the DVDs or are they a broker. A manufacturer is a company that actually replicates your discs from scratch. A ‘broker’ is a company that acts as a middle-man and takes your DVD order and then contracts a DVD replication company to make the product.

3. How Long In Business: You want to be dealing with a reliable company that is going to still be in existence weeks, months, or years down the road when you may want (or need) to contact them again. Find out how long the company has been in business and factor that in with the other information you find out about them.

4. Terms Of Business: Ask for the ‘Terms Of Business’ for each company you are considering. Reading and understanding their ‘Terms Of Business’ is one of the most important ways to avoid unexpected (and possibly unpleasant) issues later on. Question anything you don’t understand or don’t get a good feeling about.

5. Product Warranty: The purpose of the ‘Product Warranty’ is to protect you from manufacturing defects and/or flaws. This includes everything in the order – not just the disc so make sure you read the warranty thoroughly to fully understand what it covers. For example, many times you’ll find that the warranty policy provides you with a window of time of only a few days in which to make a claim. If a company is not able to provide you with a Product Warranty Policy in writing do not do business with them.

6. Quotation: Never agree to anything or provide any of your materials or money to a DVD replication company without having received their detailed quotation in writing. Did you notice I said a “detailed” quotation? Here’s why: If something is not listed on your quotation the company isn’t obliged to provide it, so don’t accept a quotation unless you are sure it matches your needs exactly… item by item.

7. Samples: Looking at a photo on a website isn’t always a good indication of quality or workmanship, so requesting samples for your evaluation is of great value.

8. Customer Service: When you contact a DVD replication company how responsive are they? Can they answer all your questions quickly and easily? If you email them or have to leave a voice-mail message, how long does it take for them to respond? If you request samples, how long does it take for them to react and send them out to you?

No question is a stupid question so whenever you are in doubt ask, ask, ask… and get answers in writing.