There is No I in This TEAM

You may be surprised to learn that Richard Branson, the famous and sometimes brash entrepreneur, when speaking about his many companies or successful ventures, rarely mentions "I" and always refers instead to "we." Why? Because he knows that his success has been due in large part to a team, each of whom brought a certain strength to turn the vision into reality.

There are three essential characteristics of any successful business:

1. A Product or Service -- You must be able to make or provide a fantastic product or service.


2. Marketing -- You must have a great story and be able to sell your story to the market.


3. Financial Management -- You must be a smart money manager and reinvest the cash wisely.

Since each of these skills requires a vastly different mindset, no single person can do all of these with any degree of high expertise.

The most successful businesses have all three of these skills spread among their team. The long-term success and viability of your business depends on these three areas. Therefore, it is vital that you have the best-qualified hires for each skill.

Whether you're a micro business or a global brand, the success and growth of your venture depends not only on making the correct hire but also on getting out of the way and letting the experts manage what you hired them to do. Both of these skills are critical to the long-term success of your company. One does not work well without the other.

Your company may not be the size of Richard Branson's companies, but the lessons of hiring the best possible candidates and giving them the necessary space to manage their parts of the business are lessons that apply to all successful enterprises.

Buzz-Free Writing Tips for Better Marketing

Buzzwords and phrases are common to just about every industry and every business situation. But while your colleagues may understand the jargon you use, your customers and prospects probably don't. In marketing, what you say and how you say it are critical to success. Here are five tips to help you swat the buzz and make your next business letter or marketing piece clear, concise, and jargon-free.

• Keep it simple. As a prospective customer, I want to know what your product does and how that will benefit me. I don't want to hear a bunch of techno-babble and gobbledygook meant to make you look like the smartest person in the room. Use short, declarative sentences and plain, common words. Focus on benefits (what's in it for me) rather than technical details. Avoid hype and outrageous-sounding claims.


• Consider the audience. There may be times when it's ok to include some jargon in your communication. For example, if your audience speaks your industry's language and understands its terminology, a little jargon may actually help to build credibility and confidence. But try to use it sparingly, even in these situations. Too much jargon (even with those who understand it) can end up sounding pretentious.


• Provide a definition or analogy. Sometimes, it's impossible to avoid technical terms when describing a product or service. If you find yourself needing to use a technical term that your audience might not understand, try to explain what that word means in simple, layman's terms or through an analogy. Both of these techniques are used commonly on TV shows that deal with highly technical subject matters.


• Avoid acronyms. Abbreviations have their place, but usually not in customer communication. If you can't avoid acronyms altogether, or you believe the piece will flow better with an acronym or two thrown in, make sure you explain what the acronym stands for the first time you use it.


• Get some feedback. Once you've completed your initial draft and proofed it, have someone else in your office read through it, too. Try to choose someone who is not as familiar with the project you're working on, so they can come at it with fresh eyes and a different perspective.

Increase Pricing With Ease

While rising prices are inevitable in the business world, that doesn't mean price increase announcements have to be viewed negatively. Here are a few tips to help you break the ice as painlessly as possible for your customers.

• Announce the price increase with plenty of notice (at least 30 days) before raising your pricing. Don't wait until you're mailing an invoice to let customers know your pricing has changed.


• Build rapport by sending formal, personalized messages to loyal customers via mail, rather than simply sending mass emails or posting a generic sign at your business notifying customers of a price increase. A one-page business letter, postcard, or self-mailer should suffice.


• Depending on your type of business, consider giving customers the opportunity to order more products at the lower price before the price increase takes effect.


• Explain the price increase. For example, you might write, "Our XYZ expenses have increased an average of ZYX percent in the past year, and we can no longer absorb this cost increase by ourselves."


• Consider adding a higher-priced option (even if it isn't a popular seller) in order to keep your best-selling option in the middle price range (rather than the most-expensive choice).


• Bundle your product with extras or premiums that will add perceived value and offset the price increase.


• Offer empathy but remain firm when announcing a price increase. While apologizing may seem courteous, it will also appear is if you don't believe in the price increase.


• Use your price increase announcement to remind customers why they purchase from you. Highlight product features and benefits, and announce any exciting new product updates or new and improved products at the same time.


• Itemize individual products that are typically sold in a bundle to increase perceived value.


• Consider using psychological pricing to raise prices gradually, such as from $9 to $9.99 instead of jumping to $10.


• Consider breaking out fees formerly included in the price. For example, list shipping separately instead of including it in the total price.

If you'd like help developing a creative postcard or mailer to announce price changes, our creative team is here to help. Give us a call today!

After Sale Marketing

Following up after a sale provides an opportunity to offer a heart-felt thank you and ensure customer satisfaction. It also lets you discuss additional services and improve a customer's probable return to your business. Here are a few follow-up tips for after-sale marketing:

• Show your gratitude with a free offer that complements the original purchase. For example, a hair stylist could show thanks by offering a voucher for a free hair styling product. Include specifics, such as a $15 maximum value redeemable within 60 days of postmark.


• Boost sales by providing a coupon for free shipping or 25% off their next order. Encourage customers to pass it on if they don't need to use the offer themselves.


• Suggest complementary products or services that will enhance the initial purchase and increase the customer's satisfaction and loyalty. Consider creating an affiliate program with non-competing businesses to expand your offerings.


• Reward customers for providing referrals. Offer an exclusive discount to both your existing customer and a new referral to increase the number of referrals you receive.


• Highlight your contact information on an item your customers will keep, such as a business card, calendar, customized notepad, magnet, or pen.


• Become a resource to your customers by encouraging customers to sign up for an informational newsletter with industry tips and tricks. You might also consider providing valuable tutorials and training classes.


• Consider using the 10-10-10 follow-up pattern (or even a less-aggressive 30-30-30). Send an initial thank you within 10 days after the purchase. Contact them again after 10 days, then a third time after another 10 days. Vary your method of communication, such as a hand-written note, email, and phone call. Include an offer in all communications, and build on the urgency in each contact.


• Ask for feedback about the customer's recent purchase or send a survey with an incentive to respond. Many customers will be eager to discuss their experience or may even have questions.

If you need creative print ideas to stay in touch your customers, give us a call today. Our creative team is full of ideas to ensure your customers come back for more, and bring new customers with them!

Are you a salesperson or a consultant?

It really doesn't matter what your title is or even what industry you serve. At one level, everybody's in the position of selling something to somebody.

But here's the dilemma: If you ask, most people will readily admit they don't like being sold. Many businesses have "No Soliciting" signs on their doors. Many will slam the phone down the moment they realize you're trying to sell them. Even if you're selling in person, the moment the topic turns to sales, the excuses of why they can't buy what you're selling begin to fly.

So how do you get around this dilemma?

Stop thinking about just selling and instead think about what kind of value you can provide. Think of yourself as a consultant. A salesperson sells products and services. A good consultant first figures out what their prospects really need to make their lives better and then creates a solution to make that pain go away.

To offer real and unique value, you must first gather and collect data about your prospect. Yes, this takes work, but it is precisely this kind of work that results in bringing real value and building a long-term, mutually profitable business relationship.

Transforming yourself from a salesperson to a consultant begins with a change in your mindset. All of the prospects and customers you could ever want are right under your nose waiting for your solutions. But remember: they don't want to be sold. They want you to show them your expertise first. They want you to prove you have their best interest at heart. Most importantly, they want to know that your solution will make their pain go away.

That's what a good consultant does.

The Power of Lists

Lists are more than just an effective way to grab attention. They're also great at getting key points across quickly and increasing readership. Here are a few tips to help you use lists more effectively in your marketing:

• Use abbreviated or partial lists on marketing pieces, such as postcards and email campaigns, and encourage readers to visit your website to learn more.


• Promote your company's competitive advantages with a "top 10 reasons" list.


• Popularity sells. Use a list to advertise your biggest selling products, such as "Our Top 5 Most Popular Products from 2012."


• Use a list to announce or introduce new products or services.


• Use a list as an alternative to long paragraphs of text, and enable readers to quickly scan your key points.


• For greater effectiveness, keep your lists brief, such as "10 Ways to..." or "15 Tips to..."


• Structure your list logically (largest to smallest, most to least popular, or simply your strongest tips first).


• If your list includes more than just a few words for each key point, consider using bold sub-headers with brief descriptions behind them.


• For "top 10" style lists, always number your entries, so readers can easily follow along.


• Be sure to include a source whenever appropriate, especially if your list contains hard facts or data.

Please Give Me a Call

With the recent explosion of marketing avenues available to businesses, it's easy to forget some of the fundamental building blocks that go into making a company successful. Take, for instance, that telephone in your office. It may not be as sexy or new as social media, but it packs a much bigger and more immediate punch than tweeting or Facebook posts! Perhaps the most important method of communicating with your clients and prospects is still that little old telephone.

The phone connects your business with your audience in ways that email and social media can't. The sound of the human voice and the interaction between two people on the phone can never be replicated or replaced by any other medium. That interaction can either increase or decrease your business in terms of traffic and revenue. Most callers will base their decision about whether or not to do business with your company on how they are treated on that phone call.

No amount of marketing and PR can overcome a negative experience on a phone call with your office. So before you move forward with any new marketing, make sure all that effort doesn't go to waste when a prospect calls your business.

You can either pay someone or ask a friend to call your business and pose as a potential customer. Have the calls recorded. Review these recordings on a regular basis, and share both the positive and negative calls with your staff, along with items you find that need to be corrected. These are extremely valuable training times. It takes a little effort on your part, but the rewards will pay off for many years to come.

By making sure that all callers experience a positive event when calling your business, you have a strong pillar to continue building your successful business.

It's 11:30. Are You Ready?

Deadline Lessons from Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live (SNL) producer Lorne Michaels once said, "I say it every week: We don't go on because we're ready. We go on because it's 11:30." He went on to say that being "ready" is a state of mind, one you can condition yourself to overcome with regular deadlines.

SNL is a long-running late-night live television sketch comedy created by Lorne Michaels. The live aspect of the show requires an absolute commitment to being ready to go on air at 11:30 eastern time every Saturday. It's a hard deadline. No excuses can be accepted or tolerated. The show begins with a topical sketch, at the end of which someone breaks from the skit and shouts: "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!"

But before the show airs each Saturday night, an entire week's worth of preparation has gone into making that episode a reality. Monday starts with a production meeting where ideas for the following week's skits are pitched. On Tuesday, the ideas chosen are turned into skits, and on Wednesday they're reviewed to pick the best ones to move forward.

On Thursday, the skits are tweaked and adjusted as needed. The winning skits are rehearsed on Friday and then once more before a live audience on Saturday at 8 PM before the actual live performance at 11:30.

Whatever project you're creating -- whether large and elaborate or small and simple -- you likely follow a similar process. Your ideas are put on paper, the best survive, an action plan to move forward is chosen, and deadlines are given. Everything is ready, so then why do some ideas and projects never get done?

Over-thinking, doubt, procrastination, and perfectionism are the enemies of deadlines. Each one can play the role of devil's advocate in your head to delay and destroy deadlines.

The cure might be to learn from SNL and Lorne Michaels. Take imperfect action when necessary. When you delay, nothing can move forward. You can always correct course and improvise as you move toward your goals, but nothing can happen unless you make that leap of faith to take the first steps.

SNL has aired some 730 episodes since its debut and began its 38th season this year, making it one of the longest-running network television programs in the United States. It has produced countless stars, created immense wealth for the creators, and entertained several generations of audiences over the years. The live aspect of the show creates a certain drama that most other shows lack. Some of the jokes fall flat, and there are unexpected surprises in many shows that had not been rehearsed. But the actors improvise as needed, and the show always goes on.

SNL doesn't go on air at 11:30 every Saturday evening because they are ready. It goes on because it's 11:30. You may never be "ready" enough if you don't commit to a deadline to go live. Set aside your fears and worries. Time is wasting, and you may never get another chance to go live again.

Your Print Marketing 3-Step Rule

Every print marketing piece should have an end goal in mind. Depending on the type of marketing piece, these goals can range from simply building name recognition to creating curiosity and ultimately generating sales. The next time you find yourself struggling to create print marketing that will get noticed, remember these three steps to maximize your effectiveness:

Step 1: Grab attention.
Start by getting your reader's attention. Remember this must happen from the initial glance at your promotional piece. Try using a bold headline, graphic, photo, or marketing claim. Choose something that encourages viewers to take a moment to read your marketing message.

Step 2: Create interest.
Provide teaser information that will engage prospects and entice them to learn more. Teaser information could include an announcement about exciting new products or features, a current or upcoming promotion, or anything else that will persuade customers to learn more.

Step 3: Engage the reader.
Provide a call to action for readers who have taken time to read your marketing message. This could vary from prospects who simply want more information to those who are ready to make a purchase. Provide a website address, phone number, directions, or other contact information that makes it easy for prospects to get in contact with you about your product or service. Consider creating a website landing page that is specific for the highlighted product or service. A landing page can not only make it easy to track interest generated from your promotional piece, but it can also make it easier for the reader to learn more without losing interest wading through an information-packed website.

Our creative team specializes in creating marketing pieces that will get noticed and remembered. Give us a call today if you need help or ideas for creating the perfect marketing piece that will increase awareness and boost sales.

Marketing Tips from Animals Pics

When it comes to marketing, we can learn a lot from photos of adorable animals. Here are a few key tips to take away the next time you catch yourself oohing and aahing over an adorable fuzzy kitten or roly-poly puppy:

• Have you ever noticed how adorable animal photos have a knack for engaging a wide variety of people with various interests? While marketing is most effective when aimed at a targeted audience, you should strive to appeal to a variety of personalities within your audience.


• Photos grab attention and have the power to invoke emotion. The sight of a baby animal can easily warm the heart of most people. Think about the photos or imagery you use in your next marketing campaign, and focus on the emotions your selected images will create for your audience.


• Consider using humor whenever appropriate. Have you ever seen a hilarious photo of a cat and felt the need to show others so they can laugh with you? The same is true of humorous marketing. By sharing something funny, WE also become funny by association.


• Just as people love to share adorable photos with others, be sure to create your marketing materials so they are easy to share. For example, create a durable mailer that includes a coupon for the recipient and one to share with a friend. Add a link to your web-based promotions to recommend friends, and consider a reward for those who pass the word. Include a "share" option to make your message easily available for friends or family who may be interested. By making your message easy to share, you can empower your audience to do the selling for you.

If you need more ideas for creating marketing materials your audience will look forward to receiving, give us a call today!

Repurpose Marketing Content

Repurposing content is often one of the most cost-effective and efficient ways to create an abundance of creative content, while at the same time extending the shelf life of your current marketing investment. Here are a few tips to help you creatively repurpose marketing content:

• Combine related blog posts on specific topics into an e-book. Add content as needed to make it flow smoothly from one post to another.


• Convert PowerPoint presentations into videos by adding animations, background music, or a voice-over. Maximize exposure by posting your videos on YouTube and sharing links via social media, your website, email, direct mail, and other marketing tools.


• Turn publications or articles into podcasts by simply reading them aloud or having a narrative conversation about a topic of interest.


• Create a company history timeline highlighting the stages and evolution of your business. Include news releases, company posts, social media announcements, and articles about your company.


• Review unconventional content as well, such as an employee handbook that may include an introduction from the president outlining the company's vision or a well-written summary of your target audience meant to educate new employees.


• Archive your news releases in a "news" section on your company website to increase ongoing exposure.


• Reuse parts of press releases, case studies, white papers, and other publications. Pull key quotes, stats, facts, and highlights, then use those materials in brochures, newsletters, blog posts, website pages, and email campaigns.


• Create a landing page or microsite using in-depth product pages or articles that you've already written.

No matter how you repurpose your content, just remember that the more content you create, the easier it is to generate interest, educate and inform prospects and customers, and increase sales.

No Apologies, Please

In order to be successful in business, you must portray confidence. If you aren't confident in your abilities or the quality of your products and services, why should a prospect or customer have confidence in you?

The words you choose in sales and marketing are very important and should portray a positive, confident image of your business. That's why you should never start a marketing or sales pitch with an apology. If what you have to say is important, you should always say it confidently, with no apologies.

Starting a conversation with an apology ("I'm sorry to both you...") suggests that what you have to say isn't really important and may influence prospects or customers to think the same.

Rather than apologizing or downgrading your approach, try showing confidence by saying, "I have an exciting new product I'd like to share with you, and I need a few minutes of your time. Do you have a moment to discuss this now, or can I make an appointment with you at a later date?"

If you're promoting a product or service of value, you should never apologize for getting in contact with prospects or customers to promote it. So, if your sales pitch isn't important, don't use it. If it is important, don't apologize for using it.

Loyalty Marketing... or We HEART You!

Customer loyalty programs are an easy and effective way to keep customers coming back to your business. Here are a few tips to help you create a loyalty program with a simple yet important goal: rewarding repeat customers.

• Offer custom-printed punch cards or stamp cards for customers who frequent your business. A simple reward (such as "buy five car washes, get the sixth free") may be enough to keep customers from visiting your competition down the street.


• Utilize the back side of your loyalty-marketing promotions to advertise upcoming events, highlight exclusive offers, share helpful tips, and more.


• Celebrate! Be sure to recognize customer birthdays, holidays, and even the date your customer joined your loyalty club.


• Provide loyalty club members with special coupons for free upgrades, such as "upgrade to a premium deluxe XYZ for the same price as our standard XYZ."


• Reward customers who buy ahead. For example, if you own a repair shop, you might offer a year-long package of oil changes for a discounted rate. Not only will the customer be happy to save money, but you can ensure the customer will return to your business all year long.


• Invite loyal customers to join a review panel group, and offer free products or services in exchange for their valuable feedback and input on how to improve your business.


• Develop creative ways to show your company's reciprocal loyalty to customers. Send "thank you" campaigns, for example, with exclusive discounts or promotions.

Give us a call if we can help you create loyalty program marketing materials your customers will love!

Effective Lead Generation From Your Local Business Chamber

Your local business leads group and Chamber of Commerce can be great sources of leads for you and your company. Why can and not are? Because many business owners join and expect the leads to just fall in their laps without much effort on their part. Then they quit and decide that this type of lead generation simply doesn't work for them. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Paying the monetary dues is only the first step in joining a chamber or business group. Showing up to the events regularly and showing your face is the next basic step. Being friendly and helpful is another basic prerequisite for success. But none of these are guarantees for bringing you prospects and customers. They are the entry ticket. Sadly, many stop with these steps and drop out before giving it a real chance.

What does work?

Consistency -- The long-time members and those you would love to have as clients will quietly decide for themselves through your actions whether you're someone they can trust. Caring enough to show up and be active will go a long way in building that trust. If you can't commit to doing these basic steps, save your money and don't join. If your sole purpose for joining is to find leads and someone to sell to, you've missed the main point of joining this type of organization. Sure, those are important reasons and by-products of joining, but they cannot be the sole or even the primary reasons.

Attitude -- Go in with a truly helpful and positive attitude if you want to succeed. Proactively seek out opportunities to help other members in every way you can, through referring and introducing them to other members, even if those actions don't directly benefit you. Do this, and you'll be on the right track.

Active participation -- One of the secrets to being successful with your membership is to join committees. Every group will have sub-committees for various needs and functions of the chamber. These may include groups like education committees or new member committees. Not only will you get to interact with other dedicated members in a smaller setting when you join these committees, but you'll also get recognition and notoriety for your efforts, which will lead to more chances to get to know other members better. This takes time and is a sacrifice, but it's extremely important to do.

To have real success from your membership, remember that you must give before you get. The more effort you can put in, the more success you can expect. It's a long-term strategy that has a proven track record for those who can practice one of life's golden rules.

Effective Lead Generation From Your Local Business Chamber

Your local business leads group and Chamber of Commerce can be great sources of leads for you and your company. Why can and not are? Because many business owners join and expect the leads to just fall in their laps without much effort on their part. Then they quit and decide that this type of lead generation simply doesn't work for them. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Paying the monetary dues is only the first step in joining a chamber or business group. Showing up to the events regularly and showing your face is the next basic step. Being friendly and helpful is another basic prerequisite for success. But none of these are guarantees for bringing you prospects and customers. They are the entry ticket. Sadly, many stop with these steps and drop out before giving it a real chance.

What does work?

Consistency -- The long-time members and those you would love to have as clients will quietly decide for themselves through your actions whether you're someone they can trust. Caring enough to show up and be active will go a long way in building that trust. If you can't commit to doing these basic steps, save your money and don't join. If your sole purpose for joining is to find leads and someone to sell to, you've missed the main point of joining this type of organization. Sure, those are important reasons and by-products of joining, but they cannot be the sole or even the primary reasons.

Attitude -- Go in with a truly helpful and positive attitude if you want to succeed. Proactively seek out opportunities to help other members in every way you can, through referring and introducing them to other members, even if those actions don't directly benefit you. Do this, and you'll be on the right track.

Active participation -- One of the secrets to being successful with your membership is to join committees. Every group will have sub-committees for various needs and functions of the chamber. These may include groups like education committees or new member committees. Not only will you get to interact with other dedicated members in a smaller setting when you join these committees, but you'll also get recognition and notoriety for your efforts, which will lead to more chances to get to know other members better. This takes time and is a sacrifice, but it's extremely important to do.

To have real success from your membership, remember that you must give before you get. The more effort you can put in, the more success you can expect. It's a long-term strategy that has a proven track record for those who can practice one of life's golden rules.

What is Your Customer Hiding From You?

In order to sell any kind of product or service, you first need to know the challenges your prospects face, so you can offer the best solution. On the surface, this seems like an easy problem to resolve. You send out a few surveys and questionnaires. You dig and do your research. You think you've found the answers. Yet when you build your pitch or presentation around what you think your prospect wants and needs, it falls flat.

Why? Because the prospect is hiding the truth from you.

It's not done with malicious intent. They're not even necessarily lying. They simply want to be liked and don't want to hurt your feelings by telling you things they think you wouldn't like to hear. Also some prospects don't really know what they want. Emailed and online surveys aren't the best at this type of information gathering.

That's the reason most surveys don't reveal many helpful answers. The problem isn't with the surveys themselves, but with the questions and how they're presented. Most survey questions don't get to the heart of the matter in order to pull out the answers you're looking for.

What can you do about this? Pick up the phone!

The best way to get the answers you're looking for is to call your prospects and engage them in a conversation. But before you do that (and if you don't want the phone slammed in your ear), do your homework first.

The responses will only be as good as your questions. Your questions need to be open-ended. You must be able to tap into the emotional and/or logical reasons why a prospect would (or wouldn't) buy your product or service. The more you're able to get them to open up and give you honest answers, the closer you'll get to the heart of what you're looking for. Keep good notes on the data you gather, and review it so you can make the next call even better at intelligence gathering.

Start your call with a very brief description of why you're calling, then quickly turn your attention to the prospect. Let them know you're not trying to sell them anything (so it brings down the wall and barriers they automatically put up). State that you respect and value their opinion, which is why you chose them to call. Make them feel respected and special before you dive into your questions.

Once you have your answers, take the time to carefully review all the information. Look for common themes or threads in the answers. If you don't find any, go back to your questions and reword them to get better answers. Yes, this takes real work. But the end result will be well worth your time. After you analyze the information, it will make your job of creating an irresistible offer that your prospects can't refuse much easier.

What is Your Customer Hiding From You?

In order to sell any kind of product or service, you first need to know the challenges your prospects face, so you can offer the best solution. On the surface, this seems like an easy problem to resolve. You send out a few surveys and questionnaires. You dig and do your research. You think you've found the answers. Yet when you build your pitch or presentation around what you think your prospect wants and needs, it falls flat.

Why? Because the prospect is hiding the truth from you.

It's not done with malicious intent. They're not even necessarily lying. They simply want to be liked and don't want to hurt your feelings by telling you things they think you wouldn't like to hear. Also some prospects don't really know what they want. Emailed and online surveys aren't the best at this type of information gathering.

That's the reason most surveys don't reveal many helpful answers. The problem isn't with the surveys themselves, but with the questions and how they're presented. Most survey questions don't get to the heart of the matter in order to pull out the answers you're looking for.

What can you do about this? Pick up the phone!

The best way to get the answers you're looking for is to call your prospects and engage them in a conversation. But before you do that (and if you don't want the phone slammed in your ear), do your homework first.

The responses will only be as good as your questions. Your questions need to be open-ended. You must be able to tap into the emotional and/or logical reasons why a prospect would (or wouldn't) buy your product or service. The more you're able to get them to open up and give you honest answers, the closer you'll get to the heart of what you're looking for. Keep good notes on the data you gather, and review it so you can make the next call even better at intelligence gathering.

Start your call with a very brief description of why you're calling, then quickly turn your attention to the prospect. Let them know you're not trying to sell them anything (so it brings down the wall and barriers they automatically put up). State that you respect and value their opinion, which is why you chose them to call. Make them feel respected and special before you dive into your questions.

Once you have your answers, take the time to carefully review all the information. Look for common themes or threads in the answers. If you don't find any, go back to your questions and reword them to get better answers. Yes, this takes real work. But the end result will be well worth your time. After you analyze the information, it will make your job of creating an irresistible offer that your prospects can't refuse much easier.

Forget Me Not!

Just because a customer buys from you a few times doesn't mean they'll immediately think of or even remember your business again the next time they need the kinds of products you sell. Here are a few ways to increase front-of-mind awareness for your company in the minds of consumers:

• Educate your audience about the ways your products are better than the competition. Consider creating a comparison chart to make the differences stand out in people's minds.


• Send thank yous for past purchases, and offer future discounts or coupons that are too good to ignore. For example, one might read: "Use this coupon anytime during December to receive 50% off any single item!"


• Encourage customers to reorder supplies before they run out. A reorder form placed near the bottom of each package you ship is one way to accomplish this. Periodic email reminders and promos based on past order history are another.


• Provide knowledgeable tips, tricks, and other industry-related information in a newsletter or periodic mailer that will leave recipients asking for more.


• Invite customers to open-house celebrations, hands-on training classes, or exclusive customer appreciation events.


• Create a customer loyalty program that rewards visitors for repeat purchases.


• Offer promotions or giveaway contests that spark interest in the products and services you sell.

Let us know if we can help you create direct mail pieces that will help ensure your business isn't forgotten!

Promote Your Company’s “EST” Factor

In today's competitive marketplace, it's important that you determine your company's "est" -- the differentiating factor that gives you a competitive edge. Whether your business strives to be the biggest, fastest, strongest, lowest, or oldest at something, the "est" factor will help you push to be the best and become the go-to business for that area of expertise.

Here are a few ways to find your "est":

• Ask your customers. The customer voice is a great way to pinpoint areas where your business truly shines. Encourage customer feedback through comment cards, surveys, testimonials, or simply by asking customers their opinions when you meet with them.


• Identify and enhance your strengths to add greater value to your business. For example, if your business is known for the fastest delivery services in town, you may consider opening a second location, adding additional delivery drivers, or upgrading your computer system to ensure you continue providing the fastest services possible.


• Accept your weaknesses, and don't become discouraged by areas where your business falls a little short. For example, if your prices aren't the lowest, you might say, "We may not have the lowest prices in town, but we offer the longest warranty in the industry to provide greater value for your dollar."

If you'd like help spreading the word about your "est" factor, we'd love to help. Our professional team can help create some of the greatEST marketing materials with the fastEST service you've ever seen!

Is Direct Mail Really Dead?

You may have heard the hype that direct mail has died and gone to junk mail heaven. Don't believe it. That talk comes from people who have never learned how to use direct mail correctly and effectively or who have a vested interest in spreading false and misleading information.

Why use direct mail? Because it works.

• It works in getting clients.


• It works to get your foot in the door.


• It works for lead generation.


• It works for growing traffic at brick-and-mortar (and even online) businesses.


• It works at differentiating your company from those who rely strictly on online communication.

Direct mail marketing is extremely reliable and extremely precise. It can be inexpensive and personalized. In fact, direct mail arrives more personally than any other medium and can deliver a message with 100% exposure.

In addition to all of this, direct mail...

• Requires virtually no tech skills


• Can be leveraged using shared advertising space


• Is what nearly all recipients prefer for unsolicited advertisement


• Can bring in business without someone actively searching for it


• Can be scaled infinitely


• Has worked for over a century without fail


• Has always been the king of all advertising


• Can take almost any business to any level of success desired


• Can be felt and not just seen


• Has an infinite shelf life

To be clear, "junk mail" is NOT what we are referring to as effective direct mail. Some companies with large marketing budgets can afford this type of "spray and pray" mailing.

Effective direct mail marketing takes some thought, planning, and strategy. It needs to be memorable, and it needs to stand out. Businesses of all size that are utilizing this powerful tool are still reaping the rewards.

No, direct mail isn't dead. It's alive and kicking. If you haven't tried it in a while, try it again. You won't be disappointed by the results.

Sometimes Less Really is More

"There are many things of which a wise man might wish to be ignorant." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Your mother probably admonished you as a youngster: "You need to finish that plate of food because there are children in Africa starving right now." So we have been conditioned to eat even when our stomach is full or even if we don't really like the taste of the food. The negative side effects surround us everywhere.

Living in this age of access to unprecedented amounts of information, we must be careful not to overindulge there, too. Just as it is harmful to overeat, it is perhaps even more detrimental to consume the incessant amount of unrelated and useless information that fills the web, the airwaves (TV and radio), and print. Just because it's free to access doesn't mean it comes without another kind of cost.

This type of cost is more precious than the monetary kind. It's your valuable time. Unlike money, time can't be replaced once it's gone. Like the youngster who becomes conditioned to eat too much, we are becoming conditioned to consume too much information, most of it the useless variety. Many of us need to go on an information diet! How many minutes and hours are wasted daily on email, Facebook, and various news/entertainment websites? Too many.

"Reading, after a certain age, diverts the mind too much from its creative pursuits. Any man who reads too much and uses his own brain too little falls into lazy habits of thinking." -Albert Einstein

Not all reading or information is harmful, of course. But it is time to stop reading negative and time-consuming information that is not helping you advance toward your goals. If you start reading an article that turns out to be less useful than you thought, no need to keep reading it. Do you have to constantly check your email? Not really. Start taking your time back by going on an information diet today. You will be much more productive and will like the new you the next time you look in the mirror.

Be a Drama Queen!

Yes, being a drama queen is typically a negative. But there is one instance where it is actually a big positive.

Imagine you are in a stadium filled with your most ideal prospects. You have one chance to present and pitch your product or service. Say the right thing, and every one of them will become a client. Say the wrong thing, and you'll lose them all. That's the potential power of communication.

There are many ways to get your message across. You can bore them to death, or you can entertain them. The chances that a prospect will stick around and listen are much better if you do the latter.

People are drawn to those who can share, teach, and even sell something useful. They are most attracted to the ones who can entertain them while presenting.

Like it or not, we live in a society that needs and wants to be entertained. If you want to stand out and succeed, you have to be able to give them what they want.

This is where injecting drama into your sales copy, blogs, direct mail, social media presence, and sales presentations has a powerful and magnetic effect. The best drama has some action and intrigue to draw the audience in. The same is true in business communication. If you take the time to package your thoughts and ideas in an entertaining way, you will be better received. Your audience will want more. The cycle of attraction, conversion, and consumption will begin. And it will continue as long as you are able to inject enthusiasm and some drama into your messages.

Think Small!

For many years, "think big" has been the theme for many businesses, as they try to compete in a sea of retail giants. However, the tables are turning, and large organizations realize that their audience is looking for more personalized, customer-focused attention, causing businesses to "think small." Here are a few ways to leverage your natural small business advantages in your marketing efforts:

• Personal attention. Small businesses are more likely to recognize their customers and provide sincere, personal attention, without customers feeling like they're just another number in the company's statistics.


• Industry experts. Many small businesses develop a narrow market focus and develop a premium reputation for serving that niche market effectively.


• The power to change. While large companies generally take several months to change company policies, small businesses usually have the ability to make decisions on the spot and implement changes quickly when they feel it is appropriate.


• Flexibility. Small businesses are more willing to work with customers and do whatever it takes to earn their business, including filling customized requests at a moment's notice.


• Customer satisfaction. Because it takes more effort for a small business to build a strong customer base, they also work harder to keep their current customers happy.

When it comes to marketing, don't hide the fact that you are a small business. Instead, take the opportunity to promote it proudly and show customers the many advantages of thinking small.

PB&J Marketing

It's easy to see why peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are a nationwide favorite. After all, PB&J offers creamy, sweet, smooth (or crunchy) goodness that is fruity, satisfying, filling, inexpensive, and fairly good for you to boot. Sure, peanut butter is delicious by itself (as is jelly), but when they are joined together, they create a flavor-packed, winning combination that can't be beat.

When it comes to marketing, a blend of print and electronic media can easily be compared to peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. While they can both function effectively on their own, they pack a more powerful punch when joined together.

For example, print promotions -- such as postcards, newsletters, flyers, or brochures -- are a great way to grab attention, increase awareness, and encourage readers to visit your website for in-depth information, product ordering, survey completion, webinar and event registration, and more.

When it comes to combining print with electronic media, the options are endless. If you're in need of unique print ideas to supplement your electronic marketing, give us a call today. You just may think some of our creative ideas are the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Start Spreading the Word About Your Full Product Line

If your marketing focuses too sharply on just a few key products or services, your customers may be unaware of your additional offerings...and you may be missing out on a great deal of potential revenue. Here are a few ways to spread the word about your full product or service line:

• Create a monthly or quarterly product spotlight postcard campaign that highlights various products or services, including a tearaway coupon as an incentive to try.


• Distribute product and service overview flyers or brochures with every purchase, either by inserting them into the purchase bag or stapling them to the receipt.


• Include a Q&A section on your website that provides additional details about your various products and services.


• Give new customers a three-ring binder welcome packet, and periodically send them new product pages or updates that are three-hole drilled to update their binder.


• Publish a blog and offer regular tips and articles that help customers get the most out of your products.


• Offer a product catalog with in-depth product features and highlights.


• Highlight a different product or service in your email tagline every month, with a reminder to check your website for more details.


• Cross-sell or up-sell your products to increase revenue by bundling items together, suggesting complementary items, or including customer testimonials that recommend some of your lesser-known products along with your more common offerings.

Plant a Seed with Catalogs, and Watch Your Business Grow

While online ordering is a must-have for many businesses, a printed catalog can provide a great supplemental marketing tool for your website. Many people still prefer perusing catalogs at their leisure without being connected to a computer. For these customers, a printed catalog provides increased exposure to a wider variety of products. In addition, catalogs can be easily shared with others and offer staying power...with a message that can be seen again and again.

Here are a few tips for creating a printed catalog that will do the selling for you:

• Include a mix of customer testimonials that give readers a more consumer-centric look at your products.


• "Tell your story" by including background information about your business and the history of your products.


• Cross-sell complementary products through suggestions in the product copy, call-outs, or the placement of companion products together.


• Feature best-selling products in the upper right-hand corner, where the eye is naturally drawn when flipping through a catalog.


• Think small. If you have a frequently changing product line, consider a mini catalog booklet that offers a brief overview of your product line with colorful product photos to pique interest. Refer readers to your website for an extended product line or more in-depth information.


• Include an order form. While few customers mail in their order, many will use it to organize their orders before ordering online or calling.


• Include seasonal inserts that can be easily updated for relevant sales and offers.

Remember, the more information customers have about your products, the more confident and satisfied they'll feel with their purchasing decisions.

Tips to Wow Prospects at Trade Shows

Trade shows are a proven way to showcase your company's products and services, but it can be challenging to stand apart in what can seem like a never-ending sea of booths. Here are a few tips to ensure your company gets noticed before, during, and after the event:

• Send teaser pre-show mailers that encourage prospects to visit your booth. Include a raffle ticket for a giveaway, promote a prize drawing, or encourage recipients to stop by your booth for a free giveaway item.


• Consider a theme for your booth, such as a Hawaiian theme, coffee shop theme, or sports-related theme. If you don't want to go the theme route, simply wear attire that is appropriate for the products you're selling. For example, if you sell ski equipment, you could dress in ski apparel and offer visitors hot cocoa and free demos.


• Attract visitors with a delicious treat they can't resist, such as homemade cookies, cupcakes, ice cream bars, cinnamon rolls, or even full-size candy bars wrapped with your marketing message.


• In addition to having a widescreen display that offers engaging, informative content, videos, and product highlights, remember that print materials (including business cards, brochures, and flyers) are a must for ensuring visitors will remember you after they walk away.


• Use a spotlight to draw attention to a new item or promote a "show special" or "best seller" item. Consider offering a significant discount for placing an order during or within a few days of the event, and have promotional flyers ready to pass out detailing any exclusive offers you provide.


• Be on the ball when mailing follow-up information. If you're on the road, email someone at the office daily with requests to send info packets immediately.


• Consider sending a lumpy mailer shortly after the event that includes a thank you card or flyer featuring a photo of you and/or your booth (to spark memory), a small promotional item, and a sample or trial offer of your product. You may also wish to promote an extension to any exclusive offers you marketed at the event.

Let us know if we can help you create stunning marketing materials that will not only spread the word but also help turn prospects into customers!

Educated Customers Are Your Best Customers

One of the biggest marketing mistakes many businesses make is failing to educate buyers about the unique advantages of their products and services, as well as their industry in general. Educated customers are not only more satisfied with their purchasing choices, but they are also more likely to share their wealth of information and tips with other information-savvy buyers. Here are a few ways to increase sales by educating your audience:

• Educate about pricing. If you're offering a special discounted price because you purchased in volume, let your customers know, so they understand why your prices aren't always so low. The same is true if your prices are higher than the competition -- explain that your products are of a higher quality, that your warranty is longer, or whatever other reasons you might have.


• Offer information on industry trends, developments, and new products via newsletters, blogs, social media posts, and the like. Provide webcasts, seminars, and guest speaking engagements at area events. Recommend helpful industry resources, such as books, magazines, and blogs.


• Use your background or experience to become involved in industry forums, where you can share your enthusiasm and knowledge. Offer valuable contributions, such as useful answers or tips that demonstrate your expertise. Back up your information with trusted sources.


• Provide reasons why you do business with select manufacturers or vendors, such as if they provide unbeatable quality, industry-leading warranties, or have been a dependable partner for several years.


• Offer a comparative analysis of your products versus the competition. Define the differences between your company and the competition with factual, credible information. Back it up with customer testimonials and references.


• Consider using on-hold messaging to educate and inform callers while they wait on the phone. This brief time slot offers a perfect opportunity to tell your audience something they may not know.


• Include educational content on your website, such as a "tips" section, an archive of blogs, e-newsletters, a glossary of industry terms, or other types of industry resources.

The more you can teach someone something they don't already know, the more they will trust you and gravitate toward you as an expert in your field. If you'd like help creating marketing materials that will not only impress but also educate your audience, give us a call.

Break the Barrier

During the mid 20th century, the one-mile run was a centerpiece event in track and field. In its illustrious history, no one had ever broken the four-minute time barrier. For years, doctors, scientists, and the general public believed that it was physically impossible for humans to run that fast. Then in 1954, Roger Bannister came along and proved all the experts wrong by running the race in less than four minutes.

What's more amazing is that within one year of Bannister's record-breaking race, 16 more runners broke the four-minute mile as well.

How could it be that all of a sudden so many athletes were able to break a seemingly impossible record that had stood for so long? There hadn't been a new technological breakthrough, nor could it be explained in any outward way.

One possible explanation is that none of those athletes truly believed it was possible to run the mile in under four minutes. Roger Bannister not only broke the physical barrier of running a sub-four-minute mile. He also broke a mental barrier that had been holding runners back for years.

We all have these types of mental barriers in our lives. We all have reasons in our minds why something can't be done. Most are self-made inner doubts and excuses.

Isn't it time to break through your four-minute-mile barrier?

Appreciation Marketing

Everyone likes to feel appreciated. That's especially true when it comes to your customers. Appreciation marketing can help you develop lasting relationships and make customers think of you the next time they're ready to purchase. Here are a few ways to show customers your appreciation:

• Send a hand-written thank you card every time someone does business with you.


• Reward repeat customers with special deals, exclusive discounts, and coupons.


• Send holiday, birthday, or anniversary cards. These simple, pressure-free greetings will help increase top-of-mind awareness throughout the year.


• Offer useful information and helpful tips to educate customers and promote your expertise via blogs, newsletters, social media, and the like.


• Invite customers to an exclusive appreciation event designed for existing customers.


• Collaborate with non-competitive local businesses to create a coupon book or discount program across a range of industries.


• Create a customer loyalty program, such as a loyalty punch card, upgrade offers, or cash rewards after reaching a specific purchase level.


• Respond quickly to customer questions or requests, and follow-up to be sure all questions were thoroughly answered.


• Ask for customer feedback in the form of surveys and response cards.


• Send out a voucher or postcard for a free gift, redeemable at your business.


• Send discounts and coupons "just because" to thank customers for their business.


• Include statement stuffer coupons with bills not only as a thank you but also to encourage customers to make additional future purchases.

If you're interested in any of the above print marketing ideas or need help brainstorming the perfect promo to show customers your appreciation, our creative team is eager to help. Give us a call today!

Bounce 'Em Back to Your Site

After all your work hard and marketing efforts enticing prospects to visit your website, it can be frustrating to see high bounce rates. Bounce rate is an Internet marketing term that represents the percentage of visitors who enter your website and bounce -- or leave the site -- rather than continuing to view other pages within your site or complete a desired action.

Here are a few common website mistakes that are often responsible for driving away potential customers:

• The basics. An unattractive design, spelling errors, broken links, images that take forever to load, and other annoyances will quickly cause visitors to lose trust and confidence in your business.


• Poor navigation. If visitors can't tell where they are, where to click next, or how to get back to your homepage, they will likely just exit.


• Complicated, lengthy web pages. Instead, provide information that is brief and organized with headlines and sub-headings, bulleted lists, and short paragraphs.


• Too many distractions. Popup ads, flashing information, and similar devices can easily frustrate or lead visitors away from your site.


• Dated content. How will visitors know if anything is the latest and greatest information if you don't take the time to update key areas on your website?


• Music or sound effects. These are not only annoying, but also embarrassing for visitors viewing your site from a public place. Users will likely close out of your site as quickly as possible.


• No contact information. While a "contact us" form is helpful, your website should also include your telephone number and physical address. The more contact information you include, the more visitors will be reassured you are legit.


• Asking too many questions. Requiring too much information from visitors may scare some away. Make it easy for visitors to request additional information by simply asking for their name and basic contact information. Also provide quick turnaround in response to show you respect their time.

Our creative team would love to help you develop outstanding marketing materials to supplement your website. Give us a call today!

How to Get More Done with the Elimination Technique

Most of us are familiar with the infamous "to do" list.

We dutifully populate the list with task after task that needs to get done. But we're never sure where to start. There are only so many hours in a day, and all the tasks need to get done. We can't fit a square peg in a round hole, and even if we stayed awake 24 hours, we wouldn't be able to finish all the tasks on our list.

When faced with this dilemma, most of us are ready to tear up the task list and just wing it. A better option might be to use the Elimination Technique instead. What is the Elimination Technique? It's a method to help narrow your focus. It starts with a series of questions to ask to begin eliminating options to get to what is most important.

Take a look at your current task list and ask the following questions:

• What tasks take more time than I have available?


• Are there tasks that don't have to be done today?


• Are there tasks that can be automated?


• What tasks can be delegated to someone else?

Your task list should now be shortened. Reduce your list further by asking these questions:

• What tasks are most important for this day to be considered a success?


• What tasks don't generate results that move you along your major goals?


• What tasks are required to move forward with a project?


• What tasks don't facilitate some sort of growth, profit, or sales?

Your goal is to eliminate as many of the non-essential tasks as possible. Remember that the goal is to narrow your focus into a laser beam. By asking these questions, you should begin to see which tasks are truly important and must be prioritized and which tasks can be pushed down the list or better yet simply eliminated from your day. Less is more in this case.

For some, eliminating tasks may feel painful. We live in a society that seems to be constantly on the go. A long to do list must equal someone of substance. But having lots of activity doesn't necessarily lead to fulfillment. Some struggle with the concept of elimination because there may be a sense of loss. (If I don't do it, it will never get done.) But if all that extra non-essential activity gets in the way of doing what is most important, wouldn't it be better for it to be eliminated?

Start today by ruthlessly eliminating tasks so you can reveal to yourself the truly important things in your life. With elimination comes focus. With focus comes efficiency. Efficiency leads to doing more while actually working less. Working less allows you to enjoy more freedom to accomplish what gives you real fulfillment and happiness in life.

Four Tips to STOP Wasting Time

Productivity and time management go hand in hand. If you're feeling inefficient, STOP and give this quick four-step method a try.

• See your objectives clearly. If you don't know where you're going, how can you possibly know the best way to get there? Take a few minutes to identify your goal and the steps you must take to reach it.


• Target the issues you're facing and the reasons behind what you're doing. Analyze your current course of action to determine if it's the most efficient and effective way to reach your goal.


• Organize your options. Ask yourself if there are any faster but equally effective ways you could be doing what you're doing. Even seemingly small things can make a big impact on your efficiency.


• Plan your work -- and work your plan. Start to put the things you uncovered in the previous steps into action. You might be surprised just how much more productive -- and happy -- you feel.

Overwhelmed by Your Marketing Efforts?

Marketing your business can be a nonstop, exhausting task. Here are a few ways to avoid feeling overwhelmed and get the most out of your marketing efforts:

• Create a SWOT analysis, which is a strategic planning method to evaluate your company's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. By identifying and understanding these four areas of your business, you can more easily create a strategy that will distinguish your company from the competition, so you can compete successfully in your market.


• Hire a talented assistant. An assistant can help you manage your workload, get things done faster, and relieve the stress of looming deadlines. Even a part-time assistant can help you free up time to focus on more important tasks.


• Find a marketing intern. Interns can provide a lot of value... if you let them. Interns are best utilized to help you reach business goals. For example, consider assigning interns to manage social media accounts, write articles and other blogs to increase your web presence, develop creative campaign ideas, etc. Interns can help relieve capacity issues and "test" new hires before making them official.


• Remember to delegate. It often seems faster and easier just to do something yourself, but you also risk not having trained backup when you really need the help. If you're nervous about trusting others with key projects, be sure to frequently track progress, give feedback, and help people solve problems.


• Communicate with other departments in your business to gather new marketing ideas. For example, your production crew may suggest highlighting a new product feature, while your sales team may receive suggestions from customers about requested promotional ideas.


• Learn from others. Collect examples of marketing materials or creative ideas that caught your attention, and organize them in an ideas binder. Combine your favorite traits from each into marketing ideas that are customized for your business.


• Create a wish list of marketing initiatives, as well as a list of necessary projects with realistic deadlines. Schedule a weekly or bi-monthly meeting to review your progress, identify issues that are holding you back, and reassign tasks or projects.


• Consider outsourcing projects if you or your team doesn't have the time or resources to complete an important project. Freelance writers or designers can also be a great solution to keeping up the pace without hiring permanent staff. One great way to use freelance writers is for customer case studies. As an outside party, freelance writers can often ask sensitive questions and may be able to get customers to open up more as a result.

Whatever you do, don't forget to put a professional finishing touch on your marketing efforts by choosing a printer who can offer helpful advice, creative ideas, meet tight deadlines, and provide a quality product you will be proud to distribute. We're here anytime your business needs help putting your best foot forward.

Positive Steps for Handling Negativity at Work

We've all heard the saying that one bad apple can spoil the bunch. The same is true of negativity in the workplace. A single employee's negative attitude can bring coworkers down and hurt morale. So how can you combat it?

• Confront the offender. While it may seem easier to ignore a problem and hope it goes away, that rarely works. In fact, the problem usually just keeps getting worse until you have no choice but to act. When you see someone displaying a negative attitude (or hear about it from coworkers), sit the person down and let them know their attitude is not acceptable.


• Get to the root of the problem. In your meeting, try to discover the cause of the person's dissatisfaction. Perhaps they feel slighted by something that happened at work. They may think someone else received preferential treatment over them or that what they do goes unnoticed and unrecognized. Whatever the case, hear them out and acknowledge their feelings, even if you disagree. Share your own thoughts, discuss the issues, and try not to be too confrontational.


• Seek solutions. As you're discussing issues, look for ways to resolve them as best you can. Keep in mind that not all grievances can be easily solved and not all negativity is completely work-related. However, approaching the situation with a solutions-oriented mindset should help at least let the person know you're taking their well-being seriously.


• Hold your ground. No matter the outcome of your meeting, make it clear that the employee is responsible for their own actions and that continued negativity will not be tolerated. Spell out the consequences and stand firm in your resolve.


• Reward positivity. Hopefully, your meeting and the solutions you devise together will trigger an attitude shift in your employee. As you notice changes, offer positive reinforcement and encouragement. Of course, even if you don't see changes in the employee, try not to get too discouraged. Instead, focus on the more positive members of your team. Reinforce, reward, and encourage their attitude and its positive influence on those around them.

Make Unsubscribing Easier

In the world of email marketing, many companies are so focused on encouraging people to opt-in or subscribe to their emails that they overlook the wishes of recipients who may want to unsubscribe.

If unsubscribing to your messaging is not easy, you run the risk of increased spam complaints and ISP blocking, annoyed customers, and a weakened brand image. More than 40 percent of email recipients click the easier option (the spam button at the top of their email) rather than searching for an unsubscribe link. This occurs most often because many companies hide the link, push it down to the bottom of a message, or purposely blend the "unsubscribe" text into the background.

One way to make unsubscribing easier is to place an "unsubscribe" button at the top of your email. In addition to making your unsubscribe button more noticeable, you may also want to offer other options (change email address, change/reduce message frequency, choose different types of messages to receive, change message delivery to RSS/direct mail, etc.). Consider adding a survey, too, that asks why the recipient chose to unsubscribe (I receive too many emails from your organization, emails are not relevant to me, I did not subscribe to these emails, etc.).

Overall, the unsubscribe button isn't always a bad thing and doesn't have to mean goodbye. It can not only help reduce email complaints, but can also clean your email list, ensuring that only people who are truly interested receive your message.

Circle of Trust

In the movie Meet the Parents, Jack (Robert DeNiro) explains to Greg (Ben Stiller) his philosophy which he calls the "Circle of Trust." Greg is planning to marry Jack's daughter. He's an outsider who desperately wants to be included in Jack's Circle of Trust.

Greg tries to fit in, but every effort is met with failure and ridicule because he tries to be something he is not.

In an effort to impress our prospects, we sometimes make the same mistake of trying to be something outside of who we are. But if you really want to get inside a customer's Circle of Trust, you must have integrity, and you must show that you truly have their best interest in mind at all times.

Above all, be yourself.

With all the mishaps and disasters that happen during the movie, Jack is convinced that Greg is not a good fit for his daughter. But at the end of the movie, Jack realizes that Greg really loves his daughter and has her best interest in his heart.

To enter and stay in a customer's Circle of Trust, always have their best interest in mind and show them that you truly care about them and their business.

Now, here's a short and funny compilation of the Circle of Trust scenes from Meet the Parents. Enjoy!

Marketing with Humor

It's been said that if you want to be remembered, make your audience laugh. Humor is a great way to connect with your audience, and it can do wonders for your marketing strategy if it's used correctly. Here are a few tips on how to laugh your way to the bank.

• Find humor in unlikely places by asking yourself "WWJD?" (What Would Jerry Do?) Jerry Seinfield is known for finding a funny perspective on everyday situations.


• Tread lightly. You don't want your company or product to be laughed at -- just your marketing message.


• Test your humor internally or amongst a few business peers before sending it out. And remember that comedy is subjective, so don't expect to please everyone.


• Experiment with social media. For example, try posting a few humorous tweets or Facebook updates to see how your audience reacts.


• Minimize product messaging, and focus on creating brand awareness.


• Make sure the humor fits your brand's personality and is appropriate with your product's messaging.


• Always be politically correct and avoid controversial topics and jokes in bad taste.


• Remember that humor shouldn't be your message. It is simply a creative way to get prospects and customers to pay attention to (and remember) your message. If you can make your customers laugh, chances are you'll be laughing all the way to the bank.

S-L-O-W Down!

We live in the age of speed.

From fast cars to fast food.

From text messaging to the microwave.

The number of hours in the day didn't increase, but what we think we need to accomplish did.

In this hurried environment, it has become more difficult than ever to get a marketing message heard. Even harder to sell a product or service.

Zig Ziglar may have said it best: "If people like you, they may listen to you; but if they trust you, they will do business with you."

That may seem quaint to hear, but it is just as valid in today's world as when Zig first mentioned it many years ago.

It is true that you have to do something unique to stand out in the marketplace. Something to get people to "like you."

But once you get that attention, slow down the process and build a relationship so that they "trust you," too.

Provide genuine help and value. Over time that will cement the trust.

Today's world may seem to be made for the hare, but the tortoise who takes the time to build real relationships will ultimately win the race.

Don't Forget the Finishing Touches

Even if your marketing document is coming together perfectly -- with compelling copy, a stunning layout, and quality photos -- remember it's not complete until it's "finished." A document's finishing touches help portray its overall quality and importance and can take it to the next level.

Here are a few finishing touch options that will help you create a marketing piece you and your customers will love:

• Spot varnish is available in gloss, matte, or satin finishes. Gloss varnish is often used to enhance the colors of printed photos and make ink colors throughout the piece appear more vivid. Matte varnish is used to reduce glare and improve the readability of small text. Satin varnish offers a blend of both. A contrasting spot treatment can really make a logo or other information pop (such as a glossy logo on a matte background).


• Metallic inks are available in a variety of colors and are a great way to add interest with a shine and luster not available in standard inks.


• Foil-stamping is an easy way to create focus on text or imagery, such as enhancing a classic, elegant logo.


• Die-cutting is used to create a unique shape, outline, or edging.


• Embossing involves creating a raised 3D impression using a custom die under high pressure.


• Laminating can greatly increase durability and offer water protection. In addition to protecting a printed document, lamination can also enhance its appearance.


• Other finishing options include (among other things) collating your pieces into sets, separating, folding, stapling, punching or drilling, padding, scoring, numbering, index-tabbing, packaging/shrink wrapping, and spiral, wire, comb, saddle-stitch, or perfect binding.

No matter your finishing need, from simple to spectacular, we can help you determine the perfect finishing touches to help your product really stand apart from the competition.