Marketing Archives - Page 19 of 26 - Marketing, content, & technology to help printers sell more printing

Have Instagram, Facebook, and social media become the new, “wish you were here” greeting for this generation? Washington Post travel journalist Mark Jenkins wrestled with this question and concluded the allure of the postcard is not just the image captured or the message shared, but a physical memento from a real, tangible place. Jenkins writes, Postcards (are) more personal than a generalized cyber-posting or e-blast, and . . . less narcissistic. Postcards widen the conversation by adding a third element: the image itself, whether tacky or beautiful, generic or informative. Think Outside the Rectangle Remind your customers that a physical message in their hands gives their message palpable weight with this month’s FastStart direct mail package. Show them that gone are the days of boring templates and that today’s printing capabilities offer them the chance to dream and DO almost anything with postcard sizing, shape, or finishes. Encourage your clients to think outside the rectangle — considering tri-fold layouts, square promo cards, or coupons with detachable referral slips that people can give to a friend. Lively Postcards are Personal, Practical, and FUN Perhaps your customers need a boost in their seasonal sales or trade show promotions. Here’s a peek at the

So far in this series of crafting your perfect marketing message, you’ve learned about the who and the what in order to craft the messages your prospects need to hear. To recap: The “who” reveals the stories you should tell by knowing your audience. The “what” helps you craft an overall voice that ties directly into the prospect’s motivation to buy. Once these two parts are nailed down, you’ll be able to deliver the perfect metaphors and anecdotes that make your ideal prospect view you as the only choice. This messaging and content will be a clear combination of messages that are persuasive, compelling, and powerful for them to hear and read. You Are Not Your Audience Armed with the “who” and the “what,” let’s turn our attention to look at the “how” of attracting your ideal buyer — one who shares your values. When you’re just getting started executing your “how,” it can be tempting to overly identify with your audience. While you’re going to have things in common, it’s dangerous to think your ideal customer is similar to you in other ways. You’re a subject matter expert at what you do, for starters, and they are not. Make sure to

Fall means busy. School is in session, mid-term election information is everywhere, and it’s hard to compete for people’s limited attention. Luckily, the best tool to market yourself and get people to stop for even a moment and see what’s new is ready and waiting to be printed! In this Issue The September issue of the Business Forum direct mail newsletter for printers has great advice from hundreds of business leaders, that is, if you read the book that we’ve reviewed, Tim Ferris’s Tribe of Mentors: Short Life Advice From the Best in the World. It’s time to dispel the myth that having an exit strategy can’t exist alongside an entrepreneur’s passion for their business. Also in this issue: Questions, Questions, Everywhere: Another topic tackled this month is all about asking questions. Knowing when to ask, what to ask, and how to ask questions can lead to greater success. Featured Product: Presentation Folders: This month features case studies and the quality presentation folders you can provide that can help customers display their success stories to attract new business and increase sales. Print is All About Trust: The authority and trust inherent in print is another focus of this issue. Planning for

Direct mail is one of the most impactful ways you can market your business. As a printer, that advantage goes even further because you’re not just sending a marketing piece about what you do, you’re actually sending a sample of what you do! A Layered Explanation Direct mail marketing from Marketing Ideas For Printers delivers ready-to-print InDesign and PDF files to your inbox every month, on time, every time. All you have to do is add your logo and any personalization options that you see fit. Below, you’ll see three of our direct mail packages highlighted as we show you how you can turn on or turn off layers within the document to better suit your design needs. No More Excuses Time and time again, the same excuses of “I don’t have time” or “It’s too expensive,” rob printers of valuable sales and lead generation found through direct mail marketing. It’s time to throw out the excuses and explore the literal “layers of options” available to you with direct mail marketing materials from Marketing Ideas for Printers. Ready to give it a try? Download free samples or contact us below.

Recently, I was having a conversation with a fellow print shop owner, and the topic of customer service came up. I mentioned that I thought customer service was more important than it ever has been in my 30-year career in the printing industry. He disagreed. “As long as I deliver a quality product in a timely manner everything works out great for me,” he said. I’m not so sure about that. Allow me to share my opinion on my friend’s opinion. There was a time in our industry that quality and speed would allow a printing business to charge a hefty price, rake in the dough, and control market share in their market. In our new digital world, though, expectations are already high. Quality is not expected, it’s required. And speed? Ever since the microwave was introduced, society has been trying to figure out how to make the world spin faster on its axis! To make matters worse, now that anyone can get into the digital printing business, there have been a bunch of newbies enter the print industry that have no clue how to price their products appropriately. That means it’s even more challenging to compete for the same margins

Messaging is everything. It drives your entire business, should be crafted synonymously with your core values, and built around a clear, compelling reason why your prospects should want to do business with you. Yet, the majority of printers have no core messaging, and no relevant message strategy (other than to sell something somebody wants). So, how do you craft content and messaging that’s irresistible to your prospects, and at the same time clearly explains the value you offer your buyers and how you can help them? Over the next four weeks, you’ll learn three steps to help you create a marketing message your ideal buyers will love, plus we’ll walk you through an invaluable exercise called The Empathy Map. The Who Before you can get someone to buy from you, you need to know what to say to them, and how to say it. You’ll never get that right unless you know who you’re talking to. Here at Marketing Ideas For Printers, we call this creating buyer personas. You could call them avatars or even characters if you prefer. It’s All in the Research The main idea is to create a fictional representation of your ideal customer or persona. To create

Take a quick break to see what’s coming in the latest issue the Printer’s Press direct mail newsletter! In this Issue In the August issue, you’ll find articles on: Summer painting tips A travel article about a steam threshers festival that takes visitors back in time The benefits of unplugging The top 10 most common reasons for doctor visits …and a deliciously easy recipe for Pineapple BBQ Chicken You Print It All! No matter what your prospects and customers need for an upcoming conference, show them you can print it all, including hanging ceiling displays, posters, table tents, stickers, bag inserts, presentation folders, and much more. Let them know with the latest issue of Printer’s Press that you specialize in creative conference materials, so they don’t have to! For more creative ways to increase sales with print, and many other interesting articles, check out the newly updated Printer’s Press. To get started, contact us below or download free samples.

A is for Awesome When they started working on an internet search engine in 1998, Stanford students Sergey Brin and Larry Page had no clue how enduring their influence would be. Initially, Google struggled to generate revenue without compromising search results. Today, through creative ad placement and strategic purchases of companies like YouTube, Google has grown its footprint to nearly $600 billion! Brin and Page attribute Google’s success to a willingness to risk (like the company’s current experimentation with drone deliveries) and to do the basics well. In 2015, Google formed a parent company called “Alphabet,” a nod toward a cleaner, more accountable company that stays highly focused even as it stretches innovation. “We liked the name Alphabet because it means a collection of letters that represent language, one of humanity’s most important innovations,” said Page. Each letter counts, and each decision does too. One of Alphabet’s goals is to “make Google even better through greater focus.” B is for Blueprint Every footprint starts with a great BLUEPRINT – a creative vision paired with the flexibility and elbow grease to make it happen. That’s where you come in! The August Local Edge, our direct mail postcard touting the local print

Great Moments are Born from Great Opportunity What changes an opportunity into a victory? A dream, a will to fight, and sometimes a raging good pep talk. In the 2012 documentary School of Hard Knocks, famed Welsh Coach Scott Quinnell inspired his rugby team with these words: “If you don’t feel those butterflies in your stomach now . . . when we walk out that door, they turn to dragons. Because they get bigger and they get stronger and we use them. And those dragons are going to breathe FIRE!” Or consider these words: “Great moments are born from great opportunity, and that’s what you have here tonight boys.” That was said by U.S. Men’s Hockey Coach Herb Brooks before his team shocked the world in one of the greatest upsets of all time against the Soviet Union in the 1980 Olympics. Rise to the Occasion Words of inspiration can transform defeated attitudes into magnificent triumph. Words can impart courage, grow confidence, and inspire creativity. But first, you have to actually speak them! Use this month’s FastStart mailer to inspire and spark creativity in your clients today. The August product feature highlights the bright, breathtaking qualities a strategically placed banner

Have you ever wondered where the phrase “the dog days of summer” comes from? It has nothing to do with dogs laying around in the summer heat. It actually comes from the ancient Greeks who were avid astronomers. Sirius, also known as the “dog star,” rises in the night sky in July and into August. Besides our sun, Sirius is the brightest star in our sky and can even be seen in the daylight if the conditions are right. It’s Your Turn to Shine You are that bright star in your customers’ sky. After all, without you, how can they get their message out as effectively as you make it for them? The latest issue the Business Forum direct mail newsletter, a shining star all by itself, includes some advice for businesses who face forced changes and how they can make it a little less painful if they take a different perspective on things. Also this month, we look at Extreme Ownership, a book by two Navy SEALs who have translated military leadership into real-world business skills that will take any leader to the next level. To get started, contact us below or download samples now.

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