The direct mail packages from Marketing Ideas For Printers couldn’t be easier! Each month we send you a link for a press-ready file of the text and artwork, two months ahead of publication. You drop in your logo and contact information, print, and mail to customers or prospects within your exclusive ZIP code(s), offering you the ability to produce consistent, reliable, high-quality content every month with minimal effort. But that doesn’t mean you get off entirely scot-free… Launch Into Something Great The reality is that any marketing campaign takes thought, planning, and a target to aim for. We desire to provide the best springboard for you to launch your monthly marketing campaign in a way that suits your print business and allows the greatest return on your investment. Part of that desire includes helping you discover ways to take the launchpad of the design and content we provide and then make it into something even better: your own. Hone In Here are eight ways that you can customize your direct-mail marketing to hone in on your target: 1) Build Your Samples Arsenal Photograph a collection of printed pieces you are proud of or save the artwork files of recent projects you’ve
What turns customers away from a website, advertisement, or company? Perhaps it’s the message itself or the way a brand is presented. Sometimes the information is just too scattered, time-consuming, or confusing! Today’s consumers face a barrage of competing messages, so helping your customers learn to evaluate and understand each intersection between a customer and their business is critical. A Critical Crossroad These intersections, or touch points, are the focus of the latest marketing tip added to the Ideas Collection of every website provided by Marketing Ideas For Printers. Touch points are anything your customers come in “touch” with before, during, or after a sale. These can include such things as a company’s advertisements, flyers, business cards, blogs, tradeshow presence, or even their customer service and voicemail manners. Each touch point represents an entry into the sales funnel where a visitor either continues forward or turns away. Every Touch Point Matters In this new tip, your customers will learn that simply having a touch point in place is no longer an option. Rather, each touch point must perfectly represent their brand, offering a cohesive, captivating message. To help with this, there’s a simple three-step formula to consider: LIST: List all current touch
Today’s generation is manifesting hunger for the authentic – whether it’s eating organic, supporting small business, or celebrating spectacular artistry. A desire for craftsmanship is at the forefront – an appreciation of the highest standards and those who’ve spent a lifetime cultivating them. Carhartt (clothing & outdoor gear) specifically termed the call to craftsmanship as a “rebuilding” of a nation, the “road home from a throwaway world.” More Than (Just) Good Design Craftsmanship is more than good design; it’s a wholehearted commitment to a tradition of excellence – to creative, enduring, breathtaking products. In a recent Harley-Davidson (motorcycles) commercial, it was phrased this way: “What is the going rate for the work of the American craftsman? How much value does heritage add to technology? If every detail fits together perfectly, how much more is the whole worth (rather) than the sum of the parts? If riding gives you a feeling that’s impossible to explain, is it possible to calculate how much that’s worth? How do you measure the value of becoming part of something that is bigger than yourself?” Craftsmanship is Alive and Well in Local Print The May edition of our Local Edge direct mail postcard commends this tradition! What
Gone are the days when you could count on a friendly smile with your purchase. Sure, you can still get that warm smile, but these days we head to the self-checkout line and intentionally choose to skip the opportunity for that friendly smile altogether. That’s a topic I explored in a recent article published on LinkedIn entitled, Connecting People to Process. (If we’re not already connected on LinkedIn, please take this opportunity to connect with me while you’re there reading the article. Thanks!) Who’s In Control? You don’t have a self-checkout line in your print shop, but your print-buying customers probably feel like most Walmart shoppers. They don’t always want a personal touch anymore! They want control – the control to regulate their buying pace, the control to access and change their order whenever they want, and the control to not wait for you. The Easiest Process Wins If your customers are exercising their control and choosing to skip the personal touch, that means they’re going online to order printing. Today, over 70% of buying decisions are made before a conversation with a real live human even occurs. 70%!!! And all signs point to that number going even higher in the future. Let’s go back to the
Mowing your yard or planning a vacation: that’s the kind of project you can accomplish on your own. Sometimes, though, a project is bigger than one person. A recent LinkedIn article, Growing More Than I Realized!, talked about the importance of teamwork in super-size projects. Here’s the key takeaway from that article: When your vision is grand, you have to let go and trust the team around you to carry out your vision. Trusting your team is an important part of the equation, but it’s not the only part. ENCOURAGE YOUR TEAM Just expecting your team to perform isn’t enough. You have to provide the environment, the guidance, and the inspiration for your team to make their own choice to join you on the journey. The world is filled with leadership techniques about that very topic. Leaders have poured days, weeks, and months into developing complex ecosystems around their teams. There’s a place for that, but there’s also a place for the simple day-to-day activities. Here’s a simple activity I do to help inspire the team around me. I take a few moments to scribble out a sincere hand-written note of encouragement to someone on my team. That’s it! That one simple activity can provide a big boost
The April 2017 issue of Printer’s Press is now ready! IN THIS ISSUE… Check out these great articles: Reasons to Get Spicy… hot sauce and peppers offer many health benefits. Bacon Chicken Pasta Bake… a savory recipe your family will love! The Top 10 Sports Mascots… who is your favorite? And a travel article about the Grand Canyon Skywalk… are you dare devil enough to try it? Also featured, we discuss “Why Less is More.” Check out this sample from the article: The point of minimalism is to rid yourself of excess, whether that be possessions, activities, ideas, or relationships, that don’t bring value to your life. Decluttering gives you the opportunity to focus on what’s important in life. Benefits of minimalism: Less stress Save money Quality over quantity Greater happiness OTHER PRINTER’S AGREE Get started with Printer’s Press for a newsletter your customers will look forward to receiving. Don’t just take our word for it, though. Here’s what other customers are saying about Printer’s Press from our survey feedback: “Our customers look forward to receiving it!” “It’s a great tool for marketing!” If you’d like to learn more about these and many other interesting articles, or to download samples
The April 2017 issue of Business Forum is almost ready, and just in time for the full bloom of spring. Filled with articles on how to maintain a good work/life balance, this edition is the perfect complement to viewing the new blossoms shining up at the sun. Included in This Issue In this issue, you’ll find ways to build communication, build effective teams, and reduce stresses in the workplace. Read about helping kids with money management in our Art as Life section, as well as gain knowledge for effective social media marketing and increasing your traffic. The book review of Dan Lyon’s best seller may just make you think differently about innovation and certainly will make you laugh. We also have great print product articles this month focusing on manuals and using die-cut shapes for optimal marketing pull. Survey Says Check out some of the survey comments from our customers regarding Business Forum: “It’s our most effective marketing tool.” “We think this is a stellar package. It’s very well put together and makes it phenomenally easy for us to have nice looking and entertaining content for our clients.” “I really like the Business Forum and believe revenues are increasing partially to
What does it take to beat back the ordinary and continually release fresh, gripping, beautiful design? A little creative thinking. The newest Design Tip added to the Ideas Collection of every website provided by Marketing Ideas For Printers offers powerful exercises to help your customers design imaginatively. Communicate Without Words Based on the Design Matters series, the “ideation” strategy will help your customers and designers create work that is not only aesthetically appealing, but strategy-driven and smart. Ideation techniques enable the use of the very best images to clearly communicate ideas without words. When your customers view this month’s article on your website, it will walk them through image gathering, group brainstorming options, visual matrix exercises, and even “productive doodling” to help them capture the essence of their message in simple, nonverbal ways. Metaphorical thinking challenges consideration of questions like: What attributes are we trying to communicate through this piece? How do we want people to feel when they look at the graphics/design? Why do certain images evoke that (particular) emotional response? How can these images be woven into a project? See how your customers can push themselves with these new ideation strategies by viewing this tip on one of
When people meet for the first time it’s not uncommon to hear, “So, what do you do?” The reply is often along the lines of, “I’m a (product manager, electrician, baker, ….).” or “I’m in (sales, marketing, IT, ….).” What’s wrong with that? Our latest white paper will show you and your customers how to stop leaving money on the table by creating a compelling, business-building “What do you do” phrase. Lead the Way with One, Simple Phrase This white paper leads your customers to create stronger, more consistent messaging in a number of areas, including some great ideas for printing this message. Help your client’s bottom line by showing them the importance of building this one simple phrase that their entire staff should be using. Here’s a small piece of the white paper: The people on the sales team aren’t the only people on staff who need to tell others what they do. By giving your employees this tool, you turn accountants into lead generators, developers into brand ambassadors, or receptionists into market developers. Whether you are a company of one or have hundreds of employees, brand messaging is everything. “What do you do” must be more than an