Influencers Archives - Marketing, content, & technology to help printers sell more printing

How would you describe working in the world of print today? However you describe it, you can make your print company a great place to work when you focus on these key areas: Solidifying Your Structure Creating Positive Morale Improving Communication Within Your Company Here’s how: Solidify Your Structure Every print shop has some form of structure, but the critical question to ask yourself is, is your structure efficient and worker-friendly? In today’s print world, companies tend to have workers that wear a variety of different hats and do a multitude of tasks. While this structure may be cost-efficient, it also tends to leave those workers feeling overwhelmed by the weight of all the different responsibilities they’re carrying. Gloria Mark at the University of California, Irvine claims. “It takes an average of about 25 minutes (23 minutes and 15 seconds, to be exact) to return to the original task after an interruption.” Think about the impact of that on productivity and efficiency. It takes almost the length of one episode of a television show to regain focus and continue on the task that was originally meant to be accomplished. Even throughout one, single day, the effects of this lost productivity

Print marketing, goal planning, marketing

As small business owners, we wear a lot of hats, making it nearly impossible to give our complete focus to every role. That’s usually why when it comes to the marketing and selling for our print companies, we often rely on what we’ve always done simply because it’s comfortable. After all, it’s easier to focus on other pressing responsibilities. Over time, though, a lack of fresh ideas can leave your sales and marketing efforts on an unpleasant plateau and cause you to fall behind in an industry that is continuously moving forward. Those strategies that worked in the past may still have a place in the future, but it’s critical to take a step back every so often to take an inventory of what’s working and what’s not. When you reassess your objectives for the year and explore how these objectives will align with your marketing strategies, you’ll be able to look at your printing company through a fresh lens. Here are four steps to help you get started: 1. Examine What Worked, What Didn’t, and What is “SO Last Year.” Every year (at least!), these are the types of questions you should be asking yourself to ensure your business

I’m a small business owner. I don’t have a million dollar budget. And I don’t have cherry conference tables either. I used to, though. When I worked in the corporate world, I was a Marketing Director for a multi-billion dollar international corporation. It was good, and the perks were even better. I had a fat expense account that was used to entertain customers. The first time I went to my favorite steakhouse and had to pay with my own greenbacks, I was shocked at the prices. I couldn’t believe it. I immediately became green with envy for the “good old days.” Such is life. Today, as a small business owner, I know where my company is, and I know who my customers are. In my industry (print), the competition is everywhere, and the “good old days” are long gone. Here’s How to Stay Ahead 1) Divide and conquer. Understand that there are multiple aspects to your business and make each one a functioning profit center. Most business owners come to know this by their second or third year. It’s important to realize that each of those profit centers will, at some point, be experiencing pressures that they haven’t had before. It could

Who needs marketing? Things are great. I’m busier than ever, and profits are through the roof! In fact, I don’t want or need any more business. All of that may be true. This has been an incredible run. Nine years of economic growth. Not a record, but it’s certainly has been a great ride. I hope it continues for nine more years. However, if it doesn’t, I’m prepared because I don’t see my future and the future of my company hinging on the whim of the economy. Here are three fundamental reasons why any company should always invest in marketing. 1) The good times never last. Come on admit it, they never do. The economy will change, and, when it does, are you prepared? Is your brand prepared? Is your brand memorable, even in a downturn? Will customers choose you over someone else in difficult times? Or better yet, will they remember you when their wallets get tight? This economy will change, and it will affect your business. This is why it’s so essential to plant those marketing seeds today, so you can harvest when times aren’t quite so bright. “Winter’s coming.” Sorry for the cliché. But it is true.

Social media marketing allows you to share articles, links, or images on numerous different platforms all for the sole benefit of connecting with your audience and increasing your presence in the minds or your current and future clients. As a printer, it is important that you jump on board in the venture of social media marketing. Why? Because building your social media presence will help your business grow. Online Etiquette Matters Before you fully use social media as a marketing resource, you must learn and understand the etiquette of using it correctly. Keep Your Opinions to Yourself Avoid getting yourself into trouble by not posting your opinions or commenting on potentially controversial topics. When you are quick to speak and slow to listen to your audience, potential customers that have opposing views to your posted content may be deterred from using your services. Keep Yourself Off the Hook Remember, the person or company who is responsible for posting controversial content may receive negative backlash that could be incredibly consequential. You don’t want to put your business at risk by losing customers or creating an uproar online. The Why Behind Building Social Media For Printers Now that you’ve been reminded of

Do you know how hard it is to sell “happy”? As the owner of “The Happy Printers,” selling “happy” is one of the hardest things I have EVER done. I have climbed mountains, lived with nomadic tribesmen, lost a parent when I was young, and I’ve been married for 32 years. But, believe me when I tell you that trying to sell “Happy” is a bear. It’s so much more difficult than any of those other things (just don’t tell my wife, OK?) Generally, I’m a pretty happy guy. But for my employees, it can be a totally different story. Employees are human, which means they don’t always come to work with the right attitude. People can sometimes bring their “baggage” to work. Here are four and a half things that have worked for me to minimize those baggage claim tickets and retain our “Happy.” 1) Engage with as many employees as possible on a daily basis. Your time is important. But their interaction with you is more important. You’re the big boss, which mean they will naturally gravitate to you. Be sure to always have a kind word available for those around you. Your company may be your life, but to your