Marketing Manner

Short term ad campaigns attempt to get people to take action immediately. Whether the campaign involves postcard printing or newspaper spots, the ads tell about products and offers available for a limited time, creating a sense of urgency that causes people to respond. Here are some tips to help you short term ad campaign be all that it can be. Continue reading »

Poster printing can be a great way to promote your business. For the new business owner, self-made posters are simple and inexpensive and can be very effective. For well-established businesses with vast marketing campaigns, posters offer the exact same benefits. And since posters can range from a small 8.5″ x 11″ to huge billboards, the advertising possibilities are endless. Need some more convincing evidence on the power of poster printing? Here’s exactly why (and how) you should incorporate posters into your marketing plan.

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The plethora of original masterpieces available in the world of design still amazes me. It seems like it could be easy, especially in the designing world, to simply take from what’s already out there and tweak it a bit to fit the client.

When it comes to brochures, this “cheating” method of design does seem to happen quite often, but maybe only because of the generic, standardized templates available for do-it-yourselfers. For when I peruse the inspirational brochure collections on websites such as GraphicDesign, the variety of unique brochures is stunning. Continue reading »

Marketing materials are only effective when they clearly state the benefits of your business and encourage your customers to take action. Not only that, your marketing materials should appear professional and attractive. Poor quality brochures and business cards will lead customers to believe that you do business poorly. Here are a few tips for creating strong marketing materials for any business venture. Continue reading »

Catalogs come in a variety of sizes and styles. The choice is yours. You may make this decision based on creative ideas, or you may consider the cost effectiveness of each choice. Here are a few tips on catalog printing and mailing to help make your choice easier as well as to make the process go a bit smoother. Continue reading »

The rhythm of trends can catch anyone off guard. It seems that there is never just one trend-setter. It would appear the design community holds a collective train of thought that shifts together to create new and better design. When you find a new trend in design, you are likely to see it elsewhere at the same time.
 
In the blog Web Design Trends for 2010 there are examples of new trends being set by several designers. These certainly are not the only ones of their kind. Study these and then take a look around to find others like them. Below are some of the trends discussed in the blog, but with my own thoughts on how they affect print media as well. Continue reading »

Catalog printing is a costly process, so catalogs need to be as effective as possible. In general, your catalog needs to work like a good sales person: it should describe product benefits, talk about quality, assure customers they are making a good choice, and make it easy to purchase products. Here are some ways to improve your catalogs so they will generate more sales. Continue reading »

Once you find what works, it’s easy to keep using the same marketing ideas over and over again. The only problem is that your marketing can become stale and boring to customers and prospects alike. This is why it is so important to constantly be rethinking and improving your marketing plan. If you are having a hard time coming up with new tactics for marketing your business, here are some creative ideas to get you started.

Partner with Other Companies
Partnering with another firm can double your audience while cutting costs. Think about other businesses that could naturally partner with yours. For instance, a pizza parlor and a video rental go well together; another logical pairing would be a florist and a wedding planner; another combo might be a real estate agent and a small loan company. 

Join forces and share your advertising costs. You can put both businesses on everything from radio commercials to posters. You could also give each other coupons to pass out to customers, and offer packages combining your goods or services. This can cut costs on promotional gifts as well; for instance, both include coupons and your logos when brochure printing.

Give Out Calendars
Give out thank you gifts to your customers and put your logo and contact information on them. You could also do a calendar printing and send them out at the end of the year. Use the calendar to make a personal connection between your customers and your business by featuring an employee on each page; tell a short story about that employee and get creative with the photograph. 

Submit Articles to the Local Paper
Raise the stature of your business by writing articles related to your industry and submitting them to the local paper or to professional organizations. You are an expert in your field, so make sure others know about it.

Use Promotional Items at Events
Have lots of promotional items made to give out at trade shows, community events, fairs, and meetings. You can have mugs, erasers, key chains, and drink cozies made for little money. You could also do a calendar printing or create promotional stickers. Be sure your items are attractive and have your logo and web address on them.

Offer Free Classes on Your Area of Expertise
Host seminars at your location on subjects related to your industry. This will help people to view you as an expert. It will also give you a chance to announce the event in your local paper and give you a reason to send out direct mail inviting people to the classes.

The most important thing to remember about marketing is always be advertising your company. The best way to make your business popular and known is through consistent marketing. Just don’t get stuck in a rut with your advertisements so that customers remain excited about hearing of your new offers and promotions.

Does your company need to give promotional gifts? If you have not already asked yourself this question, then it’s time that you do. Does your promotional t-shirt, cap, pen, mouse pad, or print calendar really have an effect on potential clients? If the answer is yes, then you should start passing them out now! Here are some reasons why I – and most companies – find that the answer is yes. Continue reading »

When you are doing a calendar printing, there are some tricks you need to know to prepare your photographs for the printer. Great looking photos are the most important part of wall calendars, so here are some tips for getting clear, sharp images that have the colors you intended. Continue reading »