Marketing Manner

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 »

The big temptation is to send your marketing message to everyone. The more people who hear about you, the more clients you will get, right? Unfortunately, this is not the case. The most effective way to market your company is to direct your approach to a specific smaller group. Once you have found your niche in marketing, you find that your client lists will grow far faster then if you send a general message to everyone. Here is how to make that happen. Continue reading »

Easter is an excellent time to gear up for print advertising of all types.  Spring is in the air, customers are out shopping again, and this represents a perfect opportunity to remind your customers about your products and services.  Easter is a unique holiday on a number of levels.  First of all, from year to year the date changes.  Easter also means different things to different people.  For some, it is the most important religious holiday of the year.  For others, Easter represents a holiday celebrating spring, Easter bunnies, and family get-togethers.  Keep these important distinctions in mind when designing for Easter print advertising. Continue reading »

Few business managers understand the difference between offset printing and digital printing.  This is important to understand for postcard printing in particular, since the difference between offset or digital printing can mean significant savings.  So what are these differences?  What is the best method for your postcard printing project? Continue reading »

Are you ready to start a special interest club or association? Bringing people together for a common interest or goal is an awesome opportunity to meet new people, grow personally, and improve your community through outreach projects. Here are some tips on how to start a club or association that will get you off to a strong start! Continue reading »