A business card is used by everybody in business. It contains the essential basic information about how to contact you. Most are boring and after you hand them out, they are put in a pocket until your pants go to the cleaner. Then you take them out dump them into the “business card graveyard”. Most of us have one, a drawer or box which is dumped periodically.
Mini brochures are a 4 panel double sized business card scored to fold into a standard size business card. A mini brochure can showcase your business in full color and tell a story. You can feature your products and services in a way that a standard business card can’t. They make a perfect handout because they reduce the amount of stuff you have to carry around in an awkward pile of brochures and flyers or cards in a folder or case. You put them in your pocket and keep your hands free before and after you hand them out. They are perfect for networking and meetings. Mini brochures feel different than a business card when you hand them out. People will pay more attention to them which helps you get noticed and remembered. Mini brochures are a great conversation starter and more likely to get kept after the meeting than a traditional business card.
Turning your business card into a mini brochure is easy and cheap. It’s simple to do by making a double panel card. Standard business cards are 3.5” X 2”. Mini brochure cards are 3.5” X 4” with a score in the middle so they fold into a standard card size. To help you stand out, they should be 14 or 16 point coated card stock, printed in full color and have a gloss UV or matte/dull aqueous coating finish to seal and protect them from finger prints and scratching. Mini brochures have twice the real estate for your message than a standard business card. That should be enough space to give enough details and create interest for a follow up.
Create a real attention getter mini brochure by adding optional Wow Factor effects to your cards such as spot UV coating, metallic silver ink or colored metallics that make gold, silver, bronze, brass and over 150 other metallic colors. The impact of these effects must be seen to be fully appreciated and understood. And if you think these effects are expensive, you would be wrong. They are all available online with simple easy to follow instructions on how to make them and they are priced for a great value. By clicking on the link below you can get free samples of these effects.
In these uncertain times, the importance of advertising can not be underestimated. Businesses need to take advantage of every opportunity to maximize whatever they do in order to attract new customers and retain old. Today’s business goals are to get your message out by choosing wisely and looking for ways that give you the best value for your advertising dollar while combining quality and price. The use of mini brochures does that since they are a way to stimulate business and attract attention.
For free samples and more information about Wow factor effects, go to: http://www.colorprintingpros.com or call 800.598.1841 or 818.735.0385.
COLOR PRINTING PROS saves you money, and offers CHEAP TRADE PRICES while still offering SERVICE and QUALITY. You supply the files and we will do the rest.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
CREATING "STAND-OUT" SALES AND MARKETING LITERATURE
Gang run printing can be the most economical way to print most of your company’s advertising, sales and marketing literature. By using gang run printing you can combine your job with other similar jobs and share the cost of make ready and the press run. You only pay for the space on the press you use. Many online printers offer gang run services with reasonable turn around times and prices. This is a great way to save money if the size and quantity of your job meet the printers run requirements.
One important point to be aware of is that your ability to create advertising, sales and marketing literature that is unique and different is limited. Your odds of getting noticed are somewhat diminished when you look like everybody else.
If you want your cards, brochure, flyers and books to stand out, you need to add a Wow Factor. Something extra that separates you from the crowd. Some ways to do this are by choosing a printer that includes heavy paper stocks and additional finishes to your printed order. That’s the minimum requirement.
Thanks to the latest state of the art printing technology, it is now possible to go way beyond plain vanilla and use some really wonderful “Wow Factor” special effect techniques to your next gang run print job.
Spot UV Coating:
Adds a high gloss coating only to selected areas you want to stand out. This is a great option for giving your printed piece the “WOW FACTOR”! Spot UV highlights and focus attention to a selected area by creating a visual stimulus. It enhances the value and give the impression of importance and quality to the finished piece.
These special techniques are only available from a very few online printing services. They truly raise the bar on what is available at reasonable costs that most companies can afford. In the coming difficult business time, this could be a solution to standing out and getting noticed.
The important thing to always be aware of the fact that it does not matter how hard you work, it is how smart you work. No matter what you offer if it goes unnoticed, you’ve spent a lot of money and wasted much of your time. The most important consideration is not the cost but the return on investment (ROI). By using Wow Factor custom effects you are on your way to achieving this goal.
For free samples and more information about Wow Factor Printing, go to: http://www.colorprintingpros.com.
One important point to be aware of is that your ability to create advertising, sales and marketing literature that is unique and different is limited. Your odds of getting noticed are somewhat diminished when you look like everybody else.
If you want your cards, brochure, flyers and books to stand out, you need to add a Wow Factor. Something extra that separates you from the crowd. Some ways to do this are by choosing a printer that includes heavy paper stocks and additional finishes to your printed order. That’s the minimum requirement.
Thanks to the latest state of the art printing technology, it is now possible to go way beyond plain vanilla and use some really wonderful “Wow Factor” special effect techniques to your next gang run print job.
Spot UV Coating:
Adds a high gloss coating only to selected areas you want to stand out. This is a great option for giving your printed piece the “WOW FACTOR”! Spot UV highlights and focus attention to a selected area by creating a visual stimulus. It enhances the value and give the impression of importance and quality to the finished piece.
These special techniques are only available from a very few online printing services. They truly raise the bar on what is available at reasonable costs that most companies can afford. In the coming difficult business time, this could be a solution to standing out and getting noticed.
The important thing to always be aware of the fact that it does not matter how hard you work, it is how smart you work. No matter what you offer if it goes unnoticed, you’ve spent a lot of money and wasted much of your time. The most important consideration is not the cost but the return on investment (ROI). By using Wow Factor custom effects you are on your way to achieving this goal.
For free samples and more information about Wow Factor Printing, go to: http://www.colorprintingpros.com.
Promoting Your Business
Posters, flyers, newsletters, catalogs, brochures, postcards and business cards- All are excellent tools for promotion or information about a new product or service. As advertising tools they can create and market your business identity. This design process of your sales and marketing literature must be carried out with utmost care. The vehicle used is just the delivery system for the content, whether it’s a flyer, brochure, poscard or even a business card can be greatly enhanced by the paper stock you select. Also, your color selections are important choices that must be taken into consideration if you wish to be noticed.
Ok, you have carefully taken all the elements into considerations in your designed and now you are ready to have it printed. But wait! Will it get you noticed? Will it get lost with all the other advertising and marketing literature that your target market receives everyday? Does it stand out? Does it help represent your company as a quality and unique company? Will your brand be remembered way after that trade show or mailing you used it for. Will it be passed on to someone else or saved for a later time when your services or products are needed?
Standing out from the crowd is essential in today’s ultracompetive world when many promotional materials are just considered more clutter and are quickly discarded. What you paid for and had printed, you want to represent your image with its years of effort, hard work and striving for perfection. So, how can you make your printed piece attract more attention, get kept and actually used?
The answer is to make sure it is unique- not only in design but in the high quality of printing.
Does it have a WOW Factor with added value to make it worth keeping. There are a lot of choices that will help you achieve this goal. Of course, the most obvious one is to start with great copy and design. This will influence the effectiveness of presentation. But it does not have to stop there. With the right printer, you may be able to add those features that will make you different from all the others.
What stock did you pick? Did you pick the heavier stock? The paper weights you use for your sales and marketing literature says something about your company. Cheap thin papers says just that. This is especially true in cards, flyers and brochures. When you need to make the first impression count, you can't go cheap. You need to select heavy high quality paper to help assure you are sending the right message. Quality impresses.
Then comes the question of what coating you used. For the best impression with your printing, heavy 100 Lb. gloss book with aqueous coating or heavy .14 Pt or 16 Pt C2S (coated 2 sides) Card Stock with a high gloss U.V. or Aqueous matte coating will give that more luxurious look and feel. Some printers are still using varnish which indicates that they are not using the latest state of the art presses and technologies. Varnish is made with solvents and is not as environmentally friendly as aqueous coating which is water based and lasts longer.
And finally, you may want to stand out by using some of the newest printing technology in design such as spot UV or silver and colored metallic inks that can make your message truly unique.
Printing companies, like people, are not all the same. They vary in quality and the kinds of services they provide. Find the right printing company is essential especially if you can find one that
gives you the ability to stand out from your competition. Remember that your advertising and marketing literature is very important to making that sale. Even if it is a business card, you want it to be remembered long after the handout is received. It represents you and the impression it gives may be that little push that says quality, creates trust and makes the sale.
For free samples and more information about Wow Factor printing, go to: http://www.colorprintingpros.com.
Ok, you have carefully taken all the elements into considerations in your designed and now you are ready to have it printed. But wait! Will it get you noticed? Will it get lost with all the other advertising and marketing literature that your target market receives everyday? Does it stand out? Does it help represent your company as a quality and unique company? Will your brand be remembered way after that trade show or mailing you used it for. Will it be passed on to someone else or saved for a later time when your services or products are needed?
Standing out from the crowd is essential in today’s ultracompetive world when many promotional materials are just considered more clutter and are quickly discarded. What you paid for and had printed, you want to represent your image with its years of effort, hard work and striving for perfection. So, how can you make your printed piece attract more attention, get kept and actually used?
The answer is to make sure it is unique- not only in design but in the high quality of printing.
Does it have a WOW Factor with added value to make it worth keeping. There are a lot of choices that will help you achieve this goal. Of course, the most obvious one is to start with great copy and design. This will influence the effectiveness of presentation. But it does not have to stop there. With the right printer, you may be able to add those features that will make you different from all the others.
What stock did you pick? Did you pick the heavier stock? The paper weights you use for your sales and marketing literature says something about your company. Cheap thin papers says just that. This is especially true in cards, flyers and brochures. When you need to make the first impression count, you can't go cheap. You need to select heavy high quality paper to help assure you are sending the right message. Quality impresses.
Then comes the question of what coating you used. For the best impression with your printing, heavy 100 Lb. gloss book with aqueous coating or heavy .14 Pt or 16 Pt C2S (coated 2 sides) Card Stock with a high gloss U.V. or Aqueous matte coating will give that more luxurious look and feel. Some printers are still using varnish which indicates that they are not using the latest state of the art presses and technologies. Varnish is made with solvents and is not as environmentally friendly as aqueous coating which is water based and lasts longer.
And finally, you may want to stand out by using some of the newest printing technology in design such as spot UV or silver and colored metallic inks that can make your message truly unique.
Printing companies, like people, are not all the same. They vary in quality and the kinds of services they provide. Find the right printing company is essential especially if you can find one that
gives you the ability to stand out from your competition. Remember that your advertising and marketing literature is very important to making that sale. Even if it is a business card, you want it to be remembered long after the handout is received. It represents you and the impression it gives may be that little push that says quality, creates trust and makes the sale.
For free samples and more information about Wow Factor printing, go to: http://www.colorprintingpros.com.
Your Business Success in The Best of Times/The Worst of Times
In hard economic times, business promotion is essential to fight for the limited amount of money being spent on nonessentials. It’s a good idea to think about redefining your product or service to feature the value it is to your customers. If you can define it in a way where they can see the benefits and they will be better off, customers will find a way to buy.
It’s your job to get your message out and be noticed. Trade and consumer show attendance is down and buyers are depressed. This may be a good time to consider direct mail and printed material to create attention and get noticed. The best part about this type of advertising, sales and marketing is that it is passive for the consumer. It just comes in the mail or as a handout. The consumer does not have to make any effort on their part to see your message. The trick, of course, is to get them to see it and be interested in the offer. It may be wise to consider using special visual techniques to attract curiosity first so they will stop and see your message.
Gang run printing is the way to go in tough economic times. With gang run printing, you can share the cost of printing with other businesses by allowing printers to combine common jobs. You only pay for the portion of paper from a large sheet being used. This is great for printing cards, flyers, brochure and other advertising, sales and marketing literature you can use. There are many online printers that can provide you with this service.
The one disadvantage to using most online printing services is you have a limited choice of papers and finishes. This could limit your design and message that you want to create so that you get you noticed with all the other stuff in the mailbox. Gladly there is a solution to this problem. There are gang run online printing services that offers “Wow Factor” special effects you can add. Printers that offer options can help you get the attention you need in these hard times. Think about the possibilities of adding Spot UV coating, Metallic Silver Ink or Colored Metallic effects to your next printing job. These options will enable you to separate yourself with a beautiful unique effects to help you get noticed. Be prepared for these hard times. Make sure you are ready for these changing times with attractive eye-catching advertising, sales and marketing literature so you can attract
the market that is still out there.
For free samples and more information about Wow Factor printing, go to: http://www.colorprintingpros.com.
It’s your job to get your message out and be noticed. Trade and consumer show attendance is down and buyers are depressed. This may be a good time to consider direct mail and printed material to create attention and get noticed. The best part about this type of advertising, sales and marketing is that it is passive for the consumer. It just comes in the mail or as a handout. The consumer does not have to make any effort on their part to see your message. The trick, of course, is to get them to see it and be interested in the offer. It may be wise to consider using special visual techniques to attract curiosity first so they will stop and see your message.
Gang run printing is the way to go in tough economic times. With gang run printing, you can share the cost of printing with other businesses by allowing printers to combine common jobs. You only pay for the portion of paper from a large sheet being used. This is great for printing cards, flyers, brochure and other advertising, sales and marketing literature you can use. There are many online printers that can provide you with this service.
The one disadvantage to using most online printing services is you have a limited choice of papers and finishes. This could limit your design and message that you want to create so that you get you noticed with all the other stuff in the mailbox. Gladly there is a solution to this problem. There are gang run online printing services that offers “Wow Factor” special effects you can add. Printers that offer options can help you get the attention you need in these hard times. Think about the possibilities of adding Spot UV coating, Metallic Silver Ink or Colored Metallic effects to your next printing job. These options will enable you to separate yourself with a beautiful unique effects to help you get noticed. Be prepared for these hard times. Make sure you are ready for these changing times with attractive eye-catching advertising, sales and marketing literature so you can attract
the market that is still out there.
For free samples and more information about Wow Factor printing, go to: http://www.colorprintingpros.com.
Grow Your Business In Hard Times
We are all aware dark economic clouds are gathering and potentially building into the perfect storm. Many small businesses are either in denial of the new coming business realities or hunkering down to weather the storm. For most the changing economics can mean trouble. For a small minority this can be an opportunity to gain market share and grow your business.
It is often said that 10 percent of the fisherman catch 90 percent of the fish. What kind of fisherman are you? Most people make excuses to justify hard ecomomic times for their own short comings, failures and inability to move forward. Often these self inflected wounds are caused by the way you see and understand reality. Everything in the world that you are aware of is interpreted in your brain, and those thoughts determine the way you perceive reality. With self awarness of the way you think, honest deep thought and planning you can become one of those 10 percent fishermen and actually take advantage and thrive in difficult waters.
If you own a business or work for yourself in a small or medium size business, you and you alone are responsible for the success or failure of that business. There are always negative outside influences. You need to take control and make necessary course changes to acheive your goals. You take the hits and deserve the rewards for the way you pilot your ship. It is ultimately your decision-making process that determines the kind of business you have.
Now may be the perfect time to step out of the forest and see the trees. You should consider your product, your service, and who buys it. Will hard economic times affect your customer base? You might want to consider the possibilities of expanding your customer base. Think about marketing your product or service to a market group that may not be as deeply affected by economic slow down such as government employees or health care providers. There is always fish out there for the good fisherman.
It is incumbent on you as a entrepreneur to find creative ways to stay ahead of the competition. Opportunities are all around you if you refuse to accept the obvious way things are and make a serious effort to change the playing field. Many of your competitors will not see the opportunities and will fail which can open up more opportunities for you. Sure, you may have to make some very hard decisions such as changing products, adjusting prices to reflect your rising costs and spending some money in marketing and promotion. If you are a smaller company, you may have an advantage over your larger competitors who are slow to move and change their corporate cultures.
Direct mail can be a very effective way to get your message out. If well done, it can create very high ROI’s (return on investment). One of the reasons it works so well is that it is passive. A well targeted potential customer takes no effort in seeing your offer. Unlike email campaigns and internet ads, pop-ups and pay per click which all require the receiver to take an action to see your message, direct mail gets seen at a greater rate. It may be time to consider a direct mail campaign.
The key to all of this is doing your homework. Contemplation and study are the success makers. Simple quick fixes are just that. They will not produce the long term desired results.
It may be time for a brain adjustment or mental tune-up to take advantage for your impending success.
Think about new ways to reach your market. The entrepreneurs that succeed are the ones that do lots of due diligence and are not afraid to take well researched risks.
If you can see your way to take advantage of difficult times and dig down to reevaluate how you define your business, you can thrive and come out a winner in tough economic times.
For free samples and more information about Wow Factor Printing, go to: http://www.colorprintingpros.com
It is often said that 10 percent of the fisherman catch 90 percent of the fish. What kind of fisherman are you? Most people make excuses to justify hard ecomomic times for their own short comings, failures and inability to move forward. Often these self inflected wounds are caused by the way you see and understand reality. Everything in the world that you are aware of is interpreted in your brain, and those thoughts determine the way you perceive reality. With self awarness of the way you think, honest deep thought and planning you can become one of those 10 percent fishermen and actually take advantage and thrive in difficult waters.
If you own a business or work for yourself in a small or medium size business, you and you alone are responsible for the success or failure of that business. There are always negative outside influences. You need to take control and make necessary course changes to acheive your goals. You take the hits and deserve the rewards for the way you pilot your ship. It is ultimately your decision-making process that determines the kind of business you have.
Now may be the perfect time to step out of the forest and see the trees. You should consider your product, your service, and who buys it. Will hard economic times affect your customer base? You might want to consider the possibilities of expanding your customer base. Think about marketing your product or service to a market group that may not be as deeply affected by economic slow down such as government employees or health care providers. There is always fish out there for the good fisherman.
It is incumbent on you as a entrepreneur to find creative ways to stay ahead of the competition. Opportunities are all around you if you refuse to accept the obvious way things are and make a serious effort to change the playing field. Many of your competitors will not see the opportunities and will fail which can open up more opportunities for you. Sure, you may have to make some very hard decisions such as changing products, adjusting prices to reflect your rising costs and spending some money in marketing and promotion. If you are a smaller company, you may have an advantage over your larger competitors who are slow to move and change their corporate cultures.
Direct mail can be a very effective way to get your message out. If well done, it can create very high ROI’s (return on investment). One of the reasons it works so well is that it is passive. A well targeted potential customer takes no effort in seeing your offer. Unlike email campaigns and internet ads, pop-ups and pay per click which all require the receiver to take an action to see your message, direct mail gets seen at a greater rate. It may be time to consider a direct mail campaign.
The key to all of this is doing your homework. Contemplation and study are the success makers. Simple quick fixes are just that. They will not produce the long term desired results.
It may be time for a brain adjustment or mental tune-up to take advantage for your impending success.
Think about new ways to reach your market. The entrepreneurs that succeed are the ones that do lots of due diligence and are not afraid to take well researched risks.
If you can see your way to take advantage of difficult times and dig down to reevaluate how you define your business, you can thrive and come out a winner in tough economic times.
For free samples and more information about Wow Factor Printing, go to: http://www.colorprintingpros.com
Friday, March 7, 2008
GOING BEYOND THE SIZZLE
The old adage “Don’t Sell the Steak, Sell the Sizzle” was first used by super salesman Elmer Wheeler in 1936. Well, it’s still used more now than 70 years later. But, is it as effective? Today we understand a lot more about human emotion and how to effect it. It’s now necessary to take that well worn phrase to the next level.
We all know a great prime aged steak is neither uncommon nor rare. It can be found in thousands of good restaurants around the world. So the steak idea by itself is a nonstarter. The sizzle is the teaser, the fantasy, with its smell and anticipated taste.. Sure it can be effective but everyone of your competitors is now offering it. Bottom line is everybody sees it coming and it’s not as effective as it once was.
You need to go to the next level if you want to capture interest and excitement. You may ask the question, WHY. A great steak with lots of sizzle smells great, tastes great but the basic primary emotion it arouses is that it gives a sense of success, comfort and well being. You want to capture that feeling, the why behind the sizzle so you will stand out.
In today's competitive world marketplace, the mundane and obvious are insulting. Everybody is offering “Faster, Better, Cheaper”. It’s tired, expected and disingenuous. If you really want to be heard, you need to ring a different bell. Go deeper into your customers’ emotions. Stop pointing to what they already know and grab their attention by showing them you understand their desires and concerns at a deeper level. For this, you will receive their acceptance and attention.
Focus on the well being and comfort that will result from the knowledge that your product or service will solve their problem and improve their life. You want your customers to feel comfortable in the knowledge that they have made the correct choice. Then segway into the sizzle, the physical benefits of the steak.
Many companies promise whatever they think it takes to close a sale. Often once the sale is made, you are passed along through a system that discourages contact with a real person. Sometimes it take hours, days or weeks to get beyond the person trained to say “how can I help you” who has no authority to actually do it.
Over the years I have heard from numerous customers in varying ways that when they select a provider for a project they still worry at night about the phone call they may get in the morning about production problems or the delivery that will be late or what the quality may not be as expected when the job is delivered. These emotions are beyond the sizzle and the promise of satisfaction. After thinking about this and realizing that if the job was late or the quality not as expected (even if the price was adjusted), the customer would still have been forced into a compromise without true satisfaction.
If you add the WHY to your marketing strategy and establish tracking systems in the process, you will have better information through the job cycle. This will improved communication throughout the process will build trust from your customers in a way they will know you haven’t just dropped them after the sale and that you will go above and beyond. It says you will jump through hoops and bend over backwards to make sure that they have a positive winning experience, even when stuff happens. No person or company can operate at 100%. Human error, machinery breakdowns, systems go down- all these unexpected events are a reality of business . The true worth of a vendor is how they handle a situation when things happen. For example, If there is some problem in your production and you are going to be late with delivery, make sure you tell your customer before the shipping date. Try to offer a partial overnight shipping to get them what they need for their trade show. It may cost you but it is not worth losing a customer by hiding the bad news from them. By building this understanding and trust, you will distinctly separate yourself from the competition and re-enforce your own brand. Only trust builds loyalty.
For free samples and information about Wow Factor go to: http://www.colorprintingpros.com
We all know a great prime aged steak is neither uncommon nor rare. It can be found in thousands of good restaurants around the world. So the steak idea by itself is a nonstarter. The sizzle is the teaser, the fantasy, with its smell and anticipated taste.. Sure it can be effective but everyone of your competitors is now offering it. Bottom line is everybody sees it coming and it’s not as effective as it once was.
You need to go to the next level if you want to capture interest and excitement. You may ask the question, WHY. A great steak with lots of sizzle smells great, tastes great but the basic primary emotion it arouses is that it gives a sense of success, comfort and well being. You want to capture that feeling, the why behind the sizzle so you will stand out.
In today's competitive world marketplace, the mundane and obvious are insulting. Everybody is offering “Faster, Better, Cheaper”. It’s tired, expected and disingenuous. If you really want to be heard, you need to ring a different bell. Go deeper into your customers’ emotions. Stop pointing to what they already know and grab their attention by showing them you understand their desires and concerns at a deeper level. For this, you will receive their acceptance and attention.
Focus on the well being and comfort that will result from the knowledge that your product or service will solve their problem and improve their life. You want your customers to feel comfortable in the knowledge that they have made the correct choice. Then segway into the sizzle, the physical benefits of the steak.
Many companies promise whatever they think it takes to close a sale. Often once the sale is made, you are passed along through a system that discourages contact with a real person. Sometimes it take hours, days or weeks to get beyond the person trained to say “how can I help you” who has no authority to actually do it.
Over the years I have heard from numerous customers in varying ways that when they select a provider for a project they still worry at night about the phone call they may get in the morning about production problems or the delivery that will be late or what the quality may not be as expected when the job is delivered. These emotions are beyond the sizzle and the promise of satisfaction. After thinking about this and realizing that if the job was late or the quality not as expected (even if the price was adjusted), the customer would still have been forced into a compromise without true satisfaction.
If you add the WHY to your marketing strategy and establish tracking systems in the process, you will have better information through the job cycle. This will improved communication throughout the process will build trust from your customers in a way they will know you haven’t just dropped them after the sale and that you will go above and beyond. It says you will jump through hoops and bend over backwards to make sure that they have a positive winning experience, even when stuff happens. No person or company can operate at 100%. Human error, machinery breakdowns, systems go down- all these unexpected events are a reality of business . The true worth of a vendor is how they handle a situation when things happen. For example, If there is some problem in your production and you are going to be late with delivery, make sure you tell your customer before the shipping date. Try to offer a partial overnight shipping to get them what they need for their trade show. It may cost you but it is not worth losing a customer by hiding the bad news from them. By building this understanding and trust, you will distinctly separate yourself from the competition and re-enforce your own brand. Only trust builds loyalty.
For free samples and information about Wow Factor go to: http://www.colorprintingpros.com
Online Versus Offline Marketing
There are two ways to get your advertising, sales and marketing message out. They are online and offline marketing. The difference between them is that online marketing is proactive and offline marketing is passive.
Internet marketing is the proactive method. You have a need and you take responsibility for finding a source to fulfill that need. An old technology example is the yellow pages. The newer technology is the internet and search engines.It may also be through articles and blogs. But these only work if the viewer can be directed to you.
Direct marketing is a passive method. You select a targeted audience and present your information to them. It takes no action on the receiver’s part to acquire the information other than to look or listen to it. If you can peak their interest, you can create a positive response. We are all very familiar with TV, radio and printed advertising.
Is one of these tools better than the other for creating new customers and sales? From my experience, the answer is they both have their place and work in different ways for most business. Both methods are necessary and valid in today’s very competitive market place. Both have their individual challenges and benefits.
It’s very hard to make cost comparisons because a highly developed ecommerce website is expensive and needs constant updating and SEO (Search Engine Optimization) in the fight for top position. There are huge hidden costs and lots of hard work to achieve a high page ranking. Good positions on search engines can be a difficult game with a slow response time and not a lot of control. If not played expertly, it can produce unsatisfactory results for a long time. Email campaigns are becoming less effective with all the spam and most people regard banners and pop-ups as a nuisance.
On the other hands carefully targeted printed advertising, sales and marketing materials are not cheap either but they can attain quicker measurable results if designed and targeted well. If your company exhibits at trade or consumer shows then printed matter is probably the best choice for quick results. Brochures, flyers and catalogs make very effective tools and can also be used in other ways such as a direct mail campaign.
Postcards are a very cost effective way of getting your message out. Postcards can drive local traffic to your business. They can be used to target notices, offer discounts, show a new product or service. The key is to make sure you do everything you can to get your message out and get noticed. Every thing your company prints should have great design and the Wow Factor to separate you from your competition.
For a more corporate look, a striking presentation folder with a sales letter printed full color on quality paper stock in one pocket and sales and/or spec sheets or maybe a catalog in the other is a great way to make an important lasting impression. This can certainly help with closing the sale and your branding.
Everybody loves a beautiful poster not only can it get your message across but it can become a collectable giving long terms results. Think about handing out your new poster at a show. Attendees love them and keep them. If it has the WOW FACTOR!!, it is likely to wind up on someone's wall.
A well design printed advertising, sales or marketing campaign with strategic placement of your URL can also increase your web traffic to reenforce your sales and marketing plan.
Running a successful business no matter how small requires spending money on advertising, sales and marketing. Whatever methods you choose, the secret is to stay with it and keep fine tuning it until it has time to produce the desired results.
For free samples and more information about the Wow Factor, go to: http://www.colorprintingpros.com.
Internet marketing is the proactive method. You have a need and you take responsibility for finding a source to fulfill that need. An old technology example is the yellow pages. The newer technology is the internet and search engines.It may also be through articles and blogs. But these only work if the viewer can be directed to you.
Direct marketing is a passive method. You select a targeted audience and present your information to them. It takes no action on the receiver’s part to acquire the information other than to look or listen to it. If you can peak their interest, you can create a positive response. We are all very familiar with TV, radio and printed advertising.
Is one of these tools better than the other for creating new customers and sales? From my experience, the answer is they both have their place and work in different ways for most business. Both methods are necessary and valid in today’s very competitive market place. Both have their individual challenges and benefits.
It’s very hard to make cost comparisons because a highly developed ecommerce website is expensive and needs constant updating and SEO (Search Engine Optimization) in the fight for top position. There are huge hidden costs and lots of hard work to achieve a high page ranking. Good positions on search engines can be a difficult game with a slow response time and not a lot of control. If not played expertly, it can produce unsatisfactory results for a long time. Email campaigns are becoming less effective with all the spam and most people regard banners and pop-ups as a nuisance.
On the other hands carefully targeted printed advertising, sales and marketing materials are not cheap either but they can attain quicker measurable results if designed and targeted well. If your company exhibits at trade or consumer shows then printed matter is probably the best choice for quick results. Brochures, flyers and catalogs make very effective tools and can also be used in other ways such as a direct mail campaign.
Postcards are a very cost effective way of getting your message out. Postcards can drive local traffic to your business. They can be used to target notices, offer discounts, show a new product or service. The key is to make sure you do everything you can to get your message out and get noticed. Every thing your company prints should have great design and the Wow Factor to separate you from your competition.
For a more corporate look, a striking presentation folder with a sales letter printed full color on quality paper stock in one pocket and sales and/or spec sheets or maybe a catalog in the other is a great way to make an important lasting impression. This can certainly help with closing the sale and your branding.
Everybody loves a beautiful poster not only can it get your message across but it can become a collectable giving long terms results. Think about handing out your new poster at a show. Attendees love them and keep them. If it has the WOW FACTOR!!, it is likely to wind up on someone's wall.
A well design printed advertising, sales or marketing campaign with strategic placement of your URL can also increase your web traffic to reenforce your sales and marketing plan.
Running a successful business no matter how small requires spending money on advertising, sales and marketing. Whatever methods you choose, the secret is to stay with it and keep fine tuning it until it has time to produce the desired results.
For free samples and more information about the Wow Factor, go to: http://www.colorprintingpros.com.
Success Costs
We all want our products and services to be viewed as high value and perceived as being well worth the cost. The problem is getting the message out without breaking the bank. For example, you have a new line of products and you need a promotion to get the word out. You know there are a lot of potential customers but what’s the most cost effective method to reach your targeted market.
One of the first cheap ways that comes to mind is to do this through an email campaign. But wait, you’ve probably trashed hundreds of these emails this week, emails that you never opened or read. I find my first job every morning is going through and trash unsolicited emails. Yeah, email may seem cheap but if they go unread and dumped, it can be pretty expensive in a lot of different ways.
It may be time to consider direct mail. Sure, it can be more expensive to print and mail promotional material and some surely gets dumped. But if you have a good mailing list that is targeted to old customers and new potential ones, at least you have a better chance of your promotion being seen than through an unsolicited email.
Your first response to this may be “Our small company can’t really afford this”. If you can’t afford to do a promotion that may be the exact reason you need to do it. Most of us need to build our businesses, create more customers and more sales.The fact that you can’t afford it indicates you’re not doing as well as you should or could. This may be the best reason to do it.
If you view cards, flyers, brochures, pamphlets and posters as necessary sales and marketing tools to increase your business then the important question is not what it costs but what is your ROI (return on investment). As long as you have done your homework and believe you will have a positive return over a reasonable period of time, it can be very affordable in the long run. That’s why so many successful companies do mailings on a regular basis. It reenforces their name to old customers and may create new clients which means new business and new money. It’s no secret that you have to spend money to make money.
The nice thing about direct mail is that it is passive on the part of the recipient. It requires no overt action on their part to get them to view your message. The trick is to get their attention. Getting your message across and getting noticed and remembered may mean you need a WOW Factor!!
What is the “Wow Factor”? The “Wow Factor” is hard to define but you know it when you see it. It’s that something extra that grabs your eye and attention. Going beyond good design and copy, it can be extra heavy printing stock, a printing technique such as spot UV coating or metallic ink that is not commonly used by everyone. By combining heavy card stock with spot UV or metallic ink or colored metallic effects. You can create a card that identifies you or your company as being forward thinking and caring about detail and quality.
A postcard or flyer promotion is a good inexpensive way to start. It would definitely be advantageous to hire a graphics designer with a style you like to create a look for your mailings. The content may change but the look is part of your branding and should remain recognizable on all your mailings.
Good design does not have to be expensive but don’t fall into the trap of hiring your neighbor’s son or your granddaughter who took an art class in school. You need more than pretty pictures. You need a professional print designer that knows how to design for the printing process and how to work with all the technical aspects of creating a well designed sales piece. You may want them to make sure they use the Wow Factor in order to make your pieces stand out from everyone else’s . Doing this could save you from a disaster and lots of money and time in the process.
Direct mail is an important sales and marketing tool used by many successful companies because it works. It should be strongly considered as a very viable way to increase your sales and grow your business. You don’t have to start out with a big mailing to hundreds of thousands or millions of recipients. A test mailing of 1,000 to 5,000 is a good way to start without breaking the bank. Remember there is no such thing as you can’t afford it when it comes to advertising. The important factor is your return on investment (ROI).
A very important part of this plan is frequency. Ever notice how many postcards, flyers, brochures and catalogs you get in the mail from the same companies even though you didn’t make a purchase? They are building name recognition, branding, and trust. These are very valuable assets to any company and don’t come for free. Remember there is no such thing as you can’t afford it when it comes to advertising.
For free samples and more information about the printing, go to: http://www.colorprintingpros.com
One of the first cheap ways that comes to mind is to do this through an email campaign. But wait, you’ve probably trashed hundreds of these emails this week, emails that you never opened or read. I find my first job every morning is going through and trash unsolicited emails. Yeah, email may seem cheap but if they go unread and dumped, it can be pretty expensive in a lot of different ways.
It may be time to consider direct mail. Sure, it can be more expensive to print and mail promotional material and some surely gets dumped. But if you have a good mailing list that is targeted to old customers and new potential ones, at least you have a better chance of your promotion being seen than through an unsolicited email.
Your first response to this may be “Our small company can’t really afford this”. If you can’t afford to do a promotion that may be the exact reason you need to do it. Most of us need to build our businesses, create more customers and more sales.The fact that you can’t afford it indicates you’re not doing as well as you should or could. This may be the best reason to do it.
If you view cards, flyers, brochures, pamphlets and posters as necessary sales and marketing tools to increase your business then the important question is not what it costs but what is your ROI (return on investment). As long as you have done your homework and believe you will have a positive return over a reasonable period of time, it can be very affordable in the long run. That’s why so many successful companies do mailings on a regular basis. It reenforces their name to old customers and may create new clients which means new business and new money. It’s no secret that you have to spend money to make money.
The nice thing about direct mail is that it is passive on the part of the recipient. It requires no overt action on their part to get them to view your message. The trick is to get their attention. Getting your message across and getting noticed and remembered may mean you need a WOW Factor!!
What is the “Wow Factor”? The “Wow Factor” is hard to define but you know it when you see it. It’s that something extra that grabs your eye and attention. Going beyond good design and copy, it can be extra heavy printing stock, a printing technique such as spot UV coating or metallic ink that is not commonly used by everyone. By combining heavy card stock with spot UV or metallic ink or colored metallic effects. You can create a card that identifies you or your company as being forward thinking and caring about detail and quality.
A postcard or flyer promotion is a good inexpensive way to start. It would definitely be advantageous to hire a graphics designer with a style you like to create a look for your mailings. The content may change but the look is part of your branding and should remain recognizable on all your mailings.
Good design does not have to be expensive but don’t fall into the trap of hiring your neighbor’s son or your granddaughter who took an art class in school. You need more than pretty pictures. You need a professional print designer that knows how to design for the printing process and how to work with all the technical aspects of creating a well designed sales piece. You may want them to make sure they use the Wow Factor in order to make your pieces stand out from everyone else’s . Doing this could save you from a disaster and lots of money and time in the process.
Direct mail is an important sales and marketing tool used by many successful companies because it works. It should be strongly considered as a very viable way to increase your sales and grow your business. You don’t have to start out with a big mailing to hundreds of thousands or millions of recipients. A test mailing of 1,000 to 5,000 is a good way to start without breaking the bank. Remember there is no such thing as you can’t afford it when it comes to advertising. The important factor is your return on investment (ROI).
A very important part of this plan is frequency. Ever notice how many postcards, flyers, brochures and catalogs you get in the mail from the same companies even though you didn’t make a purchase? They are building name recognition, branding, and trust. These are very valuable assets to any company and don’t come for free. Remember there is no such thing as you can’t afford it when it comes to advertising.
For free samples and more information about the printing, go to: http://www.colorprintingpros.com
Hitting A Trade Show Homerun
Trade shows are one of the most important marketing strategies that many companies use. Most companies exhibiting at trade show spend considerable time and money on their trade show booth. They understand that trade show attendees can be drawn to their booth with a little pre-show hype.
Most trade show attendees are what real estate people call “lookielews”. They enter the convention hall and are overwhelmed by the number of exhibitors and the variety of dog and pony shows going on at the same time.
A very effective way to get qualified old customers and potential new customers to visit your booth is with a well targeted inexpensive postcard or invitation prior to the show. It’s a good way to tell them about the new products or services that you will be offering. As a bonus, you may want to offer a discount or free gift for responding to your invitation.
For the best effect, your postcards should be printed on heavy 14 or 16 point coated 2 sides (C2S) card stock. They should be printed on both sides and have a UV gloss coating or aqueous matte coating on at least one side. Cards are available with lighter stocks and without coating but those do not look or feel as good as cards printed on heavy stocks with coating. The prices for a lower quality card may not be substantially lower. What is more important is value rather than price.
Getting potential customers into your booth is only the first part of making a sale. A brief friendly noninvasive few questions is essential. Then once you have a potential buyer, it is a good idea to have a very well thought out flyer or brochure that explains the benefits and features of your product or service. Something that they can take with them to remember you. It is important to make sure it explains how your products or services will improve their life.
The attractiveness and quality of the flyer or brochure is as important as the quality of the booth in perpetuating the correct message about your company and you as its representative. Attention should be paid to design, color, crisp sharp photos and graphics as well as the weight and finish of the paper.
With state of the art technology and the availability of gang run printing, the costs of printing a brochure is actually cheaper today than printing the same brochure ten years ago. Full color with aqueous coating on 100Lb coated text paper should be a minimal standard for acceptable quality on all trade show handouts.
Many companies with large product lines often introduce their new catalogs at a major trade show. Frequent buyers look forward to seeing the new lines and products being offered in a new catalog. For many buyers, there is true anticipation and excitement in receiving a new catalog. It offers you opportunity to expand and increase your business.
Some companies use a presentation pocket folder for press or promotional kits to add to their marketing strategy tools. The folders can be printed full color on 12 or 14 point card stock with UV or aqueous coating. These folders generally have two 4 inch pockets with a slit for a business card to be inserted in the pocket. One pocket can have an impressive letterhead on quality stationary paper with a full color logo. These letters can be personalized or modified to fit the individual need and a message can be printed using your office printer. The other pocket can contain a catalog, flyer or other sales and marketing literature.
Another way to be remembered after the show is with a well designed poster give-away. Everybody loves posters. They get put on walls and if they are done well, sometimes they even get framed. You can’t get better name recognition and branding than with an attractive poster hung on a customer’s wall. Posters come in all sizes from 11 X 17 to 25 X 38. They should be printed in full color with a aqueous coating on 100Lb gloss book stock.
Although trade shows can be an overwhelmingly busy experience to attendees, one way to give them a lasting memory of you and your company is to present them with the most attractive high quality sales and marketing literature you can.There are a number of online companies that can provide these services. Keep in mind the lowest price is not always the best value. It’s a good idea to plan early and contact them by email or a phone call. Request samples of their work and be aware of their response time and willingness to work with you. Get a feel for their customer care. If every time you call, you get a different rep you may want to consider a more personal relationship. Remember most jobs go without a hitch but when there is an unforeseen problem, that’s when you can really tell a provider’s worth. The indicators should be sought before you decide on who will get your business.
The purpose of trade shows is to increase sales and attract new customers. You can achieve this with powerful advertising, sales and marketing literature. Want to hit a homerun? Then make sure you are prepared and ready when you are up to bat.
For free samples and more information about trade show printing, go to: http://www.colorprintingpros.com
Most trade show attendees are what real estate people call “lookielews”. They enter the convention hall and are overwhelmed by the number of exhibitors and the variety of dog and pony shows going on at the same time.
A very effective way to get qualified old customers and potential new customers to visit your booth is with a well targeted inexpensive postcard or invitation prior to the show. It’s a good way to tell them about the new products or services that you will be offering. As a bonus, you may want to offer a discount or free gift for responding to your invitation.
For the best effect, your postcards should be printed on heavy 14 or 16 point coated 2 sides (C2S) card stock. They should be printed on both sides and have a UV gloss coating or aqueous matte coating on at least one side. Cards are available with lighter stocks and without coating but those do not look or feel as good as cards printed on heavy stocks with coating. The prices for a lower quality card may not be substantially lower. What is more important is value rather than price.
Getting potential customers into your booth is only the first part of making a sale. A brief friendly noninvasive few questions is essential. Then once you have a potential buyer, it is a good idea to have a very well thought out flyer or brochure that explains the benefits and features of your product or service. Something that they can take with them to remember you. It is important to make sure it explains how your products or services will improve their life.
The attractiveness and quality of the flyer or brochure is as important as the quality of the booth in perpetuating the correct message about your company and you as its representative. Attention should be paid to design, color, crisp sharp photos and graphics as well as the weight and finish of the paper.
With state of the art technology and the availability of gang run printing, the costs of printing a brochure is actually cheaper today than printing the same brochure ten years ago. Full color with aqueous coating on 100Lb coated text paper should be a minimal standard for acceptable quality on all trade show handouts.
Many companies with large product lines often introduce their new catalogs at a major trade show. Frequent buyers look forward to seeing the new lines and products being offered in a new catalog. For many buyers, there is true anticipation and excitement in receiving a new catalog. It offers you opportunity to expand and increase your business.
Some companies use a presentation pocket folder for press or promotional kits to add to their marketing strategy tools. The folders can be printed full color on 12 or 14 point card stock with UV or aqueous coating. These folders generally have two 4 inch pockets with a slit for a business card to be inserted in the pocket. One pocket can have an impressive letterhead on quality stationary paper with a full color logo. These letters can be personalized or modified to fit the individual need and a message can be printed using your office printer. The other pocket can contain a catalog, flyer or other sales and marketing literature.
Another way to be remembered after the show is with a well designed poster give-away. Everybody loves posters. They get put on walls and if they are done well, sometimes they even get framed. You can’t get better name recognition and branding than with an attractive poster hung on a customer’s wall. Posters come in all sizes from 11 X 17 to 25 X 38. They should be printed in full color with a aqueous coating on 100Lb gloss book stock.
Although trade shows can be an overwhelmingly busy experience to attendees, one way to give them a lasting memory of you and your company is to present them with the most attractive high quality sales and marketing literature you can.There are a number of online companies that can provide these services. Keep in mind the lowest price is not always the best value. It’s a good idea to plan early and contact them by email or a phone call. Request samples of their work and be aware of their response time and willingness to work with you. Get a feel for their customer care. If every time you call, you get a different rep you may want to consider a more personal relationship. Remember most jobs go without a hitch but when there is an unforeseen problem, that’s when you can really tell a provider’s worth. The indicators should be sought before you decide on who will get your business.
The purpose of trade shows is to increase sales and attract new customers. You can achieve this with powerful advertising, sales and marketing literature. Want to hit a homerun? Then make sure you are prepared and ready when you are up to bat.
For free samples and more information about trade show printing, go to: http://www.colorprintingpros.com
Get Noticed with the Wow Factor !!
Every effective presentation needs a “Wow Factor” to get attention. Postcards, business cards, flyers, brochures, sell sheet, catalogs, posters or any other printed advertising sales and marketing literature should be designed with the intent to get the most attention possible.
Direct marketing promotions are one of the most effective ways to increase sales quickly. The most important elements are spectacular design and exciting copy. You only have a brief second get someone’s attention and create an impact. The key is to separate yours from all the other stuff in the mailbox.
With new state of the art printing technology, it is now possible to create “Wow Factor” effects without breaking the bank. Using gang run printing, your job is combined with similar jobs and each person shares the cost. You only pay for the space you need and everybody shares the cost of the make ready on the press. This is not an uncommon practice and many online printers offer this service. So what's the big deal? The big deal is the “Wow Factor”. The problem with gang run printing is you are limited to printing on the paper stock the chosen printer uses. You may also be limited on coatings and finishes, if available. Coatings are important since they give more richness to your job.This is as far as most online printers go. Now you can have more options with the Wow Factor.
What is the “Wow Factor”? The “Wow Factor” is hard to define but you know it when you see it. It’s that something extra that grabs your eye and attention. Going beyond good design and copy, it can be extra heavy printing stock, spot UV coating, silver metallic ink or colored metallic effects that are not commonly used by everyone. By using these techniques you can create a card has a much better chance of getting noticed.
If you want to separate yourself and your image from your competition, you need to find a vendor that can offer you added value services. You need more than just plain old vanilla gang run printing. There are so many printers offering gang runs, it may take a bit of searching to find a printer that can provide the “Wow Factor”.
I can’t stress enough that printed sales and marketing literature are tools to create sales. Finding the cheapest price online is not always the best way to find a printing service. You need to find the best value. Look for free paper upgrades. Free file check is important. If something is wrong with the way you’ve created your files, will the printer you pick call or email you that they have found a problem? You would hope so but most gang run printers will just print the files you send them and when you are not satisfied they will say “we just printed what you sent us”. Unfortunately that’s more common than it should be. Find a company that really cares about your job as much as you do.
You can’t judge a printers’ quality and service by their page ranking. For example, you can go to One Man’s Blog and find an article on one of the highest ranking and largest printers. There you will read about past customer nightmares in dealing with them. Of course, that is not to say that this is the norm. But it does illustrate the point that some printers with the highest page ranking are not always good printers. What I am saying is, if page ranking and price are the only two factors you consider in your selection, you are throwing dice hoping for a good outcome.
A good way to find a great resource is to plan ahead with enough time to check them out. Do they offer free samples? They should and you should order them. See how long their response time is. Check out their quality. Pay attention to the paper weights and finishes. Do they offer free coating on all their printing? Do they charge extra for overs (some do)? It’s also a good idea to call them to check out their customer service. Were you put on hold for a long time?. Did you connect to a person that was actually able to answer questions about their service and specifically the job you have in mind? Make sure they have free file check and use it before confirming your order? What kind of response did you get? How fast did they get back to you? Do they have free online proofs of your job? By doing good due diligence before you choose a printer, you will have a good idea of the kind of quality and service you can expect.
“Wow Factor” techniques are new and not available from most online printers. If you want to separate yourself from the crowd, you should take advantage of this. The first impression is the most important one and you only get one chance. By using these new techniques, you can achieve your goal by raising the bar of your presentation with the “Wow Factor”. Remember, presentation is everything.
Direct marketing promotions are one of the most effective ways to increase sales quickly. The most important elements are spectacular design and exciting copy. You only have a brief second get someone’s attention and create an impact. The key is to separate yours from all the other stuff in the mailbox.
With new state of the art printing technology, it is now possible to create “Wow Factor” effects without breaking the bank. Using gang run printing, your job is combined with similar jobs and each person shares the cost. You only pay for the space you need and everybody shares the cost of the make ready on the press. This is not an uncommon practice and many online printers offer this service. So what's the big deal? The big deal is the “Wow Factor”. The problem with gang run printing is you are limited to printing on the paper stock the chosen printer uses. You may also be limited on coatings and finishes, if available. Coatings are important since they give more richness to your job.This is as far as most online printers go. Now you can have more options with the Wow Factor.
What is the “Wow Factor”? The “Wow Factor” is hard to define but you know it when you see it. It’s that something extra that grabs your eye and attention. Going beyond good design and copy, it can be extra heavy printing stock, spot UV coating, silver metallic ink or colored metallic effects that are not commonly used by everyone. By using these techniques you can create a card has a much better chance of getting noticed.
If you want to separate yourself and your image from your competition, you need to find a vendor that can offer you added value services. You need more than just plain old vanilla gang run printing. There are so many printers offering gang runs, it may take a bit of searching to find a printer that can provide the “Wow Factor”.
I can’t stress enough that printed sales and marketing literature are tools to create sales. Finding the cheapest price online is not always the best way to find a printing service. You need to find the best value. Look for free paper upgrades. Free file check is important. If something is wrong with the way you’ve created your files, will the printer you pick call or email you that they have found a problem? You would hope so but most gang run printers will just print the files you send them and when you are not satisfied they will say “we just printed what you sent us”. Unfortunately that’s more common than it should be. Find a company that really cares about your job as much as you do.
You can’t judge a printers’ quality and service by their page ranking. For example, you can go to One Man’s Blog and find an article on one of the highest ranking and largest printers. There you will read about past customer nightmares in dealing with them. Of course, that is not to say that this is the norm. But it does illustrate the point that some printers with the highest page ranking are not always good printers. What I am saying is, if page ranking and price are the only two factors you consider in your selection, you are throwing dice hoping for a good outcome.
A good way to find a great resource is to plan ahead with enough time to check them out. Do they offer free samples? They should and you should order them. See how long their response time is. Check out their quality. Pay attention to the paper weights and finishes. Do they offer free coating on all their printing? Do they charge extra for overs (some do)? It’s also a good idea to call them to check out their customer service. Were you put on hold for a long time?. Did you connect to a person that was actually able to answer questions about their service and specifically the job you have in mind? Make sure they have free file check and use it before confirming your order? What kind of response did you get? How fast did they get back to you? Do they have free online proofs of your job? By doing good due diligence before you choose a printer, you will have a good idea of the kind of quality and service you can expect.
“Wow Factor” techniques are new and not available from most online printers. If you want to separate yourself from the crowd, you should take advantage of this. The first impression is the most important one and you only get one chance. By using these new techniques, you can achieve your goal by raising the bar of your presentation with the “Wow Factor”. Remember, presentation is everything.
Sales & Marketing Tools For Your Business- Finding The Right Ones
Tools are required for every business. Carpenters use hammers and saws. Doctors use diagnostic equipment. I don't need to tell you what dentists use. The point is if you have a product or service, you need advertising, sales and marketing tools. These can be in whatever media you wish such as your website, your business card, flyers, brochures, postcards, catalogs and posters. They all work in different ways producing different results to a common end which is greater success.
If you are going to have a successful business, you need to have the right tools to build it. The tools you use are intended to make you money and the better the tools, the more money you will make. I recently bought a leather punch in a hardware store. There were 3 different sets with 3 different prices points. I only had a few holes to punch and the low price caught my eye. My thinking was why pay a higher price for it when it would probably only be used once. I went home thinking I solved the problem and saved some money. About halfway through the job the whole thing just came apart. I had to go back to the store and try to get my money back, lost the day I wanted to do the project and paid more in time, money and gas than I needed to. If I had approached the problem correctly from the start, this would not be the case. Lesson learned!! The interesting thing is two weeks later I had a need for a leather punch again and it work great on got the job done.
Everybody in business needs business cards. If you google cheap business cards, there are over 2 million choices. Most of us never get passed the first or second page. We look and compare a few sites and make a blind choice based only on intuition. There are some very good companies out there. Will you be lucky enough to pick the best one? Remember top position does not guarantee top quality or service. Did you pick the lowest price or the best value?
It's always better to find the best value. Ask yourself- what am I getting for my money? What's included in the price? If you think all printing and printers are the same, you are making a very big mistake. How do I know this? The answer is simple. I have learned from the experience I told you about as well as others that it is not price but quality that counts. That does not mean you have to pick the most expensive one either. The best value always includes price, quality and service. It’s generally fair to say “you get what you pay for”.
There are some very good indicators as to how to find the right printer - one who offers quality and service for the lowest price. First, give them a call or email them a question. What kind of response did you get? Was it in a reasonable amount of time? Was the person knowledge and friendly? Did they make you feel comfortable? Ask them what kind of equipment they will print your job on. Is it a 4, 5, or 6 color press? Older press can't print as fine a line screen, therefore, less detail, than newer presses using state of the art printing technology. One way to tell if it is a newer full color press is to ask if it has coating towers that can apply earth friendly aqueous coating. Older press use solvent based varnish and these older 4 color presses cannot apply aqueous coating. Another factor is that most printers with older equipment don't offer coatings.
Many printers are offering fast turnaround times because they are using smaller presses. It may be a good idea to ask your printer what size press your job will be printed on. For most 8.5 X 11 sheets and larger, you get better, smoother ink coverage on larger 20 X 26 or 38 X 40 inch sheet feed presses. The reason is the bigger the rollers on the press, the smoother the ink coverage. If you have large areas of heavy ink coverage, smaller older presses tend to streak.
Another thing to look for in a printing company is one that will check your files. It's important for businesses to establish good communications with their printer. You want a company that will review your files and advise you of any problems that may occur. You want a company with a person on the other end that can answer questions and offer suggestions to help you create the best sales and marketing tools you can.
All these tools are important in helping you make the right choices and allowing you to achieve your final goal, success. Whether it is making holes in leather or producing sales and marketing tools that you can be proud of you must make sure you are getting value, not just the cheapest price. It would be best to add up all the reasons to choose provider over another by making sure you weighing in what you get for the price. Are there extra costs that are hidden in the order form that you don’t see up front or are they included in your price? Do they charge for overs? By asking questions and doing good due diligence, you are making sure the quality, service and value are the best you can find.
For free samples and more information, click here.
If you are going to have a successful business, you need to have the right tools to build it. The tools you use are intended to make you money and the better the tools, the more money you will make. I recently bought a leather punch in a hardware store. There were 3 different sets with 3 different prices points. I only had a few holes to punch and the low price caught my eye. My thinking was why pay a higher price for it when it would probably only be used once. I went home thinking I solved the problem and saved some money. About halfway through the job the whole thing just came apart. I had to go back to the store and try to get my money back, lost the day I wanted to do the project and paid more in time, money and gas than I needed to. If I had approached the problem correctly from the start, this would not be the case. Lesson learned!! The interesting thing is two weeks later I had a need for a leather punch again and it work great on got the job done.
Everybody in business needs business cards. If you google cheap business cards, there are over 2 million choices. Most of us never get passed the first or second page. We look and compare a few sites and make a blind choice based only on intuition. There are some very good companies out there. Will you be lucky enough to pick the best one? Remember top position does not guarantee top quality or service. Did you pick the lowest price or the best value?
It's always better to find the best value. Ask yourself- what am I getting for my money? What's included in the price? If you think all printing and printers are the same, you are making a very big mistake. How do I know this? The answer is simple. I have learned from the experience I told you about as well as others that it is not price but quality that counts. That does not mean you have to pick the most expensive one either. The best value always includes price, quality and service. It’s generally fair to say “you get what you pay for”.
There are some very good indicators as to how to find the right printer - one who offers quality and service for the lowest price. First, give them a call or email them a question. What kind of response did you get? Was it in a reasonable amount of time? Was the person knowledge and friendly? Did they make you feel comfortable? Ask them what kind of equipment they will print your job on. Is it a 4, 5, or 6 color press? Older press can't print as fine a line screen, therefore, less detail, than newer presses using state of the art printing technology. One way to tell if it is a newer full color press is to ask if it has coating towers that can apply earth friendly aqueous coating. Older press use solvent based varnish and these older 4 color presses cannot apply aqueous coating. Another factor is that most printers with older equipment don't offer coatings.
Many printers are offering fast turnaround times because they are using smaller presses. It may be a good idea to ask your printer what size press your job will be printed on. For most 8.5 X 11 sheets and larger, you get better, smoother ink coverage on larger 20 X 26 or 38 X 40 inch sheet feed presses. The reason is the bigger the rollers on the press, the smoother the ink coverage. If you have large areas of heavy ink coverage, smaller older presses tend to streak.
Another thing to look for in a printing company is one that will check your files. It's important for businesses to establish good communications with their printer. You want a company that will review your files and advise you of any problems that may occur. You want a company with a person on the other end that can answer questions and offer suggestions to help you create the best sales and marketing tools you can.
All these tools are important in helping you make the right choices and allowing you to achieve your final goal, success. Whether it is making holes in leather or producing sales and marketing tools that you can be proud of you must make sure you are getting value, not just the cheapest price. It would be best to add up all the reasons to choose provider over another by making sure you weighing in what you get for the price. Are there extra costs that are hidden in the order form that you don’t see up front or are they included in your price? Do they charge for overs? By asking questions and doing good due diligence, you are making sure the quality, service and value are the best you can find.
For free samples and more information, click here.
Advertising, Sales and Marketing Literature Turned to Gold
The ancient art of alchemy has been revived. That’s right, I said alchemy. It is now possible to turn base metal into gold, bronze, brass and about 600 other metallic colors. The amazing thing is you can do it yourself. It’s pretty easy and quite affordable.
We all need that Wow Factor to stand out and separate us from our competitors. Imagine the possibilities of using colored metallic effects on your next card, flyer or brochure. Metallic colors added to your next full color advertising, sales or marketing project would certainly attract more attention.
Colored metallic inks are not new. Their limitation used to be that they only allowed you to use one selected color whichwas added to the full color process. It is required custom printing and was quite expensive. Wow Factor Colored Metallics is a unique process that allows you to make and use as many metallic colors as you like. You can use gold, silver, bronze, brass and other metallic reds, greens, blues and so on.Your only limitation by your ideas and good taste. Wow Factor Metallics is new and is now even available as a gang run printing service. That means there are regular scheduled print runs available to use this technique.
What are gang runs? Gang run printing combines common jobs to be run together at the same time on the same parent sheet of paper. You only pay for the portion of the sheet you use and everybody on the run shares the cost of the make ready on the press.The beauty of a gang run job is that the turnaround times are only 5 to 7 working days. Because the printer is using a state of the art prepress and large sheet fed printing presses, the colors are brilliant and quality is exquisite.
How do you make colored metallics? The process is elegantly simple. Using Photoshop, you select the color(s) you want to make metallic, create a simple mask for those colors and then let the printer do the rest. Specific instructions and free samples of this process with a partial color chart are available through a link online which you can find at the bottom of this article in the author’s box.
Only a very few state of the art printing companies have the ability to use this process. This is new cutting edge technology that significantly raises the bar for the next generation of effective sales and marketing tools. Imagine the possibilities to help you get noticed and stand out from your competition.
Advertising, sales and marketing tools are essential to many small and medium sized businesses. If well planned and executed, they can level and even tip the playing field for you. In the past, creating and using special effects for cards, brochures and flyers was only for large companies with large budgets. Now even a small company can project itself as a leader in its field and gain greater market share and better branding by creating its own unique look separating itself from the pack. By adding a Wow Factor to the marketing of your company, you can make sure you and your company get noticed.
For free samples and more information about the Wow Factor Colored Metallics, click here.
We all need that Wow Factor to stand out and separate us from our competitors. Imagine the possibilities of using colored metallic effects on your next card, flyer or brochure. Metallic colors added to your next full color advertising, sales or marketing project would certainly attract more attention.
Colored metallic inks are not new. Their limitation used to be that they only allowed you to use one selected color whichwas added to the full color process. It is required custom printing and was quite expensive. Wow Factor Colored Metallics is a unique process that allows you to make and use as many metallic colors as you like. You can use gold, silver, bronze, brass and other metallic reds, greens, blues and so on.Your only limitation by your ideas and good taste. Wow Factor Metallics is new and is now even available as a gang run printing service. That means there are regular scheduled print runs available to use this technique.
What are gang runs? Gang run printing combines common jobs to be run together at the same time on the same parent sheet of paper. You only pay for the portion of the sheet you use and everybody on the run shares the cost of the make ready on the press.The beauty of a gang run job is that the turnaround times are only 5 to 7 working days. Because the printer is using a state of the art prepress and large sheet fed printing presses, the colors are brilliant and quality is exquisite.
How do you make colored metallics? The process is elegantly simple. Using Photoshop, you select the color(s) you want to make metallic, create a simple mask for those colors and then let the printer do the rest. Specific instructions and free samples of this process with a partial color chart are available through a link online which you can find at the bottom of this article in the author’s box.
Only a very few state of the art printing companies have the ability to use this process. This is new cutting edge technology that significantly raises the bar for the next generation of effective sales and marketing tools. Imagine the possibilities to help you get noticed and stand out from your competition.
Advertising, sales and marketing tools are essential to many small and medium sized businesses. If well planned and executed, they can level and even tip the playing field for you. In the past, creating and using special effects for cards, brochures and flyers was only for large companies with large budgets. Now even a small company can project itself as a leader in its field and gain greater market share and better branding by creating its own unique look separating itself from the pack. By adding a Wow Factor to the marketing of your company, you can make sure you and your company get noticed.
For free samples and more information about the Wow Factor Colored Metallics, click here.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Presentation IS Everything!!
Want to stand out from the crowd? Want to be noticed? Want to be remembered long after you have handled out your advertising? Want the key to separating your sales & marketing literature from all the others? Then you need to add a Wow Factor to your printed materials!
With new state of the art printing technology, it is now possible to create “Wow Factor” effects without breaking the bank. What is the “Wow Factor”? The “Wow Factor” is hard to define but you know it when you see it. It’s that something extra that grabs your eye and attention. Going beyond good design and copy, it can be extra heavy printing stock, a printing technique such as spot UV coating or using metallic ink that is not commonly used by everyone. By combining heavy card stock with spot UV or using metallic ink to make your design stand out, you can create a sales piece that identifies you or your company as being forward thinking and caring about detail and quality.
If you want to separate yourself and your image from your competition, you need to find a vendor that can offer you added value services. You need more than just plain old vanilla gang run printing. There are so many printers offering great prices, it may take a bit of searching to find a printer that can provide the “Wow Factor”.
I can’t stress enough that printed sales and marketing literature such as postcards, fliers and brochures are tools to create sales and recognition. Finding the cheapest price online is not the best way to find a printing service. You need to find the best value. Look for free paper upgrades. Free file check is also important. You can’t judge a printers’ quality and service by their page ranking. What I am saying is if page ranking and price are the only two factors you consider in your selection, you are throwing dice hoping for a good outcome.
“Wow Factor” techniques are new and not available from most online printers. If you want to separate yourself from the crowd, you should take advantage of this. The first impression is the most important one and you only get one chance. By using these new techiques, you can achieve your goal by raising the bar of your presentation with the “Wow Factor”. Don’t let anyone tell you presentation does not matter, the truth is “Presentation is Everything”!
With new state of the art printing technology, it is now possible to create “Wow Factor” effects without breaking the bank. What is the “Wow Factor”? The “Wow Factor” is hard to define but you know it when you see it. It’s that something extra that grabs your eye and attention. Going beyond good design and copy, it can be extra heavy printing stock, a printing technique such as spot UV coating or using metallic ink that is not commonly used by everyone. By combining heavy card stock with spot UV or using metallic ink to make your design stand out, you can create a sales piece that identifies you or your company as being forward thinking and caring about detail and quality.
If you want to separate yourself and your image from your competition, you need to find a vendor that can offer you added value services. You need more than just plain old vanilla gang run printing. There are so many printers offering great prices, it may take a bit of searching to find a printer that can provide the “Wow Factor”.
I can’t stress enough that printed sales and marketing literature such as postcards, fliers and brochures are tools to create sales and recognition. Finding the cheapest price online is not the best way to find a printing service. You need to find the best value. Look for free paper upgrades. Free file check is also important. You can’t judge a printers’ quality and service by their page ranking. What I am saying is if page ranking and price are the only two factors you consider in your selection, you are throwing dice hoping for a good outcome.
“Wow Factor” techniques are new and not available from most online printers. If you want to separate yourself from the crowd, you should take advantage of this. The first impression is the most important one and you only get one chance. By using these new techiques, you can achieve your goal by raising the bar of your presentation with the “Wow Factor”. Don’t let anyone tell you presentation does not matter, the truth is “Presentation is Everything”!
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Being Noticed in The Crowd
Standing out from the crowd is essential in today's ultra competitive world. Many promotional materials are just considered more clutter and are quickly discarded. What you paid for and had printed may wind up in that traditional "round file". You want your business to be noticed. So, how can you make your printed piece attract more attention, be kept and actually be used?
The answer is to make sure it is unique- not only in design but in high quality commercial printing. Ask yourself if it has a "wow factor" (that added value that makes it worth keeping)? There are many choices that can help you achieve this goal. Of course, the most obvious one is to start with great copy and design. This will influence the effectiveness of your presentation but do not stop there. With the right online commercial printer, you may be able to add other features that will make you different from all the others.
One option to consider is what stock you pick. Paper weights can say something about your company. Cheap thin paper says just that. This is especially true in business cards, flyers and brochures. When you need to make that first impression count, don't go cheap. Selecting heavier paper may assure that you are sending the right message. Quality impresses.
Another option to consider is coating. Using a heavier 100Lb gloss book with an aqueous coating or a heavy 14pt or 16pt card stock C2S (coated 2 sides) with a high gloss UV or a aqueous matte coating can give a more luxurious look and feel. Beware of commercial printers who offer a varnish coating. This indicates they are not using the latest state-of-the-art presses and technologies.
And finally, you may want to stand out by using some of the newest printing technology in design such as Spot UV, silver inks or colored metallic inks (which only a few commercial printers now offer). These options can help make your message be truly unique and different from the others.
Printing companies, like people, are not all the same. They vary in quality and kinds of services they provide. Finding the right printing company is essential especially if you want to find one that gives you the ability to stand out from your competition. And isn't that what you want??
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