Goodcopy for Good Marketing

Of Manhole Covers and Marketing

2012-02-21T08:08:00.000-08:00

You've probably heard the question asked, "Why are manhole covers round?" Answers vary from the obvious ("because manholes are round") to the more obscure. Wikipedia offers several possibilities. My personal favorites?

A round manhole cover cannot be accidentally dropped into the round hole it covers.

The circular shape makes the heavy covers easier to roll.

Round castings are easier to machine lathe than those of another shape and less expensive to produce in a size wide enough for a person to fit through.

The round shape makes it easy to replace an open cover without having to line up the corners.

A round tube holds up better against the earth's compression surrounding it than a shape with corners would.

If I were to guess, I'd say it's probably a combination of all these things (and maybe more) that made round manholes and manhole covers so popular.

Which brings me around to marketing.

Like a manhole cover, the best shape for your company's marketing is also round. More to the point, the best approach to your marketing is a well-rounded one. Just as the reasons for using a round manhole cover are many and varied, so too are the reasons for choosing each specific element in your marketing plan. The big difference? In marketing, there is no one-size-fits-all.

As you consider new marketing opportunities for your company -- and reexamine existing channels you're not sure are still working as effectively as before -- ask yourself, "How well does this approach fit with my overall marketing plan?" If the answer is "not very well" or the reasons you come up with for trying it aren't very sound, you know where that idea should go: straight into the file shaped like a manhole cover.

A Fish Story Worth Remembering

2012-02-17T08:02:00.000-08:00

Many years ago, a pike was placed in a tank with live minnows. As you'd expect, the pike immediately swam at the minnows and ate them. After a few days, a glass partition was added to the tank, and the minnows were placed on the other side of the glass (away from the pike). The pike continued to swim after the minnows, but kept running into the partition. Eventually, it gave up and swam around its own side of the tank instead.

After some time, the experimenters removed the glass partition separating the fish, but the pike still did not go after the minnows. It had been conditioned to think it could not reach its prey. An account of a similar experiment involving perch is available here.

So what does any of this have to do with business? Well, people, like fish, often give up too soon. We condition ourselves to believe a goal is unobtainable because we've experienced setbacks in the past. We give up trying, even if the barriers that once held us back are no longer there.

So the next time someone (even that small voice inside yourself) tells you, "Oh, we've tried that before, and it doesn't work," remember the story of the pike. Then give it one more try.

Six Steps to Handling Mistakes at Work

2012-02-10T08:12:00.001-08:00

Mistakes are a natural part of life... and business. How you handle those mistakes will go a long way in turning a dissatisfied customer around. Here are a few things you can do when mistakes occur at your company to help resolve the issue and make sure it doesn't happen again:

Acknowledge the mistake. When someone brings an error to your attention, own up to it. Apologize for any inconvenience it may have caused, and get to work (with the customer) to resolve the situation.

Act swiftly. As soon as a mistake comes to light, get to work fixing the problem. If it's a quick fix, all that much better. However, if resolving the issue will take more time, let the customer know that, too, and set a realistic timetable for reaching a resolution.

Keep the customer involved. Ask the customer what you can do to make things right, and keep in close touch with them until the issue is resolved. This will help the customer see how seriously you take the situation... and their business.

Follow up and follow through. After the situation has been resolved, follow up with the customer to make sure everything is now okay. Follow through on any promises you made, and let the customer know how much you appreciate their feedback.

Schedule a postmortem. Once you've had a little time to breathe, gather together the key members of your team who worked on resolving the problem. Figure out what caused the initial error, and decide what can be done differently in the future to prevent the same thing from happening again.

Shore up your processes. This goes hand-in-hand with the previous step. With the team's recommendations now in hand, start implementing the changes you think will help your company move forward into the future.

Break the Ice - 6 Cold Call Success Strategies

2012-02-07T08:33:00.001-08:00

Few of us enjoy making cold calls, but for many salespeople cold calling is inevitable. Here are six tips to help warm your next cold call:

Don't make the cold call your first point of contact. Instead, start with a letter or email. Introduce yourself, your company, and the products or services you provide. Explain the benefits the prospect will gain from working with you, and let them know you will be following up with a phone call to set up an appointment to talk.

Or the last. Don't jump right into a sales pitch on your first cold call and expect to close a sale. Respect the person's time, their schedule, and the fact that your call was not on that schedule before you made it. Ask if this is a good time to talk. If it isn't, suggest times when you could call back, or offer to meet in person if that will work better for the prospect.

Do your homework. Find out ahead of time who you should be contacting at a prospective company. Learn what you can about their business and how your solution can best fit their needs.

Prepare an outline. Have some idea what you want to say before you make your call. Start with a script if that makes you comfortable, but try not to make it sound too mechanical or forced. Relax as best you can and try to be yourself. Your preparation and earlier contact should help.

Ask questions. Don't do all the talking. Instead, introduce yourself, and then ask the prospect about their company and the role they play in it. Listen carefully to their responses. Work to build a rapport and connect with them one-on-one.

Follow up. As your call wraps up, try to set a time to meet face-to-face or over the phone again. After hanging up, send another email, thanking the person for their time, and reminding them of any future appointments you made. If they had questions you were unable to answer on the spot, find those answers and pass them along as quickly as possible. And create a schedule of regular follow-up activity to help you stay front-of-mind.

So what other advice do you have for warming up cold calls? I'd love to hear your suggestions and success stories in the comments below.

What Does it Take to be a Successful Entrepreneur?

2012-01-27T07:59:00.001-08:00

Many books and articles are written by and about successful entrepreneurs, with great information about what it takes to succeed. If it were possible to distill all of that information into a few words, it might be this: Being a successful entrepreneur really just boils down to solving problems and being resilient enough to find answer without giving up.

As Thomas Edison famously said: "If I find 10,000 ways something won't work, I haven't failed. I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is often a step forward." Hopefully, you won't need 10,000 attempts to find the solution you're looking for, but many people give up after only a few tries.

Whether you own a new company, have been in business awhile, or are an employee with the desire to become successful, the next time you run into a problem, take the initiative to find a solution. Be persistent, and don't give up at the first sign of resistance. Yes, that is easier said than done. There are many entrepreneurs, but not nearly as many successful ones. Those who succeed are champion problem solvers and have the will to not take no for an answer.

What Are Your Product Photos Saying?

2012-01-24T08:12:00.000-08:00

If a picture's worth a thousand words, have you ever thought about what your photos are saying? We live in a visual age, where images surround us. Whether on your website, marketing materials, billboards, or ads, the photos you choose to represent your products and services are very important. Here are a few tips to ensure your photos are saying what you want:

Don't photograph your products on a cluttered shelf. Rather, depict them in use in an appropriate abstract environment or on a clean white background.

Save your originals, and don't reduce their file size. You never know when you'll need to re-purpose images, such as if you want a low-res image from your website to work in a high-resolution print brochure.

Take a lot of photos when you have the opportunity. You may be surprised how a new angle or different lighting can change the appeal and appearance of your products.

If images don't do justice for your products, don't use them. Consider posting a "photo coming soon" placeholder, rather than posting a poor-quality photo. But do so only if you fully intend to post an image later.

Adjust the resolution of photos on your website to ensure they won't slow the load time for the page. Nothing is worse than a great photo nobody has the patience to download and see.

Use intriguing photos to supplement Facebook posts and create additional interest. Organize these photos into albums for easy viewing, and use relevant album names, such as "new products," "seasonal promotions," and so on.

Will the World End in 2012?

2012-01-20T08:39:00.001-08:00

There are doomsday predictions that say the world will end this year. We won't be able to validate those predictions either negatively or positively until this time next year (if there is a next year!). But one thing is certain: Sadly, 2012 will be the end for some businesses.

While going out of business is an unfortunate reality that happens in many industries (especially in a down cycle like we've been experiencing lately), it does NOT have to happen to your business.

So how can you keep from becoming part of the statistics in 2012? Make a real commitment to marketing your business.

Marketing does not have to be overly complicated or require a large budget. It might be as simple as figuring out the ideal prospects who would purchase what you sell, then targeting those prospects with relevant messages via as many marketing channels as your budget allows. If your budget is tight, focus on a niche group. Start small, and grow your business from there.

If you don't have one already, start a marketing calendar today, and set up a plan for various marketing activities that you will do throughout the year. Be encouraged and proactive, so we can all look back at this time next year and chuckle about the latest doomsday predictions.

An Internal Newsletter Your Team Will Love

2012-01-17T07:59:00.000-08:00

While newsletters are a great way to build relationships with customers, many companies overlook the team-building opportunity an internal newsletter offers within their own doors, as well. Internal newsletters are a great way not only to learn more about colleagues, but also to keep employees informed about company news, events, and other important announcements. Here are a few tips for creating an internal newsletter your employees will love:

Create a plan by defining the frequency of your newsletter (such as monthly or quarterly) and the types of articles or sections you'd like to include. Also develop a template you can easily modify for each issue.

Encourage teamwork by assigning a few people to specific parts of the newsletter each month, such as pulling company stats (sales volume, incoming calls, trade show outcomes, etc.), writing feature articles about company events, and so on.

Create an idea library. Stockpile various ideas, photos, jokes, quotes, seasonal graphics, etc., to save time down the road.

Acknowledge employee birthdays, corporate anniversaries, new hires, promotions, etc.

Consider offering a "message from the president" to make employees the first to know about new products, company changes, initiatives, etc.

Highlight successes. If a department had an outrageous month, highlight their achievements, and offer a company-wide congratulatory message.

Share encouraging survey results, customer compliments, and thank you notes from appreciative customers.

Consider a Q&A section where employees can submit questions and have a leader provide answers in an open forum for all to see.

Use an "employee spotlight" article to help staff members get to know their colleagues better. This type of article can range from information about the employee's position within your company to their personal hobbies, interests, and the like.

By creating an internal newsletter that encourages team-building and focuses on the successes of your employees, you can not only increase communication amongst your colleagues but also boost employee morale and give your team something fun to talk about around the water cooler.

What other ideas can you think of for an internal newsletter? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

7 Rules for Prospecting in 2012

2012-01-10T08:14:00.001-08:00

The best way to not only survive the recession but to actually thrive in it is to bring in new clients and new business. Growth is possible, even in this economic climate.

The lifeblood of all businesses is gaining new clients. Acquiring new clients is challenging enough in any environment, but especially today. The lack of new clients is often the primary cause for the decline and failure of a company.

To get new clients, you must look for prospects who fit what you do best. Here are seven rules for prospecting in today's environment. Following these rules will make it easier to start new relationships that will lead to new opportunities in 2012 and beyond.

1. Do This, and You Can Forget All the Other Steps!

You must have heard by now that all you have to do to get new business is to send a few tweets and Facebook posts, then sit back and wait for the hordes of leads to flood your website and your phone lines, right? Inbound marketing can fix all of your company ills by solving all the lead generation problems. Old school prospecting is a thing of the past. Your leads will now pursue you. No doubt you have read and heard about all of this, and for those who believed it, it wasn't too long before frustration set in. Thousands of dollars later, the realization came that these are half-truths. Sure, there is a place to mix in these tactics, but to really succeed in growing your business, nothing can replace real prospecting that leads to real relationships that open the door to real opportunities.

2. Have a Plan.

You will never know where you need to go if you don't have a plan. This is an old rule, but it applies as much today as it did in the past, and it will continue to apply far into the future. You must know the profile of the person and the company you can profitably do business with. You must set real goals and have a realistic plan to achieve those goals. Know what you want your ideal client to do as the next step when you are prospecting, and use that as your objective. Break it down to a step-by-step process, and track your leads to see where they stand in your sales lead funnel.

3. Research Before You Make the First Call.

Do some homework on your potential prospect before the first call or meeting. Know who the decision makers are, and try to find out their hot buttons ahead of time. The more you learn, the better your chances for making a connection and bond. You may never get that chance again. But don't waste too much time researching. If you stop all of your prospecting activities to research, your pipeline will grow stale, and you will halt your momentum. So do your research, but don't stop your prospecting.

4. Decide What Methods to Use.

Which are the best methods to use for lead generation? The best way to open the door to a relationship with your ideal client depends on the prospect. Some will like phone calls, some will like email, some will prefer direct mail, some will only respond to referrals, and some will respond to a business or casual network environment. Don't just rely on one method. Use as many as you can, and vary your approach. Let your prospect decide which one is best for them.

5. Just Do It.

Doing everything you need to do once you start the process of prospecting is not easy. Get help where you need it. It doesn't matter if your process is not perfect. Can't get an appointment to see the top decision maker? Go for the second in command. Do whatever is necessary to keep the activities moving forward. Work hard, but also work smart. Use all of the productivity tools and help you can get. But whatever you do, don't let anything stop your momentum. Keep your eyes on your goals.

6. Make Them an Offer They Can't Refuse.

Great. You are filling your pipeline and getting appointments. Now what? You will greatly improve the odds of getting your prospect to say yes if you have a compelling proposition that adds real value or potentially solves a problem for them. Why should they do business with you over any other similar company that wants their business? Why should they choose you and invest their limited time with you? How are you going to help them grow their business and improve their business results? In other words, you must answer the question: what's in it for them?

7. Ask Questions and Follow Up.

Ask great questions and (more importantly) listen to their answers. Take notes so that if you can't give answers instantly, you will be able to get back with them with the correct information later. Most of the prospects you meet will be juggling multiple tasks just like you are. It is very easy to forget about you and your proposal. Follow up relentlessly until you get an answer. Of course, you don't want to be a pest, but at the same time don't take a lack of response as a negative answer. Be respectful, but don't give up easily. These character traits are what set apart the top achievers from the also-rans. If you learn these skills and master them, your prospect pipeline will never dry up.

3 Simple Steps to Marketing Success in 2012

2012-01-06T06:35:00.000-08:00

Marketing for businesses can fall into several categories. Marketing that's too complicated can lead to never getting it done, while marketing that's ineffective can lead to its early demise. Neither of these scenarios helps a business achieve the ultimate goals for successful marketing: leads and sales.

Fortunately, effective marketing does not need to be complex in order to yield results. Follow these three steps to build a sustainable marketing program.

Step 1: Get Found

It's simple. No matter how great your service or business is, it won't matter much if your customers can't find you. Just as important, they have to be the right kind of customers for your business and your products. Your company needs to be found in the places your customers frequent the most. Your customers don't spend all of their time in one space, and neither should you. Get the word out about your business through effective multi-media campaigns.

Step 2: Convert

Capturing their attention is only the first step. In order to make it effective, you must get your prospect to engage with you somehow. Your content and sales information has to turn tire kickers into buyers. Get them to act by making a great offer. It doesn't necessarily have to be a discount; it can be an offer for free information or anything that your prospect finds valuable in order to help them make a decision about what you sell. Engage them and offer them value before you ask for a sale, click, or call. But do ask for them to act.

Step 3: Analyze, Test, Improve, & Repeat

The only way you can improve your marketing is to constantly track, test, and tweak. Constantly work at improving the results. But above all remember that consistency is the key to any successful marketing. You must have an active marketing calendar that takes into account where, how, and what your customer wants to learn about your company.

Marketing your company is really not that hard. Successful marketing requires that you educate your prospects and provide value. Build trust and provide real information that truly helps them. Do that consistently, and you will realize that marketing is not as difficult as it seems.

Making Connections

2012-01-03T08:05:00.001-08:00

Inside every human being is a desire to connect in real and tangible ways. This desire for connection permeates everything we do and every decision we make: even our decisions of what to buy and when. We respond to ads because we connect with them somehow. A spokesperson, scene, or catchphrase resonates with us and makes us laugh, or cry, or both.

A soldier sits down in a quiet moment to listen to a recordable storybook his child sent from home.

A team of clydesdales pulls an iconic wagon into New York City, then bows silently before the Statue of Liberty in reverence.

A couple drives frantically to the top of a parking ramp. The man jumps out and signals his confused girlfriend to follow, just in time to... miss the airplane banner flying by, asking her to marry him.

Each of these commercials (and many others like them) tells a story that, at first glance, has little to do with the product they're selling. Instead, they show the product (or in the case of the clydesdales, a symbol of the product) in real-life situations that make it far more relatable than a simple product shot or feature list ever could.

Here are links to the three commercials I mentioned in this post. A quick warning: If you haven't seen these, you might want to have a box of Kleenex nearby for the first two. Feel free to list some of your own favorites in the comments at the end of this post.

"Active Duty" Hallmark Commercial

9/11 Tribute from Budweiser

Wherever Life Takes You (Chevy Cruze ECO)

Time for Some Year-End Decluttering?

2011-12-30T08:09:00.001-08:00

A cluttered desk is said to be the sign of a cluttered mind. (I've also heard that a clean desk is the sign of a cluttered drawer, but that's another story.) In any case, clutter can lead to confusion, and confusion can lead to poor results. So like that desktop (or desk drawer), an occasional cleaning may be needed to clarify your marketing.

With the new year just around the corner, this seems as good a time as any to get started.

Declutter your message. Are you sending a clear, consistent message with all of your marketing? You should. People will remember you more readily if you keep your message consistent and clean. "You're in good hands." "A diamond is forever." "The breakfast of champions." "Is it live, or is it Memorex?" I could go on, but you get the point. A consistent, unified message helps to make your marketing more memorable and effective.

Declutter your design. Ever visited a website, seen a billboard, watched a commercial, or read a print piece that left you overwhelmed? Perhaps maybe even your own? One of Steve Jobs' proudest legacies at Apple was simplicity (and elegance) of design. It carried through (and still does) not only in the products Apple makes but also in its packaging, its website, its print ads, its stores, and all of the various other marketing the company does. Simple, clean, elegant design provides visual clarity and eliminates the unnecessary clutter, confusion, and noise.

Declutter your approach. Are you a dabbler? A jack-of-all-trades-but-master-of-none? That may serve you well in life, but it's no way to handle your marketing. That's not to say you shouldn't market in multiple media (you should), but you need to start with a plan that spells out the reasons and goals for each medium you enter. Once that's established, you can then work your plan, knowing that each marketing effort you start is part of a grander vision with clear expectations and tangible goals.

Schizophrenic, hit-and-miss marketing efforts, taken just for the sake of "doing something" or following the latest trend, will drain your budget and leave you with just as schizophrenic results. On the other hand, clear, consistent, clutter-free marketing will (over time) produce more consistent and satisfying results. And isn't that the goal of marketing?

So, what are some other ways you can think of to declutter your marketing? Feel free to share them in the comments below.

Marketing Takes a Holiday

2011-12-27T09:00:00.001-08:00

If you're planning a winter getaway or are already thinking about a summer retreat (and really, who among us isn't thinking about summer already?), here are a few ideas to help you take your marketing with you on the road....

Hold a sale. We've all seen ads with the idea of "the boss is away, so we're having a sale" or something to that effect. Have fun with it, and make it memorable.

Send postcards. Bring the names and addresses of your top customers with you, and send them postcards from on the road. Or send postcards back to the office, and have your employees post them in a common area where everyone (customers included) can see them.

Blog about it. Along those same lines, post regular updates to the company (and/or your personal) blog, with lots of photos and details about the things you're doing on your trip.

Encourage involvement. Ask your customers to send you updates when they go on vacation, then post them to a display at work or as guest posts on your blog.

Have some fun. Bring along an item related to your company, such as a shopping bag or mug with your logo on it, or a fun object like a garden gnome or stuffed animal wearing a company shirt. Then take pictures of the object sitting in front of popular tourist attractions.

Make a promotion/game out of it by encouraging your customers to do the same thing on their trips or by having people guess where these photos of your "mascot" were taken. If you have your customers take their own photos, supply them with the "mascot" to take with them on their trip, and offer an incentive for participating (such as $x off their next purchase for each photo they provide).

So, what other vacation-related marketing ideas can you think of? I'd love to read about them in the comments below.

Gumming Up the Works

2011-12-23T05:34:00.000-08:00

Here's something to chew on as you think about your business plans for the coming year:

A young entrepreneur moved from Philadelphia to Chicago in 1891 with $32 in his pocket and the idea of selling his family's scouring soap to customers. As an incentive, the 29-year-old offered free baking powder with each soap purchase.

Before long, the baking powder became so popular that he began selling it instead. He then came up with a new incentive: two free packages of chewing gum with each can of baking powder sold.

As you might have guessed, the gum proved more popular than the baking powder, so he decided to change his product line once again. And that is how William Wrigley, Jr., started one of the most iconic brands of chewing gum on the market today.

In business (as in life), things don't always go exactly as we plan. Markets change, technologies evolve, and what worked yesterday won't always work today, tomorrow, or down the road.

Knowing when -- and how -- to adapt can mean the difference between success and failure for any enterprise. In Wrigley's case, that meant understanding his customers' evolving needs -- and adapting his product line to meet those new demands.

What will it mean for you and your company in 2012? Only time will tell, so be prepared to recognize new trends, embrace new attitudes, and adapt your plans accordingly.

Seven Steps to a Better Sales Letter

2011-12-20T09:16:00.001-08:00

Even in today's increasingly wired world, sales letters remain a staple of most sales processes. Whether on paper or by email, a well-crafted sales letter can help reinforce your sales message, convey information about your products, break the ice, and warm a cold call. Here are seven tips to help you make your sales letters more appealing.

Plan ahead. Outline your thoughts before you start drafting your letter. Decide what you want to say and how you want to say it.

Start strong. If you're not sure how to open your letter, consider a quote, anecdote, story, or other attention-getting device. But keep it short. Remember, you want to get the reader's attention... not get it and then lose it right away.

Don't bury the lead. Avoid the temptation to "build excitement" for two or three paragraphs before revealing your reason for writing. Come out and state it right away in the opening paragraph or two. If you're offering a discount or requesting a meeting, say so up front. Your reader is busy. Respect their time.

Use short, active sentences. Your letter will flow better and be easier to read. By the same token, keep the tone conversational and avoid exaggerations, embellishments, and flowery prose.

Consider headlines and bulleted lists. Busy readers are far more likely to skim your letter than to read it word for word. Headlines and bulleted lists will help draw attention to the points you want to emphasize.

Add a P.S. A reader's eyes are naturally drawn to the P.S. line when they read a letter, so use a P.S. to restate your offer or emphasize a key point you made elsewhere in your letter. Consider making it a handwritten P.S. (depending on your penmanship) for even greater effect.

Proof it carefully. Don't rely on your software's spell-checker to catch every mistake. Ideally, you'll want to print the letter out and proof it on paper, rather than just proofing it on screen. If time permits, allow a day between the time you write the letter and proofread it, so you see your words with fresher eyes and a more objective point of view.

4 Steps to Turning Objections into Sales

2011-12-13T09:21:00.001-08:00

Objections are a natural part of virtually any sales process. How you deal with them will go a long way in helping you close more sales. Here are four steps to help you turn objections into sales:

1. Believe in what you're selling.
It's always easier to convince someone else to buy your product or service if you truly believe doing so is in the best interest of the customer. When you believe in the products you sell, your passion and enthusiasm shine through. So make sure your products and services are worthy of your talent and time. If they aren't, decide why not. Then improve them until they are.

2. Anticipate objections.
What potential worries might prospects have when they first see your products? The specifics will vary of course based on the kinds of products you sell. For some, there might be pricing concerns or worries over setup costs and the learning curve. For others, security, safety, or support might be more apropos. Whatever the case, think of as many objections as you can ahead of time, then look for creative ways to address those issues as part of your presentation. Prospects will feel more confident investing in your products or services once they see how much thought and effort you put into overcoming the "real world" challenges facing them.

3. Listen... and hear.
We've all heard the adage that we have two ears and one mouth so we listen twice as much as we speak. In sales, listening is essential -- as is truly hearing what a prospect is saying and determining what they really mean by what they say. So how can you improve your listening? Start by asking questions and restating the concerns a prospect shares with you, so you're sure you understand them properly. All of this will go a long way in helping you connect, build trust, and reach a mutually beneficial sale.

4. Remain positive.
This is potentially the hardest step to follow. No one likes to hear criticism leveled against the products and services they've worked so hard to develop, build, and sell. But objections are natural, and they aren't personal. Remember that the customer is just trying to make sure they get the best value for their hard-earned money. So try not to get defensive when someone raises an objection. Instead, try to get to the bottom of what's causing the concern, so you can address it properly and help the prospect feel more comfortable about the sale. Stay as professional and upbeat as you can. Don't sugarcoat legitimate concerns, but don't get shaken, either. Remember that objections are a part of every sale.

Are You Just Spending Time...or Investing?

2011-12-09T09:06:00.001-08:00

December is a time of reflection for many of us, as we approach the end of one year and the start of another. Recently, I ran across a quote from Helen Keller that I thought fit this spirit well, and I wanted to share it with you here.

I will not just live my life.
I will not just spend my life.
I will invest my life.

As you probably know, Helen Keller was an incredible woman who, despite being born both blind and deaf, became an accomplished author, speaker, and activist. She invested her life helping others, and the world was better for it. In her lifetime, she inspired many with her words and actions alike, even earning the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Lyndon Johnson in 1964.

I like the idea of life as an investment. Unfortunately, in our busy and hectic world, it can be easy sometimes to forget that time is our most precious commodity and that we must do more than spend it. We must invest it in the people we care about, the causes that inspire us, and the businesses we're working to grow.

So how are you investing your life? And how do you plan to invest it in the year ahead?

Michelangelo once wrote, "The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it." Make sure you're aiming high and investing your life wisely.

Why Your Business Needs a Portfolio

2011-12-06T09:08:00.001-08:00

When many people think of a portfolio, they think about job hunting. However, portfolios can be a valuable tool for any type of business. A portfolio can not only help you showcase your products and marketing efforts, but it can also help you organize your achievements, such as special certifications, awards, letters of recognition, thank you letters, customer testimonials, and more. In addition, a company portfolio can be a great training tool for new employees, merging businesses, or joint ventures with other organizations. Here are a few tips for creating a company portfolio you can be proud of:

Designate one person in your company to be in charge of your company portfolio.

Consider inserting documents or photos into plastic sleeves or pockets in a three-ring binder. Not only are the pages protected, but they can also be reorganized.

Use labeled tab dividers to organize by date and/or topic.

Include original documents and marketing materials whenever possible, and do not write on the documents themselves. Instead, insert a piece of paper to highlight the date or write other notes.

Keep separate binders for news articles, advertisements, promotional materials, certifications, awards, etc.

Create a marketing binder that highlights all of your print materials, from simple, one page product flyers to product catalogs. This is also a great way to keep track of previous promotions, past products, and messaging.

Create a reminder in your calendar to update your portfolio regularly (monthly or quarterly) so information doesn't fall by the wayside.

Marketing Your Goodwill

2011-12-02T08:16:00.001-08:00

In the business world, the benefits of charitable giving are two-fold: Giving lets you not only help those who are in need, but also enhance your company's reputation. Many customers show increased loyalty toward generous brands. Here are a few creative ways to market your goodwill:

Encourage customers to purchase from you rather than your competition by designating specific products or services for your charity. For example, "5 percent of proceeds from all XYZ pet products purchased benefits local animal shelters."

Add a feature section to your website, highlighting your charity. Include a link to the charity's website, as well as information about any upcoming charity events.

Create a giving campaign for your charity, and encourage customers to join in. This will help build stronger relationships with your customers and nurture a sense of pride in helping toward a common goal. For example, you might try something like this: "We will donate $1 for every canned food donation we receive during our Annual Food Drive for the Hungry."

Send a press release to local media to publicize your donations to charities.

Promote your charitable involvement in your newsletters, flyers, brochures, advertisements, etc.

Promote your charity at your business. Make brochures about the charity available, include charity flyers with purchases, hold internal fundraising contests, etc.

Advertise your products and services in your charity's preferred communication vehicles, such as newsletters.

Offer exclusive discounts to people involved with your charity.

Donate items to your charity that they can use for raffles or other fundraising events. The presence of your donation is an advertisement in itself.

Instead of sending customers Christmas cards or gifts, let them know you are making a contribution to your charity instead.

Of course, while corporate giving is a great way to build your business, don't forget that your primary motivation should be to help others.

Trade Show Fashion Faux Pas

2011-11-28T08:44:00.001-08:00

It doesn't take a fashion expert to know that some things don't belong at trade shows. Here are a few examples of what not to wear at trade shows and other business events:

Too much or too little. There is nothing worse than freezing or sweating at a networking event. Dress in comfortable layers that you can easily add or remove as needed, such as a suit jacket over a dress shirt.

Clothing without a pocket or two. Pockets are always handy for business cards, pens, breath mints, etc.

New shoes. While new shoes may look nice, nothing looks worse than missing out on important introductions because you can't stand to be on your feet. Trade shows usually involve long hours and lots of standing and walking. Stay in the game by picking a shoe that's made for walking, or watch the competition walk all over you.

Cologne. Fragrances should be alluring, not overpowering. If you are within talking distance and can smell someone's perfume or cologne, it is too strong.

Clothes which are too tight, too short, too revealing. No matter whether your pants are popping a button because they shrunk in your closet or are snug by choice, clothing that is too tight is not only unprofessional but distracting.

Gaudy jewelry. You want to be remembered for your personality or impressive product knowledge, not your giant jangling earrings or over-jeweled hands.

Nailing Down the Details

2011-11-22T06:08:00.001-08:00

I'd like to share a verse with you, written four centuries ago by a Welsh clergyman named George Herbert and published by Benjamin Franklin in his Poor Richard's Almanack.

For want of a nail, the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe, the horse was lost.
For want of a horse, the rider was lost.
For want of a rider, the battle was lost.
For want of a battle, the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.

It's amazing to think how important small details can be in our own lives, as well. In the case of this poem, the fate of an entire nation rested on a single nail. While obviously farfetched, this story does illustrate the far-reaching effects a seemingly insignificant detail can have in shaping events in our lives... and in the lives of our businesses.

So, as you consider the activities and decisions facing your company in the days, weeks, and months ahead, be careful not to overlook any horseshoe nails.

3 Things Your Business Can Learn from a Chameleon

2011-11-18T09:14:00.000-08:00

Chameleons are amazing creatures. And not just because they appear in a hit '80s song or humorous word-nerd send-up. No, chameleons are amazing for three distinct reasons. And each relates (in its own small way) to business.

1. Chameleons adapt to changes surrounding them.
While the common belief that chameleons change colors in order to blend in with their environment is not true, chameleons do change color based on temperature, light, and mood. As a chameleon grows warmer, for example, its colors become brighter and more distinct.

Business application: Like the chameleon, we, too, need to adapt to changes affecting us. As the competition turns up the heat, we need to let our true colors shine through, so we can stand out from the crowd.

2. Chameleons can focus on two things at once.
A chameleon's eyes move independently of one another, allowing it the peculiar ability to watch two things simultaneously... without moving its head. What's more, each eye has a horizontal radius of 180 degrees and vertical radius of 90 degrees, and can see in three dimensions.

Business application: While a singular focus can have its advantages in certain situations, being too focused on only one option (tunnel vision) can sometimes make us overlook opportunities or obstacles in our way.

3. Chameleons strike quickly and with pinpoint control.
A chameleon's sticky tongue is a marvelous thing. Roughly the length of the creature's body and tail combined, it can extend and retract in just a fraction of a second, with deadly accuracy and control.

Business application: Like a chameleon hunting its dinner, we need to remain nimble, too, so we can act quickly and with pinpoint control when opportunities arise.

Fostering Innovation, Embracing Mistakes

2011-11-15T06:55:00.001-08:00

Think mistakes are always bad? Think again. William L. McKnight, a former president and chairman of the board at 3M, has been credited by many with fostering the company's emphasis on innovation. In 1948, while president of the company, McKnight had this to say about mistakes.

"Mistakes will be made. But if a person is essentially right, the mistakes he or she makes are not as serious in the long run as the mistakes management will make if it undertakes to tell those in authority exactly how they must do their jobs. Management that is destructively critical when mistakes are made kills initiative."

Today, 3M holds patents on hundreds (if not thousands) of products, ranging from Scotch® brand tapes and Post-It® Notes to fiber optics, fuel cell components, security devices, and more. By accepting mistakes as an inevitable part of business, 3M has built and maintained a highly successful brand in a fiercely competitive market. Along the way, they've earned a reputation as a leader in fostering innovation and attracting top talent to their team.

So what can you learn from one of the world's leading brands? Embracing initiative means accepting mistakes and learning to loosen the reins.

The Power of a Good Word

2011-11-11T09:59:00.001-08:00

Referrals are among the most effective and least expensive marketing tools available to small business owners. People don't always trust an ad or sales call, but they do trust their friends.

Think about the places you've done business with in the past week, month, or year. What first led you to those establishments? Was it an ad on TV, on the radio, or in the newspaper? Perhaps a piece of direct mail? Maybe a billboard or website? Or a particularly persuasive sales call? All of these are effective means of marketing to the public. But none is as effective as a referral from a colleague or friend.

A referral from a friend will carry far more weight in most people's minds than the cleverest ad or most well-articulated sales call. So how can you generate more referrals for your company?

Model it. If you want your customers to start referring people to you, refer your friends and colleagues to your customers' companies, too. Reciprocity is a powerful thing. If you refer business to others, they will be far more likely to refer business to you.

Ask. When you meet with established customers to follow up on a sale or just to check in, ask if they know anyone else who might need your services. Even if they can't think of anyone on the spot, your question will plant a seed and remind them to think of you when they do come across a friend who might benefit from what you sell.

Offer an incentive. Provide a discount or special thank-you gift for those who do provide referrals. Make it something fun and worthwhile that will make your customers realize how seriously you take their business. In some cases, that might mean a month of free service, a free upgrade or enhanced service plan, or some other unique perk available only to them. Tailor your incentive to your own specific business and customer base. You may also want to offer a discount to the prospect who was referred.

Keep doing what you're doing. If you're providing outstanding service and support, along with exceptional products and services, referrals will come. If someone enjoys doing business with you and feels like you're providing good value for their money, it's almost certain that eventually they will start telling others about you and talking you up with their friends and colleagues. Of course, the opposite is true, as well, so make sure you're providing the kind of service worthy of a positive referral.

Say thanks. Whether you have a formal referral program or not, when someone tells you they were referred by a friend, make a point of thanking that friend. Even something as simple as a hand-written note in the mail will let your customer know how much you appreciate their kindness.

What's Your Mission?

2011-11-08T07:03:00.001-08:00

Gandhi once said, "A small body of determined spirits, fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission, can alter the course of history." Gandhi and his followers certainly did just that, as have many others who took a mission to heart.

In the 1980 movie, The Blues Brothers, Jake and Elwood Blues are men on a mission. They experience a revelation and decide they must get their old band back together in order to earn enough money to save the Catholic boarding school where they were raised. Not quite as grand a mission as Gandhi's, no doubt, but a mission just the same.

Chances are, your company has a mission, too, with an accompanying mission statement, carefully crafted and culled to provide optimal guidance in the decisions you make as an organization.

But what about you personally? What's your mission? What drives your own personal decisions? Your career, aspirations, and dreams? What prism do you use to focus your thoughts and cast light on the choices you face at work, at home, and in the world?

Experts like Dr. Stephen Covey advocate the need for a personal mission statement to guide the decisions that affect your own life and career. Just as successful companies use mission statements to clarify and filter their organizational decisions, many successful individuals do the same on a personal level, as well.

FranklinCovey has put together an online Mission Statement Builder to help you create a personal mission statement for yourself, your family, and your team. I recommend checking it out and giving it a try.

As you begin filtering your day-to-day decisions through a personal mission statement, you may be surprised to find that reaching your goals becomes easier.

The Power of Words

2011-11-04T08:35:00.001-07:00

Here's a little story about how the power of words can evoke emotion, especially in the world of marketing.

An elderly blind man was sitting on a busy street corner with a cardboard sign next to an empty tin cup. The sign read, "Blind -- Please help." People would glance at the sign, but nobody gave the man any money.

Then a young copywriter saw the man with his sign and empty cup. He felt disappointed as he watched all the people walk past without an ounce of empathy, so he took a marker, flipped the sign over, and rewrote the blind man's message.

Suddenly, people started putting money in his cup until it was overflowing. Surprised, the blind man asked a stranger to tell him what the sign said. He replied, "It's a beautiful day. You can see it. I cannot."

Who's Who?

2011-11-01T10:58:00.001-07:00

Depending on the nature of your business, your customers may spend a lot of time on the phone talking to sales reps, customer service, customer support, etc. If you're looking for a great way to add a personal touch to these interactions, consider posting photos of your sales or support staff on your website, business cards, and other marketing materials.

Employee photos are a compelling way to capture your visitors' attention on your website. More importantly, though, conversion rates increase when people can connect emotionally. Photos are a great way to foster this kind of connection between your customers and staff.

Because people buy from people, they are often curious about who they are speaking with. Photos increase interest in day-to-day interactions and help customers and prospects recognize and remember the members of your team, making them more likely to approach your staff at trade shows or other social events.

In addition to posting individual photos, group photos and candid shots of employees at work are great ways to show off your facility, the various skills you can offer in-house, and the potential bulk of your workforce.

An Important Message from...You

2011-10-28T08:50:00.000-07:00

If your business is looking for a great way to relay important messages and create a favorable impression of your company, consider a "message from the owner" (or president, CEO, etc.). Here are a few tips to create a "message" that speaks for itself:

In addition to creating a standard "mission statement" message from the owner, consider offering regular messages via a company website, newsletter, blog, sales letter, Facebook page, Twitter feed, etc. to communicate new initiatives, announce new products, or simply offer an insightful perspective on a relevant subject.

Include a photo of the owner/president/CEO. Readers feel more of a connection when they can put a face with a name.

While the messaging is most effective when it comes from the owner him/herself, consider help from a member of your communications team for message ideas, editing, and wordsmith help.

In addition to sharing a message with customers, a message from the owner is also a great way to create a sense of community within an organization and narrow the gap between the owner and coworkers.

Encourage feedback and open lines of communication whenever possible. A forum where customers or coworkers can ask questions and receive a response from the owner can be a powerful marketing tool. Consider highlighting questions and responses as topics for the messages.

Try Before You Buy

2011-10-25T07:27:00.000-07:00

What better way to offer a glimpse into your quality products, services, and support than with a risk-free trial or evaluation? Depending on your product, a free trial is not only an effective marketing tool to increase interest and expand your customer base, but it also helps establish rapport with potential customers and shows them your product or service is valuable and worth purchasing. Here are a few tips for offering a free trial:

Set a clear time frame for your trial offer, such as a 30 or 60-day evaluation period.

Consider a first-time discount if the user decides to purchase from you, as well as a referral program that offers coupons with a trial to pass along to friends.

Avoid scaring away potential customers by asking only for necessary information when signing up for the free trial.

Don't spam those who provide information. Offer an option to sign up for promotions if they are interested.

Notify users before the trial ends to avoid sharp cutoffs or automatic billing.

Lastly, think of a free trial program as a way to improve your products or services. You can gain valuable feedback from those who choose not to purchase from you.

Jared from Subway Has Important Marketing Advice For You

2011-10-18T06:02:00.001-07:00

So what in the world could a pitchman for sub sandwiches be able to teach you about marketing? As it turns out, quite a bit!

Jared's story about how he lost weight while eating Subway sandwiches has some important marketing lessons that should not go unnoticed. With a little thought and analysis, you can choose the areas where you can apply these lessons to your business.

Lesson number one -- Jared has an intriguing story that people become curious to learn more about. This story line is interesting and different, which helps it stand out from the barrage of boring, yawn-inspiring advertisements. Think about how you can create a story around your products, services, and brand. Strive for real human interest, not just simple feature descriptions.

Lesson number two -- Jared's story has an emotional appeal to it. The story is believable, and people become engaged because we all like to pull for underdogs. Every human being makes daily purchasing decisions with emotional aspects to them. If you can infuse your brand story with believable emotional appeal, you will have a distinct advantage over your competition.

Lesson number three -- Jared provides visual proof that eating at Subway has helped him take off the pounds. As much as possible and in as many areas as possible, you must provide testimonials and proof in your marketing that reassure your audience how your products and services will work for them, too.

Lesson number four -- The Jared campaign has been running for a long time now. Surely, the franchisees, employees, corporate management, and even the ad agency handling the account must be getting sick and tired of seeing the Jared ads. Many companies, large and small, mistakenly stop a successful marketing campaign simply because they themselves are tired of it, even though their audience is still responding. If you need entertainment, go to the movies. If you want to make money, continue running a successful ad until your market stops responding to it and the campaign stops producing results.

Lesson number five -- This lesson is perhaps the most important for you and your company. Subway makes sandwiches. Sure it has a little different twist, but it is similar to thousands of other sub shops across the country. One of the things that has helped it stand apart and enjoy growing sales is that Subway was the first within its category to take its product (subs) and reposition it as a health food. Through Jared's story, Subway took a sub sandwich and turned it into a diet product. With one simple story, the company was able to tie into the healthy eating wave. The product didn't change much, but the story around the product did. Now how brilliant is that?

So how can you reposition what you currently sell into something that can increase the value proposition without completely recreating it? Jared and Subway have provided a path. Create a story with emotional appeal that repositions you and your business in the minds of your target audience. If Subway can turn bread and sandwich meat into a diet pill, surely you can come up with something.

How to Build a Powerful Brand

2011-10-14T05:57:00.001-07:00

The word branding began simply as a way to tell one person's cattle from another by means of a hot iron stamp. Unless you are selling cattle, the branding we are referring to here is a little different. Wikipedia defines it this way: A brand can take many forms, including a name, sign, symbol, color combination, or slogan. The word brand has continued to evolve to encompass identity -- it affects the personality of a product, company or service.

The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's goods or services as distinct from those of other sellers."

If you ask someone to give an example of a brand, the most likely answers will be: Coca-Cola, Disney, Starbucks, Google, and Apple, among a few select others. While most companies don't have the budgets and resources to build brand awareness like these large corporations do, it is still important to understand why building a brand is important for companies of every size.

What are the advantages of building a brand name?

Let's take a look at a few examples. People willingly and gladly pay four dollars for a cup of coffee at Starbucks, when they could pay a lot less at many other places. Coke products have been imitated by many companies, yet they can still charge a healthy premium over the other brands. Apple has built legions of loyal customers who stay in line overnight to be the first ones to purchase their latest products. That is the power of having a brand name.

Still think this only applies to big companies? Think again. Every company has a brand of some sort. Your brand is your reputation in the marketplace, and it is being defined every day by your customers, your prospects, and even your competitors.

How do you build your brand?

Fulfill the promises that your company makes. Every time. Each time you do this successfully, you are building your brand. When you do this consistently over time, you build trust. Trust leads to word of mouth. Word of mouth leads to more customers and longevity. Do that long enough, and your company will be the next overnight sensation with a powerful brand name everyone can remember.

Turn Callers Into Customers with Messaging On Hold

2011-10-11T06:10:00.001-07:00

Think about the last time you called a business and were put on hold. Dead air can make a 30-second wait feel like forever. The majority of callers will hang up if they feel like they've been on hold too long, and many of them will never call back.

On-hold messaging is a great way to decrease caller hang-up by entertaining callers and making their wait feel much shorter. It's also a creative way to inform and educate callers. Many of your customers aren't aware of the variety of products or services you offer. On-hold messaging provides an easy marketing opportunity to target customers or prospects that have already shown interest by calling your business.

Here are a few ways to get the most out of your on-hold messaging:

Inform callers about upcoming sales or promotions.

Advertise tradeshows, open houses, and other events.

Educate callers about new products and services.

Highlight industry resources and other helpful websites, articles, etc.

Provide fun facts and intriguing trivia questions and answers to get the listener thinking.

Remind callers about upcoming holidays and important events.

While nobody likes getting put on hold, well-produced messaging can keep your callers entertained and informed while they wait.

Is Your Company Tagline Boring Your Customers?

2011-10-07T06:06:00.001-07:00

A tagline is a short, descriptive phrase used alongside a company logo to drive home the message and promise of a brand. If your tagline is getting long in the tooth or does not resonate any longer, it may be time to take a look at upgrading it. Even big brands like Coca-Cola change their tagline when it needs reinvigorating. It's never too late to change a tired tagline.

Eric Swartz of the Byline Group suggests sitting down and asking yourself some core questions about your company:

Who are you?
What are your values?
What is your vision?
How would you describe your corporate culture?
What nouns and adjectives would you use to convey your brand's promise and its solution?
What words might your customers use to describe your company?
Are there any misconceptions about your company that need to be cleared up?

(More information here: Slogans That Are the Real Thing)

To get your creative juices flowing, here is a list of the top 10 taglines since 1948:

"Got milk?" (1993, California Milk Processor Board)
"Don't leave home without it." (1975, American Express)
"Just do it." (1988, Nike)
"Where's the beef?" (1984, Wendy's)
"You're in good hands with Allstate." (1956, Allstate Insurance)
"Think different." (1998, Apple Computer)
"We try harder." (1962, Avis)
"Tastes great, less filling." (1974, Miller Light)
"Melts in your mouth, not in your hands." (1954, M&M Candies)
"Takes a licking and keeps on ticking." (1956, Timex)

(Source: The 100 Most Influential Taglines Since 1948)

Not having a great tagline (or one at all) may not doom a business, but having a memorable tagline can certainly help a business stand out from the clutter of a crowded marketplace.

Free Shipping: A Powerful Marketing Tactic

2011-10-04T05:47:00.001-07:00

The online commerce world is constantly changing, yet one thing remains the same: the dramatic impact "free shipping" has on sales. "Free shipping" is the top offer customers look for and will respond to in e-mail messages. In addition, many customers abandon their shopping carts because of high shipping charges and select retailers who offer free shipping over those who don't.

Many people wonder, is free shipping really free? Unlikely. Pricing is often a perception game, with the cost of shipping getting absorbed into the product cost. However, many people would often rather pay more for a product than pay the extra shipping.

Here are a few creative shipping promotion ideas to encourage customers to purchase from you rather than your competitor's website:

Offer a shipping promo relevant to purchase amount. For example: Receive free shipping with an order or $50 or more.

Send a free shipping code as an exclusive offer, such as a birthday or anniversary promo, or to those who "like" you on Facebook.

Depending on the types of products you offer, consider an affordable $1/item shipping option.

Offer free site-to-store pickup, which also encourages additional sales when customers pick up their package.

Offer a customer loyalty club that offers free shipping or reimburses shipping after reaching X amount of annual purchases.

Consider offering a free shipping club that usually carries an annual membership fee. For example: Pay a $30 annual membership fee to receive free shipping on every purchase for one year. This not only encourages loyal customers to purchase more than they may otherwise, but also encourages customers to do their shopping exclusively at your business versus another because of free shipping.

Offer a flat-rate shipping promo. While shipping isn't free, it can often encourage customers to make more purchases, knowing they will only pay X for shipping regardless of their purchase amount.

Boost Sales with FAQs

2011-09-27T06:11:00.000-07:00

Many people enjoy shopping online for one main reason: convenience. A frequently asked questions (FAQ) section on your website will save your customers time by providing them with quick answers and relevant advice. At the same time, it will also save you time by eliminating repetitive questions. A well-produced FAQ will reinforce buying decisions and shorten the time it takes to order from your business. Here are a few tips to get the most out of your FAQ section:

Answer each FAQ with well-written content that will also help rank in search engines for keywords relevant to your industry. Doing this can help turn your site into a resource for customers and other prospects.

Allow answers to expand and minimize with a single click, so the questions remain easily scannable and readers don't have to wait for a new page to load each time. Do not create the FAQ as a separate file (such as a PDF) that customers need to download to read.

Update FAQs frequently to ensure answers are still relevant.

Organize questions so they are easy to find, such as by category, with the most popular questions first.

Use brief, informative answers. If detailed answers are required, provide a link to more information. Have the link open in a new window, so the visitor doesn't have to leave the current page.

Focus on providing helpful information. Avoid flashy designs that distract from your content.

Include various contact methods should the reader want more answers. In addition to general contact information (phone, fax, email, mailing address, etc.), provide a question form that's easily accessible from your FAQ page.

Become a Resource for Your Customers

2011-09-23T05:47:00.001-07:00

The average prospect is bombarded by so many salesmen eager for their business that they can be selective over the solution provider they choose. While quality and price will always remain important factors, the level of expertise and guidance provided is often just as important. Here are a few ways you can become a resource for your customers:

Offer hands-on training as an extension of your customer's organization. By enhancing their ability to anticipate, understand, and solve problems, you can help them develop solutions faster and more efficiently than on their own.

Provide a newsletter, or encourage customers to sign up for your blog. Then fill that newsletter or blog with tips, articles, industry trends, new product highlights, and relevant industry articles and resources. Create an archive section on your website that makes all previous information you've provided available for viewing.

Create a resource page on your website that offers a comprehensive list of engaging and helpful links to industry resources, helpful websites, associations, event calendars, etc.

Create an industry chat forum through your web page that gives people with similar interests the ability to chat with others about your industry, products, resources, etc.

Stay current on industry trends and new products, as well as competitor solutions, so you can offer educated answers to your customers.

Stay involved with your customers. Periodically check in to see how they are doing and to show that you sincerely care about them and your relationship with them.

Put yourself in your customers' shoes. Learn more about their industry, customers, associations, events, etc. Think of creative ways you can help them be more successful in their ventures.

Don't just use a sales pitch. Instead, share your enthusiasm and knowledge. Salespeople who are passionate are the most successful because their belief in the products or services shines through.

What does a $300 million cable have to do with your bottom line?

2011-09-20T11:28:00.000-07:00

We've all heard the adage that time is money. Well, in the financial markets of New York and London, they measure that time in milliseconds and the money in hundreds of millions of dollars.

More precisely, a new transatlantic cable, currently in development, will save traders about 6 milliseconds per transmission. The project's cost: $300 million. Once finished, the company behind the cable plans to charge as much as 50 times more to use the service than existing alternatives, and financial companies are already chomping at the bit to pay.

Why? According to one estimate, a savings of just one millisecond would add $100 million to a large hedge fund's annual bottom line.

So where can your company shave time?

Start small. Sure, you're not likely to see a $100 million savings, but even little time-savers -- a few minutes here, a couple seconds there -- add up and can help you work more productively.

Streamline processes. Engineers working on the new transatlantic cable project studied commercial flight paths between New York and London in planning their route. As a result, the new cable will be about 310 miles shorter than existing lines. What best practices can you follow to achieve similar savings at your company?

Plan for the future. This is the first new transatlantic line installed in the last 10 years, and planners have spared no expense to make sure it lives up to its promise. If it fails -- or someone builds a faster conduit -- all they'll have is a very expensive piece of cord lying at the bottom of the ocean. So how can you plan ahead to keep momentum going? Start by investing in technology, building up infrastructure, and creating a mindset of efficiency and effort at your company.

Why You Must Diversify Your Marketing

2011-09-16T06:40:00.001-07:00

If you ever listen to financial experts, you will inevitably come across an often repeated phrase: "Diversify your financial portfolio." Why do financial planners preach this ad nauseam?

History has taught them that, if you put all of your eggs in one basket, you increase your risk of losing your portfolio. The greater the concentration in one type of investment (just stocks, or just bonds, or just parking cash in a low-interest money market account), the greater the risk that you will lose in the long run. So diversification in this instance is really just risk management.

Advertising and marketing have been around a long time now. Traditional options range from mass marketing like radio, TV, billboard, and newspaper ads to personalized print and direct mail advertising. Websites, email marketing, social media, and mobile ads are the new kids on the block. Experts in each of these specialties claim their medium is the best investment. Whether a fresh-out-of-school social media guru or an old-school yellow page ad rep, each has a valid point to consider that paints their tool in the best light.

So what should you do? Which medium really is the best to use for your business? Only you can answer that, but the smart money may be to take a page out of the financial experts' wisdom and apply it to marketing your company: diversification. You don't need to use every advertising medium known to man, but you shouldn't put all of your eggs in one basket either.

The prospects, leads, and customers you are looking for use different media for different reasons. When you only use one, you are only reaching a small portion of your audience. So manage risk in your marketing campaigns by diversifying your marketing portfolio. When you accomplish this, your financial portfolio will be much happier, too!

Measure twice

2011-09-06T05:41:00.001-07:00

There's an old adage among carpenters: "Measure twice, cut once." A moment spent verifying a measurement can save the time and frustration of having to re-cut, sand, or replace a board if the size is off by even the smallest amount. Taking shortcuts can literally lead to "short cuts," which require more time, resources, and expense to fix and make right.

The same idea holds true for pouring a slab of concrete, laying tile, hanging a door, installing cabinetry... and running a business. Sometimes, in the rush to get things done, we all forget to "measure twice" before pushing forward on a project or policy. We think we're working smarter, when in reality our shortcuts are short-circuiting our efforts and making us spend even more time, energy, and money fixing mistakes we would never have made if we had just taken the time to do it right from the start.

Of course, measuring twice doesn't mean delaying decisions indefinitely or dragging our heels for fear of making a mistake. That could prove even more harmful than moving too fast. What it does mean is taking a step back, verifying our course, and then moving forward more confidently than before.

So the next time you're tempted to cut corners, just to get things done, stop for a minute, assess the situation, and make sure those corners aren't important to the structural integrity of your project before you pull out that blade.

A Lesson from the Stands

2011-08-26T06:02:00.001-07:00

Sports and business have long enjoyed a unique connection. Many of the traits shared by top athletes and coaches are as valuable in the boardroom as they are in the locker room. Authors, speakers, and business consultants often use sports-related anecdotes and stories to illustrate points they're trying to make to a business audience.

Today, I'd like to share a sports-related story with a slightly different twist. This tale doesn't involve a famous player, team, or coach, and it doesn't take place in the locker room or on the playing field. Instead, it involves two fans in the stands at AT&T Park in San Francisco.

Earlier this summer, the San Francisco Giants were hosting the Pittsburgh Pirates. In the top of the ninth inning, Pittsburgh's Ryan Doumit hit a foul ball into the stands, and the cameras caught the image of a young fan catching the ball and then handing it to a stranger in front of him. The move was greeted with cheers from the people surrounding the boy. After some speculation, the TV announcers explained that, apparently, the other fan had caught a foul ball earlier in the game and handed it to the boy as a souvenir. He was just returning the favor.

Sometimes, it's easy to get so caught up in the negativity around us that we start looking for ulterior motives in every seemingly kind act. But cynicism only breeds more cynicism, and every silver lining does not always involve a cloud. Occasionally, it takes a kind act (or two kind acts in this case) to remind us that fair play, generosity, and sportsmanship are still alive and well -- in all areas of life.

Staying on Course

2011-08-24T06:30:00.001-07:00

The earth's magnetic fields are in constant fluctuation. Earlier this year, The Independent (a London newspaper) reported that the magnetic north pole is "currently relocating towards Russia at a rate of about 40 miles a year." According to the article, this speed "has increased by a third in the past decade" and represents a "faster [movement] than at any time in human history."

The article goes on to talk about some of the ramifications these changes are bringing about. For example, magnetic compass directions are changing by about one degree per year, causing some airports to have to relabel runways to correspond with the new readings.

I mention this because it illustrates an important point for business owners. Like magnetic north, the business world is in a constant state of flux. Communication channels that didn't exist five years ago (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) are now essential tools for marketing and customer interaction. Smartphones and handheld devices such as the iPad are changing the way people live, work, and shop. Competition for many of us has grown stiffer, and the rules are changing all the time.

Like airports that rely on magnetic compasses to identify their runways, we must keep a constant eye on the changes going on in our industries and in the business world at large. A one-degree change on a compass wheel may seem insignificant and small, but over time and across great distances, its impact can be severe.

Staying the course isn't always the best way to stay on course, especially when the course keeps shifting.

What's Your Story?

2011-08-19T10:15:00.001-07:00

Want to breathe some life into your marketing? Try telling a story.

The art of storytelling is as old as civilization itself. Through the years, storytellers have used their skills to educate, entertain, enthrall, and explain the world around them. Heroes, villains, gods, and demons. Storytellers breathe life into their characters and keep their audiences spellbound until the end.

So what does any of this have to do with business? A lot, really.

At its heart, marketing is storytelling. Like a storyteller of old, you need to connect with your audience (your customers and prospects), engage them, educate them, enthrall them, and inspire them to act on that newfound knowledge by buying your wares or responding to your offer.

Does that mean you need to strive to become the next Steinbeck or Shakespeare, or that you should fill your website with flowery prose? Certainly not. But it does mean you should try to make your materials more engaging and less dry, dull, and routine.

One way to tell your story is through the eyes of a satisfied customer. Case studies and testimonials provide an ideal medium. Start with a look at the customer involved. Introduce them and offer some background information about who they are and what they do. Next, present the challenge facing them (a difficult deadline, a tight budget, a bad experience with the competition). This will serve as your antagonist and provide the conflict necessary in all good storytelling. Finally, talk about how you (or someone at your company) helped them overcome those challenges and live happily ever after.

The key is to make the customer the focus of your story, not your company. Your company merely helps that person overcome their challenges. Readers need to relate to a story's main character and to the struggles they face. Otherwise, they won't feel invested in the story enough to care how it ends. They'll also tune out if they sense a story is nothing more than chest-thumping and self-absorbed bravado.

Of course, storytelling isn't limited just to case studies or testimonials. Consider your company-focused content, like your history and executive bios. Are there any interesting stories from your company's past you'd like to share? For example, what led your company's founders to start your company? Did they as consumers have a need that no one else was meeting? What challenges did they face? Were there any obstacles that stood in their way? And how did they position themselves to overcome those challenges...to the benefit of their customers (people like those who are reading your materials)?

Even product literature offers a chance to tell a story and captivate an audience. What led your company to introduce the product you're writing about? What challenges does it help customers (like those reading your materials) overcome? How has customer feedback helped you improve the product? And what role do you see customer interaction playing in future product offerings and upgrades?

Notice a common theme here? In all of these, the focus is on the customer. They are the heroes of the stories you tell. It's their challenges, struggles, and needs that shape your decisions and encourage you to do what you do.

And that makes for one very compelling storyline.

Location-Based Marketing: A Small-Business Primer

2011-08-16T05:45:00.001-07:00

Location-based services such as Gowalla, Foursquare, and Facebook Places are becoming increasingly popular. These services allow users to "check in" at restaurants, bars, stores, and other places of interest, directly from their smartphone or portable device. Users can add notes about the business, see who else is checked in, and earn points, badges, and other benefits. For their part, businesses can provide special incentives for customers who check in, such as coupons, discounts, and "check-in-only" specials.

AT&T got into the location-based act earlier this year when it launched ShopAlerts. The service (free to AT&T customers) sends text alerts to a user's smartphone whenever the person is near a business that uses the ShopAlerts system. The messages contain product information, special promotions, event listings, or whatever the vendor wishes to say. Available in limited release in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco, the company hopes to add more locations in the near future.

So should your business care about location-based marketing? Perhaps. At the very least, you'll probably want to check your company's listings on the most popular services (Facebook Places, Foursquare, and Gowalla) to a.) make sure there is a listing and b.) verify all the information is accurate. Typically, a service will require you to verify your claim of ownership before they allow you to edit any of the contact information. Foursquare recently changed its guidelines to make it easier to claim your business listing. Follow the links at the end of this post for more information.

You'll also want to keep an eye on what users are saying when they check in. Read reviews and follow up on feedback, just as you would if someone voiced a complaint in person. As location-based services become more popular, people are using them to decide where to go to spend their money. Lousy reviews will hurt your referral traffic.

If you decide to run a promotion or special through a location-based service, make sure it's tailored to your target audience. You can gauge the success of such efforts by tracking check-ins and people's use of the promotions involved, then adapt your efforts and tweak them on the fly.

For more information about the most common services, here are a few links to get you started:

Facebook Places
Foursquare for Business
Gowalla - Business Services
SCVNGR for Business
Yelp for Business Owners

Door Hanger Marketing

2011-08-09T06:31:00.001-07:00

If you're looking for a unique way to target a specific market, the solution may be hanging under your nose.

Because door hangers stand alone without competition, they are more likely to be read and remembered. While you can easily maximize marketing real estate and print messaging on both sides of the hanger, be careful not to bombard the reader with information. Door hangers are most effective when you provide a simple yet enticing message as creative as the hanger itself. Direct the reader to contact you or visit your website for more information.

While a single door hanger can create a lasting impression, a follow-up door hanger campaign will create even greater awareness and help readers think of you when their need for your product or service arises.

Want to track your campaign or ensure your recipients hang onto your door hanger after removing it from the knob? Consider including a tear-away discount card or coupon, affixing a magnet to the back, or offering a calendar of upcoming promotions and giveaways.

Six Steps to an Effective Email Signature Line

2011-08-05T05:35:00.000-07:00

Despite the growing popularity of Facebook, Twitter, and other communications channels, email remains popular in the business world. Here are a few tips to help you make your email messages stand out, with an effective signature line.

Create a standard. Maintaining a unified brand is essential for effective marketing and communication. You would (probably) never dream of letting each employee design their own unique business card or letterhead. Even if you did, you'd likely offer guidelines, such as standard color palettes, font selections, and basic layout rules. The same is true with email. A standard email template and signature will ensure that all communications from your company reinforce your brand and create a positive impression for your company.

Keep it professional. Many email programs provide a wide assortment of templates and font choices. Use both sparingly. Make sure your message doesn't get lost in an overly busy layout or hard-to-read font.

Keep it concise. Make sure your signature isn't so long that it proves a distraction for what you're trying to say. Quotations, anecdotes, and unnecessary graphics can clutter up an otherwise effective signature line.

But not too brief. Of course, you do want to make sure people can reach you...and not just by hitting reply. Name, title, phone/extension, and company website are a good place to start. You might also want to include links to social media channels, such as your Twitter profile and company Facebook page.

Create multiple signatures, especially if you have more than one role at your company. Make sure each signature complies with the company standard and offers proper contact information based on the context of the message you're sending.

Standardize any legalese. If your company has a policy about email confidentiality or proper email usage, add this to your signature line, and make sure the same wording gets added to the company's email signature guidelines.

Sweet Treats = Sweet Deals

2011-08-02T11:36:00.001-07:00

Are you looking for a unique way to create a memorable atmosphere for your customers and prospects? Consider offering refreshments at your business on an everyday basis. Something as simple as coffee, lemonade, and cookies will encourage visitors to stop and chat while they enjoy a tasty treat. (By the way, cookies are even more enticing when baked fresh onsite -- even if baked in a portable pizza oven.)

Celebrating a special event such as a corporate anniversary, coworker's birthday, or holiday? Consider offering mini cupcakes, muffins, caramel roll bites, popcorn, or seasonal snacks.

Don't attack visitors and push a sales pitch down their throat while they are enjoying a treat. Instead, create an inviting environment with a high-top table or small table and chairs, then use this perfect opportunity to visit and build relationships.

While your visitors will likely do a great job promoting your delicious goodies to others via word of mouth, don't forget to devote some space in your next marketing promotion to invite others to stop by for a sweet treat and a sweet deal on XYZ.

The Positive Side of Negative Reviews

2011-08-01T06:08:00.001-07:00

Does your business offer an outlet to post or share customer reviews, good and bad alike? Many businesses cringe at the thought of sharing negative customer reviews, thinking they may taint their image or scare away business. However, negative reviews can be good for business.

Negative feedback provides credibility and tells customers the business is confident enough to show a range of customer feedback. Nobody is perfect, and the same holds true for businesses. Honest feedback and suggestions for improvement can even improve your business (IF you are eager to fix the issue).

Negative reviews offer a great opportunity to show you care about your customers -- not only to the person who wrote the review, but also to everyone else reading it. Quickly resolve any complaints, and reestablish credibility by offering refunds, future discounts, gift cards, etc.

While negative reviews can be a great learning tool for your business and customers alike, be sure to maintain a constant online presence to neutralize negative conversations and quickly delete any inappropriate comments.

Marketing as an Underdog

2011-06-24T05:36:00.001-07:00

Have you ever watched a small, passionate business overcome challenges and succeed when the odds are against them? While getting your feet off the ground may be tough, there are actually several advantages to marketing as an underdog. Here are a few reasons why customers love and support the underdogs, especially during difficult economic times:

Customers relate to the underdog's passion and determination to succeed against the odds.

Underdogs often start local. By supporting them, you are also supporting your community.

Underdogs will work harder at keeping your loyalty, while business giants may view you as just another fish in the sea.

Underdogs often resolve any issues much faster and change rules or policies easily to better accommodate their customers.

Underdogs are often smaller and can take on creative opportunities or risks that business giants won't consider.

Even if companies grow large, people identify with them easier when they understand the journey the company has had to endure along the way.

As Vince Lombardi once said, "It's not whether you get knocked down; it's whether you get up." If your business has an encouraging story to tell about how your business persevered, share it in your marketing materials, website, blog, etc. Stories about overcoming adversity are a great way to connect and strengthen relationships with prospects and customers.

Being Direct Can Improve Your Bottom Line

2011-06-21T06:14:00.001-07:00

Finding new customers for your products and services can be a challenge at any time, but in today's economic environment, it can be even more critical to the health and well-being of your company. Smart marketers are continually on the lookout for effective methods that will bring new leads into their sales cycle funnel. The challenge for businesses today is the same as it has always been:

Find new, profitable customers.

Communicate, educate, nurture, and serve them.

Build a bond and relationship so they continually come back to you.

The difference today is that marketing budgets are getting cut to the bone, making it more difficult to recover from a dud campaign. So finding a cost-effective return on your ad spend investment is especially important. There can be no denying the compelling case made by the new tools of search engine marketing, email marketing, and social media marketing. However, in the frantic search for cost-effective marketing, it's easy to forget one of the most powerful tools still available to you: direct mail. Dollar for dollar, direct-mail marketing, when done correctly, results in more sales than any other marketing medium available. You may be able to get in front of more eyeballs with Google, Facebook, Twitter, and email blasts, but if the majority of those are not interested in your products or services, really how cost-effective is that?

As the shiny-new-object feel of online and social media are starting to wear off, more marketers are demanding proof of ROI. New media companies have been feverishly trying to figure out how to solve the problem of getting your message in front of a relevant audience. There have been improvements, but there is still a long way to go. In reality, they are trying to solve a problem that direct-mail marketing solved a long time ago. What may have been forgotten (or maybe never learned) is that just like with anything else worthwhile in life, a successful direct-mail campaign requires real homework. There is no simple "Send" button. It requires thinking, and in today's immediate gratification, microwave oven, frantic world, this is a tougher proposition.

A successful direct-mail campaign is not as daunting or difficult as it may seem. It requires a pen and paper (remember those!), some data, quiet time, and your brain. Here are the basic steps involved:

Step1: Take a look at your existing customer database. Find out who your best current customers are. Learn as much as you can about them: what industries they are in, the size of their company, how many years they have been in business, their approximate sales per year, etc. The more data you can find, the better.

Step 2: Pick one or two out of those customers, and think about why they are using your services. It is best if you can call them or invite them to coffee and ask them directly. Tell them exactly why you are asking (because you want more customers just like them). Most people would be honored to hear this and will share a lot of very useful info with you. Ask them questions and listen to their answers. You want to find out not only why they are using your company but also what their concerns are and what keeps them up at night (in relation to the types of products and services you sell).

Step 3: Based on your findings, create a direct-mail piece that clearly answers the concerns of your target audience. The piece needs to be visually appealing and have a clear call to action (call you, take advantage of a special discount, come see you, go to your website... you get the point). Don't hide or bury this call to action. Make it very easy to find.

Step 4: Now it is time to find contact information for more of the types of people you identified in step one. This is where direct mail really shines and where it holds a big advantage over all other media. With the huge amount of very detailed data compiled on businesses and consumers, you can find just about any type of mailing list imaginable with a little effort. Your goal here is to find characteristics and demographics that most closely match your best current customers.

Step 5: When you reach the right prospects at the right time with the right type of message, your mail is not "junk mail." It is actually as close as you can get to legally printing money!

Repeat the above steps as often as your budget allows. It's best to mail monthly or at least quarterly. Not every prospect on your list is ready to buy today, but if you mail consistently, you can bet they will remember you because you made the effort to stay top of mind. If your budget is tight right now, mail to fewer prospects until your budget grows. But don't wait!

The point here is not to demean or belittle other forms of advertising and marketing. It is just a reminder not to forget about one of the most powerful tools you have in your marketing arsenal. It is not shiny or new, but it is proven, effective, and extremely powerful if used correctly.

It's all about how you say it

2011-06-17T05:38:00.001-07:00

Marketing that is misleading or deceptive is poor business practice. Not only will misleading marketing cause distrust, but it will also damage your company's reputation. While the following can be used legitimately, here are a few of the top culprits that can often make marketing messages appear misleading:

* Free. While the word "free" may grab attention, it should always be followed by detailed information about the offer to ensure the marketing message isn't misleading. For example, if your promotion highlights a "free gift bag," be sure to include expanded details if necessary regarding how to acquire the free gift, such as "free gift bag with $50 purchase."

* Up to... Marketing messages that say "up to XX percent off" are often misleading and cause disappointment amongst customers who arrive for a sale and find very few items at the advertised XX percent discount. Not only can a false impression annoy customers, but it will also make them leery of future sales and promotions.

* Limited Time Offer. Sales and limited time offers are legit; however, low tactics to fake time sensitivity are not. For example, if your website says "offer ends at midnight tonight" (no matter which day a customer sees it on), those who rush to buy will feel cheated when they return to the site later and see the identical promotion. A legitimate sale deadline will make customers feel more confident with their purchases.

There is no need to avoid these words entirely when promoting your business or special offers. Just remember to use clarity in your messaging. Honest, straightforward communications increase customer retention and loyalty, which also means more profits for you.

How can you come up with more ideas for content?

2011-06-14T10:39:00.001-07:00

Coming up with ideas for fresh, new content for offline marketing and the new digital world can be a constant and ongoing battle. The need for content creation has become a hungry, never fully satisfied monster that must be tamed. It simply cannot be ignored if you want your website to rank high in search engines, your blog to be read regularly, and your direct mail to have the intended effect on your target audience.

Google has clearly stated, in no uncertain terms, that relevant, quality content is key to where your website ranks in its search engines. No matter how great your printed materials look, if the content falls flat, you won't get the results you hope for. Clearly, having very good content can be your competitive advantage in all of your marketing efforts, so it is worth your time to invest in improving the quality of what you have to say.

Idea generation can take its sweet time if you sit back and wait for inspiration to strike. Even though ideas by necessity come from a creative process, nevertheless, you must have a planned approach and a systematic way to harness those ideas in order to be successful.

It really doesn't matter what kind of system you put in place. You just need to have one. Of course, your system does need to have some basic components, starting with an organized way to collect, store, and categorize your ideas. Think of it as a swipe file, a place you can turn when you need fresh content. If you take care of your swipe file by constantly feeding it and pruning it, you will never run out of ideas for fresh content.

When you need to refill the swipe file, put your journalist's hat on to come up with ideas for interesting stories and content your audience craves. While you're thinking about potential topics and doing your research, look at the world around you through a journalist's eyes. Sometimes the best content is right under our nose; we just haven't noticed it yet.

People love good stories and useful content. Give them what they want, and they will beat a path to your door.

The press release, evolved

2011-06-10T07:01:00.001-07:00

When you think of ways to spread newsy tidbits about your business, it's unlikely that press releases are the first thing you think of. With the recent overtake of social media, they are often viewed as a thing of the past. However, press releases are just as important as ever and can be easily modified to fit the new age marketing world.

For example, social media news releases are designed to meet the ways people now connect, via blogging, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other social channels. Likewise, information releases are often published online through sites such as Business Wire. By continuing to post press releases and other newsworthy information, you not only keep your communications up-to-date, but you also beef up your search engine results.

Even though social media avenues have become the more popular communication method when it comes to information updates, traditional press releases continue to maintain higher credibility in situations such as crisis communication, announcing new products and services, mergers, etc. So even though its role has evolved and will continue to change, the press release will remain an important tool in business communications for years to come.

USPS Offers Discounts for Direct Mail with QR Codes

2011-06-07T05:58:00.000-07:00

The United States Postal Service has announced a discount program that provides an amazing opportunity for businesses that want to increase their sales through direct mail marketing.

For the months of July and August 2011, any business that uses QR codes on their direct mail piece will receive a 3% upfront discount off the postage amount. It is not often that the Postal Service has a sale, so this is a great time to take advantage of a discount and to also get started with your QR code campaign.

Please review the FAQ below from the USPS for some general information, and please don't hesitate to contact us for help with your next direct mail marketing campaign.

2011 Mobile Barcode Promotion -- FAQs

GENERAL INFORMATION, ELIGIBILITY, AND REQUIREMENTS

1. What is the 2011 Mobile Barcode Promotion?
The Mobile Barcode Promotion is intended to build awareness of mobile technology and demonstrate to mailers how mobile barcodes can increase the value of mail. The promotion provides business mailers with an upfront 3% discount on standard and first-class letters, flats, and cards that include a two-dimensional (2-D) barcode that can be read or scanned by a smartphone.

2. Why is the Postal Service offering this promotion?
The Mobile Barcode Promotion was designed to increase the value of direct mail and build awareness around integrating mobile technology into direct mail communications.

3. When does the Mobile Barcode Promotion begin?
The promotion runs from July 1 through August 31, 2011.

4. Who is eligible to participate?
All companies, including Mail Service Providers (MSPs), who mail using a permit imprint and submit their mailing documentation electronically are eligible to participate.

5. Do I have to apply/register to participate in the Mobile Barcode Promotion?
The Mobile Barcode Promotion does not require an application or advance registration.

6. How do I participate?
Submit qualifying standard or first-class letters, flats, or cards electronically using a permit imprint payment method to the Business Mail Entry Unit (BMEU) for acceptance within the specified promotion period, and meet all other promotion requirements.

7. What are the promotion requirements?
All of the following must apply:

All mailpieces in the mailing postage statement must include a mobile 2-D barcode on the outside of the mailpiece or within the mailpiece.

The mobile barcode must be used for marketing purposes and must be relevant to the contents of the mailpiece. The objective of the 2-D mobile barcode on eligible mail pieces must be to initiate interaction with consumers via mobile smartphones to market, promote, or educate.

Mail must be tendered for acceptance during the promotion period, July 1, 2011, through August 31, 2011.

More information is available online at the Postal Service's Mobile Barcode Promotion website.

Are you making your customers feel left out?

2011-06-01T06:08:00.001-07:00

Have you ever gotten excited over an advertised offer only to read the fine print that says something like "offer available to new customers only"? Many businesses focus their marketing efforts on generating new customers while forgetting the golden opportunity that repeat customers provide.

Nearly every sale has a repeat potential. It is not only easier, but also more cost-effective to market to an audience who has already done business with you (hopefully their experience was positive). Not only are they familiar with you and your business, but they have already shown interest in your products or services.

In addition to repeat product sales, up-selling is a great way to target current customers. For example, "if you like XX product, you will love QQ." Customers who are educated about their purchases feel more confident making informed decisions and will view you as the expert. Avoid being pushy, or you will drive away your current customer base. Instead, offer a lucrative discount that will do the selling for you.

In addition to increasing sales volume, current customers are also a potential goldmine when it comes to referrals. Customer referrals will not only help you build stronger relationships with your current customers, but will also help you expand your customer base through increased awareness to prime prospects.

There are many ways to generate customer referrals, but one of the easiest occurs throughout day-to-day conversations. If a loyal customer compliments your business in casual conversation, ask if you can use that statement as a customer quote.

Repeat customers offer stability and predictability -- a must for any successful business. After all, happy customers can sell your business just as well as your sales team.

Why You Should Be A Content Curator

2011-05-27T11:16:00.001-07:00

"Content curator" is such a new term that even Wikipedia doesn't have a definition for it yet. So what does it mean? And, more importantly, why should you start to think of yourself as a content curator for your customers and prospects?

In the traditional definition, a curator is someone with an expertise on a given subject. For example, a gallery or museum curator does the research, selects an object or piece of artwork for display, and shares that work with the public.

We need curators for the Internet.

The web has made an unprecedented amount of information available to anyone with access to a computer and an Internet connection. What's more, there seems no end to the dizzying pace at which new content is being added all the time.

Unfortunately, quantity does not always equal quality, especially when it comes to Internet content. Sure, there's plenty of outstanding content online, but there's also a lot of useless and, in some cases, wrong or misleading content, too. No wonder so many people find themselves feeling fatigued with information overload.

This is where you can be the hero. Everyone's an expert or has at least some expertise in something. Take your business, for example. If you're a plumber, you're pretty knowledgeable about plumbing, right? Or say you're a lawyer. Legal issues might be your thing. If you own your own company, whatever products or services you offer, you know a thing or two about starting and running a business, too, now don't you?

If you care enough about your community (customers, prospects, and peers) and are willing to find, sort, organize, and share quality information relevant to your circle of friends, customers and peers, you should consider becoming a content curator. With this relatively simple act, you will do a huge favor for others that are also looking for information in your area of expertise. The benefits you'll receive from this type of caring and sharing will far outweigh the amount of time you devote to it.

So start thinking about how you could be a content curator, too. Your customers, friends, and peers will thank you.

Vote For Your Favorite Non-Profit

2011-05-16T07:53:00.002-07:00

You get to vote for your favorite non-profit organization in Connecticut. Goodcopy will donate $500 to the organization that receives the most votes (likes) on our Goodcopy Facebook Page.

Below you can read about each of these outstanding organizations who provide essential services to a diverse population.

Best of luck to all the organizations and happy voting!

Here's how to vote:

Go to our Goodcopy Facebook Page after reading all the profiles below.
If you are not yet a Goodcopy fan, "like" us by clicking the "like" button on the top right of the page.
Go to the Non-Profit Photo album and go through each of the photos clicking "like" on the photos you want to vote for. (The "like" button is located right below the caption of the picture.)
Happy Voting!

These are the participating Organizations:

Angel Fund
CitySeed
Hole in the Wall Camp
New Haven Ballet
New Haven Home Recovery
The Children's Center of Hamden

Voting will run from Tuesday, May 17 - Tuesday, May 31

Angel Fund

2011-05-16T07:53:00.001-07:00

The Angel Fund funds, purchases and distributes, free of charge to partnering hospitals in Connecticut, beautiful boxes filled with items carrying importance and sentiment immeasurable to families whose babies are stillborn or who died shortly after birth. The boxes include items such as the Angel Fund's exclusive footprint pin, journal and memory book, a handmade receiving blanket and burial gown, the books Empty Cradle, Broken Heart and Tiny Hands Change the World as well as information on national support groups and web sites.

Partnering hospitals personalize each box with the baby's hand and foot prints, measurements and priceless photos to include in the memory book. The baby's own hospital hat, measuring tape and bracelets also become a part of the memory box, and nurses distribute them to grieving families before they leave the hospital.

The Angel Fund also supports community bereavement services, contributes to the funding for research on stillbirth and SIDS, and donates monetary gifts to families in need, hospitals and other charitable organizations.

To Vote for the Angel Fund Click Here!

CitySeed

2011-05-16T07:53:00.000-07:00

What began in 2004 with four neighbors in search of a locally grown tomato has become CitySeed, a community-based nonprofit that believes everyone should have access to fresh, healthy food! In addition to establishing five farmer's markets that accept food stamps and WIC coupons in New Haven's neighborhoods, CitySeed has also advocated for food policy change on the local, state and federal levels. We appreciate your support in helping us grow an equitable, local food system that promotes economic development, community development, and sustainable agriculture.

To Vote for CitySeed Click Here

The Hole in The Wall Gang Camp

2011-05-16T07:52:00.001-07:00

Founded in 1988 by Paul Newman, The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Ashford, Connecticut is a nonprofit, residential summer camp and year-round center serving children and their families coping with cancer and other serious illnesses and conditions. Through Camp programs, year-round outreach to hospitals and clinics,and ongoing services for children, families and caregivers, the Camp serves more than 15,000 annually. All of the Camp's services are provided free of charge.

To Vote for Hole in The Wall Camp Click Here

New Haven Home Recovery

2011-05-16T07:52:00.000-07:00

It is the mission of NHHR to promote the independence of women and children confronted with homelessness, HIV/AIDS and behavioral health issues in a supportive environment where their potential can be realized. NHHR achieves its mission by sheltering, housing, stabilizing and furnishing families.

NHHR operates two homeless shelters for women and children. Last year, NHHR sheltered 347 families, including 131 children. The shelter program provides residents with more than simply a “hot and cot.” Clients are provided with case management services that include, but are not limited to: housing advocacy, education, medical care, child care, financial assistance, food pantry and clothing. The number of requests for a bed at the shelters has increased over 200% in the last year, meaning NHHR’s services are needed more than ever.

The agency provides supportive housing in the Greater New Haven area to families who are addressing a wide range of issues such as HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, mental health, homelessness and poverty. Supportive housing transitions homeless families into affordable homes in the community and provides the necessary services for them to transition to independence. Ninety-nine families were housed by NHHR in the last fiscal year. Most of these families moved directly from shelter or motels to a home of their own.

NHHR provides in-home visiting, advocacy, and stabilization services to families with children through a variety of programs in New Haven and Bridgeport. Home visiting and intensive case management are crucial components in stabilizing a family. Homeless prevention and rapid re-housing from shelters and other temporary shelter are important for the well-being of the families. Last year NHHR served 462 children in stabilization programs.

The Furniture Co-op (TFC) collects gently used furniture from the public and distributes it to families transitioning out of homelessness, living with disabilities or suffering from other hardships. The Co-op has 27 member agencies that refer their clients to the program. From January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010, 597 households, including 738 children receive furniture from TFC. For $40 a family selects furniture out of four major and two minor items. Major items include: beds, dressers, kitchen tables and chairs, and sofas. Minor items range from coffee tables to cribs to nightstands.

To Vote for New Haven Home Recovery Click Here

New Haven Ballet

2011-05-16T07:51:00.001-07:00

Now in its 26th year, the New Haven Ballet provides the finest classical ballet training in southern Connecticut.
The school's curriculum is designed to develop strong, flexible, and versatile dancers who can adapt to a variety of styles and dance forms.
The skills acquired by students of the New Haven Ballet can take them far beyond the studio and stage and help them succeed in every area of life.

To Vote for New Haven Ballet Click Here

The Children’s Center of Hamden

2011-05-16T07:51:00.000-07:00

The Children’s Center of Hamden is a private nonprofit multi-service agency whose mission focuses on providing quality treatment and education for children and their families. Approximately 85 boys and girls between the ages of 3 and 18 live at The Center and an additional 100 clients are served on a daily outpatient basis. The children suffer from one or more of a variety of problems: psychological and social problems; physical and/or sexual abuse; learning disabilities; substance abuse; and family trauma.

To Vote for The Children's Center of Hamden Click Here

Finding inspiration in unlikely places

2011-05-13T06:35:00.000-07:00

Inspiration can come from the most unlikely sources. According to snopes.com, the shape for Coca-Cola's iconic bottle came from the cacao tree seed pod. The bottle's designer found the plant pictured in the Encyclopedia Britannica, while he was looking for information on the two plants for which Coca-Cola is named (the coca leaf and kola nut). Intrigued by the striations on the pod, he decided to base his design on that look. The rest is history.

The Post-It note is another story of unusual inspiration. Arthur Fry, an employee at 3M, sang in his church's choir and had trouble keeping the pages marked in his hymnal. His makeshift bookmarks would fall out whenever he opened the book, causing him to lose his place. A 3M colleague, Spencer Silver, had created an adhesive that was strong enough to stick to surfaces but weak enough that it could be easily removed without causing damage. One Sunday, as he sat in church, Fry realized that Silver's adhesive might be just what he needed to keep his bookmarks in place. From those bookmarks the idea for the Post-It note was born.

So where do you go to find inspiration? Books? Websites? Blogs? Colleagues? Friends? A walk in the park?

As businesspeople, we live busy, hectic lives. Sometimes, our fevered pace can limit our focus and stunt our creative growth. But inspiration is an important key to improving products, building efficiencies, and growing our bottom line. So today I challenge you to seek inspiration somewhere outside your normal "comfort zone." It may not lead to a revolutionary product or packaging scheme, but it might just provide the breakthrough you need to push yourself to the next level.

Finding inspiration in unlikely places

2011-05-13T06:34:00.000-07:00

So where do you go to find inspiration? Books? Websites? Blogs? Colleagues? Friends? A walk in the park?

What Can You Do in 10,000 Hours?

2011-05-10T05:55:00.001-07:00

Does practice really make perfect? According to Malcolm Gladwell in "Outliers: The Story of Success," 10,000 hours can transform any ordinary person to greatness. Researchers claim that 10,000 hours of deliberate practice is the "magic number" to master a skill and become an expert at anything you put your mind to.

Contrary to popular belief, it's not always talent that makes one successful, but rather the effort and practice put forth that can make a person great.

Have you ever seen a kid who enjoys sports practice every opportunity he gets? You'll likely notice him get progressively better and soon become pretty good. Coincidence? Not likely.

If you dedicate three hours a day to something, it will still take you nearly 10 years to become an expert. So how do you dedicate enough time to become really good at something? It's easy... make your job something you enjoy doing.

While the amount of time it takes to become an expert may remain debatable, nearly everyone can agree that the secret to success isn't a secret at all. It's work.

For more information on Malcolm Gladwell's work, visit his website: http://www.gladwell.com/outliers/

The Difference Between Salad and Garbage

2011-05-05T05:47:00.001-07:00

Dan Kennedy once said, "The difference between salad and garbage is timing."

The same concept is true with marketing. No matter how ripe and delectable your ideas, they can quickly become unwanted garbage if they are proposed to someone who's not in the market for your products or services.

Many businesses struggle to create a winning combination of the right customer, right offer, right channel, and right timing. While these are all important ingredients in the marketing mix, timing is often the most important factor. No matter how good your offer may be, if your customer isn't in the market for your product or service, you message may be ignored or pushed aside.

The key to successful marketing is to create messaging that not only piques the interest of those ready to purchase today, but also builds top-of-mind awareness and curiosity for those who may be in the market tomorrow.

Now think about your marketing messages. How can you create more salad and less garbage?

Aesop knew what he was talking about

2011-04-29T07:01:00.001-07:00

As a child, I remember hearing countless stories, including the fables attributed to Aesop, the ancient Greek writer. In his tales, Aesop used animals to represent various human traits. He'd then end each story with a simple moral -- a life lesson meant to inform and instruct.

One such fable, often credited to Aesop, told the story of an elderly lion, too frail to go hunting anymore. Shrewdly, the lion lured passersby into his den by claiming to be too sick to come out and greet them. When they entered to pay their respects, the lion ate them. One day, a fox happened by, but refused to enter the den. When the lion asked him why, the fox replied, "Because I can only see the tracks going in, but none coming out."

For children, fables like this provide simple illustrations that serve as cautionary tales. In this story, for example, the child might learn to be wary of strangers or of situations that seem too good to be true.

But fables aren't applicable only to kids. We, as businesspeople, can still learn a lot from a well-written fable. Again, looking at the fable retold here, we learn the value of prudence in our dealings with potential vendors, business partners, investors, and more. Careful observation of the warning signs others miss can save us (or our companies) from dangers we might not otherwise recognize.

So as you go about looking for ways to improve your business, don't overlook the power of fables. They're not just "children's stories" after all.

What's your response time?

2011-04-25T09:44:00.001-07:00

In today's fast-paced business world full of instant technology, most people expect an answer to their email messages in one day or less. This can become challenging when you consider the volume of email many businesses receive.

If checking your email throughout the day isn't ideal, consider blocking a chunk of time on your calendar each day to respond to email messages. Even if you don't know the answer or need to find additional information, you should acknowledge the email and let the sender know you are working on it. If you plan to be away from the office, remember to use an auto-responder. Include information such as how long you will be away and when you will return messages. Also provide your contact info or an alternate contact for those who need an immediate response.

If you're looking for an even faster way for your customer support team to answer questions and interact with online shoppers, you may want to consider a live chat support service. Visitors who receive quick answers and responses are more likely to stay longer and buy more products. The personalized interaction will also help them develop more confidence in your business.

The speed in which you respond can easily affect a potential buyer's perception of you and your business. Always remember that the sender emailed you for a reason and is expecting your prompt response. Don't give them time to find the answer, or a faster response, elsewhere.

Chocolate candies, red dye, and the power of perception

2011-04-21T05:34:00.001-07:00

In marketing, perception is reality. In the mid-1970s, health concerns arose over the use of the dye amaranth, commonly known as FD&C Red #2. Studies linked the popular food coloring with cancer. Mars Inc., makers of M&M's, decided in 1976 to replace red M&M candies with orange ones. Did the candymaker eliminate red M&M's because they contained the dye in question? No. In fact, the candies contained a different (and safe) red dye. Instead, the company decided to remove the red candies to allay the fears of consumers who worried about anything with red dye in it.

Mars understood the power of perception. Although its product was perfectly safe, the company knew that consumers were concerned. Sure, it could have stuck with the red candies and focused its marketing on explaining that the red dye it used was safe. After all, that was the truth, and many people would surely have believed it. But Mars knew that not everyone would feel comfortable with that explanation. The brand might have been hurt by this negative perception. So, even though the truth was on its side, Mars decided to make a fairly significant change. In the process, it generated a lot of goodwill and got the added bonus (and buzz) of introducing a new color to the M&M's fold.

How do people perceive your products, services, and brand? Are there any misconceptions that could be adversely affecting you? If so, what changes can you make to alleviate those concerns and improve your image? And what extra value can you get from making those changes?

There's one final chapter to the red M&M's story worth noting. Eleven years after pulling red M&M's off the market, Mars reintroduced the color in 1987. It proved a popular addition at the time and remains so today.

A coffeehouse state of mind

2011-04-15T08:08:00.001-07:00

I've always wondered how fancy coffee shops could charge so much for a product that is worth pennies on the dollar. But I recently had an eye-opening experience that caused my opinion to sway. While feeling slightly impatient waiting for a cup of joe, my attitude was shockingly transformed by the laid-back atmosphere, the enchanting aroma, and the unique boutique-style tables and chairs at my favorite coffee shop. For a moment, I forgot why I was in such a hurry. Time stood still, as I was engrossed in a coffeehouse state of mind.

I now understand that the value of coffee, like many other products we buy, is contingent on how it makes us feel. Sometimes when I close my eyes and smell a fresh cup of coffee, I recall my coffeehouse state of mind... and smile.

While other products might not offer the same memorable feeling as a good cup of joe, we should all strive to offer a memorable experience for the customers who walk through our front door. How can you make customers think of your business and smile?

Affordable and effective beats quick and easy every time

2011-04-12T06:20:00.001-07:00

If you want your business to get in the market quickly, there are two quick and easy ways you can go. You can use full-page or even two-page spreads in the yellow pages, or you can spend a bucket-load of money on pay-per-click.

Quick and easy is NOT always the most effective way to go. Sometimes it is, in fact, the least effective. The yellow pages have been destroyed by search engines, and pay-per-click is a great way to waste huge amounts of money if it isn't properly maintained.

If you still think the yellow pages need to be a part of your marketing budget, then put a separate phone number in the ad, so at least you can track what your easy, expensive dollars are getting you.

The fact is, having a good web presence, printing decent marketing materials, and using a marketing calendar to get your message out there in a targeted way provide a far better plan. Yes, that plan isn't quick and easy, but it can be affordable and effective... two very desirable things in marketing.

Is your marketing all about you, or your customer?

2011-04-08T05:20:00.001-07:00

I saw this story the other day. I'm not sure if it's true, but either way, it provides a good allegory for marketing.

One day, Karen Hughes, George W. Bush's top communications aide, was walking along a beach. She looked up and saw a small plane towing an advertising banner. It read: "Jill come back. I am miserable without you. Love, Jack." Her first thought: "Bad message, Jack. Too much about you, and not enough about her."

What is your message? Is it all about you? Or is it about your (potential) customer? It's not that having a brochure that tells your customers everything you do is a bad thing, but it's a lot more attractive and desirable if that brochure comes from the point of view of meeting the customer's needs.

Which sounds better? "We build 400 kinds of doors." Or: "We strive to understand your exact door needs, and with 400 types of doors in stock, we can usually find you something quickly and at the right price." Given the choice, I'll take door (pitch) number two every time.

Viral videos, QR codes, and late night connections

2011-04-05T05:18:00.001-07:00

As business owners, we're all looking for new and innovative ways to connect with customers. NBC's "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" managed to do just that with a well-placed QR code held up during last Friday's broadcast. On the show, host Jimmy Fallon, guest Stephen Colbert, former "American Idol" Taylor Hicks, and a bevy of others (including house band, The Roots) sang an over-the-top rendition of "Friday," a song which came to fame recently in a viral video by Rebecca Black. Near the end of the performance, a staffer held up a card containing a QR code.

QR (quick response) codes are special barcodes you can print anywhere that "translate" from a simple block pattern to a predetermined website address when photographed (or scanned) and "read" by QR-code-enabled devices, such as many smartphones. They're kind of like a graphic version of a bit.ly or tinyurl.com link.

Anyway, observant viewers, who photographed the QR code on their smartphones, were treated to a video in which Fallon thanked fans for helping raise money for the charity DonorsChoice.org. But it didn't end there.

At the beginning of this "hidden" video, Fallon held up a QR code, which he led fans to believe was the same QR code his staffer had held up during the show. However, it wasn't the same code, and those who photographed that second QR code were treated to another video, in which Fallon provided a quick "tour" of the contents of his desk.

A third QR code (held up by Fallon in the second bonus video) led to a final video, again featuring Fallon at his desk. In this video, Fallon offered a sneak preview of some upcoming features on the show and thanked viewers for their loyalty.

So, could you or I recreate this kind of elaborate media campaign for our own brands or companies? Probably not to the same extent Fallon was able to. After all, we don't have the funding of a major media company (NBC) at our disposal. But that doesn't mean we can't find equally innovative ways to use technology to our own advantage. All of the basic tools Fallon used -- QR codes, video, and social media -- are available to us, as well. We just need to find ways to use those tools to reach our own "audience" and grow our brands.

A look back at some April Fool's Day classics

2011-04-01T12:05:00.001-07:00

April 1 is traditionally a day for pranks and practical jokes. In recent years, Google has made a habit of making outlandish April Fool's Day announcements. One year, for example, Google announced the addition of mind-reading technology that would make searching a breeze. Another year, the search giant posted job openings for a new research center on the moon.

A quick search for April Fool's Day pranks and hoaxes returns a treasure trove of gems. Here are a few highlights from Wikipedia and the Museum of Hoaxes:

* In 1957, the BBC announced a bumper spaghetti crop in Switzerland. Mild winter weather and the near eradication of the "spaghetti weevil" were credited with the excellent harvest. The BBC report includes images of people harvesting spaghetti strands from trees.

* In 1993, a San Diego DJ told his listeners the Space Shuttle Discovery would be landing at nearby Montgomery Field, due to issues at Edwards Air Force Base. Thousands of people turned out to see the landing... of a space shuttle that wasn't even in space at the time.

* In 1996, Taco Bell announced it had purchased the Liberty Bell and renamed it the "Taco Liberty Bell." In a statement, the company claimed the move was meant "to help the national debt" and that it hoped "other corporations [would] take similar action to do their part to reduce the country's debt." When asked about the hoax, White House press secretary Mike McCurry, playing along, said that the Lincoln Memorial had also been sold and would now be called the Ford Lincoln Mercury Memorial.

* Another fast-food-related April Fool's Day prank happened in 1998, when Burger King introduced the "left-handed Whopper." The new burger contained all of the same ingredients as its namesake, but the condiments were rotated 180 degrees, for the benefit of the 32 million left-handed Americans.

Here's hoping you have a fun April first.

If at first you don't succeed...

2011-03-29T13:31:00.001-07:00

We all know the value of persistence in business. President Calvin Coolidge once wrote, "Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than the unsuccessful man with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded (genius) is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination are omnipotent."

But persistence isn't just important in business. It's equally important in all of life's pursuits. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team. Thomas Edison tried more than 1,000 different filaments for his light bulb before finding one that worked. And Dr. Seuss's first book -- And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street -- was rejected by 27 publishers before he found one who would publish it.

Imagine if any of these three men had given up. The NBA would have been left without arguably its best player ever. We'd all be writing by candlelight (okay, maybe not, but it sounds more dramatic that way). And generations of children around the world would have been left without such classic tales as The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas, to name just a few.

Any endeavor worth pursuing involves struggle. Those who persist are those who succeed. So don't give up. Success may be one jump shot, filament, or publisher away.

That's not what I meant

2011-03-25T05:41:00.001-07:00

We've all been there. Something we write in an email, letter, or casual tweet gets misunderstood. Or perhaps, we're the ones who have misinterpreted something a friend or colleague wrote. No matter how clear we think we are in our writing, misunderstandings happen. When they do, open communication is vital to resolving the issue as quickly as possible.

But how can we keep misunderstandings to a minimum?

Context is key. When you compose an email or tweet, the recipient can't see your face or hear the tone and inflection of your voice. They must rely on your words alone to guide them in interpreting what you're trying to say. If the recipient knows you well, they may be able to infer meaning more easily, based on previous interactions, but even then, misunderstandings can occur.

To minimize miscommunication, keep your writing concise. Stick with the facts, and move on. Use humor cautiously, particularly dry humor that may be seen as being flip, curt, or rude. Save the jokes for face-to-face situations, when your body language and vocal inflections can help in interpreting your words. And try to craft questions that cannot be accidentally read and interpreted in a different way than you intended.

A humorous example of this occurred around the turn of the last century. William Randolph Hearst made a bid to purchase a competing newspaper. He asked his rival for a selling price, to which the man replied, "Three cents daily. Five cents Sunday." Obviously, the rival knew what Hearst meant by his question -- and by answering the way he did, basically let Hearst know the paper was not for sale -- but this does go to show that the same question can have more than one meaning if interpreted differently.

Of course, it's not just what you say that matters; it's how you say it. When communicating in writing, it's important to know the subtleties of the medium you're using. For example, most people now know that writing an email or Facebook post in all caps is often equated with yelling. For a medium like Twitter, with its 140 character limit, the challenge often comes in trying to say too much in such a confined space. When composing a tweet, it's easy to inadvertently gloss over some of the details, in an effort to save space. Make sure you're not losing meaning -- or raising confusion -- for brevity's sake. If you can't adequately say what you need to say in the space provided, choose a different medium.

Lessons from Google's new Chrome icon

2011-03-23T05:38:00.001-07:00

This week, Google unveiled a new, simpler icon for its Chrome web browser. In a blog post explaining the change, Google designer Steve Rura wrote, "Since Chrome is all about making your web experience as easy and clutter-free as possible, we refreshed the Chrome icon to better represent these sentiments. A simpler icon embodies the Chrome spirit -- to make the web quicker, lighter, and easier for all."

Whether you love it or hate it, the new Chrome icon provides an important lesson to corporate marketers: When creating logos, color schemes, and icons to represent your brand, make sure those symbols represent the core values you want people to associate with you.

Another lesson comes in the way Google went about creating its new Chrome icon. "Redesigning the icon was very much a group effort," Rura continues. While you probably should put together a core team of designers and marketing people who will have the final say in creating your corporate brand, don't overlook ideas from "outsiders" in your organization (customer service people, salespeople, product developers, etc.) who might bring a different perspective to the discussion.

And finally, make sure your new identity translates well both online and off. "It was important to maintain consistency across all media," Rura concludes, "so we kept print, web, and other possible formats in mind."

One way to ensure a strong print-based presence for your new logo, icon, or color scheme is to involve a printing firm, like ours, early in the design process. As print professionals, we can help you choose colors that are attractive, cost-effective, and easy to reproduce, so you don't wind up spending more than you hoped to for less-than-ideal results.

How are we doing? Seriously, we want to know...

2011-03-18T06:38:00.001-07:00

When was the last time you asked your customers their opinion? When was the last time you acted on it? I have seen it in grocery stores. A board with a place for PUBLIC customer comments and PUBLIC employee responses below.

"Hey, I don't like your new sodas. I want the old ones back!" -- Fred

"Hi Fred, we've had issues getting that soda from the supplier but we will work twice as hard now to get it" -- Soda Manager.

You know that YOU like to be listened to. Don't your customers? Throw away your old "Suggestion Box" and build one online or put up a board in your office and use those comments to make yourself better!

Trust-building tips for your next new product launch

2011-03-15T05:51:00.001-07:00

You've just released a great new product you're sure will be a hit with customers... if only they'd give it a chance. So how do you convince skeptical buyers who may not know you or your business that your product is worth a chance? Here are a couple of ideas to help you put their minds at ease.

If practical, provide a free trial period of 30 or 60 days. Let the customer try your product, risk free, before committing to purchasing it. This may not be practical for all products or services, but if it is, it might be worth a try.

Offer a full money-back guarantee -- no strings attached. If, for any reason, a customer is not completely satisfied with their purchase, they can return your product -- no questions asked -- for a full refund. An airtight guarantee like this lets your customers know you believe in what you're selling and are willing to put your money where your mouth is. Sure, a few people might take advantage of your offer, but most will onl y return the item if they have legitimate concerns.

If something does go wrong and a customer returns your product, let them choose whether they'd like a refund or to have the item replaced. If they opt for a replacement, give them something extra as a free bonus for their troubles, as well. Remember, a happy customer is worth far more than the cost of the free item you're giving away.

First to market, lasting success? Not a guarantee.

2011-03-11T05:40:00.001-08:00

Being first to market is no guarantee you'll succeed. The business annals are littered with tales of cutting-edge companies that eventually lost out to newcomers who built a better mousetrap that redefined the game.

Google is a great case in point. By 1998, when Google burst on the scene, search engines and directories such as Yahoo!, AltaVista, Excite, Lycos, and AskJeeves were already firmly entrenched. Many people wondered why a new search engine was even necessary.

Then they tried Google. Using a proprietary algorithm to generate its search results, Google quickly gained a foothold and the loyalty of users frustrated by the other brands. Word spread, Google's popularity grew, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Today, Google powers more than two-thirds of all U.S. searches, according to the latest data from Experian Hitwise (February 2011). Yahoo! Search accounts for just a 15% market share, and many of the other search providers in existence when Google began have gone the way of the dinosaur.

Sure, many factors went into the success of Google as a brand, and Internet search is now just a part of what the company does.

But, generally speaking, what are some basic lessons we can all learn from Google and other Johnny-come-latelies who now dominate their fields (Facebook vs. MySpace, anyone)? Lots of things, really, but three really stick out in my mind....

1. Don't underestimate the competition.
2. Don't rest on your laurels.
3. Don't ignore the ever-evolving needs of your customers.

That's pretty sage advice for any company, no matter how big or small you might be.

When was the last time you Googled yourself?

2011-03-08T06:03:00.001-08:00

I was looking for a potential customer phone number. Someone I haven't done a lot of work with (I think I talked to him a year ago). Let's call him Fred Fredson, and let's pretend he lives in Nashville. I couldn't remember his business name, so I did a quick Google search on his personal name: "fred fredson nashville" (it's Google -- no caps needed). I was shocked. People had been reviewing his business using his personal name and saying some not very nice things. I then Googled him by business name, and it was a different story. All I got was his nice business listing.

It made me realize that people are saying things about businesses in ways that had not occurred to me...and that while some of them are neutral or even flattering...some of them aren't. So I encourage you to Google yourself by name with your location and see if there are any surprises out there waiting for you!

Do you believe in your product?

2011-03-01T09:28:00.001-08:00

Are you wearing clothes? Do you own clothes? If you do then you are like 100% of the people that you know! And every single item of clothing that you are wearing was bought somewhere, by someone. It was sold.

Ever get talked into going to a birthday party you weren't 100% thrilled about? You got sold. Ever feed a kid an ice cream cone before dinner because of a look on a face? You. Got. Sold.

Selling makes the world go 'round. It happens in just about every single transaction between people that you can think of. From your teenager talking you into staying out late to the car dealer convincing you that you need the expensive oil change.

What made that ice cream cone sale work? Well, a lot of things actually, but one part of it was the deep sincerity on the part of the seller. Same for the person trying to get you to go to the birthday party. Those people believed in the product they were selling.

So...can you bring the same sincerity? Take a moment to see where your passion is. If you find yourself bogged down in the details and feel like you've lost the feeling of the sale, then take a step back and look at a kid who wants an ice cream cone. Then make the sale!

Appearances are everything when it comes to your online brand

2011-02-25T05:35:00.001-08:00

Appearances are critical in business... especially online. Your potential customers want to know if your website looks trustworthy. We've all heard the phrase "the appearance of impropriety." The last thing any of us wants is to have that phrase linked to our companies and their websites.

I saw a quote in Website Magazine that sums that feeling up pretty well. The author wrote, "People make snap decisions when they browse the Web. They look for the familiar and the trusted and are equally concerned about fraudulent websites and viruses. To maximize traffic to your website, you need to quickly establish credibility and trust for your company and stand out from your competitors."

I know a perfectly good company -- a carpet cleaner -- with a completely sketchy website. I KNOW these guys. They are upstanding, honest people who do a fair job. But their website plays strange music, things are disorganized, and you just get the feeling that they aren't 100% on the up and up. My best guess is that they lose business because of it.

Take a critical look at your website and some of the things you do. Do you use trust seals in search results? Do you provide customer testimonials, complete contact information, and a detailed "About Us" page? Is your information well-organized? Does your site look friendly, warm, and inviting? How do YOU show your potential customer that you are trustworthy on the web?

In defense of the handwritten note

2011-02-22T05:43:00.000-08:00

Over the past few years, email has become the delivery method of choice for many business correspondence. As smartphones and social media continue to rise, text messages and tweets are also gaining popularity. Yet, with all that technology, there are still times when a handwritten note makes sense. Here are a few examples to keep in mind:

Sales call follow-ups. Send your prospect a three to four-sentence note, thanking them for their time and reinforcing what you discussed in your meeting. People appreciate the personal touch a handwritten note provides.

Client thank yous. Mark each client's anniversary with you -- or any particularly large or meaningful orders they place -- with a quick, handwritten thank you card. For even more goodwill, include a handwritten thank you with each completed order or invoice.

Employee thank yous. When someone goes above and beyond the call of duty, recognize them with a handwritten thank you card. Your employee will appreciate the gesture just as much as your clients do when you send them a handwritten note.

Special recognition. If you see a customer or prospect featured in the newspaper, send them a quick congratulatory note, along with a copy of the clip. Send birthday and holiday greetings, and look for ways to let your customers know you're thinking of them on their special days.

Secret formulas, baited hooks... and the importance of compelling headlines

2011-02-18T08:19:00.001-08:00

I saw this headline a few days ago: "Coke recipe still safely under lock and key in Atlanta." I clicked on it at once. When I went to read the article, I realized I'd been subject to link bait.

Link baiting is (in part) when you create a headline that is SO AMAZING your potential fish get caught on your hook. They just can't help reading your article. In this case, it was the implication that Coke's 125-year-old, top-secret recipe had been revealed.

People forget just how important headlines are. I'm not just talking about social media either. If your monthly newsletter has boring headlines, then how do you expect to hook YOUR fish? Writing counts. It counts on Facebook, in your blog, on Twitter, and most certainly on your printing. Boring newsletters are, well, boring.

Let me make you this offer: I will rescue you from boring headlines. When you call me, we can write some amazing headlines together. I have the experience. You have the newletter. Let's get writing!

By the way, in case you're interested in reading more about the story that inspired this post (the security of Coke's secret recipe), here's a link to a Reuters' article detailing it all:

http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/02/15/idINIndia-54919420110215

Avoiding letdowns in your life

2011-02-11T11:00:00.001-08:00

Completing a challenging assignment. Closing a tough sale. Making a big presentation. All of these can leave a person feeling on top of the world. But when that elation subsides, many people are left wondering, "What now?" The anticipation that drove them to push harder and find success is now replaced by an emptiness and longing for something more.

After investing so much time and energy into achieving a goal, it's only natural to feel some sense of letdown once that objective is achieved. Sports teams, for example, have to struggle sometimes to maintain focus after beating a big rival, so they don't let the next game slip by.

Commentators refer to these as "trap games" because it's so easy (and natural) for teams to let down their guard and not try as hard in the game immediately following a big, emotional win. The result, of course, can be a disappointing loss against a seemingly easier foe.

To lessen any feelings of letdown after big wins in your own business and personal life, experts suggest jumping into the next project right away. Give yourself a little time to recoup, of course, and to celebrate a well-earned win, but then start pushing yourself forward again. As tennis great Arthur Ashe once said: "Success is a journey, not a destination." Enjoy the ride.

Focus on adding value if you want to stay ahead

2011-02-08T06:14:00.001-08:00

I ran across an interesting quote recently that I thought I'd share. "Times are tough. In times like these, clients tend to focus on the value proposition. 'Throw it at the wall and see if it sticks' is not a phrase you hear a lot in recessions. Instead, your customers will tend to have their eyes transfixed on your value proposition. 'How does this spend make me better off?'"

I saw that on a site about something entirely un-print related, but it is so true for so many industries that it cried out to be quoted. Printing hasn't been about "seeing what sticks" for years. I bet your industry hasn't either. I know that we have been focusing on making you better off for an awfully long time. But even so, it bears repeating.

You need marketing. Why? Because you want customers. But you don't want to waste your marketing dollars. As printers, we recognize that and have continued to adapt our product and service line to remain in line with our customers' nee ds as they evolve.

Of course, the same is true of your customers and the products and services you provide to them. Your customers don't want to spend money just for the sake of the next new thing. Make sure your value proposition makes sense to your customers, too.

The benefits of buying locally

2011-02-04T05:48:00.001-08:00

I've been thinking a lot lately about online internet printing...something that, in a sense, we offer, too, with our website and our online ordering and our online estimating. But I was thinking about why anyone would pick an online printer when they could pick us instead.

Is www.mybigfatonlineprinter.com going to pick up the phone at 7 p.m. when you are having a crisis? Are they going to work on Super Bowl Sunday because you have a big presentation on Monday? No. But here is the other thing. They don't buy stuff from you. They don't send kids to your schools. They don't talk to you at the grocery store.

So what's a local printer to do? For that matter, what's the owner of any small, local company supposed to do when faced with larger or out-of-market competitors online?

For me, I decided to fight back... and I came up with a BRILLIANT plan. Ready? I'm going to offer you incredible service, incredible quality, and be incredibly responsiv e to you. Best of all, I'm going to do ALL of that at a fair price! I know -- IT'S UNBELIEVABLE!

Okay, I'm at the office, and I'm waiting for your call!

The surprising value of a lifelong customer

2011-02-01T06:58:00.000-08:00

How many customers do you have? A florist might say 1,000. Printers -- well, we have a few, too, right? How much is your average sale? For realtors (according to Google) -- about $260,000. For florists (I'm guessing here) -- $100. Printers... well, you know what you spend with us.

So think about it this way:

The big money isn't in creating products; it's in creating customers. A single, lifelong customer who lives his life spending the way you want him to may be worth six or seven figures. A single one.

That guy who spends $2,500 a year with you is worth $60,000 over a lifetime (25 years). That means you only need SIXTEEN lifetime customers to reach a million dollars. Want $10 million? That is only 160 lifetime customers.

Yes, I know it doesn't work that way all the time, or for everyone. But I also know this. Customer loyalty counts. And that's worth a million every time.

Social media sites are eager to answer your questions

2011-01-28T10:14:00.001-08:00

Gotta question? Or maybe an answer? It seems more and more social media sites are listening. LinkedIn has long had a LinkedIn Answers feature, where people can ask business-related questions and get answers from experts in the community. Facebook added Facebook Questions late last year, and Quora, a relatively new kid on the block, is based entirely on questions and answers from members of its growing community.

Question and answer features provide an excellent opportunity for finding information and for setting yourself apart as an expert in your field. On Quora, for example, members can view questions based on topic, follow specific topics that interest them to see what others are asking, follow specific questions to see new answers as they appear, and rate answers, so the best answers work their way to the top of the heap. The Quora website is built on a structure similar to Wikipedia and uses moderators to ensure content is appropriate.

Starting out on any new social site can be a bit daunting. Before asking a new question on Quora, Facebook Questions, or a similar website, look for similar questions that have already been posted. With thousands of questions in place on virtually every topic under the sun, don't be surprised if your question has already been asked and answered. As you become more familiar with the site, start answering questions that fit your area of expertise. Engage with other users who share your interests, and stay involved.

For more information about Quora, visit http://www.quora.com. To learn more about Facebook Questions, visit http://www.facebook.com/questions/. And to join the conversation at LinkedIn, go to http://www.LinkedIn.com/answers/.

Goodcopy wins January 2011 Golden Ink Knife Award

2011-01-12T09:20:00.000-08:00

Mike Stevens of Marketing Ideas for Printers says, "I am pleased to award the January 2011 Golden Ink Knife to Goodcopy Printing for their outstanding in-house monthly newsletter. The most amazing thing about their newsletter is that Goodcopy has won the highly competitive "best in-house newsletter" award from the NAQP for seven of the last eight years!"

"...they do an outstanding job of personalizing and localizing the content to fit their market and customer base. The result is a truly excellent newsletter that functions as a proven sales-building marketing tool. Congratulations on your well deserved Golden Ink Knife Award.

Goodcopy Wins Another Award!