February 16, 2006

Postcards as a Marketing Tool

You might notice a few more postcards in your mailbox lately. Postcard marketing is gaining in popularity as it proves to be a cost effective way to get your message out.

To make postcard marketing as effective as possible, send them to targeted markets. If you just flood the neighborhood, you will be wasting money in postcards and postage. Use mailing list brokers if necessary.

The purpose of your postcard should be to obtain inquiries or advertise your website. You don't have much room, so get right to the point. State the major benefits for your clients. Motivate them to call or go to your website for more information. You can close the sale at this point.

In postcard marketing, timing is everything. Mondays tend to be the worst days for customers to receive your postcards. People are busy and won't take time to read your message. Postcard marketing is best planned for Tuesdays and Wednesdays, when there is less mail to compete with your postcards.

First class mail is worth the extra couple of pennies in postcard marketing. It generates a better reply rate. You'll also get undelivered postcards returned. This helps you adjust your mailing list.

In postcard marketing, simple postcards work as well as those with more costly graphics. Keep the message friendly. This makes it more likely that customers will read it.

Postcard marketing can be an effective tool to add to your marketing campaign. Try it the next time you want to advertise your product or services. Use these tips and see if this works for you.

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February 12, 2006

Savvy Salespeople are Finding Creative Ways to Market with Business Cards

Since business cards have become easy to purchase and even to make at home, it has become difficult for one business card to stand out from the rest. However, some savvy salespeople have found creative ways to use business cards to market their businesses. The goal is to get people to look at the card without thinking that they are making an effort by simply going over name, address, phone number over and over.

One marketing strategy that works especially well with clients who are sports fans is to put the schedule of a team on the back of the business card. States that are very sports involved will find this strategy most effective. Printing a schedule on the back of a card encourages people to look at the card more often, which means looking at the name of the business more often.

Another way to market using business cards is by making the card a tool. Letter and bottle openers are popular. The potential client will probably use the tool each day, and think of the business that is advertised on it each time, unintentionally! So say that a real estate agent distributes business card letter openers – when a potential buyer finally does think about getting a new home, this agent’s name will immediately pop into her head.

Some businesses also send out V-cards through email, which are electronic business cards that are automatically added to a potential client’s address book when he or she clicks on the card.

Perhaps the most innovative way that business cards are being used these days is by making them into a portfolio. There are now companies online that make business card sized CD-ROM disks that can be put in any computer, which hold enough information for an artist, designer, writer, or business person to showcase his or her work or statistics. Since CD-ROM cards are still quite rare, people are more likely to pop a disk into their computer out of curiosity.

For the best in professional business card printing visit http://www.myprintshoponline.com/

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February 8, 2006

Using Posters in Advertising

Posters have been used for centuries as an effective means of grabbing attention and evoking emotional responses. You can utilize this medium in your business, as well, by designing advertising posters that pack a punch and get customers interested in what you have to offer.

Posters are generally larger than 8 ½ x 11” and usually feature a number of graphic images, pictures, or photographs. The most successful posters are accessible and easy to comprehend. For maximum impact your poster should use large simple font so that the text will be easy to read from a distance. Make sure that your print stands out from your background or pictures. Arial is very easy to read and looks up to date. Courier is also easy to read but looks outdated.

Keep your poster simple, don’t clutter it up with too much information. The message should be concise, easy to understand and memorable. Your layout should be balanced and pleasing to the eye. Don’t try to do too much here, remember you are trying to get people interested in your company, the sales pitch happens later.

Complimentary colors seem to work best, but pay attention to the selection of your text color.
You'll want your words to stand out and be easy to read.

Studies have shown that you'll have about 3 seconds to catch your audience's attention, so include an eye-catching photography or catching advertising phrase.

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February 2, 2006

Planning an Effective Brochure

Don’t get caught in the trap of having a brochure because you think you should have one. A little planning ahead of time can make sure that your brochure isn’t just another pretty piece of junk mail.

Brochures should be used to achieve specific marketing goals, whether it is to introduce a customer to your product or service, generate interest and awareness of your company, or make the sale. Before printing a brochure you’ll need to do some planning to make sure that you are achieving your goal.

First, define your audience. Who will read your brochure? New customers and prospects? Existing customers who may want additional products? Other businesses? Each audience will require specific strategies.

Second, decide how you will deliver your brochure. Is it a mailer, or will it be handed out? Develop brochures for each type of application that you want to cover, don’t try to make the multi-purpose brochure. Having specifically designed brochures for each use makes your company look more professional and helps uphold your image as a quality vendor.

Third, decide what information your brochure is transmitting, and what action you want your customers to take after reading your brochure. Are you introducing a new product? Making an intitial customer contact? Your approach will be different depending on your intent. Ask customer to complete the next step and provide the with the information that they’ll need to take that step.

With this information in hand, you’ll be prepared to develop brochures that are effective and accomplish specific goals. Planning these aspects of your brochure will keep it from becoming just another pretty piece of junk mail!

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February 1, 2006

Business Envelopes: An often overlooked resource

Many business owners overlook the importance of their business envelopes. After all, the important information is on the inside, right? Getting your prospects and customers to look inside the envelope is the most important aspect of your business mailings, and your business envelopes can help.

Of course, your business envelopes must be functional. They need to transmit the information that you’re mailing, but since you have to use them anyway, make sure that they perform the following two important functions.

First, make sure that they uphold and enhance your company’s professional image. Each communication should be professional and incorporate your company’s “branding.” If your printed materials all feature one specific color or font, make sure that your envelopes continue to promote that image. This makes your mailings recognizable and helps you to present a consistent image to your customers.

Secondly, make sure that your envelopes entice your customers and prospects to review the information inside. One technique is to make your envelope a mini billboard for your product. Use a “teaser” of a statement designed to catch your customer’s interest and get them to open your mailing. Remember, your envelope is competing with everything else they receive in the mail for attention. Make it interesting enough to entice them to open it.

Business envelopes are a necessary part of any office supply budget. Making your envelopes work for you by upholding and enhancing your company’s image or getting your customer interested in your offer will allow you to get the most of your office supply dollars!

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