PROforma Pow-Wow

When those cold winter days come, be prepared with Touch Screen Gloves

Don't Rule Out Direct Mail in your B2B Marketing

There are days that I feel as though technology is ruling the world. Does anybody read snail mail today? Should I used direct mail in my marketing?  Well, the answer is yes and yes.  Businesses are still reading snail mail and direct mail (DM) marketing works if done right.

 Beth Negus Viveiros from Chief Marketer, recently wrote, not using DM as part of  your marketing mix is a mistake and she gives four tips to be sure that you get a healthy ROI.

    1. You need to make that direct mail piece "a meaningful part of your multichannel campaign", she said.  Let's look at an example.  You want to set up an appointment with a prospect. You send them a DM piece with an iPad sleeve or  tablet sleeve.  Part of whayou come for your  is in the message is that you will bring the tablet that goes inside the sleed when come for your appointment. When you show  up to the appointmnet you present them with the tablet and you companies information and presentation already loaded onto it.

2. Consider your Audience.  What makes this mailing improtant? Why would the read it? Doesit speak totheir need?

3. Weigh the cost /benefit factor.  Pay particluar attention to who you are targeting so that your mailing is not going to the wrong person.

4. Think about going big. That is to say, consider mailing a "lumpy package".  Large, colorful, unique paper, and / or non-traditional mailers all manage to cut throught the cluter of paper and such that eveyone receives.

So, direct mail (if you follow these key points) can be estremely helpful.

 

New Folding Tablet Stand

Another view of the PowerTrip charger for all cellphones, mp3 players, iPad, laptops and other electronic equipment (cameras, etc).

Portable Charger - Triple powered
It can receive a full charge from a wall socket, a supplemental through a USB port, and a top-up through its solar PV panel. (How perfect for the beach this summer).

Direct mail marketing isn't dead. However, it is losing it's effectiveness due to the amount of messages we receive everyday. So, how do we get our message to stand out? The best way is to use Cross Media Marketing; the use of different mediums to get your message accross (print, pURLS, QR codes, videos, mobile, and more)

The past couple of months I have been spending a lot of time doing marketing for my company as well as for my clients. Unfortunately, it took my time away from posting to my blog. You see, I have been spending a great deal of time explaining to businesses that you can't stop spending your marketing dollars in a down economy.

In a study of U.S. recessions, McGraw-Hill Research analyzed 600 companies from 1980-1985. The results showed that business-to-business Firms that Maintained or Increased their Promotion Expenditures during the 1981-1982 recession Averaged Significantly Higher Sales growth, both during the recession and for the following three years, than those that eliminated or decreased promoting. By 1985, sales of companies that were Aggressive Recession Promoting had Risen 256% over those that didn't keep up their promoting.

In addition, a series of six studies conducted by the research firm of Meldrum & Fewsmith showed conclusively that Promotion Aggressively during Recessions not only Increases Sales but Increases Profits. This fact has held true for all post-World War II recessions studied by The American Business Press starting in 1949.

The past couple of months I have been spending a lot of time doing marketing for my company as well as for my clients. Unfortunately, it took my time away from posting to my blog. You see, I have been spending a great deal of time explaining to businesses that you can't stop spending your marketing dollars in a down economy.

In a study of U.S. recessions, McGraw-Hill Research analyzed 600 companies from 1980-1985. The results showed that business-to-business Firms that Maintained or Increased their Promotion Expenditures during the 1981-1982 recession Averaged Significantly Higher Sales growth, both during the recession and for the following three years, than those that eliminated or decreased promoting. By 1985, sales of companies that were Aggressive Recession Promoting had Risen 256% over those that didn't keep up their promoting.In addition, a series of six studies conducted by the research firm of Meldrum & Fewsmith showed conclusively that Promotion Aggressively during Recessions not only Increases Sales but Increases Profits. This fact has held true for all post-World War II recessions studied by The American Business Press starting in 1949.

Reference Guide for Wide & Grand Format Printing

I am posting this guide so anyone who needs to purchase wide format printing for their company/organization will quickly and easily understand it.  I will be posting this information over the next several days.  

Content to be discussed:

- Wide Format Inkjet Terminologies

- Wide Format Laminating

- Wide Format Mounting

- Grand Format Inkjet Terminologies

- Grand Format Finishing Options

- Wide Format Photographic Imaging Terminology

- Photographic Imaging Finishing Options

- When do Wide and Grand Format Prints apply

Wide Format Wide Format Inkjet Terminology

Definition: Inkjet Printing

Street Verbiage = HP Prints or HP’s

Wide Format HP Printing is any full color or black and white print that is larger

 than 18” wide and does not exceed 59.50” wide. It is the process where ink “jets” spray ink onto the selected substraight (paper, vinyl, fabric) and allowed to dry prior to finishing.

 

Wide Format Printing is normally produced as 4 color process.

• Note: New technology allows us to print in 6 colors, see notes below on 6 colors.
• Note: Process Color is defined as the culmination of 4 primary colors that when maxed create all needed colors. C– Cyan Y– Yellow M– Magenta K– Black
• Note: The Fifth and Sixth Colors used in a 6 color application are Light Cyan & Light Magenta
• Note: HP Printer Paper only comes in one thickness which is equals to 60# offset cover stock.

   The HP’s print on a variety of papers including Matte’, Luster or Gloss.

 

 

Wide Format Laminating

Definition = Lam or Encapsulation

• Lamination: the process of covering any print on both sides with a polyethylene

             base plastic film

• Encapsulation: laminating both sides of a print and leaving a 1/8” clear boarder

            around the outside

• Over laminating: only laminating 1 side of a print.
  

All HP Prints (except the HP 9000 prints) must be laminated w/ Matte’, Luster or Gloss

laminations. This is to protect the print and add shelf life to the product.

• Note: All laminations are 99% crystal clear with a 1% drift to yellow.

 

Lamination Gages

1.75 mil / 3.00 mil / 5.00 mil /10.00 mil

Seal 60” Laminator Image

 

  

 

THE POWER OF INCENTIVE PROGRAMS

A study by The Society of Incentive & Travel Executives (SITE) Foundation confirms the impact of incentive programs offering tangible rewards. In addition to increasing work performance an average 22%, such programs also help create positive emotion in the workplace, which greatly influences commitment to a work task, according to Mike Hadlow, president of SITE Foundation. “Incentive programs may be the single most important performance improvement tool available to executives today,” he says.

Payback You Can Measure

• Non-cash rewards achieve three times the return on investment when compared with cash-based programs, according to a study by World at Work (formerly the American Compensation Association).

• While both types of programs will boost performance, the “extra” increases you get with non-cash rewards can turn a good return on investment into an exceptional return.