Printing and Marketing Insights by Hall Letter Shop

The benefits of buying locally

2011-02-04T10:21:00.001-08:00

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 responsive 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!

Social media sites are eager to answer your questions

2011-02-01T14:24:00.001-08:00

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/.

The surprising value of a lifelong customer

2011-02-01T14:13:00.001-08:00

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.

Marketing Ideas for Real Estate

2011-01-27T11:05:00.000-08:00

There are so many ways to market Real Estate Companies, Agents and the properties you sell. Here are some ideas that are easy to implement and are sure to increase your exposure.

#1: Flyers & Brochures: Flyers can be an essential part of selling a house. You should always have them in a flyer box at the house so that people can pick up information about the property at any time. Brochures are a great tool for information about you, your company and what you can bring to the table as their real estate agent. It is also a great tool for the high-end properties that have more amenities and more to feature.

#2: Postcards: Postcards are a great way to get the word out about a property or to keep in touch with new leads or past clients. They keep you top of mind when someone is looking to buy or sell a property and can peak someone's interest that may see a home they like and want to buy even if they weren't even in the market for a home at the time.

#3: Banners: When you have an Open House, why not add a banner to get attention at the property? You can get a generic banner that says something like "Come on in - Open House Today" or "Come see your new home today at our Open House" or something along those lines. That way you can use it for all of your properties when you have an Open House.

#4: Door Hangers: This is one way that will get you noticed and can work the same ways as a postcard if not even better. We all notice when there is a door hanger on our door, they are pretty hard to miss. The best way to get them to notice especially for houses is to put some prices of properties "Just Sold" in their area, what owner wouldn't want to know their homes value? Then it will peak their interest and maybe they will be ready to buy or sell.

#5: QR Codes: Those are the barcodes that look like puzzle pieces that are popping up everywhere nowadays. I would recommend adding sign riders that have the barcode on it so people can get instant information on their mobile phone, add it to business cards, flyers, brochures, door hangers, banners, postcards and any other marketing materials that you have. It is a quick and easy way to get information about the house for the buyers who might be interested and to also get your contact information, which just might get you that sale!

Hall Letter Shop can help you with all your marketing materials and can help you find ways to maximize your selling potential with the right tools for your real estate business. Call us at 877-322-0773 to see how we can help you!

The Nation's Mood, According to Twitter

2011-01-14T09:20:00.001-08:00

Researchers using data from Twitter, the U.S. Census Bureau, and the Google Maps API have mapped the mood of our nation over a three-year span, based primarily on what we tweeted about during that time. A joint venture of scientists at Harvard and Northeastern universities, the study looked at 300 million tweets sent between September 2006 and August 2009. Here are some of the findings:

* Tweeters tend to be happiest early in the morning (around 6:00am) and later in the day (around 10:30-11:00pm). Moods dip to their lowest in the early afternoon, then slowly begin to rise again.

* Not surprisingly, weekends (Saturdays and Sundays) are the happiest days of the week. In fact, Sunday morning ranks the highest overall.

* Thursday -- not Monday -- sees the lowest dip, on average, of any of the days. Our collective mood bottoms out on Thursday evenings, apparently.

Tweets were scored against the Affective Norms for English Words (ANEW) word list to determine their overall "mood." The researchers say they plan to continue their work into the future, with further breakdowns of weekday versus weekend moods.

More details can be found online at the study's website:
http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/amislove/twittermood/

Marketing Ideas for Retail Businesses

2011-01-11T13:28:00.000-08:00

There are many ways to market your retail business and increase your sales! Here are a few ideas to help you get started.

#1-Custom Tags & Labels: Stand out and brand all your merchandise! If you sell candy bars, have the wrapper label be customized with your name on it. If you sell clothes, have your own price tags made so everyone knows where it came from. If you sell other merchandise, get labels made to place on your merchandise so that the customer always remember where they got it from. These are just a few ideas, depending on your specific business, there may be many more ideas to brand your items.

#2-Banners: Have a banner made that you can post outside of your business to draw attention and lure customers to come in. Whether it is a grand opening or just to highlight specific merchandise, if the customer doesn't know you are there...they can't buy from you.

#3-Newsletters, Postcards & Brochures: Keep your customers informed with a mailed newsletter, postcard or brochure. It can give the sales information, new products, company news and anything else you want to share. It is a great way to keep you top of mind with your customers and have them coming back for more.

#4-Flyers: Get the word out about your company with flyers. Whether you are having someone distribute flyers or put them in the bags of your customers, they are another way of getting the attention of the customer if you are promoting a sale or new products or just trying to get them back into the store.

#5-Scratch-off Promotions: Give out scratch off tickets with prizes to your customers, you can give away small items that will get them to come back for more whether it is a discount or an item from your store.

Those are just some of the many ways to promote your retail business! Call us at Hall Letter Shop at 877-322-0773 to find out how we can help with the above strategies or for any other ideas to help market your business!

Marketing Ideas for Restaurants

2011-01-07T10:04:00.000-08:00

So, I will touch on new ways to use marketing materials to advertise different types of business.

Let's start with restaurants. Having a restaurant can be alot of work whether it is small or large, marketing is on your mind but what can you do to get it started or expand it?

#1: Beautiful Menus: This is something that I think is sort of obvious but at the same time, there are many different ways you can use a menu to impress customers. Besides the font, images and the paper that you use, you can make it a unique shape such as in the shape of a bowl or plate, a slice of pizza, an animal or anything you wanted to that makes sense for your restaurant.

#2: Banners: A big banner outside your restaurant can catch the attention of people passing by! I know I notice banners when driving by a restaurant because it will have happy hour specials or discounts or grand opening information, etc.

#3: Door hangers: People will pay attention to what you put on their doors especially if it is a restaurant since they usually have discounts on them or might have delivery. Whether you are having a grand opening or have been around a long time, let people know you are there and ready to feed them great food!

#4: Scratch off tickets: Give out scratch off tickets with prizes to your customers, you can give away small items that will get them to come back for more whether it is a menu item or a drink or a item that you bought.

Those are just a few ideas. Visit us at http://www.hallprintmail.com for all your printing needs!

Follow-up is still crucial in today's wired world

2011-01-07T09:26:00.000-08:00

Even in today's wired world of Twitter, LinkedIn, email, and smartphones, everyone misses an occasional call or is away when an important email arrives. Follow-up is essential in these instances to let your customer know you care.

When a customer contacts you, it's imperative that you follow up as quickly as you can. Even if you don't have time to give the customer's issue your immediate attention, provide them with a quick status update to acknowledge you've received their message and are working on the problem.

Unless the person tells you how they prefer being contacted, follow up the same way they first contacted you. If the person emailed you, reply with an email. If they left a voice mail, reply by phone. If they tweeted you, tweet them back. Some people prefer one means of communication over another. Usually, that preferred method is the one they will use when contacting you.

If you're working on a long-term issue with a customer, check in frequently to let them know you're still on the case. Even if you don't have a solution yet, just knowing you care enough to stay in touch will help to put their minds at ease.

Social media basics for busy business people

2011-01-04T09:18:00.000-08:00

We've all heard about the importance of social networking, but what is social networking exactly? A social network focuses on building a group of people who share common interests and activities. In this case, we're talking about online social networking... the biggest free party in the world. Social networks make it easier for people to interact with each other. But social networking has a lot of outlets (Twitter, Facebook, blogs, LinkedIn), and it can become a time-intense process to effectively track, converse, monitor, and manage them.

But if social networking is so time intensive, why bother? Selling is selling. You can't get away from that. Social networking doesn't -- and shouldn't -- replace selling. Social networking is part of MARKETING. Selling and marketing are two sides of the same coin. And since coin is what we're trying to get in your pocket, we need to pay attention.

Small Business Magazine advises, "We all know how important word of mouth is, and social networking is like word of mouth on steroids. As a business, it's vital to tap into and join online conversations not only about your brand, but also those about your competitors, your industry, and your areas of expertise."

The social networking tools you choose depend on what you want to accomplish, how much time you can commit, and where your comfort level lies. To simplify things, I'm only going to stick with four basic social networking tools you might find helpful: Facebook, blogs, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Facebook
Benefits: Great for keeping in touch with friends and far-flung family...now also used well for businesses.

How to use it: Create a Facebook page JUST for your business, then update it one to two times per week. Join in discussions about topics relevant to your business and customer base. A printer, for example, might join conversations about local area businesses and the chamber of commerce.

Blogs
Benefits: Terrific for your search engine optimization. A great way to let people know what is going on with your business. Somewhat more personal feeling than a standard website.

How to use it: Lots of great, free blogging tools are available. If you decide to start a blog, you should commit to posting at least one blog entry per week, to encourage repeat readership and maximize the SEO benefits.

Twitter
Benefits: Short and sweet. Allows people to follow you and get information that is up-to-date and content rich in short sentences.

How to use it: For Twitter, you'll want to post something fresh every day. Don't tweet about what you're doing at the moment. Instead, tweet links to helpful websites and articles people might find fascinating. Follow your competitors and customers on Twitter, and listen to what they're saying and doing.

LinkedIn
Benefits: A great business networking site. Easy and common sense.

How to use it: Add updates at least once per month. Join groups relevant to your business. And answer questions from other members.

Tips to bring your email under control

2010-12-31T09:11:00.001-08:00

Have you heard the phrase "inbox zero"? It refers to having no messages unread and unacted upon in your email inbox. With so many messages coming in all day long from colleagues, clients, retailers, and opt-in services (such as e-newsletters, newsgroups, and other subscriptions), is inbox zero even possible? In some cases, maybe not. But even if your inbox seems completely out of control, there are some things you can do to tidy it up and restore some sense of sanity.

For starters, create folders and subfolders where you can store messages in a more organized manner for future followup. Start with folders for email from clients, email from colleagues, newsletter subscriptions, etc. Add a folder for urgent messages requiring immediate attention, and consider a folder for each day of the week, where you can drop messages that require action on those particular days.

Once you have your folders in place, set up mail filters to automatically route your messages to the appropriate place. Filters are especially helpful for subscriptions and newsgroup messages, which might otherwise clog up your inbox. By having those messages routed automatically, you can focus your attention on the rest of your mail or check a specific folder at a specified time and see just the messages that are relevant for you at that time.

Another option is to set up an alternate email address for opt-in newsletters, newsgroups, and online transactions. This will help to declutter your main email inbox, cut down on the "noise," and help you feel less overwhelmed. It will also have the added benefit of reducing unwanted and unsolicited emails, as spambots won't have a chance to grab your primary email address off discussion boards, comment screens, and the like.

And finally, once you've acted on a message, delete it or archive it for future reference. Many people who struggle with inbox overload exacerbate the problem by leaving messages in their inbox, even after they are no longer relevant. If you can't bring yourself to part with old messages, archive them instead, somewhere outside the inbox, where they won't get in the way.

Not all PR is good PR after all

2010-12-28T14:56:00.000-08:00

Just weeks ago, negative comments on Internet review sites (Yelp, Google Places etc.) were as good for your SEO as bad ones. Google has changed the rules.

The argument used to be that Google couldn't downgrade your ranking based on negative comments because that meant your competitors could hurt you, even when what they said wasn't true.

Google's policy seemed to make sense, but what happened was that Google counted the number of reviews (quantity) and how fast the reviews came (velocity), not the context (good or bad) of the review. Consequently, 1,000 horrible reviews that came in during a single week actually BOOSTED rankings, while four good reviews over a period of a year did little or nothing.

All of that changed recently. Now, Google is going to weigh good reviews over bad reviews, but this has a lot of issues, too. It means you need to watch out for mentions of you EVERYWHERE, and you need to stay on top of them. Seriously.

So how do you do that?

There are actually a lot of interesting services out there that can help you...and (of course) Google tops the list. You can set up a "Google Alert" (http://www.google.com/alerts) with the name of your company and get an email if there is a mention. You can have an alert sent to your phone if there is a mention of you on Twitter, too. But what about all the other stuff? What if someone disses you on Yelp or Facebook?

Here is a list of services that you can use to keep track of your brand online. http://is.gd/j5YgX

Celebrating Your Company's Anniversary

2010-12-27T14:12:00.001-08:00

We have a client who recently celebrated 15 years in business. Not that it matters, but 15 years is the average lifespan of a woodchuck. Being around for 15 years can be a big deal for small businesses and woodchucks.

It's important that your customers know about your longevity. People like doing business with companies that have been around for awhile. It makes them confident you know what you're doing. It's that competency thing you've heard so much about.

Sometimes, people are shy about getting older. My mother said her birthday is "just another day." When I'm 95, I'm going to celebrate every day as if it's my birthday. I'm going to let everyone know that I've made it another day, and I'm not going to be shy about it. Party like a rock star.

You shouldn't be shy about celebrating your business anniversary. It's an important event and will cost nowhere near what it costs to marry off your daughter. Given all the goodwill marketing you will receive, getting out the word is extremely inexpensive. We all like inexpensive.

Start with anniversary labels. Stock labels have been around for years. Stock labels look like stock labels. If you take marketing seriously, spend a few more pennies and get some custom made. Stick them on everything. Next year, they will be as passe as today's television network schedules.

How about some thank you cards for loyal customers? People like thank you cards, and it's becoming a lost art. Thank you for being with us over the long haul. Here's a 10% discount for being loyal. We need you, and I hope you need us. It's a partnership we'd like to continue in the future. It's a better deal than Conan O'Brien got from NBC.

Testimonials. Nothing is better than testimonials. Print a simple brochure you can stuff into every envelope you mail. "A good belt keeps your pants up, and there's no better place to buy a belt than Ernie's Belt Shop." I'm a printer. A few years ago, I did a testimonial for a paper company. I got four orders from it. Testimonials work two ways. It's a gimme.

There are so many more ideas. We can work together to see what fits you. Give me a call. Shoot me an email...and happy anniversary.

Can you answer a few simple questions?

2010-12-17T09:47:00.000-08:00

If I asked you, in an elevator, "Who buys your product or service?" could you tell me? Are you business to business? Business to consumer? What does your typical customer look like? What does your ideal customer look like? Who are your competitors? How are you different from them?

In a market saturated with choices, few companies have the luxury of customers coming to them because there is no place else to go. Unlike the post office, you aren't a monopoly. So knowing who you are going after, and what makes you different (and better), is pretty darn important.

Charen Smith writes, "Getting to know your market makes you aware of the individual peculiarities of the people that make up this particular sector." The more you know the people who buy what you sell, the more exactly you can market to them. The more exactly you market, the more "right" customers will come to you. So know your market... and your competition!

Too Much of a Good Thing

2010-12-14T09:52:00.001-08:00

Choices are good, right? Yes... to a point. Neuropsychologist Susan Weinschenk wrote, "Resist the impulse to provide lots and lots of choices to your customers. Remember, they will say they want lots of choices, and you will think that lots of choices are a good thing (because you like them, too), but having too many choices means many customers won't buy at all."

Seriously, if your marketing is all over the place and you are offering a zillion different things in a zillion different ways, you are in real danger of driving customers away.

Study after study show that while people do want choices, having too many choices makes it harder for them to pick... and that means they might walk away in frustration.

So simplify your offers. Make it clear what the offer is and when that offer ends.

Hick's Law states that the time it takes to make a decision increases with the number and complexity of choices. As decision time increases, the user experience suffers. Don't make your customers suffer.

I'd Buy That for a Dollar

2010-12-07T09:30:00.000-08:00

There are only two ways to make more money in any business: reduce costs and sell more products or services. There are lots of ways to "sell more," but the easiest way is to get more work from your existing customers.

80% of your business is typically repeat customers. But about 80% of most marketing campaigns focus on new business. Marketing campaigns that are heavily focused on bringing in new customers ignore the fabulous potential of what you already have: a viable relationship with your current customers.

One marketing method that is tried and true for reaching an existing customer base is the customer survey. It allows customers to voice their opinions, share their concerns, and see how much you truly care about what they have to say.

Creating a survey is a fairly straightforward process. Getting your customers to respond to it might require a little extra work. One way to boost your response rate is to include a little cash with the survey as a way of thanking customers for their replies.

That's right. I said cash. Send a dollar or two with each survey. Not "we'll pay you on completion" or "here's something worth a dollar." Let your customers open up the mailer and have a dollar bill fall out. You may be amazed at the return you get!

The benefits of a survey are well worth the cost. Remember you are sending this to your EXISTING customers. They already know you, and they will give you invaluble information about what they aren't buying from you... and WHY!

There are many ways to increase response with your direct mail. Give us a call at 877-322-0773 to discuss how we can increase yours!

Advertising that makes a lasting impression

2010-12-06T14:08:00.000-08:00

There aren't many advertising options that make a lasting impression unless they are extremely clever or are in your face all the time so I thought I would focus on some of the things businesses could do that would make their business be remembered.

#1: Notepads: Everyone uses them for business or personal use or both. If your branding is on it, they will see your marketing message every time they look at it and even when they aren't specifically thinking about your business, it could possibly remind them that they needed to call you for your product or service.

#2: Mousepads: This will work the same way as the notepads. Another constant reminder that they need to call you for your products or services. Have you seen Hall Letter Shop's notepads that work as a mousepad. We think they are kind of clever and people seem to love the idea!

Those are just a couple ways! We have a 25% discount on our personalized notepads right now. If interested, call us at 877-322-0773.

What are the ways you leave a lasting impression with your advertising?

QR Codes - Uses for Events

2010-12-06T10:48:00.000-08:00

Whether Event Planning is your business or you plan events for your company or even personal events or just want to promote your attendance at an event, there are many ways you can use QR Codes to get the word out about your event.

#1: Apparel - Put your QR Code on T-Shirts. Have your staff and maybe even family/friends wear them and when it is scanned, it can go to your event information web page. You could also wear these at the event to promote other things.

#2: Your car - Put a QR Code on your car. Whether it is a magnetic sign or a sticker, it will attract attention and people can scan it as you drive by.

#3: Ticketing: Use QR Codes on your event tickets so you can scan them for entry to the event which will give you information about each individual person who attended the event. They have software that will create individual QR Codes for each attendee and it is possible to SMS the ticket buyer with their ticket instead of having to have a paper ticket which is a very green way to do it!

#4: Marketing Materials: Add a QR Code to your billboard, signage, banners, event flyers, invitations, newspaper ads, etc. It can go to the event page or a video talking about the event or right to the buy tickets page.

#5: Badges: Add QR Codes to the badges for your event. Whether it has information about your company or information about the badge wearer so vendors and event attendees can get more information about eachother easily, it is another great way to share information. To think, lets say you have 500 people at your event, that is 500 badges that have the potential to get scanned!

These are just some ideas of how you can use QR Codes for Events! Have you used them? Share with us your ideas for QR Codes.

Hall Letter Shop can help you integrate your marketing materials with QR Codes. Call us at 877-322-0773.

Christmas gift ideas

2010-12-03T13:37:00.000-08:00

Still looking for gifts for your family and friends? Here are some inexpensive ideas for the active person in your life.

Check out our Active Life Cards! They are perfect for parents or anyone who has hobbies or passion for the things they love.

We have cards for mom's and dad's to share their important contact information with other parents, teachers, sports teams and more!

We also have cards for social media lovers, motorcycle riders and clubs, sports enthusiasts, book clubs and most other hobbies!

They will use them when they are on the go and thank you for such a unique and thoughtful gift.

Click here for more information!

QR Codes - Uses for Retail Businesses

2010-12-03T10:21:00.000-08:00

Part 2 of our uses for QR Codes will cover Retail businesses. There are many ways you can use QR Codes! For example, did you see Target's Toy Book this year? There were at least 3 QR Codes in the book that took the consumer to cute videos about each of the toys!

Here are some ways you can use QR Codes:

Marketing Materials:

Like Target, if you have a catalog or sheet with items, you can add QR Codes to it and send the customer right to that item on your website, to a video demonstration, to pictures of the item and more! If you have door hangers or postcards or even wall posters, you can also add QR Codes to that. If you have banners outside of your store, you can add a QR Code to it and potential customers can scan it while driving by to get more information, too. You can even add it to your signage!

Packaging:

Do you have custom packaging or tags? Adding a QR Codes to your packaging and tags can give the customers fast access to your website so they can buy more from you.

Items:

If you don't have custom packaging or tags, you could add a QR Code sticker to the bottom of an item so that the customer always remembers where they got it from and when they want more, all they have to do is scan the QR Code to order more! You could also add a QR Code sign next to an item that will send them to a demonstration video of that product or give them more details about how the item works.

Those are just a few ways you can use QR Codes for your retail business! Imagine what else you could do with them.

Don't have a brick and mortar store? Some of the solutions I mentioned will work for you, too!

Hall Letter Shop can help you implement QR Codes into your marketing. We also can help you with printing of packaging or tags, direct mail, door hangers and more! Call us at 877-322-0773.

Uses for QR Codes: Let's start with Real Estate

2010-12-02T13:46:00.000-08:00

QR Codes: You've seen them before. They look like black-and-white puzzles or games boards. You may have seen them in magazine advertisements, on billboards, or on the backs of business cards. You use your smart phone to scan it and it takes you to a website, gives you contact information, takes you to a video, etc.

How can I use this for my Real Estate Business?

Having been in Real Estate in different capacities myself for many years, there are many great ways to use QR Codes for your business.

#1: Listings:

You can put QR Codes on your flyers and postcards that take the potential buyer to a virtual tour, to more listing information or your contact information.

#2: Marketing Materials:

You can add a QR Code to your business card, brochures, listing packets, that will download your contact information on to their phone or have it go to your website to see the listings you have.

#3: Signs:

When you have your custom signs made with your name on it, add a QR Code on your sign or have a sign rider made for it so that potential buyers can scan it to go to your listings or get your contact information. Also, you can just make your own sign with a QR Code on it to use when you have an open house and put it on the corners and when it is scanned, they will get the open house information and location. You can also use those signs on the lawn of your house that you have for sale and the potential buyer wouldn't even have to get out of their car to scan it and see the information on the listing.

Here are just a few ideas for ways to use QR Codes for Real Estate! QR Codes are free to add to your marketing and it is an easy effective way to get more eyes looking at your listings!

Are you using QR Codes for your marketing currently? Share what has worked for you!

Hall Letter Shop can help you incorporate QR Codes into your marketing, give us a call at 877-322-0773.

Motivating Buyers Into Action

2010-11-30T11:26:00.000-08:00

Here's a harsh reality every business must face: All the marketing in the world isn't much good if the buyer fails to act. If you had a dollar for everyone who intended to call you but didn't, you'd be far richer than you are right now. So how do you motivate your customers to pick up that phone?

There are a lot of ways to harness the 'power of now' (to borrow a phrase). Reply cards, self-addressed stamped envelopes, toll-free numbers, offering a gift with purchase, coupons that set a time limit or an offer limit... the list goes on. Motivating action can take a lot of forms, but setting a deadline, creating an incentive, limiting an offer, and guaranteeing satisfaction are four of the most powerful.

Setting a deadline is simple. You must act before October 1 to qualify for these prices. Deadlines are important to our very basic psychology. From tax attorney to tea shop, it is possible and desirable to create deadlines.

You know those pe ople who say, "We'll plant a tree if you buy this from us"? They are offering an incentive. Now, only you know the kind of incentive that will motivate your customers, so offer one, and see what happens.

Limiting the offer means offering it to only the first 20 people who come in, or the first 100 people who call. Or even something along the lines of 'limited quantities, first come, first served.' Limiting the offer encourages people to be first, and motivates them to act, so they don't miss out on whatever incentive you're offering.

Guarantee satisfaction. This goes back to credibility. Showing that you are so super confident in your product that you're willing to offer a satisfaction guarantee pushes your credibility through the roof!

Some Modern Pricing Stands the Test of Time

2010-11-29T09:57:00.000-08:00

Ever find yourself waxing nostalgic about the days when gas was less than $1.00 per gallon, soft drinks cost 10 cents, and you could feed a family of four for under $10? Inflation seems to be a natural part of life... except when it comes to technology. While most consumables have gotten more expensive with time, many of today's high-powered consumer electronic goods are vastly cheaper than their predecessors, when compared in today's dollars.

For example, the Atari 2600 sold for $200 in 1977. Today, Nintendo's Wii sells for the same price, while Microsoft's Xbox 360 sells for around $250. On the surface, these numbers seem comparable, but in reality, they are not. At $200 in 1977, that Atari would put you back $589 today.
And what about cellphones? In 1983, a DynaTAC 8000x sold for $4,000. Today, the Apple iPhone sells for around $499. That's a striking enough difference by any standards, but if you calculate the price in today's dollars, that DynaTAC would run you a staggering $8,589.

Televisions, computers, printers, and other consumer electronics have also gone down in price significantly, even as the technology behind them has improved by leaps and bounds.

Intac.net, a trusted source for information on web hosting technologies, has put together an infographic featuring these and other comparisons that will show you just how good we have it today when it comes to consumer electronics pricing. You can find the details on Intac's website, at http://www.intac.net/the-cost-of-technology/.

Who Is This From Again?

2010-11-23T09:24:00.000-08:00

If I had a nickel for every time I've seen websites, postcards, and email messages without contact information, I'd be a rich, retired printer.

Contact information does NOT belong buried on a special page of your website. It does NOT belong in tiny letters on your letterhead. Contact information belongs in nice, big, fat, easy-to-find letters on ANYTHING of yours that your customers touch.

Make sure your website address, phone number, and physical address are at the bottom of each email you or your employees send. Make sure it is big and bold on each page of your website. Make sure it is clean and clear on each envelope, postcard, flyer, poster, and letter you print. And if it isn't, well I just happen to know a really good printer who can help you make sure it is.

Playdates, Soccer games & Sleepovers....Oh My!

2010-11-15T15:10:00.000-08:00

Being a mom or dad can be tough! Keeping up with the kid's schedules, homework, school activities and everything that it takes to be a parent can be alot to handle.

No wonder why our Mom/Dad Cards are so popular! You have your contact information ready at your fingertips to give to babysitters, day care, teachers, your kid's friends parents and don't have to worry about being contacted if you need to be because they will have immediate means of getting a hold of you.

Here is an example:

These cards are fully customizable and you don't have to buy alot.....just buy them when you need them!

If you wanted, you could add any allergies or any special instructions for taking care of your child on it which will ensure they take good care of your kids!

Go to our website to check them out and get started!

7 ways printing can help you survive a zombie outbreak..

2010-11-12T15:11:00.001-08:00

That got your attention, didn't it? And it illustrates a simple marketing truth: Be compelling. You could have the most amazing stuff to sell, but if you don't make it compelling to read, then you aren't going to get far.

Now, before you start wondering, "But what about the zombies?" don't worry. Here's the list I promised at the beginning of this column, along with some nuggets you might not have known about our printing firm:

7. A printed map will let you know where the zombie hangouts are, so they can be avoided. Invaluable for tourists in Washington, DC, so they can avoid the walking dead at the Capitol and White House! Did you know we can print maps?

6. Bright-colored packaging, with realistic imagery, advertising TV dinners for zombies will placate today's lazy, new age zombies, who are more interested in convenience than substance, when it comes to preparing their meals. Did you know we can print all types of packaging?

5. Printed direct mail pieces can alert citizens to a zombie outbreak, and how to respond to an encounter; sort of an abbreviated version of zombies for dummies. Did you know we can print YOUR manuals, self-help guides, direct mail pieces, and alerts?

4. A well-organized, web-to-print portal will allow you to stay inside and order your printing, and not be susceptible to roving zombies. Did you know you can log in to our website, order printing, and send us files without leaving your desk?

3. Printed signs can direct the zombies to walk back to their graves or into the ocean. Did you know we can print your signs, get your car graphics designed, and make sure people know where to go?

2. Bumper stickers can alert drivers to HONK IF YOU'RE A ZOMBIE. Did you know we can print bumper stickers, labels, and other sticky stuff?

1. Printed zombie masks for humans will fool the zombies, so they won't attack you for your flesh and brains! Did you know we are can help you with all your printing needs? No fooling.

That Email is Bigger Than You

2010-11-05T15:15:00.000-07:00

You want more business right? So you've been working on your database, right? You are working on your lead lists, your social media lists, your direct mail lists...right? I knew you were! Me too! What about your email marketing lists, So do you have a survey on what you are sending out? Are you asking people to "opt-in"? Are you linking properly?

Think about Forwarding... what happens if your email gets forwarded? The people you send the email to, presumably, know who you are and why you are emailing them...but hopefully your email is SO great and interesting and fabulous that they get forwarded to people DO NOT know you. If they like what you have to say, and you make it easy for them, they might just click a link in your emails to join your email list...so make sure that join button is in the email.

Think about FaceBook or Twitter: So someone clicks the link in your email and they get taken to your web page that is a web version of your email. That web version is what you tweet, put on FaceBook, LinkedIn...so you can spread that email around If you've got a link to sign up for "email-only" offers, these new readers just might sign up.

Think about Surveys: if you ask people what they think about you and your product you can get feedback, testimonials and comments. The answers you use to improve your business, put as testimonials on your website and focus your marketing. And you will get a greater response rate if you actually ask people to do something.

It's not hard to do, and doesn't take much to get a few new sign ups. And who knows? They may just become some of your best customers!

Targeting "Me"

2010-11-02T16:12:00.000-07:00

The single best sales strategy in the world is to find your best clients and ask them, "How do I get more clients like you?"

I was in a store last month chatting with the owner, and she said to me: "You're my ideal customer; how do I get more of you?" I thought about it for a moment and told her how I'd found her. We then sat down for a while and figured out how to target more 'me's'. (I am a printer and a salesperson after all!) I was able to buy her a mailing list for people in her demographic and do a series of direct mail pieces to people like me.

Because she asked her customer how to grow, her customer actually answered. So, talk to your customers!

By Jennifer Adelman

Don't Assume

2010-10-27T11:22:00.001-07:00

Never assume your current clients know all you can do for them. The best way to get more business is to get more from existing customers. The only way you can do that is to keep telling them all that you do. One marketing strategy for this is to send out a printed piece that lists all the things you do followed by pieces that expand on each individual item. The way a printer might do this is to create a piece that talks about brochures, business cards, wide format printing, book binding, and so forth, with a short paragraph about each thing. This would then be followed with a postcard that talks more about each individual item.

This strategy works well for most businesses -- from lawn care to lawyers. Mowing, landscaping, xeriscaping, etc., followed by details of what each of those things is and why. Litigation, taxes, wills, etc., you get the picture.

Keep telling people about the things you do, and don't get frustrated if they don't seem to "get it" right away. No matter how many years I've been working with a printing client, I still get people walking in who say, "Oh, you do that? I had no idea!" It can be frustrating when you think you've gotten your message out...but that sentence is an opportunity for me to tell people about all my printing and marketing services...and it is an opportunity for you to tell people what you do, too.

What is the most valuable benefit about going to trade shows?

2010-10-27T09:23:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Hall Letter Shop was at the Bakersfield Business Expo and we were lucky to meet some great people and see some great people that are already customers and friends of ours.

We were very excited to show some of our new products and technology including the use of QR Codes, Cross-Media Marketing and more. Going to Business shows like that is invaluable to a business like ours and a great way to market products and services that are offered!

Tell us: Do you go to trade shows for your business? What type of business do you have? If you do go, what is the most valuable benefit to going to trade shows? What successes have you had? If you don't go, why not?

How are you using your time?

2010-10-22T10:56:00.000-07:00

I ran across a startling infographic I thought I'd share with you. It's on the website Information Is Beautiful, at http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/2010/cognitive-surplus-visualized/. US adults spend roughly 200 billion hours (combined) watching TV each year. By contrast, it took just 100 million hours to create Wikipedia.

All of us at one time or another have wished we had more time. But have we stopped to think about how we're using the time we have? Are we contributing more to mindless activities like watching TV, or are we using our time for more worthwhile pursuits?

It's something to think about, the next time you reach for the remote control.

World Leaders... In Their Own Words... For Free

2010-10-19T10:27:00.000-07:00

If you're looking for powerful speeches from some of the top thinkers in business, entertainment, and politics from around the world, look no further than TED.com. TED, which stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design, is a nonprofit group that sponsors conferences across the US and UK. Attendees pay to hear thought leaders ranging from Al Gore and Steve Jobs to Dr. Jane Goodall and writer J.J. Abrams.

What's unique about TED is that the group makes all of its past speeches available free on its website and even allows reposting. An archive of over 600 speeches, searchable by name and topic/theme, is available, with translations into more than 75 languages. The site also includes a blog, a thriving online community, and information about upcoming events.

For more information visit http://www.ted.com. But be warned. Once you get there, you might never want to leave.

What's your Twitter Grade?

2010-10-12T09:36:00.001-07:00

What's Your Twitter Grade?

Influence is a hot topic in social media circles. Becoming influential -- or at least getting noticed by those who already are -- can help spread your message on sites like Twitter through mentions, retweets, and click-throughs to your website. One site that purports to score Twitter accounts on their level of influence is Klout.com.

As the site explains, "The Klout Score is a measurement of your overall online influence." Scores range from 0-100 and are based off 25 variables that combine to measure a user's reach, amplification, and network strength. "We believe influence is the ability to drive people to action," the site continues. "Action might be defined as a reply, a retweet, or clicking on a link."

Because scores are based on such diverse criteria, a user's raw follower count does not ensure them of a high Klout score. Similarly, a person with few followers might have a higher Klout score because of the quality of those followers and the conversations that take place between the user and their community.

To test your Twitter "klout," go to http://klout.com and enter your Twitter username in the box. You can re-check your score once a week, to see how well you're doing at improving your engagement.

Mining for Data Gold

2010-10-08T10:45:00.001-07:00

Information is power. You and I both know that, but you may not realize just how powerful information can be or how it can be used. Think of the marketing power behind what you know. The children's shoe shop that collects the names and birthdays of its small customers can use that data to send out personalized postcards with a birthday coupon. Flower shops can keep track of anniversaries. Vets can send out updates about shots.

Your database represents a goldmine of information for all your marketing plans...but many small businesses are awful at maintaining a great database. Are you? Is your goldmine brimming with information, or is it played out?

This weekend, spend some time updating, editing, and cleaning your database. Gather names, addresses, phone numbers, and email information from your invoices, handwritten notes, emails, and existing data. Then put all of that information into one database you can use. Your "database" may consist of little more than a simple Excel spreadsheet, or it may require a more robust solution, such as ACT, Goldmine, QuickBooks, or any number of other options.

Going forward, get your staff to ask for complete information. Create a basic information form or questionnaire for customers and prospects, and use it to get the kind of information you can use to better know – and understand – your customers and their needs.

Share and Share Alike

2010-10-06T10:28:00.000-07:00

Do you want to increase the traffic to your blog? One way to do that is by encouraging visitors to share your content on their various social networks. Facebook offers a couple ways to do this. The first is the "Like" button, which you can add to any page on the Internet. In most cases, the feature requires just a single line of HTML code, which you can download from the Facebook website (http://developers.facebook.com/docs/guides/web#plugins). The second is the Facebook Share link, which you can access here (http://www.facebook.com/share/). Again, you need just a small piece of code that you can add to any page on your blog.

Twitter recently created its own share button, similar to Facebook's. You can learn more by visiting http://twitter.com/goodies/tweetbutton. Another good Twitter sharing tool is TweetMeme. Their website is http://tweetmeme.com.

Depending on the blogging site you use, there might be plugins available to automate the process. Check with your blog provider to find out more. In any case, adding share and like-style buttons to your website and blog are a great way to increase traffic and generate more buzz.

Cross-Media Marketing

2010-10-04T16:59:00.001-07:00

Hall Letter Shop is excited to announce our implementation of MindFire marketing intelligence software. New capabilities include creation and deployment of targeted, trackable cross-media campaigns.

Marketing Professionals and businesses are becoming increasingly interested in a higher level of interactivity from their marketing and advertising efforts. There is also a demand for higher response rates and a real time measurement of campaign effectiveness.

By blending the strengths of Direct Mail, the Internet, Email, Social Media, QR codes and other advertising media with the power of real time result reporting, you get a new and more effective marketing technique called cross-media marketing.

Is Busyness Hurting Your Business?

2010-10-01T12:35:00.000-07:00

All too often the "shoemaker's kids have no shoes" effect takes place in businesses. Many business owners get so wrapped up in the day-to-day struggles of staying afloat that they forget to step back and look at the bigger picture as often as they should.

Whether you are a small, independent business or not, you should have a marketing strategy that ensures your company is properly equipped and focused to move in the right direction.

Sit down with a pencil, and write out your objectives; your long-term goals and vision; your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats; and what you can do now to ensure success down the road. Don't assume you are too small to have a strategy or that busyness now will ensure continued success in the future. There is nothing more embarrassing than being a shoemaker whose kids have no shoes!

All the elements of the marketing process (objectives, segmentation, targeting, positioning and product, price, place, promotion) need to be considered. Everything should be measured based on your objectives and continually adjusted as necessary.

Above all, you should be able to immediately answer the question: Why should someone use you over your competitor? Are you more "strategy"-focused? Do you offer a more competitive per diem? Do you have 24/7 availability? Do you have 30 years of experience in your field? What makes you worth buying from? If you can't explain it to yourself, how are you going to communicate it effectively to your customer?

Welcome to Hall Letter Shop's Blog!

2010-10-01T12:33:00.000-07:00

We will be featuring traditional/online/social media articles that will be helpful to your business and keep you updated about the services that Hall Letter Shop offers.

Hope you enjoy!