More Than Just Ink On Paper

Competitive advantages are the factors that allow your company to produce goods or services better or more cheaply than your rivals and are the key factors in what makes your business better than others. If your competitive advantage can be easily copied or imitated, it is not considered a competitive advantage. Your competitive advantage is the essence of your strategy, messaging, and marketing. According to Jack Welch, “If you don’t have a competitive advantage, don’t compete.” Comparative Advantage vs. Differential Advantage  Comparative advantages and differential advantages are the two different forms of competitive advantages. A comparative advantage is your company’s ability to produce something more efficiently, leading to greater profit margins. One way to achieve a comparative advantage is to increase your economies of scale. An economy of scale is the savings in costs your company generates when it increases levels of productio...

Happy New Year! How crazy it’s already 2022! How was your 2021 marketing strategy? Whether splendid or slightly lacking, any marketing strategy has room for improvement. In the new year, try incorporating (or reincorporating) direct mail marketing strategies. This long-standing proven method, with added new technology, is a perfect way to hit the ground running in 2022. And the best part? It can start with a simple postcard. The Many Benefits of Postcards Postcards are highly effective. Did you know that 86% of customers take the time to read through their mail? Due to postcards’ higher visibility, you can expect a higher response rate than any other marketing medium, along with a 70% higher brand recall. This translates into a high return on investment. Every $167 spent translates into about $2000 in goods sold. That’s a great investment! Increase your benefits by incorporating a fantastic postcard design.  The Postcard Design The postcard desi...

Storytelling has been around for ages. To this day, people love stories. It unites people while stimulating imagination and passion. Although often seen as a fun pastime, stories usually have a purpose, such as sharing a message, conveying a moral, or telling history.  Humanize the business One sometimes overlooked use of stories is within business marketing campaigns. Stories can be especially moving in the marketing world. Storytelling humanizes the brand, which is beneficial because people like buying from other people. The more you can humanize the brand, the better.  Stories to remember  Storytelling is also useful for remembrance. People tend to remember stories better than they do statistics. Sometimes, being remembered is half the battle. After all, the marketing world is saturated with numerous businesses vying for attention. “Brands that tell more sell more.” Storytelling is a unique way to stand out. Stories take on different formats ...

The new year is a terrific time to focus on your health. One of the greatest overall benefits to your health is eliminating or reducing your stress. Here are some tips on how to stay healthy when you’re stressed out. 1. Get regular exercise. This sounds simple enough, yet most of us struggle with it. Exercise can include parking farther away so you have a longer walk to work or the mall. It can involve swimming, playing basketball with a friend, and even window shopping at the mall. Just find ways to move around more and things you enjoy. 2. Keep a sense of humor. Try to relax enough to laugh. Read a joke book. Read a funny book or watch a funny TV show or movie. Have lunch with a friend who lightens the mood. 3. Try some relaxation techniques. Meditation, deep breathing, yoga, tai chi, or even getting a massage are great makes to stop awhile and take care of yourself. This is the best way to stay on top of your game. 4. Take time for hobbies. Think about wha...

Do you marvel at beautiful artwork? Are you dazzled by the use of exquisite colors? And are you perplexed as to how images are chosen for certain marketing efforts? That’s the job of a graphic designer. Designers have training in choosing colors and images; they make the ordinary a work of art.  Why You Need a Graphic Designer Even if you have ideas of what you want, a graphic designer can bring that vision to life. That’s why it’s best to leave the execution to the experts. Graphic designers know the rules and how to break them to create a compelling message. They are trained in color, form, line, shape, size, space, and texture. And the principles they must learn have to do with: balance, contrast, emphasis, movement, proportion, and rhythm. Graphic designers adhere to the principles of design. These basic principles achieve effective composition in creating balance and stability for the work. Most of us haven’t been trained this extensivel...

You know how a new haircut can change the way people see you? It can make all the difference in your level of professionalism. And die-cutting can do the same for your marketing materials. With die-cutting, the possibilities are as endless as your imagination. With fresh, new die-cut marketing materials, the public will definitely take notice. What is Die-Cutting? It is a cut using a sharp steel blade that is formed into any specific shape you want. It is then used to cut through the paper. It’s a lot like a cookie-cutter, except you cut paper instead of dough. Just think what you could do for your dull, old marketing materials. It’s not just circles and squares. Die-cutting allows you to make stair steps, holes, rounded corners, sharp points, and much more. Make any point you want with fresh, new die-cut materials. Creative Uses with Die-Cutting You have probably thought about using die-cutting on your business cards to make them stand out in the pile of rec...