More Than Just Ink On Paper

The last year and a half with the COVID pandemic has been highly disruptive, breaking relationships and forcing distance between people in all facets of life. Business hasn't been excluded from that effect. That's why it's more important now to reintroduce your products and services to clients and remind them that you exist, you can help, and you're available for them. Remember, out of sight is out of mind; clients forget why they used a service when there's a lack of contact and frequency. And that leaves room for your market to erode and someone else to fill the gap if they happen to be present. 5 Ways to Reconnect To Your Audience 1. Be Proactive Part of reconnecting means being proactive and reaching out again, even without an invite. A client will be fine with communication most of the time, noting they forgot how much they relied on your service. Use that opener to remind them how valuable your support was for their needs. Even if they don't ...

Are you a new manager? Or an old pro? Or somewhere in between? It really doesn’t matter because there’s always room for sharpening your edge as a leader. Here are ten things you should ask yourself to determine if your leadership needs to be honed. 10 Leadership Questions to Ask Yourself 1. Do I treat my employees like friends or employees? When it comes to employees, you may have once been a part of their team, but as a manager, you are a part of the management team. This means you should not treat your employees as friends in an informal way. You can have fun with them, but maintain your leadership role and keep things professional. 2. Do I use situational leadership? There is no cookie-cutter answer for dealing with people. Employees need to be handled individually. Each one has different strengths and weaknesses, and your leadership should involve a tailor-made interaction with each of them. You will need to coach some people in one area, and other people...

When it comes to business writing overall, how do you measure up?   Overall, businesses spend $3.1 billion on remedial writing training for their employees annually. We’re not offering a class, but we have compiled a list of professional writing tips to aid you in your business communication. Even if English wasn’t your favorite subject in school, using these tips will make you look like a pro. Writing Like a Pro with These Tips Know your audience. Think about who you are writing to. Is it a customer? A potential customer? A coworker? Your boss? There are different ways to communicate with all of these people. Keep the audience in the forefront of your mind when you start your composition. Think about your tone. Think about how formal you want to appear. Do you want to sound like a corporate store or a friend? Do you want to be lighthearted or more serious? Think about this as you write; then, keep your tone consistent. Watch your punctuation and gra...

There are many ways to increase business through marketing with print. Although the world has experienced an unparalleled technological revolution, print media’s importance in reaching customers remains an uncontested force. According to Forbes , print marketing is more recognizable, memorable, and decipherable to consumers than its digital counterpart.   As old as advertising itself, print media is an invaluable resource. A host of strategies have yielded results over time; however, unique print marketing campaigns have ultimately proven the most successful.  Utilize Social Media’s Simplistic Design Most companies have adopted digital media into their marketing repertoire. Customers enjoy simplistic layouts, separating information and graphics. Plus, it has become a recognizable feature of this media-minded society.   Easy ways to incorporate digital inspiration into print marketing include (but are not limited to):  Signage on ...

Employees lose an average of 581 hours a year to distractions, such as cell phones, emails, and other social media, to name a few. This is over 14 weeks, per person, spent not actually working. You might be wondering if there is anything you can do to become more focused. We’ve compiled a list of 10 steps you can take to ensure you’re working smarter, not harder. 10 Steps to Boost Your Productivity 1. Limit how often you check your email.  According to The Economist Intelligence Unit report In Search of Lost Focus, 70% of critical-thinking employees disrupt their own progress in order to check email at least once an hour. And 18% check their email every few minutes. Try to use email as a reward for accomplishing a large task. Set a time limit so that you don’t get caught up in social media. Then, go ahead and turn it off until your task is done.   2. Get up and move around.  Getting a little exercise is shown to improve concentration...

Developing a strong brand isn’t as easy as others think. It’s no secret that consumers purchase based on trust, but how can businesses develop that trust if no one knows who you are? That’s the power of a brand strategy. If you don’t have a strategy in place, it’s like driving on the road with no destination. The ultimate goal should be getting customers to connect with you, not your logo, not the website, and not the name (even if it’s catchy). A good brand strategy works behind the scenes, providing value that continues after they buy. Key Components of a Good Brand Strategy Purpose What is the promise to the customer? Why are we in business? Why is it important to us? These are the driving factors that set businesses apart. Thinking of it in terms of monetary and also non-monetary makes the difference. Emotion While it may sound weird, it’s true. Customers are emotional about the brands they support because those brands can ...

When you're ready to bring your creative ideas to life in print, these tips will ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible.  Always Include High-Resolution Images If you have specific images you want to be included in your print marketing, you need to use high-quality photos. If the images are not clear enough, they will not turn out well when printing. A few tips to keep in mind include: Stay away from random images you find on the internet, as these usually do not show up clearly on the final print. Use JPEG or TIFF files for your prints because these are easy and familiar file formats for the professional service. Take advantage of preflight tools that can help you catch issues with your images before you submit them. If you use high-resolution images, you place your order in the best position possible to be successful.  Do Not Drag Logos Off of Your Website If you are ordering branded content, you need to think carefully about where your logo comes fro...

Whether you’re starting a business, you’ve been around for 100+ years, or you’re somewhere in between, it’s important to conduct a competitive analysis. A competitive analysis allows you to see gaps within the market that you can take advantage of. You can find ways to improve your business, create a better marketing strategy, and ultimately produce a stronger business. Although time-consuming, breaking down the process into steps will make it more manageable.  Tips to Help You Analyze the Competition Find Businesses Find businesses similar to your own. These competitors will help you learn valuable information. When scoping out the competition, try using such tools as web searches, social media, and websites specifically geared to help answer your questions about other businesses.  When looking for competitors, keep in mind that they can be divided into two categories: direct and indirect. Direct competitors sell the same products as y...