Marketing for Professionals

Why relationship marketing works

2012-01-25T10:48:00.002-05:00

Getting on the first page of Google is one of the most competitive games in marketing.

It’s also not really necessary…

At Newsletters Ink PLUS, our best clients have found success by using a client newsletter as the centerpiece of a Relationship Marketing plan. . Relationship Marketing is the process of building upon the trust that current and former clients have in your firm, which will inspire loyalty and increase referrals. If done consistently, it can put you in a position to never have to worry about Google rankings again; your clients, and their friends and family, won’t have to go looking for you when the need arises. You’ll already be in the forefront of their minds and will be their first call.

Happy 2012 everyone! Here are some links for your reading pleasure...

2012-01-05T16:10:00.000-05:00

Don't like networking? The Attorney Marketing Center has some ideas on ways to market successfully without networking.
Why should you embrace your company's heretics? Click here to find out.
It doesn't have to be a race to the bottom, according to Seth Godin. Direct Response Marketing can be done well, and here's how.
Who's doing Mitt Romney's direct mail? I'm glad it's not Newsletters Ink, cause this is embarrassing.

Important notice on schedule

2011-12-21T11:25:00.000-05:00

Newsletters Ink will be closed from 2 p.m. on Friday until 9 a.m. on January 3rd. That means if you want to get an order in before the end of the calendar year, time is running out fast!

What Clever Advertising Can Teach Us About Buying Gifts - Click through to read an interesting article about how in gift-giving and advertising promos, less is often times more.

This and that

2011-12-15T13:50:00.000-05:00

Total spending on direct mail in 2010 rose 2.3% from the prior year to $44.9 billion.
The U.S. Postal Service is now offering Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM). EDDM allows marketers to blanket an area without having to purchase address lists.
75% of Millennial generation respondents from one study say the mail they receive is valuable and 73% of them have used a direct mail coupon.

Treat your business to a lil' luxury

2011-11-30T13:48:00.000-05:00

It was 1904 when Gillette began marketing the safety razor. By the time the dough boys returned from WWI, the new technology was the standard for men's shaving. Slipping away was the golden age of the barber shop.

A century later we can stare at a display full of razors with 3, 4, or 5 blades; none of which match the feeling of luxury a man gets from a shave at the barber shop. I think this is part of the reason we’ve seen a renaissance of the barber shop in recent years; sometimes, simple and luxurious beats complicated and mundane.

We’re living through a similar moment in the marketing world. Innovation is happening everyday as the Internet and social media change the way we think about promoting our businesses. At first, these new technologies pushed aside the old, print, and became the center of marketing plans. Now, smart marketers are leading a print renaissance. The new technology has done more than just introduce new platforms; it has also improved the existing ones. Printing is clearer, more colorful. On demand digital printing has opened up all new possibilities for what can be done in print marketing.

If you’ve abandoned print marketing, maybe it’s time to take a look at what’s new. Treat your business to a little luxury, it deserves it.

November 17, 2011

2011-11-17T13:11:00.000-05:00

Time is running low for getting holiday mailers ordered. If you would like to get holiday cards, calendars, etc to your clients before the end of December, try to get your order in before next Wednesday. We can still make it happen, but time is getting tight.
Here's some information on the newest Google search products.
The phones are not working at Newsletters Ink today. So we're not ignoring your calls. E-mail us at info@newslettersink.com if you need to reach us...to, say, place a holiday card order.

4 tips for creating an effective 2012 marketing plan

2011-11-10T11:01:00.000-05:00

Assuming the world doesn't end in 2012, you should start thinking about your marketing plan now that 2011 is coming close to its end. Here are 3 tips to keep in mind to make sure your plan is as effective as it can be.

1. Get out a calendar and plan by the month. We all know that consistency is king in marketing. Knowing what month you plan on sending each issue of your newsletter, when you'll do supplemental mailings, when you're planning on launching that new Web site, etc will allow you to stay consistent year-round and find opportunities to spread you marketing message across multiple platforms in a timely fashion.

2. Don't forget to market when you're busy. A lot of people assume they should do their marketing when business is slow and cut back when it's busy. This is not correct. Your busy times are busy for a reason, that's when people need you and what you have to offer. That's when they're thinking about you. This is the time to reach out. You can give your busy season a boost and lay the groundwork to bring in new business during your slow season, which is always right around the corner.

3. Stick with it. This is the hardest part of any plan. To successfully follow through, it is helpful to figure out how much money you will need for each part of your plan and start budgeting it at the beginning of the year.

4. Be flexible. There is nothing wrong with changing the plan during the year. The important thing is to think about marketing as a whole, instead of piece by piece. As conditions change, you have to be willing to change your plan along with them.

Google Maps usage charge likely won't affect you

2011-11-02T09:28:00.000-04:00

Google has announced that they will begin charging for heavy usage of its map service. The good news is that this charge will only affect about 0.35% of users, those with over 25,000 hits per day. So, if you're not registered, sign up now because it's still free and one of the best ways to be found by people in your neighborhood.

How to Get the Most From Holiday Cards

2011-10-24T12:05:00.000-04:00

by: NIP contributor

When you send cards during the busy holiday season, clients know you've thought of them. Be sure to choose high-quality holiday cards that reflect your image. We recommend that you stay away from cards about your profession; recipients are more likely to sense a lack of sincerity. Obviously, cards designed for a specific business group are mailed out en masse and appear less personal. Clients welcome more personal cards as warmly as cards they receive from family and friends.

Choose Wisely
So what kind of card should you send? Choose a card that communicates your image and reflects how you feel about your clients. Do you want to convey elegance, stability, global activity, a sense of humor, or patriotism? Be sure the card is not flimsy or inappropriate for the recipient. If your office or the recipient is located in Miami, a snowy scene may not be a good choice. The verse should be sincere to be effective. Avoid labels; the envelope should be either hand addressed or computer printed.

Whom to mail to?
We are frequently asked whom to mail to. The answer is current clients, inactive clients, prospects, supportive and referring businesses--everyone in your database. If a client hasn't come to you in a while, send them a holiday card; they may return due to your sincere display of caring. It's critical to keep your mailing list/database up-to-date with name changes, changes of address, and correct spelling. Remember to order and mail cards early, before the rush, to make your greeting stand out from others.

Should I include an offer?
Should you make an offer in your holiday mailings? It is a great idea if you do it the right way. In other words, it must come in the form of a gift, not a coupon. Clients want to know that you care about them and appreciate them as friends, which can work wonders in bringing you referrals and reactivating inactive clients. You may choose to include a magnet or similarly sized enclosure, or a gift certificate printed on attractive stock. The certificate might be for a free version of a service or product you offer, a calendar, or another item that you can reserve for them to pick up at your office by a certain date. Word this offer carefully to demonstrate that this is a special offer given to clients in appreciation for their trust/loyalty/business during the past year.

Remember, when you send holiday and birthday cards, thank-you notes, or newsletters, you stay in touch with clients and build trust. This trust is the glue that binds clients to you, and it is always more profitable to keep a current client than to find a new one!

Links for the day

2011-10-05T15:12:00.000-04:00

A few links for you today:

Calendars make a great marketing tool and there is still time left to get an order in for 2012.
Google+ plans to connect your entire online life to their service. What does that mean? Click here.
Is Facebook getting too complicated?
More social network related content - if you're not paying for it; you're the product.
The opposite of good customer service.

The ever-evolving world of social media

2011-09-23T11:21:00.001-04:00

Facebook has some big changes in store. How will the new Timeline feature effect your social media marketing presence?

It's probably too early to tell what these changes will mean to small businesses. In the past, minor changes have caused major uproars among users. If these changes are as big as they look, they will likely cause a big uproar. But every time the site changes people adjust and keep on doing their social media thing, so I would expect the same to happen this time. It looks like this is Facebook's latest move in their effort to fend off Google+.

Do you think it will work? How will this effect your social media strategy? Is Facebook still a marketing opportunity for small businesses? Are any of you utilizing Google+ yet? I'd love to hear some feedback from you in the comments.

Update: Here are some questions and answers about the changes.

New study shows how often to market

2011-09-12T13:59:00.000-04:00

A new study conducted by marketing professors at the University of California, Riverside; Boston College; and Southern Methodist University attempted to find out how much customer contact is too much. Read a summary of their findings here.

Happy (early) Labor Day!

2011-09-01T10:53:00.000-04:00

I'm going to be enjoying a long Labor Day weekend, so today I'd like to wish you all a great holiday.

A few interesting items for your consideration:

Hurricane Irene has forced our holiday card supplier to extend their early order discount period until September 10. Contact us for information.
Want to have more time to get things done? Learn to improve your delegating skills.
We all know how important referrals are. They are the lifeblood of most small businesses. An aspect of the referral process than can be too often overlooked is converting referrals. Check out this article for ideas on how to make sure your referrals turn into clients.
Newsletters Ink PLUS will be in Manhattan next week for the New York State Trial Lawyers Association's annual Decisions event. If any of you are attending, look for our representative, Matt Korschgen.
Finally, here's an interesting piece about how to find the right kind of client for your business.

Targeting your search engine marketing

2011-08-16T13:17:00.000-04:00

Check out this post about the long tail search strategy. This blog discusses lawyer marketing, but could apply to any professional business. The idea is basically to get on the first page of Google for very specific searches, instead of just the general ones. Example from Newsletters Ink's world: "customized print newsletters for lawyers" is more targeted than "lawyer marketing." It's a thought-provoking post worth taking a look at before the next meeting with your Web guy.

Google+ for business? Not yet.

2011-08-08T11:21:00.001-04:00

The newest social network site, Google+, is up and running and growing every day. Many of you are probably thinking about setting up a business page. At this point though, Google+ is discouraging business pages, but promises opportunities in the future. According to Google Product Manager Christian Oestlien:

With so many qualified candidates expressing intense interest in business profiles, we've been thinking hard about how to handle this process. As a result, we have refocused a few priorities and we expect to have an initial version of businesses profiles up and running for EVERYONE in the next few months.

In the meantime, we ask you not to create a business profile using regular profiles on Google+. The platform at the moment is not built for the business use case, and we want to help you build long-term relationships with your customers. Doing it right is worth the wait. We will continue to disable business profiles using regular profiles.

For now, take this opportunity to make sure your Google Places listing is up-to-date. You have one, right? I hope so because searching for local businesses on Google is easy and effective for consumers. You don't want to miss out on being in those search results. And it's free! Can't beat that.

As more information becomes available about listing businesses on Google+, I will be sure to let you know.

Marketing 101 for doctors

2011-07-21T11:50:00.000-04:00

I found this article today that discusses basic marketing ideas for optometrists. It's worth a read for any small business professional who's trying to set herself apart from the big guys.

The Jargon of E-mail Marketing

2011-07-18T14:31:00.000-04:00

E-mail has become one of the most important tools a marketer has at his or her disposal. But e-mail has its own “language.” To speak it fluently, one must know the meanings of these key terms and phrases:

Analytics – Technology that is used to analyze Web or e-mail marketing campaigns.

Bounce – A message that is not delivered.

CAN-SPAM – A 2003 law (Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act) that bans false headers, misleading subject lines, and requires e-mails to include an opt-out link and the physical address of the sender.

Click-through Rate – The total number of clicks on a link divided by the total number of sent e-mails.

Delivered – The number of e-mails sent minus the number of bounced and filtered messages.

Double Opt-In – Standard industry practice in which a new subscriber is sent an e-mail after signing up that requires they confirm their interest in receiving future messages.

Hard Bounce – An e-mail that is permanently undeliverable due to a bad address or closed account.

HTML Message – An e-mail message that contains formatting such as graphics, logos, and special fonts.

Landing Page – A Web page specifically designed to complement a marketing campaign. An e-mail could be crafted to drive readers to a landing page.

Open Rate – Total number of recipients that opened the e-mail message divided by the total number sent.

Plain Text Message – An e-mail without formatting codes (see HTML Message).

Read Rate – Similar to open rate, but the message must be open for a certain amount of time; on our system, it must be open for five seconds.

Soft Bounce – An e-mail that is undeliverable due to a temporary problem, such as a full mailbox.

Spam – Junk e-mail. Some spam messages can be dangerous to your computer or your bank account.

Unique Clicks – The number of subscribers who clicked on a particular link, as opposed to the overall number of clicks.

On the horizon...

2011-06-29T10:45:00.000-04:00

Here comes the next big thing in social networking. Click here to find out about Google's newest entry to the social networking universe.

Google separates the wheat from the chaff

2011-06-27T15:35:00.000-04:00

Google has been making a serious effort to improve search results by excluding “content farms” that try to game the search engine system to make it to the top of the rankings.

These sites are filled with tons of articles on a wide range of subjects. The articles are normally so general and superficial that they don’t really say anything substantial. They are also so loaded with keywords and phrases that it can be tough to read. The poorly-paid writers crank them out at an industrial pace.

These sites don’t provide content that educates, entertains, or informs; they provided content that gets page views and sells advertising. With this in mind, Google changed their algorithm to exclude results from content farms. So far, it sounds like it’s making a difference.

Following this story has got me thinking about some of the Web sites that many small businesses have. Following the advice of SEO gurus, they fit so much keyword-rich content on the page that it’s really hard for a visitor to find what they’re looking for. It reads clumsily because the keywords and phrases are forced into the copy. I guess the idea with these types of sites is to put as many words, on as many subjects as possible, all in one place for the search engines to find. Then, the thinking must go, they will climb the rankings to the top of the first page on Google and the money will come pouring in.

Does it work? They may get a lot of click-throughs and page views, but cumbersome copy that doesn’t help the searcher find what they’re looking for can’t be great for conversion.

I’m a big fan of education-based marketing, and having good content on a Web page is a part of that. But the content has to be good. And appropriate. And it should be there to educate the site’s visitors. If it attracts the attention of Google and gets you more page views, that’s great, but the main purpose of the content on a Web site should be to educate, entertain, or inform…not to simply get ahead in the search engine rankings.

If Google’s new algorithm can help to separate the wheat from the chaff, the Internet will be a better place.

Junk mail stinks

2011-06-14T15:09:00.000-04:00

I don't know anyone who likes junk mail. It's obnoxious! Personally, I hate the ritual of going through the mail stack and throwing away 2/3 of what I get.

The good news for me, since I work for a direct mail company, is that not all direct mail is junk mail. The difference is that junk mail has no added value. A good direct mail piece offers something useful; education, a special (and legitimate) offer, entertainment, etc. Junk mail wears down the postman's shoulder and purposely tries to deceive you (I'm thinking of those "official" looking envelopes that could be a bill or a rebate check but are nothing more than another offer for a credit card with 20% interest).

I am sure many of you feel the same way I do about this. Check out this article that discusses what makes junk mail so junky. For some ideas on sending direct mail with real value, click here.

We "like" links

2011-06-07T10:28:00.000-04:00

Bing likes Facebook. Microsoft's Bing search engine is incorporating Facebook "likes" into it's search results.
New research suggests that vivid print ads can change memories.
More good news for print marketing: paper makes a stronger emotional impact than digital. Check out the post from Neuromarketing.

Back from the dead

2011-05-19T11:28:00.000-04:00

First off, thank you for your patience during our too-long hiatus from blogging. Unfortunately, posts will continue to be sparse for the next few weeks. However, I saw something this morning that demanded sharing.

I am sometimes asked by clients why they would want an article in their newsletter that doesn't directly bring them business. I've answer this question by pointing out the power of education-based marketing and of building relationships to become your customer's trusted adviser. Now, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), of all places, has shown how entertainment can lead to a serious response.

The CDC posted "Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse" on the Web site yesterday. They posted a link on Twitter and got so much traffic in response that their site crashed! It's still down as I type this. That's a big response! Ad Week posted the instructions from the post here. Those tricky marketers at the CDC included real emergency preparedness info. You can't help but learn a little something while you're reading about Zombies.

If you make it fun for your prospects to read about your business, they're more likely to do so. That's why I encourage you to include a fun article or two in every newsletter you send out.

A pair of links

2011-04-07T16:01:00.000-04:00

Why we buy - Interesting piece on the biases that affect buying decisions.
When to Tweet? - I didn't know until I read this that there was such a thing as a social media scientist, but apparently there is. And he knows the best times to tweet.

Community involvement

2011-03-24T11:43:00.000-04:00

Spring is here and lots of groups and organizations are returning to action. Does your business work with any community groups? Supporting local groups, clubs, teams, etc is a great marketing opportunity. The possibilities for how to do this are pretty much limitless. Not only do you get your name out there, you position yourself as a community leader. That kind of credibility is priceless.

I'd love to hear how your business gets involved. I'm sure there are others who would enjoy a little brainstorming session too, so please post in the comments what types of things you do in the community and how it's affected your business.

Top business skill you must learn

2011-03-18T14:24:00.000-04:00

What's the most important skill to learn if you want to run a successful business? How to make money.

I know that sounds simple, but it's the truth. You can be the greatest litigator in the world, but if you don't know how to make money you can't run your own firm. The same holds true for any skill; if you don't know how to turn it into money, you can't make a living off your skill no matter how good you are at it.

Like anything, one can learn how to make money. We all live within this system of American Capitalism; a system governed by rules. Learn to operate in the system better than your competitors, and you will make money. To succeed, you must practice, practice, and practice some more.

I found an article that presents a good plan for learning this important skill - How to Get Good at Making Money. Check it out to see if it gets some ideas going in your head for how to build your own business and how to get better at making money.

Black Hat, White Hat, or no Hat at all?

2011-03-10T16:39:00.000-05:00

A couple weeks ago, I posted about an article about Google and some of the strange and underhanded practices taking place in the search world. Today, I want to direct your attention to what could be considered a follow-up. Click here to read the article. Two highlights:

...search engine optimization (SEO) has grown up in the last decade as the dark art of online publishing. Sites hire SEO experts, divine new SEO practices, invest ever greater resources in SEO. SEO is composed of a number of techniques, some simple, others devilishly complex, for attracting the attention of search engines to content.
SEO experts debate endlessly among themselves the differences between “white hat” SEO (manipulating content to make it more machine-readable) and “black hat” SEO (which tries to mislead the search engine with stunts such as thousands of links from sites that themselves offer nothing of value). What this entire debate misses, of course, is that SEO itself is an inefficiency, a transaction cost rather than a value-creator — it is a technique designed entirely to compensate for the failure of the search engine to correctly analyze site content, searcher desire, or both. Over time, economics teaches us, inefficiencies tend to be wrung out, and transaction costs reduce

Q: What might be the fastest growing marketing tool of 2011

2011-02-24T14:22:00.001-05:00

A: QR codes

So, what the heck is a QR code?

That's a QR, or Quick Response, Code. You've probably seen them around. They aren't new; they were created in 1994 and are very popular in Japan. 2010 saw QR Codes make there way into America and 2011 shows signs of their becoming a part of the mainstream.

The code contains information, readable by a scanner. Used as a marketing tool, the code can contain a Web address or other information. Most smart phones can read the code automatically through their camera, while others have apps available to enable that function. So, if you see one of these codes and scan it with your phone, it can open up a Web page automatically with more information. They've been used in direct mail, magazine ads, billboards, and more already. We've even got a client that uses one in his newsletter.

Want to learn more about QR codes? Click below...

Take a walk down the back alleys of the Web

2011-02-16T17:05:00.000-05:00

Part spy story, part sci-fi, all true. The Dirty Little Secrets of Search tells the intriguing tale of the world of black hat optimization. Google, the World's largest search engine, developed the top secret algorithm that determines what sites rank where in search results with the intention of it being an entirely "organic" process. When someone tries to cheat that system and artificially improve their search results, Google brings the hammer down. Click here to read the full article and gain some insight into the mysterious world of search engine optimization.

How to make sure people read your newsletter

2011-02-10T15:57:00.000-05:00

This video comes from Legal Marketing expert Ken Hardison. You can find his blog here.

He's talking about lawyers, but the lessons apply to any business that can use a newsletter as a part of their marketing plan.

If you are an attorney, Ken's organization, PILMMA, will be holding a Marketing and Practice Management Summit in Atlanta, April 1-2.

One week until Valentine's Day

2011-02-07T15:19:00.000-05:00

Valentine's Day is one of the biggest of all our commercial holidays. In 2005, Valentine's Day accounted for $1.7 billion in candy sales (behind only Halloween, Christmas, and Easter), almost $1 billion in greeting cards (behind only Christmas), and 33% of all holiday flower sales! Will you be using this occasion to market your business?

Some links for your consideration:

Before you create that Facebook page...

2011-01-21T11:48:00.000-05:00

I'm sure you've heard by now about how useful social media can be in your marketing efforts. Before you spend a weekend setting up pages on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin, you should take a moment to make sure you're ready for that commitment. (It is a commitment of time and effort, no marketing is easy)

I came across a good blog post, Top 10 Reasons to Avoid Social Media, that will help you decide if social media marketing is right for you. If none of the 10 reasons apply to you, then social media marketing should be a great addition to your marketing mix.

The Unwritten Rule of Advertising

2011-01-17T11:06:00.000-05:00

The best advertising adheres to an unspoken agreement between seller and prospect– the seller provides the prospect with something of value (entertainment, humor, a gift like a key chain or pen, information, etc.) and the prospect agrees to give the seller a few minutes of their time to consider the pitch.

This is the unwritten rule that good advertising follows.

This arrangement has worked for decades in consumer advertising. The best jingles are genuinely entertaining. The best slogans are funny, or inspiring. The best commercials make you laugh or show you something you’ve never seen before. The Yellow Pages provides phone listings, Google provides search services, and television provides entertainment. All are paid for by advertising. The worst advertising gives the prospect nothing for their time. For example, telemarketing. The prospect is interrupted from what they’re doing, without apology, to be given a sales pitch. I’m amazed this ever works!

For a professional service provider, following the unwritten rule leads to education-based marketing.

The most valuable thing you can offer your prospect is your expertise. By educating your current and prospective clients about your specialty, you not only show your expertise, but also provide information that is truly valuable to them.

Following the unwritten rule of advertising shows your clients and prospects respect and creates a mutually beneficial relationship. Over time, you become their “trusted adviser.” If something ever happens and they or their family, friends, or neighbors need someone with your expertise, you will be the one they turn to. You’ll get that referral.

Is your Web site mobile-friendly?

2011-01-12T12:05:00.000-05:00

The number of Internet users who access the Web via a smart phone or other mobile device is quickly approaching the number who do their surfing via desktop. What does this mean for your marketing efforts?

Building a mobile version of your existing Web site isn’t too difficult or expensive. It’s something you should look into right away. If you haven’t already, you should schedule a time to speak with your Web designer about your mobile Web options.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when considering what you’d like your mobile site to look like.

Keep it simple. A mobile site is no place for the ornate. The more you have on the page, the smaller everything will be on the screen.

Put your phone number near the top. Also, make sure the number is created as text in the HTML code, not as an image. The reason why this is important is that many smart phones can identify 7 or 10 digit combination as phone numbers and automatically dial them when “clicked.”

Avoid Flash. Many mobile devices don’t support Flash, since it drains the battery and struggles to work consistently. Smart phone manufacturers are currently working on integrating Flash capability into their devices, but at least for now, the mobile version of your website should be Flash-free.

Testimonial Talk Time

2010-12-08T12:05:00.000-05:00

I've talked about testimonials in this blog before; here and here. It's time to bring them up again because testimonials are one of the most powerful marketing tools available. It's really easy to forget about getting new ones. This is a reminder.

How to get a testimonial? Step 1: do a good job so you deserve a good testimonial. Step 2: ask. That's it.

You'll want your testimonials to be compelling and effective. Click here for some advice on that.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-24T13:18:00.003-05:00

Blogging about blogs

2010-11-18T14:45:00.000-05:00

Today, I want to raise a question. How often should one post to a marketing blog?

You can figure out from following this one that I think about once per week is appropriate. Some people say two posts per week is better. I've seen others that post two to three times per month. I would consider anything less than that to be ineffective, but a case can be made for more often, the same, or less often than I post on here.

What do you think? If you have a blog, how often do you post to it? If you read a blog, how often do you like to check it?

Color, laziness, and tracking clicks

2010-11-09T12:54:00.001-05:00

What color trends will 2011 bring?

21st century laziness? What's the difference?

Increase the success of your e-mail marketing by following these tips for tracking clicks.

Vital info on mobile Web marketing

2010-11-05T10:45:00.000-04:00

Our friends at Market Hardware know what they're talking about when it comes to Web marketing. That's why I want to share the following article with you about mobile Web marketing.

Magic Device Shrinks Web Sites by 85%
by: Griffin Davis

I am about to give you a cutting edge view of a bit of American technology adoption. It’s a shocker akin to hearing in 1970 that color TVs were overtaking black and white models.
Today, smartphones are on a clear path to outsell dumb mobile phones within the next 12-24 months. (In a nutshell, smartphones can handle web browsing, email, and run thousands of apps while dumb phones can only make calls and text.)

In March of 2010, The Nielsen Company reported that smartphones accounted for 25% of the U.S. mobile market, up from 23% in the previous quarter. By the end of 2011, Nielson predicts smartphones will overtake dumb phones in the U.S. market.

Rather than make you take the normal loopy ride through my brain where I tend to ramble about history, books, or pop culture, let me simply lay out why you should care. More of your potential and existing customers will be looking at your website on their phones in 2011 and beyond. Here is my finely-crafted, two-pronged web marketing strategy for dealing with what is the beginning of a major shift in consumer behavior. I’ll also give you the scoop on how your standard website appears on a smartphone and how a mobile version of that site can be even better.

Prong One – Make sure your phone number is in a prominent place on your home page (upper right or left corner to be specific). High end mobile devices now display web pages better than ever, the displays are still small hence the "shrinkage" reference in the title. Prominent placement ensures that our ever-aging population can easily find and read the number.

Prong Two – Make sure that the phone number is created for your web page as text, not as an image. A phone number housed in your website’s HTML code as text rather than a gif or jpeg image gets treated more intelligently by smart phones. Smartphones can identify 10 or 7 digit combinations as phone numbers and allow a user to simply touch or mouse over the number to initiate a phone call. It’s basic stuff now for smartphone programmers but a great leap forward from where we all were five years ago. However, if your phone number appears so tiny it can’t be found, then "Click-to-Call" functionality won’t help you too much.

The Good News
If we built your website in the last year, we can pretty much guarantee it works well on most modern smartphones. This is due to Market Hardware’s strict web design and development standards. In geek speak, our websites allow mobile browsers to interpret our code with ease because they are built using standards-based CSS and XHTML. Our sites also avoid the use of unfriendly elements, such as tables and Flash animation, which fail in mobile browsers.

The Catch
Older mobile phones use "WAP" (Wireless Access Protocol) pages specifically designed for phones, written in a very light & limited code called HDML (Handheld Device Markup Language). That being said, newer smartphones can display full websites. However, their small screen size generally makes these sites unreadable. This is where a "mobile website" built specifically for smartphones comes into use.
There are roughly five different mobile browsers currently being used on a plethora of different phones, making the testing of each browser and phone combination quite difficult. And, although newer smartphones will render our websites with less difficulty than a non-standards-based website (such as table-based, or sites with Flash animation), there are still some obstacles to overcome. Most devices cannot access a secured connection, read Flash animation, open PDF documents, or open video websites. In addition, the speed of mobile service, although improved in the last few years, is still pretty slow when compared to broadband, requiring mobile web pages to be made up of smaller files. This limits the use of images and overall styling of the mobile website.

The Solution:
If we built your website in the past 18 months, it was created on our "Mariposa" web development platform. In plain English, this means we can create a low-cost, mobile version of your site that will provide an optimized experience for current smartphone users, and will work with most prior generations of mobile access technologies.

If your website is older than 18 months, it would be best (but not absolutely required) to transition it onto our Mariposa developmental platform in order to create a mobile website for you. Even if we didn’t build your standard website, there’s a very good chance we can create a mobile website you for you. Contact us to learn more about a smartphone-friendly Mobile Websites at 888-381-6925 or at mobile@markethardware.com. The introductory price is only $295.

The art and science of e-mail marketing

2010-10-22T13:26:00.000-04:00

Here's a great piece on balancing the art and science of e-mail marketing.

Print marketing and environmental responsibility...

2010-10-12T15:09:00.001-04:00

...together at last.

Have you seen this logo?

When you see the FSC logo, you can have confidence that the paper you're holding was produced in an environmentally responsible way.

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an independent, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests.

Start looking at the paper you're using for your marketing to see if it meets the FSC standards. For more information on the FSC, click here.

A word on Google Instant

2010-10-04T11:10:00.000-04:00

Have you noticed the big change that Google made a couple weeks ago? As you begin to type your search query, Google instantly lists search results. So, should you do anything differently with your Web site marketing to deal with this?

From what I've read so far, the answer is mostly no. The one thing that is very important is to go right this minute and make sure your registry is up-to-date. Google Instant seems to know where you are when you're searching, so if I start typing "dentist," Google "instantly" starts showing dentists in Lancaster, PA where I'm at. That's why it's more important than ever to make sure your business location is listed.

Click here to get your business on Google Places.

Spamortunity

2010-09-14T12:41:00.000-04:00

Check out Sarah O'Leary's piece about spam and opportunity. I like to call the concept spamortunity. From her article:

Open just about any mailbox in America, and you'll hear a faint cavernous echo and discover a marketer's dream environment. With less companies choosing traditional direct mail, consumers are more amused by mail than turned off by it. Consumers are more apt to open than to toss or burn, giving smart marketers a real reason to re-discover the medium.

Read the whole article here.

According to the Direct Marketing Association, direct mail returns $12.53 for every dollar invested. That's a killer ROI!

Why Technology Hasn't Killed Direct Mail

Don't do this

2010-09-03T11:21:00.000-04:00

I got a piece of direct mail today, from a direct mail company. It was a nice looking piece, and they used Variable-data printing so it was personalized. The problem is the name they personalized it with is wrong. It wasn't just the wrong name, it didn't even match the name the piece is addressed to. Variable-data printing is really nice and can be used to create some cool pieces, but use it wrong and you'll look dumb...especially if you're a company that provides variable-data printing!

Opportunity out there for great marketers

2010-09-01T12:25:00.000-04:00

Consumers are receiving about as many e-mail marketing messages every day as they do print marketing messages in a whole week. Click here to read about how to capitalize on this emerging opportunity.

A really simple way to promote your blog

2010-08-17T11:25:00.000-04:00

Are you blogging? If so, you should know what RSS is.

RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. An RSS feed delivers content directly to a reader's online landing page, desktop, or mobile device. There are quite a few services available to collect RSS feeds, including Google Reader and My Yahoo!

If you have a blog, you must make sure that your readers can sign up for an RSS feed. Once they sign up, they won't have to go look to see if you posted any new content; the new content will pop up automatically in their feed reader. If you look down this page on the right side, you'll find a button to sign up for this blog's RSS feed.

Personally, I'm a big fan of RSS. I use if to follow my favorite news, sports, and entertainment sites as well as a number of blogs. I'm confident that the technology will continue to grow and become more and more popular.

To read a more detailed explanation of RSS click here, or here.

teh Improtence of GRAMMER And spelling In Emails!!!

2010-08-13T09:43:00.000-04:00

Okay, that title is a little over the top, but you get the point. Proper grammar and spelling seem to have lost importance in the e-mail age. While this is not the end of the world in personal e-mails, it is extremely harmful in professional correspondence.

Beyond the standard grammar and spelling that make the English language work, there are issues specific to e-mail. Is it “e-mail” or “email”? What is the best style for e-mails? Is there specific etiquette when sending e-mails?

There are many issues that need to be considered if you are sending out e-mails for marketing purposes, but basic grammar and spelling mistakes can doom you in even the simplest of professional e-mail correspondence. Do you e-mail suppliers, vendors, or your peers? How about coworkers? Clients? Patients? Customers?

What you need to remember is that any e-mail sent from your work account is a reflection on both you and your organization. It is a part of your marketing. With that in mind, this author sat down with our in-house proofreader to come up with the

Top 6 Mistakes to Avoid in E-mails:

Using abbreviations in text and instant messaging is fine, but not in professional e-mails. Spell it out.
Paragraphs are just as important to e-mails as they are in offline writing. Take care to include paragraph breaks where appropriate.
USING ALL CAPS IS LIKE SHOUTING INTO THE PHONE. No one likes to be shouted at. Try bold, italic, or underline to highlight text instead.
Conversely, not capitalizing where appropriate comes across as lazy.
Double-check your spell checker. It is very common for a spell check to come back clean but for mistakes to still be in the text. That’s because a correctly spelled word in the wrong context is incorrect (e.g., here and hear). Make sure you’re saying what you mean.
How about multiple punctuation!?! Sure, it’s cute, but it’s best to leave those types of tricks to the comic books.

Need an online dictionary? Try Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary.

Shadowy figures lurk on social networking sites

2010-07-30T12:13:00.000-04:00

Have you heard about the Facebook data torrent debacle? Click here to find out what happened and how you can protect your privacy. I'm going to check my privacy settings right away!

Words of advice for e-mail marketers

2010-07-15T13:24:00.000-04:00

Is e-mail a part of your marketing mix? If not, are you considering adding it?

If you answered yes to either of these questions, check out the 221 E-mail Marketing Dos and Don'ts by Megan Ouellet.

It's a comprehensive reference guide to e-mail marketing. If you're new to this stuff, it's a great introduction; if you've been in the e-mail game for a long time, it's a great refresher.

Something to play with over the weekend

2010-07-09T16:14:00.000-04:00

Check out this ROI calculator I found over at Marketing Today.

The power of postcards

2010-07-06T15:33:00.000-04:00

Every once in a while, I use this blog to plug something for Newsletters Ink PLUS. This is one of those times. We're currently running a special on postcards: 25% off. Pretty good deal.

Anyway, since I have an occasion to do so, I'd like to list a few things that one can do with a postcard.

Reminder cards. Remind you clients to come in for their teeth cleaning, change the oil in their minivan, get an annual contact lens exam, or anything else you can think of.
Mini-newsletter. A 6"x9" postcard is the perfect size for a mini-newsletter.
Welcome to the neighborhood! Purchasing a list of new residents in your area allows you the opportunity to say hello before they go looking for someone else to do business with.
Happy holidays. Any holiday will do. In fact, we had a few clients send 4th of July cards just last week.
Announcements. Office moving? New equipment? Major change in the company? Announce it with a postcard.

There are many, many other uses for postcards, but I just want to throw a few out there for everyone to think about. If you've got a good idea, leave a comment about it. Maybe we can grow this list together...

How to best use promotional products

2010-06-22T14:54:00.002-04:00

Here's a great blog post about using promotional products.

The sweetest spot: saved in the cell phone

2010-06-17T16:14:00.000-04:00

If you can get your phone number saved in your client's cell phone, it would ensure that you're the one they call if they are in need of your services. They wouldn't have to go to the phone book, or Google. So how do you do it? How do you get them to enter your business name and number into their ever-present electronic companion?

What if you make a game out of it?

How about if they come by your office and show your number saved in their contact list, you give them a special prize? That prize could be a gift certificate to a local eatery, a bag of the sweetest candy in town, or any number of items with your name imprinted on them. Maybe they keep your name in there forever, maybe they delete it on the way out. What we can know for sure is that if they actually come to your office to participate in this game, and you give them something with a relatively high perceived value, they'll remember it.

You can announce the game in your newsletter, on your Web site, or on your blog. You can even mention it to people at the front desk and have them enter the number on the spot!

What do you all think, would something like this work to build enthusiasm and loyalty?

Let's talk about last week's post

2010-06-10T15:38:00.000-04:00

"Don't always follow the crowd, because nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded."
Yogi Berra

Last week, I posted that quote in this blog. Today, someone told me I should have explained what that meant for promoting a business. So, I will.

There are many, many ways to promote a business. A short, incomplete list would include, e-mail, the Web, print, TV, radio, billboard, imprinted items, telemarketing, brochures, Yellow Pages, bulletin board flyers, word-of-mouth, news coverage, and sponsorship of events.

So what's the most effective?

Every business is different so there is no easy answer to that question. I know one thing for sure though: whatever everyone else is doing will never be the most effective.

If every one of your competitors sponsors a 5K, no one will care if you do. If everybody is sending out an "e-newsletter," yours is competing for attention in a crowded inbox. If you're running a late-night TV commercial that sounds just like all the other late-night TV commercials, it won't have much of an impact.

There are a lot of people out there willing to tell you how to promote your business. Most of them tell you to use what they're selling. I have to include myself in that group, since I represent Newsletters Ink PLUS.

All the advice out there is valuable. We want you to find success using our products. What you need to figure out is what's going to work for your business. Take note of what your competitors are doing, then do something else.

There are people out there offering advice on promoting your business who claim that they're not selling anything. They go by names like "marketing guru," or "marketing expert." The truth is, they really are trying to sell something; a book, their time, a product from a company who they have a financial interest in, etc. They also thrive on giving yesterday's advice, disguised as the advice of tomorrow. What they say is true, but it's so true that everyone else already knows and is doing it.

So, like Yogi says, stay away from the crowds. Do what works for you. If the crowds follow, you'll know it's time to move on to something else.

Thought for the day

2010-06-03T15:03:00.002-04:00

"Don't always follow the crowd, because nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded."
Yogi Berra

What is Relationship Marketing?

2010-05-25T15:41:00.003-04:00

Relationship Marketing is a process used to grow your business by establishing trust between you and your current and former clients, which will build loyalty and increase referrals.

This is not an easy process.

You can’t build trust with a slogan. It takes time and effort. By marketing to your existing database consistently, over time, you can become your clients “trusted advisor."

To do this, you need to create a mutually beneficial situation. You must prove your expertise and provide your clients with information, advice, and a sense of security.

Once you have become their trusted advisor, they will feel secure in knowing that if anything ever happens to them or their family, friends, or neighbors, you'll be there to help them through it.

Are you entitled to a tax credit?

2010-05-21T15:27:00.000-04:00

Click here and go to the bottom of the page to use the Health Reform Small Business Calculator and find out if your business is entitled to a tax credit.

From our friends at Magnet LLC

2010-05-12T14:56:00.002-04:00

Try to ignore the sales language. The takeaway here is the effectiveness of magnets as a promotional tool. FYI: Newsletters Ink PLUS can provide you with magnets. Feel free to ignore that sales language too!

The faintest ink is better than the strongest memory

2010-05-04T11:24:00.001-04:00

You never know when inspiration will strike. It struck for me a few nights ago while watching an episode of AMC’s TV series, Mad Men. For those of you unfamiliar with Mad Men, it’s a serial drama about a fictional Madison Avenue advertising agency in the early 1960’s.

In this particular episode, the staff was working on a new campaign for Western Union. Telegraphs were a dying product at the time, being overtaken by the telephone. Brainstorming sessions were leading nowhere until inspiration struck one of the firm’s copywriters. He came up with the perfect idea. Unfortunately, it was late, he was drinking, and he didn’t write it down. Explaining in the morning why he had nothing new to propose, he called on an old Chinese proverb, “the faintest ink is better than the strongest memory.”

“I forgot to write it down” is a pretty lame excuse, but the Chinese proverb did help with the brainstorming. The light bulb lit up. Words spoken over the telephone disappear forever the moment they’re uttered. A telegraph, on the other hand, is permanent. That would be the angle for the campaign.

My own light bulb went off. So much of newsletter marketing today is digital. E-mail is becoming an increasingly popular way to send a newsletter. But e-mail is fleeting. Pop up in the inbox, get a quick browse, into the delete folder. Maybe the reader takes away a great idea…maybe they remember it later. Print is permanent. It shows up in the mail, gets looked at, left on the table, looked at a day or two later, moved to the “mail pile” that we all have, gets looked at a few days later, gets moved to another pile, gets picked up by a visiting family member, back in the pile…you get the idea. The printed piece gets some mileage before it gets recycled. It’s not that the e-mail doesn’t work, it does; it’s that the printed piece works better.

We all know that things didn’t work out for the telegraph. No ad campaign can reverse progress. Print, whether direct mail, books, newspapers, or anything else, is shrinking, not disappearing. That’s what makes this situation different. It’s exactly this shrinking that makes print a more powerful medium now than it ever has been. There may be more ways to communicate today than ever before, but the written word, printed on paper, isn’t going away any time soon.

Do you get more excited opening the mailbox at the end of your driveway, or the one on your desktop? Which one do you dread opening? Speaking from personal experience, I can say that I receive far less mail physically than electronically, and that the physical stuff is almost always more important.

If the goal of your marketing is to differentiate your business and stand out from your competition (and it should be!), then printed materials should have a place in your marketing mix.

PILMMA Tip of the Week

2010-04-23T13:06:00.000-04:00

Newsletters Ink PLUS has been working with a group dedicated to growing law practices, PILMMA. In the video below, you'll hear PILMMA President, Ken Hardison discuss the value of print newsletters. If you know anything about our company, you'll see why we get along so well with Ken.

This video is specifically about law firm marketing, but the lesson can be applied to many types of professional businesses.

Dark Stars of the Marketing World?

2010-04-13T15:38:00.001-04:00

A recent article in The Atlantic, Management Secrets of the Grateful Dead, explains how the new Grateful Dead Archive in Santa Cruz, California may be the where the next great marketing theory comes from.

"“The Dead were masters of creating and delivering superior customer value,” Barry Barnes, a business professor at the H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship at Nova Southeastern University, in Florida," says in the article.

The Dead were promoting social networking decades before Facebook. They were giving away their music by encouraging "tapers" at their shows long before Chris Anderson wrote the bestseller, Free: The Future of a Radical Price. They were masters of direct marketing without even knowing it, creating "raving fans" before there was a Raving Fans.

This isn't the first time I've seen the Dead discussed as marketing visionaries. Sam Hill and Glenn Rifkin spent a whole chapter of 1999's Radical Marketing on the band's unique methods.

You may be wondering how the Grateful Dead can help you in marketing your business. Well, let me ask you this: if you could have the loyalty among your clients that the Dead have among their fans, would you take it? If you want to grow your business, I'm sure you absolutely would.

Just for fun

2010-04-12T13:57:00.000-04:00

10 Simple Google Search Tricks

There were a few I didn't know about. Some of these may come in pretty handy.

Measuring Direct Mail Responses

2010-04-08T11:10:00.000-04:00

Measuring the results of a direct mail piece can be the hardest part of the whole process. It's also one of the most important. If you aren't measuring your results, you won't know what's working and what's not. In other words, you'll be throwing away a lot of your money. Here are a few ideas to make measuring a little easier.

Include an offer on every mailer. Use a unique code for identification purposes.
Make your call-to-action directions to go to a special landing page on your Web site. For example: www.drjones.com/specialoffer.
Give away a small gift to anyone who responds to the piece. Compare the number of people who took you up on that offer to the number of pieces you sent out.
Ask every new person who calls in how they heard about you and keep track of the responses in an Excel spreadsheet.
Use a unique office extension as the phone number on your piece. Track how many calls come in to that number.

5 Ideas for a Custom Newsletter Article

2010-03-29T12:35:00.002-04:00

Staff profile. Pick a staff member and write a short piece about them. Include a photo so your clients can put a face to the name.
Recent success. It’s ok to brag from time to time. Write up a brief article about something that you did recently that went really well.
Charity work. Don’t think of this one as bragging; think of it as raising awareness. If your business is involved in any charity or community work, don’t hesitate to include it in your newsletter. It’s a great way to spread the word.
Fun stuff. It’s alright to loosen your tie and have fun. Recipe contests, word finds, and quizzes are just a few of the many possibilities.
New technology. Get a new piece of equipment that will allow you to better serve your clients? Don’t keep it a secret.

Boost your referrals

2010-03-17T10:19:00.000-04:00

From Duct Tape Marketing, an informative post on boosting referrals. Worth a read. They cover the basics and give an idea or two that you might not have thought of. Check it out.

What’s the big idea?

2010-03-11T11:29:00.001-05:00

The first step in designing an effective marketing piece is to answer the question, “what’s the big idea?”

Do not skip this step!

So, what is the big idea?

Your big idea should be the one, most important thing you want to communicate to your audience. Your piece should start by introducing the big idea, go on to explain or sell the idea, and finish by re-enforcing it. As with any marketing piece, you should include a call to action. This call to action should be related to your big idea.

What are some ways to use this in your marketing plans? Glad you asked.

Send a postcard focused on one particular topic
Make one of your newsletters a special edition, again focusing on one particular topic
Have your Web site and/or Yellow Pages ad highlight one area of your practice, instead of trying to cover everything you do
Use advertising specialties products to re-enforce your big idea

Your big idea can be anything. Are you the only bi-lingual office in town? Do you participate in a charity? Is there some part of your field of expertise that is unique?

Password change month

2010-03-08T15:54:00.000-05:00

I read today in an e-newsletter from my alma mater about password change month, a program they are instituting on campus to get everyone to update their passwords. I thought it was a pretty good idea. All the experts say to change your passwords on a regular basis.

Here are a few tips that the e-newsletter offered for creating a strong password. (courtesy of Millersville University of Pennsylvania)

The minimum password length is 8 characters.
A combination of three of the following four character types must be used - lowercase, uppercase, numbers, special characters.
The new password must be significantly different than the last three passwords used.
Do not use portions of your account name in the password.

Follow up to yesterday's post

2010-03-04T10:53:00.000-05:00

Click here to read Five Myths About the U.S. Postal Service, by Postmaster General John E. Potter.

No Saturdays for USPS

2010-03-03T11:27:00.000-05:00

The US Postal Service is considering ending Saturday service, among other changes. How does this impact direct mail? Not as much as you might think.

Here's the situation. Projections for 2010 mail volume are 167 billion letters and parcels, down 10 billion from 2009. By 2020, that number is expected to drop to 150 billion. The Internet is obviously cutting into the amount of mail being sent. Some may also point to costs; the price of stamps has gone up about 33% in the last decade. In reality though, that increase is in line with inflation and is about half the increase of private carriers.

The Post Office still provides a value for marketers, and direct mail is still one of the most effective ways of getting your message out. To me, the decrease in volume is a good thing for us. Marketers are constantly battling for the attention of their audience. There is now less in the mail stream to compete with. This has got to be an overall good for direct mail effectiveness.

How to ask for a testimonial

2010-02-26T10:58:00.004-05:00

Testimonials are a key component of any good marketing program and getting them isn’t as hard as you think. In fact, the toughest step in the process is the first: asking.

To help, consider asking these three questions in an e-mail or questionnaire. These questions are general; you should adapt them to the specifics of your business.

1. What factors led you to choose us for your _____ needs?
2. Could you explain how our service helped solve your problem?
3. If you were to recommend us to a friend or family member, how would you describe the benefits of our services?

7 Tips to Attract and Keep Visitors On Your Site

2010-02-25T13:28:00.000-05:00

by: a Newsletters Ink PLUS Contributer

1. Provide Lots of Free Content
One major benefit of the Internet is its never-ending source of content that grows daily. There are billions of Web sites out there – all providing content and many attempting to reach the same customers. The Internet was named "The Information Highway" for a reason.

Just like most highways, access to them is free, as should much of the content on your Web site. Specialized resources might be available through subscription, but make sure enough free content is available to invoke an interest in the high-level, limited-access content.

Your Web site should be a resource, a tool to improve your customers' and prospects' situations by offering useful, interesting, and well-written content. It must be directly related to your products and services and the industries in which your customers and prospects work; otherwise, the benefit you offer your Web site visitors and the work you've done will not produce any revenue.

2. Your Content Must Be Fresh
Typically, once you've read the newspaper, it's old news. You probably won't go back and read those articles again. The same concept applies to your Web site – once a visitor has read your content, he or she does not have a reason to stick around on the next visit, unless new, fresh content has been added.

By keeping fresh and interesting content flowing on your site, and flowing implies that the content stream is fairly continuous, you give your customers and prospects a good reason to come back again and again. Putting new content on your site is an ongoing process, not a once-and-done project.

3. Check Your Links
One of the most frustrating issues for Web site visitors is to click a link to get a Page Not Found error or a link that sends you somewhere unexpected. When posting new pages or updating your content, regularly check the integrity of your links.

4. No Under Construction Pages
More and more corporate Web sites are no longer making this a common practice; however, they are still in existence. "Under Construction" pages can be as irritating as broken links or the construction zones that hinder travel by car.

With regard to preparing a meal, if it's not finished, it isn't served. Apply the same concept to your Web site – if it's not ready for the public to see, don't post it.

Search engines and customers alike do not like to find unfinished pages. They certainly do not entice customers and prospects to return.

5. Avoid Excessive Ad Space
Your Web site should be about your company, products, and services, not everyone under the sun who purchased ad space from you. Ads can be beneficial when they are appropriately placed and relevant to your customers' and prospects' needs and interests. However, too many ads of the flashing, blinking, and pop-up nature can be distracting and annoying. Do you want your prospects and customers distracted from your content and products, let alone annoyed?

6. Provide In-Depth Product Details
Think about how you make decisions when purchasing a product. Do you buy the first thing that looks good, or do you do the research and find the best solution that fits your budget?

Too often, Web sites selling products and services list a title, a feature or two, and the price – and then expect their potential customers to make a purchase, sometimes with a significant dollar amount involved.

Your Web site cannot carry a conversation with the prospect to determine whether or not your product is the proper solution. Remember, people buy for their reasons, not yours. With that in mind, the description written for your product or service might not be what really helps the prospect make a good decision on your product.

The only thing people get from your Web site is what you tell them! Your Web site is a tool, another resource to complement your other marketing efforts. Don't be fooled into thinking your Web site can be posted, left alone without maintenance or updates, and create a large, ongoing revenue stream.

Web sites also do not provide that touch it, feel it, try it out sensation available at your place of business. They cannot ask questions without contacting someone. They are limited to text and images.

Newsletters Ink PLUS has developed a mantra of "Building Professional Relationships." Our highest priority is not in closing the deal or sell sell sell; it's about developing relationships and helping people make their own decisions on the products that solve their issues.

7. Keep the Search Engines Like Google, Bing, and Yahoo! Happy.
By staying on top of the previous six tasks, you will be doing some of the basics of search engine optimization (SEO). Understand that there is much, much more than maintaining lots of fresh content and keeping your Web site up-to-date to get page-one results on the search engines. However, the more you can do, the better your results will be. Search engines are becoming a major route potential customers are using to find products and services from vendors they previously had not heard of.

Like Momma always said, "Be yourself on the Internet"

2010-02-19T10:36:00.000-05:00

A study published in the Feb. 17 online edition of Psychological Science came to the conclusion that users of social media do not create "idealized" profiles. In fact, they stick pretty close to the truth.

Click here to read the news article about the study.

These findings go against the conventional wisdom that Internet users create "virtual personalities" and goes so far as to say this authenticity may explain the massive popularity of sites like Facebook.

The takeaway for our purposes is this: be authentic. If you want to use social media effectively, use it to tell your real story. Rather than offering an idealized version of your company or product that you can't possibly live up to, offer up the truth. That's what people respond to. That's what people respect. That's what people trust.

Planting seeds

2010-02-17T14:10:00.001-05:00

Today, I want to share an anecdote with you about Wally Amos.

Wally 'Famous' Amos, the cookie man, uses a small but very effective gift. His business card has a plastic bag attached that contains two cookies. When we took Wally Amos to dinner, we watched him give one of these little gifts to the restaurant's maitre d', then to the busboy at our table. The people at the next table came over, then the bartender. Before we left, almost the whole restaurant had found us, including the chef! Wally Amos shook hands, greeted everybody, and said, 'I want you to have some of my cookies!' Each time he gave out his cookie card. He always carries a box of these small gifts with him. After dinner, we asked him, 'Wally, what does it cost to give away these cookie gifts? How many do you hand out per week? Month? Year?' Wally smiled and told us? 'You know, I never count them. I just keep planting seeds.'

The best way to keep postage costs down?

2010-02-09T15:07:00.004-05:00

Keep a well-managed database

If there are two things we can all agree on when talking about the post office, it’s that they will never offer Sunday delivery and that they will raise their rates about once every year. Now, I don't mean to pick on the post office; they do good work. That doesn’t make the added expense any easier to swallow, though.

Despite the postage costs, direct mail is still a great way to market your business. That’s why I want to take a moment to talk about database management and the best ways to keep your business from incurring additional postage charges.

To do this, I asked Michele Weinman, Manager of Mail Service Ink, for the top 5 steps to a well-managed database. She suggested:

1. "Dedupe" the list. This means checking to make sure you aren’t mailing more than one piece to the same home.

2. Keep the list up-to-date by making changes as they come in. It may take an extra minute, but it will save time in the long run.

3. When adding a new name to the list, double-check to make sure they are not already in the system.

4. Confirm mailing information with customers regularly.

5. Use NCOA (National Change of Address) at least every three months.

Any favorites?

2010-02-08T10:30:00.004-05:00

That was a pretty exciting Super Bowl.

The commercials? None stood out for me. It looked like everyone was trying so hard to stand out that no one did. Did you have any favorites? Any really good ones I might have missed?

Can 1,000 Facebook users change Ketchup?

2010-02-04T17:04:00.002-05:00

After 40 years using the same packet, Heinz has unveiled a new design. Could it be in response to the more than 1,000 members of anti-ketchup packet groups on Facebook? I guess we can't know for sure, but I don't doubt that someone at Heinz is paying attention to these free focus group.

The lesson to take away from this? Always listen to your clients.

Super Bowl Prediction

2010-02-03T11:17:00.006-05:00

This Sunday is Super Bowl Sunday. You know what that means: the biggest day of the year for TV commercials. Now I know that most small businesses don't use expensive TV ads, especially at Super Bowl prices, but this is a marketing blog and I'd like to spend a little time on it.

When you're watching the game this weekend, watch those commercials carefully. Some will be silly, some brilliant, some ineffective. Others will launch new brands to great success. Noticing what gets your attention (and that of others in the room) and what doesn't can be a great brainstorming exercise. You may find the inspiration for your next successful marketing project. For a little pre-game inspiration, take a look at the best of the 2009 Super Bowl commercials.

Next week, let's meet here to discuss our favorites.

Oh yeah, my prediction for the game? My heart says Saints, but my head says Colts...so...Colts by 3. Anybody else have a prediction? Comment away.

Back to the Flu-ture

2010-01-27T12:23:00.001-05:00

From our friends at Market Hardware

I started the New Year bringing a bad flu bug with me from 2009. In fact, I just got checked by the doctor and had to admit I skipped my flu shot (again). How dumb of a mistake? I declared myself too busy to get an easy preventative shot, and paid the consequences.

(Flu shots? Where is he going with this? How can he possibly bring this back to marketing?)

The temptation when writing a column like this in January is to focus on the new and exciting web marketing stuff that can make a difference for your business. But I will resist temptation and instead encourage you to think about an old concept - Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) - that can help you market your business more effectively in 2010. Think of IMC not as a new effort that will take tons of time, but as a simple, fairly quick step that helps ensure the overall health of your business.

If you are reading this, it's a safe bet you are interested - and invested - in Internet marketing. But what else do you do to promote your business? You probably advertise in at least one local yellow pages book. And maybe you do cable TV or radio advertising? How about direct mail? At some point you've probably done Valpak or something similar. Unfortunately, too many businesses don't make the time or use their energy to integrate their online and offline marketing. For instance, if you've got a coupon special running in Valpak, you should promote it on your website too. Your cable TV ads should be uploaded to YouTube and integrated into your site.

Marketing geeks like me have a term for this strategy - Integrated Marketing Communications. IMC aims to ensure consistency of your message across all media platforms. The goal is to make all advertising, sales promotion, public relations, and direct marketing work together as a unified force, rather than permitting each to work in isolation. Consistency across all marketing channels increases the chances your sales message, brand, or reputation will compel a customer to call you.

The four most common IMC mistakes we see from our clients:

Client produces a new logo or tagline and uses it for printed material, Yellow Pages ads, or outdoor signs, but doesn't update their website with it.

Client uses coupons offline, but doesn't place them on their website.

Client invests in TV or radio advertising, but doesn't post those ads on their website.

Client gets a website but doesn't place their URL on signs, service vehicles, business cards, phone system voicemail, or their outgoing phone message, etc.

Mistakes 1, 2, 3 and 4 are all bad, but they are also easily fixable. If you don't have your coupons online, your TV/radio ads integrated into your website, or your latest and greatest logo proudly displayed, contact Market Hardware's Client Services at (888) 381-6925 and ask for help.

Likewise, if your business voicemail doesn't say, "you can also visit us at www.yourwebaddress.com," or you aren't promoting your website address in all of your offline advertising, get it fixed now! Anywhere and everywhere you promote your phone number you should also promote your web address. It seems like a no-brainer, but then again, so is getting your annual flu shot. Sometimes we forget to do the obvious.

What Matters Now

2010-01-22T11:42:00.005-05:00

Last month, I posted a link to a new, free marketing e-book, What Matters Now. I'm posting it again because there's some pretty good stuff in it.

The book is a short and easy read. It is a collection of single-page entries from bloggers, writers, business leaders and more. I printed a copy and have been reading a few entries a day for the past few weeks. Some of the entries were of the unfortunate self-help variety, but most were interesting, thought-provoking pieces. The entries on Vision, Confidence, and Change were three of my favorites.

If you decide to check it out, let me know what your favorite entries were.

Want to build a successful referral program?

2010-01-20T15:53:00.001-05:00

by a Newsletters Ink PLUS contributor

Start with your newsletter!

What's necessary to have a successful business? Whether you're providing health-care, legal, or automotive services, or selling flowers, cards, and gifts, good customer service is the key to retaining clients. Clients who have appreciated your services will recommend you to friends and family. This word-of-mouth advertising is especially valuable because it is so much more powerful than paid advertising. It is also completely free.

One step beyond word-of-mouth advertising based solely on the good customer service you provide is a referral program. When you develop a referral program, you put in place a system in which you will ask for and reward referrals that you receive from your present clients. Beginning this program can be as simple as writing a letter to your present clients letting them know that you welcome and appreciate referrals. Your newsletter is a perfect place to print this letter because it will reach all your present clients with the word that you are looking for them to refer new clients to you.

Some businesses offer rewards as part of their referral program. It could be a dinner for two, a discount on one of your services, or a flower arrangement. Whatever you offer, you'll need to have a way of tracking the referral so you can deliver the reward. Be sure to ask new clients how they found out about your services. If they were referred, find out who referred them and be sure you reward that person right away.

Optimizing your Google Local listing

2010-01-13T11:57:00.002-05:00

I'm sure you are listed on Google Local. If not, stop reading now and sign up. It's easy and necessary. If you are, then take two and half minutes to watch this video on optimizing your local search results.

Why ask why?

2010-01-13T11:48:00.002-05:00

When was the last time you asked a customer why?

"Why?" is probably the most important question you can ask a customer. Their answer can allow you to understand their behavior: why they are buying what they buy, and just as important, why they are not buying what they're not buying.

No action occurs without motivation. Understanding that motivation can be the key to making a sale and running a successful business.

The second most important question? "Why not?"

What's ahead for 2010?

2010-01-05T11:31:00.003-05:00

Welcome to 2010.

I thought about doing a "things to look for in 2010" list for today's post, but decided against it. Instead, I thought we could discuss it together. So, take a moment to leave a comment with your thoughts on what's coming in 2010.

What do you think think will happen in the marketing world in the coming year? What trends do you think will take off? What '09 fads will fall by the wayside? What '08 trends will make a comeback?

Holiday Hours

2009-12-17T12:12:00.004-05:00

Newsletters Ink PLUS will be closed from 12/24/09 through 1/3/10.

This will probably be my last post until 2010, so I'd like to wish you all a Happy Holiday!

Are You Marketing, or Just Advertising?

2009-12-17T11:58:00.003-05:00

by: Newsletter Ink PLUS contributor

Marketing and advertising aren't the same thing. In fact, advertising is just one part of marketing. Here is a brief definition of each:

Advertising: The non personal presentation or promotion by a firm of its products to its existing and potential customers. Advertising is a short-term exercise.

Marketing: The systematic planning and implementation of a variety of business activities intended to bring together buyers and sellers. Marketing is a long-term endeavor.

Marketing is an ongoing and interactive process that consists of everything a business does to build a positive relationship with the consumer. It is made up of all the actions you take to reach and persuade your prospects that you have the products and services they need. Marketing consists of advertising, public relations, direct mail, and more customer contacts. It encompasses the big picture of your business and how it will succeed rather than simply the immediate result of a particular action. A good marketing plan should allow you to position your business over time so that you build a favorable niche that attracts new clients and retains established ones.

Understanding these differences can make your marketing efforts more efficient and effectively put your business on the path to substantial growth.

A Primer on Web video and other links

2009-12-14T13:12:00.003-05:00

I have a collection of links for you today, starting with a great primer on using Web video in your marketing.

Creating and using Web video never easier
What Matters Now is a new marketing e-book, available for free download here, that was written by more than 70 authors and thinkers.
Here's a list of the best business books of 2009.
Finally, a piece about improving your process for collecting receivables.

Co-Op Advertising can save you money

2009-12-07T12:03:00.003-05:00

Co-opportunity (co-op) advertising is a cost-sharing arrangement between you and a product or service provider. This is a great way to subsidize the cost of your newsletter or other marketing piece. There are both formal and informal co-ops. Formal co-op plans involve advertising assistance and materials from your vendors. Think about the companies that provide products or services you use in your practice/business and contact them for more information. Informal co-op advertising can be as simple as finding a neighboring business looking to reach the same audience as you to work with.

Many of our clients take advantage of co-op advertising in their newsletters. For example, we have an Optometrist who places an ad for Crizal lenses in his newsletter and an attorney who sells ad space to a local chiropractor. I’m sure you can imagine the possibilities for your own office.

Postcards in time for the holidays

2009-12-04T13:58:00.003-05:00

Did you know that 4.25" X 6" postcards automatically mail First Class? They also mail for less than 30 cents each, a significant savings over a standard letter.

This means that you can still get a postcard to your clients in time for the holidays. So, if you skipped the holiday cards this year you still have an affordable, last-minute option.

Links for the long weekend

2009-11-25T12:33:00.004-05:00

I received a newsletter today from my health insurance provider. It contained at least two proofreading errors. I wasn't even reading it carefully, they just jumped off the page at me. My point? Always proofread anything you write. If you can, have someone else read it too.

Here are a few interesting links for your long weekend reading pleasure:

An old, but useful post from Neuromarketing about mixing up ad copy can be found here.
One of my favorites, Seth's Blog has a couple of good posts that I read this morning. He's got a few thoughts on how to lose online arguments, and some great insight on the lifetime value of a customer.
Yahoo! has some good tips on protecting yourself from phishing scams.

Have a good Thanksgiving!

Tips for writing a newsletter article

2009-11-19T15:02:00.003-05:00

One of the reasons many of our clients love our newsletter program is the content we provide. This is a huge time-saver for them. To research, write, and edit an entire newsletter is a time-consuming process.

However, many of our clients enjoy writing an article or two each issue on their own. We encourage this. It allows their newsletter to be a bit more personal; they can include information on local events, local issues, or their specialties.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind if you choose to write your own custom article:

Answer common questions. If there are questions that you hear a lot, take a few moments to answer them in your newsletter. For every client asking you a particular question, there are probably a handful of others who are quietly wondering the same thing.

Keep it informative. If there is a product or service you’d like to sell to your clientele, tell them about it. Explain what makes it great and how it could benefit the reader. Try to avoid a hard-sell approach, though, by keeping it informative. This way, you’re giving the reader something of value to them - information.

Local rules! Discussing local issues and events in your newsletter adds a very personal touch and places you in the position of community leader. If you want to be perceived as a trusted adviser in your field, you must establish trust. By showing that you are a part of the community, you can build that trust.

Give them something. Offer a free report or special gift to your readers. This can be a great way to excite your readers and to build your list.

Dentists, stretches, and Facebook

2009-11-16T14:30:00.002-05:00

Happy Monday everyone. I have three interesting links today for your reading pleasure.

1. An article on SEO specifically for Dentists.
2. Some ideas for exercising at your desk. Especially important with winter approaching.
3. 70% of Facebook "fans" don't want marketing.

I don't know about you, but I like my tips quick & dirty

2009-11-10T12:42:00.002-05:00

Grammar tips that is!

Click here to check out Grammar Girl's Quick & Dirty Tips podcast. There is also a transcript posted if you prefer reading to listening. G.G. is full of tips to help you in your proofreading.

Proofreading is extremely important in business communications. Mistakes happen, but they should be kept to an absolute minimum in order to project professionalism and expertise. Would you hire someone with typos all over their resume? Probably not. Nor would many potential clients hire someone who's Web site, blog, or newsletter is full of typos.

If you're reading this and happen to be a Newsletters Ink client, remember that we provide free proofreading for all your custom newsletter articles.

Who's clicking?

2009-11-05T13:49:00.002-05:00

Before you start a Pay-per-click campaign, take a look at what Seth Godin calls "The unclicking 84%."

Do You Know Your Unique Selling Proposition?

2009-11-03T13:09:00.003-05:00

Picture a 95-degree July. You’re hot, but, your sweet tooth needs satisfying. You find yourself staring at the vending machine, looking for a candy that will really hit the spot. Chocolate would be perfect, except it melts so quickly in this heat. Ah-Ha! Melting is Ok, as long as it’s in your mouth and not in your hands. M&M’s are the only choice.

M&M’s melt in your mouth, not in your hand. When it absolutely has to be there overnight, you call FedEx. When you want a great tasting beer that won’t leave you with that stuffed-full feeling, you reach for a Miller Lite.

All of these brands, and many, many more, have a memorable Unique Selling Proposition (USP). A USP is what sets a business apart from its competitors. It is a statement of what makes that business or brand unique. It is an absolutely vital component of a successful business.

A USP is not a slogan. It can and should, however, be used in any slogan, tagline, or jingle, and should be included in absolutely every marketing piece. A business must identify, develop, and incorporate their USP into everything they do. This can be challenging, but the rewards are worth the efforts. So, how do you come up with your own USP?

First of all, let’s look at what a USP should be. It should be:

Specific
Easily understood
Realistic
Memorable

A good USP should be specific enough to speak to a particular niche. Take some time to think about what type of customers you want to attract to your business and create a USP that speaks to their needs. It should also be easily understood, otherwise, what good is it? Your USP must also be realistic; you must be able to fulfill whatever promise or claim you make. Finally, by boiling down what makes your business unique into a short statement, you can make your USP memorable.

When coming up with your USP, think about your business, your competitors, and your industry. Figure out where your competitors are falling short of customer expectations, and try to fill that gap. Take your time: once you come up with your USP you’ll be spending time and money to get it out there to your potential customers.

Once you come up with your USP, remember to always live up to it and to integrate it into everything you do. It should become a part of your business’s identity.

Have you checked your links today?

2009-10-30T13:32:00.002-04:00

Happy Halloween!

One of the most annoying things on a Web site is a link that doesn't work. When was the last time you checked your links? Maybe today is a good day.

Shameless Plug - Tuesday Edition

2009-10-27T12:38:00.004-04:00

I don't like to use this forum for advertising, but I want to let you all know about a great direct mail product that we just happen to sell at Newsletters Ink.

The Magna-Seal Postcard is a 6"X9" piece that has an item "sealed" onto it. Many of our clients swear by these.

An great example would be a holiday greeting postcard with a 2010 magnet sealed on. It could have a full-color picture on the front with a nice greeting and the magnet on the back.

There are a lot of imprinted items that can be sealed onto the card. I've seen some with poker chips, key chains, key tags, different types of magnets, and many more. Anything flat will do. At this time of the year though, a calendar magnet works great!

A financial case for promotional products

2009-10-23T13:25:00.002-04:00

A recent study by the Advertising Specialties Institute (ASI) made the case that promotional products are a great tool in terms of Return on Investment (ROI).

ASI reported the following:

Based on survey data collected, the average cost-per-impression of a promotional product is now $0.004. By comparison, traditional forms of print and broadcast advertising are more expensive per impression.

The survey also showed that 84% of end-users remember the company logo on the advertising specialty items they receive. Of those who receive wearables (jackets, pants, scarves), a full 94% remember the advertising logo and company. Almost half of end-buyers have a more favorable impression of an advertiser after receiving an item.

According to the survey, nearly one-quarter of end-users would be more likely to do business with an advertiser on a promotional product they receive. Among those who receive recognition items like awards, 75% of end-users have done business with the advertiser.

Survey results found that bags, caps, T-shirts and pens deliver the most significant impressions per month. On average, bags achieve the best results, at more than 1,000 impressions per month. Pens remain the most-owned promotional product; among those surveyed, 20% use pens more than five times per day.

The ASI survey was conducted in June and July by teams of interviewers in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Philadelphia. Additional interviews were conducted online.

What do you think? Have advertising specialties been useful for your business? What term do you prefer: advertising specialties or promotional products?

USPS: No planned postage increase

2009-10-19T16:11:00.004-04:00

Postmaster General John E. Potter announced today that the US Postal Service does not plan to increase postage next year. Potter said in a memo to his staff:

"Simply stated, there will not be a price increase for market dominant products including first-class mail, standard mail, periodicals and single-piece parcel post."

Potter also said, in a statement:

"While increasing prices might have generated revenue for the Postal Service in the short term, the long-term effect could drive additional mail out of the system. We want mailers to continue to invest in mail to grow their business, communicate with valued customers, and maintain a strong presence in the marketplace."

Click here for a link to the full article.

Google uses direct mail

2009-10-14T10:27:00.002-04:00

In my mail this morning, I found a letter from Google. It was an offer for $100 off Google AdWords. That's right, Google sent out a piece of direct mail as part of their marketing effort. Remember that the next time someone tells you direct mail is dead.

Anyway, I'm considering giving AdWords a try. Have any of you used it? What do you think?

Print versus Electronic Newsletters

2009-10-13T11:45:00.002-04:00

Which is the better option for your business?

As most of you already know, print newsletters have long been a marketing standby.

In fact, just at Newsletters Ink PLUS, we’ve produced over 20 million print newsletters for over 6,500 small businesses during the past 30 years. But in recent years we’ve had more and more inquiries regarding electronic newsletters and whether or not they are a viable marketing option.

With that in mind, today we would like to discuss how print newsletters stack up against electronic (e-mail) newsletters.

Before we go into the pros and cons of each, though, we’d like to take a moment to clarify a key point regarding electronic newsletters: An electronic newsletter is a type of e-mail marketing, but not all e-mail marketing takes the form of a newsletter. This is an important distinction to remember.

According to a 2008 report issued by The Pew Internet & American Life Project, 55% of adult Americans have a broadband Internet connection in their homes. Another 10% have a dial-up connection, and countless more connect at the local library, Internet café, or at work. E-mail marketing, including e-newsletters, is a viable way for your marketing message to reach your clients.

It’s no secret that Americans are online, and we’re all aware of how the Internet has changed our culture. Let’s face it – the Web is here to stay.

So, the question is, since both print and electronic newsletters are viable options for marketing your business, which type should you use?

Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each.

Print Newsletters

Pros:

Portability – they can be carried and read anywhere.
Passability – they can be shared with neighbors and colleagues.
Easier to read – recent studies have shown that respondents prefer reading print by a margin of three-to-one over electronic.
Easier to reach low-tech audience.
Can be used in place of company brochure.
Easier to maintain mailing list.

Cons:

Higher cost than electronic newsletters because of printing and mailing.
Time delay for information.
Difficult to produce in-house.

Electronic Newsletters

Pros:

Low cost.
Do-it-yourself possibility.
Easier to keep content timely – reach people 24/7.
Easier to reach tech-savvy audience.

Cons:

Much lower impact than a printed piece.
Do-it-yourself draw can lead to amateur appearance/writing.
Spam filters are increasingly aggressive.
Easier for recipients to opt out.
Tougher to maintain mailing list.
Technical expertise needed.

So which type of newsletter should you use? Well, the best and simplest answer is both.

We encourage our clients to take a diversified approach and incorporate both print and electronic newsletters into their ongoing marketing efforts. Since people tend to process information in different ways, you are more likely to reach a higher portion of your target audience by utilizing both types.

We have two recommendations regarding newsletters:

Send them out. Whether it’s print or electronic, staying in touch and building relationships with your clients through a newsletter can be one of the most important elements of your marketing plan.
Hire a professional partner to help. Many of our best clients tried to do their own print newsletters in the past, only to find that they were far too time-consuming to produce, and the finished product left a lot to be desired. Your image is too important to leave to chance.

With electronic newsletters, maintaining e-mail addresses, dealing with spam filters, and ensuring Web browser compatibility and readability can be a real headache if you don’t have the expertise.

So in either case, save yourself time, effort, money, and frustration by hiring a pro to handle your print or electronic newsletter while you focus on what you do best – running your business.

Have you seen the NYT Small Business Blog?

2009-10-08T11:05:00.004-04:00

The New York Times has a Small Business Blog. If you have a few minutes, it's worth a look.

Do any of you have blogs? Post a link in the comments if you do.