Say YES to Customer Lists from Colleagues Who Are Closing Their Doors
When the magazine I ran for 22 years closed its doors, the owners offered me all the business data and customer lists for free. They were not going to do anything with it, and everything would be purged by the end of the tax year. So I said yes. Saying yes not only gave me […]
Hybrid Marketing Teams Are Here and They’re Hot
Marketing departments in printing businesses are being disrupted. Today’s employees have been adjusting and adapting on the fly. Many have been deployed elsewhere during the pandemic. Most marketing people I talk to are carrying multiple roles within the company. They’re covering for other employees who need flexible time off, or they’re pivoting to address urgent […]
Getting Creative with a $20 Marketing Budget
Doing a small project — even one with a ridiculously cheap budget — can be a way to show customers that creative marketing gets direct, measurable results. Having some fun in the process makes you endearing and spotlights you as a preferred vendor. Helping customers make critical business decisions based on marketing input makes you […]
Chutes and Ladders is This Year’s Game of Life
Remember the game Chutes and Ladders? The kids’ board game where you have to climb to the top before anyone else? Chutes and Ladders (or Snakes and Ladders) is ostensibly about luck, random spins or rolls of the dice, and avoiding the slides that send you careening to the bottom. It’s also about hanging in […]
How to Make Business Decisions for a Wonderful Life
A printer came to me with a dilemma. One of his customers wanted to buy his family printing business and turn it into an in-house print-design department. Since he owned the only print shop in his small town, he felt a responsibility to stay independent and serve the community, just as his parents did before […]
9 Tips on How to Get New Customers From a Nine-Year-Old!
Is it possible to get new customers in this topsy-turvy time? Here’s a story about a little kid who not only did it but created a winning nine-point formula. My son, Nate, was nine years old when I was laid off from my corporate publishing job. The business had not bounced back from the Great […]
Help Customers Make a Profit by Using Print in NEW Ways
“If you want me to use print for marketing, make it the kind of print that makes me some money.” My client told me he was leaving money on the table with every purchase. The will-call counter for his specialty parts business was so busy he had no time to upsell customers. “If we’re not on […]
Buckle Down and Write for Crisp Communication
Just for fun, I get together with copywriters, speechwriters, ghostwriters, and all kinds of cool writer types. We practice persuasive writing as a group. We use games, prompts, and timed sessions to keep ourselves “fit.” Quick and confident writing. Sounds good, doesn’t it? Why we should be reaching out through the written word Whether you […]
A Single Toe Can Help You Get a Foot in the Door
In times of uncertainty, look for toe holds where you can wiggle into new verticals or open doors in your market. Small openings can lead to big opportunities. Toe holds are especially important when your competitors are distracted and not paying attention. Stick your toe in their business! To get started, have a meeting with […]
Your Customers Really DO Want to Hear from You and Here’s Why
When I was a kid, there was this thing called the Helping Hand Program. If you were hurt, lost, or in danger, you could knock on the door of a house that had a handprint sign in the window. Kids knew that the family with a handprint sign would watch over you until your parent […]
Hey! Stop the Green Acres Email Thinking and Plan for the Future
Many printers I talk to act like email is some fancy new invention. It’s been around for 25 years as a business tool. It’s going to be around in the future. It’s here to stay. Email should be a key item in your printing sales toolkit: Setting appointments A place to deliver quotes Stay-in-touch emails […]
Make Print Powerful by Sharing Your Memories of Print
To help print thrive, we must find ways to share our personal stories about print with those outside the industry. Emotional stories and vivid, life-changing memories remind people of the role that print has played in their own lives. Do you have print-powerful stories that make an impact? Here’s one of mine: Before I started […]
