8 Reasons Getting Your Print Needs Locally Helps You Win Every Time

When you think of printing your projects, going with an online company might seem easy and quick. However, there are numerous benefits to choosing a local print shop for all of your printing needs!

Not only can going local provide personalized service and high-quality work, but you also get the satisfaction of supporting a business in your community.  

Here are a few more reasons why getting printing done locally can be an intelligent choice for you.

8 Reasons Getting Your Print Needs Locally Helps You Win Every Time

1. Paper Choices

When you print a project, you want to choose the perfect paper.

Making this selection online is tough. You can't feel it, touch it and see precisely what you are getting.

Going to your local printer allows you to do just this. You can touch the paper, feel its weight and size, and experience what your project will look and feel like. 

2. Premium Finishes

You might want to try premium finishes when going all out and want something different to grab your customers' attention.

Seeing these samples in person will allow you to choose your project's exact finish. You can't do this online.

3. Support Local

When you print locally, your dollars stay in the community.

You are supporting them, just as they will support you. Think network marketing. You'll be able to refer each other to customers looking for each other's services.

In fact, for every $100 spent, roughly $68 to $73 returns to local activity. Money is kept in the community because locally-owned businesses often purchase from other local companies, service providers, and farms.

4. Quicker Turnaround

Typically, we can offer a quicker turnaround than online.

Online printers manage thousands of orders each day. Yours will be dropped into a queue, and it will get done when it gets done…and don't forget to consider shipping time. 

5. Solving Problems

If, by chance, something happens to your printing project, you have an immediate solution when printing in person rather than online.

We want to know your business goals and help you make informed decisions.

6. No Shipping Fees

You don't have to pay for shipping and handling when you print locally.

We will let you know when the project is ready for you to pick up!

7. Great Pricing

Many people mistakenly think that printing locally costs more, but this could not be farther from the truth.

Most local printing firms will be competitively priced. We know what other printers offer and pay special attention to keeping our costs low.

8. We Care

We care about our service and reputation more than online companies do.

That means you will get better customer service, options, and solutions for your projects.

These are only a few reasons you should choose your local printer rather than online.

If you are looking for a local printer who offers quality, customer service, and pride in their craft, look us up.

6 Ways to Boost Your Sales with Social Proof

 Did you know you can incorporate what your customers say about your business in your print and digital marketing to boost your company's sales?

When other people engage in something, it triggers the brain to reduce the perception of risk associated with an idea or activity, creating social proof. When you utilize social proof successfully, you convey to potential customers that buying your product or service is the safe thing to do.

Authenticity, transparency, and honesty are paramount to the success of social proof by building loyalty and trust with your customers.

Sound complicated? It's not.

6 Ways to Boost Your Sales with Social Proof 

1. Build Your Social Media Reach

You need to build your social media platform by asking for online reviews.

This is a trusted source for many people looking to do business.

People regularly check the reviews online to see what others have experienced and decide who to do business with. Nearly nine out of ten consumers read reviews before making a purchase. 

2. List Customer Experiences

Listing customers' experiences online will encourage people to follow the pack and try you.

Ask customers if you can get a quick testimonial from them and have them write it down or write it as they tell you what they've experienced.

3. Mix It Up

Don't just ask for one type of review.

Spread the reviews on multiple sites, such as Yelp, Facebook, Google, etc. Approximately 59% of consumers look at two to three review sites before making a purchase decision. 

4. Help Your Customer Visualize

Use staged photos and action shots of people using your product.

People trust this much more than an ad. They will see people just like them using your product or services and think they might benefit from getting a hold of you, too.

5. Use YouTube

Show your customers unboxing your products and freebies or learning about a contest they won from your business.

This is exciting and fun for people to watch, engaging them in what you're business is doing.

6. Promote Your Accomplishments

If your company won an award or received recognition in some way from a third party, capitalize on this by advertising it on your website, in your marketing materials, and online.

If you have an article written about you or your company, post it online. If any trust badges are available, place them on your website.

These are a few ways to build social proof and help people decide on their own that they want to do business with you. Seeing others trust you and use your product or service encourages them to do the same.

If you need signs to post on your company's doors to encourage people to give reviews, or you want posters or business cards to feature QR codes to link to a review site, we can help.

Check us out today!

How SEO and Print Work Together

 The purpose of search engine optimization (SEO) is to get your website to the top of Google’s search engine. 

The higher up your business is, the easier it will be for potential clients to find you. This is especially beneficial given that 68% of online experiences start with search engines. 

Many factors impact SEO ranking, such as

• Bounce rate is when visitors leave a webpage without taking any action—the lower the bounce rate, the better.
• Dwell time is how long visitors stay on the page. The longer, the better.
• Traffic is how much activity the page has. The more steady traffic, the better. 

Knowing what impacts your website’s SEO rankings can help boost your website. 

How SEO and Print Work Together

Print marketing can help improve your website’s SEO ranking by driving people to your website. 

One convenient, powerful way to accomplish this is through QR codes. QR codes provide an easy way to drive people from paper to online. QR codes can be added to… 

• Business cards. Drive people to your website to direct them to information that couldn’t fit on the card.
• Catalogs. Next to the advertised, popular product, put a QR code. This will make it easy for customers to buy the product.
• Posters. Bring people from the physical world to the online world by including QR codes on posters. 

QR codes increase your website’s traffic, and they will likely improve dwell times and bounce rates because the people visiting your website are actively seeking it for a purpose. Compare this to someone who stumbles across your website on Google but realizes it’s not quite what they’re looking for. 

3 Ways to Improve Your Site’s Ranking

1. Improve your website

Making your website easier to use will improve its SEO ranking.

Some areas to look at include: 

• Page load speeds. A website’s conversion rate drops by about 4.42% for every second of load time. The faster your website, the better it’ll do. People don’t like waiting.
• Mobile-friendliness. A user-friendly mobile phone website is essential, given that 64% of searches are on mobile phones compared to 35% on computers.
• Navigation. Improve website navigation using clear, everyday language and easy-to-find links to the most important pages. Use design techniques to separate parts of the page and stick to already established website structures. 

A faster, user-friendly website will get people to stay, boosting SEO. 

2. Improve your backlinks

Backlinks (also known as inbound links) are hyperlinks to your website from an external website.

As a business, you want other websites to link to your website. Sometimes this happens naturally. However, you can improve your backlinks by reaching out to editors of other websites and suggesting they link to your page, explaining why doing so would benefit them. You can also create internal links by linking pages within your website. 

3. Create quality content

Having quality content will naturally drive people to your website. 

A catchy headline can get people to click, but quality content keeps them. Make relevant, well-formatted, easy-to-read, and engaging content. Be sure to use everyday language throughout. Include a skim layer with headers, sections, pictures, and infographics. 

Using print and other SEO optimization techniques can help you improve your website’s ranking, making it easier for potential clients to find your business through Google. 

Are you ready to optimize your SEO with print? Reach out to our team now!

4 Simple Steps to Set Intentions

 

It's that time of year again: Time to re-evaluate your life, business, and goals.

Setting intentions for this year will help you fulfill them and be more successful than setting a resolution. Both practices require looking at yourself and making changes. But an intention isn't as harsh as a resolution.

Rather than setting goals for where you want to go, creating intentions shifts your attitude and mindset toward how you want to be. It allows you to take steps and be proud of them. How does one do this? Take a look at these four steps to setting intentions.

4 Simple Steps to Set Intentions 

1. Evaluate Yourself

If you want more knowledge, energy, and creativity, you have to start by taking a step back and looking inward. 

This is true even for leaders who don't have time, perhaps, especially for them!

"Spending time casting our thoughts back over the past day, week, or month and sitting down to regularly set goals for the future feels like a luxury of time [executives] can't afford. But the truth is, these practices are proven to lead to more productivity and better performance from the world's best leaders."

2. Envision Success

This is not "an exercise in magical thinking; rather, it is a way for us to program our brain and our subconscious toward what we want to see happen."  

Studies show that if we envision something positive, we are more likely to see it come to fruition.

Likewise, if we envision something negative, we set ourselves up for this.

3. Get Away From Fear-Based Goals

Don't beat yourself up trying to achieve something this year.

Intentions will be more of a goal without negative implications. "Positive intentions can help us take action with self-compassion rather than the sense of pressure that goals create."

4. Write Down Your Intentions

Create a picture, write it on a sticky note or simply write it on a piece of paper next to your bed.

Then, contemplate it daily so you can focus on what you intend to do.

"The intention I set in the morning informs my day in subtle or profound ways depending on the extent to which I keep it in my conscious awareness."

These are a few ways to set intentions instead of resolutions; if you try them, you might be surprised at what you accomplish. In addition, you will be more at peace and able to enjoy life while accomplishing things daily.

If you are trying to tackle a big project at the office, let us help. Set an intention to check out our website today!

Why You Should Develop an Abundance Mindset

 

An abundance mindset is when you believe there are enough resources in the world for everyone and are grateful for what you have. 

This is in opposition to the scarcity mindset, which believes the earth contains limited resources. This mindset creates an overly competitive lifestyle and envy for others because the person tends to focus on what they don’t have. This mindset is damaging because it promotes unhappiness and less fulfilling relationships. 

Why You Should Develop an Abundance Mindset

Having an abundance mindset helps you create a happier, more fulfilling life for yourself. 

It comes with many benefits. An abundance mindset … 

• Promotes personal and professional success by letting you focus on the many opportunities.
• Helps you feel confident and capable.
• Generates creativity and motivation through a more proactive approach to life.
• Makes you feel better about yourself.
• Deepens your relationships. 

If you’ve been struggling with a lack of motivation, envy for others, and discontent with your present situation, try adopting an abundance mindset using the following strategies. 

Identify Your Negative Beliefs for an Abundance Mindset 

Everyone has subconscious beliefs about themselves. 

Sometimes these beliefs are negative and often untrue, limiting the person’s full potential because they’re held back by these beliefs. 

For example, someone may believe that they are destined for failure. This belief will hold you back from success, so working on changing it is important. 

• Step 1: Identify your negative belief. In this case, it’s the belief that you are destined for failure.
• Step 2: Ask yourself where this negative belief came from. Did it originate from past failures?
• Step 3: Ask yourself if this belief is true. Do past failures guarantee future disappointments? Are you focusing on past failures and ignoring all your successes to maintain this negative belief?
• Step 4: Ask yourself if this negative belief is helpful. If not, how damaging is it? How has it harmed you in the past? Where has it been influencing your behavior?
• Step 5: Change your negative belief. By this point, hopefully, you’ve discovered your negative thought isn’t true, nor is it helpful. Start by telling yourself success is possible. Notice when your negative belief appears, and challenge it. 

Identifying, challenging, and changing your negative beliefs is difficult. However, keep at it; you’ll be better off in the long run. 

Be Grateful for an Abundance Mindset

Gratitude is when you focus on the good things in your life and be grateful for them. 

Everyone is subjected to positive and negative events throughout their day, and some days the balance is quite off. However, people can choose what they focus on. If you’re struggling, start by finding three things you’re grateful for daily.  

Go With the Flow for an Abundance Mindset

Many people hate change and fight against it. 

However, change is the one constant in this unpredictable world. View change as an opportunity for new experiences. Even if the situation seems like a step down from your previous one, try viewing it with curiosity. 

Do What You Love for an Abundance Mindset

Filling your life with people and activities you love will make it much easier to feel happy and grateful, promoting an abundance mindset. 

Don’t expect to love every part of your day, but if you dislike most of your days, perhaps it’s time to brainstorm ways to fill your life with more of what you love. 

Celebrate Your Success for an Abundance Mindset

Often success is brushed off, and each new milestone begins with a focus on the next goal. 

What is a past success, big or small, that you didn’t take the time to celebrate? Write it down and make time to celebrate it. Late is better than never. 

In the future, be on the lookout for your successes and accomplishments.

Following these tips will help you on your way to fostering a more abundant mindset. We hope an abundance mindset will benefit your personal life and your business. Good luck!   

How to Set Smart Goals for Your Next Social Media Campaign

 

SMART goals help you identify areas you'd like to improve and clarify your objectives for a successful social media campaign. They act as a guide to data collection and help your team know which tasks to prioritize. 

SMART Goals

SMART is an acronym for… 

• Specific. Use statistical values to narrow down what and how much you'd like to achieve.
• Measurable. Attribute values to non-numerical indicators of success, being precise in how you'd like to measure. 
• Achievable. Look at past campaigns and use them as a base for how much you think your business can achieve.
• Realistic. Similar to achievable. Make sure your goal is relevant.
• Timely. Set a date for when you'd like the goal to be completed. 

Setting SMART goals acts as a base for your social media campaign.

Create a Social Media Campaign With SMART Goals

SMART goals help create a stellar social media campaign that works for your company. 

Step 1: Set a goal using the SMART goal method, making sure it's specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely. Determine what metrics are best to measure. 

Step 2: Determine your target market. This will guide decisions, including which social media channel(s) to use and content to put out. Make sure it all ties back to support your goal. 

Step 3: Create a content calendar. Plan out your content using a calendar. Make sure everything is spaced out, and posts build off each other. 

Step 4: Manage the campaign. Actively engage with customers by replying to comments and answering questions. Adjust your strategy as needed. If you're not in line to meet your goals, then try new tactics to boost engagement.

Step 5: Analyze the results. What went well? What would you do differently? Why? Use what you learn to create a better social media campaign next time. 

Using SMART goals as a guide can help you get the results you want in your next social media campaign. 

SMART Social Media Campaign Goals

Sometimes, determining what goals to set can be challenging. Here are two ideas to get you started. 

1. Increase brand awareness 

If you're running a social media campaign, this is a great place to start because it's the top reason marketers use social media.

To set a SMART goal, answer these questions: 

• Who do you want to increase brand awareness with?
• How will you measure this? Through followers, views, likes, or shares?
• Once you've determined how you're going to measure your campaign, how many followers, views, likes, or shares do you want? Is this goal achievable and realistic? Do you have access to past campaigns to use as a benchmark?
• When do you want to reach your goal? 

By effectively increasing brand awareness, your business will increase sales and traffic. 

2. Improve customer service

More and more customers are looking to social media for customer support. 

One in five people says they use social media for customer support.

To set a SMART goal, answer these questions: 

• How many people reach out via social media for customer support?
• How fast is your current average response time through social media?
• How fast would you like your response time to be? Is this realistic?
• What is your customer satisfaction score for those who sought help via social media? Where would you want it to be? 

Your business can increase revenue, customer satisfaction score, and customer retention by having good customer service available through social media. 

Having goals, especially SMART goals, improves performance and happiness. Setting SMART goals for your social media campaigns can have a significant impact. 

Social media is one of your business's many avenues to reach customers. Effectively reaching a variety of customers requires an omnichannel approach, including online and offline marketing.

As always, we're here to help you with whatever print needs come your way, including print campaigns that help boost your social media! 

Extraordinary Marketing: How Your Marketing Can Make an Impact Anywhere

Marketing has a powerful impact on your business.

Marketing matches your business with potential customers around the world, increasing sales. Business owners know the power of marketing, which is why the average local business puts 5-10% of its revenue towards a digital marketing budget.

Extraordinary marketing: Grow your business

The main priority of marketing is to grow your business. 

You can use a variety of avenues to reach your target audience. By having a well-defined business plan, target market, and pain point your company addresses, you’ll be better able to reach the people who need to know about your business. 

Extraordinary marketing: Reach your goals

Marketing is a standard method to reach your goals defined in your short and long-term business plans. 

Some common business goals marketing can address include: 

• Increase your business’s market share
• Reach out to community members
• Maintain or increase profits
• Growth
• Establish brand message and voice
• Improve company value

Take a look at your business’s unique goals. Then, pinpoint which ones you can achieve through a marketing campaign. Finally, plan a marketing campaign with well-defined goals and measuring methods. 

Extraordinary marketing: Customer loyalty 

Loyal customers keep your business going. 

61% of small and medium businesses report greater than half of their revenue coming from repeat customers. It would be difficult for a business to survive without repeat customers. Reach your existing customers through marketing campaigns. 

When your customers shop with you, ask them for their contact information. Then you can keep them updated and coming back for more through newsletters, social media, and direct mail campaigns. 

Extraordinary marketing: Reach anyone anywhere

Today’s global, connected world provides many opportunities for business expansion. 

Small and medium-sized businesses now have the tools to sell to anyone, anywhere in the world. Having a larger target market pool increases your business’s growth potential.

Seize this opportunity by having a well-functioning online store. Then expand the scope of your marketing campaigns to reach people around the globe whom you may not have previously considered. 

Extraordinary marketing: Promising channels

Marketing can take on endless forms.

Often, the best marketing strategy is an omnichannel approach. Examples include: 

• Influencer marketing: pay a person with a dedicated follower base to endorse or mention your product or service. 89% say ROI from influencer marketing is about the same or better than other channels.
• Content marketing: create content through various channels to inform customers, driving them to your business.
• Print marketing: create tangible content you can share with your target market. Print boosts customer loyalty and trust. 

Pay attention to the various forms of marketing and find the ones that work best for you. 

Marketing is integral to the success of your business, and print marketing can be especially powerful.

We’re here to help you with all your print marketing. Contact us today to get started on your next campaign! 

 

Top 8 Print Marketing Design Hints

 

Designing marketing materials has much room for creativity, but you should also avoid common mistakes.

If you aren't a graphic designer, you may be tempted to do your own thing, but there are some definite no-nos in design. Here are nine hints to guide you.

Top 8 Print Marketing Design Hints

1. Have a clear concept for your marketing campaign

When people start designing, they often keep adding to it without a clear idea of the desired design.

This is a big red flag that your design is off to a bad start. You need to know what you want your design to look like.

2. Use symbolism

For example, try to enhance the text's mood with a sketch, a drawing, an image, or a picture representing what you are trying to communicate.

3. Target the right audience with your print media

Your content isn't for everyone.

But there's one particular group of people you should always aim to impress and engage: your target audience.

Think like them. Read like them. Try to entertain and engage them in your words and design.

4. Use white space

Make sure you don't pack everything into your design.

You may have great design ideas, but you don't need to use them all in one place. Instead, save some for future projects.

5. Add pictures and graphics

Don't just pack in the text.

There needs to be a break in the page. Add a pertaining photo or an image of something else with its own caption. Maybe it's a picture of a new employee, a party you had for your clients or a giveaway.

Sometimes the simplest designs are the most effective, so don't overdo it with images. There are ways to make your design clean, clear, and attractive without too many graphics. You want it to look uniform and enhance the text.

6. Be consistent across your marketing channels

Whether it's fonts, colors, or images, make sure you're consistent.

This helps tie your design down into one visually appealing and harmonious look.

So keep it similar, using specific colors, fonts, or designs.

7. Be careful with the fonts

Stay with two to three fonts throughout the publication you are producing.

8. Choose colors wisely

Understanding color theory and psychology can help you use colors at their optimal best.

Colors can set the tone, mood, and style of your design.

Don't go crazy picking a variety of colors. Instead, be consistent and keep the colors in the same family.

When it's time to print your project, please remember us.

We are here to help guide you, answer your questions, and print your project.

Contact us today!

5 Self-Mailers That Help You Stretch Your Budget

Everyone wants to save money. But we also wish for success. So how do we achieve both?

Self-mailers are the answer. It's a tried-and-true method of marketing that gets readership and results.

Research shows that mail is one of the most effective ways to connect with customers personally. The options are endless, and they are read more often than an email.

When physical mail goes into your mailbox, you know it's intended for you, and you take notice. One benefit of a self-mailer over a traditional envelope is that a self-mailer can be creatively designed with attention-grabbing text and images.

Direct mail achieves a 3.7% response rate with a house list and a 1.0% response rate with a prospect list. Compare that to: Mobile 0.2%; Email 0.1% for a Prospect list and 0.1% for House/Total list; Social Media 0.1%; Paid Search 0.1%; Display Advertising 0.02%.

5 Self-Mailers That Help You Stretch Your Budget

1. Newsletters

Newsletters hold essential information about your business and how you can help your clients. In addition, it allows space for articles on several things.

Make your newsletter monthly, and people look forward to seeing it in the mail and reading it.

Keep your reader in mind, however. Don't just tell what is new at your business. Instead, show them how important it is to do business with you. And include a call-to-action, so they know how to get a hold of you.

Also, incorporate your logo, pictures, graphics, and white space. But don't pack it too full.

2. Postcards

These clever little items let you transfer a thought or solution to your customers. Use it as a teaser, announcing that something big is coming. Or use it to promote a new item.

Show a picture of how it helps your customer, rather than just a shiny item. Use a standard size or extra-large postcard.

Either way, it's a quick read and will capture your client's attention.

3. Brochures

Use these comprehensive pieces in the mail, around town, or wherever you do business. They are perfect for trade shows as well. These are easy to take with and affordable to mail.

People look at brochures containing pertinent information, attractive pictures, and graphics. The text is usually broken up by panel and allows for an easy read.

Always include your logo and a call-to-action so that guests will contact you.

4. Tri-Fold Mailer

Try a tri-fold mailer to get optimal results while saving money. These are typically six panels that open up to be an oversized postcard about 6" X 11."

These are great for promoting sales, adding coupons, and a tear-off business card.

5. 6-Fold Mailer

These are similar to the tri-fold but with a little more space. Again, you can use these mailers vertically or horizontally.

Self-mailers are creative and get noticed. 

We're here to help you create your next budget-friendly, eye-catching self-mailer. Contact us today to get started!

5 Top Reasons Tracking Metrics is Vital

 

You stress over minor details. You plan. You delegate. You edit. You design. Then you execute.

Your marketing deserves to be read and digested. But how do you know how effective it is? That's where tracking metrics come in.

Without tracking metrics, you have no idea if your campaign and business are thriving.

Proper metrics should be giving you answers to the following questions:

• What were your results in the past?
• What are your goals for the future?
• Is there something that should be improved?
• Which targets did you reach?
• Which targets did you miss?

5 Top Reasons Tracking Metrics is Vital

1. Makes your business efficient.

Looking at metrics helps analyze how well all aspects of your business are doing.

When you're able to view and analyze key metrics, it makes it much easier to run your business. In addition, you know where to invest your resources and focus on the most critical issues.

2. Gauges performance of staff.

Tracking metrics helps analyze the performance of your staff, and it will show you what areas are succeeding and what areas are lacking.

Then, if there are problems, you can tackle the issues head-on.

If not, you can reward your employees.

3. Alerts you to problems.

Keeping an eye on metrics will immediately alert you to problems and issues in your business.

This helps when you're out of the office or on vacation and want to stay updated on how things are going.

In addition, metrics will alert you to the areas you need to focus on when you return.

4. Develops accountability and consistency.

Knowing what areas to improve will help your business become more vital.

It's like training for an athletic event. The more specific your metrics are, the better you are to train for the big day or event.

5. Improves business.

Good metrics rely on numbers rather than opinions.

Words like good quality, bad quality, and acceptable quality are vague. They may depend on the personal opinion of the person expressing them.

But when you have the numbers in place, you can get the numbers that will enable you to improve your business.

When you have good metrics, you can improve different areas of your business, coach your employees, and meet your customers' needs.

Our metrics show that our customers are happy with our products and service, as you are probably aware.

Check us out today!