123Print's Tips for Your Small Business

18Jun 2015 by Cindy Berrier No Comments

5 Things to Remember When Choosing Your Save the Dates

Newly engaged couples have only so long to revel in their happiness before they're inundated with an array of wedding planning decisions. Who should they invite? Where should they go? What type of ceremony do they want to have? Should they have a theme? Luckily, a lot of these decisions are really fun, including choosing the save-the-date cards. If you're about to choose your save the dates, take a look at these five things to keep in mind:1. Order Early, Send Early Most wedding planners recommend couples send save the dates to their guests, since the cards give friends and family members a little more time to make plans and save money if necessary. For that reason, save the dates should be sent pretty early - the general rule of thumb…

17Jun 2015 by Cindy Berrier No Comments

Preventing Employee Burnout

Office and Homeworking

Employee burnout is a workplace problem that every business owner encounters. Perhaps you notice a staff member isn't as enthusiastic as he or she once was, or perhaps he or she starts showing up late and taking unexpected sick days. When this occurs, you may think the employee has just suddenly become lazy. In reality, perhaps you are asking too much of this person, or they are feeling under appreciated. Here are some tips for preventing workplace burnout in your company:Have an Intervention Unlike the television show, this intervention should be a very calm affair. When you notice that an employee seems to be exhibiting signs of burnout, take the initiative to address the issue right away. Have a one-on-one meeting in your office during which you discuss any issues he…

17Jun 2015 by Cindy Berrier No Comments

How to Make Your Employee One-on-Ones a Success

Office and Homeworking

As a boss, one of your main jobs is keeping employees engaged in the company and motivated to continue doing great work. And while employees love perks like work-from-home Fridays or free goodies (everybody loves personalized notepads), one essential way to keep them engaged is to simply treat each person as an individual who plays an integral role in the running of your business. That's why it's a good idea to hold regular one-on-one meetings with your employees - you can check in, provide feedback on their work and allow them to raise any questions or concerns they may have. Here are some tips for making these one-on-ones successful:Be Prepared As with any business meeting, it's essential to come prepared - even if you have 12 one-on-ones in a single day, take…

16Jun 2015 by Cindy Berrier No Comments

Innovative Ways You Can Use Your Business Flyers

Marketing

Marketing is one of the most essential aspects of getting any new business off the ground - if a company doesn't put its name out there, it will have a very difficult time drumming up enough business to stay afloat. For most new companies, things like word-of-mouth and digital marketing are a big priority. These types of promotion don't cost a lot of money and are known for being very effective. But marketing strategies that use tangible advertisements - like postcards or door hangers - also have high success rates.Business flyers are cost-effective and can be used to make a personal connection with potential customers and drive people to a storefront. Plus, they don't have to be just slipped under people's doors or left under their windshield wipers - there are…

15Jun 2015 by Cindy Berrier No Comments

4 tips to make your company more sustainable

Office and Homeworking, Starting a new business

As a small-business owner, you are at the helm of many important decisions. You choose what your logo looks like, the style of your company's address labels, what your office hours are and even where you work. These decisions are all important, but what about your business's environmental footprint? If you care about protecting natural resources and preventing climate change, here are some tips for making your business more sustainable:Recycle Many office products are available in new and recycled form. Most items that are made out of paper, such as custom business cards and Post-It notes, can be made on recycled paper. Choose these options when ordering office supplies. It's also important to recycle anything you can, from appliances like your printer or old toaster to items from your break room…

12Jun 2015 by Cindy Berrier No Comments

Are You Using Email Marketing?

Customer Retention, Marketing

Unlike many other types of marketing, email campaigns are a bit less about generating brand new customers and a bit more about keeping old and current ones excited and coming back. That's why they're such a vital tool for startups - they allow companies to reach out to customers and remind them what they can gain from returning. Are you using email marketing for your startup? If not, here are a few tips to keep in mind when you begin:Focus on Content First Effective email marketing campaigns rely almost completely on the type of content you're sending out. So, make sure you have a content strategy before you start sending regular newsletters. Content can be anything from industry news and educational information to lists and how tos, but it must…

11Jun 2015 by Cindy Berrier No Comments

5 Ideas for Improving Your Door Hanger Marketing Campaign

Marketing

Small business marketing these days is very much about developing a digital presence, but companies shouldn't limit themselves to just online and social media campaigns. Because that's what most companies are focusing on, door-to-door marketing, including direct mail and door hangers, don't have to fight for attention quite as much as email newsletters and social posts. Door hangers have been used for small business marketing campaigns for years, and they're an effective way to raise awareness, especially in specific neighborhoods and locations near your business. Plus, unlike direct mail, they make an individual impression - they're hung on a doorknob where your future customers won't be able to ignore them. If you're considering door hanger marketing for your business, here are a few pointers for making your campaign effective:1. Use Geographic…

10Jun 2015 by Cindy Berrier No Comments

What to Do When You Make a Mistake at Work

Customer Retention

For some people there's nothing quite as difficult as saying, "I was wrong." Swallowing pride and admitting fault is stressful and scary, but it's almost always better than the alternative - trying to hide or downplay a big mistake. This is especially true when it comes to business transactions. In a perfect world, the products and services your company sells to clients would meet deadlines without a hitch. But, as we all know, it isn't a perfect world, and sometimes things go wrong. So what do you do when you've made a mistake on a project you're working on for a client? Here are the steps you should take:Fess Up It's critical to admit your mistake and to do so as soon as possible. If you try to cover it…

09Jun 2015 by Cindy Berrier No Comments

Schedule Organization Tips You Need to Know

Office and Homeworking

You wake up in the morning and head into the office where you have dozens of emails waiting in your inbox. You have several projects going on, but with a handful of meetings scattered throughout the day, you don't know when you'll find time to get to any of them. So, what do you do? One of the most difficult parts about running a small business is that there are always any number of important things on your plate, but it's hard to fit all of them in without making some sacrifices. That's why it's so crucial to organize your schedule purposefully and meticulously - taking some time to organize could mean finding a way to fit everything in. Here are a few effective schedule organization tips to keep in mind:There's…

08Jun 2015 by Cindy Berrier No Comments

Office etiquette: A death in the family

Office and Homeworking

When someone loses a loved one it is a delicate time. Some people choose to come to the office and others work from home, where they may be more comfortable handling their grief. It can be tricky learning how to navigate the death of a loved one in the workplace. How should you act around a grieving person? What should you say? Here are some helpful things to keep in mind when faced with the death of a co-worker's loved one:Work can be helpful Many people find that returning to work after the death of someone they care about is really helpful. Death often makes individuals feel helpless and vulnerable, and coming back to the workplace may be a welcome reprieve from these emotions. They have tasks to complete and know…