123Print's Tips for Your Small Business

18Mar 2014 by Cindy Berrier No Comments

Open the Door to More Sales – Tips for a Successful Door Hanger Campaign

Customer Acquisition, Marketing, Outdoor Marketing, Product Uses, Products and Services, Small Business Info

Did you know door hangers are a too-often overlooked effective marketing campaign? Creating and distributing custom door hangers can be a very powerful marketing tool for your business. Door hangers are very versatile and can be used in a multitude of different ways. However, no matter how you employ them, if they are not used with a proper strategy in place, it will all be for nothing. Read on for four outside-the-box uses for door hangers and four ways to ensure your door hangers get the best response rate possible. Think outside the box. Send out an Invitation. Does your business have an event coming up? Perhaps you’re even having a Grand Opening? Use your door hangers to spread the word and list out the who, what, where, when and…

17Mar 2014 by Cindy Berrier 1 Comment

PR Timeline for a New Product Launch

Monday Marketing Minutes, Planning, Product Uses, Products and Services, Public Relations, Small Business Info

There’s more to public relations than just writing a press release. Huh, you say? That’s right. So, you have the release. What are you going to do with it? Who does it target? Is it right for all of the media that you are sending it to? Just a few things to think about. PR is not a one-size-fits-all kind of job. While working with a professional PR firm can certainly help take a large portion of the work off your plate, you don’t necessarily need a huge PR agency to successfully launch a new product. A PR strategy for a new product launch takes some thought and attention, and timing is everything. Here’s a timeline that’s good to follow, if you can: (more…)

15Mar 2014 by Cindy Berrier No Comments

Need To Disavow Some Links? Here Are A Few Tips

Marketing, Online Marketing, Search Marketing, Small Business Info

To disavow or not to disavow … that is the question. Actually, that’s not the question at all. Instead, today we’ll be looking at what types of metrics you should consider once you already know you will need to use the disavow tool to get rid of those "spammy" links that either have already gotten you into trouble or certainly look like they might. Also, if possible, try to have a webmaster take down or alter the bad links before you disavow them. (more…)

14Mar 2014 by Cindy Berrier 2 Comments

Small Business Spotlight – BasketCase Gift Baskets

Small Business Info, Small Business Spotlight

This week, 123Print is shining its Small Business Spotlight on ... BasketCase Gift Baskets by Sherie BasketCase Gift Baskets by Sherie is in the business of making you look good! BasketCase creates beautiful custom gift baskets, centerpieces and decor for all your special occasions. They work with their customers to use all their favorite colors, themes and patterns to build a unique, one-of-a-kind gift. [caption id="attachment_6858" align="aligncenter" width="521"] © BasketCase Gifts by Sherie[/caption] (more…)

13Mar 2014 by Cindy Berrier No Comments

5 More Customer Retention Tips

Customer Retention, Small Business Info

Regardless of the specific products you sell or services you provide, competing within your industry likely requires creative and steadfast approaches to stay ahead of the game. Gaining customers is hard enough, but keeping them loyal to your organization calls for even greater focus, prompting a variety of customer retention strategies. Despite technological advances and changes in the way people communicate with one another, building loyal customers is usually accomplished by staying true to fundamental principles pre-dating social media and the World Wide Web. So what are some of the essential, proven approaches to retaining customers? (more…)

11Mar 2014 by Cindy Berrier No Comments

5 Tips to Improve Your Portfolio Website

2nd Tuesday Tune-Up Your Life, Life Insight, Website Tips

Does your portfolio website look like it hasn't been updated since the ‘90s ... because it really hasn't? So many of us create a portfolio website and then never update it. That’s definitely not a good practice since, for one thing, you likely have grown a whole bunch since you first launched that outdated website! And you have beaucoup more relevant work to share and present to potential customers and clients to really make you shine and separate you from the competition. Believe me, improving your portfolio website is worth the investment — both time and money. It’s often the first thing customers and clients check out about your company, and if it doesn't represent you well, then there’s a higher chance you won’t get the gig. That’s not a…

10Mar 2014 by Cindy Berrier No Comments

How to Name Your Company, Products or Services

Monday Marketing Minutes, Products and Services, Small Business Info

Coming up with great names is some people’s full-time job. I know, I can’t believe it, either. For some reason, I always think of the lucky gals or guys who get to name nail polishes. They are great examples of brand-marketing folks who have to ask themselves “what’s in a name?” on a daily basis. Take the person who named OPI’s most-popular nail polish shade, Lincoln Park After Dark, for example. Lincoln Park, if you’re unfamiliar with it, is a Chicago neighborhood, which obviously gets pretty dark at night, considering the deep-purple hue of this product. Even if you don’t know what Lincoln Park is, you can put together the “After Dark” with the dark shade, and get it. It’s a play on words that creates a visual in the…

07Mar 2014 by Cindy Berrier No Comments

Small Business Spotlight – PAW Custom Hockey

Small Business Info, Small Business Spotlight

This week, 123Print is shining its Small Business Spotlight on ... PAW Custom Hockey PAW Custom Hockey serves goalies all around the world by providing them with top-quality protective gear. The focus of PAW is to bring their customers the highest quality product without the markup from a middleman. Buying direct allows you to talk directly to the designer working on your gear as well as gives you a more personal experience. PAW's goal is to provide the best quality equipment to help keep you as safe as possible! [caption id="attachment_6814" align="aligncenter" width="900"] © PAW Custom Hockey[/caption] (more…)

06Mar 2014 by Cindy Berrier 2 Comments

A Small Business’ Brief Guide to Car Magnets

Customer Acquisition, Marketing, Outdoor Marketing, Product Uses, Products and Services, Small Business Info

Did you know your small business can get noticed on the road or even in your own driveway with a custom car magnet? Check out six ways to turn your car into a traffic stopper! Establish your business. Unless your business’ name is self-explanatory, your magnets should clearly explain what products/services you offer. If you choose to include an image, make sure that it's relevant to your business. Choose a selling point. Use a powerful marketing message that explains why consumers need your product/service and what makes you unique. Getting to know who your target audience is will help you establish how you say your message. For example, you won’t want to speak in “chat acronyms” if your target demographic is 55-64. Include the important stuff. Make sure your contact…

05Mar 2014 by Cindy Berrier 2 Comments

21 Tips for Small Business Spring Cleaning

Small Business Info, Website Tips, Workplace

Are you ready to spring into spring?! The first day of Spring this year is Thursday, March 20. Have you started thinking about doing a springtime spruce for your business? We have! Here is a list we've put together of 21 tips for giving your small business a spring cleaning: Switch up your email marketing program. Don’t be afraid to try something new. Evaluate your cross-selling tactics. It may be time to switch things up. Check your links. All of them. Trust me, you’ll want to be the one to find a bad link before a customer does. Expand your use of Google Analytics — it’s an extremely helpful tool. And better yet, it’s completely free! (Note that as per Google Analytics policy, if your site generates more than 10…