123Print's Tips for Your Small Business

07Nov 2012 by Cindy Berrier No Comments

It’s Almost Turkey Time!

It's almost that time of year where we all have to invest in an extra pair of sweatpants ... that's right, Thanksgiving time! Are you planning on throwing a Thanksgiving party? Or are you simply in the spirit to tell your loved ones, "Thanks"? Whatever the reason may be, we've got a wide variety of classic, modern and trendy Thanksgiving cards for you to choose from! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJrn_qUF5-U

31Oct 2012 by Cindy Berrier No Comments

Your Brand is Your Promise

Small Business Info

[caption id="attachment_1941" align="alignleft" width="150"] No, crossing your fingers does not "count."[/caption] Did your mom or dad (or maybe it was a grandparent) ever tell you, “Don’t make a promise you can’t keep”? If they didn’t, they should have, because it’s good advice both personally and professionally. In business and in life, once you break someone’s trust, it’s hard — if not impossible — to earn it back again. So what can you promise your customers — knowing that you have to, under all circumstances, keep that promise? And what can you promise that is different than your competition? Your answers to these questions should be the core of your brand. Now some of you may be confused. Some people think that their brand is their logo, but that’s a pretty…

24Oct 2012 by Cindy Berrier No Comments

Eeny, Meeny, Miny, MOBILE!

Small Business Info

Google’s study agrees with our It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas infographic, confirming that 54% of consumers will start their holiday shopping before Black Friday, and 36% plan to do the majority of it in 4 days – by the end of Cyber Monday! With all that shopping going on, what do small businesses need to know about how consumers will research potential purchases? 51% of consumers research a product online then visit the store to purchase 44% of consumers research a product online then purchase the product online 17% of consumers visit a store first then purchase the product online 32% of consumers research a product online, visit the store to view the product, then return online to complete the purchase Apple released the mini just in time…

22Oct 2012 by Cindy Berrier 3 Comments

Secrets to Direct Mail Success

Monday Marketing Minutes, Small Business Info

Pssssst. Hey you. Ya, you. The first secret is that ... direct mail is not dead. In fact, the DMA's 2012 Response Rate Report said that direct mail generates higher conversion rates than digital channels (but email demonstrates the highest ROI). A direct marketing guru shared the second secret with me. He said if you want a successful direct mail campaign, you HAVE to follow the 40/40/20 rule. Google it. You’ll find lots of people agree. Apparently a gentleman named Ed Mayer came up with the idea in the 1960’s, and it’s as valid today as ever. If you want your direct mail campaign to succeed, you need to put your focus in the right place: 40% on the list 40% on the offer 20% on the creative The List —…

19Oct 2012 by Cindy Berrier 2 Comments

Is Your Business Prepared for Black Friday?

Small Business Info

What do these three things have in common? [caption id="attachment_1851" align="alignright" width="240"] Scene from "Confessions of a Shopaholic" [Touchstone Pictures][/caption] The episode of “Friends” where Monica, Rachel and Phoebe all stand in line anxiously awaiting to plow through women to find Monica’s wedding dress at a discount Bridal Shop. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s journey to find the coveted Turbo-Man action figure for his kid’s Christmas present in “Jingle All the Way.” The scene from “Confessions of a Shopaholic” (skip to 0:55) where Isla Fischer’s character and another woman have a grueling death match over a pair of Gucci boots. The answer? They are all situations you want to avoid in your business on Black Friday! While your store might not have a mob scene like those three examples, you do still need…

17Oct 2012 by Cindy Berrier No Comments

Do You have a Bridal Style? Heck yeah!

3rd Wednesday Weddings, Wedding Inspiration

Every bride-to-be has her own unique — excuse my French — “je ne sais quoi.” It’s a definitive style or certain something that makes you, well, you. And that style is what will make your wedding uniquely yours as well. For most of us, our vision for the perfect wedding day has probably transitioned over the years. Yes, fairy tale princess may have been the dream at five, but even if that’s still the look you’re going for at 25, 35 or 45, I bet it’s been refined some. And Pinterest makes it easier than ever before to really narrow down and pinpoint your style. Helping brides define their style and create that perfect wedding is something we think a lot about at 123Print. When you’re in the business of…

15Oct 2012 by Cindy Berrier 1 Comment

Lights. Camera. Act Like You Know What You’re Doing.

Monday Marketing Minutes, Small Business Info

Today many phones, webcams and most digital cameras are capable of taking a decent video. Yep, you read that right, I said “decent.” While decent isn’t the same quality as a professional video, it might be what your business needs depending on your brand and the intent of your video. For the purposes of this Monday Marketing Minute blog, we’ll assume decent is what you need. 6 Tips for Recording a Decent Digital Video 1. Plan Ahead. Professionals “story board” their videos, write a script and scout locations. You may not need to go to those lengths, but you should pick out a setting for recording your video, think about the shots you'd like to include and write down the points you need to cover. 2. Clean Up & Quiet…

12Oct 2012 by Cindy Berrier No Comments

Know No

2nd Tuesday Tune-Up Your Life, Life Insight

How well do you know the term, “no”? Do you say it often enough? I don’t. In fact, this blog was due to go up on Tuesday of this week, but I said “yes,” to too many other things, which made it impossible to meet that deadline. The best way to make friends with no is to understand what your yes really means. If you say yes, when you would rather say no: • You aren’t likely to enjoy doing what you said yes to • You don’t have that time to do something else you wanted to do • You can become overcommitted and stressed out But saying no isn’t easy. For one thing, you’re a good person and you would probably like to help. No one wants to…

08Oct 2012 by Cindy Berrier No Comments

Holiday Marketing Timeline

Monday Marketing Minutes, Small Business Info

True, the trick-or-treaters aren’t yet roaming the sidewalks, but marketers know it’s time to get things organized for the winter holidays. The following holiday marketing timeline can help you prepare for a profitable season. October Holiday Marketing Prep • Create or update your holiday marketing plan, including setting dates for any holiday open houses, a party or other holiday events. • Decide on promotions and special offers. Consider bundling products or services to create a gift package, volume purchase options and shipping offers. • Set holiday pricing. • Pinpoint the timing, and put everything on your schedule. • Consider taking a company photo for use on holiday cards. • Customize and order holiday greeting cards and holiday party invitations. • Decide if you’ll be giving customers gifts, then set a…

06Oct 2012 by Cindy Berrier No Comments

Your Office is the Window to Your Soul

1st Saturday Style, Small Business Info

What you have on your desk, your office furniture, pictures on the walls — everything in your office communicates something. What is your office saying about you? We’ve identified three office personality styles. See which of these best fits you. Go-Getter This person has diplomas, certificates, awards and accolades all over their office as well as many “grip-and-grin” and golfing photos of themselves with “important” people. Their book collection is full of impressive titles. There may even be a trophy or two strategically placed around the office. A typical overachiever, the Go-Getter office personality is confident and always gives 110%. These people consider themselves important, expect respect and usually have no problem earning it. Charts and targets in their office reveal their competitive nature, and their over-sized “power desk” is…