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7 marketing tips

7 marketing tips

Summer Lovin'

You’re busy rushing around making money and providing the best possible service you can to your customers. You know you should be doing some marketing, but you simply don’t have the time, the money, or the inclination so it gets pushed off the to-do list!

Here are 7 things you can do right now to raise your profile and market your business:

Give your stuff away now and again

Enable people to sample what you sell or your service for free. ‘Free’ gets talked about, and in the longer term generates customers. Share your IP (intellectual property) and you’ll win favour.

Get busy with Print
Get busy with Print

Attend networking events

Attend networking events in your community to make yourself one of the first people that come to mind when anyone looks for an expert in your field. Need collateral? We can help with that.

Be Helpful

Take time to be helpful and give of your time. Sometimes it feels painful, but you’ll find that customers love the experience. We offer a free marketing review over a coffee for local businesses – fancy a coffee and a catch-up?

Get busy with Print
Get busy with Print

Volunteer

Volunteer your time and expertise within your community – it gets you known and pays back quickly. Remember you only get out of life what you put in.

Communicate

Take time to communicate with your customers – by phone, by email, by mail and in person. It keeps you top of mind. If you see something that reminds you of them, then send an email telling them. If you want to say thanks – take the time to send a Thank You card.

Get busy with Print
Get busy with Print

Support a cause

Your customers will appreciate that you are about more than making money, and they will recognise that by investing in your brand they are doing greater good.

Create a cool giveaway

When thinking about what your company will give away make sure it’s something they won’t want to throw away or easily lose in their desk or bag. There’s loads of choice out there, so consider what is right for your business. It might be as simple as a magnet, or a notepad. Whatever it is, make it yours. Own it and give it as often as possible.

Get busy with Print

In other news…

Get Busy

Get Busy

Summer Lovin'

Back to school, back to business… Are you ready to get busy?

We all need to be where our customers are. That’s online and offline. It’s at exhibitions and events. It’s selling via ecommerce and persuading, face-to-face.
The best businesses use a combination of print, display and digital to touch customers in different ways. Now’s the time to get ready and grab your share. Stack the odds in your favour and let’s get busy!

Get busy with Print

It’s not only what you say, it’s how you look when you say it. If your business needs a brand refresh or details have changed and you need to update your marketing material, get in touch, we have a huge range of print solutions to help you set yourself apart from your competitors.

Get busy with Promo

Don’t forget your customers! In the pursuit of new business, it’s easy to forget our loyal customers and the power they have with referring to business. Send a postcard and say thanks, reward with loyalty and remind them with an appointment card!

Get busy with Promo

It’s expo season. Are you exhibiting? There are tonnes of events, large and small happening in the next few months. Expos are the perfect way to meet new clients face-to-face.

Get busy with Promo
Starmarque Business Cards

Is your website ready for the year ahead?
There’s still time! We can get you going with an ecommerce web shop for a lot less than you might think. Take payments, sell stuff online. Get a full back office to manage orders, send confirmations and print shipping labels. Tell us what you’d like. We’ll help you get ready to get busy.

Have a Question?

Get in touch with your closest Studio

Our studios are more than ready to lend a helping hand. Feel free to give them a bell or pop into your closest studio to have a chat with how we can help your business stand out.

In other news…

Are you on the lookout for more customers?

Are you on the lookout for more customers?

Are you on the lookout for more customers?
6 TIPS TO HELP YOUR BRAND STAND OUT…
SECRET ONE

Eat, sleep, sell, repeat

Repetition, repetition, repetition. 

Plenty of research shows people need to see your marketing message several times, in different ways, before they buy. If a customer says no, is it game over? Be honest, do you give up after your first knock back? Many business people do. But that’s a mistake. Dust yourself off. And get back on the horse. You’ve probably seen the stats below on LinkedIn or Twitter? They claim it takes between 5 and 12 contacts before the vast majority of sales are made. Maybe it’s made up, who knows. But think about it. How many times do you speak to your clients? It’s rare that a sale happens on the first few contacts. This secret cheat is simple. Just keep going. The more times you reach a client, the more chance of making the sale. Better to contact 1,000 prospects 5 times than 5,000 just once. So does that mean you keep calling people day after day asking “ready to buy yet?” Maybe that could work for some. But for most, it means using different methods. Let us plan a campaign for you which has 5 or more contact steps. These could be a brochure to warm them up, followed by an email with an invitation to meet. Next week could be a promo postcard with a focus on an individual product or service. Then a call. That’s four. Then how about a voucher booklet of special deals, backed up by some social media posts?

When sales are made
Secret two

Ditch the clichÉ

Flick through your industry’s trade magazine. We bet you’ll find at least one cheetah or sports car, sprinkled in amongst pics of people shaking hands or looking like they’re having the BEST MEETING EVER. Don’t be like them. If you want to stand out, quit looking like everyone else. Using professional photography costs less than you think. Or cheat. Mash-up stock photos. Use them out of context. You can sign into your account and choose ‘stock images’ to browse our selection. Let’s work up a campaign which makes you memorable.

Secret three

use fonts properly

The typeface you use says much about your business. Your font choices determine whether you look old-fashioned or hip. Trustworthy or exciting. Traditional or fun. Safe or outrageous. Don’t use too many fonts. That looks amateur. Cheat. Get a professional look by sticking to a couple, and use them in different weights.

Secret four

Every Business Needs New Customers

Oh, to just stand still! Every business needs to find more customers. Of course, it’s important to nurture existing relationships and look after the customers you have. It’s true that selling to existing clients is cheaper than finding new ones. But, clients leave. They move away. People retire. It’s natural. Business is like a leaky bucket. If you’re not topping up the water, at some point the water disappears.

Secret five

Stop swinging

Is your marketing like a swinging pendulum? Nothing, then lots. Nothing, then lots? Don’t worry, we’ve all been guilty of this. Do a bit of marketing. Then it gets busy. So we stop and focus on doing work. Then that’s done. Then it’s quiet. So we start marketing again. But it takes a little while to get things in motion. And then we’re busy again. So we stop. Boom to bust, feast to famine, extremes are never helpful. Best to do a little bit each week. Work out what you’re going to do over the next couple of months, then stick to it. Being consistent is important. Better to do a little bit, often. A dripping tap of marketing.

Secret six

GET YOUR MESSAGE OUT WITH PRINT

Leaflets are a handy way to get attention. If you have a simple message, DL is the perfect size, the same size as one of these panels! Print double-sided and use the front to grab attention, then the back for detail and your ‘call to action’. When you’ve got more to say, it makes sense to spread your message out. Folded leaflets are easier for people to digest and if you’re posting out your leaflets, stick to something which folds to DL. Did you know, the actual material your brochure is printed on makes a difference to how you are perceived? Check this handy guide to see what your choice says about you…

Have a Question?

Get in touch with your closest Studio

Our studios are more than ready to lend a helping hand. Feel free to give them a bell or pop into your closest studio to have a chat with how we can help your business stand out.

In other news…

Are you on the lookout for more customers?

Are you on the lookout for more customers?

We all know there are moments in business where there are lulls and it can become super quiet. There are many ways to get your brand out there and get new customers, read on below to find some tips on how to get more customers.

Make the most of your Leaflets

Make the most of your Leaflets

Spotlight on Starmarque

Leaflets are so versatile, and it’s no surprise so many businesses find them to be an essential part of their marketing.

Leaflets should be an essential product in your marketing toolkit, and they look great in glorious full-colour and are incredibly low cost. Many things will affect the response you’ll get from your leaflet drop. Answer these questions and make your leaflets work harder for you:

Who’s your target market?

Who are you trying to reach? Are you selling to consumers or businesses? What age group? If you can’t answer these questions, you’ll find it a bit trickier to find the right way to target your market.

What are you trying to say?

Presumably, you’re investing in marketing to win more business. Think about what makes you different or special. What’s your Unique Selling Point? Why should they buy from you?

What’s in it for me?

When you get a leaflet what do you do? Save it or bin it? The most effective leaflets have an offer. Maybe “half price this month” or “free consultation during November”. Think hard about offering an incentive – and the level of it. “5% off” may be enough… but what would “25% off” do?

What do you want them to do?

Tell your customers what you want them to do next. “Call now for a free sample”. Spell it out. Make it easy to buy from you.

What will it look like?

Design can mean the difference between success and failure. A poorly designed leaflet may do more damage than you think. We can help. Design is our business, after all. Talk to us.

Our top tips for marvellous flyers

Give more info to your customers by summarising your services and offers.

Make your message simple,add a QR code to direct customers to more information.

Add a map to connect customers to places. It could be where to find you, or around your premises.

Show off your branding, so your customers will be able to remember you!

Leaflets

Folded Leaflets

Folded Voucher Leaflets

Get in touch with your closest Studio

Our studios are more than ready to lend a helping hand. Feel free to give them a bell or pop into your closest studio to have a chat with how we can help your business stand out.

In other news…

Spotlight on Starmarque

Spotlight on Starmarque

Spotlight on Starmarque

It’s not just magpies that love shiny things – we’re all attracted to them.
Diamond necklaces, new cars, crystal glasses. They never fail to get our attention.

Increase your chances of getting noticed by adding glossy Starmarque highlights to your marketing material.

Who’s using Starmarque? 

Lots of businesses are finding that adding Starmarque to their marketing material is giving it a lot more weight and presence. The gloss highlights provide an additional visual stimulus because of the varied textures on the single printed surface. This adds depth and impact and sets the perception of high quality in the eyes of your recipient.

If you’re selling a premium product or are trying to position your business at the upper end of your market, create a striking first impression with Starmarque Business Cards, Folders, Invites, Book Covers, and more!

How much does Starmarque cost?

Starmarque is a high-end finishing option which is usually out of reach for most small businesses. It’s usually reserved for expensive marketing material and adding it would normally cost a small fortune. Not anymore. With Printing.com’s revolutionary techniques, you’ll share these high set-up costs with lots of other businesses and pay only a fraction of the normal cost.

Ask your local studio for free Starmarque samples, or for ideas on how they could help make your marketing even more effective and eye catching.

Starmarque Rack Cards and Invites
Starmarque Book Covers

What can I do with Starmarque?

The options are endless and each design can be specially tailored to your business.

We recommend treating Starmarque like a separate design element. It can be any pattern or shape you can think of. Stars, diamonds, flock and circles will add interest and texture to your design. Add impact to photos by adding a Starmarque shape over them. You can even cover the whole card with Starmarque and reverse out shapes or text. Starmarque looks great added over the top of dark colours – black, dark blue, purple, that kind of thing – that’s where the contrast is greatest. On a light background, the highlights will be less visible and they’ll be practically invisible on white – although that’s sometimes useful if you want to use it as a difficult-to-copy security feature.

Avoid using it over small text or small objects as there is little chance of it exactly lining up and that will be pretty noticeable. Best to think of it entirely as its own design element and use it to enhance a piece, rather than simply putting it over existing elements.

Put your logo in gloss on the front and your contact details on the back

Add a pattern to make them feel unusual

Make them glossy and punch out an area to make it matt

Highlight an area in gloss to make it shine

Want to stand out with starmarque?

Get in touch with your closest Studio

Our studios are more than ready to lend a helping hand. Feel free to give them a bell or pop into your closest studio to have a chat with how we can help your business stand out.

In other news…

Fresh ideas

Fresh ideas

FOR YOUR MARKETING

Business Cards

You don’t need a psychology lecture on how the quality of your card influences people’s perception of your business. You’ve heard it often enough. (Probably from us too!)
Instead, ask “is it clear what you actually do”? You’d be surprised how many cards we see with just a business name. Maybe fine if you’re “Sparky Electricians”. Not fine if you’re “PAP Associates”.
Use the reverse to highlight your website address, remind your customers of their appointment time, list your services, or splash a pic of your bestselling product.

Leaflets

Leaflets should be a fundamental part of your marketing plan.
Leaflets, whether folded or not, are super versatile. Use them for price lists, showcase products and handy tips, or even use them for promos. The list is endless!
The key thing about leaflets is to be clear about what you want a recipient to do next… Is it to order online? Book an appointment? Contact you?
Tell them what you want them to do next.

Folders

If you’re presenting your business, give prospects an impressive pack to take away. Bundle a brochure, price list and show deals together inside a suitably substantial Presentation Folder or Document Wallet.
Most styles also have a slot for your business card.

Spotlight on Starmarque

It’s not just magpies that love shiny things – we’re all attracted to them. Diamond necklaces, new cars, crystal glasses. They never fail to get our attention. Increase your chances of getting noticed by adding glossy Starmarque highlights to your marketing material.

Who’s using Starmarque?

Lots of businesses are finding that adding Starmarque to their marketing material is giving it a lot more weight and presence. The gloss highlights provide an additional visual stimulus because of the varied textures on the single printed surface. This adds depth and impact and sets the perception of high quality in the eyes of your recipient.
If you’re selling a premium product or are trying to position your business at the upper end of your market, create a striking first impression with Starmarque Business Cards, Presentation Folders, Book Covers and Rack Cards.

What works best?

Starmarque looks great added over the top of dark colours – black, dark blue, purple, that kind of thing – that’s where the contrast is greatest. On a light background, the highlights will be less visible and they’ll be practically invisible on white.
Avoid using it over small text or small objects as there is little chance of it exactly lining up and that will be pretty noticable. Best to think of it entirely as its own design element and use it to enhance a piece.

What does it cost?

Starmarque is a high-end finishing option which is usually out of reach for most small businesses. It’s usually reserved for expensive marketing material and adding it would normally cost a small fortune. Not any more. With Printing.com’s revolutionary techniques, you’ll share these high set-up costs with lots of other businesses and pay only a fraction of the normal cost.
Ask your local studio for free samples of Starmarque items, or for ideas on how they could help make your marketing even more effective and eye catching.

What can I do with Starmarque?

The options are endless and each design can be specially tailored to your business. We recommend treating Starmarque like a separate design element. It can be any pattern or shape you can think of. Stars, diamonds, and circles will add interest and texture to your design. Add impact to photos by adding a Starmarque shape over them.

Stunning Outdoor Marquees

Even a traditional New Zealand summer won’t spoil your outdoor event with these stunning Marquees!
Printed marquees are all the rage at markets, festivals and fairs. Marquees are compact for storage, easy to pop up and simply locks into place.
All marquees are dye-sublimation printed in full colour on a stretch fabric which is fully washable in warm water. And the water resistant material will keep you and your stock dry if it rains.
Fit on the number of sides you want. A full height wall hangs from the top, or you can choose half height walls, which come with a rail. Why not print a half height wall for the front too, to act as a cool branded counter?
Remember you can buy all the printed parts separately, so you can change your messages for each season or each event, and keep using the same frame. Neat!

Top 6 tips to get more web enquiries

People are busy and easily distracted. So how do you encourage visitors to stay a bit longer on your website, find what they need, and get in touch easily? How can you convert your web traffic into web enquiries? There’s no magic formula, but research has shown these simple steps can help…

  1. Be clear about your offering
  2. Write for the web
  3. Make it easy to get in touch
  4. Build trust and credibility
  5. Be mobile friendly
  6. Keep your website up to date

Read more at here and if you don’t yet have a website or you need a hand with your website, just ask us, we can help. Call or pop into your local participating studio for advice on how to make your website work harder.