Copy Cat Printing

It’s a new world and you have to have a website to survive.

Minocqua Printing

It’s a new world and you have to have a website to survive.

I like to go for walks with my wife. It clears all the noise out of my mind. You know that noise… Television, radio, telephone, internet… It seems to be there every waking moment of my life. We are creatures of a new age. The age of information and entertainment.

Marshall McLuhan, a famous communicator, once quoted about the invention of the telephone as it changed the world ; “The world is now a global village.” This was important then because it changed the way we looked at the world. We had instant access to information around the globe. Had we really changed that much or did we invent change based on this new technology?

Today we are re-inventing the world again based upon the computer chip. They bring instant access to us via internet, television, radio, automobile… Oh my! We need to stop once in a while and smell the roses. When we walk through our neighborhood, we see the trees and flowers, birds and dogs. What’s missing are the people. I can only assume that they are being bombarded by commercials either on television, radio, telephone, internet… etc.

My point is that if you are not marketing a website, you’re missing an opportunity to pop up in homes all across the world. If you don’t have anyone who can create a website for you then look into Google or Intuit to create a plug and play site. I get many nice comments about this site. It’s a WordPress.com site and anyone can get one for free. You just have to pay for hosting.

My son says that a blog site is better than a commercial site. It gets better ratings on Google and Yahoo search sites. Give your expertise in exchange for business. We learned from professors in our era, but today they learn from monitors.

If you need my services but want to know more about me first, go to: www.copycat1.com to see what we offer.

Full color printing on envelopes: Pro or Con

I was a small printer who told customers not to spend money on envelopes! Black print on white envelopes is fine. They only carry the message,  your money is  better spent on the contents instead. I recently purchased a Xante color envelope printer and wow. The response to my mailings have been wonderful. I have customers who bring the envelopes in and express their enjoyment to see us send our greetings and coupons in such a colorful package. A customer today shared this story with me too! He said, “his customers are paying their bills better since he started sending them in these envelopes.”

It’s time now for me to eat a little crow: I used to use the line, “I was never wrong, I thought I was once, but I was only mistaken.” I’ll never be able to say that again. I was wrong, spend a little extra money for the color envelopes and you will see a difference in your mailed correspondence. With the price of postage going up again, the envelopes are becoming the cheaper part of your marketing plan.

One more thing: Remember to put a business card into everything you mail, bills too. Your vendors and customers will pass them onto others who need your service.

Newpaper flyers develope $MILLION DOLLAR$ response

A fine customer today asked me if he should advertise fliers in the newspaper.  He owns a tavern with live music on the weekends. His intention is to insert a sheet of paper with his entertainment schedule on it. Personally, I have done information stuffers in the past with little luck. I explained that a successful marketing campaign is achieved with a little luck and a lot of work. Do your homework before spending those dollars.

First, I said that, he needs to look at the local paper inserts and determine which ones are done repeatedly. The repeat campaigns either work or someone is throwing good money to bad marketing. Next mimic their campaign. Look at the offer, is it informative, does it have value, or is it a coupon? Next create your campaign based upon their successful work. Don’t plagiarize. You’re responsible for creating original artwork. Besides you have a unique business and offer, make it unique too. Give your flier value. Add a coupon or a special. Look for a hook. In advertising a hook is a buzz word or words that attract attention. The first line of any advertising should hook your clients attention. Our $MILLION DOLLAR$ headline is the hook to this article. I could have said $BILLION DOLLAR$ and it would have been just as good. Is there truth in advertising here. Yes. Newspaper fliers do create Millions even Billions of dollars worth of business.

Is Newspaper the right media for you to use? Look at the inserts and see if any of them are similar to your needs. If you do test the water, test market it first. Do an inexpensive flier with value. Add a coupon, create a loss leader, or give something free to the people who choose to use your offer. If you ask, they will come. If you offer they will buy.

If you have not tried newspaper advertising, see my blog “Marketing tip”. It’s important that you mix up your marketing. But beware, this type of campaign only works for the most savvy business marketeer.

Thank you!

I have a lot to be thankful for. I have a wonderful family. We have four children and four “going on five” grandchildren who live within 20 miles of our home. I have a successful business going on 15 years. And I just want to say thanks to all my customers and those who have followed our example over the years.

You may ask yourself “why I would blog about my situation?” “Why should I read this?” I can only say follow by example. I have two suggestions for you. First treat everyone, even those who treat you poorly, nice. Don’t judge them. They are different people in the presence of their friends, who may become your future customers. In short my first word of advice is basically the golden rule. “One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself” The respect that you earn from your community of family, friends, and customers is more important than words can say.

Second, Listen! When someone has something to say try to form an opinion after they have finished, not before. Your ability to listen is hampered by your desire to quickly form an opinion and share it with those who are around you. “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt”, I believe this is a quote by Abraham Lincoln. We listen closely to every customer and interpret their meaning with the precision of a surgeon. At times we may mis-interpret their meaning, but they will help us along if they respect our intentions. If you wait for them to finish they will respect you and your interpretations will be cautiously corrected.

www.copycat1.com go to our website to see more about what we offer.

I am a printer, my mission is:
• We are really good at the craft of printing.
• We have also mastered the new technology that broadens our craft.
• We continue to work at our craft because things are still changing.
• We do all this because we believe it makes us valuable to you.
• We have also become experts at marketing strategy and technique. (See our blog)
• We think we can help you to grow your business, not just by printing for you, but by guiding you toward what to print and how to get it in front of your target market.
• We really want to work with you.

Walt Disney World and Angry Clients

I know… what does a vacation have to do with my marketing blog? When it’s a Disney vacation it can be a lot of information. After all Disney invented the fuzzy feeling right?

I’ll start by giving you a picture of what Disney is like today. The new well thought out park exhibitions are now infomercials. That’s right I said infomercials. I spent twenty minutes in an eighteen by eighteen foot room watching a commercial for the new release of  the Narnia saga. How poorly planned was this exhibit? We actually expected it to be an attraction. Some of the cast were very nice but, the warm fuzzy feeling that cast members normally expel was missing when we exited this “exhibit”.

I asked myself, is it the economy or the way we take our jobs for granted today. I’ll say that it’s the way we take our jobs for granted. This approach will be easy to explain and hopefully a lesson that will be taught to ourselves as well as our employees. When Disney opened his doors in 1971, he directed his staff to smile at everyone at all times. A smile is the cheapest marketing tool we have. We give it freely and its given back without cost. Back to Disney, the employees ten year ago were everywhere and ready to take care of your every whim. This year they were aimlessly going through their paces.  I am not trying to save Disney, I only want to use their success to explain a better way to do business yourself.

A smile is the beginning of most friendships. Your customers are only going to return if they are befriended by you or your employees. So instruct everyone to start each interaction with a smile. If you have to entertain an angry customer. (see excerpt below) Start the conversation with a smile and explain (when given a chance to talk) that you only want to help correct the problem as quickly as possible. Now it’s your chance to ask the customer how they would handle this if they were in your shoes. This will make them think that your giving their needs the attention that they deserve.

When I exited the infomercials at Disney I was disappointed but not angry. Had I been given the chance to exhaust my disappointment, an employee may have become a hero by setting the tone many customer will be having about the new exhibit. Disney could then make necessary adjustments to it and minimize the disappointments that many more will have as the attraction continues.

So in conclusion, we can take from Walt Disney the need to smile, and listen to your clients while including them in the process of improving the relationship that you develop with them. Your customers new and old just want to be friends with you.

5 Tips for Handling Angry Customers

1. Always listen to everything the customer has to say before providing any kind of answer. Ask questions to gain greater clarification of problem. Then assure them that you understand the problem by sincerely restating their problem to them.
2. Assure customer that you empathize with him. You know this problem is a bad thing, and you, also, hate being inconvenienced by these types of things. However, don’t go too far with the empathy, to where you bad-mouth other people, departments, vendors, etc. You don’t want to seem like you are passing the buck or looking for someone else to blame. That is of no help to the customer.
3. Don’t be negative; frame information in the positive. Get the customer to articulate what problem resolution would look like to him in this specific case. Find out as soon as possible what it will take to resolve this customer’s problem to his satisfaction. If customer makes an impossible request, avoid saying “no,” but rather, say what it is you can do to address the customer’s needs.
4. So don’t take anything an angry customer says personally. Take it seriously, but not personally. The customer is angry, but not necessarily angry at you. In fact, the customer’s anger may not have anything to with you or your organization. They could be having a bad day, or be in pain, or just cranky. Keep this in mind, and try to let the customer that you are in fact an ally who can assist him in his problem resolution. The problem is the enemy, not you!
5. Defuse an angry customer quickly with the assurance that the problem will be addressed. They need to know right away that they are speaking to the person responsible for that resolution. As soon as you figure out how to resolve the customer’s problem, tell him what you’re going to do, get his approval, then do what needs to be done. Once everything is complete, re-contact the customer to confirm that the issue has been satisfactorily resolved. Use that opportunity to apologize again. Do this immediately; do not let angry customers stew for long.

16 Rules To Work By

1. Get and stay out of your comfort zone.
I believe that not much happens of any significance when we’re in our comfort zone. I hear people say, “But I’m concerned about security.” My response to that is simple: “Security is for cadavers.”

2. Never give up.
Almost nothing works the first time it’s attempted. Just because what you’re doing does not seem to be working, doesn’t mean it won’t work. It just means that it might not work the way you’re doing it. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it, and you wouldn’t have an opportunity.

3. When you’re ready to quit, you’re closer than you think.
There’s an old Chinese saying that I just love, and I believe it is so true. It goes like this: “The temptation to quit will be greatest just before you are about to succeed.”

4. With regard to whatever worries you, not only accept the worst thing that could happen, but make it a point to quantify what the worst thing could be.
Very seldom will the worst consequence be anywhere near as bad as a cloud of “undefined consequences.” My father would tell me early on, when I was struggling and losing my shirt trying to get Parsons Technology going, “Well, Robert, if it doesn’t work, they can’t eat you.”

5. Focus on what you want to have happen.
Remember that old saying, “As you think, so shall you be.”

6. Take things a day at a time.
No matter how difficult your situation is, you can get through it if you don’t look too far into the future, and focus on the present moment. You can get through anything one day at a time.

7. Always be moving forward.
Never stop investing. Never stop improving. Never stop doing something new. The moment you stop improving your organization, it starts to die. Make it your goal to be better each and every day, in some small way. Remember the Japanese concept of Kaizen. Small daily improvements eventually result in huge advantages.

8. Be quick to decide.
Remember what General George S. Patton said: “A good plan violently executed today is far and away better than a perfect plan tomorrow.”

9. Measure everything of significance.
I swear this is true. Anything that is measured and watched, improves.

10. Anything that is not managed will deteriorate.
If you want to uncover problems you don’t know about, take a few moments and look closely at the areas you haven’t examined for a while. I guarantee you problems will be there.

11. Pay attention to your competitors, but pay more attention to what you’re doing.
When you look at your competitors, remember that everything looks perfect at a distance. Even the planet Earth, if you get far enough into space, looks like a peaceful place.

12. Never let anybody push you around.
In our society, with our laws and even playing field, you have just as much right to what you’re doing as anyone else, provided that what you’re doing is legal.

13. Never expect life to be fair.
Life isn’t fair. You make your own breaks. You’ll be doing good if the only meaning fair has to you, is something that you pay when you get on a bus (i.e., fare).

14. Solve your own problems.
You’ll find that by coming up with your own solutions, you’ll develop a competitive edge. Masura Ibuka, the co-founder of SONY, said it best: “You never succeed in technology, business, or anything by following the others.” There’s also an old Asian saying that I remind myself of frequently. It goes like this: “A wise man keeps his own counsel.”

15. Don’t take yourself too seriously.
Lighten up. Often, at least half of what we accomplish is due to luck. None of us are in control as much as we like to think we are.

16. There’s always a reason to smile.
Find it. After all, you’re really lucky just to be alive. Life is short. More and more, I agree with my little brother. He always reminds me: “We’re not here for a long time, we’re here for a good time!”

www.copycat1.com

These were shared by Bob Parsons from Godaddy.com

Brand your name – Develop a memorable logo

Brand your name.

Start with a logo and a short tagline.
This is my tagline: (Our job is making your job look good.) Here are some famous examples of other taglines.
Got milk?
Don’t leave home without it.
Just do it.
Where’s the beef?
You’re in good hands with Allstate.
Can you remember these? Of course you can. These stay with you long after the ad is over. Your brand will be more memorable if you chose a short tagline. Memorable equals more business.

A logo can be as simple as a unique design to your name. An image like McDonald’s Golden arches are nice but not necessary if your business is just starting up or on a tight budget. If your just getting started, brand a simple name first, you can add an image later.

Signage
Develop signage that is consistent with your branded printed and advertised communications. Predictability is a closely guarded secret in advertising. You need to keep all your images similar in shape color and spacing. These different elements on your outdoor signage, vehicles, business cards, envelopes and newspaper advertising will help your brand by repetitive retention technique. It’s like saying a name 16 times over and over. If you do this you will commit it to memory. If people see your brand over and over enough times, when they need your service they will think of you.

Printing
I mentioned in the signage paragraph that predictability is key to branding your name. Carry that over to your web design, business cards, stationery, envelopes, postcards, brochures, newsletters, letters, project sheets, resumes, bios, and firm description. Your local printer can help you with this.

Advertising
Develop a memorable tagline that expresses who you are and what you do. Use it every time you use your logo.
Participate and sponsor local school and charitable efforts. You will get more back from your marketing dollars in the school and local charities than any other advertising media.
Create an online blog. If you don’t have a website start there. Develop an information website with a blog page to help inform your customers. Every business has to stay up on changes. Give your readers a little bit each week about your experiences. A changing website will get looked at closely each time your customer needs information.
Participate (attend, speak, host, present, show) in local shows like home shows, or Lion Meeting, and share your professional information with people who volunteer their time to your area charities.

In conclusion branding is developing an image that is shared each time your name is used.

Branding your company is key to influencing a memorable response in the minds of your customers or chosen audience. It is not only the name recognition of your firm, but also the perceived value of your organization. Capture these essential branding elements and begin to cement a positive branded image for your firm.

Contact me if you want a printers service. 715-356-2410 www.copycat1.com

Marketing tip

Get your pen out and start writing down a list of different media that you can think of for marketing. For example: Newspaper, Radio, Television, e-mail, direct mail, word of mouth, website, social networking site. Let me know if you have any more. Now Look at last years marketing budget and cut it in half. Use the first half the same way you always have and use the second half on marketing ideas that you have not used before. When new customers find you, introduce yourself and ask them how they came to be in your storefront. Some may skirt around the question, but most will honestly answer you. This is an informal survey but to prevent your marketing dollars from becoming as stale as three week old bread, you have to mix them up a bit. Do this every year. You don’t have to spend more money on marketing to get more customers, you have to spend more time on marketing to get more customers.

Internet Radio Television Newspapers Magazines Film

7 reasons that business people fail

Here’s an article written by Patricia Schaefer about business short comings. Knowing these 7 failures will strengthen your focus on achieving success.

Do you need a business plan?

The latest statistics from the Small Business Administration (SBA) show that “two-thirds of new employer establishments survive at least two years, and 44 percent survive at least four years.” This is a far cry from the previous long-held belief that 50 percent of businesses fail in the first year and 95 percent fail within five years. Brian Head, Economist with the SBA Office of Advocacy, noted that the latest statistics are a much more accurate assessment of new business success rates, and that “as a general rule of thumb, new employer businesses have a 50/50 chance of surviving for five years or more.” Better success rates notwithstanding, a significant percentage of new businesses do fail. Expert opinions abound about what a business owner should and shouldn’t do to keep a new business afloat in the perilous waters of the entrepreneurial sea. There are, however, key factors that — if not avoided — will be certain to weigh down a business and possibly sink it forevermore.

1. You start your business for the wrong reasons. Would the sole reason you would be starting your own business be that you would want to make a lot of money? Do you think that if you had your own business that you’d have more time with your family? Or maybe that you wouldn’t have to answer to anyone else? If so, you’d better think again.
On the other hand, if you start your business for these reasons, you’ll have a better chance at entrepreneurial success:
You have a passion and love for what you’ll be doing, and strongly believe — based on educated study and investigation — that your product or service would fulfill a real need in the marketplace.
You are physically fit and possess the needed mental stamina to withstand potential challenges. Often overlooked, less-than-robust health has been responsible for more than a few bankruptcies.  You have drive, determination, patience and a positive attitude. When others throw in the towel, you are more determined than ever. Failures don’t defeat you.
You learn from your mistakes, and use these lessons to succeed the next time around. Head, SBA economist, noted that studies of successful business owners showed they attributed much of their success to “building on earlier failures;” on using failures as a “learning process.”
You thrive on independence, and are skilled at taking charge when a creative or intelligent solution is needed. This is especially important when under strict time constraints.
You like — if not love — your fellow man, and show this in your honesty, integrity, and interactions with others.
You get along with and can deal with all different types of individuals.

2. Poor Management Many a report on business failures cites poor management as the number one reason for failure. New business owners frequently lack relevant business and management expertise in areas such as finance, purchasing, selling, production, and hiring and managing employees. Unless they recognize what they don’t do well, and seek help, business owners may soon face disaster. They must also be educated and alert to fraud, and put into place measures to avoid it. Neglect of a business can also be its downfall. Care must be taken to regularly study, organize, plan and control all activities of its operations. This includes the continuing study of market research and customer data, an area which may be more prone to disregard once a business has been established. A successful manager is also a good leader who creates a work climate that encourages productivity. He or she has a skill at hiring competent people, training them and is able to delegate. A good leader is also skilled at strategic thinking, able to make a vision a reality, and able to confront change, make transitions, and envision new possibilities for the future.

3. Insufficient Capital. A common fatal mistake for many failed businesses is having insufficient operating funds. Business owners underestimate how much money is needed and they are forced to close before they even have had a fair chance to succeed. They also may have an unrealistic expectation of incoming revenues from sales. It is imperative to ascertain how much money your business will require; not only the costs of starting, but the costs of staying in business. It is important to take into consideration that many businesses take a year or two to get going. This means you will need enough funds to cover all costs until sales can eventually pay for these costs.

4. Location, Location, Location Your college professor was right — location is critical to the success of your business. Whereas a good location may enable a struggling business to ultimately survive and thrive, a bad location could spell disaster to even the best-managed enterprise.
Some factors to consider:
1.    Where your customers are
2.    Traffic, accessibility, parking and lighting
3.    Location of competitors
4.    Condition and safety of building
5.    Local incentive programs for business start-ups in specific targeted areas
6.    The history, community flavor and receptiveness to a new business at a prospective site

5. Lack of Planning Anyone who has ever been in charge of a successful major event knows that were it not for their careful, methodical, strategic planning — and hard work — success would not have followed. The same could be said of most business successes. It is critical for all businesses to have a business plan. Many small businesses fail because of fundamental shortcomings in their business planning. It must be realistic and based on accurate, current information and educated projections for the future.
Components may include:
1.    Description of the business, vision, goals, and keys to success
2.    Work force needs
3.    Potential problems and solutions
4.    Financial: capital equipment and supply list, balance sheet, income statement and cash flow analysis, sales and expense forecast
5.    Analysis of competition
6.    Marketing, advertising and promotional activities
7.    Budgeting and managing company growth In addition, most bankers request a business plan if you are seeking to secure addition capital for your company.

6. Over expansion A leading cause of business failure, over expansion often happens when business owners confuse success with how fast they can expand their business. A focus on slow and steady growth is optimum. Many a bankruptcy has been caused by rapidly expanding companies. At the same time, you do not want to repress growth. Once you have an established solid customer base and a good cash flow, let your success help you set the right measured pace. Some indications that an expansion may be warranted include the inability to fill customer needs in a timely basis, and employees having difficulty keeping up with production demands. If expansion is warranted after careful review, research and analysis, identify what and who you need to add in order for your business to grow. Then with the right systems and people in place, you can focus on the growth of your business, not on doing everything in it yourself.

7. No Website Simply put, if you have a business today, you need a website. Period. In the U.S. alone, the number of internet users (about 70 percent of the population) and e-commerce sales (about 70 billion in 2004, according to the Census Bureau) continue to rise and are expected to increase with each passing year. In 2004, the U.S. led the world in internet usage. At the very least, every business should have a professional looking and well-designed website that enables users to easily find out about their business and how to avail themselves of their products and services. Later, additional ways to generate revenue on the website can be added; i.e., selling ad space, drop-shipping products, or recommending affiliate products. Remember, if you don’t have a website, you’ll most likely be losing business to those that do. And make sure that website makes your business look good, not bad — you want to increase revenues, not decrease them. When it comes to the success of any new business, you — the business owner — are ultimately the “secret” to your success. For many successful business owners, failure was never an option. Armed with drive, determination, and a positive mindset, these individuals view any setback as only an opportunity to learn and grow. Most self-made millionaires possess average intelligence. What sets them apart is their openness to new knowledge and their willingness to learn whatever it takes to succeed.

http://www.businessknowhow.com/startup/business-failure.htm

Copyright 2006, Attard Communications, Inc. About the author: Patricia Schaefer is a staff writer for Business Know-How.