Become a Resource…

Marketing has changed quite a bit in the past few years. New  technology, new applications, the advent of social media – all of which make the goal of separating yourself from your competition much more of a challenge, and yet at the same time, offering you a number of opportunities. The trick is to find the right blend of media that attracts your typical audience, and then to keep your message consistent and in keeping with your organization’s mission and focus.

One of the more significant shifts in marketing today revolves around the concept of engagement. This is the idea that instead of just “pushing” your message out to the world, rather you try to “pull” your audience into the discussion – involve them as much as possible. All of this is a direct result of social media and how discussions can become virile almost immediately. Of course this can be good or bad, so hence the need to be a part of the discussion, and where possible, to even lead the discussion.

Another significant shift is in the trend to become a resource within your market. The concept here is that you establish your organization as one that can bring value to the market based on your sharing of information. Your goal is to not just sell, but to help your clients or prospects grow their own business or organization through the advice and knowledge you bring to the relationship.

How can this be done? There are actually many ways to do this, and with time you will indeed establish yourself as a resource. Take for instance this blog – a great way to share information and your personal thoughts. As you post each blog, be sure to make sure clients have access – through an e-mail blast and link, links on your website, and even a printed version to hand out.

Another avenue is to write a “white paper” or a “special report.” Many organizations include this as a marketing strategy linked to a unique landing page that also provides the contact information for all those who download the reports. Or, perhaps consider hosting seminars or webinars to your target audience.

The key point though, is to make sure there is real benefit or information to share. You do not want to make these into strictly a sales pitch, but rather a way to engage your audience and establish yourself as a thought leader within your industry or market. If done well, and consistently, you will in fact become a resource for clients. I also believe, that you will find another significant benefit from this strategy – you will actually learn more about your field as well through research and discussions with your audience.

Time to get started…

Twas a Good Year…

The end of the year always brings much retrospect and then of course, planning for the New Year. Actually I tend to start my planning long about October, which is when I start writing copy of our yearly Marketing Planning Calendar. It is then that I start to think about what is important, and inevitably, I will suggest how important it is to make a plan, and then work your plan!

Well, looking back on how I did for 2011, I can say that for the most part I followed my plan pretty well. I was able to get our print newsletters out on schedule (except for one I believe), and likewise our E-Mail newsletters. We did well with hosting seminars – in fact to begin the year we had 4 seminars within the first 3 months, then added a couple more by year’s end. I did a couple different sets of handwritten personal notes, although to not as many as I had planned (oops). And, we hosted a very successful/well attended 30th Anniversary Open House.

Our Social Media efforts were consistent this year, and Video became a regular component of our marketing effort as well. I had set a goal of writing a blog post 2 times per month, and on a consistent schedule of every other Sunday – which I held to right up to the very last post! I was scheduled to write one on Christmas Day, and somehow I just never got around to it (oh well). I was going to make up for that on New Year’s day, and that did not quite happen either (got lazy).

So in spite of a few slips, we really did do a good job of marketing C L Graphics this last year. In fact, I would suggest that our marketing efforts would easily place us in the top 10% – or maybe even the top 5%, of all printing companies.  Of course this does not mean we cannot improve, because the truth of the matter is, most companies that do any type of regular marketing, will be at the top of their industry!

So where does that put you?

Now is the time to make sure your marketing plan is in place for 2012. Now is the time to get everyone on board. Now is the time to make sure all the assignments are in place and everyone understands what is expected of them. Now is the time to have your message refined and your target audiences defined. Now is the time to put the measurement processes in place to record your prospecting leads and to have the follow-up procedures in place.

Then, if all is in place, now is the time to make it happen… Good Luck!

2012 Marketing Calendar and Planning Guide…

Seems like we had just completed last year’s Calendar/Planning Guide, and here we are again! With production complete and the latest version in the mail, now is a great time to “tout” the benefits of this resource.

Of course the key benefit is to be able to plan out your strategies and then document them within the Calendar. In fact, we help make this simple by supplying you with a variety of labels that can be placed on the dates you select. The whole intent is to really help you think this through and to prompt you to put it all in writing. The old saying goes… Plan your Work, and Work your Plan!

This year we have added another helpful planning tool as well. Now you can return a Marketing Commitment Form that will document your desire to stick to your plan and request that we help you follow through on this. The idea is similar to that of a “personal trainer” – with the help of C L Graphics to keep you on task, the better chance that your marketing goals will be achieved.

And if you care to take it even one step further, we will coordinate a series of marketing planning sessions with your staff. Within these sessions we will ask questions, gather information and ultimately provide strategies to assist you in the branding/marketing of your organization. While this is common in larger organizations or ones that employ a full-time Marketing Director, for many others it is a process that can get pushed aside too easily.

However you choose to utilize this year’s edition, we hope that you take the process seriously. Once again we have included some strategies and ideas that can assist you in your plan, and stand ready to answer questions you may have. Together we can help make 2012 a successful year for your organization!

Starting Back at Zero…

One thing I learned about business early on was that no matter how you did in a given month, you always start back at zero. The next month rolls around and you cannot count on the same results as you just had. The same holds true for the end of the year too – good or bad, the game starts all over again come January 1st!

Over the last several years this scenario has brought on even more questions to the end of the year planning process. It seems like even when you  look to be optimistic, it still pays to be pretty conservative in your projections. I know this year I expected stronger growth, and although it looks like we might still show some nominal growth over last year, it will not be as strong as projected. None the less we did generate some good new growth, which is a real positive!

On the other side though, the concept of starting over has hit me again as I begin to look at marketing efforts and new prospecting plans. Time to again look at the markets we have a strong presence in and see what other organizations we can reach out to. This is always our first step at identifying new leads, although one must also be careful to not get too lopsided – to be so reliant on a given market that you can be susceptible to negative trends. 

Another strategy is to identify new markets – ones that fit well within your core services and that you can at least relate to when sharing references or sample projects. Same basic research at a few prospective clients can usually provide you with the confirmation you need to pursue others. A little longer process here, but still within a basic comfort zone for experienced sales people.

Yet a third strategy poses a real unique set of challenges – to look at entirely new markets or revenue streams. I have often thought that each of us in business is really only one good idea away from hitting it big. They key is to find the idea that is also sustainable and relevant for more than just one client. It takes quite a bit of research to go after a new market, and even more to look at a whole new business model. At the same time, to keep doing what you have always done just because you know how to do it will not necessarily keep you relevant. Many businesses and industries have had to learn this over the past few years, and truth be known, we should all keep this is the back of our minds as we start the New Year back at “zero” again – good luck!

Busy Time Calls for Teamwork…

This time of the year is perhaps our busiest. A good portion – nearly 45% – of our sales come from the non-profit market, and for many of these clients, the year-end appeal is perhaps the biggest single revenue producer. This of course puts a great deal of pressure on the organizations to have a succesful appeal, and then likewise on us to come through for them!

What makes this even more complex is the make-up of most appeals. It is not just one job, but rather 3 or 4 pieces that make up each appeal – and then with many clients doing a follow-up appeal as well, the whole process begins again a few short weeks later. The amount of coordination between us and the client, between each of our departments, and then finally the Post Office, makes for quite an involved project – especially when we have several different ones happening at the same time.

Don’t get me wrong, being busy like this is a good thing! Stressful at times, but still much better than the alternative. Which brings me to the main point of this blog post – teamwork. More often than not, when we are most busy is when we are the most productive. Everybody is looking out for each other, asking questions instead of just making the assumption that this is what the customer wanted. Scheduling is critical – and so I see that more emphasis is being placed on what is getting done in a given day. The “bottlenecks” that invariably pop up become the priority to try to work around. People put in more time to make sure a certain element finishes in time for what needs to be worked on tomorrow in the next department.

Ultimately this is teamwork at its best. I am grateful that we have a committed staff and that they take this time of the year so serious. Especially with the Holidays coming up as well, it could be real easy to just put in the minimum and then head home to enjoy time with family and friends. With Thanksgiving coming up shortly, we all have much to be thankful for – and for me, one big thing is a dedicated, caring staff that understands what teamwork is all about. Thanks!

Marketing Strategies That Conform to Your Branding…

With the New Year closing in fast and most everybody in the midst of budget planning, undoubtedly you are looking at what strategies to use for the coming year. It is time to evaluate what has worked, and what has not. How to utilize some of the new media, and ultimately what works best for the specific markets you work with.

While this can be somewhat exciting and also a little daunting, it is also critical that your plans remain true to who you are. In other words, what is your brand – your differentiation within the market place you serve? For many businesses or organizations, if you are really honest about it, there is very little that separates you from everyone else. If you say price, well then good luck, because the first person that comes along with a lower price and you are out of luck! Some would say personalized service or the highest quality – but again, this is pretty tough to rely on when everyone else in the market is saying the same thing!

Hopefully you do have something more – a real differentiation that you can hang your hat on. Or if you are a non-profit organization, your mission is one that can really have an impact or resonate with your donor audience. Or as Seth Godin would suggest – a Purple Cow!

While this blog post is not intended to help you define your brand, it is a reminder that whatever marketing plans you intend to engage for the next year, be sure that they remain true to this identity. Especially within some of the social media avenues, it is critical that you encourage discussions that relate to who you are, and why you are different. Maybe initiate a contest to have clients share why they use your services, or perhaps you could enlist a video testimonial from a client that talks about why they use your business as compared to another – based upon your differentiation!

Your LinkedIn page should also communicate this message within your bio, or through recommendations from customers “who get it.” The point is, even with all the new media options available, your brand police should still be actively a part of these strategies – monitoring the message and what people are saying about it. Do you employ others to possibly market your organization – either on staff or through outside sources? If so, gather them together to review your brand and identity. Get everyone on the same page, from website manager to print provider – from social media guru to search engine optimizer, and everyone in between. You have so many options today, but it is critical that they are all saying the same thing!

So you might ask, what is our identity at C L Graphics – what differentiates us? We are a marketing and cross media resource. We strive to offer more than just print services for our clients, we provide advice, ideas, information, knowledge, marketing strategies. Try getting that from most any other printer!

Reflections on 30 Years…

Earlier this year C L Graphics celebrated its 30th Anniversary in business, and just this week we celebrated with an Open House! This is quite an achievement to be sure, and with it brings a wide range of thoughts/feelings.

First and foremost is a sense of accomplishment – while I don’t really know the percentage of businesses that achieve this milestone, I would suspect that it is probably less than 10% – maybe not even that?

I also have strong feelings of responsibility – or perhaps said another way, a feeling of pressure to continue to succeed. Not necessarily for myself though, but rather for all those who work with me and for our clients. As a small business owner, it is not lost on me that our employees rely on C L Graphics for their livelihood – to help support their families – their goals and their futures. And likewise, our clients count on us to have jobs delivered on time – because events are being planned and supported through the invitations we print or fundraising is dependent upon the success of the appeals we produce. I can honestly say that it is not me that I care about – but rather if I can help them succeed, then too will I succeed.

Thankfulness is another feeling I want to share, as many individuals and organizations have helped me to achieve this milestone. This includes my parents first of all, who gave me the education and confidence in myself to even attempt this career – and of course my wife Julie who is more support to me than anyone could know. There have been other influences as well – teachers, my original business partners – Carolyn and Len Wilson and numerous industry peers. Also organizations – such as our local Chamber of Commerce and national trade groups, including NAPL.

Luck is probably not what you might expect to see here, but to some extent I believe we all need to have at least some of this to get through. Of course an argument could be made that luck comes from putting yourself into the right position to receive that timely reference or inquiry.

One area that I know is key to business success and endurance is the willingness to learn – to be open to new ideas or trends, to push yourself to try something new even if you might not get it right the first time through. I have never been one to “live in the past” – there have been many wrong decisions or at least not great ones over the years, but there really is no sense in losing sleep over them, but rather to learn from them.

Success in business is rather subjective – I know that 30 years is pretty neat, and yet there are many others who have been in business for less than 5 years who have grown their sales to much more than what we have. Others have been able to bring true innovation and new technologies to market. For each of us though, it is important to know that you have made a difference with the work you have done, and that you count your blessings for the time that you have been in business – and for that I feel proud!

It’s Not Too Early…

Okay I will admit that ever since the 4th of July it seems like time is flying by! In fact, I am pretty sure that Labor Day was just a few days ago, and already we are in to October – before you know it we will be raking leaves and even shoveling snow.

But wait a minute – before we get too carried away, it still is 3 months before the start of 2012, and surely that means we still have plenty of time to contemplate our budgets and plan for the future – right?

Actually, I really do not think it is too early to start your planning now. The way the last few years have gone and considering how slow the economy is recovering, I believe it is more critical than ever to proactively begin to plan your strategies. Time to re-evaluate what has worked and not worked over the past few years – look for new vertical markets – objectively look at your existing client base to determine if it might be time to actually cut ties with those that are not profitable, etc.

Part of this urgency lies in the fact that this planning will take some time, and, that for new plans to be realized early on in 2012, you need to begin prospecting now!  It is pretty common for new account development to take 4 to 6 months – even more for some industries. Your plans need to allow for this and you need to have a clear strategy that allows for at least 6 to 8 to 10 different “touches” – and preferably using different media forms to have the most impact.

I also believe that the outlook for recovery is looking more and more like a 3 – 5 year stretch. Which means we all need to “hunker down” with a strong commitment to our plans. If you say you want to send out an e-mail to clients every month, then make sure someone on your team is responsible. Another good idea might be to do more follow-up with your most active clients/donors – maybe with a personalized newsletter that includes information unique to their market or interest. Again – determine who is going to make this happen and have it become part of their regular routine.

And don’t forget to prospect either – perhaps with specialized landing pages that include a specific offer. This concept will become much more common place in the coming year and could be a strong application to consider. If your market is consumer based, then easily the best way to find a targeted list is through direct mail – just be sure to use this to drive them online for tracking and follow-up.

Those organizations that push themselves to implement a strong marketing plan will undoubtedly be the ones to prosper over time. Now is the time to commit yourself to this, and to seek out assistance with trusted resources – so give us a call!

Re-Charge Time…

I am just returning from an industry conference and trade show that was hosted here in Chicago. The NAQP Owners Conference is an annual event that offers a variety of timely break-out sessions along with the keynote presentations. It lasts for just two days typically, and then transitions straight over to Graph-Expo, which is a 4-day event at McCormick Place.

As is common for almost all industries or markets, these conferences can be a great way to connect with your peers and to learn how they are “attacking” the same issues or challenges that you do. The differing perspectives are really enlightening and admittedly you can leave a discussion thinking to yourself – “why the heck didn’t I think of that!” On the other hand, now that you know the approach your colleagues took, at least you can honor them by imitation.

The sessions I attended also provided a needed boost. The speakers helped to motivate and bring some clarity to topics I have been thinking about. In fact, I have several key initiatives that I will need to plan on over the next couple of months. Most of these center on marketing strategies that can also be incorporated into other markets as well – so likely you may hear more of these in the coming posts! (To give you a teaser, the two biggest are landing pages and mobile applications)

At the trade show, I only have spent a couple of hours there so far. I will admit that I am not in a buying mode right now, although doing some research for a couple of items that we will probably add next year. However beyond just the specific items that I was looking at, a visit to shows like this can also help bring focus to where our industry is moving. I have actually attended this show every year since 1978, and it is amazing how many of the exhibitors have changed over the years – or at least to the extent that they are major or minor “players” in our business. Later this week I will be bringing a few other people down to visit the show, and one of them for the first time. I am sure it will be pretty amazing to her to see the breadth of the industry and the extreme investment that many vendors commit to every year.

Looking back on the past few days I realize that perhaps the biggest take-away for me though, was just the opportunity to look again at the big picture, and to re-charge my batteries. Especially in our current economic environment, we all need to really see how others are doing and to feel the dynamics of our industries. There are great opportunities out there for all of us and if we can put into action just 2 to 3 ideas, we could find a real boost to our organizations for the coming years. Go for it!

So What’s Next…

For many of us business is much different from what we had become accustomed to just a few years back. They say that “change is a constant,” and even though we all knew this and even planned for it, the amount of change in the past 3 years is much beyond what we might have expected.

Of course the accepted plan of attack was to make cuts where necessary and look to streamline our workflow. And for the most part, it has worked – check out the productivity levels at most businesses and you would be pretty impressed. We have also worked hard at trying to find new business to fill in the gaps left from reduced sales levels or from those customers that went out of business. In fact, there are many opportunities out there for those who are willing to work hard – even if it is growing at someone else’s expense.

But is all of this enough? Will these efforts be enough to carry us through yet another economic slowdown? Or, is it time to start looking for what’s next? Is there a new business model that you should be looking at? What about a new product line – maybe even something that is not typical within your given industry. If you were starting entirely over, what business would you look to get into? How would you staff it? And in an effort to keep up with the latest trend – can you build an app for it?

I find myself thinking a lot along these lines as of late – I even have started a notebook with various ideas listed. If the idea still sounds viable after a few days of thought, then it gets to stay. For the most part I have found myself staying in the same basic business of communication, either printed or digital, however the business model of distribution has changed. Some of these ideas I know we will pursue and probably over the course of the next several months even. Others may or may not happen – too soon to tell. The point is though, that now more than ever it is important that you are working on your business,  and not just in your business. And that concept very much includes looking outside of the box at what your business might look like in the future.

So again I ask – what’s next for you?