Posted by Chris Higgins on Thu, Apr 29, 2010 @ 09:53 AM
My son is twelve years old, we recently went on a sailing vacation, on the second day he asked "hey dad what's Lewmar, are they a company that makes a bunch of stuff for boats?" He'd never heard of Lewmar and unless you spend a lot of time around boats chances are you haven't either, now he knows the company and what they do because they engrave their name on all their products. this is one of the keys to creating a brand put your name where people will see it and remember it.
Presentation folders are an inexpensive and effective way to put your name where people will see it. These days every transaction includes lot's of documents, from instruction manuals, to spec sheets, contracts to legal documents, sales sheets to quotes and FAQ sheets, almost any kind of document you can think of. Use a presentation folder or document folder to package these documents, give them to customers and your brand continues to grow.
Retailers use this strategy all the time walk into any mall and look at the bags people are carrying around. Everyone of them is emblazoned with a retailers name and logo, ultimately the bag will end up in the trash at someone's home, but until it gets to it's final resting place it does the job of promoting the brand by keeping the name where people will see it.
It's simple really keep your name, logo, brand in front of as many people as possible and keep it there as long as possible; it will be remembered and your name recognition and brand will grow. Whether it's a presentation folder, a document holder, a desk pad calendar, or a personalized usb drive, each time you put the brand where people will see it, the brand continues to grow. If you question whether this strategy works walk into a Starbucks and ask yourself why they bother to imprint their color logo on every napkin in the store.
Posted by Jack Valentine on Wed, Nov 04, 2009 @ 12:05 PM
On Flickr, the popular photo-sharing Website, a Pittsburgh artist known as "Mleak" has done some remarkably innovative work with corporate logos. She's taken the unprecedented step of turning live insects into
promotional merchandise!
Mleak calls her work "parasitic advertising," and her intention is to release these branded insects back into the wild -- presumably to influence humans and other insects.
Astoundingly, the paint jobs are real and not some Photoshop trick. Here's the artist revealing her secret:
"Depending on the insect, I put it in the fridge for 5-15 minutes. They're cold-blooded, so that slows them down, though it only gives me a minute or two to work before they start reviving, so I usually have to put them in a few different times before I'm done."
Appropriately, the above work is called the "VW Beetle."
Obviously, Mleak does not make her promotional insects to advertise Fortune 500 companies. We're speculating that she's making some kind of artistic statement about the pervasiveness of corporations in our everyday lives. We also wonder if PETA or any other animal rights group has confronted her about her hobby.
Nonetheless, while parasitic advertising is cool and unusual, it's not an effective way for a company to promote their brand.
Can you imagine the response of customers who are approached with
logo-decorated insects? Depending on the breed, we think their first
instinct would be to pull out the can of bug spray.
Ideally, when you invest the money to put your logo in front of as many eyeballs as possible, you'll be better off if the medium is practical -- an everyday item people naturally use.
A pocket folder is a perfect vehicle for packaging corporate information, it's designed to your specifications, it presents the message you want to present, and it provides a professional, organized package for your collateral material.
Pocket folders are an effective way to present your message to a captive audience. They're perfect for mortgages, refinancing and other real estate/legal paperwork!
Wonder if Mleak's painting skills will eventually progress to the point where she can put your company logo on a mosquito?
In that light, here's one thing we promise you. Our pocket folders will never ever bite!
Posted by Chris Higgins on Mon, Jul 13, 2009 @ 09:58 PM
The cost of acquiring new customers, according to many surveys, runs 8 to 10 times more than the cost of keeping existing ones. That being the case taking small steps to remind clients of all the services your company provides is an effective use of marketing dollars.
Document folders given to a client after a transaction, are an effective and inexpensive way to promote and cross sell other products and services. Document folders can be used in many different ways, from presenting a neat and professional package to including a specific call to action. Look at a few simple ways companies use document folders to cross sell other products and services.
A credit union created unique, portfolio style document folders for mortgage clients. the folders remind and encourage mortgage clients to check out money market and Internet banking services.
An insurance company created accordion document folders to package life insurance policies, that highlighted an available discount for clients who combine both their auto and homeowners policies.
A hotel chain created document folders for the room keys that included a discount coupon for dinner in the hotel restaurant.
A bank created welcome kit document folders for new account holders that promoted their mortgages and investment services.
An appliance repair company created document folders that included a satisfaction survey and a discount coupon to be used on the next call.
A tour company created document folders for tour customers that promoted cruise packages available through their cruise division.
An auto glass company created document folders that hang from the car mirror and hold all the repair documents along with a discount coupon for an oil change at a partner company.
Document folders are a perfect way to promote your brand and cross sell other products and services. Most companies provide some kind of documents after providing a product or service, packaging those documents in an attractive professional folder is a great way to show clients how much you value their business and remind them of other services you provide.
There are hundreds of ways to use document folders to promote and cross sell other services, if you've seen creative cross selling with document folders or any other other collateral material please share those ideas.
Posted by Chris Higgins on Sun, May 31, 2009 @ 01:23 PM
Product packaging is big business and an important way to keep your brand visible, mobile and in front of your target market. I sent flowers to my wife for mothers day and she was almost as impressed with the package as she was with the flowers.
I ordered from proflowers.com they were having a special and I heard about it on the radio. The flowers showed up in a very elaborate full color box with the proflowers logo emblazoned on the side. Inside there were compartments for the flowers, the vase, and the plant food, I remember thinking "man that box / package must have cost as much as the flowers". I heard my wife talking to a friend and she spent more time talking about the really nice box than she did about the flowers themselves, which when you think about it is exactly what proflowers wanted.
Proflowers uses their product packaging to create repeat customers and generate referrals, they want you to remember the flowers, but they really want you to remember where they came from. I noticed the same thing last night when we ordered pizza from The Upper Crust (great pizza by the way) the box had their logo, locations and contact information printed across the top. Just like proflowers they know the box is going into the trash, but they also know the value of creating multiple impressions of their brand and they're willing to spend more to make sure the client remembers where the product came from.
Today is the information age, how can you create a package that will be remembered if your product is information. Pocket folders are the solution; well designed colorfully printed custom pocket folders present your information in a professional manner that will be remembered. Insurance companies, consulting firms, financial services firms, lawyers, title companies, travel services firms, and real estate companies are just a few whose primary product is information, and pocket folders are a perfect way to package their product so their brand is remembered.
Pocket folders are not just presentation folders, they include portfolio folders, accordion folders, document holders, and even totes or boxes. Any of these products can be customized and printed to create a professional and memorable package for all kinds of information. Features such as business card holders, tab dividers, Velcro or bando closures, and special die cut pockets can be added to create a professional package that is functional, useful, and will promote the brand.
Pocket folders to package information have a real advantage over packaging for consumer products, they are less expensive and they don't get thrown away. As nice as the proflowers box is we threw it away right after we opened it. When your product is information such as an insurance policy, marketing information for partner companies, financial documentation, or real estate documents, the pocket folder becomes part of the information and is put away for future reference, not thrown away in the trash.
Product packaging is a great way to promote a brand and create referrals, custom pocket folders are a great way to package information. If your product is information take a lesson from successful consumer products companies and package your product in a pocket folder that will be remembered.
Posted by Chris Higgins on Sun, Feb 22, 2009 @ 06:22 PM
Presentation folders are a great way to promote your business and present a professional image, to make sure your presentation folders have the impact you want keep these 5 tips in mind before ordering your custom presentation folders.
Get the right size. A standard size presentation folder is 9 x12 but if you're investing in a custom folder you can get any size you want. For many applications a legal size folder makes sense and in other cases a mini folder is the way to go. There are many standard size variations available at no extra cost for example you can choose from a 9" or 9 1/2 wide presentation folder in either regular size or legal size and that 1/2 inch may make a big difference depending on how your customers will use the folder.
Get the right number of pockets. Do you need two pockets or is a single pocket enough, for that matter maybe you need three pockets in which case a tri-fold presentation folder may be the way to go. Think about what you plan to put in the folder and how the customer may use it, if a single pocket is enough then the cost should be less, a single pocket means less material and less material means less cost.
Think about what goes inside. Again it's important to think about how the folder will be used, the last thing you want is to invest in a professional presentation folder to enhance your image, only to have the contents fit improperly and ruin the presentation. Think about expanding pockets or even box pockets if you plan to put a lot of material in the folder. another option is a spine so the folder expands at the spine as additional material is added.
Choose the right paper. This ties in with the image you want to project and the other printed material you already use. There are numerous paper stocks available from glossy to matte finish, to rich linen textured stocks. Choose the right paper, based on the image you are trying to project and the other corporate identification material you already use.
Match your other printed material. Some businesses may be tempted to create a full color presentation folder with lot's of photographs, images and color. It will look great but does it match the other printed marketing material you already use? Maybe a solid color with a prominent logo, a linen paper stock with a foil stamp, or even a clean white folder with a logo and contact information is a better match for the image you already have.
A presentation folder is a marketing piece you'll proudly give to customers and prospects, use these 5 tips to ensure it provides the highest impact and return on investment.
Posted by Chris Higgins on Wed, Dec 17, 2008 @ 09:54 PM
For some reason many businesses that buy
printing think they are better off dealing directly with the manufacturer. they believe that if they are not buying direct from the factory then they are dealing with a broker and paying more.
Now the sentiment is one thing but the reality is another. with the exception of apple picking where you actually drive to the orchard and pay for the privilege of picking your own apples, almost everything you buy comes through a distribution channel that reduces the cost. Take the apple picking example: you can stop at the market (distributor, retailer, broker call it what you want) and buy a bag of apples for $5. Or you can go the direct route spend half a day in the car with the family, drive for an hour and pay $30 to pick your own. When you add in the gas and time, the cost can approach $100. Obviously you get a lot more in terms of family time and relaxation but when all you want is apples using the local distributor (market) costs a heck of a lot less.
When buying business printing using a distributor is like going to Walmart, you go to the one place that has everything you need at the lowest cost. Because there are so many different printed products all requiring specialized equipment the distributor matches your project with the best and lowest cost source to produce it. If you need document folders, custom presentation folders, promotional products, or custom stationary, the distributor will make sure each product is produced on the right equipment to ensure the lowest possible cost.
Think about it; you don't go the the ranch to buy a steak, Florida for an orange. China for clothes and, Hollywood for a DVD, you go to Walmart where you get everything in one place at the lowest cost. When you need business printing, from custom posters to desk pad calendars work with a distributor to get all the printed products you need in one place at the lowest cost.