Marketing

Great Promotional Product! -- By The Way, It's 5:00, Do You Know Where Your Car Keys Are???

Inkspress, Inc — Mon, 08 May 2006 15:17:00 GMT

Here is a really terrific, inexpensive promotional product that I like so much that I have them imprinted with our company's logo on them! It is the Snail Memo Mate.

This little guy has double-sided tape on the backside-- And it can adhere to any surface. I have mine on my computer monitor and it snugly attaches with my keys hanging from it. I have this problem of carrying too large a purse and cannot find anything--including my keys! Hence, the Snail Memo Mate.

There is a place at the top of the Snail for memos, business cards, unpaid parking tickets or photos of those you love! (Whichever pertains to your situation.) The Snail Memo Mate is certainly priced right and frankly, placing your name in front of your customers' eyes all day is not a bad idea either. Available in Blue, Green, Orange, Purple, Red and White.

So, when you think of Snails, don't think of slow, slimey (and sometimes tasty Ampullariidae), think instead of cost-efficient advertising at its best--right in front of your customer's nose!

Promotional Products, Items, Branding, Freebies, Give Aways, Gimmies, Logos, and Convention Stuff

Inkspress, Inc — Thu, 03 Nov 2005 14:45:00 GMT

I am working with this wonderful customer that is all about events and promotions. They call me at least twice a week to discuss the next one. They are a dream come true as far as their business is great--but, even more, they are a joy to work with because they ask me what I think and like my different and unique ideas. I get my creative juices flowing as soon as I hear the receptionist say that they are on the line! As a result, I find myself going through the catalog files quite often trying to find that new, unique and special item for their event. However, I couldn't go along with placing my clients' info on the belly of a pregnant woman! I do have a limit for the unique...

As I look through the catalogs, I find myself getting lost in all the different items: Jewelry, Multi-functional items--the “what-the-heck-is-it” items. New colors, new ideas, new fun!

I have items all over my desk and on my shelves as a reminder of events that are planned and events yet to be planned. The three camouflage hats on my desk remind me of the season that is quickly going away. The 6-pack cooler is there to remind me of the season of spring that will be here before you know it. So many items and so little time...

And just when you think you have seen it all, there is a place in Japan that will burn little messages onto beans. When you carefully care for these little beans that are complete with their own little container, in about 5 days, the bean will emerge from the ground to expose a leaf that has the message on it! Ok, that totally excites me! I haven't had any takers on it yet, but I'm hopeful.

I know that there are a lot of different professions in the world, but I love my job (many of heard this before..) and I get to use BOTH sides of my brain! Oh sure, there are days that I think I should have stayed home in bed, but for most of them I find them just great challenges to find the ultimate item for my customer.

One of the best ideas that I came up with didn't cost my customer a dime--it was just the best suggestion for their particular need at that moment. If we all just keep it in mind that it is not all about the dollar, but about making our clients happy, they will remain loyal customers, too. Ok, I've left my state of business eutopia--I'm back.

Well, I've got my eyes wide open and looking for the next innovative item. If anyone has a really ultra-cool, new, neat item they want to share, go ahead, we're ready! Let us have it!

Customer Service And The 'Good Boy' Philosophy ~

Inkspress, Inc — Sun, 28 Aug 2005 16:48:00 GMT

The Good Boy Philosophy:

This week, a co-worker of mine was having difficulty with someone on the phone. A very unpleasant woman was being, well--unpleasant. When she finished with the individual, she stated that the woman was unkind. Another individual overheard her complaint and said that she should apply the Good Boy Philosophy. Of course, I had no idea what he was talking about, but I was intrigued. He stepped out of his office and began to tell us the story of the Good Boy Philosophy.

But first, some other vital information:

With 'Customer Service Week' just around the corner (October 3-7), we should be beefing up our service rep teams with ideas in which they can better relate to and help customers with their needs.

The International Customer Service Association began Customer Service Week in 1988. In 1992 the U.S. Congress proclaimed Customer Service Week a nationally recognized event, which is celebrated annually during the first full week in October.

The leading associations in the fields of customer service and support, the International Customer Service Association (ICSA) and the Help Desk Institute (HDI) have joined the Customer Service Group in sponsoring this year's event. Also, as another point of interest, HDI is holding it's third annual www.ITIM2005.com).

According to www.CSWeek.com:

Some 68% of participants in the Customer Service Newsletter’s 2004-2005 Salary, Incentives and Benchmarking Survey say they use some sort of incentive program for customer contact employees. The top three types of incentives are:

Recognition programs
Merchandise awards or certificates
Customer Service Week celebrations

Across all types of incentive programs, the average amount of money spent per rep was reported at $600.

Now, back to the Good Boy Philosophy story:

So, this man, Tom, said that his children used to run everyday. And on their daily run, they would run passed a house with a fence. Inside this fence, there were some very unfriendly dogs. As the kids ran by, as you might imagine, the “mean” dogs would bark and run up and down the fence, just begging to take a bite out of their swift legs. When the children would return home from their run, they would complain about the snarling dogs and the mistreatment they had received from them. (At one point, the dogs were loose and had chased them on top of a car until the owner could retrieve them.) These were seriously nasty dogs. At this point of the story, my instinct is to call the Animal Control and tell them to put these worthless dogs in a place they cannot hurt others, but there is more to the story. It was asked of the children, when they returned home, what they did to the dogs when they barked at them. Of course, they had thrown rocks, dirt and the like at the dogs in retaliation. So, Tom decided to run with his children the next day. When they came to the dogs, he stopped and dropped inside the fence a little bit of meat and said, “Good boy,” with a soothing voice. Tom continued to do this for about a week. At the end of the week, the dogs were sitting and wagging their tails while they eagerly waited for this band of do-gooders to arrive with their treats. At this point, they could reach inside the fence and pet the dogs without fear of any harm being done to them. They no longer needed to have treats available, just their hands atop the heads of their new furry friends while saying, “Good dog.”

Moral? Come on--can't you guess?

Customer service is nothing more than the 'Good Boy Philosophy'. I am not saying that our customers are animals, it is just any breathing thing will respond to kindness. It is a philosophy that we all should embrace--not only with our customers, but with all our fellow man. (Please pass the tissues...) Make it a code phrase. When others are having difficulty dealing with others, just say, “Good boy…” If you want to actually pat them on the head, that one’s up to you.

Click Fraud -- Are You At Risk? Protecting Your Online Business

Inkspress, Inc — Thu, 18 Aug 2005 22:10:00 GMT

Joanna L. Krotz, in a Microsoft Small Business Center article, tackled the subject of click fraud.

What is click fraud and why is it on the rise?
Click fraud is defined as someone who clicks on a paid search ad with harmful or dishonest intent. The click is made to artificially rack up fees rather than because of interest in your goods or services. As a pay-per-click marketer, you must then cough up the amount of illegal clicks on your paid listings but you gain nothing — not the sales or leads you seek.

Sadly, click fraud is the price of the Web's success. In rather short order, Internet advertising, including search engine marketing, has gone from a dot-com joke to nearly a $10 billion business, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers. And growing. In other words, there's now real money in them 'thar clicks.

By 2005, the average cost of popular keywords had risen to $1.75 a click, with some hot industries even higher, including an average $5.39 per click for mortgage/refinancing services and $1.85 for telecommunications/broadband, according to the ZDNet Index. Multiply those numbers by thousands of illegal clicks and fraud can get costly.

Where do •

Software and hackers. Some scammers automate the fraud by using so-called "bot" software, which are robot programs to rack up thousands of clicks per hour.

•
Paid clickers. Companies, often based in places like Russia or Asia, pay low-wage workers to click. The Times of India recently reported on Indian housewives and college students who are earning up to $200 a month clicking on ads for a few hours a day, without really knowing it's fraud.

She offers 6 steps to help protect your business against click fraud.

Combine paid and organic (free) search.

Monitor Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.

Balance your ad budget.

Buy keywords that can inoculate you.

Hire a watchdog.

Report suspicions to the search engine.

If you are going to go the pay-per-click route, then know your business, your clients and your site interaction.

LP

Weddings And Customer Service For The Bride

Inkspress, Inc — Sat, 13 Aug 2005 07:52:00 GMT

Here comes the bride...dum, dum, dah, dum...

I've had a lot of business from brides lately. A lot of brides plan for fall weddings. They want to find the perfect wedding favor for the least amount of money. I love to deal with these ladies, as their needs are completely different from the customer who wants to promote their business or event. They seem to have more stress on their plate (or show it more). They also have their emotions on their sleeves. I can feel their pain and want to help them through the process with as little difficulty as possible. Many brides are starting blogs to share how they walked through the process.

Events and promotionals are stressful, that is true. But, when you include the family element in a wedding, it always becomes bigger and tougher.

The best advise when dealing with the bride or her appointed representative is patience. Understand that they are feeling a tremendous amount of responsibility for every detail--they want it to be perfect. And we want it to be perfect for them.

Some tips for dealing with the frustrated bride:

First of all, be very patient and upbeat in your attitude. Understand that she is feeling a tremendous amount of responsibility for every detail--she wants it to be perfect. And you should want it to be perfect for them. Don't forget to congratulate your bride!
You should be realistic about what you can and cannot do for them. If you cannot make the dates in plenty of time, you should be completely honest. Remember, our business is all about making dates.
You should remember that cost is almost always a very important issue. Brides are usually dealing with a very tight budget and that should be kept as close as possible to their first expectations. Do not try to stray from it, just to make a larger sale.
Listen to what the bride wants and give a FEW selections. She will not be able to process too many different ideas--keep is simple. You know, the K.I.S.S. solution...
After you have taken the order, keep in touch by phone or emails to “touch base“ occasionally. It will help to keep your customer calm. Don't forget to let her know the shipment is on its way and give her tracking numbers to watch the progress of her shipment--that will make her day!
Make sure you set your delivery for the products as early as possible without tacking on unnecessary rush charges. Giving the bride the product ahead of time makes for a happier bride. And if the bride is happy--everyone is happy...

Putting on a wedding is not just another day or another “party“. A wedding should be one of the greatest highlights of a person's life. With a little patience and professionalism, we can assure that it will be.

LP

Promotional Products -- A Last Minute Business

Inkspress, Inc — Sun, 07 Aug 2005 14:37:00 GMT

When you think of Promotional Products, what comes to mind? Do you think of the matches at the counter? Perhaps you think of T-shirts or cofee mugs. Hats? Personalized letter openers? Bracelets? Calendars, keychains, and refrigerator magnets? Of course, the answer would be all of the above--and much, much more.

Promotional Products or specialty items should be the first thing you think of when you are wanting to promote your event or your business. However, I find that when a customer phones our office, 7 out of 10 customers will say, “I know, we waited until the last minute...”

How can something so important be the last phone call on the list?

The bottom line on promotionals is that whatever you can print on is considered a promotional item.

If you are going to properly promote your business, then you need to think carefully about these things:

Consider who will be your customer. Once you identify your customer, you need to think about what item they will use and appreciate. Calendars and office items are always a good bet for getting your name “out there.“

You should consider the amount of money you want to spend. You should not be giving away items that are spendy, if the items are not going to give you the business exposure you need. T-shirts, hats and jackets are an inexpensive way to get people to advertise for you. They become instant walking billboards for your company.

Consider a professional to design your business logo. It's great to have a friend or family member help design your company logo, but make sure they are in the business or know what they are doing. You should look professional from the start--no matter how small or large you are. You may be a small business in your garage or basement, but no one need know if you handle yourself like the big guys!

Do not wait until the last minute to contact your specialty items company! Waiting until the last minute means possible rush charges. That is not good business. You should have time to talk your ideas over with your specialty representative and allow them the time to research the best item for you! We have thousands of items available and we can find the best item for the best price and just for your business. Keychains are great, but maybe there would be a better item for you.

When considering promotion, the very lifeblood of your business, give it plenty of thought.  Do the research, and allow your specialty representative the time to consider the best promotional item for you--maybe a little more than 24 hours...

LP

Good Customer Service Makes Good Friends For Business --Part TWO

Inkspress, Inc — Thu, 28 Jul 2005 19:01:00 GMT

I have had plenty of time to put my thoughts together for the follow up of the first “Good Customer Service“ article, and I have come to one conclusion: I love my job! I have the most colorful people talk to me from all over the nation, and I get paid to do it?? What a country!

Last time we left off, I had quite a problem on my hands. I needed to call my customer back to straighten out the mixup she was experiencing. The delivery of her items were in bad shape. **See previous blog.

After I phoned my customer, she began to tell me how badly everything had gone. I let her speak for a while and when she stopped to take a breath, I interjected my first comment.

The first thing out of my mouth was to ease her mind by letting her know that all her money had been refunded and she was not out one, red cent. After telling her this, I could immediately sense a more relaxed tone in her voice. She knew I was understanding of her situation and I was in her corner.
I told her that I understood her frustration and I was just as disappointed--I really was.
I then asked her if we had missed the event. Her event would be in 2 days. I had already contacted the supplier and they had insured me that they would reprint the entire job and it would be out that same day. I offered my customer the opportunity to take advantage of this. She declined the offer. The fact was that she didn't necessarily need the items, but she would have liked to have had them with her other giveaways.
Once we were all calm, I asked her to repeat things as we went through it together. I let her know I was taking notes and wanted to get the facts correct.
I asked questions as she talked, to clarify each point. This allowed me the opportunity to go over each of the points that she raised . I was glad to hear her becoming more comfortable with talking about it.
I addressed it more closely when she used words like “every” and “all”.  We need to deal with what is real. I am already going to make sure that she is compensated for having to be inconvenienced and she knows it. So she is not trying to gain more sympathy, she knows she already has all my sympathy.

After we got all the facts straight, I finished taking down all the information I would need and began to ask her what we could do for her now. I had been her “friend” through this interaction and was continuing to be one, so she didn't want more from me than was due her.

I made her an offer for a discounted product in the near future and she immediately jumped on the opportunity to do business with us again.

If I had ignored her problem, or if I had tried to blame someone else, she wouldn't have trusted me. I really would not deserve her if I was going to behave in that manner. I have worked for the relationship that we have and I covet it. I have been there from the beginning with my customer and I don't want anyone else to take care of her in the good times or the bad. I am going to go the extra mile for her.

As for my supplier problem: It was a one-time problem. These people are as right as rain and they were as confused by what happened as we were. Their CSR made sure that I was not our one, red cent. He made sure to ask questions and write down everything I said. He made an offer to compensate our organization for the inconvenience and embarrassment we had suffered. They made me feel important.

It's all about how we treat each other, isn't it? As we treat each other with respect and take the time to listen, we pass on that attitude to the next person. And so on, and so on...

In the long run, the understanding we gain as we go through these interesting experiences of life are like pennies on the ground. You can either make the effort to bend over and pick them up, or pass them by and leave them for someone else. My daddy used to say that, “a man too rich to pick up a penny on the street was really a poor man.”

And, now on an interesting note: In case you've ever wondered--there is a customer service week: Oct. 3-7. Let's all make it a good one!!

Good Customer Service Makes Good Friends For Business

Inkspress, Inc — Mon, 25 Jul 2005 09:50:00 GMT

I have had customer service on the brain lately. My friends call me the customer service queen. Sadly, it is true. Because I strongly believe that I should be treated with respect by those who are entrusted to represent their companies. Whether it is the person who handles my call on the phone for my business transactions, the person who chases down that size 7 shoe for me at the mall, or even (I cringe), the teenager behind the counter who asks, “Do you want fries with that?“ I expect to be treated courteously and respectfully by those individuals. I also, in turn, agree to treat them well. I have always thought it rude to treat others badly by taking advantage of them in the service industry simply because I can—simply because I am the customer.

As a side note: When you get good service from anyone, let their managers know. It may even take 5 minutes out of your time to do it, but it is worth it to the one giving the service and to their managers. When you compliment others on good service, you help to raise the bar on the standards. If management feels that customers are appreciative of good service, they will work more diligently to hold to that standard.

Lately, I have had many bad experiences with customer service. I often wonder where these companies get their people to answer their phones. It’s enough to make me hurl my stapler across my office. The first voice, (the very first impression you form in your mind of their company), is many times, a person with a too light of a voice, someone with mumbling speech, speaking too fast, or a snobbish what-do-you-want-anyway attitude. I don't like to have to ask the person to repeat themselves at all, least of all three times just to try to understand their name. So, if I had a case to plead with managers everywhere, it would be to make sure to monitor your employees who are in contact with customers on the phone, from time to time. Hold to a strict standard of excellence—you will not regret it.

Once you have gotten past the receptionist, you get the customer service representative. Sometimes you are fortunate to get the one who cares or pretends very well. But, occasionally, you will receive the you-need-us-more-than-we-need-you attitude. I swear! What has happened?? The customer is certainly not ALWAYS right, but every person that they encounter should make them feel as though they are--from the first person who says, “Hello,” to the last person who says, “We’ll take care of that for you.”

I have wanted to write something about customer service for quite a while and I was trying to think about my best story that might be an encouragement to others, when out of left field there came the biggest, ugliest customer service nightmare and landed on my desk THIS MORNING!  Great timing, huh? And just when I thought things weren't exciting enough...

We've all had the one nightmare sale--you know, everything from the get-go is wrong. They are very rare, but when it does show up, it works you every step of the way.  This is the reason for Rolaids. And when you contact your customer, they take your call by answering, “What's wrong now...?“ Well, this one is definitely it! Things could not have gone more wrong on this job than if I personally would have walked right up to the customer, myself, and lit the purchase order on fire.

Our supplier has had product color discontinued, delayed shipments, product discontinued again, color problems, and finally, after the customer decided to go with something different than she had originally chosen, the shipment arrived so badly damaged, that the customer couldn't touch the box for the ink. This is not an on-going problem with this supplier either!

So, the question is: What more can I do for her?

Answer is:

Tell her that I am sorry. And that I and the company are going to be there for her all the way.
I will find out if we have missed the event date. If we have, then we are going to make it right. And by “making it right, “I mean, that financially, she will not be out a dime and I am going to offer her something for a future order--the incentive to keep her. We have established a relationship, and that is important to me. I want her to feel comfortable with me again.
If we have not missed the event, the supplier is going to get them printed and out the door for us today or tomorrow. We'll work out the details later.
Acknowledge that “things“ happen. Unfortunately, they just happened to happen to her order. But, it is not the end of the world. We are going to get the product again for her. Her needs will be met.
It is most important, that no matter how much she rants and raves (if she does), I will keep my attitude upbeat and eager to please. She should feel like she is yelling at a friend.
I am going to stay on top of this until the end. It will not be found at the bottom of the pile, but next to me until it is over.

**My customer is going to be given every consideration for her inconvenience. I want to deliver the service that she demands--that she deserves.**

I’m going to phone my customer now and I’ll let you know how it goes.

LP

Business or Busy-ness?

Inkspress, Inc — Wed, 20 Jul 2005 16:00:00 GMT

Yikes! It is half way through the year already!

I am not the kind of person to reevaluate myself too often--I always find room for improvement. That, you are thinking, is a good thing. But the problem is that I would spend all my time doing that instead of working! But, after reading FreePromoTips.com , I have to say, I am ready to get myself reorganized.

Very good points were made as to the amount of time that is wasted in a day. This is referred to as the “soft side“ of the review process in a performance evaluation.

A person should take the time to see how much time he or she is wasting--time, which could be better spent wracking up those sales. (One idea might be to reevaluate time spent on personal calls...)

I find that when I come into work, I like to see my calendar ready to greet me, bursting with all those wonderful names and numbers. (That also includes the 'trouble' calls. I don't mind talking with people who are upset.) I get a mental checklist going and start putting them into order according to priority. Of course, I also have to factor in the whole east coast, west coast issue.  I get on those easterners in the morning and wait to say 'good morning' to the westerners just before lunch.

It is vital to a thriving business (or one that wants to be a thriving business) to evaluate itself and its employees. As part of the evaluation of employees, it is certainly a good idea to ask the employees what they think about what is working. During the interview process, try asking the questions Mr. Keller suggested:

What is working?
What isn't working?
What should we stop doing?
What should we start doing?

Not only is employee imput important, it may be very eye-opening! There will be those wild suggestions, but in addition, this exercise will give every employee a feeling that they are vital to the company. There is not a better incentive anywhere.

Giving your business the boost it needs is sometimes as easy as reevaluating what you are doing for your customers. A three-point check to improve business, is to:

Provide superior service - Over time, strong customer service will keep your existing customers happy.
Customize your products and services - Fit them to your customer's individual needs.
Build strong customer relationships - Develop a personal bond with your customers. Make them feel like they are part of your business family.

But in addition to the customers needs, don't forget the needs of your employees.

These are all simple rules, but ones that deserve to be readdressed from time to time.

**Encourage your employees to enjoy their career.**

**Give them recognition for a job well-done.**

**Give them the tools they need to succeed.**

At Inkspress, we have tools to help with all your organizational needs.

The Navigator Presentation Padfolio is a way to keep it all together without being too bulky.

LP

All T-Shirts Half Price!

Inkspress, Inc — Sun, 17 Jul 2005 10:26:00 GMT

Ok, I know that this happened last week, but I just had to comment on Paris losing the 2012 games to London.

It was the housed a nuclear reactor but declined to use the information before last week’s vote in Singapore. The tip-off to Paris came about three weeks ago, suggesting a dirty tricks campaign behind the scenes as the IOC prepared to reach its verdict.

The London delagation for the games announced that the nuclear reactor would not have any health risks and did not pose any kind of threat to the public--interesting comment from a group that didn't even know that HAD a nuclear reactor underground.

At any rate, the games will be in London and T-shirts are available for sale all over Great Britain--