Cinderella Man - Lyrics - Cover Art - NEW SONG - Coming 12-01-14

Verse 1

There is a house on the hill

Where time stands still

And the man who rules the roost

Can't go against his will

I was born on this farm

To an alcoholic mom

She paints on her make up

To cover up the scars

Chorus

I'm the Cinderella man

And anyone who knows me

They don't know who I am

I'm the Cinderella man

Got to get to where I'm going

But I don't have a plan

Cinderella, Cinderella

 Verse 2

Now I don't need a slipper

I hide when he hits her

I need to find the strength
To turn up the temperature

The eyes are stone cold

Tired of the same old

Thoughts that I have

I don't need to be told

Chorus

I'm the Cinderella man
And anyone who knows me
They don't know who I am
I'm the Cinderella man
Got to get to where I'm going
But I don't have a plan
Cinderella, Cinderella

Middle 8

Everyday I wake up I try to forget

If I don't take my chances, I might regret

www.reverbnation.com/aircrashdetectives

#aircrashdetectives

Evaluating Your Relationship With Your Print Source

Evaluating Your Relationship With Your Print Source

A few questions will determine if you are buying your print needs in a way that benefits you as a customer.

1.How effective are the products you bought, are they used in the manner in which they were intended?

Agree or Disagree?

2.Commodity print needs are met very well by today's print sources.

Agree or Disagree?

3.Repeat business can be reliable but stale.

Agree or Disagree?

Are you up for the print stress test?

Agree or Disagree?

Please grade yourself on a 1-5 scale. 1 = Fat and Happy 2 = Don't have time to change 3 = Why should I care 4 = I think I know the market 5 = I am the best print buyer in the world

1.Do you have a good relationship with your print provider?

2.Is your print provider local and responsive?

3.Can you get something complex printed and delivered in 24 to 48 hours?

4.Is quality taken for granted?

5.Is price a factor when buying?

6.Would you consider an alternative source for your print needs?

7.Have you ever asked for a solution to a print buying problem?

1-25 Ask for help!

25-Over Please help me!

www.telepathicgraphics.com

One Sonata

 Verse 1

The girl from St Petersburg, says she wants to dance
Down on the Champs Elysee
She doesn't care now if he comes from France
As long as the orchestra plays

Verse 2

She sits in the window, dreams of romance

Longs for the diamonds and pearls

She doesn't cry, for her circumstance

Her grace is their for the world

Verse 3

She knows a man like the back of her hand

Files her nails til he's done

She don't expect you to understand

The pride she takes when it comes

Chorus

One sonata, a waltz and a fox trot

Give it all you've got

She'll dance til her feet they bleed

We stay up all night

Under the stars

One more round of beers

We'll dance and we'll laugh until there's no more tears

www.telepathicgraphics.com #printraleigh

How To Use Positioning, Branding and Marketing Strategy

The positioning and marketing strategy is the foundation of any marketing activity. Whether a lead generation marketing campaign, a loyalty program or just the development of new marketing material, all campaigns should follow the same positioning and marketing strategy.

Working without a positioning and branding strategy to guide the development of marketing campaigns is like shooting with a blindfold: your company’s product or service will not be clear to your prospects, nor would it stand out from the competition. Thus, an inaccurate positioning and marketing strategy will result in your target market being less attracted to your offering, or even not attracted at all — and that’s why it is crucial to have a well-conceived marketing positioning and branding strategy.

What is a Positioning and Marketing Strategy?

Simply put, your positioning and marketing strategy is how you want prospects to perceive your company and/or your offering. It is the overall perception the market has of a particular company offering in relation to its competition. A company can be proactive, reactive or passive about the on-going process of developing a positioning and marketing strategy. Certainly a company can positively influence market perception through wise strategic actions. Prospects will more likely remember your offering if your company is clearly differentiated from the competition in a way that is attractive to them.

Ask yourself, what value do you add to your prospects that is not universal on the market? In order to determine the best positioning and marketing strategy, some preliminary market research is necessary.

Once a brand strategy/positioning and marketing strategy is in place, many companies find
it easier to deal with clients and prospects. Here’s why:

1. A positioning and marketing strategy isolates the appropriate target market, so that prospects are more likely to be responsive to your positioning and brand strategy.
2. A positioning and marketing strategy distills complex concepts into simple and focused ideas, acting as a kind of elevator pitch for all communications with clients and prospects.

A positioning and marketing strategy must be consistent across all campaigns in order to be effective. With a consistent positioning strategy, the branding strategy should be identical for newsletters, sales materials,web pages, and all other elements of a company’s image.

http://directobjective.ca/agence-b2b-marketing-agency-entreprise/positioning-marketing-branding-strategy

www.telepathicgraphics.com

10 Ways to Balance Work and Life Perfectly

It doesn’t matter whether you work a conventional occupation or not, discovering the ideal balance of work and life could be remarkably troublesome. We generally have outside impacts vying for our consideration, and choosing what is paramount isn’t a simple assignment.

Are you suffering from a ‘How to oversee work and life in the meantime’ issue? Here are few ways to learn how you can balance your work and life perfectly.

1. Critique yourself

If your 40-hour week has changed into more of a 60-hour week, you owe it to yourself to audit the issue. To increase time management and productivity, get to the lowest part to find out where the lion’s share of your time is being spent throughout your work day. Assuming that you end up squandering the majority of your time dealing with your inbox or in meetings, it may be the ideal time for some rebuilding.

2. Knockout big tasks first

Rework your timetable to guarantee you hit the ground running consistently by handling greater activities when you get to the office. You’re really at crest execution earlier in the day, so tackling enormous undertakings earlier in the day means you’ll be likely to attain more. Move your less imperative activities to be dealt with after lunch.

3. Create a schedule

Don’t simply set up a to-do list. Go above and beyond and make a calendar for your workday. For instance, assuming that you’re moving toward working for eight hours, assign an expected time for each task or assignment — even the huge activities you’ve got on your schedule.

While planning your week, try to make it a point to schedule time with, family, friends, and activities you need to do at the office. Your productivity will increase at work and your life will work out beautifully if you lay out a formal work schedule.

4. Avoid interruptions

Everyone faces interruptions at work that can be a key barrier to managing time effectively and, ultimately, can be a barrier in balancing work and life perfectly. You ought to be serious about how to make an interruption-free work space. At work, close out all needless tabs on your browser, put your earphones inside your desk, and silent your mobile phoneThis will help you work.

5. Learn the power of saying “No”

The word “No” is conceivably the most important and certainly the most powerful word in language. A standout amongst the most transformational abilities in your work and life is saying “no” to requests that don’t logically help or those are less important.

When any request comes your way, ask yourself: Is this request very important or make me feel excited? If agreeing to the request leaves you feeling annoyed and it’s within your power to decline, it is the ideal time to discover the most ideal approach to say “No.”

6. Know when you’re done

Another important thing to consider for balancing work and life is that you should not spend all your time at work. You should quit spending evenings at the office to amend things until they are immaculate. You might as well make an acceptable meaning of the finished result. When you have attained it, you will need to check out for the day. Eliminating late nights in the office will help you take control of the way you manage your time and work.

7. Take part in social activities

You should make your home great and warm by setting up and joining in chipper exercises, for example, family and friend get-togethers, dancing parties, and birthdays. This is essential to have an active social life.

8. Get moving

It is quite tricky to set aside a few minutes to do exercise when you take a glance at your busy schedule, but it might eventually help you in accomplishing more by boosting your capacity to think as well as increase your strength level.

9. Turn off autopilot

Once in a while when you are in a race completing your to-do list, it is easy to go into autopilot mode until you finish the work. You need to take a couple of breaks to work more viably and productively.

10. Spend time with others

The last tip for the best way to balance work and life is remember to invest time with companions, relatives, youngsters, buddies, and even your home-laborers during your accessible time. It is likewise good for you to join in local communities to familiarize with region alterations.



http://www.lifehack.org/articles/work/10-ways-balance-work-and-life-perfectly.html



www.telepathicgraphics.com

Causes of Low Employee Morale

Low employee morale can be a serious concern for a business. Unhappy employees can lead to reduced productivity, poor customer service and problems with employee retention. While incentives such as raises, benefits and employee recognition programs can help increase employee morale, if your company is suffering from low morale, it is vital to be able to identify the root causes.

Changing Goals

Constantly changing employee goals can exhaust employees who are trying to do a good job. Being told that something is an important goal is a motivator for good workers, but when they put all their energy and time into accomplishing that goal only to have it discarded for a new goal, the result can be discouragement and a feeling of lack of accomplishment. Employees should be assigned tasks that are possible for them to accomplish, along with clear guidelines about how to accomplish the tasks and a clear indicator of when the tasks' goals are accomplished.

Misunderstood Expectations

Nothing brings down morale like confusion. Employees lacking clear guidance can spend days, weeks or even months on the job not knowing exactly what is expected of them. When this happens they tend to perform poorly by management’s standards and often experience a drop in morale as they begin to believe they are wasting their time and the company's. This problem is easily remedied. When a new employee is hired or a new responsibility is assigned to an existing employee, the hiring manager should make the job expectations clear and arrange for proper training on correct procedures and deadlines. An employee who understands the usefulness and methods of completing his tasks each day will have far higher morale than one who wanders aimlessly or spends time doing things that turn out to be unproductive.

                                                                                      No Open Communication

Creating a workplace in which an open line of communication to management is not available is dangerous to staff morale. Employees often have insight into ways to improve workplace procedures or the company's end product, or may have legitimate issues with problematic procedures or staff. If employees don't feel comfortable approaching a boss, either with ideas or problems, management runs the risk of missing out on creative ideas and having problems fester. Employees should be encouraged to voice their ideas and concerns to management without repercussions. Set up guidelines that let employees know how to privately discuss issues, and never make them feel as though they are doing something wring by doing so.

Wasted Potential

Low morale often results from simply wasting talent. People are often hired for jobs that they are overqualified for or who have a different skill set or interests than what the job requires. When this happens, employees can easily get frustrated or bored with the work, and can end up being more concerned about how to leave the company than how to do a good job. Not only is the resulting lack of productivity and potential turnover bad for business, but it robs a person of the ability to reach her true potential. Finding a more appropriate position for an employee may save both the employee and the company frustration and potential financial loss.

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/causes-low-employee-morale-43267.html

www.telepathicgraphics.com

How To Find Your Brand's Voice - Inc.com

Brendan Synnott is what you might call a powerhouse entrepreneur. At 35, he has already built and sold a health snack company (that would be Bear Naked, which Kellogg bought in 2007 for roughly $60 million), served as an adviser during the transition, and competed on the reality TV series Survivor.

You may also know Synnott from his work with Revelry Brands, the investment firm he founded that's focused on bringing growth-stage private equity to clever, one-of-a-kind businesses in the natural foods and consumer products sector. Two examples are Siggi's premium yogurt and EVOL frozen burritos--which Synnott also happened to co-found.

These days, you can find Synnott promoting his latest venture, an all-natural pet care company called I and Love and You, whose products are now being sold in Kroger stores across the country. It's every bit as playful as the other brands he's worked on and, unsurprisingly, just as unique. I chatted with Synnott to learn more about branding and how you, too, can find your company's voice.

"We want consumers to share their stories," says Brendan Synnott, because "that creates the basis to educate them. People are genuinely grateful when you're educating them about what's best for their pet."

Know Your Mission

Each brand Synnott works on has its own voice, which conveys to customers what the company is about. "I and Love is a very chatty voice," says Synnott. "It's a confession--an expression of how much you love your pet." EVOL was about cherishing the food," while "Bear Naked was very much about transparency and playing off that word, 'naked.' It's, 'Hey, look at your food.'" Although the packaging design and copy both help to establish voice, they would be meaningless without a core mission.

Tell a Story

Just as every brand has its own voice, it also has a story to tell, Synnott says. "I can copy somebody's copy, I can copy somebody's product, I can go buy an ingredient from somebody," he says. "The only thing that we have that's truly different is our story." If the customer doesn't get why you're doing something and why you're in their life, "it's going to quickly become noise like everything else." 

Be Playful
Everyone loves humor, and if you exchange a funny one-liner with the customer, Synnott says, "the chance of engaging in a deeper conversation is greater." For instance, back when he and Bear Naked co-founder Kelly Flatley were bombarding cart pushers and store managers in the cereal aisles of supermarkets, he'd ask, "Do you want to get Bear Naked?" and the customer would be so surprised, right off the bat she'd want to know more. "The consumer was just so engaged," he recalls. 

Make Copy Count

Always put as much time into the copy on the packaging as you do on the package itself, Synnott advises. "When a lot of people think about branding, they think about the visual interpretation of the product," he explains. "But that's washed out because everyone's looking visually similar, especially in the natural foods space. White space, primary colors, clean packaging--everyone has that look and feel." By focusing on your copy and voice, you'll stand out and create stronger bonds with the customer. "I assume my packaging is crap or equal compared to everyone else," Synott says. "But that next level of interaction that you have with the customer [through copy] is what makes them feel good about the product." 

Educate the Customer

You never want to be obvious from Day One with the consumer, Synnott says. They should learn

about your company as you spend time with them. For example, on the back of EVOL's packaging, the philosophy is simply stated and the customer is introduced to the burrito's primary ingredient in a humorous way: "Meet our chicken!" it exclaims. "Meet our beef!" "Just trying to be forthright and transparent says you're healthy without you having to come out and communicate, 'Hey, it's a healthy product.'"

 
Keep Packaging Clean

"Really well-organized communication is super-important," Synnott says. In the case of EVOL, it was about appealing to foodies who couldn't afford to dine out every night. "The food had to be the hero from a packaging standpoint," he says, which meant the food had to look good, even when frozen. To tantalize customers, Synnott chose mouthwatering product shots for the front and clearly spelled out the health benefits on the back.
 http://www.inc.com/jill-krasny/how-to-find-your-brand-voice.html#ixzz3DO47WvZw

www.telepathicgraphics.com

7 Things You Can Do On Friday to Make Monday Awesome

Most people get excited that Friday is here, especially if the week has been hectic and packed. But often Fridays can seem like a waste (especially before holidays). Your brain, in anticipation of the time off, just says: I have had enough! Bring on the downtime. Then the afternoon just drags on and on.

You don't get a lot of help from your colleagues because the afternoon Friday lull is a commonly shared experience. Everyone's already thinking about the weekend and ready to go home, so productivity drops. But instead of giving in to the impulse to window-gaze and daydream, you can take the opportunity to get next week off to an awesome start. Here are seven ways:

1. Set up some exciting contacts. Give yourself something to look forward to. Spend the afternoon emailing new prospects or perhaps mentors. Set up a lunch for next week that makes you anticipate good things to come. People may be slow to reply since it's Friday afternoon, but in the worst case you'll come back Monday to some positive responses.

2. Organize the week. Go through next week's calendar and plan out the entire week. Set reminder alarms on your computer or smartphone calendar. Include all meetings, deadlines, and to-do items. Lay out a specific task list with apportioned hours. You'll clear your mind of that nagging feeling that you forgot something and have a truly relaxing weekend, leaving you happier on Monday.

3. Get one thing off your desk. Fridays are the time when it's most tempting to look at projects and tasks and say, "Oh, I'll just pick it back up Monday." So choose one of your ongoing projects and commit to getting it done before you leave. The satisfaction of accomplishment may even motivate you to do more today. And next Monday, you'll have the relief of knowing that task won't be on your desk to taunt you.

4. Shake up your routine. Reflect for a few moments on your usual weekly routine. Make a list of your typical distractions, the habits and stressors that keep you from starting the workweek with a bang. This can be "chatting about the weekend over coffee with officemates," "reading the accumulated junk e-mail on my laptop," or "hiding from my annoying boss or colleague." Make a list and then write down what you will do instead. Create a new routine that's uplifting and energizing. Put it where you will see it first thing Monday morning.

5. Work on your future. If you feel you simply can't push any more paper for your company today, put on some inspiring music and spend a little time writing some thoughts about your current career and life. Are you working toward your preferred future? Do you know where you want to be in five years? Make some notes and take them with you to consider over the weekend. When you come back Monday, you may have some clarity to help you decide how to spend your week--or whether it is time to start looking for new opportunities.

6. Surprise yourself. Hide some small treat in your desk drawer or file cabinet. It could be a gourmet chocolate bar, a $10 iTunes card, a new scented candle, or another little indulgence you like. Put it there Friday afternoon and you'll have something delightful to look forward to on your return. The best part is when you forget all about it and make a startling, pleasant discovery during the week. It's kind of like your very own Easter egg hunt.

7. End the week on a high. Plan to show someone your appreciation. Pick someone in your office who has been extra helpful this week, done a fantastic job on a project, gone above and beyond, or been everyone's ray of sunshine. Plan a nice gesture such as a thoughtfully worded thank-you email, a small bunch of flowers, or a gift card to the recipient's favorite coffee place. (If there's anything to purchase, make sure you do it on Sunday night so you're not running late.) Execute your gesture of gratitude after you arrive Monday morning. You'll be excited all weekend about making that person's week start out with a bang!

http://www.inc.com/kevin-daum/7-things-you-can-do-on-friday-to-make-monday-awesome.html

www.telepathicgraphics.com

The Effects of Over Stimulation on Creativity

It’s safe to say that as a society, we are over stimulated. We spend our days searching on Google, creeping on Facebook and playing with mobile apps. Or we’re doing a combination of the three (all at the same time). Doing one thing at a time isn’t the norm anymore. You eat while you work. You watch a movie while you play a game on your phone. Some people even text while they drive (please don’t do that!). Think about how many times your computer has crashed because you had too many tabs open in one browser? The world that we’re living in moves fast. Sometimes I feel as if I wakeup, blink and my whole day is already gone. 

There is no doubt that we’ve adapted to the speed. We’ve become more efficient and more productive. But what is the cost when it comes to our creativity?

Mozart, Picasso, Einstein, they all spoke about the benefit of silence when it came to creating. Rollo May said “In order to be open to creativity, one must have the capacity for constructive use of solitude. One must overcome the fear of being alone.” Bob Dylan came up the lyrics for ”Like a Rolling Stone” while he was completely alone in a remote cabin. There’s no question in my mind that Dylan’s solitude was partly responsible for his insight.

How we live affects how we create. The things we do in life, the people we meet, every interaction

that we encounter can stimulate us in a positive or negative way. Our brains are being exposed to thousands of content a day. Thanks to the Internet and the media, our minds process all this information almost instantly. With this influx of data, is there a point when the brain says “enough is enough?”

The need for quiet in a creative office environment (whether it’s a marketing company, ad agency or other) is diminishing. The office space is changing to encourage more interaction and less separation. Do you find that being in a crowded space allows you to get your creative juices flowing better than surrounding yourself in quiet?

The absolute best brainstorming sessions that I’ve ever participated in have been ones that start out by myself. Being on your own first allows your brain to focus on the task at hand and gives you the freedom to expand your thinking. You jot down some ideas and then collaborate with others. What usually ends up happening is that the original, good ideas that people had turn into better ideas with others involvement. These are comprehensive ideas that you wouldn’t come up with by yourself. But in the beginning, it starts with just you. And that’s the most important step.

If this over stimulation continues to rise and our attention span continues to decrease - where does that leave our creativity five or 10 years down the road?

Recommendation: Don’t forget to appreciate the quiet moments in your day. Take more time for yourself. Sit in a room and clear your mind of everything in it. Meditate. Do whatever you need to to get some peace and quiet.

Your brain is what holds your creative potential. And it needs rest. Without it, it won’t recuperate.

http://creativeheartblog.tumblr.com/post/62803186269/does-over-stimulation-affect-our-creativity

www.telepathicgraphics.com

5 Ways to Communicate More Clearly

The winner in every business competition is always whoever communicates the most clearly. Whether you're dealing with employees, bosses, colleagues, or customers, your ability to get what you want hinges on how well you talk and write.

With that in mind, here are five basic rules that apply to one-on-one, one-to-many, and many-to-many communications alike:

1. Always know the "why."

Whenever you're communicating at work, you're wasting time and energy if you don't know the

reason the communication is taking place.

Before you initiate any communication, ask yourself, "What am I trying to accomplish?" Even chitchat should have a purpose, even if it's just to build camaraderie.

If somebody else is initiating the conversation, ask yourself, "Why is this conversation taking place?" If the answer isn't obvious, guide the dialogue to the "why" of it.

Understanding and focusing on the "why" allows you to avoid side issues and ratholes that might otherwise obscure the situation.

2. Communicate emotions in person.

Any communication that has high emotional content should be delivered in person (if possible and practical) or by telephone and teleconferencing (if not).

For example, if you've got great news that will get everyone stoked up, it will be more effective and create more positive energy if you deliver it in person.

A group meeting to announce a big sales win, for example, is like an instant celebration. By contrast, an email announcing the same win seems a bit like an afterthought.

Similarly, if you've got bad news or criticism, it will be better received, and more likely to be helpful, if it's delivered in person. If you use email, it will seem like you don't care or that you're cowardly.

3. Communicate facts via email.

Any communication that is primarily factual should be communicated in writing for two important

reasons:

People only retain a small percentage of facts when they're communicated verbally. Therefore, having a written record of those facts helps ensure that they don't get lost when it's time to make decisions.

 Communicating facts verbally to large groups is extremely inefficient. It's much better to use email to get everyone up to speed and then have a discussion of what yet needs to be accomplished.

4. Listen more than you talk.

Generally, this rule is applied to in-person conversations, but it also applies in back-and-forth emails and social-media posts. Perhaps "'tis better to receive than to give" would be a better way to put it.

In any case, it's almost always a bad idea to try to dominate any conversation or communication, because if you're motor-mouthing (or motor-mailing), you're not learning anything.

Also, when you're focused on your output, you're making the communication all about you.  In business situations, communication is never about you. It's always about the other person.

5. Simplify your messages.

Everybody in today's business world suffers from massive information overload, which creates seemingly endless confusion and stress.

If you want to cut through the noise, you need to make your message as simple and easy to digest as possible.

http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/5-ways-to-communicate-more-clearly.html

www.telepathicgraphics.com

Strategize Your Marketing Campaigns For Seasonal Effectiveness

Adjusting your marketing based on upcoming seasons and holidays allows you to build a responsive and personal strategy that capitalises on different trends. Campaigns based around calendar events can be an opportunity for you to exercise your creativity and cement your position as a flexible and quick-to-react business. The following tips should help you to co-ordinate your strategies.

1. Pick the Right Opportunities

Ensure that any marketing strategy that you adopt is in tune with the time-based interests and needs of your clients. You need to know who your target audience is, but also understand their motivation and purchasing decisions. Don’t go overboard with your campaigns, but hone in on opportunities that are relevant to existing and prospective clients and focus on doing a few things very well. Take some time to understand the psychology behind the festivities and think about how these apply to your business.

2. Explore Weather-Based Strategies

Different climates represent a host of different healthcare complications and benefits, so identify those which are pertinent to yourself and your practice and attempt to single some out as areas to focus campaigns around. You could consider more generic campaigns that are based around the seasons, breaking these down into spring, summer, fall, and winter.

Summer, for example, brings with it the promise of better weather (hopefully!). This can lead to increased sun exposure, travel, and changes in behavior and dietary habits, so think about what related messages you could communicate to clients. Colder weather can represent a health hazard, especially with icy surfaces and winter sports holidays leading to an increase in falls and exercise-based conditions. You may wish to raise awareness through newsletters or social media messages and encourage existing and potential clients to contact you with questions and concerns.

3. Explore Holiday-Based Strategies

Focusing on calendar holidays or events represent a more specific opportunity to market to your clientele, giving you a smaller but more exact window to capitalize on specific days of the year.

As a health or well-being provider, you could seek to offer gift cards or offers for events such as Valentines Day, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, or Christmas. Holidays may also see increased availability for appointment booking, so perhaps offer special discounts for those who book on their days off. New Year, for example, is always associated with self-improvement, so you could use the phrase “New Year, New You” and work on how it could apply to your practice and your clients.

4. Get Your Timing Right

When planning your strategies it is essential to strike the balance right between leaving enough time to prepare but not getting ahead of yourself. Strategies based around the weather could not go to plan, so your “summer sunshine” marketing campaign could be highly ineffective if the weather is a washout (particularly likely in the UK!). Ensure that you have a contingency plan in place and that your strategies form part of a larger, overall marketing plan for your business.

5. Include Actions and Deadlines

Once you have decided on your marketing opportunities, determine exactly what you are going to do and how you are going to achieve this. One of the most successful strategies involves including a call-to-action in your materials, such as encouraging clients to contact you via email, telephone, or social media. Due to the temperate nature of your campaign, ensure you adhere to a deadline to encourage people to connect with you in a timely manner. You can always announce that you are extending any offers for additional time if uptake is not as expected.

6. Use All Available Platforms

Ensure that your campaign reaches it’s widest possible audience by taking advantage of multiple platforms over an extended period of time. If you are offering a discount code or offer, ensure that you communicate this out across social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn. If you have dedicated website page for the campaign, you could also recycle this into an email newsletter.

7. Reuse, Recycle

Often your campaigns can still be relevant for cyclic events, so consider repeating a successful campaign the following year. If your strategy was not successful, attempt to discern why, then make any required changes before launching it again. Ensure that you keep your content “evergreen” and avoid time-specific references so that you can use that content again in a timely manner.

http://www.firmology.com/2013/09/02/7-seasonal-marketing-tips-for-your-business/

www.telepathicgraphics.com

Proactive Customer Service Will Also Make Your Employees Happier - FORBES

I was reading an interesting article by psychologist Dr. Jeremy Dean on PsyBlog (The Simple Mindset That Makes Everyone Happier, All Around The World) recently. The article, drawing on academic research done by Fleeson et al., 2002 and Ching et al., 2014, suggests that:

“Acting like an extrovert — even if you are an introvert — makes people all around the world feel happier”.

It goes on to say that, even across cultures, there are real advantages and benefits to acting in an extrovert manner. Now, this doesn’t mean that we should expect to seeing people jumping around, whooping and high-fiving everyone they see to get their boost of happiness. Not at all. In fact, the article suggests that, acting like an extrovert, could be as simple as:
87% said they wanted to be contacted proactively by a businesses they have dealt with; and we know that customers value this type of service as proven by the research conducted inContact last year. Their research examined how customers reacted when contacted ‘proactively’ by companies and they found that:

• 73% of those who had been contacted proactively and had a good experience said that their perception of the business calling them had improved.
• Customers respond with greater loyalty and long term value;

• Customer retention costs lower;

• Contact centre efficiency improves and reduces call volumes; and

• Customer support representative satisfaction and retention increases, whilst turnover costs decrease.

Sounds like a real win win. In light of this new research, doesn’t it add more evidence to the case for a proactive customer service strategy. One that helps employees be more extrovert and helps them get a happiness boost. But, also one that, in turn, makes the business’ customers happier, more valuable and more loyal too.

“smiling at a stranger or calling an old friend and feeling the difference.”

Reading the article made me wonder if there was an organisational dimension to this and whether this could be applied to the subject of proactive customer service, something I’ve written about here before.

For example, could employee happiness be given a boost if firms anticipated their customers needs and planned outreach strategies i.e. proactively contacting their customers by picking up the phone, say, to check that everything was OK with their purchase or planned trip or to find out if there was anything that they needed help with.

But, the benefits are not limited to improvements in customer relationships. Aspect, a leading fully-integrated contact center management software provider, in a recent whitepaper, articulates four reasons why a proactive customer service strategy makes good and complete business sense:

So, why don’t more organisations adopt this type of strategy and why are many still stuck in reactive customer service mode?

Is it that some businesses struggle with anticipating their customer needs? Is it that the culture of the organisation is introvert?

Regardless of the challenges, we know that customers want and value anticipatory or proactive customer service. We also know that helping your employees to be more extrovert can help them be happier.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/adrianswinscoe/2014/09/05/proactive-customer-service-will-also-make-your-employees-happier/

www.telepathicgraphics.com

The Benefits of Personalizing Your Direct Mail Campaign

Personalization is one aspect of direct mail marketing that has consistently demonstrated high return on investment (ROI) and strong retention and conversion rates.  Direct mail campaigns that speak to individuals instead of the masses tend to be more efficacious in their goals. One way to increase personalization of direct mail pieces is to use variable data printing (VDP).

According to Target Marketing Magazine, VDP produces a mass of customized documents via digital print technology. Instead of printing the same message to, companies can use this technology to customize individual messages and designs as they see fit.

“When marketers are able to share specific information with specific individuals…they are able to increase engagement,” Gina Danner, the CEO of Mail Print, told the news source. “Essentially with VDP, marketers make it easier for people to buy.”

Companies have increased access to customized data and information. Marketers are able to acquire mailing lists that not only provide names and addresses, but also more specific and detailed demographic information, such as marital status, income, personal interests and other personal information. Using VDP allows your company to cater to this sensitive data by creating custom copy for a direct mail campaign.

Rather than viewing consumer information as raw data though, the most successful marketers understand that the number one reason for response to direct mail campaigns is emotion. Marketers can turn private data into emotional impulses. Target Marketing Magazine claims that VDP aids marketing executives in creating customized imagery and effective personalization more likely to evoke emotional triggers. These triggers ultimately lead to higher response rates on specific calls to action.

Another aspect of VDP that results in positive response rates is the increased ability to use color and imagery. VDP allows for more widespread and advanced use of customized color, which has been proven to catch consumers’ attention more effectively than black and white printings.

Careful consideration of color use – that is, not simply splashing it across all direct mail pieces – can be an effective way to complement your brand identity and highlight important information. Digital printing capabilities allow for easy customization and printing on demand which speeds up turn around time and increases flexibility in your marketing needs.

Similarly, images can be customized and carefully selected for the specific audience.  For example, one advanced way to use imagery is to handpick select images based on a specific customer’s demographic. A lower-income neighborhood might be less inclined to respond positively if beset by images of affluence and wealth, and vice versa.

Finally, one of the greatest advantages of using variable data printing in your direct mail campaign is the chance for better tracking of response rates. Marketing executives place a huge emphasis on tracking ROI because of the need to bring positive results to their higher ups. Target Marketing Magazine suggests that VDP allows marketers to place unique bar codes and coupon identification numbers on these communications pieces, which would provide an easier and more accurate way of tracking results.

www.telepathicgraphics.com