Branding your comapny should be the first thing a company does. You have to convince potential customers to buy from you. Very few people have a monopoly like Microsoft or Ebay, Everyone else need to steer business to their company or product. When people think about your company, what is their impression. For my company, Solutions Ink, I wanted to portray a fresh, professional, ease of use type of company whoose product meets their quality needs while helping their business. I wanted to portray Solutions Ink as always on the fore front of the printing and promotional product industry's.
To achieve this I needed to tell potential customers of new and innovative products for the printing industry. Variable data, large format digital printing, digital printing with pantone colors, label and form combinations, magnet and form combinations and e-commerce ordering systems. How best to show customers then actually devise a campaign where the product you are trying to educate your customers about is sent out to them to give them ideas how to use this product to help their businesses. One campaign I organised was to compile a list of fashion retailers whoose logo's were specific pantone colors that are not reproduced well in 4 color process printing. Today with 6,8 and 10 color presses you can print in 4 color process and 2 pantone colors quite easily. This keeps the integrity of the company's logo intact in their big marketing or flyer campaigns. This is OK for large run printing jobs. The problem is that even for large chains, you tend to have regional sales in a small amount of stores. In store displays usually are done in small numbers and are printed digitally. Today there are certain digital presses that can insert pantone colors on top of the 4 color process printing. After devising a mock up campaign and targetting by variable data the buyers of these retail fashion chains, I was able to secure 2 large accounts for present and future business.
This technique can be applied to any industry. The key is to really now your product and the strengths of your company. The next step is to educate your customers on your company's merits. Then you must reinforce your image constantly to stay in your existing customers mind, as well as peak the curiousity of potential new customers.
Once you have achieved this, giving out promotional products is a useful way of staying on their minds. The trick is to find a great promotional product, that fits you budget, is useful to the end user and doesn't shout your name too boldly. Humour is a great way to have your customers keep your stuff. The items seen most times for an office person are calendars and coffee mugs. To be different in the Montreal Promotional Product market, Solutions Ink sent out to all existing customers a 14 ounze special mug which was imprinted with thermochromic ink. The ink is heat sensitive and evaporates on heat and returns on cold. With this you can print something underneath the thermochromic ink which is revealed when cold. On the outside we simply put the word STRESS in red over a black background. Most people who work know about stress. The humour side was that when you poured your hot coffee the message turned into stress free at Solutions Ink. A simple inexpensive idea that our customers really enjoyed and every time I stop at one of their offices I readily spot our mugs. On top of this I received 4 orders from these customers for these mugs with a different message for their customers.
Another great way for your company to be branded positively is to become associated with a worth while charity. Today we must give back to those less fortunate. Sponsering an event gives your company great exposure but the real treat is in knowing that you've helped others. Money is not the end all, all the time. A funny thing, helping others usually rewards yourself if not immediately some time in the future.
The trick is to plan out your actions. Research the market, research your company's attributes and brand your company's image positively and constantly. Following these steps should help your company stand out from the competition and make yourself more successful Best of luck. If you need help you can contact me at 514-337-2238 or visit us on the webb at www.solutionsink4u.com
Steven Schneidman
Steven Schneidman has a B.A. in Psychology and an MBA from Canadian Universities. He also served as a professor at a Montreal University and worked for the secong largest Canadian bank. I have owned 2 very successful printing and promotional product companies. My greatest achievement is my wife and 3 kids.
![]() Google News Updated : Fri, 09 Jan 2009 22:11:53 GMT US lost 2.6 million jobs in 2008 - International Herald Tribune
International Herald Tribune - By Louis Uchitelle NEW YORK: US employers shed 2.6 million jobs in 2008, the worst year since 1945, the government reported Friday, and a rapidly deteriorating economy promises more significant losses ahead. Video: Jobless Rate Jumps to 7.2 Percent in December Unemployment hits 7.2 percent Publ.Date : Fri, 09 Jan 2009 19:56:06 GMT Palin: Media Portrayal Would Be 'Prettier' If She'd Been Dem VP ... - ABC News
ABC News - By LEE FERRAN Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is still fuming over the coverage she received during the presidential campaign and claims that if she were from a different "class" or political party, the her coverage would have much "prettier. Palin: Crazy or Crazy Like a Fox? Finally! Sarah Strikes Back at the Mainstream Media Publ.Date : Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:32:12 GMT Boston fire truck smashes into building; 4 injured - The Associated Press
The Associated Press - BOSTON (AP) - The Boston Fire Department says a ladder truck has crashed into a high-rise apartment building, injuring at least four firefighters. Fire truck crashes into Boston building Boston firefighter killed when truck crashes into building Publ.Date : Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:01:03 GMT UN agency to resume Gaza aid work - BBC News
BBC News - The UN aid agency Unrwa is to resume operations in Gaza as soon as possible after receiving assurances on safety from Israel, a spokeswoman said. Video: Rockets were fired from Lebanon into Israel UN aid chief disappointed Gaza truce call ignored Publ.Date : Fri, 09 Jan 2009 20:25:09 GMT Ukraine limits gas consumption as cut-off bites - Reuters
Reuters - By Pavel Polityuk and Guy Faulconbridge KIEV, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Ukraine limited gas supplies to industrial customers on Friday to ensure the pipeline system remained operational, the latest sign that the dispute is starting to further sap Ukraine's ... Video: Ukraine is blackmailing us Putin Europe Kept Waiting for Gas Publ.Date : Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:08:44 GMT Report: COBRA cost outweighs Florida jobless benefit - Bizjournals.com
Bizjournals.com - Florida is one of nine states in which the average premium for COBRA, providing health care coverage for laid-off workers and their families, equals or exceeds the average unemployment benefits, according to a study by Families USA. Unemployed: Out of Luck, Out of Health Care Health insurance no bargain for unemployed: group Publ.Date : Fri, 09 Jan 2009 20:25:59 GMT SCENARIOS: Challenges for Obama intelligence team - Reuters Reuters - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President-elect Barack Obama on Friday named retired Adm. Dennis Blair to oversee US spy agencies as director of national intelligence, and chose former White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta as CIA director. Obama completes national security team Pelosi on Panetta: ''Impeccable judgment, unquestioned integrity'' Publ.Date : Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:35:19 GMT Amazon Associate Software |
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