Tag Archives: marketing

How To Help Reps Help You – Part 4

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This is Part 4 of a four-part series on this topic about how manufacturers can create a win-win situation between themselves and their reps by providing them with helpful tools. We would love to hear your thoughts, feedback or stories in the comments below.

So far in this series about creating tools for your sales reps, we’ve covered brand story training, merchandise guidelines and sales presentations. This last installment of Help Reps Help You brings us to the ever-important issue of keeping your brand top-of-mind with your retailers.

Think about the gap that exists for retailers between ordering your product and receiving it… There’s a whole lotta missed opportunity for your brand to stay on their radar.

HELPFUL ITEM 4: The “Radar” Piece

These pieces are especially helpful for small- and medium-sized brands because they not only build anticipation for your shipment, but they let the customer know you’re alive, excited to serve them and available for questions and/or support.

Radar pieces are simple communications that can take the form of branded email or snail mail (think: postcard), and are an inexpensive way to stay in touch.

Content and visuals should always follow your seasonal or yearly marketing campaign so that messaging is consistent.

Create these items in advance of your selling season and provide the materials to your reps so they have them at the ready. Remember, the goal is to make it easier for your sales team to do their job. With prepared communications in the hopper, they’ll be able to make regular contact with customers by hitting send or stopping at the mailbox.

The bottom line? Closing the sale-to-shipment gap with simple, branded communications is an easy way to remain on retailers’ radar throughout the year.

Cutting Waste & Enhancing Customer Experience with QR Codes

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I’m pretty excited that we’ll be working on a new design project that will include QR codes. (For detailed QR code information, see Larry Pluimer’s Indigitous site.) This particular project is a piece of sales literature that will need to function at times in the absence of a company representative. So, using these codes is an efficient way for this manufacturer to expose customers to additional product information without overwhelming them with a ton of text to read on the printed piece. Plus, it allows the reader to stay focused on the product visuals!

QR codes can be used in a number of ways to enhance not only business-to-business transactions, but the customer experience as well. For example:

  • Send the consumer to a landing page or micro-site showcasing component details, care instructions, or other ways to use your product.
  • Provide an offer code for a discount on their next purchase of your product.
  • Invite them to join your email list.

Another advantage of using QR codes is waste reduction. You can significantly decrease your printing expenditures and paper (and ink, and energy, and water) use by including a code on your package or hang-tag to allow consumers to:

  • download a PDF of your manual in their language of choice.
  • allow them to register their product for warranty.

You can even reduce the size of your signage if you include QR codes. Plus, it frees up one of our favorite things – white space! Imagine a sign with only a great, attention-grabbing call to action and imagery that intrigues someone to want to know more about an event you’re hosting. A QR code can be placed on the sign that leads the viewer to an event listing where they can purchase tickets/register, get calendar details and click through to a website. Here, you’ve engaged your audience before the event even starts. They’re invested in the experience with your company.

If done with purpose and process, QR codes can be very engaging. Without planning, though, they could easily fall flat. I’ll be sure to do a follow-up to this post once our new project is complete. But in the meantime, I leave you with my own QR code:

Eryn Willard contact info

“Dog Found” – A Simple Communication Tactic

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Both the Studio 22 office and my home are in a small rural town in the hills of Central Maryland. Aside from our news channels, you’d never guess that we’re only an hour north of DC, and an hour west of Baltimore. Things move at a slower pace here – and that’s just how we like it.

One recent day while running errands, I passed a sign near the road. It was a small, hand written one on a stick that read: DOG FOUND. It had an arrow on it, pointing down a side road to a single house.

All the way back to the office, I smiled, reveling in the powerful simplicity of the communication. As a “professional communicator” my first reaction was: YEAH, AND? So often, we (and our clients) feel the need to include ever more details in advertisements or marketing pieces, fearing that the audience will lose interest or fail to get the facts. In reality, too many details can muddle the point and stifle the call to action. (You’ve heard us creative-types talk about needing more white space? This is really what we mean.)

So after I got over my initial reaction of wanting more details, I realized there were several reasons why this simple sign was an effective piece of advertising:

  1. It identified the target audience: 1 dog = 1 owner. The sign-maker knew that they didn’t have to provide more details about the found dog. The owner missing his dog would know where to go.
  2. Well-crafted visuals: The dog finders knew that people would be passing by this sign at 30 mph – not enough time to read and absorb more than a few words. They used their allotted space (8.5 x 11″) as effectively as possible with bold, black, capital letters.
  3. Strong call to action: The call to action on this piece was actually a symbol – the arrow pointing down the side road. (Side note: Symbols are powerful communication tools! Think hieroglyphics, road signs and…LOGOS.) The creator saved valuable real estate on the sign by using a single mark that says: THIS WAY, LONELY DOG OWNER. YOU CAN CLAIM YOUR PUP AT THE ONLY HOUSE ON THIS ROAD.
Heritage Festival Sign

Similar to DOG FOUND, here's a sample I snapped in town that follows suit.

Next time you’re crafting a new communications piece for your brand, try applying the DOG FOUND tactic. It’s not necessary to give all of the information, all at once. The idea is to engage your target audience so that they want to seek out more details from you and learn about your brand. Be strategic as you begin building a relationship with them.

Branding: Line Extensions

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This short article from Transworld Business yesterday inspired some thinking here at S22 HQ. While the article speaks about the “aging action sports demographic” specifically, it conveys some interesting feedback from brands Billabong and Quiksilver on creating line extensions.

These two brands have been successful in capturing spend from the older demo with their Honolua (Billabong) and Waterman Collection (Quiksilver) lines. Customers that have been loyal to the brands since their youth are buying their more refined apparel that still speaks to their lifestyle.

Branding/Marketing Take-Aways:

  • Focusing on a new demo may lead to stronger brand equity and better bottom line through sales at previously untapped retail shops, if done properly
  • Line extensions can build long-term customers
  • Older demographic demands higher quality, but has more money to spend

So, whether or not your company manufactures apparel, could a line extension benefit your brand?

When Things Get Hectic

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It’s Tuesday, and with Tuesday comes a different set of stresses than with Monday. If you’re an entrepreneur – or manager of any sort – Tuesday is the day when the rest of the week comes into focus, and you realize how much crap stuff you have to accomplish before the weekend arrives.

Among your to-do’s are marketing tasks (hopefully) that will keep your customers rolling in. Activities like:

  • monthly/quarterly mailings
  • attending events or trade shows
  • updating your company website and blog
  • creating a seasonal product catalog
  • making presentations/sales calls
  • sending email newsletters
  • advertising

When things get busy, we (yes, even us designers) tend to procrastinate marketing our businesses in order to get through the rest of our tasks. However, even when things are hectic, you should still be focused on promoting your business.

Making a calendar at the beginning of each year that outlines your marketing efforts helps you stay on track, while also helping you budget for any design and printing costs. This can be done quarterly as well, to the same effect (my preferred method), and allows you to be more nimble with your decisions.

By planning your marketing efforts in advance, you can reap some cost savings by:

  • ganging up your print jobs for mailings (saves resources, too!)
  • having a general brand overview piece on hand to send to prospects and take to meetings
  • resizing one design for multiple trade show booth layouts
  • qualifying for discounts from your mail house for scheduled catalog mailings
  • creating a single branded email newsletter template that is ready for monthly content
  • having a standard advertisement design that can resized and sent to publications on the fly
  • not paying rush charges when you’re behind the 8-ball!

Trade Show Materials Checklist

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Trade shows are the perfect venue to create brand fans by conveying your company story authentically and consistently in your materials. You have a captive audience for a few days during the show – and narrow windows before and after – so you have to plan your strategy wisely to attract and engage them. Here are some must-haves and ideas on getting the most out of your investment.

Have a Plan

Are you launching a new product and using that as a theme for your booth and materials? Are you displaying your entire line, or just one season? Is your company new or established in the industry on which the trade show focuses? Answering questions like these will help determine the direction and content of your materials.

Minimize Impact

Reducing waste in materials, shipping and manpower will save time and money while helping the environment. Estimate as closely as you can the amount of printed materials you’ll need for the show, based on the loose formula of 12 visitors per hour, and add 10% to cover extra traffic. It has been said, however, that 90% of materials never make it back to attendees’ offices. Consider sending catalogs or larger pieces to your prospects as an after-show follow-up.

The List

1. Pre-Show Mailer

  • Send a mail piece such as a post card or letter on customized letterhead to your mailing list, as well as the show attendee list.
  • This is the first piece in the series of materials, so the design must be consistent with your brand strategy and the remainder of the pieces you create moving forward.
  • It should have a clear call to action, the show name, dates, location and your booth number.
  • It can double as a new product announcement or marketing piece to those not attending the show.

2. Booth Graphics

  • Get the most mileage with a design that is representative of your brand story, regardless of season.
  • Introduce additional elements for variety from show to show. A well-planned booth will allow you to swap out sections when updates are needed, such as a new graphic, information panel or product photo.

3. Media Kit

  • This is where your brand story will really shine, so it should be professionally designed for the best impact. You only get one chance to make a first impression.
  • It should include: company history, product features, company culture, social/environmental involvement, leadership and custom photography.
  • Be sure to place plenty of kits in the press room at the show, and keep some at your booth for media members that stop in.

4. Company Overview

  • This doesn’t have to be an elaborate piece—it just has to be effective. This is especially important if you’re a new exhibitor.
  • Will allow buyers a quick look at your brand story, with the added benefit of an in-person experience of your company culture at your booth.

5. Catalog and Product Line Sheet

  • Your catalog should have a company introduction section in the first few pages and an uncluttered product layout with enough white space for notes.
  • Separate line sheets are the easiest way to make price adjustments, new product additions, and allow you to use your catalog for both buyers and consumers.
  • Provide these during buyer meetings or to qualified prospects.

6. Follow-Up Mailer

  • Send a mail piece such as a post card or letter on customized letterhead to those you met with at the show thanking them for their interest. This is a great time to include an incentive offer if you didn’t make a sale with them during the show.
  • Your catalog can also have impact as a follow-up to qualified leads.

Final Thoughts

Don’t forget to tag any advertisements your company is running before the show with the show name, dates and your booth number – especially those appearing in industry-specific publications. If it’s already a part of your marketing efforts, use social media to generate buzz about your trade show attendance before, during and after the show. And never underestimate the power that brand-specific imagery (rather than stock photos) can have on your materials.

Who says packaging doesn’t help sell products?

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Even graphic designers themselves fall prey! I know it every time I’m drawn to purchasing something I most likely don’t need. Take, for example, the following…

Orange seltzer is not an item I would normally buy on a grocery trip. But don’t you know, this one, from Boylan Bottling Co. practically jumped off of the shelf at me. I’m a sucker for well-done retro-style anything, so in the cart it went. I thought, ‘Even if I don’t drink it, I would still like to stare at the package.’ (The seltzer’s actually quite tasty, living up to its great packaging and label, and their website kicks ass, too.)

Boylan’s packaging (for all of their products) supports their brand story. Just by looking at their packaging, one can tell the company has a deep history and a sense of fun. Their designer distilled their story into a visual representation of their brand.

On the same trip, I also grabbed some Twist Sponge Cloths. Did I need them? Probably not, but their packaging and presentation was just so nice that I didn’t want to leave without them. (Of course, I use them all the time now since I’m trying to break the paper towel addiction in my house.)

A consumer knows when they look at Twist’s line of products on the shelf that the brand is about making a mundane activity more enjoyable while also conserving resources.

So what’s the point of this grocery shopping recap? The point is:
Thoughtful label/package design (and this includes hang-tags and boxes, too) promotes your already-great product.

Would I have tried the orange seltzer had it not been for the Boylan’s package? No.

Would I have thought that Twist’s European sponge cloth was the solution to my dirty kitchen counters? Nope.

When launching your brand, don’t blow it by rushing through the planning and design process for your support materials. Hire a design firm that will take the time to understand your brand and it’s story before crafting solutions.

Moosejaw Mountaineering on Cross-Channel Marketing

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Yesterday, MultiChannel Merchant posted their interview with Moosejaw Mountaineering’s creative director Gary Wohlfeill on their success with digital catalogs.

While they still produce a printed catalog, Moosejaw uses the digital version as a cost-effective way to get more potential customers to see their merchandise across channels. Moosejaw has also implemented a mobile version of their website and uses their texting list to further engage customers.

Moosejaw is on it!

High Quality Websites Yield Better Results

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Kind of a “duh” statement, however, this article on Wall Street & Technology got us thinking. The article reports that researchers “found that the higher an investor rates the quality of a firm’s online features, the more money he keeps with that firm.”

The same idea can be applied to your company’s website, no matter what you’re selling. Think about how your audience wants to receive the information they need. Will they make an online purchase if your product images are too small? Will they feel secure making that purchase if the design of the site is less than professional? If your site is informational, is it organized in a user-friendly way?