The Power of Lists

Lists are more than just an effective way to grab attention. They're also great at getting key points across quickly and increasing readership. Here are a few tips to help you use lists more effectively in your marketing:

• Use abbreviated or partial lists on marketing pieces, such as postcards and email campaigns, and encourage readers to visit your website to learn more.


• Promote your company's competitive advantages with a "top 10 reasons" list.


• Popularity sells. Use a list to advertise your biggest selling products, such as "Our Top 5 Most Popular Products from 2012."


• Use a list to announce or introduce new products or services.


• Use a list as an alternative to long paragraphs of text, and enable readers to quickly scan your key points.


• For greater effectiveness, keep your lists brief, such as "10 Ways to..." or "15 Tips to..."


• Structure your list logically (largest to smallest, most to least popular, or simply your strongest tips first).


• If your list includes more than just a few words for each key point, consider using bold sub-headers with brief descriptions behind them.


• For "top 10" style lists, always number your entries, so readers can easily follow along.


• Be sure to include a source whenever appropriate, especially if your list contains hard facts or data.

Peter "The Printer" Lineal
Founder/CEO
Plum Grove
2160 Stonington Avenue
Hoffman Estates, IL 60169
Ph: 847.882.4020 Ext: 133
www.PlumGrovePrinters.com


Printing, Marketing & Promotional Products with Powerful Execution.

Please Give Your Business Some Air

Humans can't live long without breathing.

A plant will wither and die without sun, water, and air.

A car can't get very far without fuel.

So what makes us think that a business can keep going without doing effective marketing?

It can't.

Leads are the life-blood of any business, regardless of size or industry. Leads turn into profitable customers and revenue.

Having a business without a marketing strategy and marketing plan is like having a garden that's left to its own devices. Without constant pruning, watering, and the sun, the beautiful garden will be choked with weeds and soon turn into an eyesore.

Your business needs a continual flow of quality traffic. This traffic won't come to you on its own. People won't seek out your products and services unless you give them a reason to.

A marketing plan can be very simple.

• Figure out who your best customers are.


• Come up with messages to attract more prospects who are just like your best customers.


• Use various media (like direct mail) to let that market segment know what you're all about.


• Create a marketing calendar to help you remember to market on a consistent basis, so your prospect pipeline never runs dry again.

Your business is a living, breathing entity. Prospects, leads, and traffic are like the air it needs to breathe.

Marketing your business with a strategic plan is the best way to ensure your business will never run out of the air it needs to survive and grow.


Peter "The Printer" Lineal
Founder/CEO
Plum Grove
2160 Stonington Avenue
Hoffman Estates, IL 60169
Ph: 847.882.4020 Ext: 133
www.PlumGrovePrinters.com


Printing, Marketing & Promotional Products with Powerful Execution.

Your Print Marketing 3-Step Rule

Every print marketing piece should have an end goal in mind. Depending on the type of marketing piece, these goals can range from simply building name recognition to creating curiosity and ultimately generating sales. The next time you find yourself struggling to create print marketing that will get noticed, remember these three steps to maximize your effectiveness:

Step 1: Grab attention.
Start by getting your reader's attention. Remember this must happen from the initial glance at your promotional piece. Try using a bold headline, graphic, photo, or marketing claim. Choose something that encourages viewers to take a moment to read your marketing message.

Step 2: Create interest.
Provide teaser information that will engage prospects and entice them to learn more. Teaser information could include an announcement about exciting new products or features, a current or upcoming promotion, or anything else that will persuade customers to learn more.

Step 3: Engage the reader.
Provide a call to action for readers who have taken time to read your marketing message. This could vary from prospects who simply want more information to those who are ready to make a purchase. Provide a website address, phone number, directions, or other contact information that makes it easy for prospects to get in contact with you about your product or service. Consider creating a website landing page that is specific for the highlighted product or service. A landing page can not only make it easy to track interest generated from your promotional piece, but it can also make it easier for the reader to learn more without losing interest wading through an information-packed website.

Our creative team specializes in creating marketing pieces that will get noticed and remembered. Give us a call today if you need help or ideas for creating the perfect marketing piece that will increase awareness and boost sales.


Peter "The Printer" Lineal
Founder/CEO
Plum Grove
2160 Stonington Avenue
Hoffman Estates, IL 60169
Ph: 847.882.4020 Ext: 133
www.PlumGrovePrinters.com


Printing, Marketing & Promotional Products with Powerful Execution.

Marketing Tips from Animals Pics

When it comes to marketing, we can learn a lot from photos of adorable animals. One of the most visited site on the internet is all about Buzz -- and animals at http://www.buzzfeed.com/animals. Here are a few key tips to take away the next time you catch yourself oohing and aahing over an adorable fuzzy kitten or roly-poly puppy:

• Have you ever noticed how adorable animal photos have a knack for engaging a wide variety of people with various interests? While marketing is most effective when aimed at a targeted audience, you should strive to appeal to a variety of personalities within your audience.


• Photos grab attention and have the power to invoke emotion. The sight of a baby animal can easily warm the heart of most people. Think about the photos or imagery you use in your next marketing campaign, and focus on the emotions your selected images will create for your audience.


• Consider using humor whenever appropriate. Have you ever seen a hilarious photo of a cat and felt the need to show others so they can laugh with you? The same is true of humorous marketing. By sharing something funny, WE also become funny by association.


• Just as people love to share adorable photos with others, be sure to create your marketing materials so they are easy to share. For example, create a durable mailer that includes a coupon for the recipient and one to share with a friend. Add a link to your web-based promotions to recommend friends, and consider a reward for those who pass the word. Include a "share" option to make your message easily available for friends or family who may be interested. By making your message easy to share, you can empower your audience to do the selling for you.

If you need more ideas for creating marketing materials your audience will look forward to receiving, give us a call today!


Peter "The Printer" Lineal
Founder/CEO
Plum Grove
2160 Stonington Avenue
Hoffman Estates, IL 60169
Ph: 847.882.4020 Ext: 133
www.PlumGrovePrinters.com


Printing, Marketing & Promotional Products with Powerful Execution.

Repurpose Marketing Content

Repurposing content is often one of the most cost-effective and efficient ways to create an abundance of creative content, while at the same time extending the shelf life of your current marketing investment. A brochure mailer to prospects can become a show handout that then can be used to build up sales collateral in your presentation folder. Here are a few other tips to help you creatively repurpose marketing content:

• Combine related blog posts on specific topics into an e-book. Add content as needed to make it flow smoothly from one post to another.


• Convert PowerPoint presentations into videos by adding animations, background music, or a voice-over. Maximize exposure by posting your videos on YouTube and sharing links via social media, your website, email, direct mail, and other marketing tools.


• We recently took a series of one-sided presentation sell sheets and some PowerPoint slides and turned them into wall graphics for one of our clients. What a great way to share product information with staff while creating a colorful office environment that builds the brand with visiting clients.


• Turn publications or articles into podcasts by simply reading them aloud or having a narrative conversation about a topic of interest.


• Create a company history timeline highlighting the stages and evolution of your business. Include news releases, company posts, social media announcements, and articles about your company. Put it on your website, on Linked-In, on Facebook and more.


• Review unconventional content as well, such as an employee handbook that may include an introduction from the president outlining the company's vision or a well-written summary of your target audience meant to educate new employees.


• Archive your news releases in a "news" section on your company website to increase ongoing exposure.


• Reuse parts of press releases, case studies, white papers, and other publications. Pull key quotes, stats, facts, and highlights, then use those materials in brochures, newsletters, blog posts, website pages, and email campaigns.


• Create a landing page or microsite using in-depth product pages or articles that you've already written.

No matter how you repurpose your content, just remember that the more content you create, the easier it is to generate interest, educate and inform prospects and customers, and increase sales.
PS: I would be very upset if my wife turned my hiking boots into a planter!


Peter "The Printer" Lineal
Founder/CEO
Plum Grove
2160 Stonington Avenue
Hoffman Estates, IL 60169
Ph: 847.882.4020 Ext: 133
www.PlumGrovePrinters.com


Printing, Marketing & Promotional Products with Powerful Execution.