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Depending on the nature of your business, your customers may spend a lot of time on the phone talking to sales reps, customer service, customer support, etc. If you're looking for a great way to add a personal touch to these interactions, consider posting photos of your sales or support staff on your website, business cards, and other marketing materials.

Employee photos are a compelling way to capture your visitors' attention on your website. More importantly, though, conversion rates increase when people can connect emotionally. Photos are a great way to foster this kind of connection between your customers and staff.

Because people buy from people, they are often curious about who they are speaking with. Photos increase interest in day-to-day interactions and help customers and prospects recognize and remember the members of your team, making them more likely to approach your staff at trade shows or other social events.

In addition to posting individual photos, group photos and candid shots of employees at work are great ways to show off your facility, the various skills you can offer in-house, and the potential bulk of your workforce.

In addition to establishing a consistent brand image across your business, a corporate style guide can ensure documents and other corporate imagery conform to corporate policy and remove the necessity to reinvent the wheel for new communications. Whether you create a style guide for marketing materials, websites, newsletters, or external communications, here are a few tips to consider:

• Include an introduction and background of your business (consider offering a timeline of historical events, mission statement, etc.).
• Provide examples of how your brand is used (provide images from business cards, print documents, newsletters, e-mail signatures, website, etc.).
• Define acceptable deviations and abbreviations of your company name (for example, Polar Professionals, Polar Professionals, Inc., PPI, and Polar), as well as a list of taglines and slogans.
• Identify corporate colors, typefaces, and logo standards (such as guidelines using a partial logo or a black and white logo vs. color).
• Address professional and departmental titles (John Doe, PE vs. John Doe or "Department of Art and Design" vs. "Art Department").
• Define a consistent way to write day-to-day words such as e-mail vs. email, website vs. web site, etc.

Check out the following link for a great example of a corporate style guide: (www.easy.com/PDFs/easyGroup_Brand_Manual.pdf) And for help creating and printing a style guide that professionally portrays your business, stop by today. ___________________________ Joe Gass @ Heritage Printing & Graphics

5900 Harris Technology Blvd, Suite G, Charlotte, North Carolina 28269 * 704-551-0700     www.heritageprintingcharlotte.com

 22725 Washington Street, Leonardtown, Maryland 20650 *                 301-475-1700 * www.heritageprinting.com

 Veteran Owned and Operated Wide Format - Signs, Banners & Banner Stands, Displays, Posters, Wall and Window Graphics, Vehicle and Floor Graphics, Backlit Signs, Retail Point of Purchase, End Caps and Toppers, On-Site Installation, Kit Packing and Fulfillment Offset and Digital - Newsletters, Magazines, Publications, Catalogs, Conference and Meeting Materials, Brochures, Rack Cards, Presentation Folders and Direct Mail

We have a client who recently celebrated 15 years in business. Not that it matters, but 15 years is the average lifespan of a woodchuck. Being around for 15 years can be a big deal for small businesses and woodchucks. It's important that your customers know about your longevity. People like doing business with companies that have been around for awhile. It makes them confident you know what you're doing. It's that competency thing you've heard so much about. Sometimes, people are shy about getting older. My mother said her birthday is "just another day." When I'm 95, I'm going to celebrate every day as if it's my birthday. I'm going to let everyone know that I've made it another day, and I'm not going to be shy about it. Party like a rock star. You shouldn't be shy about celebrating your business anniversary. It's an important event and will cost nowhere near what it costs to marry off your daughter. Given all the goodwill marketing you will receive, getting out the word is extremely inexpensive. We all like inexpensive. Start with anniversary labels. Stock labels have been around for years. Stock labels look like stock labels. If you take marketing seriously, spend a few more pennies and get some custom made. Stick them on everything. Next year, they will be as passe as today's television network schedules. How about some thank you cards for loyal customers? People like thank you cards, and it's becoming a lost art. Thank you for being with us over the long haul. Here's a 10% discount for being loyal. We need you, and I hope you need us. It's a partnership we'd like to continue in the future. It's a better deal than Conan O'Brien got from NBC. Testimonials. Nothing is better than testimonials. Print a simple brochure you can stuff into every envelope you mail. "A good belt keeps your pants up, and there's no better place to buy a belt than Ernie's Belt Shop." I'm a printer. A few years ago, I did a testimonial for a paper company. I got four orders from it. Testimonials work two ways. It's a gimme. There are so many more ideas to help you celebrate your companies anniversary this year. We can work together to see what fits for you. Give me a call. Shoot me an email...and happy anniversary! Heritage Print & Visual (we are celebrating our 34th anniversary in January!)

5900 Harris Technology Blvd, Suite G, Charlotte, NC 28269 * 704-551-0700 * www.hpvisual.com

 22725 Washington Street, Leonardtown, MD 20650 * 301-475-1700 * www.heritageprinting.com

 Wide Format - signs, banners & banner stands, displays, posters, wall and window graphics, vehicle and floor graphics, decals, backlit signs, point of purchase, end caps and toppers, on-site installation and fufillment Offset and Digital - newsletters, magazines, publications, catalogs, conference and meeting materials, brochures, rack cards, presentation folders and direct mail Veteran Owned and Operated

The brand personality of your company can help attract the clients you want and keep you away from the clients you don't. Branding goes hand in hand with marketing, and like marketing, haphazard won't cut it. It's very important that a brand reflect YOU. If you are being talked into pastels and soft colors and you're a rock-and-roll, edgy person, you are never going to be able to use your branding with confidence. So, be deliberate about injecting your brand into every aspect of your marketing. Colors, logos, design elements, writing style, where you advertise, office decor -- these are all important components of your branding. So are confidence, value proposition, and core values. Randy Shattuck of The Shattuck Group writes: "Your company's brand strength is the sum total of opinions that the market holds of your business. If you were to poll your top 20 clients, what would they say about you? What about 100 companies that fit your target profile and know about you but don't do business with you? How about your top five competitors? These polls can be eye-opening." A consistently communicated brand exudes confidence, goes hand-in-hand with your marketing plan, and can powerfully attract customers. _____________________ Heritage Print & Visual �. Improving Your Image in the Marketplace Signs, Banners, Posters, Displays, Decals, Wall, Window & Floor Graphic, Backlit Signs, Brochures, Booklets and Publications, Marketing Materials & Direct Mail 5900 Harris Technology Blvd., Suite G, Charlotte, NC 28269,  704-551-0700  22725 Washington Street, Leonardtown, Maryland 20650, 301-475-1700 www.heritageprinting.com  

 

Trade shows typically produce lower-cost leads than other communications strategies. Theyâ??re the best vehicle for a new company to attract its first customers and the most cost-effective way for small manufacturers with specialized products to find prospects. Many times, small companies lack the resources to discover which companies need their product. At a major industry show, hundreds, if not thousands, of people will walk by the manufacturer's booth. Those interested in the company's products or services will probably stop. Businesses that sell exclusively to a regional market might want to consider regional trade shows instead. Like their national counterparts, these trade shows attract potential buyers within an industry, but the cost for travel and booth space is often significantly less. Most industry trade magazines contain information about both national and regional trade shows, so check yours every month for the most recent and relevant listings. Local, company-promoted specialty shows, such as bridal fairs, equipment shows, home and garden shows, and boat shows, offer another popular option. If you're a member of the local chamber of commerce, you might even consider hosting a booth at the next business after hours event. Whatever trade shows you decide to attend, make sure you have plenty of handouts to go around. To save money, have a special one-page handout designed specifically for trade show use. Use it to highlight your competitive advantage, and provide a way for prospects to contact you to request more information. See more great ideas like this! Click here to visit the Heritage Printing & Graphics Ideas Collection. _____________________ Heritage Print & Visual â?¦. Improving Your Image in the Marketplace Signs, Banners, Posters, Displays, Decals, Wall, Window & Floor Graphic, Backlit Signs, Brochures, Booklets and Publications, Marketing Materials & Direct Mail 5900 Harris Technology Blvd., Suite G, Charlotte, NC 28269,  704-551-0700  22725 Washington Street, Leonardtown, Maryland 20650, 301-475-1700 www.heritageprinting.com  

_____________________ Heritage Print & Visual �. Improving Your Image in the Marketplace Signs, Banners, Posters, Displays, Decals, Wall, Window & Floor Graphic, Backlit Signs, Brochures, Booklets and Publications, Marketing Materials & Direct Mail 5900 Harris Technology Blvd., Suite G, Charlotte, NC 28269,  704-551-0700  22725 Washington Street, Leonardtown, Maryland 20650, 301-475-1700 www.heritageprinting.com  

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Simplicity is often seen, but it s a concept that is not easily explained. For some graphic designers, it's second nature. For others, it involves much forethought. Today's designers are trending toward more simple, clutter-free designs, as they return to simplicity. Here are some examples of how the traditional theme of less is more is used:

• Advertising Not only can simple ads grab attention, but their short and to the point messages are also easier to comprehend. The concept of "less is more" is especially effective when writing ad copy.
• Catalogs and Brochures Catalogs and brochures are expected to be a vast source of information, yet readers appreciate when they are simplified, organized, and easy to read and comprehend. Simplicity is often its own reward since it encourages increased use.
• Packaging Like a poster, a package needs to attract the eye within seconds of its initial viewing. In recent years, shelves have been jammed with products whose designers have attempted to out-design one another. This gives simple package designs featuring primary colors, bold copy, white space, and clean design the ability to effectively break through the clutter.
• Identity Not only do logos convey the personality of a company, but they also offer a memorable impression. Simple designs that incorporate a company's complex ideas are the root of a logo's power.

One of the perks of being a designer is the ability to develop a personality or character for a company or product. For designers, simplicity means a return to basics, but not at the expense of creative design. Joe Gass, President Heritage Printing and Graphics 5900 Harris Technology Blvd, Ste G, Charlotte, North Carolina 704-910-9914 www.heritageprintingcharlotte.com