NextDayFlyers.com Blog

Let’s face it. The current inconsistent economic system has created an atmosphere where many of us flip flop between hope and despair, faster than you can turn a pancake. Businesses may be more concerned with just staying afloat rather than how much they can push forward. In other words, a lot of us are in survival, not growth. A 2009 Spencer Stuart survey of more than 300 senior-level marketers reported that 55% said emphasis on a short-term response to the economic downturn has led them to neglect long-term strategy.¹ If you’re in the same boat, how can you pull your company back up to making decisions based on a profitable long term strategy? Here’s an idea. Whenever a new President is elected in our country it’s an opportunity to believe that good change might be on the horizon (I’m not referring to just Obama and making a partisan comment here, I’m talking about when any new President takes office). No matter what your political preference is, why don’t we all use the upcoming Presidents Day as a cue for renewed optimism – an opportunity to shift gears and start moving forward again.

1. Profitable Attitude

Take a hard look at your attitude and be willing to let go of areas that are holding you back. When you think, “This will never work,” you’re bound to be right. When you take deliberate steps to view things differently it breaks you from the routine and helps you look at your business with a fresher perspective.¹

• Tell your story. In Hawaii they would call this, “Talking story.” Every business has its own unique story to tell. Weave that story into everything you do because it will help attract customers that are a good fit.
• Solve puzzles. Think of your issue as a puzzle to solve. Many of us love to do crosswords, Sudoku or other forms of brain challenging games. Turn your company issues into a puzzle-to-be- solved game.¹
• Think of your competitors as helpful folk who illuminate potential areas of growth or areas you should stay away from. In order to do this you need to stay on top of what your competitors are doing. Every time your competitors make a move, determine if that is an area where you can compete. If you can, do it, and do it better. 
• Don’t underestimate the power of marketing. If someone asked you, what is Presidents’ Day – what would you say? A national holiday for the celebration of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln’s birthdays? Well, that is incorrect. Washington’s birthday is a federal holiday (the third Monday in February). Some states have formal holidays for Lincoln’s birthday and some do not. Therefore, President’s Day was a way for calendar makers to acknowledge the February birthdays of Lincoln and Washington without having to worry about which states had formal holidays for Lincoln and which did not.³ Then, marketing came into play. “Commercial outlets and retailers broadened the term to "Presidents Day" (plural) and marketed the heck out of it…slashing prices on fabulous items for the infamous Presidents Day sales across America!”¹ And there you have it. Never be your own worst enemy by underestimating the power of marketing.

2. Profitable Segmentation

Ever heard the definition of insanity? It’s repeating the same behavior over and over with the expectation   of getting different results. Don’t throw your money at the marketing wall and keep expecting it to stick – you need to know and go for your high value target market(s).

• If you do not have a clear and present direction for the group(s) that gives you the best ROI (return on investment), it’s time you did. Use financial metrics (such as spending, customer lifetime value, products and services purchased) for each customer² so you’re marketing only to those who can potentially give you the best ROI.
• Is a potential customer open to your brand or predisposed to dislike it? If it is the latter, forget about them. They will cost you too much in the short term and long term.
• Happy buyers give you a better ROI because they are more likely to tell their friends, which means overall, they are less costly to you. For the customers who are a good fit with your company’s value proposition, do what you can to keep them happy.
• New products can provide growth. Ask your best customers what new products or services they are interested in rather than just creating a new product/service and trying to find a new customer base.²
• Know when buyers are price sensitive. Marketingprofs research has found that “price is the primary consideration for only 15% to 35% of buyers in most categories. That finding suggests that knowing which buyers are relatively price insensitive could provide a solid competitive advantage.”²

3. Profitable Campaigns

Because we’re doing away with the old and bringing in the new, purposely build some new tactics into your 2010 campaigns. What worked for you last year, or even yesterday, may not work today.¹ In other words, you need to be willing to be nimble. Here are some ideas to kick around. 

• Creative Emails. If you don’t have an opt in email campaign, create one. Then scour your employees’ brains for innovative ways to communicate and present offers – ways that connect with and suit your customers.
• Direct mail still works. If you haven’t tried in awhile it’s time you did. You probably have a nice contingent of customers that would still rather read a postcard then open an email.
• Social media – who uses it? Well, you, for one. Have you ever posted pics on Facebook or sent a text message? Most people use some form of social media whether they call it that or not. Now ask yourself, how can I use social media as part of my marketing campaigns?
• Test, test, test. Any time you send out a campaign, test some aspect of it to find out what content and images give you the best bang for buck. So, compare open rates for email subject lines, images on postcard response, Twitter content clicks, and anything else that can help you fine tune what you say and how you say it.

Happy Presidents’ Day! Go forth, be nimble, and prosper.

If you’re looking for some fresh new Presidents’ Day Templates to get some of your promotions started, check out our templates here.

Resources

1. Ten Steps to Clear a Passage Through Today’s ‘Frozen’ Economy
2. Plan B: Seven Back-to-Basics Questions to Ask About Your Buyers to Drive Growth
3. The Honest-Abe Truth about President’s Day

Looking to be original this Valentine’s Day? Store-bought cards are impersonal. What can you do that’s cheap and easy, but still stand out?  I found a cute little site that could be that original and cost-effective Valentine you were looking for.

iCaughtCupid is a site that you can upload any picture you want, and pick from a collection of adorable cupids to decorate your picture, print, and send! Pictures are just $10. Nothing says love like something personal and from the heart!

Also check out sister sites for Christmas, Easter, and the Tooth Fairy! http://www.catchacharacter.com/

Valentine’s Day is nearly upon us, so loosen that belt and get ready for extra chocolate – and then some. Valentine’s Day, however, is not just about chocolate. It’s a holiday you can use to your marketing advantage no matter what you sell. “Give her what she really wants – a faucet that doesn’t leak.” Maybe you’re a divorce attorney? “Dump the one you loved, to make room for your real love.” I’m only half kidding. The point is, romance is in the eye of the beholder so don’t limit your message. Here are your Valentine’s tips for a comprehensive marketing campaign no matter what your product or service.

Email Marketing¹

1. Segment, segment, segment
Segment by gender because men and women tend to buy different items (and if you can’t segment by gender, do not assume the reader is male).

2. Make sure to mention cutoff dates for ordering and shipping  

3. Gift cards are a great V Day promotion

4. Help the male shopper out
Try messages such as “always the perfect fit” or “for the woman who knows what she wants – even when you don’t.”¹  

5. Create urgency in your message

6. Use your headline to solve the customer’s problem such as “Valentine’s Dilemma? 12 No Brainer Gifts & Guaranteed Delivery”¹

7. Include gift finder images or links if you have them

8. Keep that in mind, Valentine shopping occurs from the office during weekdays

9. Whenever possible, offer free overnight shipping for last minute shoppers

10. Target Valentine’s Day customers from last year
Send an exclusive e-mail to customers who purchased around Valentine’s last year with an even better offer this year.

11. Use Valentine’s Day imagery

12. Use Valentine specific copy

13. Make Your Offers Visible and Easy to Redeem
If you’re offering an in-store redemption, include an attractive printable coupon.
For online redemption make sure the button or link stands out.

14. Make it forward friendly
Encourage your subscribers to forward your offer to their friends.

On Your Website^1,2

15. Display your best offers on the home page

16. Provide clear shipping deadline information on every page

17. Show item stock availability, if you can

18. Cross-sell and upsell when you can

19. Gift finder tools are great
For instance, give them a page of top picks or a browsable database.

Social Media Networking

20. Facebook offers simple advertising options
You can target by gender, location, age, relationship status, and interests.¹

21. Make sure to post the contents of your email campaign on your social networking sites

22. Offer tips and information, not just promotions

23. Post a Happy Valentine’s Day message

Direct Mail

24. Give recipients tips on how to celebrate Valentine’s Day by using your product
Creativity counts so don’t feel limited. Sure, a day at the spa is nice, but so is having the toilet fixed or finding homes for homeless dogs (a card containing a dog picture asking recipients to “Be My Valentine"³).

25. Keep it clean, keep it simple

26. Watch your own mail to get examples of what to do, and what not to do
What ads draw your eye? Why? Studying the direct mail you receive will help you improve the direct mail you send.

27. Create a Valentine’s Day Contest
Use direct mail to encourage customers to enter the contest online — or by ballot in store.²

28. Include testimonials
Highlight a few words from customer reviews or provide a link to your site where testimonials can be found.

29. Say thank you

Send out greeting cards to customers and email subscribers to thank and wish them a Happy Valentine’s Day.

If you’re looking for a way to create a fast professional direct mail campaign for Valentine’s Day take a look at our easy-to-personalize Valentine’s Day templates here.

Resources

1. 20 Valentines Day Marketing Ideas for Ecommerce
   
2. E-mailed With Love: Valentine’s Day Marketing Tips
   
3. Dogs Trust launches Valentine’s direct mail marketing campaign

We just found a cool video of a person who made a Business Card that you can insert a stack of pennies, and fire them off. Check out the video below.

The business cards are being sold for only $8 each. Link Here

When it comes to business cards you need to make an impact and nothing does that better than having some sick grunge business card designs. The grunge style is a great way to give your business or personal brand a little edge and in today’s economy you need all the weapons you can get! Check out some of these wicked grunge card designs below for some inspiration and be sure to link us to any cool business card designs you’ve seen.

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Writing copy that is worth reading and sticks to your customer’s brain is important for both digital and print marketing if you want to connect, create relationships, and ultimately convert readers to customers.  But how do you do that?  Consumers are bombarded with thousands of messages daily, so having your “sticky message” be the one they post on the wall in their head can be a challenge. Here are some tips to get you started.

1. Forget about what you want to say

Don’t just say what you want to say. You need to write about “what matters to your customers in a way that speaks to them.”¹ Know your value proposition and speak to the customers who will be interested.

2. Provide relevant timely offers, information, or invitations

“Strawberries taste good in summer. Hot chocolate taste good in winter.”² As they say, timing is everything.

3. Be an interesting storyteller

Today’s new kind of marketing is “driven by good stories.”¹ Becoming a good story teller is just one of the tools you need to have in your repertoire. Social media loves good stories. 

4. Make it easy, make it short

Whether you’re sending a postcard with a special promotional invitation or trying to engage customers via Facebook by asking them to take your online survey, don’t make them jump through hoops or fill out long forms.¹

5. Go for the long, slow, burn

Think in terms of building a long-term relationship rather than selling anything. Your initial contact should get them to respond in some manner so don’t focus on trying to get them to hit the “buy now” button.

6. Keep it fresh

Before your message turns sour, pull it. Limit the time of your campaign³ or the number you’re selling.

7. Don’t hedge⁴

I’m thinking about telling you that you might want to give a thought to considering writing copy that does not flip flop, so you have a somewhat better chance of turning at least some readers     into customers. Ugh. Here’s what I should have said: “Write copy with a forceful point of view and turn readers into customers.” You can’t write to cover those “strictly speaking” issues. It’s true, you will never write anything that turns all readers into customers. It’s more true that it will only be “some”.  But don’t write it that way.

8. Make your offer irresistible⁴

Creating an irresistible offer gives the customer something highly compelling in such a way that it sets you apart from everyone else. Consider this copy:
When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight. Yup, when you have to have your package there the next morning, no matter what, who will you call? No matter the cost?

9. Track what’s working

Keep track of what works and what doesn’t by seeing who responds to which copy and offer,   how many clicked through from your social media sites, and other basic metrics. This will help you fine tune future campaigns as you hone the most effective messages.

Once you launch your campaign, don’t keep the contents secret – announce it across all print and digital channels. Don’t forget to make the content easy for customers to share with social links. Now go forth and create sticky content.     

Resources

1. Brewing up Great Social-Media Content
2. Problem Solved: How Do I Turn a Touch Into a Relationship?
3. Does Your Customer Want What You’ve Got to Offer?
4. 10 Secrets to More Magnetic Copy
5. “Kids Eat Free” and Other Irresistible Offers

We are always trying to learn new things at Next Day Flyers, and here are 10 links that we found that we think will be helpful for you.

A Collection of Printable Sketch Templates and Sketch Books for Wireframing

11 Great Photoshop Photo Effects Tutorials

20 Super Clean Fonts Perfect for Minimal Style Design

100+ Seamless Patterns Great for Creating Website Backgrounds

Five Best Online Diagramming Tools

14 iPhone Clients That Would Actually Make Your Lives Easier

69 Coolest Web Apps Of 2009

Create a Clean Blue Portfolio Design in Photoshop

40 Valuable Tools and Resources For Web Designers

10 Keys to Growth as a Designer

Enjoy.

We all know how important branding is and that means your brand identity package needs to be very well designed or your maximum potential may never be reached. It is essential you hire a talented corporate identity designer to create your brand’s graphic design package such as a logo, business cards, flyers, letterheads, website and so on.

Everything needs to be consistent in style and it should project the exact image and message your brand is trying to spread. We have put together a great collection of corporate identity graphic design samples below as a source of inspiration for anyone looking to re-brand.

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How to Raise Your Value Proposition from the Dead

A flashy red button here, a rotating image there, a little video here…cool, right? It has become easier and easier to fancy-up your home page with little to no effort or expertise. This is not necessarily a good thing. All that fancy footwork merely serves as a distraction, rendering your value proposition DOA and effectively buried; never to be heard from again. Take a look at this simple example from Marketingprofs.com:

Where does your eye go? Most often to the smiling faces rather than the copy, which is the value proposition; that is what you want your visitors to see instead. This is just a “simple” image – imagine the impact if the people were actually moving! Movement and image bells and whistles aren’t the only potential problems. Too much copy and messaging can also kill your value prop. The more you force feed content on your web page, the harder it becomes for the visitor to find what’s most important.

So, if you think your value prop is currently doomed to fail for whatever reason, here are some dos and don’ts to help you resuscitate and invigorate:

• Make your value prop stationary and obvious ¹
• Eliminate extraneous information
• Don’t be afraid of white space¹
• Be brief – ¹0 goals are as bad as none¹
• Use customer language – forget buzzwords and acronyms²
• Make your value proposition clear and precise¹
• Focus on a single benefit³
• Be specific³
• Create a sense of urgency³
• Mitigate buyer’s risk³
• Make it about an outcome, not a process3
• It should elevate you above your competitors3

We are increasingly bombarded with information from more and different channels. That makes it even more important to make your value proposition concise, compelling, and to have it stand out. Now, start the New Year out right, go resurrect your value proposition!

Resources

1. Is Your Homepage Overwhelming and Underperforming?
2. Don’t Make These Value-Proposition Mistakes
3. Creating Compelling Value Propositions Can Be Fun

Here are 14 affordable Valentine graphics that you can use for a Postcard, Greeting Card, or any other marketing piece for this years campaign.

Thinking of starting a new restaurant or re-branding your current one? Don’t forget to get custom restaurant Menu Designs Printed! These are one of the most important parts of your brand package and will constantly be seen and used by your customers.

Your menu can be a powerful way to project a certain image upon your restaurant such as being “classy” or “fun”. The design should be consistent with your other branding and should be designed in the proper style so they are project the correct image. You may find it surprising how big of an influence your menus can have on your customer’s overall restaurant experience.

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2010: The Year of the Tiger or the Year of the TweeMail?

According to a recent Marketing Trends Survey, emails and social media are “the two top areas of marketing investment in 2010.”¹ More than 1000 businesses worldwide claim a “positive economic outlook”² and half said they are expecting their customers to spend more this year. 89% of the companies are either raising or maintaining their 2010 marketing budgets:¹ 

• 69% plan to increase spending on email marketing.
• 59% plan to increase spending on social media.
• 42% plan to increase spending on PPC/SEO search marketing.

To incorporate more effective email and social media campaigns into your 2010 marketing, here are some tactics you can use to integrate the two.

• Use your blog to highlight e-newsletter content and invite readers to download content from a landing page.³
• Conduct a poll on your social media sites and put the results in an e-newletter.³
• Use social media channels to “offer email subscribers customized options” such as a combination of a Twitter feed and monthly e-newsletter rather than just an e-newsletter³
• Share your email content on your social media channels.
• Don’t restrict your email messages to email recipients – make it easy for customers to forward their emails to friends with a link (vary link location and look for freshness), use a “Tweet it” button.
• Recruit email followers via your social media channels – offer the potential customer something of value such as a discount or access to information first.⁴
• Create an interactive social media application that engages consumers with your brand and gives them a reason to opt in to your emails.
• Devote part of your e-newsletter to social media hot topics you’ve created.
• Use the search functions (your company, product names, and related terms) on Google, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, to enhance the knowledge of your market and company and utilize this knowledge for the content in your emails.⁵

The 2010 Year of the Tiger is influenced by the metal element, which gives the Tiger its “sharpness in action and speed of thought.”⁶ So, go ahead and get started on integrating your email and social media marketing, to show your sharpness in action and speed of thought. Happy 2010! 

Resources

1. Marketers to Invest in Email, Social Media in 2010
2. StrongMail News & Events Press Release
3. 5 Top Email Marketing Tactics for 2010
4. How to integrate social and email marketing
5. Combining email with social media
6. The Tiger
   

Winter season is here and for the past two weeks I’ve been trying to grow facial hair to keep myself warmer. And the results are spectacularly – um – bad! Alas. It seems not everyone is blessed with the ability to grow thick and stylish facial hair. But never fear – Beardhead to the rescue! The Beardhead is a hat with an integrated beard and moustache to keep you warm and stylish all at the same time. So, when you’re out on the slopes this winter, enjoy and ride with style!

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In honor of the new year and this past year we have rounded up some of the best business card designs of 2009. We have searched high and low in the design community for the greatest business cards to give you an idea of what designers are up to. We hope these great business card designs will inspire you and help you think of creative new ideas for your business card design projects of 2010.

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The new year is almost here and to celebrate, we have found some fresh new 2010 calender designs from around the web. Every year talented graphic designers work their butts off creating creative new calendar designs for the upcoming year.

The best part is always seeing how creative designers get with their solutions for displaying the month, days and other important elements of the calendar, while still keeping functional. Check out these awesome designs below for some inspiration and feel free to link to any cool calender designs you have created for the new year.

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