One common tactic that many businesses use, or think about using, is offering discounts. Whether it takes the form of a coupon, or a “sale”, or a “special” –  conventional wisdom suggests that a reduced price on an offering can attract a customer that otherwise wouldn’t be involved, and thereby lead to greater future sales.

As well, it’s also a usually-accepted business fundamental that long-term, satisfied, quality customers are essential to business sustenance and growth.

However, as co-related as these two concepts may seem, there’s also an often-overlooked risk involved with discounting that, in fact, may imperil customer acquisition, retention and growth.  The risks revolve around the possibility that discounts may attract customers only seeking discounts, and that both those potentially new customers – as well as your current ones – may see a discount as de-valuing your products, services or other offerings.

This article at Redfin, a real-estate-based company, relates a true “disaster” of a discount offered through Groupon. Perhaps the story here is not so much about the viability of Groupon (or possible lack thereof) but rather it raises some interesting questions regarding the value, timing and strategy of discounts in and of themselves. Some of the reader comments and counter-comments provide some valuable insights as well.

Discounting can be a valuable weapon in your marketing arsenal, but it’s definitely a double-edged sword and can do as much damage as good. Remember: your business is valuable, and value of your business is as important (if not more important) than the volume of your business.

Dear Friend,

I am excited to announce the launch of my new business XYZ, Incorporated. I couldn’t have done it without your support and the support of so many others. Please join me (date, time, location) to celebrate friendship, community and new adventures.

Warmest regards,
Me

A launch party is a great opportunity to appreciate your supporters and celebrate your journey. It’s a wonderful way to generate even more energy for your new business and reinforce to your supporters what your business is all about. It’s a terrifically reaffirming way to open your doors for business and feel oh-so-official.

When planning your launch party, here are a few things to consider:

• Make sure all your communications regarding the event are branded and professional. You want it to be apparent that you’re well-organized, prepared and confident right out of the starting gate.
• Prepare a short toast or speech for the event.
• Have information about your new business on hand at your party. Although the main goal here is not to market, your supporters WILL want to have your business card and brochure so they can continue their support.
• Provide a guest book for guest comments (and make room for email addresses). You’ll love reading and re-reading their words of support, admiration and encouragement, and you can make sure that you continue to communicate with everyone as you grow forward.
• Provide some kind of take-away for your guests. Again, you can make it as simple or elaborate as you wish. On the elaborate end:  branded journal and pen sets, with a handwritten note of thanks inside the journal. On the more simple side, a small box of fortune cookies with an “I’m lucky to know you” tag attached. Whatever you do, personalize it with some sort of thank you note – and brand it your logo, if possible.

Again, congrats! You’ve got a good thing going and lots of people pulling for you. Now, get out there and celebrate!

A panda walks into a café. He orders a sandwich, eats it, then draws a gun and proceeds to fire it at the other patrons.

“Why?” asks the confused, surviving waiter amidst the carnage, as the panda makes towards the exit. The panda produces a badly punctuated wildlife manual and tosses it over his shoulder.

“Well, I’m a panda,” he says, at the door. “Look it up.”

The waiter turns to the relevant entry in the manual and, sure enough, finds an explanation. “Panda. Large black-and-white bear-like mammal, native to China. Eats, shoots and leaves.”

Here are some basic tips to help you avoid these embarrassing mistakes:

• Don’t forget to use Spell Check
• Don’t rely JUST on Spell Check. It won’t catch mistakes like using the word “there” for “their” or “to” for “too.”
• Read your verbiage out loud. This may help you catch those errors as well as get a better feel for whether or not what you’ve written is clear and has the tone you intended.
• Have someone else proof your writing – someone you trust to have good grammar and spelling skills.
• Use the same care writing your Twitter and Facebook posts as you would with your emails, blog posts, and other business writings.
• Don’t overuse exclamation points. Three is my ultimate limit, and only on that very rare occasion!!!
• Monitor your apostrophe and quotation-mark usage. People tend to go crazy with these things by putting them in the oddest places.
• If grammar and/or spelling are not your strong suit, or if you need to double-check yourself on a particular issue, these resources can sure come in handy:

• dictionary.com
• thesaurus.com
• grammar.quickanddirtytips.com
• www.apostrophe.org.uk
• The Gregg Reference Manual (in our opinion, this is THE ultimate resource for anyone who writes, edits and prepares material for distribution and publication)

No one’s perfect – mistakes will happen. But, persistent, habitual grammatical and spelling errors appear amateurish and can do damage by implying an overall lackadaisical attitude. So, take care and take the time to minimize them. It’s really pretty easy and it’s just good business.

WHY VEHICLE MAGNETS?

• Put your vehicle to work for you!
• Vehicle magnets are an effective (and cost-effective!) marketing tool.
• They’re a moving billboard that – with the help of our design work – can reinforce your brand and message hundreds of times a day.
• They’re an affordable and changeable alternative to vehicle lettering.
• They are easily applied and easily removed – a big plus if you use more than one vehicle for your business.
• They’re great for announcing special promotions as well as for every-day marketing.
• A magnet for the back of your vehicle is one of the best ways to draw the most attention of fellow motorists.

ABOUT OUR VEHICLE MAGNETS

• Full-color
• Available on 30 mil. high-gloss stock or 30 mil. matte stock
• 12″ x 24″ is a popular size for most standard-sized vehicles (other size options available; please call 480.471.6393 to discuss)
• $90 includes two custom-designed 12″ x 24″ magnets (cost includes up to 30 minutes of design time*)
• Turn-around time is 5-7 business days from final approval of art

ABOUT OUR SPECIAL PRICING

• Orders must be placed and pre-paid by 9am (Arizona time) on Wednesday, August 4, 2010
• *Because we already have established clients’ logos and branding, we estimate design time for this project to be 30 minutes. Design time for non-established clients, which we’ll also be happy to accept, will most likely be more, and billed at standard pricing in excess of 30 minutes.
• Shipping costs and tax not included
• Does not apply to rush jobs

TIPS FOR ORDERING AND USING YOUR VEHICLE MAGNETS

• When choosing your magnet size, make sure your sign will lay flat against the entire surface of your vehicle, avoiding any trim.
• Make sure the entire magnet is flush against the surface when applying to your vehicle.
• Make sure all surface paints, clear-coats and waxes are cured or hardened before applying your magnets to your vehicle.
• To remove and/or reposition your magnets lift from the sides of the magnets as opposed to the corners.
• Remove your magnets from your vehicle prior to car washing.
• Please be aware that continuous, long-term outdoor usage of magnets on painted surfaces may result in paint discoloration, due to shielding the underlying paint from ultraviolet rays.
• Use care when handling your magnets in extremely cold conditions, as the magnetic material can become brittle.
• Do not apply to horizontal surfaces that are subject to high heat and direct sunlight, such as auto hoods.
• Don’t overlap magnets when applied to vehicles.
• Don’t store magnets with magnetic surfaces facing each other (magnets will de-magnetize).

Photo by avlxyz

Compliments of… | A 2.5″ x 3.5″ sticker is the perfect size for client gifts and promos. Stick them on a vase of flowers, a mug filled with candy, a boxful of samples, the inside of gift books, a bottle of wine…

Thank You! | Same concept as the “Compliments Of…” sticker. Illustrated here is a 8″ x 2″ sticker that folds over the edge of your box. This sticker begs to be placed on a box of baked goods for your favorite client.

Brand Your Deliverables | Deliver your products with style. A round 2.5″ x 2.5″ sticker can attractively and effectively brand your shopping bags, seal a tissue-paper wrap, or seal a box.

Presentation Folders | One of the most requested, but most cost-prohibitive items for our small business customers is custom printed presentation folders. Using an 8″ x 2″ label that folds from the front to the inside left of a blank, store bought folder can be a cost-effective way to deliver a professional and branded presentation or proposal to your client. With this solution you don’t need to purchase more folders than you need at any given time.

Address Labels | The cost of printed labels can sure beat the cost printed envelopes if you’re on a tight budget — or, if you simply don’t use envelopes all that much.  A 3″ x 5″ size sticker can serve as an address label on a standard #10 business envelope as well as shipping label on larger envelopes and packages.

If any of these ideas have inspired you to consider stickers for your marketing toolkit, give us a call. We’ll help you figure out the perfect size and design for your situation.

Co-print with another business
In the world of printing, bigger is often better. Coordinate with another business that’s needing a piece similar to yours. By having your pieces printed together on a single print run you can split the cost with your “print partner.”

Make your words timeless
Show off your product or tout your services while avoiding information that is dated or likely to change — thereby avoiding the cost of printing updated pieces. For instance instead of “18 years in business” you could say “In business since 1990.” You might also consider leaving pricing off your piece, and use a less-expensive pricing insert that you can change as your prices change – without reprinting the entire piece.

Scrutinize samples or proofs
Before giving the go-ahead to your graphic designer or printer, double check even the most basic information such as phone numbers and the spelling of names. Take that extra moment to make sure everything is accurate and laid out the way you want it. Re-proofing, re-printing and re-revising all mean re-spending!

1. If you don’t already have a designer that’s willing to listen to your input, create exceptional designs and work with your budget, contact us.
2. Talk to your designer about your business – what makes it unique, what makes it better than the competitors, what your customers say.
3. If you already have an idea of what you are looking for, do your best to communicate that from the outset.
4. Show your designer any current/previous marketing materials. Discuss what you liked and disliked about each piece and whether there are any you will continue to use.
5. Give constructive feedback. Once you see a concept, take some time to think through it. Consider how well it will work as a representation of your business. Let the designer know what you like and dislike in an open but courteous manner. Giving the designer well thought out reasons for your feelings will help him or her get closer the next time to what you had envisioned.

Selling your brand means more than simply selling products or services. It’s selling customers on who you are. Getting them to buy into your image greatly increases the chances they will return.

Let’s say you sell office supplies. This may seem straightforward, but, like in any industry, there’s always a way to differentiate yourself. If you have set yourself apart by selling higher quality merchandise than your competitors, your marketing materials should have a more elegant look. Your brochure might resemble monogrammed stationery. If, on the other hand, you want to market yourself through your low prices, then your materials will emphasize price and bargains. Marketing material should be nice, but “no frills.”

Of course, price isn’t the only way to differentiate yourself – there are a million more strategies. For every strategy, there is at least one great marketing approach. The secret is to give potential clients a sample of your company’s style, a taste of what they can expect, and current clients a reminder of why doing business with you is so great.