November 2010 Business Forum

Your Sales, Marketing, and Business Management Newsletter

November 2010

Inside This Issue: Page 2 Strictly Business Books in Review: Word of Mouth Marketing Brand Builder

Page 3 Marketing through the Social Networks

Page 4 Did You Know?

Employee Profile: Norman Whitfield

Page 5 Getting Found Online: Five Key SEO Traits Budget Ideas: Ways to Spend Your Remaining 2010 Budget

Page 6 In That Year Petrified of Public Speaking?

Have You Checked Your Goals Lately?

Page 7 Fineline University Recap: Mailpiece Design Guess Who I Am

Page 8 Save Money with Free Online Programs!

We will not ask for your business until we can help you improve it.

8081 Zionsville Rd • Indianapolis, IN 46268 317.872.4490 • www.FinelinePrintingGroup.com info@FinelinePrintingGroup.com

n Strictly Bness

Business Quotes

Books in Review Andy Sernovitz’s book Word of Mouth Marketing: How Smart Companies Get People Talking serves

“Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.”

— Conrad Hilton

as a reminder: the customer is king, and the smart business owner cultivates that relationship. Sernovitz takes the sometimes overwhelming and complex world of marketing back to basics. He reminds us that marketing is really all about communication: not just business to consumer, but consumer to consumer.

“We are taught to understand, correctly, that courage is not the absence of fear, but the capacity for action despite our fears.”

— John McCain

Sernovitz’s approach is very consumer-oriented; he goes into great detail about the importance of developing a good relationship with your customers, and goes on to show how cultivating that relationship leads to the highly desirable word-of-mouth marketing.

The first part of the book focuses on marketing concepts and theory, but is presented in a very

“My philosophy is that not only are you responsible for your life, but doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.”

— Oprah Winfrey

readable, entertaining format. Then, Sernovitz shows how his theory can be applied, with real-world

Word of Mouth Marketing:

How Smart Companies Get People Talking

“A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business.”

— Henry Ford

by Andy Sernovitz

examples and amusing anecdotes from his own impressive career. He also touches on the burgeoning world of social media and social networks: from email and blogging to Facebook, Digg, and LinkedIn, and discusses relevant strategies for each.

Sernovitz uses his more than 18 years’ experience in interactive marketing, teaching, and speaking to create a must-read marketing book.

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2 n Bness Forum

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Marketing through the Social Networks Success in business comes from building a core of loyal customers. Online social networking has emerged as an essential way to add customers to your core and grow your business.

The Internet has gone from a place

yourself known. Here are ways to use

where people look up information to

social networking to your company’s

these are social networks. Most

a place where they share information

advantage:

people join and visit these sites for

with people from all reaches of the

Set a goal. What is it you hope

Don’t get pushy. Remember that

the social aspect of it. When you

planet. Online social networking

to achieve as a result of using

get right down to it, social networks

sites, from the large to the small,

social networking to promote

provide the opportunity for people

play important roles in the lives

your products and your company?

to be passively involved in the lives

of millions of people. You owe it

For example, if you are hoping to

of others. Really effective social

to your company and its products

increase your global presence, you

networkers understand this, and it is

and services to discover the most

may want to consider visiting sites

a large part of what they enjoy about

effective way to market through these

like Bebo, which is big in the U.K.,

online communities. The key for

networks.

or Friendster, a favorite in Southeast

business owners is learning how to

Asia. Within the sites you choose,

engage in this type of environment.

YouTube, and LinkedIn provide

align yourself with people that help

Instead of “sell, sell, sell,” you must

opportunities to tell your company’s

you accomplish your goal.

be willing to make relationships that

Large social sites like Facebook,

story to large audiences. But don’t

Pick a platform. There are more

overlook the smaller “niche” sites

than 600 social networking sites and

that are populated by devoted

thousands more groups and forums

followers of particular ideals and

online. Obviously, you can’t have

potential it has for your business,

practices. These niche sites cater

a strong presence on all of these

cannot be ignored. While it may be

to any number of specific interests,

sites. The goal is to select the places

outside your comfort zone to put

and are driven by user-generated

where you can have the greatest

yourself and your company out there

comments. On niche sites, word of

impact. That means you must do

like that, your presence on social

mouth is king. Group message boards

your research. Talk to others in your

networking sites is crucial. Start by

act as the conduit for specific product

industry and see what they are doing.

determining your goals, selecting the

information to travel to all parts of

Create profiles on several different

sites that are right for your company,

the world. Just think of the positive

sites and just spend time getting

and then work your magic.

messages that could be floating

familiar with the format and flow of

around about your company.

information. If you spend the time to

If your company does not have

earn you the right to present your products.

Online social networking, and the

select the right platforms, you can be

a strong presence in online social

sure your messages are reaching the

networking sites, it’s time to make

right audience.

November 2010 n 3

n Did You Know?

Employee Profile: Norman Whitfield Every once in awhile, you meet someone and there’s an instant, unexplainable feeling that you know you’re going to like them.

That’s the impact that Norman (Norm) Whitfield leaves with everyone he meets.

Norm has been a Logistics Specialist

Richard Miller

for Fineline Printing Group for the past six years and proudly carries a record

n Fineline was founded in 1981 by

of no accidents or speeding tickets while

Agentinean-born Richard Miller. n The can opener was invented in 1858— 48 years after the tin canister, or can,

on the job. “I love people. When out doing around others because I figure they are just

was invented. Before that, cans were

like me in some way.”

opened with a hammer and chisel. n The oldest surviving daily newspaper is the Wiener Zeitung of Austria. It was

Born November 6, 1957, Norm grew up in Indianapolis with a family of musicians.

first printed in 1703.

As a kid, he would hide under his father’s

n The words “life, liberty, and the pursuit

piano and listen to the all-night jam session

of happiness” were penned in the 17th

held at his grandmother’s house.

century by English philosopher

These sessions often featured jazz legends

John Locke.

such as Freddie Hubbard. Norm explains

n The reason you don’t laugh when you

his love of jazz as “you can listen to the

tickle yourself is because your brain

music and never know the ethnicity of the

anticipates and disregards your own touch so it can focus on the anticipation of unexpected sensations.

Fun Facts about Norm

my deliveries, I find it easy to be myself

musician. No other genre can do that.”

Not surprisingly, he grew up dreaming

• Favorite Color: Red • Favorite Food: Fish (except Halibut) Norm is famous for his Apple-Wood Smoked Salmon.

• Favorite Jazz Musician: He could not pick one. (His favorite guitarist is Hiram Bullock.)

• Thanksgiving Plans: Cooking dinner for his family

• Glass Half-Full or Half-Empty: Both • What is something most people don’t know about you? “I don’t drink and I don’t smoke.”

of becoming a jazz trumpet player

Business Funnies

®

(and a fire truck driver).

Norm grew up working on cars, starting at the age of seven. By the time he turned nine, he could repair a set of brakes on his own. He received his Associates Degree in Automotive Technology and worked as an auto mechanic for many years. He left the auto industry 28 years ago, but still works on cars as a weekend hobby.

For 23 years, Norm was a martial arts instructor. While Norm is no longer active in martial arts, he still uses Kung Fu teachings in his everyday life.

This past September, Norm and his wife, Chrystal, celebrated their 33rd anniversary. “She is truly my bestfriend in the entire world.” After all these years, they still do the same things they did while dating. They have six children: a son (30), a daughter (26), a tarantula (14), a chocolate lab (14), a Stafford terrier-American pit bull (3), and a bunny, which he refers to as “something else altogether.”

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Budget Ideas

Getting Found Online

10 Creative Ideas to Invest Your Remaining 2010 Budget

Five Key SEO Traits

Are you one of the lucky ones who have not exhausted your budget (or grant pool)

By Shawn Smith, Owner of Netstuffers, LLC

by now? Here are a few ideas to consider.

1. Have your vendors invoice 2011

Every business knows that a key to success is

While there are dozens of techniques for good

to have a strong online presence, but what many

SEO, no website will achieve a strong ranking

forget is that if you cannot be found online, then

without a solid foundation with the following five

your excellent website becomes, essentially,

key SEO traits that all websites have:

projects early, freeing up additional 2. Invest in a print-on-demand online storefront for your printed materials

useless. Search engine optimization (SEO) is a

which will save you money for years

fast growing industry in the United States and

1. Choose a relevant domain name

overseas, as hundreds of thousands of companies

2. Create unique titles and page descriptions

compete against one another to see who can rank

for every page on your website.

the highest in Google, Yahoo, and Bing. With all

3. Use consistent language throughout

the competition out there, it is often incredibly

your website

difficult to achieve the highest rank on every

4. Look beyond your own website and create

page, but with good content composition and

links to and from your business

website coding practices, you can ensure yourself

5. When it comes to choosing your keywords:

the best shot at ranking towards the top.

shoot for the moon, but settle for success

Before beginning your SEO campaigns, you

dollars in the New Year.

to come and get your products delivered faster.

3. Design and print your own holiday cards (versus the “canned” cards that look alike) to get maximum impact and support your brand.

4. Purchase promotional items or corporate apparel to thank your employees and key customers

in the clouds.

for their loyalty—while—again

should keep in mind that there is no magic bullet for SEO. The algorithms for calculating where

For additional information and explanation on the

a page ranks are extremely complex; ultimately

f

Google/Yahoo/Bing are the ultimate decision

at netstuffers.com/seotips.php.

supporting your brand.

5. If you rely on charitable giving,

SEO traits all websites must have, visit us

make a final push during the holidays when people are feeling

makers of which sites rank where. So don’t be

extra generous.

discouraged if your SEO campaign yields a two

6. Hire a market research firm or

or three ranking as opposed to the top result.

consultant to design a customer research program that fits your needs and budget and that will help you market smarter in 2011. Have them pre-invoice you for analysis and reporting time.

Are you ready for the New Year?

7. Pay for obsolete equipment recycling.

You’ll get back work space you

Get your FREE, poster-sized (1.5 ft by 2 ft) 2011 calendar! Just email

forgot you had.

or call us with your mailing address and quantities needed. You’ll be

8. Clean carpets and put a new coat

ready to ring in the new year with the full year ahead of you!

of paint in your office areas to give

info@FinelinePrintingGroup.com • 317.872.4490

everyone a fresh perspective.

9. Book and pre-pay for training for the

next year.

compliments of

10. Enhance the point of purchase

Sneak Peek!

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experience with vibrant signage and

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displays that effectively communicate

5 the benefits of your product or service.

12 19 November 2010 n 5 26

n In That Year

n One gallon of gas costs 97 cents. n Thousands of students participate in a demonstration for democracy in Beijing, China’s Tiananmen Square; hundreds are killed after China declares martial law. n Massive protests in East and West

Petrified of Public Speaking?

Germany lead to the collapse of the East German government

Public speaking is perhaps the most common

Technology Twist: Powerpoint is an easy way

and the subsequent dismantling

work-related phobia. But, as with anything, a

to involve your audience and keep yourself on the

of the Berlin Wall.

little preparation can go a long way in calming

right track. Offer to email the slides to your audience

n Batman, directed by Tim Burton,

the nerves. Here are some time-tested tips, along

members after the event so they are able to remain

is released in the U.S.

with a few technology twists you might not have

fully engaged while you’re speaking, instead of

n Pete Rose agrees to a lifetime ban

considered:

furiously taking notes.

from baseball following

Time Tested: Practice, practice, practice. It

Time Tested: Show up early to learn the room.

allegations of illegal gambling,

goes without saying that if you don’t practice

making him ineligible for inclusion

your speech beforehand, you won’t feel

you’re booked into so you’ll know what to bring.

in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

prepared, and your audience will know it.

There may be a computer already hooked up, so all

n The first full-length episode

Technology Twist: Have you considered

Technology Twist: Call ahead about the facilities

you’ll need is a flash-drive with your presentation.

of The Simpsons premieres on Fox.

recording yourself as you practice? Personal

Ask if you can do a modified run-through in the

n Nintendo’s Game Boy and the Sega

digital recorders work great, and allow you to

space before it’s showtime.

Genesis are introduced.

listen to your speech while you commute.

n Televangelist Jim Bakker is convicted of fraud and sentenced

Time Tested: Use tidy, typed notecards and nicely prepared handouts.

When you know you’ve done your best to prepare, all that remains is for you to walk up on that stage and confidently give your speech.

to 45 years in prison.

Have You Checked Your Goals Lately?

Over the past year and a half, many people have been hanging on to what they have

excited, the goals that you would be proud

for dear life. But a year and a half of hanging

to reach. After you have selected a few,

on has led a lot of people to feel like they are

start determining how each goal can

stagnating. If you’re one of them, perhaps

be accomplished.

now is a good time to examine where you are and where you’d like to go.

Make a List. The most important part of checking and reassessing your goals is

Down to Business 6 n Bness Forum

select the things that make you the most

Make a Schedule. The final step is to review each of your new goals and set yourself a realistic schedule.

Stick to It. Post your list of goals

to make a list. Making those ideas concrete is

somewhere prominent, and mark your

the first step in making them reality. This is

scheduled deadlines on your calendar.

the brainstorming stage, so anything goes!

Then check in on yourself on a regular basis

Make a Plan. Go through your list and

to see how you are doing.

Fineline University Recap Mailpiece Design: How the Changing the Shape, Size, and Weight of Your Mailpiece Can Give You Signif Cost Savings This is the third of four articles summarizing key takeaways from the August 2010 Fineline University: The Profits & Power of Direct Mail and speaker Mary Ann Bennett of The Bennett Group. Next month’s recap will be on Addressing and will be featured in our December E-Forum. To get Fineline’s E-Forum, Mail Advisories, and more, go to http://tinyurl.com/finelineoptin.

When you are designing your direct mailpiece,

Born on September 21, 1967 in Richland, Mississippi, this woman was adopted as a baby and raised by her adoptive parents along with their two biological sons.

This woman’s musical talent manifested itself at a young age.

At the tender age of seven she gave her first public performance at a 4-H

According to Mary Ann Bennett, mailing your

you want something that will attract attention

piece as a letter instead of a flat will consistently

and prompt your audience to open and read your

provide these types of savings to your

message. At the same time, you should think

organization. Here are some tips and guidelines

through the implications of your mailer’s size

to follow if you want to design a letter-sized

and shape.

mailpiece and save money.

For example, if you mailed eight sheets of paper as a 9” x 12” large-envelope flat, weighing

1. Mailpiece Dimensions

three ounces, it would cost you $1.22 to mail it

Your direct mailer must be within a certain width,

First Class. Alternatively, if you simply folded

length, and thickness to qualify as a letter.

the eight sheets to a 6” x 9” letter-size, weighing

• The piece must have a minimum width

two ounces (now one ounce less due to a smaller

and length of 3.5” x 5” and a maximum

envelope), it would mail at only $0.61. You just

of 6.125” x 11.5”. Anything that is less or more

saved 50% of your postage costs. Depending

will not mail as a letter.

on the size of your distribution, this minor adjustment could save you hundreds of dollars.

n Guess Who I Am

To read the full recap and learn about the next article, go to: FinelinePrintingGroup.com/learn/article1110.pdf.

luncheon. She performed regularly throughout her teen years at local churches and later formed a band that played at rodeos.

She quit college at 19 and moved to Nashville to fulfill her dream of becoming a country singer. She worked several odd jobs while pursuing her career before eventually finding employment as a secretary for a music publishing firm.

In 1994 she scored her first number one single, which stayed at the top for an entire month, a feat that had not been accomplished by a female country singer in 30 years.

Her initial success was not a fluke.

Since that time, this woman has won five Grammy Awards, three Country Music Association Awards, 12 Academy of Country Music Awards, four American Music Awards, and four People’s Choice Awards.

She formed the Neighbor’s Keeper Foundation, which helps community charities assist with providing basic services in the aftermath of devastating natural disasters.

This happy wife and mother of three is none other than country singer Faith Hill.

November 2010 n 7

you can access an astonishing array of very useful programs from anywhere in the world, as long as you have an Internet connection. You can create new documents, spreadsheets, even slidepresentations with enough options to rival PowerPoint. The best part about Google Docs is that you can share access to certain documents with other users.

So, if you are collaborating with a colleague on a presentation, you can

Sales Achievers

both access and edit the file and see each other’s changes immediately. Check them out at http://www.docs.google.com.

Open-Source Word Processing,

Save Money with Free Online Programs

Presentations, and Spreadsheets: Try OpenOffice. This easy-to-use

Let’s face it: running a business is

a Skype account. You can also use Skype

word-processing and spreadsheet-

expensive, and software is especially so.

to call landlines and cell phones for a small,

creation program has most of the same

But before you pay hard-earned cash

per-minute fee. Simply download the

functionality as the Microsoft suite

for expensive software that will likely

software, set up your account, and you’re

of programs—and it’s all free. The term

become outdated in a few years, take

on your way. You can also share files while

“open source” refers to the way the

a look at these free (or mostly free)

you’re on Skype, which is handy for sharing

software is built—collaboratively, and

Internet-based and open-source resources.

documents at meetings. Their website,

for free, by programmers from all over

www.skype.com, is full of handy tutorials

the world. And the program reads

and videos on how to use these services.

documents created by most other office

Online Telephone Calls, File Sharing, Video Calls and Conferencing: Try Skype. Skype is an online voice-and-video

Online Word Processing, Calendering,

packages. It’s surprisingly simple to use

conferencing service that allows you

Spreadsheets, Presentations, and

and very reliable. Check them out

to talk with anyone, anywhere in the

Collaboration: Try Google Docs.

at http://www.openoffice.org/.

world, for free—so long as they also have

By simply signing up for a Google account,

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