First Quarter 2011 Business Forum

Your Sales, Marketing, and Business Management Newsletter

First Quarter 2011

Inside This Issue: Page 2 Books in Review: Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?

Creative Approaches to Problem Solving

Page 3 Press Release Strategies that Get You Noticed

Page 4 Design Forum: Offset or Digital?

Page 5 Technology Forum: Digital Asset Management

Page 6 In That Year Influencing People by Understanding Motivations Customer Profile: Gleaners Food Bank

Press Release Strategies

that Get You Noticed

Page 7 Mail Advisory: USPS 2011 Outlook Guess Who I Am

Page 8 Lead Nurturing Makes Loyal Customers

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

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

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Business Quotes

Books in Review If you’re concerned about remaining competitive in today’s shaky and increasingly global economy,

“About the time we can make the ends meet, somebody moves the ends.”

-- Herbert Hoover

Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? by Seth Godin is the book for you. Godin discusses qualities that anyone can cultivate that can mean the difference between getting laid off or becoming a linchpin in

“Don’t let your ego get too close to your position, so that if your position gets shot down, your ego doesn’t go with it.”

-- Colin Powell

their organization.

Godin describes a linchpin as an “essential building block” of any organization. Linchpins are passionate about their work; they reach beyond the mundane, day-to-day routine and become like artists in their

“There was a time when a fool and his money were soon parted, but now it happens to everybody.”

-- Adlai E. Stevenson

“A friendship founded on business is a good deal better than a business founded on friendship.”

-- John D. Rockefeller

field, no matter what that field may be. Linchpins are passionate about what they do and take a creative approach to their jobs. They are indispensable.

Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?

by Seth Godin

Godin lays the groundwork in the first part of his book by giving a broad overview of business past, present, and future. He explains how it’s no longer enough to simply do your job, then provides examples of ways to apply creativity to everyday problems in order to become indispensable. Finally, he discusses the roadblocks everyone faces, embodied in a self-defeating mind-set he calls

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the ones most responsive to change.”

-- Charles Darwin

“lizard brain.”

Linchpin is a valuable, humorous, and inspiring book that can help even the most cautious lizard brains branch out beyond their wildest dreams.

Creative Approaches to Problem Solving Few problems in the business world have quick and easy work-arounds. In fact, some

juxtaposing apparently opposing ideas and

problems can be downright daunting. Here are

considering how they relate to each other.

some creative brainstorming techniques that

For example, what if your product was designed

have been proven to help nudge the old brain

to do the complete opposite of what it currently

matter on to new and brilliant solutions.

does? How can you use this perspective to shape

Future Perfect: Imagining a problem from a future perspective can help you find

Down to Business

Creative Connections: Another trick is

your current situation?

Read a Book: Reading absurdist literature,

a solution. Viewing your problem from an

like Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland,

imaginary future date allows the brain to think

makes your mind work harder, trying to find

more abstractly, seeing creative solutions

sense in the nonsense, and priming your brain

where there were none before.

to stretch and look for new and better approaches to your problem.

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Press Release Strategies that Get You Noticed A press release is essentially a news story that is prepared by a business or organization and sent to the media for publication. Press releases can be written to introduce a new product, to announce the retirement of a CEO, or even to discuss honors and awards earned by an organization. Not all press releases are published, however, which can result in time wasted and a lot of frustration on the part of the writer. But a good press release can do wonders for a business; it’s free advertising in the publication of your choice.

A survey of a single edition

release is to convey information,

community for whom it is written.

of The Wall Street Journal

not to show off your use of puns

You should always include

showed that 111 of the stories

or colloquialisms. If your press

contact information for yourself

in that issue had begun as a press

release is going on a website, make

and any other person at your

release. Of those stories, only 30

sure to use relevant keywords, so

company who would be able to

percent had been altered or added

your article is more likely to show

answer questions about the press

to by a reporter. So what catches

up in Web searches.

release. It is counterproductive to

an editor’s attention? Why are

Next, ask this question:

pique an editor’s interest and then

some press releases published

Who cares? When you are writing

make them hunt and search to find

while others get tossed in the

a press release for your company,

out how to contact you.

trash? There are several things you

you obviously already care about

can do to make sure your press

the topic, so it’s easy to slip into

an introductory letter to your

release makes it into the media.

the happy illusion that everyone

press release. If you’ve done your

else will immediately care about it

job, the document will speak for

use clear, precise language and

too. Not true. Any editor looking

itself. It will inform the reader of

impeccable grammar. A press

for articles to fill space in a

the topic, immediately explain

release should read a lot like a

publication will be asking him or

the relevance, include enough

newspaper article, including the

herself that same question:

detail so a reader feels they have

most essential information in the

Who cares? Why would their

an understanding of the most

first paragraph of writing. There

readers care if your company’s

important facts, and it will provide

are many examples online of good

CEO is giving a speech?

contact information in case a

formats to create a press release,

They might care more if they

reporter has any inquiries.

but again, use newspaper articles

knew that the speech is regarding

as your model.

your firm’s acquisition of another

your press release makes it into the

Be sure to include the words

company, which will result in

right hands. Take a moment to find

“For immediate release” at the

hundreds of new jobs in your

out the name of the editor for the

top of the document, along with

area. That’s news, and the kind

business section of the newspaper,

an informative headline and sub-

of information that will get your

or even select the name of a

header. This is not the time to

press release published. The key

specific reporter you know has

be clever; the purpose of a press

is making the story relevant to the

covered similar stories in the past.

First, the obvious: always

Also, don’t waste time writing

It is also smart to make sure

First Quarter 2011 g 3

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Did You Know?

Design Forum: Offset or Digital?

Consider these factors to get the best printed product at the best price.

By Ric Miller, Vice President of Manufacturing at Fineline Printing Group Offset lithography is the most common high volume commercial printing technology.

In offset printing, the desired print image is burned onto a plate and is then transferred (or offset) from the plate to a rubber blanket, and then to the printing surface.

Digital printing, on the other hand, is more common for lower volume products. Here digital

Richard Miller g

presses reproduce images directly to media from a digital file through the process of toner-based electrophotography.

Fineline was founded in 1981 by

Argentinean-born Richard Miller. g

The word “toast,” meaning a wish of good

So which is better? The truth is that they both have their advantages and disadvantages.

health, started in ancient Rome, where a

Offset Press Advantages

piece of toasted bread was dropped into wine.

• Quality: Offset usually provides a higher quality finished product because it embeds the

g

The longest-living cells in the body are brain

• Pantone Colors: Offset gives you the ability to utilize Pantone® (PMS) and spot colors.

cells, which can live an entire lifetime. g

If you could drive to the sun at 55 miles per

• Varnishes and Aqueous Coatings: These coatings are not available from a digital press.

• Variety of Stocks: Wider ranges of stocks, such as leather or thicker paper, can run

hour, it would take about 193 years. g

ink into the paper stock. This provides a smoother and often higher quality appearance.

A mole can dig over 250 feet of tunnel in a

through an offset printer. Many digital presses cannot handle thicker substrates.

• Higher Volume: Offset is usually more cost friendly on higher quantity jobs.

single night. g

A group of larks is called an exaltation.

Digital Press Advantages

g

Al Capone’s business card said he was a

• Faster: Digital presses do not require the plate-making process of offset, so turn-time

used-furniture dealer. g

can be much less.

Armored knights raised their visors when

• Consistency: If maintained properly, a digital press produces a consistent product

they rode past their king. This custom has

with each run.

become the modern military salute.

• Lower Volume: Digital is typically less costly on lower quantity jobs (somewhere between 500-2000 sheets).

Business Funnies

®

• Customization: Digital technology allows the modification of the image (variable data) with each impression. This is a great option for marketing campaigns utilizing PURL’s (Personalized URL’s) and other personalized data to create a highly relevant message.

So in general: if you need a high quality piece with very specific color matching requirements or if you have a very large quantity, go with offset. If you need something very quickly or if you have a variable product, choose digital. If you are somewhere in the middle on these options and still not sure, Fineline can give you the options in dollars and turn times.

And consider getting to know the different technologies and see them in person. Schedule a tour with us and see the presses running first hand; this will give you a better perspective on their differences.

Neither press is really “better” than the other. Rather offset and digital complement each other, each excelling where the other is lacking. Arming yourself with this knowledge will help you get

“Who ordered the medium bouquet with everything on it?”

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the best printed product at the best price.

Technology Forum: Digital Asset Management Manage, Find, and Distribute Your Digital Media Learn how brand-driven companies are saving time, money, and frustrations with digital asset management systems.

By Guy Vreeman, Director of Technology at Fineline Printing Group Digital asset management systems (DAMS) make it easy to manage, find, and

Some more benefits of a DAMS include:

maintenance of a DAMS. In fact, all you

Image Repurposing with No Additional

need is a computer with a standard web

share valuable creative content like photos,

Software: You can change a graphic’s

browser and Internet connection. And, it

logos, illustrations, video, and audio. These

size, resolution, file type, and color space,

is completely scalable. You can start small

platforms are primarily geared for brand-

all within a DAMS platform. There is

and add users as more people use the tools.

driven corporations, advertising agencies,

no need to export an image to a design

Reporting Functionality: System and

and non-profits—especially those with

program to repurpose an image. This saves

user activity reporting, including data on

multiple office locations, affiliates, and

time for the user and money for you by

downloads and file activity, is available to

partners.

eliminating expensive graphics software

management. The data helps you forecast

for non-design staff users.

more accurately for future needs.

Investments in creative content are maximized by making them accessible

Advanced Search Features: These

To learn more about these systems or

and easy to find. Significant time and

systems utilize keywords to catalog your

schedule a consultation or demonstration,

resources are saved by eliminating lengthy

content, providing a robust dataset on

email our Vice President of Operations,

searches for the “right” content. Employees

which to search. Users can determine how

Lisa Young at LisaY@FinelinePrintingGroup.com.

no longer spend valuable time creating

specific of a search they want to use to

content that already existed. And, users

see the most appropriate options for the

can collaborate internally and externally by

project at hand.

sharing files and expediting delivery of new digital media content.

Many DAMS are provided as a software-

Brand Management: DAMS allow you to easily manage brand identity and design standards throughout your organization—

as-a-service (SaaS) so you don’t have

and with affiliates—by funneling all

to worry about installations or viruses.

digital asset access to one controlled

Custom, centralized, online storefronts are

environment. You pre-determine the

created with your corporate look and feel.

options available for images, color, and

Access is password-protected and available

copy.

via any Internet browser, both MAC or PC

• Save Money and Time • Increase Productivity • Control Your Brand • Scale as You Grow • Manage Smarter

Quick Deployment and Scalability:

platforms. What’s more, there is no limit to

There are no special customer

the number of users.

requirements for the installation or

Email a link to an individual asset file with a customizable message and optional expiration date. Email multiple files via the lightbox feature.

Benefit Summary

Quickly and easily change the file without leaving the system.

First Quarter 2011 g 5

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In That Year

President Ronald Reagan is shot

and wounded by gunman John Hinckley Jr. g

Sandra Day O’Connor becomes

the first woman to serve on the United States Supreme Court. g

MTV goes on the air, playing music

videos 24 hours a day. The first video played is “Video Killed the Radio Star” by the Buggles. g

IBM introduces its first personal

computer, running the Microsoft Disk Operating System (MS-DOS).

It costs $1,565.00. g

Walter Cronkite retires

from journalism. g

Elizabeth Jordan Carr, the first

American test-tube baby, is born in Norfolk, Virginia. g

Egyptian President Anwar Sadat

is assassinated. g

Popular television shows include

Dallas (CBS), The Jeffersons (CBS), Three’s Company (ABC), and 60 Minutes (CBS).

Influencing People by Understanding Motivations The art of persuasion is a useful skill

the right way. Life is complicated and full of

in the business world, and there are a

sometimes difficult choices, and a person of

wealth of techniques that are said to help

influence can make a huge impact by offering

build persuasive abilities. One approach is

simple solutions to pressing problems of the day.

understanding and appealing to people’s most

Positive Self-image: People want to feel

basic desires: the desire to belong, the desire

good about themselves. They can achieve this

for correctness, and the desire for a positive

by living up to the expectations of friends,

self-image.

business partners, and society. A large part of

Belonging: People in general want to be

this involves being consistent. In an inconsistent

liked, they want to belong, and they will work

world, we value people who can be relied upon.

hard to avoid rejection. An influential person

Of course, these techniques are not meant

creates opportunities for others to join in on

to be used as “mind control” devices. They

something like a club or a committee. Then

are very useful, however, when fundraising or

they will place themselves at the head of the

trying to drum up interest in a new business

committee and set out to direct the energy of

venture. By starting small and appealing to

the group.

people’s most basic desires, you can really help

Correctness: People also want to do things

increase your chance of success.

Customer Profile: Gleaners Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana’s mission is to end hunger by engaging individuals and communities to provide food for people in need.

Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, Inc., was founded in a three-and-a-half-car garage in 1980. Since then, Gleaners has distributed more than a quarter billion pounds of food through a network of 410 hunger relief programs in central and southeastern Indiana, serving 160,900 people yearly. These people are the

There are many ways you can help

working poor, single parents, the elderly, and children.

Gleaners help Hoosiers in need:

Gleaners distributes food to those in need in a variety of ways…through food pantries, shelters,

• Volunteer

children’s programs, and the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP).

• Make a donation

CSFP provides low-income seniors with a 40-pound box of supplemental food each month. In many

• Host a food drive

cases these seniors have to make the choice between food and life-saving medicines. For some, the program simply enables them to enjoy life’s simpler pleasures. One senior explained how much the food she gets from the food bank means to her. She lives in low-income housing and watches her pennies very carefully. For her, the newspaper is a major extravagance. She knows it’s not providing shelter, heat or food, but the paper keeps her informed. So she gets to spend a little extra money on her “extravagance” because of the food she receives through the program.

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Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, Inc. 3737 Waldemere Avenue Indianapolis, IN 46243 (800) 944-9166 • gleaners@gleaners.org www.gleaners.org

Mail Advisory: USPS 2011 Outlook There are several things to consider as you manage your upcoming direct mail efforts for 2011.

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Guess Who I Am This woman was born on April

12, 1916 in McMinnville, Oregon, the only child of Chester and Mabel Bunn. The town where she grew

1) Modest Increase in Postage Pricing

simply put “Postal Customer” on every envelope

in April

up was so small it didn’t even have

or parcel intended for a designated route.

a library, so this woman’s mother

3) IMb Requirement Postponed

had books sent from the Oregon

The Postal Service will change prices for their Mailing Services products on April 17, about two years since the last increase. Based on a price cap using Consumer Price Index (CPI) data, prices will only increase by an average of 1.7 percent across each class of mail.

2) Simplified Addressing In January, the Postal Service began easing rules on “simplified addressing” for bulk mail.

The move allows marketers to send letters, fliers, and parcels to every recipient on a city delivery route without using exact names and addresses.

Until now, the service was only available to government agencies and on rural or highway routes.

While Standard mail rates haven’t changed, the new rules lower costs for smaller businesses by reducing mail preparation time and eliminating the need to purchase expensive consumer address lists. Now, marketers can

There’s been much industry talk about the

state library in order to set up an

looming May 2011 deadline for discontinuing

improvised library above

POSTNET barcodes to get automation prices

a bank. It was here that this woman

for mail. The goal of the Post Office was to

learned to love books.

incent mailers to start using Intelligent Mail

Upon moving to Portland,

barcodes (IMb)—which would have been

she became friends with the local

required instead to get discounts.

librarian, who suggested she should write books when she grew up.

Recently, the Post Office announced they

She earned her BA in English

are revisiting the deadline and will continue

at Berkeley in 1938, then went

to accept POSTNET barcodes to qualify for

on to study library sciences

automation discounts beyond May.

at the University of Washington,

This is an abbreviated version of a recent Mail Advisory. Fineline Mail Advisories summarize the most important USPS developments in a brief and easy-to-read format. You learn what you need to know to maximize your direct mail’s success.

To receive Mail Advisories, complete the enclosed reply card or visit tinyurl.com/finelineoptin.

graduating with that degree in 1939. It was while attending school that she met her future husband, Clarence. They married in 1940, against her parents’ wishes. They had twin children and remained married until Clarence’s death in 2004.

This woman spent her life surrounded by books, both as a librarian and as a much-loved childrens’ book author. She penned the series upon which the TV show Leave It to Beaver was based, and created many other memorable characters, including a motorcycleloving mouse and a precocious little girl named Ramona Quimby.

Our mystery woman’s books have earned numerous awards, including the prestigious Newbery Medal and the Library of Congress Living Legends award. She is, of course, author Beverly Cleary.

First Quarter 2011 g 7

will appreciate the useful, relevant information that doesn’t immediately require them to fork over some cash, and you’ll be building a relationship that paints you as knowledgeable and helpful, without seeming pushy.

Lead nurturing is all about making client contact meaningful. Have a talking point beyond making a sale when reaching out to your customer. Build an

Sales Achievers

understanding of your contacts and their roles in their companies. Learn what they need to succeed at their jobs, and help

Lead Nurturing Makes Loyal Customers

cultivate their success. Something as simple as calling to say you heard about a local seminar that they might find useful

The term “lead nurturing” has been

beyond restocking their shelves with your

will impress them and create positive

floating around for a bit, and while a

product or encouraging them to hire you for

feelings toward your company.

lot of people pay lip service to the term,

a special event.

Today’s customer is savvy and

not everyone seems to fully understand

An example of lead nurturing might

the extent to which it can help build and

go like this: say you have a landscaping

someone is trying to sell them something.

reinforce customer loyalty.

business and want to reach out to customers

Lead nurturing steps back from the

Lead nurturing is more than simply

somewhat jaded. Everywhere they look,

old and new. Rather than sending out some

immediate sale and focuses on creating

contacting leads and informing them

flyers with discount coupons, you might

relationships built around mutual interests

of monthly sales and promotions.

try something more personal and relevant.

and similar goals. It’s those kinds of

Lead nurturing involves building a more

You could send an article describing

relationships that last, and can even lead

complex relationship with clients, showing

common home-garden pests in your area

to new connections, because you see:

them you are in tune with their needs

and how to handle them. Your customers

nurturing can go both ways!

Save the Date: Wednesday, March 23, 2011 Our first Fineline University of 2011 shows healthcare marketing professionals how to Lead, Strengthen, and Differentiate their efforts this year. Join other professionals and learn timely and strategic information to make your marketing more impactful to your organizations. You’ll gain: • Ways to capitalize on the trends shaping healthcare marketing,

HEALTHCARE MARKETING IN 2011

including social media, healthcare reform, the aging consumer, and much more • A renewed understanding of the importance of your brand,

differentiating from your competition, and the things you can do to increase your brand’s equity

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