Do You Truly Know Your Target Market?

Are you preaching to the wrong choir?

While every marketer certainly has heard that basic rule of advertising -- know your target audience -- when was the last time you stopped to ask, "How well do I REALLY know my target audience?"

Say, for instance, you run a landscaping business. You know your target audience includes homeowners in your town. But if you take it a few steps further, you may just discover that your true target audience includes homeowners between the ages of 45 and 65 who live within a five-mile radius of the center of town and who have an annual income over $55,000. Sounds pretty specific, right?

The old adage "you can't please all the people all the time" certainly applies to your marketing efforts. Too many businesses try to be all things to all people, focusing on too broad a demographic. Narrowing your focus can result in a more effective use of your marketing dollars.

If you haven't taken this particular commandment to heart, it's likely affecting your marketing for the worse. Here's how to identify your true target audience.

Playing Detective

Get out your deerstalker. It's time to play Sherlock Holmes. Identifying your target audience involves a bit of research into demographics. Start by compiling a list of customer characteristics, including age, gender, location, income, education, occupation, ethnicity, martial status, and number of children. Now think about the last few purchases you made. How many of these factors influenced that purchase?

Narrow your focus down to the two most significant factors -- we'll call these your core factors -- and then choose up to two "secondary factors" to round out your market. You'll want to focus your research on these core and secondary factors to really get to know your target audience. Find out where they shop, what's important to them, which businesses they frequent (both online and off), and what problems they experience that your product or service can solve.

With those answers in place, it's time to delve deep into your audience and compile the data and information that make them tick. Resources for your research may include:

• U.S. Census Bureau
• Google Analytics
• Facebook Insights (analytics available if your business page has at least 30 "likes")
• Customer review sites (What other businesses are your customers patronizing on Yelp? What appeals to them?)
• Your competitors' sites and reviews
• Surveys or interviews with your current and past customers
• Hosting small focus groups

Keep in mind that you're also looking for psychographic information, such as hobbies, interests, lifestyle, attitudes, and beliefs. While demographic information tells you who is most likely to buy your product or service, psychographic data tells you why they're interested.

When you're compiling the data, look for common threads that run among your customers. Do they work in similar industries or have similar hobbies? Does your product or service appeal to families with two kids or single professionals? Seeking out similarities makes it easier to target relevant customers.

Develop a Profile

Now that you've gathered your research, develop a "typical customer" profile. The goal? To create an in-depth picture of who your customer is. Your profile should contain both demographic information -- age, location, marital status, etc. -- and psychographic information -- values, attitudes, political leanings, hobbies, and the like.

Your profile will help you determine where, exactly, to find your target audience. Do they tend to live in a certain neighborhoods -- or certain streets in certain neighborhoods? Do they patronize certain businesses because those places reinforce their values? The better you understand your target customer, the more easily you can tailor your marketing materials to appeal to them.

Remember, your customer profile and your target audience aren't static. They'll evolve and change over time, and so should your approach. Determining your target audience isn't a once and done proposition; rather, it's an ongoing task that grows along with your business.

To contact Chuck Gherman for more information about how Printing Arts Press helps organizations with their Marketing needs through print communications please visit www.printingartspress.com.

Carpe Diem: Are You seizing the Right Opportunities?

Recognizing and grasping the right opportunities is important in nearly every aspect of business. Taking bold action at just the right time can take a company from decent to extraordinary, from paying the bills to thriving. In some cases, success itself can hinge on a single connection or contract that opens the floodgates.

If you've been around the business world very long, you know that success is not completely predictable. Some companies with very talented leadership and great ideas never seem to get out of the starting gate, while other companies with lesser talent manage to make it all the way to the top of their industry. The difference often boils down to knowing how to recognize opportunities and then having the courage to take them.

Recognizing opportunity

So how can you ensure you're taking advantage of the right opportunities? The first priority is understanding your niche in the marketplace. Make sure you have a clear idea of how you're serving customers and what you're doing to stand out from the competition. This will help you recognize those unique chances when they come along.

Next, make sure you're always on alert. That doesn't mean you need to work perpetually and check email constantly, wherever you are. It does mean, however, that you must remain alert to opportunities in unexpected places. For example, if you're out at a restaurant and strike up a conversation with another patron, recognize and take advantage of any opportunity you find for a business contact. Similarly, if you're receiving goods or services from another company and notice some way that your company could help them improve, speak up and offer your suggestions. This is no time to be shy or second guess yourself. Strike while the iron's hot, as the saying goes.

Don't expect every opportunity to be perfect. Most won't be. But that doesn't mean they aren't worth your time. Being right and being perfect aren't one and the same. Those imperfect opportunities are often enough to help you grow your business.

Recognizing opportunities and having the courage to walk up and seize them can make an enormous difference in the success of your business. Playing it safe might allow you to pay the bills, but it will also limit your potential growth. Learn how to recognize the appropriate opportunities, take courage, and see just how high your company can go.

To contact Chuck Gherman for more information about how Printing Arts Press helps organizations with their Marketing needs through print communications please visit www.printingartspress.com.

Does Your Advertising Work Together?

At first glance, the various platforms used for delivering your marketing messages couldn't look more different. From social media to bus ads to print or radio ads, each platform has a completely different feel and intended audience. Regardless of the differences, however, it's critical that your campaigns maintain some key consistencies across every medium.

What's the purpose of an integrated campaign and what does it look like?

An integrated campaign works to build an audience no matter where the advertisements are seen. The campaign is designed with a common message that's then tweaked and sent out over a variety of platforms in an effort to attract the attention of customers wherever they're found.

Integrated campaigns send customers toward a common sales funnel. This means that the social media and direct mail components will both point customers in a common direction (promoting an upcoming sale, for example).

Design consistency is also a must, so customers recognize your brand wherever they may see it. Customers see thousands of advertisements a day. It's important that they make a quick connection between your ads and your brand, so your brand can become more memorable to them. To accomplish this, use similar colors and designs on bus ads, social media ads, and print ads. This consistency will help you stay in front of your intended audience while simultaneously making it easier for potential customers to interact with you.

So how can you start making more integrated campaigns?

Begin by identifying exactly who you're targeting and where those people can be found. Develop a common, unifying message, then tailor it to each major platform you intend to include in your campaign. That way, no matter where the customer encounters your brand, they'll have no trouble entering the sales funnel. This might mean using QR codes in print advertising and prominent, well-labeled links on websites.

One of the biggest challenges many companies run into is maintaining consistency across multiple teams. For example, you might have one team that specializes in print and radio ads, while another group focuses on social media and website advertising. Make sure all your marketing teams understand the common vision and can successfully work together to achieve a collective goal.

As your campaign gets underway, track each portion, so you can successfully gauge where new customers are coming from. This will provide key insights into how well each portion of the campaign is doing and let you know if certain aspects need to be modified or even abandoned altogether.

An integrated marketing campaign is crucial for growing a company and finding new customers in the modern market. Rather than thinking about your various platforms as separate entities, integrating them can lead to higher brand recognition and conversion rates. Keep this in mind and prepare to reach your customers on a much deeper level.

If you're ready to get started building an integrated campaign, give us a call or drop us an email to see how we can help you move forward.

To contact Chuck Gherman for more information about how Printing Arts Press helps organizations with their Marketing and Advertising needs through print communications please visit www.printingartspress.com.

Management Lessons From Our Elementary School Days

Think back for a moment to your elementary school days. Chances are, some of your best memories revolve around celebrations. Whether celebrating a classmate's birthday, a favorite holiday, an accomplishment for the class, or even the 100th day of school, everyday celebrations are an essential part of many elementary school classrooms.

Why are these types of celebrations so popular?

For one thing, they offer everyone, including the teacher, a bit of a mental break from the daily grind. When people return from a break, they're ready to sit down and work some more. Without a break, it's easy to get burned out.

Secondly, they help to keep the atmosphere happy and joyful in the classroom. Everyone functions better when they work in a positive atmosphere.

And finally, they offer the teacher and classmates the chance to recognize the accomplishments of the group as a whole, as well as those of individual students. When students know their efforts are recognized, the motivation to continue to perform and earn more rewards is strengthened.

While most working adults are far removed from elementary school, that doesn't mean these basic lessons learned in childhood no longer apply.

What business leaders today can learn from their elementary school teachers

Elementary school teachers understand that the best way to keep people motivated is to celebrate their accomplishments. When you find ways to congratulate people or teams who meet particular goals at your organization, you'll also be encouraging them to continue to strive and accomplish more. Employees who feel as though their accomplishments and efforts are recognized are more likely to feel satisfaction at the workplace and trust that their efforts contribute to company success.

How businesses can create the environment on an adult scale

Working to keep the atmosphere light and pleasant can also contribute to a positive work environment. While most professional environments wouldn't be able function with parties every week, there are plenty of other ways to encourage a positive workplace. Cards, token gifts, bonuses, announcements of accomplishments at meetings, and similar strategies can all help employees feel appreciated. Even personal notes from management will let employees know their leaders notice the efforts of everyone below them. Save the parties for more memorable occasions, such as the holiday season.

Employees who feel appreciated have greater company loyalty. Loyal employees tend to be fantastic company evangelists, while also contributing to the stability of the company. The result is a stronger company that can move forward more effectively. Loyal employees tend to speak positively about the brand to their friends and family, as well as online. Creating a positive company environment will help to make the entire company a welcoming place for employees and customers.

When companies have specific goals in mind, it's tempting to just expect everyone to put their noses down and work. In reality, companies that work to create a rewarding atmosphere where employees feel happy and content are likely to accomplish greater things and have employees who feel more loyal and appreciated by management. How happy an employee feels can have an incredible impact on their productivity. So take the time to foster happy employees, and get started building your company today.

Posted by Chuck Gherman

To contact Chuck Gherman for more information about how Printing Arts Press helps organizations with their Human Resource needs through print communications please visit www.printingartspress.com.

Outside the (Paper) Box: Creative, Innovative Uses for Paper

Chances are, you already know how indispensable paper is to marketing and business. But did you know that paper can -- literally -- save lives?

Around the world, some very bright, creative people are coming up with some very innovative uses for paper that truly represent "outside the box" thinking. Here are a few of our favorite paper inventions that have the power to change the world for the better.

Origami Microscope

When you hear the word "origami," your mind probably imagines cranes, paper airplanes, and funny pointed hats. But Stanford University professor Manu Prakash and his team of researchers have taken this folded paper art to a whole new level with the Foldscope .

This ground-breaking invention consists of a flat sheet of paper, an LED, a watch battery, and a few tiny optical units that can be folded together -- just like origami -- to create a functioning microscope. This portable microscope offers a number of benefits, especially for medical personnel in developing countries. For starters, it's easy to assemble, as it consists of just a few parts. The foldable design itself is printed directly onto a sheet of paper.

Plus, it's lightweight. The microscope's optical devices are about the size of a grain of sand -- so it's easy to move from one spot to another and simple to store or take into the field. The Foldscope is inexpensive, costing from $.50 to $1 to manufacture, yet powerful, with the ability to magnify objects up to 2,000 times and to project images onto almost any flat surface.

Best of all, the Foldscope provides healthcare workers with a cheap, simple, and effective way to diagnose diseases such as malaria, improving the lives of those in developing countries.

Drinkable Books

In many parts of the world, safe, drinkable water isn't readily available; diseases related to contaminated water lead to more than 3 million deaths each year. Many of these deaths could be prevented if people had access to filters -- and knowledge -- about water safety issues.

That's where Water is Life comes in. This non-profit organization partnered with researchers at the University of Virginia and Carnegie Mellon University to create a (paper) book that not only teaches recipients about water hygiene, but also comes with built-in water filters (its pages) that eliminate 99% of the waterborne particles and microbes that cause diseases like E. coli, cholera, and typhoid.

The  Drinkable Book  performs almost like a coffee filter; when water passes through one of its specially treated paper filters, germs and bacteria are killed by a special coating of silver nitrate nanoparticles that render treated water as safe as tap water in developed nations. The book costs just a few cents to produce and provides enough filtration to last up to four years.

Water-Condensing Billboard

Finally, researchers from Peru's University of Engineering Technology took a familiar sight -- the billboard -- and transformed it into a  water-producing tool . More than 10 percent of Lima's 7.5 million residents have little to no access to potable water. But UTEC's innovative invention gathers moisture from the air during humid summer days and runs it through a series of condensers.

The water is then cleaned through a reverse-osmosis system, and Lima residents can access the clean water through a faucet at the bottom of the sign. This amazing invention provides almost 100 liters of water per day.

As you can see, paper isn't just for brochures and business cards anymore. It's -- literally -- saving the world!

Posted by Chuck Gherman

To contact Chuck Gherman for more information about how Printing Arts Press helps organizations with marketing their needs through print communications please visit www.printingartspress.com.

Networking Tips Straight Out of High School

Back in high school, there were always a few classmates who seemed to find schoolwork effortless. They were able to easily achieve the top grades while the rest of the class struggled. As finals week rolled around, these students often found themselves inundated with requests for study help. Some would come from friends, but many came from complete strangers who would suddenly try to buddy up with the smart kids in an effort to curry their favor.

Typically, the smart students would react to these requests in one of two ways:

1. The requests that came from friends -- people the students socialized with outside of class -- were met with assurances of help.
2. The requests that came from strangers were often dismissed.

Why the disparity?

No one likes being taken advantage of. While it may have been just as easy to offer study help to members of either group, the smart students didn't like people suddenly trying to be their friend, only to be 'dumped' once the other person passed an exam. It wasn't that they didn't want to help. They just preferred to help genuine friends they could trust to actually care about them.

How this relates to networking

People often look for shortcuts to take with networking. They don't want to go through the trouble of building a relationship with a new connection; they just want to know if the person is going to be interested in doing business together or not and then leave it at that.

The problem with this method is the same problem that many struggling students found when they tried to suddenly befriend the smart kids at the end of the year: No one likes to feel that they're being taken advantage of.

When you're on the other side of the relationship, you don't want to have someone approach you and just immediately start trying to sell you. You're more interested in doing business with someone you've already built a relationship with and you trust to be concerned with your business as well as theirs. If a connection that you've gotten to know over the course of several years reaches out and offers you a trial of their new software and invites you to sign up for a newsletter, you're far more inclined to accept that offer than you would if the same invitation came from someone you just met.

Making this principle work for you

Networking takes effort. There's no getting around that. Forming these valuable connections, however, has the potential to really grow a business. To help make your networking overtures successful, keep these tips in mind:

• Discuss business, but don't try to sell after just a meeting or two.
• Keep detailed records of contacts, such as meeting dates/conferences, birthdays, anniversaries, and similar dates. Send cards on applicable days.
• Keep a rotation of connections that you reach out to on a regular basis, such as once every few months to maintain the relationship.
• When making a sales pitch, frame it in a way so the other party sees how it might benefit them as well.

Networking can be instrumental in growing a business. However, taking shortcuts and trying to sell to a new contact you've just met will probably have the success rate of trying to get the high school valedictorian you've never spoken with to study with you the day before finals. Taking the time to build a relationship can make a world of difference. Keep that in mind when you set out to build your network, and you just might be pleasantly surprised at what networking can do for you.

Posted by Chuck Gherman

To contact Chuck Gherman for more information about how Printing Arts Press helps organizations with marketing their needs through print communications please visit www.printingartspress.com.

A Simple Guide to Making Connections at Conventions

Conventions are an excellent marketing and networking tool for many small to medium-sized businesses. When managed properly, conventions provide a great opportunity to attract customers, learn more about potential partners or vendors, and build a database of potential leads for the future. The largest conventions may put thousands of prospects within arms' reach of you, while smaller events offer the opportunity to mix and mingle with peers on a more intimate level.

If you're considering attending a convention, you need to start planning today. Learn how to choose the right event, what you need to keep in mind when networking, the importance of your booth, and what you should aim to offer those who stop by. Once you have these details under control, you'll be ready to make a lasting impression at your big event!

The Big Decision

There are a huge number of conventions and conferences each year -- most likely, more than one applicable to your industry or line of business. Choosing the right convention to attend is a big decision. Spend some time looking over the available information. How many other businesses similar to your own do you think will be attending?

In some cases, you may do better attending a smaller convention or one that doesn't specifically target those in your industry. You want a convention that will give you the chance to network with those who may utilize your product or service, as well as those who offer products you can use. However, if you can get your foot in the door of a convention where you won't have many direct competitors, you may be able to obtain leads that are more valuable.

Networking

While at the convention, put less emphasis on making sales and closing deals and more on making connections, building leads, and networking. Decide ahead of time which events you will attend and which you'll fore go in order to operate your booth in person. If there are any social events, use them to reach out and speak to those you consider potential partners for the future.

Booth Matters

Your booth in the dealer or vendor area is an important marketing tool. Clearly, you want to keep it neat, orderly, and attractive to those who pass by. Additionally, you may want to offer something unique or special to encourage people to make the effort to come see you. Outside of attracting potential visitors, you want to make the booth experience "work." Make sure you're staffed with knowledgeable personnel and that you have samples, demonstrations, and (possibly) videos available, so you can showcase the key benefits your products and services provide.

The Takeaway

Whether you network with a potential client at a social event or an interested party stops by your booth, you want to provide a way for people to get in touch with you after the event. Start by making sure your business card stands out from the dozens of other cards attendees will pick up at the show. Have some brochures or handouts available, too. These will allow you to share more detailed information.

Collect key contact information from booth visitors, too, including email addresses, phone numbers, and social media profiles. Then, when the event is over, immediately make contact yourself. The goal is to build relationships that will be mutually beneficial now and in the future.

As you can see, there's more to think about when attending a convention as a professional than just putting on your name badge and showing up. Spend time planning for the big day (or weekend), and maximize the return on your investment of time and effort.



Posted by Chuck Gherman

To contact Chuck Gherman for more information about how Printing Arts Press helps organizations with marketing their needs through print communications please visit www.printingartspress.com.