Excellence. Doing things with excellence is our goal at Advertising In Motion, and my personal goal as well. I have always felt that it was important. Recently, however, after reading a little book called The Fred Factor, I have realized that it can be life changing.
Choose every day to do one thing extraordinarily well. See the difference it makes in your life and the lives of those around you.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Cost Saving Ideas for Business
If you have read this month's newsletter you know that I recently did a break even analysis for Advertising In Motion.
Looking at the long list of "fixed" costs made me carefully consider each line item. As I did, I realized, after some investigation, that I was able to decrease many of those "fixed" expenses.
Here are some of my cost saving ideas:
Supplies
Looking at the long list of "fixed" costs made me carefully consider each line item. As I did, I realized, after some investigation, that I was able to decrease many of those "fixed" expenses.
Here are some of my cost saving ideas:
Supplies
- Print only with black ink. Color ink is so expensive.
- Print all documents in draft mode. This saves even your black ink thus reducing your printing costs.
- View things online. Limit yourself to printing only those things that are absolutely necessary.
- Try to condense 3 part forms into 2 part forms. This save ink, paper, or outside printing costs.
- Print smaller runs of brochures and business cards. This eliminates wasting unused media as information changes.
- Pay bills online. This saves on the cost of checks, envelopes, printer ink, and stamps.
- Move to electronic faxes, thus not printing unwanted faxes. You are not only saving money, but being green.
- Require prepayment for all orders. This not only saves the cost of sending invoices, but saves the accounts receivable department's time as well.
Advertising/Marketing
- Are you reaching your target market? Contact me if you need help with this one.
- Register your domain name on free sites.
- Have your blog on a free site.
- Link your blog and other social networking tools to your website. This helps you get ranked higher on search engines rather than paying for Google adword.
- When using Email systems such as constant contact, review the names in your contact list. Remove those with out dated email addresses and those who consistantly don't open files.
Car
- Be efficient with your travel as much as possible, grouping appointments by area. This saves not only gas, but valuable time.
Telephone
- Review your phone service level. Are you using the most cost effective plan for you? Can you bundle services to get a better rate?
- Do you need both a land line and a cell phone?
- Compare rates of other phone suppliers. Is there another company with comprable service that charges less?
Insurances
- Check the rates of other companies.
- At the very least, contact your agent and discuss all of the coverage you have. Are you carrying more than you need?
Taxes
- Donate unused samples or outdated materials and products to non-profits. This saves you money on your taxes and makes you feel great. Make sure you get a donation receipt at the time of your donation.
Interest
- Don't carry a balance on a credit card. Call your banker for alternative financing options. Paying interest eats into your profits.
Miscelleneous
- Pay one year on contracts rather than monthly if it gives you a price break.
- Check prices of different vendors. Compare not only cost of goods, but shipping price as well. You may find it cheaper to deal with a local vendor.
- Limit the number of samples you buy.
- Review the networking groups and organizations you belong to. Are you getting a good return on your investment?
- Review training classes that you pay for. Is there a way to get the same information for free?
- Review the software you use. Is there a more cost effective alternative?
Implementing these ideas will save me thousands of dollars over the course of a year. I believe they will help you too.
Feel free to share money saving ideas that have worked for you.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Take a Green Summer Vacation
Summer. We have looked forward to it for months. Now it is finally here and along with the wonderful weather comes summer vacations. Whether you're traveling up north or visiting other parts of the country or world this summer, please keep in mind these eco-firendly tips.
- Take some time to enjoy nature's beauty with your family.
- Pick up and properly dispose of litter you see lying around.
- Use re-useable plates, forks, and napkins for your picnics to reduce waste.
- Use stainless steel or re-useable plastic water bottles.
- Stay in hotels or motels that have gone green, or better yet camp.
- Take a train or boat instead of driving.
- Park the car and walk or bike to areas of interest near your hotel or campground.
- Support eco-friendly businesses on your trip.
Have a relaxing summer vacation!
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Your Name is Your Word
Proverbs 22:8 A good name is more desirable that great riches, to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.
I recently signed a contract with a company to do two agreed upon projects. One project was small and the other was somewhat larger. The vendor called me to say the small project was done.
When I stopped to pick up the completed project the vendor stated that she could not do the larger project for the amount that we had agreed upon – the amount stated in a contract signed by both of us. This was not due to a change in the scope of the project. She simply had decided the amount was too low because she felt the organization for whom the work was being done would become very prosperous.
I was totally taken aback. I have learned through eight years in business that your word is your name. When you sign a contract to do a project or sell a product you do not go back to the customer and say, “I want more money for this project.”
Integrity is one of the most important aspects of any business relationship. When I work with vendors I want to be able to pick up the product at the amount that was agreed upon. Now, because of this issue, I am unable to trust this individual. Due to this lack of trust not only do I not see myself working with this company for future projects, but neither will I refer anyone to this company.
I am a business woman who operates my business with integrity. My word is my name. I expect that is how the vendors that I do business with to operate as well.
I have learned over the last eight years that if I make a mistake and mis-quote a product or service, it is an opportunity for me to learn for the next project. I never go back and change the charges unless the project/product scope changes. I know and operate under the principle that a good name is more desirable than great riches. My reputation and who I am is more important than a few dollars.
Your reputation and your name is a reflection of the level of trust people have in you. Business is based upon trust. If your business is not built on a foundation of trust, it will not flourish.
I recently signed a contract with a company to do two agreed upon projects. One project was small and the other was somewhat larger. The vendor called me to say the small project was done.
When I stopped to pick up the completed project the vendor stated that she could not do the larger project for the amount that we had agreed upon – the amount stated in a contract signed by both of us. This was not due to a change in the scope of the project. She simply had decided the amount was too low because she felt the organization for whom the work was being done would become very prosperous.
I was totally taken aback. I have learned through eight years in business that your word is your name. When you sign a contract to do a project or sell a product you do not go back to the customer and say, “I want more money for this project.”
Integrity is one of the most important aspects of any business relationship. When I work with vendors I want to be able to pick up the product at the amount that was agreed upon. Now, because of this issue, I am unable to trust this individual. Due to this lack of trust not only do I not see myself working with this company for future projects, but neither will I refer anyone to this company.
I am a business woman who operates my business with integrity. My word is my name. I expect that is how the vendors that I do business with to operate as well.
I have learned over the last eight years that if I make a mistake and mis-quote a product or service, it is an opportunity for me to learn for the next project. I never go back and change the charges unless the project/product scope changes. I know and operate under the principle that a good name is more desirable than great riches. My reputation and who I am is more important than a few dollars.
Your reputation and your name is a reflection of the level of trust people have in you. Business is based upon trust. If your business is not built on a foundation of trust, it will not flourish.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Resizing Pictures
Have you ever needed to quickly resize photos or artwork?
I know that I have.
Many times when I am developing a post for social media or other online items I need to resize a picture or file.
Two free tools that I enjoy using are:
http://quickthumbnail.com/
or
http://resizepic.com/
Both of these products work - depending upon the complexity of your project.
Let me know how these work for you.
Enjoy
j
I know that I have.
Many times when I am developing a post for social media or other online items I need to resize a picture or file.
Two free tools that I enjoy using are:
http://quickthumbnail.com/
or
http://resizepic.com/
Both of these products work - depending upon the complexity of your project.
Let me know how these work for you.
Enjoy
j
The Power of Positive Thinking
In aviation, the word attitude means the angle at which the plane meets the wind, whether the wings are level with the horizon, and whether it is climbing or descending. The pilot who fails to take responsibility for the attitude of his aircraft is in serious trouble.
Likewise, any person who has not taken charge of his or her own beliefs and attitudes runs a similar risk. The key to cultivating and maintaining a positive mental attitude is to take control of your thinking and avoid negative minded people. It's a challenging task to develop a calm, focused mind, but well worth the effort.
Remember: Your attitude is not determined by circumstances, but by how you respond to those circumstances. You determine your attitude and you always have the choice to respond either positively or negatively.
Likewise, any person who has not taken charge of his or her own beliefs and attitudes runs a similar risk. The key to cultivating and maintaining a positive mental attitude is to take control of your thinking and avoid negative minded people. It's a challenging task to develop a calm, focused mind, but well worth the effort.
Remember: Your attitude is not determined by circumstances, but by how you respond to those circumstances. You determine your attitude and you always have the choice to respond either positively or negatively.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Small Budget PR Earns High Rewards
The power of publicity is amazing. When you create news, you get your story out without paying excessive advertising fees. With a little imagination and some hard work, you can use a minimal publicity budget to generate impact.
Let's face it. With a modest budget, you'll never reach same success of large, national corporations. But at the same time, they may never generate the local penetration you can achieve through diligent work.
Consider these PR moves beyond the press release that gets you noticed and helps you build relationships.
* Host a seminar. People like to learn if they can pick up information that helps them do their jobs better. Consider hosting an after-work seminar on something relevant for the audience you want to reach and the time of year.
* Create speaking roles. Just about every organization looks for speakers to bring their members relevant information. Spending time on the internet lets you research associations, chambers, networking groups and other business organizations in your area. Offer these groups speech topics that are relevant and will get you on the agenda. Never promote yourself or your products during the speech. But always offer ways for people to follow up and ask you questions after the event.
* Donate to charities. I'm not talking just your financial contributions. Really donate your expertise. Non-profits often have a better success rate of getting in the paper simply because of their goodwill efforts and community contributions.
* Develop a newsletter. Even if you can't get into big publications, you can look big by having a customer newsletter. This tactic lets you share information about your catalog of stuff, highlight how other customers have worked with you and maintain an on-going customer-touch program. By reaching out to customers quarterly or monthly, you'll know you've got an effective way to stay top of mind.
Let's face it. With a modest budget, you'll never reach same success of large, national corporations. But at the same time, they may never generate the local penetration you can achieve through diligent work.
Consider these PR moves beyond the press release that gets you noticed and helps you build relationships.
* Host a seminar. People like to learn if they can pick up information that helps them do their jobs better. Consider hosting an after-work seminar on something relevant for the audience you want to reach and the time of year.
* Create speaking roles. Just about every organization looks for speakers to bring their members relevant information. Spending time on the internet lets you research associations, chambers, networking groups and other business organizations in your area. Offer these groups speech topics that are relevant and will get you on the agenda. Never promote yourself or your products during the speech. But always offer ways for people to follow up and ask you questions after the event.
* Donate to charities. I'm not talking just your financial contributions. Really donate your expertise. Non-profits often have a better success rate of getting in the paper simply because of their goodwill efforts and community contributions.
* Develop a newsletter. Even if you can't get into big publications, you can look big by having a customer newsletter. This tactic lets you share information about your catalog of stuff, highlight how other customers have worked with you and maintain an on-going customer-touch program. By reaching out to customers quarterly or monthly, you'll know you've got an effective way to stay top of mind.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Hex Codes
When working on your website or another online product that requires hex codes we use free tools on the internet. Two of our favorite links are:
or
I hope this helps. Enjoy!
Friday, March 13, 2009
FREE Conference Call Options
Our team started weekly conference calls last fall.
Another great free service that we use is: www.freeconferencecall.net
We have used this program successfully for several months and recommend it to our clients.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Assessing Your Progress
In January’s newsletter we discussed the benefits of setting goals and then working towards them. Now that we are 6 weeks into the new year, I thought it would be a good time to remind you to assess your progress.
Are you on course and on schedule to complete your goal? If not, have you evaluated what the issues are?
If you are on track, I offer my congratulations! Keep working the plan and you will attain the prize.
If you have gotten off track, perhaps these questions will help you to determine the problem.
Are you on course and on schedule to complete your goal? If not, have you evaluated what the issues are?
If you are on track, I offer my congratulations! Keep working the plan and you will attain the prize.
If you have gotten off track, perhaps these questions will help you to determine the problem.
- Is my goal still important to me? If so, why?
- Am I focused and determined to take the necessary actions to achieve my goal?
- Have I told someone else about my goal so that they can help keep me accountable?
- Have I set a realistic time schedule for the completion of my goal?
- Do I make the steps to reaching my goal a priority in my schedule.
If your goal is still important to you, the answer to why should help you stay focused and determined.
Having someone keep you accountable to your goal is a great way to realize success. It is much easier to tell yourself all the reasons you are not working toward your desired end than it is to tell someone else.
If you feel the time schedule you have set is not realistic, adjust it. Making a little progress is better than making no progress at all.
If you haven’t had time to do the things necessary to reach your goal, reevaluate your schedule. How can you make time for the things that are important to you?
If you have gotten off track, don’t wait until Jan. 2010 to get moving in the right direction again. If you decide that your goal is still important to you, begin again. There is a proverb that says, “Fall seven times. Stand up eight.” This is what separates success from failure.
I look forward to celebrating your success with you. Share your stories with us here. You may be an inspiration to someone else.
"To tend, unfailingly, unflinchingly, towards a goal, is the secret of success." Anna Pavlova (1881–1931)Russian ballerina
Monday, February 9, 2009
Is Blogging the Right Tool for Your Business?
Is blogging the right marketing tool for you? Take our survey to find out.
1. I want to get to know my customers and better understand their needs.
2. I want a better tool to communicate with my customers.
3. I want to actively market my products and services.
4. I want an easy, inexpensive solution to marketing my products and services.
5. I want to expand my clientele.
6. I want to have control of my online presence.
7. I want to drive more traffic to my website.
8. I want to share resources and information with my clients.
9. I want to keep up with current business and advertising trends.
10.I want to be known as a leader in my market.
If you agreed to at least half of the statements and you have time each week to update your blog then you are ready to add this explosive new internet tool to your marketing portfolio.
Don't know where to start? Contact Jan Hall at Advertising In Motion and to get started today!
Information gathered from several sources including socialmediamarketingarticles.com
1. I want to get to know my customers and better understand their needs.
2. I want a better tool to communicate with my customers.
3. I want to actively market my products and services.
4. I want an easy, inexpensive solution to marketing my products and services.
5. I want to expand my clientele.
6. I want to have control of my online presence.
7. I want to drive more traffic to my website.
8. I want to share resources and information with my clients.
9. I want to keep up with current business and advertising trends.
10.I want to be known as a leader in my market.
If you agreed to at least half of the statements and you have time each week to update your blog then you are ready to add this explosive new internet tool to your marketing portfolio.
Don't know where to start? Contact Jan Hall at Advertising In Motion and to get started today!
Information gathered from several sources including socialmediamarketingarticles.com
An Explosive Marketing Tool - Blogging
There was a time when a website was the only Internet tool a savvy business professional needed. Now, that is not enough. The way that we do business, connect with our clients, and advertise our products and services needs to keep up with the changing times.
Today there are many additional web tools available to give you a notable web presence. One of the most explosive is a blog.
Blogs- from the words web log- are online diaries in the form of a website, comprised of text, photographs, etc. In addition to being search engine friendly, blogs are considered to be the least expensive marketing tool. They increase the search engine visibility of your website, thus driving traffic to your site. Blogs, therefore, play a vital role in search engine optimization.
Today there are many additional web tools available to give you a notable web presence. One of the most explosive is a blog.
Blogs- from the words web log- are online diaries in the form of a website, comprised of text, photographs, etc. In addition to being search engine friendly, blogs are considered to be the least expensive marketing tool. They increase the search engine visibility of your website, thus driving traffic to your site. Blogs, therefore, play a vital role in search engine optimization.
Benefits of Blogs:
- A blog allows you to get to know your customers and their needs, as well as allowing the customers to know the blogger.
- A blog is a strong communication tool to keep in touch with your customers.
- A blog (if updated regularly) can provide daily, quality content - which search engines love and thus increase your traffic.
- A blog can be used to advertise your links. You can write a review of an affiliate product in you blog post thus increasing the chance of a sale.
- A blog can be used to answer inquiries that people may have about your product.
- A blog is easy to update and maintain.
Information gathered from: www.socialmediamarketingarticles.com
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Paying It Forward
When we think of Paying It Forward, most of us think about the movie by that name released in 2000 or the novel written by Catherine Ryan Hyde that the movie was based upon. Few people know that the original idea of Paying It Forward was proposed by Benjamin Franklin in a letter he wrote to Benjamin Webb on April 22, 1784.
" I do not pretend to give such a Sum; I only lend it to you. When you [...] meet with another honest Man in similar Distress, you must pay me by lending this Sum to him; enjoining him to discharge the Debt by a like operation, when he shall be able, and shall meet with another opportunity. I hope it may thus go thro' many hands, before it meets with a Knave that will stop its Progress. This is a trick of mine for doing a deal of good with a little money. "
Ben Franklin was very wise, especially in financial matters, but Paying It Forward does not have to involve money. Here are some ideas for Paying It Forward that won't cost a dime.
Smile
Compliment someone on a job well done
Let someone in front of you
Give someone your seat
Help an older person
Mentor someone
Help a neighbor with a project
Take a new mother a meal
Write an encouraging card to our troops (try http://www.letssaythanks.com/)
" I do not pretend to give such a Sum; I only lend it to you. When you [...] meet with another honest Man in similar Distress, you must pay me by lending this Sum to him; enjoining him to discharge the Debt by a like operation, when he shall be able, and shall meet with another opportunity. I hope it may thus go thro' many hands, before it meets with a Knave that will stop its Progress. This is a trick of mine for doing a deal of good with a little money. "
Ben Franklin was very wise, especially in financial matters, but Paying It Forward does not have to involve money. Here are some ideas for Paying It Forward that won't cost a dime.
Smile
Compliment someone on a job well done
Let someone in front of you
Give someone your seat
Help an older person
Mentor someone
Help a neighbor with a project
Take a new mother a meal
Write an encouraging card to our troops (try http://www.letssaythanks.com/)
Givers Gain
Focusing on others outside of the office will also make you more successful.
Make sure your attitude when meeting with a client is "How can I help you be successful?". You will find you build better business relationships with this attitude.
Support local community charities and activities. People prefer doing business with a company that gives back to the community.
Volunteer for an organization or charity. You will feel good about helping others and you will meet other volunteers in the process. What a great networking opportunity. I have made some of my best contacts while volunteering.
Your focus on others should not be for a selfish means, but you can't help but reap the benefits of putting others first. Ivan Misner, founder of Business Networking International, said it this way, "Givers Gain".
Make sure your attitude when meeting with a client is "How can I help you be successful?". You will find you build better business relationships with this attitude.
Support local community charities and activities. People prefer doing business with a company that gives back to the community.
Volunteer for an organization or charity. You will feel good about helping others and you will meet other volunteers in the process. What a great networking opportunity. I have made some of my best contacts while volunteering.
Your focus on others should not be for a selfish means, but you can't help but reap the benefits of putting others first. Ivan Misner, founder of Business Networking International, said it this way, "Givers Gain".
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
