< Browse > Home / Archive by category 'General'

| RSS

5 Tips on Increasing Your Chance for Business Success

By

Over 50% of small businesses fail within the first 5 years. What makes  successful businesses different? Both successful and failed business owners had  passion, expertise and drive to make their business grow. The difference – -  successful business owners made sure that they focused on the five things that  are critical to their business success.

Critical Item 1: Make Sure Your Money is Right Both Professionally  and Personally

As a part-time CFO, I have had many clients that did not have in place a formal accounting system. This is critical because if you do not have a handle on how you earn and spend money, you will never know where you can safely cut costs, raise prices or focus advertising. However you decide to track your finances, they must include the following:

  • Separate accounts and tracking of business and personal expenses
  • Ability to track financial information at a detailed enough level to  perform analysis such as revenue earned by department. For example, a spa with  departments broken out by service area (e.g. nails, spa, salon).
  • Continuously look for ways to cut costs without cutting performance or  customer service (e.g. periodically look for less expensive providers for  supplies).
  • Manage cash flow by projecting future needs in a 6-12 month cycle so that  you ensure that you are able to pay the bills that keep your doors open (e.g.  rent and payroll) and spend money on important customer building expenses (e.g.  marketing).

Critical Item 2: Continuously Improve Customer Service

Customer service is vital to retaining current clients and wooing prospective  clients. In today’s “always on” world, you must have the ability to service  customers across multiple platforms in person and online. Your customer service  toolbox must include the following:

  • Professional website not a do-it-yourself one if it ends of looking like a  DIY site
  • Regular customer communication which can be through emails and  newsletters
  • Easy way for customers to find you and connect with you
  • Beyond average customer service

Critical Item 3: Know Your Competition

In order to maintain competitive, you must keep an eye out for what your  competition is doing right and wrong. You can learn from what they are doing  right and incorporate it into your business. You can learn from what they are  doing wrong and capitalize on it. You can also capitalize on what makes you  different from the competition. By knowing your competition you can do the  following:

  • Determine the share of the market your business should have and set goals  to achieve it
  • What makes your business different from competitors – both positive and  negative attributes
  • Ways you can lessen the competition by capitalizing on what makes your  business different

Critical Item 4: Be Able to Delegate Non-Essential Tasks

Because their business is their “baby”, many business owners do not feel  anyone can do anything right unless they oversee it or do it themselves. This  can be death to a business. As a business grows, you must be able to delegate  everyday mundane tasks to others. Tasks that can have a major impact should not  be delegated unless you have the appropriate person in place (e.g. trusted  manager or hired consultant) such as hiring of key staff.

Once you have begun to delegate, you can spend more time on strategically  growing the business and analyzing your business results.

Critical Item 5: Maintain Multiple Revenue Streams

Your business should not rely on just a few customers or one mode of revenue  generation. If there is a change in the industry or a customer goes out of  business, you could irreparably hurt your business. For example, if you own a  service business such as a hair salon, you should also sell retail product as  another revenue source.

If you do have a business with only a few major customers, then find new  target customer segments that would be interested in your product or service.  For example, Cisco, the technology company, has traditionally had only corporate  clients but recently it introduced a product for the consumer market, its home  networking router product.

Incorporate these tips into your business and you will be well on your way to  business success.

Kimberly Loftis, President of Loftis Consulting, provides interim and  part-time CFO services and business plan services for a variety of businesses.  Formerly, Ms. Loftis was Vice President of Corporate Development for HSBC, an  international banking conglomerate. She has previously held managerial positions  with AT&T, Pepsi and Exelon.

Kimberly Loftis earned her MBA from Kellogg and her BS in Accounting from  Indiana University. She is also a CPA.

Visit out site to learn more about Loftis Consulting part time CFO services http://www.loftisconsulting.com/cfo_svcs.php

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kimberly_Loftis

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7046176

####

DataQuick reports that 2856 residences sold in March 2012 in OC–a 9.2 percent increase over a year ago–and the best March since 2007! Learn how to introduce your business to  these new residents! http://www.welcomeexpress.com/opportunities/2.html
[ More ] May 10th, 2012 | No Comments | Posted in General |

Why it’s Time for Tech Companies to Get Loyal

Why it’s Time for Tech Companies to Get Loyal

By John S. Pitts

What does customer loyalty mean to your business? In a recent study of more than 250 businesses, the Peppers and Rogers Group found that 81 percent of companies with strong competencies for delivering continuous and positive consumer experiences not only gained loyal customer bases, but also significantly outperformed their competitors. While it seems logical that many businesses would strive to provide these types of loyalty warranting experiences, many don’t. This is especially true in the technology industry, which according to Forrester’s 2011 Customer Experience Index, has one of the lowest customer service ratings.

How detrimental can a reputation for poor customer service be? Here are a few facts:

Businesses should expect one dissatisfied customer to tell between nine and 15 people about their poor experience and 13 percent to tell more than 20.[1]

More than 86 percent of consumers quit doing business with a company because of a poor experience. [2]

It takes more than 12 positive experiences to make up for one negative experience.[3]

It is five times more costly to bring on a new client than to retain a current client.[4]

With that said how can businesses provide positive experiences and achieve loyalty?

Communicate – and no, this isn’t just about clicking send. Pick up the phone, update customers and make them feel a part of the overall experience. By looping customers in, businesses foster a team experience and ensure project progress is always being made.

Team up – collaborate with customers, celebrate the successes and work through the challenges – together.

Go above and beyond – pay attention to the little things. Whether it’s an after-hours email or phone call on the weekend, make sure customers are taken care of – always.

Measure retention – always be cognizant of your businesses’ retention rate. It will not only give a report card on the businesses’ customer service, it will also give insight into the overall health of the business.

Slow down, listen – there is a famous saying that states if something is worth doing, it’s worth doing right. Slow down, listen to the customer’s needs and be sure those needs are fully understood.

Take time, make time – ensure customers know time will always be made for them. Whether it’s an email, phone call or in-person meeting. Make the time to support the customers that support the business.

Understand clients’ needs – not every client is the same. By understanding and delivering services to satisfy each client’s unique needs, businesses are able to set themselves apart and provide services that aren’t available anywhere else.

While it can be challenging to gauge the needs of every customer at any given time, by implementing the above steps, businesses can feel confident that they are doing their part to make sure their customers feel like part of a team that communicates, goes above and beyond, and ultimately provides consistent positive experiences that warrant fierce customer loyalty.

John S. Pitts is the founder and president of Tekcetera, Inc., a comprehensive and cost-effective hardware, software and support technology services company that delivers peace of mind that businesses’ technology will work, every time. To learn more, call John directly at (714) 922-4250 or visit www.tekcetera.com.

 

[1] “Improving American’s Financial Security: The Importance of a CFPB Director.” White House Report. 4 Dec. 2011. http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/cfpb_-_master_final_120411.pdf

[2] “Customer Experience Impact Report.” Harris Interactive. 1 Dec. 2010. http://www.rightnow.com/files/analyst-reports/RightNow-Customer-Experience-Impact-North-America-Report.pdf

[3] Newell-Legner, Ruby. “Understanding Customers.” 27 April 2011.

[4] “Customer Marketing Solutions.” World Pac. http://www.worldpac.com/CMS_Brochure_fin_web.pdf

###

OC Business Owners: you have the opportunity to establish a new client and a long lasting relationship by reaching out to the new resident population  shar.es/rXHqC

Need more exposure for your small business? Advertise with OCRG and Welcome Express!
[ More ] May 2nd, 2012 | No Comments | Posted in General |

Cypress Community Festival is Looking for You!

Press Release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Reserve Your Cypress Festival Booth Space Now!

Get ahead of the pack and reserve your space at the 2012 Cypress Community Festival, to be celebrated this year on Saturday, July 28, at Oak Knoll Park in Cypress. There are available openings for Craft/Artisan, Non-Profit Organization Game, Non-Profit Organization Information, Non-Profit Organization Food, and Independent Specialty Corner booths. Each outdoors space is 10′x10′. Preferred location booths sold out early last year, and ALL booths were sold out even before the application deadline. Attendance for 2011 was estimated to be in excess of 30,000 people, making this Orange County’s largest one-day festival.

You can download and print an application form in under two minutes by visiting the festival’s website, http://www.cypressfestival.com. Simply click on “Vendor Information” in the Main Menu to the left of the page, and then select “2012 Booth/Vendor Info & Application”.

Booth categories and fees are as follows: Craft/Artisan – ONLY hand-crafted or artistically altered by the vendor. NO FOOD. $60.00 for a Cypress resident, $55.00 for a Cypress Resident Senior (60 and over), and $65.00 for a non-resident. Game – Non-Profit Organization; $55.00 for a Cypress resident, $65.00 for a non-Cypress-based organization. Information – Non-Profit Organization; $30.00 Food – Non-Profit Organization; $55.00. There is an additional $40.00 charge per outlet, for a total of 20 amps. The vendor must provide at least one 50′ heavy-duty extension cord. Generators are prohibited. Independent Specialty Corner – $75.00. A home-based business that does not have a storefront, retail location, kiosk, free-standing machine, vendor cart, etc. nor is affiliated with any commercialized or logoed entity. Anything other falls under the category of Commercial and would need to contact the Cypress Chamber of Commerce Office at 714-827-2430. After June 26, only cash or money orders will be accepted. The application deadline is July 14. For further information, call 714-827-2430, or visit the Cypress Festival website.

 Caption: The Marshmallow Blaster was a crowd favorite at last year’s Cypress     Community Festival. Courtesy photo.

 

# # #

You have the opportunity to establish a new client and a long lasting relationship by reaching out to the new resident population  shar.es/rXHqC    Need more exposure for your small business? Advertise with OCRG and Welcome Express!

 
[ More ] April 25th, 2012 | No Comments | Posted in General |

ivoke™ Partners with Her Interactive and RitzPix to Provide Personalized Product Solutions Through Branded Ecommerce Sites

ivoke Adds Channel Partners to Expand Value Proposition through the Delivery of Personalized Merchandise, from iPad Covers to Tote Bags 

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. – Mar. 27, 2012 – ivoke™, the personalization division of Liberty Synergistics, is pleased to announce partnerships with Her Interactive, a leading video game developer and publisher  known for its Nancy Drew mystery adventures games and apps, and RitzPix, a leading online imaging site that offers print services, online storage and personalized photo gifts. ivoke meets the varied needs of each channel partner, giving brands the ability to provide customers with new forms of self-expression, whether it be personalized photo gifts or merchandise customized with their favorite Nancy Drew games.

ivoke ensures brand continuity for partners such as Her Interactive through seamless integration with the ivoke ecommerce platform. Her Interactive can now engage its audience by offering customizable Nancy Drew game products through a skinned site. Her Interactive users can choose designs from their favorite Nancy Drew  game images or characters to create personalized merchandise, including iPhone cases, iPad covers, apparel, mugs, tote bags and pillow case covers. ivoke handles all product fulfillment, allowing all orders to  be produced and shipped to consumers in as few as 48 hours.

“We’re very excited to offer fans of our award-winning adventure series Nancy Drew game-based branded merchandise and gifts,” said Jared Nieuwenhuis, director of marketing, Her Interactive. “Our goal is to always meet the needs and expectations of our customers.  By partnering with ivoke, our fans can now purchase high quality merchandise of their favorite game title, cover art, quote or character.”

ivoke’s focus on empowering self-expression also aligns with another new channel partner, RitzPix, and its dedication to encouraging consumers to share, display and save all of life’s treasured memories. Through ivoke’s application programming interface technology and unique product offering, RitzPix.com customers can order custom merchandise incorporating their personal photos, and send these photos to print on a wide variety of merchandise, including an exciting new selection of iPhone covers, iPad cases, and aluminum high-definition wall décor.

By way of category management, specific to each channel partner, the ivoke team focuses on content that is appealing to each company’s customer demographic, and provides custom solutions that include delivery platforms via the web, mobile devices and kiosks. Liberty Synergistics’s 27 years as a supplier to the photo industry enables it to power the product fulfillment behind ivoke’s personalization technology platform. For more information about Liberty Synergistics and ivoke, visit www.ivokenow.com.

About Liberty Synergistics/ivoke™

Liberty Synergistics was founded in 1984, as a supplier to the imaging industry.  Doing business as Liberty Photo Products, the company rapidly evolved as the product line grew and diversified.  Liberty has expanded in recent years, through organic growth, a series of acquisitions and further diversification of the products it supplies, taking on the name Liberty Synergistics, Inc. in 2008. The company launched its personalization division, ivoke™ in 2011 to provide channel partners’ loyal followers with new forms of self-expression and the ability to memorialize life events. Through its divisions, Liberty currently serves national, regional, and independent retailers; mobile, web and kiosk application developers; and brand partners throughout the world looking for new revenue streams and new forms of self-expression for their loyal followers. For more information about Liberty Synergistics, please visit www.libertysynergistics.com and www.ivokenow.com.

About Her Interactive

Her Interactive is the leading mystery-maker and pioneer of fun and inspiring interactive entertainment. The company, with 24 awards to its name, designs, develops and publishes high-quality, mystery adventure games and apps, and is the world leader in the mystery games category. Her Interactive’s Nancy Drew games have sold more than 9 million copies. This success, in part, is buoyed by the ever-increasing numbers of girls and women becoming avid game players. Nancy Drew players now include moms who have introduced their daughters to the girl detective, making her one of history’s longest-running iconic figures spanning generations. As the number-one PC mystery franchise since 2004, unit sales of the Nancy Drew series have exceeded those of Harry Potter, Myst and Tomb Raider.

More information about the company and Nancy Drew games can be found at www.herinteractive.com.

Find Her Interactive on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NancyDrewPCGames, or follow Her Interactive on Twitter @HerInteractive.

About Ritz & Wolf Camera & Image
Ritz & Wolf Camera & Image is America’s premier retail destination for cameras and imaging. With a legacy of nearly 100 years, Ritz & Wolf Camera & Image is a leader in the exciting and evolving world of image technology. Always a leader in price and quality, Ritz & Wolf is ranked by Consumer Reports as a top five electronics store, and is the highest ranking destination for camera and imaging products based on service, product quality and buying ease. Ritz & Wolf Camera & Image is headquartered in Washington, D.C. and operates nearly300 stores in 36 states from coast to coast. RitzPix.com is the company’s online site for all imaging needs, and offers a range of products in one hour that is unrivaled anywhere in the world. Ritz & Wolf has dedicated its legacy to empowering consumers to share, display and save all of life’s treasured memories.

# # #

 Want more exposure for your business? Discover how we can put you in direct contact with the ever growing newcomer population in your area.  Call (949) 481-0600 or click to download our Media Kits and request more information.
[ More ] April 20th, 2012 | No Comments | Posted in General |

Sonic Emotion Adds Internationally Recognized Rajeev Kapur to Executive Team

 Image a leader who sends flowers to the spouses of every new hire to thank them for giving of their spouse’s time while he/she may have to work late once in a while, or a leader who has led and driven innovation and the overall strategic agenda, P&L and sales for entrepreneurial start-ups, multi-million dollar businesses, and Fortune 500 companies domestically and internationally.  Meet Rajeev Kapur…

CEO Opens U.S. Office and Furthers Company’s Efforts to Become the Standard in Sound with

Innovative Absolute 3D Sound Technology

IRVINE, Calif. – Feb. 29, 2012 – Sonic Emotion, the worldwide leader in Absolute 3D sound technology, is pleased to announce the addition of Rajeev Kapur to its executive team. With experience working in more than 20 countries, the seasoned high-tech executive brings expertise in B2B and B2C operations, business development, online sales, marketing and distribution. As CEO of Sonic Emotion, Kapur will oversee global operations and further the company’s efforts to become the international standard in sound with its innovative Absolute 3D sound technology. As part of the company’s expansion, a new U.S. headquarters has been established in Irvine, Calif., located at 4000 MacArthur Boulevard, Suite 900, in Newport Beach. The U.S. headquarters adds to the company’s locations already established in Zurich, Switzerland; Paris, France; Tokyo, Japan; and Hong Kong, China.

Kapur’s work over the years has earned him recognition and accolades at companies ranging from Dell USA and Dell China, to Gateway and SmartHome/SmartLabs. He was named Manager of the Year at Dell and built SmartHome/SmartLabs into the Best Place to Work in Orange County, as awarded by OC Metro Magazine.

Kapur earned a bachelor’s degree in International Business from California State University-Fullerton. He is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization, The Indus Entrepreneurs, and serves as chairman of Greenwala, Inc., a social networking and media company focused on building community, content and commerce.

Under the leadership of Kapur, Sonic Emotion is backed by a team of experts in international business, technology, audio and engineering. Sonic Emotion is not only committed to quality and innovation, but also culture. Kapur is a highly sought-after expert for his insight into establishing a winning company culture, turning failing businesses around, building international teams, and breaking into new markets.

Founded by audio experts, Dr.-Ing Renato S. Pellegrini and Dr. sc. techn. Matthias Rosenthal, Sonic Emotion’s Absolute 3D technology is currently used in sound bars, smartphone and tablet docking stations, and will soon be available in a multitude of consumer electronics devices. In January 2012, Sonic Emotion unveiled its first consumer app, Headquake®, and was an honoree for the Consumer Electronics Show Innovations Award. For more information, visit www.sonicemotion.com.

About Sonic Emotion

Founded in 2002, Sonic Emotion is the world leader in 3D sound entertainment for consumer electronics and professional applications. Beginning with the sound technologies originally developed for large venues, Sonic Emotion holds a number of worldwide patents and is established as the leader in research and application of audio processing technologies. Recognized as the standard in sound, Sonic Emotion applied its expertise in the field to offer a scaled down version of the technology to meet the demands of consumers. Sonic Emotion Absolute 3D solutions have been included in a growing number of home entertainment electronic products sold worldwide including sound bars, towers, DAB radios, docking stations and mobile phone applications. Sonic Emotion’s first consumer mobile app, Headquake, launched in January 2012 as the listening experience on the go. For more information, visit www.sonicemotion.com.

# # #

You have the opportunity to establish a new client and a long lasting relationship by reaching out to the new resident population.  shar.es/rXHqC    Need more exposure for your small business? Advertise with OCRG and Welcome Express!
[ More ] April 5th, 2012 | No Comments | Posted in General |

What’s Your CSP? (Challenges, Solutions and Potential)

Today’s post comes from Norm Bour, a blogger with the  NewportBeachPatch, CoronaDelMarPatch, and LagunaNiguelPatch. 

Norm is a 30 year veteran entrepreneur, specializing in creating workshops in partnerships with cities, chambers, nonprofits and associations. www.OPISnetwork.com

Every business—every person—runs into challenges on a regular basis. It’s how you react to them and learn from them that determines your direction. So let’s identify that process.

Challenges:

Whether they include lack of business, poor service from vendors, slow (or no pay) from clients, these things will crop up every day, in many cases several times a day. Life is full of challenges and the only way to defeat them is to confront them. Many times we tend to sweep things “under the rug” to coin a phrase, and that delaying tactic will virtually never pay off. Before you react emotionally you must assess the situation with calm and logic and determine the next step: Solutions

Every challenge has a solution. Always. The problem is that the solution may not be what you want or need.  And ego will many times stop entrepreneurs from changing their ways. My opinion is that out of control or stubborn egos will kill more businesses than any downturn in the economy.

So how do you find solutions? Sometimes you can figure them out but there are only three possible strategies:

  1. Do nothing. Yes that IS a solution albeit a poor one. But it is one that many of us take.
  2. Seek help. That can come from free resources, friends or paid professionals
  3. Implement solutions on your own. Most times that is instinct or gut feel which has varying degrees of success.

That’s it.

The one I prefer is No. 2 since it has the greatest likelihood of success. Put the ego aside and ask for help. Doing nothing is usually a crap shoot since the problem can sometimes go away on its own, but many times it lingers or even gets worse. There is lots of help available, more than ever before, and you can start with the most traditional, like SBA, SCORE or SBDC Centers, plus many associations have training and workshops on addressing various specific needs. At one time finding help was difficult, with few choices; today online support, web sites, meet-ups, entrepreneurial associations abound. Take advantage of them, especially if the self-employed market is new to you.

Following course No. 3 is also a common direction and the caveat is to remove yourself from the emotional reactions and work on the logical.

“What are the worse things that can happen?” is a question you must ask yourself all the time. As the saying goes, “Plan for the worst and hope for the best.”

And finally, on to the fun stuff: Potential

If your business has no potential or if you don’t know what it is you must STOP and reassess yourself and what you do. No one starts a business to be normal or mediocre so if you are an entrepreneur or business owner you must strive to be different, to be better than all your competition. If that doesn’t resonate with you then it would be wise to seek some outside help to find out if you really understand what you do and why you are doing it.

And this is where mentorship, support and incubators really accelerate you into the stratosphere. There are many ways to do things wrong, and just a few ways to do things right. Entrepreneurship for many years was a non-existant word and if someone ventured off to “do their own thing” they were many times criticized and shunned and thought to be deadbeats or lazy or even losers. Relationships and friendships have been damaged by being different, but the world is a different place and young entrepreneurship is creating very wealthy teenagers and even pre-teens in some cases.

Understand and embrace your CSP; find your potential. Reach your potential. Be different; be better and Persist without Exception.

Norm Bour – author, business strategist, nonprofit consultant

Success at Any Age: The Baby Boomer’s (and Gen Y) – Guide to becoming an Overnight Success

“We may lose confidence, but never lose hope”

####

**Need more exposure for your small business? Advertise with OCRG and Welcome Express!
[ More ] March 27th, 2012 | No Comments | Posted in General |

A shout out to OC Businesses…

A fabulous weekend event, OC Tastefest and OC Marathon, will be taking place May 5th and 6th and you can take part as a 2012 Event Sponsor!

Here’s the scoop on the OC Tastefest:

“Prepare your palate for a collection of culinary delights as we bring together restaurants from all parts of Orange County for the Inaugural “OC Tastefest”.  This event will showcase the diversity of global cuisine from dozens of our favorite OC restaurants in the “Heart of OC,” at the OC Fair and Event Center. The two-day food and wine festival will be held concurrent with the OC Marathon weekend and Cinco de Mayo, and will feature continuous live music on the “Tastefest Stage” located in the Hangar Building in the newly renovated Main Mall at the OC Fair and Event Center.  The event will also feature a family friendly area with games and activities for the kids!”

Here’s the scoop on the OC Marathon:

OC MARATHON begins at 5:30 am
OC HALF MARATHON begins at 6:15 am
OC WAHOO’s 5K begins at 7:30 am

“If you are interested in reaching tens of thousands at the event and many more through our extensive online and print media marketing campaign, please contact us to help you tailor a sponsorship to meet your company’s objective.”

A limited number of naming opportunities also are available.

Contact Info:
[ More ] March 22nd, 2012 | 1 Comment | Posted in General |

Free Online Advertising

In celebration of Orange County’s Largest Mixer, we here at Welcome Express would love to offer you an advertising special.  Join 160,000+ Orange County Businesses In Our Local City Directory!  Coupon expires April 21, 2012.
[ More ] March 21st, 2012 | No Comments | Posted in General |

Ok, Ok…I made a QR Code. Now what do I do with it?

Orange County Advertiser thanks Cal Coast Web Design for their guest blog post. Cal Coast Web Design is a flexible customer oriented company that helps you with every design and marketing detail of your web site.

Ok, Ok…I made a QR Code. Now what do I do with it?

You see them on mail, business cards, websites, banners, cups, t-shirts… there’s no escaping.  And you’ve scanned one or 2 on your smartphone because you saw others doing it too.  So you made your own QR code or had someone create some for you too.

NOW WHAT?!

Once you have your QR codes sitting around, there are a number of ways to utilize them as a marketing tool to expand your brand.  Whether it’s a link to a review site, a website landing page, form, your contact info, etc. Implement!

Here are some ideas for where to place your QR codes to get some action…

  • Business card
  • Your office or store front (what will I do while I’m waiting!?)
  • Email signature
  • Print marketing (banners, brochures, pamphlets, ebooks, mini disc labels, etc.)
  • Other Mailers (circulars, promos, coupons, etc.)
  • Promotional products (t-shirts, water bottles, mouse pads, screen cleaners, etc.)
  • Product tags
  • Invoices, Receipts, etc.
  • And Other Call-To-Action: buy now, sign up, even calendar, contact, social profiles, review & other landing pages, URL, etc.)
Reviews are such an important part of getting indexed well in local and organize search. Not to mention, they can certainly help with the decision making or conversion process. Make sure that you are using your QR code to inspire reviews (perhaps even add a little incentive.)

Need help making your QR code?
Want a fancy design including your logo in your QR code?
Need help brainstorming or consulting on how to use your QR codes?
Need help implementing them into your marketing campaigns?

Cal Coast has the team to help you get creative and attract conversions.

You can connect with Cal Coast at:

######

**Need more exposure for your small business? Advertise with OCRG and Welcome Express!

 
[ More ] March 15th, 2012 | No Comments | Posted in General |

Top 5 Tips for Creating Your New Letterhead

Orange County Advertiser welcomes Guest Blogger Jason Newmark, President of New Insight Marketing.

 

Your company letterhead captures the essence of your company’s purpose and style. It’s part of your overall brand and identity. Start by using these Top 5 proven and tested tips for designing an effective letterhead for your business.

1. Keep it Simple

Too many special effects overshadow your message of professionalism. Make a letterhead design for your company that most effectively serves the needs of your company. Do not over-use complex effects that call attention to themselves – use such enhancements sparingly.

2. Keep it Consistent

Letterhead should be an ongoing representation of all your other marketing collateral materials. Try your best to carry at least one consistent graphic element throughout all your design pieces. There are ways to do this with class and ways to do this with more flair. It all depends on the perception your want others to take away from your letters and written correspondence.

3. Use Color and Graphics Only as Needed

It might have worked there, but bold and beautiful rarely work here.  A general rule with letterhead is that less
is more. Remember, someone will be reading a letter, proposal, or contract and that is what you want to shine. Color should be used to emphasize the name of the company, and not placed here and there to fill up space. Blank white space is important too!

4. Design Letterhead that is Readable

Letterhead showcases the name of your company, which means the choice of font size, color, and style are all important variables. Stay away from those fancy fonts! You want the name to stand out, not the font. It’s generally a good idea to make the company address within the letterhead a smaller font. You can also try
using a different font to generate visual interest.

5. Add Only the Necessary Details

What do you want your customer to know from looking at the letterhead? You’ll want the company’s name, phone number, physical address, and email address, but not much else. Leaving out extra information will keep the look of your letterhead clean and readable. And make sure the information on the letterhead is correct!

About Jason Newmark

Jason is a Marketer, Brand Enthusiast, Relationship Builder and Guest Blogger. He places value on people not customers. Jason helps companies connect with people to create loyal supporters. As president of New Insight Marketing, he has more than 14 years of experience bringing BIG strategies to small and medium sized business.

You can connect with Jason here:

Or contact him directly at jason@newinsightmarketing.com

######

**Need more exposure for your small business? Advertise with OCRG and Welcome Express!

 
[ More ] March 6th, 2012 | No Comments | Posted in General |

Recent Post

Most Popular

Popular Today