We needn’t tell you that business today isn’t what it used to be. And we don’t want to be presumptuous or oversell our ability to help make things better (or at least keep them from getting worse). But our years of marketing communications experience, including having been through similar conditions before, gives us a perspective we’d like to share.
Pare expenses, spare investments. It’s easy in a time when income declines and costs rise to want to cut back on everything not immediately essential. Need we say lack of discrimination can be risky?
Truth is, some activities, marketing communications among them, are only a temporary drain on resources. Because they are investments in generating future business, they have the potential of ultimately bringing in several times their outlay.
Right now is also a good time to be making such investments. The more the economy declines and competitors retrench, the greater the impact and potential rate of investment return (ROI).
So while scaling back some marcom activities might be appropriate, cutbacks shouldn’t be drastic. Too much too soon is not only penny-wise and pound-foolish now, it will make it more difficult and costly to regain market momentum and share later on.
Re-think strategies and tactics. We are not, however, recommending business as usual. Rather, this is the time for reviewing and modifying marketing communications plans and priorities.
Strategically, concentrate on short-term, hard objectives, the type more likely to generate immediate sales, not longer-term, soft ones, which are more effective in market positioning, branding, and share protection. This is also the time for focusing more on retaining existing customers (better immediate profitability), less on finding new ones (better future profitability). Also, when you should be spending less on growing your markets, more on making sure you at least maintain your share of existing markets.
Tactically, less focus on qualitative features and top-of-the-line products, more on quantitative features and products that can offer demonstrably better values. Also, appealing to the tendency of recession customers to be less inclined to experiment with unfamiliar products or suppliers, more likely to stick what they are familiar with. In short, modify your materials to accent familiarity, reliability, durability, safety, and performance.
Maintain visibility. There are three related points that have greater significance during a business recession.
The first is that customers forget just as rapidly. Without constant reminders they will fail to remember an organization, products, or features. And the cost of reestablishing awareness later is high. Simply, it is less expensive to maintain awareness than create it all over again.
The second point is that awareness is enhanced when materials are consistent in style and message. So any modifications in strategy and tactics must retain the same family appearance. This is not the time for a style change.
The third is that when activity falls below a certain level (the customer awareness threshold) the return on investment is so low as to not be worth doing.
Learn from history. It’s an old adage that those who don’t learn from the past are condemned to repeat it. During a business slowdown we see this in three ways.
1) Organizations that make too few or too late adjustments to their marketing communications activities squander away scarce resources.
2) Those that cut back too drastically end up paying a heavy price in lost market momentum and share when business returns to normal.
3) Only those organizations that modify their strategies and tactics while continuing promotional activity weather a recession with the least damage.
It is well documented in business histories and case studies that organizations that maintain at least a moderate level of promotional activity during a recession, when competitors are cutting back, get the highest return on their investment, and stand to improve their market share when the recession ends.
We suspect you would like your organization to be in this category. And we’d like to help you get there.
For more information please contact Candice Champion, Vice President, candicechampion@agcinc.org or call 216-661-2550
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Paper Expert Releases Free eBook on Common Paper Myths
Sabine Lenz, founder and creator of PaperSpecs has released a free eBook titled Top Five Paper Myths Exposed. The eBook reveals common paper myths such as:
1.) How to determine is a No 1 sheet is really better than a No 2
2.) What it really means when a paper is a mill item
3.) Whether an ECF sheet is as good as a PCF or TCF sheet
4.) How to determine if a plain "recycled" sheet is goof enough
5.) The crucial distinction between a paper's brightness, whiteness and shade
PaperSpecs is a site dedicated to helping paper professionals stay current with new paper and paper trends. Download the free eBook today!
1.) How to determine is a No 1 sheet is really better than a No 2
2.) What it really means when a paper is a mill item
3.) Whether an ECF sheet is as good as a PCF or TCF sheet
4.) How to determine if a plain "recycled" sheet is goof enough
5.) The crucial distinction between a paper's brightness, whiteness and shade
PaperSpecs is a site dedicated to helping paper professionals stay current with new paper and paper trends. Download the free eBook today!
FSC Trademarks & Logo Use
There has been some recent confusion regarding FSC Trademarks and Logo Use.
In order to use any FSC Trademarks, including the FSC logo, initials "FSC" or phrase "Forest Stewardship Council" on a printed piece the printer must have chain-of-custody certification. On product logos are obtained from the FSC certified printer. Without this certification, no claims can be printed regarding the FSC-certified content of the paper.
For more information please contact FSC USA or AGC.
In order to use any FSC Trademarks, including the FSC logo, initials "FSC" or phrase "Forest Stewardship Council" on a printed piece the printer must have chain-of-custody certification. On product logos are obtained from the FSC certified printer. Without this certification, no claims can be printed regarding the FSC-certified content of the paper.
For more information please contact FSC USA or AGC.
Deinking Digital Prints & Paper Recycling
Printing Digitally has many advantages such as reducing overprint (did you know AGC can print as few as 100 pieces and as many as 100,000+?), accuracy (if you maintain an accurate database), storage costs (did you know if you print a project with AGC we will store it for you at no cost?), and others.
Some digital printing processes also have clear disadvantages compared to conventional offset and gravure printing: They lack good deinkability in the paper mill. Even small amounts can have a big effect in the mixture that a paper mill processes every day.
Deinking is the key process in paper recycling. Hydrophobic (water-repellent) ink particles are separated from hydrophilic (water-wettable) fibers. This process has been developed for offset and gravure inks which are roughly more than 95% in the current recovered paper mixture.
Different printing processes can not be sorted apart manually or automatically which creates problems when they cannot be removed in the process and accumulate in the system. The accumulated ink particles attach to the paper fibers and stain the sheets (similar to a red sock getting mixed in with your whites) or worse yet, leave large dirt specs within the sheet. This leads to enormous amounts of energy and significant fiber losses.
If your organization supports the 3R's: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle you may want to reconsider a digitally run project. Contact AGC for more information.
Some digital printing processes also have clear disadvantages compared to conventional offset and gravure printing: They lack good deinkability in the paper mill. Even small amounts can have a big effect in the mixture that a paper mill processes every day.
Deinking is the key process in paper recycling. Hydrophobic (water-repellent) ink particles are separated from hydrophilic (water-wettable) fibers. This process has been developed for offset and gravure inks which are roughly more than 95% in the current recovered paper mixture.
Different printing processes can not be sorted apart manually or automatically which creates problems when they cannot be removed in the process and accumulate in the system. The accumulated ink particles attach to the paper fibers and stain the sheets (similar to a red sock getting mixed in with your whites) or worse yet, leave large dirt specs within the sheet. This leads to enormous amounts of energy and significant fiber losses.
If your organization supports the 3R's: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle you may want to reconsider a digitally run project. Contact AGC for more information.
3 Free Design Tools
1.) Loren Ipsum Generator
Free and in 32 languages, the Lorem Ipsum Generator will produce placeholder text of any length you want simply by specifiyng the number of paragraphs, words, bytes or lists.
2.) Font Identification
Save yourself hours of scrolling though a font manager or squinting at a type spec book with the free What the Font typeface identification service. Simply upload a decent-quality black and whie image containing type and this service will locate or the closest cousin to the font.
3.) Stock Photos
The Morgue File contains thousands of high-resoluton digital stock photos that are completely free for either public or corporate use. Search by keyword, phrase, author or date and then download at no charge.
This story was adapted from an article on 10 Free Online Design Tools for you. For the complete article visit PaperSpecs.
Free and in 32 languages, the Lorem Ipsum Generator will produce placeholder text of any length you want simply by specifiyng the number of paragraphs, words, bytes or lists.
2.) Font Identification
Save yourself hours of scrolling though a font manager or squinting at a type spec book with the free What the Font typeface identification service. Simply upload a decent-quality black and whie image containing type and this service will locate or the closest cousin to the font.
3.) Stock Photos
The Morgue File contains thousands of high-resoluton digital stock photos that are completely free for either public or corporate use. Search by keyword, phrase, author or date and then download at no charge.
This story was adapted from an article on 10 Free Online Design Tools for you. For the complete article visit PaperSpecs.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Direct Marketing & Customer Segmentation
The use of customer segmentation and data for better targeting, efficiency and ROI is a leading trend in direct marketing today. The more accurate and targeted the database, the higher the response rate. The higher the response rate, the better the marketer's ROI. The key is maintaining list hygiene and identifying market segmentation.
Market segmentation is the segmentation of markets into homogenous groups of customers, each of them reacting differently to promotion, communication, pricing and other variables of the marketing mix. Therefore, every segment can be addressed with an individually targeted marketing mix.
Typically marketing strategists consider the 4P's: Product, Price, Place, Promotion and possibly some additional "Ps" such People, Processes and Product Interest. When preparing your marketing strategy or marketing mix follow these steps:
Market Segmentation
1.) Identify the customer's needs and market segments
2.) Develop profiles of resulting market segments
Identify Target Markets
3.) Evaluate and rank each identified segment
4.) Select the best target segment or segments
Positioning
5.) Identify the different advantages in each segment
6.) Develop and select positioning concepts to attract the identified segments
Marketing Planning
7.) Develop a marketing mix for each segment according to the chosen position (advertising, print, direct mail, interactive, social media, etc.)
Have you considered how best to position your message to address and satisfy customer needs?
Market segmentation is the segmentation of markets into homogenous groups of customers, each of them reacting differently to promotion, communication, pricing and other variables of the marketing mix. Therefore, every segment can be addressed with an individually targeted marketing mix.
Typically marketing strategists consider the 4P's: Product, Price, Place, Promotion and possibly some additional "Ps" such People, Processes and Product Interest. When preparing your marketing strategy or marketing mix follow these steps:
Market Segmentation
1.) Identify the customer's needs and market segments
2.) Develop profiles of resulting market segments
Identify Target Markets
3.) Evaluate and rank each identified segment
4.) Select the best target segment or segments
Positioning
5.) Identify the different advantages in each segment
6.) Develop and select positioning concepts to attract the identified segments
Marketing Planning
7.) Develop a marketing mix for each segment according to the chosen position (advertising, print, direct mail, interactive, social media, etc.)
Have you considered how best to position your message to address and satisfy customer needs?
Marketing Article in COSE Update by AGC
Check out the latest edition of COSE Update and enjoy the marketing article titled "Sustainable Communication Checklist" written by AGC!
Environmental issues have taken center stage over the past few years, and there is a “green” shift in the communications industry to minimize or neutralize environmental impact. A sustainable strategy, implemented correctly, will communicate your company’s environmental commitment to your target demographic and create more value to stakeholders.
Working collectively with your marketing firm or design agency to determine the most efficient use of your resources before, during and after production will help reduce the size of your footprint on the natural world.
When preparing your next marketing communication project ask yourself how you can be more environmentally conscious. Today, ‘green’ printing alternatives maintain the same or greater level of quality in comparison to traditional (non-eco-friendly) materials. In addition, a recent study conducted by the Centre for Sustainable Communications found printed communications has less of a carbon footprint than electronic communications, trading a renewable resource (trees) for a non-renewable resource (fossil fuels used in energy production).
Print can actually be more environmentally friendly than electronic media, but there are opportunities to make it even more so. We’ve developed a list of Best Practices for Sustainability in Your Communication Projects.
• Choose 100% post consumer waste (PCW) or 100% virgin FSC or SFI fiber. Virgin fiber coming from certified, sustainable forests has a softer impact on the carbon footprint then most recycled sheets.
• Choose paper that is processed chlorine free (PCF).
• Choose non-toxic soy- and vegetable- based inks and varnishes.
• Choose products and materials that are manufactured with renewable energy.
• Choose local materials
• Choose local vendors that utilize renewable energy (to save on transportation waste).
• Choose certified vendors that have been verified to offer Forest Stewardship Council and Sustainable Forestry Initiative Chain-of-Custody.
• Choose to label your printed communication with the FSC or SFI logo. Use of these logos creates a positive image for your company.
• Choose a graphic design firm that adheres to sustainable practices and maximizes resource use.
• Choose to keep an open discussion with your team about project impact related questions.
Eco-friendly design can be cost-efficient, environmentally sensitive and beautiful.
Environmental issues have taken center stage over the past few years, and there is a “green” shift in the communications industry to minimize or neutralize environmental impact. A sustainable strategy, implemented correctly, will communicate your company’s environmental commitment to your target demographic and create more value to stakeholders.
Working collectively with your marketing firm or design agency to determine the most efficient use of your resources before, during and after production will help reduce the size of your footprint on the natural world.
When preparing your next marketing communication project ask yourself how you can be more environmentally conscious. Today, ‘green’ printing alternatives maintain the same or greater level of quality in comparison to traditional (non-eco-friendly) materials. In addition, a recent study conducted by the Centre for Sustainable Communications found printed communications has less of a carbon footprint than electronic communications, trading a renewable resource (trees) for a non-renewable resource (fossil fuels used in energy production).
Print can actually be more environmentally friendly than electronic media, but there are opportunities to make it even more so. We’ve developed a list of Best Practices for Sustainability in Your Communication Projects.
• Choose 100% post consumer waste (PCW) or 100% virgin FSC or SFI fiber. Virgin fiber coming from certified, sustainable forests has a softer impact on the carbon footprint then most recycled sheets.
• Choose paper that is processed chlorine free (PCF).
• Choose non-toxic soy- and vegetable- based inks and varnishes.
• Choose products and materials that are manufactured with renewable energy.
• Choose local materials
• Choose local vendors that utilize renewable energy (to save on transportation waste).
• Choose certified vendors that have been verified to offer Forest Stewardship Council and Sustainable Forestry Initiative Chain-of-Custody.
• Choose to label your printed communication with the FSC or SFI logo. Use of these logos creates a positive image for your company.
• Choose a graphic design firm that adheres to sustainable practices and maximizes resource use.
• Choose to keep an open discussion with your team about project impact related questions.
Eco-friendly design can be cost-efficient, environmentally sensitive and beautiful.
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