KING SIGNS & GRAPHICS

Full service Commercial Sign Shop & Electrical Sign Contractor (C-45) with digital printing and Full Service installation and maintenance capabilities. Innovative - Creative - Effective

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30 Unique Holiday Promotions for Your Small Business

The holidays will be here before you know it. But instead of panicking about how much there is to do before then, get excited! There’s still plenty of time to plan a creative holiday promotions calendar and make an impact on this year’s profits. Tons of little (and big) holiday promotion ideas are out there to leverage in your brand’s marketing efforts as the end of the year approaches. We offer must promotional items, contact us for a FREE quote today at [phone] or email us at [email protected] - Alright, here are some of the most fun ways to create buzz around your company:

1. Film a fun holiday YouTube video. Video is all the rage when it’s catchy enough. Get your staff members together and create a themed video about your business – holiday focused or not. Share it using your social media channels, and show your customers how fun and personable your business is.

2. Create 2018-19 calendars with your business’s name on them. Better yet, stage a mini photo shoot with your employees at your shop and fill out a whole calendar of high quality images. This could keep your business top of mind with customers all year round. Call us for a free custom quote on calendars!

3. Offer holiday treats in your store. Shoppers work up big appetites, so help satisfy those empty stomachs with cookies and other bites. If nothing else, hot cider will make your store smell just like the holidays!

4. Host a holiday themed Twitter posts. The post can be focused on either something your business excels in that consumers might want to ask you about or just on holiday trivia to get people in the spirit and interacting with your brand.

5. Offer Halloween and Thanksgiving cards. It’s never too early to get people in the giving spirit. Call us for a quote on custom cards!

6. Deck your store out with seasonal touches. Play up the fall harvest theme during October and November, and once Thanksgiving rolls around, spin the focus to winter.

7. Hold a photo contest on your Facebook page. Encourage your fans to send in photos of themselves using your product or at your store or doing something related to the holidays. Be sure to have a giveaway prize for the winner. Like us on Facebook @ KingSigns209

8. Start having holiday lunches. If you have business clients, take them out for holiday lunches as a personal touch during the season to show them how much their business means to you.

9. Encourage donations. Get involved in a food drive or Toys for Tots and prominently display a donation station at your store. It’ll get people in your door that might not have come by otherwise and will show that your brand is community minded.

10. Amp up your logo. Hire a graphic designer (King Signs) to put a holiday spin on your logo for the season. Call us for a free quote to add a holiday spin to your company logo!

11. Extend your hours. Shoppers are out longer and later trying to squeeze in every last gift. Do them a favor and stay open later. You won’t regret it. During the holiday season, please call us for our office hours.

12. Add a themed touch. You can build out your website’s homepage to feature a holiday theme. Do the same for social media channels.

13. Organize a caroling group. Include employees, customers, friends, and family, and offer your store up for a pre-caroling shopping session beforehand.

14. Run holiday email campaigns. Email is a great way to put your products and services right in front of customers where they might not otherwise look for themselves, especially at a time when they’re ready and raring to spend.

15. Make the most of partnerships. Partner with other local merchants and help drive traffic to one another’s stores.

16. Get sporty. Organize a group to run the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving, or get involved in another local, fun sporting event.

17. Bring the tunes. Hire a live band to play during busy hours and help put shoppers in a fun mood. The sounds of music will also bring people into your store from the street.

18. Make it festive. Play holiday music from the local radio station or a holiday Pandora station.

19. Set up a gift certificate display. Busy shoppers or those who aren’t sure what to get someone on their list will gladly grab a gift card or two. Contact us for a free quote on gift certificates!

20. Be flashy. Wave a holiday banner or flag outside the store to catch the eye of passerby. Contact us for a free banner/flag quote!

21. Offer complimentary shipping. Oftentimes, it’s even more valuable than a discount.

22. Encourage future purchases. Hand out coupons valid for the New Year to get customers coming back after the holidays and boost those usually slumping January sales. Spend $50 and get a 10% coupon with King Signs, plus more ways to save (Military, Church and Senior discounts available).

23. Feature pre-wrapped gifts. This helps simplify things on your customers’ end, so they can make it to that holiday party on time without having to stop at home and wrap. Ask us about gift wrapping.

24. Create gift baskets. If your store offers products from local vendors, create gift baskets themed with a local touch so members of the community can share some of where they’re from with loved ones out of town.

25. Offer free treats or games for kids. They can get cranky this time of year being dragged around on shopping trips. Help give their parents a break, so they can focus on browsing your store.

26. Take care of the little details. Set up a free gift wrapping station for shoppers who are on the go.

27. Get tech-y. Hire a developer to create a holiday app for your company to feature all your holiday items or make online shopping easy for them when they’re on the go.

28. Make it even more special. If you’re a restaurant, feature holiday specials on your menu such as winter themed desserts and alcoholic beverages. Ask us about how you can get free to-go menus!

29. Deliver gifts locally. Help your customers save time on pickup by dropping off their gifts with a smile and a thank you note for choosing your business. Ask us to drop off your purchase!

30. Add some eye appeal. Lastly, don’t forget a holiday window display with the products you expect to be most popular and will catch the eye of everyone passing by your store. Contact us for a free quote on your store front or window signage!

Being creative with small business promotion ideas during the holidays has a lot to do with having fun. So enlist the help of family, friends, and employees, and start brainstorming even more ways to create the perfect holiday shopping environment for your business.

[kingsigns]

art and SCIENCE BEHIND LED SIGNS/DISPLAYS

LED is short for light-emitting diode. An LED sign is made up of a series of individual bulbs that are connected by integrated electronic circuits. These bulbs act as pixels for the display.

The Science Behind LED Signs

LED bulbs light up when electrons move along inside a semiconductor. These bulbs work together through an integrated display monitor, and that gives the sign the appearance of height and length.

It’s a Control Thing

The more pixels an LED sign has, the more control you have as a user. LED signs also let you get creative with color. You can highlight numerous colors in your sign or combine colors to make new combinations. With this level of creative control, the possibilities are limitless.

The Art Behind LED Signs 

LED signs and message boards are an extension of your branding and décor. They can be integrated into monument signs or affixed high up on a pylon sign for better visibility.

LED signs provide high impact communications that can be easily and frequently changed. This is especially helpful for retail businesses, churches, hotels and restaurants. High-resolution signs are ideal if your guests will be close-up. To catch passing traffic, medium or low-resolution signs are recommended.

If you want to make the most of text, monochrome LED signs are just the trick. If enhanced content management and creative options are what you’re after, LEDs deliver here as well.

Get the LED out

If you want to make the most of text, monochrome LED signs are just the trick. If enhanced content management and creative options are what you’re after, LEDs deliver here as well.

Get the LED out

LED signs provide more control, more options and are more likely to get noticed. If you'd like to have the freedom to change your message whenever you need to and the technology to make high-impact communication possible, then there's an LED sign with your name on it. Or, there certainly could be. To learn more about LEDs and why they may be a great fit for your business, Contact us today [phone]

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Signage 101: How to Clean Metal Print Signage

Handling or hanging a custom metal photo print can result in unwanted fingerprints or smudges. Keeping a metal print clean and free of smudges, fingerprints, and dirt is important in maintaining the crisp image of the photo. There are a few ways in which you can clean the surface of a metal print without fear of damaging your print in any way – all of which are inexpensive and time friendly.

Let’s walk through your options of how to clean a metal print to get rid of those pesky fingerprints or smudges while not damaging the actual print.

How To Clean Your Metal Print

To properly and safely clean a metal print, use a streak-free cleaning solution and a non-abrasive cloth to remove fingerprints and smudges. Wipe from the middle of the print towards the edge to ensure your metal print is streak and dirt free.

Let’s examine each of the components of cleaning a metal print in a little more detail.

Cleaning Solutions

For a cleaning solution, the most important part of selecting your solution of choice is to use one that will not damage the color nor metal itself. There are several options that accomplish this, as seen below:

Water – Water is a quick and easy solution for cleaning surface dirt from the metal print, but typically leaves streaks or smudges.

Glass cleaner – any streak-free glass cleaner works for cleaning off surface dirt and fingerprints.

Isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol – use a small amount of isopropyl alcohol with a non-abrasive cloth to clean fingerprints off of your metal print. The alcohol dries streak free, leaving your print shiny and new looking.

Do not use bleach or heavy duty cleaning solution as they could damage the surface of your print.  

We recommend using Windex to effectively clean the surface of your metal print because of its ability to remove streaks and fingerprints without any hassle.

Cleaning Cloth

When selecting a cloth the most important thing to keep in mind is to choose a cloth that will not smudge the surface of the print or leave dirt particles behind. Microfiber and lint-free cloths are excellent options as they are designed not to leave behind particles. Non-abrasive cloths such as this can be found on Amazon or at your local supermarket. Likewise, ensure there are no small rocks or other material that may be dragged across the surface of the print when cleaning to avoid scratching it.

Avoid using hand towels, paper towels, or tissues to clean the surface of your print; doing so will leave unwanted streaks and lint particles. Though in most cases these common household materials will work but will require a little extra wiping to get rid of of those annoying lint particles. Steel wool and other abrasive cleaning tools are obviously not suitable for metal prints. These abrasive rags will permanently and irreversibly damage the surface of your metal print.

Cleaning Technique

We recommend cleaning your print after hanging or displaying it to remove any fingerprints or smudges that get on it during the hanging process. This way your displayed print will be perfectly clean no matter where you hang or display it.

To clean, lightly dip the non-abrasive cloth into the cleaning solution of your choice (water, isopropyl alcohol, or glass cleaner) or use a spray bottle to very lightly spray the metal print with the solution. Be careful, too much cleaning solution may cause streaks to form! Use the cloth to carefully remove dirt or fingerprints by slowly cleaning outward from the center of the print. This will help push any hard-to-remove dirt toward the edge of the print where it will be easier to remove. If your print is hanging on a wall, make sure to not dislodge it from the wall during cleaning.

If it is easier to clean your print before it is hung or displayed (it almost always is!), handle your print carefully after cleaning to avoid any fingerprints from appearing on the edges. Use non-abrasive cloths to handle the print while moving and hanging it to ensure that it is left pristine for displaying. You can always take the print down, clean it and then re-hang it by handling with a cloth to avoid the few smudges that may occur.

The quality of the metal photo print helps to prevent smudges and fingerprints from being visible but, if needed, cleaning them is incredibly easy, making smudge and fingerprint removal a breeze. There’s no need to worry about smudges ruining the quality of your print, just follow the steps given above and you’ll have your gorgeous print clean in less than a minute!

Here’s a quick detailed video link to view;

https://youtu.be/SqEbSzowZAs

[kingsigns]

Wall Prints Photography and Design Guide

What are Signs For Home Products?

Our Signs For Home products are specifically designed with home decor and photography in mind. Combine unmatched printing quality and unique, versatile material options and you have yourself the best interior design solution on the web. All of our Signs For Home products are crafted to give your photos incredible clarity and a long-lasting finish that can be the centerpiece or addition to a beautifully decorated area.

Our home decor lineup includes canvas prints, metal prints, matte and glossy photo prints, and metallic photo prints. Each material has unique qualities that enhance printed photos and add one-of-a-kind design to your home.

Canvas Prints

Create simple, beautiful works of art using canvas prints. Canvas is a commonly used material for printing photos because of the canvas’ absorbent properties and cost-effective production. The result is an exceptional canvas print that’s easily hung or mounted, and can be incorporated into any interior design scheme. Whether you’re an expert photographer or you’re just looking to professionally display your family photos, canvas prints are an impressive addition to your home decor.

Photography tips and image quality

Canvas is an excellent surface for printing family portraits, scenic photographs, and inspirational quotes and images. Though simple in nature, canvas provides an excellent surface to create lasting prints, much like museum-quality paintings. The material itself has a semi-gloss appearance, giving your photo a slight sheen without visible glare (no glare means image quality will not be affected by direct light).

Printing photos or images on canvas results in a different image quality than if you were to print on photo paper. Though the image is clear and crisp, the texture of the canvas is noticeable when viewed up close. This means that small, finite details might be absorbed by the texture of the canvas. With that in mind, we recommend using high-quality photographs to ensure detail is still visible despite material texture.

Colors appear vibrant on the canvas material without any dulling or fading, so there should be no worries of lack of contrast or colored image quality. Black and white images will appear clear as well, though the white portion of the image will not be covered in ink

Canvas sizes range anywhere between 12”x12” to 36”x24”, giving plenty of options for wall placement in any size room.

Decoration Ideas*

Image courtesy of Pinterest

Combining different sizes of canvas prints to decorate your wall can help transform an empty space into an area with life and vibrance. There are limitless ways you can display a grouping of photos on your wall, including random arrangements that step outside the boundaries of conventional square or rectangle arrangements. Make sure not to overcrowd your walls with photos (overwhelming the room with images can be a visual nightmare).

Image Courtesy of Pinterest

Small canvas prints can be easily displayed on shelves, coffee tables, or nightstands. Miniature prints are ideal for seasonal decoration and smaller rooms (bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen areas).

*Photos seen in these images can be replaced using our canvas prints.

Metal Prints

Metal seems like an odd material for printing photos but, in actuality, it’s an ideal choice for creating durable, rigid works of art. We like to think that the unconventional metal print is a hidden gem for photographers because of its impressive image clarity and resolution. The ink is infused into the .045” aluminum, resulting in an image that is scratch resistant and has an unrivaled life span. This also means you’ve got yourself a photo print that can be handed down through the generations.

Photography tips and image quality

With ink infused into the aluminum, photographs will have a rich color palette. Think of metal prints as 4K quality tv images – incredibly sharp with unmatched detail. With that in mind, we recommend using metal prints for landscape images and detailed close-ups. Though, any type of photo will appear in beautiful vibrance.

When purchasing metal prints it’s important to consider the different options available:

White Matte – Metal fabricated with a white face. Matte provides no sheen.

White Gloss – Metal fabricated with a white face. Gloss adds sheen and increases vibrancy.

Brushed Matte – Metal with a brushed metal look. Matte provides no sheen.

Brushed Gloss – Metal with a brushed metal look. Gloss adds sheen and increases vibrancy.

Decoration Ideas*

Image courtesy of Pinterest

Whether it’s a family photo or an image of scenery, metal prints will give greater longevity and vibrancy to the image. Whites become more brilliant and darker colors pop from the print, enhancing any space in your home. Prop up metal prints on tables, nightstands, or counters to enhance the atmosphere of any room.

Image courtesy of Pinterest

Decorate bedrooms or offices with smaller metal prints, adding to the functionality of smaller spaces.

*Photos seen in these images can be replaced using our metal prints

Metallic Prints

You may be scratching your head as to why we offer both metal prints and metallic prints, while asking yourself, “Aren’t they the same thing?” In short, no. There are a few differences between metal and metallic prints. As noted above, metal prints literally infuse your photograph into the .045” aluminum material. Alternatively, metallic prints are a special archival photo paper that has a metallic look. That paper can be mounted to our ½ inch ultraboard to give it rigidity.  

Photography tips and image quality

The metallic properties of the print will enhance light colors (yellows, oranges, light blues, etc.) more so than darker colors. The shining effect will be more evident with such colors (it is still visible with darker colors).

Decoration Ideas*

Image courtesy of Pinterest

Combine multiple metallic prints to create a single image or scene. Allow metallic prints to work with other design elements in a room; doing so will help create a theme or consistent motif in your home.

Image courtesy of Pinterest

Smaller metallic prints are perfect for desktop displaying using an easel or stand. Display family portraits or inspirational images using metallic prints, bringing out image details and adding design elements to your desk or side table.

*Photos seen in these images can be replaced using our metal or metallic prints.

Wooden Prints

Modern, wooden prints are becoming a staple for interior design. Elegant simplicity is the key to the rise in wooden print use for home decor; the brilliance of the natural, maple wood veneer combined with your photo will add warmth to any room of your home. Deciding on wood prints comes down to your preferred design style. If you’re looking for a modern, natural look, then we highly recommend incorporating wood prints into your home decor.

Photography tips and image quality

The wood grain in each individual print is one-of-a-kind because of the variances in the natural wood grain. You can lighten your photos to allow the wood grain to be even more visible; this emphasizes the natural appearance of the wood. One way to bring out the grain is by using photos with areas of very light or white coloring. Black and white photos also work great for this reason.

Decoration Ideas*

Wood prints are versatile in home decor use. Utilize wall space in larger rooms by combining multiple wood prints to form a picture display. Larger displays are great for family photos or scenery shots. Incorporate glossy or matte photo prints around the wood print to further enhance the unique quality of the wood, providing contrast to normal photo prints.

Image courtesy of Pinterest

The versatility of wooden prints allows for wall-mounted display in any room. As we mentioned before, lighter colors allow the wood grain to show through the actual image, adding a unique, natural quality to your print (as demonstrated by the above photo).

Image courtesy of Pinterest

Playing around with wooden print sizing opens the door to displaying in tight spaces or large areas. Place prints in book shelves, on easels, or hang them on doors. Since wood prints have a semi-gloss appearance, direct light will reflect off of the surface. Darker colors will be harder to see in direct light because of this.

*Photos seen in these images can be replaced using our wooden prints.

Photo Prints: Matte and Glossy

Matte Photo Prints

Matte prints may seem like your typical photo print, but when used correctly in design they can add just as much prominence as any other photo print. Photo prints are simple, yet cost-effective ways to display professional style photographs in your home. With matte prints, the image will be printed on archival photo paper that has a matte, non-reflective surface. Vibrant, saturated colors are printed digitally, giving your photo an unparalleled look.

Photography tips

Matte photo prints are specifically produced to allow rich colors and details to be visible in well-lit spaces. Unlike glossy prints, matte photos will not reflect light, giving you the flexibility in printing images with bright colors. Colors will not be washed out or faded in direct light, nor will there be any loss of clarity in the image. We suggest brightening your photos before printing to ensure that details and colors pop from the photo.

Glossy Photo Prints

Professionally printed glossy photos give your image an ultra clear appearance. The sheen of the photo paper aids in lightening dark areas of your photograph, enhancing the brilliance of the print. Glossy photos are perfect for mimicking the quality of the digital image used. With a vast range of print sizes (anywhere between 4”x6” to 4’x8’), there are limitless design and positioning possibilities.

Photography tips and image quality

As we mentioned above, glossy photos are perfect for dimly lit photos. As with all glossy products, light will reflect off of the surface, producing glare in brightly lit locations. When considering glossy prints, plan on where the photo will be displayed to ensure that the image is not washed out by direct light.

Decoration Ideas*

Image courtesy of Pinterest

Large photo prints can be displayed as centerpieces to your room decor, no matter the style of your home decor. The matte appearance will reduce glare, meaning these prints can be displayed in rooms with natural or fluorescent light. We recommend displaying glossy photos out of direct light (avoid placing across from a window) in order to maintain the clarity of the design or image.

Image courtesy of Pinterest

Prints can be arranged in picture frames or as standalone images. Smaller prints are ideal for seasonal images or portraits, while larger photos can be the mainstay image on your wall.

*Photos seen in these images can be replaced using our matte and glossy photo prints.

Ready for Printing

Your photo design and home decor needs will be satisfied with the use of any of our Sign For Home products. With a variety of materials and ways to display your print, there is no shortage for interior design ideas. If you need any help choosing a material or are in need of photo uploading or editing, contact us at [email protected] or call us at [phone].

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What's Your Biggest Time Waster at Work (and what to do about it)

Whether it's email, staff interruptions, or boring phone calls, you can dramatically reduce the cost of these time wasters by leveraging this simple time tactic...

What is your biggest time waster at work? Is it:

A. Phone calls?

B. Meetings?

C. Email?

D. Staff interruptions?

If you are anything like the 353 U.S. business owners my company Maui Mastermind surveyed you're likely answer is "email" (57%), followed by either "phone calls" or "staff interruptions" (tied at 17% each).

Regardless of which of these four time wasters currently costs you the most, all of them can be minimized by using a powerful time tactic. This time tactic is simple to apply and will dramatically reduce these costly interruptions and keep yourself focused on your most valuable activities.

Create a Focus Day

A "Focus Day" is a specific day of the week where you carve out a 3-4 hour block of time in which to work on your highest value activities without interruption.

This could be sitting down to write up that key proposal you've been procrastinating on; or scheduling a top customer visit; or meeting with your leadership team to create your coming quarter's 90-day action plan.

The key is that during your Focus Day you schedule out, far in advance, a definite appointment with yourself, blocked out on your calendar, and that you don't stand yourself up.

For example, one of my business coaching clients Brian sets aside Tuesday's as his Focus Day, blocking out 8-11am for his high value producing work.

I personally set aside Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays as my Focus Days (yes I feel taking three Focus Days each week best serves my company and helps me create the most value I can for my organization.) If you were to look at my Outlook calendar you'd see a recurring appointment I've set up called "Focus Day" from 8-12 on each of these days through the year 2020.

When you have a Focus Day, every non-Focus Day becomes a "Push Day". Your Push Days are all the other days of the week that you use to just "push" your normal projects another step forward. Focus Days help you create long-term impact on your business; Push Days help you keep your day-to-day operations rolling forward.

Your Focus Day gives you a large block of time that you can rely on to be interruption free.

Here are a few more suggestions to make this technique work for you learned by watching several hundred business coaching clients over the past decade apply this strategy in their business lives:

Avoid the first or last day of your work week for your Focus Day. Too many urgencies need your attention on those days. So if you work Monday through Friday, avoid using Monday or Friday's as your Focus Day. As a general rule you'll find it easier to honor your Focus Day commitment if it comes midweek.

Enlist your team's help. Communicate your need for help to your staff so they understand both what you are doing and how it will help the business succeed. When your team understands how important Focus Days are to the company's ability to achieve its goals, they will rally to support that effort.

Consider suggesting your key team members to take their own Focus Day too. You'll quickly see the positive increase in production this will bring.

Control your environment. Get out of your office and away from distractions. Interestingly enough, productivity expert Gloria Marks, a professor at the University of Irvine, California, shared in an interview with Fast Company that one of her keys to getting focus time was to stay out of the office. "I stay home," she shared, explaining that it is the best way for her to avoid a steady stream of interruptions. Maybe you can't stay home, but during your focus time could you work from a quiet conference room? How about a local café? I often head to the lobby of a nice hotel here where I live in Jackson Hole Wyoming.

Bring only the key project(s) you want to work on for your Focus Day. One component of willpower is controlling your environment to best support you. Leave the other work and distractions behind. That way, you couldn't work on them even if you wanted to.

Focus on creating value. Remember that Focus Days aren't about being off by yourself--they are about focusing on your top value producing activities that truly create results for your company. For many people this can mean meetings, phone calls, or critical e-mail. It's not time off or time away from the hard work; the key distinction is that on your Focus Day you are primarily doing your value producing activities.

[kingsigns]

We can certainly say, this campaign has definitely generated a lot of printing. #powerofprint #Election2016 #signage #signs #print2016 #campaign

[kingsigns]

Are Too Many Businesses Focused on the Wrong Thing?

Why getting customer experience right is important.

I keep hearing that Customer Experience, or Customer CX as those in the know call it, is the latest battleground in the fight for customers and market share.

When companies talk about Customer CX they usually talk about how customers experience their companies, their customer journey, and the customer service that they experience throughout many touchpoints customers have with the company.

Many spend million putting strategies in place to improve the customer experience in an attempt to retain customers and to increase their market share.

But is this the right thing to be focused on?

Maybe not when you look at the performance of these two companies:

Subway has been lauded by many as offering a great customer experience and yet has encountered revenue decline problems. Losing 4.3% in 2015 and a similar amount the year before, and yet ranked 12/294 on the Temkin Customer Experience Survey. They provide an excellent customer experience and yet revenue is dropping.

Whereas Spirit, an airline which has regularly come towards the bottom of every customer experience measured, is one of the most profitable brands in its sector and is gaining market share. They ranked 284/294 on the Temkin survey and still reported 2016 Q1 revenues of $538.1m which was a 9.1% increase on the previous year.

When you take a closer look at Spirit and the feedback from customers regarding their experience it evokes a lot of negative emotion.

"Never again" is phrase that you hear a lot.

They are one of the most disliked airline brands in America.

They rank at the bottom of the American Customer Satisfaction Index, the lowest Net Promoter Score and have, by far, the greatest number of customer complaints.

Market research company Fraction did a Twitter survey of 70 airline brands, evaluating 1.3 million tweets and as far as customer experience is concerned, Spirit came out rock bottom. Nobody did worse.

Surprisingly, Spirit are not alone when it comes to companies who offer a poor experience yet still manage to increase market share and profits, so how can this be?

I asked Charles Bennett, Chief Customer Officer at Customer Experience World, if there was any explanation for what was going on here.

"Companies still believe great customer experience is one of the main success factors for great business performance, yet only 3% of Companies are succeeding in Customer CX, in the eyes of their customer?"

"Customer Experience in business today is like icing on a cake - the icing makes the cake taste better, but it does not fundamentally change the cake or its basic ingredients."

"So what's the missing factor?

It's all about customer outcome - which is part of what I term the new wave of customer experience thinking. Now this doesn't mean that companies should now switch all of their focus to customer outcomes, but it has to play a much bigger part. To be more successful businesses need to adapt to a new way of doing Business Process Management through Outside-In thinking.

Where Outside-In thinking is a way of managing an organization by understanding and delivering Successful Customer Outcomes PLUS the experience associated with those outcomes."

If you want to increase revenues and market shares, then you need to be focused on improving the cake as well as adding the icing.

One of the challenges with this is understanding exactly what outcomes the customer is looking for because often they themselves will lump experience in with outcome when asking them what they are looking for.

It can be quite an involved process to fully understand outcome, but for those companies that can get this right and ensure that they deliver both the outcome, and the experience, they will be well positioned for both success and continued growth.

[kingsigns]

How Smart Leaders Build Trust

The chairman of JetBlue explains how a high-trust culture makes a better company (and life). 

 Joel Peterson could have written his first book on any number of topics. As treasurer, CFO, and then CEO of Trammell Crow Co., the world's largest private real estate development firm, he helped craft countless deals. As the founder of Peterson Partners--a private equity group with $1 billion in investments--and JCP Capital, he has become a savvy judge of companies and entrepreneurs. And as chairman of the board of JetBlue and a director at dozens of other companies over the past 35 years, he is an expert on corporate management and governance.

Yet Peterson, the Robert L. Joss Consulting Professor of Management at Stanford Graduate School of Business, chose to write about trust.

"I believe that trust is more powerful than power itself," explains Peterson. "It supports innovation and flexibility, and it makes life more enjoyable and more productive. People who live in high-trust environments thrive."

Peterson defines trust as a giving up of control, at some level, to another person. His book, The 10 Laws of Trust, which he wrote with David Kaplan, explores the mechanisms of trust creation in organizations. "You have to be intentional about building a high-trust environment. It doesn't just happen," he says. "It's just like diet or exercise."

Peterson provides three tests for deciding who to trust. The first is character. "We can't trust a leader without integrity, who we can't count on to do what he or she says," he explains. Next is competence. You trust your mom, for example, but would you trust her to fly a 747 to London? The third, he says, is authority to deliver. There's no point in trusting a pilot to fly to London if she doesn't have permission to take off.

"It's folly to trust anybody if all three aren't present," Peterson says.

But encouraging trust in an organization is more than exhibiting it at the top level. Leaders must also learn to trust their followers. "Leaders empower followers through trust," says Peterson. "And by empowering people, they create a virtuous cycle of productivity and flexibility and innovation."

Peterson's 10-point codex is intended to guide leaders as they seek to raise the level of trust within in their organizations. Trust-building requires rigor and intentionality. It also requires a realistic mindset that admits that inevitably something will happen that damages trust, like in 2007, when JetBlue passengers on a flight to Cancun got stranded for eight hours on the tarmac at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport.

"Trust and betrayal are two sides of the same coin," Peterson notes, "and you need to start out understanding that there is a risk of betrayal. But I make the argument that it is worth the risk and that there are ways to limit it."

One way to limit this risk is through accountability. Clear accountability is a necessary feature of a high-trust culture, Peterson says. If people don't know what is being measured, then they don't really trust. They're cautious and wary. "When I've got managerial responsibility, I say, 'Here's exactly what we're trying to do. Here are the deliverable’s. Here's the time-frame. Here's the budget. Let's remain accountable to each other.' Because the more accountable we are to each other, the higher trust goes."

What should you do when trust is betrayed? "You have to fix it," he says. "You need to apologize. If it's early on in the game, you can correct things. You can provide direct feedback." On the other hand, there are certain betrayals that are so serious that you're really better off parting ways. It may not be worth fixing if the value differences are too great, the priorities are too different, or the betrayal is too profound.

"In all betrayals of trust, however, there's a healing process that you have to go through," Peterson says. "The most important thing to do is forgive. Forget it and start thinking about the future."

As a deal-maker, Peterson has found that special care must be taken to create and preserve trust during the negotiation process. We've been trained to think of negotiations as a zero-sum game, and the whole negotiating process is geared that way, he says. "But by holding onto the notion of win/win, and 'solving for fair' and listening hard enough, I've often found that I can give the other party what they want at a price that's right," he says. "So I'm prodding and trying to figure out something that works for the other party as well as for me. If you can do that, you can create trust right up front."

Creating and building trust requires a consistent effort, but Peterson is convinced that it is worthy work for leaders. "Flying the way that I like to fly, you do run some risks," he admits. "You have to expect there will be betrayal, and you have to overcome that. You have to be careful about who you go into business with. You have to be rigorous about following the laws of trust. But it's a better way. It's a more excellent way of living a life."

Joel Peterson is a consulting professor at Stanford GSB. Learn more business lessons at @StanfordBiz.

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9 Sales Strategies New Business Owners Should Look to Emulate

You don't need to be a slick salesperson to demonstrate the value of your product to potential customers.

Once you've launched a minimum viable product and are gearing up to offer your new business to the masses, you'll want to consider what avenues are the most lucrative means of reaching your target audience. While mistakes are almost inevitable along the way, knowing the fundamentals of good sales techniques will help get you on track.

Nine entrepreneurs offer their best advice for new business owners just starting to get their feet wet with sales.

1. You learn a lot through open-ended questions.

We use open-ended questions when speaking with potential customers to learn about their business needs and pain points. Remember, you are selling a product should help them be more efficient in their jobs.

Through questioning, you can learn whether they're looking to boost sales, increase productivity, or anything else pertinent to developing the best solution for them.

- Laura Johnson, Salty Girl Seafood

2. Listening is more important than talking.

As a salesperson, you should always be doing more listening than talking. I typically follow the "80-20 rule" when speaking to a prospect: I explain our product specs for 20 percent of our meeting, then listen to their feedback and pain points for the other 80 percent of the time.

Within that 80 percent of time, I typically get all the information I need to determine if our offerings are a good match for the prospect.

- Tim Grassin, Candy Banners

3. Sales is about solving problems.

Sales is not about "closing" leads; it's about solving problems. You're not trying to convince a person to make a decision. Rather, when you sell to someone, you believe your solution can truly help them, and you're simply giving them the information they need to make that decision for themselves.

Focus on solving people's problems and being helpful to them, and you'll sell well.

- Claire Lew, Know Your Company

4. Good sales is about great storytelling.

The key to a successful sale is the story behind the product. Regardless of what you're selling, what really draws customers in is the sales narrative. Why is this product or idea so important? And how will it benefit them?

Salespeople must tell a story that engages potential customers. More importantly, they must be able to tailor the story to fit each client's needs and expectations.

- Joshua Moe, Odigia

5. You can't win them all.

Be ready to grow a thick skin, if you don't have one already. There is no way to win every sale, deal, or partnership.

Regardless of whether you're the best company for the job, sometimes your leads will choose someone else. Move on to the next one, and you'll be better off.

- Ben Walker, Transcription Outsourcing, LLC

6. Nothing is real until it's in writing.

You can get all the promises in the world, but they mean nothing without a written and signed contract. The best intentions and the most earnest of customers are meaningless if they don't pay up.

You need a contract, and so should they. It will protect everyone. Be sure to also have dated invoices with payment deadlines. Invoice factoring is unpleasant to deal with for any business.

- Ben Gamble, Quincus

7. Feedback is fundamental.

Sometimes there isn't always a demand for what you originally thought up, but your future customers will give you constructive criticism about what you should focus on.

While this might not be the response you had hoped for, be open: they're actually helping you shape what is likely to become an even better iteration of your original idea.

- Jessica Baker, Aligned Signs

8. Selling is a consistently evolving strategy.

As technology changes and different people fill procurement roles, our sales strategies have evolved to assure we can maintain a high level of quality leads to our sales teams.

Because of this, we create an ongoing dialogue with existing customers to better understand their ideal process to procuring services such as ours. We then communicate those insights to everyone who participates in sales.

- Justin Moodley, LASANAN

9. It's OK to say 'no.'

Early in the sales process, I ask the prospect to be up front with me and let me know if they are interested in moving forward or not. I ask for a yes or a no -- no "maybes."

Giving them permission to say no puts them at ease, because they know they have that option. This works well for me, because it eliminates anyone who's on the fence without any hurt feelings.

- Business Collective / Bryan Driscoll, Think Big Marketing, LLC

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Content Marketing Ideas You Haven't Though of Yet...

There are way cooler ways to connect with customers than just another blog post.

Content Marketing is old news by now, so chances are good you've read about its benefits and set up a blog to share your or your company's wisdom. That's great. But after awhile, let's be honest, it can also get kind of repetitive.

Coming up with new ideas for posts week in and week out is challenging (trust me on this one). Plus, if you're bored of your blog posts, chances are pretty good your audience is less-than-inspired too.

You might think you just need a little inspiration to get over your writer's block (or the money to hire someone to write posts for you), but according to a super useful new post from 500 Startups' Susan Su, the solution might not be a new writing muse. Instead of racking your brain for fresh blog post ideas, why not broaden your conception of what content marketing includes, she suggests.

Su goes on to offer a monster list of 19 content marketing ideas that aren't blog posts that any content-challenged entrepreneur will appreciate. Some of the ideas are probably not for everyone (you might not have time for a book or to organize a conference, for instance, and if you were going to do a podcast, you probably already would have), but others are an inspiring reminder of just how creative you can get with your content marketing. Here are a few to whet your appetite.

1. Speak at a conference.

Yes, this does count as contenting marketing, Su insists. "You get to swoop in, create some stuff that someone ELSE is going to record and distribute for you, and let them stack all the chairs long after you've dropped the mic," she notes. Also, one speaking engagement tends to lead to more (assuming, of course, you're good, so it pays to invest in honing your speaking skills).

2. Host a meetup.

You might not have time to organize a whole conference (though Su insists this is a total ninja-level content marketing move), but surely you could swing a meetup. It can be quite effective, a fact Su knows from personal experience.

"When I was at Inside Network, a startup that sold data and content to Facebook Platform developers back when that was still a thing, we organized a party in conjunction with f8 (Facebook Developers' Conference) that generated lines around the block and a LOT of inbound for the core business," she recounts. "The main 'content' created was in the curation of the invite list, and it self-distributed because it piggy-backed off of the brand marketing, audience, and location of f8."

3. Become a columnist.

Jump on in, the water's fine! I can personally attest to the pleasures of being a columnist, but Su is pretty eloquent on the benefits for content marketers specifically. "When you write your own column, you are presenting your own thoughts in your own words, and if done right, positioning yourself as a thought leader and sending interested attention back to your own property," she writes.

"Guest posting is a good start, but it shouldn't be the end. Instead, plan out what your series of thematically related content is going to be, and make it an ongoing column instead," she suggests. Just make sure your content is offering real value to readers and isn't thinly disguised self-promotion, please.

4. Teach a class.

Aside from being good karma as you pass along your wisdom, teaching a class is also a solid content marketing tactic. Su offers the hugely popular classes offered by VCs such as Steve Blank and founders like Dharmesh Shah as one example of this approach done right -- students learn cool stuff and teachers raise their profile and introduce themselves to possible future entrepreneurs or customers.

5. Offer a downloadable spreadsheet.

"Spreadsheets are attractive because they are pure utility. Who doesn't want something that promises them a shortcut?" asks Su. "A classic example of a spreadsheet-as-content-marketing is Noah Kagan's Quant Based Marketing spreadsheet that he used to model out the Mint launch tactics." Kagan gathered tons of high-quality email signups off the back of this spreadsheet, she notes.

Be honest, is your content marketing getting a little stale? What new approaches might spice it up?

By Jessica Stillman

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6 Secrets to Success From Silicon Valley's Top CEOs

What we learned from Peter Thiel, Instagram's Kevin Systrom, Facebook's Chris Cox, Y-Combinator's Sam Altman and more

Last week, I was invited to speak at the Khosla Ventures annual CEO Summit to share what eatbigfish has learned about how challenger brands compete with the big fish. The theme of the summit was "taking risks," and the speaker line-up was so strong that I had to attend the entire day and a half event.

Here are some things that struck a chord with me, and make a useful checklist for start-up founders and entrepreneurs to run through.

1. Hard prune to stimulate growth

The gardeners among you will know how pruning stimulates growth, and start-up founders know it too: Instagram's Kevin Systrom spoke about the need to be "very strict about doing fewer things better," even if that frustrates your talented people. And he referenced Jack Dorsey's belief that product editing is the main function of Product Managers. Chris Cox credited the rapid growth of Facebook in its early days to having just one big initiative per year: one year was to get high-schoolers onto the platform, the next year businesses, and only then to push beyond the English language.

It can seem counterintuitive to do less in the quest for more growth, and clearly the trick is in choosing the right things to cut and commit to. But the key question to ask is, Are you making the tough choices about where to focus? Could you create energy and momentum by cutting more?

2. Turn red oceans blue

The prospect of having no one to compete with in warm, blue waters is a very seductive prospect for any business leader. Peter Thiel of Founders Fund laid out his three fundamentals for making such a monopoly: find a small market that you can quickly take over, create a very sticky product, drive marginal costs to zero. Such business strategy fundamentals are often overlooked in the Valley, he feels, when they can be predictive of huge cash flows in the long-term.

But blue oceans aren't easy to see and create. Chris Cox noted that many people questioned Facebook building a social network when we already had MySpace! And, "everyone assumed photos were a red ocean" said Kevin Systrom, and that "there was no money to be made in books and mugs."

But Instagram made sharing photos from mobiles much faster and created a blue moment in that red ocean. "It was mostly luck and timing," Systrom said, YouTube and video was the hot new thing, and no one else was paying attention. Then suddenly all those new connected cameras on mobile phones enabled more photo sharing than ever before. A set of filters made the photos look a lot better, and then network effects kicked in. Instagram fulfilled a need no one else had seen.

And this underscores another theme of the summit: the importance of need finding. Instagram may have been lucky, but they created their luck by being more in tune with customer needs. Every organization will tell you they are customer-centric, but few are as intimate as they need to be to anticipate needs before a customer can articulate it.

This kind of customer empathy that IDEO and the Stanford d.school teach as part of their design thinking method thrives in corners of Silicon Valley, and is something all entrepreneurs must develop. Get closer to your customer, and you may preserve what Vinod Khosla calls the "founders instinct"--an almost innate sense of what's coming next.

3. Don't remake today's stuff with tomorrow's technology

Autodesk President and CEO, Carl Bass, described the kind of "generative design" that is now possible when we allow the software to iterate thousands of possible solutions to a design brief in order to arrive at the optimal solution. With costs below 2 cents per CPU hour, we can now analyze every aspect of a design problem, and try endless permutations and new models.

Using this approach, Autodesk has been able to create far stronger, yet much lighter jump seat fixtures on an aircraft, for example, saving money on fuel costs. And has iterated its way to far lighter and stronger racecar chassis.

Interestingly, when the machines are freed from the built-in biases and path dependencies of conventional approaches and try out countless new permutations, they will often come up with the elegant, fluid, organic forms that seem to mimic nature--the kind of deep structures that Kevin Kelly has noted when describing the biology of machines. The chassis design was quite beautiful.

The Autodesk team uncovered a number of specifications in the airline jump seat brief that were simply no longer necessary when using new materials in new ways. Challenging the old specs allowed them to further reduce the weight of their jump seat design by fifteen per cent.

The larger point here is about the shortcomings of imagining the future using the models of today. Just as the earliest TV shows resembled filmed radio productions, so many of our ideas about how to use AI, VR and so on, are limited by our mental models of how the world works now. The entrepreneur must work hard to show these biases and assumptions and challenge them. This is a way to get to the blue ocean first.

4. Create something people love

Y-Combinator's motto used to be "make something people want." But after reflecting more on what created success, changed it to "make something people love." What all start-ups need in the early days are evangelists who will spread the love.

This shift from want to love may seem like a subtle one, but it's everything in an age where most of our basic wants are already taken care of. Love cuts through.

And love is measurable. Dheraaj Pandi, CEO of Nutonix, described his firm's desire to make beautifully simple user-experiences in the enterprise software space that people would love using. With design that is "intentional, opinionated, and delightful" his firm has a net promoter score of 92.

5. Develop a powerful narrative, and make the slogans real

Business success is always obvious in hindsight, but at the outset, people will rejoice in telling you why you're bound to fail. This is why it's so helpful to have, as Chris Cox's Facebook put it, "a narrative to combat the idea that what we were working on was not something dumb." Facebook's narrative from the beginning was about connecting the world. Y-Combinator is on a mission to enable the most innovation in the world.

A number of speakers addressed the importance of a strong purpose; the fabled need to start with why. This purpose will help you rally the troops when the world seems against you, and it will help you attract and keep the talent you'll need to sustain the mission. People are meaning seeking.

But that purpose will also guide decision-making. "You have to make the slogans real," Sue Desmond-Hellmann, now CEO of the Gates Foundation, but long time Genentech scientist, said. "At Genentech, we did the right thing for the patient, always," she said. "Belief and reality matched."

6. People matter most

For an event that mostly featured people with brilliant technical chops and disruptive business models, it was striking just how many spoke about the importance of people and culture in building a great business.

"The most successful CEO I know," said Y Combinator's Sam Altman, "takes his top ten leaders to dinner once a month for a one on one conversation." This is a massive time commitment, but one that keeps that CEO connected to the business, and more importantly, that keeps the key people connected to the founder, whose time they crave.

Uber's Ryan Graves talked about how they had learned from Amazon's bar-raising method to make sure they only recruit the best people. Bar-raisers are those people who excel at recruiting. They are expected to take part in recruiting for positions all across the company, which takes a huge amount of their time. Bar-raisers are expected to advocate for the right candidates, but also have veto power.

Wharton professor, Adam Grant, implored the audience to support Givers (those who will generously give their time and attention to helping their peers succeed) over Takers. "Get the right people on the bus," he said, creating a culture of generosity is essential to success. The only thing more essential, however, is "getting the wrong people off the bus." Takers can poison your entire culture.

Grant's research found a strong correlation between "commitment cultures"--where people are willing to commit to the vision and values--and getting to IPO. He also flagged the importance of "psychological safety"--building a culture where people are not afraid to challenge leadership if they feel they need to correlates well with growth.

The 6 key take-aways:

Do less, achieve more: what few things that really matter?

Turn red oceans blue: anticipating needs requires deep customer empathy

Don't plan the future based on today: throw out your dated assumptions

Satisfying a want is not enough: create something people love

Make the slogans real: develop a narrative, and let it guide all decisions

People matter most: Hire Givers and get the Takers off the bus

By Adam Morgan & Mark Barden

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6 Inspiring Quotes That Will Leave You Feeling Empowered

Being an entrepreneur is tough no matter how you slice it, but these inspirational quotes can keep your eye on the prize.

Business  success takes a ton of grit. Use these motivational quotes, interpreted for the  entrepreneur, to stay focused and ahead of the pack.

1. "In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It goes on." - Robert Frost

Mistakes in business can feel bigger in the moment than they are in the long term. Instead of taking it all personally and letting fear of incompetence or failure cripple you, stay rational, learn and adapt.

2. "The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress." - Joseph Joubert

A difference of opinion is a learning opportunity, not a chance for you to prove you're better than everyone else. Consider others and find common ground.

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3. "Everybody has a secret world inside of them...unimaginable, magnificent, wonderful, stupid, amazing worlds...thousands maybe." - Neil Gailman, "The Sandman"

Even the lowest level employee can have a great idea and a perspective that changes everything. Be inclusive and give as many opportunities for feedback as you can.

4. "If you chase two rabbits, you will not catch either one." -- Russian Proverb

Don't stretch yourself too thin chasing too many endeavors. Be self-aware and focus instead on the projects you're most passionate about that have the greatest likelihood of success.

5. "One day, someone showed me a glass of water that was half full. And he said, 'Is it half full or half empty?" So I drank the water. No more problem." -- Alexander Jodorowsky

Conformity is for surviving in social herds. In business, though, you survive by thinking "odd" and doing what no one expects. It's okay to let paradox become just another name for innovation.

6. "Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." - Martin Luther King Jr.

Business people often want to plan out everything because they want to minimize risk. But you cannot foresee all. You cannot predict to 100%. Your vision will adapt as the market adapts. So pick a direction and just do something.

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GROWING A BRAND WITH TRADE SHOW DISPLAYS AND RETAIL SIGNAGE

Jun 07, 2016 by Amy Bramhall

The Challenge

Garden on the Wall wanted to increase awareness at its retail location, educate prospects about their products and show off what their brand can provide for events. The company uses preserved moss, eucalyptus, ferns and other plants to create beautiful, natural vertical gardens.

The Solution

FASTSIGNS® provided dimensional letters and logoed signage to brand the exterior of Garden on the Wall’s retail center. An interior sign and engraved plates were designed by FASTSIGNS to help point out and educate on the different types of plants on the retail displays. The FASTSIGNS team wrapped the company van with vehicle graphics to help increase brand visibility on the road and during deliveries.

The next step was to brand the trade show display. FASTSIGNS designed a stand-alone wall and counter for the display. Then, FASTSIGNS worked with Garden on the Wall to make it more impactful by adding acrylic dimensional “ornaments” that communicated the low maintenance benefits of a Garden on the Wall.

The Result

The owner of Garden on the Wall, Mine’ Hisin was very pleased with the results and said, “I didn’t know exactly what I needed, but FASTSIGNS took the design lead. They came back with several options and took care of everything on the technical side and installation. Everything looks great and the van wrap has been turning heads.”

The new, educational retail displays resulted in Garden on the Wall growing their client list to include Starbucks and Hilton. Garden on the Wall has been building a presence in various markets by bringing their exhibit to events. The booth was a finalist for best large exhibit at the Boutique Design New York trade show out of more than 500 booths

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“HUSTLE” Why Every Entrepreneur Should Live By This Word.

HUSTLE!

Ever heard the expression, “go knock on a few doors” if you want to get something accomplished?

When you have passion around something, you’ll do whatever it takes to execute on it. You’ll work and grind away until you’ve squeezed every last bit of juice out of that ‘lemon.’ When you’re truly in that hustle, you are maximizing every last bit of energy you have in order to produce.

Sure, people say they’re “hustling” all the time, but are they really?

I’m blown away by people who say their “hustling to achieve these great things,” when in actuality their actions don’t match. It’s like wanting to lose weight and sneaking away to scarf down a Big Mac. It’ just not going to work.

Hustling is putting every minute and all your effort into achieving the goal at hand. Every minute needs to count. There is so much hustle in my day I don’t even have a second to spare to “hang out” and catch up with the people around me. It may not be ideal for most, but it’s what I’ve signed up for, it’s what I love, and it’s what allows me to get the things done that I seek to accomplish.

Many of you often ask for ways to increase engagement around your content.

Short answer: Hustle.

Long answer: Make sure you’re putting out quality product. Once you know that you’re hitting the right notes with the content you’re putting out, you need to put your efforts into business development. You need to knock on the right doors, understand where you’re trying to take your efforts, and hustle until there’s not a single ounce of juice left.

And so, when an opportunity presents itself, pounce on it. HUSTLE.

Be mindful of the environments and conversations you want to get involved in and be sure that you’re offering them value in exchange for what you want from them, which is likely exposure.

Remember that although you may be hustling to push your business to the top, you need to be respectful of those helping you along the way, and there’s no better way to show respect and appreciation, than in providing value.

So the question remains — are you willing to hustle to make it happen?

Are you willing to work 15+ hours a day to get it done?

Can your business develop?

Can you do what it takes to take your business to the top while also providing value?

In today’s world, there’s so much room and opportunity to bring value to somebody, but it’s never going to happen if all you care about is yourself. Stop being romantic. Put out great work and hustle. Wake up before everybody else and work those long hours. Emotionally and executionally, make the commitment to yourself and to your legacy that you’re willing and ready to go ALL-IN.

“Hustle is waking up the day before you die and realising you gave it your all.” – Gary Vaynerchuk

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4 Helpful Designing Tips

The following are some tips to designing effective business signs.

Clear message. If it isn’t clear in the company’s name, try to make sure your sign conveys what services or products your business provides. But keep it short and simple! Pick highly visible colours. Colour is a major factor in how effective a sign is at attracting attention. You do not want your sign to blend in! Decide on a colour as part of your brand identity and use it consistently in signage. Be careful not to pick a “trendy” colour that could one day go out of fashion. You don’t want to get a new sign in 10 years!Readability.  Make sure your sign is readable! Remember that some of your audience is driving by quickly so avoid clutter and using fancy fonts. Choose an easy to read font such as Arial or Helvetica. To make the type and images in the foreground stand out, choose a colour that contrasts well with the background colour! Signs that really stand out are usually yellow and black. Choose an appropriate sign size for how far away your audience will be! General rule of thumb is 10 inches of sign height per foot away. Alignment.  Alignment is what makes a sign look professional. Use imaginary horizontal and vertical lines to keep objects on the sign aligned with one another. Don’t’ align everything horizontally center. This makes the sign look sloppy and informal. Create unity through repetition. Repeat colours and shapes on your sign to create a sense of unity. This should also be true across multiple signs if your business has room for more than one. For example, if you have a pylon and fascia signs.

Remember, the key is to make a sign that is attractive, legible, and stands out! And you need to be proud of it too! We hope these tips help you with this endeavour! If you are in or near the California Central Valley area, contact us at 209-726-4845 or if you are not local, contact us toll free at 888-726-4845 or via E-mail [email protected]

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7 low-cost Marketing Strategies To Implement Now

You know it’s going to take a marketing push to meet your sales goals this year. But your budget is tight and you’ll need to use your imagination to make it. Where to start? For many business owners, marketing doesn’t come naturally. They lurch from one tactic to another without a clear idea whether the efforts are going to pay off in higher sales. Normand Coulombe, BDC Business Consultant in marketing, has advised scores of small and medium-sized businesses on how to improve their marketing. He offered some time-tested, low‑cost techniques to improve your marketing and help you reach your goals. 1. Conduct a survey It’s critical to create a marketing plan before moving on to tactics. And the first step in developing a marketing plan is to understand who your target customers are and what they want from your company. Coulombe suggests a good way gain a better understanding of your customers is to conduct a survey about your products or services. If you can’t afford to hire a research company, do it yourself by creating a short questionnaire and recruiting existing and prospective customers to participate. 2. Pamper your existing customers Coulombe says it’s typically five times as expensive to make a sale to a new customer as it is to an existing one. So make sure you’re not neglecting the people who already know and trust you. Coulombe suggests taking your best customers out to dinner or golf and using the opportunity to ask them about how to improve your business. You could also personally write to your top 10 customers to thank them and tell them they’re part of your new loyalty program or invite them to sneak preview of your latest product. 3. Commit to online marketing The Internet provides you with an inexpensive 24-hour virtual storefront. You can build relationships with prospective customers by offering them high-quality content on your site such as blogs, how-to articles, videos and a newsletter. Extend your reach by using social media. But Coulombe cautions: "If you’re not willing to devote six to eight hours a week of an employee’s time, you’re better off going with a simple, well-designed website." 4. Use all your real estate Your building and surrounding land or sidewalk are great places to put up signs and banners. And don’t forget to use your vehicles as moving billboards. But remember: Your images and messages should focus on what you’re selling, not your company’s name. 5. Work at public relations Coulombe says a media story about your company is 25 times more valuable than an advertisement because of the credibility it confers on your business. But in this era of media cutbacks, it’s harder than ever to attract journalists’ attention. Keep in mind that they’re looking for a compelling story to tell. So help them by letting them know about your innovative product, unusual customer contact or high-stakes gamble that paid off. And keep at it—building relationships with the media will pay off. 6. Turn employees into ambassadors Your employees are part of the community and have all sorts of contacts that could help you. How about inviting employees and their extended families to a fun event at your business? You may find you get new word-of-mouth business or hear about a potential new business partner. At the very least, your team will come back to work on Monday feeling energized. 7. Give back By sponsoring a hockey team or participating in a charity drive with a cheque and a collection jar in your lunch room or by the cash register, you’re not only doing your part for the community, but also generating goodwill with customers and prospects. Other entrepreneurs are reading Entering new markets: Gray Tools How greening your business can save you money How to find markets for your new product

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ADVERTISING TIPS

Advertising is one of the most important components of your marketing strategy because it helps you promote your business and provides an effective way to communicate with your customers. Listed below are some helpful tips to keep in mind when you are developing an advertising campaign for your business.

THINGS TO DO

Familiarize yourself with the government rules and regulations for marketing and advertising.

Fully and clearly disclose all pertinent details for the promotion, product or service that you are advertising.

Use illustrations that are the same as the product being sold.

Charge the lowest of two or more prices that appear on a product.

Make sure that you have reasonable quantities of any products you are advertising at a bargain price.

When holding a contest, disclose all details required by the Competition Act before potential participants are entered.

Make sure that your sales staff is familiar with these "Do's and Don'ts". Your business can be held responsible for representations made by employees.

Only use the words "sale" or "special" when the price of a product has been significantly reduced.

THINGS TO AVOID

Avoid confusing "regular price" or "ordinary price" with "manufacturer's suggested list price"; they are not the same.

Don’t use "regular price" or "ordinary price" in an advertisement unless the product has been sold at that price for a substantial period of time or a substantial volume of the product has been sold at that price.

Make sure that you don’t run a "sale" for a long period of time or repeat it every week.

Don’t increase the price of a product or service to cover the cost of a free product or service.

Avoid making any claims about a product or service unless you can prove them, even if you think they are accurate.

Don’t sell a product above the advertised price.

Remember not to delay the distribution of prizes when running a contest.

Avoid fine print disclaimers. If you do use disclaimers, make sure that the message of the ad and the disclaimer are not misleading.

Avoid using terms or phrases in an advertisement that are not meaningful and clear to the ordinary person.