MACtac Graphic Products, Stow, Ohio, is helping businesses expand the possibilities for untapped advertising space. StreetRap delivers the perfect short-term advertising and promotions vehicle for retailers, schools, public buildings, sports and other entertainment venues, and is ideal for outdoor events, grand openings and even plant safety messages. Featuring a 3.4-mil construction, StreetRap’s aggressive high-tack adhesive was designed for short-term applications for unsealed, outdoor, pedestrian concrete, asphalt and cinder block surfaces. It is also great for indoor concrete graphics, such as trade show or convention center floors, as well as selected smooth to slightly rough wall surfaces. Incorporating MACtac’s PERMACOLOR PF6300—a durable, slip-resistant 5.0-mil clear
Marketing and Sales
Since the Beginning, two types of salespeople have roamed the earth—those who take orders and those who make them. The serpent that sold Adam the apple was not a commodities trader, nor was Ezekiel with his wheel, Noah with the Ark or Jacob with his ladder. These characters were professionals in conveying unique propositions and closing the deal. Why then, countless generations later, do so many schlep instead of sell? Most everything, including apples, wheels, arks and ladders, are priced down-to-earth cheap instead of to-heavenly-heights value. Print, in this common era of insidious reverse auctions and at-the-margin price propositioning on the Web, is in
Contrary to popular perception, your ego is beneficial to your success—both personally and professionally. It’s part of your neuro-physiological system and helps protect your self image and self-worth. Your ego helps create your self-concept, but sometimes it can get in the way. When that happens, the concern you have for yourself overrides what may be happening in reality. Whenever you feel threatened, blamed, shamed or embarrassed, your ego kicks in and keeps you from clearly understanding reality. In other words, the ego makes up its own reality in response to the “ego arrows” people shoot your way. This false “ego reality” closes you off
The U. S. Government Printing Office (GPO) can offer relief to printers in an economy that squeezes every aspect of their business with higher costs and fewer opportunities. The GPO is the federal government’s primary centralized resource for gathering, cataloging, producing, providing, authenticating and preserving published information. That’s just about everything printed for the federal government. Further, as required by Title 44 of the U.S. Code, all federal agencies are required to use GPO to procure their printing. For all outsourced work, the GPO awards its procured contracts through a bidding process. With more than 10,000 printers registered to bid on GPO
Emerging salespeople typically believe that all business is good business, and to an extent, this is true. If you are trying to make a name for yourself, and are being put under pressure by your sales manager to get “runs on the board” while trying to earn the respect of the more experienced and successful members of the team, it is difficult to walk away from any opportunity if you believe you have the remotest chance of winning it. However, it is essential to fully understand both the value and importance of rigorous objective qualification, not just at the front end, but right through
The difference between a good ad headline and a bad ad headline is the difference between success and failure at getting your message to your target market. Your headline is the key to your entire ad’s success. Below are examples of various types of headlines to help grab prospects’ attention: • The Testimonial Headline. The testimonial headline is just what it says—it uses a customer testimonial for a headline. With this headline, you get your customers to sell for you by talking about the benefits they received. Examples: “How I Retired On A Guaranteed Income For Life” “I Was Tired Of Living On
After months of trying, you land an appointment with a major account that uses your competitor’s products. Like many reps, you probably feel an overpowering urge to cram as much as possible into this one meeting. You need to tell them about your company’s new directions, latest technologies, state-of-the-art products, competitive advantages, top-notch service and more. But, slow down. Prospects who receive information overload unconsciously erect barriers to slow or even derail your sales efforts. How? They tell you everything is fine, even if they’re dissatisfied with their current vendor. They rule out conducting business with you if your product lacks a minor capability.
Kay Kotan is a published author and the founder of Independence, Missouri-based You Unlimited. She knows of many promotional products distributors (PPDs) who were not able to make it in the industry. Here are her top 10 reasons why promotional products distributors fail...
There’s no absence of words to live by. They range from advice—“On the keyboard of life, always keep one finger on the escape key”—to deviously practical observations—“By the time you can make ends meet, they move the ends.” Sales and marketing professionals doing battle in an economic environment where buyers are bedeviled by financial pressures, can benefit from words to work by. Here are eight words that send the right message to today’s customers: 1. Security—Everyone wants to avoid unnecessary risk. Today, even seemingly small mistakes can lead to unemployment. The most common question from buyers is, “What are the implications if
No matter how your prospects initially learn about your company and its products or services, your website is typically the next place they will visit for more information. What they see, learn and experience when they get there helps them move forward with their consideration and buying process—or, directs them straight to your competitors. For a website that helps attract B2B leads and moves prospects from simple awareness to serious consideration, follow these seven strategies. 1. Purchase the book “Don’t Make Me Think” by Steve Krug. It’s a quick read, yet full of helpful hints and ideas to make your website user friendly. It’s
