Lapel Pins - Top 10 Secrets To Success

PROOFREAD! MANY TIMES COMPANIES WILL OVERLOOK THIS IN A RUSH TO GET THEIR RECOGNITION PIN IN HAND.

1. Although the company creating the recognition pin will probably look at the order many times, typically they are working on numerous orders at the same time. To make matters worse, the company may not understand the meaning of the customization and draw incorrect assumptions about the pin's design. Nothing is more embarrassing than receiving employee recognition pins with egregious errors.

2. Maintaining the bottom line while remaining competitive must not result in the sacrifice of quality in the manufacture of classic lapel pins. Saving money is important, but if the money is being saved by producing a lesser quality pin, is the savings worth it? When purchasing employee recognition pins, customers need to make sure the pin company has a proven track record and possesses the ability to be innovative without sacrificing overall quality.

3. Buyers should do their research when selecting a recognition pin, determining style, quality, and overall appearance. Once determined, they should get quotes and proposals on the pins they want.

4. If high quality pins is what a company seeks, there is no room for procrastination. Although the turnaround time for pins is relatively short, companies should place their orders well in advance. This gives the pin supplier the time needed to deliver quality customized pins on schedule.

5. Obtaining pre-production samples is as important as proofreading. This affords buyers of employee recognition pins the opportunity to see them prior to the final product in case changes are needed.

6. Companies should ask questions. After all, it's their company the employee recognition pins represent. If companies are not familiar with the lingo, they should clarify their understanding of the process.

7. Buyers should remember to keep it simple. Most pins are branding tools. It's a good way to spark discussion about the company, so all a pin needs is the company name, company colors, and a few words about the goal or achievement if appropriate. Anything more is too much.

8. As for branding, do the employee recognition pins fit the company? Companies should ask if they want their employee pins to support the product or services they offer.

9. When it comes to cost versus quality, go with quality. Low cost does not make lapel pins the best choice. Recipients of customized pins can recognize shoddy quality and poor craftsmanship, as well as its tainted reflection on them and the company.

10. The big questions companies should ask are: How many lapel pins are needed? How big should the lapel pins be? Do the lapel pins require metal finishes such as shiny or antique? Will these lapel pins use soft or hard enamel colors? Would these lapel pins look better by sandblasting the recessed areas, feature epoxy, back text, clutch, or packaging? What is the production time for these lapel pins? Does the company need employee recognition pins for an event? Does the company need a sample of the artwork or the product before the final run?

Paul Stark is the owner of The Monterey Company, a U.S. firm that specializes in producing employee recognition pins, custom lapel pins, and other custom metal products. If you would like to learn more about Lapel Pins, click on the link.

View the original article here

7 Secrets to Successful Marketing

Today I am bringing you my top 7 secrets to successful marketing. I will admit that I had trouble sticking to only 7 so I am going to assume that you have read previous issues where I have stressed how important it is to have defined your target market; why you should always keep it simple (business does not have to be complicated); know the importance of building relationships with prospects; and why you are the only person who can write any advertising and promotional material for your business.

You must have a database - this will prove to be the key to your success.Your database should contain as much information about your clients and prospective clients as possible so that you can contact them with details of new products and special offers. Of course having a database alone is not enough, you must be constantly following up with leads and building relationships so that in time prospects will choose to buy from you.
Attract new clients and keep the interest of existing clients by using PR. Public relations does not have to be expensive or difficult and you can do it yourself without employing an expensive PR agency. What you need to remember is that every interview you give or article you write, must contain your contact details. Other great ways to raise your profile include writing a book or publishing a report.
Offer promotions that give people the chance to try your product or service and make your company stand out from the competition. These promotions must be exciting in order to make potential customers want to take immediate action - for example, there are not many people who can resist a 'buy one, get one free' offer. Here it is important that you have higher priced products to up-sell in order to make it financially worthwhile offering promotions. What you need to remember is that the promotional offers that are the most successful are those that have a time limit so tell prospective clients what they need to do and how little time they have in which to do it.
Get your clients to do your sales and marketing for you by asking them for referrals and testimonials - if they are impressed with your product or service then they will want to tell others. The easiest way to do this is when a customer compliments you on your product or service, ask if you can quote them. Write down what they said and ask them to agree it and then use it.
For your marketing to really be successful, you need to show your target audience that you are an expert in your field and there are many ways of doing this - one of the quickest is to be a published author.
Effective marketing is far more important and cost effective than a large sales team. A well worded direct mailing to targeted customers can produce great results especially when accompanied with a time limited promotion. If potential clients want more personal contact then you could try offering a teleconference but be sure to follow up afterwards.
This should probably be up at number 1, you must niche your product or service if you want to succeed. The 80:20 rule also applies in marketing. It is highly likely that 20% of your income comes from 80% of your customers. This means that since most of your income comes from 20% of your customers, it is this 20% that you really have to focus on even if it is to the expense of the other 80%.

And of course, if you really want your marketing to be a success, your reason for being in business must be more than just taking money from people in return for your products of services - you must provide outstanding customer service that people will not find elsewhere!

As with the last issue of my Inspirational Toolkit, these 7 tips are taken from a new program ("Effective Marketing Strategies to Get You More Clients") that I have recently developed in an attempt to demystify the sales and marketing process and help my clients succeed.

If you wish to discuss any of the above or would like more information about this new marketing program then please contact me.

"The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits him and sells itself."

Peter F. Drucker

And now I would like to invite you to sign up to receive your free copies of my Inspirational Toolkit delivered direct to your inbox when you visit, http://www.power-to-change.eu/ where you will find even more free advice and tips to help you put the fun and passion back into your working week.

From Anne Galloway, "The Inspirational Coach" at power-to-change

View the original article here