Several years ago, when I wanted to build a new home, I needed ideas for what I wanted it to look like. So, I drove around nice neighborhoods and took pictures of attractive homes. I came upon an awesome home and decided to ask the owner if I could take some pictures. The owner answered…
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It’s not uncommon for business leaders to stress the importance of “customer focus” through all areas of their enterprise. On the surface, not a bad idea. However, upon closer look, this approach may be keeping your business from realizing its full potential. Here’s why. We’ve all heard of the Pareto Principle, sometimes referred to as…
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When comparing “same-store sales” and “new customers,” you’re essentially looking at two different metrics used to assess the performance and growth of a business. Most Graphic Communication companies are not looking at their business in this manner. I think they should begin breaking out these numbers and let me go into detail as to why…
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When it’s football season, one saying you often hear is, “Offense wins games. Defense wins championships.” That is also true in sales. Offense — or outbound selling — gets new accounts, but defense keeps them producing revenue year after year. What does playing a strong “defense” mean for a sales pro? It comes down to…
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Targeted email automation can be great I use it a lot: I can send a targeted response to someone. If they click on a link in a previous email and I can send them more information or an offer to encourage them to take action. If they don’t, I can send them a reminder. But…
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Ask the Accountant… Question: Can I use the QuickBooks Online Plus Chart of Accounts that is included in the program? Answer: Yes, but it is a poor format for our industry. QuickBooks is a wonderful product and is the No. 1 accounting software for a small-to-medium-sized businesses. It is used by a wide range of…
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It’s hard to believe, but we’re in the second half of 2024. Many of us do end-of-year reviews of our business goals and accomplishments, but how many of us stop to do those things mid-year? As basic as this sounds, most people don’t. But those who achieve their goals often do. Highly goal-oriented people tend…
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Over the past 32 years, I have seen a lot of direct mail mistakes. Sometimes they have been really funny, like the time when a wrong phone number was put on the mail piece so when recipients called it they reached a sex hotline. That was pretty funny. Other times, the mistakes have just been…
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I get a lot of questions about my degree, Graphic Media Management. People seem to assume more often than not that I mean graphic design, and I can’t blame them. I don’t think the title tells you what I am studying. Graphic Media Management is a print management degree. I get to learn all about…
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In the world of commercial printing, last-minute high demand is something that can break a company. But Groupe Prenant just took gold in tackling not only the demands for the Olympics, but also Fashion Week, an unexpected election cycle, and regular clients — all while printing Christmas catalogues. It does sounds like fiction, so I…
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