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Showing posts from December, 2019

How to Make Performance Reviews More Effective and Enjoyable

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Performance reviews don’t have to be something to sweat about. These conversations offer a valuable feedback loop for people to ask questions, identify needs, and drive professional growth. Building Conversations that Count Whether you’re conducting or participating in a review, here are a few strategies to make the most of your next review: Share Facts and Document Goals Before a review, make sure you are clear about what is expected. Review job descriptions and jot down ways success has been achieved or where one person is being overloaded. Include measurable data (i.e., project output, sales goals achieved, etc.) that is understood by all participants. Link any examples (like improvement strategies or success stories) to the facts. Then, conclude by recording time-sensitive, measurable goals that are linked to the objectives discussed in the review. Questions to Consider: What’s working? What’s not working? What has been your greatest accomplishment or challenge

Ensure Staying Power for Your Business with Great Local Marketing

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Earlier this year, Gerrit Curran and Emily Wessner opened a Jersey Mike’s Subs in Muhlenberg Township, Pennsylvania. To gain traction in their township of 20,000, these entrepreneurs knew that their new business must be intricately tied to a community connection. Curran and Wessner chose to use print as their primary marketing channel. The Jersey Mike’s staff distributed nearly 7,500 sandwich coupons throughout the community, encouraging patrons to enjoy a free sub and also to donate the cost of that sandwich to the Muhlenberg Township Athletic Association. In the end, the promotion helped raise over $15,000, and the franchise gained an admirable reputation as a devoted community partner. Stand Out in Your Community Print marketing can be especially effective in creating a local marketing presence, especially when combined with integrated campaign efforts. Smart business owners know that catering to a local market can be a point of power. But how do you leverage this connect

How This Successful Entrepreneur Keeps Inspiration Flowing

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When you were a kid, what did you love to build? When Frank Yang was eight, he dreamt of building all kinds of things . One of his first creative concepts was a dog food dispenser with a timer that could feed house pets on demand. Yang used to tell people he wanted to be an inventor, but the adults in his life said he should be an accountant or an attorney instead. Today, Yang is the founder and CEO of Simplehuman , a privately-owned company that designs and manufactures kitchen, bath, and beauty tools. Simplehuman is devoted to finding ways to streamline daily tasks for efficient living, including touch-free soap pumps, sensor-activated vanity mirrors, and automated trash cans. Last year Yang’s love for building practical “problem solvers” grew Simplehuman’s revenues by $15% to more than $200 million. Yang says he continues to find joy in the dreaming: “Even though I’m the CEO of Simplehuman, I spend about 60% of my time on [Research and Development], because that’s what I lov

5 Keys to a Simple Design Update

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The United States Open Tennis Championships is a professional tennis tournament that takes place in New York City around Labor Day each summer. The US Open draws fans from around the world to watch players like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Serena Williams compete. The 2019 US Open set an all-time attendance record with 737,872 fans coming to the National Tennis Center, with the largest stadium (Arthur Ashe) selling out 23 of 24 sessions. In 2018, the United States Tennis Association announced it was introducing a new logo for the tournament. This featured a speeding tennis ball with an updated font while dispensing with several elements of the old logo. The previous icon (a flaming ball with a red swoosh) was a dated image that presented challenges in digital media and failed to represent the US Open as a premium sporting brand. By keeping elements of the original logo , the USTA was able to redesign in a way that captured the excitement and movement of their world-class even

The Ultimate Sizing and Concept Guide for Your Next Flyer or Brochure

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Want to generate interest or keep the conversation going with your most promising leads? Brochures and flyers are two of the easiest ways to generate the momentum you need. But what appears to be a straightforward design can sometimes be more complicated. After all, isn’t a flyer the same thing as a brochure? Is there a substantial price difference? And when would it be best to distribute a brochure instead of a flyer? From folds to sizing, to finishes, finding the right promotional piece can be a little trickier than it first appears. Here are a few design basics to shape a print piece that does exactly what you need. Flyers A flyer is usually a single, unfolded print piece used to draw attention. Flyers can quickly convey small bursts of information and are great for highlighting sales, new locations, upcoming events, or coupons. Because they are easy to print, flyers can contain very targeted, time-bound information, or messages that are specific to a particular audience,

Tips to Make Your Brand More Memorable

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Just Do It. Think Different. Have You Had Your Break Today? You Can’t Beat the Real Thing. The 1990s brought us many of the world’s most iconic slogans, but certain companies have a corner on memorable branding. For example, a 2015 survey of 3,000 people in the U.S. and the United Kingdom were shown logos of 100 top global brands, then asked to name and describe those they found most memorable. Nike was at the top (16% of respondents cited it), followed by Apple (at 15.6%), McDonald's (at 11.1%), and Coca-Cola (at 9.7%). But aside from logo design or slogan, what makes a brand stick? Experts say it’s a combination of things: some which are inspired, some unusual, and some packaged in the form of contagious stories. The volume of exposure can also increase the likelihood that a brand will stand out, but not many businesses can afford to plaster their logo all over the world. Increase the “Stickiness” of Your Brand Use Humor Don’t be afraid to use humor to promote

Three Show-Stopping Print Ads (and How to Make Yours More Memorable)

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Does your brain ever feel tired? Some days, that’s probably due to information overload. It's been said that the average person living in the city 30 years ago saw up to 2,000 ad messages a day. Today, experts estimate we are exposed to over 5,000 brands per day (though research suggests only three percent of ads actually make a lasting impression). But amidst the explosion of digital advertising, industry reports remind us that print holds steady. 70% of Americans prefer to read on paper, and 67% prefer printed materials over email. Additionally, 55% of consumers say they trust print marketing more than any other advertising messages. Want to evoke emotions with your next print masterpiece? Draw from three creative examples of print ads that recently stole the show. Keloptic: Bringing Life Into Focus Keloptic is an online optician that sells sunglasses and eyewear.  Looking for a clever way to express value, Keloptic took classic impressionistic paintings and added cla

5 Ways to Spruce Up Your Holiday Branding

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Tis the season to set yourself apart! Year-end sales are a crucial part of many small businesses, and this year, the National Retail Federation predicts November and December sales will increase around 4% (for a national total of between $727 and $730 billion!). With this natural uptick, year-end festivities offer a great opportunity to add extra flourishes to your brand. Clever seasonal packaging can add a homegrown feel to your products or be the deciding factor for customers choosing between your brand and a more generic option. Adding professionalism to your packaging can grab attention, personalize your products, and show that you really care about your clients. Looking for inspiration? Here are five clever ways to spruce up your holiday messages. Holiday Packaging Tape Holiday-themed tape is an easy update to your year-round packaging. Add a strip to your bubble mailers, a border to the top of your brown bags, or a smidge to seal your gift boxes. These minor updates