by fmadmin | Dec 7, 2020 | Strategy
Feel like you’ve been in fight or flight mode all year? We get it!
The good news is it’s not too late for you to end the year on a positive career/business note. Follow our 12 Days of Christmas Calendar to set you up for success in 2021!
1. The work-changing magic of cleaning up
What better way to start the New Year than with a clean slate (or at least a clean desk and desktop). We challenge you to clear your desk, wash those coffee cups, clean your keyboard and empty those drawers and file those file-able things.
When your desk is looking like it’s from an IKEA catalogue, then tackle your computer desktop. That’s it, open those files and your dreaded downloads folder, and clean house!
2. Unboxing your inbox
Now that you’ve had a taste of digital decluttering, head to your inbox and be ruthless. Unsubscribe from those emails that no longer serve you, organise your folders, calendar and categories. Then delete or file the emails sitting in your inbox taking up precious space.
Why not set up some rules for next year to avoid the inbox overload? Oh, and don’t forget to schedule your out-of-office.
3. Get motivated
Choose a motivational book, podcast or course to complete before the new year or in the new year. Think of an area you’d like to build on, such as time management or a new skill that could help you next year. Think of the most effective way for you to commit to and learn – would a podcast on the commute to work be best or would you prefer to attend a class?
Whatever it is and however you do it, working on yourself is just as important as working on your business. Check out our free podcasts to learn a thing or two for the year ahead
4. Book that appointment
Book that appointment, use that voucher and attend that event!
Have a list of ‘should do’s’ laying around in your head? Or a soon to expire voucher? It’s time to conquer the list.
Looking after yourself shouldn’t be put off indefinitely, use this time to look after yourself or attend a networking event that you’ve been meaning to.
5. Jingle all the way online
Before the silly season starts, take a long sober look at your online presence. What message is your website and social media account portraying? Is it user-friendly and reflecting your business or personal branding? Or has it been neglected for too long?
Now’s the time to make sure your online presence shines in the new year and here’s where to get started.
6. Send Christmas cards and gifts – on time
Sometimes we enter the festive season with the best intentions – like buying Christmas presents before the mad rush and actually sitting down and writing those Christmas cards. Well this is the year to keep those intentions. It’s not too late to send your clients cards or e-cards but you need to get your skates on and if you need it we can help!
Think how much more you’ll enjoy the silly season if you can wear the smug smile of someone who nailed it this Christmas.
7. Try time blocking
If you feel the day is getting away from you, you’re fighting constant interruptions and are being pulled away in meetings, then it may be time to try a new way of working and take back your workday.
Time blocking is a time management method where you divide your day into blocks of time. Each block is dedicated to accomplishing a specific task and only that specific task.
Learn how to implement time blocking in your workday here.
8. New Year, new calendar
Too quickly do our months fly buy and we’ve forgotten to post on our socials or send out our eDMs. By creating your content marketing calendar for the year ahead, you’ll be able to stay on track (and kept in check) for getting your content out there regularly.
9. Discover pain points
The end of the year is a great time to reflect on what’s working and what isn’t. Is there a process that needs improving? Or something that your team is spending too much time on? Now is the time to get to the root of the problem.
List the pain points at work or in your business, dig deep and get other’s opinions as to sticking points in their day as well.
10. Brainstorm awesome solutions
Now that you have your list of pain points, it’s time to brainstorm some practical solutions.
Let all the ideas flow onto the paper before reviewing and editing what could work, how it will work and when it’s to be implemented.
Don’t forget to review the new process in a few months to see if it’s fixed your pain point.
11. Start dreaming again
You started your business or job with a dream. Whether it was to grow, earn more money, learn a new skill or have more work/life balance. Now’s the time to review if you’ve on the path to achieve those dreams or if you’ve got caught up in the day-to-day and missed the mark.
It’s time to dream big again. If this year has taught us anything, it’s that we’re a resilient and innovative bunch, so what have you got to lose by setting some big goals again. Make it happen.
12. Take a break
There, you’re all set to start 2021 organised, motivated and ready for success.
So now it’s time to switch off the computer, hang up the suit and enjoy time with your family, friends and fur-baby. Soak in some Vitamin D and remember why you work so hard in the first place.
Congratulate yourself on surviving a difficult year and recharge yourself to be ready for whatever 2021 will bring.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the Focused Marketing team!
by fmadmin | Sep 21, 2020 | Content, Strategy
This month we gave our vocal cords a work-out as we serenaded ourselves with the world’s most famous song, “Happy Birthday”, as we rung in our 14th year. Little did we realise, we narrowly skipped a hefty royalty fee!
Unbeknownst to many, the “Happy Birthday” song is copyrighted and has been raking in over $2 million per year in royalties. The original version of the song, “Good Morning to You” was composed as a children’s song in 1893 by Patty and Mildred Hill. It is unknown who changed the lyrics, but the melody was copyrighted and subject to royalty payments each time it was played for commercial purposes. There’s been some controversy around who owns the copyright over the song’s lifetime, but it looks like it is due to expire in 2030.
While this fun piece of birthday trivia made for stimulating conversation over birthday cake, it got us thinking about the importance of owning what’s yours. Your brand’s equity is one of your most important assets, and all the elements that comprise this equity should be fiercely protected.
The drastic change that we’ve seen to commerce in response to COVID-19 has made it clear that brands have more value than ever. While businesses have struggled to stay afloat, we have seen a rise in consumer loyalty as shoppers scramble to prop up their beloved brands.
Consumers are far more conscious about where they spend their precious dollars right now, so they are thinking not only about the short term benefits of their purchase but the long term – will the brands I really love be around in six months’ time? What am I doing to make sure they are? Rather than looking for the best price, despite the economic pressure many of us are facing, consumers are willing to spend a little extra if it means keeping jobs in the community or supporting someone local.
This conscious form of consumerism where customers actively buy products from brands they feel deserve their support is known as ‘buycotting’ and unlike the word’s counterpart, it’s something you want to encourage.
As purse strings tighten and we become more aware of the fragility of small business, people are more thoughtful than ever about where their dollars are really ending up and if the recipient is worthy of their hard-earned cash. The brands who are benefiting from this buycotting culture are those who have nurtured relationships, who invoke an emotional connection with their customers and who clearly communicate who they are and what they stand for.
Owning your brand is a crucial step to achieving this deep level of loyalty from your customers. Having a strong image of what constitutes your brand and everything that it represents is what helps customers form these emotional bonds. Your brand’s equity is made up of more than just your logo and website – it’s all about how you do business. It’s the warm smile at the cash register, the handwritten note you pop in with deliveries, it’s remembering the names of your regulars and demonstrating that you share their values. It is important to tie all of these intangible assets to your tangible ones (like your logo and website) so that people can easily make the connection between their positive feelings towards your business and your actual brand when making purchasing decisions.
To achieve this, it is critical that you not only have a strong brand, but you have control over all the elements of that brand and have ownership of them, be it trademarks, social media handles (and their associated login details!) or owning associated domain names wherever possible. Take a leaf out of Patty and Mildred’s book and recognise what you’ve created, and guard it with your life!
by fmadmin | Jun 30, 2020 | Strategy
‘The New Normal’, ‘These Unprecedented Times’, ‘Pandemic’; you know the ones. It’s those same few phrases that manage to pop up in every single conversation, completely taking over the global discourse. If I hear any of them one more time, I might just launch a P******* (uncensored: pandemic) of my own. I now declare these to be swear words, erased forever from our vernacular.
Sure, we’ve all adjusted to using Zoom and Teams, have increased our time spent on Linkedin tenfold and learnt the art of the webinar, but when it comes to ‘T** N** N*****’, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of what has really changed.
Dictionary: P******* (noun), Pandemic.
T** N** N***** (phrase | adjective), The new normal.
T**** U************ T**** (phrase | adjective), These unprecedented times.
Maybe your Spotify playlists have become a little more self-indulgent now that you don’t have to share your tunes and there are a few more guilty pleasures in there than you’d normally be comfortable revealing. Perhaps you’ve grown accustomed to daily bacon and eggs and are wondering how you’ll transition back to a muesli bar from the snack drawer (and your work pants) now that the mornings don’t last quite as long.
Of course, the new technology we’ve embraced during T**** U************ T**** and our ability to be agile in the way we connect with each other and the way we work, will shape the way we work in the future. But we’re here to talk about the interesting habits that will shape our N** N*****.
Our version of T** N** N*****
For the Focused Marketing team, T** N** N***** features Kristie wearing flats to the office (try and conceal the horror!), a raging debate around permitting ‘office slippers’ and a stronger focus on comfort than style when it comes to our work attire.
We learnt to be more flexible with our approach to work, with Casey working from home two days a week, leaving those of us who are a little more extraverted and in desperate need of an audience to get our daily social fix. We also learnt that it’s actually possible to start a new job, be inducted and hit the ground running when I joined the team in the height of the P*******.
We’ve realised how much money we spent on lunches since having the fridge at our disposal so have committed to bringing lunch from home more often.
We identified a gap in the market for pet therapists to nurse the broken hearts of our now-abandoned furry office companions and have a marketing campaign at the ready for anyone looking to fill the void!
We conquered the challenge of working from home, including staying on task with the patter of little feet (and paws!) never far away, successfully juggling work, home school, maintaining a tidy background for video calls and keeping pants on all members of the household in case of cameo appearances.
Most of all, we’ve learned to adapt and be flexible, and when everything goes pear shaped, we are much better equipped to shrug it all off and try again!
by fmadmin | May 12, 2020 | Strategy, Training
Tired of high printing costs? Here are some tips of the trade to avoid the pit falls of the printing industry.
The land of print can be difficult to navigate and very costly too. Below are some hints and tips about the printing industry and how you can save money for your business.
Bulk printing can save you money, but what are the downfalls?
If you have a mid-to-large sized company, you may have considered bulk printing for cost efficiency – this means printing more stock than you need and storing it in a warehouse.
The positives of doing this is that you will save money on printing costs, while ensuring colour consistency and a quicker turnaround time.
The negatives of doing this is that you will have to guesstimate your future usage. The problem with this method is that your overstock print will sit around a warehouse, which can warp the paper and render it unusable. Unfortunately, there is a shelf life for paper.
Also keep in mind you will have to pay for storage and will need to have a plan on how to manage this going forward. You may need to implement a print content management system to manage the usage, waste and re-ordering.
Should I print offset or digital? What’s the difference?
Offset printing involves plates being made, which is an additional cost to your print run. You might not know this, but printing plates are thin, flat sheets of metal that are used in printing products like business cards, catalogues, and brochures. Offset does pose its advantages of cost efficiency, the larger the run the cheaper it will be. When it comes to brand control offset print ensures a better finished product and colour consistency for your brand – this includes paper stock, finishing and ink.
Remember, you cannot guarantee colour consistency from one digital print company to the next – they will all be different. This is because they use different printing machines that have very different processes of laying down the ink on the paper. This process changes how the colour will appear.
If you need a short print run, then a digital print will be your best bet. However, keep in mind that it will cost you more for a short/small run. My suggestion, to ensure a closer colour consistency, is to give your printer something physical to colour match to (a brochure or a flyer). They can try to print as closely as possible to something you have printed previously.
So, you want that custom cut business card…
If you have a funky die cut or a custom finish business card this will bare an additional price tag. The things you need to consider are your brand’s look and feel. Is this something you really need and can afford the print costs in the long run?
Custom prints are great for that standout brand; however, these types of print runs are offset which does hold a considerable turnaround time. So, if you’re willing to wait and have the cash to spend then a custom look is a great way to stand out from the crowd.
What to look out for when printing:
THINK! Think about colours, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, K=Black – CMYK are the four printing inks that you will pay for every time the printer lays down ink on the paper. The printing company will pay for each toner cartridge, paper cost, and their operational costs. So, remember this when you’re weighing up your printing costs – this is the reason why your printing quotes vary.
Keeping that in mind, here are some tips below to keep your printing costs down:
- Ensure your black is 100 per cent black. What seems like black can actually be a combination of all four inks. It will seem like its black but be aware because you will be paying for all four inks!
- Check for SPOT or UV colours– Try and ensure you have your colours in CMYK, otherwise you will be charged more for spot and pantone matching system (pms) colours. There are positives and negatives to using these colour palettes, so be well informed before going ahead. Ask your printer for the cost breakdowns before proceeding with your print job.
- Check your paper stock– Sometimes going down a GSM of paper can save you money. Don’t be afraid to ask your printer and get a new print estimate.
- Avoid cheap online printers– Online printers will not offer you the best quality print because after all, you are getting what you paid for, a cheap print run. There won’t be that artwork check for you also. You will get back whatever you sent them.
- Cheap banners– You will most likely end up with a cheap banner that breaks, go for the middle ground price point to ensure decent quality.
- Digital– Do you need to print? Can you use a digital letterhead as opposed to a printed one? With a digital letterhead you can update/change and rebrand without the costs associated with reprinting the collateral and it is more sustainable.
- Have your artwork print ready– To avoid delays and additional costs, ensure your artwork is print ready to the printer’s specifications. Ensure your graphic designer has all the specs they need before they start the creative process.
- Quote around– Always try and get at least three printing quotes before making your decision.
While printing can make your brand stand out, it’s always best to get the right advice first from a professional – or it could stand out for the wrong reasons. Focused Marketing has the print, marketing and design expertise you need to navigate the complex world of printing. We can help guide you in the right direction without taking a toll on your budget. There are print and promotional solutions out there for every size business and we can help you to get exactly what you need, when you need it.
by Niki Contese, Graphic Designer
by fmadmin | May 12, 2020 | Content, Strategy
While the world is changing and the way we do business most certainly will change for the next few months at least, it’s important for businesses to keep the communication lines open. And keep their marketing going. The only difference is make sure its relevant, compassionate and connects to your audience.
Successful marketing is still governed by the same set of principles whether the world is in chaos or not. Creating communication that effectively connects emotionally with human beings never changes either.
If you think marketing is just an activity or a channel, then you are already behind. Marketing is everything you say and everything you do in your business, all the time.
My advice to all businesses is to plan key messages now and keep communication flowing as the impact of coronavirus continues to reverberate.
The big end of town, with their communication departments and strategists, are likely well ahead of the game, but small and medium size businesses also need to get on the front foot.
- Be clear and deliberate in your communication strategy – don’t be sucked into switching to tactical mode without thinking strategically or holistically across your touch points – that means sales, social media and communications all working together.
- You need to create confidence in your business and be agile in identifying other market openings or opportunities in the meantime.
- Be proactive and compassionate in your messaging. It will stamp your business as a leader in the face of uncertainty and that can carry cache well into the future.
- But in the race to get your messages out, don’t forget the importance of internal communication as well. It’s good practice, in uncertain times, for all businesses to reassure employees that plans are in place and any future responses to commercial challenges have been pre-empted rather than made on the run.
Confidence, like charity, should begin at home.
While I don’t have all the answers as to how individual businesses should navigate the way ahead, a clear communication strategy should be key in riding out this business climate, perhaps even rising above, the coronavirus curve ball.
The take-home advice is to keep communication channels open and try to be:
• Helpful
• Relevant
• Constructively distracting or
• Authentically compassionate.
A clear message and strategy will be equated to confidence in your business and, that perception may just be the self-fulfilling prophecy that’s needed.
Stop the automated promo messages as if COVID-19 doesn’t exist and communicate better with your customers.
Tell your customers about your policy and services updates. Tell them how you are taking care of your employees (and them) and tell them about your discounts or charity work – just don’t try to sell them as if nothing is happening.
And if you need help, or want to bounce some ideas around and get the creative juices flowing, we can run a virtual brainstorming session with you or act as a sanity check. All you have to do is email [email protected]
by fmadmin | May 12, 2020 | Strategy, Training
Online word of mouth can be automated to link together potential and existing customers in an infinite loop of recommendation and reward with almost no effort from the marketing team. Once this function is setup the customers become your marketing team making this perfect for businesses of all sizes. You can make this work for you by:
- Think of a small incentive that works for your business that could benefit your customers such as vouchers, free subscriptions, gifts, discounts or waiving of fees.
- Add a ‘Share’ button to then end of your customers purchasing journey to help them share their experience with their friends on social media.
- Create a ‘refer a friend’ campaign for your business that sends rewards to your customers when their friends purchase from you online.
For more information on online word of mouth marketing or how it can be used to help your business please contact us at [email protected].
Reference’ *1 invespcro.com
