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5 Tips for Creating a Marketing Flyer that Sells

Marketing flyers are a tried and tested a way to market your small business. They are cost effective, easy to produce and a tangible way for customers to remember you. But most flyers are let down by either poor design or poor copywriting. More often than not, business owners try to come up with the copy themselves – and wonder why their flyers don’t get any response. Here are a few marketing tips to help improve your flyers and increase your response rate.

1.Grab attention with your headline.

Your headline should highlight the single most important benefit of your business. It should capture the customer’s attention and inspire them to want to find out more.

One way to do this is to talk to the customer in the second person, which means to use the word ‘you’ and not ‘we’. A fantastic way to grab attention is to ask a question. Show the customer you understand them by connecting with them through a question and motivate them to want to find out more.

You can also use the ‘rule of scarcity’ to your advantage in a headline. Use the words ‘limited time’ or ‘last days’ if you’re promoting a sale to get customers motivated to act.

2. Don’t use too much copy

Using too much copy will make your flyer difficult to read. You need to make sure you use plain and simple English, short sentences and use bullet points to help break up the text. Another trick to make it more visually appealing is to make sure there is adequate white space on the flyer. White space helps readers to know there are different pieces of information on the flyer and will help their eyes to navigate to the most important information.

3. Use good photography wherever possible.

Where possible, you should use high-quality photography of your actual business in flyers. A good example is flyers for a tradesman. A high-quality photo of the business owner or one of your tradesman in a branded uniform helps build trust. It shows customers that you are a legitimate, successful business. This will have more appeal than a stock photo of a tradesman that clearly doesn’t work for your business.

4. Use fonts and graphics consistently

One of the golden rules of branding is ‘consistency builds trust’. When designing your brochure, you should stick to a consistent visual theme and only limited fonts. Preferably these fonts should be those used in your other marketing collateral. When choosing fonts, make sure they are easy to read and ensure your graphics don’t distract your reader from the sales copy.

5. Don’t forget your call to action

A common mistake is not ‘asking for the sale’ in the flyer. You need to tell customers what you want them to do and how to do it – it’s your call to action. This can be to book an appointment by phone, visit a showroom or visit a website. Also, make sure your contact information is easy to find. I’ve seen marketing flyers before that have forgotten to include a phone number! Don’t let that be you. That is money down the drain.

The call to action should be placed at the bottom of the flyer under your well-written headline, and amazing sales copy that has given your customer a compelling reason to become a customer.

My final piece of advice is to make sure you use high-quality paper that brings your images and fonts to life. Choose from a higher quality gloss or matte stock as nothing says cheap like a poorly printed flyer on cheap stock. You can guarantee that won’t be the case with any flyers that are printed by Adpost.

Chris Dale is the Managing Director of Sydney based marketing consulting firm, MarketingHQ. He is a certified practicing marketer with over 20 years senior marketing experience. He helps small and medium sized businesses create marketing strategies and systems that generate leads and grow their business and has been a happy client of Adpost for over 7 years.

Unique Places To Distribute Your Flyers

Unique Places To Distribute Your Flyers

Leaflet marketing is one of the most inexpensive ways to get your message right in the hands of potential customers – it’s as easy as extending a flyer to people passing by. Keep in mind though that if you have a business that caters to a specific location, leaflet distribution services from Adpost will work better for you, as you can specifically target the locations you want. On the other hand, if you have no restrictions in terms of proximity, step away from the sidewalk and consider these unique places where you can distribute your flyers:

  1. ON THE BUS OR TRAIN

People are always trying to multi-task – whether intentionally or subconsciously. You will likely see people on their mobile phones or reading the newspaper while in transit, so giving them something to read during the ride would be a welcome use of their time. You don’t necessarily have to hand out the flyers to the passengers – having strategically placed flyers in public transport should do the trick. A word of caution though: use flyers that stand out so they attract attention and are not mistaken for litter.

  1. CAFÉ

Cafés and coffee shops are always filled with people who are trying to relax and pass the time. Some coffee shops offer reading material, and your flyer can be just that. Your flyer would just take a few seconds to read, and that may be all it takes to attract a new customer. You can leave your leaflet on an empty table, or leave it with your tip. Also, find out if the café or restaurant has a special leaflet section, and you can work out a deal to incentivize the arrangement with the café staff.

  1. BOOKS

You can insert your leaflet in a book from the public library or bookstore – you can design your leaflet so that it resembles a bookmark, and people will automatically see your information when they open the book. Just make sure to ask the bookstore owner or librarian for permission, or discuss options of leaving flyers on their counter.

  1. LAUNDROMAT

People get bored waiting around in a laundromat, which makes it a great place to find reading material. Most laundromats also have a bulletin board where you can post your flyers, and with the number of people in the laundry facility day in and day out, your leaflets can get a lot of visibility. You can use leaflets with tear off tabs so people can walk away with your information without taking the entire flyer.

  1. PAY PHONES

Pay phone booths may seem like a novelty these days, but the ones that remain are still widely used by pedestrians – whether it’s to actually make a phone call, or to talk in privacy and get away from the street noise.  Having leaflets on display gives them something to read while on their phones. As with the case of the café and library, if the phone booth is near a business establishment, make sure that you get the owner’s okay first.

Obviously, leaflet distribution doesn’t have to be limited to the traditional method. Simply name places where people are likely to stay a while, and you’ve found a great alternative to your leaflet distribution strategy.

Direct Mail Checklist

DIRECT-MAIL-CHECKLIST

Direct mail marketing remains one of the most effective tools in communicating your message in spite of the age of internet. In a world where nearly everything can be found online, having something to physically hold in your hand brings with it a sense of old school appeal, and when executed properly, resonates a message that not only commands attention but also delivers a return on your investment.

Whether you are a novice or a long-time user of direct mail marketing, review the following checklist to make sure you hit all the right points to make your marketing campaign a success:

  1. TARGET AUDIENCE

Businesses can have several target markets depending on what product or service they are promoting. Before getting started on any type of marketing campaign, identify who your target audience is because this will determine everything else that follows.

  1. MAILING LIST

Once you’ve identified your audience, review your mailing list. Having the right mailing list means that you are able to advertise to the people who will most likely be interested in what you have to offer. Make sure your existing mailing list is up-to-date, or consider purchasing or renting mailing lists depending on how long you plan to run your campaign.

  1. DESIGN

In order for your mailer to get the attention it deserves, makes sure that your design is complete with the following elements: an eye-catching headline, graphics that tell your story, content that is brief yet informative, and color that complements your brand. Pay attention to your mailer’s layout, and make sure that your business information is easy to see. Lastly, your mailer’s print quality is crucial – you can have a killer design but all that would be a waste if the print quality is substandard.

  1. CONTENT

Your content should clearly state who you are and what your business has to offer. Your content should emphasize what benefits you have to offer and what sets you apart from the competition. More importantly, your content should have a personal touch – you are, after all, marketing to your target audience.

  1. OFFER

If you are trying to get more prospects to try your business, or if you are trying to sell a product or service, your message should be clearly communicated in your mailer. Educating your audience about your business is not enough to get people interested; you should have a strong offer that will appeal to your audience’s needs.

  1. CALL TO ACTION

Having a strong offer should always have an accompanying call to action. If your mailer does not clearly state what they have to do, your audience won’t bother. Furthermore, any call to action should carry with it a sense of urgency.

  1. TIMING

Knowing when prospects are more likely to respond is the best time to launch your marketing campaign. Do you have products or services that are more in demand during certain times of the year? Also, consider the frequency of your campaign, as well as when to send follow-up mailers.

  1. ANALYSIS

Finally, it is important to review the success rate of your direct mail campaign. Tracking your results means looking at how many leads you’ve gained as well as how many sales you’ve made from your campaign.  This lets you know if you are getting the right return on your investment.

There are a lot of steps involved in launching a direct mail campaign. Good thing that the experts at Adpost can help with most of these steps. Contact the Adpost Team today and make sure that you hit all these points for a successful marketing campaign.

Benefits Of Offering Last Minute Shopping

BENEFITS OF OFFERING LAST MINUTE SHOPPING

Some people start their Christmas shopping as early as September. Some people wait for the holiday promotions to make sure they get good discounts. And then there are people who would wait until the eleventh hour, by choice or otherwise, to get presents to put under the tree. Consumers have plenty of reasons to do their shopping at the very last minute, whether it’s to decide on what to get, avoiding duplicate gifts, or making sure the gifts are not discovered ahead of time. But the benefits are not for the shoppers alone; even businesses can make a killing with a carefully executed last minute shopping offer.

Here are 3 major benefits of holding a sale up to the very last minute:

  1. SHOPPERS ARE IN A HURRY.

When it comes to last minute shopping, there is not a moment to waste. People who are pressed for time need to make a decision, and they need to make it quick. Last minute shopping paves the way for those impulse buyers, and the bigger your discounts, the more items they are likely to buy, not just presents, but maybe gifts for themselves too. Moreover, since most stores may already be closed and yours is still open, these shoppers have to get something, rather than go home empty-handed.

  1. SHOPPERS HAVE MORE TIME TO DECIDE ON GIFTS.

While you would have shoppers who have no idea what to get yet, there are those who would want to take their time deciding what to get before making their purchase. This means that when they get to your store, they already know exactly what to get – and if they took the time to think of the perfect gift, they likely took the time to choose the store that offered the best price too. What this means to you, as a business, is that you are sure that people who come for last minute shopping are not just shoppers – they’re buyers!

  1. GET A LOT OF INVENTORY SOLD IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.

The best part about holding a last minute holiday sale is that you draw a lot of traffic to your store. Last minute shoppers will buy a lot, and they will buy it quick. You can get rid of a lot of holiday inventory in one day rather than slaving away for weeks on end. For instance, if people knew that you were holding a huge sale on Christmas Eve, with bigger discounts than the entire month of December, a lot of shoppers would opt to wait for that big day before making their purchases. As for the people who can’t wait, they would still buy on your regular store days.

Make sure you get the word out about your big sale using flyers, and consider door-to-door flyer distribution from Adpost.

Last minute shopping can be stressful for a lot of your customers, so make sure that you keep the experience festive and joyful for them by having an extra set of hands to assist on the big sale day. Shoppers would also greatly appreciate gift-wrapping service to go with their purchase. At the end of the day, your shoppers head home with their purchases, and they will have you and your staff to thank for completing their holiday checklist.

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7 Holiday Mistakes To Avoid

HOLIDAY-MISTAKES-TO-AVOID

With Christmas just around the corner, the holiday spirit fills the air with cheer, good tidings, and of course, holiday sales! Without a doubt, Christmas can be one of the most lucrative holidays of the year but it can also be overwhelming, especially for small businesses. Careful preparation and organization is essential to keep your holiday shoppers happy, and you and your employees keep your sanity when the holiday frenzy strikes. Keep your holiday spirit alive by steering clear of these mistakes:

  1. STARTING TOO EARLY.

It would be smart to start your holiday campaign early and get ahead of the game, but if you do it too soon, you risk the chance of being forgotten all too easily. Why waste a good mailer or flyer when your timing would be off to your target audience? And if you run the same campaign for 3 months, your customers would just get tired of hearing from you and tune you out.

  1. MISSING THE BOAT.

On the other end of the holiday timeline is starting your marketing campaign too late – when your audience may have already completed their holiday shopping elsewhere. This is a terrible waste of opportunity, especially when you have the chance of offering great deals. Find out when other businesses start their marketing campaigns and review how successful your previous holiday campaigns were.

  1. EMAIL FLOODING.

Nothing is more annoying than receiving marketing email from the same sender on a daily basis. Bombarding your customers with email won’t convince them to buy from you, and frankly, it’s a waste of you and your customers’ time. Sending out more emails during the holidays is natural, but it doesn’t give you license to spam.

  1. NONSTOP MARKETING.

The worse thing than not starting your marketing campaign on time is not knowing when to stop. If you’re still pushing holiday campaigns by January, you’re creating the impression that a) you don’t know what you’re doing, and b) you’re desperate to get rid of holiday inventory. Make sure you label your campaigns correctly, like a post-holiday sale or a New Year blowout.

  1. CHEAP HOLIDAY CARDS.

Most businesses send out holiday greetings, and it wouldn’t hurt to send one out too. But if you will be sending holiday cards just for the sake of it, you’re better off. If you want your customers to take notice, then your greeting card better be out of the ordinary. Adding value to the card helps, like including a coupon or free gift.

  1. TAKING OFF.

Everybody wants to take some time off during the holidays, but Christmas Eve and Christmas Day carries a lot of potential business. Ask your employees – there is bound to be someone willing to work on those days. When all other stores are closed and yours is open, you could be the miracle a last minute shopper is looking for.

  1. NEW YEAR AMNESIA.

Getting caught up in the holiday rush usually means that businesses fail to start planning for the year ahead. When the holiday fever subsides, you don’t want your business fading into oblivion. Come up with a marketing plan early on so you don’t get end up scratching your head when the new year arrives and you have a shortage of customers.

Avoid these mistakes and you keep your business profitable and your customers happy during the Christmas season. Plan well and you may see those holiday shoppers again next year.

4 Ways To Help Your Business Grow

WAYS-TO-HELP-YOUR-BUSINESS-GROW

There comes a point in any business when things are doing good and business is comfortable. For many business owners, this could be the bottom line and they can be content and leave things be. However, leaving things as they are does not guarantee that business will always be good, and when competitor companies start expanding or growing their business, yours will be left behind, and it could all be downhill from there.

To stay in the game, at some point, businesses will need to consider growing and expanding. This can be a difficult decision to make between what is stable and what only carries the potential of being better. If, however, you do decide to take the plunge, you have to go big. Now, this doesn’t mean throwing caution to the wind and making impulsive decisions left and right, rather careful consideration of what growing a business entails.

  1. LOSE YOUR PRIDE

While it may be true that nobody knows your business better than you, growing your business would be an impossible task if you stick only to what you know. Besides, expanding your business is unfamiliar territory, so even if you’ve grown your business before, each phase of growth is different, so being a know-it-all seriously limits what can be done. Getting ideas or help from others takes humility and open-mindedness – if you want to venture into something new, you need new ideas and input.

  1. BE FRUGAL, NOT CHEAP

Growing a business naturally means investing more into your company. You cannot expect to have a bigger business by not spending more, whether it’s to open a new store, grow your current one, or expand the products and services you offer. Nearly every business will try to get the cheapest deal out there, but cheap doesn’t necessarily mean the best deal. If you sacrifice quality to shave a few bucks off your total bill, you end up with something that literally looks cheap. Since you are spending money to grow your business, you don’t want to appear as though you’re losing money. Be prudent when it comes to spending for your business growth, have a reasonable budget, and don’t be limited to cheap options.

  1. GET OUTSIDE HELP

Businesses that feel they are self-sufficient will definitely encounter problems down the road. At some point, there are services that will need to be outsourced especially if you do not have the manpower and talent pool to do the work. For instance, some businesses may feel that leaflet distribution is something they can handle on their own – simply give an employee a stack of flyers and distribute them to passersby. However, if you have a targeted audience, employing the services of leaflet distribution companies like Adpost can  deliver better results, starting from designing the leaflets, all the way to getting them delivered to your prospects door or mailbox.

  1. THINK BIG

The point of growing a business is to make it bigger, and you can’t go big by thinking small. Some businesses like to think in terms of baby steps, but big leaps can be made with much success with proper planning and execution. Think big, and don’t be afraid to explore the options of going big with your business.

When growing your business, be prepared to take risks and try something new; it’s a big, new adventure after all.

4 Mistakes In Leaflet Distribution

4 Mistakes In Leaflet Distribution

Leaflets can be very effective marketing tools when done correctly. If you are investing in leaflet printing and distribution, it is crucial that the elements of your leaflet are spot on, otherwise, you risk ruining your brand’s reputation, not to mention flushing your investment down the drain.

If you are already confident with your leaflet’s design, the next stage is making sure they reach the intended recipients. This is where potential problems can arise, but they can be avoided. Here are 4 common mistakes in leaflet distribution and how to avoid them:

  1. WRONG TIMING

Some people may think that it would be ideal to deliver leaflets on the same day that local newspapers are delivered – after all, it creates the notion that this is the time people would actually find time to read. However, those newspapers will likely come with multiple inserts, and getting your leaflet distributed on the same day will likely mean that it would get lost among the other flyers and go unnoticed – and probably end up in a bin along with other inserts that the recipient won’t bother reading.

  1. GOING CHEAP

Leaflets are inexpensive, but they don’t have to look cheap. Some businesses skimp on the printing and design costs and the result is a poor quality print or amateurish design. Some businesses can even go as far as simply having the entire leaflet design in black ink and then having it photocopied on plain paper. DIY solutions can save money, but this is one of those situations that will actually make your business lose money. All this reflects on your business and your brand, and if you won’t spend to get it done right, it means that you’re not doing it right.

  1. GETTING RANDOM DISTRIBUTORS

When you have leaflets to distribute, you want to make sure that your leaflets reach their destination. There are many companies that offer this service, but it’s best to go with the ones that can guarantee delivery, like Adpost. Adpost uses the Adtrak system that uses GPS to track their professional walkers to make sure those letterbox drops are done right and in a timely manner. When you’re paying for this type of service, you want a reliable company like Adpost to give you your money’s worth.

  1. NOT TESTING

If it’s your first time using leaflets as a marketing tool, investing a huge amount of money on your first run is going to be a dangerous gamble. It is best to first try a small number to test the market. You can also try two or three different designs to see which gets a better response. One you have the trial run data, then you can launch a bigger leaflet campaign with the design that delivers the best results.

 

Mistakes in leaflet distribution not only hurt your pocket, but they damage your brand’s reputation too. To maximize the marketing power of your leaflets, make sure that you work with a reputable and reliable company that can help with your leaflet campaign from start to finish. The professionals at Adpost can help you from design to distribution. Contact Adpost today and be confident that you will not encounter the above-mentioned mistakes.

Mailing Lists Getting The Most Out Of Your Investment

first step to any marketing c

ampaign is knowing who your target market is; in direct mail marketing, this is none other than your mailing list. A good marketing campaign customizes the message/offer to meet the needs of the selected target audience, so before anything else, you need to have your mailing list ready – or at least know that you can obtain a list that matches your target group.

If you want a decent response from your direct mail campaign, you should have a decent mailing list as well. There are many list brokers online, and based on prices, you can see that some are relatively much cheaper. Choosing where to get your mailing list is a crucial step – getting a ton of information cheap may sound like a good deal, but getting outdated and inaccurate information will only burn a hole in your pocket. Remember: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

If you already have a reliable list broker that carries the list/s you need, then comes the next hard decision. Is it better to rent or to purchase? Essentially, it depends on how you intend to use the list. Normally, renting a list means that you can only use it once, so in direct mail, this means sending one letter/mailer. Now, since direct mail campaigns usually follow a sequence, this means that your succeeding mailers can only be sent to those who responded to your first letter. If you intend to keep sending mailers at your discretion, you would be better of with purchasing or leasing a list. This means spending more money on the mailing list, but down the line, the data can be used for developing your CRM database.

If you already have a list of your own or if you decide to purchase one, it is best to make sure that these lists are maintained – the data you captured or purchased last year could easily be outdated by now, and your mailing list will continue to be effective only for as long as the information is accurate. People move all the time, and if this is not updated, you will be wasting resources sending mailers to the wrong addresses, not to mention robbing your customer of the chance to remain informed about your business.

There are several ways to ensure that your mailing lists remain useful. First of all, your database should be regularly updated at least once a year. Check you information against the NCOA database and validate addresses. Eliminate any duplicate contacts, check that names are spelled correctly, and make sure that addresses follow the right format.

Keeping your mailing lists up-to-date on your own can be a monumental task. With direct mail campaigns, there are so many steps involved that it would be hard to keep track without help from the professionals. Simplify the process with Adpost. At Adpost, we can take care of your direct mail needs from start to finish, including Return Mail services. Return mail service will not only help you update your database, but we can also look into the recipients’ current address.

Get the most out of your mailing list. Contact Adpost and your investment will hit its target.

Hiring Part Time Employees – Is It For You?

Whether you are a small business or a large company, chances are you’ve employed or considered employing part-time workers. Part-time employment is welcomed by many, employers and employees alike. But before you start adding people to your payroll, consider these pros and cons:

Hands down, the biggest advantage of hiring part time employees is the reduced cost. These employees usually get paid based on hourly wages, which essentially means that you only need to pay them for the  time that your business requires.  

Another advantage is that your company will not be required to provide additional work benefits. Full time employees will likely expect and demand a full compensation package, but part time employees may just ask for retirement benefits.

Part time employees obviously work less hours than full time employees, but they have the flexibility of being scheduled to work on specific hours or days based on the company’s need. Having control over staff availability during your busy hours means that you have the manpower needed to get the job done on time – your customers will get the immediate attention and assistance they need, and your employees do not get overwhelmed with the rush to provide service. In addition, your regular employees will not get dumped with additional workload and will not need to render overtime to meet deadlines, thus keeping work stress and employee complaints to a minimum.

While these advantages are worth their weight in gold, the biggest concern with having part time employees is their sense of belonging. For one, it may take time for part time employees to get used to your company’s culture and style of working. Since these employees spend less time with your company, they may find it difficult to fit in in an environment that already has established work relationships and dynamics, especially among your regular employees.

Another potential drawback is the challenge of keeping everyone on the same page. An employee that is only there on certain hours or days of the week would not be aware of any changes or announcements made in his/her absence, and this could lead to confusion and may disrupt the work process. Keeping part time employees updated means using valuable time that your business may not be able to spare in the first place.

Lastly, there’s a big possibility that your part time employee may be juggling one or two more part time jobs.  It would be difficult to expect that employee to have commitment and loyalty to your business when there are other jobs that demand the same thing. A low level of commitment could mean that a part time employee may not be as driven as your full time employees are, and this could lead to mediocre or substandard work.

Having part time employees is not for every business. At Adpost, we understand the importance of delivering quality work and meeting deadlines. We leave nothing to chance when it comes to leaflet distribution, which is why we employ professional dedicated walkers with GPS trackers to make sure your leaflets get delivered. Unlike other distribution companies who employ part-time students, our professional walkers get the job done, and you have the added assurance though our ADTRAK system. Contact Adpost today and put your leaflet distribution needs in the hands of the professionals.

BENEFITS OF USING GPS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

Benefits Of Using Gps For Small Businesses

GPS tracking systems have gone a long way from when they were first developed in. Now, GPS is such a normal part of our every day lives that many people would be literally lost without it.

When it comes to small businesses where the operating costs have to be closely monitored, using GPS may seem superfluous and nonessential, but the benefits are more evident and impactful than they would initially seem:

  1. EFFICIENCY

Whether you are on your way to a meeting, running an errand, or making a delivery, getting lost on an unfamiliar road can be frustrating and time consuming. These nuisances and delays can be avoided with the help of GPS.  Using GPS helps you navigate unfamiliar territory with ease, getting you to where you need to be on time. In terms of meeting clients or making a delivery, getting there on time can spell the difference between a good, solid reputation, and an unreliable and embarrassing one.

  1. CONTROL

Having GPS allows you to have control over your company vehicles. Whether you own a trucking company or have company vehicles for employee use, having GPS allows you to keep track of their locations. Also, since employees out in the field know that you can track their whereabouts, it helps keep them in check so there is a much smaller chance of company resources being misused and abused.

  1. PLANNING

GPS basically creates your personal dynamic road map. When you key in your destination, you get a glimpse of your entire route before you even get on the road. Some devices even give you alternative routes so you can choose your own, create custom routes, or prepare routes with multiple waypoints. Having an idea of how to get to where you want to go makes for easier driving and navigation, especially if you have multiple destinations.

  1. COST

A small investment in a good GPS device can go a long way. Just imagine the obvious savings on a personal level: when you don’t get lost and take the fastest route to your destination, you save on fuel, not to mention save time. Now, apply this to an entire fleet of vehicles, or even just those company cars that you let your employees use. Eliminating unnecessary additional expenses puts money back in your pocket.

  1. COMPETITIVE EDGE

Virtually any industry can take advantage of the benefits of GPS. For instance, cable and telecom companies can use GPS to quickly dispatch the closest available worker to a service call. Nursing homes and private caretakers can track the whereabouts of an elderly adult susceptible to wandering. Delivery companies can move their goods in the most efficient and economical way. SMEs that use leaflet distribution services can especially benefit from GPS. Adpost uses ADTRAK, a tool that tracks all deliveries with GPS units carried by their dedicated professional walkers, giving you peace of mind that your material gets delivered – assurance that you will not get from just any ordinary company.

The bottomline: GPS tracking systems can help your business operate more smoothly and deliver better service. Whether you are a business owner or a customer, it helps to know which companies have that edge.