When it comes to choosing the right colors for your next direct mail campaign, logo, or print collateral, there are certain hues that speak for themselves and can impact your results. Are you choosing the right colors to get your message across? Keep reading to find out.

Blue connotes safety and confidence. This color is great for the financial and medical industries.

Orange conveys affordability. Think Big Lots and The Home Depot.

Red is also associated with affordability, but only when it’s a cherry or tomato red (Target). If it’s a blue-based red, it’s more closely associated with more expensive products.

Yellow is the first color the eye sees, and when used with dark colors for high contrast, it becomes more powerful and easily read.

Green conveys possibility and hope.

Purple although especially hot right now, signifies wealth and royalty. However, purple can be a weak color for direct mail and is better used with high-fashion, sports teams, or sweet treats.

Black conveys a strong sense of power, promise and the ability for high contrasts. Add sheen or matte to black, and it becomes more powerful still.

White (especially when presented tone on tone) implies sophistication and formality — but also a high-end price point.

[via Independentinc.com and Process Magazine]

Organize
Since I graduated from college, I’ve worked full time during the day and coached a lacrosse team at night. I leave the house at 7:30am and come home at 8:45pm, eat dinner, rinse, and repeat. That first year was admittedly a messy one. I would constantly fall behind on groceries and laundry. Year two was better, but I was still disorganized, not packing enough food for the day or accidentally bringing two left sneakers to practice.

Even though I’ve improved since then, the first word of this year’s resolution is “organize.” Now, I do laundry and grocery shop every Sunday, pack my week’s worth of workout outfits prior to the start of the week, and I don’t watch TV during the workweek. I’ve also said goodbye to canned foods in favor of fresh produce, thankfully.

Create
Someone recently asked me if I still write for fun since I write for work. I consider the work I do fun, but I understood what they meant. There’s a difference between writing a brochure under a tight timeline and writing a whimsical blog about the glory of bowties. I recently read that one writer wakes up every morning and writes for 30 minutes before she starts her day. Not only has she noticed an improvement in her writing, but she also is able to overcome day-to-day obstacles with a clear mind.

Motivate
This third word was an obvious choice for me. Without motivation, there would be no organization or creation. And I mean it in the simplest sense, like finding the motivation to make my bed, write when I’m at a loss for words, and keep pushing when I’m tired.

This type of resolution can also apply to your business. What do you hope to accomplish this year? Set up a brainstorming meeting (add food for creative inspiration), and determine the three words that will serve as your resolution for 2012. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can focus on four and incorporate them into the four quarters of your marketing plan.

If you’re looking for added inspiration, here are the words shared by a few of my SMCO colleagues:

Sue: Family, Friendships, Finances
Jen: Boldness, Hope, Peace
Angi: Determination, Learn, Focus
Marta: Listen, Commit, Renew

First, there’s a difference between utilizing your database and abusing your database. Recently, our Agency Manager received a Direct Mailer from a pharmacy that was far too personalized. The mailer specifically mentioned her last five medical prescription purchases in an effort to sell her more, but it only succeeded in invading her privacy. An alternative here would’ve been noticing her last purchases had been for allergy medicine and creating general copy that read, “Breathe easy with our spring discounts.” This type of mailer is still targeted but it doesn’t make your customer feel like you’re watching them, like that aforementioned little elf.

Next, if you’ve ever received an email that starts with “We noticed you read our last email…” then you’ve been hit by Elf on the Shelf Marketing. Knowing who clicks through your emails is a great way to customize information to a highly targeted audience, but that information should stay internal. Thanks to advancements in technology, it’s easy to see who’s reading and clicking through our e-blasts, but divulging this information makes readers feel uneasy.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m certainly no Ebenezer Scrooge, and I do like customized and creative marketing tactics — but there has to be moderation. And when it comes to the actual Elf on the Shelf, I feel like he would’ve given my kids nightmares rather than persuaded them to behave.

Contact us today to start an effective Direct Mail marketing campaign!

Building a Solid Brand. Creating a consistent and recognizable logo and imagery have been key pieces to the Movember branding process. Visually, these components have an old-world, masculine feel that tie in with their message promoting men’s health. When it comes to their verbal standards, the tone is clever and concise and directly speaks to their target audience (community members dubbed Mo Bros and Mo Sistas). Plus, their website is easy to navigate achieving three primary goals: it informs the audience about the cause, persuades the community to get involved, and encourages interaction through games, tips, and more.

Social Media Strikes Again. According to Donny Killian, the US manager for Movember, the organization actively assists the community to spread the word, he explained, “We support our Mo Bros and Mo Sistas throughout their Movember journey by providing the tools and resources for them to have meaningful conversations, educate others and above all have remarkable experiences throughout the month. Our community is very active on Twitter, Facebook, forums, blogs and, of course, in-person.” As men start to grow their mustaches, they use these social media outlets to raise awareness, track progress, and to ask for donations.

Unleashing the Power of the Mo. Going beyond wearing a pin or a t-shirt to promote a cause, the mustache itself turns Mo Bros into walking-talking billboards. Killian went on to say, “Our research found that each Movember participant speaks to an average of 61 people about men’s health and our cause during the month.” This means that during the 2010 campaign, the 448,000 global participants personally informed 23 million people about Movember and its key health messages.

Thanks to solid branding, social media outlets, and providing a unique way to spread awareness, Movember is changing the perception of men’s health, increasing chances for early detection for prostate cancer, and creating a new model for organizations of its kind.

Click here to find out more or to make a contribution to Movember!

A lively and highly competitive challenge to collect donations for the St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance took place at Sherri May & Company and Prisma Graphic recently. And the results were phenomenal.

Organized in teams with animal-themed names, employees embraced the challenge to see which team could collect the most donations during this 3-week challenge.

The contest quickly became a fierce competition between The Monkeys and The Big Cats, but The Tortoises slowly and steadily collected enough donations to win the race.

Thanks to the competition-style approach, the overall results exceeded all expectations. In less than three weeks, 4,046 items were collected for a total of weight around 3,000 lbs– nearly equivalent in weight to a Honda Accord! In addition to these contributions, just over $5,000 was raised, which adds up to roughly 33,500 meals for hungry families in the Valley.

Event organizer, Ed Bazzy said “The success of the Food Drive was beyond my expectations, but I wasn’t surprised because I know we have a group of people here with big hearts, who are caring and generous, not to mention very competitive. Also the support from Bob and Simon and all the management team, helped tremendously in making this a huge success.”

Visit firstfoodbank.org to make a donation to the St. Mary’s Food Bank today!

Here are the top 5 ways you can use augmented reality:

1. Travel – Getting your bearings in a new city isn’t always easy. When traveling abroad, use Word Lens to translate signs, or check out Wikitude (voted best augmented reality app in 2010) for an information overlay that tells you a variety of information including where to find the nearest ATM, restaurant, and Wikipedia articles that pertain to your surroundings.

2. Daily Life – When you’re looking to buy a couch but you’d like to see how it looks in your family room first, when your car is lost in a sea of sedans, or when you’re craving exotic food with high reviews, augmented reality comes in handy. Apps like SnapShop Showroom, Yelp, and Augmented Car Finder could likely become your trusted guides.

3. A Big Budget Marketing Promotion – Augmented reality will likely change the face of marketing, but this technology doesn’t come without a high price. Expect to spend anywhere from $30,000 to $200,000 for an augmented reality marketing promotion from top companies like Ogmento and Metaio, or as much as $700,000 from AR leader, Total Immersion.

If that’s not in your budget, your business can live vicariously through a few notable AR campaigns from Starbucks, BMW, and my personal favorite, RayBan’s Virtual Mirror that lets you try on sunglasses without leaving the house.

4. Transportation – For the directionally challenged, certain AR apps (like New York Nearest Places and London Tube) can help you navigate big city subway systems and get your bearings when you’re lost.

5. Games – Finally, even though it’s not an entirely practical use, AR technology is constantly changing the gaming world. Check out AR Basketball or AR Soccer to use your surroundings as the backdrop for an impromptu sports game, while apps like SkinVaders lets you use your own face as a battleground.

Whether you use augmented reality for virtual gaming, or use the apps in a time of need, the common theme here is that these applications use innovative technology to bring a new generation of interactivity to our fingertips. As the technology advances, it will be fascinating to see how AR will be integrated into future marketing campaigns and our daily life.

Image: Turkletom via Flickr

Discounted Furniture
Okay, before you start yawning, hear me out. One Kings Lane sells home décor through 72-hour deals at roughly 70% off. With daily notification emails, the company remain in steady contact with customers, and according to one source, boasts “over 2 million registered users on the company’s website. Last year, revenue came to $30 million and is expected to exceed $100 million in 2011.” Ever since the economy aggressively impacted the housing market, furniture stores have suffered in the wake. This begs the question, will online furniture companies like One Kings Lane make traditional furniture stores obsolete? It might be too soon to say, but it seems like there’s a strong chance.

Then comes my new favorite, Fab.com. This modern design site also sells discounted deals for a limited time, but it has a flair for all things eclectic. T-shirts, toys, and printed posters are featured from up and coming artists at extremely discounted prices. You have to be invited or join a waiting list to sign up, but it’s quickly growing in popularity thanks to this supply and demand strategy.

Threads … For Rent
We’ve all been in this situation. We have an upcoming event but don’t feel like spending $200 on a dress or suit we’ll only wear once. What’s the solution? Renting designer duds at a quarter of the price from RenttheRunway.com. Consumers are buzzing about this site that allows them to rent Diane von Furstenburg and Vera Wang without spending a small fortune.

If you notice the common thread in these cutting-edge companies, it’s that people like getting more for their money. It’s one thing to visit a department store and spend $50 on a new lamp– but it’s another to drop $50 for a $100 designer lamp. What will be the next big thing in 2012? It’s hard to say, but chances are strong it will be a site that offers consumers unparalleled savings for high-quality products.

Image source: nyconvergence.com

Saturday, October 29, 2011, Tempe Beach Park
Registration 7:00am, Event Program 7:30am, Walk 8:00am

While there is no registration fee or minimum fundraising amount, people of all ages are welcome to participate and help raise funds. If you, your friends, or family would like to sign up to walk with our team or make a donation, please click here for more information.

Donate $35 or more and receive a limited edition t-shirt.
Shirts must be ordered no later than Monday, October 17 and will be distributed / sent on Wednesday, October 26, 2011.

Join us, and together we will create a world with less breast cancer and more birthdays.

1) Welcome New Clients
Landing a new client can be grounds for celebration, but it’s also a time to welcome and introduce your new clients to the team. John Remsen, Jr., the President of the marketing consulting firm, TheRemsenGroup, explains, “In addition to a well-written cover letter from the [manager], include your firm brochure, a client service pledge, a current list of contacts with direct dial phone numbers and email addresses, and a nice gift.”

2) Improve Your Clients Lives
In the words of Sherri May, it’s important to “improve your clients’ lives by helping them achieve more than they could have achieved without you.” This translates to building a creative partnership with clients rather than merely providing a service. And this goal can be accomplished when you exceed expectations on every project, with every client, every time.

3) Stay in Touch
This is fairly basic, but part of being a reliable partner involves promptly responding to phone calls and emails. Even if it’s just to respond to say you received the email or you’re just returning their phone call. Remsen explains, “You may not think a return phone call is all that important (especially if there is nothing to report), but your client sure as heck does. Adopt a policy to return all your calls on the same day. It’s a darn good habit.”

4) Provide Cutting-Edge Service
Like a good surgeon, it’s vital to take the necessary training to stay up to speed in your specific field. Your clients look to you for cutting-edge solutions, and by bringing new strategies to the table it shows you’re not afraid to try something new.

Take individual responsibility for your professional development by attending seminars, watching webinars, or traveling to conventions (if it’s within your budget). Your clients will know if your work starts to feel dated or stagnant, and they’ll appreciate when you start bringing state-of-the-art techniques to the table.

5) Say Thank You
It doesn’t have to be the third week in November to say thanks to your clients. Finishing a large job, acknowledging the holidays, or “just because,” are all valid reasons to say thank you to a client. If you’re not sure how to say thanks, consider taking clients out to lunch or dinner, inviting them to an upcoming event like a banquet or sporting event, or by sending a gift basket or handwritten note.

In the end, when you look after your clients, they’ll look after you. Provide cutting-edge service that exceeds their expectations and you’ll set the foundation for a mutually beneficial, long-term partnership.

To find out how to build a creative partnership with Sherri May & Company, call 602-547-7020, or email us at sue@sherrimayco.com.

The service itself integrates Google Profiles and Google Buzz while providing new features like Circles, Hangouts, and Sparks. In terms of functionality, it can be confusing, so here’s a breakdown of the main features that differentiate it from other sites (namely Facebook).

Key Features
Circles. According to Google, Circles are “The easiest way to share some things with college buddies, others with your parents, and almost nothing with your boss.” When you post links, pictures, and videos you also click the corresponding Circles who will have access to your post. In terms of control, Google+ has an edge over Facebook’s confusing privacy settings that appeared as an after-thought to compete with G+.

Hangouts. These live web chats immediately connect you with friends, family, and colleagues for a (digital) face-to-face interaction. In this respect, it can be a great tool to collaborate on projects. While Facebook is known as more of a personal social networking site that lets you stay in touch with friends, Google+ can be a great way to also share content and schedule meetings in your industry.

Sparks. We’ll resist the urge to break out into song, but Sparks is basically a feed of your favorite things. If you love fashion for example, click the Fashion category to read popular posts about Fashion Week, the latest trends and more. It’s the Google equivalent of Twitter’s hashtags and is especially helpful if your friends keep posting irrelevant articles to their feeds.

Should You Join?
Google+ is valuable for those who are looking for another outlet to communicate with friends, family and colleagues while retaining control over content. If you’re not quite sold, keep in mind that it’s a work in progress. According to Mashable: There’s a reason why Google “calls this a ‘project’ rather than a ‘product’ — they don’t want people to think of this as the final product, but as a constantly-evolving entity that permeates every corner of the Google empire.” Our best advice is to try it out and see if it works for you.