Brandi

Ugly Printing Out Sells Pretty Use Vision and Emotion for Success

So you have an idea. A light bulb goes on in your head. You want to take the football and run with a venture. Let's consider a few things together.

Sure you need legal advice, tax advice, capital, employees perhaps, facilities, a business plan, etc. Whatever stage you are in I'll bet you had some thoughts that went something like this and in about this order.

1. Company name
2. Logo
3. Corporate colors
4. Promotional brochures and business cards
5. Domain name and email
6. What are we selling?
7. How do we sell it?

If you did this, congratulations, you're typical and you're backwards! As Homer Simpson would say, "DOH!!"

Find the Prospect's Vision

What are your priorities? Well this segment is about getting it right from the get-go. Sure it's about marketing but a lot about vision. Not your vision, your prospects vision.

The more correct approach is nearly quite the opposite. We have been influenced so much by the media sources pounding us with endless brand building and institutional advertisements that we have forgotten that for the average small business, nobody cares who you are. Sure you are unique. Sure you are important, at least to your family. But in the business world, that won't get you a dime.

Forget About Brand Building

Your company name and logo doesn't matter a twit. The old saw about how you should "find a need and fill it" still rules. The need to fill an existing need can be something that stops a pain, runs faster, makes a job easier, or whatever. Even better is to take an existing product and innovate or improve upon it.

I'm not going to bust you for having an original idea. Often the first one to the marketplace is the winner. But not always. Microsoft was second behind Apple to market desktop computers to the masses. But Bill Gates stomped on Apple with a grander vision and better marketing. Starbucks was a long way from first to sell coffee, but how they sell it shook the marketplace.

When you're first to the market you can have the vision. When you are not the first the only vision that really counts is the one the consumer has.

The very first thing that should be considered is how are we going to sell our product followed by functionally defining what we are selling. You need those two things figured out before anything else should be considered. Your product idea doesn't have to be unique. If there is competition, good. At least you know that there is money to be made if someone else is already doing it.

Pioneers are the ones that end up with arrows stuck in them

It is far easier to travel when someone else has already broken the trail. This is especially true if you have more time than money.

Let's say you have an idea for a cosmetic product that you think women will fight to get a hold of. You need to define the functionality of the product. Say what? Charles Revson of Revlon, you all know the Revlon name, once said that his cosmetics were functionally defined as "hope".

Consider that for a moment. Revson wasn't just selling lip gloss. He was selling "hope" Every time a woman looked in mirror while applying the product she was hoping that she looked better for it. Dressed with it she felt better for it. Consequently, when Revlon markets a product they do so in such a way as to gin up those emotions. And, emotions my friend are what customers buy with.

Ask yourself. What emotions you feel when you buy or when you are considering a purchase be it for yourself or your company. The money you will invest will some how relate to an emotion and the related benefit.

The rest of those other things such as company name, logo, website and business cards are virtually subtitles. If you can functionally define what you are selling and match that function with a prospect, you're over half way there.

Got your vision? Good. Now find a prospect that shares your vision. You are now ready to print marketing communications with emotions that sell.

Martin Stephens is marketing director for West Printing Company in Toledo, Ohio. Find other articles related to the printing industry on the West Printing Company website at http://toledoprinter.com

posted by ttlltvw @ 4:56 PM 0 comments

Hiring a Virtual Assistant - A Comprehensive Cost Analysis

Are you overwhelmed by administrative tasks in your business, and are considering hiring some help? Have you decided that a Virtual Assistant, or VA, is the best choice for your business, but don't know how to take the next steps? If you answered yes to any or all of the above questions, it's time I show you how choosing a quality "virtual staffing agency" can be the difference between finding a quality professional to assist you in growing your business, and spending your personal time, money, and energy, only to find you've hired a Virtual Assistant who couldn't "hack it."

So, you've decided it's time to expand your business by hiring a Virtual Assistant. Congratulations! You have just set yourself apart from many entrepreneurs, because you are willing to embrace the staffing solutions of the new millennium. Your competition, who may still be insisting on hiring an "on-site" assistant, is having to run expensive employment ads, create and initiate training with their new hire, pay for additional phone lines, computers, and desk supplies, AND be bothered by dealing with payroll taxes and benefits for their employee. What an antiquated system!

On the other hand, you've decided you want to "go virtual," by hiring a Virtual Assistant. The VA you hire will have a fully functional home office, complete with unlimited long-distance, virtual fax capabilities, a virtual PBX, cellular phone, computer with high speed internet access, a printer, and a quiet work environment. Best of all, you have the ability to hire your Virtual Assistant as an independent contractor, which will save you when dealing with the IRS, and your state and local taxing authorities.

Now you have to decide whether or not it is to your benefit to hire your Virtual Assistant on your own, or go through a "Virtual Staffing Agency." The first thing most of us think of when we think of going through an agency, is EXPENSIVE. Why would anyone want to go through a virtual staffing agency, when they can just run an ad and hire a VA on their own?

Let's do a cost analysis on hiring your own Virtual Assistant, versus hiring a VA through a Virtual Staffing Agency. First of all, if you plan to hire a VA on your own, you are undoubtedly going to have to run employment ads; so you're going to invest your time and energy, creating and submitting your advertisement. If you run an employment ad that has a cost involved, for instance, in your local paper, you're looking at an average cost of approximately $300 - $400, for a weekend run, with internet coverage. This ad may or may not yield the new hire you are looking for. On the flip side, if you utilize a reputable virtual staffing agency, like Team Double-Click, The Virtual Assistant Company, one simple phone call gets the ball rolling. Their pool of over 10,000 qualified, tested, and trained Virtual Assistants, makes the placement process seamless, and you incur NO upfront costs.

What happens if you choose to hire your own Virtual Assistant, and he or she is not right for the job? What do you do, if the VA you hired quits? Well, when you hire a VA on your own - it's back to the drawing board. You're going to have to spend the time, energy, and money all over again, to find a replacement. When you hire a Team Double-Click Virtual Assistant, you call or email, and a new VA will be assigned to you.

Let's talk about what you're going to pay your assistant. If you hire your own VA, you're going to have to pay him/her the general going rate; which is currently between $18.00 - $50.00 per hour, depending on the expertise level required by the assistant. Obviously, it would cost more to hire an "agency" VA, right? Not really, when you look at the big picture! Team Double-Click offers clients rates as low as $22.50 per hour, and you only pay for the actual time that your VA is performing the assigned tasks! Initially, you receive 2 hours free, to acclimate your VA, and go over your expectations. They offer a satisfaction guarantee, and there is no contract length commitments.

Let's break down the costs in black and white:

Hire VA on your own

additional expenses when hiring replacement

Hire a Team Double-Click VA

Hiring a Virtual Assistant can be one of the most cost-effective means of growing your business. While hiring a VA on your own can work in some cases, it comes with no guarantees the relationship will work out. Utilizing a virtual staffing agency, like Team Double-Click can be the win-win situation you need - just do the math!

To receive additional information about Team Double-Click, visit the Referral Partner center, located at www.chrisarcherinc.com/tdc.html or send an email with your contact information to mailto:VA@chrisarcherinc.com.

Chris Archer is the owner of http://www.chrisarcherinc.com and has owned small and home-based businesses since 1992. Currently residing in Pickerington, Ohio, Christina is the wife and mother of 5 children, ranging in age from 1 - 18. When Chris is not working with small and home-based business owners, she enjoys visiting Florida, spending time outdoors, amusement parks, movies, reading, video games, computers, home-schooling, and engaging in lively political conversations. If you'd like to obtain a free Home-Based Business Resource kit via email, visit her website at http://www.chrisarcherinc.com

posted by ttlltvw @ 3:34 PM 0 comments