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Archive for February, 2010

4 Foolproof Ways to Create a Great Company Logo

February 15, 2010 Leave a comment
Have you taken a close look at your company logo lately? Does it look like it came straight out of the 1980s, or have you kept it up-to-date?
An outdated logo can make you look stagnant and stale in the minds of prospective customers. To combat this effect, many companies redesign their logos every few years to keep them fresh. If your company is considering a logo update, here are some tips to help:
1) Choose a logo that looks good large or small. This will allow for more variety in your ads and other printed materials.
2) Keep it simple. Your logo doesn’t have to look fancy to grab attention. Just look at IBM and Apple. Their logos are simple but memorable.
3) Limit yourself to two or three colors of ink. Having too many ink colors in your company’s logo will put an unnecessary strain on your printing budget – and might actually look distracting, rather than distinctive. A nice-looking, two-color logo will give you the professional look you want at a reasonable price.
4) Use standard ink colors. Custom-mixed inks cost more, and many standard ink colors offer just as unique and professional a look as their more expensive, custom-mixed cousins.

www.ParagonPress.net

Categories: Business Tags:

4 Keys to More Meaningful Customer Relations

February 15, 2010 Leave a comment

Companies lose an average of 10 to 30% of their customers each year. Much of this loss can be attributed to poor service. Companies that focus on customer retention tend to see profits grow anywhere from 25 to 100% annually. Nonprofits that focus on customer retention often see reductions in turnover and better results. In business, we all strive to provide outstanding customer service. Unfortunately, we don’t always live up to those ideals. Here are four keys to unlocking richer, more meaningful relationships with your customers:

Learn your customers’ names. Everybody appreciates being recognized when they walk into a place of business, particularly if they visit that company frequently. As the theme song to Cheers puts it, “Sometimes, you want to go where everybody knows your name.” Make a concerted effort to learn the names of the people you come into contact with regularly, and greet them by name whenever possible.
But start with last names first. Of course, before you start addressing customers on a first-name basis, make sure they’re comfortable with this practice. Some customers might find it disrespectful or “too” personal to have you greet them by their first name. Follow the customer’s lead, if possible, or try starting with “Mr. Johnson,” before calling your customer “Bob,” particularly if they are not your peer.
Show genuine appreciation. Let your customers know you’re glad to see them every time they walk through the door. Make an effort to greet people with a warm smile and an enthusiastic hello. Then back it up with outstanding service and a “can do” attitude. Thank your customers when they buy from you, and keep in touch to let them know they’re on your mind… and appreciated for everything they do.
Avoid judgments and negativity. We’ve all heard the adage, “You can’t judge a book by its cover.” The same is true of people. Strive to approach each new or prospective customer with an open mind and positive attitude. Don’t rush to judgment based on a first impression. Many times, those initial reactions and snap judgments don’t hold up to the test of time.

www.ParagonPress.net
Categories: Business Tags: ,

From Profile Cards to Luggage Tags

February 9, 2010 Leave a comment

Paragon Press Shreveport is offering to print 250 free “profile cards” (they’re like business cards but a little smaller) to anyone. Anyone as in open to the public. The free cards can be redeemed at www.ParagonPressFreeProfileCards.com. What’s the catch? Just follow us on Twitter or become a fan at Facebook.

On the redemption website, let us know who you are, what kind of design you want, and what you want printed on the cards. So I just noticed someone only put their name. Now, at first I thought this person has totally missed the point, but then it occurred to me that I’m the one who has totally missed the point! I’ve been thinking these things have to be used in business card fashion, but they don’t. Try:

  • Luggage tags
  • Property Of: Name
  • Tags for Art Shows
  • This belongs to: Your Name
  • Mini-bookmarks
  • Carefully prepared by: Your Name
  • Compliments of: Your Name

What else could you use these for?

mail@paragonpress.net / www.ParagonPress.net / Over 34 years, #1 in Shreveport, LA for PRINT, DESIGN, MAIL.

Categories: Business Tags: , , , , ,

Advertising & promoting actually does work!

February 5, 2010 4 comments

Every year in Shreveport, LA, the Mardi Gras season (Feb) is celebrated with lots of parades – the biggest of them being the Krewe of Centaur and Krewe of Gemini parades. These 2 parades have a long route through Shreveport and attracts thousands of parade visitors.

A few of our employees are members of these 2 krewes.

This Saturday, owner Macy Flash and production manager Tina Tomasek are riding on float #21 Bayou Beaus & Babes in the Centaur parade.

Tina and I decided yesterday to do something fun to draw attention to our participation in this popular community event, as well as use our Facebook fan page, Twitter page and email marketing to see if we could garner some interest.

Sooooo, we created a simple sign (see below) with our name and logo on top and “Throw Me Something, Mister!” on the bottom. This is a popular phrase from the New Orleans parades where folks yell it to the floats to get them to throw the folks on the sidewalk beads, toys, cups, etc. We made our sign bright, neon orange.

We sent out emails to all our local friends and we posted it on Facebook and Twitter (“come get your free sign, hold it up to float #21 this Sat, and we’ll throw u something!), and they came.

We only printed 200 and we’re almost out!

The cool thing about this exercise was that sometimes the old formula works – all you have to do is advertise and promote.

Now granted, these signs were free, but it was still a cool thing to put “out there” to current and prospective clients…just trying to be the printer in Shreveport that takes things to the next level!

www.ParagonPress.ne

Categories: Business Tags: , , , , ,

Stop by!

February 4, 2010 Leave a comment

GOT TIME?

Visit us @ 3351 Youree Dr, pick up your FREE SIGN, bring it to the Centaur parade THIS SATURDAY, hold it up to FLOAT #21 (Bayou Beaus & Babes) & we’ll throw u something!!!

Hope to see you this Saturday!

www.ParagonPress.net

Categories: Business

Mardi Gras time is upon us!

February 3, 2010 Leave a comment

If you plan on attending the Krewe of Centaur parade in Shreveport, LA this Saturday, look for FLOAT #21 “Bayou Beaus & Babes”. We’ll be on that float and if you yell PARAGON PRESS we’ll throw you beads!! www.ParagonPress.net

Categories: Business Tags: , , ,

“Lemonade”

February 3, 2010 Leave a comment

Watched an awesome short film on Hulu called “Lemonade.” http://www.hulu.com/watch/120840/lemonade

The movie is a series of interviews with people who lost their jobs and how they turned lemons into lemonade; how they changed their perspective on life, their future, their outlook, their perspective. It’s worth 35 minutes of your time.

Have a great day!

www.ParagonPress.net

Categories: Business

Getting smarter?

February 2, 2010 Leave a comment

The folks here at Paragon Press continue to research ways to get smarter as it relates to social media marketing, SEO, PPC, web redesign, generating leads, converting leads into sales, etc, etc. It’s truly OVERWHELMING how much information and how many free resources (webinars, e-books, white papers, articles, blogs, e-newsletters, emails, etc) are out there. If someone tells you they’re not up to speed on what’s happening in the world of inbound marketing, it’s because they haven’t logged on to the internet lately, right? I’m grateful for all the info, yet know that we must prioritize and do it little by little, day by day…better than doing nothing at all!

joan@paragonpress.net / www.ParagonPress.net / Over 34 years, #1 in Shreveport, LA for PRINT, DESIGN, MAIL.

Categories: Business Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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