GCC Printing and Graphics

A unique selling proposition, or USP, differentiates your business from your competitors. It helps you stand out and is why customers decide to buy from you over competitors. In online markets, where there are many competitors, it’s essential to stand out. USPs identify your target market, why your business exists, and how you want to impact the world uniquely.  The USP is the intersection between what your customers want and what your business does well. What you sell doesn’t always have to be unique, but the message you focus on does.  Finding Your Unique Selling Proposition  Finding your USP can be challenging. The following tips should help:  List your differentiations. Make a list of what differentiates you from your competitors. Be as specific as possible. Brainstorm as many options as possible. Research competition. Research your competitors. Find out who they are and their USPs. Find the gaps to see your niche. Identify the target ma...

Both direct mail—the printed word—and websites are essential in promoting your business. So, how does it work? What’s the secret to using direct mail to promote your online presence? Let’s take a look. Don’t rely on Google to sell your site to anyone. Just because you have a website doesn’t mean you will become an overnight success. There are so many websites and businesses competing for consumers’ attention that you will need a little more help than just having a site. As Barry Fieg, author of “Streetwise Low-Cost Web Site Promotion” says, “Google doesn’t care about your sales. Nor does Google help you target your market.” Fieg says two things have to happen: First, you need to get people to your site. Second, you need to convert them from surfers to buyers. And, according to studies, you have about seven seconds to grab peoples’ attention. And this is where direct mail comes in. Direct mail can l...

Both direct mail—the printed word—and websites are essential in promoting your business. So, how does it work? What’s the secret to using direct mail to promote your online presence? Let’s take a look. Don’t rely on Google to sell your site to anyone. Just because you have a website doesn’t mean you will become an overnight success. There are so many websites and businesses competing for consumers’ attention that you will need a little more help than just having a site. As Barry Fieg, author of “Streetwise Low-Cost Web Site Promotion” says, “Google doesn’t care about your sales. Nor does Google help you target your market.” Fieg says two things have to happen: First, you need to get people to your site. Second, you need to convert them from surfers to buyers. And, according to studies, you have about seven seconds to grab peoples’ attention. And this is where direct mail comes in. Direct mail can l...

Clutter can be detrimental to your success. A messy desk and office may seem normal, but it is a problem that can make you less successful. According to the National Association of Professional Organizations, paper clutter is the number 1 problem for most businesses . Studies show the average person wastes 4.3 hours per week searching for papers, which not only adds stress and frustration, but it also deters concentration and creative thinking. Studies also show that 75% or more of all physician visits are stress-related, so when you unclutter your office, you will not only increase productivity, security, and profits but reduce overall stress and medical care costs. Stop the Clutter Here are a few ideas on stopping the clutter and getting organized practically. Make a commitment to getting clutter under control. Make an appointment with yourself daily and weekly. Every night before you go home, unclutter your desk so that 80% of your desk shows. Every week, pick a day to ...

Marketing takes time and money to execute well, which means it needs to hit the mark and provide a good return on investment. Here are ten ways to ensure your marketing efforts get the response you’re looking for.  1. Find your target market. It’s great to think that your business is for everyone, but it’s also unrealistic. Marketers need to focus on the correct gender, age, profession, and so forth. That way, you know how to “talk” to them. Keep it real, and focus on who actually walks in your doors. 2. Point out the advantage of doing business with you. Do your clients get freebies or a discount? Or maybe they get a free consultation? Focus on the items that will get your prospects and clients to your door quicker. Offer them something unique that other people can’t get. If you target your market with direct mail, you can send specific offers to people you want to reach. 3. Find your niche and focus on it. What makes your comp...

Burnout is extreme fatigue often caused by work-life imbalance and a lack of social support. According to Ohio State University, burnout can cause extreme physical and mental exhaustion and has been connected with many health risks, including early mortality, depression, coronary heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.  Certain personality traits, such as pessimism, perfectionism, and type A tendencies, may be more at risk for burnout. According to Forbes, in a survey of 1,500 U.S. workers in 2021, 52% of respondents said they were experiencing burnout.  Luckily, both employees and employers can take actions to reduce work-related burnout.  Actions Employees Can Take to Reduce Burnout  1. Be Honest with Your Employer Be transparent with your boss to figure something out. Find positives within your job and practice gratitude by daily finding something about your job for which you’re grateful. Sometimes you just need to take a break and return with a re...

It’s an exciting time. You have a new product or service, and you want to let the world know. Here are some tips to help you succeed. Do Your Market Research The best way to start is to do some market research. A great way to do this is to call 10 or 15 of your current customers and ask them what types of issues they have had regarding what you offer. Ask specifics so you know how you could potentially solve the problem. Your research should show you what motivates your customers, which should help you address that issue. Define Your Positioning Statement What’s your positioning statement? Writing this should help you figure out just what you’re planning on offering customers. It will tell why you are the best place for them to receive help and why your product is the best. Flush it out so you know exactly why people should go to you over the competition. After creating your positioning statement, it’s time to present it to stakeholders. Take ti...

The 40-40-20 rule of direct mail marketing breaks up marketing into three parts to help you predict and evaluate the success of your direct marketing campaign.  According to Investopedia , direct marketing is any marketing that uses direct communication or distribution to customers through mediums such as mail, email, social media, and texting. The success of your direct mail marketing is: 40% dependent on your audience, 40% dependent on your offer, and 20% on everything else. Let’s break it down and look at each one individually. Direct Mail Marketing: Audience You’re not going to get very far in your direct mail marketing campaign if you’re reaching the wrong people. Money spent on advertising to the wrong audience is wasted money. This is why reaching the right audience constitutes 40% of your direct mail marketing success.  The right audience must be within your target market. The more precise you can make your target audience, the more ...

It is nice to have an endless budget for marketing; however, most of us don’t have that luxury. But a business needs to have at least eight printed marketing pieces to be successful and leave its mark. Whether you are new to business or have tired marketing materials, now’s the chance to freshen up. Here are eight must-haves when it comes to representing your business well. 1. Business Cards Create a unique business card that not only contains all your necessary information but that represents the unique business you are. Try using unusual shapes, foil, bold colors, and images. Don’t let it get too busy so that there’s no white space. It needs to be well balanced. Ask us for tips if you’re unsure or have it professionally designed. 2. Brochures Your business card is the teaser for what you offer, but your brochure is where you can shine. You can add more detailed information as to what type of business you are and what you offer. Here’...

Great leaders motivate employees to be productive to reach personal and shared goals. They increase employee happiness, engagement, and retention. Great leaders lead to company success by growing sales and profits. Leaders are not born but made through hard work and experience. Find out how you can become a better leader.  Focus on your strengths  Not all leaders look the same. That's why it's essential to focus on the strengths that make you unique. Be yourself. After all, you are the best version of yourself, but you can only be the second-best version of someone else. If you're not sure what your strengths are, do some reflection. Seek feedback from your employees. When finding your strengths, also pinpoint your weaknesses. Doing so will allow you to improve and ask for help when needed.  Develop your emotional intelligence Emotional intelligence is the ability to manage the emotions of yourself and others effectively. This is a valuable skill, especiall...

There’s a common misconception in marketing the more elements on the page, the better the marketing. But, that’s not the case. White space, or the negative space that separates text and graphics, plays an enormous part in the success of your marketing. Take a look at this handful of reasons why you need to utilize white space in your design. White space is the framework of your design. Not only does white space frame your essential information, but it also creates balance and allows the eyes to focus on what is truly important. White space creates more interaction. White space is resting space for the eyes, allowing people to take their time when reading your content. This makes for better interaction between the reader and the writer. White space creates elegance and sophistication to your marketing. If used correctly, white space doesn’t make your marketing look sparse. It makes it look professional, helping your images and text stand out perfectly wh...

It’s no secret that we all like to be appreciated. So, why do we often forget to appreciate our employees? According to Harvard Business Review , “Managers incorrectly assumed employees knew how they felt about them.” The study went on to find that only a few of the employees were being recognized. “If managers could make a far broader group of employees feel appreciated, the benefits would be considerable,” the study concluded. The best way to keep good employees is to regularly show your appreciation to all employees. Here are ten ways to show your staff how much you like having them around. Show Your Employee’s Appreciation With These 10 Ideas 1. Make birthdays special. Order food or a cake for them on their birthdays. Some companies also give people a day off to use at their leisure since paid time off is what many people value. 2. Ask for employee feedback. Ask employees to fill out a poll as to what they like and don’t like i...

You know you need to do direct mail. After all, it’s been proven to be effective in getting the word out about your business, and it’s economical. Not only that, but it’s trackable to some extent. In fact, 71% of people say they read their direct mail, and 54% say it leads them to try a new business or product. However, you only have about 3 seconds to get people to entertain your direct mail. So what do you need to know when getting these little treasures ready to mail? There are some common mistakes people make when creating their direct mail. Here are some pitfalls to avoid. 8 Direct Mail Pitfalls to Avoid Wrong Audience When creating your direct mail, one mistake many people make is not writing it for the right audience. You need to know who will be reading your direct mail and what they are looking for. Don’t write the copy as generic, meant for just anyone. Think about who you actually want to talk to through your letter, postcard, brochure, o...

One of the most common misconceptions about modern-day marketing is that everything has to be digital to break through the virtual "noise" that we all experience on a daily basis. In reality, the reverse is true. According to experts , about 66% of direct mail collateral gets opened whereas about 82% of online ads and similar techniques get ignored entirely. In fact, there are a plethora of different reasons why you would want to increase your marketing efforts with print-based materials, all of which are more than worth exploring.  The Power of Print: Breaking Things Down By far, one of the biggest benefits of print marketing simply comes down to the fact that it's far more effective than most people realize - even in the fast-paced digital era that we're now living in. According to one recent study , it's effective with 18 to 23-year-olds in particular - they say that it's easier to read print than digital content. This makes a great amount of sens...

A target audience is the people who are most likely to buy your product or service and should therefore be the ones you target in your marketing campaigns. Identifying and utilizing your target audience is extremely important because advertising to the wrong people is a waste of time and money. After all, a little bit of advertising to the right people is often as productive as a lot of advertising to the wrong people.  Finding Your Target Audience Trying to pin down your target audience can be deceptively tricky and overwhelming. However, breaking it up into small categories can help ease the load.  Consider useful demographics. This includes age, gender, location, hobbies, interests, income, education level, profession, marital status, who they trust, what they read/watch, purchase intentions, subcultures, etc. Consider each of these aspects to determine where your ideal customer resides—the more specific, the better. Try creating 3-5 buyer personas with ext...

It’s not ideal, and we don’t necessarily like to talk about it, but conflict does happen in the workplace. So, as a leader, how do you handle it? Do you sweep it under the rug, or do you deal with it head-on? Here are some tips on how to handle disagreements and conflicts at work. Pay Attention to Your Tone of Voice Experts say that only 10% of an argument is about the issue, and 90% is the tone of voice. So, it is safe to say that how we react and talk about the conflict is critical to resolving it. Whether you’re mediating the conversation or you’re in the middle of the argument, remember that your tone of voice will impact the other person more than just your words.   Don’t Ignore the Issue According to experts, ignoring a problem is not the best way to handle the situation as it will only build more tension. This can severely impact the productivity and energy of the group. In fact, we should embrace the difference of opinions in ho...

Promotional calendars are an ingenious marketing tool to target loyal and prospective customers.  The Benefits of Promotional Calendars Promotional calendars utilize continuous, year-round advertising. Even in today’s digital age, printed calendars are still widely used. According to PPAI, 78% of consumers still use a printed calendar at home or work. Therefore, if you give a calendar, the customer will most likely use it. After all, it can’t get much better than a free calendar. This calendar will hang in the customer’s home or office where they and their coworkers and family members will also see it. The recipient is bound to refer to it at least once a day. This equals at least 365 views per calendar. That’s a lot of advertising power! Promotional calendars are cost-effective. Depending on where you go and what specific calendar you buy, a printed calendar will cost you roughly $2.00. That one calendar is likely to receive at least 365 views p...

Engagement marketing places the customer at the center of the picture. According to Adobe , “Your most valuable asset isn’t your product – it’s your customers.” Engagement marketing incorporates personalization, one-on-one interactions, and a two-way relationship to create a marketing strategy the customer responds to positively. According to Adobe , “Engagement marketing is the use of strategic, resourceful content to engage people and create meaningful interactions over time.” The end goal is to create a long-term, reciprocal relationship with the customer.  Benefits of Engagement Marketing Engagement marketing more effectively reaches the customer. Customers are bombarded by marketing campaigns daily when, in general, people don’t like being sold to. Yet, customers still consume. Engagement marketing attempts to solve this problem by creating a strategy that customers appreciate and lean on.  Engagement marketing...

Time for a new brochure for your business? When was the last time you updated it? Maybe you need to tweak a few things or need a complete overhaul. Either way, here are some fresh ideas to make sure your brochure shines in the face of the competition. Let’s focus on a few items to make sure your brochure isn’t just standing around; it needs to be picked up and read. Ditch the Building First of all, remove that picture of your building from the front of the brochure. Although you’re proud of it, your building doesn’t draw people in as you think it might. Pick photographs that are more eye-catching and appealing to the reader. Photos with people in them or the new product you offer make the best choices. You can reveal the newest, greatest product, or you can use a photo that shows the emotion of how they will feel when they use the product or your business. Turn Heads with Headlines Your headlines need to compel readers and make them open the brochure....

After the Pandemic, more people are evaluating their lives, which includes their work environment. As an employer, how do you keep your people engaged and rewarded, so they want to stay? Here are a few ideas on how to decrease turnover so you don’t waste money training people who won’t stay. Hire the Right People If your impressions of prospects tell you they won’t fit in, then don’t offer them the job or you will end up with issues. When interviewing potential employees, ask them situational questions to know how they would react in particular instances. Give them a tour of the business, being sure to mention cultural items at the business. This way, if they don’t feel they fit in, they will eliminate themselves.   Offer Flexibility Let new hires (and all team members) come in at a flexible time or leave at a flexible time as long as they get the work done. This flexibility allows them to attend their children’s school functions, w...

People might think paper isn’t a big choice when starting a project. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Choosing paper is one of the first things you should decide on when starting your new project. No one sheet fits every project. Paper is three-dimensional and makes all the difference in how your project turns out. When your rough graphic design is done, the next step should be to talk to your printer about choosing the right papers. Ask them for their paper suggestions so you can decide what would be best.    Turnaround Times for Paper Getting your quote early will help you know the turnaround time to expect and when you will need to provide the design to your printing firm to get it on time. Durability of Paper When choosing the right paper, evaluate whether it needs to be something that will last or if it’s something meant for a shorter lifespan. If meant for direct mail, you might choose something less sturdy. But if you are w...

In today’s society, it’s common to try to one-up people, whether it’s with material things or with accomplishments. And to do this, we often compare ourselves to others. But this can do more damage than good. Let’s take a look. Thomas Mussweiler, a professor of organizational behavior, says, “We’re wired for connection and belonging, but if we constantly compare ourselves to others, we’re putting our happiness, confidence, and mental health at risk.” Our minds are conditioned to compare ourselves to others, so we know where we stand—if we are good at certain things or not. But when this act of comparing becomes the norm in every area of our lives, our mental health can suffer. Are you guilty of the comparison game? If so, here are five things you can do to help. 5 Ways to Beat Comparison 1. Embrace Gratitude Be thankful for what you have. Write a list or meditate on why you are happy in life. This helps us shift our thi...

Remaining positive when negative tension surrounds you is a skill worth mastering and sharing with others. If you need a few ideas on how to create a positive outlook or cheer others up, here are some you’ll’ find helpful.  Breathe. Practice the 4-7-8 technique from Dr. Andrew Wile. Try this breathing pattern: empty the lungs of air. Breathe in quietly through the nose for 4 seconds. Hold the breath for a count of 7 seconds. Exhale forcefully through the mouth, pursing the lips and making a “whoosh” sound for 8 seconds. Repeat the cycle up to 4 times. Focus on positive things in your life. “Living in gratitude” is known to support our physical, psychological, and social health. It can produce stronger immune systems, better sleep, feeling more joy, and help you be less lonely. Take a few minutes each day to write down what you are thankful for: a job, family, pet, warm house, nice clothes, friends, etc. Happy chemicals (dopamine a...