What? No Email!?!

"It happens to everyone," I kept telling myself. "The world will not quit turning," I mumbled a time or two. "I guess I will have to call the customer." When I heard myself saying and thinking these things yesterday, it turned out to be an eye-opening experience. It really does happen to everyone, so when our email stopped working for a total of less than 24 hours at BPI Media Group yesterday, I did what I should be doing every day anyway--met with people face to face and picked up the phone.

Whether it's a technical issue with a smart phone, wifi not working properly or a problem with Google (yes, even they experience technical difficulties like yesterday), there are times when we are not connected to our offices and customers via email. At first, I was in a state of shock, as I always am when something like that happens, but then I realized...I have a lot of time. Time to see people and make phone calls. I attended a networking breakfast that I almost blew off because I thought I was going to be too busy yesterday morning. Then, I met a prospect for lunch and learned that there are some really great business opportunities we have to work together on executing marketing campaigns. I even met someone for coffee and gained a couple of valuable referrals from the meeting. (With all that eating, I'm surprised I wasn't waddling by day's end!)

Without the ball and chain of email and the anticipation of what the next email holds or "waiting" on something to come across, I was reminded of better ways to spend my time. Talking to those who trust BPI enough to work with us and meeting new people. When emails started pouring in very late in the day, I spent a little time catching up and sorting through and then turned it OFF. The kick in the pants that there's more than one way to reach a customer or prospect is a lesson worth sharing. Phone, mail, face to face and yes, even fax. If the message is important, we should mix up the ways we communicate with our customers and prospects. Keep it fresh and unexpected.

Until next time...Elizabeth

Let's Start Something New

For a few years, networking has been an integral part of my work life. This became more of a priority to me when I moved to South Carolina and had very few contacts and zero customers in the Upstate. Boy, am I glad those things have changed (and will keep changing). Working for BPI Media Group has allowed me the opportunity to meet some pretty incredible people (some I am fortunate enough to call friend and customer), but BPI has also allowed me to expand my territory and help other marketers.

While I enjoy the network groups I attend regularly, and I have found a new customer or prospect here and there, the time has come to start something new-something for the people with whom I work closely, marketers. It's very early in the developmental stages, but with the help of good partners and fellow marketers, the Upstate will soon have a chapter of AMA. I couldn't be happier to be recruiting the committee to help me start this venture and next step to take our networking to the next level in our area. New challenges bring new focus, and the formation of an AMA chapter will allow us to talk with people who deal with the same challenges and share the same triumphs over successful marketing campaigns. Let's face it, we can all learn so much from each other and a diversity of marketers offers many opportunities to see how a campaign is approached, executed and tracked.

For me, this is a project that will be near and dear to my heart as I continue to work alongside the brilliant minds of marketers in creating marketing and event campaigns to launch a product or service, promote an event or offer promotions to the consumer. Whether it's B2B or B2C, I truly enjoy working with creative people who blow me away by their strategies and ideas. I'm the lucky one who gets to help them execute the campaign and track the results using BPI's online dashboards and reporting tools. Whether you're an online strategist, event planner, graphic designer, social media specialist, web guru or C-level marketer, I think this group will have something to offer and help us all grow.

If you're in the Upstate and want to join me in starting this networking group, drop me a note. I'd welcome your input and any help you can lend to get the chapter offer the ground. I promise, you don't want to miss this "meeting of the minds."

Until next time...Elizabeth

Are You Ready?

As I got ready for a run this morning, I was reminded how prepared you have to be each time you head out the door. Since I was getting up early, I even laid out my running gear last night, so I could quickly get ready and be on my way without delay. Shoes: check. Running attire: check. Hat: check. Windbreaker: check. iPhone case for arm: check. Water: check. Running buddy: check. Even though I use the same type of gear every time I run, there have been improvements in gear, shoes, and even technology with all the super-cool running apps out there to track your run with maps, time, calories, etc.

As a marketer, are you ready to help your company grow its sales? BPI Media Group has the "gear" to help you get out the door and capture those sales. If you need the help of a "buddy," BPI would gladly help. We can help you choose the gear that you need whether it's deciding if print on demand with digital printing could help you save cost and provide an efficient solution for your distribution channels or aid in creating design or even just templates for personalized options. Our technology with Kodak Insite proofing system can help you shave time off your production schedule, and our cross media campaigns (including purls, sms text, email, direct mail and QR codes) can help you track the results of your campaign in real time.

So as you plan your next marketing campaign, let us help you with get prepared. Working together, we can help you have a better campaign or project to execute and assist your company in boosting sales.

Until next time...Elizabeth