Print is Still Powerful

After reading this article, I felt compelled to share it with you all. When considering your marketing mix and budgets, don't forget print. I don't say that as a print sales rep for BPI Media Group, but as a target for many marketers. The most effective way to get my attention is still through print. What about you?

Take a look at Why Are Marketers Blind to the Power of Print by Joe Pulizzi and let me know your thoughts!

My favorite quote from this article follows: The print vehicle is still the best medium on the planet for thinking outside the box and asking yourself tough questions based on what you read — it’s lean back versus lean forward. If you want to challenge your customers, print is a viable option.

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

New-found freedom

After celebrating the 4th of July last week (ok, all weekend actually), it got me thinking about different types of freedom. I'm constantly looking for ways to free up time in my day to do more selling instead of just servicing accounts (although servicing comes with the territory) and to make time for fun and exercise. If you do the same thing, then we need to talk. Seriously. BPI Media Group's storefront solution offers an automated way for people on your team/staff to order collateral and stationery, so someone on the marketing team or office manager can be freed up to do more important tasks. Here are the highlights of BPI's storefront solution, so check it out and let me know if you'd like to see a demo. Better yet, we'll be having an online demo July 24th, so if you're interested, I can sign you up for that.

Ways BPI's Storefront Can Free Up Your Day

• Provides corporate control of branding in regional markets
• Improve the effectiveness of your sales materials via localization or personalization
• Employs standard eCommerce "Shopping Cart" interface to eliminate learning curve for online users
• Customizable to suit your corporate design scheme (colors, logo, etc)
• Define and manage your shipping destinations
• Automated email alerts to confirm order placement and shipping
• Optional fulfillment integration available
• Enhanced Reporting
• Confirm and track orders
• Query order activity by year, month, or date
• Online approval system for management control of product
• Minimize - or eliminate - storage and waste cost

I'd love to share with you how this solution has helped other customers free up their days and free up their storage closets by utilizing print on demand!

Until next time...Elizabeth

Introducing: The Day in Print

After the growing demand of invitations, birth announcements, and even notecards, BPI Media Group announces the launch of The Day in Print, our sister company. We hope you'll take a peek and check out TDIP for any of your personalized invitations (wedding and birthday), notecards, thank you cards, showers, announcements and holiday cards.

There will be new options added ALL the time, so check back often to see the new designs and new categories. We'll have Christmas cards posted soon, so we know you'll want to have your family photos ready for those! After all, it's already June! 2013 is half over! If you're Greek, don't fret...we have a whole category just for you! Whatever your special occasion, check out The Day in Print and remember to help BPI spread the word about this new addition to our family. All printing and shipping will be done from our Boaz, AL headquarters, and if you have any questions, drop me a note. Don't forget to sign up for email alerts for when new items are added.

Until next time..Elizabeth

Hang On--It's a Wild Ride!

Even though I've worked at BPI Media Group for over twelve years, and have been in sales for about nine of those years, the ups and downs of sales still amaze me. There are days when you dial, leave voice mail and repeat this for hours. Then, there are days when the phone rings nonstop, and the emails keep rolling in and there aren't enough hours in the day. Does your company go through ups and downs like this too? The times when the phone is ringing and emails are rolling in are directly related to a series of outgoing calls, packets mailed or a direct mail campaign executed by BPI.

Some of our most successful times are those when our outbound marketing efforts are clear, relevant and consistent. I'm guessing that no matter what business you're in, the same applies to your sales. The peaks and valleys of sales are both frustrating and exciting, but with a clear marketing plan that isn't sporadic, BPI can work with you to help keep those sales numbers even or better-increasing. Here are a few ways we can help:

• Direct Mail Programs
• Versioning and Cobranding of Collateral
• Trigger-based Subsequent Touches
• Dashboards with Real-Time Reporting
Web-to-Print Portal for Improved Efficiencies in Marketing Team
• Cross-Media Campaigns

If you're tired of the crazy roller coaster ride of sales, let BPI help!

Until next time...Elizabeth

Anticipation and Reward

Have you ever worked toward a goal that seemed like you'd never accomplish or anticipated a big pay off that seemed the check always got "lost in the mail?" That's exactly how I've felt lately after working for over a year and a half to get an account. Now, I can proudly say, they are a BPI Media Group customer, and I couldn't be happier to have the opportunity to work with them. I've trained for marathons, put in all the hours of training, cultivated accounts over a long sales cycle, and it seems every time, you forget all that work when the reward is finally realized.

Nothing beats the feeling of reaching a goal or reaching a "high water mark" in your career or life. My commitment to myself, BPI and my customers is that I will strive to improve to bring the best I have to offer to the table...every day. After all, not only do my customers and BPI deserve it, but so do I. The reward is sweet, but the getting there is equally satisfying. Success is usually not reached singlehandedly either...with a great team behind you, it is a little easier and also nice to share that success with your friends, family and coworkers who helped along the way.

Until next time...Elizabeth