Creative meets Innovative
Product Spotlight: Flyers
17 Oct 2010 | No Comments | posted by Coldfire Promotions | in Blog Post, Product Spotlight
Flyers are amongst the many marketing tools that are meant to be eye catching, yet still call for action on the consumers part. The best thing about flyers is their versatility. You can hang them on cork boards and light poles, you can hand them out at events or downtown, you can mail them with your monthly statements, and you can even post them online! Below are some of our suggestions to creating an effective and eye-catching flyer.
1. Limit the fonts! Too often do we see flyer designs that use 5, 6, sometimes even 7 fonts! Once you get past 2 or 3 fonts, the flyer design begins to scramble and the reader can hardly make any sense of it! Sometimes flyer handouts for clubs and music events will contain 3, maybe 4 fonts, but usually it works for that industry. However, if you want to keep your flyer professional looking, try sticking to 2 fonts. Use one for the header and sub-headers, and the other for the rest of the copy.
2. Color, color, color! Do not, I repeat, DO NOT waste your money on black and white or even one-color flyers. So many businesses make the mistake of purchasing neon colored copy paper and then copying their Microsoft Word-produced flyers onto it. It is worth the extra $0.05 per flyer to keep it from being tossed in the trash before you even get your company name across. Think about it like this: how mouthwatering is a black and gray fudge brownie sundae on neon orange paper? Not so much…
3. Pictures and graphics. While typographical posters have a lot of merit to them, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” It may be incredibly cliché but it will draw your readers in and keep their interest. ESPECIALLY if it’s of a fudge brownie sundae!
4. Call to action! As with every marketing medium, you must include a call to action. Whether it is a coupon, notice of a sale, or an invitation to an event, the point of any advertising is to create conversions. Sit down with a piece of paper and a pen and think about what you want the flyer to do. Think of 5 or 6 goals, and then narrow it down to 1. Make that the focus of the flyer!
5. Last but certainly not least, hire a professional! While printing some text on some textured stationary may look professional to some, a glossy, full-bleed design full of complimentary colors and stunning imagery will really grab the attention of your target market!
Hopefully you can take these 5 points and increase the efficiency of, and desire for, your next flyer. Need to promote an upcoming event or concert? Are you looking for a new avenue to attract potential clients? Need to inform your employees about changes in policies or other internal communications? Give Coldfire Promotions a call today and let us hook you up! The best part… printing costs for flyers, newsletters, AND brochures are all the same!
Product Spotlight: Catalogs
17 Oct 2010 | No Comments | posted by Coldfire Promotions | in Blog Post, Product Spotlight
Recently I asked myself, what kind of companies and organizations use catalogs? At first glance I thought, well, typically only manufacturers create and mail out catalogs. From Sears to Victoria Secret, and everything in between, the majority of catalogs are mailed out by manufacturers. The question I then had to ask was “why don’t retailers and distributors order custom catalogs?” Catalogs are one of many perfect solutions in providing your target market with product information, pictures, technical details, annual updates and editorial information! Of course, if you are a smaller business, maybe a freelancer, then you will probably stick with the standard tri-fold brochure. However, what if there is too much information to fit in the brochure or newsletter? Custom catalogs are an incredibly effective marketing and sales tool to break into new markets and industries and is something that you can differentiate your brand from the rest of the competition! Below are 3 reasons why your next form of advertising should be a catalog, regardless of how big or small your company is:
1. Marketing and Sales all wrapped into one! Are you looking to expand your consumer base? Maybe just looking to test the market? Need a new avenue to sell your products and services? Don’t spend your money on an entire advertising campaign just yet! Get a completely customized catalog designed and printed! Many retail businesses use their distributor or manufacturer’s catalog to sell with. However, these catalogs can cost anywhere from $6 to $10 each! Coldfire Promotions, on the other hand, can design and print a fully customized catalog using YOUR logo, YOUR pictures, and YOUR words for about $4 or $5 each!
2. Longevity. Typically a postcard or rack card is an effective marketing tool for up to four months or so. A flyer could be effective for as little as a week or even a day. A catalog, on the other hand, is something that will likely last no less than a season, and even up to over a year depending on your industry. Many popular companies come out with a new one every season. For example, and apparel company will likely produce four catalogs a year – one for the spring, one for summer, one for fall, and one for the winter months. As a smaller business, four catalogs a year may be out of the question when it comes to budget constraints, but what about one catalog a year? A 16-page catalog printed on 70# text will not only save you some money, but will be an effective marketing and selling tool for probably a lot longer than you think!
3. Versatility. As I mentioned before, a catalog can serve as a great marketing and sales tool. But let’s not stop there. Not only can you have a stack of these catalogs sitting in your store for walk-in customers, but they are also small enough that you can bring a dozen or so along with you on business trips. Not only that, but you can mail them as well! Direct mailing lists are fairly inexpensive and if you can afford to mail out a thousand or so catalogs to your target market, your sales have the potential to skyrocket! But it doesn’t stop there! Don’t just settle for hard copies of your custom catalogs, get a digital version, too! Coldfire Promotions provides all of its catalog clients with a digital version for their website, to be e-mailed to customers, to be posted on social media sites or for whatever tricks they may have up their sleeve!
As you can see, catalogs are not only an important marketing tool, but they can really speak for themselves when it comes to selling your products and services as well! Curious to learn more? Need a price quote on some catalogs? E-mail Coldfire Promotions today at: sales@coldfirepromotions.com
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