Creative meets Innovative

Web Site (ESS Consulting Group)

What better way to market your business than a web site? Of course, it can also be an extremely useful and effective sales tool as well. If you’re reading this, it’s working for us! Still not convinced? Read our article about why your business needs a website.

As for this particular project, one of our clients, ESS Consulting Group, wanted to move their web site from a free, very template looking host to their own domain. Their main need for this site was to be an informative guide to their business for the clients and potential clients. They didn’t need all the bells and whistles like a blog, an e-commerce store, or any crazy portfolio gallery’s, but it still has to look good and be effective. Take a look around and let us know what you think!

As for web sites that do have all the bells and whistles, we’re actually in the process of creating 3 very unique web sites. Two of them are e-commerce sites for our clients while the other is a top secret project that not even we know much about! (just kidding… but it’s just too awesome to announce yet!) Check back in the coming weeks to get the links to our other brand new web sites!

Product Spotlight: Catalogs

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