Whether you are an in-house designer in a large corporation, a partner in an agency or a sole proprietor, you're in customer service. All that we do as commercial artists is to serve our clients to the best of our ability. So what happens when you're crazy-busy, facing looming deadlines, and you get … [Read more...] about How not to treat your clients
Exclusive offer, but not for you
Creating a sense of exclusivity can be a very effective marketing tactic. Check out this copy from luxury goods providers Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Singapore Airlines, and Mikimoto: "Bespoke is Rolls-Royce" "Our Singapore Airlines Suites…provide the distinguished few with their very own haven of … [Read more...] about Exclusive offer, but not for you
How to improve your newsletters
Do you publish a newsletter? I hope the answer from all of you is a resounding "YES!" If not, you're missing a great opportunity to speak to your community. If you have a newsletter, here's another question. Does it read like it was composed by the NewsOMatic 3000? Or would somebody reading it … [Read more...] about How to improve your newsletters
Marketing 101: Promotions work best when they’re promoted
Social media promotions can be a lot of fun, especially when you can see the results in real time. And a great way to get people excited about the promotion is to make it a game. I recently encountered a photo-tagging promotion at a large sporting event, but when I asked about it I was essentially … [Read more...] about Marketing 101: Promotions work best when they’re promoted
Marketing 101: Fish where the fish are
Recently, I encountered such an outrageously bad marketing tactic, contrasted with a fantastic marketing tactic, that I wanted to share it with you. No, there's nothing about PowerPoint in this article, but I thought it was important enough to share with you. What is up with this kiosk? I was in … [Read more...] about Marketing 101: Fish where the fish are
Why copying other people’s jokes is lame
People love to laugh, which is why marketers continue to generate funny content in the hopes of attracting attention to their products and services. Humor is also a great thing to include in your presentations—you set the audience at ease and make them more receptive to your message. But rehashing … [Read more...] about Why copying other people’s jokes is lame
What’s the best kind of PowerPoint handout?
PowerPoint makes it easy to create handouts, but the default style is one of the worst things you can give your audience. Here's a better idea. Default PowerPoint handout Here's what the default PowerPoint handout looks like: It seems helpful enough. This kind of handout shows an image of your … [Read more...] about What’s the best kind of PowerPoint handout?
A sales presentation all about yourself misses the point
How much time do you spend talking about yourself or your company during a sales presentation? Shouldn't you be addressing customer needs instead? Time and time again I see presenters taking a "me-centric" approach to sales presentations. They tell the audience all about themselves and their … [Read more...] about A sales presentation all about yourself misses the point