A Snowy Friday

Well, I've spent most of the day trying to figure out what to post today, but kept getting distracted by a storm that brought with it over a foot of snow!

Once upon a time, getting to work today would have meant bundling up, shoveling out and scraping off, and then trekking - carefully, of course - through this nasty weather. Those days are over. Granted, there are still many, many people who had to do that today, but there are increasingly more people telecommuting to work these days - some doing so everyday, while others save that option for days like today.

Because of the convenience of technology, I have numerous clients who I've never met, and even some who I've never even spoken to, as all of our communications take place via email. On one hand, it means I can work with clients all over the world (as distance is no longer a factor), and in any weather. But on the other hand, it does lose that "personal touch." So we have to connect with our clients in different ways.

Now that the holidays are upon us, it's the perfect time to start connecting, but of course, you don't have to limit it to just the holidays! A marketing specialist I met recently, JD Moore, with Marketing Comet, has a great way of adding that "personal" touch with his clients, that he, too, often may not meet face to face. You can read his article "A Powerful, Inexpensive, High-Touch Small Business Marketing Tool", and start making that personal connection yourself today!

Speaking of connections, how are you connecting with your current and potential clients/customers on a daily basis? Is your image/identity easily recognizable and on EVERYTHING that reaches the customer? Even a simple little "Thank you" or "Nice to meet you" card needs to have your logo on it. Your emails - whether it's an eNewsletter or just a one-line response - need to have your contact information, a link to your website and if appropriate, your logo. Even how you answer your telephone is representative of you and your business, and could be the deciding factor in whether or not some decides to do business with you.

So, with that in mind, how are you connecting with your customers, and is it effective? Do you even know? Well, what you need is a Corporate Identity Audit. The first step is to look at everything that reaches the customer - your business card, brochure, direct mail pieces, emails, website, outdoor signage, etc. - and make sure that it CLEARLY displays your brand. Then, evaluate everything for consistency. If you're a high-end retail store, targeting a high-end clientele, is your marketing collateral representative of that? If it is, fantastic! You're ahead of the game. If it isn't, then some adjustments need to made.

While you can certainly do this yourself, TAMAR Graphics is pleased to announce the addition of Corporate Identity Audits to our list of services. If you're not sure how effective your current marketing collateral is at reaching your customers, TAMAR Graphics can help. We look at all of your materials, research your competition, check your search engine rankings, and compile a report listing your company's marketing strengths and weaknesses, as well as provide you with a game plan for turning those weaknesses around. Schedule your audit now, and start 2006 knowing exactly where you stand, and how to improve! Contact us today!

Until next time...

Tamar Wallace
TAMAR Graphics