Inside the Envelope

One of the best ways that brands can engage their customers is by making people feel valued and unique. Brands that are able to provide their customers with this feeling of connection are going to be one step closer to creating true advocates for their brand. Perhaps one of the best ways that modern organizations can offer a customized experience is through meaningful personalization -- far beyond the "Dear Friend" found in some mass mailings. See how businesses are using personalization in their printed materials to create an experience that customers will appreciate and remember.  Tailored Offers Drive Traffic Grocery stores are able to effectively track a massive number of items and customers, including when and where they purchased specific products. While your business may not be quite that complex, you can certainly track in a more simplistic way in order to offer timely and meaningful coupons to your customers. For instance, offering a discoun...

The 1960s gave us many iconic classic cars, but perhaps none is more legendary than the Aston Martin driven by James Bond (Sean Connery) in the 1964 film, Goldfinger . A long list of tricks made it one of the most beloved movie cars of all time: machine guns, an ejector seat, smoke screens, and a futuristic onboard navigational system. Bond's reputation as a suave man of action and a smart connoisseur of fine things rocketed Aston Martin to popularity as one of the most desirable automobile brands in the world. The car was so beloved it was later stolen from a Florida airport hanger and is reportedly worth nearly 10 million today . Vintage. Classic. Irreplaceable. Those are some of the words we associate with things that are original, things that set the "status quo," and that just can't be shattered or ignored. Today's generation is manifesting a hunger for the authentic, and a desire for craftsmanship is at the forefront. In an age of identit...

Sometimes life is like a treadmill. Occasionally you're on a calm jog and the belt speed never outpaces your strides. Sometimes, you push yourself to the limit but find the challenge ideal. But in certain seasons, the treadmill is moving too fast to handle. You long to step back from the grind, but this seems like an impossible luxury. It's ok to press pause. It's actually GREAT to press pause. Often in our battle for success, we never stop to address broken systems in our home, health, or careers. Simple adjustments might bring substantially better output, but we rarely prioritize personal maintenance. The decision is yours: will you make time to reflect and adjust or continue relentlessly until life dumps you in a heap? Take Time to Press Pause. Once you've slowed down (yes, really slowed down!) what should you do? Perhaps you should begin with a simple pleasure (a walk, coffee treat, or nap?) to allow your mind to unwind. Then consider an inte...

One of the keys to a successful business -- and a fulfilled life in general -- is to not only have a plan but to also have forward momentum pushing you in the direction you want to go. Many times, the problem in moving forward isn't the goal but the struggle to generate the drive needed to accomplish what needs to get done. When the momentum is lacking, it's easy to become disheartened and slack off or abandon the goal altogether in favor of looking for a new magic bullet. In almost all cases, the missing ingredient is very close. Typically, that missing key involves taking massive action. Not just any action, but action that is focused on the fundamental steps needed to drive the company forward. More often than not, that action revolves around sales. After all, if there are no sales, there is no business. "Nothing happens until a sale is made." Every business and industry has its own subtleties and nuances when it comes to sales, but there are core acti...

Pablo Picasso created paintings the world has marveled at for decades. Looking with awe at these masterpiece creations, it would be perfectly logical to imagine that the distinctive brush strokes were made by someone with a natural gift -- a gift not achievable by most. Although Picasso's talent is undeniable and his style unmistakable, that genius was actually developed in a surprising way that many don't realize. From the time Picasso was a young boy, he was formally trained by his father in oil paintings and figure drawings. And what method did his father use to train young Pablo? Jose Picasso was an artist who believed the best training for his son required formal and disciplined copying of the masters' work. For many years, young Pablo Picasso fervently reproduced paintings, drawings, and plaster casts of the masters. He not only copied religiously but also experimented with a variety of styles, theories, and ideas, until he developed his own voice and distinct...

Most business owners and company executives use the terms "customers" and "clients" interchangeably without fully realizing that there is a meaningful difference between the two. Understanding the distinction and setting your plans accordingly can help you build and grow a more profitable business. Let's start with the definition of each term according to the dictionary. Customer: "a person who purchases goods or services" Client: "a person or group that uses professional advice or services" Examples of companies with business-to-customer relationships include Wal-Mart, Apple, and your local grocery store. Examples of companies with business-to-client relationships include service-oriented professionals such as accountants, attorneys, advertising agencies, architects, and the like. There are pros and cons to catering to each type. Customers will typically do business with you based on convenience, value, and price....

We all want to increase sales and grow our businesses. We also know that hiring and grooming a sales superstar is one surefire way of achieving those goals. Unfortunately, finding and retaining a sales superstar is a difficult task. Until you find the secret to make that a reality, here's an alternate path to consider for reaching your sales goals. Self-publish a book! You read that correctly. One of the best ways to increase your sales and grow your business is to author and publish your own book. Self-publishing your book allows you to present your points to your target audience in an authoritative way -- just like a sales superstar would. Now, to be clear, we aren't talking about writing a novel the size of War and Peace . Nor are we talking about writing a prize-winning book. This type of book is written specifically to bring you leads and the types of customers who are looking to buy what you sell. They say everyone has at least one book in them, but no one...