Print Fulfillment

I recently came across an article about leadership influence, the go-giver way. The article highlighted a book written by Bob Burg and John David Mann titled "The Go-Giver".  This book focused on the "go-giver" theory and how it is related to business...

Everyone is familiar with a go-getter, someone who goes after what they want and in doing so makes things happen for themselves. A go-giver is different but comes up with the same, if not better, results. Someone who lives the go-giver way works with the theory of shifting your focus from getting what you want (me, me, me approach) to giving and putting other's interests first (them, them, them approach). They end up adding value for others and living a life of fulfillment but also having success while doing so and most likely making more friends along the way.

I found this "go-giver" perspective to be interesting and nice value to live by. I also couldn't help myself from relating this attitude to the customer service and sales aspect of business. For those of us who have chosen the sales and customer service field at Allied, we work with this giving mentality everyday.  And in doing so, we turn our customer service interactions into valued partnerships that will continue to grow.

The core of customer service and sales is valuing your customer and and putting their needs first. Whether their needs are about small business supply chain management, corporate marketing communications, data to print programs or helping them redesign their websites. If you value your customers needs before your own, they will notice and in turn will enjoy working with you going forward.  This will also make them want to be more than just your customer, they will start to look to you as a valued partner.

And, once this shift happens you will begin to notice that they value your opinion and look for it when it comes to their business needs. The most valuable gift you have to offer to your clients is yourself. Once we realize this as customer service and sales professionals, people will start to view us as partners and that's when the fun of being a strategic print and marketing partner really begins.

The Magnetic Middle

How can you get people to listen to the facts?  What can move them to action?  Previous blog posts showed why some resist or ignore factual evidence that contradicts their viewpoint and gave some ways to combat that tendency.  Once you’ve opened the minds of colleagues, team members, customers and prospects, how can you best present the facts and gain their buy-in?  This has been the subject of considerable research and a number of effective methods have emerged.  One important communication strategy is:  recognize and make good use of the power of the “Magnetic Middle.”

When the Magnetic Middle works against you

The Sherif study at Columbia University found that when the facts were unclear and groups of people had to make a judgment call, they quickly arrived at a compromise position and then stuck to that opinion, even when asked individually a year later.  Participants actually substituted the group’s judgment for their own.  This and similar studies led researchers to coin the phrase, “the Magnetic Middle.”

This would be no problem if a board or committee was deciding where to go to lunch. We would hope when an important matter is on the table, people would study it carefully and form knowledgeable opinions.  Thankfully, that often occurs.  But studies cited by eminent social psychologist Dr. Elliot Aronson and others revealed that the more important the decision, the more likely we humans are to rely on the judgments of others. 

One researcher asked each member of a group to publicly state the answers to a series of questions. Several members of the group had secretly agreed beforehand to give the same wrong answers.  When the stakes were low actual subjects, who were not in on the subterfuge, agreed with the group’s incorrect responses to 35% of the questions.  When the stakes were high they substituted the crowd’s bad judgment for their own 51% of the time.

Thus, when presenting unfamiliar facts on an important issue to a board or committee, an executive will often find individual members eager to stick to their established beliefs (confirmation bias).  Additionally, the group opinion, once expressed, will be very hard to change.

Making the Magnetic Middle work for you

While people’s tendency to follow the group can go against you, it can work for you as well.  For instance, a VP of IT may find it easier to gain approval for a major software purchase if he/she points out, not only the reasons for selecting it, but a list of similar companies who have already done so. 

Rather than relying on an expert to convince staff members of the need and benefit of implementing a new procedure, communications psychology expert Robert Cialdini, PhD recommends that wise managers employ the strong influence of a coworker who has already used this method in another situation.  As their fellow worker and colleague, he or she can often sway their opinions in ways an outsider could not.

Showing affiliates, like independent insurance agents, that others just like them already participate in a new program can greatly increase their willingness to adopt it themselves.  One major pharmaceutical company’s head of training asked trainees to write down one thing they really liked about the workshop they attended.  He then printed many of these testimonials on large posters and asked new participants to review them to see what their colleagues had said about the program.  According to Dr. Cialdini and his coauthors, this trainer wrote:

I was a little skeptical at first about whether such a simple thing would work, but the impact was incredible…What was interesting was that this catalog of testimonials also helped me to influence senior managers to support future projects I was leading.

The urge to join our colleagues and friends in the Magnetic Middle can be powerful.  Wise executives and marketers can use it to great advantage in moving others to take needed action.

The Allied Group offers full service fulfillment programs as well as one to one communications and other marketing communications strategies and marketing support to the insurance, benefits and healthcare industries.

“Why Won’t People Listen to Good Ideas?” discussed research showing that those with strongly ingrained views won't mentally process sound evidence presented by the other side. Is there anything we can do to encourage parents, students, colleagues or faculty to consider solid facts we raise?

First, it’s important to understand why many won’t listen. One reason became apparent in a series of studies starting in 1959. Eminent social psychologist Dr. Elliot Aronson explains that research began in a southern town deeply divided over racial segregation. Most today clearly recognize the evils of apartheid, but in 1959 it was a burning issue, particularly in the South. Researchers selected people with strong feelings for or against segregation. Then they presented a series of arguments on both sides of the issue. Some were plausible, others were lame. A survey on the points each recalled was telling. People remembered the logical arguments supporting their position and the illogical arguments that backed the opposing view.

A number of follow up studies produced similar results. The answer was clear. People ignored or quickly forgot points that might prove their opinion wrong. They focused on the opposition’s lame arguments because these strengthened their position. This phenomenon is called Confirmation Bias. Finding the right answer took a back seat to proving they were right. The highly respected Dr. Aronson explains:

During the past half-century, social psychologists have discovered that one of the most powerful determinants of human behavior stems from our need to preserve a stable, positive self-image. Most of us want to believe that we are reasonable, decent folks who make wise decisions, do not behave immorally and have integrity.

Thus, when confronted with factual information that might show us mistaken or foolish, we automatically tend to ignore or dismiss it, focusing instead on any piece of data that might prove us right.

One study found smokers who tried but failed to quit were least likely to recognize the dangers of smoking. Clearly, dismissing inconvenient facts can prove destructive to individuals and businesses. It’s important, then, to recognize that while those on the opposite side of an issue may ignore sound evidence, we too are fully capable of making that mistake.

Removing the blinders

First, we must realize that every party in a discussion, including us, may display confirmation bias. How can we combat it? One way is to remind ourselves that our willingness to honestly consider all evidence takes moral courage and strength, highly admirable traits. That realization may help us past the tendency to protect our ego by defending a position. Researcher Dr. David Myers recommends that senior managers require their staff members who present arguments to give one good reason why they could be wrong.

To help others avoid ignoring valid evidence, we can try a psychological technique called “labeling.” We could begin a discussion by praising our associates for the open-mindedness and fairness they’ve previously shown. This technique was used to great advantage by former Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. Communications psychology expert Robert Cialdini, PhD relates,

Before international negotiations began, Sadat would assure his bargaining opponents that they and the citizens of their country were widely known for their cooperativeness and fairness.

Did his technique work? Despite the notoriously entrenched positions in the Middle East, Sadat and former hard-liner Menachem Begin negotiated the only modern peace treaty between an Arab nation and Israel.  I rest my case.

The Allied Group is a marketing communications company providing integrated marketing communications programs and full service fulfillment services including Search, Stealth and Yield programs as well as publication design, printing and distribution to colleges and universities.

As today’s slow economic recovery continues, insurers look for ways to increase sales. New technologies can be applied in creative ways to do just that.

Location-Based Marketing

One example can be found in location-based marketing. This type of campaign allow companies to present information that a consumer needs in just the right place, at just the right time. The growing number of those who have just purchased homes, for instance, will need to insure them. What better time could there be to offer new homebuyers a homeowners policy than when they’ve just made their purchase? Some insurers may have arranged compensation programs for real estate agents who refer business to them.

The problem has always been, once the new homeowner leaves the realtor’s presence, applying for a homeowners policy goes onto their mental “to do” list. When they finally get around to it, your company’s offer may have gone from option #1 to option #4. That could mean never even getting an opportunity, let alone the business.

How can insurers avoid this situation and “strike while the iron is hot?” By equipping cooperating real estate agents with printed insurance brochures containing a QR Code. If homebuyers use any one of the many free apps available for smartphones, they can just take a picture of the code with their phone and the app will automatically bring them to the appropriate website. That website can promote the carrier, take their application and prepare them for a call and quote from the company call center or a local agent. Research shows that the act of entering their information into a website can predispose prospects to buy.

NFC

Apple, Google and others are actively pursuing an even more exciting technology – Near Field Communication (NFC). This will allow consumers to buy goods or even make a payment just by tapping their smartphone onto a section of a “smart poster” with an NFC tag. NFC tags can communicate with any properly equipped device that comes within two to four inches of them. This technology is widely used in Europe. 

With NFC, those who buy a car can apply for auto coverage at the dealership when they sign the purchase agreement and, when approved, make their first payment with their smartphone when they take delivery. This would also work for those who purchase motorcycles or boats.

Can consumers freely access this technology?

iStockAnalyst reports, “According to Fitch Ratings' latest telecomm special report released today, postpaid smartphone penetration increased to 46.8% in third-quarter 2011.” It could hit 50% by the end of this month.  Soon the majority of consumers will be able to use QR Codes to access carrier’s microsites when they need to buy insurance. Widespread NFC adoption won’t lag far behind.

Other key applications not mentioned here could increase insurance sales and retention. Could this technology impact your company’s top and bottom lines in the future?

The Allied Group is a marketing communications company offering Location-Based Marketing and other marketing and sales support programs along with full service fulfillment to the insurance, financial services and benefits administration companies.

So you're searching for the promotional items that your customers are going to use very often? How about trying something that clients will use every day? That is what you can have with promotional calendars.

For Promotional Imprinted Products and Calendars - Click Here

With a whole assortment of customized calendars available in different styles and shapes, you can get people to lay eyes on your company logo on a daily basis. All you have to do is pick the right calendar for you, depending on the function that you want it to provide for your customers, and you have branding gold on your hands. Let's take a look at some of the best types of promotional calendars available so that you can select the ones which will generate the best exposure for your company. Keep in mind that the earlier in the year you order custom printed calendars the better, since every day that passes is a day less that people will use your calendar for that year. 

Ordering from The Allied Group in December can get your name in front of the client by January 2012!

To start, promotional wall calendars are probably the most popular type of calendar that you can use for your branding campaign. The calendar is perfect for any home refrigerator or office cubicle, and people tend to rely on them heavily while planning their monthly appointments. The wall calendars feature a large box for every day of the month where recipients can write in all of their important notes and reminders. They usually fold open into a spread which has the calendar month on one page, and a full-page image on the other. The images are tied in by a theme which may include anything from scenic views and animals, to automobiles or gardens or you can use custom photos with your product or a a specific theme.  One fantastic thing about these promotional wall calendars is the fact that your imprinted logo will appear at the bottom of every page, so people will see it every time they refer to it. Wall Calendar.

The next type of customized calendar that you can use to promote your brand is desk calendars. These are different than the wall calendar in the sense that they do not hang on a wall; they stand upright on a table or desk surface. They are a bit more professional-looking, and operate by flipping the pages over the top of a spiral binding. The promotional desk calendars are typically smaller than wall calendars, and do not have a box for each day of the month to write things in. These calendars still offer your company the same daily branding exposure; it just comes in a different style and function. Desk Calendar.


You might be thinking that plenty of other companies in your industry are using customized calendars to generate some good advertising. In this case, you can separate yourself from the competition by distributing some custom planners to your customers. These planners are different than promotional calendars in the sense that they give the recipient much more mobility and convenience in maintaining their daily appointments. The custom planners come in a checkbook-like style and can be easily carried in any pocket or purse. Each page breaks down the day into an hourly basis so people can get as specific as possible with their planning. None of the other customized calendars will allow you to do this. Planner calendar.


Need help distributing your calendars and marketing materials?  The Allied Group can help with our Fulfillment Services.

I first learned what “the company you keep” can do to a business from a phone call I received from my contact at a New England insurer. It was regarding a shipment of material we had printed and stored for them at The Allied Group, a full service fulfillment company that also provides marketing and sales support. Everything looked great. The shipment was delivered on time to the right location. But the common carrier truck driver had exchanged angry words in the parking lot with a company Vice President. “We know it’s not your fault,” my contact told me. “But if you ever send that trucker here again, I know there’s going to be trouble.” 

Because of the bad conduct of their driver, not only would the trucking company lose business, but I was scrambling to maintain my own good relationship with a major client. Even when people intellectually know a problem has nothing to do with you or your firm, the bad feelings generated by such a situation can stick to everyone connected to it. Organizations truly are judged by the company they keep.

Marketers and advertisers have long recognized the power of association to shape opinions. Communications psychology expert Robert Cialdini, PhD outlined a classic marketing study that compared men’s impressions of a new car based on two versions of a print ad. One ad showed a seductive model with the automobile, the other just displayed the vehicle. Men who viewed the ad with the beautiful woman rated the car as faster, more appealing, more expensive-looking and better designed than those who saw the ad without the model. When surveyed after the study, these men refused to believe that the woman’s presence had anything to do with their assessment. 

Other controlled research found that young adults seated in a room with a MasterCard insignia on display were willing to spend an average of 29% more to order items from a catalog than those who perused it in a room with no credit card logo. A comparable study showed that twenty-somethings were 260% more likely to contribute to a charity when in the presence of the MasterCard logo. But credit cards were not accepted in either case. Merely seeing their symbols encouraged people to spend more cash.

Similarly, clients and their employees can form positive or negative impressions that can affect your business based on their dealings with people just remotely connected to it. Executives, brokers and administrators are treated like the weatherman. Cialdini quotes Indianapolis TV meteorologist Bob Gregory: “I had one guy call and tell me that if it snowed over Christmas, I wouldn’t live to see New Year’s.”

As some of us folks here in the Northeast wait for Hurricane Irene, we are told to stock up on supplies, bunker down and wait out the storm. We don’t have a lot of experience dealing with hurricanes so more times than not we follow the direction of our local leaders and a common message is “Stay put until the storm blows over!”

This is fine for hurricanes but not for business!
 
We are in a challenging business climate so it is essential to “not wait” and keep fighting. When I started at The Allied Group 17 years ago, we were strictly a business forms printer; maybe we would look for an envelope order here and there but the main product was business forms. Then we worked in new areas such as print management as clients started looking for someone to manage their forms, not just print them. Then it was mail order fulfillment services . . . Then we got into promotional products since we had a number of clients ask us “Hey you print our logo on paper; can you print it on a coffee mug?” Then we jumped into commercial print and being able to redesign websites, helping us evolve into a strategic marketing consultancy.

By now you get the idea . . . These changes were all precipitated (and became necessary) by changes in the marketplace. Many printing companies who “stayed” just with the printing have suffered and many have not made it.

For us, the changes have been at times a struggle and we have experienced the "growing pains" that come with change. But someone very smart once said: "Would you rather have growing pains or shrinking pains?"

So I ask two questions:
1. Which pains are you getting right now?
2. What are you doing not to "wait out the storm"?

The key to a CSR's success is setting realistic client expectations up front and planning to over-deliver on every project. The success of any integrated marketing communications program, or print fulfillment project is often determined before it starts.

Success is defined by the client; it is a mental image clients have of what they will receive. So the CSR and Sales Consultant's goal is to shape the client's expectations so that they  can deliver more than the client's definition of success.

Just the other day I was helping a client set up a sell sheet to be a part of our document management program. Before I even started the set up process I explained that the process from start to finish was probably going to take a few days (managing their expectations). Then when it was completed in one business day (exceeding their expectations), they were impressed.

This is one of the many ways we create the client experience here at The Allied Group. 

One of things we pride ourselves at here at The Allied Group is our listening skills. We figure we have two ears and one mouth for a reason. We should listen twice as much as we talk. And by listening, we mean listening to the wants, desires, and needs of our customers and clients. We want to be able to be responsive to you. As your customer service specialists, we feel the best way to do that is by listening to you.

The Allied Group has a variety of different value added services from inventory management, data to print, web design branding and fulfillment projects. I support all of these functions in my customer service role. Every service listed above has to be personalized based on each customers needs and if we aren't listening, we may miss an opportunity to provide you with what it is you are looking for.

Customer feedback from one client gives us an inside scoop into what some of our other clients may be looking for from us as a partner. For example, if we hear you talking about other projects you are working on, we may be able to provide an innovative solution that has worked for another customer. We may also be able to offer you a different product in our service line that may be helpful in that project.

Plainly stated, customer service is about listening and taking action based on each and every one of our customers feedback. So please feel free to talk with us and tell us what your needs are. We’re here (hear) to listen!

We know putting the cart before the horse is no good, well the same goes with printing a direct mail piece before it's approved to mail.

Designing direct marketing postcards and other pieces is a challenge these days. The USPS has been struggling with lower mail volumes and increased costs. As a result, they are forced to change the way they operate to help cut costs.

It's important to work with a designer and marketing communications company that has postal knowledge and a process in place that has their work reviewed by experts prior to it going to press. If that isn’t happening it could cost you thousands of dollars and require you to re-design, re-print, or even pay more than you intended to on postage.  

Our print fulfillment department noticed several hiccups regarding mailing guidelines and requirements. Some of these were as a result of the USPS regulation changes, and others came from outside vendors who made decisions on paper weights and sizes without understanding how the postage of the piece would be impacted. Here are some issues we had to resolve:

Postal regulations changed. One customer had to spend an additional $1,200 to send welcome cards that did not meet the USPS’s aspect ratio requirements.

Paper weight. One client had an outside vendor design their piece and select the paper weight. The weight caused them to spend thousands of dollars more in postage than they had budgeted for,

Layout. One client came to us with a piece designed backward (by the USPS’s standards) causing them to pay first class rates. Luckily, we were not only mailing but also printing this piece for them and notified them that with a simple flip of one panel, we could send it presorted first class, and save them thousands of dollars.

When our team begins the concept phase of any design we show it to our in-house fulfillment and mail experts. This gives them the chance to indicate areas of the piece that will either increase postage rates, not be mailable as is, or to point out ways in which we could change it to decrease postage. 

So avoid putting the design before the printing/mailing step. If you're currently having a direct mail campaign designed, then ask the design team what steps they take to ensure you have a unique piece, and one that can mail and at the postage you are expecting to pay. 

We recently worked with some highly intelligent executives at a reasonably successful larger corporation looking for long-term growth. The initial conversations revolved around the strategy, tactics and depth of programs they felt that they needed to re-educate their exiting clients about new products and services as well as making themselves known to new potential customers for more effective local lead generation.

After many meetings over several months they decided they wanted a “quick hit” to increase sales fast and didn’t want a more integrated marketing communications program. They wanted to send direct marketing postcards out one time to several thousand recipients and needed an immediate return on investment.

We said no thank you.

Oh, we could have taken their money and done a basic print fulfillment project. But, odds are, we may not have gotten the expected results right away and gotten fired anyway, likely the first in a long-line of many marketing services companies who would not get the immediate results they said they needed.

You see, the mystery of successful marketing is most often based in consistency, not magic. One anything; direct marketing postcards, rebate offers, trade shows etc. are highly unlikely to net you sustained long-term leads, prospects and ultimately, customers.

In our personal relationships, one event does not define them. Rather, it is an on-going series of interactions and remembrances that keep us connected to other individuals. Greeting cards, flowers, presents, phone calls and many other expressions of endearment help our personal relationships survive and grow.

In the same way, (to those who are receptive to it) you must commit to a never-ending series of integrated marketing communications campaign tactics like newsletters, emails, white papers, direct mail campaigns etc. to interest, excite and acquire new customers, and, keep them for the long haul. Relationships in business are built just like in our private lives, through constant attention and contact.

Just so you know, if you need more business, you need to commit to a sustained, never-ending integrated marketing communications program. If you don’t continually engage potential clients about who you are and what you do, you’re making it next to impossible for them to buy from you.

Are you environmentally friendly? Are you practicing sustainable living? We all hear these questions all the time, even in email signatures, but how bad is print?

The printing industry is not always viewed as environmentally friendly - we understand that. But what we want everyone to know is that printing and paper have their place and are still effective ways to communicate.

At Allied, paper is an important part of our fulfillment outsourcing and marketing and sales support solutions as well as recycling and being responsible. Furthermore, we want to make sure that people have all the facts about print and our industry.

Please, click here to read an article regarding the print industry and how paper has gotten a bad rap these days.

Visit our site to learn more about an integrated marketing communications program or full service fulfillment program that is right for you.

For years now, every 4th of July, we pack the kids in the family car and head off to the firework show at the local park. And while it is always entertaining, this past year we started whispering half way through that maybe we would not come back next year. Been there, done that. Seen one, seen ‘em all. Then, all of a sudden, it started. The mother of all finales. Explosions of color and sound all over the sky. It lasted for more than 15 minutes. Incredible! Definitely worth going back for.

How many of your customers feel the same about your service? Even if it’s good, is it enough?  Is there a wow factor, something unexpected that is worth coming back for? Remember the three possible outcomes of a customer interaction with your company. 

Expectations not met.  We know what happens then. 
Expectations met. Do you really want only a 50/50 chance of retaining customers? 
Expectations exceeded. Now we’re talking. 

Now, one carload of kids, even mine, would not dramatically alter the economics of a community fireworks show. Sure, a few less glow-sticks and buckets of popcorn and lemonade and hotdogs would be sold, but the vendors would not go out of business. But multiply the not coming back effect slightly and it just may. Try losing 3 or 5 or 10% of your business because you provide only average value rather then something special and see what happens. 

In this day and age of choice and global competition, deliver the basics and consumers are likely to judge you unfavorably. Deliver the basics along with what is expected and you might get a middle of the road rating. Only when you start to exceed expectations do customers begin to think about coming back on a regular basis. 

Once you’ve been to Disney World it’s sometimes hard to get excited about the local amusement park. Once you’ve seen the Grand Canyon the nearby scenic spots sometimes don’t measure up. When you’ve flown 1st class a few times, coach can seem like 2nd class. Because it is.

Your marketing communication strategies create a customer service expectation. Don’t let your competitors create a better perception in your prospective customers’ minds than you do. And don’t let your customers get more from your competition than they can get from you. Attention spans are short. Loyalty is fleeting. Give them your best effort, the grand finale, all the time. If you want to keep your customers, find something you can Wow ‘em with. Now.

The Allied Group is a marketing services company and a print fulfillment firm in Rhode Island. Click here to learn more about us and how we may be able to help you with your lead generation methods.

There was important news released yesterday buy the U.S. Government Printing Office and it was pretty positive considering the state of our economy. The GPO has yet again reported another year with positive earnings; that's seven years in a row with positive earnings.  The financials show GPO completed the year with a net operating income of $7.9 million on total revenues of $928 million.

The GPO is the federal government’s primary centralized resource for gathering, cataloging,
producing, providing, authenticating, and preserving published U.S. government information in all its forms.

"As GPO begins to celebrate our 150th anniversary, I am proud to announce we have completed a seventh consecutive year of positive results due to the hard work and dedication of our employees," said Public Printer Bob Tapella. "GPO has re-engineered itself many times since 1861 to remain relevant and viable for the future.  It is through the efforts of our family of employees that GPO has transformed itself into a 21st century printing, digital media and secure credentialing facility."

This is great news for the print and full service fulfillment industries. The economy has taken it's toll on many organizations but this seems so be a step in the right direction.

Source: GPO - NewsRelease