Archives for November 2008
Always Wanted to Be a Cardboard Cutout?
Today I came across an interesting website that allows you to upload and then print digital photos in super-sized versions. Not just large 8.5 x 11-inch photo prints, but you can have your digital photos printed out up to 6 feet in height! From the StickyFan.com website:
Giant life-size “cut-outs” of your favorite youth sports superstar. So fun and cool you have to see one to believe it! StickyFAN cut-outs are beautifully printed on our unique adhesive fabric that will stick to any wall or window, yet can be moved again and again.
Every soccer parent in America is going to be putting these in their game rooms or the child’s bedroom. It’s similar to other photo wall mural companies I’ve seen like Murals Your Way; however, StickyFan will actually cut out an action shot (of you playing tennis, your child playing football, etc.) and separate the profile from the picture’s background – which is something very custom that I haven’t seen before. Very cool tech.
Like our company’s fast turnaround times for digital printing products, StickyFan can get out an order in 1 to 3 days because they’re a digital printer. This might even work for a last-minute tradeshow idea…
The Direct Marketing Voice Links: 11-26-2008
BtoB Magazine: Addressing Direct-mail Deliverability and Anti-marketing Initiatives
“Nanci Langley is the new vice chairman of the Postal Regulatory Commission, after being nominated as commissioner by President Bush in February. BtoB recently asked Langley about the evolving nature of direct mail, and recent changes at the United States Postal Service that impact direct marketers”
DMNews: Direct Mail Volume from Banks on the Rise
“Direct mail offers sent by banks to current customers rose 42% in the third quarter when compared to the second quarter, according to new research from Mintel Comperemedia. The sharp increase in retention direct mail can be attributed to banks’ efforts to communicate with and reassure their customers on the heels of the worst financial crisis in years”
“According to real estate marketing expert Kathy Goughenour, author of Blogging 101: A Real Estate Agent’s Guide to Boosting Business and Getting Tons of Leads, there is more and more recognition among marketing experts that blogging is the best method for real estate agents to use right now to attract new business (www.leadboosterclub.com )”
ProPrint: Google’s $A179m Books Online Deal Set to Revolutionise On-demand Printing
“The print-on-demand industry could be set for a boost after a $US125m ($AU179m) settlement was announced between Google and the Authors Guild with the Association of American Publishers (AAP), opening up millions of in-copyright books and documents to users through Google’s Book Search Project.”
How are Agents Marketing Themselves in Tough Times?
So here’s something that seems strange in this economy… In an article posted in the Chicago Tribune yesterday, Mary Umberger reports:
“…If you’re a seller who’s adamant about getting what the agent thinks is a sky-high price or if your home needs updating that you’re unwilling to spend money on, you might find yourself getting a thanks-but-no-thanks handshake instead of a listing agreement… To some, this might seem counterintuitive. After all, in this era of the housing-market swoon, one might think that agents would be snapping up every opportunity for a listing in the hope that at least one would turn into a bull’s-eye.”
If agents are picking and choosing what houses they’re going to list given the economy, it’s even more important that they market their seemingly limited listings more precisely. Mary cites that “10 percent of [agents] gross commissionable income goes toward marketing costs.” But where are they putting their dollars? QuantumDigital outlines some of these dollars a national survey released last month. Check it out and let us know what you think. Do the dollars match what you’d think?
The Direct Marketing Voice Links: 11-25-2008
BtoB Magazine: How to Create an Award-winning E-mail Campaign
“1) Get them coming back.
2) Give them a mobile option.
3) Protect your reputation.
4) Go social.
5) Plan for video.”
MediaPost: Email Is Simply A Piece Of The Puzzle
“Whitney Hutchinson says, ‘Email marketing, as we probably all agree, is not the be-all and end-all. As David said, it’s simply one piece of the puzzle: a piece integrated with many other pieces, working together, to build a consumer experience with a brand (online or off). It’s a tactical representation of a communication that we, the marketer, want to have with our consumer. It’s not the only communication that our organization has with a consumer, and that fact requires us to adjust our thinking. In the end, it’s not about email; it’s about the customer experience and how email plays into and supports that.’ For what are the keys to email marketing?
“Segmentation — Whom do we want to talk to?
Messaging — What do we want to say?
Frequency — How often do we want to touch our customers?
Creative — In what wrapper?”
Seattle Times Newspaper: Slow Housing Market Means More Hours, More Expenses for Agents
“Brigitte Pascutoi, managing broker at John L. Scott Real Estate’s Bellevue, says most agents in her office spend $1,000 or more on each property for promotional expenses, such as professional photography, Internet marketing and fliers created by graphic designers. And on larger sales, which are often advertised in specialty real-estate publications, it’s common for an agent to spend $3,000 and $5,000, Pascutoi said. ‘They’re spending way more money on advertising than they ever have,’ she said.”
Conde Nast: Direct Marketing Assn. Spent $375K Lobbying in 3Q
“The New York-based association lobbied on issues related to protecting the confidentiality of Social Security numbers, cyber security, phone records, telemarketing fraud and more.”
