A Rose By Any Other Name: Naming Services

What’s in a name? Everything. Your brand promise. Your capabilities. Your company persona. On the very first impression, a name should do three things: 1). Give a clear impression of the promise – “What will this company, product or process do for me?” 2). Convey the company persona and brand – “What kind of company/people stand behind this name? and 3). Be memorable – “We need an invoicing solution, let’s look into that one called XXXXXXX.”

The Integrity team has extensive experience in developing names for companies, products and processes. Whether it’s for a Fortune 500 company or for a start-up coffee shop down the street, we believe in the importance of targeted naming.

Integrity Marketing  approaches naming projects in the following steps:

1. Discovery – a phone conference during which key Integrity creative personnel will ask targeted questions of your personnel to learn more about your company or product, and your goals and expectations for the name to be developed.

 

1. Name Suggestions – Round 1 – Integrity Marketing will prepare a list of options for you, and present them during a phone conference with the your team. We typically recommend presenting 3-5 names for each, but some clients like to see a comprehensive list (everything we can come up with). You are welcome to tell us how you would like to work. During this phone conference, the pros and cons of each name suggestion will be discussed.

 

1. Name Suggestions – Round 2 – armed with the feedback gathered in Step 2, our team will prepare a second round of name suggestions for presentation. At this time, the Integrity team will outline which names we recommend and a rationale for our choices. After your team has had time to review these suggestions, final decisions will be made, or certain names can be sent back for final tweaking if necessary.

 

1. Your Company Takes Ownership – once the final name has been chosen, your company now assumes full ownership of it in perpetuity. Trademarking of names will be the responsibility of your company if so desired.

 

The in-depth discovery we perform up front usually results in this process rarely taking more than three rounds (often, we hit it in one). But rest assured, Integrity is committed to providing you with a solution that exceeds your expectations.

What’s in a name?

Everything.

Say What?! Language Training Center

Language Training Center, LTC Translations, and LTC Echo are your partners in international solutions. They are a full service language provider specializing in language training, translation, interpreting, cross cultural training, interpreter training, international business consulting, and language assesmment.

Language Training

Their interactive teaching and curriculum tailored to fit you will make your time at Language Training Center a success.

Translation

LTC Translations provides prompt and accurate translations to meet your tight deadlines for legal, medical, marketing, personal and all types of documents. Their certified translators are highly trained and available for rush translations.

Interpreting

Their professionals are trained to provide accurate interpreting in a variety of settings including hospitals, courtrooms, conferences and schools. Modes of interpreting include consecutive, simultaneous, whisper and liaison.

Cross Cultural Training

Their international experts have the business, social and cultural knowledge to help you face the challenges of the global market.

Interpreter Training

LTC Echo delivers highly interactive, professionally designed interpreter training programs that allow participants to actively learn the most current standards and practices in the interpreting field.  LTC Echo’s language assessment and training assists interpreters in becoming more effective in the multiple demands, roles, and settings of interpretation.

To find out more about Language Training Center, check out their website at www.languagetrainingcenter.com

What Do Get When You Cross a Post Card with a Brochure?

Budgets are tight. That’s nothing new. SO, when you are looking at your marketing budget, how do you make every dollar stretch as far as you can? Even harder……How do you make your dollars stretch while being green. Most people know that “green” and “cost-effective” don’t often go together.

Let’s try getting a little creative. One of the first thing people cut from their budgets is direct mail. They scale back their mailing list or cut the process all together. They’ll focus those dollars on online elements like email, banner ads, or social media.

It is starting to become more aware that online marketing isn’t for everyone. The ROI isn’t as appealing as people make it out to be……unless you start getting into high dollar programs. That’s why more and more people are turning back to direct mail. You can control the list. And you know your audience has to see the message before they throw it away, unlike email.

So, how do you keep your direct mail campaign running without cutting your budget for other marketing tools, like brochures.

Simple. Combine them.

Creating a piece that can be used more ways than one saves you on design costs and print costs. Designers charge by the piece. Most of the time, a brochure and a direct mail piece will cost about the same, assuming it is a basic brochure. So, you’re cutting your design budget in half if you only have to design one piece. On the print side, you’ll save additionally per piece by extending your print run. Print pricing is based largely on volume. The higher the volume, the lower the per piece cost.

On the mailing side, a 12×9 brochure folded to a 6×9 mailing falls into the same postage rates as a 6×9 post card.

So, before you start cutting elements out of your marketing campaigns, look at getting a little more creative by combining your elements, increasing their usage and lengthening their product life cycle.

AUTHOR: Daniel Kelly

Daniel Kelly is COO of INTEGRITY. His background includes campaigns and elections, marketing, event management, and program management. Contact Daniel at 888.508.5445 or dkelly@theintegritysite.com

Pizza, Beer and Strikes! What a Way to End 2009!

If I haven’t said it to you yet, “Happy New Year!”.

 I was thinking back the other day to one of our first email blasts to our customers and contacts.  It was a recap of 2008 with a forecast for 2009.  I wanted to see if we accomplished what we said we would.

Here’s what we were looking forward to:

• We are unveiling a new branding initiative in early 2009.  Look for announcements regarding our brand new website.
• Carol and Dan have been asked to be on the cover of a print industry trade publication in January.  Stay tuned for full details.
• Watch for a new quarterly newsletter featuring new products and case studies.

What really happened in 2009?

• We completed our branding initiative and came out with only a few scratches.  Our new and improved website has been a huge hit with customers and prospects.  It has really helped us tell our story to people in a way that helps them understand how we can assist them.  The new FTP site receives uploads from customers multiple times a day.  And our blog is read, on average, 10 times a day.  That’s pretty good for a blog about printing.  If you haven’t had a chance to check it out, you can do so here: www.theintegritysite.com
• Carol and I didn’t make the cover, but we were a prominent component of the featured article. And are pictures were in the article.  It did great things for our motivation in the company to improve and grow.  And it definitely solidified our reputation in the print industry.
• It looks like we predicted this one wrong too.  We actually committed to a newsletter monthly.  It is definitely a challenge to come up with something new every month that you want to read.  But our statistics show us that you like getting our newsletter, so we’ll keep it up.  Look for new interactive elements to be unveiled in 2010.

Additionally………..

We implemented a brand new marketing services platform.  This new platform will change the way we service our clients. It also has the ability to change the way our clients manage their marketing and communications efforts.  We will begin introducing IRIS to you in 2010.  If you’re looking for a way to streamline your print management and marketing management efforts, ask us about IRIS.

We have also added new staff members to the Integrity team.

Heidi Beatty is our new accountant.  She has great knowledge and experience managing complex partnerships and corporate structures, which is perfect for Integrity’s evolving structure.

Lee Ann Richardson came on board as an Account Executive last Fall.  She has great experience working with marketing departments in and around Indianapolis.  She will be a leader in letting customers know about IRIS.

Dave Bechtel has joined the Integrity as an Account Executive, as well.  He has a vast knowledge of the promotional products industry, and will help Integrity grow this area of our business.

Van Dickerson was our final addition of 2009. He also joins us as an Account Executive.  Van’s multi-decade experience in operations and print is a much welcomed addition to the Integrity sales team.

These new additions have energized the Integrity team.  The diversity of their experience combined with the rest of the Integrity team allows us the best opportunity to support our customers in all aspects of their business needs.  We are looking forward to the growth this team will bring to Integrity.

In addition, Integrity is opening a new branch in Dallas, Texas.  More information regarding that expansion will come soon.

So, it’s been a good year.  We’ve been able to experience a lot of positive things, in spite of the current economic times.

We closed out our year with our annual Christmas Party. With the growth of our team and the new energy that surrounded us, we decided to something different.  We rented out a suite at Pinheads, a bowling alley in Noblesville, and had the first Annual Integrity Bowling Tournament.  I highly recommend this for any corporate Christmas party.  The friendships that blossomed and grew that night was amazing to see.

What was also amazing was the secret talents some people have that you don’t get to see on an everyday basis.  For example…..In addition to being a very talented accountant, Heidi Beatty is also a very accomplished bowler.  Lucky for me, she was my partner for the tournament.  And, no, I didn’t rig it.  She also was the “Strike King” that night for knocking down the most strikes.

The only predictions I am making for 2010 are more growth and more fun.  If you love what you do and you so it well, success will follow.  That’s what we’re looking for in 2010.  How about you?

AUTHOR: Daniel Kelly

Daniel Kelly is COO of INTEGRITY.  His background includes campaigns and elections, marketing, event management, and program management.  Contact Daniel at 888.508.5445 or dkelly@theintegritysite.com

Continuously Amazed by NAWBO.

I recently attended the monthly NAWBO luncheon held at the Skyline, atop the One America building.

First, what a gorgeous view and gorgeous venue to hold an event.

Carol was asked to give the Member Presentation before the corporate and keynote presentations.  I am always amazed at the grace with which Carol can get up in front of a crowd and give a speech.  This particular speech was only 5 minutes.  But, Carol was able to provide both information and motivation to the group with such skill, you would have thought it was a 20 minute speech.

It is definitely a different environment for me to be at an event like this. I was one of only 3 men in the room.  And, of course, we were initially drawn to each other.  But I didn’t stay cornered for long and tried to get around to meet as many people as possible.

I have attended a handful of events hosted by NAWBO, and I am continuously impressed with the members that I meet.  NAWBO members have an incredible entrepreneurial spirit. I love the conversations I have with each member and am always challenged.

There wasn’t a real agenda for this article, except to tell you to get out and check out NAWBO.  Their annual holiday event is coming up December 18.  You can learn more about NAWBO and this event at www.nawboindy.org.

AUTHOR: Daniel Kelly

Daniel Kelly is COO of INTEGRITY.  His background includes campaigns and elections, marketing, event management, and program management.  Contact Daniel at 888.508.5445 or dkelly@theintegritysite.com

Custom Designed Turned Edge Binders

Custom turned-edged binders are an eye-popping way to market your product or service.

These binders provide a wide variety of options to achieve the precise looking you want to achieve.

• The spines can be arch back to give it a unique look.
• These custom binders can be litho-wrapped and printed 4 color process with matte or gloss film lamination for durability.
• They can be silk screened or stamped on cloth or imitation leather.

Give us a call today to discuss creating a custom turned edge binder for your communication needs.

Toll Free: 888.508.5445

Garage Doors of Indianapolis.

Garage Doors of Indianapolis, Inc. is a locally owned and operated company serving Indianapolis and the surrounding area.

Cecil McCord started working in the garage door industry while still in high school; painting doors and sweeping the shop. That teenager went on to found Garage Doors of Indianapolis in 1979.

Always locally owned and operated, Garage Doors of Indianapolis has adapted to changing needs by following consumer trends. In the late 70s and early 80s, as the fast food generation embraced immediate gratification, so did Garage Doors of Indianapolis.

 

As a hands-on CEO and President, McCord worked with an advertising expert to boil down the company’s spirit into one core message. Out of that, “Call us this morning, for service TODAY!” was born, and Central Indiana has remembered it ever since.

It’s not just Indianapolis. The area of service is vast—from Martinsville to Lafayette to Anderson to Sheridan to Plainfield, Kokomo, Bloomington and more.

Central to GDI’s service: respect for the customer. When on a call, technicians sweep the garage when finished.  Service calls are always a set fee rather than an hourly rate and emergency service is available 24 hours a day.

For more information about Garage Doors of Indianapolis, check out their website at www.doorstoday.com.

Why Print is Green.

The Print Council recently released their latest position paper titled Why Print is Green at the Print ’09 conference in Chicago.

The new report describes ten specific ways in which print is green – from the responsible products used, renewable energy sourced, increased recycling rates, improved design and delivery methods. The report is intended for use by printers and designers to demonstrate to their customers why print media is the environmentally sound choice for communicating with the audiences they want to reach.

Without even considering recycled paper stocks, vegetable based inks, paper certifications, or graphic design processes; this report actually makes a great point for using print as your primary medium for eco-friendl’ier’ communications.

Here are a few of the points made by the report:

• In 2008, more than 57 percent of paper consumed in the U.S. was recovered for recycling, more than any material.
• The paper industry is aiming to reach 60 percent recycling by 2012. Every additional percentage point means that a million tons of paper are recovered.
• Less than 10 percent of U.S. power comes from renewable sources, but in the pulp and paper industry, that figure is greater than 60 percent.
• Printers are frequent buyers of renewable-energy certificates.  These certificates — which represent power generated by wind, hydro, solar, or biomass — support growth of renewable energy producers.
• The average person’s paper use for a year — 440 pounds — is produced by 500 kilowatt-hours of electricity, the amount used to power one computer continuously for 5 months.

Using this statistics as a base, there ways to make your communications efforts even more earth-friendly.  Give us a call.  We can help.

AUTHOR: Daniel Kelly

Daniel Kelly is COO of INTEGRITY.  His background includes campaigns and elections, marketing, event management, and program management.  Contact Daniel at 888.508.5445 or dkelly@theintegritysite.com

GDP +3.5%: Beware the Cheerleaders

Just got done reading the latest blog post from my favorite print industry economist, Dr. Joe Webb.

 

If you like conversations about gross domestic product and how it relates to the leading economic indicators, I definitely recommend giving it a read.

 

If you want to understand what is going on inside your customers’ businesses to know how it will affect your business, I would recommend finding a good economist to listen to……of course, I recommend Dr. Joe.

 

Here’s the article……

http://members.whattheythink.com/articles/article.cfm?id=40739&printmode

Lenticular: A New Dimension in Printing

Why make Lenticular Print a part of your next promotion?

• They capture the viewer’s attention!
• Increased “viewership”.
  Everyone who receives one of your lenticular promotional products will show it to a friend so you reach a much larger audience.
• Greater ad retention.
  No matter what kind of effect is used, lenticular products are viewed more frequently than other forms of printing.

Lenticular printing has been around since the 1940′a and is utilized as a means to capture people’s attention and break through the clutter that is the advertising world.

 

Lenticular art is created by taking two or more images and using lenticular interlacing software to combine them. This choppy looking image is then laminated with a lenticular lens or lenticular screen which creates the optical illusion of your choosing. The process then blends the mashing of image strips into one piece of lenticular art. Lenticular lenses are as unique as eyeglass prescriptions and careful consideration is taken into the type of laminating is involved straight down to the size of the column like strips called lenticules from which the lenticular lenses are constructed.

With many different effects to choose from, lenticular printing offers creative and captivating solutions for all your advertising needs. Through the lenticular image printing process, still life images can be transformed to create the illusion of many different effects. Each unique effect has a different method of drawing the eye to the product and drawing attention. Your lenticular image can consist of a flip image, 3D effect , multi-phase zoom, full animation, or morphing effects.

Checkout another Great example of Lenticular Print!

Give us a call today to ask about how lenticular can be incorporated into your next promotion.