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