The companies have decided that letting customers control the buying process is the best way to prevent buyer’s remorse and returns.

Instead of feeling pressured, time, tools and information are lavished on the customer. Buyers are relaxed and unhurried when making the buying decision at their own pace.

While the companies used in these examples are Web based, their deliberate style of slow selling includes ideas that could be used in other types of businesses.

* One seller of eyeglasses removes the pressure of choosing frames by using technology, instead of a salesperson standing by. The customer uploads his or her photo to a website, where they can take as much time as they like to see how they look in any of the eyeglass frames.

* The Kaplan Commitment program ensures that students make an informed decision before paying for school. Kaplan lets them enroll in classes for over a month and determine if the courses are the right fit to meet their needs.

The slow selling trend is designed to reduce the costs of post-purchase regret and returns, customer service time, negative feedback and loss of future sales. Getting a customer to buy takes more time, but the technique empowers the customer to contemplate, choose and commit.

According to Inc. advisors, the lifetime value of a customer is defined not by how much he or she buys, but by how strongly he or she attaches to and defends a brand choice.

For the Web savvy shopper, the more perfect alignment of information means the responsibility is now theirs to be satisfied. If customers are treated with patience and the reins of the sales process are handed over to them, they will take care of the rest.

Joe Kern  is Vice President of  Marketing/Customer Service at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

January 25, 2011

MyOrderDesk users can now automatically generate invoices using Intuit’s #1 rated small business accounting software without the drudgery of retyping. Phillip Grandsard, Senior Software Engineer at PagePath stated, “As we continue to develop ground breaking features for MyOrderDesk itself, we are always looking for ways to partner with other excellent solutions that improve efficiency and productivity for our customers. Our new QuickBooks module accomplishes that and more.”

For additional information on MyOrderDesk and the QuickBooks module, contact PagePath at 866.770.7561 or info@pagepath.com

When your business is slow, it’s easy to think customers have moved to cheaper printers or decided to do without the services you offer.

Particularly during such times, it’s a good idea to survey present and recently departed customers in order to check the pulse of your printing business.

You’ll probably discover some customers didn’t like the level of service you provide. That’s not pleasant to hear, but complaints of any kind are good. They give you a starting point for improvement.

Many former and present customers are nice people who don’t want to complain. These are the people you need to talk to.

Studies reported by the CornerStone Leadership Institute show that for every person who registers a complaint, there are a couple of dozen who don’t say anything about it at all.

Conversations with customers will show that you really care about them. They will be more loyal to you in the future.

Have you talked to your customers lately? What have they had to say? Post your comments below.

Joe Kern  is Vice President of  Marketing/Customer Service at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

When Fortune magazine interviewed leaders of large and small firms, they gave a few eye-opening pieces of advice on how to grow a business. Check these out to determine whether any of their formulas could be pivotal growth-growing points in your printing business.

• Find an edge over competition. Look at the industry’s biggest cost and time constraints and focus on those areas of your business.
• Describe your business in one or two words. Own a phrase that illustrates your company or service. Then Google it to see if you have chosen the right one. A beverage company used “enhanced waters.”
• Focus on one measurable priority for your company, not a dozen. For 90 days, focus on one problem in your business.
• Control your cash flow. Construct a business model that fuels your growth without the need for outside financing.
• Use blogs, white papers, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook to flood the Internet and align the business with the phrase you own. They recommend checking out The Shipping Bloke Blog.
• Make changes faster. The fastest-moving companies huddle daily, as if in crisis mode, to drive their priorities.

Joe Kern  is Vice President of  Marketing/Customer Service at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

Here are some situations they have to deal with:

• They have to hire more help almost immediately, which means training costs. If the new customer sells out to another company or quits the contract for some other reason, they will have to let these people go, a painful process that also makes unemployment insurance costs skyrocket.
• The lucky printer may spend so much time on the new account that other customers get less-satisfactory service and, as a result, take their business elsewhere.
• The print firm becomes so involved with the new customer that it fails to keep its advertising program up to date. It isn’t attracting the type of customer that was the mainstream of their business before.
• At Yale School of Management, Professor Constance Bagley says that when you get a big new account, “You can’t stop being scrappy. You have to constantly be thinking that things can change dramatically in 60 to 90 days.”

Quoted in INC., Bagley says big companies are constantly looking for value. You have to figure out your immediate needs and address them. Keep the information flowing, especially information about their costs and their competitors. Talk with the R&D department and the new customer’s leader.

If you do well on this contract, you can use the experience to attract new clients of the same kind.

Joe Kern  is Vice President of  Marketing/Customer Service at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

If you can not always be in front of your computer but you need to be connected to your email at all times because the world will crumble without you; then take it with you where ever you go. Having a desktop or laptop computer does not mean you have to always be in front of it to get your email.

Your cell phone is the one thing that you take everywhere you go. Depending on the phone you have you can get your email delivered right to the palm of your hand for as little at $10 per month (10MB). If you are a heavy email user that gets lots of files sent to you an unlimited data plan can be added for $30 per month.

Now here’s the technical part your cell phone is typically setup by default to use something called IMAP but more than likely your email client on your computer is setup to use POP which means what happens on your phone doesn’t happen on your computer. Changing the setup of your email client on your computer to use IMAP instead of POP can help to resolve that issue. So when you delete a message on your cell phone it will be deleted off of your computer at home and vice versa.

There are other more sophisticated email setups that can be applied when using corporate email such as ActiveSync and BlackBerry that keep your email, calendar, and contacts in sync between your phone and computer in real time.

Don’t let the stress of not being able to leave your computer get you down, go mobile!

Mike Herz is in Tech Support and Sales at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

First and foremost, look at your website. Make sure your design is eye catching and easy to maneuver. Make sure that you have attractive pictures or illustrations that get your customers attention. Customers don’t care about your new press or copier, so don’t clutter your homepage with your proud new pictures. People like to see people. Especially people like you. If you can, stay away from stock photography and hire a professional photographer to take pictures of you and your staff. Tell your customers how you can solve their problems, don’t sell them on the fact that you do great stationery. Sell them on the fact that you can solve what ever problem or need they have.

A second marketing strategy is to promote you service. Get yourself noticed. Send out flyers, business cards, post cards, etc. Hey, you sell direct mail, why not use it to promote yourself. Get yourself noticed on the web as well. Become entrenched in various social networks like Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter, Delicious, etc. The more access/touch points you have for your customers and prospects, the better off you will be.

Number three, get set up with a good email marketing program. Web applications like Constant Contact are a great way to send marketing materials as well as track your success. Constant Contact also offers autoresponders.  This automated form of a marketing keeps your customers and prospects informed about your services automatically. You literally write the messages and autoresponders send them out on set schedules. Once you set it up the first time, the program does all the work for you. Using an autoresponder to send out advertisements of your product is fast and convenient. Everything is done by email.

Try developing a catchy slogan for your comapny. Think about it, how many slogans can you name, and how many products to you remember because of that slogan. This is a great marketing strategy because it is a way for people to easily remember your business. If they remember or recognize you, they are likely to use you.

Another powerful marketing strategy is the use of SEO (search engine optimization) tactics. I will admit that there is a lot of speculation and false information buzzing around about what is effect SEO. Many place will sell you there SEO services for a couple thousand dollars. I stay away from those people. Buy a book like SEO for Dummies or subscribe to a training service like Lynda.com and do what you can on your own. Effect SEO takes a little work, but most printers are capable of doing the legwork themselves. Using SEO correctly will attract more people to your site. More people on your site means more exposure. More exposure means more leads. More leads can turn into more sales. Get the picture?

Finally, the last marketing strategy is to have great public relations. With good public relations, your business will prosper through word of mouth. Allow customers to submit feedback of your business. Place positive feedback and testimonials on your website. It makes your business look good and customers tend to prefer to use businesses that have positive feedback.

A killer marketing strategy will cost you some time and money, so don’t be fooled by thinking you can do it for next to nothing.  But if you look in the right places and follow some good advice, your marketing strategy should leave you coming out on top.

Joe Kern  is Vice President of  Marketing/Customer Service at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

Dr. Eric Berne developed a theory of Transactional Analysis in the 1950’s. He discovered that changing the interaction between two people was a way of solving emotional issues that could hinder a positive outcome of a conversation. He describes three ego states; Parent, Adult, and Child. The key to a good client interaction is to determine which ego state your client fits in to and then choose an appropriate response.

The Parent ego state represents times where we act like a parent talking to a child; displaying anger, raising your voice, etc. The Adult ego state represents times where we draw on our lifetime of experiences to obtain an objective positive outcome. The Child ego state represents times when we were younger, acting like a child; crying, sulking, shouting, talking back, etc.

The goal is to get both parties to the Adult state. The first step is yours, act like an adult! You should then lead your client through a process to get them to the same level. Most seemingly irrational clients will have adopted the Parent ego state.

1. Listen to your caller’s issues and apologies, whether it’s your fault or not.
2. Sit tight until they have finished complaining. Prior to making the call your customer will no doubt have practiced what they intended to say, and no amount of interrupting will stop them from saying it! To react in either of these ways will prolong the point of resolution.
3. Once your customer realizes you are not going to respond in the way they anticipated they will start to move from Parent state to Adult state.

Of course, some clients just can’t seem to be pleased and will fight you every step of the way. You will have to make a business decision as to whether or not it makes sense to continue doing business with them. But I digress.

Phillip Grandsard  is a Software Developer at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

The answer is tethering.   What is it?  Tethering, is the term when using your mobile phone as a modem to provide the internet connection to your computer.  If you have your trusty laptop and a mobile phone with a data plan you are almost ready to start tethering.  Only a couple of more pieces of the puzzle are needed.

First you will need the same USB cable that you use to sync your mobile phone with your laptop.  Or if your phone and laptop both support BlueTooth you will not need the USB cable.

Secondly you will need the software to make it all happen.  Quite a few mobile phone providers want to sell you an upgrade to your monthly service to do this but no worries you can do it for a one time software purchase of PDAnet for $34 from June Fabrics – PDA Technology Group.  They support many of the PDA type mobile phones such as iPhone, Android, Windows Mobile, Blackberry, Palm OS Treo and Centro.

Once you have the software installed on both your mobile phone and laptop keep in mind that you are still at the mercy of your mobile data plan in regards to coverage area and performance.  In one area you maybe able to make that Skype call via your laptop without any problems but that doesn’t mean it will work everywhere.

Let me know how this article has helped you.

Mike Herz is in Tech Support and Sales at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

Here are some situations they have to deal with:

• They have to hire more help and do it almost immediately, which means training costs. If the new customer sells out to another company or quits the contract for some other reason, they will have to let these people go, a painful process that also makes unemployment insurance costs skyrocket.
• The lucky print company may spend so much time on the new account that other customers get less-satisfactory service and, as a result, take their business elsewhere.
• The print company becomes so involved with the new customer that it fails to keep its advertising program up to date. It isn’t attracting the type of customer that was the mainstream of their business before.
• At Yale School of Management, Professor Constance Bagley says that when you get a big new account, “You can’t stop being scrappy. You have to constantly be thinking that things can change dramatically in 60 to 90 days.”

Quoted in INC., Bagley says big companies are constantly looking for value. You have to figure out your immediate needs and address them. Keep the information flowing, especially information about their costs and their competitors. Talk with the R&D department and the new customer’s leader.

If you do well on this contract, you can use the experience to attract new clients of the same kind.

Joe Kern  is Vice President of  Marketing/Customer Service at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

This type of email isn’t technically spam, but is known as a “phishing” attack. It’s purpose is to trick customers of those banks into providing their login details. They do this by designing the email to look like it’s from the bank but instead of the link in the email taking them to the bank, it takes them to a website designed to look just like their bank. The difference is when the customer tries to login they’ll most likely be presented with an error message telling them to try again later but in fact their user name and password will have been forwarded to the scammer running the fake site.

There are a number of software packages that purport to block these attacks, and while they can help they shouldn’t be relied on for truly sensitive information. Whenever I receive a email tied to an account with sensitive information (bank, broker, credit card, insurance, etc.) I skip clicking on any links within the email and instead manually navigate my browser to their home page in order to login.

This is just one example of a “phishing” attack. If you’d like to learn more about it, check out this Wikipedia article.

William Jens is a Software Developer at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

While some categories, such as paid holidays, are specific, the book’s forward should emphasize that it contains general guidelines. When writing it, advisors at INC. magazine recommend saying “we may” in the book, rather than “we will.”

Avoid making the book sound like a contract and be sure to mention in the preface that policies can be changed at your discretion.

Relationships with employees are governed by many laws. They apply to businesses with one employee or more.

• Harassment and discrimination. State that you are an equal opportunity employer in every way. State that you will not tolerate harassment or discrimination. Outline steps an employee can take to report a violation, such as reporting it to two people. Tell how you respond to discrimination or harassment, and emphasize that the employee who makes the claim will not face retaliation.

• Workweek and hours. Generally tell the days and hours of the workweek and rules for breaks and meals. State which employees are paid for overtime. Tell the difference between an hourly worker and a salaried worker who is not paid for overtime.

• Safety. If workers operate in the printing plant, a safety policy should be given that is commensurate with state and federal regulations. Check with the Department of Labor in your state.

• Attendance, tardiness, dress code, use of the telephone and more. Don’t address minor areas, but focus on your actual needs. Avoid reminding people of the punishment they face for each infraction. Have one category at the end of the book that details discipline.

• Paid time off. Rather than having separate sick days and vacation policies, some businesses offer “paid time off,” which can be used at the employee’s discretion. Unused days can be paid at the end of the year.

• Benefits. Some are specified by state and federal law, such as time off for jury duty and military service. Check the rules.

• Voluntary benefits. More good news. Tell about any health insurance plan, retirement accounts, and other benefits you offer.

• Each employee should sign a statement saying they have received the employee handbook.

Joe Kern  is the Marketing and Customer Care Manager at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

As you keep the bottom line from slipping into the red, there are steps you can take that will improve morale, relieve stress and not cost anything.

Consider these moves made by various bosses quoted in INC and The Wall Street Journal. One or more could position you to move forward as business improves.

• Upgrade job titles even if you can’t pay more or can only make a token increase in pay. Several of your workers could be called “manager” or “director” of some facet of your print shop.

  It’s especially appreciated by people who were out of the workforce for a time before you hired them. They can visualize the title showing up on future resumes. They will, however, probably want to stay with your company, where they already have an important job.

• Let people work from home wherever possible. This is a stretch for your shop personnel, but office staff and desktop people can effectively do this with the right tools. They will appreciate setting their own hours, be they day or night. Working remotely gives them the autonomy that many people like. It makes them feel like entrepreneurs.

• Create a bonus plan in lieu of pay raises. It could be tied to the amount of revenue they generate for the company.

• Hold weekly meetings where they can talk about their jobs. Let them make suggestions and voice complaints about issues you may not be aware of but that you could deal with. One boss met with employees individually. The more he listened, the better they felt.

  Let them be part of the solution, how to increase business and cut costs.

• Make a road map to company progress and share it with your people. Present a detailed plan you will execute over the next few months and in the coming year. Reinforce the company’s vision.

As one boss says, when people are focused on surviving, they forget that the end goal is thriving.

Always be frank about current circumstances, but demonstrate a positive view of the future. You know it’s coming even if you don’t know just when that thriving future will arrive.

Joe Kern  is the Marketing and Customer Care Manager at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

Look around. Do you know the names of your coworkers? Do you know where they live, what their interests are? Knowing these simple facts creates a sense of fellowship, camaraderie. People who feel welcome and are part of the team treat each other with respect. They try their best not to let each other down, provide help when needed and solve problems together.

A disrespectful person erodes trust, creates conflict and puts others into a bad mood. When this happens, the respect of others vanishes and the person feels isolated, unwanted, or unneeded.

What can we do to gain the respect of others? A respectful sales person learns about their customers’  business, values their time, offers solutions to problems and listens to their needs. A respectful teacher listens to his or her students and helps them understand and learn. A respectful spouse listens, complements and encourages. Listening, understanding and accepting feedback are all tools for respect and being respected.

Stop and reflect on how you communicate with others and decide, “Are you treating them with respect?” Are you empowering them to respect you back?

Phillip Grandsard  is a Software Developer at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

There is a service out there called www.SugarSync.com that will allow you to automatically back up your important files and keep them in sync with other computers with almost no effort.

My suggestion is to sign up for their free version to experiment which allows 2GB of storage and the ability to use it with up to two computers. Simply install the software on the two computers you want to keep in sync, specify the folders (Desktop, My Documents, Favorites, etc) and then using their management interface specify the folders to sync.   For example on computer A I chose the Desktop folder to sync with computer B’s Desktop folder.  This way if I save a file to the Desktop on either computer it will be there.  Now keep in mind that you do need to make sure that you have an internet connection to make this all work.  That doesn’t mean you have to have your computers on all the time.  When you boot up your computer and are connected to the internet it will sync any new changes.

Should you be on the road and not have your trusty laptop with you, you can still access your sync files via a web browser on any computer.  This also works well with providing the ability to share your files with others.

Be aware that not all online back companies provide the capability to sync and share files.  Most are on a per computer license.  Even though they may offer unlimited backup storage for a low yearly fee but does it fit your unique needs?

I’m not saying that SugarSync is the end all be all solution it does have its limitations.  The top future improvements for the product are the support of Outlooks files (pst), mapped network drives and external drives.  Hopefully I’ve given some insight into what other possible options to look for in an online backup solution.

Mike Herz is in Tech Support and Sales at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

We’ve turned out the lights and saved power wherever we can, and we’ve checked for every possible savings on material and supplies.

These steps would help any organization preserve the bottom line, but there is one factor that can do more.

Keeping people satisfied with their work is a big item. We all have more to do today. Some of us are wearing two hats, according to job descriptions.

That could be one reason university professors say today’s workplace is rife with rudeness and lack of respect for each other. Some 60 percent of their study respondents say the situation is getting worse.

Workers who are in a hurry may think they don’t have time to be polite. But it saves time in the long run because it increases cooperation and creativity.

Civility goes beyond please and thank you (but those words can help). It includes listening and body language.

A study published in one psychology journal says positive relations with co-workers are a big factor in how people feel from day to day. They are less stressed, even if they are very busy, and more productive.

Besides respecting others, as well as yourself, it’s important to know what makes you angry or frustrated. Decide that when it happens, you will have a solution-driven attitude. Focus on the problem, not the other person.

When one person becomes a role model for civility and respect, those qualities can spread to others.

Joe Kern is the Marketing and Customer Care Manager at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

Putting in a lot of extra hours could help a little, but it’s not the answer. Neither is trying to do two things at once. Some steps that would help:

• Become an expert at what you do. Study the work practices of people who are very efficient and copy them. You will find that they are extremely well organized. Learn from experts in your field.
• Decide what is the most important thing to do. Decide how to do it, then concentrate on that alone until you are finished. No email, phone calls or pleasantries for people who stop by to see you. Tell them you can’t stop now to chat or deal with anything else.
• Be open to new ideas. Consultant Brian Tracy says some overwhelmed people think they already know all they need to know on a subject. Never stop learning.
• Be flexible. Saying “I changed my mind” solves many uncomfortable situations people get into. They stay there because they are unwilling to admit they have changed their minds.
• Face up to mistakes. Saying you made a mistake is a sign of mental maturity, personal strength and individual character.
• Become an expert on time management. Read books, listen to audio programs and take a course. Then practice every day until you master time management skills.

Joe Kern is the Marketing and Customer Care Manager at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

JDF is here to stay and with good reason. It can deliver significant financial, operational and competitive advantage to those companies who leverage it the right way. Here are five reasons why JDF will save  you money:

1. JDF reduces print production costs by removing manual, repetitive steps from the production process. And lower production costs yield higher gross margins
2. JDF shortens lead time, the downtime that eats into a printer’s value add percentage. Shorter lead times yield higher value add
3. JDF optimizes the equipment on the production floor, generating greater productivity out of existing investments. Greater productivity yields faster return on capital invested
4. JDF also makes it easier to manage order volume variations yielding tighter resource management. When volume is down, fewer people on the production floor reduces overhead cost
5. JDF Reduces mistakes. Less mistakes equals less waste.

Getting a flyer printing project to work effectively for your business  is like looking for a husband (or a wife) to be with you through thick and thin, for richer or poorer, till death do you part.

In order for your relationship with your flyer printing project to succeed, it takes a lot of hard work and perseverance. It’s not something that you can just come up with in a flick of your fingers. You need to have the patience to carefully plan your flyer printing design to get the attention of your prospective clients.

What makes an effective and successful flyer printing project? Here are a few of the factors that should be considered in your flyer printing project:

White Space

White space is basically used to lead your target readers’ eyes to the most important part of your flyer printing project.

Contrary to popular belief, your white space is not there to create an aesthetically pleasing appearance in your flyer printing piece. White space is provided to emphasize, as well as provide your eyes with an area in your flyer printing design where they can rest, to be able to see the focal point of your print flyers.

Although it’s a tad tempting to squeeze in as much information in your flyer printing project, always remember that a sea of gray or black text only makes for an overwhelming design that will only confuse your prospective readers.

“S”- Pattern

Actually, the pattern looks more like the letter Z than the S. It is how your target readers’ eyes go when scanning an ad – it starts from the top left corner of your flyer printing ad then ends up at the bottom right.

Although they look at your flyer printing design according to the S-pattern, make sure that you make it easy for your target readers to understand what you have to say to them. It doesn’t do you any good if your target readers suddenly ask whether they’re still reading the same flyer printing piece halfway to your design.

Consistency

Being different is laudable, especially when it makes you stand out from the rest. But making it hard for your target readers to know your top from your tail is also not commendable.

People expect consistency in whatever marketing material they come across (e.g. brochure printing, flyer printing, postcard printing, catalog printing). They want to see certain elements at certain areas of your flyer printing piece. And believe it or not, they do look for them whenever they look at your flyer printing ad.

Simplicity

Always keep your flyer printing project simple and short. People have other things to do aside from skimming through your print flyers. So make it easy for them to get your message fast. Don’t put too much elements that will only make them distracted. Include fewer elements in your flyer printing project.

Joe Kern is the Marketing and Customer Care Manager at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

There are a handful to chose from but they pretty much do the same thing- allow you to surf the web. And what you have to be careful of are the multitude of add-ons and plug-ins and tool bars available. There are some that I would consider a necessity: Adobe Flash, Adobe Acrobat, Java, Microsoft Silverlight to name a few. These allow you to access the content on almost any web page you visit.

For your business PC this should be good enough. But alas, there are tool bars for almost every search engine, plug-ins that let you play games or stream music, plug-ins which offer to optimize your PC or Internet connection. These are not required in a business environment, so don’t install them! Not only could they slow your PC down, they could also cause conflicts with other programs or even be malicious. I have been called several times to help friends and family that somehow have downloaded viruses or spyware. They usually masquerade as anti-virus programs or toolbars that will make searching easier. If you are running your business from a PC it’s best to keep it lean and mean and only run the software you require.

Phillip Grandsard  is a Software Developer at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

You may not be sure exactly which role the new person will fill, but you know you need help. Decide first if you are looking for someone to take on some of your responsibilities or for someone to whom you can delegate tasks. If you want to delegate, carry a clip board around for a day or two and list everything you do. This will help you create a job description.

The Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) has another idea: Consider whether you could use someone with skills you don’t have.

What skills are you weak in that might make your business grow?  In your job ad, give a clear outline of duties. Play up the opportunity to influence the direction of the business, advise consultants quoted in Money.

For the interviews, SCORE recommends:

• * Provide candidates with a company profile in advance so they can relate their experience to your company.
• Prepare a list of questions. Use openended questions like “Tell us about a challenge you overcame in your work life.”
• Allow a full hour between interviews. Create a relaxed environment and spend 30 to 45 minutes with each candidate. Use the rest of the hour to write down your thoughts of the person immediately after the interview.
• Ask each person the same questions so you can compare their answers.
• Be careful not to dominate the discussion. You should talk only 20 percent of the time and encourage the candidate to speak 80 percent of the time. The more they talk, the better picture you will have of them.
• When looking at candidates’ employment histories, be wary of someone who moved around a lot, particularly for more money.

My point here is that your backups don’t protect your data unless you can do a restore. With that in mind, ask yourself a few key questions.

When was the last time you tested restoring critical data and when is it scheduled to be tested again?

• Who’s responsible for this and can you see the results?
• Do you know how long it will take to get your critical data back in working order?

Are your backups treated like the invaluable resources that they truly are?

• Are they rotated offsite in a secure fashion (ideally encrypted in case of theft)?
• Do you keep backups over a period of time in case you need to recover data from long ago? Not all data loss is immediately apparent and even backup tapes can fail.

What is your restore plan if critical equipment is missing? For example:

• Backup system is unavailable (e.g., broken tape drive).
• Equipment using that data is unavailable (e.g., server hard drive failure).
• Physical location is gone (e.g., fire, flood, etc.).

Don’t put blind faith in the “Backup Success” message generated by your backup software. Setup a process to periodically verify that your most critical data can be restored and build a plan to address the various scenarios that would require data restoration (e.g., file deletion, equipment failure, catastrophes).

William Jens is a Software Developer at PagePath Technologies. PagePath was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Plano, Illinois. PagePath’s MyOrderDesk is an eCommerce solution that combines, Web-to-Print, automated proofing, pricing, reordering and more. It seamlessly integrates into a printing organization’s existing website or can be used as a standalone site. MyOrderDesk is known throughout the printing industry as the leader in Web-to-Print software.

Today’s post is a guest post by Margie Dana. Margie is well known throughout the printing and buying community as an independent marketing specialist who focuses on improving the printer-buyer relationship. She was a corporate print buyer for 15 years. In 1997, Margie founded her first business (www.printconsulting.com) to shine a light on the printing industry. She’s an accomplished copywriter, marketing specialist, and popular public speaker. You can reach Margie at (617) 730-5951 or send an email to mdana@BostonPrintBuyers.com.

1. You’re in the Communications Business.

Whether or not Twitter is a flash in the pan or here for the long haul, it’s currently gaining popularity among adults. (According to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 1 in 5 Americans use Twitter or another social service.) It’s a very popular way to communicate digitally. Try it if only to know what it’s like. Take part in the digital dialogue or risk being left behind.

2. You Can Build Relationships for Business.

Find & follow other print buyers as well as designers, paper pros, printers, mail specialists, direct marketers, and on and on. These relationships can and do yield value. You’ll get questions answered, discover new resources, and learn about events, books, articles, and news items that are meaningful to you.

3. You Can Keep Up with Industry Changes.

Breaking news in and around print and the graphic arts, as well as the ‘bigger picture’ of Media, is reported on Twitter. If you follow the right people as well as the right media outlets, you will regularly be in the know.

4. You Can Add Value for Your Employer.

The role of the professional print buyer is changing radically. Now is the time to actively add value as you evolve to reflect current business trends. Being on Twitter will open your eyes to new ways of doing business, new ideas to bring to your firm. If you’ve chosen your followers wisely, they will all have something to offer you. And if you’re looking for employment, you might get some solid leads. If nothing else, people in the field will get to know you.

5. It’s Free, and It’s Easy.

There’s really no excuse for you not to give Twitter a shot. Participate as much or as little as you want. I visit it a few times each day to see if there’s news or posts or events or fresh ideas that intrigue me.

I find that being on Twitter gets me outside of my own head. Tweets by folks I follow expand my world cumulatively – 140 characters at a time. I learn about all kinds of creative ways to be a professional communicator as well as a professional in communications. If this old dog keeps learning new tricks, you can, too.

Like many blogs, this one grew out of a personal experience that got me worked up and I remain worked up about it. So, we’ll call this blog therapy. I recently had a friend relate a troubling story to me.

My Friend Rides The Wrong Horse (“But It Felt So Good”)

He was a long time employee of Company X, which he joined when he was young – his first job in fact. When he joined, it seemed pretty cool that he was being paid more money than most of his peers in other jobs. He got a raise whenever others in the company got a raise, and he soon learned that it didn’t matter how hard he worked. In fact, his older “wiser” coworkers made it clear to my friend, that the FNG (e.g. “new guy”) should not excel or “show off”. That was a BIG no-no and would not be tolerated. His pay was determined by “suits” in a locked room. The workers’ advocate was a nameless, faceless lawyer-looking big shot “suit”- an impressive guy with a brand new luxury car each year.

A few years ago, the company was struggling – really in financial trouble. My friend saw it on the news. But amazingly, he still got nice raises. The big shot negotiators boasted they had simply threatened the company owners, giving them two choices:

1. Give the collective bargaining units the pay bumps they were “due” or
2. They would strike and put the company out of business. Hmm, pay what you cannot afford or be put out of business. Call me whacked, but this sure sounds like, “Give me what I want or I will hurt you”. Don’t people go to jail for that?

Back to the Point

So, care to guess what happened to my friend 6 weeks ago?  Some of you already know!  The company was REALLY in financial trouble earlier this year. When the negotiations were completed this time, after the same old Door Number 1 “give us what we want” or Door Number 2 “we’ll hurt you” ultimatums, it turns out the company owners had found a Door Number 3: move manufacturing to Malaysia and say, bye-bye to the glorified blackmailing. Doh!

Just Another Casualty of the Struggling Economy?

My friend is deeply depressed. He is pissed off (at the &^%$ company). He is 54 years old and has basically one narrow skill. And now there’s thousands of people in the unemployment line with the same skill. How many people do you know in this position?  How many stories sound alike?  How many storytellers blame “the company”?  How often do you hear how “un-American” corporations are being when they move manufacturing, or begin buying from, another country? I feel terrible for my friend but I think blame might be better placed a number of years back and in a different direction than “that greedy &^%$ corporation”.

I Thought This Was About Salespeople’s Union!

Right, the original point! So, I have these two other friends. They have had at least 6 or 8 jobs in the same time as my now-unemployed friend. They have made great money some years and not-so-great in other years.

But guess what?

They are both employed right now and they’ve never been unemployed for more than a few days. Why? Because they are survivors! Early on, they learned if they got up earlier, made more sales calls, and generally worked harder, they made more money. They have also worked at jobs that were “beneath” them when they had to. In the process they have learned about many different things and in my humble opinion; they have more eagerness and spirit than pride. What a system! Call me whacked, but it sounds a lot like the original immigrants that built our country. It sounds pretty flippin’ American to me!

I Changed My Mind – Now it’s About How Valuable and Impressive Salespeople Are!

Based on my observations over a number of years, I assert as inarguable, that the Sales division/department of ANY company is the most valuable – THE most important function of ANY company. Let your mind wander a bit. Look at organizations you know. Imagine if the salespeople were part of a collective bargaining group – if actual sales performance were irrelevant. Time on the job would determine the pay rate! Sell more, sell less, all receive the same pay. I asked a few salespeople this question and they just looked at me… blink… blink. It would not even process for them. One blurted out a huge sailor curse string. One laughed and walked away (to make more phone calls).

My Gratitude

I am not a salesperson at PagePath Technologies. I am certainly eager and I know I work very hard, but I am one of the those who benefit by the MyOrderDesk salespeople’s efforts. I am a business manager. And I’m grateful that most, if not all salespeople (at least the ones I know) think they’ll be just fine “bargaining” on their own (I believe it’s in our country’s best interest also). God’s blessed America.

How valuable are your salespeople? Think they’d benefit from a labor union? Love to hear you comments.

Imagine this: Your best friend comes to you one morning and tells you she’s had it with her telephone. She’s throwing it away because it doesn’t help her with traditional handwritten communication.

Crazy talk, right? Your friend doesn’t need a different tool for traditional communication, she needs a new approach to communication.

Traditional B2B marketers who resist social media aren’t much different. They resist social media because it doesn’t work when they use it as another outbound marketing channel.

Instead of rejecting social media as a channel, traditional marketers need to reject their outbound approach to marketing.

Traditional marketing — outbound marketing — is about buying attention. You figure out where your target customers hangout, then you buy access to them. You fill the pages of trade publications they read with print ads. You interrupt them with unsolicited phone calls at their office. You send out mailings that they throw away.

These tactics are incompatible with social media. If your Twitter account is simply a product information broadcast, you won’t have many followers. If you don’t share any helpful, interesting or fun content on your Facebook account, your pages will get little traffic.

On the other hand, if you reject this approach to marketing, and use social media as part of an inbound marketing strategy, it will become a core part of your marketing mix. If you engage with your industry’s community on Twitter, if you share top-notch content on Facebook, and build relationships on LinkedIn, social media will work for you.

“Wait!” you say. “We’re a B2B operation! We don’t have social-savvy customers like B2C companies.”

Lame excuse.

No question, social media grew out of the consumer space, and B2C examples of social media success are easy to find. But take a step back. Look at the value that businesses get out of social media. You’ll see it’s not specific to B2B or B2C companies. Consider the three main benefits marketers get from social media:

1. Listening — Every company needs to listen. Doesn’t matter if you sell solder paste, CRM software or fencing supplies. You need to listen to your competitors, your customers, your prospects — your community. Social media sites like Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook make this easier.
2. Reach — Reach is important to any marketer. It’s the number of people you can communicate with directly via email, telephone, or any other channel. You need this whether you’re selling to consumers or businesses. Social media tools media it easier to build.
3. Nurturing — Nurturing is another critical marketing task for all companies. Regardless of what you sell, you need to build trust with potential customers and educate them about your company and your products. Social media facilitates the development of personal relationships at scale. This makes it an ideal tool for nurturing in any business.

How do you use social media at your company? Have you found it useful in a B2B context?

I think they have some valid questions. I would be interested to know your opinion on this. What do you think?

Making a list is a well-known strategy. It sounds simple, but deciding what to include can be tricky.

The all-day list shows tasks, large and small, that you want to accomplish that day. Numbering them in the order of importance or when you will do them can help. It’s OK to include small tasks. You won’t forget to do one, and crossing them off makes you realize that you’re moving forward.

The project list is different. It helps you think on paper. Adviser Brian Tracy says working from a detailed list keeps you on track. The visual record of accomplishment and constantly referring to it can increase your productivity by 25 percent or more. Be disciplined in your approach, he cautions.

For a project, Tracy says you should regularly ask yourself these questions:

What am I trying to do? Clearly define the goal and outcome. If you are working with others, make sure everyone knows the desired results.

What are my assumptions? Alec McKinzie, author or The Time Trap says, “Errant assumptions lie at the root of most failures.” What are your assumptions about the market, the actions of others, and the underlying motives of key players?

What if what you believe turns out to be not true? Always be willing to question your most cherished assumptions. Decide what you will have to do differently if your current approach fails.

A written plan of action, says Tracy, is the key to high productivity. Every minute you spend planning will save you as many as 10 minutes in execution.

Here’s an idea: Take excellent care of the customers you have now. When economic conditions become more favorable, they will buy more from you than they do now. At the same time, getting into the habit of treating customers outstandingly will be a plus as new accounts come to you.

Customer loyalty has taken a different form than in times past. Newly loyal customers need to like more than your name and your products. There’s an old name for what they want: customer service. In its purest form, however, it boils down to what’s described as the “customer experience.”

In retail, it is particularly important. As a consumer yourself, you know what we’re talking about. Have you ever wondered if the item you want is worth the trouble of finding a sales associate to take your money?

Or, do you want to buy a certain thing and can’t find it. The department is deserted and so is the one next to it. In these cases, you won’t have the customer experience because you won’t become one. You’ll give up and walk out.

There are larger stakes involved when the customer experience involves selling to another company. The individual sale is larger and the transaction requires more than sending a bill to a distant buyer.

Superb customer service brings enormous benefits to an organization. Assisted by technology that immediately brings up information about the customer’s products and needs, an employee should be able to focus on the sale or solution to a problem without handing it off to someone else.

Now is the ideal time to think about the principles of etiquette: honesty, respect and consideration. They keep personal and professional relationships solid, says Peggy Post, director of the Emily Post Institute.

• Consider your own behavior. Be more patient and understanding than those who are rude or gruff.
• Understand that some people aren’t coping well with their money problems. A sleepless night could mean they will doze off in a meeting or avoid conversation with co-workers. If you know them well, reach out and be a good listener. Be careful not to reveal a confidence.
• Look ahead to better times. Predict boom rather than gloom, advises professor P.M. Forni, founder of the Civility Institute. Watch for hopeful developments. Optimistic conversation creates a more positive mood for everyone at home or at work.
• Offer reassurance. Ask a friend how he is doing. Let co-workers know your relationship is in good standing. Talk to your kids about a situation that will affect them. Continue to have family fun like roasting hot dogs in the park.
• Talk to your people. If you’re the boss, give them candid information but include something positive. If you’re not the boss, listen carefully.

Post and Forni remind us that this is a resilient nation and much better times are coming.

Kind, respectful and considerate behavior will help to get us there.

Post and Forni were recently interviewed by USA Weekend.

But whether you like them all or not, co-workers are here to stay. You might as well decide how they can help you or how you can avoid being distracted by them.

So say business writers Jonathan Littman and Marc Hershon in their often-humorous book about dealing with various types “so you can get what you want out of your job.” So far, their I Hate People … has gained great reviews.

They do make a point when they say the person who has your best interests at heart is probably the one sitting in your own chair. They recommend “solocrafting,” which is essentially how you can move forward with your work under any conditions. What they advise:

Stop talking. Start doing. Stop asking (for whatever). And, make them (the supervisors and co-workers) believe in you. In other words, the writers of this humorous book are champions of the entrepreneurial spirit in day-to-day office life.

They also say teams with more than three to five competent people are not very effective and can stifle your creativity. Whether or not that’s the case, the authors admit they don’t have all the answers.

Regarding teams, they also contend that the saying, “there is no I in team” is not right. They recommend changing the letters around so you can find a “me” in team.

Slower business means bosses will be forced to cut payroll, or cut it more than they already have. As office workers go, most are experiencing anxiety over whether they will have a job. Those left on the job could form alliances, backstab, and wind up reducing the quality of their work.

You may have noticed that when business is good, busy people perform very well. When it’s not, they make more mistakes and don’t perform as well.

What can you do to keep people focused on your plans?

Authorities writing in Business Week say constant communication is a must. People are more willing to give of themselves if they know you’re in it for the long haul.

Be visible, walk the hallway and offices and hold meetings where everyone is invited.

Mitt Romney, who specialized in leading company turnarounds in the 1980s, says it’s very helpful to let people know the reality, which usually isn’t as bad as they fear.

While managers everywhere would be smart to plan on things getting worse before they get much better, Robert Reich, labor secretary, says it’s possible to be very hopeful and at the same time to be quite sober about what you are going through.

In any case, the rest of 2009 will be an uncertain time for those whose job it is to make decisions and for those who work for them.

Collins, author of Good to Great, says having a not-to-do list is as important for achieving your goals as a to-do list.

First, the to-dos as recommended by Gary Bencivenga, author of Success Bullets.

• Apply the famous 80/20 rule to your work. About 20 percent of your activities are responsible for 80 percent of your success. Give those activities a high priority. Review your to-do list every day.
• Rise an hour earlier and give your highest-payoff activities your attention. Earl Nightingale claimed that if you spend this hour in study of your field, you will be an expert in five years.
• Slow down. Everything is not urgent or important. Define matters that will improve your work and life. Do those things well, though you sometimes have to ignore other things.

Your not-to-do list

1. Don’t answer email in the morning. Let phone calls coming from people you don’t recognize go to voice mail.
2. Don’t overcommunicate with low-profit, high-maintenance customers. Discover which customers are responsible for your profits and which just take up your time.
3. Don’t carry your to-do-list in your head. It will perpetually nag you so you won’t be able to think as well on priority work.
4. Don’t multitask. Doing two things at once brings a poor result for both.
5. Never agree to go to a meeting that has no clear agenda, recommends Tim Harris, author of The 4-Hour Work Week.

PagePath Technologies recently conducted an online survey of Print MIS Systems. What you are going to see below is strictly raw data from the survey. We have not tried to sway in any direction or draw any conclusions from this. We are just presenting data. We would encourage you to comment below on any of your thoughts or feelings on this matter. We hope this helps.

Data from the question “What MIS/Estimating System are you currently using?”

Data from the question “How would you rate your MIS/Estimating System”

Comments on the various MIS Systems

PrintSmith

• We have used PrintSmith for 5 years. It is improving slowly. Some of the new features in 8 are worthwhile.
• The product works fine, but I have not seen any signs of progress or development for at least two years.
• Good, reliable program but lacks good support. The program handles all our needs and I pay yearly maint. fee but when I needed help the support staff seemed aloof. I get better support from others that use PrintSmith
• PrintSmith is a very good estimating program but for upgrades I think it’s beyond their current programmers and support staff.
• The base module “PrintSmith” is limiting. We are debating whether to buy the module Report Writer.
• Overall it meets our needs. Would actually prefer a little bit more complex estimating system. That part is a little to generic and set up for a variety of users.
• Reports are very difficult as are many of the pricing features — also not compatible with any bookkeeping system
• Have been using PrintSmith for many years; last year tried to switch to ePace but it was very difficult.Very easy to use but has limitations (mainly no integration with any other program)

PrintersPlan

• Powerful, flexible, fast.
• We’ve been using it for over 20 years. They have the best service. They also have a user group and they listen to what we ask for…big plus.
• Great program. Wonderful support
• I was at a shop which used Printers Plan for eight years and Printers Plan seemed more user friendly.

Franklins

• Does an adequate job but the SQL server seems to slow everything down. Have to wait awhile for Estimate/Job Ticket retrieval and export of estimates to .pdf’s.
• I’d really like to switch to something more user friendly.

Others

• Custom coded program that runs all functions of our company. Estimating, scheduling, paper, inventory, invoicing. Has been put together over the last 30 years, and still going. Yes that is right 30 years. The first parts of it were coded in 1978, and work just fine.
• Our ERP is from Reflex Software. It is mostly custom developed but financial system is based on their common ERP core that they use for multiple implementations. We have worked with the same software developers for 20 years. Our previous ERP was a Unix green screen terminal application. Expensive to do custom development. And sometimes it sucks to sometimes be basically beta testing new features in a production environment but it’s very targeted to our needs.

Additional thoughts or comments are encouraged below. Thanks to all who participated.

Ok, it is time for us to brag a little, and challenge a little. PagePath Technologies has been working very hard lately on developing tools and resources that will help those in the Print and Graphic Arts Industries, and we got noticed.

HubSpot TV, a weekly live videocast talked about PagePath Technolgies’ recent launch of TwitterPrint.net. See the video below.

Our challenge for you today is two-fold:

• First and foremost, what are you “doing right”?
• Have you thought outside the box recently about your sales and marketing efforts
• Have you reached out to your customers today and figured out how to better SERVE them.

Second, have you joined twitter yet, or increased your Social Media Marketing presence? If not, we can help. Within the next few weeks, PagePath will be launching our Private Social Media Coaching Sessions. Watch here for details.

Oh, and by the way, you can watch the full episode of HubSpot.TV on the web here, or subscribe via iTunes. Great people, great content! Special thanks to @KarenRubin (follow her on twitter, she can use it) and @MVolpe (follow him too) from HubSpot.

Those with a first look at Snow Leopard say it tweaks the original Leopard operating system, with significant improvements of interest to developers.

The official release of Microsoft’s Windows 7 will affect more users. It will show up in new computers this fall, and Vista upgrades to Windows 7 should be available at about the same time.

The new system solves many of the compatibility and performance problems of Vista. When Vista was first released, it didn’t work properly with accessories, such as printers, until vendors made software fixes.

For Windows 7, developers were told to enforce a rule that “if it works in Vista, it will work in 7.” Upgrades from Windows XP, however will not be supported, according to Business Week tech expert Stephen Wildstrom.

The Wall Street Journal’s Walter Mossberg is enthusiastic about 7. Even in test form, he says, it “leaves Vista in the dust,” and is a pleasure to use.

It has fewer nag screens than Vista and is faster. Mossberg says it could be a serious competitor for Apple’s current Leopard system. He doesn’t know how it will compare to Apple’s coming Snow Leopard.

Windows 7 has flashy, multitouch screen navigation. Borrowing from Apple’s OS X, it has a simplified task bar at the bottom of the screen. It shows a single icon for every program you have open. There is a simple option that let’s you put an icon into the taskbar.

Vista’s Mail, Calendar, Photo Gallery, Movie Maker and Address Book programs are removed. To get similar free programs, you have to download them from Window’s Live service or alternatives from another company.

In a worldwide marketplace, there may be times when it’s difficult to compete in the area of labor costs and, in some cases, even material costs.

At these times, our customer service can put us ahead of the game in competing with companies both at home and abroad. It should be a top consideration for every team member.

That means not only listening to customers and providing good service, but identifying unmet needs that can result in new revenue opportunities.

A successful customer experience often requires collaboration with others in the organization and communication with our own suppliers.

Customers must feel important and appreciated. They are very sensitive to whether we care about them. Be sincere and thank them every time you get a chance to do it.

Look for ways to say “yes.” Comply with any reasonable request and make sure that everything you promise is done. Follow up.

Don’t be afraid to apologize for something that has gone wrong. Customers must always feel that they win in one way or another.

Career coach Marshall Goldsmith was asked, “If you had to choose one piece of advice that would help people achieve more happiness on the job, what would it be?”

Goldsmith, interviewed in Money magazine, said you should imagine yourself being 95 years old. “If you could talk to the younger you, what advice would you give about having a better career and a better life?”

Whatever that wise 95-year-old would tell you to do, says Goldsmith, do it. Start now, because that’s the best advice you are ever going to get. Listen to it closely.

When the time comes, you want that 95-year-old to be proud of you. If the conclusion is that you were a success, you were. Of all the performance appraisals you’ll ever have, how you’ll feel about yourself in the last days of your life is the only appraisal that really matters.

Hey! Times are tough. There is no denying that. But during the most difficult times, we must continue to run the race. Here is a story of a man that I find quite inspiring. See if you can guess who this is:

• He was born in the United States.
• His father was illiterate.
• They were forced out of their home when he was seven.
• His mother died when he was nine.
• He failed miserably at his first attempted career.
• A year late he ran unsuccessfully for the state legislature.
• That same year he lost his job.
• He applied for law school but was denied because of his miserable qualifications.
• He later started a business using money borrowed from a friend, but after a year, his business closed.
• He claimed bankruptcy and spent 7 years paying off his debt.
• He fell in love and was engaged, but his fiance died shortly after their engagement.
• The following year he had a complete nervous breakdown and spent 6 months in bed recovering.
• He later sought to become speaker of the state legislature and was defeated.
• Two years later he attempted to become the elector of the state, but was defeated.
• Three years later he ran for Congress and lost.
• He ran for Congress again, and won.
• Two years later he ran for re-election and was soundly defeated.
• He ran for Senate of the United States and lost.
• He sought nomination for the vice-president and received less than 100 votes.

Year after year he suffered loss, rejection and humiliation. Most of us would have given up long ago. But, he kept trying. What can we learn from him? Who is this man?

If you have a guess, please comment below. Watch our blog for more information and what you can learn.

Laptop users have to rush to plug them into electrical outlets and recharge them after about four hours of use, and at the most inconvenient times.

Power engineers have developed an alternative to the present technology, a fuel cell that recharges a small battery when it gets low. Fuel-cell makers hope to grab some of the $71 billion-a-year worldwide battery market.

Toshiba Corp. promises to begin selling a cellphone powered by a fuel cell before summer. Its direct methanol fuel cell is certified as the smallest in the world. It’s a start toward a laptop fuel cell, says The Wall Street Journal.

Lilliputian Systems, Inc., of Wilmington, Mass., is showing a matchbook-sized ceramic fuel cell for cellphones that is powered by butane, the fuel used in cigarette lighters. It should be ready for sale by the end of this year.

Igo, Inc., of Scottsdale, Ariz., says they will have a fuel cell charger priced at $199 and based on the Lilliputian system. Replacement gas cartridges would cost about $3.99.

That’s a lot more than the $59 it now costs for a backup lithium-ion battery. But the fuel-cell charger will be half the weight and wouldn’t require an electrical outlet.

Users would not have to carry a converter for electrical outlets when traveling overseas.

Lilliputian is developing a fuel-cell system for later delivery that will replace the battery in a laptop and run it for up to 40 hours before the fuel cartridge needs to be replaced.

Gas-powered fuel cells run at high temperatures and must be insulated.

The year just finished is filled with your accomplishments, and we thank you for your work and dedication.

On the lighter side, while we certainly deserve a happy new year, researchers, psychologists, and poll takers want to tell us how to get one.

Some of their conclusions:

People who are engaged in their work are happier than those who are not, according to the Gallup Organization. Those who are trained for their jobs are happier than those who are not.

Psychologists at the University of Pennsylvania say people who are more resilient are happier. They know how to view situations in a positive light and come up with solutions for problems. Economists at Dartmouth College say that if you are single, you have to earn more money than a married person in order to be just as happy.

Pennsylvania State University sociologists say that how people view money is related to their peers and friends. They say “relative wealth” is more important than “absolute wealth.”

Stanford University researchers discovered that people actually get more satisfaction and happiness from anticipating a purchase than from owning the item.

Researchers at the Marketing Department of State University of New York at New Paltz say “recreational shoppers” have lower self esteem than those who shop for necessities.

We wish you and yours success, health, and happiness in the new year

Start a conversation
This is probably one of tactics that has not been drastically reduced within your marketing mix, I venture to guess it’s also because it’s tied directly into sales – at least in intent. Lead generation is one of the mechanisms that was used to start a conversation with people who might be interested in your product or service. B2B, B2C same difference, they are all made of people.

Solve a problem
How we talk with one another and with customers needs to take into account what they are interested in and are receptive to. Solve a problem and you have the customer’s attention. I’m sure I’m not telling you anything new here. However, where people go to solve their problem has changed a lot.

See what people look for
That is why listening is so important. Where people go for answers today has changed. Communities of practice, online groups and discussions are the new peer conversations and recommendations. We trust more a peer stranger than a company – that’s because we perceive no agenda from the peer.

Be seen
How do distinguish yourself in this environment? By being distinguishable. If we are indeed to think about lead generation as a conversation starter, the first step is to share information that is educational and useful because it solves a problem. For example, if you are calling me, don’t push your product du jour before learning what I might need. How do you know?

Be in the conversation
Do you ever listen in on telemarketing calls? If you have a robust lead generation program, you should. More often than not, when there is a connection, it’s not based upon a script. The connection happens when the two parties get off the script and just talk. You listen and the customer or prospects tells you more than they planned to in the beginning.

Be human
That is what makes us all identify with each other. Those who call me could start by asking “would you be interested in X service/product?” Do it politely, after you determined I have a moment to be on the phone with you. Maybe I do not have time right now, but if I am interested, I will ask you for a link to your content. Make it count!

Gen-Next is a thread
Not a cycle. As an example, I received an inquiry from someone at a company that is involved in social media listening and analysis. When they reached out by email, I was juggling multiple projects and could not pay attention. The email however was well crafted so I responded briefly asking the rep to check me out at my blog, Conversation Agent, so he could know more about me quickly (aren’t we all in a hurry?).

Not a threat
To his credit he did so and came back with a fleshed out suggestion. I may not need his services right away, but I have made a note of him, his company and what they provide to share with colleagues and peers who might need the services. His initial willingness to be part of a conversation made him available to the thread within my network.

What can you do?

• Find opportunities to allow your prospects to tell you what they need/want. Build those into your process, no matter the media you are using. A note about telemarketing – people are getting tired of unsolicited calls. Are you building alternative ways to listen to what your customers want?
• Be where customers are. If you shed that “closing the sale” mindset in favor of building a trusted relationship, you will probably make more headway. Do you have user groups? Do you engage in discussions and learning sessions with them? How often do you do that? This is just an example of thinking participation even in the one-to-one or physical world.
• Empower your users so they can tell their friends. One on one is well and good, but you might be concerned with scale. Building a trusted network deals with scale. How do you build trust? Behave like a person who can be trusted – do not spam, do not scream/yell at customers, share knowledge freely.

These are just some ideas, I’m sure you have more. It amounts to putting skin in the game, being real, being interested, using the tools and processes to serve the people, not the other way around.

Let’s stop hiding behind excuses and best practices and start practicing what is best for our customers and companies. If we’re honest with ourselves, we know that the way things were is not working so well today – it probably never did beyond the novelty of it.

More than 80 years have passed since Emily Post wrote her first book on etiquette. In 1922, people thought everyone was rude. That attitude is more in the spotlight today, according to Peggy Post, director of the Emily Post Institute.

Post reminds us that manners are not mainly about which fork to use. They are about how we treat each other.

In the workplace, manners begin with simple words like please, thank you and good morning.

During hurried times and difficult times, manners are about maintaining an attitude of respect for others, regardless of what their jobs may be.

When fellow workers feel they are valued, they work better and cooperate more fully. Good manners grease the wheels of an operation.

The updated 2004 version of Emily Post’s Etiquette still gives information on how to properly set the table and hold weddings, funerals and parties. It also urges people to be courteous in their email and to act properly in a theater. Like law and language, etiquette changes with the times.

There have been 17 editions of Etiquette between 1922 and 2004. They have sold more than 2.6 million copies. Unfortunately, libraries report that it’s the second most-stolen book, second only to the Bible.

Post is the subject of a new biography on her life, Emily Post, Daughter of the Gilded Age, Mistress of American Manners, by Laura Claridge. Post’s life was not an easy one, but like successful women today, she persevered.

Until very recently, successful businesses treated their customers the way farmers treat their crops: They were impersonal, transactional relationships. They made sure there was enough water, they kept the weeds out, and when Thanksgiving came around, there were lots of yams to harvest.

Successful companies no longer get away with this kind of behavior.

Customers aren’t yams. They need to be listened to, conversed with and treated as individuals.

Today, and especially this week, a much better way of thinking of your customers is like family. Here are five reasons why:

(1) You Can’t BullSh*&t Your Family. Siblings don’t let you get away with anything. If your conversation veers into fact-free hot air, they call you on it. If you don’t fix your act and take it with a sense of humor, you’ll be in the doghouse. Your customers are no different. You can’t hide anything from them, and you certainly can’t fool them. Try to, and they’ll revolt.

(2) Talk About Yourself Too Much, Your Family Ignores You. What happens if you go home, sit down in the kitchen and talk about your work for fifteen minutes? Chances are everybody else will move to the living room. They don’t want a lecture, they want a conversation. Ditto for your customers. They don’t want to hear about all your new products. They want to have a conversation about how you can help solve their problems.

(3) You Can’t Buy a Family. Where did your family come from? It wasn’t bought, it was built, probably over a long time. Advertising agencies may tell you they can sell you customers, but they actually give you vegetables. To get a customer, you have build a relationship. You have follow them on Twitter, comment on their blog and listen to them.

(4) Your Family Will Embarrass You. Is there anybody who can poke your buttons like your family? Anybody who can find the one story from high school that you’re particularly sensitive about? You might be mortified when your family raises these things, but it’s good for you. It gives you character and helps you avoid taking yourself too seriously. Your customers do the same thing. They’ll point out bugs in your software, challenge you on their blog and strain your customer service team. But those are all good things. If your business isn’t being challenged and knocked out of its comfort zone it’s not growing.

(5) You Should Eat Turkey With Your Family. Your family may be a lot of work, it may drive you nuts sometimes, but your life is better with them in it. You need to invest in your relationship with them. You need to go eat Turkey — or whatever it is you eat — with them. If you treat them like vegetables, a commodity you tolerate every once in a while, you’ll lose them. The same goes for your customers. Spend time with them, communicate with them, invest in relationships with them and they’ll be around for a while.

Facing a day’s work or one big project can be daunting. With so much to accomplish in a limited time, the early plan is a vital starting point.

Making a list is a well-known strategy. It sounds simple, but deciding what to include can be tricky.

The all-day list shows tasks, large and small, that you want to accomplish that day. Numbering them in the order of importance or when you will do them can help. It’s OK to include small tasks. You won’t forget to do one, and crossing them off makes you realize that you’re moving forward.

The project list is different. It helps you think on paper. Adviser Brian Tracy says working from a detailed list keeps you on track. The visual record of accomplishment and constantly referring to it can increase your productivity by 25 percent or more. Be disciplined in your approach, he cautions.

For a project, Tracy says you should regularly ask yourself these questions:

What am I trying to do? Clearly define the goal and outcome. If you are working with others, make sure everyone knows the desired results.

What are my assumptions? Alec McKinzie, author or The Time Trap says, “Errant assumptions lie at the root of most failures.” What are your assumptions about the market, the actions of others, and the underlying motives of key players?

What if what you believe turns out to be not true? Always be willing to question your most cherished assumptions. Decide what you will have to do differently if your current approach fails.

A written plan of action, says Tracy, is the key to high productivity. Every minute you spend planning will save you as many as 10 minutes in execution.

But what if you determine that there is a serious flaw in the process? Would you avoid confrontation by peacefully going along with conclusions of your fellow team members?

The answer should be assertiveness. Writing in Business Week, Kerry Sulkowicz says assertiveness is confrontation’s adaptive cousin. It can be deployed usefully between people working toward the same goal.

Assertiveness is used to negotiate contracts, reject bad work, or criticize a strategy, but some people will do almost anything to avoid any confrontation.

Sulkowicz says they may fear that expressing displeasure will cause anger among team members. They don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, and they fear the consequences if the criticism turns out to be wrong.

The key to successful assertiveness is to empathize with the person you are confronting. Before you do it, gather all the useful facts and be ready to offer alternatives along with your objections.

Direct your comments toward the issue rather than at a person or persons. Your opponents won’t hear what you say if you attack them personally.

When proven right, don’t gloat. Sulkowicz says nobody likes a poor winner.

It’s too soon to write off the print industry, which has many advantages — including the touch and feel factor. When virtual trade shows became the rage in the late ’90s, many said that trade shows were on their way out. However, trade shows survived because they offer tangible value. People like to demo products, meet company repre­sentatives and get a feel for the culture.

Still, the industry faces hurdles. The costs are rising and, while there are inexpensive options — such as digital printing — the quality is not the same. I think we will see a trend toward smaller, higher-quality runs. I envision printers morphing into boutique-like shops offering specialized services such as color, die cutting or high-output work such as six- to eight-color jobs.

Fulfillment houses have different issues. They need to look toward the future. The Web is the clear choice for dissemination of information. But com­panies, especially large ones, still need a way to reply to requests for more information.

Fulfillment houses should embrace technology and look for ways to move their business to the Web. They could migrate the customer base from a paper-based system to a white-labeled portal, which integrates seamlessly within a corporate site, can automati­cally route the requested e-mail as well as input the data into the sales data­base. Given the public’s enthusiasm for the Internet, this should be considered.

Also contributing was Jeremy Knauff, CEO of Wildfire Marketing Group:

Since the days of the Gutenberg press, printing has evolved, which makes me optimistic about the sector’s ability to survive modern challenges.

Technology has reduced the need for print jobs. Web sites and e-mail do what used to be accomplished by brochures and direct mail. Further­more, online advertising offers equal exposure to print advertising with the added benefit of being highly trackable. Nevertheless, there are tremendous opportunities for printing.

I see marketers using print in differ­ent ways. Take advantage of short-run digital and variable data printing to personalize their message. Print market­ing materials tailored for specific clients — people love tangible products geared specifically to their business.

Don’t just track your e-mail market­ing campaign. Use direct mail to follow up with those that clicked through to your Web site. Thank them for visiting and offer them a special promotion.

Print your catalogs in bulk, but per­sonalize the cover with a few items that particular customers may be interested in based on their buying history. When they purchase a product, send them a postcard recommending a related product. These strategies will produce greater ROI and less waste.

The printing industry is not dying — it is simply adapting to the new world of marketing. It’s up to innovative companies, designers and vendors to lead the revolution.

DMNews’ DECISION

Adapting is the key to both responses: Girardin suggests that printers and fulfillment houses use digital to streamline order process and avail­ability; while Knauff takes a broader approach and tackles the issue of print’s role in integrated marketing. His suggestions to tie print marketing and digital together embrace the innovative nature of the industry.

What you do need is sleep. If you don’t get enough, you will tend to have higher blood pressure. High BP can lead to heart problems and your overall health could decline. Doctors at the University of Chicago even found that the flu shot worked better for people who get enough sleep.

* Want to look good? Encourage your growth hormone by getting enough sleep. That’s the number one way to do it. Growth hormone brings better-looking skin and more muscle mass.

* Reduce stress to increase good feelings. Half of adults surveyed by the National Sleep Foundation said they have insomnia a few nights a week. Do what you can to solve this problem. It can make you feel stressed, depressed, forgetful and less able to concentrate.

* Have a healthier weight. Michael Beus, author of Good Night: The Sleep Doctor’s 4-Week Program to Better Sleep and Better Health, says sleep loss leads to a lower level of leptin, the hormone that makes you feel full, and increases ghrelin, the hormone that make you feel hungry.

Not everyone needs a full eight hours of sleep, but some people need a little more. A Washington State University study suggests the need may be determined by genetics.

Get what you need to feel bright and properly rested each day.

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If your overhead is lower than a competitor’s, you might consider selling a product for less. But be careful. Underpricing for the market is the most common mistake companies make.

According to Money, the sweet spot above costs depends on factors that include the area in which you do business, what the competition is charging, and even the state of the economy.

Don’t forget to add the cost of advertising. Conventional wisdom dictates 2 percent to 4 percent of sales for advertising, say advisors writing in INC. Magazine. In retail, however, it’s higher. A motorcycle shop, for example, should spend 5.8 percent of gross sales for advertising and promotions, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council.

Direct mail and Web

* If you are selling over the Internet or by mail, getting to know your market and your prospective customers can help you determine pricing.

* Getting to know your competitors is even more important. Know who they are, the quality of their products and what extra services they provide.

* When your product is new, different or unique, you might try testing various prices.

In some markets, people are willing to pay more for the same item because they attach more value to it. One advertiser offered a product for $29, $59, and $95. There were more orders at the $95 price, so that was the advertised price thereafter.

* Survey your ideal customers to decide what features make your product attractive and what other features they would like to have.

Pitfall: Studies have determined that it’s more profitable to spend money attracting new customers than pleasing present customers, because there are many more prospective customers. Present customers’ input, however, could make your products more pleasing to all.

* Create urgency in your advertising. Offer a limited-time discounted price, which will encourage bargain shoppers to buy before the price goes back up.