You’ve probably already heard about email marketing. Email marketing is one of the most effective online marketing tools available for you as a business owner. If you’re wondering how email can help you achieve your business goals, read on and find out the benefits of using emails to build brand loyalty.
As always, we continue to offer regular deals on select identity and marketing pieces.

The Benefits of Using Email Marketing to Cultivate Brand Loyalty

Facebook. Twitter. Pinterest. Google+. The explosion of social media has changed marketing in ways we could never have imagined 10 years ago. But there is one tool that was effective then, and is still powerful today: Email marketing continues to be one of the best ways to reach clients and cultivate brand loyalty.The biggest companies all have a presence on social media. Not to do so would be a big mistake. At the same time, they haven’t abandoned email in their campaign to keep their brands at the forefront of their customers’ awareness.
Read the rest of the article on the Connection Group blog.

New Michigan Responsive Website Design for Book Discovering Michigan County by County

Connection Group is pleased to share a recently completed responsive website design for books. Take a look at the before and after images of the customized website design utilizing a WordPress back CMS. The original book website was initially designed by a company that utilizes templates for their customer websites and author Barbara Vandermolen wanted a more customized, contemporary,  website that would function well and still reflect high quality. Connection Group had so much fun going through all the beautiful photography the author has gathered through her over six years of research. Read more…

Save on Letterheads
Save 15% on your next order of full-color letterhead stationery, including design and printing. Check out some of our previous projects, and contact us to start crafting your new business stationery today.

Effective marketing tools include a combination of a strong online presence and a selection of high-quality printed materials.
In addition to your business card, these printed materials include what’s known as “leave-behind” pieces. In this edition of Connectivity, we talk about how to incorporate these elements into your branding and marketing efforts. Don’t forget to check out how you can save on brochures this June.

“Leave-behind” Pieces and Brand Awareness

Do you know how to create an effective “leave-behind” piece that increases your brand’s awareness?
Even though a big portion of your efforts to build brand awareness happens online, you should not neglect using “leave-behind” pieces for your small business.
A leave-behind piece is printed material that can be left with a new contact or potential customer. There are many types of leave-behind pieces that you can use to make a lasting impression, keep your company in your client’s minds, and eventually lead to a sale. These materials should complement your online presence, and offer the additional advantage of visibility even when your contact isn’t online.
Click here to learn about guidelines to keep in mind if you want to create pieces that effectively complement your online marketing efforts.

Save on Brochures
Save 15% on your next order of full color brochures, including design and printing. Check out some of our previous projects, and contact us to start crafting your new leave-behind pieces today.

Your business card is your first impression.

When you hand your card to a business contact or potential customer, it’s your first opportunity to stand out and be memorable. What kind of impression are you making? Does your business card say that you’re a professional? Are your company’s standards reflected in the type of paper and font you use, and the overall image conveyed by your card?
You have one chance to make a first impression. This month, we’re focusing on helping you make it a good one.

10 Tips for Creating a Great Business Card

Your business card should quickly and clearly communicate what your business is. Here are the first three tips for creating a business card that your contacts will remember long after your initial meeting.

1. Be Clear – Choose a font that is clearly legible. You don’t have to stick to the same standard fonts that are on everyone’s computer. Choose a font with personality that suits your brand just be sure it can be read. Print a proof at 100% size and have a variety of people read it. Don’t close out the senior market because they can’t read your card!
2. Keep It Clean – A business card should not replace your brochure or website. Add contact information, a tag line if you have one or a coupled of products and services you offer. If you choose to add all of your products and service or other information, consider using the second side of the business card.
3. Stand Out  – Nothing helps build a brand quicker than a custom logo design. Nothing beats a brand image that demonstrates your commitment to quality, and quickly communicates who you are like a professional logo design. Choose colors that are noticeable and suitable to your brand.

Read the rest of the 10 tips on the blog.

Save on Your Next Business Cards
Save 15% on your next order of full color business cards, including design and printing. Check out some of our previous projects, and contact us to start crafting your new business cards today.

This month, we’ll return to our roots and focus on Graphic Design, namely logo design.
A logo is one of the first branding pieces we recommend for startups and growing businesses.  Many startup companies on limited budgets attempt to develop their own small business logo. However, the importance of a professional image can not be stressed enough – especially when you are a new company on the scene.
For those who decide to tackle a DIY logo design or those who already have a logo but want to be sure it is going to serve them well in all purposes, this edition of Connectivity will help you get started.

Small Business Branding Begins with A Dynamic Logo Design

10 Tips for Creating Your DIY Business Logo Design
For some people, putting together a logo for their small business is easy. Anyone with a computer and software can do it. Someone actually told me he built a logo in Microsoft Excel, I wouldn’t recommend it but he knew the program and it’s what he decided to use.
Keep in mind, though, that there is a difference between a logo designed by a professional and one made by a first-timer.
Click here to learn how to avoid looking like a first-time logo designer.

Where Will You Use Your Business Logo?

Reproducing Your Small Business Logo

Whether you created your own logo or worked with a graphic design firm, it is best to have files in each color format. From start-up businesses to non-profit associations, all companies and organizations have a variety of marketing and communication pieces they need to produce.
Read more on the blog…

How Are You Staying Connected?

Introducing Connection Group Service Packages

Connection Group has grouped the most popular branding and marketing elements into affordable packages to clearly communicate the value of your products and services. Starting at just $550.00!

This month, we’re continuing to provide you with information that you can use to build and market your small business. We understand that diving into online marketing comes naturally to some, while others prefer leaving those tasks to a trusted brand manager. There’s useful information for both camps in this edition of Connectivity!

The Web and Your Brand

Your choice: Brand Manager or Website Designer
In this article on our blog, we look at how you can decide whether you need a full-service brand manager or hire out just the website design and do everything else yourself.
Read More…

DIY Alert! Build Your Own Blog or Website
A Simple Guide to Launching Your Small Business Website and Blog
Sometimes start-up businesses can get away without using our web design and development expertise to have a web presence. As your business grows we know we will continue to serve you and we can’t express how very important a web presence is for businesses right now. Would you believe there are still 49% of small businesses without websites? There is no reason for this (and no, a Facebook page doesn’t cover it – we discuss this too…) Take a look at our recent blog post to get step by step instructions…Read more…

Thank you for letting us partner with you through Connectivity, the Connection Group e-newsletter. It is our goal to make our monthly connections helpful and inspiring for you as a business owner.
In this edition, we share one of the best tools you can use to manage your online content.

Your Editorial Calendar

Building your online presence using a blog takes focus and time. You need regular updates and high-quality content that are relevant to your industry and business. One of the ways to streamline your blogging time is by using an editorial calendar.
An editorial calendar is a schedule for your blog or website. It is commonly used by magazines and online publications.
Whether it is as simple as a list of monthly topics for blog posts, using an editorial calendar saves you time. No more sitting in front of a computer and staring at a blank page.
Follow these steps to set up your own editorial calendar:

• Use an Excel spreadsheet or a wall calendar with space to write on.
• Add the dates of industry events such as trade shows, conferences, etc. Also add special occasions and important holidays. If you’re planning any special promotions for your services or products, put them in as well.
• Brainstorm a list of topics you would like to write about.
• Go through your list of topics and choose one for each month. Take into consideration the events and promotions you’ve already added. Eg., if you’re a florist, a post about choosing flowers for loved ones would be a great fit for February (Valentine’s Day).
• The more specific you are with the topics you choose, the more time you will save when you sit down to write the article. But a general idea for a future article is fine too.

Remember that if ever you find that your needs change along the way, feel free to tweak your planned topics. The goal of having an editorial calendar is for you to save time and have a focus as you build your online brand.

More for you…
Find out how to manage your brand as a small business on our blog.

How does color affect you? Many of us are aware that blue is a calming color but did you know the color red can actually raise your blood pressure?  Take a look at the article from Pantone on the Psychology of Color. Marketers know this stuff.. maybe you should too!

Questivity: What breed(s) of chameleon changes color according to their mood?  Yes chameleons do change colors with their environment to blend in and they also turn colors according to their mood. Keep your answers coming, you could be our next winner!
Colors for your every mood… Discover your own color preferences and how to make them work for you from Lee Eiseman, the executive director of the Pantone Color Institute and America’s leading color expert.  Buy Now.
“Do what you love, love what you do, and deliver morethan you promise.” – Harvey Mackay

Do you post your kids photos and names online?
As professional designers we have the responsibility of building awareness while being careful to share all view points fairly and keep private information safe. One particular task we address frequently is posting pictures of kids without releasing personal information. To keep children safe do not use real names in captions when kids photos are posted on a public website. For businesses who solicit personal information from children under 13 and for all parents who post your kids photos to your Facebook page (private or not – do you really know what your classmate from middle school does in his spare time?) please review the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and be cautious of exposing your children’s identity.

Rainy Summer Days, kids are inside to play…
The internet is a great reference tool for kids and the entertainment value in Barbie.com alone is a Godsend when trying to get lunch made. Besides good child blocking and filtering software, communicating and agreeing to some key rules for internet use with your kids will help address issues before they may occur. Here are some important points to review that have been summarized from a long list of safety tips posted on the netsmartz.org website. The site is a portal for education adults and children on internet safety and offers safety pledges for kids in various age groups to follow. It also has great games. Print the agreements and post them!

Could You Use Some Clarity? Before you reinvent yourself or your company define your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats with a SWOT analysis. Have fun and get clear about what your value is in the marketplace…
Questivity: Why did your last 5 customers buy from you? Congratulations to Ron Joppe of Christensen’s Furniture in Charlotte, Michigan. Ron will get a complimentary ad on the Connectivity newsletter and website! Keep your answers coming, you could be our next winner!
Save the Date… WISE is co-sponsor of CEED’s Leadership Institute for Women West Michigan. Don’t miss this day of advanced training hosted at Davenport University Grand Rapids. May 21, 2009.
“If you count all your assets,
you always show a profit.”  -Robert Quillen

Attention Readers! How do you keep your newsletter interesting enough for people to read and share it with others? Before you start compiling copy, and adding postage, take a few steps back…
read these newsletter tips before jumping in…