IN THIS ISSUE

• Scrub Your List
• Content Marketing
• Extend the Party
• When Bad Things Happen
• Press Box
• Our Favorite Charities
• How Are We Doing?
• Hold That Thought

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The Press Box
Find out what's new at:

Long Island Center for Business & Professional Women

Go to www.americanmail.com & www.bicountymailing.com

Click on “Our Favorite Charities”

It's our way of supporting good people
who do good things.
Every little bit helps.

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They could use your support!

How are we doing?

Check out our clients' testimonials on www.americanmail.com
About Us - What Clients Are Saying About Us page. We've included their company logos, as well as links to their websites when possible.
If you're a client, and would like to be listed on our testimonial page with your logo and a link to your website, tell us how we've helped you improve your business, email
greg@americanmail.com

Also…Check out what people are saying about us on LinkedIn.

HOLD THAT THOUGHT...

“Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex. It takes a genius — and a lot of courage — to move in the opposite direction.”

Albert Einstein

Selected by Long Island Business News readers as..

Start the New Year Right:
Scrub Your Mailing List
& Save Money

Practicing good mailing-list hygiene is crucial, especially when you’re trying to reduce costs. The goal is to clean up your data by eliminating outdated information and making appropriate corrections so you can run more effective direct marketing campaigns. Here are a few steps you can take:

• Standardize and update your data, conforming to US Postal Service criteria. Use NCOA (National Change of Address), which updates lists with any recent address changes on file with the USPS.
  
  
• Consolidate your lists and make sure every item is consistently formatted.
  
  
• Remove names of the deceased. It will not only save money, it will eliminate a source of ill will.
  
  
• Get rid of duplications. That’s a no brainer.
  
  
• Set a schedule for routine updates. It’ll make your life easier.

For more mailing list information click here

Content Marketing:
A New Buzzword or Old Warhorse?

While “content marketing” is the new catchphrase for keeping your prospects and consumers informed about your product and services, it’s hardly a new concept.

When you educate customers — via newsletters, seminars, email blasts, informative mailings, etc. — you not only spread information about your product/service, you also help your company stand out from the competition, and you position yourself as an industry resource.

If the information you offer is truly beneficial and not simply just another camouflaged sales pitch, your audience will spread the word about the “value-added” service they receive from your company.

For more information about Direct Marketing click here

Extend the Holiday Season
to Loyal Customers

The holiday season is perfect for connecting with your customers. But now that the hustle and bustle are over, don’t lose the momentum. Reinforce the fact that your business cares about their needs, and continue to show appreciation for their loyalty.

Here are some important tips:

• Send a post-holiday mailing with an offer for a free gift, saying, “Now that you’ve bought gifts for everyone else, here’s something for you.”
  
  
• Mail thank you notes with some type of tip sheet that could help them solve some of their business problems in the New Year. “Here are some tax-filing tips that could make the next few months easier for you.”
  
  
• Send an invitation to a post-holiday party/ networking seminar. “Come party with us — and learn how to save money at the same time.”

There’s no question that you’ll get responses to your way of saying, “thank you,” especially when you’re giving away a benefit.

For more information about Direct Marketing click here

When Bad Things Happen to
Good Companies

Even companies that have spent years building a solid reputation, can lose all that good will in a flash when the unexpected occurs, e.g., a significant layoff, customer-service breakdown, CEO scandal or questionable financial matter. How you handle the crisis, could make the difference between survival and needing to close down.

Here are some important public relations crisis-management rules to follow:

• Designate a spokesperson, who can communicate clearly with those most affected, your employees and the media.
  
  
• Get out in front of the crisis by providing true and accurate information as fast as possible.
  
  
• Remain open and accessible.
  
  
• Reassure your audience that you’re acting in their best interest.
  
  
• Create internal communications procedures so everyone learns about the crisis from you, not the media.

For more information about Direct Marketing, click here

Greg Demetriou at Linkedin.com

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