The Power of Print: Just one more opportunity to show your clients how much you love them

April 15, 2013 by 4 Comments

maya angelouLast week I spoke to a women’s networking group on the power of print marketing.  Since the topic is fresh in my mind, I figured this is a good opportunity to share my thoughts with a broader audience.  I always put forth that print materials should be part of your marketing plan because they help to:

  • Lend credibility to your business
  • Drive traffic to your website
  • Build brand awareness

But they do so much more than that.  

I always focused on how professional marketing materials will make business owners look, well, more professional. But I met a new friend recently and she gave me a new perspective. Her name is Marsha and she is an executive with American Airlines in Dallas, Texas. We were chatting over the phone, getting to know one another, and I told her I am a graphic designer who specializes in print materials. She was interested because she likes nice, pretty note cards to send to her friends. I explained that I do not really do those; I specialize in marketing materials for small business owners — things like personal brochures, newsletters and the like.

She perked up and went on for about 5 minutes about how, when dealing with business owners, if they hand her a nice, sleek brochure, it makes her feel good because she recognizes the time, effort and money they put into creating that brochure for her.

Basically, she feels that it is a reflection of how they think about her, because they invest enough effort and money into clarifying their message, putting on paper their offerings, along with the details, and then handing out something that is beautiful and of value for her to keep. Yes, keep!

Think about it.

If you’re a small business owner you most likely do a lot of networking. You go to events, give your 30-second commercial and hand out business cards. You connect with a few people. They like you. You like them. But chances are they will go home and get back to business as usual and forget about you. They may connect on social media, but you get lost in the hundreds of their other connections. They throw your business card in a pile. Will yours stand out? Probably not.

BUT, if you hand them a polished-looking brochure, chances are they’ll treat it differently. They won’t want to trash it because it looks and feels like something of value. They’ll put it in a special place, and every once in a while they’ll come across it and be reminded of you and your services. So when the time comes that they need your services, they won’t have to go to the Internet and settle for someone they don’t know. They’ll call you because (1) your brochure will remind them of how much they liked you when you met, and (2) they’ll be convinced that you run a successful, professional business because you put in the time, effort and money to invest in your marketing materials.

As women entrepreneurs, we invest in looking good. We buy the dress, the shoes, the bag — all in the name of making an impression and standing out from the rest. But for the most part, that’s where it ends. If you can justify spending $600 on a pair of shoes and call it “branding,” why wouldn’t you invest that amount in the items that really count toward your brand?

The perception that I get is that printed materials are expensive. They’re really not when you think about the mileage you get from them. If you hand out 1,000 brochures, you’re reaching 1,000 people. If you send out a quarterly newsletter, you’re establishing your authority. If you send out 5,000 postcards in a direct mail campaign, you’re bound to get a few customers that you wouldn’t reach otherwise.

Marketing is connecting.

It’s as simple as that. In public relations, the idea is that it takes seven impressions to get people to act. A brochure is just one more way to make an impression. A newsletter is another. So is a postcard.

Next time you decide to invest in your image, forget about buying another Coach bag or pair of Jimmy Choos. Think about spending that money on a nice printed brochure instead. It might not make you feel as good, but it will make others feel good about how you feel about them. And that’s priceless.

Carol Ann DeSimine head shotCarol Ann DeSimine would love to help you find ways to impart your love for your clients. Visit mybigeyemedia.com or contact her at info@mybigeyemedia.com.

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The Cruelest April Fool’s Joke, or How I Came Up With My Business Name, Big Eye Media

April 1, 2013 by Leave a Comment

big eye mediaI first noticed it in March, but by the time I saw a doctor it was April. I was concerned and needed to see my optometrist anyway, so I thought he could diagnose the problem. My eyes were whacko. My left pupil was large as a dime; my right was small as a pinhead. I did not have a concussion, nor did I recall banging my head. I had no headaches or other physical symptoms. I thought I was imagining it, but I showed others and they all confirmed it with a contorted look as they said, “Ewwww, that’s weird.”

Yep. It was weird.

As he shined that blinding light into my eyes for the umpteenth time, the optometrist said, “You could have an aneurysm,” although he really wasn’t sure so he referred me to a neuro-ophthalmologist. The N.O. was perplexed, too, and ordered a battery of tests . . . MRI, x-rays, blood work . . . he thought it a brain tumor or a tumor in my parasympathetic nervous system (my lungs). Bottom line is he really did not know, and everything he said just scared the bejesus out of me and I imagined the worse. I was afraid to go to sleep at night for fear I’d never wake up.

I can’t count the times I took the trip to the N.O.’s office for test results, only to be told that they did not show anything. Then one day . . . good news!  Here, he was looking for why my right pupil was so small, but when he started to look at why my left was so large, he figured it out. I had Adie’s Syndrome, aka Adie’s Tonic Pupil. There’s no real cause; it just shows up, usually in women between the ages of 35 and 50. It could be genetic. Did anyone in my family have it? Not that I know of. It’s not debilitating or degenerative. In fact, he said it would probably get worse but in time get a little better. But I would always have it.

Fast forward.

That was 1996. Ten years later, in trying to come up with a name for my new business, I wanted something that was specific to me. I have an M.A. in Public Relations and was thinking along the lines of a P.R. agency, but I was doing a lot of different things at the time — producing video, creating Web pages, photography, print design – and I didn’t want to be pigeonholed by my business name. I came up with Big Eye Media and ran it past my closest peeps. Their reaction was not favorable. I had a few other ideas, but nothing else clicked. Then, one lazy afternoon, I was leafing through an issue of Wired (or some other tech mag), and there it was in the Publisher’s Note: “We have a Big Eye on the future of technology . . . .” That was it. Done deal.

If they can claim to have a Big Eye, why can’t I, since literally, I do have a big eye.

Now the name had even more significance.

Big Eye Media has evolved in the eight years that I’ve been an entrepreneur, but my mission has remained true to my business name. I continue to keep a big eye on technology and trends, and to serve my clients by helping them project the most professional image, so they get more “big eyes” on them and, in turn, more business.

This is my first “eye” story. I have two more that I will write about in future posts so stay tuned. In the meantime, if we run into each other be sure to look me in the eyes and tell me how they’re doing.  But don’t say I didn’t warn you if you get a little freaked out.

Do you have a story about how you came up with your business name? I’d love to get the conversation going, so please add your comments.

Carol Ann DeSimine would love to put her big eye on your business. Please visit mybigeyemedia.com or contact her at info@mybigeyemedia.com to find out how Big Eye Media can help you.

 

 

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Celebrate Your Heritage Every Day of the Year: Publish an Ethnic Newspaper

March 18, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Sunday was St. Patty’s Day. I’m 100 percent Italian, if that is even possible.  When I was young I protested the celebratory gloating of my Irish classmates on their holiday by wearing orange. I didn’t understand the significance, but another Italian told me I should do so. And so I did. In my young naiveté, I thought, What do the Irish have that other cultures don’t have? Now I know: nothing. And everything. They have all the characteristics of anyone else in this human race, plus whatever we have come to relate to as being Irish – they favor the color green, drink their beer in pints, and eat potatoes with every meal. Now, those are stereotypes, aren’t they  . . . but stereotypes do exist for a reason.

I often think about what it means to be Italian. Talk about stereotypes . . . I am proud that we are a creative culture of artists, sexy as all get out, and are known to make a mean pasta fagioli. We are a passionate bunch, but let me tell you, that passion swings both ways.  Just ask my boyfriend.

I’ve written before about heart-centered entrepreneurs, and the passion they feel for their businesses. I know quite a few of them, but I’m here to say that their passion is nothing compared to what I’ve seen in a group of 15 Italian-American men sitting in a room trying to figure out how to keep their culture alive. At the heart of their efforts is their push to start an Italian newspaper. Yes, a printed newspaper! It’s been determined: the need is apparent. And surprisingly, of the men, whose ages range from 20 something to well beyond 70, it was the younger of the group who talked about how, while everyone sees the need to be online these days, they still enjoy the tactile pleasure of holding a newspaper as they read it, and afterwards having to wash their hands, dirty with newsprint.

There could be no other means of communication for a generation here that is closest to its Italian roots. With sports, politics, art, humor, features and news . . . stories that bring memories of the past -– back in the old country -– and paint a picture of that country in a more modern time. All in one place! No surfing the Internet hoping to come across something of interest here and there. A newspaper comes complete.

Keep tradition alive

With every generation, every culture loses a little more of its traditions.  When our great grandparents pass, then our grandparents, and for some of us our parents, we are left to carry on those traditions. How committed are we to doing that? What about our children? Do they value what the older generation has contributed to how they were raised? Do they comprehend why corned beef and cabbage or spaghetti and gravy for supper every Sunday afternoon?

It’s important to maintain our cultural roots because they define who we are. Yes, if we are second or third generation most of us are Americanized to the point where we define our cultural traditions as a stop at McDonald’s after soccer practice. But we need to question where we came from and how we got here.

As much as it might not be “cool” to start a newspaper nowadays, an ethnic newspaper makes sense. “Local is the new global,” says Maria Salzman, president of Euro RSCG Worldwide PR. It’s no longer about how many people read your stories, it’s about who is reading your stories. While traditional newspapers are struggling to survive, the niche or micro-target media is thriving.

A 2005 poll shows that 13 percent of people in the U.S. prefer ethnic media, and one quarter of all people in the U.S. engage in ethnic media whether it’s newspapers or a broadcast medium.

For a generation that is far removed from our ancestors’ birthplace, an ethnic newspaper can provide a connection to that part of us. And, it builds community for a culture, whether it’s for Italians, Irish, African Americans, Germans, Asians, Indians, Jews, Latinos . . . everybody.

When our ancestors came here, most of them were pushed to assimilate into this great melting pot that we call the United States of America. They were told “You’re in America now, act like an American.”  So, for many of us, cultural traditions have become an endangered species.

We need to keep these traditions alive or this great melting pot will become a lukewarm cauldron of flavorless chicken stock filled with many different ingredients that all taste the same.

An ethnic newspaper is one way to celebrate the diversity that defines us and to keep our heritage alive for generations to come.

What are some of your family traditions that you’ve kept alive through the generations? Please comment below. I’d love to hear about them.

Event - Publish It!To learn how to publish an ethnic newspaper, or any publication,  attend Publish It! Be a Winner With Your Own Magazine, Newspaper, or Newsletter. I’ll be partnering with Adrienne Richardson, former publisher of South Jersey Mom, and Karen O’Donnell of Down the Aisle, and we’ll cover everything you need to know about starting a publication and being successful at it! Go to www.mybigeyemedia.com/events for details and to register.

 

Carol Ann DeSimine head shot

Carol Ann DeSimine is a publications specialist and CEO of Big Eye Media. She is a second generation Italian who is proud of her heritage, but also proud to be called an American. Contact her at info@mybigeyemedia.com.

 

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Publish It! 9 Crucial Elements to Running a Successful Magazine

March 4, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Do you dream of having your own magazine? Do you have pictures running around in your head about what it would look like, the articles that you would include, the tons of advertisers you’d have just BEGGING you to purchase space, the highfalutin photo shoots with hair, makeup and models . . . sounds exciting, doesn’t it?

It is exciting. And it‘s a lot of work. But it’s the type of work that is driven by a passion to make a statement and to create something that others crave. My long-time dream was always to start my own magazine. It’s right there, in my mind. I know what it looks like, I know the types of articles that it includes, and I know my readers. Problem is, I was always too busy doing other things to make it a reality. I’ve spent the past 25 years or so supporting others in their efforts to get published in books, magazines, newsletters and newspapers. And that’s fine for now because I love everything about the publishing process, whether it’s for my own project or someone else’s.

If you’ve been thinking about publishing a magazine, don’t wait like I did. The technological revolution has changed the face (and some say the popularity) of print publications, but I am here to say that PRINT IS ALIVE AND WELL! Yes, it’s true: almost every week we hear about a major publication biting the dust. Most often, these are large circulation rags with very large budgets that depend on very large advertising accounts to keep them going. Newsweek is the most recent one that comes to mind. But, look around. Don’t you see magazines everywhere you go? They’re free, many of them. And I bet you pick up some of them, take them home,  and read them. Don’t you?

I did a little experiment. For the past week I piled up all the magazines I received in the mail or picked up at various venues (and I don’t pick up everything!). Here’s what I have in my pile: AARP, Rangefinder (photography), Down the Aisle (weddings), SJ First (AAA), South Jersey Biz, The Voice (Chamber of Commerce), Jersey Man, South Jersey Mom, and Babytalk (this one showed up with someone else’s name on it – but still, it’s a publication!). That doesn’t include the three Women’s Journals that I produce, a syndicate that is successfully sweeping the nation.

There’s the proof: local, specialized magazines are thriving. And they’re full of ads, so they’re bringing in dollars.    

Publishing a magazine really is doable. Here are nine major factors to consider. Once you have these figured out, don’t let anything stop you.

  1. Who wants your magazine? Define your target audience. If you want to appeal to women ages 35-55 of a certain demographic, you wouldn’t include articles geared toward 60 something men or teenagers.
  2. What will it look like? Explore different types of stock, including the cover. How many pages? What format?
  3. Who will write the articles? Will you hire paid writers or invite writers to submit articles for free? Where will you find them?
  4. Who will do what? Will you be the publisher and the editor? Or will you be the publisher and hire an editor? Who will be responsible for determining content? Who will do the proofreading? Who has final approval?
  5. What about the layout? You’ll need a graphic designer to design the pages and probably a good number of the ads too. How do you find the right person?
  6. Will you need a photographer? Your cover defines your look, so you want it to be consistent. Who’s going to create the look that will attract readers from issue to issue?
  7. Find a printer. Get quotes for different quantities and different stocks. Make sure you know exactly what is included in the price before you agree to anything.
  8. Sell advertising. Will you need a sales staff or will you do it yourself?
  9. Distribution. Your advertisers will count on your getting their ads in as many places as possible – and on time. Will you hire a company to do this or will you do it yourself?

 Event - Publish It!If you want to know more, come to our day-long seminar, Publish It! Be a Winner With Your Own Magazine, Newspaper, or Newsletter. I’ll be partnering with Adrienne Richardson, former publisher of South Jersey Mom, and Karen O’Donnell of Down the Aisle, and we’ll cover everything you need to know about starting a publication and being successful at it! Go to www.mybigeyemedia.com/events for a schedule and registration details.

 

Carol AnnCarol Ann DeSimine head shot DeSimine is a publications specialist and CEO of Big Eye Media. Her passion is to help small business owners express themselves in ways that make them stand out and get more clients.  Contact her at info@mybigeyemedia.com.

 

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Is your business true to its astrological sign?

January 11, 2013 by 6 Comments

capricorn with textToday is my birthday. 1-1-1. I’m a Capricorn, right up there with Jesus and Elvis. Does it get any better than that? After all, the Goat is known for climbing – albeit slow and steady – to the top of the mountain with ease. We do it subtly, without much accolade or clamor. We don’t need much outside reinforcement. We believe in our power. Motivation is intrinsic and we’re constantly moving forward. Occasionally, we have setbacks, but we deal with them and get right back on the steady path.

Sometimes, life just happens.

We might not even know where we want to go but, because of our ambitious nature, we Capricorns end up where we need to be. I never set out to become an entrepreneur, but here I am. Looking back, the career stepping stones that got me to where I am today were fortuitous, and each one came with a different lesson.

Librarian: My first adult job was in a library. Although I did not have the training or the degree, I was the only full-time employee so I handled most of the reference questions. I learned that you don’t need to know all the answers, you just need to know where to find them.

Assistant to Assistant Director: From there I moved to a position for an educational organization. I started out, young and wide eyed, as the assistant to the founder and worked my way up to assistant director. I was part of a small staff that served an international community of creative problem solvers. That lasted 18 years. I learned to find my own creative “voice” and to tap into my natural talents.

Student and Artist: During that time, I earned a B.A. in Communications and an M.A. in Public Relations. I also did years of self study in photography. I became a fine art photographer, exhibiting and selling my work. I learned to express my ideas intellectually and visually.

Adjunct Professor: With M.A. in hand, I wanted to make use of it, but I wasn’t sure how. Then I got the call. My photography professor needed someone to teach one of his classes. Suddenly, I was an adjunct professor. From the art department, through a referral from my Grad Seminar prof, I moved on to the Journalism department and taught Photojournalism and Publications Layout & Design. That part-time stint lasted more than 10 years. I learned to be an authority in my field.

Yoga Instructor: Oh yeah, during that time I got interested in yoga, so I enrolled in a weekend training. Before I knew it I was teaching at a studio and at my gym. Now I have a loyal following of yoginis, who come to my home once a week for a kick-butt practice. Every physical aspect of yoga is a metaphor for how we live our lives. I learned flexibility, endurance, and how to let go to the will of the universe.

Big Eye Media was born on January 6, 2006.

So my business is a Capricorn, too. I had little business background when I started Big Eye Media, but I drew from lessons gained from past experiences and I kept moving forward, learning more along the way. I never looked back. And my business continues to grow. I’ve got good clients. I made it through the recession with little setback. I specialize in print collateral. I’ve seen new technologies take over the industry but, instead of giving up, I’ve grown because of it. I learned to draw on my power to overcome adversity.

My business will continue to meet obstacles and experience changes, I’m sure. What they will be, who knows? The answer lies only in the stars. But, I’m counting on Big Eye Media being true to its Capricorn nature and climbing slow and steady to the top of that proverbial mountain. I’ve learned to believe.

What set of circumstance got you where you are today?

Are you here by choice or by design of something greater? Does your business –- or your career path — reflect the same qualities of your astrological sign? I’d love to hear about it.

 

 

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Do you suffer from ‘Shoemaker’s Child Syndrome’?

December 27, 2012 by 14 Comments

It’s an often-used analogy: tbigstock-Happy-New-Year-d-message-comp-30189338he shoemaker’s daughter is walking around with toes sticking out of her beat up, old shoes. Daddy’s got the right skills and the tools to fix her up, but turns out he’s up to his neck in leather, working to fix the shoes of everyone else in the village.

Do you treat your business like the shoemaker treats his daughter? Your “baby” needs your care and attention to grow, but you’re just too busy serving the needs of your clients to get yourself to the next level. If your business goals for 2012 fell short, maybe 2013 will be the year you actually make a difference!

How do you get to the point where you start running your business instead of being your business?

It sounds so easy, right? One answer is to set aside a few hours per week to work on growing your business. I’m not talking going out to networking events or contacting your warm leads. I’m talking setting a time, say every Monday from 9 a.m. to noon, to clear your mind and take a good hard look at what steps you need to take. You might not get a whole lot done in three hours, but even a short period of devoted time is enough to get you moving in the right direction. Take notes, write an outline, make a longer-range plan. What you set in motion in one week is going to be carried through in your subconscious to the following Monday, and you’ll get even more done in following weeks.

Work smarter, not harder.

Let go. You really don’t have to do everything yourself. Hire someone for even a few hours a month to do the tedious things you don’t want to do anymore. I have an assistant but it’s not enough. Soon I’ll be hiring someone to help me handle my monthly finances so I can free up my Saturday mornings.

One of my goals for 2012 was to build a WordPress website, and I did it. I’m not crazy about the end product, but at least now I understand the process. It’s still a work in progress, but now it’s time for someone with a little more know-how to come in and fine-tune it. Sometimes you just need to invest in an outsider to offer an objective – and educated — opinion.

I’m a graphic designer, a copywriter, a photographer. I help other businesses create marketing materials. What about my own marketing collateral? I never really had an official logo, although I had a “mark” that I put together in a pinch for my first website. It got a lot of comments so I stuck with it. I recently designed a new logo. Of course, I was insecure about it so I hired a branding expert for advice and her opinion was, “It’s a start.” That didn’t make me feel real confident, but others liked it so I stuck with. I designed a new business card, too, and came up with a new slogan. Next, I’ll update my mini brochure, and I’m even going to invest in some professional stationery and invoices.

2013 will be the year.

There. I said it. I’m making a commitment to myself to get more done for my business. After all, if my claim is to help others market their business, I’ve got to be the lead on those efforts for myself.

This is my first blog post. It’s taken two months to complete but my goal was to post by the end of the year. Here it is December 27. Whew, I just made it! Instead of beating myself up for taking so long, I’m going to pat myself on the back for keeping my promise.

What are some of your promises to yourself for 2013? I’d love to hear what you hope to achieve for your business in the coming months, and what you feel is holding you back from keeping your own promises to yourself.

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