Sign Expo Canada 2022
The thumbnail version: Canadian sign industry shows and expos are happening again The full version: Sign Expo Canada hosted by the Sign Association of Canada is scheduled for September 23rd and 24th in Mississauga. SAC promises that this year's show will feature cutting-edge products and services....
Employee retention through recognition
The thumbnail version: Recognition is a powerful motivator There are many ways of recognizing and rewarding employees The full version: Bob Nelson's book, 1001 Ways to Reward Employees, was first published 28 years ago. And except for the obviously dated ideas such as rewarding an employee with a...
Roland pairs business ideas with equipment
The thumbnail version: Roland offers business ideas for your shop They pair equipment with the each idea The full version: Roland recently published a bog post in which they offered five business ideas you could incorporate into your shop. The article suggested that these five ideas are good for...
Logos
The thumbnail version: Popular advice for small businesses is to design a catchy logo Logos confer professionalism and legitimacy Small business logo priorities and big business logo priorities are different The full version: Here is a topic with advice that should not only be of interest to you,...
Signmedia.ca invites you to join them at Printing United in Vegas
The thumbnail version: Signmedia.ca invites you to "Grab your pass" The full version: Now is a good time to plan ahead to attend Printing United in Vegas on the 19th to the 21st of October. The show covers all printing segments and all printing technology. Over 600 exhibitors are expected to be...
How you ship says a lot about your shop
The thumbnail version: The shipping process is an opportunity to impress Customers generally have unrealistic shipping expectations, but that's your problem, not theirs. The full version: I recently received a delivery from a fairly big online business. I was surprised at the shabby appearance of...
The difference between a marketing strategy and a marketing funnel
The thumbnail version: A marketing strategy is the overall approach to attracting customers A marketing funnel is the step-by-step map of the customer's interaction with your shop The full version: Your shop needs a cohesive marketing strategy. Without it you'll be like a sailor without a compass...
Obviously CLV must exceed CAC.
The thumbnail version: These metrics must be checked regularly But first you must know what they are The full version: Don't you hate acronyms, especially when a writer assumes that you know what they are? Me too. But at least they got your attention . . . So CAC is "Customer Acquisition Cost" and...
Spilling the beans for the competition to see
The thumbnail version: Sometimes there's interesting competitive information hidden in articles This information can be useful to know and can potentially be used in your own business The full version: The June edition of Sign Media Canada includes an article about signage made for a new pet store...
A Facebook phishing scam you should know about
The thumbnail version: If you use Facebook for business, you need to know this The full version: Security company PIXM is warning about a Facebook scam that has been running since late 2021. Apparently it has ensnared over 10 million users. You or a designated employee looking after you social...
Understand margins and monitor them
The thumbnail version: Profitability starts with margins Margins have to be constantly monitored The full version: You don't have to be an accountant to know that profitability starts with margins. Margin in this case meaning "gross profit margin" which is the amount by which the selling price of...
Word of mouth – a topic worth revisiting
The thumbnail version: Word of mouth is an effective marketing tool The catch though is that your customer service and product quality must be top notch A lapse in customer service or product quality can see word of mouth work against you Full version: Word of mouth is an effective and inexpensive...
Read
The thumbnail version: New shop owners need information and guidance Established shop owners need new ideas Read The full version: COVID-19 has apparently led to the launching of a lot of new small businesses. Some of them are graphics and sign shops. If you are a new shop owner (or even an...
A reward for stressed staff – time off!
The thumbnail version: Employees are stressed after a seemingly endless pandemic You can help provide relief by rewarding time The full version: Thanks to the pandemic in particular, your employees have been dealing with elevated stress levels at work and at home. And while much of Canada is...
Roland TrueVIS printers get some great publicity
The thumbnail version: It's encouraging to see what people produce with the same equipment you have The full version: In case you didn't know, NASCAR teams have their own graphics centers. One in particular, The Richard Childress Racing team's graphic center is in Welcome, North Carolina and is...
New equipment — see it work
The thumbnail version: Shows are back; you can see equipment working Seeing equipment work before you commit to buy, is a good idea The full version: The stranglehold that the pandemic had on business appears to been relaxing. The pandemic is by no means over but it seems that the pent-up desire...
Grommets! Who knew?
The thumbnail version: Reading promotional material can be illuminating Not all grommets are created equal The full version: When a manufacturer publishes an article it's mostly with a view to selling something. But if you take the trouble to read such an article you may learn something even...
The BOCSIes are back.
Thumbnail version: The annual BOCSI awards are back. Its an opportunity to showcase your shop. The full version: The 2022 BOCSI Awards are now open for entries. I remind you every year that the BOCSIes is an opportunity for you to showcase your work and your shop. The process of entering is as...