Business Builder

 Summer’s Here and the Time Is Right for Signs to Sell Your Beets

The Farmers’ Market is probably one of my favorite weekend destinations. I love fresh vegetables and fruit – not mention these days you can find farm-fresh eggs, fresh organic cheeses and dairy products, just-picked herbs, and some fantastic organic grass-fed meats if you’re really lucky. For a foodie like me it is absolute nirvana…a perfect state of peace, not the ‘90s Seattle grunge band!

Yet on my treks to various markets recently, I’ve noticed one thing that often could use some extra pizzazz – the signs many of these small businesses use to market their farm-fresh goodies. Whether you’re selling homemade crafts, grass-fed brisket or the oh-so-delectable banana-pineapple-macadamia nut salsa I can never resist, the signs you use to advertise your business and set you apart from the other vendors selling similar wares are critical! ...read more

We’ve written before about the importance of building a strong personal brand and professional image for yourself – and if we haven’t made it clear yet, we think it’s very important!  But obviously branding is an enormously important issue for businesses, too. Building a consistent brand image can make a business of any size stand out from the crowd.

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Building business – whether you’re a large, established company or an up-and-comer just starting out – almost always comes down to relationships. Fostering and growing strong relationships with customers, key opinion-makers, industry leaders, important officials and the like can help a business thrive in good times and bad. 

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Being a former manager of a FedEx Office center, I can tell you that the team members working behind the counters really know small businesses. And not just because our company once was a small business (did you know the first Kinko’s was just one copy machine located on the sidewalk next to a taco stand in California?). No, it’s because small businesses are in our centers each and every day, working with team members to find the solutions that help them build business. And for the last three years we’ve done a nationwide survey of entrepreneurs just like them to see how they’re feeling about things – their business, their customers, the economy and more. 

This year, the results told us that things are looking up for small businesses…that they feel poised to help drive the U.S. economy out of its rut. I thought that was great news, and definitely worth spreading the word about! ...read more

You might remember a post from fellow Out of Office blogger Adam a little while back, where he mentioned that his mom used to run a daycare center out of her home. When she wanted to bring more business in to the center, she would ramp up her marketing efforts with brochures or postcards. Like many small business owners, Adam’s mom understood the importance of having her marketing materials professionally printed so they would create a good first impression with current and prospective customers. She also knew how important it was to keep her style consistent across everything she made, building her brand with each flyer she distributed or business card she handed out. 

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One of my favorite local cafés here in Dallas keeps me coming back for more with frightening regularity. It might be that the food and coffee is awesome when I’m in need of a quick pick-me-up, but I’m sure it also has something to do with the “buy five coffees, get one free” loyalty card they stamp for me every time I visit. And while there are certainly plenty of other eateries in the area I could visit, that one free meal sure is a good incentive to keep coming back to this one. And with that one simple punch card – and some great food – this café has built a seriously devoted, repeat customer.

So why aren’t more businesses doing it? Good question, I thought. And while I really don’t have the answer to it, I do know that these cards are just as easy to make as business cards. In fact, for most businesses I’ve seen use them, the cards double as both.  ...read more

Some years ago, my mom ran a home daycare out of her house. She really enjoyed working with kids and opening her home to them. She was not, however, great at marketing her business. She did everything by word of mouth. Though, occasionally she would try out some brochures and postcards to help drive business. Since I worked for FedEx Office (Kinko’s at the time), she was always asking for my help to make them look “nicer.” 

Don’t get me wrong I can do just about anything in Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, but I have never fancied myself all that creative. Technically savvy? Yes, that’s me! But creative??? Umm…not so much. I recall I would spend a great deal of time just trying to decide what font to use. And I’m sure there are many budding entrepreneurs and small businesses that have or have had this same challenge at some point. ...read more

Riddle me this, small business owners: What stays in one place but moves all over? A promotional vehicle magnet, of course! With this mobile advertisement, you can keep your company name top of mind and get exposure as you drive each day. This type of signage can serve you in ways that static advertising can’t, so consider adding them to your marketing strategy to pique the interest of potential customers. 

The best part is that the magnets are removable, so you can change them out and replace as often as you like! Or, if your personal car doubles as your company car, you can remove them when you’re off the clock. Depending on your business, you could even do something seasonally or offer special discounts to customers who mention seeing the promotional magnet. ...read more

Recently, my cousin asked for help proofing a brochure she created, and as a student of journalism, I was happy to help. Upon first review, I noticed several layout and design elements that needed improvement. And that got me to thinking — I bet a lot of small businesses face the same issues. Making custom brochures is a surefire way to promote and grow your business, and with so many resources available, it has never been easier or more cost-effective.

The vast array of design and printing options available at retailers like FedEx Office and on the Internet give you more flexibility than ever to create professional brochures in no time. You can choose bi-fold, tri-fold, full-color, black and white, glossy finish, premium papers, colored papers…the list goes on and on. If you prefer to produce them yourself, check out the Web and Microsoft Word for free templates to get you started. 

Following are some tips I gathered to help our small business readers create a captivating brochure:  ...read more

You may have seen our new FedEx Office TV spot where a business guy asks his colleagues “who is our best presentation guy?” and someone calls out “Carl!” Carl then turns out to be a whiz at CREATING presentations, but not the best at GIVING presentations, as the audience finds out. It’s a funny TV ad, and it also demonstrates how difficult presentations can be sometimes. 

We see a lot of presentation documents printed in our centers, and we’ve gathered some tips for how to put your best foot forward with your printed presentations. ...read more