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... companies try to deter fraud by printing their own checks, payroll check frau...nal MICR algorithm features, specialty inks (including hard to reproduce colors), colorshifting inks, and ultraviolet inks. And they'll have multiple feature...

... to key audiences. If done well - think of names like BMW, The Gap, AOL, AT&am...cy in their branding, but the metallic ink increased their letterhead costs co...

...'He wrote the letter with invisible ink from his camouflage pen.' Memorable ma...tomers to come to your agency, or to think of you when they need what you do, ...

... Web site? Great! Colorful graphics that seem to jump off the screen? Terrific! And the content? Uh-oh. Does your Web site feature your company profile? Statistics on your industry? New product information and the best use for those products? An easily accessible company contact? A Web site can be a great way to get your message out to reporters and editors in the broadcast and print media. It can, that is, if your message is articulate and additional information easy to get. After all, journalists should be counted among your customers and prospects. Their mention of your company or product in one publication or television or radio program is like a customer telling thousands of friends. You need to understand that the media is not a monolith. Publications and broadcast outlets look ... gold. If you can't reach them directly, call the publication-most likely they'll give you a writer's number or leave a message from you. Don't let a single piece of paper leave your office without your Web address on it. Put it on your letterhead and mailings. If you have a newsletter, make sure each issue mentions your Web site and a summary of its latest update. Getting some ink or air time isn't a matter of being lucky or catching a break. Give journalists a reason to visit your Web site and provide them with easy navigation when they arrive, and you'll create a valuable resource for yourself-journalists may wonder how they survived so long without you. Michael Maynard is Public Relations Manager for Graham Communications, a marketing services and sales consulting firm founded in 1976. He can ...

...e, glues, greases, industrial oils, inks, insecticides, herbicides, janitorial...andle it with care 1. Do not eat, drink, or smoke in areas where hazardous ...

...ity of change. In other words, we think in terms of 'keeping ahead,' but our e...s on the color of the envelope and the ink. Reader's Digest and others recomme...

...der who watches helplessly as they sink, and miss out on a valuable chance for...ry of its latest update. Getting some ink or air time isn't a matter of being...

...inch artist's vellum, and a pen-and-ink drawing illustrated each line of fine ...and then drew over the pencil lines in ink. The only thing she changed were th...

... , a simple three-letter pin has come to express a company's philosophy- and the company's name doesn't even appear on it! 4. Use the promotional product to get attention. Cutting through all the clutter and getting the customer's attention is the key to marketing today. If used correctly, promotional products can make the difference between dull and innovative. A financial services company had spent millions of dollars in print advertising in an unsuccessful attempt to get the attention of companies relocating to areas where the firm had offices. The company's ad agency came up with another approach which was highly focused and aimed at just six people-the key executives of an international firm. Each one received a $400 leather briefcase filled with an exciting array of executive gifts and pertinent information about the company and the area. The briefcases ... a year later, people are still talking about the camouflage pens. The mailing was memorable. As an aside, the president of the company that mailed the pens opened an envelope one day from someone who had received a pen. But the sheet of letterhead inside was blank. So he called the prospect. Instantly, the prospect's secretary began laughing, stating, He wrote the letter with invisible ink from his camouflage pen. Memorable makes the difference. When that particular prospect became a client, the agreement was signed with real ink. The purpose of a promotional product is to actually promote the company and its products and services. In the final analysis, it isn't the product that has the power; it's the impact of the gift on the recipient. Whether it's persuading customers to come to ...

... videotape, or it may not. Although all of these variations have proven viable, the first goal of direct mail is to get it opened. Commonly accepted rules are that imprinted envelopes are better than address stickers. Personalization is better than occupant. Stamps are better than metered mail. Some experts even focus on the color of the envelope and the ink. Reader's Digest and others recommend that enticements be printed on the envelope to encourage the opening. Huey suggests that a combination of the relatively new infomercials' and direct mail can be extremely effective. For most agencies and brokers, the cost of producing an infomercial is prohibitive at first glance. However, many local cable companies will work with you in producing a low-budget infomercial or in providing public-access time. Either way, aligning a direct-mail package with ... a gimmick, a gift, an audiotape, or videotape, or it may not. Although all of these variations have proven viable, the first goal of direct mail is to get it opened. Commonly accepted rules are that imprinted envelopes are better than address stickers. Personalization is better than occupant. Stamps are better than metered mail. Some experts even focus on the color of the envelope and the ink. Reader's Digest and others recommend that enticements be printed on the envelope to encourage the opening. Huey suggests that a combination of the relatively new infomercials' and direct mail can be extremely effective. For most agencies and brokers, the cost of producing an infomercial is prohibitive at first glance. However, many local cable companies will work with you in producing a low-budget infomercial or in providing public-access ...