Contact:  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Phone: October 14, 2011

WHEN IT RAINS, IT POURS!

Spokane and Coeur d’Alene marketing company, Rainmaker Creative, has added some fresh talent to their staff.  Alexis Roizen has taken on the role of Visual Communication Designer for the company, which caters exclusively to small businesses in the region.  “I came from art,” Roizen laughs, describing growing up in the Silver Valley with a professional painter as a mother.  

As a University of Idaho student, she combined her inherent love of graphic design with a degree in Public Relations.  Since those early days, she has freelanced as a graphic artist while also running a successful start-up business with her sister.  The two design products for the iPad, including apps and illustrated ebooks.  

Roizen is especially excited about her role at Rainmaker because she is intrigued by the branding process.  “I love starting with the logo and being a part of how the entire brand develops from start to finish.”  Of course, the work hard/play hard attitude of the Rainmaker crew didn’t hurt, either.  “After the initial interview, I realized we had the same personality.”

Since completing her degree, Alexis worked as a Senior Graphic Designer at Coeur d’Alene’s IMGX Kreative.  She has also completed a year of a Master’s Degree with the Academy of Art University.

The addition of Alexis Roizen is just one in a series of growth and expansion activities that have recently taken place at Rainmaker Creative.  This summer they moved to a larger, urban space in historic Downtown Spokane and have been actively growing their customer base, which includes small businesses and nonprofits such as Liquid Transformations, Nectar Tasting Room, Because there is Hope, and Hissong Hurtado Design Group.  

For more information, contact Rainmaker’s Creative Director Billie Gaura at 509.499.3399

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Most businesses focus on branding to an external audience. The brand strategy includes the all the elements of your business that you want to resonate with your potential customers or clients. From your name to your promises to your position in the marketplace, your brand is a reflection of your business. Continuity, consistency and clarity are essential.  

Be authentic: The brand culture is derived from the top down. It must be pervasive throughout the organization. Culture is like tradition-you don’t want to mess with it. If you have a philosophy, traits and talents that are valued by employees and customers, leverage these in all your communication. People, results and culture are stronger selling points than price and variety (particularly when the playing field is fairly level). 

Be strong: Confidence is powerful in your business and the culture you create. Wishy-washy actions dilute your approach and create confusion. Take a stand and stick with your strategy. Your clients will expect that stellar level of confidence with every project and every bit of advice.   

Finding the fit: One size does not fit all clients. Some clients prefer whiz bang and others prefer a more traditional approach. Your culture (evident through your employees) needs to be reflected in your approach to working with clients. You cannot be something you are not; find the clients who value your culture. 

A larger brand community: Your brand community includes values, insights, feedback, recognition and results. Share your successes, observe client reactions and listen carefully to their feedback about whether that is something they value too. 

Now more than ever the concept of keeping existing customers happy is important. Although some customers may be buying less or using fewer of your services, it is good for both of you to have each other. 

Research indicates that it can cost you eight times as much to gain a new unknown client as it does to keep your existing or gain newly referred clients.

Now is the perfect time to create a plan to keep your clients close to you. 

Identify key clients who provide you with 1) the largest portion of your revenue 2) are growing or diversifying 3) value your expertise 4) are fun to work with.

Earmark resources to work with these clients. Your firm needs to have a “client retention specialist” whose job is to make sure that your clients know how much you value them and to make sure you are delivering beyond expectations. Customers that know you appreciate them will pay more for your product or service and they will remain loyal. Caution: don’t try to upsell; just be fabulous and make your client’s success the priority.

Connect with clients and have some fun. All work and no play makes it all a grind. Clients want to work with people who enjoy what they do. Have fun and be positive. Your clients will love you for it and you will be seen as the person who has the dream job!

It just makes sense!

Businesses that leverage the five senses have an edge. Savvy marketers will feed you their brand through your senses (and we’re not just talking about restaurants). We all have a dominant sense; A friend of mine is most influenced by smell. Every time she drives past a bread outlet, even if she doesn't need any bread products, she'll involuntarily pull in and buy something … anything! Likewise, if she smells rotten anything I’m gone for good! 

Sight: Invite customers to take their time absorbing the environment with colorful and pleasing visuals and a welcoming ambiance. Eye catching displays and lighting can make an great impression. If an online visual is compelling enough, your visitor should almost be able to smell it (smell-o-vision)

Smell: Pleasant aromas draw people closer. The smell(s) associated with your business should be interesting and exceed expectations, but never stop your customer dead in their tracks 

Taste: Sometimes you can taste something from a smell (smell often enhances taste) but nothing can match the savoring sensation of a well tasted item. From chocolate to flavored lip balm to a perfectly prepared meal, a tasty morsel brings personal, and often intimate, delight to the recipient  

Sound: Music, water, traffic or conversational noise can be the difference between a hit and run customer and one who lingers, touches, smells and contemplates more, more, more! 

Touch: Very few places forbid touching. If you want someone to buy it, taste it or simply try it, let them touch the merchandise. Of course noses to glass is always a challenge to clean up after!

Hire a professional to package it all up for your business and your customers. Leverage the senses in all your marketing material and deliver on the promise. Caution: be prepared to be overwhelmed by the results! 

At Rainmaker Marketing, we offer our clients a huge selection of promotional products.  They can pick and choose from our resources to determine what promotional products they want to embellish with their branding.  Some of the items we have available are common and “boring,” while others are very unique and exciting.  How do you know which promotional products are the most effective, though?
There are a few guidelines to follow when choosing the right promotional products for your business.

• Choose something people will actually use.  Sure, a coffee cup with your company’s logo might not seem very flashy or exciting, but if your client is picking it up day after day for his morning cup of joe, you’re going to make an impression.  Meanwhile, I flashing button worn one day at a trade show will likely be tossed into a drawer or even thrown away, meaning you’re not getting your name in front of anyone!
• Brand the products appropriately.  Are your logo colors blue and white?  If so, then embrace that when you purchase promotional products.  It all plays back into your brand.  The whole purpose of these items is to cement your brand and name in the client’s mind, after all.  Go with professionally designed branding and make the most of the opportunity.
• Choose high-quality promotional products.  Pens can be a cheap source of advertisement, but CHEAP pens don’t make anyone look good.  Read the reviews and make sure you are passing out promotional products that aren’t going to make you look bad when they clog, break, or leak all over your client’s shirt.

The field of promotional products has really exploded in the past several years.  You’ll be amazed at all of the useful products available for branding.  All you need to do is choose the right one for your target market.

Have you ever called a place of business and had the person on the other end simply answer with “hello?”  It’s jarring and surprising and usually leads you to ask if you’ve called the wrong number.

The reason for this is that we expect businesses to employ different phone etiquette than our best friend.  Using the appropriate business phone etiquette makes you come across much more professionally and is a lot less likely to annoy your potential customers.

Here are  ten things to keep in mind:

1. Always answer the phone pleasantly, and include the name of the business in your greeting.
2. Don’t allow the phone to continue to ring.  If you can’t get there within the first three rings, it is probably better for the caller to go to voicemail, as you’re too busy to give him or her the appropriate attention anyway.
3. Check voicemail regularly, and return calls right away.  If you don’t the caller may just find someone else to answer her question or sell her a product.
4. When taking a message, ask the caller if they’d prefer you write it down or send them to voice mail.  If you are writing the message down, read the number back to ensure the call will be returned.
5. Ask permission before placing the caller on hold.  If you continue to be busy, return to the caller and ask if they prefer to continue to hold or if it is preferable for you to call them back.  Don’t expect them to call you again; it’s your job to return the call.
6. If you receive personal calls at work, discontinue them when customers are present.  It is highly unprofessional and will turn people off.
7. Do not make business calls to customers early in the morning.  
8. Avoid eating or chewing gum while on the phone.  The person on the other end can hear it and will feel like they are imposing you with their call.
9. If you are rushed, the person on the other end of the phone should not know it.  If you are just too busy to take the call, it is OK to say that you can’t give their matter your full attention, and request to call them back.  This is preferable to rushing them through the call because you have other things you need to do.
10. If you must deal with an unhappy customer on the phone, do it out of earshot of those who might be in your place of business. 

Being pleasant, helpful, and attentive on the phone will make your business look so much more professional, in addition to being more productive.

Getting your business card is pretty much a rite of passage for any small business owner.  You may be itching to give it out to anyone and everyone you can.  That’s certainly a fun approach, but there’s an art to the business card.  In this article, we’re looking at how you can use other people’s cards to grow your own business.

Most businesses can benefit from connections with other businesses.  You may find a new vendor who can give you a great discount, a company that could carry your line of products, or even an individual who would benefit from contracting your services.  Business cards are a great way to get their information and to stay in touch.

People love to be asked for their business card.  After engaging in conversation for a while, go ahead and ask for one.  Oftentimes, the person will respond in kind, and you’ve now hit their radar screen, as well.  Thank them for the card and look it over.  Make sure all of their contact information is included.  If you really like their card, logo, etc., make a point to tell them.  People are generally pretty proud of their branding, and noticing will make them like you all the more!  

Ask the person for permission to contact them.  You could easily assume that they are open to your calls, since they gave you the card, but professional courtesy dictates that you should still ask for permission.  After looking at the card and asking any pertinent questions, put it into a card holder or wallet.  Just sticking it in your pocket or purse will look far less professional.  In some cultures, there are very strict rules about how to handle a business card, but Americans aren’t usually quite that formal.

When you get home or to the office, file the card.  Make any notes that might be helpful when contacting the person in the future: where you met, what you talked about, important mutual friends, etc.  This will allow you to sound knowledgeable and friendly when you call, as well as to remind the other person of who you are.

If the person has done something for you, such as set you up with a contact or insinuated that they may be interested in doing business with you, it’s a good idea to follow up with a hand-written note card within 24-48 hours.  This shows your professionalism, work ethic, and enthusiasm.

Oh, and you’ll want to include YOUR business card in the note.

If you’re asking “Do I need a business plan…?” It’s likely that you do.  These documents help entrepreneurs set the course for their business ventures.  In fact, research is showing that those who write a business plan ahead of time are two-and-a-half times more likely to actually start their business.  In writing a business plan, you have to consider things like who will be on your team, where you will get funding, how to market your product or service, what competition you will face, and more.  This prepares the business start-up rather than allowing everything to take them by surprise.

Speaking of funding…If you’re looking for outside funding for your business, you are really going to need a business plan.  Most banks, for example, will not even consider giving you a loan until they have this document in their hot little hands.  The me is true for venture capitalists, investors, and even grant funding.  All of these potential funders want to see that you have thoroughly thought through your business approach and have the best possible chance of using their money wisely.

Unfortunately, most entrepreneurs are more than happy to skip this step.  They are intimidated by the very thought of doing all the research and writing involved in creating a business plan.  Even those that have already started their businesses and know they need a plan to foster growth or reach goals are still hesitant to jump in and try to write their own.

Our clients actually have the option of working with professional marketers and writers to put together both a business plan and a marketing plan that are tailored specifically to their organization.  If you’re working with a marketing company, you may want to see if they offer this service.  If not, there are business plan writing tutorials online or even classes you can take.

No matter what the approach, putting together (and following) your business plan makes good sense.

Are You Wasting Money on Your Advertising? How Would You Know?

With everyone watching their pennies so closely these days, its time for us to pull our heads out of the sand when it comes to the effectiveness of our ad campaigns. If something isn't working, you need to know ASAP so that you can tweak it, overhaul it, or simply pull the plug.

The most obvious way to measure an ad campaigns success is through increased business, right? It makes sense, after all, that if you put dollars into a print, television, or other kind of ad, it should translate into an increase in dollars into your wallet. We’re so set on this idea, in fact, that many small business owners don't even bother to make sure that they're actually getting positive results.
Instead of crossing your fingers and hoping for the best, it's time to collect the data and find out what is working and what isn't. While it may seem like more work at first, the fact is that it will pay off in improved visibility and sales. So, how can you be sure you are getting the right response to your ad campaigns?

1. Test them out. Big companies do test campaigns all the time because they know that its pointless to pour millions of dollars into an ad that isn't going to work. Test your ad out in one or two smaller places to gauge its response before going full-scale. In fact, you may want to try multiple ads in different places to see which one gets the best response rate.
2. Measure response. This can be tricky, depending on the type of advertising you've chosen. If you're selling something online, for example, it will be pretty clear if someone has clicked through and purchased the product. You may be able to measure the return on a print ad by including a coupon. If tons of people are bringing the coupon in, then you're obviously having some success. Even something as simple as asking a new customer, How did you hear about us? Can give you a lot of information.
3. Be proactive. Many of our clients use the STORM email system for target marketing. One of the reasons we offer this particular system is because it captures a huge amount of data regarding how the recipient used the email. Did he or she click on an offer but not make a purchase? How much time do customers typically spend reading the email? If you've tried different versions, which one is getting the best response?

Testing and measuring does add a bit of work to your end of a campaign, but it is well worth the time and effort when you know that you are putting out the most effective ads that will bring business in the door.

Are You Using Testimonials to Increase Business?

Are You Using Testimonials to Increase Business?
Everyone knows that word-of-mouth is one of most powerful marketing strategies out there. But, how do you go about making sure that you are reaping the benefits? Consider asking your existing customers for testimonials.

Testimonials can take several forms, from a brief quote that says “We just love what your small business has done for us,” to a full-on letter that sings the praises of your product or service. Asking for testimonials can be a little intimidating at first, so follow these steps to get started.

1. Be the best at what you do. In order to get stellar recommendations, you have to offer great products and services. Make sure that what your customers receive goes above and beyond their expectations, and you’ll find that they will be happy to endorse you. Remember, it’s not just what you sell. Customer service plays a huge role in client satisfaction, so give it your all, and it will pay off in both return business and new prospects.
2. Ask! While you will sometimes receive unsolicited testimonials in the form of positive feedback or thank you notes, this isn’t necessarily the most reliable way to collect comments that you can use. Instead, make a point to ask your customers if they’d be willing to write up a little piece on their experience working with your small business.
3. Make it easy on them. To really get the ball rolling, you can ask clients directly, but you may also want to encourage them to use your websites contact form. In other cases, a nice hand-written message, complete with return postage may be just the ticket to getting a response. Many of our clients use the STORM email system to conveniently collect testimonials and other helpful client data.
4. Get permission. Testimonials are more credible when they can be attributed to a real customer. Make sure that you have your clients permission to use the testimonial, and ask if it is okay to include their full name, location (city and state), and their company name.

You may find that its helpful to give the customer an idea of how to create the testimonial, saying things like, It would be great if you could talk about how XYZ product made a difference in your business, or we'd love for you to talk about how you got great quality at a low price. When you do receive a testimonial, you are not obligated to use it. If it’s poorly written or does not necessarily show your small business in the light you were hoping, it is acceptable to file it for future use while focusing on other testimonials that are more in line with your goals.