What I've Learned About Picture Plus

I'm an early adopter. Always have been and, in spite of my advancing years, apparently always will be.

One of the problems an early adopter frequently encounters is "outrunning your headlights." In other words, moving more quickly than your ability to see where your motion is taking you.

Such was the case with me and the new Picture Plus feature from SendOutCards. I loved what I saw and jumped in with both feet without taking the time to fully understand how the system works and how it is intended to be used.

Unlike most SOC users, I send mostly custom cards that I create on my Macintosh in PhotoShop and Fireworks. And virtually all of my cards have custom graphics on both the outside and inside panels. Most importantly, I send large quantities of cards in campaigns, usually 100 or more cards at a shot.

When I heard about PicturePlus I thought it was the perfect tool for me to be able to create custom cards and add them to my catalog quickly and inexpensively.

What I didn't take the time to learn first was that 1) Picture Plus only allows you to add a picture to the front of the card and 2) Picture Plus cards cost one extra point each.

At 31 cents per point, any mailing I send of 33 cards or more would be more cost effectively done by paying the $10 to have SOC's design department add the card to my catalog for me. They are very fast and very helpful - but not available after regular business hours.

So I've outrun my headlights once again. It's doubtful that I'll learn from this experience and slow my Mustang down the next time I come across something that gets me as excited as Picture Plus did.

At least I now know the whole story and understand that Picture Plus is a wonderful application - for people who are sending single cards with special photos on them to important friends, family members, customers and prospects.

SOC for Public Speakers

Professional speakers inhabit a very competitive world. While outsiders may view the work as "easy" and perhaps even "glamorous," it is in fact very difficult, requiring levels of prepartion and marketing well beyond what most people realize.

There are a finite number of meeting planners and speakers' bureaus but a seemingly ever-growing number of speakers competing for their attention. Speakers must find innovative ways to differentiate themselves from their competition and stay top-of-mind with their target audiences without making a nuisance of themselves.

One way I do that is through SendOutCards. Every time I am scheduled to present, I send a postcard with all the details to a targeted list of recipients which includes all of the meeting planners and bureaus I am promoting myself to.

It's a very light touch that let's them know I'm out there speaking and that I actively participate in the marketing of all of my appearances. The best part is that, through SendOutCards, I am able to send personalized color postcards to this VIP list for only 70 cents each including postage! If you throw in the ease and convenience of the process this is an absolute steal!

Click on the headline above to see a postcard I recently sent out announcing my upcoming presentation on The Customer Factory marketing model. Do you know any professional speakers who should be using SendOutCards to promote themselves? If you know one who isn't, you know one who should be.

Customer Factory Presentation at The Business Building Trade Show

I'm pleased to announce that I will be presenting at the Business Building Trade Show being held at the Hilton Springfield (Virginia), Friday September 22, 2006. The trade show runs from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and my 45-minute presentation starts at 3:00 p.m.

I'll be teaching The Customer Factory marketing model, explaining my Four Simple Steps to Lasting Business Success to Northern Virginia entrepreneurs and showing them how they can apply this powerful formula to their own businesses to create dependable sales growth for years to come.

The Customer Factory uses the illustration of an assembly-line factory to describe the fundamentals of marketing success in just four easily comprehended steps.

Those Four Simple Steps to Lasting Business Success are:

1. Design Your Customer

2. Pick Your Production Line

3. Tool It Up

4. Turn It On

I hope to see you in Springfield on the 22nd. If you have any questions about the presentation please call me at 703-401-3170.

Click on the headline at the top of this posting for directions to the Business Building Trade Show.