Help Me Design My First Postcard Mailing

Publicity, Starting Out

I am a new business who is on a tight budget. I am considering postcards as a cost friendly way for me to start marketing. I create cakes made from towels, diapers and other cloth items and decorate them with things that the receiver can use. This is very much like a gift basket. I am trying to target new business and have no idea what type of wording to put on my postcard to grab peoples attention. These gifts can be given for any occasion, but are especially beautiful for baby and bridal showers. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

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Jay’s Answer: The problem with a single postcard mailing is that the recipients are unlikely to suddenly think, “That’s just the gift I’m looking for!” Since you’re offering something best tied in to certain life events, target the organizations that people go to first: baby stores, party stores, florists, etc. Work with your local organizations to start with. If you don’t already have a website, create one. That’ll help people looking for these gifts as well.

Business With Passion: Synergy

Videos

Trailer:

Episode theme: People who created businesses as a “synergy” of their individual talents.

Three Stone Hearth is a worker-owned community supported kitchen (CSK). It offers nutrient dense foods to homes and families around the San Francisco Bay Area. The founding worker/owners are: Porsche Combash, Misa Koketsu, Jessica Prentice, Catherine Spanger, and Larry Wisch.

Website: Three Stone Hearth
Address: 1581 University Avenue in Berkeley, CA 94703
Phone: (510) 981-1334

Having met in the late ’80s through the improv company Bay Area Theatresports (now BATS Improv), 3 For All (Rafe Chase, Stephen Kearin and Tim Orr) formed an ensemble in the summer of 1996 to pursue their distinctive brand of high-stakes theatrical improvisation. 3 For All regularly plays to sold-out houses and rave audience reviews in the San Francisco Bay Area. They’ve enjoyed equal success in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Austin, and Amsterdam.

Website: 3 For All

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New Name For My Website That Suits My Jewelry

Names + Taglines

My current name is Shine Charms & Jewellery but I am not happy with this name as it doesn’t represent what my jewellery is like. I am looking for a catchy name that goes with the fun and cute style of jewellery I make. You can see pics of my jewellery on my website shinecharms.com to get an idea of what kind of thing I am looking for.
All the names I have picked so far have been taken and I have hit a wall on ideas.

My jewellery is aimed at people of all ages unlike what the previous response suggests 99% of my jewellery sales are made by and for adults. I have sold my jewellery worldwide so no location barriers either. The jewellery would be for woman. I would hope that the jewellery is handmade would appeal to people and that it is fun and quirky (maybe kawaii) all this style of jewellery seems to be becoming very popular at the moment as is selling really well. The majority of my items are unique as they are designed and handmade by myself which would also add to the appeal factor. I sold quite a few pieces just before Christmas as small gifts as people said they were good as no one else would have them. The type of names I have got so far were:

SweetBoutique (taken)
SweetTreats (taken)
CandyCouture (taken)
MySweetKawaii (but not sure if everyone knows what Kawaii is)

Also, do you think it matters if the website is a .com .org .net etc?

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Jay’s Answer: Kawaii wasn’t a name I was familiar with until I visited your website. In fact, you might consider defining the name for people that visit your site.

If you like using Kawaii in your name, these are available:

  • HandmadeKawaii.com
  • KawaiiTreats.com
  • KawaiiBoutique.com

These domains are also available, but with names in a different direction…

  • WearYourCalories.com
  • CrumbFree.com

Thanks for your help there are some good suggestions there I will look into.
You have been a real help. Thank you

A .com is generally the assumed suffix for businesses. If you can’t get a .com, go for a .net. But really try for a .com first to avoid domain name confusion (if someone remembers your domain name, but not your suffix, you don’t want them visiting your competitor’s website). .org is generally used for not-for-profit businesses

Seeking Eco Tagline For Student/Business Venture

Names + Taglines

We are developing an innovative project where local High School students partner with local businesses to clean up the community. This includes everything from looking at what is dumped into the land fills, better recycling methods, planting a community garden. We are looking for a short tagline which highlights both the businesses and students WORKING TOGETHER to help the environment – and the community, be healthier.

So far we have: “Making the world a cleaner (or more sustainable) place one school to business connection at a time.”

That covers it – but is too long and not exactly catchy/cool enough to attract high schoolers. We really hope many local businesses will sign on as it’s great PR in a middle sized community for the business. We want to emphasize the connection between students & business.

Students will be drawing up a poster showing kids and business working together cleaning things up – but we want a fun and short tagline below it – might even be put it on a t-shirt.

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Jay’s Answer:

  • School & Business Eco Cooperative
  • Eco Interns
  • Growing Local Eco Heroes

A New Packaging Idea For Bath & Body Products

Products

I have a small start-up bath and body company (not yet selling products).  I am in the design and packaging phase of the business plan and I am trying to come up with methods of adding value to my product via the packaging.  The packaging itself is very attractive (I’ve surveyed various women) and my USP (unique selling position) is that I will be creating products using various exotic ingredients.  I was thinking about adding hang-tags to my bottles with interesting facts about health/beauty related issues. (i.e. – When overwhelmed, close your eyes, touch the tips of your thumbs to that of the index fingers and inhale and exhale deeply. The breathing harmonizes blood pressure and concentration while the hand gesture conserves energy.)  I know that you probably need to know a lot more about my company but what do you think of the idea?

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Jay’s Answer: It sounds like an idea worth testing with your target market.

How To Sell Vanity Mobile Numbers?

Publicity

I work with a Telecom Service Provider who is launching their services very soon in the market. We have received a list of Vanity/Fancy Mobile Numbers that are available for us to use to create some impact – in terms of revenue, subscriber growth or even PR/Goodwill. Could you give me some Out-of-the-Box suggestions on how to use these numbers?

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Jay’s Answer: Have a nationwide contest. People write an essay on why their company or non-profit should get these numbers (publish them for all to see). The winner gets not only the numbers but also free telecom for a year. Nationwide voting will follow based on your selection of the top entries. You could also charge a nominal fee for entrants, with 100% of the monies raised going to a specific charity.

How Can I Sell My Tagline Ideas?

Names + Taglines, Starting Out

I have some tag-lines for various products, how can i sell the tag-lines to that companies ?

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Jay’s Answer: The short answer is, you can’t sell the tag lines unless the companies have publicly expressed a desire for them. If you have a desire to work for the company that makes the products, then your best bet is to meet with their director of marketing and present your tag lines to them (for free) as part of a job interview.

The problem you’ll face is that a company has no way of knowing if your tagline is any better than theirs (or even if they need one) until they evaluate it. And evaluating it costs money and takes time. Unless you’ve done focus tests, marketing surveys of both potential and existing clients, SEO analysis, etc. you have no proof that your taglines are valuable to them.

Finally, a tagline needs to focus on a key benefit of their problem. Do you deeply understand the product and the mindset of the audience? Do you know what works It’ll take to convert someone with little interest into someone who’s curious about evaluating the products?

Business With Passion: Startup Financing

Videos

Trailer:

Episode theme: Business owners whose companies were launched with well planned financing.

Karen Behnke has enjoyed a long and successful entrepreneurial career in the Healthy Lifestyles sector of business. Her consistent goal is to equally marry her passion for helping people enjoy healthier lifestyles with her skill at building financially successful businesses that are mission driven. Karen’s latest endeavor is Juice Beauty, an Organic eco-chic beauty products company.

Website: Juice Beauty
Address: 711 Grand Avenue, Suite 290 / San Rafael, CA / 94901
Phone: (415) 457-4600

Shahram Bijan entered the restaurant business with a commitment to customer service and a background in the software business. Forced to flee war-torn Iran in 1987 at the age of eight, he had already created and sold two successful Internet companies by the time he was 25, when he acquired First Crush in San Francisco in 2002. He now also operates two successful Toast locations (Mill Valley and Novato).

Website: www.ToastNovato.com
Address: 5800 Nave Drive, Novato, CA 94949
Phone: (415) 382-1144

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Name My Soon-To-Be-Famous Cafe

Names + Taglines, Starting Out

I need to start an bakery style & coffee selling outlets kindly get me an unique name which can attract the public easily.

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Jay’s Answer: “Free Coffee”

No matter what names I suggest, there’s no one magical name that’ll do what you want. The first time someone sees the new name they may understand it’s a coffee outlet, but not until they try your offerings and love them (price/quality) will you begin to get a following.

Also, names matter based on where you are in the world, who you’re trying to attract (anyone who drinks coffee? women? college students?), what makes your coffee unique (organic? shade-grown? hand-picked? specially roasted? 10% profits go to orphanages?), etc.

How Can I Brand My Business?

Starting Out

I am a fresh graduate in Marketing and doing a project for a traditional business firm(A trade House) who wants to convert itself into a brand. The company holds itself into the region for the past 3 decades and now wants to reposition itself into a corporate house. Need your valuable guidance/ suggestions on how should I proceed about it and what all things should be kept in mind while starting the branding exercise?

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Jay’s Answer: If you already have a perception, build on it. Give it a voice, a name, a look. While you can create these things without a perception, it’s unlikely to stick because not enough people believe them. Since you have 30+ years of experience, you have enough stories of how you’ve helped people and improved their lives. Take the stories and evolve them into a statement/brand. To teach your new brand, everything your organization does need to revolve around the brand – advertising materials, answering the phone, business cards, emails, etc.