MI Printing Special: 15% Off Custom Carbonless Forms

15% Off Custom Carbonless Forms. Please let us know what type of padding you expect for your forms. For best results a PDF file is required for the customer supplied artwork. Please refer to this ad when calling. Offer expires February 28, 2014.

At MI Printing we can take care of all of your carbonless needs far beyond just carbonless forms.  These can be used for employment applications, order forms, job tickets, invoices, estimates or proposals. If needed, backside printing is available.

Need to know more about all the uses for carbonless forms contact us at MI Printing. 

We are ready to help just give us a call at 623.582.1302 for our current special pricing on carbonless forms.

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Phone: 623.582.1302
Email: sales@printinginaz.com
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MI Printing Has Your Marketing Mayhem Solutions

We all know that the objectives behind printed marketing material is to capture the attention of potential customers and then inform them of your unique business advantages.

If the design of your marketing materials are dated or uninspiring, they won’t do much for your business.  Also, if it looks like it was printed on a paper napkin, what impression will that leave with your potential buyer?  At MI Printing we can create professional, eye-catching designs for your business. We use the right state-of-the-art equipment and the best quality paper needed for your print job.

From design through print, Digital or Offset, we will work with your business, to help you reach your goals. Since 1978 the folks at, Phoenix Metro Area based MI Printing have focused on improving the bottom line for our clients through printed marketing materials.

Strategic marketing solutions are the art and science that you can use to connect your business with your target audience and customer base, both real and potential. You can learn to apply this marketing mayhem through effective and varied and different forms of media communication.  Working in partnership with our customers we help them determine a strategy that suits their business requirements and implement it with innovation, energy and a clear emphasis on your target audience.

Mayhem Marketing combines a strategic process with creative resources which accompanied by careful planning allows companies to develop their corporate collateral, merchandise programs, marketing strategy and tactical options effectively. Your marketing goal should be to capture and then enhance the energy and essence of your brand as it directly relates to your real target audience. In short learn to tell a good (or even great) story. Remember your business is only as good as your own best boast.

Mayhem Marketing’s first goal is to achieve the holy grail of marketing… “First, You Must Get Their Attention.” The old time circuses knew that if you walk an elephant down main-street with an advertising sign draped over its back you would get people to talk about your up coming show.

While it might not be practical for your business to hire an elephant to get your message across what can you do to achieve the same effect. You need to get your message out you must put your marketing message in front of as many people as possible and make sure your message is very memorable and do that task as often as you possible can.

The last time you had business cards printed how many did you have printed? The bigger and more important question is how long ago was that and how many of those little advertisements do you have left? Why aren’t you handing out more business cards every day? You must take your business elephant for a walk every day!

Give MI Printing a try to work on your very next business printing project.  Give us a call at 623.582.1302 and let’s talk. Local printing has many advantages, find out what they are! Our response to tight deadlines are just the beginning.

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Phone: 623.582.1302
Email: sales@printinginaz.com
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Made In The USA – Justin Carriage Works

We have spent some time warning about those folks that don’t update their business and have used the term Buggy Whip to mean a bit out of touch.  This week’s “Made In The U.S.A.” business feels right at home with the “Buggy Whip” and then some.

Herb Andler, founded Justin Carriage Works in Nashville, Michigan in 1974. Andler raised Morgan horses, the kind that pulled carriages back in the real horse-and-buggy days. One by one, he bought about a half-dozen vintage buggies and carriages for his horses, but he couldn't hang on to them. People kept saying, "I'll buy that horse if you sell me that buggy." Andler the entrepreneur got to thinking, quit his job at an auto plant, and hitched his future to horse carriages. His father thought he was crazy. "He just about came unglued," Andler says. "[He said,] 'What the hell is wrong with your head, boy? They don't use horse buggies anymore.' But fortunately, he lived long enough to see it grow into what it was, and he was pretty proud of me."

Andler now has 13 employees, and he struggles to keep up with orders for about 30 carriages per year. He's filled orders from Disney, parent company of ABCNEWS.com, and built models that ride through New York's Central Park. Currently, he's working on three chariots he will ship to New Orleans for singer Harry Connick Jr. "I've never been caught up," he says. "In fact, we're just getting ready to build some for Donald Trump out there at that casino" in Atlantic City.

"Probably the most rewarding thing about this business has been the people I've gotten to meet," he says.

Andler doesn't duplicate old-fashioned methods of production. Rather than making each carriage from scratch out of wood and lacquer, he builds rough wooden prototypes of custom orders, such as the Connick model, and then casts molds from which he can fabricate fiberglass parts. Afterward, the carriage can be mass-produced and becomes part of Andler's ever-expanding line.

His most popular models are his "Limited Edition" carriage and hearses. "Hearses are hot," he says. "Here's my logic for that: The people who are of dying age now are the people who were alive during the horse-and-buggy era."

So if you are looking for some “old time” craftsmanship this is a place to checkout.  Of course if you looking to hitch your horse to then by all means this is the right place.  They even have units you can tow behind your motorcycle. Their website deserves your looking at it very soon.

Location:  7615 South M-66 Nashville MI 49073 • 517 852 9743

Website:  http://www.buggy.com/

Do you want your business printing made in the U.S.A.?  Then please contact MI Printing and tell us about your printing needs.  We are ready to listen and help.

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MI Printing, LLC
Phone: 623.582.1302
Email: sales@printinginaz.com
http://printinginaz.com
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Tie Your Brand To The Olympics

Have you ever wondered what it costs to do an advertising tie in with the Olympics?
Every two years, the Olympics, one of the most beloved global events, rolls around, triggering a widespread stroke of patriotism and the unification of countries around the world. Since 1985 the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has published the Olympic Marketing Program, a list of sponsors who not only advertise for their individual brands, but publicize the Olympic logo brand as well.

The IOC grants the companies willing to pay millions of dollars the right to feature the Olympic name in their advertisements, just like a company pays a celebrity to appear in their ads in order to boost sales. The Olympic Partners, or the TOPs, are the top eleven worldwide sponsors who all together pay the IOC $957 million to use the Olympic name. One catch is that none of these sponsors can feature the name of their company inside the Olympic arena, including athlete’s clothing; however, they can use the Olympic name outside the stadium. Additionally, the sponsors only have marketing rights within their exclusive service category; for example, the Coca-Cola Company may only advertise using the Olympic rings within the category of non-alcoholic beverages.

There are also strict rules and penalties for doing ambush marketing and counterfeit merchandise made by the IOC in order to prevent companies that are not sponsors from using the Olympic name. The IOC then distributes 90% of the money to the organization within the Olympic movement, and the remaining 10% goes to the IOC to cover administrative and operational costs. This program not only provides the IOC with revenue to cover the costs of hosting the event, but it also provides the Olympic movement with free marketing. However, the question is if the deal is profitable for the sponsors.

With each sponsor paying nearly $100 million, the expected profit margin for the companies is pretty high. A representative from Proctor and Gamble (P&G) one of the TOP sponsors, has said they plan to generate around $500 million in additional sales because of their Olympic campaign.

Another sponsor named Atos, an information technology company, serves as the IT integrator of the games. By taking on a large project such as the Olympics, the company shows potential clients that they can handle any project thrown their way. There is also the aspect of associating the company’s name with a global event such as the Olympics. Research has shown that the public may perceive the company more positively, prompting consumers to buy more products from the company. Additionally, with a price tag so large, these sponsors make it more difficult and expensive for competitors to enter the global market.

Both the IOC and the sponsors appear to reap major benefits from the marketing deal. The IOC receives capital to fund the games and free marketing. On the other hand, the sponsors are able to expand their customer base and soften their global image.

Thinking of doing an ad program that is a bit less ambitious? Do you need help with your next print advertising – coupon or brochure?  Call MI Printing at 623.582.1302 and lets us be your local resource.  Effective communication is what your business needs.

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MI Printing
Phone: 623.582.1302
Email: sales@printinginaz.com
http://printinginaz.com
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How Often Do You Revise Your Business Plan?

We have all heard the saying; “If you fail to plan, plan to fail”. But, when was the last time you stepped back and looked at your business model with an eye toward improving any aspect of sales or customer service?

There is no doubt everyone is feeling the pinch of the economic downturn these days and woe be to the business that doesn't react in accordance with the times.

The world is changing faster than ever before and techniques that worked yesterday or even today may need to be altered in order to respond to those changes.  Even just a few years ago being a vendor of pay phone services was a profitable business model. Now, pay phones have almost completely disappeared.

Small automotive service business used to be everywhere.  Gas stations were known as Service Centers.  Today those mom and pop style gas stations with tune-up, battery and tire sales have been replaced by large specialized businesses or the automotive brand dealerships. Cars are more reliable and require maintenance less often. Better for the car owner, but, those improvements were deadly for the corner gas station.

Do you remember when, not just doctors, but everyone was wearing a pager? The cellphone and smartphones have nearly ended the electronic pager business. Speaking of mom and pop business do you remember when there were video tape rental stores in every shopping center? Now automated kiosks and online viewing have ended both the mom and pop stores and the mega video stores as well.

Noun 1. buggy whip - a horsewhip once used by a driver of a buggy, - a horsewhip once used by a driver of a buggy; "since buggies have been replaced by cars the buggy whip has become a symbol for anything that is hopelessly outmoded"

Marketing Myopia was an influential business paper written by Theodore Levitt for the Harvard Business Review. The essential idea put forth was that too many businesses think like the old buggy whip makers, with a too narrow analysis of what their business is or what their products do. You want to understand the real reason of what is driving your sales. Is something else replacing what you offer to customers.

Don’t let your business go the way of the buggy whip makers, keep abreast of the changing economic times and the way your market is evolving. Effective communication is what your business needs.

Do you need help with your next print advertising – coupon or brochure?  Call MI Printing at 623.582.1302 and lets us be your local resource.  Effective communication is what MI Printing helps your business provide your customers.

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MI Printing
Phone: 623.582.1302
Email: sales@printinginaz.com
http://printinginaz.com
http://miprintingpromotions.com
http://miprintingpromotions.com

MI Printing Special: Notepads

20% Off  Custom printed notepads: any size.  All of our notepads come with a very sturdy chipboard backing, and the pages are compiled of 60LB uncoated text. 
 Please mention this ad when calling to order.  Offer expires February 28, 2014

At MI Printing we can take care of all of your business printing needs.  Learn about the many printing services we offer.   Please give us a call at 623-582-1302.

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MI Printing
Phone: 623.582.1302
http://printinginaz.com
Email: sales@printinginaz.com

Are Super Bowl Ads The Ultimate In Marketing Mayhem?

It has been four days since the broadcast of the “Big Game”.  Yes, there are people still taking about the football game itself.  But most often people are talking or arguing about the advertisements. There are many different winners (depends on who you ask) of the “Best Super Bowl Ad.”

Many ads created reactions to their message.  As with most Super Bowl not all ads have positive reactions. Of course there is the saying, “There is no such thing as bad press.” This falls into the thinking that if they are talking about you, your advertising message achieved its goal.

There is no doubt about one winner. That is million dollar winner in the Doritos "Crash the Super Bowl" contest. That winner is from the Phoenix Metro area. Ryan Thomas Andersen, a Scottsdale  videographer, in the spot, called Time Machine. A young boy lures a man into a homemade time machine, telling him the contraption is powered by Doritos. The boy ultimately cons the man into handing over his bag of chips. In addition to 6-year-old Gavin Andersen, the commercial features Valley actor Jim Coates and Los Angeles actor David Wilkins. 

Many sources declared the Budweiser ad “Puppy Love” was the overall best advertisement from the big game

This puppy just couldn't lose.  Budweiser's precious puppy has pranced off with the best-of-breed ribbon for Super Bowl commercials. Never mind that it aired with just two minutes left in a dog of a game. For the second consecutive year — and the 12th time in the past 14 years — Anheuser-Busch has earned one the most coveted of U.S. advertising honors, winning USA TODAY's consumer-judged Ad Meter for Super Bowl commercials.

For the 26th consecutive year, USA TODAY's Ad Meter reached out to consumers to vote for their favorite Super Bowl commercials. This online audience of 6,272 preregistered panelists voted from across the country. The game featured nearly 50 commercials that cost advertisers a record $4 million per 30-second slot for airtime on the Fox telecast, which was expected to be watched by up to 110 million viewers.

The Anheuser-Busch blowout off the field was almost as impressive as the Seattle Seahawks blowout on the field. Another Anheuser-Busch spot finished third, this one about a town's real welcome-home parade for a soldier returning from Afghanistan.

The winning ad showed how in recent years, Anheuser-Busch has discovered that effective Super Bowl ads, sometimes, can be less about creating belly laughs and more about plucking heartstrings. Both this year's and last year's winning Budweiser ads have no dialogue, only the perfect sound track.

How often have we said the best marketing is to simply “Tell a good story”?

Do you need help with your next print advertising – sales sheet, brochure or flyer?  Call MI Printing at 623.582.1302 and lets us be your local resource.  Effective communication is what your business needs, let MI Printing be your resource.

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Phone: 623.582.1302
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Made In The USA – Tamrac Camera Bags

Are you a working photographer or just a weekend enthusiast?  No matter, you still have hard earned money tied up in your equipment and may be looking for a storage or shooting solution for your cameras and gear.  Are you looking for the finest in camera bags?  Would you like a product with the worldwide reputation as the very best made? Well then Tamrac deserves a look and by-the-way the gear is made in the U.S.A. 

The concept behind Tamrac’s camera carrying systems was conceived in 1977. Tamrac’s founders were outdoor enthusiasts who loved nature photography. They, like many amateur and professional photographers, had a strong need for camera bags that were tough enough to offer excellent protection, yet were easy to carry and allowed fast access to camera equipment to capture spontaneous wildlife pictures.

Without a satisfactory product in the marketplace, the founders of Tamrac, in true California entrepreneurial spirit, began manufacturing their own camera bags. They designed these bags specifically for wilderness photography. California’s diverse geography provided an unparalleled backdrop for the first adventures of Tamrac into the wild. The name Tamrac was created to reflect the rugged outdoors. A pine found in the American wilderness was used as inspiration for the name.

Since 1977, Tamrac has built its reputation on legendary quality. The workmanship and quality are the combination of excellent sewing and product engineering that is reinforced with the finest materials, threads, and hardware. The purpose of a Tamrac camera bag is not only to carry and protect your equipment, but to hold them for convenient, quick access. Tamrac offers a diverse product line to meet all of your specific travel requirements and photographic objectives. Functional designs that people can understand and a strong sense of style make Tamrac’s products easy to use and a pleasure to own. Tamrac is committed to design innovations. Several of Tamrac’s inventions are patented within the United States. 

Among Tamrac’s innovations are the following: Total Coverage Tops, Pop-Off™ Film Pockets, ZipDrop™ Pockets, the Lens-Bridge® support system, the LensGate® Divider System, Tuck-A-Way™ Hip Belt, Rolling Systems, QuickClip™ Tripod Attachment System, Strobe Hatch™/Lens Hatch™, M.A.S.™ Modular Accessory System, Slide Pockets™, Giant Rain Flaps, Piggy-Back Pocket™ and Tamrac’s latest innovation — the TurboTop™ (patent pending). Information about these and other ‘Great Innovations from Tamrac’ can be found under ‘The Tamrac Difference’ menu button.

Comany:  Tamrac, Inc.

Location: 9240 Jordan Avenue Chatsworth CA 91311 • 818-407-9500

Website: http://www.tamrac.com

Do you want your business printing made in the U.S.A.?  Then please contact MI Printing and tell us about your printing needs.  We are ready to listen and help.

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MI Printing, LLC
Phone: 623.582.1302
Email: sales@printinginaz.com
http://printinginaz.com
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Is Your Business Plan A Good Recipe?

All of us know that when you are preparing food that carefully following good recipes will lead to a great meal. You can apply that same thinking to your everyday operations, business strategy or business plan.

If we look in the dictionary we find the following for the term Recipe;
1. A set of directions with a list of ingredients for making or preparing something, especially food.
2. A formula for or means to a desired end: a recipe for success.
3. A method for achieving some desired objective: a recipe for success.

Notice that two of those end with “a recipe for success” as part of the definition. You need to make sure that your business recipe is a good one.  Consider that you don’t have to reinvent the wheel.  Many people have written about and practice formulas that, in general, will lead to successful business operations.

A recipe breaks down into two sections, a list of ingredients and the actual directions of how to go about the preparation so the result will be successful. If you change an ingredient of if you don’t follow the directions the results will not be what you expect.

Yes, you can deviate from a business and still be successful, sometimes! It to be able to break the rules you must first understand the rules.

When it comes to customer service you must never break the rules that protect the customer. You can only offend or disappoint some many customers before your reputation is ruined beyond repair.

With the advent of the Internet and social media business can’t hide anymore.  They can try but you can only change your name and move so many times before that is no longer a protection.

Other business (selling brand name items) will be able to offer similar (or the same) products or services and at the same price as you can.  How you treat customers is the one single area where you can excel.

Yes, if you hand craft or manufacture your products you can within reason produce a better or different product than a competitor, but economics will tend to limit how much better or different than you can be.

Consider that your ability to deliver a better customer experience has little to no cost attached to it. A welcoming smile or polite interaction is without cost. Generally not even in time spent.

How will you greet your next customer?

Do you need help with your next print advertising – coupon or brochure?  Call MI Printing at 623.582.1302 and lets us be your local resource.  Effective communication is what your business needs.

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MI Printing
Phone: 623.582.1302
Email: sales@printinginaz.com
http://printinginaz.com
http://miprintingpromotions.com

Super Bowl Ads Through The Monday Morning Filter

This was, perhaps not, the best Super Bowl for commercials (or football)! That’s just a rather bleak landscape in general, “live culture” notwithstanding. Meanwhile, my favorite healthy snacks Doritos and M&Ms, which usually bring it hard for the Super Bowl, barely registered.

At $4 million a pop, there's always a heavy expectation put upon the highly-viewed spots, which often debut days before the Super Bowl. In addition to the ad time, throw million dollar production costs into the mix and it's no wonder the stakes are so high. After all, it's reasonable to say that a great commercial can and will elevate a brand tremendously.

Does this year measure up to… Coca-Cola, 1979 spot featuring Pittsburgh Steeler Mean Joe Green. Budweiser, many Clydesdale spots and of course the iconic Apple's 1984 "Macintosh" commercial?

Let’s Review Some (no particular order):
Radio Shack, “The Phone Call”: ’80s celebs like Hulk Hogan, Mary Lou Retton, Dee Snider, Kid ‘n Play, John Ratzenberger, Chucky, Alf, and even the California Raisins storm the store to reclaim their old stuff and make way for the future. What the future of a store with “Radio” in its name looks like is anyone’s guess, but the spot gets major funny points for its self-awareness.

Cheerios, “Gracie”: A girl with the best “Dad, please, I can play with my food, too” face ever bargains her way into a pet puppy as her parents use Cheerios to illustrate that a new baby brother’s on the way. Simple and not too sweet, just like the cereal.

Budweiser’s “Puppy Love”: Bud’s surefire hit, released early, has something for dog fans, horse fans, and hot farmer fans alike. Its mere existence is like a firewall against cynicism.

Coca-Cola: Coke kept their ad under wraps, and was wise to save its release for the game. Coke managed to evoke patriotism in just a minute, with a multilingual version of “America, the Beautiful.” Other companies leaned heavily on nationalistic themes this year, but this was the best of the genre. Coke is Coke, and doesn’t need to convince us about its flagship product, other than that it still exists.

Doritos Crash the Super Bowl competition is officially over and "Time Machine" has won, airing during the Super Bowl and its audience of over 100 million viewers. The ad, created by Arizona resident Raj Suri and directed by Ryan Anderson is a playful commercial with a hilarious twist. Suri has won $1 million dollars and the chance to work with Joss Whedon on the next Avengers movie. "Time Machine" beat out four other finalists in a viewer-driven competition.

Doritos cowgirl – A good example of the “cute” commercials with kids or animals or, in this case, both.

Volkswagen - Engineers get their wings and sometimes even rainbows is one being talked about this morning.

You can view these commercials and more with a quick search on YouTube

Do you need help with your next print advertising – coupon or brochure?  Call MI Printing at 623.582.1302 and lets us be your local resource.  Effective communication is what your business needs.

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MI Printing
Phone: 623.582.1302
Email: sales@printinginaz.com
http://printinginaz.com
http://miprintingpromotions.com

MI Printing Special: Notepads

20% Off  Custom printed notepads: 4:25 x 5.5  padded in 50 sheets.  All of our notepads come with a very sturdy chipboard backing, and the pages are compiled of 60LB uncoated text. 

 Please mention this ad when calling to order.  Offer expires February 15, 2014

At MI Printing we can take care of all of your business printing needs.  Learn about the many printing services we offer.   Please give us a call at 623-582-1302.

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MI Printing
Phone: 623.582.1302
http://printinginaz.com
Email: sales@printinginaz.com

Super Bowl Ads the Ultimate Marketing Mayhem

http://youtu.be/uQB7QRyF4p4

The largest TV audience is set to watch… the Super Bowl commercials.  Yes, many of the viewers are looking forward to seeing the best part of the game, the paid television advertisements.  Yes, part of the television audience makes the claim that their favorite part of the game is the advertisements.

Super Bowl XLVIII will air February 2nd on Fox television from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Fox Sports will be paid around $4 million for 30 seconds worth of air time during the game, media buyers have said.

Some of the most memorable (even iconic) television ads have come from the Super Bowl.  Perhaps the most iconic was in 1994 (Super Bowl XVIII) when Apple Computers introduced their new Macintosh model the takeoff was based on George Orwell's dystopian novel "1984" and filmed on the outskirts of London.

The big two of Super Bowl ads are Coca-Cola and Anheuser-Busch (Budweiser) which often are the winners when the votes are in.  

Here is the list of advertisers who will run spots during this year’s Super Bowl;
Audi of America (Volkswagen), Axe (Unilever body care products), Bank of America, Beats Music, Budweiser, Butterfinger (Nestle), Carmax (pre-owned cars), Cheerios (General Mills), Chevrolet (General Motors), Chobani (Fruit Yogurt), Chrysler, Coca-Cola, Doritos (PepsiCo's Frito-Lay), GoDaddy, H&M (Clothing), H.J. Heinz Co., Hyundai Motor America, Intuit (TurboTax), Jaguar, Kia, M&M's (Mars), Oikos (Dannon Yogurt), Paramount Pictures (Viacom "Transformers: Age of Extinction), PepsiCo Beverage, SodaStream (make you own sodas), Squarespace (Internet websites), Toyota (Toyota), Volkswagen, WeatherTech (fitted Floormats), Wonderful Pistachios (Roll International).

Like many folks we have been previewing some of the ads that have been released before the big game and so far here are some of our favorites.

Budweiser (Puppy Love) http://youtu.be/uQB7QRyF4p4
Chobani (How Matters - Bear) http://youtu.be/ABxP3t7XP3g
Doritos (One Million dollar – contest – winner shown during Super Bowl) https://www.doritos.com/
Jaguar (British Villains 'Rendezvous') http://youtu.be/2Bls1KKDwmo

Do you need help with your next print advertising – coupon or brochure?  Call MI Printing at 623.582.1302 and lets us be your local resource.  Effective communication is what your business needs.

Presented By
MI Printing 
Phone: 623.582.1302
Email: sales@printinginaz.com
http://printinginaz.com
http://miprintingpromotions.com

Made In The USA – Thomas Lures

In the earliest days of America, rods reels and assorted paraphernalia were imported from Europe as indicated in the letter of August 1737 when William Penn's daughter Margaret Penn Freame wrote to her brother in London, "my chief Amusement this summer has been fishing. I therefore request the favor of you when a Leisure Hour will admit, you will buy for me a Rod and Reel with strong good Lines and assortment of hooks the best sort"

While some very early Thomas Lures were fashioned after successful European designs, all Thomas Lures have always been manufactured in the United States. 

They are proud of their traditions, and they are sure that you will not find a better crafted fishing lure manufactured abroad or in America.

In 1938 an apprentice tool and die maker from Czechoslovakia, Richard Shubert, came to America with a dream of producing fishing lures.  Needing to communicate in the country of his birth, Richard’s American-born mother sent him to a relative in Montana to be tutored in the English language.  The rivers and lakes of Montana and the surrounding Rocky Mountain region provided the perfect setting to test his prototypes and market his innovative new lures to customers.  

During the mid-1940’s he returned to family in New York City and the young entrepreneur began producing Thomas Spinning Lures in a small shop on Manhattan’s lower east side.  For the next fifteen years, with the popularity of spin-fishing growing rapidly, so did the popularity of Thomas’ unique line of spoons and spinners, with sales eventually expanding into many other famous trout fishing areas of the United States.  While vacationing at Lake Wallenpaupack in the late 1950’s, Richard discovered the tranquil beauty of the Pocono Mountains region and decided to move his thriving business to northeastern Pennsylvania.  

In 1961 Thomas Lures began manufacturing fishing lures in Hawley, Pennsylvania, where they continue to operate to this day.  In fact, they are still in the same buildings for over fifty years!  They are a small, privately-owned company with a handful of employees dedicated to providing American made, high-quality fishing lures at reasonable prices.  

Their time-tested baits have satisfied many generations of successful anglers.  Over sixty-five years in business is proof-positive Thomas lures catch fish - consistently, time after time.  You can always rely on a Thomas lure to bring you a lifetime of fishing success and enjoyment.

Location:  316 Wayne Ave Hawley PA 18428 • 800-724-6768

Website:  http://www.thomaslures.com

Do you want your business printing made in the U.S.A.?  Then please contact MI Printing and tell us about your printing needs.  We are ready to listen and help.

Presented By
MI Printing, LLC
Phone: 623.582.1302
Email: sales@printinginaz.com
http://printinginaz.com
http://miprintingpromotions.com

MI Printing’s Small Business Tips – Staying Top of Mind

With any business you want to have customers that buy your product or service.  Simple idea. But, the concept needs to be fully understood to have the end result be a purchase.

Do you know when and why a customer buys from your business?  What is the trigger that starts the process? Is the purchase planned or is it spur of the moment?

One very important aspect of any purchase is very basic.  The customer has to know that you sell the item or service they need or want. Yes, it really is that simple. Your store, site, brand or name must be part of the thought process when a customer is considering what to buy.  If they never think of you then they will never buy from you.

The definition of top-of-mind awareness (TOMA) is a brand or specific product coming first in customers' minds when thinking of a particular type of commerce. Companies attempt to build brand awareness through media exposure on channels such as internet, radio, newspapers, television, magazines, promotional items and social media.

Many sales are the result of one person telling another individual about a product or service. In some cases this may be a spontaneous recommendation or it can be an answer to a question. Where do you get your hair done? What restaurant do you think has the best ….? Where should I look for a …?

Do you want your business to be talked about or the one that is the recommendation?

So do you want your business to be TOM? The first brand that comes to mind when a customer is asked an unprompted question about a category. The greater percentage of customers for whom a given brand is top of mind can be measured.

What is your business doing to stay Top of Mind? When was the last time you handed out pens with your business name and slogan on them? When was the last time you used coupons to offer a special for a return purchase? When was the last time you reminded past customers to make a return visit?

With strategic, mindful actions, it’s possible to go from "who?" to a trusted and remembered resource. To be able to buy from you your customers have to first think of you, your business or your brand.

Your customers generally have many sources to buy from.  Stay Top of Mind to be the first source they think of. Learn to be on the tip of their tongue. You do remember the old saying “Out of sight, out of mind” don’t you?  Get in front of your potential buyer and existing customer as often as you can.

Did you give out 2014 calendars? When was the last time you handed out a business card?

Do you need help staying top of mind with your customers? – coupons, flyers or brochures?  Don’t forget to look over our business promotional items. Call MI Printing 623.582.1302 and lets us be your local resource.  Effective customer communication is what your business needs.

Presented By
MI Printing 
Phone: 623.582.1302
Email: sales@printinginaz.com
http://printinginaz.com
http://miprintingpromotions.com

Can Old Sayings Improve Your Business in 2014

We all know or use old sayings to help us deal with ideas and frustrations. You know the old wives tales and other sayings that are part of our up-brining. Often used to indicate that a supposed truth is actually a superstition or something untrue.  But we think they offer some very important lessons we can use to improve our business life.

Let’s start with “You can’t sell from an empty wagon.” How many times does a customer come to you to make a purchase and yet go away empty handed? Ask yourself what incentive do they have to think of you for a future purchase. What are your 2014 plans to make sure you know what your customer wants to purchase and what are you doing to make sure that can happen?

Next, how about “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference." What you say and how you say it is very important when dealing with both customers and employees. How can you improve your attitude so that you can get more from your employees and in turn so they can treat your customers in a way that both improves sales and your customer’s favorable impress of your business?

What about “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." – that can help us remember the K.I.S.S. or Keep It Stupid Simple saying.  People can act more quickly if they are presented with a simple straightforward idea or concept. Never present a sales offer that isn’t clear and concise. The more complex the offer the less likely a potential customer can act on the offer and may begin to look for reasons to reject it. What are you trying to hide by making your sales offers complex? 

Change is something that many people fear. When you make a change it may even affect your customers.  How about making that affect a positive one. “Don’t fear failure so much that you refuse to try new things. The saddest summary of life contains three descriptions: could have, might have, and should have".  Don’t make the mistake of not changing your business to respond to the way the world is changing your customers.

One thing that can negatively affect your business is putting off improvements. “Procrastination is the bad habit of putting of until the day after tomorrow what should have been done the day before yesterday."

If you’ve found yourself putting off important tasks over and over again, you’re not alone. In fact, many people procrastinate to some degree – but some are so chronically affected by procrastination that it stops them fulfilling their potential and disrupts their careers.

The key to controlling this destructive habit is to recognize when you start procrastinating, understand why it happens (even to the best of us), and take active steps to manage your time and outcomes better.

Don’t put off your next print advertising – coupons, flyers or brochures?  Call MI Printing 623.582.1302 and lets us be your local resource.  Effective customer communication is what your business needs.

Presented By
MI Printing 
Phone: 623.582.1302
Email: sales@printinginaz.com
http://printinginaz.com
http://miprintingpromotions.com

MI Printing's Special: 10,000 #10 Business Envelopes

Business Envelopes, #10 White Envelopes 10,000 for just $450.00 Black Ink on front from customer supplied art (PDF Format) plus Sales tax if applicable. To receive discount please mention this ad. Offer expires February 15, 2014.

Many times the first impression a person will have with your company is to handle and open correspondence that arrives in your company envelope.  There’s something about receiving a custom printed business envelope. You can feel the importance and significance of any document with the help of logo, printing and the quality of the paper.  In fact, correct envelope printing adds greatly to the image and credibility of a company.

While your letterheads are standards for businesses and companies, the envelopes that carry that important document can not be a poor quality product.

Business envelope printing is crucial because it contributes to the image of professionalism and reliability that a company projects. The image of a company can be picked up from the documents that they produce and use in communications with the public.

Your company's formality and credibility is also reflected in your envelopes.  Envelopes in fact, have the power to affect a response from the recipients whether its favorable or not.  Depending on the look, appearance, color and quality, your envelope can greatly influence the way your recipients think about you and your company's message.

Contact Matt or Paula at MI Printing for help with your professional quality business envelopes. 623-582-1302

Presented By
MI Printing 
Phone: 623.582.1302
Email: sales@printinginaz.com
http://printinginaz.com

Reduce Marketing Mayhem By Communicating Better

Many small business owners run promotions that seem to fall flat on their … you get the idea.  Often they swear off doing that type of promotion blaming the promotion type rather than looking for the real reason the promotion missed its goal.

Often the old phrase, The Devil Is In The Details, can be applied. We want to look at the communications side of small businesses.  It is not just between the customers and the staff.  Many times communication challenges occur between owner or manager and the staff.

The larger the small business the more likely communication errors can occur. Promotions should not just be a matter of cutting prices to move merchandise. Customer service standards and goals are often hard to standardize and put into place.

Communications go well beyond just how to interact with customers and clients. Difficulties arise in many aspects with employees.

Employers spend millions of dollars to offer a benefit and sometimes a surprisingly small amount to ensure that employees understand and appreciate it. Communications, what you say, how you say it, when you say it, who you say it to, can make a world of difference in how employees or members feel and think about their benefits, workplace, and employer.

In addition, what may seem like a minor change to an employer can be perceived as a major change by the employee. For instance, when you’re converting a vacation/sick leave program to a PTO program, it’s important to communicate all transition details. Is it clear what’s happening with the sick bank an employee has saved up? In such a situation, it’s best to create a personalized piece: Here’s what you have and where it goes.

Whenever an organization is undergoing change of any kind, the effectiveness of communication can greatly influence how the change is perceived by employees and how quickly they adapt to the new normal. 

Goals and metrics should always be in sync with the businesses’ objectives. When you do a new project, sit down with the employees to find out what they’re trying to achieve and make sure it matches the true goal. They may want to reduce call volume to the repair department. Once the objectives are clear, we can assign specific measures that need to be tracked to evaluate the success at the end of the campaign.

Do you need help with your next print advertising – coupon or brochure?  Call MI Printing 623.582.1302 and lets us be your local resource.  Effective communication is what your business needs.

Presented By
MI Printing 
Phone: 623.582.1302
Email: sales@printinginaz.com
http://printinginaz.com
http://miprintingpromotions.com

Made In The USA – Magnepan Electrostatic Speakers

Do you enjoy music?  Do you want concert quality sound in your home? Would you rather buy loudspeakers that are made in the U.S.A.?  Here is a company to consider, Magnepan.

Magneplanar home theater and stereo speakers have one common attribute: high resolution. High resolution in home theater speakers creates the same “magic” for home theater as music lovers have experienced from Magneplanar stereo speakers for the past 44 years.

The Story Behind Magnepan

Magnepan has been manufacturing innovative, world class stereo speakers for 44 years. Jim Winey, the inventor of the Magneplanar loudspeaker, first owned electrostatic loudspeakers and began experimenting to design an improved electrostatic speaker. In 1969, Jim invented the Magneplanar, a thin-film magnetic equivalent to the electrostat and founded Magnepan.

Corporate and manufacturing facilities are located in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, a small community north of the Twin Cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Having outgrown its original facilities, Magnepan's current plant is over 50,000 square feet in addition to corporate and engineering offices. To date, over 200,000 pairs of Magneplanar loudspeakers have found their way into the homes of music lovers the world over. 

Magneplanars are American-made with virtually all American parts. And we are proud to say… they are sold in China.

The 4 MMG models they offer with a 60-day money back guarantee are the marketing equivalent of those tasty little morsels handed out in high-end grocery stores. You won't see many Magneplanar ads in audio magazines. They are expensive and they are not as effective as they were 40 years ago. And you won't see Magneplanars at "big box" stores.

Once a year, Inside Track publication conducts a confidential survey of dealers, who rank their manufacturers in key areas important to them and, consequently, to the people who buy from them.

The following are Magnepan's rankings among the Top 10 speaker manufacturers' individual categories.
#1-- Performance
#1-- Reliability
#1-- Technical Support
#1-- Service
#1-- Ease of Doing Business
#1-- Quality of Sales Reps
#2-- Dealer Training
#2-- Technical Innovation

Location:  1645 Ninth Street White Bear Lake MN 55110 • 651-426-1645

Website:  http://www.magnepan.com/

Do you want your business printing made in the U.S.A.?  Then please contact MI Printing and tell us about your printing needs.  We are ready to listen and help.

Presented By
MI Printing, LLC
Phone: 623.582.1302
Email: sales@printinginaz.com
http://printinginaz.com
http://miprintingpromotions.com

MI Printing’s Small Business Tips – Be More Efficient

Number One Key to Success is Working Together
Work in teams; work with other people. There are some tasks that take an enormous amount of time for a single person to do but with a large group of people, each one specializing and doing part of the task, you can get a tremendous amount done.

At a builders show a home builder raffled off a new home and they said that whoever won the home they would build if for them in basically 48 hours. They used a series of crews and literally built the entire home in two days. Normally it would take at least six to eight weeks to build but they did it in forty-eight hours with everyone working harder, faster, longer, and specializing in their particular area.

Get Better at Your Key Tasks
Get better at the most important and most valuable things you do, and do them faster and work at them harder and get them done ASAP.

Now here is one of the greatest of all rules, and it comes from a study that found that 50% of all working time is wasted. Fifty percent of all working time is spent on things of little or no value. Fifty percent of working time is spent in idle chit-chat with coworkers, checking email, reading the paper, drinking coffee, going for breaks and lunches, coming in late, leaving early, going shopping, and personal business. So here is the way that you overcome this natural, habitual, comfort zone, path of least resistance tendency to waste time and work, and that is to “work all the time you work.”

Do More Important Things
This is a great leverage factor. The 80/20 rule; 20% of what you do accounts for 80% of your results. If you have a list of ten things to do, two of those items will be worth more than all the others put together. Discipline yourself to work on those items that are most important because you are producing 5 or 10 times as much working on your top tasks as working on your average tasks.

Cluster Your Tasks For More Effective Time Management
This is one of the great time management tools. Do all your reports at once; do all of your proposals at once, all of your prospecting calls at once. Whatever they are, do them together rather than one here and one there, and one at another time during the day. 

What happens is that when you do a whole series of similar tasks together you get onto what is called the learning curve. Whereas the first task may take ten minutes, the next one will take nine, the next one eight, and the next one only seven minutes. Pretty soon, you’ll be burning through the tasks at two to three minutes at a time. You’ll save 50 – 80% of the time on each subsequent task. You’ll get more done that you can possibly imagine. So do your similar tasks at the same time.

Do you need help with your next print advertising – coupons, flyers or brochures?  Call MI Printing 623.582.1302 and lets us be your local resource.  Effective customer communication is what your business needs.

Presented By
MI Printing 
Phone: 623.582.1302
Email: sales@printinginaz.com
http://printinginaz.com
http://miprintingpromotions.com

P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon Marketing Event

PF Chang’s restaurant sure knows how to get tons of publicity and community good will. Thousands and thousands of runners and spectators were at this year’s P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon.  Direct exposure for the restaurant chain and weeks of press coverage to boot.

More than twenty-four thousand runners took part in the event. Spectators lined the courses and the crowd at the finish line and ending events was estimated at fifty thousand. Some runners hoped to meet personal goals while others were there for the experience. Other participants were world class and Olympic runners using the P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon as a tune-up for future events and trials.

The event raised more than $335,000 for charity, and it is expected that the event brought about $35 million into the Valley with runners from all 50 states and 17 different countries in attendance.

This year’s event was on Sunday January the 20th. The overall full marathon winner was Solomon Kandie of Kenya. He crossed the finish line winning the Men's Full Marathon with a time of 02:21:00.

The women’s winner was Amy Cole, a former collegiate swimmer at Colgate who is a doctoral student at the University of Arizona, was the women’s marathon winner in 2:49:26, slowest in the 11-year event history. She hopes to lower her new personal record to sub 2:43 to qualify for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials.

The Men’s Half Marathon winner was Rob Watson, of Vancouver, Canada, at 1:05:03. Canada’s Rob Watson surprised few when he sprinted through the final straightaway all alone at the conclusion.

The Women’s Half Marathon winner was Jess Petersson, Denmark, at 1:13:47. Few  expected Denmark’s Jessica Draskau-Petersson, who hadn’t even tapered for the race, to take the women’s crown.

Petersson, who competed in the 2012 London Olympics, clocked in at 1:13:47, just a few minutes faster than the 75-minute mark that determined prize money. The race winner received $500 but all female competitors that ran under 1:15:00 received an extra $1,000.

The Wheelchair marathon was won by James Senbeta, Champaign, IL at a time of 1:40:19.

On Friday and Saturday, January 17th and 18th a health and fitness expo was held at the Phoenix Convention Center. Runners and visitors saw more than fifty exhibitors with many free samples, the latest in running gear, sports apparel, health and nutritional information and more. Anyone participating in the races went to the expo to pick up their race number, swag bag and the event t-shirt.

Do you need help with your next print advertising – coupon or brochure?  Call MI Printing 623.582.1302 and lets us be your local resource.  Effective communication is what your business needs.

Presented By
MI Printing
Phone: 623.582.1302
Email: sales@printinginaz.com
http://printinginaz.com
http://miprintingpromotions.com

Marketing Mayhem and 5 Hour Energy’s Weekly Award

How do you break through the clutter and get noticed (in a good way) 5 Hour Energy has found a way.

5-Hour-ENERGY has started the 5-Hour-ENERGY Helps Amazing People program. The program was created to “recognize outstanding people who, despite their own challenges, give their time and energy to make the lives of others better.

The makers of 5-hour ENERGY® were brainstorming new ideas, and the concept of featuring real hard working heroes seemed like a winner, so we decided to take it a step further…. And the 5-hour ENERGY® Helps Amazing People project was born.

5-hour ENERGY® has always been about helping hard working people. 5-hour ENERGY® Helps takes this further by making a significant difference in the lives of those who are working through difficult circumstances.

5-hour ENERGY® Helps recognizes outstanding people who, despite their own challenges, give their time and energy to make the lives of others better.

5-hour ENERGY® Helps believes that by sharing these inspirational stories, others will be motivated to give their time and energy to a worthy cause.

Deanne Goodman and Roxanna Haynes are the hosts of the 5 Hour Energy Heps Amazing People videos. 

Deanne’s passion for helping others started at a young age. In high school, Deanne was featured in Teen People Magazine for designing and selling a necklace that raised $17,000 for babies with birth defects. In college at Vanderbilt University, Deanne was given a campus leadership award for launching a volunteer club that brought shelter puppies and kittens to local senior care homes for pet therapy. Deanne continues to volunteer in her community, mentors aspiring journalists, and served on the board of a non-profit that trained service dogs to help troops with PTSD.

Inspired to make a difference in the lives of others, and to be the voice for the voiceless, Roxanna chose to pursue a career in journalism. In 2009, Roxanna won an Associated Press Award for her story about homeless people living in the woods. She then volunteered with a local homeless outreach program to help find homes for the people featured in the story.

What “new” idea can your business start to put you above the clutter and get you and your business recognized and most importantly remembered.

Do you need help with your next print advertising – coupon or brochure?  Call MI Printing 623.582.1302 and lets us be your local resource.  Effective communication is what your business needs.

Presented By
MI Printing 
Phone: 623.582.1302
Email: sales@printinginaz.com
http://printinginaz.com
http://miprintingpromotions.com