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

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

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
http://miprintingpromotions.com

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
http://miprintingpromotions.com

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.

Presented By
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.

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

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.

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

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.

Presented By
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.

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