Newsletter Pro - April 2021

Newsletter Pro - April 2021

208.297.5700 APRIL

2021 www.NewsletterPro.com

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

3 Ways to Transform Your Direct Mail Marketing Strategy PAGE 3

COMMUNICATION: THE KEY TO CONSUMER TRUST

Protect the Earth and Stand Out in 3 Ways PAGE 4

Lessons From James Clear’s ‘Atomic Habits’ PAGE 4

Microsoft Teams: Saving Time and Money PAGE 6 Fitbit and the Power of a Great Success Story PAGE 7 How Dr. Squatch Revolutionized Soap Marketing PAGE 8

When you stop for a minute and think about the way everything around us works, you’ll notice that the universe functions based on a series of laws. For example, we have the laws of gravity and physics. They are so consistent and predictable that we know exactly how long it takes for the Earth to rotate around the sun, to the point that we know precisely when we need to add leap seconds to our clock. As a civilization, we had to clearly understand the laws of the universe in order to make the major scientific breakthroughs that have revolutionized everyday life. I remember a long time ago, I was thinking about how the universe works. If the universe has these unwavering laws, is it possible that other areas of

our lives, like love and money, have rules that allow you to create your dream life? Are they the secrets to success? I believe so. I quickly found that when I follow these rules, my life gets better, I become more successful, and I win in all areas of life. Even times when, in the short term, it appeared I was losing, if I stayed focused on these rules, my success rate was virtually guaranteed. I want to share three of the rules I live by. They’ve had a profound effect on my life, both personally and professionally. Always play the long game. I’ve never understood sacrificing the future for a short-term win, but this is how most people live life. Do you really Continued on Page 2 ...

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... CONTINUED FROM COVER

the profit potential. Looking at a deal this way has saved me from many bad opportunities. Fail to plan, and you plan to fail. This rule has many applications in both life and business, but in this case, I want to focus on one easy change that can impact your business next week, next month, and next year. We all have predictable issues in our businesses. For example, in the summer, many businesses slow down. This predictable trend happens time and time again. So, why are so many people surprised year after year? Instead of letting another summer slowdown get to you, why not start right now and make a plan to limit or eliminate what you know is coming? Why not look for other patterns you can plan for to either amplify the positive patterns or minimize the negative issues? Another example: You know customers are going to cancel. You know they are buying products and services you sell from other companies, so wouldn’t it make sense to put some effort into minimizing that to maximize customer lifetime value? These are all predictable issues, but few people pay attention to them. Everything we want and need to be successful is within our reach — if we’re willing to think long term, do the right things, make a plan, and take action. –Shaun

“I quickly found that when I follow these rules, my life gets better, I become more successful, and I win in all areas of life. Even times when, in the short term, it appeared I was losing, if I stayed focused on these rules, my success rate was virtually guaranteed.”

want to be most people? We have all heard the stories of those who appear to have gotten everything they ever wanted virtually overnight. While you can luck into success, it is incredibly rare. Unfortunately, we mostly hear these sensationalized stories of fast money and overnight millionaires or even billionaires. This simply isn’t reality. Looking back to when I moved out and had a kid at 16, the long game was all I had. I remember many of my friends going out partying every weekend, but I had responsibilities. I couldn’t party much at all. I had to get to work, so, unlike many of my friends, I sacrificed all the shenanigans of my 20s for a better tomorrow, and now, I get to live a life beyond what I dreamed it would be when I was grinding in my 20s. Ultimately, you have to sacrifice something. Will it be the hours on social media each night? How about hours of binge-watching Netflix? Will you sacrifice some money today and invest it in an asset or marketing campaign that will pay dividends tomorrow? If you choose not to sacrifice today, your better tomorrow won’t come.

I couldn’t disagree more. Greed, or the love of money, will cloud your judgment and impair your decision-making skills. The worst business I’ve ever owned was a franchise I bought when I was living in California. While I thought the service was a good product, I wasn’t interested in anything regarding the service or the type of business this company serviced. I recall sitting in a two-week training for this company in Canada, and on day two, I realized I had screwed up. It took me a week to admit it to anyone else and nine months to sell the company. When I made this business mistake, I was in my mid-20s; I couldn’t afford to lose money on a bad business decision. To buy this company, I had taken a cash advance on one credit card, then transferred the balance to a low introductory-rate credit card. Ultimately, I hustled and grew the company just enough to get out and break even on the deal. While I did lose nine months of time, the lesson I learned has been invaluable to me over the years. To this day, when I look at an opportunity, business, or investment, I first look at all the details of the opportunity. Assuming the details look good and I don’t pass on the deal, the second-to-last piece of the puzzle I look at is the profit potential. If that looks good, I finally look at the risk and the work required from me versus

Pigs get fat, and hogs get slaughtered.

Before the life events of Jordan Belfort, the Wolf of Wall Street in the 1990s, there was a 1987 movie called “Wall Street,” and the main character, Gordon Gekko, famously said, “Greed is good.”

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BUSINESS HOW-TO

3 WAYS to Transform Your Direct Mail Marketing Strategy

elevates your brand by complementing your campaign and mission statement. Even in today’s world, print marketing is one of the ultimate forms of showing commitment to your customer. It takes resources to print content and mail it to your customer. It also takes time and effort to design content, especially long- form content. We’ve been seeing a huge trend in brands using long-form content marketing to boost their image. Here’s why (and how) it’ll work for you, too. No. 1: Use long-form direct mail marketing content to make a lasting impression. In 2020, our society saw a huge boom of companies boosting their print marketing presence, especially with the arrival of the Black Lives Matter movement. It was breaking news when MasterCard released a two-page, full- length communication ad in the Sunday edition of The New York Times. Such long-form ads used to be considered “normal,” which means you can make a lasting impression with long- form direct mail marketing right now. No. 2: Use QR codes to direct customers to online resources. Times have changed for our dear QR codes. They used to be a hassle with a high barrier of entry. First, you needed a smartphone. Second, you needed particular apps to read and use them. Today, over 81% of Americans have a smartphone, and reading QR codes has become a native feature of many. Thus, the popularity of QR codes has been rising steadily. Over 11 million American households — not people! — used QR codes in 2020.

It’s a massively trending tool for anyone who does marketing, in print or online. If you have a website, social media, or a product page, you can attach it to your marketing and create a fluid transition between print and digital in your customer’s experience. Best of all, combining a sensory experience with fast digital convenience can give them a unique marketing encounter that’ll make you especially memorable. No. 3: Tap into 2021’s spirit of reinvention. With the post-pandemic market mostly settled in, this is the perfect time to try out new things that will capture the attention of your customers and convert them. Remember that since the market has shifted, new needs have been created. Create new offers and personas that will inspire and resonate. Build trust by showing you’re the most well-equipped business to handle your consumer’s needs during these times. There’s no better way to prove it than committing to a direct mail marketing campaign

W e don’t dodge the hard questions when it comes to direct mail marketing. The internet has become an important tool in the marketing world, so how do you transform your direct mail marketing to earn the highest ROI possible when technology is becoming a more integral part of how customers interact with your business? The answer is simple: Ensure your direct mail marketing campaign

your consumer (and their whole household) can see and touch.

As a brand, you have a lot to say. A Twitter account won’t always give you the room to say it, and it certainly won’t instantly grant you credibility. Direct mail marketing can prove you’re a trustworthy voice because you spent the time, effort, and money to deliver free content to your consumers’ hands. Take advantage of long-form content, QR codes, and innovative offers and personas to create a lasting impact with your direct mail campaign. If you need any help, don’t hesitate to reach out to our experts at Newsletter Pro!

"ENSURE YOUR DIRECT MAIL MARKETING CAMPAIGN ELEVATES

YOUR BRAND BY COMPLEMENTING

YOUR CAMPAIGN AND MISSION STATEMENT."

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QUICK READ

MARKETING HOW-TO

won’t cut it. You must con your business doesn’t tak for granted. Don’t let this holiday pass action. Your customers w Earth needs all the help it Build an eco-friendly te To become a “green-think should start from within. to promote recycling or p people who support the w represent your work to cl company forward — your believe in it, too. Start by launching an ince a different focus for each or being eco-friendly), and around that theme. You c theme for the year and co challenges that focus on t Your Com Earth and

Just over 50 years ago on April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans participated in a nationwide protest to raise awareness about the negative effects of harming the environment. The day was dubbed Earth Day and has been celebrated every year since. How Your Company Can Celebrate Earth Day

Environmental consciousness is an increasingly lauded quality both of

individuals and companies. If you’re looking for ways to show your company’s green spirit, here are a few ideas: Create an environmental awareness committee. Many of your employees might jump at the opportunity to help their company be more environmentally friendly! Introduce incentives for recycling. Fun rewards for going green can save the environment and save your company money on wasted resources! Invite an environmental expert to speak to your employees. Their words can go a long way in helping employees understand why being eco-friendly matters! Throw an Earth Day party in the community. Employees are often more than happy to join in on a party that raises awareness about helping the environment! Put on a green fundraiser. Whether it be a jogathon, a raffle, or a clothing drive, any effort to raise awareness for eco-minded efforts is worth trying out! Reward customers and clients for being green. Loyal and new customers alike would probably love discounts and other perks associated with environmental consciousness! Donate unused food to your local homeless shelter. So much food goes to waste from companies all over the country, but donating it can help your community and your environment! Get your employees involved in a cause. Signing petitions, planting trees en masse, and cleaning a polluted beach are all examples of causes that your employees can rally around!

T oday, more consumers are looking for brands that genuinely care about their local economies and want to authentically provide incentives for consumers. (“Genuine” and “authentic” are keywords here. You have to truly mean what you do.) Earth Day is a great opportunity to do this. Many companies promise to “go green,” but these days, a simple recycling program just

OUR BOOKSHELF

There is no shortage of books about how to create good habits, so how did James Clear’s “Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones” come to sell over a million copies? The entrepreneurs who swear by it say Clear’s practical advice is what earned his book a spot on their shelves. In “Atomic Habits,” Clear argues that small daily habits, repeated consistently over time, are what transform our lives both professionally and personally. Lessons From James Clear’s ‘Atomic Habits’ ‘TINY CHANGES, REMAR

Here are four other great takeaways from the book.

You’re not lacking motivation. You’re lacking clarity. If you think your lack of willpower is holding you back from executing on a habit, think again. Clear says that what’s often really lacking is clarity. To address this and clear the fog, come up with specific goals about when, where, and how you’ll implement your habit. Be the architect of your environment, not the victim. Environment matters more than you think. Change things in your physical

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mpany Can Be Stewards of d Stand Out in ‘Green Noise’

environmental expert, but they don’t have to be. Look for employees who have proven to be engaged with their work and are always finding new ways to improve. Invite local experts to come speak to your group about key goals or areas you want them to focus on. Here’s an idea to get your group started: Food waste has a tremendous impact on the environment, and the reason starts all the way back on the farm. Our friends at Recycle Coach make this idea a little more digestible. Approximately 38% of land on Earth is used to produce food, but about 32% of all food that is produced is wasted. This means the cost — both monetarily and environmentally — that it took to produce, package, ship, purchase, and prepare that food has all gone to waste. All told, lost or wasted food accounts for 8% of greenhouse gas emissions, according to Recycle Coach. You can help eliminate these statistics in your employee kitchen. Inspect your kitchen’s food supply once per week to determine if items can be donated to local food pantries or services. (Your task force can determine the timeline and Continued on Page 6 ...

For eco-conscious programs, reward employees who recycle the most or carpool, bike, and walk to work. As this friendly competition fires up, your team will grow closer and become more dedicated to this cause. To build on the camaraderie, partner with your employees to volunteer at a cleanup or local conservation event. This creates meaningful change and builds strong employee relationships. Rethink your systems. Could you be doing more to protect the environment? The answer is probably yes, but do you know where to start? Begin by developing a task force of employees dedicated to examining the business processes and products; they can help determine how to improve your systems for a more sustainable framework. The tricky part about this is that not everyone who serves on the task force will be an

ntinually prove that ke a day on this planet

s by without taking will notice — and the t can get. eam. king” business, you . It’s not authentic planting trees if the work you do every day, lients, and push your r employees — don’t entive program. Choose month (like wellness d create a challenge could even choose a oordinate different that theme each month.

RKABLE RESULTS’

Have You Heard the Good News?

environment to make good choices easier and bad choices harder. For example, if you want to foster better relationships with your employees, have open office hours daily and encourage them to drop in. Literally keep your door open during that time and don’t schedule other tasks. Optimize for the starting line, not the finish line. Make it as easy as possible to get started on your new habit, then focus on getting your reps in each day. Clear says the quality of the daily practice, whatever form it takes, doesn’t matter as much as the repetition.

Reward yourself in the present. We only repeat behaviors we enjoy, yet many things that are good for us in the long run don’t feel great in the short run. To circumvent this, track your habits on a calendar as a reward after doing your daily rep(s). Mark each day you do your new habit with an X, build a chain, and try not to ever miss two days in a row. Entrepreneurs tend to think big; that’s how you get a new company off the ground. But for long-term growth and success, get clear on the small actions you can repeat each day to strengthen your chops.

Job 14:7 — "For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease." Isaiah 44:3 — "For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring." James 3:13 — "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom."

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MARKETING HOW-TO CONTINUED ...

who will do it!) Think canned goods, granola bars, oils, drinks, or fruit that hasn’t been touched or used. Food banks and kitchens will use the supplies to feed their patrons, ensuring goods aren’t wasted. You could also develop a composting program for food scraps, donating the gross goods to a local community garden. This ensures the food waste goes back into something good. Network externally. It’s not just ethical to think green when it comes to your business; it’s also sound business advice. One of the greatest ways you can do this is by engaging your local community, hosting events, and offering incentive programs. Start with local events, both virtually and in person. Host a community Earth Day event and raise funds for a local conservation group. Your event can be as simple as a 5K, but it shouldn’t be overly complex or involved. Opt for hosting environmental experts for lectures, organizing cleanups, sponsoring concerts with local musicians,

or hosting sustainable farm-to-table dinners to raise awareness for your cause. To do this effectively — meaning there is some incentive for your business — look to other businesses for partnerships, offer prizes that include your business, or incentivize customers who attend the event. You could even turn that last idea into a customer-retention strategy. Offer special promotions or prizes for customers who choose eco-friendly options in your business. Whether they choose to go paperless or choose products that are better for the environment, offer them a discounted service or reward points for their actions. Once you have developed strong internal and external practices, don’t be shy about the work you’re doing. Promote it on social media, in your newsletter, and in conversations with your clients. Be proud of the work you do to protect our planet, and you just might create a strong movement behind you.

RESOURCE OF THE MONTH Microsoft Teams:

Saving Time and Money

Teams also has multiple integrated features like Planner, which makes it easy to plan meetings with multiple people, and you won’t have to coordinate over email nearly as much as before! The Teams app makes all of these features even more convenient to access. No matter where you are, you’ll be able to view all your documents and conversations while jumping into any meetings necessary. Even if you’re on the road, you’re still in the loop. If you haven’t made the leap yet, we hope you give Microsoft Teams a try! It might be the productivity and communication boost you’ve been waiting for.

Since 2020, Microsoft Teams has become a pandemic hero in its own right. Not only can it keep your team connected with ease, but thanks to Microsoft integration, it can also keep you focused on your tasks. Microsoft Teams provides confidence: It’s easy to collaborate while keeping you and your staff efficient at the things you do best. Ultimately, in the real world, we are interrupted all the time. Emails and taps on the shoulder force us to pause what we’re doing. Instead of sending emails, you can send instant messages via Microsoft Teams to one or multiple people under a named conversation. (Trust us, the less time and money you spend for staff to write emails, the better.) Thanks to OneNote and Office integration, you’ll also never have to switch between apps to continue a conversation. You can even attach documents or search for files in a chat while working on your team’s next presentation! But what if you simply can’t cover all the necessary ground in a quick message? That’s where Teams’ Meeting function comes into play. It’s easy to create a named conversation, share all of your materials and notes needed for review before the meeting, then give people an audio or video call from there. Once your meeting is finished, anyone who missed it can access a recording available in the same chat — no need to crowd your messages with questions about what they missed!

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“PEOPLE DO NOT BUY GOODS & SERVICES. THEY BUY RELATIONS, STORIES & MAGIC.”

‘FIND YOUR REASON’ FITBIT AND THE POWER OF A GREAT SUCCESS STORY

–SETH GODIN

about Sandile. He had lost the use of both legs in a motorcycle accident, and after realizing that he needed to take his health more seriously in the wake of it, his life took an incredible turn. Linnea’s story is just as impactful. Her stress levels were causing her mental and physical health to deteriorate, and only by adding exercise to her schedule was she able to find some level of peace. Each of these stories from people around the world highlights their determination to change their lives, with the Fitbit at the center of that journey. The “Find Your Reason” campaign ultimately succeeds because it ties Fitbit customers more personally to their product. If you’re looking for the next great marketing tool for your company, why not take a page from Fitbit’s playbook and create a success story campaign of your own? You might find that your customers are more than willing to share their positive experiences with your product both with you and with others who might eventually become customers themselves.

Few marketing tools will benefit a business more than a great success story from one of their clients or customers using their product. That said, few companies have employed this tool more effectively than Fitbit. For 10 years leading up to 2017, the company gathered thousands of stories submitted by Fitbit users about their inspiring fitness journeys. Then, Fitbit shared a handful of these stories with the world as a part of their “Find Your Reason” campaign. The “Find Your Reason” campaign told real stories from real people as they dramatically improved their fitness and their lives through sheer willpower — with a little help from Fitbit. The stories were published in the form of minidocumentaries, showcasing some of the most inspiring stories from Fitbit users. They captured the emotions of viewers with professional scoring and editing as well as the content itself. One such story was by Rachel, who lost 79 pounds and got her diabetes under control. She had tried and failed to do that for 13 years. Another story was

“NOTHING STICKS IN YOUR HEAD BETTER THAN A STORY. STORIES CAN EXPRESS THE MOST COMPLICATED IDEAS IN THE MOST DIGESTIBLE WAYS.”

–SAM BALTER, SR. MARKETING MANAGER OF PODCASTS, HUBSSPOT

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BUSINESS PROFILE

How Dr. Squatch Revolutionized Soap Marketing A Soap Made for Men

But the average guy, he thought, wasn’t going to seek out soap at a farmers market or health food store, and he was right. For years, women have been the target market for soap. So, 29-year- old Haldrup created Dr. Squatch, an all-natural soap brand marketed toward men. “Our customer is not the guy who already shops at Whole Foods and uses Dr. Bronner’s soap,” Haldrup said, though he still expected coastal cities like New York or San Francisco to have the highest sales. But their biggest audience is middle America. “This is for the guy who would never normally consider buying natural products because he thinks they’re for hippies.” Knowing this, and that he couldn’t compete with large household brands on their own terms, Haldrup decided to leverage different strengths: personalizing the customer experience and building community. He found success through targeted marketing, despite his unrelated background in finance and information systems, and by investing in video ads that people want to watch. He took a $20,000 risk, hiring a professional marketing agency to create a humorous ad campaign. It paid off when his soap subscription base grew from 11,000 to 17,000 in three months. By the time the 2020 Super Bowl arrived, Dr. Squatch — a brand available solely online — was armed and ready to make its massive TV debut. And it rocked. Profitero, an

In today’s internet-based world, you’d think creating a new tech startup company would be the quickest way for a 30-year-old entrepreneur to make millions of dollars. Not for Jack Haldrup. He’s made millions off a product first produced sometime near 2800 B.C.: bar soap. Massive players, like Procter & Gamble and Unilever, have ruled the industry for decades, but after Haldrup’s company, Dr. Squatch, aired a massively successful 2020 Super Bowl ad, people began wondering how he broke into the market in the first place. And why soap? Haldrup has a common autoimmune skin condition called psoriasis. Regular supermarket soaps burn his skin, leaving it dry and irritated, so he was forced to seek natural, gentler soaps. He told the San Diego Union-Tribune, “I ended up buying handmade soaps from farmers markets, and they made my skin feel great.”

eCommerce performance platform, called Dr. Squatch the top brand winner of Super Bowl LIV after its ad campaign led to 200% growth in estimated market share in the beauty category on Amazon. Though the company faced some challenges with competitors buying up sponsored Amazon ads, Dr. Squatch left such a positive and memorable impression on viewers and buyers that they’ve been able to jump over these hurdles. The contents of an average Dr. Squatch soap include lye, vegetable oil, and essential oils — not exactly groundbreaking ingredients. But while there’s nothing new about Dr. Squatch’s soap itself, the brand’s targeting and tactics are completely innovative for their industry. Men and women alike have come to adore Dr. Squatch for its attractive subscription system and humorous, personalized messaging. They’ve become a great example of how powerful a strong message can be, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for the company! We’re rooting for you, Dr. Squatch!

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