Why February?

Is there a better time to start a business than now? Most of us want to postpone success and put life on hold… it is a natural human tendency.

February is the perfect month to start a business because people are just getting over their Christmas and New Year’s hangover, retail sales are down and things are slow around everywhere. This month of February is the month of opportunity for those who want to make hay while the sun shines.

You and I both know the answer to this question, “Can we afford to ignore the consequences of losing our job? And not prepare ourselves for that event?”

Of course not!

That is why I take this privilege of letting you examine this beautiful business package that can give you the freedom to be what you want to be, do what you want to do and have what you want to have, the very essence of our being… liberty. It may sound like a tall order but its true and it is being done by many just like you in the world today.

This business package has all the elements of being an executive without doing the grunt work with no inventory to carry, it’s in an unlimited market and can operate from home, coffee shop or a beach all that is needed is an Internet connection. Do your business in your pajamas if you feel like it; deal with blue-chip companies…business to business (B2B) and at the same time deal with Mr and Mrs. Homemaker… business to consumer (B2C). There is no previous business experience required, no capital investment for equipment required because it is not a brick and mortar operation.

This business defies obsolescence in a world where obsolescence is the way of most businesses.

You and I know no job is permanent. The question is “What are we doing about it?” We also know when somebody loses their job today, they may never work again. Now is the time to start a business and be independent of our job and still earn without limits.

Most people believe that they will be financially okay by retirement but more than 90% live on subsistence level, hand to mouth. You and I don’t want to do that, we really do need a backup plan for life. Starting a business is no longer an option according to trends very few are going to retire from the same job they are at now. Act now and take charge of your tomorrows. Today’s action creates your tomorrow.

What is your vision of what you will do when you will have to leave your job? Isn’t it worth your while to look into this beautiful opportunity of making a backup plan for your life.

Call me now or just send me an e-mail and I will get in touch with you to show you step by step what this business is all about. And after that, if you are still interested we can meet personally and I will go into the depth of the business with you and your spouse/partner.

You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Don’t Wait! 1.866.269.6156

don@doncrupi.com

Just recently I had a conversation with an individual interested in purchasing a business opportunity. I was not surprised when he asked “How much does it cost?”  But I know my answer left him in a state of bewilderment, “You can afford this at any price!”

It amazes me sometimes that some people base their entire decision on or interest in something on the purchase price. Purchase price at times has no bearing on its intrinsic worth or value.

Let me shed some light upon what I mean, by sharing with you what I know. My Mentor once described to me that something’s worth is very different than that of it’s purchase price. He fashioned this learning to me in his own unique way. Let me now paraphrase:

“Don, if I put in your hand a solid golden egg worth $250,000, then told you if you wanted it, it would cost $250,000, would that be fair?”

“Absolutely, it is the fair market value.”

“Remember,” He said,” that egg is a symbol of wealth and even health, it is golden. It can be viewed as richness, being rich and with all riches there is a certain life style that goes with it. It is a security that you have wealth in the form of a golden egg. Happy is he that carries a golden egg in his pocket.”

“Now here I have a goose, for $1.69/lb it can be yours, it could be your next meal, so for under $20 you can eat very well, today. For the hungry, struggling person that has $20 in his pocket it may indeed be a great transaction.”

“But what if I tell you that this goose lays golden eggs, those exact solid golden eggs that you paid $250,000 for? What should I charge you for it, this goose that lays golden eggs?

Is it worth $1.69/lb? Is it worth $250,000?

Is it worth more? Surely it will lay more eggs if you tend to it and feed it?”

“So how much does it cost?”

If there is a business that lays golden eggs for you if you tend to it and feed it. What is it worth? When you know what something is worth, its purchase price is not it’s value.

 Why don’t you give me a call?  @1.866.269.6156. Let’s talk business and geese: email don@doncrupi.com

“You can afford this at any price!”

Mailing to Prospects
For reaching out to prospects, we recommend products that are lightweight and flat for easy mailing. A magnetic calendar fits the bill (and the envelope) and is inexpensive enough for wide distribution. If prospects are thinking about buying, a mortgage calculator pen will show them what they can afford.

Closing Gifts
A house-shaped “Welcome Home” gift box filled with chocolate coins or pecans will make buyers feel right at home as soon as they’ve closed. Another great closing-gift option is a welcome mat, imprinted with the family name. For home buyers who tipple, a bottle of wine is the perfect celebratory presentation.

Keeping In Touch
After the sale, you should keep in touch once or twice a year, so homeowners remember them when it’s time to sell. Again, convenient direct mailers like a calendar/thermometer combo or seed-paper coaster make cost-effective choices.

Referral Rewards and Thank Yous
Past clients can also be invaluable for referrals, and you can encourage them with a reward program. May we suggest presenting a house-shaped key ring/bottle opener for qualified referrals and a clock/paperweight when the referral closes on a house.

You know your competitors are already using such strategies, let us develop a unique marketing and promotion strategy for you!

Click here <http://doncrupi.logomall.com> for even more great ideas.

1. Get your own prospects
If you want lots of qualified attendees, it’s essential to create your own audience. You can do this by utilizing house files, prospect lists, direct mail and electronic media channels to produce personalized invitations and schedule booth appointments in advance of the show. You can also boost attendance by providing an incentive – send an invitation in advance that contains one flip-flop, for example. Then, tell people to stop by your booth to complete the pair.

2. Know where to exhibit
Presumably, you’re exhibiting because your company has identified a target audience. Knowing that, you’ll want to avoid setting up your booth at the wrong show. This is where show organizers can help, demonstrating who will be at their show. The number one question to ask is, “Are my customers and prospects going to be there?” It’s risky to depend on past performances, as trade shows and their audiences can change over time.

3. Make your booth advertise itself
The single most important element of your booth is signage. Signs need to be visible from at least 30 feet away, and they should be made up of words that are benefit-oriented. This means that the signage should answer the question, “Why should I stop and talk with you?” Also note that the words used should be similar in scope and meaning to the teaser copy in your direct mail or electronic invitations.

4. Use a winning layout
To entice prospects, your booth layout should be open and inviting. You can accomplish this by making sure your booth design isn’t overly intricate and allows for a free flow of attendee traffic. Examples include avoiding out-front obstructions such as large desks, tables or other impediments that deter flow and communication. As a rule of thumb, an exhibit space should resemble a well-organized welcome center.

5. Attract quality traffic
Increasing traffic is fine, but if you want bona-fide prospects, you need to fend off people you don’t want in your booth. One method is to craft clear signage so that people who aren’t interested in your product won’t stop by. For example, if you’re marketing software for accounts, your signage should say so. Also, have a couple of qualifying questions ready for when you immediately greet people in your booth. This will help to focus your attention on the best prospects.

6. Give the right promotional gift
The newest promotional items tend to produce the most booth traffic, and electronics are often held in high regard. A promotional USB drive with your company’s logo would make a great higher-end giveaway – it can even be preloaded with information about your company and lead users to your website. USB sticks can come attached to pens, keychains and other everyday items to increase their appeal.

7. Select and train booth personnel
Selection and training of booth personnel is essential to improving traffic. Booth staffers should be matched to your audience and be trained in how to engage and disengage with prospects. It’s also important that they know what not to do: chat on cell phones, sit, eat, chew gum, talk excessively with coworkers, etc. Matching booth outfits can also help, as long as they use colors and messages that emphasize your company’s branding.

8. Get friendly with organizers
Trade show staff can improve your experience in numerous ways. Don’t hesitate to use their expertise for detailed information about attendance and traffic patterns or coordinate special events or offsite get-togethers with them. Good organizer relationships will also help identify other synchronization opportunities to capitalize on the whole show experience.

9. Use technology to capture information
Booth technology should be a function of your marketing strategy. Some of the best uses of technology involve methods of capturing prospect data, including badge and card scanners, electronic entry ports for contests and prizes and laptop-driven laser engraving machines that capture information while providing engraved gifts for prospects.

10. Do something different
Booth traffic can be increased by turning attendees into marketing tools for your booth. For example, offer visitors a free T-shirt if they come by your booth and listen to a sales pitch. Then, tell the attendees to wear the T-shirt – of course, emblazoned with your branding and marketing messages – and then offer prizes for attendees who are spotted wearing the shirts.

11. Consider sponsorship opportunities
There are lots of creative ways to promote your brand and product outside of your booth. Examples include sponsoring breakfast or lunch meetings for booth attendees, hosting coffee breaks and sponsoring tours or trips to local attractions for top prospects.

12. Put Your Message Everywhere
We’ve already discussed the importance of pre-show marketing, appropriate signage, layout, technology and incentives; this is the intersection where they all meet. It’s critical to decide on a compelling message for your company and to integrate it into every aspect of your booth – including marketing, signs, design, banners, graphics, promotional items, brochures and gifts.

Don Crupi Promotions can help you with all your advertising and promotional marketing needs for your next tradeshow!

Keepsakes, “leave behinds”, thank-you’s, reminders and incentives all build new customers, build loyalty with existing customers or entices them to order more from you more often.

There is nothing so enduring as your custom embellished item in the hands of your customer or prospect. Just like leaving your phone number to a prospective date.

Although we may at times miss out at creating a good first impression, custom embellished promotional products create a great lasting impression.

At http://doncrupi.logomall.com you will find help with some interesting promotional product pieces. But items and ideas continue to change moment by moment, we help you customize your own special needs.

We are at your service to discuss with you how you can promote and increase your revenue with the shameless art of seducing prospects into customers/clients.

The art of seduction is the core mission of advertising.
Do not hesitate to call 1.866.269.6156.

Anyone can sell you imprinted items to help promote your business. Heck, you could even go on line and do it yourself. But is that the right solution? Will the final product just be viewed as more of “trinkets and trash” or as a valuable keepsake and reminder to continue to do business with you?

A Not So Funny Story: Know who you are dealing with

Not so long ago I met with one of my clients. And as we usually do, we share a bit of conversation over a beverage. Getting insight into my customers helps me ensure that I am doing the best for them and securing more business from their future customers.

On that day he seemed to be in a very complimentary and thankful mood.

“Don,” he said, “Did I ever tell you the reason why we switched over to Don Crupi Promotions three years ago?”

“No,” I replied. “I was just happy you gave us the opportunity. I knew you would appreciate our professional service.”

“Indeed” he said. “In deed!”

Well as it goes my client utilized a price point sensitive organization to order 10,000 pens and 10,000 key tags as part of a promotional give away. The customary order taking protocols, the exchange of art work etc. were done in what he said was a most efficient manner.

He just couldn’t believe what a great deal he was getting.

He became a little nervous when the launch date of his campaign was soon approaching and the promo items intended for his sales force had not arrived. Luckily, on the day of their meeting the shipment was delivered. The administration team quickly leapt into action and meted out the pre-determined numbers of pieces for each sales team member.

The next day the sales manager came into my client’s office.

“Fred,” he said, “The key chains with our logo and telephone number look great. I can really see our customers using them, but the boys are a little confused with the pens.”

“What do mean?” Fred asked.

“How do you want us to use this as part of our pitch? I am little bit confused myself.” Retorted the sales manager.

The sales manager handed a pen to Fred, one of 10,000 pieces. Fred’s face dropped…

Emblazoned upon the pen was not the company’s name and telephone number but rather

LOGO: SAME AS ABOVE

Choose your ad/promo professional wisely. Know who you are dealing with.

Professionals:

As certain as success itself, professionals are focused on ROI, return of investment, your return on investment. The one time sale has neither value nor reputation to such a person. It is your business and your business’ reputation that is better served by an individual “looking out” for YOUR image as much as it is looking out for and protecting their image. It makes dollars and sense to deal with a professional. Advertising and promotional marketing professionals allow you insight into trends in the market place and will position your brand on things of worth, because your brand, your business and your name is worth it!

Manufacturer/Supplier Reps:

The expertise of a manufacturer/supplier representative or salesperson is very important. The fine detailed information and specifications are extremely useful but in the end the inventory of options for you is limited by their product line.

Multi Line Reps:

Dealing with a professional multi line representative or salesperson increases the imprint-able inventory available. Most multi line reps will promote one manufacturer or supplier in a category such as apparel, writing instruments, gifts, etc, but are again restricted by their exclusive selling arrangements with such manufactures and suppliers.

Don Crupi Promotions:

Not limited by any one manufacturer’s or supplier’s product line and encompassing all categories of imprint-able items from apparel to printed signs, Don Crupi Promotions is your professional one source solution to all your advertising and promotional marketing needs. Tapping into an exclusive network of over 3,500 suppliers and manufacturers in North America alone, you are not restricted in any way on item, quality or price point. You are able to tap into over 750,000 promotional awareness building pieces, brokered here at home or abroad.  Aligned with trading houses in Asia, professional production, execution and delivery is possible throughout the entire globe. Don Crupi Promotions has been professionally promoting individuals and corporations successfully through promotional advertising and marketing products, shared expertise through consultancy and program creation and coordination. Let us promote you!

Order Taking vs. Solution Strategy

So, you know what you want. Perfect! How many would you like and when do you need them? We are happy to take your order and see it being produced professionally. Not sure what you need to match up with your campaign, need help with a strategy… well, we do that too.

A real estate agent came to us awhile back looking to attack a certain area to solicit new listings. Of course, he was looking at the usual standard fare of refrigerator magnets, calendars, mortgage calculator pens, etc. But I could tell he did not feel comfortable with the status quo. So, I asked of him, “Joe, what is you hope by giving these ad/promo pieces?” Joe replied, “I want to stand out in these homeowners minds, so much, that when it comes time for them to sell, I will be their only choice to call.”

Joe wanted impact, he wanted results, and he wanted a tangible return on his investment.

With the standard fare with its standard cost budget he may have gotten some standard results.

I looked at another approach for Joe. We met and share some time and created a strategy. By pooling his resources and budgets for multiple items to be distributed we started with an overall budget. We now could begin with end in mind, first; to create impact. We set time aside and drove his intended market to get a feel for the area and to sense some inspiration from the exercise. It just happened to be garbage pick up day. It was so obvious, that it was blinding. It was hidden in plain site. Each home had at least 1 blue recycling bin but the majority of homes had an additional buddle of “something” tied up or bagged next to that bin to be picked up as well.

The Strategy and Champaign:

Joe visited each and every home in his targeted area. Not only offering a free market evaluation if they ever chose to sell but a useful, practical leave behind  that the homeowner would certainly use. Instead of a bunch of smaller more price point conscious items, he opted for impact. Joe is now a happy guy. He brags aloud that every one knows who to call when its time to sell. He’s the guy smiling driving up the street on garbage collection day seeing a sea of his red bins, logo’d and in prominent display on the curb throughout the entire subdivision. It’s his subdivision now. His listings were up 38%.

“Years ago, I used refrigerator magnets and a mouse pad, and they both got me a lot of mileage,” Singer says. “But I wanted to do something that was eco-friendly this time and that could be used in an eco-friendly way.”

To help spread the word about her business, she ordered plenty of imprinted tote bags made of recycled plastic material. The bags feature a stenciled image of the historic London Terrace apartment building, for which she’s a broker, as well as her contact information and branding for Corcoran Group Real Estate. She decided not to include the name of the London Terrace building so that the bag would have wider appeal – she wanted it to be “just about living in New York and having an eco-friendly bag … that way people will want to use them and it’s just free advertising,” she says.

Singer sent the totes to her neighbors, clients and potential clients – and gave one to every unit in London Terrace. She also distributes them at events when the opportunity arises. For example, she recently offered the bags after she spoke at an Earth Day seminar at Baruch College in Manhattan.

The totes direct people to Singer’s website, www.susansingerspaces.com. On this informational and self-promotional site, they’ll find information about her properties ranging from Brooklyn to Uptown Manhattan, as well as Tales of the Green Queen, a regular comic strip in which a cartoon version of Singer tours the city, helping people save on energy costs.

Singer’s totes get an enthusiastic response. “I’ve had people call me or e-mail me saying, ‘I’m so grateful for this tote. It’s so sweet and reminds me of the building,’ and people from the building have just stopped me on the street,” she says. “It’s really been very good for me.”

Ralph is a professional through and through. His experience in business and marketing consulting will provide superior service to our customers with thoughtfulness, integrity and execution. Ralph served in United States Marine Corps on the USS Ranger CV-61, 1ST Marine Division and as a Marine Corps Reservists, 4Th Marine Division.

His business experience is exemplary. He has partnered in two businesses in the service protection and investigations industry. He is a marketing and sales expert. While in the role of Director, he increased business in a LA firm by 64% and took a local Torrance office from $5,000 a year in sales to $60,000 in less than one year.

Ralph also has experience in mergers and acquisitions brokering deals of million dollar companies. On the international front, his experience in import and export to Mexico and China will enhance DCP globally.

Ralph will be able to assist all our customers from the fledgling entrepreneur to the multinational corporation. We are excited and confident that Don Crupi Promotions will be your “go-to” choice for all your advertising and promotional needs.