Because, more customers old bean

Because, more customers old bean

BECAUSE MORE CUSTOMERS, OLD BEAN

May we politely enquire, are you easily shocked? Stand by, your beliefs could soon be knocked

I’ll tell you a story, of a firm we once knew Adored their clients, well versed in what to do

Relied on repeat business and a loyalty drive They thought this alone would help them thrive

But, trade quieter today, praying for tomorrow Worse!? Smiles became frowns then sorrow

Alas, a flaw uncovered, which goes to show Winning new customers is the only way to grow

You see, a universal human law is at play Time passes, clients leave, retire, move away

Please, we beg, don’t read this tale wrong

Cherish and keep your relationships strong

But just to stand still, new customers must flow What are you doing today to make that so?

Back to the tale, a happy ending, delighted to say When a charming chap revealed a better way

For they discovered Nettl, in the nick of time And some spectacular ideas to help sales climb

Great tales need a moral and lines to read between So choose Nettl, because more customers, Old Bean

Refuse to Blend

Refuse to Blend

MAKE YOUR NEXT SHOW, YOUR FINEST

The finest show

“Cheers” both beam, as bubbling flutes clink
To that chance encounter, toasted with a wink
Strangers at an expo, one year ago today
Now his greatest client, it’s fair to say
A decision was sealed, when he refused to blend
His incredible stand demanded all must attend
Transfixed by intensity and jaw dropping drama
Their eyes locked, like some kind of nirvana
They got down to business, it was plain to see
What a fruitful relationship this was destined to be
His huge display, popped-up, taken-down in a blink
It attracted all the big spenders, he began to think
Both pockets brimming with leads, he stood tall
For his truly was the finest show of them all

General Data Protection Regulations

General Data Protection Regulations

The law is changing…

It affects our business. And it affects your business. It’s not just for big corporations either. We all need to prepare. We want to help you make the changes you’ll need to make. We’ll do our best to be as clear as we can. If your business uses email marketing, sends direct mail or makes sales calls, the law is changing what you can and can’t do. Some things you might do today will no longer be allowed.

From 25th May 2018, General Data Protection Regulations – or GDPR – come into force. You’ll hear about this a lot. Because it’s kind of a big deal. It’s tempting to think “I’ll deal with it in May”. But there’s some easy things you should do right now, which mean you won’t run into trouble later. The new GDPR law is complex and extensive. It goes well beyond what we can fit in this guide. However, we’ve put together some practical advice on things to help you start to comply.

What data are you collecting?

If you use any tracking tools on your website, like Google Analytics – that counts. People have the right to know what personal information you’re storing about them. And what you might do with that data. The law applies to data which could be traced back to an individual. That even includes things like their computer’s IP address. If your site doesn’t have a Privacy Policy, it needs one to comply. It needs to tell people what you’re going to do. We can provide a template. Edit it for your business and remove the bits that don’t apply.

Who has provided this data?

You need to explicitly ask permission to send someone email marketing. They must opt in. It’s not ok to assume you have permission. It’s not ok to hide it in your privacy policy. And it’s not ok to pre-tick a box which people have to un-tick. Those things might have been allowed in the past, but not any more. On your website contact forms, registration forms or check out pages, we can add tick boxes if you don’t have them. Or if you have pre-ticked boxes, we can re-programme the default setting.

You need to record when they gave you permission. And you need to log exactly what they were shown when they opted in. If you get an email notification when someone registers or checks out, that may be enough to comply. Provided you store the email securely and it clearly shows what the tick box said.

From today, make sure marketing emails tell people how to unsubscribe. That could be saying ‘reply with “unsubscribe” in the subject’. Or make it smarter, with a link to click.

How secure is this data?

If you’re storing any personal data on your website, you absolutely must have an SSL certificate. This encrypts transmission of the data. In October 2017, Google implemented the second part of its plan to label any sites without an SSL certificate as non-secure. So even if your site only has a contact form, unless it has an SSL certificate, your visitors might get a nasty warning. That will probably freak some people out, so it’s best to take action today.

Here are some useful sites:

Information Commissioner’s Office: www.ico.org.uk
These are the folks upholding the law and issuing fines. Download extensive guides and read their latest guidance.

Direct Mail Association: www.dma.org.uk
Not to be confused with the Daily Mail. An industry body which helps marketers navigate the new laws.

MarketReach: www.marketreach.co.uk
Some interesting statistics and surveys which support the power of direct mail.

6 Pointers for using images for your website

6 Pointers for using images for your website

How do you go about choosing imagery for your brand?

This will largely depend on things like the nature of the product, the company’s business goals and the intended audience.

Creative Bloq have written a great article about 6 things to consider when choosing images to accompany your brand.

01. DO be eye-catching

Right now, we’re living through a time when it’s never been more challenging to gain attention.

02. DON’T be predictable

If you really want to get attention, here’s a simple technique: think about the kind of images people will expect to see, and then produce something very different.

03. DO get creative with collage

It may be an old-fashioned technique, but right now the art of photo collage is making a big comeback in the design world.

04. DO consider illustration

Think images, and it’s natural to think photography. But precisely because of the ubiquity of this type of imagery, you may be able to make more impact with illustration.

05. DON’T overcomplicate

Sometimes the most effective imagery is the most subtle. Whether you’re using photography or illustration, always consider whether less may be more.

06. DO focus on colour

As we’ve often noted in the past, a series of top brands have successfully managed to ‘own a colour’, such as Coca-Cola’s red and Tiffany’s distinctive blue.

Read the full article: http://www.creativebloq.com/inspiration/6-dos-and-donts-for-using-images-in-agency-projects