With Earth Day right around the corner, A Media Marketing would like to share a few key definitions and resources about Sustainable Printing. When your company makes the choice to become more environmentally friendly around the office, how you print, if you print and what you print on can potentially make huge impact not only on the environment but also on your bottom line. Let’s take a look at a few terms many people hear but rarely understand.

Paper

FSC stands for Forest Stewardship Council . This non profit organization provides third-party certification for the paper industry to ensure they are following strict procedures in managing their forests.

The FSC wants to ensure the forests are managed properly, new trees can grow and forests are not harvested to depletion. To have a printing job officially certified by the FSC, several very important procedures must be followed. The paper merchant must provide documentation that the paper bought is FSC certified, the printer must be FSC certified and all documentation must be submitted to the FSC for verification. Once approved, they will provide a code that must be printed in the correct position next to the FSC logo.

SFI stands for Sustainable Forestry Initiative, and it is also an independent auditor of good forestry practices.  It is simply an alternative to FSC-certification and is just as good an indicator of sustainably harvested paper stock.

These two organizations can be greatly credited for ensuring that trees get planted on this planet by the very industry that depends on them.

Recycled – The term “recycled paper” can have several meanings. The EPA guidelines require a minimum of 30% post-consumer content for uncoated printing and writing paper, and a minimum of 10% post-consumer content for coated papers. Post-consumer is paper that has already been used and returned through a recycling program, thereby diverting it from a landfill or incinerator. It is usually deinked and then processed to make new paper. Office paper waste makes up the majority of post-consumer waste content that is used to make recycled copy and printing papers. Other forms of paper, such as newsprint, corrugated packaging, tissue, and others, also require post-consumer content. You can find various degrees of recycled content papers at most major retailers. You can also request that recycled paper be used when printing your office stationary, business cards or other marketing collateral. With increased demand for this type of paper, in most cases the cost for printing on paper containing recycled content is in line with non-recycled. Ask your printer for two quotes the next time you place your order.

Inks

Soy & Vegetable Inks - Until recently, the printing industry used petroleum-based inks, which have two primary environmental drawbacks. First, they are made using a non-renewable resource (petroleum). Second, petroleum-based inks release Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs); VOCs reduce indoor air quality and can have negative short and long-term health effects. Fortunately, an environmentally responsible alternative is available: soy inks, which are derived from soybeans. This alternative was originally developed for use in newspaper printing, but spread to the printing of other items, such as your business cards, marketing collateral, and product catalogs.

So what are the actual benefits of using soy inks instead of petroleum-based inks? And, how will it affect the colors on your printed piece?

• Soy inks are more sustainable – they come from a renewable resource, unlike petroleum
• Soy inks are more environmentally friendly – some actually release zero VOCs
• Paper printed with soy inks can be deinked more easily, making it easier to recycle
• Spot colors are available, so you can still get the exact color you need in your logo
• You actually get colors that are brighter, more vivid and pop!

What does this mean for you? This is a simple but important step in greening your printing. Make sure that all of your printing is done using soy (or vegetable-based) inks. You’ll still get the great color you want (except fluorescent and metallic colors, which are petroleum-based), but with twice the environmental benefit – fewer emissions during the production process and the paper will be easier to recycle afterwards.

Office Printing

Lastly we take a look at the amount of unnecessary printing that takes place in your office. As mentioned before, office waste makes up the majority of paper that heads to our landfills everyday. The tag line “Think before you Print” is on the bottom of many emails that come across your screen, but do you actually do it? Or are you like most Americans that hit that print button to only see that email later laying in the trash (or hopefully the recycling bin). We could reduce a huge amount of office waste by just taking that advice. Do you really need that email on paper? Save money on paper, waste and recycling costs. This is one action that could definitely add some GREEN to your bottom line!

Greenbiz used for some content

Did you know that we have an amazing resource right here in our own backyard? Creative Recycling (CRS) introduced a new state-of-the-art electronics recycling system at the company’s headquarters in Tampa. The revolutionary structure allows recycling of electronic components in a single computerized process. In addition to computer monitors and TV’s, the system economically processes CPU’s, consumer electronics, office equipment, telecommunications equipment and the whole range of E-Scrap without any need to pre-sort.

Creative Recycling is leading the industry in developing and utilizing new uses for these commodities and preventing any electronic waste from entering landfills. Our state-of-the-art recycling equipment shreds and separates electronics into their original material of plastics, steel, aluminum, precious metals, and glass. An advanced filtering system insures that it does so without any harmful air emissions.

This gives us the capacity to handle the deluge of TV’s, cell phones and other electronic scrap that are quickly made obsolete by the introduction of High Definition TV and numerous rapid advances in technology. Preventing the disposal of IT equipment through responsible recycling is our number one goal, and this guarantees you that you are not only complying with laws but also doing the right thing for the earth.

View a list of acceptable items HERE.

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Twitter hacks drive Social Media managers to action

Over the last few weeks we have seen some major brands Twitter accounts being hacked. Burger King’s logo was replaced with McDonald’s as well as offensive and some funny tweets sent out to all their followers. This is a social media managers worse nightmare come to life. So how do you protect yourself? Changing your password frequently is one answer. Also using secure passwords with alpha, numeric and symbols helps keep back the threat. Read more about security measures and how to react in the event of a hack at your business here.

Nearly 60 percent of major brands using Instagram

An increasing number of brands have been adopting the photo-sharing app Instagram for marketing purposes, but the platform has a long way to go before it’s in the same league as Facebook and Twitter. Have you considered Instagram for your business but didn’t know if it was the right platform for you? Instagram is a site full of images. If you can’t tell your story visually, it’s not the right place for you to spend time. Make sure when you embark into social media, you are on platforms that make the most sense for you. See the top brands using Instagram here.

Content created for A Media Marketing’s March Edition Newsletter by Leslie Laney

With almost half of social media users accessing content through their phones, the world of social media marketing is changing.  Everything needs to be ready for the fast-paced on-the-go user, accessible at the touch of a fingertip.  As everything mobilizes, your social media marketing strategy needs to as well. Having a mobile marketing strategy is the key to your brand’s success, allowing you to engage with your audience 24/7. Static marketing is becoming irrelevant so without a user-friendly plan, your business may just slide right off the radar. If your site is not mobile friendly, it will be abandoned for your competitor. Mobile devices are only becoming more prevalent as the market in tablets, iPads, eBook Readers, Smartphones, and even the basic cell phone grows. Users check their devices for email, news, and social updates….don’t you want to be a presence on all of those?

Making Your Social Media Marketing Strategy Mobile Friendly

There are many ways to make your social media marketing strategy mobile friendly, from something as simple as marketing through SMS texts to allow access for even the most basic cell phone user, to more in-depth methods. One of the most important things to focus on for your brand in the mobile sphere is your website:

• Any content on your site, including articles, blog posts, and especially your site’s search engine, should be flawlessly displayed and effortlessly accessed through a mobile device.
• Include your search engine on every page at the top for easy navigation through your content. Your site should be able to detect mobile users and route them to a mobile-friendly version of the web page.
• Creating an app for your company takes this one step further. This allows users to avoid going through their internet browser, and cut right to your content.  You can then use the app to filter the content you find more relevant to mobile users, specifically targeting this sect of the market through your app.
• Implementing an effective online display campaign is an important part of your social media marketing strategy! You can improve upon brand engagement by optimizing your video and image campaigns on your website and social media channels!

Being able to share content through a mobile device is essential for bringing your brand into the age of technology. Any content should be able to be easily shared through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. so there should be buttons available for all pages accessed through the mobile device, and included in your app as well. Over 50% Twitter users access it via mobile devices , and more than 25% of Facebook posts are made using mobile devices as well. You should also have a company profile on each of these social media outlets, that can be accessed through your site, app, etc. You want to cast as wide a net as possible to increase your audience outreach and visibility, weaving a web that leads back to your brand in as many ways as possible.

A Media Marketing can help your business get Mobile Friendly. Give us a call at 813.933.2788 today for a free consultation.

Content provided by Social2B

Help brand your business with Crown Products cutting edge Rock-It Speaker! The Rock-It speaker turns any item on your desk into a portable speaker. Check out this demo video and watch it in action. Contact A Media Marketing today to get a quote for your company. 813-933-2788 or http://www.amediamarketing.com

Our March Course date has been announced. Join us on March 20th at 10:00am upstairs in the Commerce Club of the Oxford Exchange.

Space is limited, so reserve your seat now by emailing social@amediamarketing.com

Call 813-933-2788 for further questions.

If you want to hand out branded items during specific holidays you should order months ahead of your target date. Earth Day is just around the promotional corner. Your company may not participate in an Earth Day event but there are many ways you can make a positive impact on the environment as well as your company’s bottom line.

The first place to start is your break-room. Are you constantly running to the store to buy disposable coffee cups? How much time and money is that costing you? How much waste do you generate by throwing them away. By making a small investment in reusable mugs, you can make an immediate impact on your office expenses.

Maybe you have a small office with only handful of employees. You may ask, what major impact would this make for me? By creating branded products with your company’s logo, you can provide drinkware to existing and perspective clients. In addition to making environmental and economic impacts on your business, you are now impacting others as well. How nice will it be to visit your clients’ offices and see employees drinking from cups or mugs with your logo front and center?

An important factor when determining what type of promotional item to purchase is the number of impressions your product provides. It’s important to find a promotional product that will have many lasting impressions on your customers – something with repetitive staying power! We will help you match the perfect item to your event or business. Check out our online store at amediamarketing.com or call us at 813-933-2788 for your personalized product presentation today!

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You have no idea what type of germs and bacteria are walking through that door. Help protect yourself and your staff with the Made in the USA Guard-Shield. This Anti-Microbial pen resists bacteria, fungus and other microbes with Silver ion technology. Feel safe sharing your pen and not sharing the germs!

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I have many clients who reap the benefits of Facebook Ads, but I still consistently get comments from business owners that prove there are still many misconceptions about their value. I’m sure that is par for the course, since many owners still doubt the power of Social Media as a marketing tool. I can tell you for sure that if you are in the camp of the latter group, you are definitely operating behind the 8 ball and doing a disservice to your business.

After reading countless reports and seeing results first hand, I am confident in telling you that Facebook Ads DO work for business owners. It is critical to understand of how Facebook Ads can help you and to develop a strategy.

One of the easiest examples I use to compare the cost of running an opt-in commercial email campaign vs. Facebook Ads. It came from an article published by LoudDoor founder Jeff French. Let’s take a look.

EMAIL

Acquisition Costs

The going rate for most brands to acquire an email subscriber at scale is $4-$5. Therefore, acquiring 100,000 email subscribers would cost $450,000 at the mid-point.

Mailing Expense

A mail provider with good delivery rates such as ExactTarget would charge between $6-$8 per thousand to deliver email to this list when you consider all data management and mailing fees. This is assuming a mid-point of $7 would peg us at $700 per mailing. To mail to the list 3 times per week would total $109,200 per year.

Reach

According to the widely referenced SilverPop Email Marketing Metrics Benchmarking Study, the average email open rate in the United States is just under 20%. This means that 20,000 of the subscribers in our example would open each message accounting for 3,120,000 unique user impressions in a year (assuming 3 emails sent per week as previously mentioned).

Total cost per unique user impression:

Take a look at the totals for our hypothetical email example:

$450,000 acquisition costs plus $109,200 mailing cost equals $559,200 to deliver 3,120,000 unique user impressions.  This is an all-in cost of $.18 per impression delivered via email.

Now that we have email covered, we’ll take a look at Facebook and apply the same math, starting with user acquisition.

FACEBOOK LIKES

Acquisition Cost

Facebook created a low friction experience for a consumer to “Like” brands and while the cost to acquire fans will vary we consistently deliver “Likes” to our clients at $1.50 or less depending on the targeting criteria. This means $150,000 to acquire 100,000 users.

Promoted Posts Expense

Cuban referenced the suggested “Promoted Post” pricing using the standard in-line buying mechanism provided by Facebook. His quote was $3,000 to reach 1-1.8 million fans.  The midpoint of 1.4 million fans in this example is a CPM of about $2. Assuming we pay the same rate to reach our 100,000 fans on each post this would be $200 per post or $31,200 per year for posting 3X per week.

Reach

Unlike the 20% open rate of email 100% of our budget spent on promoted posts will go to reaching 100,000 on each post or 15,600,000 unique user impressions for the year at 3 posts per week.

Total cost per unique user impression:

So let’s look at the totals for our hypothetical Facebook example. $150,000 acquisition costs plus $31,200 Promoted Post expense equals $181,200 to deliver 15,600,000 impressions.  This is an all-in cost of $.01 (yes, a penny) per unique user impression delivered via Facebook.

This is 18 times more cost effective than email.

Now obviously these are big budgets used in these examples, but it is all relative. Put your own numbers to it and the equations are going to be very similar. If you are using Social Media the way it should be, as a communication tool, you can grow your “community” with Ads and then promote your content in a very economical manner.

If you are ready to launch into the world of Facebook Ads, but don’t know how to get started, we are here to help! From creating an effective ad campaign to managing and promoting your posts, we can fulfill the role of a Marketing Department without the high cost. Call today for a FREE consultation – 813-933-2788.

See what past participants had to say:

“Fabulous training course on mastering social media. Leslie Laney was a very well informed instructor.” – Jo Frohwerk

“Wonderfully informative Online Warrior Training Class yesterday. Thank you.” – Ann Kennedy

“Great Online Warrior Training Class today! Thank you, Leslie.” – Rose Hari

“Thank you, Leslie, Nathaniel, and Victoria for hosting the Social Media Class this morning! Continuous learning of trends to stay relevant makes for a profitable business.” – Carmen Acevedo