by tradesmeninsights | Apr 12, 2016 | Marketing Tips
By Robin Heike, Production Foreman, Sonnhalter
Estimates are crucial in planning your budget, they are a statement of the approximate charge for work to be done, submitted by a business firm ready to undertake the work.
In order to get a more accurate approximate estimate, you’ll need to provide the following:
- A detailed list of what the end “product” is expected to be or what you want to accomplish. This lets us know what you want and helps us stay on the same page.
- Any and all support info at the time of the estimate. It can be difficult to build changes into an estimate, so providing everything you can when the estimate is requested helps you get the most accurate estimate.
- A timeline that provides for adequate time to complete the work.
Estimates are calculations of what time/monies will be needed to fill a blank page. Just like filling this blank page it is not always that easy!
by tradesmeninsights | Aug 6, 2015 | Marketing Tips
By Robin Heike, Production Foreman at Sonnhalter
Promotional items can serve a variety of purposes such as adding the “rattle factor” to a direct mail marketing campaign or being a keepsake to commemorate an award.
From sourcing small items such as logoed sunglasses, to larger items like commemorative beer steins, here are a few tips to keep in mind next time you need to order a promotional item:
- Get quotes from 3-4 sources. Not only does this help you find the best price, but it gives you extra options if the first supplier or product falls through.
- Get a sample, even if you have to pay for it, prior to ordering. This will ensure you found the right source for the right item. No one wants to trash an order of 100, 1,000 or 10,000 promo items that arrive and are not what you expected.
- Get custom packaging if you’re shipping out a promotional mailing with breakables. No one wants to receive a broken item.
- Build in time for damaged or lost shipments. If possible, order extras. This is very important if you’re ordering from an overseas location.
- Probably the most important tip: Give yourself as much extra time as possible to account for any delays.
by tradesmeninsights | Apr 7, 2015 | Marketing Tips, Traditional Marketing
By Robin Heike, Production Foreman at Sonnhalter
Project meetings for marketing activities are so important for all who will be working on them, so let’s make sure we make the most out of them.
We usually start out with a creative brief initiated by the lead person for the project. This sets the tone and objectives for the project, so when the team does get together, they have a clearer picture of what needs to be done.
We use a creative brief to get the process going, and it might help you if you don’t have a formal process.
Here are the key elements:
- Project description – Give overall scope of what needs to be accomplished.
- Background – What are your current problems? What are possible key solutions? What are the current beliefs and what are the desired ones?
- What do you want the communication to do – introduce a new product or service?
- Target audiences – who are your primary and secondary audiences?
- Unique Selling Proposition – what sets a product or service apart from your competitors?
- Support points – give back-up features and benefits.
- Mandatories – logos, association bugs, tag lines.
- Tone – informative, leadership, etc.
- Deliverables – ad, e-blast, event, product sheet, blog post?
- Timeline – when is it due?
- Budget – Self explanatory.
Complete info includes direction/message to convey, any background info including examples, photos if they are being supplied, deadlines for completed project (who is responsible for what or where we can gather needed info/pieces and when and how a project will be presented).
Written details supplied on all project paperwork is so important since each person usually has more than one project in the works/on their mind.
Project meetings are most effective when all info that will be available is discussed with everyone who will be working on the project.
by tradesmeninsights | Oct 16, 2014 | Marketing Tips
By Robin Heike, Production Engineer, Sonnhalter
via Marta on Flickr
Printing may only be “ink on paper” in a general sense, but when you’re printing collateral and other materials, you need quality printing.
Here are a few things you need to know about printing for a quality final product:
- Good design requires good art
- Good print requires good art
- Good print requires good paper
- Good print requires good printers
- Good printers stay on my vendor list
- Good printers have a wealth of knowledge – use it
Ink on paper produces print.
Print with these things in mind and produce amazing pieces!
by tradesmeninsights | May 1, 2014 | Uncategorized
By Robin Heike, Production Foreman, Sonnhalter
No two projects that we work on at Sonnhalter are the same. Scheduling multiple projects for one client can be a juggling act. Scheduling multiple projects for all of our clients can be a whole circus!
Clients and agencies work together as one team and have the same goals in mind. 
Here are some points to keep in mind when it comes to project schedules and deadlines when you’re working with an agency or any external resource:
- Preplanning on both sides when possible makes things run more smoothly. There will always be last-minute, rush projects that can’t be planned out in advance, but advanced planning not only makes projects run more smoothly, it makes it easier to handle the rush ones as well.
- Understand the main components of each project: client info, agency copywriting and agency art creation. These may sound pretty simple, but they require everyone following the schedule to complete.
- Interruptions to project schedules will happen and schedules will change hourly, daily, weekly, etc. Being able to adjust to the changes is imperative.
