The Tin Shingle Blog

Just see if you can keep up with graphic designer, Kimberly Schwede. Her clients are all over the world, and she travels whenever she can for new inspiration. Kimberly is currently branding a cafe/coffee company in Shang-hai. She designed the branding for Lulu Cake Boutique in Manhattan, has popular stationery on Minted and personalized books/lunchboxes (or "gifts") on Frecklebox. She is in top demand for her sexy and whimsical fashion illustrations and characters, and years ago, designed a Swatch Watch face. Her response to that?  "That was SO five years ago." (other designers might dream of saying that). Kimberly was featured in the book Logolicious by Peleg Top, and has numerous other book layouts under her belt. Kimberly has accepted a graphic design fellowship for the handbag brand Dutzi.

What can she do for your brand? Visit her design portfolio.

The listings you've been waiting for - the Editorial Calendars are now available in your member account if you are a Pro-Preneur with full access to our business tools and benefits (don't have this? Check 'em out here and join today). They live in the PR Tools of your Member Account Center, or a shortcut link from the right side column of the website when you're logged in with your Pro-Preneur account. We have collected calendars from some of the country's top print outlets, which are to help further guide your pitching.

HOW TO USE OUR EDITORIAL CALENDARS:
For PR newbies, an Editorial Calendar is a list of content themes that a magazine is following for each month. For example: Newsweek's next issue is on print and digital, with a focus on fashion (timely...since Fashion Week is approaching). How can you swing this? That's where your brainstorming comes into play. What does your business offer that hits this editorial direction? We provide more in depth coverage on pitching by editorial calendars here.

Each month will be listed in the order of what Submission Deadline is expiring the soonest. Use these to help plan your monthly PR campaign plans each month, that we covered in how to use our Monthly Campaign PR Templates (also available to Pro-Preneurs only).

Listings will look like this:

Editorial Calendar Opportunity: Print and digital feature: fashion.
Submission Deadline: 02/06/2012
Newsstand Date: 02/13/2012
Opportunity Type: Fashion

CROSS-REFERENCE
You can also cross-reference the magazines by theme-type. When you get to the Editorial Calendar page of your account center, you'll see a pulldown for "Category" and one for "Media Outlet". From "Category," select "fashion" (for example). Then select a magazine for which you're researching. This could limit your search too much (would you have thought to look in Newsweek for fashion coverage?), so you could search by Magazine only, or Category only.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE VS NEWSSTAND DATE
Pay attention to the Submission Deadline. It may be 3 months in advance for the glossies, and a week for weeklies. These calendar listings will expire when their submission deadline expires.

You've cooked up all sorts of offerings to your clients and customers, but have you told them about it? And if you did, did you remind them about it? Although your business is one of the most important aspects to you in your life, it's not that important in the minds of your clients or customers. Yes, they respect and value you, but no, they aren't going to remember your special offerings, deadlines on deals, and new services you offer just because you told them once.

This article serves as your official reminder to rev up your newsletter, and email your clients or customers. If you're a product-based business, you probably already do this. People are used to receiving newsletters on coupons, free shipping, and product releases. If you're a service-based business, you are less likely to do this because you are busy servicing others, you feel like you don't want to intrude, and you think you're client will tell you when they want something.

Here's the catch, though: you're the expert. You are staying on top of the trends. You are reading industry news to stay on top of developments in your industry. Your client may not know that they need XYZ, or that ABC is now available to them to make a system easier and take less time. You must tell them. Why? Because you love them (of course), and you want to convince them, once again, that you're the person or team fo the job.

Here are 7 reasons to email your customers by way of a branded newsletter:

• It's a free advertisement: Any time you get in front of your client or customer, you are advertising to them. It could be with a hard sell, a soft sell, or a "hey I'm still here!". But you wouldn't say "hey I'm still here!" You would take a different approach that lets your client get something out of your message. A takeaway. Let this be the foundation of your brainstorming of what you will email to your clients via your newsletter.
• You have a new offering: You're tapped into your clients, and you've spotted a trend in their needs. This means, you've spotted a new way to service them. Develop your offering, and email them the details.
• You are running an early registration or payment program: Especially if this discount opportunity has a date attached, you'll need to remind your customers. Even if they don't respond or act on the first reminder, they saw it, and those who want it made a mental note of it, but may not have acted. They have busy lives, just like you do. They may desperately want the discount, but need the convenience of your reminder to prompt them into action. Oh, and please give them a credit card option!! Some service-based businesses collect checks the day of a class or event. This is a little old school. But for the sake of locking in the sale, include a link to purchase that early registration or payment in each of your newsletters. I recommend creating a PayPal button (very easy, you can create one yourself, but you may need to upgrade to PayPal Pro, which does offer other options such as taking a credit card over the phone so you can type it into your account at PayPal) or use the Swipe app or Square.
• Breaking News: Your finger is on the pulse of your industry. That's why your clients hire you. When something is newsworthy in your industry, craft an email that describes it, and illustrate how it applies, or doesn't apply, to your clients.
• You want more business: Always the reason that you're doing what you do. But if you don't tell anyone that you're available, or seeking something, or specializing in something, you won't be at the forefront of their minds. Even your best clients who are currently paying you for projects, may not realize what else you could be offering them.

You run a great business, now you just need to educate your clients about it more. They are on a one-track-mind of what their needs are right now, and how you can service them. Expand their brainstorming of a direction their business could grow in, and how you can help make that happen.

If you don't have an email newsletter program at hand, we recommend Vertical Response and Mail Chimp. We've used both.

Are you a service-based business who has mastered the art of sending your clients newsletters? If so, please share your insights below in the Comments!

We've been there - when you want to throw your enewsletter across the room. But you can't because it's in a website. We've used Vertical Response for a few years now, and are very happy with them. We've personally compared them against other big names like Constant Contact and Mail Chimp, and we still come limping back. Read one of our quiet breaks from Vertical Response, and why we stuck with them.

Hopefully this year, you vowed to ramp up your company newsletters to stay in front of your clients/customers. They need little reminders of your greatness. We worked out a deal with Vertical Response for our members only, where you can save 10% on every email credit or month of service that you buy.

To lock yourself into this deal, sign into your member account, and click on "Discounts from Members" in your side column of shortcut links. A special link will be there. Click it, and get started. If you're not a member of Tin Shingle, read about all of the benefits, including this one, that comes with a business membership with us.

Disclosure: this is an affiliate account, so we do receive a tiny commission. We basically reversed our earning potential and are converting most of our commission into an ongoing discount for you.