Blog Posts

Social Media- HOW TO

8/30/2019

News from the Rock-Published 8/30/2019

If you are an entrepreneur and want to take your business to the next level, how do you know where to start?

Learn about social media and the power of "share" is a good start. But, where is one to begin?

Do a deep inventory of yourself, business, motives and desires. What do you bring to the table?
If you have not already, create a BRANDED media campaign that serves a purpose, even if only to entertain.
Monitor, be sure to engage and respond to posts in order to learn, not just sell. Respond to appreciation and commentary in a personable way, not just "like".
If you don't have time to stay on top of it, hire it out.

In many instances a firm’s social media is the first place of contact with a customer. First impressions are everything.

But like all first impressions, the charm wears off after a while. Social media is a great place to communicate, but a lack of response will leave the audience feeling unengaged. Eventually you will need to find a new audience or they will wander to more interesting pastures.

Know that you are selling an experience at the expense of their time. If you want your social media to inspire people to return to your website, give your audience something worth their time. If there is nothing that will benefit them, why should they spend time on your page?

A huge part of providing value is the convenience offered by your website/platform. In modern society, consumers have many needs and they need them NOW. The lay out of social media and its efficiency is almost as (if not more) important than the service/content/etc itself. Do NOT underestimate it.

QR Codes- Passing Trend or Effective Marketing Tool?

8/26/2019

"You could grow up in the city where history was made and still miss it all"
- Jonathan Lethem

Everyday, we witness history unfolding, but being able to recognize what is a passing trend and what has true importance is a valuable skill, especially in the technology-propelled society that we live in today.

In 2010, QR codes made their first big appearance in the marketplace, and to put it bluntly, failed miserably. Even big companies like Coca Cola and Procter and Gamble were sinking dollars into QR code campaigns. Despite generating some brand awareness by incorporating an emerging technology, the campaigns ultimately failed to create enough traffic to get a significant return on investment.

This of course sparked some prejudice towards QR codes, but there’s a reason why QR codes failed in 2010. At the time, QR code reading technology was not developed or widespread enough for the codes to be an effective method of marketing, but a lot can change in ten years.

Image Credit: Pexels

Today, almost everyone has a smartphone, and the technology surrounding QR codes has greatly improved- reviving their use. With social media apps like Snapchat, Instagram and Twitter, the use of QR codes has become more and more prevalent. Other companies have even expanded the technology to allow transactions across their platforms with QR codes. Several countries like Japan and Switzerland are moving towards being cashless societies, slowly switching to the use of QR codes for payments, licensing, and more. Even big names like Target and Walmart have already incorporated QR method payment systems at some locations in the United States.

QR codes may just be another trend that will come and go as technology progresses, but for now, they have reached a peak in popularity. Don’t sit back and miss out on history- consider using QR codes as a marketing tool for your business the next time you evaluate your marketing strategies.

We Bleed Strong Design... Designing with Printing in Mind

7/19/2019

What is bleed?
A bleed is when an image extends beyond the trim edge of the product. If your image is not white on all four sides, you will want to include bleeds in your files. Add 1/8" (.125") to each side of the file. For example, for a 2" x 3.5" business card with full bleed, the image size should be submitted at 2.25" x 3.75".

Why do I need a bleed?
When a printer produces a product, they generally print designs onto larger sheets of paper before cutting them all to size. If you do not use a bleed and your design uses colors that extend to the edge of the page, when this trimming occurs you will be left with a white "hairline" on the edge of your product. Adding a bleed combats this by extending graphics and colors beyond the edge of where the

What is the safe zone?
The safe zone is the 1/8" margin that we require between the trim line and the text closest to the trim line.

What is CMYK?
CMYK stands for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (Black). This is the industry standard process colors used in full-color offset printing. The combination of these four colors can produce a wide spectrum of colors. Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow combine to create the color, while Black is used to change the shade of the color.

Free yourself from the worries of marketing

7/5/2019

"On a sleepless night
I got a restless mind
On a sleepless night
I've been dreaming of time
On a sleepless night
I toss & turn till morning light

On a sleepless night
I list the projects in my head
On a sleepless night
I carry my troubles into bed
My thoughts increase, and will not cease
Anxiety causes my heart to pound
There is no rest, there is no peace
I'm trying not to drown

Wide awake, I fret and lay
Yeah, I knew that I'd be feeling this way
Not enough hours in my day
Oh to keep my stress at bay
"

Ever feel like this? That time escapes too quickly and there are just not enough hours in the day? That you get lost trying to "save a dime" by doing things on your own, when in reality, your time is worth more money than you'd spend hiring it out. Neon Lizard is here. A cost efficient partner to help you focus your time on what you do best. Call NLC, we'll handle the rest so you can sleep like a baby.

THE Biggest Scandal of 2019... so far.

2/4/2019

[NOV-JAN] 1.2 MILLION people signed the petition on Change.org to have “Sweet Victory”, a song memorialized in an episode of SpongeBob SquarePants, played during the 2019 Super Bowl half-time show.

Maroon 5 is slated to perform at the half-time show three weeks before the event.
[JAN 13] Maroon 5 drops a teaser trailer featuring SpongeBob SquarePants for a split second confirming everyone’s hopes that Maroon 5 would oblige the fans and to commemorate Stephen Hillenburg (The recently deceased creator of SpongeBob)
[FEB 3] MASS Disappointment and outrage

In case you missed the Superbowl LIII half-time show, it included a brief ten-second clip from the famed underwater TV show, then transitioned into Travis Scott’s “Sicko Mode”.
117 million viewers tuned into the half-time show only to be stabbed in the back and nearly bored to sleep by a less than mediocre performance. The online community is in an uproar and many are declaring a call to arms to fight against Mainstream Media.

Not only may this event shape the cultural landscape of the internet, but society itself. In the next decade or so we are likely going to see the internet become more and more influential. In other words, POWERFUL. In a weird way, whether we like it or not, we are watching a digital revolution/renaissance take place.

It appears as if there is a widening cultural gap between our youth and our elders. Some in the older generation (Generation X or older) value social media much less and don’t take the internet community power very seriously. They are forgetting that on the other side of the screen, there are living, breathing people with strong emotions and goals. These potential customers relate that strong emotion to the interactions they have with your product or business.

If there is anything you should glean from this year’s Superbowl LIII fail, it would be to NOT underestimate the power and influence of social media community and the dangers of failing to follow through on your promise. Treat your customers with respect, keep them updated and stay relevant to the passions and trends that surround you. It’s a new year, pay attention.

Einstein ain’t got nothin on you. This checklist may just prove you’re a genius!

2/3/2019

Night Owl: Do you tend to stay awake late at night? The Savanna-IQ interaction hypothesis suggests that people with high IQs tend to be the first to practice "new" evolutionary behaviors in our species, like going to sleep later.

Naturally Curious: People with higher IQs ask a lot of questions and seek more answers. If you are constantly contemplating what you don't know, you may be smarter than you think!

Open Minded: The willingness to try new experiences, concepts, alternate solutions and (when provided with ample evidence) the willingness to change one's values or beliefs, is a sign of high intelligence.

Humor: According to the University of New Mexico, humor is largely based on wit and linguistic creative. In other words if you are the "funny one", you may be smartest amongst your peers.

Empathy: Being able to read emotions and empathize with people not only is a sign of EQ (Emotional Intelligence) but IQ as well. Large parts of the brain responsible for these abilities overlap leading to positive correlation between EQ and IQ.

Procrastination: People with higher IQ's are shown to be easily distracted and may overwhelm themselves by picking up new projects despite ongoing projects.

Adaptable: Intelligent people tend to be flexible and can overcome situations by adapting to their environment.

How did you score?? Smarter than you thought I bet!

New Logo Design Appeals to Younger Market and Stays True to Values

1/25/2019

Wendy Morical and her brother, Brant Nelson, own Docunet, a digital printing company based in Plymouth, Minnesota. They serve a niche market in the highly regulated medical and pharmaceuticals industry, and their rigorous processes along with their ISO certification have made them an attractive printing supplier to the manufacturing industry.

In business for more than 27 years, Wendy and Brant have seen their industry evolve and have been quick adopters of new technology and practices that have kept them competitive. Being in business for that long has its benefits, but when the owners took a hard look at the buyers they were targeting, they felt like the way they presented their company didn’t project the image they desired. In a word, they looked “old.”

Feeling like your business is invisible? Do this.

1/19/2019

You’ve got a great product or service but no one seems to notice you??

Hire Neon Lizard Creative to help strengthen your brand by creating a unique visual style and message for your business, product or event. Others will not only notice you, but listen to what you have to say and trust you enough to buy from you. We help build a brand people will respond to and then market it correctly to inspire them to act. Branding is not just the logo, it is so much more! It truly IS the secret sauce to your success. We approach it holistically, concept to delivery and we offer a plethora of services so that we can keep your brand solid and consistent.

For the past 25+ years we’ve been branding and promoting companies to help them make a LOT of money! Please take minute to check out neonlizardcreative.com. Browse our portfolio, our Game Changer page and tons of testimonials to see how we’ve helped hundreds of businesses across the country. Neon Lizard wants to be your partner for your success.

Talk to you soon!

New Print and Digital Catalog Tells Customers "We Get You"

1/16/2019

Gail Becker didn’t think that she would ever do another printed catalog for her company, Becker Arena Products, due to the cost and headache it was to complete. As the popularity of hockey has grown over the last three decades, so has their business. In business for 30 years, Gail and her husband, Jim, have seen a lot of changes in their industry. They started out selling supplies to rink owners and managers, and now they are the leading supplier of arena materials for general contractors and architects, as well as large park and rec departments internationally.

Humans Suck at Emotional Awareness

1/15/2019

Humans tend to be bad at emotional awareness. As a result, when we're arguing a point with someone, we tend to use words and images that work on us, not necessarily that speak to the other person.

So, if you want to persuade someone, such as in sales or sharing a vision, listen to how they try to speak to you.
For example, one partner in a conversation might use concepts like “power, tradition and authority” to make a case, while the other might rely on “science, statistics or fairness”. One person might argue with tons of emotional insight, while someone else might bring up studies and peer reviews. Modify your language to match to whom you are speaking in order to have clear communication and make sure you are both “saying the same thing”. They will feel understood and you will strengthen the relationship.

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