"Bland to Brand!"

Really, who wants to be bland?

An article from "Big Brand System" online caught our eyes here at Paramount Promotions and got us thinking...nowadays, anyone can get their business out there, but how do you get it to stand out? We agree with the following steps and find that if you aren't passionate about it, no one else will be either.

Target Fearlessly

Seriously, you have the product and aren't afraid to use it! Convey this in your message, let people know that you know what your product can do for them. Be creative with it (because we're pretty sure we wouldn't want to buy something from someone who came up to us and said, "Buy this now or you won't live!"...that's just threatening).

Listen to Popular Opinion

As different as you want to make your product, you don't want to necessarily go completely against what is trending. Listen to what the consumers want. Talk to them. You can't say communication never got anyone anywhere.

Tune in to WII-FM (this was catchy!)

It's not some new radio station, folks! It's an acronym - What's In It For Me? Your target market is asking it, which means you need to be thinking it! What benefits does your product offer?

Sweeten the Deal

People won't remember your brand or product if they see it once. Concerts and events happen that way, but not products. Repeat the exposure of your brand - create a mailing list to keep consumers updated. Make them feel connected and don't forget to connect with them! Social media nowadays is key.

All in Good Time

Tina Turner said it perfectly in her song, "Don't Rush the Good Things." Time is something to use to your advantage. Be consistent and, over time, you will have established your brand into what you want it to be.

What other tips have you found through your branding adventures? Do you have any advice for starting out or keeping things going? We'd love to hear them!

FREE Class on Large-Format Printing

Paramount Promotions, with Ad2Phoenix, is excited to be hosting a free class for large-format printing TONIGHT (Wednesday, June 8) from 6-7:30pm. Come learn about the process from those that know best...the printers!

You'll receive hands-on training from the professionals, teaching you the ins and outs of the printing world. Here's a sneak peak at some of the "how to's" that will be covered in this class:

• Make the most of your relationship with your printer
• Design for best printer output
• Pick out and understand the best and latest materials
• Price printing to make the most of your money

Printing experts will speak to you about the crucial points of the process and our graphic design expert will discuss the relationship from their perspective. We'll even have a few extra experts so that any questions you have, we can answer! Those who attend will also receive special discounts towards materials and supplies.

More information and directions can be found at the event listing's page on Ad2Phoenix's site.

Get your printers ready, folks! See you tonight.

Powerful Colors

You've heard the warnings about not shopping when you're hungry. You set foot into the grocery store and all of a sudden, everything looks absolutely delicious. Frozen foods, rotisserie chicken, the hot Cheetos...your stomach has full control of your mind! Did you know that a similar idea is applied by advertisers and stores?

Rather than food (because people are only hungry for so long), advertisers use colors. How many things catch you eye at the store because they're bright? In a previous post, we talked about packaging design making or

breaking a product. By combining great packaging with the right colors, a person will have a difficult time resisting the temptation to buy it.

This whole idea of color having the ability to influence people goes all the way back to Sir Charles Lemieiux and his color theory. He found that different colors and combinations affected a person's psyche. In other words, people would feel a certain way when they see a certain color. Of course, every person is different so the colors you'll find in this post may not be for you. However, if your looking to sell something to a friend or client, you may want to check out how these colors influence mood:

In 2003, there was a color associations study that that had people rate colors based on the emotions they felt when they looked at them. Researchers found that participants found blue to be most trustworthy, red was found to be the color most associated with speed, black was found to emit feelings of "high-quality," while yellow and orange were both found to emit a sense of cheapness.

From all of these colors and meanings and food, what do you think? Do colors really play that much of a role in what a person buys? Be sure to post your comment below!