When it comes to advertising, the thought of where the ad is going to be placed in the magazine, newspaper, mailer, or even on the computer screen is often overlooked. Of course, the type of medium you choose for your advertisements is important, but placement can make the difference between the success and failure of an ad. Understanding reading patterns and how the human eye is naturally drawn to certain areas of a page or monitor is an important factor in getting the most out of your marketing budget.

With advertising, just like real estate, it is all about location, location, location. Generally, the farther forward in the publication your ad is placed, the more successful it will be. Placing the ad closer to the front page of the publication makes it more likely for the reader to come across your ad before they grow tired or distracted from what they are reading and close the pub before seeing your message. Placement on the right hand page is also crucial as the eye is often drawn to the right.

Many times this placement is considered “premium placement” and the print publication will charge an additional fee for a far forward, right-hand read. This may also be the case for a front page, back page or spadia style ad (a page wrapped around the front of the publication). Depending upon the charge, it may very well be worth it to pay for premium placement, as more readers will see your message. More readership lends itself to more phone calls, purchases, etc.

When placing your upcoming media, speak with the media rep about placement. Make it a priority and focus on a great placement as part of a well-negotiated rate. Many times, media outlets will help those out who ask for it at no additional charge to earn business and a long-term relationship.

Does your business need advice about media placement or help with rate negotiation? Epic Marketing has a team of talented account executives who specialize in helping our clients creating successful marketing campaigns.

Customer Relationship Management, also known as CRM, is a vital part of every business. No matter the industry, every business has a group of past and current clients, as well as an audience of future clients that need to be reached. Effective customer relationship management is a strategy that spreads across all departments of a business, including everything from sales and accounting to customer service. While some businesses have an effective internal method of keeping their customer relationships organized, other businesses often miss out on new customers and profits because of their lack of detail with customer relationship management.

How CRM Software Can Help

The main benefit of CRM software is that it helps businesses share customer information in a group environment and gives an overview of all customer interactions. Not only can CRM software help manage customers on an individual level, but it also allows company administration to see activity with all clients, including appointment scheduling, web leads, follow ups, sales, marketing, email blasts, accounting, etc.

If you’re finding it difficult to easily find customer information, track leads, produce management reports, or view customer touch points across the different departments of your business, CRM software could be a great organizational tool to consider in boosting your business.

Choosing CRM Software

What used to be available only for large businesses with million-dollar budgets is now accessible to small- to medium-sized businesses for a fraction of the cost. Which software your business decides to use depends on the goals you want to achieve by using it. Make sure that the software you choose is simple and easy to integrate—because after all, what’s the sense in having it if your employees won’t use it? As business becomes more mobile, you may also want to look for software that incorporates remote and mobile access. But no matter the specifications, CRM software can make a big difference in customer retention and satisfaction, overall improving your bottom line.