Motivating Marketing Tips!

Motivate Your Employees, Boost Morale and Increase Productivity with Promotional Products from Rizzi Designs

Utilize Promotional Products In Your Company Today!

Staff appreciation gifts to brand your company’s image. (Polo’s, Jackets, Hats).

Fun favors for staff meetings to boost attendance and participation. (Stress Relievers, Bouncy Balls, Chocolate Candies).

Sales incentives to raise performance levels for a single goal or for a reward program. (Engraved awards, etched wine glasses, embroidered golf towels).

Employee’s anniversaries (hire date), birthdays, promotions, annual company day or special holidays.

“Monday’s Motivational Gift” (Once a month incentive program, for example, an imprinted sponge “Great Work! Let’s Soak Up Some New Ideas/Clients This Month!”)

Creative, valuable and interesting gifts will stimulate innovative ideas and performance. (Imprinted itunes Card).

Please read this article by Chris Posti for more motivating tips for internal branding!

http://www.oandp.com/edge/issues/articles/2005-11_01.asp

We Support Our Local Economy, Do You?!?

Rizzi Designs are proud members of the Capital Area Local First organization in Lansing, Mi.

"Capital Area Local First (CALF) is a collaborative effort between local independent business owners, non-profit organizations and individuals in the Capital Area to support local ownership, a sense of community, and financial, environmental, and social well-being, to educate our community about the multiple benefits of locally-owned independent businesses, and to nurture relationships among locally-owned businesses."

Check us out in the "2008 Capital Area Local Business Guide" in the City Pulse this week!

When You Buy Locally:
-It Creates More Money Circulating in the Region.
-Supports Businesses Are Essential To Lansing's Local Charm.
-You Receive Customer Service From People that Care About The Product/Service.
-Local Owners Invest and Care About Our Community.


To learn more about CALF, check out its website at www.localfirst.info !

Some older pictures!

Jessica and Laura, former Rizzi Designs’ interns, volunteer in the VIP Tent at Festival of the Sun 2006
















Jennie E. and Megan Phee Volunteering at Oktoberfest 2006!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas from the Rizzi Designs Team!

We will be out of the office from December 24 till January 2, 2008 to spend time with our families. Please continue to call and email us and we will get back to you as soon as possible!

And for your reading enjoyment....I found some interesting holiday shopping facts from
SeeSaw Research.

$634- The average amount of money spent by 16 to 24 year olds this holiday season, up 10% from last year – Media Post
$31.4B-Retail sales by the nation’s department stores in December 2006 – US Census Bureau
2.5%-Projected percentage growth in 2007 for US holiday sales over 2006 - Clear Thinking, Inc.
57%- The percentage of 18- to 24-year olds who report seeing digital out-of-home media in malls in the past week. – SeeSaw Networks - OTX Digital Out-of-Home Media Awareness and Attitude Study 2007
58%-The percentage of adults surveyed who report that they find digital out-of-home media unique. – SeeSaw Networks - OTX Digital Out-of-Home Media Awareness and Attitude Study 2007

How Will You Reward Your Valued Clients and Employees This Holiday Season?

Are you looking for a unique, custom designed and high quality gift to give to your clients to show your appreciation this holiday season? Reward your top sales person with a 4th quarter gift with one of our custom corporate gadgets or gifts. Rizzi Designs offers creative promotional products in addition to design and marketing services. Our quality ad specialty products will generate superior brand recognition for your business or event. Visit our website at www.rizzidesigns.com and click on the promotional products link to shop online!

Call us today at 517.337.4469 and receive 10% off your first order!

Visit RD at the Get IT Growing Seminar on November 8th

Rizzi Designs is a proud sponsor of the Get IT Growing Seminar Series at L.C.C. West Campus on Thursday, November 8 from 8-1 p.m. For more information and to register for the seminar please check out www.getitgrowing.info.

Hope to see you there!

Rizzi Designs Volunteers In Action!

Christina, a Rizzi Designs Intern, Stands Vigil Inside the VIP Tent at Old Town's Oktoberfest 2007....More Team Pictures to Come!


















Danielle working the tent at Oktoberfest.




















Sandra pours some drinks.


















Megan and Carla host a booth during the Grand Affair Bridal Show at the Radisson Hotel!

Old Town's Oktoberfest!

Mark Your Calender for Old Town's Oktoberfest on Saturday, October 6 from 2- 10 p.m on the corner of Turner and Grand River.

Check out http://www.oldtownoktoberfest.com/ for more information.

Tickets are now available online!

Rizzi Designs Takes Branding to Another Level!

Rizzi Designs understands the importance of branding your business or organization. Therefore, RD is applying the same rules of corporate marketing to help brides brand their wedding! RD will work with the bride and groom to create a theme as well as help manage the event. RD will create custom invitations, RSVP cards, reception cards, thank you notes etc to correspond with the wedding's theme. We also offer custom wedding favors and speciality gifts.

RD will be showcasing its unique gifts and beautiful invitations at a Grand Affair Bridal Show at the Radisson in downtown Lansing on Sunday, October 7 from 12- 5 p.m. Please come check it out and you may enter to win gift certificates for H&H Jewelry Designs.

For more information please call RD at 517.337.4469, send us an email at info@rizzidesigns.com or check out www.agabridalshow.com!

Hope to see you there!

A Month of Celebration!

Congratulations to the Old Town Commercial Association for winning the Ikea Business Makeover Contest. 10 small business in Old Town will split the $50,000 makeover from Ikea, which includes design consultation and Ikea products! Way to go!!!

On September 12, 2007, Rochelle and Brian Rizzi welcomed a healthy and happy baby boy into the world! Rochelle is doing well and will be hanging with baby Benjamin at home for a few weeks.

Important Tips to Pump Up Your Marketing Muscle!

After reading the article, "10 Steps to Building Your Marketing Muscle" by Joey Iazzetto, I've learned a few key tips. He recommends that businesses buy from a broker(RD for example) because direct purchasing of an outsourced service(like printing) is often more expensive than using a broker. A good broker has the expertise, personal contacts and relationships to optimize production which results in lower costs for you and a higher quality product without the hassles. He also recommends to "use other people's money". In other words, look for respected business professionals around you magnify your co-marketing opportunities. Along the same line, look at other businesses that are non-competitive but serve the same target market as your business for marketing opportunities. Another tip is to befriend the media(RD can help you with this!) to ensure that you are getting your marketing message out effectively and accurately. Lastly, evaluate your marketing efforts. RD can help your business measure the ROI of your marketing efforts.

Go Spartans!

The Holiday Season is Quickly Approaching!

Before you know it, the holiday season will be upon us! Are you ready?! Call Rizzi Designs if you need gift ideas for your friends, family, coworkers, employees or even your BOSS!

We offer thousands of brandable products to fit within your budget! From sweatshirts to crystal awards, our product selection runs the gamut.

Already planning your marketing budget for 2008? Good for you, but don't forget to leave room for self promos for your clients, both new and old or giveaways for upcoming trade shows.

An Interesting Quote

Rochelle Rizzi, Owner and Creative Director of Rizzi Designs, recently shared this quote with me....."The business enterprise has two – and only two – basic functions: marketing and innovation. Marketing and innovation produce results, all the rest are costs.” Peter Drucker.

I like it, what do you think?

16 Tips to Building a Winning Brand

1. Brands are personifications of organizations, products, services and experiences and they are the source of relationships.
2. Top management support is crucial to a brand’s success.
3. A brand’s identity must be frequently and consistently presented.
4. Profound customer knowledge is essential to building winning brands.
5. The brand and its products and services must exceed customer expectations.
6. Brand building begins with awareness.
7. Relevant differentiation drives customer brand insistence.
8. A brand should strive to evoke emotions and create sensory experiences.
9. A brand should exhibit admirable human qualities.
10. A brand must stand for something.
11. Constant product and service innovation build strong brands.
12. A brand should strive to create a sense of community.
13. The corporate culture must reinforce the brand essence, promise and personality.
14. Internal brand building is essential to external brand building.
15. Front line employees are key to a brand’s success.
16. Co-creating a brand with its customers will help the brand continue to thrive.

You will know that your brand is winning in the marketplace when...

• The brand is mentioned to customers and potential customers, and they brim with enthusiasm in their response.
• Your brand’s external messages “ring true” with all employees.
• Employees are enthusiastic and consistent in recounting what makes their brand special.
• The brand’s market share is increasing.
• Competitors always mention your brand as a point of reference.
• The press can’t seem to write enough about your brand.
• Your CEO has a strong vision for the organization and its brand. He or she talks more about the vision than financial targets.
• Your organization’s leaders always seem to “talk the brand” and “walk the brand talk.”

Article from Brad VanAuken, http://www.brandingstrategyinsider.com

Email Marketing Webinar Info

Hello!

I recently received an email about a new webinar to improve email marketing. It will be held on Wednesday, August 8th at 1:00 p.m and hosted by 1to1 Media, LivePerson, and GOT Corporation. The experts will address common problems and offer solutions to frustrations regarding email marketing. They will tell us:

• Ways to improve deliverability.
• The importance of trust and reputation.
• Best practices.
• Keys to better reporting.

Click on "Email Marketing at a Crossroads." to enroll!

Hello Fellow Bloggers!

Welcome to the Rizzi Designs Blog! Thank you for coming. In this blog you will see posts from me about the marketing industry, new trends, hot promotional products to boost your business, photos from inside the RD office and more! So stay tuned!

Drop me a line, I'd love to hear from you!