Logo or not?

> I sent my holiday promotion to production yesterday. A week ago when I was going over the details with my vendor, he was surprised to find out that I wasn't going to include my logo on it—anywhere. Typically on my promotions, I use some kind of brand reference—color, the letter m, etc. And I'm okay with only a minimal hint of my company's brand. After all, it's a gift to my clients, vendors, and to those who support me and my business. I find it a lot less likely that they would actually use it if there was a huge logo on it. 

> Is it somehow hypocritical to send a holiday self-promotion that doesn't have my name all over it? I don't know. But for a gift-promotion, I believe if the recipients like it well enough to use it, they will remember where it came from.

> Of course I will package it with a note, and my note will make clear who it's from, as well as the concept behind the gift. I guess for me, it's the golden rule of gift giving: if I receive a gift, I don't want someone else's name on it; so I do the same for them. I hope the recipients will appreciate that it is a true gift. Something they can use. Not something that is such blatant advertising that they feel like they should receive a royalty for using it. 

> Wondering what it is? Watch for a post in December with the big reveal!

Being Effective

> I received a great email newsletter today. This article explores the concept that it doesn't matter how efficient you are, it only matters how effective you are! A great concept, and it mirrors the way I work. If I was concerned more with efficiency, I'm quite sure my creativity would suffer. How does this concept translate to your work? Your life?

Sending un-Junk Mail

> As you sort through your mail and toss out all the undesired pieces, you call it "junk mail". If you're an advertiser, trying to reach your target audience by mail, hoping to spark some interest, you call it "direct mail". Whatever you call it, the results of a new survey tell us that 8 out of 10 households report visually scanning or reading the advertising mail they receive.

> When executed well, direct mail can deliver results that far surpass print ads or broadcast for virtually any kind of business, product or service—and these results and measurable, predictable, immediate, and cost-effective. The secret to all this wonderful success lies in one simple principle: Creativity rules (source: Neenah Paper promotion).

> Second only to the service or product you offer to your potential customers, remember that creativity is what can turn your mailing budget from being categorized junk mail, to direct mail.

> Good information for me as I begin working on my holiday promotion.