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Depending on the nature of your business, your customers may spend a lot of time on the phone talking to sales reps, customer service, customer support, etc. If you're looking for a great way to add a personal touch to these interactions, consider posting photos of your sales or support staff on your website, business cards, and other marketing materials.

Employee photos are a compelling way to capture your visitors' attention on your website. More importantly, though, conversion rates increase when people can connect emotionally. Photos are a great way to foster this kind of connection between your customers and staff.

Because people buy from people, they are often curious about who they are speaking with. Photos increase interest in day-to-day interactions and help customers and prospects recognize and remember the members of your team, making them more likely to approach your staff at trade shows or other social events.

In addition to posting individual photos, group photos and candid shots of employees at work are great ways to show off your facility, the various skills you can offer in-house, and the potential bulk of your workforce.

If you're looking for a convenient way to track web site updates or changes, check out free web services such as ChangeDetection.com or ChangeAlarm.com. Instead of wasting your time visiting a webpage over and over looking for updates, these free web services notify you of changes conveniently through e-mail updates. If your site doesn't have an RSS feed, a change notification service is not only a great way to stay on top of postings on your own web site by visitors or contributors, but it also provides easy updates on pages that list things (such as classified ads, blogs, etc). Simply submit URLs that you want to monitor, and you will receive daily, weekly, or monthly e-mail notifications (you choose the frequency). A change alert can also increase repeat traffic to your web site. For example, by placing a change alarm signup box on your site, you can allow visitors to be notified quickly of updates to your web pages, keeping them up-to-date on product sales or additions, as well as events and articles. If your print materials could use a positive change, look to our team of experts to save you time and keep your marketing resources updated and fresh. Joe Gass @ Heritage Print & Visual 5900 Harris Technology Blvd, Ste G, Charlotte, NC 28269 * 704-551-0700 * www.hpvisual.com  22725 Washington Street, Leonardtown, MD 20650  * 301-475-1700 * www.heritageprinting.com Wide Format â?? signs, banners & banner stands, displays, posters, wall and window graphics, vehicle and floor graphics, decals, backlit signs, point of purchase, end caps and toppers, on-site installation and fulfillment Offset and Digital â?? newsletters, magazines, publications, catalogs, conference and meeting materials, brochures, rack cards, presentation folders and direct mail  Veteran Owned and Operated

Ever find yourself waxing nostalgic about the days when gas was less than $1.00 per gallon, soft drinks cost 10 cents, and you could feed a family of four for under $10? Inflation seems to be a natural part of life... except when it comes to technology. While most consumables have gotten more expensive with time, many of today's high-powered consumer electronic goods are vastly cheaper than their predecessors, when compared in today's dollars. For example, the Atari 2600 sold for $200 in 1977. Today, Nintendo's Wii sells for the same price, while Microsoft's Xbox 360 sells for around $250. On the surface, these numbers seem comparable, but in reality, they are not. At $200 in 1977, that Atari would put you back $589 today. And what about cellphones? In 1983, a DynaTAC 8000x sold for $4,000. Today, the Apple iPhone sells for around $499. That's a striking enough difference by any standards, but if you calculate the price in today's dollars, that DynaTAC would run you a staggering $8,589. Televisions, computers, printers, and other consumer electronics have also gone down in price significantly, even as the technology behind them has improved by leaps and bounds. Intac.net, a trusted source for information on web hosting technologies, has put together an infographic featuring these and other comparisons that will show you just how good we have it today when it comes to consumer electronics pricing. You can find the details on Intac's website, at http://www.intac.net/the-cost-of-technology/. You would be amazed at the great value that you can receive with your marketing and point of purchase materials at Heritage Printing & Graphics.  Our investments in technology and staff training have allowed us to give you more for your money over the past 34 years.  Heritage Printing & Graphics�. Improving Your Image in the Marketplace  Signs, Banners, Posters, Displays, Decals, Wall, Window & Floor Graphic, Backlit Signs, Brochures, Booklets and Publications, Marketing Materials & Direct Mail 5900 Harris Technology Blvd., Suite G, Charlotte, NC 28269, 704-551-0700  22725 Washington Street, Leonardtown, Maryland 20650,  301-475-1700 www.heritageprinting.com

Next time you want to make a bold statement to your Charlotte area prospects and clients, try saying it with color! Depending on what type of message or meaning you wish to convey, the color combinations you choose can support, emphasize, or contradict your message. Color stimulates the senses, symbolizes abstract concepts and thoughts, expresses fantasy or wish fulfillment, and produces an aesthetic or emotional response. According to the Institute for Color Research, humans make a subconscious judgment about a person, environment, or item within 90 seconds of initial viewing, and the majority of that assessment is based on color alone. Because color delivers an instant impression that is generally understood universally, color is very important in conveying a mood or idea where verbiage is not used or understood. The power of color combinations can also be seen on many levels of marketing communication, including corporate identification and logos, signage, television ads, billboards, print media and packaging, online web sites, and on point-of-purchase displays. Here is a small sampling of dominant colors and the responses they elicit: Red: Exciting, energizing, sexy, hot, dynamic, stimulating, provocative, aggressive, powerful, Charlotte, Bright Pink: Happy, attention-getting, youthful, spirited, fun, wild Light Pink: Romantic, soft, sweet, tender, cute, babies Orange: Fun, childlike, harvest, juicy, friendly, loud Beige: Classic, sandy, earthy, natural, soft Brown: Wholesome, warm, woodsy, rustic, durable, masculine Purple: Royalty, powerful, expensive Light Blue: Calm, quiet, peaceful, cool, water, clean Bright Blue: Electric, vibrant, stirring, dramatic Bright Yellow: Enlightening, sunshine, cheerful, friendly, energy, happy Black: Powerful, elegant, mysterious, bold, classic, magical, nighttime Silver: Classic, cool, money, valuable, futuristic Gold: Warm, opulent, expensive, radiant, valuable, prestigious Joe Gass, President Heritage Printing and Graphics 5900 Harris Technology Blvd, Suite G Charlotte, North Carolina 704-551-0700 www.heritageprintingcharlotte.com

It takes more than good products to make a successful catalog. No matter if your catalog is five pages or 500 pages, catalogs are a great way to display product information, photos, and key selling points. Here are a few tips to consider when creating your next catalog:

• Include a call to action and limited-time offers. Provide inserts that include relevant sales and time sensitive offers that can be updated easily and fuel response.
• Include an order form. Even though most actual ordering is done by phone or on the company's website, many shoppers like to use the printed order form to list and organize their purchases before placing an order. This will also benefit your business, since orders can be placed more accurately and efficiently.
• Cross sell between products. By suggesting companion products in product copy and call-outs, or by placing companion products together on the page, you can increase sales five to 15 percent.
• Direct your customers to your web site for more items and product detail.
• Reflect your brand identity. Translate your brand personality across all media to assure customers that they will receive the same quality and service whether they come to your store, browse a catalog, or visit your web site.
• Copywriting is important. Brief, editorial text will invite customers to enjoy the catalog in a leisurely manner and make the product selection seem more meaningful and unique.
• A photo is worth a thousand words. Because catalogs sell products or services that customers canâ??t see or touch, quality photos are very important.
• Post your catalog online. Not only can your recipient enjoy the printed copy, but they can refer friends or coworkers to download a convenient PDF version online.
• Limit the number of fonts. Use no more than two or three fonts throughout your catalog, and use the same style of text consistently for product names, descriptions, etc. Also, keep text spacing and placement next to images consistent. If youâ??d like help developing your next catalog, give Heritage Printing and Graphics a call. We can help you create an irresistible page turner that does the selling for you!

Joe Gass, President Heritage Printing and Graphics 3601 Rose Lake Drive Charlotte, North Carolina 704-910-9914 www.heritageprintingcharlotte.com

When writing ad copy, it's important to think about your products and services from a prospect's point of view. Here are a few tips on how to write effective sales copy to reach your prospects in the Charlotte area:  

• Sell the sizzle, not the steak. Remember that customers buy benefits, not features. Don't assume a customer will understand that a 3Ghz computer offers blazing fast speed and efficiency.
• Put your copy to the test and view from a customer's perspective by saying "So what?" or "Why is this important?"
• Provide a compelling reason or unique selling proposition for customers to do business with you. Do you offer the best guarantee? The lowest prices? The fastest delivery?
• Include proof of results in your copy, such as credible testimonials.
• Avoid abbreviations, acronyms, and trade terms that your prospects may not understand. You don't want them to be confused or feel inept when reading your sales copy.  It may seem cute to us LKN instead of Lake Norman or CLT instead of Charlotte, however, you do not want to assume that your prospect will always get it. 
• Attract attention with a strong headline. Many readers will skim headlines to determine if they want to read the rest of your copy.
• Make the text easy to read. Break text into short paragraphs, use bullets or numbered lists, add sub-headers, and most importantly, don't waste words. Limit the amount of text and make sure each word you use conveys meaning.
• Include special offers, such as "Mention this ad and receive a 20% discount" or "Buy one, get one half-price before August 15."
• Include a call to action, which clearly states what you'd like the prospect to do next: go to your web site, call your business, complete the order form, etc.

For ad inspiration, flip thru a magazine or click around online. You'll likely notice that the effective ads are often deceptively simple. If you'd like help writing or designing your next ad, give Heritage Printing and Graphics in Charlotte, North Carolina a call today. Our team of creative experts can help you create an ad that sells itself! Joe Gass, President Heritage Printing and Graphics 3601 Rose Lake Drive Charlotte, North Carolina 704-910-9914 www.heritageprintingcharlotte.com