Category Archives: Blog With BEB

BEB Wins All Star Award

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We are thrilled to receive, for the sixth year in a row, a 2018 All Star Award by Constant Contact, an Endurance International Group company. The annual award recognizes companies with unmatched email engagements with their audience.  Only 10 percent of the Constant Contact client base earn this coveted honor.  Every year, the bar to All Star status gets higher and higher.

Criteria required to earn an All Star Award include the following:

● High Level of engagement with email campaigns
● Consistently higher than average Open Rates
● Lower than average Bounce rates
● Higher click-through rates
● Use of social sharing features
● Use of mailing list sign-up tools
● Use of reporting tools

Thank you Constant Contact for making it so easy to communicate with our valued clients and as always, a very special Thank You to our clients!

 

Dynamic Pricing Explained

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Dynamic pricing is a trend that has taken eCommerce  by storm. Though not a  new concept, many giants have been using it for years and it is becoming more relevant to more industries.

Dynamic Pricing is a strategy in which product prices continuously adjust, sometimes in a matter of minutes, in response to real-time supply and demand.

Amazon is one of the largest retailers to have adopted dynamic pricing; they update prices every 10 minutes.

Dynamic pricing is based on real-time changes to product supply and demand. It takes into account the price fluctuations in the market, monitors competitor activity and individual product demand and supply.
As a result, it gives eCommerce retailers the right data and information that can be used to set optimal product prices and stay profitable despite the price fluctuations.

Monitoring hundreds of thousands of products and keeping an eye on the real-time supply and demand trends is a highly complex and challenging task, beyond the scope of most eCommerce businesses. However, it can be easily managed with the right software. There are many web-based applications designed to monitor, calculate and manage dynamic pricing models based on real-time supply and demand trends.

eCommerce retailers continue to grow at a record pace and with increased competition, they face the tough challenge of maximizing profits while keeping prices competitive. Dynamic pricing is the ideal solution to this problem. If implemented for a sustained period, this pricing strategy can significantly boost overall revenues and profitability.

 

Facebook’s AI Research

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Facebook is focused on advancing the field of machine intelligence.  They are creating new technologies to give people expanded ways to communicate. As Facebook puts it; they’re trying to solve AI.
Facebook Artificial Intelligence researchers seek to understand and develop systems with human-level intelligence by advancing the longer-term academic problems surrounding AI. Their research covers the full spectrum of topics related to AI, and to deriving knowledge from data: theory, algorithms, applications, software infrastructure and hardware infrastructure. Long-term objectives of understanding intelligence and building intelligent machines are bold and ambitious, and they are approaching this research in a very collaborative way.  They are actively engaged with the research community through publications, open source software, participation in technical conferences and workshops, and collaborations with colleagues in academia.

Facebook AI researchers work from offices around the globe.  Check out this very interesting video by FB.

Helping the Blind to See

 

Direct Mail Basics

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With Easter just around the corner, many of you are putting your direct mail campaigns together now. We’re sharing some basic tips to ensure your campaign is a smashing success!

KEEP THE DESIGN SIMPLE
The digital world is filled with constant change, complexity and instability. Many audiences want a return to simplicity.  In 2019, minimalism is the way to attract attention.  An image with a clear purpose will prevail every time. Keep your text short and on point. Maximize white space and find a layout that’s simple, clean and authentic.

SIZE MATTERS
When picking up mail from the cluster box, don’t forget that large pieces command attention. It doesn’t cost any more postage to mail a 6X11 postcard than it does a 6X9 and the difference in paper cost is nominal. The only real differences are that you get more real estate to promote your message and your piece will stand out in the mailbox.

INCORPORATE INTERESTING FOLDS
Create a fun mail piece by adding folds.  These go beyond touch by requiring people to manipulate the piece. It creates an urge to see more by building up people’s curiosity. BE CAREFUL THOUGH!  Make sure you don’t lose your automation rates by placing a fold or an open part of your mail piece in the wrong spot.  Have your creative team contact us for guidance.

TELL THE STORY THRU CONTENT & PICTURES
Storytelling is a crucial aspect of direct marketing. Think about using strong and compelling visual images to convey your narrative. Combine your images with precise and well written copy.

BE COLORFUL
Color is key. Your choice of color can make or break a good print design. Colors have the power to change moods.

Red – This color typically used to create a sense of urgency, which may be why you often see this color used during clearance sales. Red is also associated with movement, excitement, and passion.

Blue – This color is often used by brands to promote trust in their products and services because this color is associated with security, peace, and reliability. Blue is also the preferred color of male consumers.

Green – Brands sometimes use green within their stores to relax customers because this color creates harmony within the brain and encourages balance. This color is also often associated with power, nature, and tranquility.

Orange and Yellow – These colors are more cheerful colors that promote a more optimistic attitude while also creating a sense of urgency that can cause more impulsive buyers to act.

Purple – This color has been known to stimulate problem solving and creativity within the mind.
Purple is also associated with respect, intelligence, and royalty, which may explain why it’s often used to promote beauty and anti-aging products.

Mail Professional Certification

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This year, in an effort to better serve you, our operations managers, client services
representatives and executive staff are becoming Certified Mail Professionals from the
program provided by global think tank and industry giant, Idealliance.

The Certification requires 11 hours of classes covering 28 modules that focus on postal
compliance and regulations. This comprehensive training has been challenging and spawned a lot of lively discussions.

 

Ink Jet Operator Position

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We are in search of an Ink Jet Operator.

Business Extension Bureau has been serving our clients since 1949. We are independently owned, family operated, and centrally located in the heart of The Museum District of Houston. The average tenure of our employees is 12-years as we have very low turnover.

This position requires setup and operation of inkjets according to job specifications as well as maintaining quality standards of jobs produced.  Ensure every order is produced to specification while meeting delivery deadlines.

Knowledge of standard set ups, adjustments and operating characteristics of the equipment and skill to perform standard adjustments and operate the equipment is preferred and Insert Operator knowledge very helpful.

HOURS: Mon thru Fri 8am – 5pm

Some Overtime and weekend work required, seasonal

We offer:

Health Insurance

401(k) w/company match

Credit Union

1-week paid vacation after 1 year

8 Paid Holidays

Salary to commensurate with experience.

EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION

EMAIL YOUR APPLICATION TO JOYZ@BEBTEXAS.COM

2018 A Stormy Year for Social

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2018 was somewhat of a stormy year for social media in general.

In January Facebook users complained that posts from businesses, brands and media were crowding out personal moments on their Newsfeed. Adam Mosseri, Head of News Feed, reported that FB would change their algorithm and would prioritize posts from friends and family over paid advertisers.

Then, the Cambridge Analytics (CA) Scandal came to light in March. CA was a British political consulting firm that combined data mining, data brokerage, and data analysis with strategic
communications during the US Presidential elections.

CA used information from Facebook and others to build psychological profiles of American voters by using an app that appeared to be a personality test. The app collected data on tens of millions of people and their FB friends, even those who didn’t download the app themselves.

Facebook share prices dropped more than $100 billion in days and politicians from the US & the UK demanded answers. The scandal eventually led FB President Mark Zuckerberg to testify in front of Congress.

The scandal incited public discussion on ethical standards for social media companies, political consulting organizations, and the war on false news heated to new levels.

May of 2018 brought the launch of the GDPR- General Data Protection Regulation. This
European Union law gives individuals more control over how and what data is collected by third parties and forces companies that collect data to be more transparent. That includes expedited notification of breaches. Though not in effect state-side (yet), the law and penalties apply to companies that collect data from EU residents, even if the company collecting isn’t part of the EU. Many expect similar legislation to follow here in the US.

Lastly, FB removed their Partner Categories in August. Partner categories were demographics available when creating audiences for paid FB & Instagram ads. These demographics derived from third party giants such as Axciom, Epsilon, Experian, Oracle Data Cloud, and Quantium. They provided game-changing personal information such as household income, parents with children (you pick the age), or what kind of car an audience drives.

Removal of these demographics left many marketers wondering what kind of returns to
expect in the future.

All was not blustery for digital platforms in 2018. Communicating through video apps and stories became front runners and are defining new ways marketers need to spend their advertising dollars.

In June, Instagram launched IGTV. Unlike Instagram, it allows users to upload vertical videos up to 10 minutes in length. Up to 60 minutes if you are verified or “popular”.

China based TikTok became the most downloaded app in the US. This app is for creating and sharing 15 second videos. (See our blog, ‘Six Wildly Popular Social Sites That You (probably) Never Hear Of“).

One thing is for certain. Social Media marketing landscapes will continue to change at lightning speed and we’ll do our best to keep you abreast of the latest trends.

 

INSIDE THE BOX PRINTING

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One of the most talked about trends today is where to place your packaging print.

Many fulfillment companies have taken a fresh approach and have decided to start printing INSIDE THE BOX.

Porch Poachers
As package delivery increases, so does package theft. One high-end jewelry maker brands their box on the inside instead of the outside. The outside stays plain to avoid attracting attention to its expensive contents while the inside delivers a beautiful message that reinforces the brand.

A Picture is Worth More Than One Thousand Words
Unboxing content matters. A brilliant white interior can set off beautiful photography within the container and be sure to add other branding or messaging on the inside lid for added bang of your printing bucks.

Further Instructions
Some makers are including instructions for reusing a box as a handy
household item or a kid’s craft idea. This added value contributes to overall brand love and it keeps a brand around for a much longer period of time.

United Socialist Suds Republic

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In the interest of increasing the viability of post offices and attracting additional money to
modernize their network, the Murmansk post department, located in far north Russia, reported that it started selling low-alcohol drinks.

Northern Russians aren’t the only ones who can enjoy a chaser with a purchase of a stamp. The Saratov Region (located to the south) has also experimented with sales of beer and the fermented bread drink called kvass.

Post press secretary Daniil Skidan told Russian radio that they plan to roll out beer sales at 3,200 post offices across the country with the main focus on rural branches.  Russian Post has come under government pressure to modernize in recent years, given frequent complaints of
inefficiency and even mail theft.

Comments about beer sales via the Post on Russian Social Media has been mixed with  exasperation and humor.  Some noted that it was comforting to think that at least they “won’t get bored in the queue anymore”.  Others think it is only a matter of time before the post office starts selling kebabs too.