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On Display

Juggling ActJohn and Robyn at the Quinter Design display at the Business Growth Expo, earlier this month sponsored by the Baltimore Business Journal.   

 

And the Winner Is...

Nanette Jefferies, Aerial Imaging East, is the lucky winner of the drawing at the recent Baltimore Business Journal Expo for a custom-designed table drape. It is valued at $200. Congratulations, Nanette!  

Everyone who attended the Expo is a winner, too, with a special offer from Quinter Design - 15% off on orders placed by Dec. 15 for table drapes, posters, banners, display units and other trade show essentials. It pays to visit with us at an expo or tradeshow.

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Coming Up
Quinter Design is proud to be a sponsor of the 12th Annual Celebration Luncheon of the MD Coalition of Families for Children's Mental Health. This year's event on Friday, Dec. 9 focuses on services to military families, in honor of MCF's new family navigator program at Fort George G. Meade. Additional sponsors and attendees are welcome. Juggling Act
MCF is the statewide family voice for children's mental health. Robyn serves as President of the MCF Board of Directors. Here's a link for Registration and Sponsorship information.

 

Clients of the Week

Recent shout-outs went to several Quinter Design clients on our company Facebook page: Barwood Taxi Service, National Office Systems, Hillmuth Certified Automotive, Susan I. Wranik Associates and United Patent Research.

 

"Like" Quinter Design on Facebook to see who's our next Client of the Week and to keep tabs on our latest news and sparkling commentary.

 

 

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Cheers and Congratulations 

Three Quinter Design clients were honored as part of the
P & B Exceptional 53 Businesses in Maryland, sponsored by The Gazette of Politics and Business: National Office Systems (NOS), Hillmuth Certified Automotive and the Olney Theatre Center. We are pleased to have contributed to the successful applications of Hillmuth Certified Automotive and NOS.

 

Clark Kendall, Kendall Capital, was recently named one of the Washington Area's Top Wealth Managers by the National Assn. of Board Certified Advisory Practices.

 

Susan I. Wranik, Susan I. Wranik Associates, was recently elected president of GROWS, the Grass Roots Organization for the Well-being of Seniors, a Washington area non-profit focused on services to fragile senior citizens.

Investing in Networking

Business Cards: 7 Square Inches of Gold

You are your own best salesperson, no one knows your business better. Making your presence known in the professional community is a time-tested way to identify prospects. Attending a networking event is an investment of your time, energy and money. Like any investment, expecting an immediate return is unrealistic. View your participation as sowing seeds, some will grow into a productive harvest.

 

Treat your networking like an investment: set reasonable goals, gather your resources, and establish your strategies. A few guidelines.

 

Networking events can crowd anyone's schedule. (We're convinced you could attend enough networking events to never have to cook again.) Be selective about which events to attend so you retain a high energy level, stay within your budget and still get your professional work accomplished.

 

Each of us has two ears and one mouth, use them proportionately; that is, listen more than talk. Be interested in what your acquaintances say instead of attempting to make a sale or dominate the discussion. When your acquaintance needs what you and your company offer, he/she will remember you.

 

While positioning yourself near the bar may ensure a quick "hi" to everyone, don't over indulge. You don't want to be remembered for loud behavior or impaired judgment.

 

Follow up. An email sent shortly after the event offers an opportunity to re-connect with a new acquaintance. Include a reference to something you discussed. Invite him/her to join you on LinkedIn. A handwritten note has enormous impact; it's more impressive than an e-communication.

 

Tuck some extra business cards in your pocket, put a smile on your face and go sow those seeds!   

  Trapped by Bad News?  

Ice Cream Cone

 Snared in negative publicity? The manner in which organizations handle crises says volumes about the effectiveness of their public relations plans. The first rule of crisis management is to get out in front of whatever bad news is coming. A proactive stance provides far more leverage and control of the situation than being placed on the defensive. The PR teams employed by PennStateUniversity and Republican Presidential Candidate Herman Cain certainly botched their recent opportunities. They managed their respective crises weakly and ineffectively. Like it or not, a crisis management strategy should be part of every organization's PR plan. Negative news isn't always of our own making, but our response to the situation should always be under our control. 

 Buzz Alert     

Several readers have asked about connecting their products and services to the observances listed in Buzz Alert. With November's listings, we offer a few suggestions. Not all connections are worthy of a news release. Instead, consider an email to your clients and colleagues, a posting on your Facebook page, a note on LinkedIn or some activity to benefit your clients, colleagues and staff. The objective is to make yourself memorable.

 

Nov. 15: America Recycles Day, a chance to tout that your firm reached its recycling goals, that your construction company uses special recycled products or that your repair shop was honored for its recycling efforts.

 

Nov. 17: Homemade Bread Day, an opportunity to treat your staff and clients to a gift of homemade bread, for restaurants to offer bread pudding as a special dessert or for a financial manager to tout his/her skill for making "bread."

 

Nov. 19: National Day of Play, a day for your staff to play team-building games, for a fitness center to offer its adult clients an hour of kids' games or for a landscaper to help build a school playground.  

 

Dec. 1-7: Cookie Cutter Week, a chance for a any Juggling Actcompany to show how it uniquely distinguishes itself from the rest of the pack.

 

Dec. 9: National Salesperson's Day, a day to honor your staff's accomplishments, for a sales development firm to publicize its training classes and for an
auto dealership to counter that
"hard sell" image.  

 

Small Business Saturday
Juggling Act

Small Business Saturday is set for the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 26. They may be small in size, but small businesses are BIG in impact. They are the retailers and companies whose operations fuel the nation's economy and create most of the new jobs.

 

An aggressive media campaign to support Small Business Saturday focuses on merchants and retailers. We urge you to also remember the service providers and professionals - like Quinter Design -- who also contribute to the area's economy. When you're considering holiday gifts and plans for 2012, Quinter Design has suggestions to support your favorite business person: custom-designed business cards, stationery and/or other collateral materials; display units; in-store signage; and gift certificates toward design work, publicity efforts or large-format printing. We also can create the design to be imprinted on promotional items.

 

The tight economy has put a stranglehold on the small business community, and hopefully, the Small Business Saturday campaign will generate increased revenue for many. Instead of another wallet, scarf or sweater, a gift from a professional service provider will benefit both the recipient and the provider.

 

Quinter Design is a strong advocate of "shop local" campaigns, designed to keep dollars in their home communities. It's estimated that each $1 spent in a local business yields $3 in benefits to that community's economy. Local businesses give back to their communities by supporting schools, charities, agencies and organizations and by providing employment for area residents. The close proximity of businesses to their communities is also environmentally and socially responsible by reducing pollution, driving time, gas costs and carbon footprints. Shopping local is the smart way to go!

 

 
It's the season for giving thanks, and we'd like to let each and every one of you know how grateful we are for our relationship with you. Our clients constantly inspire, motivate and challenge us to stretch our capabilities and expectations. We appreciate your continued support and look forward to working together in 2012.

During the upcoming holidays, we anticipate enjoying several special events. Our signature (and eagerly awaited!) chocolate-dipped cookies
are already in production, and we look forward to sharing them with you. The cookies are an important tool for us in our mission to rid the world of unattractive and ineffective marketing materials. We think you'll agree that they're a clever and delicious way to remember Quinter Design. (And, of course, cookies from a business networking event contain no calories!)  
Your feedback to our e-newsletter, On Target, is appreciated, and your
questions and comments are always welcomed. Our next edition will be circulated on Dec.15, 2011. We look forward to seeing you in the coming month.

Happy Thanksgiving!

John and Robyn Quinter

John & Robyn Quinter

Quinter Design
www.quinterdesign.com 

[email protected] 

(301) 924-4654