how do we “sell” the city of hutchinson?

Cities, public offices and schools, are recognizing the need to develop marketing campaigns to survive in a competitive marketplace. These campaigns involve social media, web solutions, print advertising, online advertising, and repurposing their printed brochures and flyers.  Essentially they run a business and need to market like a business.

Steve Cook, Mayor of the city of Hutchinson began inquiries about advertising and marketing the strong assets the city has to offer businesses. Assets such as Shovel-Ready building sites, experienced workforce, strong educational foundation, and Hutchinson’s hometown lifestyle would make Hutchinson an attractive option for new businesses.  His heartfelt question was

 “How do we let other people know about us?”

After many meetings – with the Miles Seppelt (Hutchinson EDA), Bill Corby (Chamber of Commerce), Mayor Steve Cook (City of Hutchinson), Steve Gasser (Vivid Images) and me, Ellen Dickie (Moxie Media) – we have received approval from the Hutchinson EDA board and the Hutchinson City Council to proceed with a comprehensive marketing plan to “sell” the city of Hutchinson. No, I do not mean we are selling the city to the highest bidder – we are marketing to potential new business owners, business owners looking to expand their operations whether local, regional or national as well as businesses looking to relocate.  Hutchinson has so much to offer to businesses like these and we need to get the attention of these businesses.

Developing a brand is one of the first steps to successful marketing.

Moxie Media will be taking the lead in working alongside the committee in developing a branded logo and guidelines for the brand of this campaign.  Additionally we will be developing a professional printed piece to send to interested businesses.  Vivid Images will lead the social media and website portion of the campaign.  Integrated into all aspects of the campaign will be the new logo and tagline for the campaign giving it a cohesive, unified look that is easily recognized and remembered by the target audience – businesses and the community of Hutchinson.

Progress like this is exciting!  Moxie is proud to be a part of this new chapter of success for the city of Hutchinson. Be watching for the rollout of the campaign.

sisters accessorize annual trip with custom shirts

Jan Johnson and her 3 sisters just completed their annual road trip wearing custom designed T-shirts that drew a lot of attention.  She came to us months ago with her ideas of what she was looking for.  Our designer took her ideas and created the graphical image she was after.  Within that image was a symbol for each of the 4 sister’s character.  Integrated into the design is an eagle that represented their mother. We had fun working with Jan on this project and are tickled to hear about the responses.

“Thanks again for these wonderful T-shirts.  It made our vacation even more special and it reinforced (as verbalized by many complete strangers) how fortunate we are to be sisters and best of friends. Our 4 brothers were jealous and want T-shirts!”
Jan Johnson

October Print Specials

This month’s specials:

35% off 4 color offset post cards (for high volumes),

25% off 4 color digital postcards (for low volumes),

25% off 4 color digital greeting cards,

25% off 4 color digital brochures,

25% off 4 color digital posters,

25% off 4 color small flyers,

25% off 4 color digital business cards (for low volumes),

These discounts apply to the printing portion of the project. Need help with design?  No problem.  We have the resources to design. Any design or artwork charges will be additional cost to the discounted printing specials.

You create…we print. Convert to high resolution pdf for printing and email to us. We will check your file to make sure it will process correctly for printing and then off it goes into production.  If you need help in designing or coming up with an idea, just let us know and we can walk you through the process.

Offer Expires October 28, 2011

take a quick look at MoxiePrintShop.com

I would like to introduce you to some of our most recent efforts in bringing you affordable, fast turn options for printing, promotions and clothing.  We know that online resources are becoming a more popular option for ordering items. You can access stores 24/7, conveniently pay with a credit or debit card and have your items shipped directly to your business or home office.  Now you can order your printing the same way from Moxie Media and receive high quality printing at value prices.

Take a quick look at MoxiePrintShop.com

You can design, upload and receive most printing in 4-5 days – delivered right to your business or home office.  Full color flyers, brochures, postcards, business cards are especially good offers through MoxiePrintShop.com Another great value are banners found under the tab called large format printing. The prices are low; the printing on high quality 13 oz. matte or gloss vinyl is exceptional!

Watch for weekly special discounts posted on facebook.com/moxie and our website moxiemediamn.com

Need customer service??? Or help in ordering? Feel free to call us 320-587-0587 and we can walk you through the ordering process.  We won’t print something “as is” unless it meets our printing specifications. Once your files are uploaded, we will do a complete check to make sure they are ready for printing.

order your next print project from moxieprintshop.com

hot product – marketing blitz

Yesterday I attended Farm Fest in Morgan, MN.

Over 35,000 potential customers walk through the gates over a 3 day period. My mission for the day was to work the booth with one of my clients, listen to the conversations, watch the reactions to their new product roll-out in order to be able to advertise their product the best way possible. Oh, and to see how they looked in their new shirts from Moxie Media. It was an exciting day watching the steady stream of customers walk up to the booth on a mission to find out as much about this product as possible and to place their orders right at the show. What was more amazing was to see their direct competitor across the road, just feet away, and the traffic was just not there. It felt like, “yeah, what we did was right” for this client – May Wes Mfg. in Hutchinson, MN.

I would like to say that it was totally because of our advertising efforts, but I cannot. But it did play a huge part in their success. This success story has taken place over a two year period and it was for a product they have had in their catalog for 25 plus years – The May Wes Stalk Stomper. Let me tell you what happen. Because this could be how we can help write your success story.

When working with the May Wes team as their advertising and marketing consultant, we have always had close communication. I feel strongly that in order to advertise the product, we need to know the product, the targeted audience, the industry climate. And that is what happened. The sales manager received a fax from one of their dealers. It was a brochure from a tire manufacturer that had the warranty information in the body copy. In summary it said that if the farmer did not have a stubble or stalk stomper mounted onto their tractor or combine, it would could invalidate their warranty. The cost of one of those tires is $2,000+. The May Wes Stalk Stomper runs $650 per row. I know this is farm talk, but if you just do the math, it is a no brainer that it is less expensive to add protect your tires from damage than to replace one. I happen to be in their office that day.

Do you know what we could do with this information?

This is what I asked her. Then proceeded to discuss a marketing blitz with her and the owner. We knew we had something big.

The first year we did a postcard mailing to 10,000 current customers, a direct mail campaign to all of the dealers with information explaining the situation, press releases to all the major farming publications and ran a series of ads in multiple publications and attended 6-7 farm shows to show case the product. As a result, the farming magazines wrote articles about the problem of stalks damaging tires, it was newsworthy. We created a buzz in the farming industry. At the end of the harvest season, we reviewed sales numbers and found that the money and time we (the client and Moxie Media as a team) invested was profitable. Sales were tripled from the previous year. So when it came time to set the budget for year too, the owner said one thing to me.

We want to do everything we did last year plus more!

Now other manufacturers have jumped into the market, and now there is competition. Knowing this, we ramped up the marketing efforts. They included everything we did last year plus adding one more show, a direct mail campaign to 50,000 combine owners in the United States and more ads. Another significant action was to make product changes to meet the wants of the target audience. They listened to what the farmer needed and wanted from their product – which we in turn used to get more press in the publications as a product update release. To date, all indications point that their sales will exceed last year’s sales.

I love it when it works, when things come together for success. There was a need in the industry, a product to fill that need at the right price and a marketing effort to to the targeted audience. These are the 4 P’s of marketing. Place. Product. Price. Promotion.

But perhaps the greatest pleasure is knowing that May Wes and Moxie Media are on the same team, share common goals with the client and understand the direction they want to go. As an advertising agency, what could be better than that.

Thank you May Wes.

firefighters – guardians of the pink ribbon

Every once in a while you encounter a truly remarkable experience that is rare, unforgettable and humbling.  I had one today when I received a package in the mail from a women whom I briefly met at a trade show in Bismarck, ND last April.  Her name is Theresa and she is involved with the North Dakota chapter of the Pink Heals Tour.  She shared with me what the Pink Heals Tour was about and we exchanged conversation of our loved ones who fought cancer.  The Pink Heals Tour slogan is “Driving for cancer. Driving for awareness. Driving across America”.  Image seeing a bright pink fire truck that promotes cancer research and carries with them a legacy of personal stories nationwide.  I’m in awe with their dedication, commitment and influence this group of people have made.

Thank you Theresa for sharing this story with me and the surprise package of your North Dakota Pink Heals Tour shirts and items.  We will wear them proudly and spread the word!

the stories behind the t-shirts

It never ceases to amaze me when I hear the stories behind the t-shirts that we print.  Last night on Kare11 TV and posted on www.Kare11.com I saw one of the t-shirts we printed at Moxie Media.  It was a t-shirt done to raise funds for Jack Zimmerman and his family. Jack was injured, serving in Afghanistan, when he stepped on an improvised explosive device, otherwise known as IED.  I even had to look up and read what IED stood for, even though I knew what it could and did do to Jack.  He lost both his legs and severely damaged both his arms. Jack’s cousin Daniel came to me knowing we printed t-shirts and wanted to know how much they cost and how soon he could get them. My first thoughts were, YES, we will help. He was one of our own. Living in the town of Cleveland, that is what you do. I saw it first hand when my youngest daughter Anna was diagnosed with Chronic Myleogenous Leukemia at the age of 12.  The support of the community financially, emotionally and spiritually kept us believing that she could beat cancer.  And with the same spirit, we are supporting Jack.  Moxie Media set up a website that people could order t-shirts, can coolers, buttons, window clings, all in support  of Jack Zimmerman.  Orders have come in from all over the United States. Today, Daniel has banked almost $5,000 of profit with his sales of t-shirts and promo items.  Moxie played a small part in a very BIG thing. I knew that when I watched and listened to the Land of 10,000 stories last night on Kare 11 News. If you missed it, don’t worry, you can catch it here – Land of 10,000 Stories – Jack Zimmerman

If you want to purchase a t-shirt, can cooler, window cling, or button follow this link zimmerman.promoshop.com

Be a small part of a BIG THING!

Winners of the 2011 Bring it Home Expo Coloring Contest!

Winners of the Moxie Media coloring contest are listed below. We will be in contact with everyone shortly to claim your prizes. Thanks to everyone for coming out and enjoying the day with us!

1st place in the 0~4 Age Group is Victoria Haefner
2nd place in the 0~4 Age Group is Avery Schiller

1st place in the 5~8 Age Group is Alyssa Johnson
2nd place in the 5~8 Age Group is Cheyenne Fahey

1st place in the 9~12 Age Group is Mara Peterson
2nd place in the 9~12 Age Group is Alexis Keskey

Tremendous T-shirt offer as low a $3.85 each!

Outfit your team or employees in t-shirts with your name!

Simply put your Team, Business or Event Name on one of our stock designs.  Prices included your custom name. Priced on white unisex T’s in these adult sizes: S, M, L, XL. Prices does not include shipping.

Check out our flyer for more details.

Call us about sizes up to 4X, changes of shirt color, more imprint colors or expedited delivery!

Offer good through June 29.  Allow 3 weeks for delivery.

Call LuAnn at 320-234-2907 with your order or questions.

‘Harvest a Cure’ campaign an overwhelming success

GVL owner, Allan Cronen, brought his  breast cancer fund-raising idea to Moxie Media.  His company manufactures poly replacement parts for corn heads and he wanted to leverage his manufacturing resources to heighten awareness of breast cancer and provide a means of giving to American Cancer Society’s research.  He developed special pink Wear Point tips and pin Dust Diverter products and committed to donating the profits from these sales to the cause.  We assisted him with the marketing and promotion of his concept.  We designed a campaign logo, t-shirts, hats and signage for his upcoming trade show displays.  We sent out 15,000 post cards announcing the fund-raising campaign.  The same day the post cards were hitting the combine owners mail boxes across the upper Midwest, Allan’s office phones were ringing off the hook with requests for the his Harvest a Cure merchandise.  We also sent out many press releases that have resulted in national attention to Harvest a Cure.  This has been a huge success and one that Allan plans to carry over for years to come.

Website redesign roll out

Moxie is proud to have been a part of Hutchinson Manufacturing’s redesigned website development and launch.  This website is a content managed solution for the client enabling them to keep the website current themselves.  It also has blog post capabilities for their news updates.

Check out this latest website.

choose company colors wisely

Corporate colors are an important part of your company brand and identity. What do your company colors say about you? Are they bright and vibrant? Subdued and soft? Sophisticated and corporate? Choose wisely as colors are trendy and do not always look the same in different media.  Specifically, there are web-safe colors that appear the same on most color monitors. There are colors that look the same on both gloss and uncoated papers.  There are colors when printed on different kinds of paper stock that look totally different.  You would not even guess they are the same ink color.  Then there is the transition of choosing a single color and printing it in 4 color process or changing it to a websafe color.  There is a tool that we use at Moxie Media that is called a PMS Color Bridge Book where it shows the  way a color looks in different media usage.  It helps us choose the right color for you to use in the various media needed to convey your message to your target market.  If you need help with this part of your image or brand identity, we would encourage you to contact us for a free consultation.  We will match up your colors to our  PMS bridge book and let you know the outcome.  Talk to you soon!

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