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I Can See Clearly Now
"I can see clearly now, the rain is gone.
I can see all obstacles in my way."
—Johnny Nash, song lyrics from 1972
Have you disciplined yourself to be a strategic thinker, capable of focusing on your goals and making regular progress toward reaching them? Or do your priorities get murky in the midst of dealing with day-to-day requests? This issue of Momentum is intended to help you face each day with a little more clarity … both literally and figuratively. 
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Concentrate on
customer needs
The better you know your "target" audience, the better your literature can be tailored to reach them. So was the case with Forster Products, a leading supplier of precision reloading and gunsmithing tools. The company recently collaborated with M45 to create a sales promotion sheet and technical data sheet for a new die and bushing set that allows shooting enthusiasts to accurately reload cartridges to exacting specifications.
Aiming to introduce the unique product at a premier trade show, Forster needed their projects completed in short order. M45 worked directly with company decision makers to research, write, and design the new literature, coordinate photography, handle the print order, and adapt the verbiage for a web splash. By taking aim at a very specific audience that the client thoroughly understands, M45 was able to speak the end users' language, focus on product benefits, and make a direct hit with trade show attendees.
The result? The right sales tools at the right time. Bullseye!
VOTE:
How specifically have you identified your target audience?
Voting results from last issue:
In our Hot and Cold issue, we asked readers if their businesses make cold calls. Two-thirds of our readers responded "no" and one-third said "yes."
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Banish blurriness:
understanding hi-res vs. lo-res images
Are you "resolved" to understand resolution as it relates to the digital world? Resolution is measured in dpi (dots per inch, for printed materials) and ppi (pixels per inch, for computer uses). It is usually divided into either high-resolution (high-res) or low-resolution (low-res) images. Better understanding of this "dotty dilemma" can make the difference between a crisp, clear visual and a disappointing blurry one.
An image has high resolution if it is very sharp and detailed upon magnification; the more dots or pixels, the higher the resolution. Because computer monitors view images at 72 ppi, low-resolution images (72 ppi) are used on websites. Images of at least 150 dpi are considered high resolution, although images of at least 300 dpi are preferred for printed literature. Because the number of dots/pixels in an image is fixed, increasing its size decreases its resolution and vice-versa.
Bottom line: If you're purchasing stock photography for your website, choose the less-expensive low-resolution image. If you plan on possibly using it in print as well, buy the high-resolution version and optimize it for your website by saving a copy at 72 ppi. That way, you'll have the best of both worlds for one price. If you're taking your own pictures, select your digital camera with care, thoroughly read the manual, and make sure you're using the proper settings based on your picture's end use.
Also see
http://www.ieee.org/organizations/pubs/magazines/imageres.htm
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MARCH 2007
When faced with tough business decisions, many executives rely on success strategies they have used in the past. If it worked before, why reinvent the wheel? Though this approach can be effective, it still makes sense to utilize a "Binocular Technique" to help clarify your thoughts…and perfect your vision before forging ahead.
Get your binoculars:
- Do some soul searching by yourself with no outside influences. Confirm you are looking forward in the right direction. Anything blurry?
- Ask yourself if you are wearing any blinders. Are there barriers to success you may not have considered? Scan the big picture for any such obstacles.
Look through the lens and adjust your vision:
- Put your goals in writing and, if possible, put them away for a day or two before proceeding. Then fine tune, being as specific as possible.
- Share your vision with trusted advisors or employees and confirm your timeframe is reasonable. Make adjustments as necessary.
Focus in:
- Make sure you have clearly identified your audience and your competitors…and don't forget to set measurable expectations.
- Prepare a detailed plan to help you reach your goals. Refer to it often.
- Consider using professional marketers to help you hone in. M45 offers strategic planning services and provides expertise to assist as you research alternatives, pinpoint objectives and strategies, and identify and implement creative tactics to produce successful results.
- Envision your goal…and never lose sight of it.
The next time you pursue a lofty goal, grab your "binoculars" first. You'll make more effective business decisions when you discipline yourself to clearly evaluate your goals and continually focus in on success.
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Why "the eyes" have it
It's crystal clear: many of us don't have 20/20 vision, especially after age 40.
- About 120 million people in the United States wear eyeglasses or contact lenses to correct nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism.
- One in three working people have visual defects that have never even been diagnosed.
- Approximately one in four Americans is nearsighted, or myopic, totaling approximately 70 million people. Hyperopia (i.e. farsightedness) is much less common.
- Presbyopia (literally, "old eye"), affects nearly 100% of the population by age 50…it is as natural as wrinkles! The decline usually begins around age 40 when the lens starts to lose its flexibility.
Sources: http://www.clevelandclinic.org/health/health-info/docs/
1000/1000.asp?index=5638
and
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/healthy_living/health_at_work/
physical_eyes1.shtml
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