Anvil Graphics Blog

I really like cell phones. We were early adopters and have used the mobile phone for years now. They have gotten us out of a few jams and freed us up to be more productive in many ways. That phone allows us to keep in touch at all times, but I would encourage you to draw some borders. There is a guy who wears a bluetooth headset during church, as if he couldn’t miss a call (and he doesn’t look like an emergency room doctor). We have all been in a movie or meeting where phones are going off, and it is a distraction to be sure. It is okay to not be available, really. If the call is important the caller will leave a message and you can check it at a convenient time. Focus on the people you are with at the moment; show them they are important by not interrupting the live conversation to take a call. It is rude, and almost always unneccesary. Live in the moment and enjoy those around you, the phone will wait.

The wealthiest industrial country in the world can not provide health care for 45 to 50 million Americans, and the number is growing as job losses mount. When the Clinton administration took the issue on 16 years ago the number uninsured was around 40 million. Clearly the time has come to address this issue. Read the rest of this entry »

We live in a branded world, and consumers are more brand conscious than ever. But what is a brand really? At the first level a brand establishes trust with a business, product or person. When we travel across the country we might eat at an Old Chicago because we trust that the service and the pizza will be good. We like to protect ourselves from the risk of the unknown, so we go with a brand we know. So doing things which build trust is essential. Read the rest of this entry »

I am probably going to take some flack about this comment, but I think Twitter is an enormous waste of time. Remember when computers came along and the experts thought productivity would increase so much that we were all promised a three day work week? I do. It is things like Twitter which make the computer (and your mobile device) more time consuming then ever. I know, I know – Twitter is a tool to build relationships, but so is a phone call, or a three-martini lunch (who does that anymore?). I just have to look at the great business leaders of the past 150 years who built huge empires and fantastic wealth, all without the superficial relationships offered by Twitter. I suggest engaging in activities which actually propel business forward rather then doing what the mass media suggests is essential.

Printed advertising media is very important in marketing all types of products and services. From the esteemable business card to the hardworking color catalog, we see print everywhere we go. The main challenge is to choose printing which uses sustainable practices. Read the rest of this entry »

If someone offers you a piece of gum, take it and thank them.

Johannes Gutenberg developed movable type utilizing metal fonts, and combined those innovations with oil-based ink and a hand-cranked press to enable mass production of printed books. His invention, in about 1450, was truly revolutionary and is partly credited with the Renaissance in Europe. The publication of scientific manuscripts greatly expanded knowledge throughout the world. Gutenberg printed a 42 line Bible which established the superiority of his techniques and set the standard for centuries to come. His basic process is still used today in offset lithography printing. Gutenberg is widely recognized as one of the most influential people in world history.

Source: wikipedia.com

Paying taxes in April is inevitable, and in fact a good thing, we should all be contributing a fair portion of our income to the functioning of our federal government. The past few years professional tax preparers have been offering clients instant tax return refund payments – get your money NOW! For the average person who might use this service, if they would file electronically and specify a direct deposit account, the IRS would deposit the money within a couple weeks. What makes me crazy is that people are paying the tax preparer a fee to get fast access to thier own money. When a bank loans money, they are taking a risk that you might not pay back, and charge an appropriate interest rate for thier service. When H&R Block or Liberty charges a fee to the “borrower”, they have no risk at all, yet charge a hefty fee for the service. Next year, just wait a little while and the IRS will give you your refund money, no strings or fees attached.