Serving Southern California, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming |
|
Laboring Through a Challenging Year |
|
During the last year I have talked to many members of the Printing Industries Association of Southern California about two converging themes: finances and human resources. For most of the last year, printers have been worried about balancing operating needs against one of their largest costs, labor.
Layoffs and Rehires
Unfortunately, the pandemic created the need for furloughs, layoffs or some combination of the two. Many printers used the pandemic to “retool” and optimize their operations, becoming experts at doing more with less. To keep the business open, employees were asked to take multi-tasking to a new level. To the degree that more efficient, productive, and effective processing was achieved, the post-pandemic period will bear fruit.
Now, as we march into the economic recovery, printers are realizing that at some point soon, customer demand will result in the need for more employees. Printers must now find the balance between satisfying their customers and increasing their workforce. The cruelty of the situation is that almost all surviving printers are vying for limited resources at the same time.
Of course, a big challenge here is which employees do they need to hire? I suggest that in seeking “new” employees, printers consider using this opportunity to recruit and hire talent that meets a desired behavior profile. While you cannot discriminate in the hiring process, an employer can be highly selective.
The key is to have a clear understanding of the position’s technical and behavioral requirements AND to start the recruiting process early. Too often the need is so urgent that the first breathing soul through the door is seen as the best solution, only to find out later that there was not a match and the result is an expensive separation.
|
|
Source: Written by PIASC/CEO Lou Caron and previously published in Printing News. |
|
Persuasive Ads on Instagram: Writing to Sell |
|
Why Instagram Ad Placements Need Dedicated Copy
Instagram is often thought of as a purely visual platform, and while that’s true in part, the information you provide along with your ad visuals is what persuades the audience to take action. Getting your copy right is just as important as finding the perfect image or video.
When you use Facebook Ads Manager to create your Instagram ads, you can choose from multiple ad placements including Facebook. But you don’t want to rely on Ads Manager to auto-generate your ads from one set of copy and assume it will work on all placements. Instead, edit each placement so the copy works within the limitations of that platform.
For example, when you include links in your ad copy, they’re clickable in Facebook ads but not Instagram ads. So adding links to your Instagram copy is a waste of time and takes up valuable real estate. And people who are expecting to tap through to your website from the copy may get frustrated. To avoid this issue, stick with the features provided and direct the audience to tap on your call-to-action (CTA) button.
It’s also important to treat the ad copy for Instagram story ads differently from what you use in the Instagram news feed. Stories are displayed for up to 15 seconds so your audience won’t have time to read long copy. Plus, if you rely on Facebook to auto-generate story ads from your news feed ads, your copy is unlikely to display correctly.
Short, snappy ad copy is an effective way to capture your audience’s attention in an Instagram story ad. You can also get good results by using a captivating image and a strong CTA.
|
|
Richmond, California-based Online Bindery. Was pleased to give back to the community by co-sponsoring a First Responders Appreciation BBQ on April 30.
|
|
To participate, please email your one sentence announcement to Wendy Ferruz at Wendy@piasc.org |
|
Tax Credits for Paid Leave for COVID-19 Vaccines |
|
Under the American Rescue Plan of 2021, employers with fewer than 500 employees can claim a tax credit for providing paid leave to employees who take time off related to COVID-19 vaccinations. This includes time spent obtaining the vaccine and time spent recovering from any vaccine-related side effects.
While it was previously understood that this tax credit was available for paid leave taken by employees who are not able to work or telework due to reasons related to COVID-19, new guidance clarifies that “related to COVID-19” includes the COVID-19 vaccine.
The tax credits are available for paid leave taken from April 1, 2021 through September 30, 2021. For more information, including guidance on how to claim the credit, see the IRS fact sheet available at HERE .
|
|
Tuesday, June 22, 2021
10:00am PT | 11:00am MT
Free to PIASC members only
|
|
In today’s business world, accepting credit cards is a must. However, there is more to accepting credit cards than you might realize—and what you don’t know can be costing you.
PIASC has teamed up with CardConnect, a leading provider of payment processing and technology solutions, for a Preferred Partner Program that can reduce your merchant services costs month after month.
In this webinar, the experts at CardConnect will provide an overview of the credit card processing world. You’ll learn:
- What is payment processing?
- Who are the major players in Payment Processing Land?
- What are the different types of credit card acceptance and why do they matter?
- What is interchange and how can interchange optimization reduce your costs?
-
How can you get automatic card updates without the hassle?
- How can you keep payments secure?
In addition, you’ll also have an opportunity to ask your questions live during the Q&A session.
|
|
"Don't downgrade your dream to match reality. Upgrade your faith to match your destiny." |
|
1964 Inscribed Roald Dahl "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" |
|
"I particularly enjoy this appraisal firstly because of my own happy memories associated with the book, one of my favorites growing up and a firm favorite with my children, spending hours reading aloud, and secondly because of the guests inquisitiveness in finding out the elements that determine a first edition."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
