2014 reunion of the Think Tank. We are here with the man with the plan, Brian Johnson with Mail Shark.
Brian can you tell us a little bit about Mail Shark?
Mail Shark is a full service direct mail and printing company. We service primarily the pizza industry and other industries and have been in business for over six years with customers in 45 states. So, we service the whole country and are happy to be here tonight with PMQ Magazine.
Wow. Now can you also tell us what we can expect for late 2014 or early 2015 from Mail Shark?
I will tell you what, every day we are looking to develop new products. We just came out with a great folded magnet piece and we are promoting pizza shops all over the country with different direct mail pieces, different offers, we are experts in the pizza industry, when it comes to marketing. So we are always looking at different ways to promote business and grow sales for pizza shops and continue to do that throughout the rest of this year and into the future.
Absolutely. Now the Think Tankers think to seem you are the real deal. And can you give us an explanation of why that is so?
You know what, first off, I’d like to thank you for saying that. We would like to think so too, but you know I would like to think that’s because we keep delivering on what we promise, which is to grow sales for pizza shops, delivering new fresh content for marketing pieces and ideas, and you know ultimately as corny as it may sound, growing sales for our customers helps us to grow our sales and everyone wins. So I think on the Think Tank, they are voicing their positive feedback about Mail Shark because we have done something positive for them.
I totally agree, I certainly think you hit the nail on the head. You know, when you can keep their business open it’s obviously keeps your business open, but the ultimate game strategy is to keep America alive and I think that is what you are doing.
It’s a win win.
Let me ask you this and I know that it’s been a busy night, you guys are here at the Pizza Expo.
That’s right, 2014!
2014, I believe we will have you at our show in the near future but what do you see coming for the next year, what is the next trend, thought, something trending that no one else is seeing before that Mail Shark has to offer?
You know what, you know the buzz has been about social media, it’s been about the Internet for many years now and you know as much as I would like to give you something earth shattering here about some new trends, I feel direct mail is actually coming back to be the trend. Print and direct mail is more alive than ever, it’s what provides a return on investment for a lot of these pizza shop owners, and so we are seeing a trend. Social media is very important, email marketing, it’s all part of a big plan. But what’s really hitting home and getting the sales to grow for pizza shops is direct mail. I don’t want to disappoint you with something not so earth shattering, but the old school way of direct mail is working.
There you have it.
Hold on, I got a couple of questions. How long have you guys been on the Think Tank?
I would say we have been active part of the Think Tank for probably going on 4 years.
That’s good.
It’s been a great. We don’t try to overstep our bounds, if we can jump in and help them with an answer it’s more of a forum for the pizza shop owner to ask questions, and if we feel if we have an answer, we will jump in. We are not trying to sell on the Think Tank as much as we are trying to just answer questions.
What is your favorite part, or best feature, or best part of our Think Tank?
I think your Think Tank hits home for owners when they don’t have an answer, they can go on there, get an answer quickly and it’s amazing how many active users you have on the Think Tank that regardless of the question or the topic, you can typically get the answer you are looking for as a pizza shop owner. And for us as marketing company, like I said, we chime in where it’s appropriate but for any user out there that’s a pizza shop operator that is looking to get answers, the Think Tank is where they should turn.
Is there, I know you guys are actually trying to be answer givers, has there ever been an issue that the Think Tank has helped you with?
You know, you speak of trends in the industry. You know what, if you are going to look for a trend in the industry, you should go to the Think Tank. Because it’s an active forum where people are continuously talking about the hottest newest things in the pizza industry, and so for us, we monitor those forums and see how we can help keep up with trends and it helps us learn every day in the pizza industry what’s new, what’s next, and what should we do to adapt to that and make it our business model change with that.
One more, if there is one thing on your wish list that you would like to see added to or changed about the Think Tank, maybe something we can improve? This might not make it in the video but will help us in the end.
You know it’s hard to give you an answer on that. I feel the Think Tank is exists today is a pretty impressive, because developing a forum, a comfort zone for people to come in and get real honest feedback, is hard to find. Not sure I can give you something that would improve quite frankly.
No problem, we appreciate it.
I do have one final question and I know this may seem a little competitive but it’s a good question and it deserves an answer. Out of all the competitors out there, who do you consider your most challenging competitor?
There are a lot of print shops, there are a lot of direct mail companies, we do everything under one roof at Mail Shark. From the design, to the print, to the mailing, which we have a post office in our facility and so print itself is a commodity there are a lot of people that do it well. But as a whole, I think that were Mail Shark shines is the whole gamut of design, print, mail all under one roof and marketing solutions and we have a lot of competitors in all those different pieces but i think where we overcome that is giving the total solution from start to finish. So without naming names or fueling the fire I would say that we seem to compete in a bunch of different areas.
I like your answer. I am going to leave it right there.
Very political, very nice.
Thanks Brian Johnson.