1. Make your PowerPoints stand out
2. How do you market to techies/developers? Search engines, articles, and more
3. Interested in doing non-profit work? The Taproot Foundation is looking for creatives
4. Summer special: 10% off your direct mail, interactive emails, and more!
5. Tip: Stop wasting paper! Print just a selection of that Web page.
6. Recipe: Mojito

We're Hsuan-min Chou and Blythe Howard-Chou, founders of Jumping Bean Communications. Do you know someone who can use our marketing writing or technical writing services? Forward this newsletter to a friend or colleague, or point them to www.jumpbean.com.

1. Make your PowerPoints stand out

Is there anything more dreadful than the 85-slide PowerPoint presentation? One with too many "slick" animations and annoying clipart?

With PowerPoints, the goal should be to grab your audience's attention, and guide them along as you explain why your product/service is so great. Don't drag them from one unnecessary point to the next.

FULL ARTICLE

If you missed that issue on writing bios, just visit the Archives page. You can find that, plus all past issues of "bean news!"

2. How do you market to techies/developers? Search engines, articles, and more

Having trouble marketing to engineers, software developers, and networking specialists? At Jumping Bean, techies are our core business. We have developed marketing copy (Web sites, brochures, white papers, magazine articles) and technical documentation for the tech industry for over 14 years.

And we know how to reach them so you get that sale.

FIND OUT MORE

3. Interested in doing non-profit work? The Taproot Foundation is looking for creatives

Taproot is an organization that provides non-profit organizations with creatives hired on a project basis. If you've been on the job boards lately, you've probably seen their requests for writers, graphic designers, and Web developers.

Learn more. Or visit one of the job sites (Monster, HotJobs, Careerbuilder) and search under "Taproot".

4. Summer special: 10% off your direct mail, interactive emails, and more!

Whew! We just finished a couple projects for a direct mail agency, and it was a blast. We're all set for the next one. And we'll give you 10% off your direct mail until September 23 at 9:51 am, one minute before the Autumnal Equinox occurs.

Why you need direct mail
Direct mail is used to grab your customers' attention quickly, get them in your door, and persuade them to buy your product or service. And to sweeten the deal, the offer has to be something your customers (think they) can't refuse!

At Jumping Bean we can do your direct mail. And we're taking 10% off our regular fee!

But don't wait too long. Offer is good until September 23! Call or email us today! Take a look at some recent dm pieces we've done.

Garage filled with baby clothes? Yet, your "baby" is 18? Sell them now on eBay! Learn more about our eBay services!

5. Tip: Stop wasting paper. Print just a selection of that Web page

Don't you just hate it when you print a Web page, and the pictures and design cram the text into a thin, 3-word wide column? Fortunately, most major news sites have a "print" version of the page, but you still have to click a link to get to it (oh, the horror!). And they still manage to include an ad at the bottom of the page.

A better way to print the text you want, without ads and the design, is simply just print a selection of the page.

Here's how you do it:

1. On any Web page*, select the text you want with your mouse.
2. Press Ctrl+P, and the Print dialog box appears. (See keyboard shortcuts for more efficient ways to work)
3. In the Print Range section, click Selection.
4. Click Print, and only the selection prints out. You'll save paper, reduce waste, and be much less annoyed.

* FYI: This trick doesn't work on pages that use Flash to display text.

Make your day run more smoothly and efficiently with our timesaving tips. Got a tip? Send it to tips@jumpbean.com. You might see it in the next issue of "bean news!"

6. Recipe: Mojito

I love mojitos (pronounced "mohito") (and thank you, D.P. for the link!). They have just the right sweetness to them to make any outing refreshing. And they're easy to make if you just want to have a swig after a long day at work.

Ingredients

• Rum 1.5 oz
• 12 Fresh spearmint leaves
• 1/2 lime
• Club soda 7 oz
• Simple sugar syrup 2 Tbsp. (or 4 tsp. sugar)

FULL RECIPE

Expand your culinary world by trying one of our recipes. If you have a favorite recipe you'd like to share, send it to recipes@jumpbean.com, and you just might find it in the next edition of "bean news!"

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For quality oil changes and other car maintenance, call Steve at (773) 661-5100. Tell Steve you saw this ad on Jumping Bean.

New Clients
Active and Able
The Beloved Community
  (Taproot Foundation)
MediaBank
Specialty Services
Spencer Stuart
Walgreens

Thanks...for your work in the short time you were here. We'll certainly keep you in mind... for additional freelance help.

Manager
Corporate Branding and Creative Services
Discover Financial Services

Play and Feed a Hungry Person!

Did I overhear right that you were leaving after today? Bummer... You were a great help.

Copywriter
Walgreens

You did a wonderful job and I know The Beloved Community appreciated it!!!

Account Director
Taproot Foundation

Hsuan-min's writing style is approachable and easy-to-read—quite an accomplishment when writing about software and technology concepts!

Carolyn Calzavara
Director, Global Marketing
Decisions Made Easy

Excellent product, packaging, and shipping. Would gladly do business again.

eBay buyer: gravyshoes

Amy has definitely expressed her positive feedback with your work and is impressed with your strategic copywriting abilities!

Recruiter
Visa Account
Direct Mail Agency

Hsuan did a wonderful job writing the copy for our Web site. He was creative and detail oriented, met all of our deadlines, and was a joy to work with. We were very pleased with his work and would definitely use him again.

Kim Schilf
President
Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce
Read the case study

Thanks for the awesome piece! I'm completely happy with Blythe and Hsuan's work.

Jonathan Howell
Graphic Designer
Photoplay Design