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Consistency builds business. A structured plan makes your daily routine more efficient and keeps your pipeline full. Like you, we have been building business relationships for years. There is never a wrong time to review what's working and what's not creating success. What are some tried and true steps that work? These may seem like a "no-brainer" but it's consistent execution that often stalls the process. Allocate time in your weekly calendar dedicated to sales efforts. Block out a time each day or specific days of the week. Don't forget all your channels- calls, notes, emails, social media, and mailers. Don’t Reinvent the Wheel: dive into your existing consumer base. Make sure they know about new trends, products or services you have to offer. Consider blogs or newsletters to provide additional content to your markets. Brainstorm: If they are not buying from you, who are they buying from & why? What changes can you make to adapt? Self-Promotion: people like getting free, useful products. What types of products have a long shelf life for brand impressions? See here. Once you invite them to your location, make sure you're keeping yourself and others safe. We have a checklist of items to consider in our next post.

Saving you pennies, nickels and dimes will always stretch your dollar. Regardless of the size of your business, cost savers are appreciated. Sharing print space, like the pints glasses featured here made a chamber networking event more fun, plus saved each business some marketing dollars by co-branding the space. If you have strong local partners that refer each other business, a smart way to grow awareness and stretch your budget should always include co-branding! What are 6 simple ways to add value, without adding cost? Co-brand is a smart choice - reduce your cost through partnership. Add QR code - Share the rest of the story by taking your consumer to a video, blog post, coupon, map or reservation link. Add a testimonial on a cup with a large imprint area - nothing says you rock like praise from a happy customer. Share a story of success on a product with a large imprint area - does your service do more, give back or make someone else's company more profitable? Share that stat or story on items like a bag, stadium cushion, envelope, pint glass, coaster or mouse pad. Purchase display products with full coverage - allowing different content on each side, sublimated products that fit like a sleeve usually have dual sides, even vinyl banners can be different on each side when hung in your outdoor tent. Add an option to include photographs to share your story - faces draw in views and images tell stories quickly in a way that's lost in text. We have numerous ways to stretch your dollar and increase your brand awareness!

Acronyms are constantly created, but PPE is one that will likely not have to be explained for a very long time. The workforce is experiencing virtual meeting fatigue and the average person is growing weary of discussing PPE products. Safety and wellness have taken center stage in a way that's never been discussed previously. We are not health experts, so when we review new products on the market, we rely on trusted partners that adhere to regulations, practice ethical practices, and manufacture quality products. Safety matters! As our schools start to open- what will they need for safety What types of products are popular? Hand sanitizers - While grocery stores had TP shortages, our industry scrambled to get quality hand sanitizer out the door. Despite numerous sources for USA Made product, demand is high, depleting stock in often 24-48 hours. Yes, we have sanitizing stations too. What should you know about the safety behind sanitizers? Barriers - Think of the library study cubicle, imagine it with plexiglass and you have a good start to a PPE safe space. The quality and construction of barriers are vastly different. Short term and long term solutions are now abundant. The ease to clean, set up, move to another location or keep affordable to an already financially stressed business owner are key components to the choices made. Distancing signage - Where does the line form banners or display signage? How do we pick up curbside? Do you have stations for different reasons? Walls, floors, concrete, backpack signs, signage has moved to the front of the line- it provides a strong visual and a quickly read message to remind us of the new rules. Masks - Why not have some fun? You're a walking billboard, so advertise your local businesses, non-profits or show some school spirit. Ask a question or just have fun - full-color options allow our graphics team a chance to be creative! Do you want a hole to drink, a window to see your lips, a material that keeps your glasses from fogging up? Do you want to give back to a greater cause? Maybe you'd like your straps to be adjustable, a seam or a bridge on your nose, material that is soft, a filter pocket, or a shape that fits the size of your face better? Not into masks - a gaiter or bandanna then - still many choices. Not sure how to share your feelings with others about distancing? Wristbands, with educational signage in the workplace or community spaces, can help address those issues. Safety is important - but don't forget about fun! It's the social aspect of our school days we recall looking back! Make some memories! As schools begin to transition to live learning- we've got solutions to keep everyone safe.

Have you ever heard the saying, moss does not grow on a rolling stone? That phrase captures the pace required of businesses of every shape, size, and industry. It also accurately captures the state of our advertising & marketing industry. Daily, almost hourly, we find new product solutions to help businesses stay open and functioning. Because products are hitting the market with lightning speed, much that we have to offer has not even been added to the website, so ask for us to talk through the options or review choices in the showroom by appointment. What are we seeing that will help your business adapt? Here are 5 key areas to explore: 1. Temperature checks with no-contact thermometers at entrances. 2. Post clear communication from the front door, to walls, to floors throughout the building so visitors know your enhanced safety measures. Make sure to mark the floors and outside walkways or add curbside signage. Use posters, temporary signage, stickers, and magnets to reinforce healthy practices like hand-washing and cough/sneeze etiquette, that can be given out at the point of purchase as a perk for coming into your location. Even hand out touchless keys to add more safety as they travel around town. Yes, ask us to design a custom solution. (only need 1 of something like a poster- do you have other businesses around you to go in on one larger order to save you cost- after all, we are "in it together" or ask us to show you a product solution offered as a single) 3. Install protective barriers between workstations- both branded and clear. 4. Provide PPE face coverings for team members, shields, masks, gaiters, and hand sanitizer -even industrial stands. 5. Welcome guests and clients by appointment only and offer them a reusable item for later such as an antimicrobial pen, to keep once they sign into your business. A mouse-pad, to use when they work through the design plans for their new home project or purchase. A coaster, to keep by their computer to remind them about promotions that will start early for loyal customers. Maybe a fly swatter to remind them that your services keep their life running smoothly without unwelcome interruptions. A savvy retailer or restaurant might make change with a token designed to bring back in for a discount. Consider elevating the impact by giving them two tokens. One for them and another color to share with a friend to track the result of your promotion! Self-promotions work to generate repeat business and loyalty among your consumer base. PS - As a business owner, this tip caught my attention. Update incident and injury reporting procedures to include COVID-19 exposure, consider internal changes such as staggering break times, start/end times and work-from-home days to maintain social distancing. Scheduling times for employees to clean and sanitize workstations on every shift. Evaluate travel policies. Consider surveying your team to gauge their comfort level with policies and procedures.

Instead of cancelling events, companies are moving to virtual platforms, opening attendance to a wider audience, and surpassing their initial reach. Digital pop up stores with merchandise to purchase in an online store are a hit with both attendees and host companies. Instead of purchasing items ahead of the event, the attendees have more choice and you are not holding inventory. Yes, this type of planning has some logistics involved but ultimately, it is a winning strategy. Swag Bags Drive Signups In general, great merchandise can be used to incentivize registrations. Unique gifts or popular name brands with high perceived value help move the needle for individuals on the fence about signing up for a virtual event. There is nothing stopping you from tiered levels, with premium gift packages available to only the first initial registrants, with different gift packages at different levels of registration. After-all, a robot that responses to your voice commands is pretty cool or a product that with the touch of your finger can do 5 different things solves- well 5 different problems at once! Don't forget that branded merchandise, especially apparel, is not just for attendees. Apparel makes a great gift for hosts, moderators, presenters – anyone customer-facing. Your goal is to increase brand visibility and creating pride around an event. Consider branding in a new location. Social #Buzz Once everyone has their product in hands, it is all about maximizing impressions. Social media can increase those impressions exponentially, especially if the event's got a hashtag everyone can use. The whole key is creating a gift that is cool enough to get everyone really excited, so they want to take that photo and post it on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn for all their followers to see their new gear. Are you looking at Q4 and even Q1 for 2021? Right now is the best time to start exploring the shift to an online format, explain how to integrate this platform into your event planning. Check out this post for a way to add some laughs and raise your shares with fun social media posts! As you start your planning, keep in mind, we love fresh ideas!

When it comes to the marriage of nature & architecture, look no further than the genius of Frank Lloyd Wright. His innovative designs span more than 1,000 structures over 70 years. Wright believed in designing in harmony with humanity and its environment; best exemplified by his Fallingwater home shown here. When we look for ways to acknowledge others, traditional awards often come to mind. While a free-standing award is a traditional approach, the piece can be as unique as the recipient. Artistry is not just found in the painter or the architect. Do you have a teammate whose talents led to a breakthrough on a project or landed a large account? Image the impact of your gift, if it's layered like a waterfall. The cascade created by layering products will add both interest and elevate the message. Like what? Desk accessories constructed with wood and stone, merge two textures and provide concrete products to use in your workspace. Including a sketchpad and colored pencils suggests that your recipient is visionary, with more ideas left to inspire the team. Package those with an award that captures the spirit of the innovator, like this piece using elements of Wright's work. Building kits that demonstrate gratitude or inspire action is not a new concept for our artistic team. We love putting out of the box ideas into a box to ship to your recipients!

Going "old school" does not have to be stale. What old school items are making a come back? Pencils & calendars! Why are they popular again and how have they adapted? Calendars are a refreshing change from your phone calendar! We enjoy the sensory touch & visual to paper over tech. Besides, modern calendars are not the freebie once picked up in a box from the local bank or hardware store. Today's calendars have custom images, color me-doodle pages, stories that feature local business, QR codes to videos, coupons to tear off for discounts, dates that are highlighted for upcoming events, even interactive QR codes to reveal a parking map to destinations. Speaking of hardware stores, are you DIY enthusiast? Then you'd love this quirky calendar that includes 12 different instructional videos to help with your next home project. Research shows 62% of consumers still keep a paper calendar in their kitchen or office space. Yes, calendars are still relevant. Why pencils? Bulleted journal-ing is hot! Bright, colorful papers, stickers & flags to help organize your day or next project. Pencils, like calendars, are anything but traditional. Design your own pencil from eraser to tip. Purchase one with fun scents or that's color-changing, made from recycled newspapers or old blue jeans to seal in a tube for a direct mail campaign. A pencil is inexpensive and easy to insert even in a standard envelope. Ask your top prospect to pencil you in for an introductory call. Traditional products never become stale when innovative ideas are added to the design. Check out options in our showroom location, remember the tactical experience counts.

Did you know that the first golf ball was made of feathers, wrapped in leather and used until the mid-1800s? How can that knowledge translate into commerce? Consider this, thanks to the pandemic, golf has seen a resurgence in players. It's an activity that can be done with a small group and maintain social distancing. Besides, health experts have been reminding us for months that exercise benefits both our mental & physical health. Major tournaments have been moved to dates later in the year and local organizations are taking the cue from those seeking a social connection and promoting outdoor golf events. Event sponsors seek brand exposure during the tournament and long term engagement, perhaps even a hidden message to a fantastic referral partner. Fortunately, golf and promotional products go hand in hand, literally. Think about it, the average foursome takes 4 hours to play 18 holes, which creates a lot of time for brand impressions. Additionally, golf is not a game defined by age, gender or race. Golf is a game that avid golfers can love for a lifetime; just like your brand. If you are looking for a way to make a statement at a tournament consider a kit. Our experienced team can handle the logistics of building a custom kit. We've been kitting for years- long before COVID, to make your distribution a snap and providing you one-touch solutions. What else can we kit? Consider having your team in custom socks or shoes! Insert a custom sleeve of golf balls into a pair of socks at your next tournament instead of a coozie or a golf towel, then watch the reaction of the golfers. The purpose of a charity event is to raise both money and awareness right? Image the reaction when your information about the charity tournament arrives in a custom box, the foursome next to you has branded shoes or instead of a traditional trophy the winning team scores custom shoes! Before you plan your next tournament check with our team, we'll tee you up for success!

Especially t-shirts! No, we're not crazy. Our new partners have created a process called the Butter Wash - and no they don't wash their shirts in butter. This is the name they've given their unique softening process that makes carded cotton feel like ring-spun cotton, a ring-spun feel like a tri-blend, and a tri-blend feels softer than you've ever imagined. We've got samples in the showroom if you don't believe us! What else is great about it? Can be applied to as few as 72 pieces Makes fabrics Wrinkle Resistant Stops garments from shrinking Allows you to choose your level of softness Did we mention they also provide 37, yep 37, different garment alterations and add-ons in terms of decoration options? Make your brand personality come to life and create a truly custom piece!

It's okay- go ahead a laugh! In fact, laughter strengthens your immune system, boosts mood, diminishes pain, and protects you from the damaging effects of stress. There has been an increasing focus this year on our mental health, as more of us are finding less physical interaction due to virtual meetings. Virtual meetings don't mean we can't have some fun! Over the past couple of weeks our team had a series of virtual meetings to learn about new products. During one of our meetings, Olivia played peek-a-boo, using the computer screen, with a 2-year-old decided to join the adults by creeping around the corner of the screen. It was an unexpected moment in the day that made us all laugh. One of the new fun products we've discovered is the USA Made mini fingers! Immediately we saw the applications in the modern workplace with this product. Use these products during your next town hall meeting for a quick poll or maybe even a virtual wave! Add some fun to a conference with a virtual high 5 or once you are in person by "touching" using your foam finger. Whatever you choose, the most important part of this type of promotion is the fun. We are going to be "okay" if we can still share laughs!

Details are important, making the finishing touch to your print project the difference between success and disappointment. Stocking a showroom of samples provides a valuable asset to our clients. The ability to quickly access samples, touch, and compare the difference. Print projects have numerous options for paper - the thickness and finishing make a huge difference to the final product. Screen images struggle to capture the difference in appearance and can't simulate the value in touching the paper options to determine the right solution for your project. Besides, when you are in the showroom to compare options, we can work with the design-time one on one to reduce your art development time. In-person meetings, even from a social distance, save time. It's easy for our expert graphics team to share font suggestions or move elements around quickly to determine the direction you want to go for the final design concept. Communication is quicker, often accomplishing in a matter of minutes what might take several days or emails around schedules. Ready to print? What's popular? Matte finishes. Let's review some options for finishing styles for your next print project: Uncoated paper (no gloss, no finish) prints your art with a more muted color. There’s no coating, the paper absorbs the ink quickly and there is no reflective finish to brighten the color. Matte paper, on the other hand, is a coated stock with the least vibrant finish. This paper stock has a minimal sheen and will brighten your art one level from the uncoated stock. Dull stock has a slightly more vibrant coated finish than the matte stock, prints with brighter colors. The dull finish isn’t as glossy as standard gloss coated paper, but it’s still coated stock. Glossy, coated stock that prints, in vibrant colors and has the shiniest finish. Stop by to put the finishing touches on your next print project!

A derby weekend seems a fitting time to point out that a trophy is a symbol of the achievement, but the meaning behind the recognition tells the complete story. Awards are meant to be treasured. Promotional Partners is constantly seeking creative partners that combine quality products and innovative ideas. Custom designs, with turn-key fulfillment options, are just a few of the perks of this partnership. Difficult? No- only a few easy steps! Instead of selecting from what already exists, create something new to capture the story behind the award. A custom award is a triple threat to competitors that don't acknowledge top talent!