Reaching Your Goals

After finishing up my bootcamp last night at the Y I jumped on the scale (never one of my favorite things to do for fun).  Much to my joy I was down another 5 pounds this week bringing my total weight loss to 44 lbs. since I started doing all the bootcamps, spin, yoga and running.  I love the sense of accomplishment when I start to feel that I'm reaching the goals I've set.  What I really want is to figure out what is working and translate that to all the other areas of my life.  Each year I set goals in all of the following areas: career, financial, personal development, social, physical and family.  If I'm honest with myself I find that focusing too much energy on one area causes something to suffer in another.  It's very much like spinning plates you have to keep running around spinning them again.  However, there are some things that can really aid you in achieving your goals.

1.  Choose the right Mentor.  When it comes to my physical fitness goals I have Katie.  Katie is an incredible coach.  She is the fittest woman I know.  She is a world class speed walker and extraordinary athlete.  I know that if I slack off in my training or binge on junk food I have to answer to Katie. I find that I really don't want to disappoint her or as a result myself.  She is there when I need someone to tell me to quit whining and get my butt in gear.  She's there when I think I can't lift one more rep but she knows I can. She's there to ask the hard questions like "Do you want to be a loser forever"?  "Did you forget to put on your big girl panties? (As a man that's enough to get me to do at least an extra 20 sets right there.)  She has a heart of gold and is there to be the first one to congratulate you when you succeed.  It's important to find your Katie in every aspect of your life.

2.  Build a team.  I don't care if your goal is to run a marathon, get out of debt or sell that million dollar account you've been working on.  If you want to be successful you have to have a good team around you.  Again, I have been blessed in the fitness arena to be surrounded by a team of friends who help me reach my goals.  They are there to encourage me when I need to be lifted up. They are there to challenge me when I need to be motivated and they are there to celebrate with me when I have an accomplishment.  Recently while running my first 4 mile run they all held back and encouraged me even though they all could have run much faster and been back home enjoying a cold tasty beverage before I finished.  I wouldn't trade these friends for the world and will be there for them whenever they need me.  I have another team at the office who I would entrust any of my clients with because I know they have my back and are the best at what they do.  Develop your team for each area of your life.

3.  Reward Yourself.  I try to always have rewards set up for when I accomplish a goal.  They might be something very simple like a massage after finishing a race or a beach vacation after losing 20 lbs.  It doesn't have to be big or expensive but enough to reward you and encourage you to strive and achieve your goals.

4.  Raise the bar.  Don't be satisfied once you achieve a goal.  You need to raise the bar and set new goals something that will be difficult but possible.  Now that I've completed a couple 5k's I've set a goal to finish a 10k.  Each week I'm adding a half mile to my run.  A great teacher once told me "When you are green you grow, when you are ripe you rot".  I've always taken this to mean you must constantly strive to be better and to enjoy the journey along the way.

Sales and Clearance Lists Provide Great Bang for Your Buck

Everybody likes a good deal.  Coupons, discount websites and sales have a way of enticing people to buy what they might otherwise put off.  My clients are no different they want to know they have gotten a good deal.  They want to be able to purchase the greatest amount of marketing bang for their promotional dollar.

One way to save some money is too look for manufacturer's specials.  The maker's of promotional products have sales just like anyone else.  By planning your promotions ahead of time and buying products when on sale you can often get 25-30% off, a two for one specials or any host of great product savings.

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One of my favorite ways to get clients great deals is to purchase discontinued items.  A huge warning note thought some things are discontinued for a reason.  However, companies like Leeds regularly update new products and have a special spot on their website for clearance items. What are the advantages of clearance items?  In the case of Leeds regardless of what the catalog minimums are normally with clearance items you can order as few as 12 pieces with decoration. Prices are discounted anywhere from 10 to 90% as shown on the site.  You can also click on the inventory button to make sure they have enough stock for your needs.
For example the Quest Aluminum Water Bottle to the right is marked down 41% to $3.98 (a great price for an aluminum water bottle).  I typed in 500 under requested quantity and it says they have enough to cover my order.

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Another example is the High Sierra Backbeat Compu Messenger Bag that is available for $29.98 which is 80% off the original price.  Take a few minutes to look at all the great deals to be had.

Countermats and other POP

Finished a 5k twilight run this weekend for the Hot Air Balloon Festival.  Not sure what was more amazing the fact that I am getting faster or that I am actually starting to enjoy running.  Either way it was as great event and very well managed.  I really like the free swag that comes with the race.  I received a very nice Nike drifit shirt, free samples of food bars and energy drinks, coupons etc.  There were signage and sponsorship messages everywhere.

Today I thought we would talk just a little bit about POP (point of purchase materials).  What better way to get your name or retail brand out there than through the strategic use of POP.  I work with a lot of clients who sell through dealer networks so we are constantly looking for the best ways to advertise my client's products in the dealer's shops.  One of the most effective products is counter mats.  I like to use Digispec for all my domestic countermats.  Digispec has always come through for me when I need a quality piece with full color and have a tight timeline (which is most of the time).  Overseas production can be another way to get countermats done economically if you have the time.

Stay tuned over the next few week and we will have more on POP including signage, tents, flags and even blimps.

The Perfect Summer Accessory

Summer is certainly one of my favorite times of year.  The perfect weather for picnics, outdoor concerts, wine tastings, maybe even a little canoodling given the right romantic moment.  What is the perfect promotional gift to go with all of the above?  If you guessed a nice quality blanket or throw then you are absolutely correct.

If you are going to give out a nice blanket or throw then there is only one supplier I recommend and that is Kanata.  There are 2 reasons this is the only blanket manufacturer I recommend. First no one can touch their quality.  The second is their packaging.  If you know me at all you know it's all about the packaging.

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The Explorer is a water resistant polyester picnic blanket with the Kanata high performance fleece interior with a molded rubber carrying handle.  These blankets can be embellished with embroidery, patches, lasering on the fleece or screen printing on the exterior.

ECO Fleece Sport/Travel Blanket

I am also a huge fan of the Sport/Travel Blanket in Eco Fleece.  This functional and versatile pillow/blanket combo comes with a zippered carrying case in Eco fleece with carry handle and micro cord trim.  It is soft, luxurious and with your logo on it will look absolutely gorgeous.  With minimums as low as 12 pieces everyone will love the thought behind this gift.

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As I mentioned, packaging is everything and Kanata does not disapoint in this regard. They have a variety of packaging available like the beautiful antique wood suitcase box or the sea grass basket both shown below.  (By the way all of our employees received a beautiful throw from Kanata for Christmas packaged in the seagrass basket and the basket was every bit as well received as the blanket.)  Take a moment to check out all of Kanata's products including their spa and thank you gifts.

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Managing Your Task List Without Losing Your Sanity

Sitting at my desk this morning looking at what literally appears to be at least 100 tasks that need to get accomplished today.  My first urge is run out the door and go play in the sun while we are experiencing this great 80 degree weather.  Of course that's the little kids voice in my head the adult voice is telling me to buckle down and get the work done and then I can play. (Keep in mind those are only two of the voices in my head I'll introduce you to some of the others as you get to know me better.)

We all get busy and have times when life and works is hectic, chaotic and just downright stressful.  When I have to buckle down and get a lot accomplished I have a process I go through that I thought I would share with you.

1.  Organize your work.  If you come into the office and start on whatever presents itself first you will never get caught up you'll just live your life moving from one emergency to the next (and usually they aren't even your emergencies there someone else's).  I like to lay out my daily roadmap the night  before. I sit down and lay out the most critical tasks what I have to get done, what I'd like to get down and what really doesn't need to get done right away.  I always pick 6 tasks that I expect to get done the next day so that at least if I accomplish those things I feel like the day has been a success.  Honestly some days only 1 or 2 might get finished but I've learned to cope.

2.  Delegate.  I can't say this enough.  I use to think if it didn't get done by me then it wouldn't get done right.  As your workload and business grow there comes a point when you have to learn to let go and hand projects off to others (of course that doesn't mean you don't still monitor what's going on).  When you have a team in place like I do you can accomplish so much more than you can as one person.

3.   Close the door.  When I buckle down and need to get a lot accomplished I shut the door to my office.  Otherwise I will get bombarded with a dozen distractions (sports updates, what celebrity couple just broke up, and well you get the idea).  I like to turn on some background music to motivate me.  I have a playlist for brainstorming, busy work, and even my "chilax music" when I need a break.

4.  Take breaks.  I find there is no quicker way to burn out than to work non-stop on never ending projects so I like to mix it up.  Take a break between projects. Get up go for a walk around the building.  Go grab a cup of coffee.  

5.  Reward yourself when you accomplish the tasks.  I love to turn things into a game (and also to challenge myself).  I like to set little rewards.  If I get the first 3 things accomplished before lunch maybe a treat.  All 6 things by 3 then maybe it's time to cut out early.

It's Finally Summer Time to Protect Your Skin

Today is already the first off official day of summer.  Coincidentally, it also supposed to get up in the 80's here in Portland for the first time this year.  Bring it on we are so ready to put the rainy season behind us and enjoy Oregon's brief love affair with the sun.

Today I'm focusing on Aloe Up, one of my favorite suppliers of sunscreen and skin care products.  I love the fact that they will create custom packages of whichever products I want them to kit together.  They have come out with a complete line of environmentally friendly called the Jute Collection.  Jute is one of the most environmentally friendly packaging options available today.  

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The small jute bag includes a 2oz spa SPF 30 and Aloe Vera Gel 2oz plus a spa/exercise towel that measures 11 x 20.  Great for spa gifts, pillow drops, cruises and outdoor events. Small Jute bags come in Green and Khaki.  Cost includes one color custom imprinted logo or message. 

I really like the fact that you can choose what items to include in the bags and mix and match.

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The clear front Jute is always a great looking packaging option and includes Serious SPF 30 4oz sunscreen, Serious SPF 15 4oz sunscreen, SPF 15 lip balm and an exercise/spa towel 8" x 26".

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Finally, not being an expert on lotions and potions myself I am told by the ever knowledgeable customer service ladies in my office that Burt's Bees products are some of the best on the planet.  Aloe up has an extensive grouping of Burt's Bee's items.  I really like the Everything kit Jute Envelope which includes soap bark, chamomile deep cleaning cream, hand salve, fresh peppermint and rosemary body wash, coconut foot cream and beeswax lip balm.  All included in a very attractive jute envelope with clear window.

If You're Going to Pack Around Extra Baggage at Least Make it Stylish.

It seems like I'm always grabbing things throwing them in a bag and running out the door.  It could be my gym bag as I head out to exercise, my computer backpack for office or a sample pack as I head out to see clients.  One way or another bags have become an integral part of my life.  I guess I am packing around some extra baggage.

I was glad that my supplier High Sierra stopped in to show me their latest and greatest products this last week.  Long known for their name in the retail and hiking markets as a maker of quality bag products I thought we would take a few minutes today and focus on a couple of the High Sierra products.

Switch Blade 22"Duffel

Speaking of gym bags I like the Switch Blade 22" duffel.  This bag is perfect if you are like me and take multiple classes at the gym. There is wet pocket to throw the sweaty shirt and towel.  A mesh pocket is included  for my extra water bottle as I usually pack at least two. It has a pocket for my weight gloves and elbow brace as well as well as an elastic shock cord and monster hook so I can attach my yoga mat if I'm feeling like getting in a more zen mood. One thing to note about High Sierra's product is that not only do they come in the standard red, black and blue colors you see prevalent in the promotional products industry but also the retail fashion colors and even plaids more prevalent in retail (and yes plaid is back).

Powerglide

Since I spend a lot of time travelling with my laptop and a host of other business gear I like a good quality computer backpack that can take a lot of wear and tear.  It needs to have wheels and an extendable handle as well as being able to be carried like a backpack.  The  Powerglide  is the perfect bag for my needs.  It is able to hold up to a 17" computer with a padded sleeve, headphone port, corner guards and kick plate to protect from abrasion and a host of other features.

24" Pack-N-Go Duffel

Finally I want to take a look at the 24" Pack-N-Go duffel  which is a unique piece with 2 in 1 functionality. It's a regular duffel bag that folds away into a toiletry bag.  The storage pouch turns into a toiletry bag when the duffel is removed. These come in some very nice color choices. Don't forget to check out the complete High Sierra line.

Healthy Employees are More Productive Employees

I love the creative part of marketing.  Brainstorming to come up with ideas and strategies that are new and unique.  I would love to hire my bootcamp instructor as our chief marketing officer as I have yet to meet anyone who can create such awe inspiring tortures with as much creativity as she does.

Last night we had 8 people in class each person lined up in front of a medicine ball ranging from 2-20 pounds.  We each had to do a 30 second plank on the ball then pick it up run across the gym then carry it as we ran up and down the stairs, outside up and down the hill.  Then we had to repeat the process until we had done all 8 of the balls.  Really who thinks these kinds of things up?

Well today since I still have fitness on the brain I thought we would look at some great fitness products for those on the go.  Many companies today are offering wellness programs. What better way to show your employees you care about them than by providing a gift to aid them in their pursuit of health and fitness.

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I like several of the products from Gemline another supplier I have used for years. Wellness products don't have to be expensive or complicated.  For instance, the Motivations Wellness Kit includes a BPA free water bottle, pedometer, fitness journal and carabineer featuring 3 "get healthy" tip cards packaged in a nice storage bag for as little as $7.98.

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For just a little more money you can get the Travel Fitness Kit which includes resistance band with molded handle grips, jump rope, and pedometer.  Perfect for the on the go traveler that still wants to get a little exercise wherever they are at.  This set is also packaged in a very attractive cinch bag.

Avoid those Late Night Work Related Panic Attacks

This hardly ever happens to me anymore but last night I woke up at midnight thinking about several projects I was working on at the office.  Some were tight deadlines some were large dollar orders being produced overseas.  I literally had a brief panic attack worrying about what might go wrong with the projects.  I don't know if any of you have faced this type of panic attack but once the brain gets going it's pretty hard to shut it off.

I used to get stressed out by things I really couldn't control but over the years I have learned how to turn off work when I leave the office.  Today I want to share a few ideas for avoiding those work related panic attacks after a busy day.

1.  Exercise.  Since I started working out every week night I seldom lay awake thinking about things.  Something about exhausting the bodies seems to help the mind sleep as well.  Usually I lay my head on the pillow and 10 minutes later I'm slumbering away.

2.  Read for a few minutes.  I just finished a great book "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall which I highly recommend to anyone who likes running.  I've noticed a few minutes of reading right before bed usually lulls my brain into a sense of calm.  Another book I highly recommend is Dale Carnegie's "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living".  This is a great must read for anyone who worries too much.  I can't recommend it enough.

3.  Avoid the computer and smart phone right before bed.  I was just reading an article talking about how the glare of the screen can affect your ability to sleep.  By no means read your work email before bed time.  The last thing you need is to see something in an email late at night that you can't do anything about before tomorrow except worry.

4.  Plan your project list before you go home.  I try to always take the last few minutes of the work day to plan out my morning schedule.  What are the 6 most important things for me to get down when I get into the office?  The better task list you keep and the better you structure your day the less important things slip through the cracks and the less you'll have to worry about when it comes time to go to sleep.

As I can attest to last night no system is perfect but at least these steps tend to help me avoid panicking about work most of the time.

It's BBQ Season!

My daughter turned 18 yesterday, truly a milestone, and I'm just amazed at how fast time flies by.  We had a great barbecue for her and all her friends which now has me in the summer mood.

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Today I thought we'd look at some great summer BBQ products.  Living in Oregon has its advantages and disadvantages.  One of the disadvantages is that even in the middle of June you can have overcast blustery days. If you've ever tried to light birthday candles during wind gusts you'll know what I mean.  Leeds (always one of my first go to suppliers) offers a complete line of igniters sure to get any BBQ or candle lit up.  The Zippo MPL is a great product with refillable butane tank and advanced soft touch ignition system.

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Once you get the fire blazing and the mesquite charcoal burned down to coals it's time to get some food going.  What better way to grill up some outdoor masterpieces than with Leeds Grill Master Set.  Great for a summer time gift with purchase this 12 piece set includes spatula, tongs, knife, fork, four skewers and four corn holders all in a classy aluminum case and one piece gift box.

Don't forget to check out Leeds complete line of Outdoor Living Products.

New Technology Products

As most of you know I love techie products.  I might have to have my daughter show me how to use half of them but I still love them.  More than once I've considered rigging up some kind of Batman Utility belt just to hold all my toys I need on a daily basis.

Today I thought we would look at a few techie gifts that are available.  One of my favorite suppliers for many years has been Sweda.  My absolute favorite product of theirs is the USB People.  Not only are they a great USB drive to store your important data but they can be customized so you can choose their clothing and hair styles, facial features etc.  We did an order of these last year for a clients; trip to Japan. One of the gifts everyone received was a digital picture frame.  We wanted to give them an easy way to store their pictures and easily upload them to the frames so we custom designed a USB person that looked like a Geisha girl.  They were a huge hit at the event.

While I love techie things I am horrible at remembering to charge them.  I can't tell you how many times I've headed out for a run with my iPod only to have it die 2 blocks into the run.  Then I'm left with just the voices in my head to entertain me.  Sweda has just introduced the Beam External Power Bank which holds enough juice to charge up your i-Phone, iPad or other 1amp electronics.  It will hold up to 800 charges and has an LED indicator to let you know how much charge is left.  This will make a great speaker gift or executive giveaway.  I know I'm going to order in a sample for the next time I need a quick charge.

Finally I like the new Cookie Presenter from Sweda as well. This lightweight circular laser pointer with remote control is great for PowerPoint presentations using infrared transmission.  It comes in a gray velvet pouch and again would make an excellent speakers gift.

Face Your Fears

I just found out that next Friday I get to go do a tree-to-tree aerial adventure program.  Rope courses, zip-lines and aerial obstacles oh my!!  I have a healthy respect for heights and a natural aversion to rapid descent from extreme heights (falling).  This will be a big challenge for me and an opportunity to face some fears.  I've faced a lot of them over the last 9 months since starting the whole bootcamp exercise program.

Today I thought we would look at a few steps to translate your fears into successes.

1.  Identify your fear.  What's holding you back?  Are you afraid to pick up the phone and make that cold call?  Are you afraid to tell the client no because you might lose the business?  Are you afraid to tell your boss that you think his new idea is wrong for the company? Are you afraid of big hairy spiders (okay that one is really justified)?  A nameless fear is the worst because we have a sense of dread and aren't really even sure why.  By giving a name to our fear we can begin to combat it.

2.  Have a support team.  In all of the new things I've tried this last year and all the fears I've faced I haven't had to do it alone.  I have a great support group of friends in the trenches with me who lift each other up when we fall (literally and figuratively).  I know they have my back and they know I have theirs.  Gather your team who will motivate you, cheer you on and when needed give you that good solid kick in the behind that you need.

3.  Break it down into smaller parts.  My trainer always tells me to remember "It's a marathon not a sprint!"  When she first told me to roll up on an exercise ball balancing on my knees while doing bicep curls with weights I just looked at her like she was nuts.  Balance and I have not always been the best of friends.  I was afraid I'd bounce head first into the nearest piece of equipment.  Breaking it down into pieces helped.  First just practice getting on the ball without weights.  Once you've mastered that piece now do it while holding the weights.  Once you've mastered that begin to do curls.  It took me awhile but I own that ball now.

4.  Set a reward.  I like to believe that I can do things just for the intrinsic satisfaction but it just doesn't always work.  I love to set goals.  Having been in sales for the last 20 years the biggest fear I see among sales people is the dreaded cold call.  Somehow the mere act of picking up the phone and calling someone you don't know and possibly hearing that person tell you no mortifies many sales people.  Early on I learned to turn it into a game.  I'd give different points for different type of activities and try to score as many points as possible.  If I did it then I got a reward.  Recently when I ran my first 5k I rewarded myself with a massage.  It doesn't have to big just enough to help spur you across your own finish line.

5.  Go for it!  The longer you think about the doing something the harder it is to jump.  I have a feeling that standing in the top of a tree and getting ready to let go and trust the zipline to carry me down would terrify me if I dwelt on it too long.  Very few things are ever as bad as our minds would have us believe.  I don't think anyone ever died from public speaking yet people fear it more than death.  Tune back in after next Friday for an update on the results of the Tree Challenge!

Duct Tape and WD-40 Together at Last

I figured since I woke up wide awake at 4 AM this morning I might as well go ahead and get some work done.  I started wading through 742 supplier specials emails (insider tip many of them are not all that special).  However, as a kid many years ago growing up my dad, who was a carpenter, taught me that there are two products that will stand the test of time: duct tape and WD 40. Therefore, imagine how excited I was to see the two products kitted together.

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Natural Trends a great supplier of personal healthcare related items like hand sanitizer's, lip balms and lotions has come out with two incredible promotional products.  First is the Ultimate Fix-All Kit which includes a 3 oz. can of WD 40 and a 5 yd. roll of Duct Tape. As there saying goes "If it moves and it shouldn't use "Duct Tape!  If it doesn't move and it should use WD-40!"  I am positive this is one product that will be used, appreciated and remembered.

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The second product is the Mini Fix-All Kit which comes with the WD-40 no-mess pen along with 3 strips of Duct Tape.  This size is perfect as a tradeshow giveaway and is available for as little as $3.29.  I've already ordered in several samples today and am pretty confident this will be one of the biggest moving products of the year.

Chunky Magnets for Multiple Products, Divisions and Messages

I am always looking for a new promotional item that will be used and constantly seen by the recipient instead of being given to their kids or tossed in the back of a drawer somewhere or worse yet tossed in the round filing cabinet.

Today I like to share with you one of my favorite products from Pinnacle Designs.  The Chunky Magnets are the perfect giveaway for tradeshows, meetings and events. With your choice of a 3, 5 or 10 piece set these magnets are the perfect medium for anyone with multiple divisions, products, or messages to get across.

We recently did a set of these for one of our clients Global Sales Meetings.  There was one magnet for each of their four main divisions and the large magnet was used to commemorate the meeting.  One magnet along with case was given out at each of the five breakout meetings so they could collect the whole set.  This product meets all my criteria of usefulness, attractiveness and affordability.  The three piece set is available for as low as $4.20 and the 10 piece set for as low as $7.80.

Birthday Recognition for your Clients

I started my 44th birthday off today with a 5AM spin class.  Nothing says Happy Birthday like a wiry spin instructor telling you to "pedal faster if you don't want to be a loser", before the sun is even up.

Birthdays are a great opportunity to recognize clients and employees and if you know me at all you know how much I believe in recognition.  Recognition is one of the simplest and least expensive ways to reward those with whom you come in contact.  I recently read an article that stated that lack of recognition is one of the leading reasons employees leave a company.  That always amazes me when saying thank you or good job is such an easy thing to do.

One of the first birthday promotions I did for my clients was with a company that provided a Happy Birthday muffin tin with a fresh blueberry muffin it.  I would send the manufacturer my business cards and a list of the month's birthdays and they would package, ship and make sure they arrived to each of my clients on their birthday.  Maybe because I just cycled for an hour a muffin sounds really good right now.

Promo Joes is a company I love for providing clients with birthday gift baskets.  Their birthday muffin basket is the perfect gift with a variety of scrumptious muffins and even a small plush birthday bear.

Recognition for birthday's or other events doesn't need to be expensive.  I've been in the promotional business for almost 14 years and by now you'd think I would never want to see another pen in my life.  However, I was just given this pen with my name on it.  If there is one thing that never goes out of style it's seeing your own name in print.  With a gift like this you can have them all done up for 6 months or a year and send them out as needed.  This is one gift nobody is going to throw away.

Promote Yourself at the Beach

It's a celebration day the sun has been spotted in Oregon and it's supposed to be nice and warm all weekend.  What better to do than promote some sun related products.

Give me a warm day and I immediately start thinking about beaches, cold drinks and warm sand.  One of my all all-time favorite promotional products are the talking sandals from NeetFeet.  What better way for a client to leave their mark in the sand than by wearing these sandals with their logo cut into the bottom.  I have used these for clients President's club trips, sales meetings and many other fun related promotions.  I've always gotten back great feedback from all the clients who have used them.

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I can remember when I was a kid my friends and I laying out in the sun covered with Coppertone or baby oil trying to get as brown as we could in the sun.  Times have changed a little and now we try to avoid the harmful effects of the sun as much as possible.  I like the fact that a lot of the new performance fabrics in addition to moisture wicking and antimicrobial elements also have a UV protection.  I really like the Nike Dri-fit polos from Sanmar.  Available in 10 different colors it feature UV fabric with a 30 UPF protection.

Finally no day at the beach can be complete without the perfect beach towel.  I love the tone on tone beach towels form Towel Specialties. We recently used these for a client event in Las Vegas recreating the Welcome to Vegas sign and the clients' logo into a full tone on tone towel print with a sort of antique finish.  They were a huge hit with all the attendees.

Eco-Friendly Promotional Ideas

I always try to give the audience what they want.  Yesterday I received my first blog comment asking for more ideas on eco-friendly products.  Today we are going to look at a couple of suppliers who I think have done a great job putting together collections of eco-friendly products.

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I've been working on my cooking skills and made a couple great dishes this last week including blackberry sauced pork chops with spicy carrot fries and chicken stuffed with toasted walnuts, apples, sauteed onions and brie with roasted asparagus.  Most people know I love any promotions that involve giving away logoed merchandise that can be used in the kitchen.  I especially like the bamboo utensils from Starline.  Your logo can be applied tastefully on the packaging and don't worry nobody will forget where they got these great tools.  They also have bamboo carving sets, cheese sets, cutting boards, bbq sets and a host of other bamboo products.  Take a look at their complete line of eco-friendly products.

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For something more in the under $5 category I like the H20 Conservation Kit also from Starline that comes with a 150ml drip counter, ABS aerorater, shower timer, energy saving tip book and a box that can also be used for battery disposal.  These are available at an affordable price of $4.99.  

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Paper or plastic is always a perplexing question to me.  I know the best answer is to bring your own reusable grocery bags to the store but someone the bags and I often don't arrive at the grocery store at the same time and I seem to accumulate several of the plastic bags at home.  That's why I like the bag recycler from Norwood. With this handy bag holder I don't end up opening the cabinet under my sink and watching as a giant tumbleweed of plastic bags cascades out and over the floor.  This product is available for as low as $3.09.  You can check out all of Norwoods eco-friendly products.

If you have things you would like to see more about on this blog don't hesitate to email me.

Executive Gifts

My clients are always looking for some new ideas for executive gifts to give out to busy executives on the go.  Today I thought we would share a few new products that make great gifts for the executive road warriors.

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Most of my clients fall into one of two groups.  In one group those who have an iPad and in the other those who want an iPad.  (In fairness there is also a much smaller third group those who don't know what they would do with an iPad.)  This first product from Leeds is the new Case Logic Security-Friendly netbook/iPad Sleeve.  Its zippered compartment holds most mini laptops, netbooks and ultraportables with a 7-10" screen.

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If you are like me there are two things I'm constantly searching for at my desk.  Where did I stick my cell phone and where can I find an open USB port to plug in my latest tool or gadget?  The new Cell Phone Holder/USB Hub from High Caliber takes care of both issues at once. The silicon cell phone holder is perfect for keeping your phone close and near your computer and has a built in 2.0 4 port hub.

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This last product the Luggage Scale from Gordon Sinclair is a perfect gift for any frequent traveler.  Its high precision strain gauge sensors measure g/oz/kg.lbs.  The features include blue backlighting, over load indicator, low battery indicator and tape measure to ensure you avoid any extra fees at the airport.