Want positive memorable performance from your employee staff? These 3 key recognition  offerings can greatly assist in motivating and incentivizing employees.

The first is the wellness program offering. Include a gym membership in order to encourage healthy behavior and encourage healthy lifestyles and work habits thus helping to increase happier and more motivated employees and reduce health care costs. Encourage team participation contests by departments like bowling groups or tennis teams or softball teams. The winning team could be offered gym memberships.

The 2nd offering should implement changes from suggestions by employees. This “listening” approach lets the employees know that they are an important factor in the company’s overall business health. Employees are looking to make the common sense approach to streamlining procedures as well as easing work loads and redundancy. Great leaders listen to their employees and value their input. This includes respect like talking to employees on a social level where you show a genuine concern for their welfare. This encourages positive relationships.

The 3rd and probably most painful of the 3 forms of recognition is the management evaluation form. Let the employees evaluate the management team through an anonymous evaluation form. This form offers employees the power to anonymously evaluate management without recourse with the hope that it will be taken seriously and have positive actions result from the exercise. The entire management team must be on board to implement this program.

Keep recognition and awards programs simple and easy to understand. Recognizing the day-to-day constant performers should be a given. These work horses are the structure that keep companies and systems working on a constant basis.
And of course, the simple but noticeable recognition awards such as plaques and useful desk awards such as paperweight awards and trophies should be used to identify and milestone certain performance. Many employees have quit their jobs because they felt unappreciated. people are not machines, they have feelings and look to be appreciated and recognized.

Promotional Name Badge Holders, Lapel Pins and Promotional Lanyards are great for long term advertising and security restricted areas.
Going to a trade show or sponsoring a special event? Personalized and custom printed  promotional name badge holders, lapel pins and promotional lanyards where the cost can be offset by advertising coop dollars for vendors or suppliers.
Many tradeshows charge an advertiser to have their logo printed on lanyards in exchange for advertising cost to print the lanyards. Some custom printed lanyards can ship next day. The Atlanta Georgia promotional products company, the Promo Shop has the ability to ship certain lanyards next day.

Light weight cotton promotional lanyards, custom printed badge lanyards and cheap promotional lanyards are inexpensive and can be reused. Promotional badge lanyards help to identify who is an employee or worker, vendor or attendee at shows or schools or security sensitive areas.

Promotional dye-sublimated lanyards include up to 5 colors on a color background or up to 6 colors on a white background. Order custom printed promotional full color lanyards.Looking for a permanent solution to custom printed discount lanyards? These are cost effective promotional woven lanyards. We actually weave your message into the promotional lanyard fabric. Also consider the other promotional products for your next trade show or special event.

The popular non-printed sports cords and blank badge lanyards are used for name badges when you are in a hurry and need to rush an order for non-printed neck lanyards or blank neck cords and are cheap promotional items. Some uses are for hanging id badges, glasses and keys.

Looking for promotional name badge holders and other custom printed badge and business card holders? There are many different styles of custom ID badge holders. Consider all your promotional products including color coded and business card holders and jumbo badge holders, when your event is at a trade show, conference, use these event badge holders to identify everyone.
Promotional retractable badge holders and custom badge reels are perfect for carrying keys and ID cards for scanning. The keys or cards never leave your body when attached to custom retractable badge reels.

Custom embroidered patches and custom made patches are an economical way to provide embroidery to almost any shirt, jacket or pants. Don’t stock up on clothing sizes when you can hold onto a custom patch in a small box for easy storage. Custom embroidered patches can be made to any size with a heat sealed backing or velcro backing or can be sewn onto a shirt or garment or bag.
Custom lapel pins and promotional lapel pins are available in many sizes, shapes and attachment options. There are cloisonne lapel pins and die cut lapel pins, or even a 4 color process design or photo reproduction. Magnetic backs are very popular compared to clutch back, military clutch or on back. You could have a personalized lapel pin created  for your association or special event. Enamel pins or cloisonne pins are types of pins that can add colors to the pins.

http://www.thepromoshop.com/store/badges-buttons-lanyards/

Your company logo will get a lot of mileage with custom printed automobile products. These valued custom logo printed automotive tools and automobile promotional products include, ice scrapers, roadside emergency kits, tire pressure gauges, car sunshades. Promotional auto products can have a life of the ownership of the car. Let us help you choose the right auto promotional products.

1. Personalized Car Window Sun Shades and Promotional Auto Sunshades.
Logo printed car and auto sun shades are sure to get a lot of passer by traffic as well as keep the heat down in the car. These promotional product car sun shades are printable. Custom printed auto sun shades are a good fund raising item.

2. Promotional CD Holders.
Looking for a great tradeshow giveaway with lasting appeal? Promotional car visor cd holders are just the thing. Imprinted auto cd holders include your imprinted message. The recipient can move their custom sun visor cd holder from car to car.

3. Promotional Cell Phone Accessories Custom Printed Cell Phone Chargers and Holders.
Logo printed and promotional car cell phone accessories and custom printed cell phone car chargers and holders can be custom imprinted with your logo from the Atlanta-based promotional items company, Promo Shop’s promotional items selection.

4. Promotional Emergency Kits and Automotive Promotional Products.
The recipient of your logo printed promotional roadside emergency kits will thank you when their car breaks down, knowing they have just the right car repair tools to correct the problem from your roadside emergency kit. You never know when a car glass break tool  promotional roadside tool set or promotional booster cables will come in handy. These custom printed emergency kits have your logo on them. Custom road safe emergency kits are great promotional Christmas gifts.

5. Custom Printed and Promotional Tire Pressure Gauges.
Promotional logo printed tire pressure gauges and other promotional auto accessories are a great way to help the longevity of tires and the car. Proper use of an imprinted tire inflators helps the tires last for years. It is inexpensive car maintenance to check the promotional tire air pressure a custom printed tire gauge.

6. Promotional and Custom Printed Travel First Aid Kits.
Custom printable and promotional travel first aid kits are a very practical item for the car, especially on trips and vacations. These promotional emergency first aid kits should be packed into the auto. Your logo should get a lot of mileage from an imprinted emergency first aid kits. There are many different types of first aid kits from camping, emergency, travel or business first aid kits. Mini first aid kits can be taken on business trips.

7. Promotional and Custom Printed License Frames.
Many car dealerships use promotional and custom printed frame license frames to advertise. Let us imprint a custom license frame for your church group or non-profit organization. See our custom logo printed promotional license frame from the Promo Shop. We can imprint in full color on promotional license plate frames. A personalized license frame helps to identify a car in the parking lot.

8. Promotional and Custom Printed Full Color License Plates.
Looking for a promotional item for fundraising? Consider a custom printed license plates. Associations, church groups and subdivisions, use promotional license plates because of the large imprint area on these personalized license plates.

Advertising is a 24/7/365 operation. So how can your sales team be productive on a never-ending basis?

There is a new type of employee, actually, a set of tools, if used, will promote products and/or services on a never-ending basis, that I call silent-sales persons. Walk into an office or restaurant or store and look at tall the company embroidered shirts, jackets and hats people wear. Go into a sporting goods store and look at the team apparel for sale. All this apparel actually creates silent sales-people promoting and event, product or service. No words were exchanged but the message gets across.

Think of how many people see the message each day. We provided embroidered sweatshirts to a sports club and as I watched one of the World Series games, the camera focused on a lady in the crowd wearing tone of those custom embroidered sweatshirts. How much would you pay for national exposure like that?

Embroidered company shirts and logo promotional items provide the same quiet exposure. There are no overtime, sick-time or benefits to pay with custom advertising products or any of these embroidered jackets and hats.

Too many times I hear people tell me they can’t afford to advertise or worse yet, they stash their promotional marketing items in a closet where they do no good by taking us space.

The idea behind advertising is to let people know about your products and services so that your company is top-of-mind when they have a specific need.

During this economic downturn, many company’s sales have probably decreased. Businesses are looking to lower or totally cut out expenses of all kinds including payroll, marketing and non-essential costs.

Fact #1: A study conducted by McGraw-Hill Research of 600 companies, showed that the businesses that made the effort to continue or expand their advertising efforts during the recession period, actually maintained or incurred increased sales during and after the recession compared to those companies who did not maintain or increase their marketing efforts.

Fact #2: Six studies were conducted by the research firm of Meldrum & Fewsmith that showed conclusively that advertising aggressively during recessions not only increases sales but increases profits. The American Business Press studies also support these findings. This fact has been true for all post-World War II recessions.

Fact #3: A study conducted by Pearce II and Michael in 1997 showed that there were 3 components that determined success in recessions. 1: Increasing investment in sales, customer service and marketing/advertising. 2: Increasing the breadth of production and products offered. 3: Increasing the geographical coverage.

Studies conducted by Bigelow & Chan in 1992 and Geroski & Gregg in 1996 showed that the causes to companies failing in a recession are cash flow issues as well as cutting back on customer service levels and marketing investment.

Studies conducted by PPAI Association that conducts market research including promotional products as an advertising/marketing medium found that:

• Customers who received promotional products reordered up to 18% sooner than those who

received coupons and up to 13% sooner than those who received no promotion.

• Customers who received promotional products also averaged up to 18% more orders than those receiving coupons and up to 13% more than those who received nothing.

• In summary, customers who received promotional products reordered more quickly and ordered more often than those who received no promotional products.

Promotional Products furnish advertisers with advantages that may not be available in other media. These include:

• High recall where the name of the advertiser is remembered.

• Repeated exposure to the advertising message because of length of time the item is kept.

• A more favorable impression of the advertiser, resulting in a propensity to do business with the organization giving the promotional item.

Personalized promotional products can provide key elements to an advertising campaign and enhance opportunity for driving a message far beyond traditional media.

Custom printed promotional items have a positive impact on brand image. Specifically, when comparing people who receive a custom printed promotional product from a company with others who do not, this research shows that people who receive a promotional product such as promotional computer mouse pads, have a significantly more positive opinion about a business through:

• More positive overall image

• More positive perception of the business

• Higher likelihood of recommending the business

• Higher likelihood of patronization

Don’t Provide Promotional Advertising at Trade Shows!

Recently I have been listening to many companies who tell me they are cutting back advertising and I encourage that when there is relatively no thought process involved in the choosing of effective promotional advertising products they will provide to attendees at tradeshows. Save your company’s advertising budget if you are not going to provide any logo printed promotional product of value. Keep in mind that value and cost of promotional items are two different variables.

When I spoke with a company that manufacturer’s multi-million dollar carpet looming machinery, I found out that they were handing out .59 cent pens and chocolate at events. What relationship do these items have to their products and services? Why equate .59 cent pens to their multi-million dollar machinery? Since their potential customer base was extremely finite, I recommended that they pre-mail to each buyer an embroidered garment bag with a note telling them they were so anxious to meet with them, they wanted to help them pack. At the show, they should provide a braided steel engraved pen (reflecting the type of massive steel machinery they manufacturer), in which to sign purchasing documents. And after the event as a follow –up, send them a watch thanking them for their time.

Obviously, most companies do not provide products or services like this. Businesses should provide a well thought out custom promotional product of value to the recipient such as an inexpensive debossed leather coaster that the recipient will gain much use from on their office desk thus creating a top-of-mind presence for months to come. A promotional consultant can and should explore the marketing venue and the company’s products and services to recommend custom printed promotional products that will provide potentially long term advertising, given the budget requirements and potential attendees.

Promotional Products Increase Tradeshow Traffic Inform Remind Persuade

Percent Of Recipients That Remembered the company name

• 71.6% of tradeshow attendees who received a promotional product remembered the name of the company that gave them the product.

• 76.3% of attendees had a favorable attitude toward the company that game them the product.

• Including a promotional product with a pre-show mailing increases the likelihood of an attendee stopping by the booth.

• As a rule, promotional products of greater value generate more sales leads than products of lower value.***

Recall:

76.1% of respondents could recall the advertiser’s name on the product they had received in the past 12 months. In comparison,

only 53.3% of the same group could recall the name of a single advertiser they had seen in a magazine or newspaper in the past week.*

Repeated Exposure

Most people keep their promotional products for more than a year.

Why Keep Promotional

Products For So Long?

• 75.4% found the item useful.

• 20.2% thought the item was attractive.

• 1% refer to the item for information.

• 3.3% other*

Remember, Trade Shows are collective gatherings of buyers and sellers and should be considered as Marketing Campaigns.

Create a reason for an attendee to enter your booth with the proper booth and product display. After you qualify these potential clients, reward their time with a custom promotional product of value so that they will continue remember your company, its products and services long after the event has ended. Keep in mind that you are also competing with other companies offering promotional items supposedly for the same reason.

* Source: 2004 study of business travelers at DFW Airport, conducted by L.J. Market Research

*** Source: 2004 study titled The Effectiveness Of Promotional Products In Tradeshow Settings conducted by Georgia Southern University

John Gallagher, CAS, is a promotional product consultant and distributor for the Promo Shop, Ltd., has helped businesses with trade show attendance and marketing through tradeshow promotions.

After 12 years in the advertising business helping to promote companies, their products and services, I find it baffling to hear from business owners and executives that now is the time to reduce or eliminate their sales force.

With less business to go around, now is the time to increase the efforts of seeking out more business opportunities. This means that sales people need to connect with existing customers more often and to prospect more. While some companies are closing up because of a lack of sufficient business, the opportunity may arise for proactive sales people to court these displaced clients. You need sales people to make this connection. So why is it that companies are eliminating or reducing their sales people? While understanding that there may be a reason to reduce under achievers, the blatant cutting of payroll costs will probably lead to a downward spiral of reduced business, further cuts and possibly closing the doors permanently.

Cut the marketing program to the point that the company loses identity and ultimately, business in the market place. I hear from many people that they prefer to attend versus exhibit a trade show. What does this tell you? Companies are rightfully looking to efficiently use their money and people to connect with a potentially large prospective customer base as well as view products and services that could create efficiencies within a business. The more efficient meeting place for businesses to connect is now the trade show floor. Companies need to look at the costs of exhibiting done correctly and how to cultivate and follow up with the booth attendees. Seasoned trade show and promotional marketing consultants can make these events successful by capitalizing on the connections made at the show.

Paying out bonuses for improved performance is the right thing to do which is the carrot-and-stick approach. Even though sales may have dropped, if the key business operators can slow down or reverse the sales downturn and create efficiencies, thus saving the company money and creating a sounder base, then they should be rewarded. It is the companies that are not hitting their objectives and yet still continue to pay out bonuses while laying off sales people, makes you wonder what they’re real objectives are.

Ask for input from all employees and schedule a company meeting to review the objectives and decisions the entire work force. Many employees will step up to the plate when they know where the company stands.

Employee Recognition: Quite the Motivation

Since the beginning of time, compensation for the completion of a task or job has been a motivational method. As human beings, we unconsciously expect and anticipate a reward or return for our time and effort spent, regardless of the task or the one requesting that the task be done. Everyone likes to see the benefits of the “fruits of their labor.” Isn’t it true too, that as human beings we all at one time or another need encouragement, or that extra push? Most definitely!

It’s a known fact that good help is hard to find. So when an employer realizes that he/she has a stellar employee, should that mean recognition or some kind of an award should be given? Well, it is definitely something to think about. Much depends on just how valuable an employer sees his employee as? However, if an employer has an excellent employee who never complains about salary, then he/she may feel the employee is happy with their compensation. But in all honesty, is there ever a such thing as too much compensation? No, of course not! Especially now with the economy being in the state that it’s in. As a result, employers who hold back from compensating super employees, run the high risk of losing in the long run. These days, employment is not so much about loyalty, that’s unless one has a reason to be loyal.

Everyone wants to feel appreciated and recognized for their hard work. Many employers and corporate heads realize this. As a result, many times corporate recognition awards and employee recognition awards are given. Whether in a weekly company meeting, a company banquet, or even in private, these are a great way to motivate dedicated employees. Too, there are employee service awards. These are usually given out after an employee has been with a company for a specific number of years (3, 5, 10, 15, 20, etc). These are usually given out to service employees (i.e, in retail). Some who have received these will wear them as pins on their work uniform to proudly display to others. This proves to be self-fulfilling to many.

Having money “thrown” at an employee can give them something to look forward to. This will help them to continue in a dedicated manner and not feel as if they’re performing as so in vain. Knowing that they will be generously compensated or rewarded will hold their interest, and cut down on their eyes roving to other possible opportunities, even if these may pay a little more. When an employee knows their employer is generous, they are more likely to want to stay put, and put their “best foot” forward. Take for example a woman who is pending departure for maternity leave. If she knows that coming back will be worth the effort, despite her new circumstances, she will return. However, if she sees that coming back will serve no added benefit, then chances are she will not return. This is especially the case if she’s not required to work (as in the case her husband or mate makes enough income for the household and needs no second source of income).

Even if money will not be given in compensation to hard working employees, then they would still greatly appreciate recognition awards. Better yet, the corporate recognition award will most likely be much nicer. Oh, and if an employee’s been loyal for years, then they deserve an employee service award that can proudly be displayed. If employers show true appreciation to their employees, chances are that excellent worker will be around for years to come!

First Aid Kits Are A Safe Way to Market and Great Safety Homeowners Gift

First aid kits usually comprise of few medicines and bandage sets, which can be used to provide first aid in urgent situations. In our daily life, it often happens that we meet with an accident when we least expect it. Personal first aid kits come very handy in providing urgent care during such disasters and therefore, must be present in your car even if you are driving to the nearby market. Moving into a new home can unfortunately result in cuts and scrapes. Finding a packed first aid kit would be something like looking for the proverbial needle-in-a-haystack. So, whether moving out or in, personal safety kits should be considered an essential.

For different situations, you may require different types of personal first aid kits, such as travel first aid kits are essential while traveling and outdoor first aid kits while going for hiking, picnicking camping, biking, boating trip or a sports participation. First aid kits vary in shape and size as per the individual needs. Whether these personal first aid kits are self made or bought from a drug store, they must contain all the essential items. To compose a proper first aid kit ,it isn’t very expensive and can be done easily without much effort.

Compact and convenient travel first aid kits help you in dealing with all kinds of emergencies in the air, on the road and practically anywhere while spending vacations. You can either purchase a travel first aid kit or making it on your own is also a brilliant idea. You can choose any small box for this purpose. Stock it with different sized bandages, scissors and tweezers, a thermometer, adhesive tape, allergy medicine and gauze pads. As you can not take your home medicine cabinet on your vacations, your travel first aid kit must also include anti-diarrhea medicine, cough medicine, antacid, Dramamine, anti-bacterial hand cleaner and antiseptic ointment. All these items can be easily found at your nearest drug store.

Do not forget to carry a few medicines for your pet in case it is accompanying you while traveling. You can also take the opinion of your pet’s veterinarian if you plan to travel to a changed environment. These additional supplies not only save you from unnecessary health expenses but also help you in avoiding any kind of discomfort. Small accidents, pains and aches, all can be handled by using travel first aid kits.

Outdoor first aid kits are inevitable for the families that simply love to enjoy outdoors. Whether your family plans a hiking, a picnic at the lake or a sports event, an outdoor first aid kit shouldn’t be left out as you never know when an accident may happen. Outdoor first aid kits are more or less similar to travel first aid kits. But there are a few additions you need to make in order to have a perfect outdoor first aid kit. These additions should include instant cold packs, insect sting pads, athletic tape, heat compresses, sunscreen, calamine lotion, hydrocortisone cream and emergency thermal blanket.

It is better to be prepared for any kinds of accidents, which can happen outdoors such as falls, cuts, insect bites, etc. Before leaving, you must ensure that all your family members are well-acquainted with the contents of your travel first aid kit. All the family members must be in a position of using these contents at the time of emergency. Outdoor first aid kits should not be considered as luxury but a vial component of preparations.

Accidents can happen anytime and anywhere. In such circumstances, all you require is timely first aid. Most people do not mull over such emergencies and often regret of not carrying a proper first aid kit. Personal first aid kits are meant for such emergencies and are therefore very essential. You can also search online in order to get a good quality personal first aid kit.

John Gallagher a CAS corporate promotional items consultant for The Promo Shop, ltd has for over 11 years experience providing corporate apparel to business for branding their name.

Throw a Wrench in Their Stocking When you’re reviewing those Holiday lists and checking them twice, consider something like: Sockit it to em with the best valued auto tool kits for that special Dad, son or husband. Even the neighborhood mechanic would appreciate your thoughtful gift of repair tool kits. Just look around the mechanic’s shop to see what he has and add some special car tools to his tool ensemble.

So you are not a tool person. No problem! Shop around all the major tool supply stores for the latest news on automotive tool kits. Most store circulars run features especially during the holidays. It’s an easy way to see images of the product that you intend to buy along with doing a little price comparison. Internet sites are another great resource to help you keep up with all the latest tools on the market. Make a wish list for all your loved ones on that holiday shopping list. Take the notebook with all your ideas including prices to the stores with you.

Dads somehow get all the little fix it jobs around the house and garage. Buy Dad the newest repair tool kits
for multi-purpose tasks in the kitchen, the bathroom, in the back yard or in the garage. Wrapping can make all the difference in presenting an otherwise drab gift. Buy the latest automotive tool kits for that teenage son who just received an old fix up car for his birthday. Don’t forget to throw a wrench in their stocking.

If you are shopping for car tools, be sure to know what make and model your gift recipient is driving. Most auto supply stores have available clerks who can assist you in all your selections. Learn the name of automotive tool kits manufacturers to be assured of finding quality tools. Research the company brands by reading online reviews or seek the counsel of friends who are well versed in the tool world.

The neighborhood handy man is wearing a worn out tool belt, so buy him a new one for Christmas and fill it with all new gadgets to go with that special repair tool kits for under the tree. Again, throw a wrench in their stocking. This gift is handy for Moms, wives and daughters, too. There is usually some small job around the house where a wrench or a screwdriver will come in handy for the job without consulting some major repair person.

Want to help transform that friend or loved ones outdated tool shop into an electric modern tool shop dream world? Shop for the latest automotive tool kits, repair tool kits and car tools that are transformed into electric tools that will delight both the novice fix it person and the prol Light up their holiday with an electric drill, an electric saw or other devices to take the strain out of manual labor.

There are always hard to reach places that call for that special tool. Consult the store clerk for choices in miniature tools, electric or manual. To wrap up your tool shopping spree this year, be sure to Sockit to em with the best valued auto tool kits and don’t forget to buy all those missing sockets.