A Legacy of Giving

Have you noticed I've been featuring partnering lines that offer to tie your brand to a greater good?

According to Harvard Business Review’s The Business Case for Purpose, 89% of executives surveyed said a strong sense of collective purpose drives employee satisfaction. Why not reinforce this purpose during the holidays with a gift to employees that sends the message of caring and giving?

This week we previewed some new products from this line for the holidays. As a tribute to the company's founder, Bill Schmidt, 5% of the proceeds of AWS products by Giving Back to his favorite charities.

What types of products can you find in this line?

Value basics to luxury products in the categories of bag, drinkware, technology and outdoor leisure.

What are some of our favorites? 

A top quality bag is always a plus for high impressions and long lasting brand value. 

 

Integration of technology and RFID protection for your data is hard to resist. What does RFID  mean?

RFID stands for Radio Frequency Identification Devices. Today they are found in passports and credit cards as wafer-thin chips to help speed up transactions. Identity theft via RFID readers is a growing concern. You can protect your personal data with the use of RFID blocking wallets and RFID blocking passport covers.

Would you like to take a look at these new trends? Join us for the Apex Chamber Am Networking we are sponsoring on September 10th. Register here to attend.

We Are Greater Than One

We are greater than one. Not one person or one brand can move the needle on change. Increasingly we are seeing our partners incorporate brand options within their line that address issues on a national or global level. Teaming up the power of brands with consumer education and demand for products that effect change, social issues can be addressed. 
 
Today we had an opportunity for our team to preview some new products. Learning about trends for various industries marketing efforts or gifts is a broad job; lots of lines, lots of products. However, the task is always fun! 







This brand stood out today for both quality and function. The socially responsible component was a bonus! What is XACTLY doing with % of sales? XACTLY has partnered with The Planet Water Foundation to provide the world's poorest communities with clean, safe water sources.





Take a look at the features of this bag:
 
Ultimate Back pack- Oxygen 25

Lycra™ Back Panel
900D Matte Post-Consumer Recycled Body Material – XACTknit™ Jacquard Woven Mesh Accents
Metal Logo Plate With Integrated USB A/C External Charging Port Modular Design Includes Integrated Wireless Charging Pocket (When Used With Wireless Power Bank), Fleece Lined, Structured, Tech Epicenter With Cord Pass-Through To All Pockets
Integrated Cord Channel In Straps For Wired Earbuds
Built In Magnetic Landing Pads Snap Earbuds To Shoulders When Not In Use
Theft Deterrent Woojin™ Magnetic Snap Closure System
Main Pocket Opens Completely For Easy Access To Bottom
15.6” Extra Protected Laptop Pocket
Tablet Pocket
Side Drinkware Pockets With Lycra™ Flex Material 


Research more options from this line- including drinkware, bags 

Continue to follow the blog for more ways to partner with charitable causes and team together to solve issues.

Dog Days of Summer

Today is National Dog Day! 

Dogs Rule! ( at our house anyway) We have plaque at our house, saying "If you want the best seat in the house, you'll have to remove the dog." Our dogs sleep in the bed, lie on the sofa; life's tough!

We've had a lot of dogs over the years and more than one at at time. Both of our boys have dogs they inherited from our pack or added as new. Since 2010 our pack has moved from pure breeds to rescues, each loved for their own unique personalities.

 According to The American Pet Products Association, almost 85 million households have a pet and over the last 30 years pet ownership has gone from 56% to 68% of all households. In fact, the American Veterinary Medical Association suggests that 36.5% of American household own a dog- that's 43,346,000 households- Yikes!

What types of businesses would want to connect with dog lovers?

Think outside the dog house. Besides the obvious businesses offering pet services for grooming, boarding, outdoor adventures, day care and training consider these types of reasons:

• Rental properties that are dog friendly
• Parks or properties that want to remind you to pick up your dog waste
• Realtors helping with the family move
• Banks or retail that see dogs stopping by for a visit with their owner
• Senior Centers that allow pets to be part of the family
• College Graduates- looking for a companion in their new home
• Breweries that have a place for dogs to play
• Restaurants with outdoor seating
• Dry Cleaners that specialize in removing dog hair or stains
• Carpet Cleaners

Are you getting the idea? 

What types of gifts can you brand?

Toys

 Travel Dog Bowls

Treats

 Do you have stories to share? A full color calendar offers a way to feature a story. Image each month featuring furry friends-learning the stories about a service dog, demonstrating ways dogs add joy to life or showcasing the impact you've made with your rescue program.

Ready to start collaborating about dogs? Yes, LOVE it! As one dog lover to another, you are Barking my language. Let's Ro!

Super Decoration a Branding Power!

Our partners at Sanmar created a SUPER guide to top new ways to brand apparel. Rather than words, take a look at these compelling images. 

If you find yourself wanting to know more about a specific decoration process, ask us to send you this complete guide along with more information about how that process can work for your branding needs. Set up a time to see apparel samples in our showroom.

Why Drive 55?

It started happening 5 years ago, AARP cards started arriving at the house. This year the number 55 became more than a speed limit sign. I'll admit at times 55 has been more of suggestion that a limitation while driving, so at the age of 55 I refuse to allow being 55 a limitation in life. Look around, seniors are active and living long full lives! There is plenty of gas left in my tank, so slowing down is not part of my personal brand. Why all the references to 55?

Sept 21st was National Senior Citizen's Day and I was too busy to play bingo!

In fact, this past week I had the pleasure to network and share brand success strategies for the Apex Chamber of Commerce Women's Networking Series. Did you know In a 2016 study comprised of the Raleigh-Cary Metropolitan Statistical Area, including all of Wake County, part of Johnson and Franklin counties found there were 25,000 businesses in the area and 5,000 of those businesses were owned by women! -read more here.


Always a rule breaker, red shoes for a pop on black and white made sense as part of the presentation.

Lifestyle branding means not putting your brand " in the box" . Sure, for imprinting purposes your logo will need to fit within a defined area and a brand guide is important to overall brand management. However, there are reasons to have some fun with your branding without losing any of your identity.

For example October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month ( purple), it's Breast Cancer Awareness Month ( pink) and it's Red Ribbon Week (red).

• Perhaps for your social media efforts your branding might change color for the month? 
• Employees might wear ribbons and donate to your charity efforts. 
• If your business is tied into a specific cause as a sponsor or a donor, color or temporary inclusion of an icon with your brand offer a way to educate consumers what's important to your company.  

September is the traditional spotlight on Back to School, locally companies are contributing to school supplies for students and nationally we are partnering with companies that give back to schools!

How?

Our partner, Aakron Line, has an entire line of practical school products that have been purchased for awareness and spirit by many of our clients. By purchasing products that are part of the Give Back One For One program YOU are contributing to the over $7 million in products Aakron donated to non-profit partner, NAEIR, since 2002.

A simple outreach product like a ruler contribute to kids. SAFETY RULES! Increasing the reach of your campaigns is possible. Ask us about other ways to give back using branded products!

Why drive 55? Drive 55 for safety, but sing like Sammy Hagar when you approach life- there's plenty of road ahead at 55! 

Control The Elements

In our last post we featured several jackets that are trending; offering high impressions, low cost connection for your brand and longevity of wear. What will connect with our mobile, technology driven consumers? The answer is always products that solve solutions and make life more pleasurable.

While my boys are grown, I vividly recall being a numerous sporting events trying to stay warm. The wind, the rain, the chill in the air kept me cold to the bone. While none of us can control the weather, we can use modern technology to control some of the variables. Warmth at your fingertips? YES!

Creating brand connections with:

• Incentives for employees
• Fundraisers
• Pro games at the stadium- I've got a son looking at Lion's- Cowboy's in Detroit in November- bet he'd like to stay warm! 
• Gifts for great referral partners

Meet life where it happens.

Maybe you have employees or business connections that like to hunt, to fish or to attend their kids games. This new vest looks sharp and with a fully charged 5000mAp power bank, you can stay warm all day long. Today we previewed this new vest from our partners at Trimark. The Shefford looks sharp and will keep you warm.

Do you need the power bank? No problem. let us bundle this for you, just select one of these higher capacity chargers. We can even arrange for special packaging and drop shipments to your location! Gifting made simple!

Climate Change or Climate Control

Years ago I heard a comedian visiting the area say they'd experienced all 4 seasons in one week. It was in December, so you might have a warm sunny day, followed by cold temperatures and snow, but in August in the south- likely just hot and humid. While climate change is in the news, climate control meaning how hot or cold we are as individuals both inside and outside the office is important. We can't solve climate change, but our company can help with climate control!

Outerwear continues to be a top rated gift for employees, referral partners and clients for it's low cost per impression, longevity of wear and high impressions. It has staying power!  However your geographic region plays a significant part in choices for weather that's the norm for your area of the country. What are some top picks as we wish for a little fall breeze today? 

The Northeast- this Bergamo softshell is perfect! The textured stripe and retail look are very popular, plus it keeps you extra dry on those rainy days.

The Karmine is perfect for the South- offering protection in wet weather but can be worn year round. It's also one of those pieces we can add a hidden message, with a custom label print to increase value to your team or special recipient.

In the Northwest - the Index is the perfect jacket for unpredictable weather here on the rainy west coast. The fabric of this piece is the ideal weight for warmth and is both breathable and seam-sealed, which means regardless of the weather conditions, you will be dry, comfortable and good looking.


Would you like to see more new styles?Jackets, vests- we have solutions!

 

 

Passion Equals Expertise

Where do you spend your leisure hours and professional hours? 

Spending time repeating the same experiences whether at work, leisure or as a volunteer tends creates expertise; insights only you understand from being in that world.

Our clients generally know that my background is a former WCPSS parent, art teacher and PTA leader. What did almost 20 years of investment in schools provide me? Insights into how to stretch a dollar while providing an engaging activity, raising awareness and accomplishing goals without breaking the bank. 

Recently a school asked me for a strategy to engage and welcome new families to the school. The goal was to provide families with a welcome gift pack at orientation that would be relevant to both the student and the parent. What did we suggest?

A pencil or pen- offering some school spirit in an affordable, but practical way for new students.

A webcam cover with personality-keep your eyes on what's new at school by following the school website, PTA news and electronic updates from your teacher's classroom page .

A microfiber cleaning cloth-  offering a full color surface for spirit, photos, maps or even a QR code to a video link outlining the key locations within the footprint of the school. This type of product will work for elementary through higher education. Take a look at a cleaning cloth showing just how close access to higher education can be in Wake County via the Wake Tech Community College system; a large footprint!

Additional idea for impact we've suggested included double side imprint lanyards, pouches for book bags, zipper clips for jacket, backpacks and purses. Double sided bookmark rulers with information on the second side. These Olive Chapel Elementary items were part of a Walk to School program grant- encouraging students to walk to their local school.

 Education and engagement for spirit and programming can be fun and economical in expert hands! Follow our testimonial page for stories and review our photo gallery for successful campaigns.

6 Tips For Creating Memorable Event Recognition

You have management buy-in, you’ve created your strategy and you’ve built your program. Now it’s time for your big recognition event! 

 

Where should you start? 

Click here to download a sample event planning checklist. 

 

A recognition event needs to be memorable. How do you elevate the event? Creating a theme for the event has a natural memory hook but there are also some key tips for the individuals involved such as:

1. The right person needs to make the presentation. This doesn’t need to be the highest-level executive. The presenter should be the highest-ranking person who can personally attest to the accomplishments of the employee. The presenter needs to be able to tell stories that evoke an emotion in the recipient as well as all employees.
2. Managers must be trained to make a great presentation. They need to know who is being recognized and why they are being recognized. They need to be able to talk about the accomplishments and focus on the positives of the employee. Consider a video story to include remote team members or to focus on specific accomplishments.
3. Tie in the corporate symbolism. If an award is symbolic to the organization, the manager must be able to explain the symbolism and how it relates to the organization.
4. Ask others to make comments. Colleagues who know the award recipient can add comments to make the presentation even more memorable. Inviting colleagues to the event also lets them see behaviors of the winner that they can emulate.
5. Ask the recipient to make comments. If your recipient is willing, let them say something! This allows them to thank people who have helped them as well as the people involved in the event.
6. Close with a sincere thank you. Thank the recipient and all who attended.

Looking for a wow factor? Ask us about adding color!

Everything's better with color-it's like adding sprinkles to life!

Clean Water Solves Global Issues- be part of change

Did you know that viruses spread through contaminated water? Rotarian's around the globe have are committed to ending polio  for over 30 years!

Polio, or poliomyelitis, is a paralyzing and potentially deadly infectious disease that most commonly affects children under the age of 5. The virus spreads from person to person, typically through contaminated water. It can then attack the nervous system.

Clean water, sanitation, and hygiene education are basic necessities for a healthy environment and a productive life. When people have access to clean water and sanitation, waterborne diseases decrease, children stay healthier and attend school more regularly, and mothers can spend less time carrying water and more time helping their families.

How Rotary makes help happen

Through water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) programs, Rotary’s people of action mobilize resources, form partnerships, and invest in infrastructure and training that yield long-term change.
As a Rotarian, part of the Apex Rotary Club since 2008, it's exciting to see our industry bringing a product to market that ties into efforts to support clean water solutions to communities worldwide.

Big news! Leed's and drinkware company Welly recently established an exclusive partnership to bring environmentally-friendly, insulated bamboo drinkware to the promotional products industry. Leed's began carrying Welly bottles in August 2019.

"I created Welly to help the environment and give clean water to people in need," said Ben Kander, Welly Founder and CEO.  "I'm thrilled to partner with a company like Leed's, who understands the critical role of environmentally-friendly products in the promotional products channel."

Welly's mission is to reduce reliance on single-use plastic by providing a reusable alternative, as well as bring reliable access to clean water to communities in need. Welly donates 3 percent of sales to charity: water, a nonprofit organization bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing countries. With its first contribution, Welly helped bring clean water to Mai Welay, a rural village in northern Ethiopia.    

"Welly has such unique, compelling products, plus their work with charity: water is inspiring," said Heather Smartt, Global Category Director at PCNA. "There's a strong demand for earth-friendly, sustainable products in this industry and this partnership allows us to continue providing our distributors with the innovative and socially responsible brands their customers are looking for."

At Promotional Partners we are excited to share this product with you as a way to shape the future of our global community. 3 percent of sales of Welly support efforts to bring clean water solutions to communities world-wide. Would you like to do more now? Support our district's Global Water Run on November 10. Sign up now!