One of the biggest challenges companies like ours face is remaining knowledgeable about all the imprintable merchandise in the marketplace. There are currently more than 750,000 products and every January the offerings change.

If you’ve ever browsed the internet or flipped through catalogs in search of the “perfect” promotional product for an occasion or event -- only to come up empty-handed -- you aren’t alone.

Over the years many buyers have approached us with the same frustration: They say they are tired of giving their clients/employees/members/attendees (you get the idea) the “same old, same old” items that their competitors give out.

Recently, we showed David and Emily Margulis of The Traveling Vineyard a “perfect” product for their needs: The Wine Journal featuring a cork cover. (Admit it – it’s perfect!) It’s ideal as an incentive or hostess gift, for a raffle at a wine-tasting event, or to enhance a gift basket of wines. This item has generated great feedback for the Margulis’ – it’s as relevant a gift as they could possibly give to their target audience!

We believe there’s at least one perfect product for every promotional opportunity. Our forte is getting to know our clients’ target audience and doing the research to find the best product for their needs.

We welcome the chance to find a “perfect” product for your next promotional gift, program or campaign. Challenge us to make your target audience say “Wow!”

To talk about your target audience, call us at 516-935-0553 or send us an e-mail.

If you think that pink promotional products are only effective to build awareness for female-focused causes, like breast cancer research and cures, you’re missing a huge marketing opportunity.

There are more than 10,000 pink promotional products in the marketplace just waiting to be used to reach the powerful pocketbooks of your female customers!

Here are a few products and applications that would position you well with this important demographic.

Pink up the bottom line – Financial institutions from banks to investment companies to accountants are vying for female mindshare. Consider pink products ranging from the traditional piggy bank to a rosy-hued calculator that tie into money-focused promotions.

Appeal to multi-taskers – One thing that’s clear about today’s women is their ability to juggle many tasks. What better acknowledgement than pink juggling balls or hackeysacks to recognize their abilities and busy schedules? Even better, offer a pink multi-tool pocket knife as a gift-with-purchase in lieu of the traditional pink makeup bag. You’ll set your company apart as forward-thinking.

Break the glass ceiling – Many sectors that traditionally sought male attention, such as automotive, hardware and equipment manufacturers, now realize the importance of the female market. Welcome women to your stores and services with incentives with a distinctively female twist. There are now pink, imprintable tools on the market, as well as pink golf accessories from tees to bags.

Pink is health – Finally, consider that pink doesn’t just carry connotations of the feminine. It’s also a powerful shade of health. Use pink promotional products to promote messages of well-being, fitness and heart health. From pink first-aid kits to sweatbands to slide-guides with nutritional tips – you can put pink to work for any promotion speaking to men and women that discusses quality medical care or taking care of oneself.

Send us an e-mail or call us at 516-935-0553 if you’d like to explore the countless ways to take advantage of pink promotions!

Who can resist a reason to celebrate? Anniversaries – whether they represent years in business or a brand’s long-standing life – are excellent occasions to engage your customers in a positive exchange over an extended period of time.

Here’s how to make an anniversary into a campaign:

Launch your celebration at the beginning of the year in which it occurs. For example, if your company has been in business since June, 5, 1983, and will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2008, plan an announcement for January 2008 that alerts clients and media to your special year of festivities. This could include a press packet complete with a custom-imprinted calendar that highlights milestones through historic corporate/brand photos and special commemorative dates that will occur each month.

Throughout the year, motivate your employees to be proud of your company or brand heritage. Give them commemorative lapel pins to wear daily or anniversary-crested uniforms that distinguish the year as something special. Other little touches that make excellent desk and counter reminders of the event are 25th anniversary pens and notepads that both employees and customers can use from January through December of the anniversary year.

Finally, plan a commemorative event on the date of your anniversary. A store, for example, might offer cake and refreshments as well as give away die-struck anniversary coins that can be used in the following months for product or service discounts. Use balloons to decorate your lobby and to give away to children; weight the string with an anniversary-imprinted magnet so that parents take away a small gift that keeps your contact information front and center in the years to come.

These are just a few of the many thousands of products and thoughts we can offer in planning for your special commemorative occasion. Call us at 516-935-0553 or send us an e-mail when your next milestone approaches. We promise to make the most of it.

I hope our newsletter inspires you to take a fresh look at your promotional marketing activities. Please call me at 516-935-0553 or send us an e-mail to talk about your marketing challenges and needs. We would love to use our brainstorming power to help your organization!