Clients often say, “We want to promote ourselves differently. Whatever we do, whatever we give, we want to get noticed and be remembered.”

When you’re throwing an event – whether to celebrate a corporate anniversary, a wedding or a birthday – you want your guests to remember it for a long time to come. We took on one party over the summer that we were particularly excited about: a Surprise 50th Birthday Party.

First we contracted with Festive Productions, an event production company, to provide the tent, dance floor and DJ. Once the big plans were set, we brainstormed how to ensure that the guests, consisting of family, friends, and clients, walked away with ideas on how to liven up their next party. (Hey, if you were in this business, you’d find it hard to “shut off” your thinking cap after hours, too!)

The most coveted promotional items of the evening were the Stemless wine glasses. We opted for the red wine glass and it worked well for rock drinks as well as soft drinks. We chose an imprint that looked engraved. They were a huge hit; everyone used and kept them. (The glasses are available for white wine, too -- the glass is taller and narrow – as well as martinis.)

Other fun mementos of the evening were the light-up stirrers we provided. The party began at 7pm, and as the sky darkened we lit up the stirrers for a festive look. We also produced light cubes featuring Festive Production’s logo; they were passed out in drinks and placed on tables for additional light.

For more ideas on how to make your next special event memorable, call us at 516-935-0553 or send us an e-mail.

It’s a dilemma every business person faces each holiday season: Do I send the same old greeting cards to my clients when they’ll likely end up in the rubbish?

The answer is no! Holiday cards definitely have their place in your arsenal of client communications. The key to successful card sending, however, is to find ways to set your holiday wishes apart from the flood of other cards that will doubtless be arriving in the mail.

Here are some of our favorite tricks for sending a memorable holiday card:

Add a little lump to your card. You can easily make your card beg to be opened by including a little something inside such as an economy-card flashlight. These credit-card sized lights are great for purses and wallets. The gift can easily be tied into a message about “lighting up the holiday season with good cheer.”

Make the card sing. Set your card apart with a bit of musical heraldry. Sound cards deliver either a custom message or a holiday tune when opened. Add an extra bit of value to the concept by including a prepaid music-download card in the envelope.

Use the card itself as a gift. There are compressed t-shirt “postcards” which can be shaped into a holiday design such as a tree, a bottle of bubbly or even Santa himself! There are also self-mailing seed packets which can easily relay a message such as, “Get ready for growth in the New Year!” Or try calendar greeting cards to help your customers keep track of dates in 2008.

These are just a few ideas on how to ring in the holidays with special cards for your clients. Send us an e-mail or call us at 516-935-0553 and we’ll find the perfect message and delivery for your best wishes.

This holiday season, celebrate with a “green” message by finding ways to make your clients feel special and at peace with the world. There are many promotional options available that can make a point about your company’s care for the planet.

For example, recycled plastics have been made into everything from ice scrapers to mugs. Recycled cotton makes t-shirts all the more appealing as gifts for the environmentally conscious. And recycled paper creates the perfect blank slate for notepads, holiday cards, calendars and diaries.

Biodegradable gifts are another option. We know a company that offers a range of items created out of corn resin – from bookmarks to canisters that you can fill with holiday peppermints. Or, go natural with live tree seedlings mailed in a tube to the recipient.

Make it easier for your customers to live green in the New Year with a green-lifestyle gift. Gift burlap or hemp shopping totes to customers so that they can avoid using plastic bags in the future. Or, fill recycled paper gift-bags with a few organic herbal soaps and spa products with a message revolving around the hope that your client has a stress-free, healthy holiday.

The key to all these gift programs is to tie in your holiday wishes with the concept of care for the planet. Take the opportunity to make your gesture a symbol of your company’s excellent corporate citizenship. After all, 91% of Americans say they have a more positive image of a company that is environmentally responsible (according to the 2007 Cone Consumer Environmental Survey). That perception leads to increased consumer loyalty.

There are countless ways to make your holiday gift fresh, thoughtful and environmentally friendly. Give us a call at 516-935-0553 or send us an e-mail and we’ll find the right choice for your target audience.

We’re excited about the upcoming holiday season and would love to use our creativity to help you show your appreciation. Please call us at 516-935-0553 or send us an e-mail to talk about your budget and everyone on your gift list. We’re here to help!