Eco-Products: Make a Bigger Difference

Thinking about the corporate social responsibility side of a business can have many benefits, from boosted profits to improving customer loyalty. Customers are increasingly questioning unethical business practices, which means you will have to make an effort to earn their trust and loyalty. Implementing eco-friendly practices in the way you run your business is a great way to show that your company cares. Below are some great ideas on how to get started.

1. Energy-Saving Light Bulbs
By using energy-saving light bulbs in your office, you can save money and cut back on your carbon foot print. It’s a win-win! With climate change concerns hitting the headlines this year, customers will truly appreciate your efforts.

2. Green Office Supplies
Using greener office supplies will reduce waste and help preserve the natural environment. Using recycled paper is a great idea. Also, make sure that the products used in your office come from ethical sources. Taking these small steps will give you the reputation of a business owner who is committed to saving the environment. It will surely help you earn the trust of your clients.

3. Recycle, Recycle, Recycle!
Recycling is an easy, eco-friendly practice which is gaining popularity in households and businesses. If your business requires a lot of printing, you should consider using remanufactured inkjet cartridges. This simple switch will reduce the amount of waste generated. Since most Americans already recycle, your clients will expect you to do the same.

4. Manage Your Travel Emissions
Thanks to the internet and global business networks, there are many ways to work with your clients without having to meet them face-to-face. Frequent air travel and road trips are harmful to the environment. Using apps such as “Go To Meeting” will help you manage travel emissions and also save precious time and money.

5. Create Your Own Renewable Energy
Depending on the size and location of your business, micro-generating your own energy could be an option. Try putting solar panels on your office building or installing a biomass heater for hot water. You may even be able to sell the surplus energy you generate! These solutions will save your business money and help you gain the respect of your clients.

Thanks to Robin Richter of Wearable Imaging for the above blog article.

5 Effective Ways to Measure the ROI of Promotional Products

Is your swag really working? You hand out hundreds of branded journals at a trade show. You freely give out mugs and tote bags at career fairs. You’re generous with promotional pens; you have been giving them out for years. At some point, you just feel like you can’t keep track of all these giveaways and pinpoint their value to your company. 

The truth is promo products can be easily traceable. Here are 5 simple methods to do that:

1. Strong CTA

When tracking the results generated by promotional products, a solid CTA (Call-to-Action) is an absolute must. A CTA makes it simple to measure the effectiveness of your giveaways and should be used with every other strategy you adopt from this list.

Want some examples? “Get a free trial,” “Talk to a consultant anytime,” “Answer the online survey,” “Get 20% off.” A CTA asks the person to take an action and makes it clear how to do so.

Print an offer with a strong CTA directly on your promo and monitor the traffic it generates. If the offer is useful and relevant for the consumer, you will have no problem seeing people react to strong CTAs.

By making your CTA simple and appealing, you ensure that your recipients will take you up on your offer.

2. Social Media Hashtags

Smartphones and social media are part of a consumer’s daily life. Put the hashtag you want your consumers to use on your promo items and track how many times that hashtag is referenced. Once you have identified those using the hashtag, you can follow them all the way through the buying journey.

3. QR codes or unique URLs

You can create a landing page for your promotional campaign and print the URL or a QR code on your giveaways. Here you go – now you can track the hits/leads/sales that come directly from the products.

4. Phone numbers

Create a specific phone number and place it on your promos, tracking the number of calls that come as a result of the giveaways.

5. Promo Codes

Promo codes are given out everywhere – websites, social media, TV and radio ads, email marketing campaigns -- all day long. Print a promo code on your promotional product. It acts as a strong CTA and can be easily tracked and traced for an ROI report.

For example, in a sports event, when giving customers a custom branded bag/cap/jersey of the team they are there to watch, place a CTA on the package or on the product itself telling them to go to the team store in the next 3 days and use a certain promo code for 20% off their next purchase. You can measure the ROI with the number of times the promo code is used. 

Thanks to our supplier partner SpectorandCo for allowing us to republish this blog.

4 Ways to Increase Your Pinterest Visibility

Do you want more visibility from your Pinterest marketing?

Are you looking for ways to get your pins and boards seen by more people?

There are some quick and easy tactics you can use to help more of the right people find and share your content on Pinterest.

In this article you’ll discover how to increase the visibility of your content on Pinterest.

#1: Understand Who Uses Pinterest

It’s important to approach each social media platform as a unique entity. Although many networks have similarities, Facebook is different from Twitter, Pinterest is different from Instagram, and so on. One big difference among social platforms is your audience.

Here’s a look at Pinterest’s overall demographics:
Pinterest has 100 million daily active users, with over 500 billion Pinterest pins.
80% of Pinterest’s users are female and 90% of all pins are created or shared by women.
13% of adult men who are online use Pinterest, with a 120% growth in male users in 2015.
Millennials are using Pinterest as much as Instagram.
67% of Pinterest users are under the age of 40.
60% of Pinterest users are from the U.S.

If you have a business account, you can get a picture of your unique audience demographics with Pinterest analytics. You can see whom you’re connecting (and not connecting) with. To access Pinterest analytics, click the Analytics tab in the top-left corner of the screen and select Audience.

Once you have a good understanding of who your Pinterest audience is, you’ll be able to create relevant content for them.

#2: Appeal to Users Preferences

It’s important to find out what your specific audience’s interests are so you can better tailor your content to them. Check out your Pinterest analytics to see your best-performing pins and boards and discover their other interests.

Identify Top Content

Choose Analytics > Profile to view engagement metrics for your Pinterest content. You’llsee your top pins and boards from the past 30 days and how many impressions, clicks, repins, likes and either pin type or numbers of pins on the board.

This data provides insights into which pins and boards are resonating with your Pinterest audience.

Look at Audience Interests

You can also review your analytics to see insights about the interests of your Pinterest audience.

Choose Analytics > Audience and click the Interests tab to see images and labels describing common interests your audience members share. Some interests are generic, like Quotes, and others are more specific, like Casual Outfits.

Try to find ways to incorporate your audience’s other interests into your content. For example, if you run a cooking website but notice that a large percentage of your audience is also interested in camping, you can create pins like “10 Best Recipes to Make While Camping” or “Snacks for the Campfire.”

The more you adapt your content to appeal to your target audience on Pinterest, the better you’ll be able to connect with them.

#3: Write Search-Friendly Descriptions

Though Pinterest users will often scroll through their main feed or the feeds of selected topics (such Women’s Fashion, Cars and Motorcycles or Geek), they’ll also frequently use Pinterest as a search engine to find content they’re interested in. Because of this, it’s important to add relevant tags and keywords to your pins.

Strategically place keywords in the descriptions of your pins and in your boards to help users find your content when they’re searching or browsing through feeds of a related category.

For example, if your keyword is “campfire recipes,” make sure you highlight it in your board description.

Though not as prevalent as on Instagram and Twitter, hashtags make a frequent appearance on Pinterest. They aren’t clickable, but they are searchable.

According to research, over 80% of pins are repins. This means that if people who find your content like it, they’ll likely repin it and share it with their followers, giving your content even more exposure. Adding hashtags to your boards and pins increases the chances they’ll be found in search.

#4: Install Plugins on Your Website

To increase your Pinterest following and connect with your target audience, you’ll want tomake it as easy as possible for users to pin content from your site. The best way to do that is to provide Pin It buttons. When users click on a Pin It button, a window pops up allowing them to create the pin and post it to Pinterest. It’s a simple and effective way to encourage pinning.

Here are some other Pinterest tools to consider for your website:

Pinterest Follow Button: If you want to encourage users to follow you on Pinterest, this is a great tool to have. It’s a plugin that’s quick and easy to install. With one click, users can follow you on Pinterest.

Pinterest Pinboard Widget: This widget lets you display thumbnails of your latest pins on your website. This can be useful to highlight recent pins and boost engagement. You can send your audience right to your Pinterest page, instead of just hoping they pin content from your site.

WordPress Pinterest Pin It Button: This tool comes in both Lite and Pro versions. The basic premise is that when the user hovers over an image, a Pin It button appears. If the user clicks the button, it automatically creates a pin. With either version, you can preselect the image users will pin (though users can change this and choose the image they want), and place Pin It buttons anywhere using shortcodes.

After you install a Pin It button on your website, make sure you test the button. You’ll want to see where and how the tool creates the text descriptions for the pin. For example, the tool I chose uses the alternative text for the image. Since many pinners don’t change or add the description themselves, you can have a coherent, appealing and keyword-centric description preloaded.

Final Thoughts

You’ll make it easier for people to find you by adding social sharing Pin It buttons to your site and using smart tags and keywords in your descriptions.




ABOUT THE AUTHOR, Ana Gotter



Ana Gotter is a freelance writer specializing in social media and content marketing, though she writes on a variety of other niches and subjects. She can be contacted atanagotter.com.

Other posts by Ana Gotter »




Thanks to http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/ for this post content.

5 Bad Habits That Are Holding You Back in the Office—and How to Put an End to Them

By Jo Eismont


There’s a quote from Benjamin Franklin that says, “Your net worth to the world is usually determined by what remains after your bad habits are subtracted from your good ones.” Since reading that recently, I’ve been contemplating exactly what my net worth would be if I dialed down some of my own less-than-desirable habits—especially in the office.

And what better time to contemplate that than right now—with 2016 just starting out. After all, according to good old Ben, it’s only by ridding yourself of the bad that your true impact on the world can shine through.

On that note, here are five all-too-common bad habits that might be holding you back in the office:

1. Saying Sorry When You’re Not

How often do you start a hard conversation at work with, “I’m sorry but…” Quite often, I bet. (Especially if you’re a woman.)

But automatically using this defense mechanism doesn’t do you, or the person you’re saying it to, any favors. In an article on The Muse, writer Angeline Evans says that it “can actually undercut your professionalism by introducing doubt and diminishing others’ confidence in you.”

The next time you’re tempted to say it, test out one of these responses instead. You'll feel better—and you'll have more productive interactions.

2. Being a Conversation Hog

Yes, you have wonderful ideas, thoughts, and opinions. Oh, also jokes. (Can’t forget the jokes!) But despite all this, you never get all that much praise after a meeting in which you so generously took the lead.

That’s because, if you’re an extrovert like me, you may have a tendency to hog the conversation—and ignore cues that other people want to jump in or straight up leave. Cues like people looking at their phones instead of making eye contact, constantly interrupting you, or suddenly “having to move” to a different part of the office when you walk over and start sharing an idea.

This year, make an active effort to listen more than you speak. That means forcing yourself to take a beat before weighing in—and then, after that beat, making sure to end all your thoughts with, “What do you think about that?” or “Would love to hear your thoughts!” This forces you to listen to what others have to say.

3. Setting Up Meetings for No Reason

Here’s a a scary statistic for you: Executives spend, on average, four hours per week preparing just for status update meetings. You know what I mean—the meetings in which at least three people will say “Nothing much new from me this week. I’ll pass to Kevin.” That’s simply not an efficient use of anyone’s time.

So, this year, executive or not, make a promise to yourself that you won’t set up any meetings without asking yourself what the point is first. No, I’m not being obnoxious. Make sure every meeting you arrange has a clear purpose, as well as a good reason for why the information can’t simply be disseminated in an email.

And, when you have to plan one, you can ensure that it’ll be short, productive, and to the point by sending out an agenda in advance. Or even making it a stand-up meeting! You’ll be pleasantly surprised how much faster everything moves when people are on their feet.

4. Being a “Model of Efficiency”

You’re a really task-focused person and you love to come into the office early, tackle your inbox and be productive all day long. Lunch breaks? What are those? Small talk in the kitchen? Who has time to hear about a co-worker’s weekend?

But by channelling a robot at the office, you’re robbing yourself of the chance to get to know your colleagues. Which, the benefits of liking the people you work with aside, inevitably makes your job harder down the road. Who will Carol want to help more? John, who always grabs a coffee with her at 3 PM? Or you, the machine who sits in the same place all day and has never attempted to have a conversation?

Not to mention, behaving like this is setting you up for burnout. No one can work nonstop. Nope, not even you, the person who has to-do lists for her to-do lists. So, do yourself a favor, and take a breath every once in a while. Or better yet, a lunch break.

5. Venting Without Action

Admit it, you’ve indulged in some intense venting at some point—to your co-workers, to your friends, to your loved ones. When you’ve had a bad day, week, or year, it can take superhuman effort to respond with dignity and reasonableness at all times. So vent! Get it all off your chest over a glass of wine. But do so within reason. Otherwise it’s just whining—and that’s pointless and counterproductive.

This year, you need to set a limit for yourself. You can vent for one glass of wine, but over the next one you have to come up with a plan of action. Is your co-worker always giving you unconstructive criticism? Confront her (when you’re sober) and put an end to it. Does your boss keep changing the team’s goals without telling anyone? Email him or her and ask if you can find a time to go over your daily, monthly, and quarterly goals. Someone keep eating your lunch, despite the fact your name’s written all over it? Buy a lunchbox and keep it by your desk.

I promise that as good as venting feels, taking action and resolving the problem feels so much better!



So let’s look forward to 2016, the year in which you ditch all these unnecessary habits in order to let your best self shine through.




About The Author

Jo is a web and social media editor for Insights with years of experience in the learning and development industry. She’s completely passionate about doing what you love and loving what you do. 

This blog article is courtesy of The Daily Muse. We suggest you subscribe to their newsletter. Always informative and thought provoking! See them at thedailymuse.com

The 12 Travel Tips for Christmas

Thanks to The Canada Safety Council for the following post.

1. Let people know your travel itinerary – either leave a copy with neighbours or family members, and always keep people informed if your plans happen to change.
   
2. Check to make sure your passports, visas and vaccinations are all up-to-date.  Leave copies of your passports, driver’s licence, credit cards and other important documents with family members in case of theft.
   
3. While you are away, make it look like someone is home.  Arrange to have a car parked in your driveway, plan to have someone pick up your mail and shovel your sidewalk.
   
4. Going somewhere exotic? Plan your travel budget ahead of time and be aware of the local currency.  A good travel book on the country will explain how much the Canadian dollar is worth, or you can visit a currency exchange before you leave.
   
5. Research your destination beforehand.  What are the entry requirements? Do they require proof of citizenship? Photo identification? Vaccinations?  Certain countries may require an “International Certificate of Vaccinations” against infectious diseases before you are allowed to enter.  Talk to your local travel agent, physician or the embassy of the country you plan on visiting.
   
6. Do you have a full supply of your prescription medication packed?  If not, make sure you fill up before you go.  It is also a good idea to contact the nearest consulate to find out the country’s health laws regarding controlled medication.  You may be required to obtain a doctor’s written prescription for your medication.
   
7. Purchase travel insurance.  If you plan on driving after you arrive, find out the type of insurance you require.
   
8. Luggage identification is important.  Clearly identify your luggage with your name, current address and phone number.  Put the information both inside and outside of your bag.  Remove old claim tag that might confuse handlers.  Attach a bright ribbon or bandana to your luggage to help distinguish your bags from similar ones in the baggage claim area.
   
9. Pack a basic first-aid kit for minor emergencies.  Include such items as antibiotic ointment, tablets for severe bacterial forms of diarrhea, tablets for relief from diarrhea, antifungal cream, antiseptic ointment, aspirin, bandages, lotion for insect bites, electrolyte replacement tablets to replace body salts lost through sweating or diarrhea, lotion for insect bites, insect repellent, safety pins, scissors (not permitted to be carried-on), soap, sunscreen, thermometer and tweezers.
   
10. Inform your bank of where you are going and for how long, this way your account won’t be flagged for suspicious activity when you make purchases in a foreign destination.
    
11. Visit the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority website at www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca for the latest information for air travellers, including the latest security measures.
    
12. Wherever you are going, always make sure to be safe – enjoy the holidays and remember to celebrate prudently with an eye to your health and wellness!

Have a safe and happy holiday season!

Promotional Products Make Memorable Holiday Gifts

Promotional products are “gifts” so why couldn’t they be holiday gifts? Of course, they can! For many years, companies have been giving out promotional products to promote their company and their brand. The holidays are a great time to give away branded gifts that will help keep your brand fresh in the minds of your customers and potential customers and increase their positive sentiment about your company. Promotional products can make holiday presents not just for kids. Of course, we do have promotional products for kids.

Here are some ideas for branded gifts that you might want to give away this holiday season. Whether you want to just send a small memento, include one with a purchase, or go big with a gift with more impact, we have what you need.

Smaller Promotional Gift Ideas:

There are a number of different gifts that you can just slip into the holiday card you already send by mail to your clients and customers.

Pens
Notepads
USB Sticks or Flash Drives
Bookmarks
Business Card Holders
Seeds for Planting
Magnets and Stickers

Memorable Branded Gifts:

Here are some ideas for branded gifts that will make an impact with your special clients and customers. This is where you can really connect with your brand and messaging.

Clothing
Reusable Bags
Candy Confections
Eco Friendly Promotional Gifts
Safety and Survival Kits
Drinkware
Cooking Products
Travel Products
Pet Products

If you're thinking it's getting late for holiday promotional gifts/// think again. Visit the AdVantages AdVertising One Day Rush Service page

Here's How an Email Campaign Can Create Buzz for Your Next Trade Show

When you are preparing to exhibit at a trade show there are many different marketing efforts that should go into making it a success. One of the best ways to create buzz in front of the trade show is with a targeted email campaign. Staying in contact with attendees and alerting your customers about the trade show and related events is an excellent marketing tool. Here are 4 tips for your trade show email marketing campaign:

1. Segment your email list. Rather than sending the same email to everyone on your email list, segment your list into different categories so that you can send relevant email messages to each set of your target customers. Examples of your segments can include past attendees not yet registered for this upcoming show, attendees already registered, target customers who have not attended a recent show, target customers who have never attended a trade show. This will allow you to customise your emails to each group and speak to each one in a targeted fashion. You will receive better results and have happier email list subscribers. Targeted and relevant information makes your subscribers feel important.
2. Offer Exclusive Sales or Specials. Email subscriptions are a give and take. Many people expect something in return for letting your company into their inbox. Make that happen with exclusive offers and be sure to let them know that these are better deals that non-email subscribers get. If you can’t change pricing or offers, perhaps allow them early access, sneak peaks, or special promotional product gifts. i.e. “Mention this Email for an Special Gift”
   
3. Include Important Information. Your emails regarding the trade show shouldn’t only be about your company. Sales only focused emails are less effective than a more social and informative approach. Include other trade show details in your emails that will help improve their entire experience. They will remember you and thank you for it, perhaps even sharing some of your information on social channels. Examples include trade show registration information, schedules, local city information, hotel details, or the best places to eat or visit in the city you are traveling to for the trade show.
   
4. Follow Up. During your trade show, maintain your list and add to it. Then you can further segment your list for a series of follow up emails. Thank attendees who came and made a purchase and offer related products. Follow up with visitors who didn’t make a purchase (yet). Email those who didn’t make it to the show and offer them a different deal.

Originally Posted by GoPromotional on October 31st, 2015