Holiday Decor Ideas for the Office

The holidays are coming and it is time to start planning your office decorations and office party. For most, the holidays are filled with joy and happiness. However, the holidays have to appeal to everyone so you must take this into consideration when planning your office decorations. It is easy to find a way to make sure that your decorations appeal to employees, customers, and visitors.

There are a few simple steps to take in order to make sure that your holiday décor appeals to everyone. The first order of business is to decide whether to make your holiday décor completely non-denominational or all inclusive. This largely depends on your company culture. The second step is to poll the employees to see what they want to have and if they would object to anything you are planning. Here are some ideas for holiday seasonal decorations that can apply to everyone and keep in mind that a lot of these same principles to a holiday party too.

1. One easy way to make your office festive and appeals to everyone is to just choose to celebrate the season. Have winter themed decorations like snow, snowmen, cute winter creatures, or winter scenery.
2. If you decide to make your decorations non-denominational, be clear about it so that nothing is misinterpreted.
3. If you want to celebrate the different holidays, have each employee bring in decorations and devote an area to each person’s decoration idea. If everyone has a chance to represent their own holiday, then everything is fair. An easy and fun way to celebrate everyone’s holiday is to have each person bring in something from home or share a childhood holiday memory in the form of a decoration.
4. Whichever theme you choose, carry that through to your office party as well as the decorations.
5. A holiday gift exchange is a fun way for everyone to participate in gift giving. If it becomes an issue, maybe you can just opt for a charity or donation box instead!

Six Tips for Being More Visible on Social Sites

Active social media user Natasha Rawls, an account executive for Sourcepoint powered by Proforma, shares tips for bolstering your presence on popular platforms.

1. Prioritize LinkedIn Postings. “LinkedIn can take a post from having 100 views to having close to 100,000 views in a relatively short time,” Rawls says.

2. Like, Comment on and Share Others’ Posts. “If my competitors share something, I totally comment on it. I know it helps when I like and comment on other people’s posts, and when they do it back, it helps me, too.”

3. Pitch Less. “It’s not always about selling on social media; it’s about sharing and engaging. When I see unique case histories, whether I did it or not, I’ll say, ‘Hey, look at how cool this is.’”

4. Run Contests. Rawls loves running giveaways on LinkedIn. Case in point: A recent backpack design contest she ran yielded dozens of entrants, comments and new leads. “Contests work,” she says. “Sometimes I’ll spend my spec sample budget on social media efforts.”

5. Commit to Consistency. “Every day, it’s great if you can give 10-15 minutes and post one or two things. You’ve got to stay consistent. The more you put in, the better the reward will be.”

6. Make it Easy to Connect. “I always share my email address to make it easy for people to get a hold of me if they see something they like. That incoming lead is what we want.”

Small Business Promotional Products

A majority of businesses are small-based ones with a maximum of 20 employees. These companies have limited financial resources to invest in production, which means marketing takes a big hit. The biggest challenge here is to reach out to target audiences with as little investment as possible. This can be achieved only with promotional products.

In this article, we explain why giveaways are the best way for your business to get ahead

1. Low Investment: Let’s suppose you want to give away pens imprinted with your logo and message. For this, you will need to lay your hands on at least 200-300 pens. But here is a fact – getting these pens customized will not burn a hole in your pocket! In fact, you can buy 500 quality pens less than a thousand dollars. What other marketing channel provides you with this kind of financial flexibility? Definitely not TV or print ads.

2. Instant Impression: Giveaways make an impact immediately. They are items that can seen and felt for a long time. You also know immediately how well customers react to your giveaways.

3. Long-lasting Visibility: For a small business, it is crucial to have a marketing campaign that lasts years. This is achievable with giveaways. A bag or t-shirt is capable of winning the approval of your recipients, allowing them to flaunt your logo whenever they use them.

4. Customer Retention: It is often difficult to retain customers. With giveaways, however, you can show that you value your association with them. There is nothing better than a customer who feels appreciated.


5. Instant Employee Recognition: Is your business the new kid in town? Worry not! Get classy uniforms for all your employees. As they travel to work, your business gets valuable promotional exposure around town. Like the reasons listed in this article? How about investing in some quality giveaways for your next marketing campaign?

THE EASIEST MISTAKE TO MAKE WITH YOUR TO-DO LIST

THE EASIEST MISTAKE TO MAKE

WITH YOUR TO-DO LIST

We need to-do lists but how to prioritize them is a daunting task.We borrow from the publishers at Fast Company with a pretty summation article on the problem.

Don't make these mistakes with your to-do/task list (click here)

Does Swag REALLY Work????

Does Swag REALLY Work????

Don't lie to my face. 



Don't tell me you've never wondered (even out-loud) whether you get a decent R.O.I. on your investment in Promotional Products that carry your brand. 

Obviously we believe in them. We've been in the business since 1979. It's been a good industry for us because the promotional products we come to market with carry the message on behalf of our client base from the small independent business to some multi-nationals.... and it works for them. The bottom line is still the same as it always was.... to bring positive attention from the end-user to the advertiser.

Still wondering? We hope so. Otherwise you aren't careful with your marketing dollars. Swag sells... but why?

Here is a fair report on the effects of promotional products from the editors of Fast Company.
Click here and enjoy, Does Swag Work?

Master 4 Different Communication Styles to Sell More

Master 4 Different Communication Styles to Sell More

as Published in Advantages

You’re sure to increase sales if you use our suggested strategies when interacting with buyers who have one of these four communication styles.

The Aggressor-Asserter:
Confident, fast-paced and quick to react against perceived “sales spin,” this type of communicator is direct -- sometimes abrasive. For these results-focused buyers, time is truly money: When they set a 30-minute meeting, they expect a 30-minute meeting. “To them, you’re there for a reason: To solve their problem,” says Ted Gorski, president of Get Your Edge, an executive coaching firm.

To please this communicator, get to the point quickly. “Don’t offer laborious details,” says Gorski, a certified executive coach. “If they want more information, they’ll ask for it.” In your presentation, be sure to focus on the positive results your solutions will deliver for this client and their organization. Also, provide several solution options. “The asserter values having control, and when you give them options, you’re giving them that control,” says Gorski.

The Socializer: 
Enthusiastic, positive and always up for small talk, this communicator wants to connect on a personal level. “They’ll ask how your drive in was – about you and your family, if you want a cup of coffee,” says Gorski.

With these buyers, it’s important to engage in chit-chat before delving into business. “You have to warm up to them,” says Gorski. “They evaluate whether they want to do business with you based on how they feel about you. If you’re impersonal, they’re not going to have a good feeling.”

Since enjoying a positive social experience with potential partners is necessary for these communicators, it’s often advantageous to hold meetings in less formal settings – say over lunch at a restaurant. If you are in the office, use samples, a whiteboard or PowerPoint, as socializers tend to be visual. Still, refrain from sharing a lot of data. “Too many details will make them glossy-eyed,” says Gorski.

The Mediator: 
Composed and friendly, mediators are about relationships. They desire dependable partners that provide value over the long haul. “You need to prove your trustworthiness if you want their business,” says Gorski, noting reps who project a warm, calm demeanour have the most success with these buyers.

After beginning with small talk, ask mediators what’s important to them – what their concerns are and what they’d like to learn from you. Such questions show you’re genuinely interested in helping them, which establishes trust. Further, build your credibility by sharing stories about your most successful client relationships – relationships that have lasted years. Any securities or guarantees you can offer will be welcome, too. During the discussion, proceed methodically. “You don’t have to saturate them in detail, but you need to build the presentation logically for it to appeal,” says Gorski.

The Analyzer: 
Process-oriented and highly attentive to detail, this communicator desires data and lots of it. “They’re going to want to know about your process – step 1 to step 25,” says Gorski.

To impress this buyer, send them a meeting agenda in advance. “They like the chance to write down questions and notes so they can be sure they get the information they need,” says Gorski. When the meeting starts, eschew the small talk and get down to business. Win points by asking these clients about their buying process. “You have to honour their process,” Gorski says. “If you try to deviate from that, they’re not going to work with you.”

Through the discussion, provide ample information, including statistics and supporting visuals and analysis. Be prepared to answer a lot of questions, and make sure that any information you give corresponds to what is on your website; the analyzer looks for discrepancies. If there is a snag in the sales process, it’s typically down to analyzers not having the information they need. So ask: “Is there a piece of information I can provide that will help you in your decision?” Doing so can unclog this communicator’s mental jam – and set you on the path to a sale.

The SOUVENIR® brand is back and it's Kevin's choice!

KEVIN'S CHOICE

The SOUVENIR® brand pen brand has been revived as of October 1st with an initial collection of 14 new pens, plus additional designs launching in early 2019. This distinctive collection was designed in-house and includes exclusive writing instruments with unique features and elevated ink technology.
I received and used a sample of the SOUVENIR® "Story Pen" and it immediately became my "go-to" pen. I was impressed with the way it wrote as well as it's styling and last but not least it's price point. I bought them for ourselves as a promotion vehicle for Advantages. (I guess you can say we like it!) Ask me for some samples and you'll be on my bus too!
This isn't a pen that will re-write (pardon the pun!) the writing instrument industry. It's simply a pen brand that's solid and worthy of your logo brand.

SOUVENIR®

 The Souvenir® brand tells modern stories with a fresh and imaginative twist. Designed to fit your unique style, Souvenir® writing instruments are the perfect choice to record special moments, memories, and ideas. Use the power of Souvenir® quality to effortlessly showcase your distinctive brand. 

It¹s your personality on paper, it¹s your story!

Click Here & See them all!

The Promotional Calendar : True "Top Of Mind Advertising"

Of all available promotional products, I can’t think of a better return on investment than the advertising calendar. When your calendar is on a client’s or prospect’s desktop or wall, they’ll see your “ad” every working day throughout the entire year. And when they need your type of product and/or service it’s your business name that will pop to mind immediately. This is true “Top of Mind Advertising”.

Statistics show that households have an average of four calendars per home and that the typical businessperson has an average of 2.5 calendars in his/her immediate work area. There is no question that calendars are a necessity as people juggle busy personal and business schedules. The demand for calendars on an annual basis provides an ideal opportunity to use them as an advertising vehicle.

One-to-one marketing: Seeing your calendar at home or at work every day of the year builds brand loyalty—the kind of loyalty that is hard to get with any other form of advertising. Best of all, it’s these loyal customers who recommend your brand to others.

Cost per Impression:   You’ve most likely heard the term. Let’s say you decide on a three dollar calendar. It’s a given that your calendar will be looked at a minimum of once a day for the whole year. That amounts to an eighth of a cent a day!

The Testimonial: Anyone who sees your business name on the calendar on the client’s desk or wall will automatically assume that person is doing business with you. It acts as a testimonial to your business!

TIP:   If placing your add on a desk calendar, be certain to include a “second-side” imprint. This will make certain that the individual sitting opposite your client’s desk will see your ad too!

R.O.I.: My own experience with the calendars that AdVantages distribute to our clients is that the calendar is the only advertising people ask for. Customers essentially ask for this advertisement year after year. People need and use calendars to manage their time and, receiving a calendar as a gift makes it all the more beneficial and provide a superb return on investment.

Calendar advertising is meant to promote your business while building recognition of your brand at the same time. Customers don’t view calendars as advertising— they view them as gifts. People actually look forward to receiving their calendars each year.

Click now and view our selection of wall and desk calendars

TRADE SHOW TIPS & TRICKS

 

It’s no secret that trade show success is directly related to how much effort you put into it. The right combination of preparation, eye-catching displays and merchandise can result in serious sales. In fact, the Center for Exhibition Industry Research has determined that 83% of show attendees have some sort of buying power and 79% say tradeshows help them decide what products to buy. [1]

Take advantage of the face to face opportunities shows provide with these ideas to help you stand out and get attention in a crowded space.
Less Is More
It may be counterintuitive to employ a “less is more” philosophy in your space, but limit your display to key products that are eye-catching to start a conversation. The last thing you want is people leaving your booth to escape the overwhelming feelings that can accompany a cluttered space.

• Use a selective assortment of colorful, innovative and new products to start conversations. If you have a favorite product be sure to include it in the display – your excitement will be contagious!
• Keep things within reach and organized in categories that make sense to you. Group products by type, or marketplace trends.

On Display
While a trade show can be a large investment of your time, energy and money, you don’t have to break the bank to create an effective display. Be creative to build a space that grabs attention and makes the most of your booth space – no matter what size.

• Look up! Vertical displays help in utilizing minimal booth space. Use vertical shelving units, risers, or even drying racks for hanging items.
• Professional looking booths and accessories always are a top priority. Here's where our experience will be invaluable.
• Small budget? Check Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace for inexpensive shelving options. Tiny budget? Just cover cardboard boxes with cloth for low-cost shelves.
• Don’t forget to leave plenty of space to interact with visitors, hand out flyers and showcase catalogs.

Take-Aways
A unique giveaway with WOW factor is going to get people talking and keep your business top-of-mind after the show is over. Items that have a story provide a built-in conversation starter and give you plenty to talk about.

• Do your research. Prior to the show make sure you understand who is attending. The demographic at the show will help determine the best giveaway item (IE: Young crowds respond well to technology).
• Ask friends/suppliers who have been exhibitors at trade shows for their experiences - good and bad. You'll be surprised what pitfalls you can avoid and what marketing ideas to use.
• Bring functional handouts that are useful and/or interactive. Take the time of year into account and be sure to merchandise for holiday and seasonal factors. Again, lean on us for suggestions and ideas.

Questions to Ask Your Suppliers

• What are the hottest products right now?
• What are some emerging trends in the industry?
• What are your best sellers?
• Do you have a list of high-margin items?
• Why have you chosen to display these awesome products?

Helpful Hints

• Be sure that a bag is being given away at tradeshow entry. If not, providing a bag as your handout could be the most useful item people receive!
• Remove the guesswork and have an approximate price displayed on products.
• Don’t forget a “goodie item” to attract people to the booth and literature they can take away.
• Use a logoed tablecloth, name badges and lanyards to be sure visitors know who you are.
• If you’re not sure where to start, find client-focused shows like Chamber of Commerce events or shows that are tailored to a specific industry.
• Don’t be afraid of color! Have bright show shirts for staff and remember light & bright when selecting your display and showcasing product.
• If you partner with a supplier, only show their items and ask if they will provide product to enhance your display and maximize your space.

Visit is at AdVantagesAdvertising.com

Many brands belong in the heart of the home

Think about where you spend the most time in your home—the kitchen, right? When you have guests over, chances are that everyone congregates around the cheese-and-cracker tray at the kitchen island even though there are perfectly good couches and snacks over in the family room. With the open concept design trend toward big kitchen islands, and Food Network-inspired home chefs cooking meals with ultra-fresh ingredients that need chopping and sautéing, the kitchen is where the action is.

 According to Statistics 2015 in a Time Use Survey, 43 percent of men (up from 35 percent in 2003) and 70 percent of women engage in food preparation and clean up. Consumers report that the main reason for keeping a promotional product is usefulness, they are already primed to be interested in tools that help them with food preparation and clean up. Kitchen products are a great opportunity for brands to engage with end users. PPAI research shows that 91 percent of consumers have at least one promotional product in their kitchen.

Ron Williams, director of marketing for Fey Promotional Products, says Fey’s Mi Line of products is all about putting a brand’s message in every home. “Given that 52 percent of adults spend three hours in and around their kitchen daily, and 80 percent of households cook with fresh ingredients that need to be prepped, it’s important to provide practical products that deliver premium exposure.”

See what kind of Promotional Kitchen Tools are available - Click here.

Sales Prospecting Tools

The 3 Digital Ones You Are Not Using (But Should Be)

Posted in Sales, Toolkit on November 21st, 2013


One of my favorite things about working in the startup community is the exposure I get to awesome new tools. There are tons of smart people building genuinely useful technology, allowing us to continually get more efficient at what we do.

There are three prospecting tools in particular that our clients and fund companies have incorporated in the last year. When startups are getting off the ground, they have to rely on a lot of prospecting and old fashioned hustle to get in front of their audience (the “entrepreneurial sales challenge” is just different). These tools have made them more efficient and improved their results considerably.

These same tools can be leveraged by individual salespeople and teams with equal effectiveness – anyone who does outreach on a consistent basis will likely get huge efficiency gains.
Are you using these sales prospecting tools to prospect efficiently and effectively?
How to Get Anyone’s Email Address

Finding contact information is routinely a struggle for people trying to build prospect lists. Companies are hesitant to publish contact information for individual team members on their sites. Wouldn’t it be great if you could track down email addresses without having to hunt for them? Turns out you can, without leaving your inbox.

Rapportive is a Gmail plugin that shows you social media account information for your contacts. You enter the contact’s email address, and in the sidebar you’ll be able to see their LinkedIn account, Twitter account, etc. Useful.

But Rapportive has an even better, unstated use – reverse engineering it to find email addresses based on the existence of social accounts.

If you know someone’s name and the URL of the organization they work for, you can simply start typing different combinations of email addresses into the To: field, like so:

sean@digintent.com

sjohnson@digintent.com

sean.johnson@digintent.com

If the person’s social accounts populate in the sidebar, you know you have a match. Spooky.
How to Know if They’ve Read Your Email

Another great gmail plugin is Yesware, which tracks if and when users have read your messages.

This can be useful for prioritizing follow-up. While no one would argue an opened email is a strong buying signal, people who open your messages are more likely to engage with you than people who deleted or ignored your email.

It can also help you learn the email patterns of your prospects or current clients. You might discover that a particular person tends to check their email at night or first thing in the morning, allowing you to time your messages so they’re on the top of the stack. Another person might open emails but consistently wait a few days to reply. You’ll no longer be in the dark wondering what’s going on.

Yesware has a number of other useful tools. You can store templates of messages you reuse frequently, and can track the success rate of a given template. It syncs easily with Salesforce. And it’s super simple to use. They have a free plan, but don’t be surprised if you immediately upgrade – it’s a service that instantly proves its usefulness.
How to Follow Your Prospects Around the Internet

You’ve probably had this happen to you – you visit a website, perhaps starting the checkout process to buy a product but you bail midstream. Over the next week, you start seeing ads from that company on dozens of other sites you visit, perhaps including the item you were about to purchase. Creepy, right?

That’s called retargeting, and it’s become an extremely valuable tool in most digital marketing arsenals.

Turns out the same technology can be leveraged with email. Some remarketing platforms, including Perfect Audience, allow you to embed a remarketing pixel into emails, which tracks when prospects open a message (just like Yesware). Once an email is opened, you can show them display ads on other sites they visit.

This can be super powerful, and smart companies are experimenting with this in a variety of ways:

Holding a webinar or event? Offering a whitepaper or ebook? Remind people who opened and clicked through to the landing page but didn’t sign up.

Have you found social proof to a great lever to get in the door? Show logos of recent national press or industry awards.

Trying to overcome a particular objection? Create mini-case studies using quotes or example results from satisfied customers that specifically hit those pain points.

Remarketing requires the most work to set up, and you’ll need to have a designer create the display ads for you. But there can be huge upside. Optimizing the middle of your sales funnel can provide huge ROI – getting more prospects to take action is much cheaper and easier than finding more prospects.

So there you have it – three simple digital tools to dramatically improve your prospecting effectiveness.

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

Holiday B2B Gift Giving - What to Give to Who

STEPS:

New Client
You probably don’t know your brand-new customers all that well, so go for something with universal appeal. Everyone loves food. Everyone could use some stress-relief and relaxation. Think about a nice candy jar, or some delicious coffee. You can also consider a relaxation kit.

Biggest Client
Biggest clients – those who bring in the most profit – should receive gifts that cost more and are a little more upscale. A nice leather briefcase works for anyone who works. A special gemstone clock lets anyone know their business is precious.

Friend and Client
For clients who are buddies, too, you can go a little more intimate and even humorous. Also, think about the kids. If you go that extra mile to include your customer’s children in the gift-giving plan, along with custom gift wrap for the child’s gift, that gesture won’t be forgotten.

Potential Client
Potential clients should receive something practical and unisex that they will absolutely find useful. It’s like you’re saying, “Hey, we really gave this some thought.” (Now, think about us!)

6 WAYS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR LUNCH BREAK

Taking a lunch break is important. It’s time when you can step away from your computer and have a little “me” time. Your lunch break should be a time when you can unplug and stop thinking about work so you can re-energize to make it through the rest of the day.

Unfortunately, many of us are guilty of working through our lunch breaks and some of us even skip lunch entirely, which is not healthy.

To help inspire you to do something better with your lunch break, we’ve compiled this list of ways to take advantage of this time:

1. Work on a side project.

What are you passionate about? Your lunch break is a great time to give your cooking blog some love, or maybe work on your poetry. Find whatever it is that excites you and then throw yourself into it just for fun. But make sure it’s something that helps you relieve stress, not create more of it.

2. Catch up with a friend or loved one.

We often get so caught up in the day to day, we forget what – or, more importantly,who – really matters. Use your lunch break to catch up with a family member or friend you haven’t spoken to in a while. Not only will it make their day a little brighter, but you’ll likely come back from lunch a little extra pep yourself.

3. Have lunch with the most interesting or inspiring person in your company.

No matter how experienced you are, you can still learn a lot from other people. Ask them what their day-to-day responsibilities are, how they stay organized, what they do to stay motivated and what they most enjoy outside of work. Not only could you learn something that you could apply to your own work, but you could gain a friend in the process.

For executives and business owners, taking the time to learn about their employees has made a tremendous impact on their bottom lines. You may be surprised what you learn. You could find out about issues or inefficiencies in your company that you didn’t know existed, and then take action to re-mediate them.

4. Get outside.

Weather permitting, go eat lunch outside. Post up on a park bench and read a book, or ask a coworker to toss the ol’ pigskin around. Depending on how much time you have, you could also go for a walk or a bike ride. Research has shown that taking a break in nature can do wonders to lower your stress levels and improve your mood, and being active outdoors is extra beneficial.

5. Meditate.

Meditating has been shown to improve concentration and help us relieve a lot of that stress that builds up throughout the workday. Click here to learn how to meditate.

6. Challenge your neighboring office to a competition.

Remember how we told you having fun at work ups your productivity. Take our advice and challenge the office next door to a friendly office chair race or a game of soccer, ping pong, pool, foosball, capture the flag or cornhole!