Promotional Products All-Ways Advertising Blog

The Debate is Over, Ad Specialties High Scores Can’t be Overlooked

2010-05-20T08:57:00.000-07:00

Marketers often debate over what will be the next great advertising medium. A new study released by the Advertising Specialty Institute found it's not TV, print or radio that gets consumers' attention, but good old promotional swag.
This includes coffee mugs, pencils, retractable solar-powered flashlights or any other product bearing a company logo. Promotional products made up a $15.639 billion industry in 2009, per the ASI. Through surveys conducted both online and in-person in major cities, such as New York and Los Angeles, the institute also found that promotional products generate a cost-per-impression average of $0.004, compared to $.033 for national magazine ads or $0.019 for prime time TV ads.
The surveys asked 600 participants (who were mostly businesspeople over the age of 21) to recall promotional swag received over the last 12 months. Key findings include:
-- 84 percent of consumers remembered an advertiser based on a product they received.

-- 42 percent had a more favorable impression of an advertiser after receiving a promotional product.

-- Nearly one quarter (24 percent) indicated they are more likely to do business with an advertiser based on items they receive.

-- The majority of respondents (62 percent) have done business with an advertiser after receiving a product.

-- Writing instruments are the most commonly owned, with 54 percent of respondents owning them, followed by shirts, caps and bags.

-- Most (81 percent) promotional products were kept because they were considered useful.

-- More than three-quarters of respondents have kept their items for about seven months.

-- Among wearable’s, bags were reported to be used most frequently, with respondents indicating that they use their bags on average nine times per month.

-- Bags deliver the most impressions, with 1,038 impressions per month on average.
The findings indicate that promotional products yield a higher ROI, along with very low cost-per-impression, compared to other advertising media. Moreover, items received this year generated a high recall rate among recipients, leading to greater purchase intent.
During a time when we're facing turbulent economic conditions, this research advises marketers and business owners to invest in advertising specialties i.e. promotional products, now more than ever. Advertising specialties provide measurable results for a very reasonable investment.

Promotional Products: Impact, Exposure and Influence.

2010-05-17T06:19:00.000-07:00

Reach:

• 71% of an audience consisting primarily of business people reported having received a promotional product in the last 12 months.

• Moreover, Moreover 33.7% of this group had the item on their person—a coveted location for advertising that gets seen regularly.

Recall:

When asked:

• 76.1% of the respondents could recall the advertiser’s name on the product that they had received in the past 12 months.

• In comparison, participants were also asked if they had read a newspaper or magazine in the past week. 80% of the participants said yes, but only 53.5% of them could recall the name of a single advertiser.

See chart.
Impression Of The Advertiser:

Promotional Products are powerful opinion change agents. Results of the study reveal:

• 52% of respondents did business with the advertiser after receiving the promotional product.

• Of those who had not done business with the advertiser, almost half stated that they were more likely to do business with the organization that gave them the item.

• The impression of the advertiser is important in building a brand. 52.1% of the participants reported their impression was more favorable since receiving the item.

Frequent Exposure/Low Cost Per Impression:

The frequency of promotional products use is tantamount to advertising exposure. Of those who reported using the promotional item, 73% stated that they used it at least once a week. 45.2% used it at least once a day. In media measurement, the greater the frequency of exposure, the lower the cost per impression.

Repeated Exposure:

How long do people generally keep promotional products?

55% of participants generally kept their promotional products for more than a year. This means repeated exposure over a long period of time.

Why Keep The Item?

Note the chart above showing how long people generally keep promotional products. Why do they hold onto the promotional items for so long? This study found:

• 75.4% thought the item was useful.

• 20.2% thought the item was attractive.

• 1% refer to the item for information.

• 3.3% had other reasons for keeping the item.

Pass-Along Exposure:

Participants of the study were asked what they do with promotional products they do not plan to keep. Their responses indicate the possibilities of pass-along exposure.

• 26% of participants reported that they give the item away to someone else.

• 45% ﬁle the item away.

• 30% throw the item away if they do not plan to keep it.

The 26% who give the product to someone else clearly provide ample pass-along exposure to the advertiser similar to that of magazine advertising.

In A Nutshell:

Promotional Products furnish advertisers with advantages that may not be available in other media. These include:

• High recall where the name of the advertiser is remembered.

• Repeated exposure to the advertising message because of length of time the item is kept.

• A more favorable impression of the advertiser, resulting in a propensity to do business with the organization giving the item.

Promotional products can provide key elements to an advertising campaign and enhance opportunity for driving a message far beyond traditional media.

When Facebook Rules The World.....

2010-04-23T07:28:00.000-07:00

"If competition breeds innovation, closed systems kill it . . . Today, there's no war over who can better mine the social graph. That's because Facebook holds the only key, and for now, we're all locked inside."

Facebook still holds the key, but yesterday it swung the door wide open. At the annual f8 conference for outside developers, CEO Zuckerberg took the stage to announce some game-changing new technologies. The first is the Web-wide "like" button. Now, when someone visits any one of hundreds of sites ranging from CNN to IMDb, he can "like" a piece of content there. That connection is automatically, intelligently integrated into your Facebook profile—if you like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Facebook understands that that's a movie, and automatically adds it to your list of favorite films. This is Facebook-as-magpie, a crowded nest to house every possible scrap of social information about its users, even if it's coming from elsewhere on the Web.

The second and more important technology is the "open graph." For the first time, outside developers can get a good look at the Facebook social graph, and use it on their own sites. In practice, that means when you go to CNN.com, CNN can show you a list of articles that have been "liked" by your friends—even if you've never been to CNN.com before, let alone created an account and signed in there.

This is the most ambitious thing to happen on the Web in a long, long time. The coverage has been breathless. A TechCrunch post carried the headline "I Think Facebook Just Seized Control of the Internet." Slate's technology writer, Farhad Manjoo, declared that "Facebook is basically going to be the Web."

The implications are enormous, and Twitter, for one, should be very, very scared. During his keynote, Zuckerberg seemed to take a dismissive swipe at the micromessaging service and its ceaseless "stream" of tweets:

The stream is ephemeral. You post something to the stream, and it's there for a few hours, and some people will see it, and then it mostly floats away. And the services that consume the stream, they don't actually form a connection between you and that restaurant; they don't actually understand the semantic relationship that exists between you and what you're connecting to.

Facebook is now going to create and store that "semantic relationship," which is both great and terrifying. Computer scientists have long envisioned a Web 3.0, a smarter Internet that understands the difference between objects, people, places, animals, etc. In other words, computers and servers should know that Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is an object, and in particular it's a film, and in particular a film by Michel Gondry, who is a person. Right now computers see words like "Michel Gondry" only as dumb, meaningless text. Facebook wants to change that—which is great. But it also plans to own that information—which is scary.

Brand Marketing & The Long Term Effects of Promotional Products

2010-04-09T09:23:00.000-07:00

Brand Image:
The impressions consumers have of a company extend well beyond the product or service the ﬁrm provides. Brand image is a mental image that reﬂects the way a brand is perceived, including all the identifying elements, the product or company personality, and the emotions and associations evoked in the consumer’s mind.

Objective:
The study was designed to determine the impact promotional products have on recipients and its long-term effects

Methodology:
This study was conducted by Georgia Southern University using an experimental design. The participants, who were students at the university, were divided into two groups. After completing a pre-test, the experimental group received an imprinted promotional product that reﬂected the company’s image. The control group received nothing. A post-test survey, conducted approximately a month later, asked questions to determine the groups’ image of the company. The results of this study are based on a sample size of 647 completed pre-test surveys and 538 completed post-test surveys. For the study, the researchers selected, as the test company, a restaurant located in a college town a few miles from a university campus.

Overall Image
Promotional product recipients held a more positive image of the company than the non-recipients. On scale of 1 to 7 with 7 representing a positive image, both groups were above the neutral score of 4 for four out of ﬁve categories. Although the differences are within a similar range in the ﬁgure below, they are statistically signiﬁcant.

Perception Of The Business
The group receiving the promotional product had a more positive image as evidenced in their comments about the company than the non-recipient control group. The difference was statistically signiﬁcant.

Likelihood Of Recommending The Business
The group receiving the promotional product was signiﬁcantly more likely to recommend the business to others than the group that received nothing.

In A Nutshell:
Promotional Products have a positive impact on brand image. Speciﬁcally, when comparing people who receive a promotional product from a company with others who do not, this research shows that people who receive a promotional product have a signiﬁcantly more positive opinion about a business through:
• More positive overall image
• More positive perception of the business
• Higher likelihood of recommending the business
• Higher likelihood of patronization

ROI
The study did not set out to speciﬁcally measure ROI. However, after the study, the business reported:
• 10 - 15% increase in sales
• 5 - 10% increase in new customer group (students)
• Opening a second location on the university campus

Published by: Promotional Products Association International

Promotional Products: Lowest Cost-Per-Impression & Highest Return On Investment

2010-04-02T06:45:00.000-07:00

There has been some recent positive news with regard to an improving economy. So, what is your brand doing about it? Maybe your marketing budget was cut in order to save money during the flailing economy, so are you just sitting around waiting for customers to come to you? Now is the time to be aggressive and grab your share of the clients that are actually ready to let go of some money. You must continue to market your business. There is no other form of advertising that is more cost effective than using promotional products to market your business. Recent studies have shown that using custom printed promotional items have the lowest cost per impression over television, radio, newspaper, and even billboard ads. This means that more people are exposed to promos items with your business logo printed on them. Most promotional products are only cost a fraction of a penny for each marketing exposure.

Now, I’m not saying to stop all other forms of advertising. I am saying that you should think about diversifying your marketing strategies and use some less expensive mediums that may actually be more effective for your business. The key is to choose the right products for your target audience and your business. You also have to choose the right price range. If you choose something to cheap, the giveaways may not be used and will end up in the trash. If you choose something to expensive, you will bust your budget and not reach many people. Use a qualified promotional products expert to help you choose a product that is both useful and unique to help you bring maximum results from your advertising campaign. This investment will bring in more money than you spend.

Photos and research statistics are courtesy of The Advertising Specialty Institute.

How Will You Get Your Business In Front of a Customer Where They Make Purchasing Decisions?

2010-03-24T10:58:00.000-07:00

Two strangers, Ed and Fred, run into each other at a bar and soon learn they are in the same business—sort of.

It quickly becomes clear that Ed is at his favorite watering hole to drown his sorrows. He is a media buyer with a large ad agency that has lost its biggest account. This makes him expendable. Fred, however, is celebrating. A promotional products guy, he has just knocked down a $75,000 order for imprinted wearable’s and 10 gross of higher ticket writing instruments. It takes all the restraint he can muster to refrain from telling the bartender to keep ’em coming.

Reach is an advertising measurement that has always bedeviled Ed because his work seldom involved the promotion of universal products—the things that everybody buys. Toothpaste and toilet paper are among the most frequently cited examples. No, he has had to apply mass media to push products to market segments and niches. He’d be absolutely lost without the audience breakouts and demographics he gleans from SRDS, Arbitron, Yankelovich Monitor lifestyles, Claritas Prizm and those Nielsen People Meters. Ed is beginning to think his future is in the new media—cell phones, PDAs, the internet with its banners and blogs, or product placement in Hollywood blockbusters. Can’t you just see Sharon Stone, once more legs crossed and lighting up a Virginia Slim in Basic Instinct 3?

But Fred is with the old media. After all, promotional products was a thriving endeavor at least 50 years before Vladimir Zworykin remarked, “Gee, this is a cathode ray tube. I think I will invent television.” Although he doesn’t have to mess with all those voluminous reports like Ed, don’t think Fred doesn’t know his research. He’s aware that reach can be a problem for him, too. Put the wrong promotional item in the hands of the targeted audience, and the message or impression is wasted. Fred will have seen his last $75,000 order. Consider the client who says, “I want my company’s name right in front of buyers where they’re most apt to make their purchasing decisions”—like in their office. Fred can respond by presenting a catalog of desk and office accessories. He confidently announces that 38 percent of business people refer to these items at least once a day.

Is Fred making up this stuff? No, he’s referring to page 25 of Promotional Products: Impact, Exposure and Influence, the DFW Airport Study published by PPAI. Like I said, Fred is into research. If you want to be authoritative, you’ve got to be an authority.

Usage Of Desk/Office/Business Accessories

Frequency Percentage

Once a Day 38%

Once a Week 39%

Once a Month 10%

Once in Six Months 13%

Never 0%

Abridged from Promotional Products: Impact, Exposure and Influence, report on research by LJ Market Research, San Diego, and published in 2004 by PPAI.

Thinking Green, Being Green, Living Green: Using Eco-Friendly Promotional Products

2010-03-17T06:10:00.000-07:00

By living the green way, people, the environment as well as the entire ecosystem stand to benefit from its positive effects. Being active in recycling efforts can enable young people enjoy the earth’s natural resources as they grow. In this way, they will also learn to teach the generation that follows them the importance of taking care of the environment.

Going green, though, should not be limited to life at home. Outside of our homes, there are numerous things that can be recycled that can be made into useful and unique items. It’s good news that many companies have taken steps to manufacture products from recycled materials.

You’ve most likely heard about these recycled products that have flooded the market in recent years. Companies who support environmental efforts have, in fact, used some of these customized promotional items for their corporate giveaways and promotion efforts as well. Some of them that prefer to highlight their corporate identity have chosen the logoed products, which serve as perfect gifts to their loyal clients as well.

For businesses, utilizing eco-friendly promotional products can be an effective advertising and promotional strategy. With the awareness we now have of global warming, it’s not a good idea to be complacent and ignore the ever growing trend. It’s best to contribute in the preservation of the ecosystem. It does not take much effort to help preserve the environment. All it takes is self discipline; you need to be able to sustain the recycling and green attitude in our everyday lives. When we’re conscious of the positive things we do to our surroundings and the benefits they can give to us and to the many people in our community, then we can have peace of mind and joy in our hearts. This feeling of goodness and satisfaction will radiate within us and towards other people for years to come. Happy St Patty’s Day from All-Ways Advertising.

Social Media Tools and Promotional Products: Exponentially Increase Effectiveness by Uniting Promotional Tactics

2010-03-03T09:53:00.000-08:00

While promotional products alone are effective in introducing a consumer to service or brand, the benefits increase substantially when the item is combined with another promotional tactic, such as social media.

Social media and promotional products: the planning stage.

People often jump into new marketing efforts without first understanding how they want to use the medium. This isn't always a bad thing -- I didn't understand Twitter at all until I started using it, and now I think it's impossible for someone who's never used Twitter to really get its marketing benefits. Since social media is largely an experiment right now, jumping in and figuring it out as you go along actually works pretty well. Chances are you'll spend as much time already in social media as you would attempting to research and plan it beforehand.

Jumping into promotional products, however, can prove a bit more costly. You don't want to wind up stuck with 700 yellow koozies before you decide that, actually, you want your company's brand is much more unique than the koozie crowd. So it's important to decide beforehand how your promotional products will work for you. What consistent color or colors will you use for all your branding efforts? Are you happy enough with your current logo to see it on hundreds of promotional products? Will you use a smaller amount of more valuable promotional products to win the loyalty of VIP customers, or will you purchase lots of less expensive promotional products to appeal to the widest audience possible? In short, whom do you want your promotional products to influence?

Promotional products do have some similarities with social media in the planning phases. Glimmer Site had a great article about "why small actions are more important than big plans." At some point, you've just got to get started. There's a light bulb moment when you have to stop playing it safe, wasting time by planning too much, and gun it. Step on the accelerator and get going. Great marketing doesn't happen in the planning stages, but in the doing.

Social media and promotional products: different medium, same message.

Much of what you'll be doing in the planning stages of marketing is determining what your brand is. Craig Johnson of the branding house Matchstic says, "The willingness to say no will define you more than the willingness to say yes." Determining who you're not helps you arrive at who you are.

Promotional products should say something about your brand -- maybe only one thing. Because when you try to say everything you end up saying nothing.

Social media is the same way. In order to succeed on Twitter and in the blogging community, you need to make a name for your brand as a specialist in a certain field.

Not only should promotional products and social media both deliver a message about your brand; they should deliver the same message. All-Ways Advertising, where I work, “The right product for the right reason." We reiterate this message on our own promotional products, on the phone -- where friendly, bright sales reps are eager to help, in our emails, on our promotional products website, and in our social media. A consistent message both proves the integrity of your brand and hammers home who you are to customers.

Think Like a Marketer: Create a Multipart Campaign

2010-02-24T09:24:00.000-08:00

Overnight success is a rare thing. Most substantial achievements come only through persistence. That’s why a multipart campaign is the ideal way to target dream prospects whether your own or your client’s. “The benefits of a multipart campaign are many,” says Lauron Sonnier, practical marketing expert and author of Think Like a Marketer: What It Really Takes to Stand out from the Crowd, the Clutter, and the Competition. “With the inherent powers of consistency and repetition, it becomes highly memorable.” The first step is to come up with a theme that will run throughout the program. “Of course, what makes anything a real campaign is a theme,” Sonnier says. “And that theme should be clear to the target from the second exposure.” The theme might play off the name of the company or product you’re promoting. (For example, a tech-support company called PlumChoice features the color purple in all of its marketing.) “Or, campaigns can be more broad and random, like, ‘Here are some of the benefits of working with us,’ ” Sonnier adds, with each component of the campaign highlighting a different benefit.

Before the kick-off, she recommends thinking about where else you can extend the impact of your campaign. “Do you need to change your Web site or add a new message on your e-mail signature or other marketing materials, so everywhere targets go, they’re getting the same message?” she The first mailing for the program needs to be an attention- grabber. The promotional product doesn’t have to be expensive, but make sure the envelope or package is “lumpy” so it gets opened. “You can mix up the heavy, expensive items with lighter, less expensive ones,” Sonnier says. Consider products ranging from bandannas to caps, from flip-flops to T-shirts. “You can build up to your message or tease a grand finale – there are so many ways to work it,” she adds.

Come up with consistent packaging so recipients recognize the each piece as a follow-up as soon as they spot it among the mail. Finally, the timing of the mailings is crucial to your overall success. “Schedule your campaign strategically,” Sonnier says, “so that targets understand that everything goes together and so they’ll have good memory of the last piece when the new one arrives. Weekly or bi-weekly is likely your best bet for a knock-out punch.”

The Top 10 Toys For 2010

2010-02-17T12:46:00.000-08:00

Promotional products are a good solid way to promote your business. No matter what the occasion, when you hand someone a good, reliable product that you know they will use; you know that you are making the most of your advertising dollars. These items make great giveaways not only to children but to other people in and around your business. People who don’t have a use for them will gladly pass them along to children that they know or keep them to play with themselves. There are so many incredible reasons to give out promotional toys and you will just love to see the way they put a smile on the faces of children both young and old. Knowing the toys kids want and logoing what they want to play with while promoting your business at the same time is even more rewarding for everyone.

1. Guitar, Drum and Amp by Paper Jamz

Suggested retail: $19.99-$24.99

Age: 5 and up

Available: June 2010

Paper Jamz are amazingly innovative, affordable instruments featuring Active Graphics TechnologyTM. This technology makes it possible for our children to rock out by touching the circuit-embedded paper surface on the Paper Jamz Guitar and Drums. Jam on the guitar or the drums in three modes, playing along to hit songs or creating your own music. The instruments have built-in speakers with volume control and a line out for kids to use their own earphones or speaker accessories. They have a rocking amp to blast out the jams as well.

2. LEGO games
Suggested retail: $14.99-$34.99
Age: 6 to 8 and up
Available: March 2010

LEGO is introducing 10 new LEGO games in 2010. The game play, continuous building, strategy and reconstruction are a blast. Check out LEGO Minotaurus, where, after children build the game board, they work to get their heroes to the secret temple while attempting to avoid LEGO walls and the evil Minotaur. Also try LEGO Creationary, where children roll the LEGO dice, select one of four exciting building categories and test their building and guessing skills. Finally, don’t miss Lava Dragon, where children will race to be the first knight to climb to the top of the volcano while trying to avoid the lava and summon the dragon.

3. Sing-a-ma-jigs!
Suggested retail: $12.99
Age: 3 and up
Available: May 2010

Sing-a-ma-jigs! are adorable plush characters that treat us to sweet musical fun and silly chatter sounds with an easy squeeze of their bellies. As soon as your little one squeezes the Sing-a-ma-jigs! belly they will giggle endlessly at the sight of their mouths opening, revealing their cute little teeth. Play with one Sing-a-ma-jig at a time or play with them all together to hear them sing together in harmony. The first four Sing-a-ma-jigs! will be out in May and each one will be a different color and sing its own song. The Sing-a-ma-jigs! are simply irresistible.

4. Spy Net Video Spy Watch
Suggested retail: $49.99-$54.99
Age: 8 and up
Available: Fall 2010

The Spy Net Video Watch is real working spy gear that is finally available in the toy aisle. This watch will record video with its built-in camera and microphone and play back video on its built-in 1-4” screen. Kids will be able to upload their video and audio files onto Spy Net, the cool supporting Web site. Children can also download missions from the Spy Net HQ and receive those missions directly on their watches for more spy fun. This product will be one out of a whole series of cool spy products that will interact with one another, brought to you by Spy Net, so keep your eyes open and your guard up.

5. Toy Story Mania!
Suggested retail: $49.99-$54.99
Age: 8 and up
Availability date: Fall 2010

Toy Story Mania! is an adventure-filled TV video game that simulates the new Toy Story Mania! attraction at the Disney theme parks. Once our children see the much-anticipated “Toy Story 3” movie this coming June 2010, they will be searching for ways to interact with their favorite characters. The Toy Story Mania! game plugs directly into the TV and doesn’t require an additional gaming console so kids can just plug it into the TV and play. The Motion TV Games Technology in this game makes it a blast, because to move in the game our kids have to grab the control and get moving in real life.

6. Air Hogs Vectron Wave
Suggested retail price: $24.99
Age: 8 and up
Available: Now

The Air Hogs Vectron Wave is a UFO about the size of a hand that has a built-in sensor allowing it to detect objects below and adjust its height accordingly to float in the air above them. The Vectron Wave’s flight is guided by a wave of your hand. My kids and I marveled at the Vectron Wave because we had never seen a flying toy that we could interact with that didn’t have a remote control.

7. Tonka Garage Ricochet RC Vehicle
Suggested retail: $79.99
Age: 8 and up
Available: Fall 2010

The Tonka Garage Ricochet RC Vehicle is an amazing double-sided stunt vehicle that is designed to tackle nearly every type of terrain. It drives, and if it flips over, no problem — it keeps on trucking. It has a Monsterlift Suspension Technology, which lifts the vehicle into a tough-looking monster truck. The RC vehicle comes with a three-channel remote for excellent steering control.

8. AVATAR vehicles and action figures
Suggested retail: $8.99 and $26.99
Age: 6 and up
Available: Now and new items will arrive in the Spring

Kids are already clamoring for these great toys, and collectors are standing in the toy store right next to the kids, grabbing everything they see. The Avatar toy collection includes Avatar vehicles like the AMP Suit, RDA Grinder and Scorpion Gunship. The collection also has a wide variety of highly detailed and articulated action figures and creatures, all created to the scale of their likeness in the film. Each Avatar toy comes with its own unique i-TAG, which will create a 3-D, augmented-reality image of the toy on a computer screen when held up to a webcam. The animated 3-D image will then “come alive.” To download i-TAG software and find out more information, visit www.avataritag.com.

9. Diary of a Wimpy Kid Cheese Touch Game
Suggested retail: $24.99
Ages: 7 and up
Retail availability: Fall 2010

If you have a reading-age child, you have surely read or heard of Jeff Kinney’s “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” book series. This year our children will be able to play along with their favorite characters from the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” books in its first board game, which encourages creativity and social interaction. Players move their game pieces, including Greg, Rowley, Fregly and Manny, around the game board, facing different challenges and measuring how well they know each other. Correct answers move them closer to finish. Wrong answers can give a player the cheese, and if you have read the books, you know how hard it is to get rid of the Cheese Touch!

10. Kung Zhu
Suggested retail: $7.99-$24.99
Age: 6 and up
Available: June 2010

Kung Zhu is the next generation of 2009’s hottest toy, the Zhu Zhu Pets. The Zhu Zhu Pets now have their own special forces to help keep everything happy and peaceful in the Zhu-niverse, the land where the Zhu Zhus live. Check out the new good and bad Zhu Zhus in the Kung Zhu line. You will love the Ninja Hamsters, the Delta Forces, the Rangers and the Dragon Tribe, and may need to scatter away from the Bad Skull Tribe. The accessories are absolutely hysterical and add loads to the play of these furry warriors.

New Market Research Reveals Best and Worst Industry Performers

2010-02-12T06:14:00.000-08:00

IBISWorld, a market research analysis firm, recently released a report that lists the industries expected to perform the worst and best in the next 10 years. The survey offers plenty of insight for small business leaders looking to explore new markets. “Technology and innovation continue to influence the list fairly significantly,” says George Van Horn, senior analyst for IBISWorld. He points out that voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) providers (like Skype or cable companies offering the technology) topped the list, along with eCommerce in the fourth spot and search engines in the eighth. At the same time, the worst performer is predicted to be soon-to-be antiquated wired telecommunications carriers, while brick-and-mortar DVD and video rental providers take the fourth spot, as online providers broaden their market share.

Distributors in the ad specialty market agree that the tech and online-focused industries are where they’re seeing potential. John Festa, senior sales consultant for Geiger, says that online shopping and high tech areas in general are showing signs of strong growth. “Selling on the Internet is growing – and Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and those kinds of things are expanding. Buyers today are younger.” Juan Carlos Lopez, president of Nema Associates, says that, “the companies who are virtually savvy and know how to present their ideas and concepts that way are where things are going,” and as he looks for new clients, this continues to be a key area. “The consumer is becoming very fluid – they aren’t captive like they used to be,” he says.

Van Horne points out that when an industry starts to have serious problems, it’s generally because it’s being eclipsed by a different industry fulfilling consumer needs in a whole new way, or else foreign competition is taking its toll. It’s the latter that explains why manufacturing industries dominate the worst performing list, with tank armored vehicle manufacturers at number two; vacuum, fan and small household appliance manufacturers at number three; and other manufacturing industries taking four other spots in the top 10 worst-performing markets over the next decade. “All manufacturers are aching in these times,” says Lopez, who has seen his manufacturing clients cutting down on spending.

An additional category poised for growth from Van Horne’s perspective is all things green, particularly environmental consultancy, which holds the fifth spot on the best for the decade list. “A lot of the social trends and demographic issues that were influencing business before the recession have done relatively well during the recession.”

2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games Gets Branded

2010-02-10T07:29:00.000-08:00

According to Promotional Products Association International (PPAI), the non-profit, international trade association for the promotional products industry, pins, shirts, hats and other promotional products will be as popular as ever as they are purchased, collected or traded in celebration of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver.

"As a spectator, whether you are viewing the games at home or in person, promotional products are among the first things you notice," said Sherri Lennarson, MAS, PPAI board chair. "Apparel and souvenirs with the iconic rings, host city logos and designs from participating countries help create the sense of team spirit and unity associated with the Olympic Games."

In addition to building excitement, promotional products are a key medium of brand marketing. "Some of the world's leading corporations invest millions of dollars in Olympic sponsorships for the widespread brand exposure and association with such a historic event," said Lennarson. "These Olympic marketing programs typically incorporate a variety of promotional products. For the Winter Games, products will include t-shirts, key chains, buttons and drink ware, among others, all branded with official Olympic or sponsoring company logos."

Many sponsoring companies and official licensees are turning to eco-friendly products to highlight their brands. "Promotional products have an undeniable impact when used during the Olympics, especially when they are eco-friendly" said Mark Trotzuk, president of Boardroom Eco Apparel. "These branded products are a key tool for promoting both leading brands and environmental protection worldwide."

Collecting promotional products from Olympic Games has become a sport in itself. The frenzy over Olympic promotional items began at the first modern Olympics and has grown ever since. "Mascots, pins and stamps have become highly-sought after items, allowing spectators to have ownership of a part of history," said Lennarson. "An Olympic pin from the 1960 Olympic Games can sell for nearly $300 today."

Coca Cola is known to be the longest, continuous corporate partner of the Olympic Games and has helped drive the phenomenon of pin trading. The company creates anticipation with a new pin design for each Olympiad to be worn by residents, spectators, Olympic officials and athletes.

Promotional products don't have to be all about business. Stuffed animal mascots are usually among the most popular Olympic memorabilia purchased and traded among spectators. The 2010 mascots, Miga, Quatchi and Sumi can be found on a variety of products designed to appeal to both kids and adults.

Items that are difficult to acquire are in high demand, such as the Olympic torches used in the around-the-world relays leading up to the opening ceremony. "Worn jerseys are coveted items and serious collectors often attempt to purchase these products directly from athletes," said Lennarson. "From rare souvenirs of Olympics past to collectable items from modern games, Olympic promotional products have a long tradition of being rewarding for both sponsors and spectators, alike."

Social Media Campaigns Integrating Promotional Products

2010-02-03T09:31:00.000-08:00

Good companies know a sound social media strategy is much more than a Facebook Fan Page or setting up a Twitter account. However, there are some companies that think putting up only a Facebook Fan Page is a sound social media strategy. The good companies know that social media has to be integrated into everything that they do - it's a part of their overall strategy since it touches every facet of the business.

Promotional products actually do wonders in creating brand awareness. This is because promotional gifts offer organizations an opportunity to take its various brands to the hands of the public. It gives opportunity to companies, especially to start-ups, to get a good foot hold in the market whereas established companies can use it for growth. At times, there are questions being raised on the utility of promotional products and its effective returns. The recipient will always come across your brand name and the company logo whenever he or she will make use of the product gifted. This will keep the name of the brands alive in the minds of the customers for long time which is great for the business. Research shows that promotional gifts are not only cost-effective but more beneficial in marketing terms than most of the expensive modes of advertisements.

Printed promotional gifts offer an advantage of building an identity for the company which is very important in the corporate world. Printed promotional products also give an opportunity to business and government organizations to reinforce itself in the customers mind. Even social organizations use promotional products to create awareness on various issues. Check out All-Ways’ input on cause marketing by clicking here.

Personalize a Logoed Polo Ralph Lauren Collection

2010-01-29T07:42:00.000-08:00

Polo Ralph Lauren is a leader in premium lifestyle apparel. All-Ways Advertising is proud to offer to our partners the opportunity to personalize a logoed collection of Polo items. Place your logo on the iconic classic-fit short-sleeved polo, or picture your company logo on the more formal classic-fit oxford button down. A variety of men’s and women’s sizes available in all the classic Polo Ralph Lauren colors.

Corporate casual is the norm in today’s business world and All-Ways has 40 years of experience in helping our partners develop programs that improve employee morale and enhance company image. Polo’s iconic collections possess a casual, effortless professionalism that is always in style. Let All-Ways help your brand get noticed by setting the standard in logoed apparel.

All-Ways supporting the relief effort by donating to Doctors Without Borders

2010-01-27T11:14:00.000-08:00

Robert Lieberman, President, All-Ways Advertising, announced today that the company joined the global effort to assist the victims of the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck near the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince on January 12th.

All-Ways supported the relief effort by donating to Doctors Without Borders (DWB), an international medical humanitarian organization created by doctors and journalists in France in 1971. DWB provides aid in nearly 60 countries to people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe, primarily due to armed conflict, epidemics, malnutrition, exclusion from healthcare, or natural disasters. DWB is committed to providing immediate aid and relief to the thousands of people affected by this tragedy.

All-Ways collected employee donations and provided matching funds for a total of $2000.00, which was submitted to Doctors Without Borders on behalf of the entire company.

Lieberman thanked his personnel for their generosity and support of such a worthy cause, reminding them that, "an event such as this serves to demonstrate to each of us how precious life truly is and how quickly our life circumstances can change. I am exceedingly proud of our employees for reaching out to those whose lives have been forever changed by tragedy."

All Too Common Promotional Mistakes

2010-01-27T09:21:00.000-08:00

Many companies today believe the best and only time to give out promotional products is at the first of the year. This is when you can be bombarded with calendars and pens. If you are like so many other people, you cannot use all of these items. You can only use so many pens and calendars for the upcoming year. Most of these items are placed in a drawer or on a shelf and are forgotten about. If you want to promote your business or service through the mail, then you should come up with other ideas besides the traditional promotional products. Yes, these are very nice and may bring in a few more customers, however, if everyone else is doing the same thing your calendar may drown in the sea of the junk drawer.

If you do wish to send promotional products at the beginning of each new year come up with other promotional items and leave the wall calendars and pens on the counter at your business for customers to pick up and take home.

Some unique items that can be used as promotional products that are also on the theme of organization for the upcoming year could be such items as organizers, year planners, diaries, and even note pads or note cubes. You can choose such promotional products like Sticky Book Office Assistant and Biz Card Magnet w/Pad in all different styles. These are products that your customers or potential client will place on their desk and use every day, thus putting your company name in plain sight. Other desk promotional products that are great for promotional products at the beginning of the New Year include rulers, staplers, letter openers, clips, memo holders, magnifiers, desk organizers, calculators, and paperweights

Now, onto other categories with awesome promotional product ideas other than the ordinary calendar. You may not believe it, but many people would love to have a t-shirt, baseball cap, or other apparel. Of course, these items are a bit more expensive, but for a thank you for existing clients, vendors, or business associates these items are great.

Many people start the New Year off with resolutions to become healthier. This means they will be looking into health related products. You could jump on this with health care, safety and fitness promotional products such as First Aid, Pill Dispensers, Bandage Kits, Pedometers, Personal Care items, Spa Gifts, safety items, and babies and children's items.

After all the holiday and the New Year beginning, several people feel the strain and become stressed with the mounting bills. Why not cater to this by sending promotional items such as Stress Balls. You can find these items in many different shapes and styles such as a baseball, physic ball, smiley face, airplane stress toy, basketball, sonic rocks, golf ball, light bulb, and more.

You may not think how important automobile accessories can be at the beginning of the year. These great promotional products will give your potential customers, existing clients, vendors, and business associates items they need and will use all year long. You can choose such items as Emergency Kits, Tools, Tire Gauges, Ice Scrapers, License Plate Frames, Dashboard Accessories, Glove Box Accessories, Visor Accessories, Sun Shades, and bumper stickers.

As you can see, there are several different promotional products you can send out at the beginning of a new year instead of following the crowd and then having your promotional item buried away from sight. Use your imagination and put your company name where it belongs instead of hidden away with the rest of the calendars for the upcoming year.

Building Your Brand Just Takes The Right Formula: Product + Expert + Promise = Brand

2010-01-22T10:44:00.000-08:00

Product: It’s not enough to build a product and assume it will be the base of your brand. In an article By Susan J. Lindner for Entrepreneur Magazine. Susan states just ask Apple about Apple TV, Microsoft about Zune or the New Coke about its prestigious debut. Unless your tag line is “But hey, it’s free,” don’t plan on having a product sell itself--or your company. First, consider what makes the product truly unique. How will it avert pain, bring pleasure and envy to all who use it and, most important, make people talk about it? As a young company, you can’t afford advertising, so word-of-mouth is going to be your primary aim.

Expert: You’ve just developed a box that is going to change the world. Congratulations. You’re also now an expert--on your box, the state of the world that gave rise to your box, the problem that your box is solving, the people who buy your box (and those who would never buy your box--and why they’re losers), and how your box will impact the world. When you’re a thought leader, you’re influencing buyers to believe that they could have never lived without your perspective--or your box. This isn’t easy: It means gathering stats, hearing what your competitors are saying and reading the newspaper to understand where your company’s worldview and culture fit in to the commentary of the day. A true expert understands how to be relevant to the untapped market he seeks, and how to reach and connect to them. By looking a little further down the road and prognosticating what’s to come, you become the thought leader for your industry. Now you just have to be right.

Promise: Think of the brands you love: BMW, McDonald’s, Nordstrom, Apple. What promise do these companies make to you? Do they fulfill it? Every time? Of course they do. Whether it’s engineering, a reliable meal, great service or innovation, they have made a promise to every consumer that they will fulfill it, every time, no excuses. That’s how you establish trust and a foundation for your brand.

To uncover your own brand promise, dig deep to answer these three questions: Why did you build this box? What can you absolutely deliver on, 100 percent of the time, no questions asked? How are you making your customer’s life better every day?

Remember, Ray Kroc never set out to make the best burger; he set out to make the most reliable burger restaurant on the planet. BMW isn’t making the cheapest car, the coolest car or the family car; it’s simply the best-engineered car. That’s what the top engineers from Germany will promise you every time. Their customers’ lives are made better because each time they sit in that car, they’re closer to automotive genius. That promise being met is what makes the customer come back. And when you have a repeat customer, you have a brand.

Questions to consider for selecting the right promotional products for your campaign.

2010-01-20T09:07:00.000-08:00

Promotional Products are a great Way to promote your business among your target audience. Customized Products imprinted with your logo always keep your brand name in the mind of your customers every time they use them. The Success of your campaign depends on the promotional products you are going to give to your Customers. In this article Gagan Deep discusses some Questions which you should ask yourself for getting best Promotional products for your campaign.
Whether my customer needs this Product? This is the most important Question to ask , Whether your customers are really looking for the product you are going to give them or they would always stay under drawers and cupboards of your customers. Whether the product you are going to give them is used daily or just occasionally.

Whether you would be happy to get this product as Free Gift? This is similar to previous Question but this would help you to filter cheap products or products which don’t look good. Select the products which you would like to receive.

Whether your Promotional Products reflect your Brand and Service? The promotional products you are going to give should be relevant to your own products and services. For e.g.:- If you are from tourism industry then promotional Backpacks could be great gift for your audience.
Whether the Products are easy to Customize? Select products where you can imprint your company name, Slogan and contact information easily. Are you selecting the Right Color Scheme? Promotional Products should be of same color you are using in your Logo so that it can reflect your Company Brand and Logo in a better way.
Whether the Products are Reliable? Nobody likes the products which stop working after few days even if they are getting for free. Make sure that products you are going to give are of good Quality so that people can rely on them and create a positive image about your Brand.

Whether your Products are Eco-friendly? Environment Friendly products are made of organic material and can be used again and again. Eco-Friendly products would help you to establish yourself as Environment Friendly Company and more people would love to connect themselves to your Brand.

Whether you can get Products within Deadlines? Select the products based on time available. Make sure that your promotional products supplier can send you final products in deadlines so that you can use them for your scheduled tradeshows or Promotional Campaigns.

Whether your Products are Unique? Research your competitors and don’t select the same products they are using. Try to think out of the box and select some unique products so that you could stand out easily from the rest of your competitors.

All-Ways Video Blog Release

2010-01-20T07:47:00.000-08:00

All-Ways Advertising launches what is to be the first of many All-Ways Video Blog. This months release highlights All-Ways in house engraving capabilities with commentary by All-Ways Vice President Andrew Lieberman.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFbtK9KUqdE

ALL-WAYS AIDS EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS

2010-01-15T10:15:00.000-08:00

Robert Lieberman, President, All-Ways Advertising, announced today that the company would join the global effort to assist the victims of the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck near the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince on January 12th.
He urges All-Ways employees to consider contributing to Doctors Without Borders (DWB), an international medical humanitarian organization created by doctors and journalists in France in 1971. DWB provides aid in nearly 60 countries to people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe, primarily due to armed conflict, epidemics, malnutrition, exclusion from health care, or natural disasters. DWB is committed to providing immediate aid and relief to the thousands of people affected by this tragedy.
All-Ways Advertising is collecting and matching each employee donation; the total will be submitted to Doctors Without Borders on behalf of the entire company.
Lieberman thanked his employees for their support, reminding them that, "an event such as this serves to demonstrate to each of us how precious life truly is and how quickly our life circumstances can change. Let’s all remember to appreciate what we have and reach out to those whose lives have been forever changed by tragedy."

Hand Sanitizer is The Promotional Pen’s New Rival

2010-01-13T09:05:00.000-08:00

Hand sanitizers become popular promotional products

Hand sanitizers now rival pens as the most popular logoed items that companies are giving away to clients and employees.
Indeed, searches of the key words "hand sanitizers" by promotional products distributors via the Advertising Specialty Institute's promotional products database jumped 439% for the period between October 2009 and October 2008. Only searches for pens - which for years have been the best-selling logoed product - were higher that period. In addition, searches for sanitizer products of all kinds jumped by triple digits this year.
"Certainly, there's been a dramatic increase in sales of sanitizer sprays, gels and other anti-bacterial products," said Larry Wilhelm, CEO of Custom HBC, one of the many suppliers of customized health and beauty products for the advertising specialty field. The item is now a best-seller, Wilhelm said. "Since May, sales on this item have increased from about 400,000 to 750,000 units a month."
Sales of all logoed sanitizing products surged in early spring, and again in September, at the start of flu season, Wilhelm said. The "swine flu," or H1N1, is a new influenza virus first detected in people in the United States in April 2009. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that when soap and water are not available, alcohol-based disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizers may be used to help prevent the spread of germs.
Wilhelm says sanitizing products aren't just used as promotional giveaways. More human resources departments are buying them for employees to reduce absenteeism caused by illness.
Sales of promotional products were nearly $20 billion in 2008. Buyers identify such products as the most effective medium among all advertising, next to the Internet.
Flu season isn't over yet. Whats the next big contender?
SOURCE Advertising Specialty Institute

Cause marketing and promo products relationship is only getting stronger

2010-01-08T12:39:00.000-08:00

Promotional products have long played a vital role in sustaining the awareness and increasing support for a variety of cause-related initiatives. From the ubiquitous breast cancer ribbon to the yellow LIVESTRONG bracelets, promotional products are key in carrying the message of these causes to the masses.

This is more evident than ever with the variety of pink products that help mark the beginning of National Breast Cancer Awareness month each year. For more than 20 years, October has been entirely dedicated to increasing awareness, celebrating survivors and remembering those who lost their battle with cancer. First introduced as a grassroots call to action in the 1990s, the program has since gained traction, visibility and support through the tangible and visible effects of pink products, which have also been key in funding research. The type of products supporting this cause range from simple pink ribbons to athletic apparel and water bottles and have become globally recognized symbols for the ongoing fight against breast cancer.

“Promotional items have been extremely important to the breast cancer awareness push,” says Carrie Glasscock, Susan G. Komen senior manager of corporate relationships. “Not only are they essential for fundraising to find a cure, they are also key to spreading life-saving messages to audiences we might never reach without them. With the help of promotional items, it has finally become okay to talk about breast cancer.”

Further demonstrating the power of promotional products in cause marketing is the longevity of the practice itself. In 1917, yellow ribbons were first referenced as part of a military marching song and are still used today to show support for troops deployed around the world.

However, the promotional products industry’s relationship with cause marketing now stretches far beyond ribbons to many other notable causes. Nonprofits are among the Top 10 largest industries to both purchase and use promotional products according to a 2009 study conducted by Promotional Products Association International (PPAI).

Lance Armstrong’s LIVESTRONG wristbands took the topic beyond those immediately impacted by cancer, as the bracelets became a popular, fashionable accessory with everyone from teens to celebrities. Similar results have been seen for red promotional products used in American Heart Association’s Go Red campaign, as well as the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, also known as the (Product) RED Program. Additionally, the NFL unveiled a campaign called “A Crucial Catch” for the 2009 football season, where all players, coaches and referees wear pink apparel, such as socks, cleats, wrist bands and hats, during games throughout the month of October in an effort to bring awareness to the cause. All apparel worn at the games will be placed on auction where proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society.

“We are very proud to have a long history working with cause marketing clients,” shares Margie Price, MAS, president of Premiums Plus Inc. “We know that these products help support our customers’ very important messages, whether for fundraising or educational awareness, while also allowing people around the world to show their support for causes close to their hearts.”

As the only advertising medium proven to engage all five senses, awareness ribbons and other promotional products provide a means of educating audiences. They are also the only medium by which a message can be personalized to reach a diverse but specific group, while providing a tangible, visual reference for repeatedly calling to mind a message. A recent PPAI study also revealed that 76 percent of respondents that had received a product within the past 12 months could recall the name of the brand on the product.

The use of a branded ribbon has become a key component of virtually every major cause marketing campaign and can be found in every color of the rainbow, including puzzle-themed ribbons for autism, grey ribbons for diabetes, gold ribbons for childhood cancer, and even periwinkle ribbons for pulmonary hypertension or high blood pressure. Among some of the other most sought after cause-related promotional products are pens, buttons, wristbands, calendars, apparel, bags, drinkware and office accessories.

“Promotional products are an essential element in the marketing mix because they effectively serve as definitive campaign symbols, educating the public, fostering hope and often assisting with fundraising efforts,” explains Sherri Lennarson, MAS, PPAI board chair. “Adding a specific message to a product offers a tangible and lasting marketing experience for the audience and a proven and reliable means of communicating those messages for different causes around the world.”

THE ALL-WAYS ADVANTAGE: A PLUS FOR CUSTOMERS by Robert Lieberman

2010-01-08T05:44:00.001-08:00

As we celebrate our 40th year in business, we recognize that today’s customers and prospects are inundated with aggressive sales pitches – self-serving, intangible declarations of “we’re the best” or “our product is the greatest” -from sellers anxious to gain a competitive advantage. What do customers really want? – a tangible return on their investment – value and results. Taking a look at the facts, All-Ways Advertising clearly has the advantage – in fact, several advantages.

EXPERIENCE, LONGEVITY AND STABILITY

With a sales and support staff possessing more than 500 years of collective industry experience and five decades in promotional advertising backed by sound business practices, All-Ways has the expertise and resources to meet and exceed expectations. We are well-positioned to translate our marketing know-how and financial stability into providing “the right products for the right reasons” – logoed merchandise that effectively delivers your message and represents your image. Advantage: All-Ways.

VALUE ADDED SERVICES IN-HOUSE

All-Ways recognizes our customers’ need for added value. We’ve added ancillary capabilities including our owned and operated warehouse and fulfillment center, enabling us to better serve our customers by alleviating the burdens of storage and shipping. The 40,000 square foot facility also offers cost-effective direct mail service, catalog redemption, inventory control, door-to-door distribution and gift wrapping. All-Ways recently added on-site engraving service with quick turnaround to assist customers who require immediate delivery. In response to the growing internet shopping trend, we’ve invested in the technology to develop and manage online company stores from our corporate headquarters. All-Ways customers also benefit from an in-house art department with the ability to offer creative solutions from logo design and custom graphics to developing unique new products to showcase your brand. Advantage: All-Ways.

INDUSTRY AND BUSINESS RECOGNITION

All-Ways’ efforts have not gone unnoticed. The company has been honored by “Inc. Magazine” with its prestigious Entrepreneur of the Year Award. We were also recognized by the Specialty Advertising Association of Greater New York (SAAGNY) with the Diamond Award, based on concept originality, creativity, effectiveness of execution and results using promotional products as marketing tools. Since 2000, All-Ways has been an Advertising Specialties Institute Gold Member, ranked in the top 1% of all US based advertising specialty agencies. Achieving national supplier status with the industry’s most respected manufacturers gives All-Ways the buying power that allows us to offer more competitive pricing on a wide range of products and exclusive price breaks on a number of others. Advantage: All-Ways.

DOING THE RIGHT THING - CUSTOMER ENDORSEMENT

In order to maintain the highest service levels, All-Ways routinely asks customers to rate our staff in performance areas that are critical to success; including courtesy, responsiveness, helpfulness and knowledge. They also provide feedback on the quality of the merchandise, quality of embroidery and imprints, timeliness of delivery and ability to meet deadlines. Across the board, the most recent survey results indicate that All-Ways performs at an exceptional level with an overall rating of 98%; with the majority of respondents indicating that they would recommend All-Ways to their colleagues. Advantage: All-Ways.

JUST THE FACTS

The fact is that All-Ways Advertising has the experience, longevity, stability, value added in-house services, industry stature and customer support to produce tangible value and results – a tremendous plus for customers who utilize the All-Ways advantage.

ALL-WAYS THANKS EMPLOYEES FOR GIVING

2009-12-11T10:07:00.000-08:00

ALL-WAYS THANKS EMPLOYEES FOR GIVING
On the day before Thanksgiving, thoughts usually turn to parades, football, turkeys and the holiday season. That Wednesday, All-Ways Advertising President, Rob Lieberman, visited his employees at the company’s warehouse and fulfillment center, where holidays mean additional gift-wrap and shipping projects with tight delivery deadlines. He wanted to personally thank the individuals he calls the cornerstone of the company for their loyalty, dedication and hard work.During this year of celebrating All-Ways’ 40th anniversary, it is important to remember that it all started here, with door-to-door distribution as the company’s primary service. As the company grew and evolved, the warehouse became one of the main reasons All-Ways is able to offer customers expanded service capabilities including storage and shipping. The 40,000 square foot facility also offers cost-effective direct mail service, catalog redemption, inventory control, door-to-door distribution and gift wrapping. All-Ways recently added on-site engraving service with quick turnaround to assist customers who require immediate delivery.During the visit, Rob took the opportunity to give thanks for the employees who “make the company run” and “give All-Ways its competitive edge.” He summarized his feelings saying, "Over the years, we’ve been blessed with employees who really care and work hard all the time to provide the best possible service to our customers - you are the foundation of our business, the reason for our success.” He concluded by saying he hopes to celebrate many more Thanksgivings with his All-Ways family in the years to come.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: OUR CUSTOMERS APPRECIATE ALL-WAYS ADVERTISING

2009-12-04T11:39:00.000-08:00

When All-Ways Advertising recently hosted its annual Customer Appreciation Day, the mission was two-fold: allow the 171 customers who attended to experience over the moon service first hand and offer them a preview of the best new logoed merchandise. Since All-Ways is celebrating its 40th anniversary in business, the atmosphere at the event was reminiscent of 1969 - the year of Woodstock, man walking on the moon and world championships for the Jets and Mets. Subsequent to the event, All-Ways conducted a follow-up survey to gain insight as to why customers attended, what they expected and how well their expectations were met. 84 (almost 55%) of those surveyed responded. Most survey participants indicated that they were looking for holiday gift ideas, although several were also researching items for upcoming corporate events and tradeshows. They offered positive evaluations of every event component that was measured; ranking the critical areas of product selection and variety, and vendor knowledge and helpfulness in the 98th percentile, while rating their overall experience, likelihood to attend again and likelihood to recommend the event to colleagues at 99%. “This was the nicest specialty event I ever attended,” responded one attendee. Another customer who described the day as, “…a first class event, very worthwhile to attend.” These sentiments were echoed many times as respondents took the opportunity to express their overall appreciation, commenting that, “All-Ways is the most accommodating vendor I have ever used…,” and thanking company representatives for “finding exactly what I need.”AWA President, Rob Lieberman, is pleased with the positive evaluations, “A lot of hard work goes into producing this event and it showed in the survey results. It’s gratifying to see that our customers appreciate our efforts. I’m proud of my staff and their ongoing commitment to customer service – not only on customer appreciation day, but every day.”