The Promo Coach

Many businesses are feeling the pressure of a difficult economy and cutting costs in as many areas as possible. Even if you found that there was no budget for customer appreciation gifts it is important consider sending holiday cards. Sending cards to your customers lets them know that you appreciate their past loyalty and look forward to serving them in the future.

Even with less than a week until Christmas there is still time to get cards in the mail. Waiting until the last minute has its own reward; more than likely the cards will be on sale.
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Over the years we have been to and been part of a lot of customer appreciation parties. These events can be a huge boost to your business, especially if you are retail, but they are as filled with pitfalls as the swamp scene in Princess Bride! Depending on how you plan and carry it out it caqn make your company look really really good…or really, really bad. Over the next week we will look at some of the differences between a great party and a lousy one. The first hint is “Don’t be cheap!”
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Once you have the theme, the budget, and the location for your corporate Christmas party planned you can fill in the details much more easily.

It is important to keep the party light and fun. It should not be a stressful time of an employee having to decide which of five forks he should use for the salad course, but of having a great time.

There are several ways to ensure that it happens. (continue reading…)

Whether you run a small company with three employees or a huge mega- corporation, corporate Christmas parties are, or should be, a priority on your to do list. There is really no better way to build morale and tell your employees thank you for a year of loyal service.
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It isn’t too early to start thinking about corporate holiday party themes. The more planning that you can do in advance the more smoothly your celebration go.

Choose a theme that will fit the image of the company to some extent. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a black tie affair but, especially if customers and clients will be on the guest list, make sure that it builds their confidence. (continue reading…)

I know a guy who works as a company representative and who is very successful at his job. His success is due to many factors, but there’s one in particular that has always impressed me: he never forgets the worker bees.
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Have your evaluated your management skills lately? More importantly have you looked at your ability to motivate your employees?

The ability to encourage the people that work for you is an asset. People want to feel appreciated, and they want to know that they are looked upon as individuals not part of a corporate machine. By creating the habit of encouragement you may well be insuring the continued success of your company. (continue reading…)

Massachusetts Senate President Therese Murray is finding unique ways to cut health care costs and banning pharmaceutical gifts in the state could be one of them. The senate proposed a bill to the floor as part of a larger bill to continue efforts in developing a state-wide electronic medical system.

The proposed ban suggests that any gift should not be of substantial value. A gift given in this industry should completely benefit a patient. This proposed ban encompasses physicians, staff and family members and if passed would be the first of its kind in the country. This is not good news for the promotional products industry.

Pharmaceutical companies are the largest users of promotional products and a ban could be detrimental for this industry, depending on how strict the rules are. Promotional gifts are the most popular branding strategy. This could mean that pharmaceutical companies will need to shift branding strategies and rely on other techniques.

The good news is that it can take years for a bill to pass, if it passes at all. Hopefully, this will turn into a national trend.