Friday, January 31, 2014
Celebrating Super Bowl Sunday ads
Super Bowl Sunday is near, and like every Super Bowl of past years, friends and families will gather around the television to cheer on their hometown teams, debate player statistics, eat rich game day food and, of course, watch ads. For some, these advertisements are the highlight of the event, as companies spend millions of dollars for seconds worth of commercial space. To businesses, it's a huge and often hotly debated investment, one that's developed into a sort of commercial cult,
Thursday, January 30, 2014
How to manage remote employees
Allowing employees to work remotely is one of those great perks of the new age. People often love the ability to make their own hours at home, giving them the opportunity to take care of household chores, look after kids or even just avoid having to pay for the daily commute. Employers also have plenty to value in remote workers, who often have flexible schedules, cut down on needed real estate at the office and, if the remote workers are in a different city or country, could possess a
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
The sixth minute approach to sales
Landing a sale is the name of the game when it comes to business, and according to Inc. Magazine, five minutes are all you need to determine if a sale is feasible and whether the client is interested. It's an under-the-gun tactic to rapid sales and it may just be the way to effectively and efficiently handle business under pressure. It supposedly doesn't matter what the product is or to whom companies are selling.Yet, in this world of online price comparison
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
More ways to celebrate National Wedding Month
February is National Wedding Month, and businesses have plenty of ways they can assist couples in making their dream ceremonies a reality. Weddings are an important but also stressful time, where any help is welcome, and promotional gifts such as planners and calendars can facilitate the planning process while putting organizations' names into a field that's ripe for making relationships with consumers. However, organizations that really want to make an impact may want to consider
Monday, January 27, 2014
Have Fun at Work Day is coming soon
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, or so the saying goes. Last year's Employee's Choice Awards from Glassdoor also seemed to suggest that a little fun in the office can go a long way toward making Jack a happy, satisfied worker. Some of the highest rated companies - including LinkedIn, Twitter and Interactive Intelligence - inject challenging work with a significant dose of fun, whether through state-of-the-art break rooms, cookouts or paintball outings. While small
Friday, January 24, 2014
How businesses can help plan weddings this February
The U.S. had over 2 million weddings in 2012, according to market research conducted by the Wedding Report. That's a lot of ceremonies to plan. Anyone who has taken part in a wedding knows also knows that that's not an easy task. Yet, many would probably agree that weddings should be more about the celebration of a union than the stress and fatigue that comes with organizing such an event. Most brides and grooms would probably welcome the opportunity to cut down on
How businesses can help plan weddings this February
The U.S. had over 2 million weddings in 2012, according to market research conducted by the Wedding Report. That's a lot of ceremonies to plan. Anyone who has taken part in a wedding knows also knows that that's not an easy task. Yet, many would probably agree that weddings should be more about the celebration of a union than the stress and fatigue that comes with organizing such an event. Most brides and grooms would probably welcome the opportunity to cut down on
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Understanding promotional products through retargeting
Making an advertisement can be easy - the hard part is getting people to listen. Small businesses that find themselves up against big box retailers must face not only competitors with instant brand recognition, but also larger budgets. As such, it's important that local businesses learn to utilize their advertising budgets wisely so that they can turn buzzwords and images into sales. This is called a conversion rate, and in today's digitally-tuned
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Valuing simplicity over engagement
Video and content marketing are among the frequently cited trends to help businesses boost their sales. Tied in with the idea of these marketing tactics is the principle of online engagement via social media, whether it be through regular Instagram posts, the announcement of promotional giveaways and contests or simply keeping in touch with the customer base.While the digital world can be a great place to interact and stay relevant in consumers' minds, a recent Forbes article
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Spread the word about children's dental health
The U.S. is undergoing a dental health crisis, according to the American Dental Association. Millions of Americans are failing to receive adequate dental care, including children. Furthermore, despite the Affordable Care Act's apparent efforts to require dental coverage for all children, National Public Radio has reported that loopholes are allowing for children to miss out on coverage. Yet, whether families have insurance for their children or not, it doesn't
Friday, January 17, 2014
Encourage youth volunteering for National Youth Leadership month
People sometimes find themselves wishing they volunteered more and, in fact, the U.S. Government cited it as one of many consistently popular New Year's resolutions, right up there with losing weight and getting better jobs. The benefits seem to tie back to ideas of an improved sense of well-being and giving back to the community. Yet, just as often, work, family and other commitments prevent people from getting involved.Businesses may already want to consider allowing
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Rethink sales and promotions in January
The post-holiday season is an obvious choice to implement sales and promotions. People who are still recovering from December expenses may need a little encouragement to spend more money. Yet, the new year, which is so full of promise, also beckons consumers to buy the latest good or service that could help them make 2014 a fresh start. Businesses also often have a new budget, meaning a potential willingness to put their money toward new things. The marketing opportunities are there, and
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Tips for savvy small business tweets and Instagram posts
Social media has been the talk of the town for years now, and recently, that talk has centered on the short and sweet forms of digital marketing. Forget friending - the real intriguing aspects for small businesses involve followers and flocks.Organizations that learn how to use the likes of photo-sharing site Instagram and blurb-ridden Twitter could have a fun and easy way to promote products, advertise events and announce promotional giveaways. To promote the right way, however, small
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Excellent promotional products for the automotive industry
Winter is an especially important time for drivers to make sure their cars are equipped with all of the necessary essentials to handle a snow emergency. For businesses, it's also a great time for automotive promotional products. Once the snow melts, and the temperatures subside, customers will still have year-round emergency kits they should have year-round, as well as a reminder of the company that gave it to them. First, businesses should become familiar with the kinds of items
Monday, January 13, 2014
Caffeine may improve long-term memory, study finds
For many people, the day doesn't start until they have had a cup of coffee. Some may claim that the coffee helps them focus, while others say it keeps them awake. Still some merely acknowledge the enjoyment of the routine. A new study, however, has found one more reason why it might be beneficial to have a cup of Joe during the work day. According to findings from the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences at Johns Hopkins, caffeine may have a positive effect on long-term memory in
Tips for a Valentine's Day business plan
Valentine's Day is on the horizon and, like it or not, is a major industry for a one-day event, with annual spending consistently reaching into the billions over the past few years, according to statistics by IBISWorld. While some businesses may scoff at the "Hallmark" holiday, they should nevertheless acknowledge that the holiday has become a veritable institution readily embraced - and even enjoyed - by many. This Valentine's may be an opportunity for those
Friday, January 10, 2014
Rethink performance reviews
Performance reviews are often a common component of business' yearly operations. It's supposedly a time for companies to get a handle on what their employees do on a daily basis, assess their successes and shortcomings and refocus the business to make employees; work more effective. Yet, in practice, it could be a business form of public flogging that may make staff feel undervalued and mislead employers in terms of the true value of their subordinates and
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Go low- and high-tech for new year's organization
Entering the new year is like hitting a grand refresh button, granting people and their businesses a sort of psychological reprieve to rethink their situations and strategies and overhaul old, inefficient practices. In essence, the new year is a chance to reorganize or, for many, an opportunity to get organized in the first place.As companies march into another year, however, they are often bombarded with new ways to structure their schedules, priorities and even hierarchies. Cloud-computing is
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Use business gifts to combat the flu
Winter is flu season, and it can be the bane of many an office. Employees who spend long hours in close proximity with one another mean a greater likelihood of bedridden staff, which is the last thing any boss wants. Fortunately, business gifts may be used to encourage people to keep the office clean and mitigate the spread of flu. While vaccination news coverage has tapered off since the beginning of winter, February has most often been the peak of flu season over past 20
Monday, January 6, 2014
Get involved with National Blood Donor Month
Donating blood is an easy and important way to help out communities in need. In honor of National Blood Donor Month, businesses may want to ramp up their participation with blood drives. Getting involved would not only be a good deed done, it could also serve as a great way to improve employee morale and get companies' names out to the public. Participation could be as simple or as sophisticated as companies want, ranging from rewarding blood donors with promotional items to hosting
Friday, January 3, 2014
Start the new year off right
Some New Year's resolutions center on self-improvement, while others turn more outward. Common thoughtful resolutions include volunteering at local soup kitchens, donating to charity and generally choosing to be more generous with time, money, affection and gifts. For those want to try being more generous but don't know where to begin, people can get business gifts for those that helped them ring in the new year. New Year's Eve parties are big celebrations to
Thursday, January 2, 2014
3 attainable marketing goals for 2014
It's a new year for marketing, and with it comes a slew of potential resolutions for businesses. Some are huge and others are small, but businesses that really want to get their marketing on the right track may want to choose resolutions that fall somewhere in between, or, more realistically, are a combination of both. Small Business Trends has recently extolled the virtues not only of achievable goals but also of small ones that can be reached on a weekly basis. Smaller victories,