August 2008 Archives

Local residences and businesses in Columbus, OH who have met environmental goals set by Mayor Michael B. Coleman will have their homes and stores marked with a GreenSpot.  It is the Mayor's hope this recognition will result in bigger sales for those businesses doing their part in protecting the environment.   In order to qualify for the GreenSpot businesses must meet stringent standards that are specific to their company. 

The first business to receive their GreenSpot was Surly Girl Saloon, 1126 N. High St.

Leaderpromos.com offers a wide selection of eco-friendly promotional products that are perfect to reinforce a company's commitment to green business.  The custom promotional items make great giveaways and will remind customers your business is doing their part to preserve the environment.

 (Photo Credit: columbusgreenspot.org

With rising gas costs pushing the overall costs of living higher and higher each day, consumers are trying to ways to save any way they can.  One way is by taking public transportation.  While this option isn't available to all, many people are able to cut their annual cost on the work commute by a few thousand dollars.  The savings grow from eliminating gas costs, parking costs, and a break on car insurance.  Another way to save is by packing a lunch each day.  Cutting the cost of dining out on a regular basis can typically save the average consumer $1500 a year.  Lastly, skip the $2 morning coffee on the way into work and instead make a cup at home or wait until you get into the office to enjoy a warm, free cup of coffee provided by your employer. 

Today's economy has created a need to cut costs any way possible.  Above are three simple ways any person can save on work-related costs.  Help your employees with these savings by offering them promotional items including lunch sacks, coffee mugs, or even a mini MP3 player to listen to on their commute to work on public transportation.  All are easy and affordable ways to show appreciation for your employees by letting them know you care. 

Leaderpromos.com Columbus Ohio based Promotional Products company is pleased to announce the addition of Kerri S. and Natalie A. to its sales team. Both Kerri and Natalie bring with them experience in client services and look forward to their new position with leaderpromos.com.

Columbus, OH (PRWEB) August 28, 2008 -- Leaderpromos.com Columbus Ohio based Promotional Products company is pleased to announce the addition of Kerri S. and Natalie A. to its sales team. Both Kerri and Natalie bring with them experience in client services and look forward to their new position with leaderpromos.com.

Kerri, having previously worked for the Western Southern Financial Group in Columbus, Ohio, has a wealth of experience in superior customer service and client relation sales. Her superb track record includes becoming a Silver Medallion Member within her first year at Western. "I look forward to bringing an enhanced customer and product knowledge to leaderpromos.com which will help me in forming excellent client relationships," said Kerri.

Natalie's background includes two years in customer service and troubleshooting at Verizon Wireless. Her experience working in retail management, coupled with a degree in English from California State University Long Beach, makes her a welcome addition to leaderpromos.com. "The opportunity to work in a fast paced and competitive industry for a company as well respected as leaderpromos.com was very attractive," said Natalie.

"We are looking forward to both Kerri and Natalie growing within our company," said Stephanie Leader, President and CEO. "The two bring extensive experience in customer service and client relations and their addition will help leaderpromos.com continue to be a leader in the distribution of promotional items."

Located in Columbus, Ohio, leaderpromos.com offers tens of thousands of tradeshow items, online corporate stores and,rush delivery, and in-house embroidery and screen printing services.

   (Photo Credit: AFP - Getty Images)

When a new iPhone was purchased by a customer in Britain, he was surprised to find three preloaded pictures of a young Asian woman on his new toy.  These pictures now have the public asking, who is this young girl and have these pictures gotten her in trouble?

Bloggers have jumped all over this topic offering their suggestions and opinions while news reports suggest the young woman may work on an assembly line at an Apple contractor in southern China. 

One post that caught my attention and probably the attention of Apple execs:

"She looks about 12 or 13 to me!  I don't think Stevo is going to be impressed at all.  It looks a little bit too much like child labor," wrote sibruk, referring to Apple CEO Steve Jobs.   

Leaderpromos.com has recently created and posted an instructional video on the screen printing process to help customers get an up close and personal look at how the whole process works.  To see the short clip simply click here.

Screen printing is a great way to brand and personalize lighter weight apparel and items that don't easily accommodate an embroidery hoop. At leaderpromos.com, our expert screeners use the highest quality materials to ensure that your promotional products are done right the first time.  Click here to read more about the silk screening process.

Leaderpromos.com has recently added an instructional video aimed to walk customers through the embroidery process.  The video which can be found under the resources tab is a short clip that details each step from the time the artwork is received to the finishing touches put on the garments.  Click here to watch the video.

With gas prices continuing to hover just above $4, Americans are continually finding ways to save a dime where possible.  This movement has escalated and today many runners are commuting to work by foot.   These commutes aren't just short distances either.  Check out Alan Geraldi's morning commute through San Francisco. 

Wouldn't it be nice to offer your employees some great fitness gear for their morning commute?  Choose from a handful of products, including sweat bands, performance apparel, and water bottles.

Local Business Named and Ranked 27th among Top 100 Small Business List in Ohio.

In recognition of the economic power of multicultural businesses, DiversityBusiness.com, the nations' leading multicultural internet site, recently named Leaderpromos.com as one of the Top 100 Small Businesses in the State of Ohio (Div100)".

The Div100 is the 8th annual listing of Ohio's top 100 small businesses. The companies listed on the Div100 represent the Nation's top multicultural earners and challenge the long-held notion that a small business is small or insignificant. Div100 members are sought after by major corporations wishing to increase spending with small and diversity owned companies.

The Impact of Small Business
"Small businesses and consumers are a growing force in the U.S. economy, and a force to be reckoned with," said Kenton Clarke, CEO of Computer Consulting Associates International, the company that built DiversityBusiness.com. This is a whole business segment that can carry its own, that provides jobs, products and services, and generates wealth for their communities. These are the new leaders in American business."

Affected by recent economic and demographic trends and changes, Fortune 1000 corporations throughout the country have recognized that buying products and services from small and diversity owned companies positively impacts their business. Small businesses contribute over $1.4 trillion in sales to the U.S. economy.

Carmen Castillo, President of Superior Design International, Inc., Florida commented, "These groups of companies represent the organizational spirit that drives our economy and even more. It offers insights into a vastness of cultures and an exchange of ideas that are so valuable in helping me to understand how to reach the needs of today's consumers."

Stephanie Leader, President and CEO of Leaderpromos.com said, "Leaderpromos.com is all about the customer. It is simple to use, and contains over 15,000 promotional products - one of the most comprehensive sites in the industry," said Stephanie Leader, President and CEO. "Not only does leaderpromos.com make the shopping experience quick and seamless, the site is filled with great advice and creative tools to help the user purchase a one-of-a-kind, memorable promotional item."

The Div100
The Div100 is a classification that represents the top 100 small businesses in the state of Ohio, in sectors such as technology, manufacturing, food service and professional services. Large organizational buyers throughout the country that do business with multicultural and women-owned businesses use the list. The Div100 is produced annually by DiversityBusiness.com, the nation's leading multicultural B2B Internet portal that links large organizational buyers to multicultural product and service suppliers.

Leaderpromos.com was honored at a special awards ceremony at DiversityBusiness.com's "8th Annual Multicultural Business Conference", which took place April 23 - 25, 2008 at Disney's BoardWalk Resort in Orlando, Florida.

About Leaderpromos.com:
Leaderpromos.com is the premier promotional products distributor in the Midwest. Located in Columbus, Ohio, Leaderpromos offers tens of thousands of promotional items, online corporate store and inventory management services, rush delivery, and in-house embroidery and screen printing services.

About DiversityBusiness.com:
Launched in 1999, with over 35,000 members DiversityBusiness.com is the largest organization of diversity-owned businesses throughout the United States that provide goods and services to Fortune 1000 companies, government agencies and colleges and universities. Members use the sites technology to find and track new business opportunities. It also produces the country's largest conference on diversity education and training for major corporations and small business. Its research on top businesses appears in Fortune, Forbes, Business Week and numerous magazines and media publications. The site has gained national recognition and has won numerous awards for its content and design. DiversityBusiness.com is produced by Computer Consulting Associates International Inc. (CCAii.com) of Southport, CT. CCA was founded in 1980 by CEO Kenton Clarke.

For additional information, please contact:
Susie Barger
Leaderpromos.com
614-416-6536
sbarger @ leaderpromos.com

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Local woman's business named and ranked 295th among nation's top 500 women owned business list.

In recognition of the economic power of multicultural businesses, DiversityBusiness.com, the nations' leading multicultural internet site, recently named Leaderpromos.com as one of the Top 500 women owned businesses in the United States (Div500).

The Div500 is the 8th annual listing of the Nation's top 500 women-owned businesses. The companies listed on the Div500 represent the Nation's top multicultural earners and challenge the long-held notion that a women-owned business is small or insignificant. Div500 members are sought after by major corporations wishing to increase spending with women owned companies.

"Women businesses and consumers are a growing force in the U.S. economy, and a force to be reckoned with," said Kenton Clarke, CEO of Computer Consulting Associates International, the company that built DiversityBusiness.com. This is a whole business segment that can carry its own, that provides jobs, products and services, and generates wealth for their communities. These are the new leaders in American business."

Affected by recent economic and demographic trends and changes, Fortune 1000 corporations throughout the country have recognized that buying products and services from women owned companies positively impacts their business. Diversity-owned businesses contribute over $1.4 trillion in sales to the U.S. economy.

Carmen Castillo, President of Superior Design International, Inc., Florida commented, "These groups of companies represent the organizational spirit that drives our economy and even more. It offers insights into a vastness of cultures and an exchange of ideas that are so valuable in helping me to understand how to reach the needs of today's consumers."

Stephanie Leader, President and CEO of Leaderpromos.com, said, "Leaderpromos.com is all about the customer. It is simple to use, and contains over 15,000 promotional products - one of the most comprehensive sites in the industry. Not only does leaderpromos.com make the shopping experience quick and seamless, the site is filled with great advice and creative tools to help the user purchase a one-of-a-kind, memorable promotional item."

About The Div500:
The Div500 is a classification that represents the top 500 women-owned businesses in the U.S., in sectors such as technology, manufacturing, food service and professional services. Large organizational buyers throughout the country that do business with multicultural and women-owned businesses use the list. The Div500 is produced annually by DiversityBusiness.com, the nation's leading multicultural B2B Internet portal that links large organizational buyers to multicultural product and service suppliers.

Leaderpromos.com was honored at a special awards ceremony at DiversityBusiness.com's "8th Annual Multicultural Business Conference", which took place April 23 - 25, 2008 at Disney's BoardWalk Resort in Orlando, Florida.

About Leaderpromos.com
Leaderpromos.com is the premier promotional products distributor in the Midwest. Located in Columbus, Ohio, Leaderpromos offers tens of thousands of promotional items, online corporate store and inventory management services, rush delivery, and in-house embroidery and screen printing services.

About DiversityBusiness.com
Launched in 1999, with over 35,000 members DiversityBusiness.com is the largest organization of diversity-owned businesses throughout the United States that provide goods and services to Fortune 1000 companies, government agencies and colleges and universities. Members use the sites technology to find and track new business opportunities. It also produces the country's largest conference on diversity education and training for major corporations and small business. Its research on top businesses appears in Fortune, Forbes, Business Week and numerous magazines and media publications. The site has gained national recognition and has won numerous awards for its content and design. DiversityBusiness.com is produced by Computer Consulting Associates International Inc. (CCAii.com) of Southport, CT. CCA was founded in 1980 by CEO Kenton Clarke.

For additional information, please contact:
Susie Barger
Leaderpromos.com
614-416-6536

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Leaderpromos, one of the top promotional product distributors in the Midwest, announces the launch of their new website, leaderpromos.com.

Leaderpromos, one of the top promotional products distributors in the Midwest, has announced the launch of leaderpromos.com, a state-of-the art, user-friendly website that has revolutionized the promotional products industry.

"Leaderpromos.com is all about the customer. It is simple to use, and contains over 15,000 promotional products - one of the most comprehensive sites in the industry," said Stephanie Leader, President and CEO. "Not only does leaderpromos.com make the shopping experience quick and seamless, the site is filled with great advice and creative tools to help the user purchase a one-of-a-kind, memorable promotional item."

According to Leader, the previous leaderpromos.com website making it one of the most visited promotional products websites on the Internet. "Our clients are first attracted by our web presence, and become long term customers due to our competitive pricing and outstanding customer service."

"We understand that our customers are the #1 reason for our success," Leader added. "We launched the new site to help make their promotional products purchasing a pleasure, rather than a chore. In our country's current economic situation, employees have less time in their workdays to worry about navigating through a complicated website, and are looking for solid, seamless shopping experience. That's where leaderpromos.com comes in."

Leader explained that many of leaderpromos.com's features are firsts in the promotional products industry. The "Wish List" feature is especially helpful to clients. The visitor can select an unlimited number of products to add to their Wish List, and save for future review, and even create a presentation of their promotional product recommendations for management's review.

The "Must Haves" feature is updated regularly, and features the newest and hottest promotional items available in the industry today. Leaderpromos.com's sales and marketing professionals regularly attend trade shows and work with suppliers to be the first to bring these must-have products to market.

The "Leader Deals" feature highlights unsurpassed savings on dozens of promotional items, and is updated bi-monthly. Our marketing team works exclusively with the top suppliers in the promotional products industry to obtain the lowest possible pricing on dozens of promotional essentials.

"Leaderpromos has always been known for our creative ideas, low prices and first-rate, personalized customer service," said Leader. "The launch of the new leaderpromos.com website will enhance the customer's overall experience, making us truly a one-stop shop for promotional products."

About leaderpromos.com:
Leaderpromos.com is the premier promotional products distributor in the Midwest. Located in Columbus, Ohio, Leaderpromos offers tens of thousands of promotional items, online corporate store and inventory management services, rush delivery, and in-house embroidery and screen printing services.

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When considering employee or client gifts, most organizations have a budget in mind. Here at Leaderpromos, we've got something for everyone, and for every budget.

Consider a few ways that an organization can show their appreciation for a job well done this holiday season:

• A gift that addresses the recipient's love for a particular hobby or lifestyle is always a favorite. The personal touch will be remembered for years to come.
• A gift of delicious snacks is a much-appreciated crowd pleaser. Sending a basket of cookies or candies makes the whole office happy!
• When trying to win a new customer or client, a practical gift is always in season. From a flashlight, to an umbrella, to a relaxation kit - let them know they are in your thoughts this holiday season.

When selecting a gift for a client, it always pays to do research. Make it a point to understand the recipient's likes and dislikes, and select the gift accordingly.

Leaderpromos has been named as a top 50 promotional products distributor for 2006 by PPAI.

Leaderpromos.com, a business specializing in custom imprinted promotional products and embroidered apparel, was named as a top 50 promotional products distributor for 2006.

The annual survey was conducted for the not-for-profit trade association Promotional Products Association International (PPAI), which supports the growth and professionalism of promotional consultants and suppliers.

The annual survey also showed that the total promotional item sales revenue in 2006 was $18.8 billion, an increase of $766 million in sales from 2005. The top 50 distributors brought in a total of $2.35 billion in promotional product sales.

Leaderpromos.com was 45th on the list and reported a total promotional product sales of $8.2 million for 2006. The company's 2006 numbers were up 44 percent from 2005 total promotional products sales of $5.5 million.

Leaderpromos.com is located in Columbus, Ohio, and employees 38 full-time employees. In November, the company upgraded its facilities to a 15,000 square-foot building that can accommodate growth of up to 75 full-time employees.

To learn more about Leaderpromos.com, please visit www.leaderpromos.com.

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Leaderpromos.com received national re-certification as a woman-owned business from the http:www.wbenc.org [Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).

The WBENC is the nation's largest third party certifier of businesses owned and operated by women in the United States. WBENC is a resource for more than 700 US companies and government agencies for their supplier diversity programs.

Leaderpromos.com is owned and operated by Stephanie Leader and has been a member of the WBENC for three consecutive years. Leaderpromos.com has also been recognized by DiversityBusiness.com as a Top Business in the United States for its continued success as a resource portal for large organizational buyers.

WBENC's national standard of certification implemented by the Women's Business Enterprise Council - Southeast (WBEC - SE) is a meticulous process including an in-depth review of the business and site inspection to confirm the business is as least 51% owned, operated and controlled by a woman or women. For more information, please visit www.wbenc.org.

By including women-owned businesses among their vendors, corporations, and government agencies demonstrate their commitment to fostering diversity and the continued development of their supplier/vendor diversity programs.

Leaderpromos.com has added a blog to their website.

Leaderpromos.com, the top distributor of imprinted promotional products and embroidered apparel in Central Ohio, today announced that it has launched an educational blog as an addition to its award winning Web site.

The blog, located at blog.leaderpromos.com, will educate buyers on the new and hot promotional products and services available hitting the industry, as well as product ideas for seasonal promotional events and strategies to improve and maximize your promotional marketing.

"The blog will allow us to educate and inform our customers about trends and new products in the promotional products industry." said Craig Morris, Web Marketer and author of the blog.

Leaderpromos.com is a 12-year-old promotional products, promotional items, embroidered apparel and uniform programs company located at 790 E. Johnstown Rd. in Columbus, Ohio. It is a leader in providing on-line store solutions to its customers. It has been recognized by the Advertising Specialty Institute as one of the top 10 fastest growing distributors in the industry. For more information please call 877-677-9988

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Leaderpromos.com named among "Top 100 woman-owned businesses in the state of Ohio" for 2006.

Leaderpromos.com, a leading distributor of imprinted promotional products and embroidered apparel, announced today that it has recently been named as one of the "Top 100 woman-owned businesses in the state of Ohio" for 2006 by DiversityBusiness.com, the nations' leading multicultural internet site that recognizes the economic power of multicultural businesses in the United States.

The 7th annual listing of Ohio's top 100 woman-owned businesses represents businesses in sectors such as technology, manufacturing, food service and professional services. Thousands of businesses have the opportunity to participate in the DiversityBusiness.com 7th annual survey. The awards are based on annual gross sales.

Leaderpromos.com listing as one of the top 100 woman-owned businesses in Ohio signifies the company as one of Ohio's top multicultural earners. Members of this distinct group are sought after by major corporations wishing to increase spending with diversity owned companies.

Leaderpromos.com is a certified Women's Business Enterprise by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council. The Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), founded in 1997, is the nation's leading advocate of women-owned businesses as suppliers to America's corporations. As a woman owned company and a member of WBENC, Leaderpromos.com come allows companies and organizations to fulfill their diversity requirements when purchasing promotional products and embroidered apparel.

"Woman Owned Businesses and consumers are a growing force in the U.S. economy, and a force to be reckoned with," said Kenton Clarke, CEO of Computer Consulting Associates International, the company that built DiversityBusiness.com. This is a whole business segment that can carry its own, that provides jobs, products and services, and generates wealth for their communities. These are the new leaders in American business."

As an award winner Leaderpomos.com is invited to attend the Seventh Annual DiversityBusiness.com Multicultural Awards Ceremony and Conference in April. The event brings together America's Top Business Owners and Top Fortune 500 companies for promoting multicultural business opportunities.

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Leaderpromos.com was names as one of the top 100 diverse businesses in the state of Ohio by Diversity Business.com.

Leaderpromos.com, a leading distributor of imprinted promotional products and embroidered apparel, announced today that it has recently been named as one of the "Top 100 diversity-owned businesses in the state of Ohio (Div100)" for 2006 by DiversityBusiness.com, the nations' leading multicultural internet site that recognizes the economic power of multicultural businesses in the United States.

The 7th annual listing of the Div100 represents Ohio's top 100 diversity-owned businesses in sectors such as technology, manufacturing, food service and professional services. Thousands of businesses have the opportunity to participate in the DiversityBusiness.com 7th annual survey. The awards are based on annual gross sales.

Leaderpromos.com listing on the Div100 signifies the company as one of Ohio's top multicultural earners. Div100 members are sought after by major corporations wishing to increase spending with diversity owned companies.

Leaderpromos.com is a certified Women's Business Enterprise as certified by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council. The Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), founded in 1997, is the nation's leading advocate of women-owned businesses as suppliers to America's corporations. As a woman owned company and a member of WBENC, Leaderpromos.com come allows companies and organizations to fulfill their diversity requirements when purchasing promotional products and embroidered apparel.

Affected by recent economic and demographic trends and changes, Fortune 1000 corporations throughout the country have recognized that buying products and services from diversity owned companies positively impacts their business. Diversity-owned businesses contribute over $1.4 trillion in sales to the U.S. economy.

"Diversity businesses and consumers are a growing force in the U.S. economy, and a force to be reckoned with," said Kenton Clarke, CEO of Computer Consulting Associates International, the company that built DiversityBusiness.com. "This is a whole business segment that can carry its own, that provides jobs, products and services, and generates wealth for their communities. These are the new leaders in American business."

As an award winner Leaderpomos.com is invited to attend the Seventh Annual DiversityBusiness.com Multicultural Awards Ceremony and Conference in April. The event brings together America's Top Business Owners and Top Fortune 500 companies for promoting multicultural business opportunities.

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Leaderpromos.com has been named one of the top businesses in the United States by Diversity Business.com.

Leaderpromos.com, a leading distributor of imprinted promotional products and embroidered apparel, announced today that it has been named one of the "Top Businesses in the United States" for 2006 by DiversityBusiness.com, the nation's primary resource portal for small businesses and large organizational buyers.

The award distinguishes Leaderpromos.com as one of the Top Small Businesses and Stephanie Leader, President and CEO of Leaderpromos.com, as one of the top entrepreneurs in the country.

Leaderpromos.com is a certified Women's Business Enterprise as certified by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council. The Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), founded in 1997, is the nation's leading advocate of women-owned businesses as suppliers to America's corporations. As a woman owned company and a member of WBENC, Leaderpromos.com come allows companies and organizations to fulfill their diversity requirements when purchasing promotional products and embroidered apparel.

Each year DiversityBusiness.com collects and compiles the 'Top Business List' on a State and National basis, which is seen by over 15 million people and is used by major corporations and large buying organizations for find new business partners.

The data is used to determine the top small businesses and the most successful entrepreneurs across the country.

Over 500,000 businesses have the opportunity to participate in the DiversityBusiness.com 7th annual survey. The awards are based on annual gross sales.

Leaderpromos.com will be recognized for its achievement during the 7th annual DiversityBusiness.com Multicultural Awards Ceremony and Forum in Las Vegas. The event will honor America's Top Diversity Business Owners and Top 50 Fortune 500 companies promoting multicultural business opportunities.

Leaderpromos.com is an 11-year-old Columbus, Ohio, based promotional products, promotional items, embroidered apparel and uniform programs. It is a leader in providing on-line store solutions to its customers. It has been recognized by the Advertising Specialty Institute as one of the top 10 fastest growing distributors in the industry in both 2004 and 2005.

For all your promotional products and embroidered apparel and trade show give away needs, please lock into Leaderpromos award-winning site, www.Leaderpromos.com.

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Leaderpromos.com announces today that they have moved into a brand new larger facility in Columbus, OH

Leaderpromos.com, a leading distributor of promotional products and embroidered apparel, announced today that they have moved into their new 15,000 square-foot building on Monday, November 20, 2006.

The new building is located at the intersection of Hamilton and Johnstown roads in Columbus, Ohio. The company has been in Columbus since 1996 and the move is an upgrade from a 6,000-square-foot space off Claycraft Road.

"I like the location and love the community and I think it will be a great environment for all our employees to be here," said company president Stephanie Leader.

The building was designed and built by George Parker & Associates specifically for Leaderpromos.com.

In addition to adding more staff, the move to a larger facility will allow Leaderpromos.com to house some of its custom embroidery work.

The new building will also include a room for employees' children when they are out of school, fully functional warehouse for company accounts and a sample department.

Leaderpromos.com is an 11-year-old Columbus, Ohio, based promotional products, promotional items, embroidered apparel and uniform programs company. It is a leader in providing on-line store solutions to its customers. It has been recognized by the Advertising Specialty Institute as one of the top 10 fastest growing distributors in the industry in both 2004 and 2005. Leaderpromos.com is a certified Women's Business Enterprise as certified by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council.

For all your promotional products and embroidered apparel and trade show give away needs, please lock into Leaderpromos award-winning site, www.Leaderpromos.com

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Leaderpromos.com introduces three key ingredients to purchasing successful promotional holiday gifts -- creating a budget, researching the recipient and creating memorable custom imprinted products.

By following three easy steps, companies can successfully choose the promotional holiday gifts best suited for their customers and/or employees -- budget, research and creating a memorable product. Selecting the appropriate promotional gifts for your recipients can be a warm gesture, and at the same time, leave a lasting memory of your company's brand.

Creating a budget allows recipients to be categorized into tier brackets. Those in the top tiers receive more personalized promotional products and embroidered apparel that have a retail quality while those in the lower tiers receive more screen printed promotional products and embroidered apparel.

Researching the recipient's income, success or failures of previous year's gifts and relationship with the recipient narrows your corporate gift ideas to those products that are appropriate and appreciated by a multiple types of recipients without a lot of added expense.

Imprinting your logo can be an effective way of creating a memorable impression. The key is knowing how to decorate a promotional product or embroidered apparel. Inexpensive promotional products and apparel allow more flexibility in using company logos. However, higher-end promotional gifts tend to limit the use of your company logo. Having your logo laser engraved or embossed promotes the higher-end look and leaves a lasting impression.

A general guideline in promotional item gift-giving is to avoid self-promotion. Choose a memorable gift, the recipient will remember it's from you.

Leaderpromos.com is an 11-year-old Columbus, Ohio, based promotional products, promotional items, logo apparel and uniform distributor. It is a leader in providing online store solutions to its customers. It has been recognized by the Advertising Specialty Institute as one of the top 10 fastest growing distributors in the industry in both 2004 and 2005. Leaderpromos.com is a privately held company and also is a certified Women's Business Enterprise as certified by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council.

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Advertising Specialty Institute® (ASI ®), the largest media organization in the promotional products industry, announced that www.Leaderpromos.com has been named to the Counselor MMRT, as a Top Promotional Products distributor, in the latest issue of Counselor Magazines Annual State of the Industry issue.

Advertising Specialty Institute® (ASI ®), the largest media organization in the promotional products industry, announced that www.Leaderpromos.com has been named to the Counselor MMRT, as a Top Promotional Products distributor, in the latest issue of Counselor Magazines Annual State of the Industry issue.

The 2005 Roundtable consists of three levels of achievement:

• Gold recognizes sales volumes of $10 million or more
• Silver honors distributors with sales volumes of $5 million to just under $10 million
• Distinguished distributors have a sales volume of $2 million to just under $5 million.

Changing times within the industry are reflected within the MMRT, and also in the latest Counselor Top 40 Distributors and Top 40 Suppliers lists as found in Counselor State of The Industry issue, released in July of this year. The popular annual lists, also compiled with data from the survey results, rank top performing distributors and suppliers by 2004 total sales revenue.

The companies achieving the MMRT, and Top 40 designations earn, and retain, their top spots by capitalizing upon their abilities to simultaneously adapt to their customers' changing expectations while improving service. Continued forward momentum in 2005 will require keeping an eye on several factors, ranging from a competitive environment to rising oil prices.

Timothy M. Andrews, president of ASI, observed: The results reported in this year's Counselor State of the Industry survey are impressive. Sales revenues have rebounded nicely to 16.9 billion dollars, a record high. I believe focusing efforts upon improving customer service and keeping a watchful eye on economic factors will prove important as we prepare for the second half of 2005."

ASI and Counselor magazine congratulate these distributors on their accomplishments and welcome them to the 2005 Multimillion-Dollar Distributor Roundtable.

To learn about more trends, successes and important issues facing industry companies and for the complete Counselor Top 40 Distributors and Top 40 Suppliers lists, read the full version of the Counselor State of the Industry report, available at www.asicentral.com/asp/open/news/soti/index.asp. For more information about ASI research initiatives, contact Larry Basinait, Executive director of Member Services at ASI.

About ASI
Advertising Specialty Institute is the largest media organization serving the promotional products industry, with a membership of 21,000 distributor firms (sellers) and supplier firms (manufacturers) of promotional items. Supplier firms use ASI print and electronic resources to market products to more than 18,000 distributor firms. Distributor firms use ASI print and electronic resources, which contain more than 700,000 promotional products, to locate supplier firms and to market services to buyers of promotional products. It provides catalogs, informational directories, newsletters, magazines, websites and databases, and offers interactive e-commerce, marketing and selling tools.

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The Olympic opening ceremonies were fantastic, with an out-of-this-world fireworks show and an amazing little girl with a glorious voice.  The only problem was, that cute little girl wasn't the one with the amazing voice.  Instead, directors for the opening ceremonies decided minutes before the show was to begin that 7 year old Yang Peiyi wasn't cute enough to represent their country and instead 9 year old Lin Miaoke would be the cute, good looking stand in. 

The decision has created heated debate with some people supporting the use of lip-synching and others arguing it was in poor taste to tell a little girl she was not pretty enough for television.  What kind of message does this send to little girls in China?  What kind of message does it send to little girls all over the world?  I would love to hear your thoughts as they pertain to this issue.

Beijing organizers confirmed Tuesday that some of the fireworks display featured prerecorded footage.

Fireworks that burst into the shape of 29 gigantic footprints were shown trudging above the Beijing skyline to the National Stadium near the start of the ceremony.

Though the footprint-shaped fireworks were real, some of the footage shown to television viewers around the world and on giant screens inside the "Bird's Nest" stadium featured a computer-generated three-dimensional image.

"It was confirmed that previously recorded footage was provided to the broadcasters for convenience and theatrical effects--as in many other big events," Beijing organizing committee spokesman Wang Wei said. "On the day of the ceremony there were actual footprints of fireworks from the south to the north of the city.

"However, because of the poor visibility of the night, some previously recorded footage may have been used."

The computerized images were produced by Crystal Digital Technology Co. of Beijing.

"We did our best to create a rendering that would look like the shot was taken live," company spokesman Lei Ming told the Beijing Times. "Most people could not tell the difference."

NBC said broadcasters Bob Costas and Matt Lauer told viewers the display was cinematic.

"This is actually almost animation," Lauer said on the air.

The ceremony won rave reviews around the world and was watched by more than 1 billion people.

In the United States on NBC, the ceremony averaged 34.2 million U.S. viewers, making it the biggest American television event since the Super Bowl.

Those who have adopted the commit to be fit challenge now have an alternative way to get in shape.  A new breed of boot camps emphasizing exercise less the aggressive attitude generally associated with boot camps has popped up.  These new camps have trainers who motivate by offering encouragement and support, not by barking orders. 

The camps offer people a variety of guarantees including weight loss, muscle-strengthening and high level cardiovascular exercises.  All classes are held outside and campers use medicine balls as opposed to the more traditional machines and gym weights. 

The trend towards boot camps originated in the mid 1990s on both the East and West coasts.  The popularity has continued to grow and people are using these boot camps for a variety of reasons, whether it's simply to feel healthy or even lose a few pounds after a recent pregnancy.  The costs are minimal as no expensive machinery is used and the atmosphere created keeps people happy, motivated, and comfortable. 

These boot camps provide a terrific opportunity for employers to reward their employees with some useful promotional products such as exercise mats, water bottles, duffel bags, and moisture management apparel.  Customized promotional gifts are a great way to show appreciation for your employees and clients and are also an effective way to provide them a product they can use to live a healthy lifestyle.  Leaderpromos.com has a variety of fitness options that every employee and client would be thankful to have.   

Cellular phones over the last few years have become quite the commodity.  Every person carries one, from elementary aged kids to corporate executives always on the move.  As technology continues to advance today's phone has gadgets and functions once not thought possible.  With a variety of shapes and sizes, promotional accessories have become popular, ranging from protective leather covers to unique, fashionable and customized carrying cases.  With all the new technology available, one phone comes to mind: the iPhone.  I purchased an iPhone not even a year ago and the thing just recently died on me.  One thing is certain, promotional cellular phone accessories are a lot more fun when your phone works.

The Olympic flag reinforces the idea of the Olympic Movement's universality, as it brings together all the countries of the world.

The meaning of the flag: