Leaderpromos' Blog

The Missing Ingredient in Promotional Products

2010-08-31T21:02:21Z

Working in the promotional products industry, I often hear a variation of the same question: "What do you have to promote my business that is new, different or unique?"

It's not that one-of-a-kind products don't exist (they do), but the most successful promotional products need an extra ingredient to get the right flavor. That extra ingredient is your business.

I know what you're thinking: "It can't be that obvious!" However, it's true.

Can a doctor customize your treatment without an in-person diagnosis? Could a tailor hem your clothing without measuring your body? Would an artist paint your portrait without seeing your face?

Just like no two people are the same, no two businesses are alike. The most memorable branded products are ones that completely capture the unique essence of your company or organization.

For example, check out our Winning Ideas section. These are all custom products. My personal favorite is our story about the leather manufacturer who decided to gift pens . We worked with them to create customized writing utensils wrapped with their very own leather product. Without that collaboration, those pens would have just been ordinary ink holders.

So, think about it. Do you know what makes your business special? Uncommon? Captivating? If you do, tell us--and if you don't, we can help. Take advantage of the creative minds here at Leaderpromos.com to make your own new, different and unique product.

We'll help you create an extraordinary ware, something specific to your business and your clients, something that you'll love. Guaranteed.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2010-08-19T14:36:28Z

You may know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but do you know how this annual event got its start?

In 1985 the AstraZeneca Heathcare Foundation, the American Academy of Family Physicians and CancerCare Inc. teamed up to fill what they felt was a void in public knowledge about breast cancer. October was chosen because the first Race for the Cure took place during that month in 1983.

The centerpiece of the first Breast Cancer Awareness Month was a public awareness campaign aimed at increasing funding for research and promoting early detection of the disease.

Despite 25 years of progress on many fronts, the war on breast cancer continues today. Besides skin cancer, it is the most common type of cancer in the United States, where an estimated 200,000 new cases will be diagnosed in 2010. Worldwide, the number is expected to reach 1.3 million. Luckily, breast cancer is highly treatable when caught early.

We hope that your business or organization will consider hosting a fund-raiser or other event that will support this worthy cause. To help, we've assembled a special selection of pink promotional products. Best of all, a portion of the proceeds from many of the items will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, the MD Anderson Cancer Center and the National Breast Cancer Coalition.

I scream, You scream...

2010-08-09T18:37:49Z

C'mon, we all know where this is going. Whether its ice cream, frozen yogurt, frozen custard, sorbet or gelato--these cool treats are the quintessential desserts of summer. However, do you know which founding father liked ice cream so much that he spent $4,840 on it?

That big spender was none other than George Washington himself. Washington's long love affair with the confection began in 1789 when Betsy Hamilton (wife of Alexander Hamilton) introduced our first president to ice cream. Considered an extravagant delicacy at the time, he once spent $200 to purchase the creamy treat. With inflation, that would be a whopping $4,840 in today's dollars! He even installed two "ice boxes" at Mount Vernon so he could serve it after every meal.

Today, you don't have to be a rich American hero to enjoy ice cream. All you need is an excuse. August hosts a myriad of frozen treat holidays, so fill up your cone, pick a Popsicle out of the freezer and "toast" to America's most influential ice cream fan and summer's "sweet" end.

August 2: National Ice Cream Sandwich Day
August 6: National Root Beer Float Day
August 8: National Frozen Custard Day
August 14: Creamsicle Day
August 18: National Ice Cream Pie Day
August 19: National Soft Ice Cream Day
August 21: National Spumoni Day
August 25: National Banana Split Day
August 26: National Cherry Popsicle Day

Announcing the Leaderpromos Affiliate Program!

2010-06-14T15:46:35Z

Are you an experienced promotional consultant? Do you want to take your business to the next level?

The all-new Leaderpromos Affiliate Program is designed just for you. We offer an industry-leading commission structure, order financing, marketing assistance and more.

Best of all, there's no long-term commitment, no franchise fees and you operate under you own company name and identity.

Get the details on our affiliate program page or call Christopher Yaw at 1-877-677-9988 x257.

Early-bird discount on calendars and planners ends June 30

2010-06-09T21:05:10Z

It's no secret that imprinted calendars and planners offer a great way to keep your organization's name in front of your customers 365 days a year, but did you know that you can save up to 20% on your calendar purchase if you order by June 30?

The reason for the discount is simple. Too many people wait until the last few months of the year to order their calendars and planners, creating a backlog. Those that plan ahead are rewarded.

Worried about storage? No problem. We can warehouse your order for delivery later in the year on a date that's convenient for you.

So why wait? Browse our comprehensive selection of promotional calendars and planners and get your order in before the end of June!

Imprinted Golf Ball Price Cut + FREE Gifts

2010-05-27T18:25:30Z

Golf season is in full swing. And to celebrate, we've slashed prices on all our boxed promotional golf balls, including the eco-friendly Dixon Earth (right).

Choose from nearly 40 different styles from top brands like Nike, Callaway, Titleist and Top-Flite.

And, for a limited time, many of our golf balls come with free gift cards with each dozen purchased -- great for tournament prizes!

Yale prof: Sustainability is the next corporate mega-trend

2010-05-19T18:19:21Z

Dan Esty, professor of environmental law at Yale Law School, warns that companies who see sustainability issues as a passing fad "risk losing their position in the marketplace." Listen to the interview at Marketplace.org. And don't forget to check out our line of eco-friendly products to see how we can help you with your green initiatives.

Save time and money with our golf tournament kits

2010-05-11T15:36:04Z

Are you planning a golf outing? Do you need a great golf gift?

Look no further than our new golf tournament kits. From imprinted golf balls to tees, ball markers and more, these handy kits combine a variety of our top golf promotional products in one handy package.

Best of all, prices start at just $3.46.

Happy Earth Day!

2010-04-22T14:47:17Z

Forty years ago today an estimated 20 million Americans celebrated the first Earth Day, marking the birth of the modern environmental movement.

Today and this weekend, the celebration continues, with rallies in Washington D.C., Times Square and countless other communities across the nation.

But there's no reason to limit your awareness activities to just one day. Make every day Earth Day for your customers by using eco-friendly promotional products in your marketing campaigns. And thanks to the extensive range of recycled, organic and green products available today, environmentally friendly alternatives exist for many traditional promo items, often at very competitive prices.

10 Rebranding Disasters

2010-04-16T21:08:12Z

Thinking of taking your brand in a new direction? Maybe even rebranding the whole company? Read Bianca Male's recent post on MSNBC first.

Male chronicles 10 recent rebranding disasters, ranging from the unfortunate connotations of the SciFi Channel's new name to the nonsensical $800,000 logo for the 2012 London Olympics.

Avoid artwork aggravation: Five quick tips

2010-03-29T00:50:55Z

There's no question that good-looking artwork is the foundation for a good-looking promotional product. Yet all too often, art takes a backseat to other issues during the ordering process. That's why we've complied this short list addressing some of the most common artwork-related issues we see here at Leaderpromos.

1. Does your art fit your product?
Make sure your art fits the proportions of the imprint area. If your logo is tall and narrow, for example, it may not work on a product like a pen with a long, wide imprint area. The available imprint size for the standard imprint method is listed on our product pages, or just ask your rep for guidance.

2. Font sizing: At least 8 points, please.
Watch your font sizes! If you want your text to look good (and be legible!), try to keep all fonts in your art above 8 points. In some cases, laser engraved text can work down to 6 points, ask your rep for guidance.

3. It's not blue, it's azure.
Most of our manufacturers will match your logo colors as closely as possible for no additional charge. If an exact match is needed, be sure to specify the Pantone color you want. If your specific pantone color ink is not normally stocked, a small mixing charge may apply.

4. Use the right file format.
Think vector, not bitmap. Vectored graphics file formats like .eps and .ai (or a .pdf saved from a vectored file) are scalable and work well on almost any product. Jpeg, .gif and bitmap files, like those used on most websites, very rarely contain the right information to make a good-looking imprint.

5. Is it too big to e-mail?
Complex multi-color logos saved in vectored file formats can often be too large to successfully send via e-mail. If your artwork file is larger than 5MB, talk to your Leaderpromos sales rep and ask about sending via FTP (File Transfer Protocol) instead of e-mail.

Don't worry, we've got your back!
If all this still sounds a little Greek to you, don't worry! Our in-house art department can usually help clean up your art files for little or no cost. We can even help you create a logo or design from scratch.

USB drive prices set to rise

2010-02-16T17:15:30Z

USB prices may take an upward swing after the close of Chinese New Year. Many of the factories that produce the memory chips in flash drives have been on break during the national holiday and workers aren't set to return until the end of February.

Rumor has it the factories plan to raise prices after the New Year to slow demand for the popular storage devices in an attempt at buying time to catch-up on back-logged production.

Our advice? If you're thinking about promotional USBs, consider ordering now.

Leaderpromos again named top diversity business!

2010-02-02T22:38:19Z

We're proud to be selected again as one of the top 500 diversity-owned businesses in the U.S. and one of the top 500 women-owned businesses in the U.S. by supplier diversity site, DiversityBusiness.com.

Plus, we're ranked seventh among the top 50 women-owned businesses in Ohio, and 14th out of the top 50 diversity-owned businesses in Ohio.

For more information about the rankings, see DiversityBusiness.com.

Choosing eco-friendly promotional products: Five quick tips

2010-01-29T18:49:04Z

Select items that eliminate waste. Eight out of ten disposable plastic water bottles sold in the U.S. end up in landfills. Products like stainless water bottles and nonwoven shopping totes can be used again and again, potentially eliminating tons of garbage.
Make sure your products can be disposed of in an environmentally friendly way. Many eco items now carry tags with recycling instructions.
Go organic! Organic cotton is great for bags and apparel. Best of all, it's made without harmful pesticides or synthetic fertilizers.
Try corn plastics. Daily, 10% of U.S. oil consumption goes to plastic production. Corn plastic is made from a renewable resource, reduces our dependence on foreign oil and takes 65% less energy to produce than conventional plastics.
Tap into the simplicity trend. Functional products that save money will be kept and used, keeping your clients engaged with your brand.

A handy tool for trade show exhibitors

2009-10-29T15:40:23Z

Does your company exhibit at trade shows? A handy tool on mcmag.com, the site of Meetings & Conventions Magazine, can help you quickly determine your ROI. Their online calculator takes in to account such factors as salesperson salaries, display booth costs, travel expenses and number of leads generated to come up with your average cost per lead and cost to close for the show.