Write Yourself Into Your Customers Memory

As the rebound continues in the economy there is no better time to get your organization’s name into the hands of your clients and potential customers.  Rather than printing out traditional catalogs or sending expensive mailings across the country or the globe try utilizing a USB memory device.  With an ever-expanding capacity and in many cases features these devices are a wise choice for holiday gifts or employee recognition year-round.  There are a couple of considerations which we will discuss later on that may apply to your clients.

A new player on the scene the Jetson USB Flash Drive V2.0 2GB is a pretty basic USB device that offers a large imprint area, extensive storage capacity and a sleek profile that make it easy to carry.  It is compatible with the latest operating systems and can be paired with a lanyard.  Basic devices such as this one appeal to a wide audience and for the most part prices are down from a few years ago.  For those looking for more the Dual Function Laser Pointer USB Memory Pen V 2.0 2GB combines the benefits of a fast storage device with a laser pointer that can reach a significant distance from the point of origin.  Please keep in mind any unit with a laser pointer should only be used by those that understand the laser portion can do potential damage if aimed at the eyes.  In most cases the pen portions will take off the shelf replacements.  These combination pieces have been around for a few years and continue to be tremendously popular especially amongst the executive clients.  To extend along this line further a premier brand is available, the Cutter & Buck American Classic USB Pen 1GB carries a lot of prestige as it comes in the branded box and is made of solid brass.  Solid brass has the advantage of providing a more consistent feel and ease of writing over plastic pens.   If you are looking for a more basic option but one that is on the leading edge of the available technology the Credit USB Flash Drive V 2.0 2GB offers the same large storage but will fit in about any wallet.  This is important because it can be given with a complimentary gift item such as a wallet or briefcase. 

Some organizations place restrictions on what employees may bring onto the premises.  If your potential client is one of these organizations obviously memory devices will not work as a promotion.  Plan accordingly but overall these are great items that appeal to the masses.  Much like the ideas discussed in emerging from a recession there are many ways in which you can begin planning towards a better economy in the months ahead.  As the economic data today indicated the overall economic situation is at the very least stabilizing and more than likely improving.  As the effects of the stimulus begin to wear off the distorted growth of the last quarter will subside but the lasting effect is that it helped to change the momentum towards the positive.  Underlying this all is the need for a strong holiday season which is yet to be determined.

Oil Experts Worse than Weathermen

When we are all looking back next Spring wondering how the economy took another tumble think back to the days of illogical price increases in the market.  Sure the dollar is weak and that does directly impact what we see at the pumps but the irrational nature of the swings of the past two years speaks more of the same exuberance we once had in the housing arena.    The expectation among traders is that there will be justification down the road for what we are now seeing as we fill our tanks but the reality has been that these experts have been horribly inaccurate as detailed on many other blogs. 

Perhaps they have all been enjoying the finer things of life such as a top quality bottle of wine delivered in an Alicia Klein Wine Carrier that is made from one of the most exclusive names available today.   People use this carrier as a holiday perk and it does the job for which it was constructed.  The padding is excellent and it keeps bottles from rattling but for the price we would really like to see a higher grade of material versus the vinyl used.  The Cutter & Buck American Classic Wine Valet definately steps it up a notch and is made from the finest genuine leather.  It also carries a more recognized name than the earlier model which is more of a niche brand.  The handles are stronger and there is more than ample room for two bottles and as earlier indicated there is virtually no noise or jiggling when carrying.  The leather also passes the sniff test in that it is genuine and not the low grade stuff we often see at the lower price points.   Both of these products do a great job and look great with a logo debossed.  If you are looking to spend a little less the Cutter & Buck American Classic Coaster Valet will get the brand into the hands of your client without the expense of some of the previous entries.   Until they run out the manufacturer is also throwing in a free wine opener of the same brand which is great as it increases the perceived value.  When deciding on the product you will ultimately gift to your client or associate choose both quality and value.

What many manufacturers are doing at the end of the year is packaging products from within the same lines to dump inventory.  They are all bracketing it as a special but without a doubt it is clearing out warehouse and capital to begin the 2010 product cycle.  The packaging of products we are seeing is no different from what we have previously discussed among furniture retailers.

Slicing Your Way to Less Whining

No matter how much we would like to put it off the inevitable is just around the corner – the holidays.  As business owners and marketing directors it is often your responsibility to purchase the seasonal gifts for people within your organization and also for customers and potential clients outside your office.  One of the most popular items in the last few years continues to evolve and we are now seeing retail quality wine sets available in the corporate market.

The Leeds Milano Wine Set is more than just a basic wine package and includes a manual opener along with an attractive and easy to use case.  What we like about this particular item is the price point and the fact that it is all inclusive.  The Leeds Cabernet Wine Set has the key wine opener and also a foil cutter but lacks a stopper.  The removal of the stopper does however bring it in at a fantastic price point and the tone on metal appearance of the opener is appealing.  Like most of these items the decoration is placed on the package and not the individual item.  Even in the sets that include multiple pieces you would rarely want to decorate the individual pieces as the cost is prohibitive and indeed few manufacturers even allow for it.   For those looking for the simple the Executive Collection Wine Stopper Set is your basic two wine stopper set with cherry case.  Again though the decoration is placed on the outside of the box and that is a consideration when branding as it is possible the box will eventually be left behind.  Also consider your market when introducing this type of item as they won’t appeal to everyone particularly those that cater to the young such as colleges or universities.   Please be aware that most wine sets including a foil cutter that can be dangerous in the wrong hands.  As of this writing there are no child friendly wine sets and it may be some time before we see them arrive in the promo industry.

As we talked about earlier about increasing your visibility with USB there is a unique opportunity during the holidays to do the same.  Careful selection and consideration of your holiday gifts can create goodwill among your employees and existing clients as well as give you a foot in the door with potential new clients.  A well selected gift can certainly reducing the whining in your office or your home.

Revisiting the Marketing of Privacy Policies

We got a lot of feedback on our post yesterday about privacy policies most of it details of the legality of endorsements.  As a result we wanted to follow up with some additional information and do so with the understanding and disclaimer that this is not legal advice by any means or in any shape or form.

When a business markets a product or service it takes responsiblity for that product.  In essence if a business sells an item to a 3rd party the seller assumes all liability for any claims made about that product.  Likewise when a business represents that another party endorses the services offered by the seller they are obligating themselves in two ways.  First if they have a legitimate written endorsement from their customer the customer has likely assumed some burden for endorsing the product publicly unless an explicit contract was written to the contrary.  Surveys have shown most small businesses do not have the legal resources to effect such a contract.  That shifts the burden to your customer who in an attempt to do the right thing may have just put themselves in a terrible position if something went wrong.  This is the reason so many companies forbid specific identifiable endorsements.  They allow employees to provide endorsements so long as they do not identify the business because it effectively shifts the burden to the person not the corporate entity. 

The second issue is putting up an endorsement either through the use of text or displaying the logo and portraying it as an endorsement is that your organization now assumes liability if the other party claims you are using their logo without consent.  Some may say “well we had Joe Smiths approval” but now Joe Smith no longer works there and there is no contract so your organization technically was violating the law.  Our point about TrustE and similar services is that they may provide you with far more real gain then using a reference nobody would ever check anyway. 

There are multiple issues with using references.  First and foremost understand there is a blatant contradiction when you tell someone you value their privacy but display their logo on your homepage as a sales tool.  Second there are legal issues associated with the use of those endorsements for both you and the customer.  Tread cautiously and consider if the upside is worth the potential downside.

The Green Network is running a great special on the demise of the electric car in California.  We are finding strong response to eco friendly items as recycled products are rising once again.  On the topic of shows we were glad to see a more realistic storyline compared to last weeks debacle as discussed in binoculars to see through the story.

The Contradiction in Most Privacy Policies

If you shop online you will find the arena is littered with sites that proclaim proudly they follow a specific policy with regards to customer privacy.  Most of the major brick and mortar retailers know and understand what privacy really means and do not publish any information about their customers unless it is user initiated such as product reviews.  However thousands of middle market companies particularly in the B2B segment fail to understand the true meaning of customer privacy.

While looking for a product online Tuesday I came across a reputable and well known promotional products distributor.  This distributor has won various awards within the industry for being an innovative and top distributor and by all accounts they are an excellent business.  Digging into their privacy policy which was proudly splashed across the site they clearly state they will not release your name or information to anyone at any time.  This is great as it is a pillar of the trust between a customer and a vendor.   The contradiction comes into place when that same website has a rotating image showing the logos of major international firms.  Anyone that has done business with these firms knows unless there is an exclusive relationship – an arrangement that always results in the customer paying more than they normally would, the only people “single source” benefits is the distributor selling at an astronomical markup – these firms are usually specifically prohibited from endorsing any vendor for legal reasons.  Forgetting the legal issues that surround the display of another entities logo as some type of endorsement it flat out violates the privacy policy most have proudly published.  How can a firm on one hand tell you they protect and cherish your privacy but oh by the way we will put your logo on our home page as a public endorsement of our relationship.  Sure there are instances when customers will insist on giving a good endorsement but one has to also look at the negative aspect of displaying your customer information publicly.  Someone could very easily attempt to contact that customer and already have a great idea where you are on price by looking at the site itself.  It is a double edged sword and one that few consider when they put up the fancy flash rotator of clients they have “done business with.”  

I have always wondered whether anyone even checks these supposed references, but maybe that is the understanding all along.  It looks good to have a major multi-national as a client even if the business was a .0001% of what they spent that year elsewhere.   Keep in mind though you may be opening yourself to legal liability if you display the logo of your client without their express written consent and you are almost definitely violating the privacy policy you created.

In the end investing in a service like Truste will deliver higher return on investment and actually increase conversions.  Most customer could care less about your previous customer experiences and can easily check your references with the various business reporting agencies.  What they do want to know is that their information is really secure and that trust is assured.

Walking Towards Message Success

There is no doubt the fitness craze of the last decade has slowly subsided but there is still an ample market for getting your message out through fitness products.  In fact it is one of the fastest growing segments within the branding industry with new additions arriving almost weekly.

Within that segment there are generally two areas most broadly represented by the major manufacturers.   The StayFit Personal Fitness Kit includes absolutely everything one would need including ankle weights and a jump rope.  The kit is essentially an all in solution with branding opportunities only on the actual case itself.  We have seen this item used by hospitals and educational institutions as a great conversation piece.   For the more limited budgets of this recession the StayFit Multi Function Pedometer which has all the functions you would need including a calorie counter and digital step counter.  We have tested the unit and it is fairly accurate with the understanding that this is not a scientific device.  There have been some difficulties with the first generation of promotional pedometers as they were not nearly as accurate as the commercial devices.  Subsequently some customers have been burned and may not want to give another shot to fitness type items.  Manufacturers have improved this year and I expect that many will be pleasantly impressed by the improved quality.

Much like the Binoculars to See Through the Story piece written earlier one has to carefully choose where and when they utilize this type of branding opportunity.  It obviously will not work for everyone, analyze your market and target audience closely.

Binoculars to See Through the Story

According to the latest weekly ratings CSI Miami continues to be a powerhouse with a strong showing among the critical viewing base.  The same cannot be said for the plot lines which are increasingly weak and now bordering on the ridiculous.  The stories are becoming so unbelievable that it takes away from what is reasonable acting by the shows cast.

Take last weeks episode in which a couple of beach volleyball players suddenly pass away on the beach.  The team shows up and looks around hoping to find some clues to what may have caused the tragedy.  I believe you even catch a glimpse of one team member using the High Sierra Tahoe Binoculars which was no doubt a paid plug.  Here is where the story gets interesting.  The team finds a cable running under the sand and traces it back to a ragged cut end.  Immediately one would think some type of remote power source was used but of course the story turns to the ridiculous with talk of a “bolt from the blue.”  Sure it is an established phenomena that lightning can indeed hit in the clear blue sky way ahead of or behind a passing thunderstorm.  But to date nobody has ever been able to “direct” lightning as they would like you to believe on this show.  The crux of the story is that a jealous husband had erected a hand made lightning rod in the lifeguard station and attached it to the cable.  By miracle the lightning rod was hit at the exact moment these individuals were playing volleyball and met an electrifying end.  That is how silly the stories have become at this stage in the show’s evolution.  It is probably also a comment on our collective viewing tastes that a show offering such ludicrous plot lines continues to be top rated.

The economic news last week was still jaded at best.  It is encouraging to see some strong signals but on the flip side with so many still unemployed and the numbers that have just given up ever increasing it is no doubt going to be a slow holiday season which will only hamper the recovery even more.  As we talked about in the summer stall becomes an autumn slide things are going to take awhile to get better.  As the stimulus funds continue to trickle down through the system the odds will increase that the situation does improve.