Bruce Fox Blog

Estimated Read Time: 10 Minutes

There are so many stock options out there, you could easily get lost. The chucks of glass alone on SAGE or ESP could keep you busy for hours. Then if you are brave enough to venture out of the heaps of cheap stock options, it quickly turns into a lot of random products that semi-fall under the category of recognition mixed in with awards and other items.

With that being said, it’s good to have choices and options, especially when that fits your budget and other needs. Though, it’s better to have a partner supplier that you trust to be your go-to for awards rather than mindlessly scrolling through glass, acrylic, and etc. for hours.

However, what happens when your client asks for something unique that they’ve never seen before?

What happens when your client asks for something that fits them - their branding, their messaging, and their culture perfectly?

Estimated Read Time: 19 Minutes

Whether through online chatter or by casual conversation, I have noticed an uptick in people asking a rather important question.

How do I track my promotional product campaigns?

Estimated Read Time: 4.5 Minutes

A scary phrase, but it’s a true one.  

Don’t you ever wonder where your clients are getting some of their products? Do you sell them tradeshow giveaways but wonder where they are getting their polos?

It’s a simple concept; your clients have to be getting those products somewhere. So, where are they getting them from? Are they buying online or are they working with another company? Both are bad for business, right?

Estimated Read Time: 22 Minutes

I mentioned in a recent blog that I worked at a digital marketing agency for years. It seems to have surprised some, but here I am. I made the jump from the innovative and cutting edge industry of digital agency life to the (and I hate saying it) lagging promo industry.

Ouch. I know.

Estimated Read Time: 7 Minutes

I’m on a few lists, groups, and industry exclusive chats where I see questions, answers, and comments about everything from, “Where can I find this pen?” to “What CRM program do you recommend?” Every single question is valid and I love scrolling through and helping where I can. The exchanging of information allows us to quickly fill our needs, grow, have helpful conversations, and gain further knowledge.

Despite the plethora of information, flyers of deals, and the occasional post about a podcast, I have seen little about growing a current client. It’s usually about the next prospect and going for bigger and better.

Yes, growing your pool of prospects and keeping that sales funnel full is essential. You will never hear me say that’s not important. In fact, I wrote some tips a while ago about selling to new prospects.

However, what I’m saying is that there are two pieces of sales that are often neglected. One is upselling, which I addressed in a previous blog.

The other is about growing and cultivating clients that you already have.

Estimated Read Time: 4.5 Minutes

I have tacos on the brain… thanks @JayBusselle and #promochat.

So, delicious tacos and Engraved Value Plaques – what on the world do those have in common? Certainly not the taste and ability to eat them - obviously.

Estimated Read Time: 4 Minutes

Awards tend to travel. Whether they’re going to a local place basically in your backyard, going to an exotic or central location to be presented, or the point of the trophy is to travel, even internationally. We’ve seen it all. We’ve made it all.

So, with our experience, here are a few tips we’ve put together to be aware of when traveling with awards.

Estimated Read Time: 8 Minutes

I’m getting married soon. The countdown clock is ticking and I try not to hyperventilate every time I think about it. It’s not that I don’t want to get married; it’s just that there is so much to do. Too many moving parts, you could say. 

But despite the insanity of planning a destination wedding, there has been my fiancé through it all. Always willing to pitch in, come up with ideas, and give me a much-needed reality check. It’s nice having a partner through it all, right?

Then, being the workaholic that I am, I realized something. Through all the wedding madness that has consumed my life, there is an analogy somewhere in here, likely in a semi-packed box next to the random changes to make everyone happy and the endless gifts and just “stuff.”

Estimated Read Time: 3.5 Minutes

Okay, so here’s the deal. I won. But then I lost.

A paradoxical twist of fate that somehow conjoined two personal attributes I happen to possess: My chili-cooking prowess, and my steadfast aversion to all things Walmart. (We’ll get into that another time.)

Unlikely association, say you? Pyrrhic victory, say I.

Estimated Read Time: 5.5 Minutes

When you picture a successful awards event, what do you see? The room decorated perfectly? Happy chatter as party people mingle around the room? The speaker delivering a rousing speech that inspires the crowd to their feet?

What about the awards?

What about the awards delivering that “wow factor” that turns into the talk of the night?

Who wouldn’t want that? Giving an award that inspires awe, happiness, and excitement, while still being on point with the branding, purpose, and all other requirements.

Sounds like a dream come true, right? It doesn’t have to be just a dream.

That’s why I’ve put together two lists – one to help you get the ROI that only an effective award can bring and the other on how to deliver that “wow factor” that you’ve been dreaming about.