Bruce Fox Blog

Hey, let’s go to the beach!

Sure, lemme just grab a few things.  Can’t just go to the beach unprepared.  Let’s see…towels, sunglasses, lotion, something to read, phone (can’t escape entirely), iPod and headphones.  Chairs and umbrella.  Football and paddle game.  Boogie board.  What else?  Cooler!  Beverages, ice…we’ll need to stop off to get some.  Snacks, of course.  Wallet, hat…and a wheel barrow to haul it all out there.

We all have “The Beach List”—essentials that enhance our seaside experience.  But, as a promotional products pro, do you have the same kind of list when it comes to providing awards to your customers?  Are you making the best of the opportunity?  Do you know how you can make the experience better for your client and the award recipients?

Don’t feel bad if you don’t know the answers—your customer probably doesn’t know either.  But here’s a cheat sheet to help you along.  When you share these ideas, you might get a “I didn’t think of that” or two:

Read Time - 7 Minutes

The World Series starts next week, and even though my team was out of it before May 1^st, I’ll still be watching in earnest.  Why?  Because I’m a baseball geek. 

I’m one of those that knows why the Dodgers are called the Dodgers.  I know there is only one player to play for (and have a hit for) two different teams in two different cities on the same day—and both hits were off of future Hall of Fame pitchers.  And I know the oddity that is the player’s uniform depicted above.  Why?  Because I am a baseball geek. 

So much so, in fact, that I’ve coupled our “20 Questions” recognition sales tool to the game and its history—associating the list of 20 pointers to corresponding uniform numbers of players in Major League Baseball history.  Why?  Because I’m a baseball geek.

If you’ve ever played 20 Questions, you know you can identify nearly anything if you ask the right questions. 

Creating an effective recognition program begins with the initial dialog with your client.  This phase of the sales process not only initiates a proper course of action for the project, but positions you as a subject matter expert for custom recognition awards.  Most importantly, perhaps, is that it creates a forum for the client’s voice.  

Center the discussion on the client’s needs, and keep the conversation going.  And, like this season’s Cincinnati Reds bullpen, stop pitching!

Read Time - 3 Minutes

The last thing my 11-year old daughter needs is a megaphone.  Pretty much the entire western hemisphere is within earshot if she chooses to be heard.  And without the aid of any amplifying device.

So it’s not unusual for me to intervene in an attempt to turn down her volume, as was the case the other evening.  For whatever reason—I gave up asking why a long time ago—she was outside, “singing” into the narrow end of a funnel normally reserved for bird feeder fill-ups, directing her boosted voice at no one in particular.  Except perhaps anyone within a three-mile radius.

“Have mercy, child!” I managed over the din.  “Can you maybe dial it down?  Try more James Taylor and less Ozzy Ozbourne.”  But, alas, her crazy train could not be derailed.

So I exercised the only remaining option:  I went back inside.  And thought about funnels, of course.  And how they can be used.  Or used differently.  Which made me think about Devo.  (It’s how my mind works, don’t judge!)

Read Time - 3 Minutes

Hey, let’s go to the beach!

Sure, lemme just grab a few things.  Can’t just go to the beach unprepared.  Let’s see…towels, sunglasses, lotion, something to read, phone (can’t escape entirely), iPod.  Chairs and umbrella. Boogie board.  What else?  Cooler!  Beverages, ice…we’ll need to stop off to get some.  Snacks, of course.  Wallet, hat…and a wheel barrow to haul it all out there.

We all have a “Beach List" of essentials that enhance our seaside experience.  But, as a promotional products pro, do you have the same kind of list when it comes to providing awards to your customers?  Are you making the best of the opportunities in custom awards?  Do you know how you can make the experience better for your client and the award recipients? 

Don’t feel bad if you don’t know the answers—your customer probably doesn’t know either.  But here’s a cheat sheet to help you along.  When you share these ideas, you might get a “I didn’t think of that” or two:

Read Time - 2 Minutes

The picture has nothing to do with this post, but I really wanted to start with a pun because the headline riddle is like a school dance without beverages.  There is no punch line.

So, back to the matter at hand, when is a catalog not a catalog?  Multiple choices available; answer below:

A. Orange

B. When it’s a portfolio

C. When it’s a ZOOMcatalog

D. Both B. and C.