The 8 Best Resolutions for Entrepreneurs

 

2015 is almost here. Now is the time for setting goals and resolutions — to think about the past year and devise a plan for future success. But what are the best resolutions for those who set goals and reflect on past successes and failure every single day?

Well, it turns out the best resolutions for entrepreneurs aren’t easy. They’re often heartfelt and difficult — and you need to be emotionally invested in them to work. Need ideas for resolutions of your own? Here are a few to get you started:

1.    Don’t try to do it all. Build your team with talented people and delegate tasks appropriately. This way, you can accomplish more without wearing yourself out.

2.    Celebrate small successes and milestones. Progress is significant and celebrating it helps everyone stay motivated and feel recognized.

3.    Build your brand. Create a strategy for getting your name out there and use promotional products to help you build brand awareness, reach, and recall.

4.    Give yourself more time to think. Separate yourself from the daily tasks, so you can focus more time on the big-picture thinking your company needs.

5. Say goodbye to problem customers. If they’re preventing you from providing better service to more valuable customers, consider cutting them loose.

6. Help your community.  Find a cause you care about and partner with them to do something special. Doing good feels good and it can help you create goodwill around your company name and brand.

7. Educate yourself.  Go to the seminar you’ve always wanted to attend or set up some training sessions for your staff.  Not only is it fun, it can help you stay relevant in your marketplace.

8. Be more productive.  Change up your routine, do the hard stuff first, eliminate distractions and just get it done. This is your year to do it.

People set goals all the time, but over 70% never get carried out. Don’t let this happen to you. Choose your resolution, break it down into milestones, and set your timeframe for achievement. 2015 is waiting for you…may success be yours.

Winter Gift Ideas for B2B Brands

The beginning of a new year is a great time for B2B brands look ahead to the future and to thank their partners, clients and vendors for helping them get where they are. But coming up with winter gift ideas to express your gratitude can be challenging — especially if you want to stand out from the crowd. Here are a few ways to help you be memorable:

Make It Personal

It may be hard to believe in this technology-driven world, but people still appreciate a thoughtful handwritten card. Sending a card to your clients with a personal note inside is a simple, yet memorable, way to show your clients that you are thinking of them.

Do Some Good

Sometimes it really is better to give than to receive. Show your partners, vendors or clients how much you care by making a donation to a charity of their choice. It’s a gift you can both feel good about — and one that will never go to waste.

Go Beyond the Gift Card

Think of the standard gift card as a blank canvas — something that you can add to and accessorize.  Giving away a spa gift card?  Include a goodie bag of spa essentials to up your gift-giving game.

Think: Hobbies

Does your client like to spend time in the kitchen or on the golf course?  Add some custom touches to some cooking accessories or a golf kit — like a printed logo or embroidered initials.

No matter which one you choose, these winter gift ideas can help you say “thank you” in an  original and unexpected way and help you build relationships with the clients you value most.

What’s your favorite way to say “thank you?”

Spruce Up Your Company Holiday Party With These 10 Promotional Products

Holiday party favors and giveaways come in many forms — wearables, accessories, glassware, decorations and more. They’re perfect for showing off your company’s personality, making your employees feel appreciated and bringing that extra something to your company holiday party.

Not sure where to start when it comes to picking the right promotional products for your next party?  Here are a few of our favorites:

#1 Electronics and Accessories From branded chargers and battery packs, to ear buds and USB drives, these are the kind of gifts that actually get used — on business trips, long commutes, wherever. Giving away a tablet at this year’s party?  Don’t forget to wrap it in a sleeve or cover.
#2 Gift Cards They’re popular for a reason. They give your employees the flexibility to buy what they really want. Buy cards from popular department stores and restaurants and give them away in branded gift card holders.
#3 Premium Clothing Fleeces and outerwear are popular in the cooler months, but so are those coveted team jerseys and polo shirts. Outfit your team in stylish threads that just happen to have your logo on them — and your corporate apparel will become a staple in their closets.
#4 Industry-Specific Gifts Not everyone would appreciate winning a branded microscope or a stuffed company mascot, but for others, these are guaranteed to be the most coveted prizes of the evening.
#5 Corkscrews & Bottle Stoppers If you’ve ever rifled through a messy drawer or cooler searching for the ever-elusive corkscrew or bottle stopper, you know how useful this gift can be. Have it engraved with your company logo for a nice touch.
#6 Creative Party Favors Add to the glitz and glamour of the season with fun party favors to get your crew into the holiday spirit. Think party glasses branded with your logo, customized confetti, masks and maracas. The right party favors can inject some fun into any setting and bring your party theme to life.
#7 Commemorative Glassware When it comes to cocktail parties and banquets, customized glassware can add that extra touch of class. Give them away to commemorate the event or reuse them for other special occasions.
#8 Jewelry It’s a popular gift for tenured employees, but it can be hard to cater to everyone’s tastes. If you’re going to do jewelry, go with something simple and modern — a classic timepiece, cufflinks or earrings.
#9 Balloons Branded balloons are like breadcrumbs. They show people where the party’s at and they lay claim to your event space. Having a family-friend event? Hand a few out to the kids for as an instant party favor.
#10 Beverage Napkins or Coasters Have some coasters or bev naps printed with your company logo and tagline or turn each one into a conversation piece with witty one-liners and cutting-edge design.

Shop these products and more at www.app-co.com.

What promotional products are you planning for this year’s company holiday party?

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Creating a Brand: Boost Your Brand Personality with a Promotional Giveaway

Why do we love certain brands? They are useful, they make us look good and they’re there when we need them. They satisfy a need and as result, they earn our admiration. Promotional giveaways are another opportunity to strengthen these relationships and show off your brand personality. Though each one, you can turn a ho-hum promotion into something that significantly moves the needle when creating a brand.

Be Useful

At a networking conference? Give attendees a way to remember the people they meet.  At an outdoor event in the summer? Give away a care package to help them stay cool and comfortable.  Add your logo into the mix, and they’ll always remember the who behind the favor.

Give Them a Story to Tell

You may have just given away a T-shirt, but what did your customer have to do to get it?  Were they the one in a thousand fans who caught the shirt you shot up into the stands?  Did their entry receive the most votes in your latest contest? Did they just run a grueling race you organized? Make the process of getting the promotional item a story in itself and your brand will be worn like a badge of honor.

Be the Kind of Novelty that Doesn’t Wear Off

Standout design is essential when you’re creating a brand — it’s also a great way to make sure you have the most sought-after swag at every event you attend. So, get creative — don’t just give away your logo, give away a conversation piece your fans will want to wear every single day. Turn a basic tee into a work of art or a basic accessory into a collector’s item.

Need help with the design of your promotional products? Create a contest for your in-house design team, enlist the help of APP’s graphic arts and design department or outsource the project to a community of freelance designers.

When In Rome…

You wouldn’t bring branded bookmarks to a baseball game. Use the venue to your advantage. For example, at this year’s SXSW music, film and interactive conference, attendees scored all kinds of relevant swag, from branded ear buds and smartphone covers to books and stickers.

How Do You Show Off Your Brand Personality

Through Promotional Giveaways?

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