Idea of the Week: Keeping Fingers Warm and Text-Ready

Winter is upon us, which can only mean one thing. It's a lot harder to update Facebook, text, tweet or post photos to Instagram while wearing those big old mittens or gloves.

Let's change that, should we? Why not promote company loyalty and gain exposure by placing your logo on a pair touchscreen gloves? These gloves work on virtually all smartphones, tablets and ATM machines. 






Tasty Side Note: Don't forget your favorite coffee or hot chocolate tumbler to go with these gloves and make your event one to remember.

Is it holiday season, already?

Halloween has come and gone. The days are shorter and the nights are longer. This can only mean that the holidays are right around the corner.

Have you started making your lists yet?

Now is the time to start thinking of how to thank your clients for a great year. Perhaps it is to thank your employees. Or maybe its just to say "Happy Holidays" here's a little something on us.


Let us help make your life easier by finding the right holiday gift. Whether your budget is big or small, LGI is here to help take one of the important things off of your growing list.

Tasty Side Note: Think of the great sense of accomplishment you'll get, by checking this 1st thing off of your list. And that's one thing you won't have to check twice.

www.lgipromotions.espwebsite.com

The Original Data Collector

You know that thing? That thing that everyone used to write down their important events on. Birthdays, doctor's appointments, business meetings, kid's sporting events, and your anniversary. It's called a Calendar - and it is still just as vital today as it was before the smartphone came into existence.

Here are some great statistics from Counselor Magazine regarding promotional calendars:

• 82% of consumers say they can identify the advertiser on a calendar they received
• 91% of consumers keep calendars because they're useful
• $0.003 is the cost-per-impression of a promotional calendar. The same CPI yielded by an internet display ad.
• 1,984 lifetime number of impressions of a promotional calendar

Do you know what else is cool about calendars, they come in all shapes and sizes:

Tasty Side Note: Looking for more calendar ideas or options, please stop by www.lgipromotions.espwebsite.com and type in Calendars in the search box.

Idea of the Week: The Superman of Pens

It's a bird, it's a plane, wait, it's not Superman?

                                                                                                      Alex Ross

...No, it's not a super hero but there's no denying the Fisher Space Pen (I linked the website which tells even more details about it.) has super powers, working underwater, upside down, and in zero gravity. The zero gravity factor gave this pen its claim to fame when astronauts on the Apollo 7 mission used it in outer space.  

These pens are made in the USA and come in multiple colors and sizes My favorite still remains the silver bullet. 

Looking for the next corporate gift, incentive or thank you - let the Fisher Space Pen save the day. 

Just think how great your logo would look engraved, foil-stamped or silk-screened.

Do you have a favorite pen? Let me hear what superpowers you look for in your most prized writing instrument.

Tasty Side Note: While Superman's weakness was Kryptonite, the Fisher Space Pen has yet to find it's Achilles heel.

Isn't it time to celebrate July 2nd, too?

What does baseball, apple pie, Chevrolet and promotional products all have in common? I know it doesn't make the old Chevy car commercial sound better. But, it is very much about being American-made. As we look to celebrate the upcoming 4th of July, we also need to celebrate July 2nd too!


What is July 2nd, you ask? It's Made in the USA day. And what a better way to showcase some promotional products that are...well you know, Made in the USA. Think of all the ways you can help brand your business with these great products such as these (an many more) and support our country.

Tasty Side Note: May you and your's have a most excellent, safe, bbq-licious, sun-filled and fabulous 4th of July.  

Idea of the Week: Be Cool

Looking for the "Joe Cool" giveaway at your next summer event? 


Feast your eyes on the Koolgator.


What is it? It's an ingenious neck wrap to "kool" off on a blistering hot day. Simply soak it in cool water for about 15 minutes, snap it into place, and you'll have a 4-color customized walking billboard.

Sure, you may not want to be sporting these out on the town, but they'll come in handy for occasion like these:

• community or charity events

• parades

• athletic events

• state or county fairs

• company picnics

Plus, it's a really cool way to spread your company's name.

Tasty Side Note: After all, with summer heating up, isn’t it really time to cool down?

Idea of the Week: Get Your Cool On

Are you ready to be cool again? 

Not just Fonzie "cool," but have cool 

drinks this Summer in a branded 

custom acrylic tumbler.

This isn't your typical 16 ounce BPA Free double wall acrylic tumbler. 
Oh no, this Fonzie-cool acrylic tumbler (in cool colors) has a freezable 
gel in between the layers of the acrylic, that once frozen will keep your 
beverage cold for hours. Now that is cool. 

Tasty side note: Looking for other Super cool ideas.... As the Fonz would say, "Ayyyy you've come to right place." Let me know how we can make your marketing message come across as being cool.

Idea of the Week: Turn up the sound on your promotion

Can you hear me now? How 'bout now?

Well with this cool silicone mini speaker, you can promote your company and make sure the sound coming from your iPhone is not too soft, not too loud, but just right. 


Looking for other creative ideas to showcase your company? Please let me know how we can help find that cool new idea to "rock" your brand.


Tasty Side Note: At prices starting at $2.59, it won't break the bank.

What are you doing for Earth Day 2012?

April 22nd is Earth Day and even though it may not be a major or even minor holiday, it is a chance for you and your clients to market the ways you're protecting and preserving the environment.

Whether your intention is to have products that are 100% recyclable or items that aim to help reduce waste. Here are 6 items that can make you feel good about showing off your company's belief in helping take care of our planet.* 

100% Organic Cotton T-shirts. Did you know that 25% of all the world's insecticides are used in cotton farming? Instead, consider supporting organic farmers who use natural fertilizers like compost.

Live Seedling - Evergreen Trees. Did you know that each tree planted can convert 600 pounds of harmful carbon dioxide into pure oxygen?

Stainless Steel Water Bottles. It's estimated that 38 billion plastic water bottles are thrown into landfills every year.

100% Recyclable Bags. Americans use approximately 380 BILLION plastic bags every year, and only recycle 1 to 2% of those bags.

80% Recycled Ballpoint Pen. Did you know that it only takes one 1.5 L water bottle to make 5 of these pens?

Earth-friendly Recycled Seed Paper. The seed paper is made from 100% post-industrial, recycled paper and dyed with all-natural, vegetable-based pigments.

There are so many other options such as coffee mugs, recycled lanyards, recognition awards, caps/hats, notebooks, journal books, padfolios and green apparel.

Let us know how we can help make your company and clients ideas for Earth day become a reality.

Tasty Side Note: We know that building your brand is a big part of what you do, but how about also showing how your brand believes in the earth?

* The statistics mentioned above come from the following websites: www.ota.com/organic/environment/cotton_environment.html; www.groline.com/; http://www.squidoo.com/whatdoesgoinggreenmean; www.envirosax.com/plastic_bag_facts; www.spectorandco.com; www.bloominpromotions.com

Idea of the Week: Four Color Process Coffee Mugs

Coffee Mugs. We all use them, either to drink from or to hold things. But it's time to think about the mugs as mini billboards.

Think about it, you can print your company's mug on these mugs with as many as four colors. 

Here are some other ways to rethink the great reusable and eco-friendly coffee mug:

• Stuffing candy or little gifts into the coffee mug.
• Giving everyone in your office a coffee mug as a way of saying thank you.
• Have a presentation? Why not put your client's name on the mug?
• Get prospective clients to pre-register for a tradeshow and give them a personalized coffee mug as a reward. 
• Print your marketing message on a coffee mug as a way to showcase a new product.

Tasty side note: Just remember - you don't just have to be a coffee drinker to enjoy a coffee mug.

Idea of the Week: Multi-Use Golf Towel

I know it might be early for some of us to talk golf, as we finally have some white stuff up in the great white north of Minnesota. But, every year, I keep getting asked what is new and different with golf accessories and products.

Here is a unique golf accessory for you, most definitely me and your customers - The Spotless Swing golf towel.

I am worse than the classic hacker. In fact, there is usually more dirt and grass on my golf clubs than whats left on the course.

This 3-in-1 towel is made of micro-fiber material on the outside and a micro-brush fabric on the inside. It will  keep your hands and grips clean, trap mud, dirt and sand on the inside of this towel and clean your club grooves, allowing you to get that distance and backspin that turns a mediocre day on the course into a great one. Okay, I'd be happy with mediocre. Just ask my father-in-law, friends and business associates who have witnessed my huge left-handed slice. Phil Mickelson, I am not. Or could ever hope to be.

Tasty Side Note: This may not cure your slice or hook, but you will definitely have the cleanest clubs on the course.

Idea of the Week: Slinky Stik-On

It's a Slinky...it's a sticky note...No wait, it's both. 


You remember the song. It's Slinky! It's Slinky, for fun, its a wonderful toy. It's fun for a girl and a boy. 


100 sheets of pure fun for writing your reminders, to-do lists and messages. Just don't drop them down the stairs. 


Tasty side note: For your viewing pleasure. The original Slinky commercial.
http://youtu.be/EZL6RGkPjws

Let me know how I can help get your marketing message across to the masses.

There is no Write or Wrong in Pens

I always have a pen on me. Why? Well, not only do I sell them for a living, but I'm also handing then out, especially to waiters and waitresses. if you remember from my first blog. I'm the difficult one in the restaurant.

Here's how the conversation usually goes: Server: You want a Cheeseburger with Bacon, but no cheese or vegetables and crispy fries. Well I better write that down with my...pen...if I can just find what I did with it...oh I'll be "write" back. Me. Why don't I just give you one of mine.


The "point" today is to tell you how valuable pens or writing instruments are in your marketing arsenal.


Here is a quick appetizer about pens:

• cost effective (with many starting under 50 cents)
• impressions you receive from a pen (they receive 437 impressions per month)
• you can’t use your finger to write on all those post-it notes around your office or home

There are so many pens to choose from whether you want a ballpoint, roller-ball or gel. Of course, let’s not forget color of ink, color of the pen, with or without a cap vs. click.

Pens are great giveaways for:existing and prospective clients

• tradeshows
• new product introductions 
• thank you's
• service awards
• employee incentives

It seems like I have a new favorite every day, but then again here is what my drawer looks like:

Does this look like your favorite drawer? Tell me, what is your favorite pen? Everyone seems to have one or at least an opinion. I would love to hear what makes a pen special to you.

Let me know how I can help you find your next favorite pen. 

Tasty side note: Here is a picture of my current favorite pen, specifically the blue one. 

The 12 days of Promotional Products (Christmas)

Ahh...the beautiful sight of snow falling outside, drinking a little hot cocoa with little marshmallows floating on top, a fire in the fireplace. All this can mean only one thing: The holidays and the music that goes along with it. One of my personal favorite songs has always been the 12 days of Christmas. With that in mind, please enjoy a new take on the 12 days of Christmas staring promotional products.

On the twelfth day of a Promotional Product Christmas, my true love gave to me...
12 Pens for writing
11 USB Flash Drives
10 Coffee tumblers
 9 Micro-fleece jackets
 8 Funky keychains
 7 Journal Notebooks
 6 Titleist Golf Ball
 5 Tumi Bags
 4 Ogio Backpacks
 3 Camelbak Water Bottles
 2 Apple iPads
 And a Built New York iPad Sleeve


Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, may your tree not lose it needles, may your latkas (potato pancakes) stay extra crisp, may your candles burn extra long and most importantly, may you and your family enjoy the best of times and a prosperous 2012.

Idea of the Week: Going High Tech to Protect Your Technology

Just about everywhere you look these days, someone is using an iPad, Kindle, Nook, or some other tablet. Sure they feed our hunger to stay connected 24/7, and  help entertain kids with short attention spans. But they're also prone to get dropped, stepped on, or simply abused by our kids. With the holidays already upon us, why not use the latest technology to protect your new tablet, the Neoprene sleeve? Neoprene is actually a material used to make wetsuits, so if it can protect you from freezing cold water, surely it can protect your tablet.

Not only is it sleek, but you can also customize it with specific designs and logos to fit your business and marketing needs. And if you don't have a tablet yet, maybe this new sleeve will get you to dive into the tablet world.


Tasty Side Note: These sleeves are also checkpoint-friendly for ease of going through Airport security (if there is such thing).

Idea of the Week: Quotables

I've got a post-it note addiction. I use them for just about everything, from jotting down a phone number, to making grocery lists and bucket lists. My wife may also be addicted, given how many post-its she uses for my honey-do lists.

Now I just found a lot more uses for my note addiction with these cool new post-its called quotables. They come packaged together in neon colors and you can brand them with your logo in multiple colors. And for all of you concerned about the imprint size for your company's logo or marketing message it is the size of a business card (that's a lot of real estate if you ask me). What's not to love about that?

See, these quotables can even make honey-do lists seem a little cute, or at least not so much like work. Sorry, you'll have to draw your own images. Once you start using them, you may unearth your inner artist.

Tasty Side Note: For all you football fans. Don't forget that there are 3 football games on Thanksgiving. Just wanted to give you another reason to obstain from having to help in the kitchen with dishes or to call a penalty on the over-indulgence of tryptophan.

It's almost that time of year again

Halloween is almost here, which means the big holidays are right around the corner. I know I don't have to tell you that. All you have to do is step into Costco, Wal-mart or Target to see the holiday merchandise on full display.

Even if you avoid the big box stores like the plaque, you still can't escape being deluged with advertisements. If your mailbox is anything like mine, the Holiday catalogs are already flooding in.

It's that time of year when stress is high - too many things to do, too little time. I often hear clients say, "It would be a HUGE relief if I could just get one thing off of my plate." And you really don't want to forget the "other people" who matter like your CLIENTS or EMPLOYEES do you? After all, nobody likes a Scrooge McDuck, do they?

This year, let me help shorten your list. I'll do all the work, you get all the credit. Here is just a small sampling of holiday ideas. Everything from food and drink, apparel, business gifts, keepsakes, not to mention many others. No matter your budget, I'll help you find the right holiday gift.

Let me know your thoughts and how I can help you for your holiday gifts or any promotional products to build your business.

Tasty Side Note: Don't forget to turn your clocks back an hour on Sunday, November 6th.  And to wish my mom a happy birthday (it's actually on the 5th). See, I am already helping you get a free hour.

Greasy Fingers

We've all been there, eating our favorite slice of pizza, with the gooey cheese and greasy pepperoni falling all over the plate. As you are biting into a greasy slice of awesomeness, you get that all important  text message, or an incessant phone call from a certain Yankees fan, (who happens to be your mother-in-law) wanting to talk about her precious Yankees.  What do you do? You pick up the phone with your greasy fingers. Eww. Gross.

C'mon you know I'm not alone in this. We've all done it. Whether it's pizza, cheetos,or worst of all, your kid wiping his or her nasty fingers all over the screen. Don't even bother using your greasy napkin to wipe off the mess, because that will just turn your screen into one big greasy smudge.

Believe it or not, this everyday mishap is an opportunity to brand your company's logo or better yet a QR code! It is (drum roll please) a small microfiber screen cleaner.

Here's what's so cool about these:

• Sticks to the back of  your phone
• Comes in custom shapes and sizes
• Prints in 4 color process
• Adhesive can be reused and applied thousands of times
• Comes with a separate backer card that you can print additional messaging
• Can be used on camera lenses, sunglasses/regular glasses, navigation systems, computer screens and iPads.

Are you interested in seeing some actual screen cleaner samples? Or looking for some promotional product ideas for your next project? Please let me know how I can help. Feel free to post a comment below or reach out via email by going to my profile and hit email.

Now if you'll excuse me, I got pizza sauce on my shirt...again. Guess I will have to use that logo'd stain removing stick next.

Tasty Side Note: Since the Yankees lost to the Tigers in the postseason, I have about 6 months before I can blame my Yankee loving mother-in-law for causing me to get my cell phone all greasy.

The Tasty Start of the Promotion Menu Blog

I love going out to eat. I can almost taste what I'm going to have just looking at a menu. I can almost see my food in front of me, prepared and served just the way I want it. And that's where I run into trouble. To put it mildly, I can be a bit of a challenge when ordering. I'm very particular about my food. I'm even worse than Sally in the movie, When Harry Met Sally. (If you need a refresher, here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnlm2e3EN78. And no, it's not the pounding on the table scene, although that one's worth watching too.)

Anyway, back to my post and its purpose. I want to help you build your brand and grow your business. And how am I going to do that? By making it easier for you to get what you want and need when you order. I'll make sure you know what's on the menu, what the "specials" are, what's new and unique. I'll make sure you get exactly what you want, just the way you want it. My job is to make sure you love what you order from my menu so you and your clients keep coming back for more.

Please drop in for appetizing stories, mouth-watering ideas with a side of humor about how promotional products can help your business. I'd love to hear your thoughts about my posts, and, of course, I'll answer any questions you might have.

In the meantime, it's gotta be close to lunchtime somewhere, and I'm craving a bacon cheeseburger with fries. But hold the cheese. And no lettuce or tomato. With ketchup and mustard — brown, not yellow — light on the mustard. And no seeds on the bun. Oh, and make the fries extra crispy!