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Las Vegas Style Promo Products

by Shari on April 17, 2012 in On the Go

This past weekend I had a quick getaway to Las Vegas. I was pretty excited since it had been about 15 or so years since my last trip! After checking into my hotel, I did what most people do and hit the casino floor. It was overwhelming at first, where was I to start? I’m not one to be naturally lucky, so I headed straight for the penny and nickel slot machines.

After a couple hours of losing and having to hassle with putting more dollar bills in the the machine, I wished that I had brought my cash in a Money Clip instead of my purse – it would have been so much more convenient. My favorite thing about this particular money clip is the fold over locking closure that keeps money tight and secure.

Later on that evening I was approached by one of the casino attendants asking me if I wanted a members card. She pointed to a lady who was placing her “member card” in the slot machine while she played so that she didn’t have to fuss with cashing out a ticket each time. I noticed that her members card was attached to a Plastic Coil Lanyard that clipped on her pants which kept her from forgetting her card…genius!

My favorite thing about the casino was the free drinks that I received while I played the slot machines! I rationalized the money I lost by thinking that I got something for free! I’m a bit of a germaphobe, so all I could think about was all of the dirty hands that had touched the machines before me…why didn’t I bring a Credit Card Size Hand Sanitizer? It would have fit nice and flat in my back pocket.

All in all, Vegas was a lot of fun! Maybe you are planning a Las Vegas getaway incentive trip or a casino themed party, USimprints has hundreds of casino themed products to choose from! If you’re unsure about how your logo will look on the product, don’t worry – we offer free quotes and virtual proofs! Check out a few of my favorite casino style products below!

Promotional Drinkware for you and your favorite furry one too!

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Teacher Appreciation Week | Great Gifts to Say Thanks!

by Shari on April 11, 2012 in Events & Promotions

This year Teacher Appreciation Week is May 7th-11th. What a great occasion to honor and say “thank you” to all of the exceptional teachers who have made a lasting difference in each of our lives. School volunteers and staff should also be appreciated for the help and involvement they provide.

Some suggestions to consider for teacher appreaction week could be acrylic tumblers, gift boxed candles, a highlighter/pen combo set or an engraved keychain. USimprints has a category full of Teacher Appreciation Gifts with many of them available on a rush service.

Later this week we will post another blog featuring some DIY creative ideas for packaging and sprucing up Promotional Teacher Gifts!

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Appreciation Gift Ideas for Nurses Week

by Shari on April 5, 2012 in Events & Promotions

Did you know that National Nurses Week is celebrated annually from May 6, also known as National Nurses Day, through May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing? Every one of us knows a nurse who has touched our life in some way. It could be a kind nurse who comforted you when you were afraid to get a shot as a kid (or even last week) or maybe a caring staff member at a nursing home who gave your grandma extra good care.

Nursing is a profession full of dedicated, hard working people that have a passion for helping other people. Simply put, they are the backbone of the health care system. Nurses Week Gifts are a simple and affordable way of saying thank you to nurses and also lets them know just how much they’re appreciated. With nurses in mind, we put together a category of great Promotional Gifts that vary from pampering to practical, nurse themed products and so much more!

Pampering Gifts – A great way to show a little TLC to your nurses are items such as chocolates, spa kits and massagers.

Practical Gifts – these are great gifts because they are useful and come in handy. A few ideas for this would be items such as tote bags, water bottles and umbrellas.

Nurse Themed Gifts – it is Nurses Week after all, why not keep in the theme with items such as a syringe pen, a goofy nurse shape badge pull or a uniform hand sanitizer?

No matter what you choose to give, be sure to thank your nurses!

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A handful of great picks for Administrative Professionals!

Administrative Professionals Day

by Shari on March 30, 2012 in Events & Promotions

On April 25th we will celebrate Administrative Professionals Day. On many occasions I’ve been given some nice gifts from my bosses ranging from a Custom Chocolate Gift Box to a Personalized Tote Bag. Remembering how apprecitated I felt when received these gifts sparked my curiosity about the origin of this holiday. With a little research I discovered that the original holiday was created in 1952 and called National Secretary’s Day by Harry F. Klemfuss. His goal was to encourage more women to become secretaries…I’ll spare you from any women’s lib comments here

Nothing says secretary like a typewriter

The title has definitely changed and evolved over the years. You are not likely to find a quintessential secretary quite like Joan Holloway from Madmen in the office these days. A couple other things that have changed is that unlike Secretaries in the 1950′s, the role is no longer gender specific to women and the new term “Administrative Professionals” encompasses more positions than the original title of “Secretary”. One thing that remains the same is that is recognition is still important!

So if you’re reading this and thinking how can I show appreciation to my Administrative Professional Staff, we have an entire category of Promotional Products geared for this special day. I’ve also listed some of my favorite Admin Gifts!

A handful of great picks for Administrative Professionals!

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Get Inked, Temporary Tattoo Style!

by Shari on March 26, 2012 in Promotional Products

What can I say – there’s an ever growing obsession with tattoos! As much as I admire the brave souls that have adorned their bodies with wonderful works of art, I do not think that I will ever partake (needles freak me out)! I am however a HUGE fan of any temporary tattoo because they are loads of fun, pain free and removable!

There is so much to like about Custom Temporary Tattoos. They are very affordable and can be ordered in bulk for distribution, which makes them great for promotional purposes. They are also perfect for outdoor summer events and contests and an easy way to really make your logo stick! Whether you want to offer a free temporary tattoo with purchase or just hand them out to attract visitors to your booth, they are always popular!

Several months back our customer Givology had a fundraiser called the Temporary Tattoo Project in which they partnered with artist to design 5 custom tattoos that were sold at the event. This in turn raised money to provide education to children in Kenya. What a great way to have fun and promote a great cause!

In the office today we decided to “get inked”. We all had a good time picking out our favorite custom tattoos. The butterfly tattoo (seen on the left) was very detailed with color and tight registration. The heart tattoo ( in the middle) had some white in the design which made the other colors really pop. My favorite was the glitter flower tattoo (on the right) that sparkled in the sunlight. One of the greatest things about Temporary Tattoos is that they are fully customizable which gives you more freedom with your design or artwork.

We have hundreds of stock tattoos available. You should also check out our Promotional Tattoo Gel Pens! The sparkly gel ink color matches the barrel and the pens are certified non-toxic and washable too!

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Camp Time, Fun Time!

by Shari on March 16, 2012 in Fun & Outdoor, Promotional Products

Growing up there was always one thing I looked forward to and that was going to Summer Camp! As a kid there was nothing better than a week of adventure, meeting new friends and of course, cute boys! I love looking through my old camp t-shirts that I acquired over the years. Mom and Dad were good about always sending us to camp with some money for buying a camp t-shirt and group picture on the last day.

The times sure have changed! A couple of summers ago I had the privilege of going to Crooked Creek Ranch in Colorado as a Young Life camp counselor. Just a few of hours after arriving I saw kids running around wearing Camp logo’ed sweatshirts and t-shirts and drinking from Camp logo’ed water bottles. Promotional Camp Products were already being purchased by the kids on the first day, I was amazed!

Early the next morning I stopped in at the camp coffee shop to get a little caffeine before starting day. While I was in there, I couldn’t help but check out the cool looking camp logo’ed mugs and tumblers for sale. It was then that I realized this was definitely different from the camp I went to as a kid. Mom and Dad gave me cash for a t-shirt and picture and these kids had probably already spend 80 bucks on merch their first day.

A few of my favorite Camp Promo Products from USimprints!

Later on that day I had some time to kill, so I decided to check out the gift shop. To be honest calling it a gift shop is kind of an understatement. The “gift shop” was about the size of an average store in the mall. Aside from a huge crowd of kids in there, it was full of Camp logo’ed apparel – including jackets, long sleeve t-shirts, hoodies, and even shorts. I browsed through the rest of the store and found sweatshirt blankets, journal books, tote bags and so much more! I was in there for a while, but luckily managed to walk out with just two t-shirts, a sweatband, one water bottle and a keepsake picture frame. I rushed back to my cabin to put on my new camp t-shirt – I was one of the cool kids now!

2010 Crooked Creek Camp photos and some of the greatest gals I've ever known!

Needless to say that almost all kids either go to summer camp every year, or they have been at least once. Promotional Camp Products are a great way for kids to remember the fun they had at camp or as Young Life promises the kids that atttend their camps “The best week of your life, or your money back”.

If you are looking for a wide selection of camp products at budget prices, you should definitely check out our Promotional Products for Camp category. Also if you need products in a hurry, just ask – we have tons of products that are offered with a Free Rush Service!

As an added bonus, now through August 1st mention our promo code CAMP2012 we’ll give you $25 off any order of $200 or more!

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2012 Earth Day Tips & Product Promotion!

by Shari on March 14, 2012 in Events & Promotions, Promotional Products

With Earth Day right around the corner, we’ll soon be kicking off our month long Eco Products Promotion to show a little love for this wonderful planet! The primary basis for Earth Day is to create awareness and appreciation of the environment. What better way to spread awareness then with Imprinted Eco-Friendly items?

So in Honor of Mother Earth and this special day, we listed a few helpful tips and fantastic looking products to help be a little more green in the work place!

1. Use a Recycled Coffee Mug and Reusable Water Bottle instead of paper cups and disposable plastic bottles. We’re all guilty of grabbing the occasional plastic bottle of water at the store and using the disposable coffee cups in the office. Instead, what if we used a reusable water bottle or poured our coffee in one of the great looking mugs below? Estimated amount of trash saved – a whole lot!

Love the shapes of these Eco-Mugs!

2. Bring your lunch from home in an insulated Eco Friendly Lunch Bag. It’s so easy to make a quick run for a fast food lunch. Have you ever thought about the amount of trash in just one to-go lunch? What if you packed some fresh fruit, a sandwich (in a reusable container) and perhaps a handful of nuts? The trash would be far less, not too mention what a healthy lunch!

Just a few of our Eco-Lunch bag options!

3. Wear a Pedometer and walk whenever possible. It saves on car pollution, plus it’s great exercise and you get to enjoy the fresh outdoor air. Today was a sunny Spring day in Tennessee with a nice 78 degree temperature outside. What a great day it would have been to clip on my pedometer and take a nice walk to the local bookstore down the road. I always feel victorious when I wear a pedometer and can physically see the amount of steps I take add up throughout the day.

Great options for counting steps!

From Eco-Drinkware to Pedometers there are hundreds of Eco Friendly Products on USimprints.com to choose from that will help promote both Earth Day and Eco-Responsibility. The above tips are just a few easy ideas to keep in mind to reduce waste while being a little healthier!

So click on over now and start shopping ideas to make your next promotion more Eco-Friendly!

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Tidy Up Traveling with these 3 Products

by Shari on March 6, 2012 in Promotional Products

This past weekend I took a somewhat impromptu get-away to the Great Smokey Mountains! Before I left the office for the weekend, I grabbed a few new products thinking that it would be a great opportunity to personally test them out.

The first one is The Hang Around. This is a new product that will be featured in our 2012 Idea Book Catalog (which comes out later this month). When I first saw The Hang Around, I honestly thought what good is a bag that only has one handle? I then realized that the one handle had a snap on it and you could attach it to multiple things.

I don’t know what the backseat of your car looks like, but I have a five year old son who feels the need to bring a toy with him anytime we leave the house. As you can see from the picture, my car tends to be a mess! What a great solution The Hang Around is! My son was able to put all of his belongings inside of it which kept the back seat clean. The Hang Around will be hanging out in my car from now on!

Mom's with Messy Mini-Vans, this product is for you!

The second product I packed for the trip was the Fold Away Duffel. The genius thing about this product is that it folds flat into an 8″ x 8″ square, fitting very easily into any suitcase. I don’t know if you’re a fanatic like me, but I cannot have the clean and dirty clothes packed together in the same bag. The Fold Away Duffel proved to be a fresh solution to my dirty laundry.

No more dirty underwear packed with clean clothes!

The third product is one of my personal favorites – The Fanny Pack. Contrary to popular belief, it has made a come-back over the past couple of years. I mean really, it was only a matter of time before people remembered Disneyland and the 80′s and thought “hey, whatever happened to the fanny pack – remember how practical and cool it was”? Okay, nobody ever said it was “cool”, but it was great for holding all of your stuff and freeing up your hands for eating corn-dogs and drinking beer at the same time!

This past weekend while I was living large as a tourist in Gatlinburg, TN – I sported the Retro Hipster Fanny Pack stowed away my belongings keeping my hands free for whatever and never looked back!

Wow, I can't believe how much stuff it holds!

And finally, in case you were concerned about the “cool factor” of wearing the hipster fanny pack, I took it upon myself to personally model how great it looks on a live body!

Yeah I know, I look pretty fresh!

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CASA of Coastal Bend | March Recipient of Cause to Promote

by Shari on March 3, 2012 in Cause to Promote

Last month CASA of Coastal Bend was chosen as the March recipient for Cause to Promote. I had the wonderful privilege of speaking with Lulana Cain, (who is a volunteer and board member for CASA). In case you are not familiar with CASA, it stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates.

Lulana explained to me that CASA are people who volunteer to speak up for severely abused and neglected children that have been removed from their homes and placed in the foster care system. CASA are appointed by a family court judge and investigate and consider all aspects, they do not answer to family members, CPS case workers, attorneys etc.

CASA’s are only for the child and only speak up for what is in the best interest of the child. Having a CASA assigned to a case dramatically reduces the time a child spends in the foster care system, thus eliminating more traumas for the child. Though a child may change CPS case workers, schools, friends, foster homes 3, 4, 5, or 6 times a year – the CASA appointed to the child will never change. They remain the only constant in that child’s life until they find them a safe, protective, loving, and permanent home.

CASA is celebrating its 20th Birthday in the Corpus Christi / Coastal Bend area, and they are turning the Birthday into a fundraiser, so that they may be able to train enough volunteers so that EVERY child in the system will have a CASA! They hope to find sponsors to underwrite the event and the promotional items they receive from Cause to Promote will be used to Spotlight their sponsors in goody bags. CASA of Coastal Bend is the fourth most under served area in the state. They hope to increase their numbers from last year which only provided CASA’s to less than half of the children in the CPS court system.

Since April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, I would like to extend an extra big thanks to all of the CASA volunteers throughout the country who are helping one child at a time in preventing abuse. You guys are real unspoken heros!

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Get Your Logo on Mardi Gras Style!

by Shari on February 2, 2012 in Events & Promotions, Promotional Products

One of our Branding Reps Adelaide Collins recently had a customer inquire about a promotional idea for her new store opening in New Orleans in February. Adelaide offered her several creative options, and her favorite ended up being the idea to order beaded necklaces. They decided the necklaces could be handed out during the Mardi Gras festivities to promote her Grand Opening on February 27th. This is a great and easy way for anyone to promote their business while having fun throughout the Mardi Gras weekend. If you are a resident of New Orleans, please check out her store Hattie Sparks located on Adams Street.

Here are some other cool Mardi Gras themed products to consider for your next February promotion!