Archive by Author

Happy Amelia Airhart Day!

by Shari on January 11, 2012 in Events & Promotions

Today is considered to be Amelia Earhart Day. Some consider it to be July 24th (her birthday), but regardless January 11th is the anniversary of Amelia becoming the first person to fly from Hawaii to the US mainland in 1935.

In the spirit of Amelia (one of the world’s most celebrated aviators) we’re spotlighting on a handful of our favorite aviation themed products!

Women, like men, should try to do the impossible, and when they fail, their failure should be a challenge to others.

~Amelia Earhart

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Warm, Fuzzy & Cozy | A Few of My Favorite Things

by Shari on January 6, 2012 in Promotional Products, Seasonal

We’re all familiar with that catchy classical song in the Sound of Music when Maria sings about her love for things such as ‘raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens’. These are the things she selects to fill her mind with when times are bad.

I grew up in hot and sunny Arizona, and so winter in the south is a bit more chilling than what I am used to. I’m the person that crosses my fingers every year and hopes that the Groundhog does not see his shadow. No doubt that Maria and I have different views on what are considered to be ‘bad times’.

Over the years I have learned the fine art of layering clothing and the importance of warming up your car 20 minutes before you leave the house. I have also discovered ‘a few of my favorite things’, which make the cold weather a bit more tolerable.

#1. My Travel Mug full of hot coffee that makes me warm, I rarely leave home without it.

#2. Fleece Glove, Hat and Scarf Set. I love the feel of the fuzzy fleece and how easily everything packs into the drawstring pouch.

#3. A Luxury Plush Blanket – this blanket is amazingly cozy and cuddly soft! I know, you probably thought I would have put down a Snuggle Me Blanket and honestly if I owned one I might be typing a different story.

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What is customer service, anyway?

by Shari on November 29, 2011 in Business Sense, Uncategorized

Years ago a friend of mine worked as a customer service rep for a major financial institution. She was on the inbound call team answering call after call, with each caller having a different issue that needed resolution. Her company had just gone through a major merger, so needless to say that there were a lot of issues to resolve. She would tell me that at times it was hard to recognize each caller as a person with a real issue and not just think of them as another call to get through.

Back in those days if you would have asked me what I thought customer service was, I would have told you a person in a call center who answers the phone and hopefully or maybe resolves your issue. Thankfully times have really changed. Customers are fed up with bad service and have demanded change. Thanks to Social Media and modern technology, gone are the days when a complaint goes unheard.

A few months ago several of us in the office were turned on to a book called The Thank You Economy. It really got us thinking about how we interact with our customers. One of the first things we realized was that we needed to be communicating with our customers shortly after they received their order to make sure they experienced great service and that they were happy with the product they ordered. Thankfully implementing this simple yet important process has helped us both improve how we serve customers and also resolve issues on orders.

We realize that there is always room for improvement. Our goal is to find the areas that need improving while learning through our mistakes. Sometimes it’s realizing that a phone call to personally apologize might be better received than an email, or when to right a wrong, when it’s not necessarily a mistake that you made. Our motto is to treat customers the way we want to be treated.

And so I leave with you my personal belief that customer service is not a department, it’s an attitude!

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Scientific Calculators for Students in Need | Cause to Promote

by Shari on November 4, 2011 in Cause to Promote, Uncategorized

We are so excited to have chosen Cedar Ridge High School for our November recipient for Cause to Promote! Kelly Wedding (a teacher at Cedar Ridge High School) wrote in a couple of months ago inquiring about any misprinted calculators that might be given as a donation. We did not have any to send her, but encouraged her to apply for Cause to Promote.

On her application Kelly wrote that Cedar Ridge High School would like to provide regular or scientific calculators to their high school students who cannot afford them. Cedar Ridge HS serves a population that is about 60% minority and about 60% economically disadvantaged. The $6 scientific calculator the kids need for physics or chemistry is beyond their budget.

Kelly explains that Cedar Ridge High School plans on putting calculators in the hands of students, so they can keep them and use them at home, instead of sharing the few that are allotted to the classroom. This would allow students to get homework done, improve grades, and improve their attitudes about their upper level classes.

I had the opportunity to speak with Kelly on the phone earlier this week and she shared a story about one of the kids who did not get his homework done. She asked him why he did not complete it and he stated “I don’t know” she asked him again and then realized that his clothes were old and he looked as if he was hungry. She said a $6 calculator seems like no big deal to most people, but when you don’t even have money to buy food, it is a big deal. I did my best to stay composed on the phone as I fought back the tears.

To end this blog on a higher note, Kelly did share with me about the excitement that the kids had when they found out they were going to have their own scientific calculators to take home! The quote below is on the signature of Kelly’s email. It is something we should all keep in mind, always.

“Be kinder and more polite than necessary. You don’t know what battles the other person faces and what a difference your interaction makes.”

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PALS Tours | October Recipient for Cause to Promote

by Shari on October 6, 2011 in Cause to Promote

A little about the mission of PALS Tours:

PALS Tours is a four-day program that aims to provide adults with Down syndrome an opportunity to increase independence through the development of life skills while exploring a new city. Through a variety of fun and educational activities, they strive to create and foster friendship amongst all participants and mentors that can be relied on year round. Together, they work to not only support the Down syndrome community but also give back to the greater communities which they are visiting.

How PALS Tours plans on using the products to promote their cause:

One of the big initiatives is to promote being active and making healthy choices. As a result they are making wellness kits for all of their participants and staff that include pedometers to track steps, water bottles and other materials. They are hoping to develop healthy habits throughout the program that participants will continue throughout the year!

You can read more about PALS Tours by clicking here.

If you are a 501C3 Non-Profit (or have applied to be one) and would like to be considered for our Cause to Promote Program, click here.

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It’s time for some tailgating!

by Shari on September 20, 2011 in Fun & Outdoor

Let me just tell you that I absolutely love football season!! The action of the game, the sound of the excited crowd, I just love the atmosphere! My favorite part of it all is the tailgating festivities. How could you not love food and football?

We all get pretty excited about football at the Prints. Most of us are from different parts of the country, so we each have our favorite teams (mine being the Dallas Cowboys). Sometimes a little team trash talk can add a bit of excitement to a morning coffee break!

Thinking about football reminds me about how people love to get together before the game to do a little eating, drinking and just hanging with friends. This is a great opportunity to personalize products to commemorate the event. Some pre-game party or tailgating necessities might include coolers, lounge chairs, can coolies, and BBQ grilling utensils.

Don’t forget to show some team spirit at the game with a rally towel or foam hands!

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Cool Neoprene Cases by Built

by Shari on September 10, 2011 in Promotional Products

It’s always worth the money to invest in a good case for your electronics, especially those of us who are slightly ‘accident prone’. If you’re anything like me you are extra cautious and carry your laptop in a neoprene sleeve which is inserted into a padded laptop bag. I kind of view my neoprene case as a protective sleeping bag for my computer.

Neoprene is growing in popularity and so you’re seeing more and more products made from it such as lunch totes and water bottle sleeves. You may be asking what is so great about neoprene, well here are some of it’s cool features:

It’s made from the same material as wetsuits

It’s been tested for lead safety – no vinyl or PVC used (in case you were concerned about that)

The soft-grip handles makes it easy on your hands to carry

It’s not bulky and stores flat

It is stain resistant…seriously, I wiped ketchup right off of mine

You can machine wash it cold and then hang it to drip dry

Since we are big fans of neoprene, we are really excited about the new line of Built Neoprene products! One of the best features of the stylish Built line is the bright colors and patterns available.

Gourmet Get Away Lunch Tote

Two Bottle Neoprene Tote Bag

Neoprene Compact Camera Case

Messenger Bag for iPad 2

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Great Picks for the Wine Enthusiast

by Shari on September 7, 2011 in Promotional Products

It was so nice to finally have some cooler weather this past weekend, especially since this has been one of the hottest summers in years! I decided to make the most of it by getting outdoors and attending a local wine tasting.

It reminded me how much we enjoy fall and all of the fun outdoor activities this time of year such as visiting wineries, tailgating at football games and attending concerts in the park – all which can be enjoyed with a good bottle of wine!

Below are a few of our favorite picks to make your outdoor wine experience more enjoyable!

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A Soldier’s Child | September Recipient for Cause to Promote!

by Shari on September 1, 2011 in Cause to Promote

A little about the mission of A Soldier’s Child:

Their mission is to serve the children of fallen military personnel who have given their lives on active duty while defending the United States of America. With humbleness of heart they aim to honor the memory of the parent by giving a meaningful gift to his/her children on their birthday every year up to age 19. They have also started a summer camp experience and have partnered with other groups to provide college scholarships.

How A Soldier’s Child Plans on using the products to promote their cause:

They would like to promote and bring awareness to their cause. They attend events throughout the year and spend about $150 on gifts for each child for their birthday. Various promotional items could be part of what is used with the child’s gift when age appropriate.

You can read more about A Soldier’s Child by clicking here.

If you are a 501C3 Non-Profit (or have applied to be one) and would like to be considered for our Cause to Promote Program, click here.