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

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

I, like most people, have Get Fit/Stay Healthy as number 1 on my list. In 2011, I was fairly good at making a cameo at the gym (much better than years prior), and I would like to continue this into 2012 with even more motivation. As a woman, I am easily motivated by a new pair of running shoes or any other workout gear. Here is a list of products I think should be found in your gym bag for 2012…

1. A super cool customizable water bottle.

2.  A Promotional Pedometer- easy way to see that your steps turn into miles.

3.  Clip and Go key holder so that your keys don’t get lost in the black hole of your bag.

4. A fitness towel, hand sanitizer, and bandages to fight germs.

5. A terry cloth headband to channel in your inner 80s self.

6. Fitness Journal to help track your progress.

I’ll see you at the Fitness Center!

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.

Today is officially the first day of winter! Here in Tennessee it has felt like winter off and on for a while now. In the past week we have had a snow shower followed by temperatures in the 60s.  Being that I have from Texas, I am bracing myself for a much colder winter than what I am accustomed to. I do, however, love this season (at least for a little while).

Winter means ice scrapers to help get myself out of the driveway safely, travel mugs to help thaw myself out while running errands, the obvious sweatshirt and jacket apparel, lip balm to keep my lips from drying out, sweatshirt blanket to keep myself warm at the office or any outdoor event I might be attending, lots of hand sanitizer to keep from getting the flu, and maybe even a pedometer to try to shed off a few holiday pounds I know I might be gaining at the moment as I eat this Christmas cookie.

Winter, to me, is a time to spend surrounded by the people that I love whether it’s at home, in a cozy coffee shop, or a weekend trip to the mountains or even to the beach.  Winter is the end of an old year and the fresh start of another. It’s the start of something new whether its new beginnings, new ideas, plans or goals for a new year. It gives a chance to take a deep breath of crisp air, and enjoy the moment because before we know it the holidays will have passed and spring will be awaiting us!

Stay cozy my friends. Happy Winter!

Wow, I can’t believe how fast this year flew by!  We are so thankful for our customers that helped us achieve our highest year of sales!

We did a little research, and compiled the list of our 20 most popular items from 2011.  A couple of items such as the pedometer (#15) and the bandana (#18) made a huge leap in popularity this year!

Needless to say we were not a bit surprised that the ever popular neon sunglasses came in at the number 1 spot! These sunglasses have been a highly desired item among colleges and people hosting social events.  We’ve even seen them used as wedding favors.

The acrylic tumbler with straw (#2) has maintained popularity due to its versatile nature for hot or cold beverages.  I’m guessing that items such as the keychain bottle opener (#5) and beach towel (#12) will stay on the top 20 list since they are such practical and useful giveaways.

So we are already wondering, what will be in the #1 spot for next year?  We will see what our customers decide…

Even though Christmas is still nearly two weeks away, I am already looking into the (near) future and trying to figure out my New Year’s Eve plans. Last year I (like so many people across the country) had a little New Years party.  We set up a Times Square backdrop for a photo booth that was a huge hit! Naturally, everyone wore party hats, and we ate and played a few games then danced the night away into the new year! I am still finding star confetti all over my house!

This year we are planning on having another New Year’s bash, and figured I would let you in on a few of my favorite New Years products…

View our entire New Year’s category here.

“So let’s give it up for the New Year…”

Here are two of my favorite spruced up gifts for this holiday season. They are perfect for your employees, family members, friends, colleagues, teachers, etc.

1. The Sweatshirt Blanket

This promotional blanket is made out of cotton/poly sweatshirt material, and is perfect for cold days at the office, holiday traveling by car or plane, or to bundle up with at your teams playoff game!

Just tie with pretty ribbon and attach a gift tag, and you are ready to go!

2. Ghiradelli Gift Set

This gift set comes in a beautiful gold box complete with a leather wrapped thermos, 5 Ghiradelli cocoa packets  and 5 chocolates!

On a long day of running last minute holiday errands, why not bring this convenient customized thermos along filled with your favorite Christmas blend or hot chocolate!

Since the box is already lovely, all you need is some pretty ribbon and another gift tag!

]]> http://www.usimprints.com/blog/tis-the-season-to-spruce-up-your-gift-list/feed/ 0 http://www.usimprints.com/blog/what-is-customer-service-anyway/ http://www.usimprints.com/blog/what-is-customer-service-anyway/#comments Tue, 29 Nov 2011 03:13:00 +0000 Shari http://www.usimprints.com/blog/?p=1188 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!

1. Custom Acrylic Double Wall Tumblers

These drinkware items made popular by Starbucks, are still my absolute favorite, I use mine everyday!  The tumblers don’t cause those ugly rings on your desk or table, they keep drinks cooler, and don’t sweat.  There are even new double wall tumblers that are stainless steel this season. These acrylic tumblers are a must have.

Custom Acrylic Tumblers with Straw

2. Promotional iPad Covers

I am a huge Apple fan, and I know with the passing of Steve Jobs, their revolutionary products will be even bigger this holiday season.  So many people already have an iPad, or will be getting one, so why not give them an imprinted case.  We have several options of these promotional and custom iPad covers in leather, neoprene, or polycarbonate.

Custom Imprinted iPad Covers

3. Polypropylene Insulated Grocery Tote

These totes were made popular a few years ago, but the new insulated grocery totes can keep your grocery, tailgate, or picnic items cooler for longer.  So if you are making a grocery trip and can’t get home quickly, these could save your milk, eggs, and meat from getting spoiled! Check out all of our promotional tote bags!

Custom Insulated Grocery Tote

4. Promotional Folding Chairs

One of my other favorite giveaway is a custom promotional chair.  These are great outdoor gifts to give out, and are perfect for sporting events, concerts, and picnics.  It is also a great place to imprint a logo since it has a large imprint area.   We have a large selection of colors and styles for these camp style chairs.

Custom Folding Chairs

Those are jsut four of my top picks for corporate giveaways this holiday season.  Don’t forget to save $50 on your next order of $500 or more of gifts with code “Fall50″. Seasons greetings my friends!

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