KennedyPromos Introduction along with some Resource Links

Our hope, at Kennedy Advertising, is that this letter finds you reflecting on a prosperous 2011 and making plans to keep your momentum going in 2012.  

The latter portion of 2011 has seen some sense of stabilization of our supply chain and we have a better outlook into what lies ahead in the coming year. We are excited about 2012 and the opportunities we will have to provide you with Custom Printing Solutions whether it be on Paper, Imprinted Promotional Items or Embroidered/Screen-Printed Clothing.

At Kennedy Advertising we are dedicated to helping our customers meet their Marketing and Promotional needs. Our Digital Spectrum Catalog (See the link below) is just a small sampling of the promotional items that we have available.

Spectrum Catalog Link: http://goo.gl/QqCaF

Browse through it while you’re planning for your next promotion … something is sure to catch your eye or spark an idea. In addition to our digital catalog, you can access and follow us for Promotional Ideas on the Internet at

http://www.KennedyPromos.com
http://www.facebook.com/KennedyAdvertising
http://www.KennedyCorporateApparel.com

Now! If you find looking online a bit tedious, I have hard-copies available of the both the Spectrum Catalog and our Corporate Apparel Catalog. Drop me an email with your address information and I'll send them to you.

Consider using us as Promotional Consultants. Our job is to help you find the perfect product for your next promotion, or we can even to help you develop your promotion around an awesome product you found in in our digital catalog. Together we’ll develop an idea that will really get you noticed!

As an incentive to show you the GREAT SERVICE we provide, I would like to offer you a 20% discount on any item (Minimum Quantity Required) that you find on our websites or digital catalogs.

Thanks for, in advance for reading and let me know if I can help.

Kindest Regards,

John Kennedy
Kennedy Advertising
Las Vegas, NV.
702-324-1334

Interesting Statistics to Share on Client Gift Giving this Past Year

How many of you gave gifts to clients and prospects this year? 

According to a recent gift-giving survey from the Advertising Specialty Institute, average spending on such gifts was up nearly 14% to about $30 per gift this year. ASI's survey also found clients aren’t the only ones benefiting from corporate beneficence. Employers who answered our survey say they spent an average $42.52 per employee on “THANK YOU” gifts this year, up nearly 20% from 2010.

The survey shows That gift cards and cash remain the most popular employee gifts, with 38% of respondents planning to give gift cards to employees. Cash bonuses are second, but fell by 8 percentage points to 24% since 2010.

Does corporate gift-giving work? Nearly a quarter of respondents say giving gifts to clients and prospects results in sales and leads, with 27% of those surveyed saying the gift resulted in a referral and 24% reporting generating a lead or a sale.

Other survey highlights include: 

• Food/beverages are the most commonly cited gift for clients or prospects, with 32% of respondents giving them.
• Over one-half (52%) decorate their gifts with their logo.
• The most commonly attributed results of gift-giving are broad, such as a thank you (69%) or generating goodwill (60%).

 

Here are some of the custom imprinted items that were the most popular for our clients this past year.

• Computer Accessories  
• Outerwear
• USB Drives
• Customized Wine Accessories
• Gift Baskets & Towers
• Luggage Bags
• Employee Awards  

What was your favorite gift to give this year? Let me know by posting a comment or e-mailing me here or I'm on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn

Wikipedia can be used to Help Promote Your Business!

I decided to take a break from being creative this morning and decided to go out on the Internet to look at websites that I frequently use in my business for research. For instance, when I decided to start blogging, I went to Wikipedia to read and consider it's definition of what a blog is. Although the definitions in Wikipedia are not considered to be official, it does have some good information like the definition you see below for "Blog".

 A blog (a blend of the term web log)^[1] is a type of website or part of a website. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. Blog can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.

Most blogs are interactive, allowing visitors to leave comments and even message each other via widgets on the blogs and it is this interactivity that distinguishes them from other static websites.^[2] Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject; others function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, Web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability of readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of many blogs. Most blogs are primarily textual, although some focus on art (art blog), photographs (photoblog), videos (video blogging), music (MP3 blog), and audio (podcasting). Microblogging is another type of blogging, featuring very short posts.

As of today, the are almost 15 million register users on Wikipedia. As of 16 February 2011, there were over 156 million public blogs in existence. If you think about it, this may be a good time to post your business profile on Wikipedia and if you haven't yet, start a blog using the Wikipedia definition.

Are you ready to exhibit at your upcoming Las Vegas Convention?

We hope that you have an outstanding time at your upcoming Las Vegas Convention. As I work with my Tradeshow Exhibitors to deliver high impact Printing and Imprinted Promotional Items to their Hotel or Tradeshow Booth, I get a chance to refine my Checklist for Las Vegas Tradeshow Exhibitors. Here is my latest!

1. Establish goals for your Las Vegas Convention at the outset that includes guidelines for measuring your success.

2. Remember sometimes bigger is just bigger. Over spending at Trade Shows can send potential clients the wrong message.

3. To give yourself plenty of time, order your Printing and Imprinted Promotional Items from Kennedy Advertising in Las Vegas, NV.3 to 4 weeks in advance. How to Order From Us!

4. Choose your attending representatives wisely. Make sure that they share the same company vision.

5. Consider your audience when selecting displays, uniforms, give-a-ways, and booth personnel.

6. Promote your booth in the weeks and months leading up the show, using everything at your disposal.

1. Email Blasts.
2. Social Networking.
3. Direct Mail Invitation to visit Your Booth.
4. Direct phone calls from Sales People to invite attendees to meetings or the trade show booth.

7. Establish booth responsibilities in advance of the show, including schedules and media training.

8. Set up meetings with key clients and prospects, as well as industry media in advance of the show.

9. Once “on the ground, begin “Tweeting, blogging, posting LinkedIn and Facebook updates to keep your customers and prospects who could not attend, up to date on what you’re doing.

10. Obtain a scanner or use your Smartphone to scan the bar codes on the attendees name badges that visit your booth or hospitality suite.

11. Collect business cards of people who visit the booth. Ask permission to email them additional information and/or add them to your email newsletter.

12. Offer product literature in a convenient fashion, like a CD ROM, instead of sending large folders of information with them.

13. Remember – It’s not just “Party Time” – Keep dinners out and entertainment to an appropriate level.

14. Take advantage of every opportunity see clients, prospects and put on a presentation if you’re asked to.

15. Sponsor an event if budget allows. Ask about having your message included in event emails and web pages.

16. Follow up once the show is over. Don’t let those business cards sit in a drawer. Get that contact information into a database and work those leads until you sell them or they turn cold.

Thanks for reviewing my list! Feel free to leave a comment and if you need any help as your event draws closer, feel free to call on us at anytime.

Best Regards,
John Kennedy
Kennedy Advertising
Las Vegas, NV.
888-725-4487

How do you integrate Imprinted Promotional Items into your Social Media Marketing efforts?

Social Media Marketing is an inexpensive way to expand your business network. Millions of individuals and companies are using the Social Networks today. Marketing your large or small business with social media is an important part of the today’s media mix. Marketing on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn seem to be the most popular in my Social Media Circles so far.

Giving your loyal follows, likes and connections, promotional gifts is a profitable way to reinforce your brand while engaging your customers and prospects.

Choosing the right promotional advertising gift will help to ensure you get the best return for your investment. Feel free to browse through our links and catalogs on our blog page. For more information on logistics and pricing, contact us today.

Consistent and Relevant Targeting of your message is half the battle

Do you want your message to stand out from the crowd? 

Interesting, relevant, useful and on-message Promotional Products can help you open with a splash! Something that GRABS your audience’s attention! Which audience? Accurate, consistent and relevant targeting is half the battle.

Promotional Products provide one of the most effective means of targeting your message to the right audience. You are, after all, handing your product to someone, are you not? No other means of advertising can be guaranteed to last as long as durable advertising, er, we mean, useful, high quality, promotional products. Look around you. Aren’t you carrying around a product with someone’s logo on it? You get the idea...

For more Ideas on how you can use Imprinted Promotional Items to enhance you Social networking efforts, contact us today.

Want to promote your Real Estate business in an Eco-friendly way?

Want to promote your Real Estate business in an Eco-friendly way? Depending on the climate you live in you can promote the sustainability of the properties you offer by driving potential clients to your website with an eco-friendly self-promo product.

In addition to using the traditional refrigerator magnets and mouse pads, you can do something that is eco-friendly this time, that could be used in an eco-friendly way.”

To help spread the word about your business, consider ordering  Imprinted Tote Bags made of recycled plastic material. The bags, can feature a your custom logo and message, as well as your contact information and branding for your personal Real Estate Brokerage or Agency.

Your Eco-Friendly bag promotion should have wide appeal to reach across the community and touch a wide range of demographic profiles. – an idea could be “Just about living in (Your City) and having an eco-friendly bag … That way people will want to use them while promoting your brand at the same time..
You can send the totes to neighbors, clients and potential clients. You can also distribute them at Community Events when the opportunity arises. Maybe an Earth Day event or a Church Festival.
Part of message on your tote should be to direct people to your website. On this informational and self-promotional site, you can post information or tips on how to save energy in your community, post PDF's of advice and offers from your local utilities that can be printed and used by readers. You can become the local energy expert when you implement this kind of promotion and stay with it.

One Realtor I know that has done this, gave me this quote. “I’ve had people call me or e-mail me saying, ‘I’m so grateful for this tote. It’s so sweet and is becoming recognized in the community. People stop me on the street to let me know that they have seen them,” she says. “It’s really been very good for me.”

Local Business Event Lets the Dogs Out

For six years, the Thanks With Franks event in Newton, IA, has provided local businesses with the opportunity to give back to the community and get their name out to locals by handing out free hot dogs. But as just one of 35 businesses participating this year, Newton Manufacturing decided to make a splash with "Walking Dogs," which incorporated promotional products and caught attendees' interest.
The Walking Dogs consisted of small Doritos bags filled with hot dog slices, chili and cheese, closed up with a branded paw-shape clip (donated by industry supplier Evans Manufacturing) and a "leash" for the Dog – a branded lanyard (donated by supplier Fields Manufacturing). Members of the Newton Mfg. team cooked the food and assembled the Walking Dogs onsite.

While the team expected the 300 Walking Dogs they had prepared to be enough to last for the full two hours of the event, the line at the Newton Mfg. booth (specially designed to resemble a doghouse straight out of a Peanuts comic) quickly grew – within a little more than 30 minutes, all the Dogs had been given away.



"The line went to the other side of the street – about 120 feet," says Dan Livengood, senior sales and talent acquisition manager for the western region of Newton Mfg. "It was such a hit, and what was cool was that very little money was spent – we only had a $300 budget to do this."

Besides giving a free lunch to the locals and getting their names out to the community, the 35 companies also accepted donations for local nonprofit groups, including the Newton Dog Park and Parents As Teachers.

According to Livengood, not only did Newton Mfg. raise money for the charities and awareness of its company, but, "We tied for first place for best recipe and campaign."

Charmin's Social Bathroom Breaks

Sometimes a great event is one that shows customers how your product can solve their problems, and there are few problems as pressing as the need to find a public bathroom in a big city. That was the thinking behind Charmin's Restrooms, which the brand has been bringing to New York's Times Square for the last six weeks of the year since 2006. The company rolled out comfy, clean bathrooms similar to what individuals would have in their home, with not only sinks and toilets, but televisions and iPods.

Since the event takes place over several weeks, the people at Charmin want to be sure that there are new things happening often. In the last event held at the end of 2009, there was a cause promotion with four celebrities including Mario Lopez and Martina McBride painting special toilet seats, which customers could use by donating a dollar to the charity of that celebrity's choice.

There was a graffiti wall where users could write messages, and a "confessional" where they could record video that would be uploaded to Charmin's site. Branded boxers, T-shirts and other souvenirs were also available for those looking to take home a memory of the event.

"With any brand, especially those in a very low-involvement category, it's about showing up at the right place and making a difference, having the benefit of your product come to life," said Jacques Hagopian, brand manager for Charmin.

For last year's event, the brand also recruited five bathroom enthusiasts to act as the Charmin "Go Team." The five ambassadors greeted and entertained guests at the Charmin restrooms and around the city, while also blogging, Facebooking and tweeting about their experiences and the nuances of "going."

"The brand didn't lead us there, our consumers did," said Hagopian, who emphasized that it was consumers who had first begun putting up Youtube clips or Facebook posts about their Charmin Restroom experiences in previous years. "You gain fans and friends as a result of what you do, you don't have to actively recruit them."

How to Buy Flash Drives That Won't Fail!

What you should do when you find flash drives on the Internet for next to nothing!

Flash Drives can be confusing! I have over 7400 to choose from on my website. 1 GB at $5 a similar item at $9.50….what’s the deal?

At the heart of the problem there is a lot of misinformation about flash drive prices and the cost of memory.

Many customers believe they can buy flash drives at below or at unusually low prices. These prices are generally found online and are often quoted direct from the Chinese manufacturer or through their North American or European agent.

The reality is quality memory costs are the same for every manufacturer as demand for flash chips far outstrips the supply. Kennedy Advertising pays the same for 1000 1 GB pieces of memory as we do for 10,000!

So how do you work your way through this? Please read below as there are some important things you should know.

USB Flash Chips are divided up into 4 different classes/standards.

Grades A, B & C. And the sneaky, Grade D

Grade A:

Tier 1- These are bona fide premium chips with the flash chip manufacturers name & serial number imprinted on the chip itself. These chips are produced by manufacturers such as Samsung and Hynix. They are the most expensive, but also the most reliable offering a lifetime warranty. These are the chips Kennedy Advertising uses.

Grade B:
Tier 1 OEM flash chips. These are made by the same legitimate chip manufacturers in Grade A but are without the manufacturer's brand name imprinted on them. These chips are as reliable but may not be of the same standards that the manufacturer would consider putting their name on it. Kennedy Advertising also sells Grade B. A and B are both fine to use.

Below is where the quality issues & problems begin. These will be some of the least expensive flash drives but also have a very high failure rate.

Grade C:
These are called recycled or reclaimed flash chips (not to be confused with the recycled plastic housings) . These chips are considered waste from the "wafer" that the original manufacturer does not want and considers to be garbage. These have a 30% - 40% failure rate. They are sold by the pound. Literally!!!

Grade D: (The Sneaky Grade)
A Sneaky flash drive supplier will actually imprint an original manufacturer's name on a Grade C chip. It may say Samsung or Hynix, etc. but its most definitely junk/knock-off flash drive. Until The Sneaky Grade Flash Drive land’s at your customer’s door you will not know that they don't work very well.

Payment: People don't always think about this.....All off-shore purchases are pre-paid to a Chinese bank before shipment. What is your recourse if the product fails? A reputable agency such as Kennedy Advertising gives you protection under US commerce laws and the insurance provided by Visa or MasterCard. Plus, we don’t deal with suppliers that sell us anything less than Grade A or B Quaility.

Conclusion: You may find flash drives cheaper than at Kennedy Advertising , but they won’t be better….or even the same! As the old saying goes………The taste of a bargain is easily replaced by the bitterness of being fooled.

If we can be of any help...please do not hesitate to give us a call at 888-725-4487 or in the Las Vegas Valley at 702-324-1334 or you can send an e-mail to john@kennedyadv.com

If you would like, feel free to pass this along to people you know that buy Imprinted Promotional Flash Drives. You may help them save a lot of money.

6 Warning Signs of Bad Customer Service

I subscribe to several customer service and newsletter blogs. If I see one that to the point and aligns itself well with my message, I'll forward it. The following article by Bob Harris at The Attrition Busters doe it for me....Feel free to read and pass it along to others in your organization. A little refresher from time to time always helps and if I can be of any help please don't hesitate to call on me. John Kennedy, Kennedy Advertising, 702-324-1334.

6 Warning Signs of Bad Customer Service
By Bob Harris, Managing Director, The Attrition Busters

Many business owners and managers seem to be ignoring the main signs that customer service quality isn't as good as it should be, according to Bob Harris, managing director for The Attrition Busters, who has compiled a list of the six key signs to watch out for.

Businesses that deal with consumers seem to be suffering from a definite disconnect between the level of service they want to provide and the service that their employees actually provide.

Six signs of poor service
As a result, Harris suggests the following six key signs that customer service may be in need of some attention - and most probably some staff training - to help restore the customer's faith:

1. Poor employee retention
If employees are leaving too quickly (i.e. within three years), there can be no real opportunity for them to build up relationships with customers. Knowledge about individual customers leaves the company with every lost employee. If this is the case, consider bringing in an outside HR (human resources) consultant to talk to employees and find out what needs to be done to change the situation; employees will often tell an 'outsider' things that they would never tell their manager.

2. Customer complaints
On average, only around 6% of dissatisfied customers will actually take the time to complain. So, out of all the customers who encounter a problem, 94% won't tell you (but they'll tell their friends and family, of course). When these dissatisfied customers do gather the strength to actually complain, many front line employees have a natural instinct to refer the customer to someone else or, worse still, to deny that there's really a problem. So if management sees that there are very few complaints, that doesn't mean that customer service is perfect at all. If employees have not built relationships with customers, many customers will defect without any further prompting. Make sure that your front line teams are required to record all complaints and any action taken to solve them. Complaints data should be treasured, documented, and shared with management. If you're not getting complaint data from the front line, there's a serious problem.

3. Employees aren't empowered to handle problems
Unless front line employees are empowered to resolve customer complaints and problems without resorting to calling supervisors or referring the customer to a manager, customer service - and the company's reputation - will suffer greatly. Customer issues should be handled from start to finish by the same person if at all possible. Customers do not want to wait or, even worse, be transferred to multiple people to have their problems solved. There is nothing worse than having to repeat the problem over and over again to different people. This is where you need employee training and empowerment: give the whole customer-facing team the knowledge, tools, and authority they need to defuse angry customers.

4. Loss of long-term customers
When a long-term customer leaves, you need to notice it and query it. When you have built a long-term relationship with a customer, your ability to retain that customer significantly increases. So when a customer who would normally give you the benefit of the doubt takes their business elsewhere, the problem is almost always the service they've received. Try to find out the real reason they defected, and use that information to prevent it from happening again. Remember that flexibility is needed in order to make changes in the company based on information from lost customers.

5. Fewer referrals
A business with delighted customers should always be gaining new customers from referrals. If your service isn't good, referrals will drop off first - even before your existing customers defect to a competitor. This makes the continual monitoring of referral levels one of the most powerful indicators of ongoing customer satisfaction. To quote a wise mentor, "Satisfied customers buy from you, but delighted customers sell for you." Also, if you're gaining lots of new customers but losing just as many existing customers, this indicates a serious disparity between what your brand is promising and what it actually delivers.

6. Low morale
Employees' morale is something that shows whenever they interact with customers, and the customer is quick to pick up on negative sentiment toward the company. While low morale is not always a result of poor customer service (although it can be due to a lack of empowerment), it always creates poor service. If this is the case, the management needs to try to instill a sense of pride throughout the company, and offer employees some well-deserved rewards and recognition. Empower employees to make decisions (within reasonable limits), and train them to make good decisions that have both the customer's and company's interests at heart.

While there are obviously more than six signs that identify bad customer service, these are certainly among the main ones to watch out for. If you recognize any single one of these six signs, the time has come to focus attention on fixing it urgently. If you recognize more than one of these six signs, there's no time to waste: you're already losing market share.

---Source: Reprinted from The Wise Marketer Feb 22, 2008 newsletter www.thewisemarketer.com.

Make It a Date to Remember

Thousands of organizations and Presidential Proclamations set aside specific days, weeks and months for political, cultural and historical events and causes. Many of these occasions offer you an opportunity to promote your business, organization or product.

April

The week of April 27th is National Volunteer Week
Thank all of your volunteers with a small memento of their efforts. Hold a thank-you celebration and include table favors that commemorate their contributions. Select a Volunteer of the Year and award them with a larger commemorative gift. And, be sure to get pictures and send to the local papers.

Some other designations for April that you might be interested in are:

* Alcohol Awareness Month
* National Child Abuse Prevention Month
* Holy Week
* National Donate Life Month
* April 1st: April Fools Day
* April 2nd: International Children's Book Day
* April 3rd: Tweed Day
* April 4th: Victims Of Violence day
* April 5th: National Fun At Work Day
* April 6th: Teflon Day
* April 7th: No Housework Day
* April 9th - 15th: Egg Salad Week
* April 10th: National Sibilings Day
* April 11th: Trivia Day
* April 13th: International Plant Appreciation Day
* April 7th - 11th: National Public Health Week
* April 13th - 19th: National Library Week
* April 27th: National Volunteer Week
* April 15th: Income Tax Pay Day
* April 17th: International Ford Mustang Day
* April 19th - 27th: National Wildlife Week
* April 22nd: Earth Day
* April 24th: Take Your Daughters and Sons to Work Day
* April 27th: Mother, Father Deaf Day
* April 28th: Cubicle Day
* April 29th: National Dance Day
* April 30th: Spank Out Day USA

May

May 11th is Eat What You Want Day

* Have salespeople deliver snack baskets to their customers when they visit on this day.
* Create a promotion based on the Eat What You Want Day making the connection between feeling like you can't eat what you want and you can't seem to get what you want when it comes to (plug in your product or service category). Tell them that on May 11th they can not only eat what they want, but they can have what they want when it comes to (plug in your product or service) by scheduling an appointment with one of your sales reps. When the rep makes the call on May 11 he or she brings a logoed basket of goodies or cookies.

Some other designations for May that you might be interested in are:

* National Barbecue Month
* National Arthritis Month
* Heal The Children Month
* Motorcycle Safety Month
* May 1st: School Principals Day
* May 2nd: No Pants Day
* May 3rd: Free Comic Book Day
* May 4th: Respect for Chickens Day
* May 5th: Cindo e Mayo
* May 4th - 10th: Be Kind To Animals Week ®
* May 5th - 11th: National Wildflower Week
* May 8th: World Red Cross Day
* May 11th: Mother's Day
* May 11th: Eat What You Want Day
* May 12th: Stamp Out Hunger
* May 11th - 17th: National Police Week
* May 14th: National Receptionists Day
* May 16th: National Pizza Party Day
* May 17th: Armed Forces Day
* May 18th: International Museum Day
* May 19th: Armed Forces Day
* May 18th - 24th: National Dog Bite Prevention Week
* May 20th - 26th: World Trade Week
* May 21st: National Employee Health & Fitness Day
* May 23rd: World Turtle Day
* May 24th: Brother's Day
* May 25th: National Missing Children's Day
* May 26th: International Jazz Day
* May 26th: Memorial Day
* May 30th: Hg Your Cat Day
* May 31st: World No-Tobacco Day

June

June 14th is World Juggling Day
Everyone is juggling something so recognizing that can be used for a broad spectrum of promotional needs. There are juggling balls, juggle sets and juggle stress relievers.

Some other designations for June that you might be interested in are:

* Adopt - A Shelter-Cat Month
* Children's Awareness Month
* National Candy Month
* National Rose Month
* June 1st: National Leave The Office Earlier Day
* June 1st: National Cancer Survivors Day
* June 1st - 7th: National Business Etiquette Week
* June 7th - 14th: International Clothesline Week
* June 2nd: National Bubba Day
* June 4th: National Tailors Day
* June 5th: Hunger Awareness Day
* June 6th: D-Day Anniversary
* June 8th - 14th: National Flag Week
* June 14th: World Juggling Day
* June 15th: Native American Citizenship Day
* June 15th: Father's Day
* June 16th: Fudge Day
* June 20th: June Solstice
* June 20th: Toad Hollow Day Of Thank You
* June 21st: Baby Boomer's Recognition Day
* June 22nd: Stupid Guy Thing Day
* June 23rd: Let It Go Day
* June 24th: Celebration Of The Senses
* June 26th: Hand Shake Day
* June 27th: National HIV Testing Day
* June 28th: Marble Day
* June 29th: Log Cabin Day
* June 30th: Please Take My Children To Work Day

Ordering Late: What To Do When Time… Isn't on Your Side

Let me ask you this question – What portion of your overall responsibility would you say includes purchasing promotional products for tradeshows, mailings or other company functions? Probably less than 1%, right! This is probably the reason why so many buyers find themselves ordering late and paying for rush service and overnight shipping.

So Why Does It Take So Long?

Think about this - every promotional product I sell is customized. Unlike retail products, these products aren't just taken off shelves and shipped. The reality is that they require time to produce.

So what should you expect when it comes to timing? Well to start, you should figure on the art preparation (1 to 3 days) the production (standard 5 to 14 days) and the shipping (ground 3 to 5 days).A good rule of thumb is standard production on most items with shipping and art prep require 3 to 4 weeks from the time you order to the time you receive your goods. Keep in mind some products require more or less time.The bottom line is this - If you order early, you will save money and eliminate unnecessary stress for both of us.

Rush Jobs Go Bad

Consider this! If you think paying through the nose to rush an order is your biggest problem, guess again! The fact is- rush orders have twice the risk of creating much bigger problems. Imagine getting the wrong product, having a misprint, or even missing a delivery in time for the show.

So what should you do? Remember, there are approximately 5000 manufacturers in this industry. The problems start when you pick a product you see on a large website or catalog and your distributor has to deal with a manufacturer they have no experience with. The solution! Keep it simple… like my Blog Postings. And believe me when I tell you to trust only about 50 of them.

Here's a True Story

I had a customer who ordered luggage tags requiring a special imprint. So I called a manufacturer I found who could print them. They assured me the order would ship on time with a 30% increase in the price. It was a large order and it absolutely had to ship on time, so cost was not an issue. Just to make sure, I would call every couple of days to see that we were on schedule. Needless to say, they assured me everything was O.K. You can probably guess what happened next.

I called on the day the tags were scheduled to ship and what did the customer service agent tell me? "We don't guarantee any order would ship when it is scheduled. Just because you have a scheduled ship date doesn't mean it will ship on that day" They conveniently forgot to mention this "Company Policy" when I was calling around with this large order.

Now, I'm a guy who is always honest with my customers. I like to keep them informed of the status of rush orders. So I'm not exaggerating when I tell you that I felt sick to my stomach over this. So completely nerve wracked, I had to wait until the next day (the day my customer was expecting the shipment!) to find out if it had shipped out or not. Meanwhile my client was in Las Vegas anxiously awaiting the product at the hotel where the trade show was located.

Fortunately, this story did have a happy ending. This order did ship that day and the customer was happy. But make no mistake about it - it could have been a disaster. I'm a firm believer in the "under-promise," "over-deliver" philosophy. If I can't say with confidence that I can't get an order to them on time – I will tell them that. Better that, than let them down and ruin my customer's confidence in my service.

Believe me when I tell you again - there are a large majority of manufacturers in this industry who simply do not care about you or me. But always keep in mind that there are 50 great suppliers who do and I do a lot of business with 33 of them.

Times Have Changed

Here is the good news! Because of the nature of the Promotional Products Industry, (and our customers buying habits) companies that can turn things around quickly, with quality, have risen to the top.

Standard production times over the last 10 years have been cut in half. Rush service has been built into production schedules and some companies have mastered it without charging you an arm and a leg. Believe it or not, one of the leading manufacturers in the industry now offers all of their products available to ship in 4 days at just a small additional cost. (And YES, you will find them at www.KennedyAdv.com

Promotional Ideas for Your Small Business

Since the marketing budget for a small business is typically limited, you’ll want to have some promotional ideas on hand that are cost-effective. With that in mind, below are some of the many possible promotional ideas that can be easy to execute.

Local Events and Activities: Use anything from setting up a booth at a street fair to sponsoring a little league team to display your product or company name.

Free Samples: Look for key locations where your target group can be found and give out free samples. If possible give free demonstrations of your service or product.

Contests: Find a prize of interest to your target audience and hold a contest.

Speaking Engagements: Contact local schools, speaker groups and associations to inquire about speaking engagements, lectures, seminars or teaching a class.

Fliers: Exchange fliers with other noncompetitive businesses who will display them at their location. Also find locations where you can post a flier or bulletin.

Vehicles: Paint the name of your business on any trucks you use and even put a sign on your car or in the car window.

Press: Develop a list of local editors and producers and send press releases of important upcoming activities. Also look for unique angles about your business that might make for an interesting story.

Newsletters: Email newsletters or print newsletters are an effective, inexpensive means of promoting your business.

Printed Matter: Promote yourself on all of your printed matter.

Imprinted Promotional Items: Keep an inventory of useful imprinted promotional items to hand out as gifts at trade shows, as customer and employee appreciation gifts.

Contacts and Networking: Hand out your business cards to as many people as possible and network regularly to make new contacts.

In Store or Online Values: Offer special discounts for second purchases or free downloads online.

Attend Meetings of Professional Groups: Attend meetings of the Chamber of Commerce and other local groups where you can introduce yourself and your business to others.

Directories: Make sure to list your company in all appropriate free directories.

Save Money for Your Next Las Vegas Trade Show

HAVE YOU MADE ALL OF THE ARRANGEMENTS FOR YOUR LAS VEGAS TRADE SHOW? ORDER NOW AND SAVE! Do you need presentation pocket folders, full color flyers, business cards or imprinted promotion items for your exhibitor booth? How about Tri-Fold Brochures, Posters, Product Catalogs, Booklets or Imprinted Promotional Products?

We can print and deliver all of these items directly to your exhibitor booth for you on set-up day. THAT'S RIGHT! You don't have to drag your marketing materials to Las Vegas anymore. Let Kennedy Advertising do all of the work for you. That will give you more time to spend with clients and prospects.

We also have imprinted promotional items that you can use for give-aways at the trade show. To conduct a search for items, just left click on the Product Search link below. But the best way is to call me at 888-725-4487, tell me what you want and let me put the best pricing together for you. Or, just drop me an e-mail. It's easier.

Just Think, You Don't Have to Drag Your Marketing Materials Through Airports Anymore!

Interactive Trade Show Promotions

I have learned that the best trade show promotions don’t just blanket pre-registered attendees with a postcard sporting the exhibitor’s logo. Instead, they draw the right prospects into a booth and entice them to linger and learn more about a firm’s products/services. That’s what I have in mind for you – an interactive trade show promotion that will keep your audience involved and interested. Here are three ideas:

1. Offer a little good-humor stress relief. Schedule a local comedian to perform at certain times at your booth. Have him/her tie the industry or services being represented into the jokes. Send a pre-show invitation to announce the appearance, inviting attendees to stop by the booth to receive “A few laughs, some cost-saving lessons and a fun imprinted gift.” Or, promise a caricature artist at your booth and provide imprinted frames for those booth-visitors who have their drawings done.

2. Highlight the results you deliver with an “on-target” trade show promo. Pre-mail a set of imprinted magnetic darts, promising the dart board when the recipient stops by your booth. Involve attendees with a dart-throwing contest and prizes for hitting certain targets. The incentives should relate to your business – perhaps a percentage off an order, a complimentary sample kit, free evaluation, etc. – something that will help you highlight the advantages of your company.

3. Provide a meaningful take-home gift. Consider an advance mailing that offers your top clients special recognition. Tell them you’ve planned a surprise gift for a few top-notch client partners. When they arrive, present them with a plaque for valued patronage and have a professional photographer on hand to snap the occasion. Digital images can then be immediately printed and given to your client for his/her office. Make the award all the more meaningful by tying it to a special service or new product exclusive you’ve planned for the “elite few.”

These are just a few ideas. Give me a call at 888-725-4487, locally in Las Vegas at 702-324-1334 or send us an e-mail and we can work with your specific industry and client base as a jumping off point for some fun, interactive ways to create better booth action and results.

Fool-Proof Ways to Follow Up a Trade Show

Get this: 80% of leads are not properly followed-up after a trade show. That means when you follow through with your clients post-show, you’ve already beat 80% of the competition. Make your efforts even more effective with promotional techniques that stand out and/or encourage ongoing contact and you’ll reap greater rewards from your investment.

Set up an expectation. You’ve heard of two-part mailings prior to a trade show. Consider applying the same concept to post-show efforts. You can give part of a gift when visitors arrive at your booth and set their expectation to receive the second half in a mailing after the show.

This will ensure that your priority piece of mail won’t get lost among the flood that folks receive after a week away from the office. One example is a two-part foam puzzle. The first half is imprinted with the beginning sentences that highlight “$10 Gift Certificate for” or “Special early-bird offer of,” etc. The recipient won’t be able to redeem the certificate until he/she opens your follow-up letter post-show to receive the second half of the revealing puzzle.

Show clients how well you listened when they spoke with you at the trade show. Imprint notepads with your company logo. Then, have your salespeople jot a personal note to the prospect, listing two or three concepts that address the needs the prospect voiced at the booth. Mail the notepad post-show to let the prospect know they’ve been heard and you’re on the job.
Create a continuing reason to contact the prospect. For a female audience, this might be giving a charm bracelet as an incentive at the trade show that will be followed up with quarterly charms given when salespeople make in-office visits. For a gender-neutral gift, consider an etched candy jar that you refill during post-show office visits. The goal is to create a reason to pop into a prospect’s office or to have them look forward to your regular mailings.

Fulfill a special incentive. Today’s digital technology allows for some very personalized follow-through. Ask your clients to bring a photo of their office staff, child or even pet to your trade show booth. You can then scan it and promise to deliver a mug, t-shirt or other item customized with the image at a post-show sales visit.

You get the idea. Now let’s start planning. Give me a call at 888-725-4487, locally in Las Vegas at 702-324-1334 or send us an e-mail and we’ll set you ahead of 100% of the trade show competition after the booths close.

Welcome to John Kennedy's Blog

My background in the Newspaper, Magazine and Internet Publishing Industry has taught me that it's organizing and sharing credible information that people value is what keeps them coming back to read. Easy access and speed are right up there. This is truly the information age.

My experience started in the newspaper industry in 1973. Newspapers are still a traditional mass marketing tool that served us well in the, 60's, 70's, 80's and into the 90's. But as the Internet came online, you could begin to see a paradigm shift taking place.

Then I moved to another, even bigger mass environment of the newspaper non-reader to learn about FREE Distribution. The world of free newspapers/magazines that are home delivered or available for FREE at retail outlets. What did I learn from those 2 experiences? There was a lot of money being spent on wasted distribution but the cost per 1000 was rather low because they printed high quantities everything.

This pushed me to more of a targeted message concept. Was direct mail the answer? Nope! The cost per piece (including postage) was astronomically high and by the time you pulled them from your mailboxes with 10 to 20 other pieces, I found that was still not the answer.

Then along came the Internet and e-mail! After that, websites and e-mail templates that you could use to build targeted information that people value. You could send e-mails with links to resource web pages where you could share important resource information or even sell a product. But you know, even that gets cumbersome after awhile. (Are we spoiled compared to the past or what?)

During the past month, I spent some time helping my wife, Mary Kennedy build a blog
(Mary Kennedy's Blog) for her RE/MAX Real Estate business here in Las Vegas on ActiveRain.com. I found this casual environment to be very refreshing. A place where you can organize specific information for targeted groups. (Buyers or Sellers, East Coast, West Cost or even Middle of the Country. Include States, Cities and Communities). You can even write some good things about yourself or thoughts so people get to know you better.

In the Promotional Ideas From Kennedy Advertising blog, my goal is to gather information, based on your feedback, and organize it in such a way that it easy to access right from here. I continue to be excited about the future and your feedback is always encouraged.

John Kennedy
Kennedy Advertising
Kennedy Advertisings Website
888-725-4487