Reflections and Resolutions

I have spent this morning catching up on the other blogs that I follow. It being the end of the year many are writing about the past year and the new year approaching. One of the best blog posts, 'Are You Ready for 2010?,' was from Bonnie Ross Parker, CEO and Founder of The Joy of Connecting. I think she put into words most of what I was thinking.

We are not only embarking on a new year, but on a new decade! Do you remember all the hype about the new millennium? Y2K? Seems like yesterday. My how 10 years has flown by. What did you accomplish in the past ten years? What do you think the next 10 years will bring?

With a new year comes new resolutions for changes. What are your New Year's resolutions, goals, aspirations? Whatever they are, write them down and review them often. Wikipedia states Goal Setting involves establishing specific, measurable and time-targeted objectives.

We all need to be reminded to use the SMART method in goal setting:

S = Specific
M = Measurable
A = Attainable
R = Realistic
T = Timely

Goals should be straightforward and emphasize what you want to happen. Specifics help us to focus our efforts and clearly define what we are going to do.

Another highly successful method to achieving success is to activate your Reticular Activating System - or RAS. Your RAS plays a vital part in your ability to achieve goals. Your reticular activating system is like a filter between your conscious mind and your subconscious mind. It takes instructions from your conscious mind and passes them on to your subconscious. First, you can deliberately program the reticular activating system by choosing the exact messages you send from your conscious mind. For example, you can set goals, or say affirmations, or visualize your goals. I recently heard a personal trainer state not to let the bad weather keep you from your daily exercise routine. He said to exercise in your mind. Close your eyes and go on that walk in our mind. That we can visualize our daily walk and get the same effects because our body will react to our thoughts.

Another good blog I read was about 'Change Mastery' by Tracy Brinkmann. Resolutions are all about change and I think Tracy's advice about change goes hand in hand with our making our goals and resolutions for the new year. If after a few weeks you're not getting the change and results you want, don't give up and quit, review and tweak. Don't be to hard on yourself. You didn't get this way overnight. Make changes. Adjust your sails. Rome wasn't built in a day. How do you eat an elephant.....one small bite at a time.

I remember hearing Zip Ziglar speak many years ago about his starting his exercise routine. On his first day, he walked to his mailbox and back. The next day to the neighbor's mailbox. Each day he would walk a little further until he had increased his daily walk to several miles.

Think about the things you want to accomplish. Write them down. Develop an action plan. Translate your goals into affirmations that have already been accomplished. Read them often. Everyday is best. Have visual reminders. Send yourself reminders in the way of emails or cards. Set a specific time to review what's working, what's not, and make the necessary changes to get back on course.

We would love to hear what works for you with achieving your goals.

Wishing You a Very Happy and Prosperous 2010 and Beyond!

In gratitude,
Annette
Painted Lady Enterprises
"Helping You and Your Business Look Good"

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History of Greeting Cards

Sending greeting cards to friends, lovers and family is a tradition that goes back over 200 years. While the first greeting card actually dates back to the early 1400's, greeting cards became popular in the mid 1800's when the cost of color printing dropped, and cards could be delivered for just a penny.

Sir Henry Cole is credited with coming up with the idea for the first mass produced greeting card, which turned out to be a Christmas card he had created by his good friend, John Calcott Horsely. That year, Cole was late sending his usual holiday greetings letters to all his friends and relatives for Christmas. He contacted Horsely to ask if he was able to hand colour and engrave a thousand cards for him with a seasonal message which could then be sent to everyone. Horsely accommodated him, and thus began the tradition of sending holiday greeting cards.

And so the first modern Christmas card was born. It depicted a young boy with a red scarf and the greeting 'Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year'. Sir Henry was delighted with the result. He even sold the left over cards in Old Bond Street for a shilling each! With the help of the penny post, which had been introduced in England a few years earlier, the practice couldn't help but catch on and grow.

By the 1860's, Americans were importing most of their greeting cards from Germany, but in 1906 a gentlemen from Cleveland by the name of Jacob Sapirstein started his own greeting card business. With a $50 loan acquired at a local bank, Sapirstein began selling penny postcards greeting cards at local drug stores, and quickly became a success. After his death in 1918 his son and wife continued the business and grew it to enormous success.

As the concept of greeting cards grew, people found many occasions to send them, including holidays, birthdays, or just to say hello. The greeting card then became a fixture in American culture, and has continued to grow ever since.

In the 1980's the greeting card market was growing by 10% per year. Small publishing houses were establishing themselves and specialist card shops, also selling giftwrap and associated gifts were springing up on nearly every high street and shopping mall.

By the 1900's the Post Office was having to handle an extra 11.5 million letters in Christmas week alone.

Today, the greeting card business grosses over $7.5 Billion dollars per year, with literally millions of cards sent annually. All of that adds to the wonderful feelings we hold for our friends and family members and we reach out to let them know how we feel about them!

Information taken from Make Loyal Customers

How many greeting cards will you send out this year? What type will they be? i.e. Custom, family photo, handmade, specialty, business, etc.?

I love to send greeting cards all year and especially for the holidays. I would love to help you with your card sending.

In gratitude,
Annette
Painted Lady Enterprises
"Helping You and Your Business Look Good"

How Do You Choose to Celebrate

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

The holiday season is here. We received our first greeting card yesterday. Every where we turn we are bombarded with constant reminders from every possible angle. Given the past year's tough economic state, lots of people are finding creative ways to celebrate the holidays. How are you celebrating this year? What traditions are special for you?

For me each holiday season is a time to be with family that we don't get to see often enough. It is a time to reflect on how truly blessed we are to live in this country and to have the freedom to celebrate however we choose. Let us especially be thankful for those past and present who have helped to give us the gift of freedom.

Listed below are the holidays, besides the obvious ones, for the upcoming month according to the Earth Calendar. We have also included the quirky ones from Wellcat.com.

December Events

December-5	Day of the Ninja
December-7	Pearl Harbor Day
December-10	Human Rights Day
December-10	Nobel Prize Day
December-12	Poinsettia Day
December-15	Bill of Rights Day
December-16	Boston Tea Party
December-20	Louisiana Purchase Day
December-21	Forefather's Day
December-23	Festivus
December-25	Christmas Day
December-26 to December-31	Kwanzaa
December-31	New Year's Eve

Month Observances

Occasion Link

Safe Toys and Gifts Month Prevent Blindness America
National Stress-Free Family Holiday Month Parenting Without Pressure
Universal Human Rights Month International Society of Friendship & Goodwill

First Full Week
Occasion Link
Aplastic Anemia Awareness Week Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation

Third Week
Occasion Link
Human Rights Week United Nations
International Language Week International Society of Friendship & Goodwill

From WellCat.com - The Quirky Holidays

Dec 1	Bifocals At The Monitor Liberation Day -- Our hearts fill with compassion today for co-workers stuck wearing bifocals at the PC. Shed a tear as their heads bob up and down, in and out, trying to read the monitor, trying to decide which set of lenses to use.
Dec 5	Bathtub Party Day -- Almost everyone nowadays takes showers, so here’s a day to recall some of the luxury of days gone by. Invite a few friends.
Dec 13	Pick A Pathologist Pal Day -- Pathologists and coroners are an especially jovial lot, and befriending one of them offers an ongoing reminder than “tomorrow” is not necessarily a guarantee.
Dec 15	Cat Herders' Day. If you can say that your job, or even your life, is like trying to herd cats, then this day is for you, with our sympathy.
Dec 16	Barbie and Barney Backlash Day -- If we have to explain this to you, you don’t have kids. It’s the one day each year when mom and dad can tell the kids that Barbie and Barney don’t exist.
Dec 21	Humbug Day -- Allows everyone preparing for Christmas to vent their frustrations. Twelve humbugs allowed.
Dec 29	Tick Tock Day -- Time runs out! All those dreams you've had, all those fantasies? It's time, friend. Do it!
Dec 30	Falling Needles Family Fest -- Now that the Yuletide tree’s been up for weeks and hasn’t been watered since a couple of days before Christmas, gather the gang around and watch the needles gently fall one by one. Live it up! Dance barefoot.

We wish each of you and yours a Happy Stress Free Holiday Season.

Sincerely,
Annette
Painted Lady Enterprises
"Helping You and Your Business Look Good"

A Time for Thanksgiving

The time has changed. The days are definitely shorter, but it also seems the years are getting shorter. I would like to think that 'time flies when you're having fun' rather than it being because I'm getting older. But with every passing year I cherish my life and my loved ones even more. For who knows how much time we have left to be with them and enjoy their company.

I received a phone call this week from a father who had lost a daughter in the prime of her life. She was a business acquaintance of mine. I had sent her a birthday card. That is what prompted her father to call me. She had been in the hospital with complications from pneumonia. So sad for someone so young to be taken. Another reason to keep in touch with those we love. You just never know.

As this month is most noted for Thanksgiving, let us give thanks for All the things for which we are grateful. What are you grateful for? I am grateful for my wonderful family, my health, my marriage, my friends, my home, my business, and my list goes on and on.

Listed below are some of the other holidays for the month of November according to www.earthcalendar.net and also the quirky ones are also listed from www.WellCat.com

November-1	All Saints` Day
November-2	All Souls` Day
November-3	Sandwich Day
November-10	Marine Corps Birthday
November-11	Veterans Day
November-15	America Recycles Day
November-18	Mickey Mouse's Birthday
November-19	US Marine Corps Day
November-20	Children's Day
November-22	John F. Kennedy's Assassination
November-22	National Stop the Violence Day
November-26	Thanksgiving Day

Month Observances
Occasion	Link
Diabetic Eye Disease Month	Prevent Blindness America
American Indian Heritage Month	KQED
Addiction Awareness Month	National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence
Alzheimer's Awareness Month	The Alzheimer's Association
Child Safety and Prevention Month	National PTA
Diabetes Awareness Month	American Diabetes Assoc.
Epilepsy Awareness Month	Epilepsy Foundation
Great American Smokeout Month	Citizens for a Smoke-Free America
Home Care Month	National Association for Home Care and Hospice's
Hospice Month	National Hospice Association
Drum Month	Percussive Arts Society
Peanut Butter Lover's Month	Peanut Advisory Board
Real Jewelry Month	Jewelers of America Inc.
Stamp Collecting Month	United States Postal Service
World Communication Month	International Society of Friendship and Goodwill
National Novel Writing Month	NaNoWriMo
America Recycles Month	America Recycles
International COPD Awareness Month	COPD International
Movember	Movember

First Full Week
Occasion	Link
National Fig Week	California Fig Advisory Board

Second Week
Occasion	Link
Key Club International Week	Key Club International
National Notary Public Week	American Society of Notaries
National Split Pea Soup Week	USA Dry Pea and Lentil Industry
Osteopathic Medicine Week	American Osteopathic Association

Third Week
Occasion	Link
American Education Week	National Education Association
National Geographic Awareness Week	National Geographic Society
Operating Room Nurse Awareness Week	Association of Operating Room Nurses
National Children's Book Week	Children's Book Council
Geography Awareness Week	National Geographic

Week of US Thanksgiving
Occasion	Link
National Adoption Week	National Council for Adoption
National Bible Week	Laymen's National Bible Assoc.

Last Week
Occasion	Link
Family Caregiver Week	National Family Caregivers Association
National Home Care Week	National Association for Home Care

And here are the Quirky ones from WellCat.com

Nov 3	Cliché Day --Use clichés as much as possible today. Hey, why not? Give it a shot! Win some, lose some. You'll never know, 'til you try it.
Nov 8	Cook Something Bold and Pungent Day -- Especially for those of us who have tightly closed up the house against chill weather for the next six months. Now is the time to create the heavenly, homey odor of pungently bold cooking. Don’t forget the sauerkraut and garlic!
Nov 18	Married To A Scorpio Support Day -- A worldwide day of remembrance to honor all those married to Scorpions and who suffer greatly. Assert yourself today! Hide their household flow charts.
Nov 19	Have a Bad Day Day -- For those who are filled with revulsion at being told endlessly to “have a nice day,” this day is a brief respite. Store and business owners are to ask workers to tell customers to “have a bad day.”
Nov 20	Name Your PC Day -- Hey, why not? People name their boats! And there’s a lot more PC’s than boats these days. “Binky” is already taken.
Nov 25	Blasé Day A perfect day for the world-weary to revel in their apathy.
Nov 30	Stay Home Because You're Well Day -- So we can all call in “well,” instead of faking illness, and stay home from work.

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy May 29, 1917 - November 22, 1963

I wish each one a Happy November and Thanksgiving. Be safe as you travel and be grateful for all of your life's bounty.

In gratitude,
Annette
Painted Lady Enterprises
"Helping You and Your Business Look Good"

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There is Room for All

Well I am sitting here in shock right now. I had sent out an email this morning to a business acquaintance who runs a very successful networking group asking if they would like to list their group on the new networking site I had recently created, NetworkNorthGeorgia.com. I received a reply saying that they were confused because there were some other sites with similar names and wasn't I a member of the some of the other sites.

Well I guess great minds think alike. Yes there are some other sites for the area with similar names and I think the creator has done an excellent job with the sites. I just now tried to log into the ones I belonged to, only to find out I have been banned.

I recently created www.NetworkNorthGeorgia.com for the purpose of listing networking groups and events. I have had a list of networking opportunities on my website for a number of years and just wanted to give people a central location for this type of information. It certainly was not my intention to do anything that would jeopardize any membership or relationship I had with any other site.

It seems because this is a NING site and my identity is for most all my Ning sites, that perhaps other sites see my universal posts as being solicitations which was not my intention.

I did not even know some of these other sites existed until a few days ago. And with the receipt of the email from my acquaintance, I checked to see which ones I was a member of, only to find out I had been banned. I feel that these sites are different, in that the goal of NetworkNorthGeorgia.com is for the purpose of listing networking groups and events not news, not public affairs, not music, fishing reports, politics, lake levels, etc.

I hope that we can come to a mutual agreement that we can both co-exist and perhaps help each other.

I'm very sorry if I did something I wasn't suppose to. So folks, if you want to see NNG grow with serious networkers and like minded business people in the North Georgia area, join yourself, list your networking groups, events, and invite others to join.

In gratitude,
Annette
Painted Lady Enterprises
"Helping You and Your Business Look Good"

Trick or Treat

Image via Wikipedia

Fall is in the air. It is October already. This month is filled with lots of holidays besides Halloween. Some notable ones that would be good to remember to send a greeting card - Boss' Day - October 16 and Mother-in-Law Day - October 25.

Lots and lots of monthly observances also this month. The most notable, I believe, is National Breast Cancer Awareness. Do you have a friend or relative who has been affected by this? It also reminds us to schedule the 'girls' checkup. Please note there are a number of other health related observances during October also.

Some other observances that I want to call attention to are: 'Get Organized Week,' 'Customer Service Week,' and 'Home Based Business Week.'

And lastly, the Well cat Wacky holidays. When I read over the list, I didn't think they were to wacky this month, for instance - 'Evaluate Your Life' day. Hmmmm....sounds pretty serious to me. But on the other hand 'Haunted Refrigerator Night' reminds me I need to clean out my frig. That can be pretty scary. I think there are some science projects growing in there.

What is near and dear to your heart of all the observances in October? What do you like about this time of year?

One of my favorite quotes for this time of year is: "Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower." ~Albert Camus

US Holidays -

October-6	National German-American Day
October-6	Physician Assistant Day
October-9	Leif Erikson Day
October-11	National Coming Out Day
October-14	Peace Corps Birthday
October-15	Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day
October-16	Boss Day
October-16	Dictionary Day
October-16	Ether Day
October-16	National Feral Cat Day
October-17	Black Poetry Day
October-18	Alaska Day
October-23	National Mole Day (Avogadro's number)
October-24	United Nations Day
October-25	Mother-in-Law's Day
October-27	Navy Day
October-31	Hallowe'en
October-31	National Magic Day (for Houdini)
October-31	Nevada Day
October-31	Reformation Day

Occasion	Link
Halloween Safety Month	Prevent Blindness America
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month	(see website for board of sponsors)
Adopt a Shelter Dog Month	A.S.P.C.A.
American Magazine Month	Magazine Publishers of America
Campaign for Healthier Babies Month	March of Dimes Birth Defect Foundation
Car Care Month	Car Care Council
Celiac Sprue Awareness Month	Celiac Sprue Assoc.
Child Health Month	American Academy of Pediatrics
Computer Learning Month	Computer Learning Foundation
Consumer Information Month	Consumers Index to Product Evaluations and Information Sources
Cookbook Month	International Association of Culinary Professionals
Country Music Month	Country Music Assoc.
Crime Prevention Month	National Crime Prevention Council
Dental Hygiene Month	The American Dental Hygienists' Association
Disability Employment Awareness Month	US Presidential Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities
Dollhouse & Miniatures Month	Miniatures Industry Assoc.
Domestic Violence Awareness Month	National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Energy Awareness Month	US Department of Energy
Family Health Month	American Academy of Family Physicians
Sexuality Education Month	Planned Parenthood
Fire Prevention Month	National Fire Protection Association
Healthy Lung Month	American Lung Assoc.
Hunger Awareness Month	Food Industry Crusade Against Hunger
Kitchen and Bath Month	National Kitchens and Bath Association
Liver Awareness Month	American Liver Foundation
Lupus Awareness Month	Lupus Foundation of America
Mental Illness Awareness Month	American Psychiatric Assoc.
Pasta Month	National Pasta Association
Physical Therapy Month	American Physical Therapy Assoc.
Pizza Month	Pizza Today magazine
Popcorn Poppin' Month	The Popcorn Institute
Pork Month	National Pork Producers Council
Quality Month	American Society for Quality Control
Seafood Month	National Fisheries Institute
Spina Bifida Prevention Month	Spina Bifida Assoc. of America
Spinal Health Month	American Chiropractic Assoc.
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month	SIDS Alliance
UNICEF Month	US Committee for UNICEF
Youth Against Tobacco Month	Tobacco Education and Prevention
Vegetarian Awareness Month	EarthSave
Clergy Appreciation Month	Christianity Today
National Roller Skating Month	The Roller Skating Association
Fair Trade Month	Fair Trade Certified
Stress Awareness Month	The Stress Institute
National Caramel Month	National Confectioners Association

First Full Week
Occasion	Link
Get Organized Week	National Association of Professional Organizers
Mental Illness Awareness Week	American Psychiatric Foundation
National Health Care Food Service Week	American Hospital Association
Customer Service Week	International Customer Service Association
National Spinning & Weaving Week	Handweavers Guild of America
Walk a Child to School Week	National Safety Council
World Space Week	Spaceweek International Assoc.

First Two Weeks
Occasion	Link
Hispanic Heritage Month	Education World

Second Week
Occasion	Link
Home-based Business Week	Association of Home-based Businesses
Fire Prevention Week	National Fire Protection Assoc.
National Newspaper Week	Newspaper Assoc. Managers Inc
School Lunch Week	American School Food Service Association
National Physician Assistants Week	American Academy of PAs

Third Week
Occasion	Link
Teen Read Week	Young Adult Library Services Association
Health Education Week	National Center for Health Education
Hepatitis Awareness Week	American Liver Foundation
Infection Control Week	Assoc. for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology

Third Full Week
Occasion	Link
National Healthcare Quality Week	National Assn of Healthcare Quality

Second Last Week
Occasion	Link
National Pharmacy Technician Week	-

Fourth Week
Occasion	Link
National Consumers Week	White House Office of Consumer Affairs
Disarmament Week (the week beginning October 24)	United Nations
National Chemistry Week	American Chemical Society

Last Week
Occasion	Link
Respiratory Care Week	American Association for Respiratory Care

Wacky Holidays by Wellcat -

Oct 12	International Moment of Frustration Scream Day -- To share any or all of our frustrations, all citizens of the world will go outdoors at twelve hundred hours Greenwich time and scream for thirty seconds. We will all feel better, or Earth will go off its orbit. Co-sponsored by Low Thresholders of the Earth League.
Oct 14	Be Bald and Be Free Day -- For those who are bald and who either do wear or do not wear a wig or toupee, this is the day to go “shiny” and be proud.
Oct 19	Evaluate Your Life Day -- To encourage everyone to check and see if they’re really headed where they want to be.
Oct 27	Cranky Co-Workers Day -- In honor of all the complaining and just plain cranky co-workers you have to endure all year, this is the day to let them go with it and enjoy their miseries.
Oct 30	Haunted Refrigerator Night -- Who knows what evil lurks in the refrigerators of men . . . and women. It's time to be afraid, very afraid. Gather friends, open the refrigerator door, and venture unto the realm of the lower shelf, rear. That "thing" inside that container is much more horrifying than any haunted hayride.

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around." ~Leo Buscaglia

Show someone you care. Send them a H.U.G - Heartfelt Unexpected Greeting - Act on your prompting today.

In gratitude,
Annette
Painted Lady Enterprises
"Helping You and Your Business Look Good"

Whirlwind

Life is good and so exciting! I've been gone for nine days on a vacation, wedding trip, honeymoon, and company convention. And yes, I planned it all to coincide. Now trying to get caught up.

First things first, yes I did get married to my long time significant other of nine and half years. We were married in Lake Tahoe. Hope to have pictures posted on Facebook soon. From there we went to Salt Lake for my company convention.

I am so excited about all the new announcements at convention, especially the new product to become a sender of greeting cards. It is a great product for home, office, and school parties, trade shows, fund raisers, etc. The list just goes on and on. Also, a new low entry fee to get started making money, and all just in time for the holidays! ALL The best features of direct sales.

So I am busy scheduling 'Celebrate Life' parties and following up with all those folks who have expressed interest. This is a wonderful opportunity just in time for the holidays - gifts and greeting cards.

Let me know if you would like more information.

In gratitude,
Annette
Painted Lady Enterprises
"Helping You and Your Business Look Good"

Advertising Specialty Promotional Product Study

Image via Wikipedia

It’s important to show our clients that we appreciate their business. After all they are our best sales people. At this time of the year we begin to think about gifts that we can give that will show our appreciation. Imprinted ad specialties provide a gift of appreciation as well as a gift that will keep on giving impressions to your client as well as to new prospects.

Here are some highlights of a study done by the ©Advertising Specialty Institute on the impact of promotional products. It provides some interesting information to consider when selecting imprinted ad specialty gifts for your clients. If you would like to see the entire study, let me know and I will send it to you in its entirety.

The purpose of this study was to understand how advertising specialties influence end-user’s purchasing decision; determine the number of impressions of popular advertising specialties; and analyze the Cost Per Impression (CPI) of advertising specialties compared with other popular advertising media.

Respondents were asked if they had received any promotional products in the last 12 months. Most respondents were business/professional people and all were age 21 or older.

Summary of Conclusions:

• Instant recall: 84% respondents remembered the advertisers of the promotional products they had received.
• Very Impressionable: 42% had MORE favorable impression of an advertiser after receiving the item. And 24% said they are MORE likely to do business with the advertiser on the items they receive.
• It’s all business: 62% have done business with the advertiser on a promotional product after receiving the item.
• Pens are in: Writing instruments are the most-recalled advertising specialty items (54% recall owning them), followed by shirts, caps, and bags.
• User-Friendly: 81% of promotional products were kept because they were considered useful.
• Staying power: More than three-quarter have had their items for more than 6 months.
• Bag It!: Among wearables, bags were reported to be used most frequently with respondents indicating that they used their bags an average of 9 times per month. Bags also deliver the most impressions: Each bag averages 1,038 impressions per month.
• Most Impressive: The average CPI of an advertising specialty item is $0.004; as a result, marketers get a more favorable return on investment from advertising specialties than nearly any other popular advertising media.

Commonly owned advertising specialty items:

• The most commonly owned promotional products among all respondents were writing instruments (54%) followed by shirts (45%) and caps (31%)

Usage: How often do you wear/use the item per month? (Asked to those who had shirts, caps, other wearables, and bags).

• Shirts – 4.32
• Caps – 6.06
• Other Wearables – 4.62
• Bags – 9.33

Number of Impressions:

Impressions were calculated based on the number of times items were worn or used per month and the average number of people that came in contact with the user.

• Bags made the highest number of impressions (approximately 1,038 per month) followed by caps (approximately 476 per month).
• Among non-wearables, writing instruments made the most impressions, with 363 per month.

Length of Time an Item is Held:

• More than one year:
o Bags – 42%
o Wearables – Shirts, caps, etc. 39%
o Other – 37%
o Recognition awards – 34%
o Glassware/Ceramics – 26%

Frequency of Use:

How often do you use the item? (Asked of those who had writing instruments, glassware/ceramics, desk/office/business accessories, and other promotional products).

• Nearly one-third (32%) of glassware/ceramics items received were used once per week and another one-quarter (25%) were used once per day.
• 40% of writing instruments were used at least two times per day.
• On average, writing instruments were used most frequently per month (approximately 64 times per month).

Are you able to identify the advertiser of the item?

• Respondents were able to identify the advertiser the vast majority of the time (84%).
• Wearables were the most often cited product where the recipient was familiar with the sponsor.

Why do you keep the item you received?

• The majority (81%) of promotional product items were kept because they were considered useful, i.e. bags, writing instruments, wearables, glassware/ceramics, desk/office/business accessories, and calendars.
• Receivers of wearables items were more likely to keep these items because they were considered attractive, i.e. bags, wearables, calendars, caps, and shirts.

Which of the following best describes your impression of the advertiser after receiving the item?

• Among respondents of all promotional products received, 42% indicated that their impression of the advertiser had become either significantly or somewhat more favorable after receiving the item.
• This was especially true among receivers of bags with over one-half (53%) reporting that they viewed the advertiser more favorably.

Since receiving the item, have you actually done any business with the advertiser?

• Among respondents of all promotional products received, 62% indicated that they had done business with the advertiser after receiving the item.

Total Impressions/Cost Per Impression (CPI):

• The cost per impression of ad specialties is very low, with fractions of a cent per impression, i.e. 0.004 average.
• Advertising specialties are less expensive per impression than nearly any other media.

Caps – 0.002
Bags – 0.002
Writing Instruments – 0.002
Calendars – 0.003
Glassware/Ceramics – 0.004
Shirts – 0.005
Desk/office/business accessories 0.007

Excerpted from 13 page 2008 study ©Advertising Specialty Institute. All Rights Reserved.

Again if you would like a copy of this 13 page report, let me know and I will send you a copy.

As you consider gifts for your clients and prospects this holiday season, consider ad specialty promotional products imprinted with your company logo. These are gifts that will keep on giving. A useful product your client will use with your contact information at their fingertips so they can call you for more business and/or refer you to others.

I also have some BOGO specials right now that I can also send or you can search for your perfect item at www.LesterBMartin.com Let me know what you are interested in and I will be glad to get it ordered for you. Also, while you are on the website, be sure and register to win $1000 in promotional products. Be sure and list that I referred you.

I would also like to hear what advertising specialty item you currently have that is your favorite and why.

Happy Marketing,

Annette
Painted Lady Enterprises
“Helping You and Your Business Look Good”