Late last week, my friend Rachael bought herself a brand new car. She's quite frankly obsessed with her new 2011 Nissan Sentra. And while it's not necessarily my favorite make or model, I can certainly respect her excitement; buying something new with your own money just feels good. 

On Tuesday, I helped Rachael search for a keyless entry and remote starter. She wants it installed soon so that on hot summer days she can make sure her car is "pre-air-conditioned." To be honest, I think it's a waste of money. But, hey, it's not my hard-earned cash!

Our first stop was at retail-giant Best Buy. Their prices for remote starters actually weren't bad at all. But what was bad, unfortunately, was the store's customer service. On a Tuesday evening at 7:30pm, you wouldn't expect a store's staff to have trouble handling the crowd. However, there was a long line, and the 17-year-old kid who was assisting us didn't seem too confident in his knowledge of the store's products.

We then hopped across the street to P.C. Richard & Son to compare prices.  The store's prices there were actually a bit higher, and yet it still got my friend's sale. How did it happen?

First off, the staff was friendly and knowledgeable. When you're shopping for something that's going to run you a bit of money, you feel better about making the purchase if the customer service representative knows his or her stuff. Secondly, because my friend was about to make such a big purchase, the department's manager basically showered her in promotional giveaways. Not only did Rachael walk away with the exact remote starter she was looking for, but she also received custom iPod covers, promotional flash drives, and a promotional flashlight. 

P.C. Richard & Son nailed it. The company may have lost a few bucks handing out promotional products, but think about the resulting brand exposure. Plus, this blog entry might help out a bit, too. Bravo!

At this time two years ago, I made the trek up to Woodstock, NY with my college roommate, Matt. The trip was the perfect mix of business and pleasure. (if there ever was one) While my original plan was to shoot a one-off show of the recently reunited New Pornographers and to conduct an interview with the drumming icon of Woodstock '69, Levon Helm, Matt and I decided that we'd live as the hippies once did - with nothing but the clothes on our back and a little spending money. For two nights, we slept in the car, ate take-out Mexican and didn't shower. We even visited the Yasgur farm where the 1969 festival happened.
We wanted to fit in with the free-loving crowd Woodstock pulls in. So, when it came to picking what to wear there was only one option. A promotional t-shirt. Specifically, a tie-dye one. There were tons of promotional t-shirts sporting the Woodstock name as well as large amounts of promotional t-shirts that had been tie-dyed.
As for this year, I will be making the trip back to Woodstock. In addition to revisiting the Woodstock festival site I will be visiting the Bearsville Theatre in Bearsville, NY (the town over from Woodstock) to see Steve Earle & The Dukes. And I'm already getting my tie-dye shirts ready.
If your town has a colorful history, be sure to preserve that memory with promotional products, especially promotional t-shirts.

As mentioned in a previous blog post, I sometimes bring home small presents from work for my friends and family members. They truly love receiving the extra trade show giveaways we have lying around here at the Motivators office on Long Island. Even something as tiny and inexpensive as a custom printed pen can put a smile on the faces of my friends and family. And understandably so; who doesn't love receiving an unexpected gift?

 My stepfather works at a local hospital, and also does some construction work on the side, so you can imagine the interesting items he brings home from time to time.  One such item is the air conditioning unit that's currently cooling my bedroom. I don't know how he does it, but he manages to grab these functional (and somewhat expensive) products free of charge!  While my mom doesn't necessarily approve ("WHY DO YOU INSIST ON BRINGING HOME SOMEONE ELSE'S JUNK?!"), I certainly appreciate his efforts!

So when I noticed we had a few spare promotional mouse pads in our office, I jumped on the opportunity to grab one for my stepdad. He spends most of the evening on our family PC, and so I knew he could use one of these comfortable promotional products. While I don't imagine I'll be dragging home any items as large or costly as an A/C any time soon, I'm happy to grab a few promo products on my way out whenever I can.  What do YOU bring home from work? 

Congratulations! You have officially made it into the summer. We are about a week into "Official Summer" and you have now started to begin making all of your summer plans. Like most other people, it will include some type of summer vacation. Remember, though there are many different types of vacations. Depending on the type of vacation you are planning, changes how you prepare.

For example, maybe all you are planning is a staycation. Nothing wrong with that, take a few days off, relax, go to the beach and hang around. In that case you won't need much more than say some custom can coolers to keep your drinks cool at the beach or even in your backyard. Throw in some custom water bottles and now your favorite drink is cold and portable!

However, maybe you need to get out of town. Maybe, you are heading off to a popular summer destination like Mexico or the Carribean. In that case, nothing is more important than your promotional bags. Start with a promotional duffel bag to pack your stuff in, add in a custom tote bag for the plane (maybe for some shopping too!) and maybe a promotional drawstring backpack for the beach or any excursions.

Of course, not all vacations are to hot and sunny destinations. Heading up north to Alaska? Canada? Might get a little chilly! Don't forget your custom embroidered fleece and you will be covered.

Wherever you go (or don't go!) there are always promotional products to help you out!

So I came across a very interesting article on how you can make a quick buck using your smartphone. The app (Gigawalk) which is currently only available on the iPhone, enables users to snap pictures of designated places for a small payout. For example, $5 to take a snap shot of the restaurants menu, $7 to visit a wireless store, and $30 to test out a new App. iPhone users can download the app, then register with Gigwalk and pass a background check. The company also plans to launch an app for Android owners later this year. Users can pick up some pocket cash while they run errands or just out walking. Motivators carries some great promotional bags, and promotional water bottles for when you are in route to these destinations. 

Although I'm 24-years-old, I am once again living at home with my family. Some might be horrified at the idea of living with their mom and dad again, but I've got a pretty good situation going on. Nobody asks me where I'm going or when I'm coming home (thank God), I get to live in a nice house as opposed to whatever awful apartment I'd be struggling to afford, and, best of all, I get free food! After just scraping by for five years throughout college and my year abroad in Australia, I am happy to spend some time at home. 

Recently, in order to get back into shape for surf season, I've been working out lots, tracking my nutrition, and trying to stay motivated. Thanks to awesome Web resources, such as Livestrong.com, this hasn't been too difficult. I've learned about some fantastic foods that are high in protein and low in fat, such as cottage cheese, certain nuts and beans, and egg whites. And if I ever need a reminder, all I have to do is glance at my bright yellow custom rubber band bracelet to stay on track. 

If I wasn't living at home, there is no way I'd be able to afford these delicious and nutritious foods. Thankfully, good ol' Wanda (my mom-- what a great name, right?) is happy to pick up my favorite foods from the store.  Therefore, staying in shape and getting proper nutrition is easy while living at home.  The only thing I've really got to do is continue to pack my custom water bottles into my promotional bag and head to the gym six days a week. Wish me luck!

As a child, when I got a promotional coloring book from a family member or loved one, it was about one of two things: it either focused on one of my fictional pop culture idols (Scooby & The Gang, The DuckTales crew, Biker Mice from Mars, etc.) or on an educational subject. (flossing/brushing teeth properly, the importance of manners, saying "NO" to drugs, etc) Coloring books were only a form of entertainment and a form of learning.
Promotional coloring books have also become a source of propaganda for children. Just over one week ago, Talisman Energy created a coloring book featuring Talisman Terry the Fracosaurus, a lovable character who teaches kids about the benefits...of natural gas.

But Talisman Energy is far from the first to use coloring books as a way to get inside kids' heads. The West Virginia Coal Company made a coloring book about how "Coal is a big part of our energy future!" and how "...nearly everyone in the U.S. uses energy from coal..."
And it's not just large energy companies utilizing coloring books. The infamous Tea Party created and endorsed a coloring book that teaches children about the political party's philosophy and agendas. And arguably more disturbing than that is a coloring book about the benefits of medical research on rats.

I passionately believe that coloring books should be fun and educational without subliminally applying a group's opinion.
That is why I love the promotional coloring books on the Motivators website. The activities are fun and - more importantly - your child learns the essentials for her/him at their appropriate age. Whether it is how to properly recycle or learning about insects, there is enough variety to keep a child occupied for weeks.

This past weekend I had a ton of plans in New York City. But anyone who's familiar with the Long Island Railroad knows that a journey into Manhattan isn't always easy or quick. That, coupled with the fact that we finally got some sunny weather here on Long Island, had me reconsidering my busy schedule.

So instead I canceled all of my plans and decided to dedicate some time to lounging by the pool. I grabbed one of my custom water bottles, and headed to my backyard to enjoy the pool for the first time this season. It was a scorcher of a weekend, making it perfect for lying out, listening to some tunes, and taking a few much-needed dips into the cool water. 

However, by around 3pm on Sunday, the clouds rolled in and the winds picked up. I was grateful to have my custom embroidered fleece on hand to warm me up. And my parents just bought a brand new fire pit that I was pleased use in the evening hours. This was one of the most relaxing weekends I've had in a while, so I don't for one second regret missing out on all the city fun. Plus, next weekend is a BIG holiday weekend, so I'm glad to have saved up my energy.

Fourth of July weekend is rapidly approaching. My family is having a huge BBQ to celebrate the holiday. We will have custom can coolers for everyone to keep their brews chilled on what is sure to be a sunny, hot day. I am going to be sporting my promotional t-shirt with our nations flag on it. It's time to celebrate our independence!

Does the word "Glastonbury" mean anything to you? For those of English heart, it may refer to the quaint town in England. For others, like myself, it is arguably the biggest music festival in the world. This year's festival included headlining sets by U2, Coldplay and Beyonce as well as unannounced sets by Pulp and Radiohead.
Mobile Operator ORANGE knew how explosive Glastonbury would be this year (without headliners announced, tickets were sold out in four hours) and designed a prototype of their newest invention - a t-shirt that charges your mobile phone using sound waves.
This t-shirt uses a large surface area and similar materials to that found in a stereo speaker to produce an electrical current to a back-up battery that, in turn, will charge a cell phone. With the average dB rating at Glastonbury is approximately 80dB (according to the folks at ORANGE, enough to give a charge to a six hour charge to two standard phones or one smart phone) there is no doubt that Glastonbury made a great environment to debut this new technology.
Because this cell-phone charging t-shirt is only a prototype, it doesn't exist (yet) on the Motivators website. But in the meantime, there are other stellar promotional cell-phone accessories and promotional t-shirts that will certainly help you out of a bind and make you and your cell phone look fantastic.