Yesterday, several employees of Motivators (myself included) attended the ASI Show at the Javits Center in New York City. Packed with rows and rows of trade show booths, we went up and down the line seeing which suppliers had the best trade show giveaways. The presentation that ASI put together for the trade show attendees was absolutely fantastic: signs everywhere promoting the show, and a signature red carpet which was laid out across the showroom floor.

From the moment we stepped inside the Javits Center we could feel the energy and the buzz. People were scattered everywhere, all carrying huge promotional tote bags with the ASI logo on them. The purpose of these bags was for the trade show attendees to fill their bags with giveaways as they browsed the floor. Suppliers are happy to give these items away as they hope it will help you to remember their company after you leave for the day. Of course they expect you to stay and talk to them for a while, so we were happy to listen to what new and refreshing ideas they had to contribute to the industry of promotional items.

If you got hungry at the ASI Show, there was no need to worry. In the center of the room was a hot dog station where a nice young lady was cooking up plenty of food to keep people energized. I made sure to get a toothpick lined with several hot dogs and a big dip of mustard. After I ate it was ready to get back on the trade show floor.

I was truly impressed with the different products that the suppliers had with them. There were some of the standards there like attractive promotional T-shirts, and all sorts of promotional pens. These items are great because they are traditionally a very successful way to promote your brand. Therefore, they are heavily replied upon by companies, and so distributors like Motivators sell tons of them. The pens were especially entertaining, and we saw all different types of ways that they were created to help you stand out from the competition.

Then there were some more unique and alternative types of promotional products. For instance, one booth had some nifty custom seed paper that could help you promote your brand as one that is eco-friendly. As the lady at the booth demonstrated, the seed paper items have the imprint and information about your company on them. However, plant and flower seeds have been worked into the paper so that the soil absorbs them when the paper is planted in the ground. In a few weeks, the seed paper sprouts into huge plants that your company will be remembered by.

When all was said and done, the Motivators Team was confident that they checked out all the best promotional items for the 2011 year. Now we are ready to bring them to you, so that you can begin branding your business!

The first leg of the month of March is officially complete, and the saying is really true: March comes in a like a lion, and goes out like a lamb. The first ten days of March have been characterized by pretty chilly temperatures and heavy rains. But one thing is clear - the midday highs on the weather forecast are consistently in the 40 degree range. That means we're on the right path, compared to the average temperatures being in the 30's and below for the past four months. The nights are still very cold (a staunch reminder that winter will be back next year), but the bottom line is that progress is being made.

Pretty soon, the leaves will be growing on the trees, the birds will be chirping, and temperatures will rise to a consistently comfortable level. Keeping this stuff in mind, it's time to change it up on the types of promotional items that are being distributed. No longer will people be able to make use of heavy duty embroidered apparel items like jackets and fleeces, at least not until the cold weather comes around again.

Instead, people are going to be much looser and active in the outdoors. Their moods will increase as they enjoy the warm sunshine on their backs and feel the breeze from their car window. Remember that when people are in a good mood, they are going to be much more receptive to your brand. Plus, since they will be spending a lot more time outside, you can achieve mass exposure by appealing to crowds in public places (this is something you can't do during the winter because everyone is hibernating in their homes).

One of the most effective promotional products that you can start to incorporate into your branding during the spring is promotional beach balls. These great items come in a wide variety of sizes and colors, and lots of people enjoy bouncing them around in the park or at the beach. The more people that touch your beach balls, the more people that are going to be exposed to your brand. This is a great example of incorporating spring-themed items into your branding strategy to help benefit your company.

Remember that beach balls are just one of thousands of different ways in which you can appeal to people during the spring months. Just think sports, activity, and nice weather, and all different types of suggestions like custom water bottles will come to mind. Enjoy the nice weather this spring and good luck getting some new customers.

Well, one of the most important days of the year is finally here again. No, not Christmas, Lincoln's birthday, or the first day of spring - it's Super Bowl Sunday. Every year, family and friends gather at a house, bar, or restaurant to hang out, socialize, and watch the two best teams in the National Football League go head-to-head for the championship. Super Bowl parties are a huge business in the United States, with people all over the country hosting catered events with tons of food and drink. And whether you realize it or not, a whole bunch of promotional products play a huge role in making Super Bowl special events go as smoothly and as enjoyable as possible.

Just look around this Sunday when you are at your buddy's house watching the Green Bay Packers take on the Pittsburgh Steelers. Some of the most popular promotional items that you encounter will be promotional stadium cups and custom can coolers. It's obviously no secret that people who attend Super Bowl parties also love to drink. And when they drink, they don't want to drink out of any boring paper cup, or get their hands wet and cold holding a tin can. So any good host will have some of these drinkware items on site to help enhance the Super Bowl experience. The stadium cups and can coolers are the cornerstones of the promotional drinkware market, and work well in any sports event setting because of their fun appeal and quality function. The Super Bowl parties just happen to be one of the best places to use them.

Besides eating and drinking, people also need to have some fun. There's no better way to liven up the experience of a Super Bowl party than with some football promotional items. These types of items can really be any sort of tangible giveaway or prop that follows a football theme. The football giveaways are especially effective if your company is going to be hosting some type of Super Bowl office party that you are inviting clients to. This way, people will get a good chance to check out your company logo which will be imprinted on the body of every item. Check out this football whistler below, for instance. Whenever your Super Bowl guests get emotional about rooting on their team, they can blow the whistle to show how much they care. Just remember - should you find yourself in the same room with both a Packers and a Steelers fan, things might get pretty loud.

Finally, consider the fact that people will want to have a souvenir to take home with them after the party so that they can remember how much fun the experience was. Since they didn't get to go to the actual game, some custom caps from your party is the next best thing. This type of item is reserved for companies and corporations who want to work their brand name into the festivities and hype of the Super Bowl. However, if you are hosting a personal party that you really want to make memorable, then the idea of giving out imprinted Super Bowl hats is definitely a viable idea. People will get to wear the hats with them whenever they want to remember how much they enjoyed your party this year. And consider this - whenever friends of the recipient see the hat, they will know that your Super Bowl party is the one to attend next year.

Remember to incorporate some of these Super Bowl promotional items into your party this year, and make the experience as fun as possible for your guests. Most of all, don't forget to enjoy watching the greatest game of the year this Sunday!

It's snowing once again in New York, and this time it's going to last. The weather forecast is predicting a continued downpour of snow and rain that will continue on and off until Saturday. That means four more days of shoveling, driving slowly, and running into the house or office before you get too wet. It really is amazing how much snow we have already received this winter, compared to last winter when we got almost none.

Now some people are better equipped to deal with the snow than others. This can be attributed to several factors, but it really comes down to how well prepared you are for the snow when it comes. I used to be terrible with the snow - I would come out of my house underdressed, wear sneakers instead of boots, and would never have the proper instrument in my car to clean off the windshield. As I have gotten a little bit older, I've realized how important it is for health and safety to be prepared for these snowy times. That's why I've turned to the use of several promotional products to help me get through.

I will say that by far, one of the most useful promotional items that I have put to use this winter is one of my promotional ice scrapers. On a day like today, the temperatures remain below freezing at all times. That means that any snow which has been sitting on my windshield for a long period of time is going to turn to ice. As everyone who lives in a cold weather state knows, it's not easy to get ice off of your car without using the proper tools. The windshield wipers won't knock it off, and the wiper fluid does a poor job of melting it. If you want to be able to see out of the front or sides of your car, then you need a custom printed ice scraper to help you get home. I know from personal experience just how useful this item is, and if I received one from a company I would be sure to remember their name.

Out of all the other go-to promotional items that I use during the winter, the other one that is most helpful is my promotional ear warmers. As I said earlier, a lot of dealing with the winter effectively has to do with being well prepared. Preparation is something that is learned through experience, and I've experienced plenty of winters with cold ears. It took me a while to become aware of the fact that the ears are extremely sensitive to the cold, and I was losing body heat by not protecting them. The second I got my hands on the ear warmers, things changed. I was able to leave my house in the morning with less dread, and my ears were harbored from the snow.

So, given the temperature and weather conditions as of late, I thought it would be appropriate to share a first-hand account for how one person's life can be made easier when they are well prepared for the season. If you are a business owner looking to run a great promotion, consider the fact that plenty of your customers are in the same boat as me. Give them a way to feel more comfortable in the cold and snowy weather, and they will remember you for it.

Every morning I wake up my morning routine is smooth - until I am ready to walk out of the door. Then it becomes chaos. This is largely due to the fact that I have a ton of stuff that I take with me to work every day, but nothing to put them in. I will go down a quick list of the items so that you can get a better understanding of how hectic this really is: eyeglasses, cell phone charger, iPod, cell phone, breakfast (anything including oatmeal or a cereal bar), lunch, and a snack for the midday.

My two strategies are to either carry everything in my hands down to the car and throw it all on the front seat, or stuff everything in the pockets of my coat and hope nothing breaks or gets crushed. Both of these strategies are pretty poor, and they have just made my mornings more difficult and stressful for as long as I can remember.

Then one day I realized how much I stress the importance of using promotional products to create a convenience in the lives of your customers. I thought to myself, "Well, if a business can use promotional items to help out their customers, why can't I use the same products to make my life easier too?" So that is exactly what I did. This week, I picked up one of the best promotional tote bags that are available here at Motivators.

I throw all of my personal items into the bag in the morning, and my routine has become stress-free. No longer do I have to worry about dropping my iPod into the snow on the way out the door, or watching as my cell phone charger cord becomes unravelled and impossible to get hold of. Now that I have one of these personalized tote bags, I can use it for all types of other things too.

When the warm weather comes around, I am going to throw in some promotional towels and sunscreen and take it with me to the beach. I might also use it for those quick trips to the supermarket when you don't feel like wasting a plastic bag to hold your groceries.

Well apparently it is winter in the northeast part of the United States. It wasn't too long ago that I was lounging on a deck chair at the side of a friend's pool, starring up at the clouds and feeling the warm breeze. I wondered if winter would really come this year, and told myself that if it stayed 75°F and sunny out every day, I probably wouldn't mind. But it didn't stay warm, and we are officially moving into the heart of the winter.

It takes a true soldier of morale and spirit to be able to make it through freezing mornings in the car, shivering after getting out of the shower, and tucking your chin into your chest so your neck is not exposed to the harsh winds. Thankfully, this winter is different for me than winters in the past, and that is mostly because I have some seasonal promotional products to help me get through it.

Bundling up is crucial for remaining warm during the winter. I have a tendency to just put on a T-shirt and jacket before I walk out of the door, and then I wonder why the wind is creeping up my entire body. This time around, I have learned to layer my body, and I've used several items of embroidered apparel to help me do it. Usually I will start with an undershirt or tee, and then follow it with a promotional fleece.

Since the fleece I have is made of polyester, it stands tough against those strong winds and freezing temperatures, helping to insulate my body when I need it most. My final layer is one of my promotional jackets, with warm pockets to protect my hands and high zippers to cover the exposed neck area.

While clothing is one thing, another one of my favorite promotional items came in handy when I least expected it would. For this past snowstorm that slammed New York on Tuesday night, I desperately needed to get my car onto the road when the snow had accumulated to a dangerous point (for some reason, I completely underestimated the amount of snow on the ground). I needed a way to increase the visibility of my windshield, and fast.

Thankfully, Bari (the receptionist at Motivators) handed me one of her promotional ice scrapers before she left work the night before, and I had it in my trunk to use. I took it out, knocked off all the snow and ice on my windows as quickly as I could, and drove slowly home just before it really started to come down hard. If it wasn't for the help of these great promotional products, I would be constantly freezing this winter and my car would be impossible to drive.

Good luck getting through the cold this winter; we will be sunning ourselves by the beach again before you know it! And don't forget, if you want to make the cold weather a more pleasant experience for your clients or employees, you can try giving them some winter gifts - they will appreciate them for sure.

The New Year has just gotten underway, and that means people need a new calendar for their homes and offices. Everyone needs a viable way to keep track of all their important dates and appointments, and promotional calendars are the best way to do it. These calendars come in all different types and styles, and feature different themes depending on the industry that you are in. The bottom line is that no other promotional products will give you a branding opportunity 365 days a year without fail, so you should take full advantage before the year progresses any further. Let's take a look at the different selections of custom printed calendars 2011 so that you can choose the one that best suits your company.

1. Promotional Wall Calendars

First up are the promotional wall calendars. This type of calendar is standard for any home refrigerator or office cubicle. The wall calendars designate one page per month of the year, and each month has a large box for every day of the month. Along with the month chart is a picture of whatever which coincides with whatever theme you have chosen. Common wall calendar themes include scenic views, animals, cars and trucks, home and gardens, and many more. A person would normally have to go out to the store to buy a calendar like this one, but now they can have it for free. The best part is that the imprinted logo of your company will appear at the bottom of every page so they will remember who gave them the calendar whenever they look at it.

2. Promotional Desk Calendars

For something a little more business-oriented, check out some of these promotional desk calendars. Unlike the wall calendars, the desk calendars sit on the desk of the recipient so that they can refer to it easily while they work. Custom desk calendars come in different versions - some stand up on the desk and operate by turning the pages over the spiral top; other lie flat on the desktop in such a way that the recipient can continue to do their work right on top of the calendar. Regardless of which version you choose, the desk calendar will be right in your client's line of sight as they go throughout their day as usual. This means that the level of exposure your brand name is getting is so consistent and strong, you pretty much can't pass the item up.

3. Promotional Magnetic Calendars

If the first two categories of customized calendars aren't your thing, then promotional magnetic calendars definitely offer something different. This type of calendar is meant to be attached to metal surfaces like the refrigerator where recipients can see it easily. Instead of being able to write on it, the magnetic calendars have the days of the month imprinted so that you can make a mental note of what you might have to do on a specific day. They come in different shapes and sizes, and really take advantage of the vibrant colors that will grab people's attention. The magnetic calendars have been a huge hit for years so you already know they are going to be a success for your company.

4. Custom Planners

So you want something a bit more in depth than the other selections of promotional calendars available? In that case, custom planners are just the thing for you. Contrary to a regular calendar, these planners come in the style of a checkbook that can be easily placed in a pocket, purse, or briefcase. Inside the planner there are very specific sections which break down the month, day, and time of day. This added detail allows the recipient to pencil in their appointments right on the hour in which they are taking place. The planners come in both soft and hard cover versions, as well as different colors which bring out the appeal of your imprinted logo.

Once you have chosen the right customized calendars for your company, you will be well on your way to seizing a unique and valuable branding opportunity. If you are thinking about ordering some calendars, make sure to do it soon - every day you wait is another day on the calendar that passes.

Motivators is proud to announce that our sales team will be spotlighted in the January 2011 issue of Advantages Magazine. The magazine published by the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) focuses on some of the latest happenings in the promotional products industry. We are honored to have our sales team get highlighted in the latest issue, and take the recognition as a sign that we are continuing to move in the right direction.

Advantages acknowledged several statistics in the "Spotlight on a Sales Team" column. To start, Motivators has had an increase in sales of more than 375% over the past six years. We have been voted a top place to work and among the fastest-growing small businesses in the United States. Every member of the sales team aims to sell more than $100,000 per month, and average more than 1,000 orders per month collectively. These stats reflect the hard work and discipline that the sales team brings to the table on a daily basis.

The photo which captures the sales team above was taken during the Motivators Halloween Costume Contest this year, and sales went with a bikers theme. Each member of the team deserves a formal acknowledgement, so their names will be noted according to the photo as follows (from left to right): Adam Brown (kneeling), Rachel Levin (sales manager), Ozzie Dikmen, Ali Derkatch, Meryem Kilic, Olha Korolenko, and Sung Kim. Additional sales team members Laurie O'Shea, Greg Hill, and Rhonda Blum were not pictured.

We congratulate the sales team here at Motivators for their recognition, and expect that they will continue to achieve high goals in the future.

One of the most important awareness events of the year is World AIDS Day. Every December 1st, people in the United States and across the rest of the world band together to raise awareness of the spreading of AIDS which is caused by contracting HIV. People celebrate the landmark event in a variety of ways which include honoring memorials for those have died of the disease, and raising donation money to go towards the research and development of a cure.

It may help to have a little bit of a background about the AIDS virus and World AIDS Day. It is not known for sure how AIDS became a pandemic in the world, but the effects of the disease became apparent in 1981. Since that time, AIDS has taken the lives of over 25 million people, and more than 33 million more people live with HIV worldwide. Many people are still not aware of the ways in which AIDS can spread (i.e. through intravenous drug use, sexual transmission, blood transfusion, etc.), which is one of the many reasons that the institution of World AIDS Day was so important.

The first World AIDS Day was envisioned in 1987 by James W. Bunn and Thomas Netter, two members of the Global Program on AIDS at the World Health Organization. Along with Dr. Jonathan Mann, the director of the program now known as UNAIDS, they decided that the best day for the observance should be December 1 in order to maximum news exposure. The first few years of World AIDS Day focused on children who were afflicted with HIV or AIDS, and for this the team was heavily criticized. The organizers responded by opening up the holiday to acknowledge all persons with AIDS, both alive and decreased. In 1995, President Clinton recognized World AIDS Day by making an official proclamation on December 1.

A big part of World AIDS Day is developing an organized theme every year. The theme has evolved in the past 22 years, but the main focus has always been on educating people about the disease, and debunking the myths associated with it. This year's theme was entitled, "Universal Access and Human Rights" which focused on the concept of providing access to HIV and AIDS treatment for everyone in the world. The point of the theme was to emphasize the fact that AIDS treatment is a fundamental human right, and while there have been tremendous developments towards making this treatment easily accessible, there is still much left to be done.

Organizations usually use some type of AIDS awareness giveaways or other promotional products to help spread the word. In honor of World AIDS Day this year, the warm-up attire of every NBA basketball team wore the red jerseys pictured below. These jerseys are red as that is the official ribbon color of AIDS awareness. As you can see, they feature the AIDS awareness ribbon imprinted on top of the classic NBA logo, and serve as a great example of the promotional AIDS awareness items that are meant to educate people about the disease.

If you missed out on World AIDS Day yesterday, don't worry - you have plenty of time to prepare for the occasion in 2011. No matter how you choose to get involved with this important event, the bottom line is that every bit of effort counts towards making a difference in the fight against AIDS.

The past day or two has been pretty rainy here in New York. The skies are grey and the streets are covered in big puddles that pedestrians have to avoid. Usually some rainy weather in late November marks the end of the autumn and the beginning of the winter to come. Pretty soon we will be seeing white flakes scattered across the ground as the snow turns the landscape into a winter wonderland. But for now, it's just a bunch of nasty rain.

People tend to handle the rain in different ways. I personally enjoy the rain just as much as the sunshine, as long as there aren't some heavy winds that come along with it. I find the dimmed scenery to be very mellow and relaxing, not to mention that it helps you to appreciate the sunny days much more. For some reason though, some people despise the rain and they have some funny ways of dealing with it. They might decide to stay home, or alter their daily routine in order to accommodate the inclement weather. The other thing that really gets me nuts is when traffic comes to a complete stop because the roads are wet. I just want to get out of my car and yell, "Cars are designed to drive on wet roads. It's just rain people!", but I keep my composure every time.

It's a good thing that there are a ton of promotional products which help to make navigating in the rain much more comfortable and convenient. One of the most important items that are distributed for these occasions is promotional umbrellas. As far as promotional items which offer a relevant function for a designated purpose, umbrellas take the cake. The great thing is that they come in all different designs and sizes, so your company can find the one which will best suit its needs. For a day like today, your clients will appreciate nothing more than an umbrella to keep them dry. Not to mention when they see your imprinted logo on the arc, they're going to remember the name of the company that was looking out for them.

If you don't have an umbrella to keep you from getting wet, then donning one of your favorite promotional jackets is the next best thing. These jackets are great not only because they keep you dry, but also because they help you to stay warm (that is one thing that an umbrella cannot do). Giving your clients custom rain jackets on a wet day is a way to show that you care about the inconveniences that they have to deal with on a daily basis. Loyal customers want to know that their favorite brands are going to be there for them, and be interested in more than just selling them a product. That's why a rainy day like this one is actually a great opportunity to capitalize on by showing people in your target market that your company is more reliable and considerate than your competitors.