I am a new New Yorker; therefore, I am not used to the weather here. One day you wake up it is all sunny outside and then suddenly it starts to rain very heavily. It is unpredictable. And since I use public transportation there is no way I can escape the rain.

I do not know why but umbrellas are one of those things I do not like spending money on.  As a result I end up socializing with strangers at bus stops hoping that, if it's my lucky day, someone will share with me. Sometimes there are no strangers with umbrellas at all. Those are the days when I wish that at least I had a small bottle of shampoo so that I would be able to take advantage of the "free shower" from mother nature.

Umbrellas and shampoos would be my top promotional product selections for a rainy day. But I think an umbrella would be a more conventional and a more functional one. Think about it:  Your promotional umbrella is cruising around New York Times Square, one of the most expensive outdoor advertising arenas in the world. Your logo is on the umbrella’s huge display area. Isn't that lovely? :)

P.S. If anybody reading this sends me a promotional umbrella it will be greatly appreciated.

-Beyza, Marketing Coordinator

I started to work for Motivators on November 9, 2009. My first promotional product was given to me on November 11. It was the promotional flask style water bottle. It was a water bottle that looks like a flask. This product was given to me by my manager. So my first thought was, does she know that I go bar hopping every so often, or is she insinuating that I am an alcoholic?  I’m just kidding!

Remember if you are thirsty don’t forget your promotional water bottles from movtivators.com. Or have your boss buy the first round. 

When looking for gift ideas for your employees, take a look at the promotional 3oz hip flask.

Show your appreciation to your employees, show them that you care!

If you have a logo for your business, you may be wondering whether your logo is “all that it can be,” whether your logo is putting your business in the best possible light.  In order to ensure that your logo is as suitable and as effective as possible for your business, you need to take the time to thoroughly analyze your current logo in order to ascertain whether the need exists for you to have your logo redesigned.

Analyze Color Scheme
When it comes to analyzing the color scheme, you initially need to consider whether the coloration and combination of hues is attractive.  Unfortunately, each and every day we all encounter businesses that are making use of logos that have color schemes that are unattractive. 
For example, assume for a moment you have a law firm.  You will want a logo for your firm that sends a powerful message.  Therefore, you will not want to be using a color combination or color scheme that suggests softness.  (A soft color scheme would be ideal for a business like a daycare center, for example.)

Consider the Selected Font
Beyond color, when you are analyzing your logo you will also want to pay attention to the font that is being used on your logo.  You actually have a wide selection of options when it comes to selecting a font for your logo.  However, no matter what font you end up using for your logo you need to make sure that it is a clean font that is easy to read. 

Scalability Matters
Scalability refers to the manner in which your logo effectively can be resized.  If you are like most business owners, you use your logo in a number of different ways.  As a consequence, you need to have a logo that effectively can be utilized in a variety of different sizes.
Unfortunately, not all logos are scalable in an appropriate manner.  Certain logos simply do not look good when they are shifted into different sizes for different purposes.  Therefore, if your logo is not effectively and readily scalable, you definitely will want to consider a logo redesign to resolve this issue.

This is guest post from Ben Johnson of Logoinn, custom logo design service provider based in UK.

Thanks for inviting me to write a guest post for your new blog and I hope my topic today will get you thinking even more about your business. Many ASI members are telling me that video is starting to transform how they’re selling advertising specialties and they’re thinking about using videos to increase sales faster. Some already use them extensively.We’ve embraced using video at ASI and you can watch several on the homepage of asicentral.com that provide personal introductions to our staff and demonstrate business-building features of our products. But, using video was unchartered territory for us not long ago - maybe for you too - and we’re constantly refining and trying compelling new ways to deliver video that keeps viewers engaged. In a recent business radio program about using video, I shared some tips that we’ve learned at ASI that you can apply to your videos or ones you’re starting to make. Tips for producing and using videos that sell:

• Keep it simple - show the most unique features of a product to keep viewers interested.
• Make videos brief - several short segments are easier to digest than one lengthy one.
• Repurpose - post a video on your Website, but also email it to prospects and run it in a loop on a screen in your trade show booth.

Let me know your thoughts about the radio program and producing videos - I’d like to hear your experiences.  Post a comment.