Summer is just around the corner for my New York friends so it is time to take out those shades! I know you have them in hiding for the past couple of months, but I promise, the sunshine awaits you!

Maybe it's because I grew up around glasses, or maybe I am just a nut, but I hate when I notice that someone has dirty glasses on. Whether they are sunglasses or eyeglasses, I feel the lenses should be as clean as possible because after all, the cleaner they are, the clearer we can see. That is why one of my favorite promo items is the Wesleyan Microfiber Cloth. Available in a wide range of sizes, this is the perfect pocket item to carry with you wherever, whenever. The best part is that not only can you use it on your glasses, but it is great for electronics as well. Get rid of those iPhone fingerprints with this cloth and enjoy a cleaner browsing, texting, or "Facetime" experience.

You can opt for a digital imprint that takes up the entire cloth for a huge branding opportunity! Check out the ones we use here, at Motivators: 

As a Dad of three, I have started a diary for each one to document events of their life starting on their birth date.  Sometimes it is a daily effort other times it is weekly, but I always highlight the big moments like rolling over, crawling, walking, first words, etc. Recently my wife and I had a chance to go back and read some of the entries, some of the entries are hilarious and others touching.  We have some great promotional diaries available to document your next life changing event... or others just to make sure you know what day of the week it is. 

This Saturday, March 23, is my league's fantasy baseball draft. This is absolutely in the top five events of the year. We begin around noon: A little lunch, some playful banter about how bad every other team was the previous year, and chats about how our own teams are going to win it all.

We then take our seats. Some with partners others without. Papers, magazines even an adult beverage or two in front of us and the draft begins.

We have a 60-inch flat screen scrolling like ESPN across the bottom of the screen. Insults are aplenty and work is the last thing on all of our minds. Then some promotional gifts pop up.

The company that hosts our league sends us a board and t-shirts and a bobble head trophy. All of those items will go home with someone, and keep us reminded all year about their website.  Promotional items... You just can't get away :). 

I am the family accountant among other things, and I have been up to my ears in year-end financial paperwork. Usually, I am very organized, but when it came down to it, this year, I found that things were a bit of a mess.

About six weeks ago, I completely reorganized my office, paperwork and filing, after realizing that my office was a DISASTER AREA! I went through every single piece of paper (and believe me, that was probably equivalent to six or more reams of paper).

Using my handy Dymo Folder Labeler, I labeled each file folder, making them neater and easier to read, which makes them easier to file and of course easier to find! I created a desktop holding station out of a literature organizer which has 10 cubbies in which I can separate incoming mail into categories like: bills to pay, insurance forms, school paperwork, investments, taxes, 401k, coupons, shredding and catalogs.

In addition to doing the taxes I have to reconcile my medical flexible spending account, which is a nightmare! My zippered vinyl portfolio saved the day! It keeps everything in one place and nothing falls out when I tote it from home to car to office and back again. I hope that my new organized office helps me to stay on track this year, so I don't have to pull my hair out this time next year!

The Miami office has recently relocated from Midtown to Miami Beach and I am here to share all the inside scoop! Now that we are settled in, I am learning about the surrounding area and all the different ways I can go to and from work. With three different causeways to choose from; McArthur, Venetian, and Julia Tuttle, I am now in the groove of my new, and very scenic commute. Passing by Star Island and Fisher Island every morning (insert future home here - HA) is a great way to start the day.

With that being said, there are tons of networking opportunities and new people to meet. I was super excited when the Director of the office space came to me looking to put together a welcome package for all the new members. We ordered some samples and came up with the lunch caddy below. Sticking with the Büro miami colors, we added a branded water bottle and a coffee mug. These are all items that are useful (the office has both water machines as well as coffee everyday) and who doesn't love saving money while bringing lunch? I know I do! This is a great way to welcome new members and reinforce the office brand.

I must note that my favorite part of the lunch tote is the backside which conveniently has a space to write the owner's name. I know you were wondering how we would all tell the difference!

All in all, we are very excited about the new office and the upcoming year as I know it will be a great one! And with that, I will leave you with my new lunch time spot. Talk about an office with a view!

In a world we live in today, technology has become a major role in our daily lives. Back in my childhood days, there was such thing as cell phones. If you carried a beeper, you were popular. Now a days, pretty much everyone from teenagers to seniors all carry mobile devices. So what happens when all your devices run out of battery. This happened to me where my iPhone, iPod, and iPad all went out of battery at the same time. My custom usb device sure came in handy. It had multiple usb outlets so I can charge my devices simultaneously. It was fabulous. For all the techies out there, these usb charges are a must have item.

We had our holiday party last night and we held a gift swap. We used the number system; each participant chose a number and that is the order in which we picked our gifts. The twist is you can playfully "steal" a gift from someone.

Last night's gift of choice was in a promotional paper bag. It was a simple, white bag with our Motivators logo branded on all sides.

I think it was the lure of something so understated had to have a great gift inside. It ended up being a great gag gift and it was filled with all different products branded with our logo that we had done over the past year.

Motivators Holiday Party was a success! Tons of delicious food, great fun with co-workers, and awesome giveaways to win with our Motivators Bucks. This is my third year in a row winning a cool prize; am I lucky or what?

This year I walked away with a nice set of Riedel Vinum wine glasses. Now I can drink my wine in style -- and you can too! Custom wine glasses are a perfect gift idea for many occasions such as corporate parties, house warming, anniversaries, executive gifts, and of course raffle them of at holiday parties just like ours!

In a former life promotional products were something I used to promote my business. I was a mortgage banker and with the influx of everyone's mother and brother getting into the industry, staying on you clients mind was a challenge.

"What can I do to stay on their minds all year around, and not just on the monthly phone call"? PROMOTIONAL CALENDARS! With these bad boys, I could stay in their thoughts all day, every single work day of the year.

Plus if the calendar I sent out stood out enough, it could potentially generate more business from whoever visited my client. Well, this was an absolute homerun. They loved the calendars; I mean everyone loves free stuff, especially useful free stuff.  So whatever business you are in, not many items can get the exposure of a calendar, so get yours today! 

The other day I was passing thru the office and it was the typical Monday morning blah feeling. Until I passed by my customer service department... (sniff, sniff)... there was a wonderful aroma of lavender. "What is that smell?" I asked. Our customer service manager had given all of the employees in that department a USB fragrance dispenser. This unique custom USB device was a great way to change the mood of the office. It didn't replace the morning rush to the coffee but it made waiting in line for my refill all that much better. This item came in three scents, lavender being the most popular. With all the excitement Hurricane Sandy has brought to NY, I think our office could use the pleasant effects of lavender.