PPB Mag RSS Feedhttp://www.ppbmag.com/(c) 1994-2007 Promotional Products Association International. All Rights Reserved.5Go to any retail apparel store in just about any American mall, and you will see special effects inks used on apparel consumers purchase every day. Specifically, these inks can be high-density, gel, particle glitter, sugar glitter, sparkle gel, glow-in-the-dark, crystalline, puff, simulated leather, suede, chino, discharge, burn-out or dozens of special formulations. Designers use these inks to create astonishing effects, attracting consumers who want what looks best instead of what is cheapest...http://www.ppbmag.com/Article.aspx?id=3263Thu, 29 Jun 2006 13:43:01 GMTPPB Supplements - WearHow do you find good digitizers? You can use the services of your embroiderer, but then the question is, Who owns the design if you want to use a different shop for a repeat order? By contracting your own digitizing, you have greater control over pricing and lead times. If your digitizer works closely with your embroiderer, you also have another way to control quality. Beware though, as all digitizers are not created equal. In fact, most are not “created” at all but become digitizers by default...http://www.ppbmag.com/Article.aspx?id=3262Thu, 29 Jun 2006 13:32:06 GMTPPB Supplements - WearEvery wardrobe needs foundation pieces, the basics upon which individual style is built. In promotional apparel, tees, polos, wovens and caps categorize the marketplace. But just because a garment is basic doesn’t mean it’s boring...http://www.ppbmag.com/Article.aspx?id=3261Thu, 29 Jun 2006 13:27:18 GMTPPB Supplements - WearRemember the old hamburger chain commercial? The restaurant workers sang “Have it your way” as they danced around the cashier stations—implying they’d fix your hamburger just the way you like it. Or how about the car rental company that “puts you in the driver seat?” As consumers, we’re accustomed to choosing what we want and how we want it. And in today’s business world, the more choices put in the hands of customers, the better...http://www.ppbmag.com/Article.aspx?id=3260Thu, 29 Jun 2006 13:18:30 GMTPPB Supplements - WearI believe clarity can transform your business. What do I mean by clarity? Quite simply, figure out with crystal-clear certainty who your ideal customers should be. Then, send everyone else packing. I like to cite a bit of dialogue from one of my favorite classic movies to illustrate the point. In the 1965 movie A Thousand Clowns, Jason Robards’ character is trying to figure out how to keep his nephew out of the hands of the Social Services people. The phone rings...http://www.ppbmag.com/Article.aspx?id=2916Mon, 07 Nov 2005 16:10:28 GMTPPB Supplements - Sales Solutions Volume 2In the promotional products industry, creating true value for end users centers around developing a campaign around the desired objective. This involves three steps: 1. Define the objective of the promotion. 2. Understand the display environment for the promotional product. 3. Deliver a product that maximizes the promotion once in the environment. Let’s use a specific example to illustrate these three steps. An equestrian racetrack operator wants to increase attendance at the facility...http://www.ppbmag.com/Article.aspx?id=2915Mon, 07 Nov 2005 16:02:58 GMTPPB Supplements - Sales Solutions Volume 2Problems cost money! More often than not, however, the only cost on which customers and salespeople focus is that of the proposed solution. The most critical cost—the problem—remains the best-kept secret in sales. A problem is defined as a less-than-positive or undesirable situation experienced by your customers. The cost of the problem is the financial impact this situation has on customers’ businesses due to the absence of the value your solutions bring them...http://www.ppbmag.com/Article.aspx?id=2914Mon, 07 Nov 2005 15:56:55 GMTPPB Supplements - Sales Solutions Volume 2Wayne Roberts, MAS, vice president of Pioneer Balloon Company and president of IMA, says at one time distributors sold promotional products (imprinted mugs, pens, shirts and caps, for example) and premium reps sold higher-end merchandise (like electronics, sporting goods and gourmet food items), and never did the twain meet. However, in the past five years, there has been a growing sense of cooperation between distributors and incentive reps, he says, “and there’s no question it will continue...http://www.ppbmag.com/Article.aspx?id=2833Tue, 20 Sep 2005 09:57:53 GMTPPB Supplements - One Stop ShopWhile introducing the latest promotional items to their clients, distributors have opportunities to suggest other ways to achieve company goals. Here are some of the top reasons to use incentives, along with examples of successful programs: 1. Build customer loyalty. When Atlanta-based Kroger wanted to establish the store as a patriotic, spirited member of the community, it hired a blimp to fly over the Atlanta Olympics...http://www.ppbmag.com/Article.aspx?id=2832Tue, 20 Sep 2005 09:41:09 GMTPPB Supplements - One Stop ShopIn these uncertain economic times, companies are looking to cut costs wherever possible. And, some companies believe incentives and promotional products—arguably the most effective performance-improvement tools available—can be pushed aside. This is a big mistake. Now is actually the most important time to use these tools. “Incentives have grown since 1999,” explains Karen Renk of Incentive Marketing Association (IMA). “In a down economy companies need additional morale boosters...http://www.ppbmag.com/Article.aspx?id=2831Tue, 20 Sep 2005 09:31:13 GMTPPB Supplements - One Stop Shop