I decided to write this when I thought of hiding counter clutter in the dishwasher one day when unexpected company arrived.  Then I kept thinking what else I could use this contraption for in my crazy world.  And, here you go.

Who hasn’t used it to wash hats?  But what other clothing can it hold and clean?  If you are willing to put a hat in there, really, there are no limits…shoes? Sandals?

What about using it to temporarily dry your larger pots and pans after manually dishwashing?  Of course, it would need to be empty, or, at least empty enough to hold what you have just washed.

My dog thinks stacked dirty dishes in the dishwasher are the equivalent of a major dog treat!  (I always tell her no, but she is yet to actually listen!).  I wash most of her chew toys in there, too.  She might soon learn to open the door herself!

I’ve seen people wash rubber boots in them.  No way to know how that all turns out.

Knowing the value of hot water,  a few candle-dripped items have been renewed in there.  

If you see things not as they are, but what they can potentially be, you are a creative sort, too!  This is what we do at ProLine Supply Company, taking ordinary items and making their use other than expected.  A clear plastic tube becomes a smores gift adorned with chocolate bars, mini marshmallows and graham crackers.  

How about the step stool that is turned over becoming a basket for a move-in gift?

Anyway, you get the idea.  We see life differently.  Even a dishwasher isn’t safe. 

See more fun packaging ideas….www.prolinesupplyco.com. 

Tell us your favorite and unusual dishwasher story!

1.  Send out cards, maybe for even unusual holidays and events.  How about a Halloween card, a birthday or business anniversary note?  This helps to keep your name top of mind.

2.  Assemble a Client Advisory Board.  Possibly convene 3-4 times per year for a two hour session over a meal to hit the highlights and expose your blind spots.  Then, improve and implement the ideas brought forth.

3.  Become the information resource for your customers.  Continually look for ways to make their life easier.  Look for information that pertains to their industry that may well be a solution to a tough issue they are experiencing.

4.  Join Professional Social Networking sites like LinkedIn.  This will allow you to connect with your business partners online and find leads and connections for them.  Join niche groups, using these contacts to strengthen existing ones.  Again, you are top of mind.

5.  Always send a hand written thank you card for an order, and especially for a referral within or outside of a company you are currently working with.

6.  Do an annual account review with clients.  This should be “organization to organization” in nature.  The goal is to get a clearer understanding of where your company stands with this customer.  Sometimes it is prudent to bring vertical positions from your firm with you, or, bring them to meet with equivalents from the other team.  Discuss the past, present and future that will bring mutual benefit to both parties bottom lines.

7.  Always send a follow up note.  Although you can email, or phone, a handwritten note after a face-to-face meeting is always indicative of someone that will go the extra mile.  Thank them for visiting with you and taking time out of their day.  This proves you are a cut above the competition.

8.  Reward prompt payment.  Let prompt payers know you appreciate their making it easy with which to do business.  Publicize this in a newsletter or in an email, or, even maybe a special gift basket or gift card?

9.  Conduct a short survey 4-6 times a year, 2-3 minutes in length.  These can be done online, offline, over the phone or on a mailed form.  The obvious value is tied to the feedback that can be invaluable for streamlining processes, expediting problem resolution or enhancing communications.  This baseline report will give you another opportunity to send a thank you promotional piece or thank you in the mail for completing the survey.  Again, you are in front of your customer, and, in the case of a promotional product that occupies that very precious desk real estate,  you may be in front of your customer for a very long time.

10.  Engage conversations on Twitter.  It is a way to build your brand and tweet valuable content that helps and promotes yourself and other businesses.  Facebook is another vehicle for immediate recognition to customers and their patronage.  Get creative and have your customers LIKE your page for a fun gift in exchange for becoming a friend.

You now are building your reputation as an expert communicator.

Good luck and good business!

Using thicker weight top-grain cowhide, showcases the leather’s aged and weathered patina. Look for random, beautiful, and natural blemishes that add texture and variety to each of your collections.  In this case, imperfection is perfection.

Our cotton-rag blended paper will inspire writers and artists with hand-torn deckled edges and a slight texture, creating a satisfying hand-made feel. We use paper created from recycled post-consumer waste, adding texture, body, and style to our leather products. The papers we use make an excellent companion for any type of writing and drawing.

Journals and Photo albums can be personalized with names, logos, important dates, etc…  For more information, contact ProLine Supply Company, 713.939.9730 or go online to www.prolinesupplyco.com.

Introducing the “Polo Pup”, a new ringspun cotton shirt for that discriminating pooch in your life, compliments of ProLine Supply Company, Inc.

We just bought a yellow lab from a line of show dogs.  Talk about a Diva Dog!  I could see her in one of these easily as she shies away from loud noises and investigates foreign food! 

Don’t like polos?  Maybe you are the t-shirt or bandana type?  There are a whole range of products to choose from.

Well that is exactly what I thought too, but there is actually more.

In a golf tournament I think you will need the following…

-Find a golf course and save the date. Make sure know what the weather is going to be like during the tournament because you don’t want the golfers to be out there when its really windy or raining; and if I were a fan I would like a nice sunny day out to watch some golf.

-Advertise the golf tournament by word of mouth, emails, flyers, set up a website, newspaper, etc. The more people hear about it the greater the outcome of the tournament would be. I would also try to get a “C” level celebrity out there to attend or participate in the tournament to get a little more excitement and publicity. Being that we are in Houston, that may be possible.

-Secure Sponsors. The one thing that I think would also be important is getting sponsors for this tournament.  A sponsor will provide money, in return for self-promotion as well as showing support for the event/community.

-Registration form. Try to come up with an to easy read/fill out registration form with the necessary information of the tournament. You don’t want a form with too much information because most people will say, “Too much to read!”

- Snacks and drinks are always good, unless you are having a dinner and auction afterwards, you don’t want a five star dinner during the tournament because after all, you are trying to get people to play and watch the game not to sit and eat.

- Provide a goodie bag (which is my favorite). Try to include things that are associated with the tournament like golf shirts, gold bag, caps, tees, golf balls, etc., things that you think people will double take and not just purge the bag.

Now that I think about it I never picked up an iron in my life! Actually the one time I did pick up an iron was to kill a huge spider! My motto, when holding an iron, would be swing really hard in case you hit it.

I know golf fans have to be very quiet and hold their breaths when a golfer is in action. You can’t even make a peep because then that would be distracting to the golfers. Not like in any other events, you have the crazy drunken loud fans. Golf is not like any arena sporting event where the fans are sitting down all the time, here some of the fans actually follow you, and there is always that one whole that no one wants to miss, so the crowd varies.

Overall, most of what I have mentioned can actually be promoted by decorated with a logo, and who better to do it with than ProLine Supply Company. Imprint logos on t-shirts, bags, and awards given to the winners. Not to mention, napkins, table cloths, pens, caps, banners, and umbrellas, etc. Don’t forget to give some recognition to all your sponsors. And next time you are promoting a golf tournament remember, I would love to help! www.prolinesupplyco.com

Take for instance these High Performance Speakers with a  heavy duty carry case that will absorb shock & vibration, not to mention, a carabiner hook.   This is guaranteed to make you a hit in study hall!!

Speakers on the Go

But maybe you are more of an athletic family that boasts booster memberships and has season tickets to every sport.   Understanding you spend most of your days enroute to the next event, or sitting in the bleachers, possibly this travel cooler fits your lifestyle.  It is a smart travel cooler which keeps your food and drinks within easy reach. Top features bungee cords to keep maps, directions, and other items within easy reach.  Pom poms anyone? 

On the Go Cooler

And, let’s face it, what would the next championship be without the perfect apparel?  Getting into the swing of things means not only being in the stands, but making a fashion statement as well.  Try this on for size, and they will name a cheer after you! 

Pullover Collegiate Jacket

Convention dictates that we don’t overlook the traditional back to school pieces that, no matter what age you are, they are familiar.  Remember the eraser, pencil and pencil pouch?  They still rank up there in popularity because they are necessary and useful.  The plastic ruler gives us access to inch and meter measurement as well as a tool to rotate on our index finger like an airplane!

Pencil Erasers

On NCIS you often seen guest stars who venture into the NCIS offices wearing Visitor ID badges that look extremely similar to our Nashville Badge with the full color graphics, three lines of digital personalization, two sides of printing and a slot at the top.  The field agents of NCIS don’t often have badges that they wear but the agents who work in the lab, such as Abby wear photo ID badges like our Washington Badges. These badges come with full color digital graphics, three lines of personalization and individual photos as well as a slot and strap clip. These badges are extremely popular with anyone who wants that extra measure of security, such as security guards, doctors and nurses and even lab employees like those on NCIS.  

I know I can’t be the only one who watches her favorite TV shows and points out promotional products in each episode. What types of things do you find yourself noticing in your favorite shows?

Nashville Badge

Social media giant Facebook is reportedly giving select businesses imprinted window decals to both help corporate users accumulate more fans and to promote the site, according to Mashable.com.

Google took virtually the same direct-mail tact last year, and experts say other social media sites are sure to follow.

The beauty of this development, as far as promotional products businesses go, is that virtual companies still have a need for offline advertising—and products are their medium of choice.

Consider using products to promote your FB interaction with your audience to keep your brand top-of-mind.

www.ppbmag.com

www.prolinesupplyco.com, ProLine Supply Company, 713.939.9730.

There is a lot you can determine from the condition of that first take-home laundry.  Is it neat, disheveled, really smelly or is it suspiciously too clean? Is it in a take-out bag, in a laundry basket, a pail, a plastic garbage bag, or is it just strewn all over the back of a truck?  Is he doing the laundry, am I doing the laundry?  There were so many unanswered questions.

And, there seemed to be a dirty t-shirt that advertised everything;  the department he studied in, the year of graduation, the maroone-mandatory university shirt, the freshman “fish” one, and, not to be left behind, the “I donated blood” t-shirt.  WOW.  The last one took me awhile to digest.  Is it possible that I could have raised a child that would donate his time and blood for someone in need?  I knew I had done my best, but hey, this was a confirmation of a mother’s best intentions.  I had a whole new perspective on how my child had assimilated into society. 

Semester two came around, and no new t-shirts.  Surely, there must be blood donations every semester.  But, being the “child defender mom” that I am always accused of being, I assumed he was so preoccupied studying for a test, or working on a lab, or reading in the library, that he just could not take the time to pursue his altruistic goal of saving the world, one pint at a time.

Being the involved parent that I am, I decided to ask.  Imagine my surprise when the answer came back. ”The opportunity to donate blood did present itself, but, honestly mom, the t-shirt wasn’t worth it.”  Huh?  And, being the glutton for punishment, I asked. “You mean you only donated blood because you liked the t-shirt?”  I closed my eyes and waited for the response.  “Of course!” was his response.

Knowing I put 18 long years of my life into this child, it was apparent that I had obviously missed a few lessons in giving back to the community. I wanted to crawl under the table and die.  This may not have been as embarassing, had the conversation not taken place in front of his grandparents!

All was not lost, however.  He did do his own laundry from then on and somewhere along the way he learned to finger press those t-shirts like a professional dry cleaners would.  Who knew??  To this day, he still wears the “Donorsaurus” t-shirt and I have to laugh everytime I see it. 

I learned the value of the perfectly branded t-shirt that day, a lesson not likely to be forgotten anytime soon.

P.S.  He did graduate, and is now an engineer with giving heart, and wonderful mind.

My Son Today

For t-shirt options, http://www.prolinesupplyco.com/:quicksearch.htm?quicksearchbox=t-shirt+apparel

If you are like most people, you’ll find a calendar on the wall, on your desk, on your phone, in your computer and maybe even one on your monitor screen.

Computer Monitor Calendar

I guess the point I am trying to make is that a calendar is one of those  ”in your face promotions” that you pay for one time, but get 365 days exposure.  They are not ignored.  In business, they are the handshake that lasts, an ongoing thank you, a business card that sits front and center.  Give yourself the opportunity to claim that prime space in an office, so you can keep your name and product offerings in front of current and prospective customers all year long.

And, you just thought they were a quick schedule reference that didn’t require a click.

Wall Calendar

I spend promotional budget money every year, and although the events and marketing focus changes, one item is always certain.  We provide a calendar for our customers every year. 

At about October, we will start to get calls;  people needing the next year’s calendar for planning purposes.

Don’t overlook the value of a calendar and the utility it has in everyone’s daily existence.  Research has shown that most people use at least 3-4 calendars each and look at them several times daily.  Don’t you want to be there when they take those looks?

Calendars also rank as one of the most budget conscious promotions.  They can be imprinted, put in an envelope, and mailed for as little as $1 each.  They are easy to order, have great value, sizable imprint areas, and staying power along with unparalleled ROI, or, return on your investment.  Finally, calendars have personality, power, and presence.  Calendars can be put on mouse pads, note pads, pencils, magnets and more.  The possibilities are endless.

Check out this gallery of calendars, http://www.asicentral.com/html/protected/news/counselor/nov09/pdfs/backtothefuture.pdf

Monthly Planner