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 Pens are possibly the most popular promotional handout item. They’re inexpensive, they’re useful, and they seem to stick around. Let’s try a little experiment. Stop a moment and look at that mug right next to your computer. No, not the one with the last dregs of this morning’s coffee. The other one – the one loaded with pens. Now take them out of the mug and peruse the business names on them. You probably don’t even know how they came into your possession, but there they are. Perhaps Ron’s Roofing & Siding is your favorite; no, you’re not into shingles, but it’s purple and you always liked a nice rollerball. Then there’s Betty’s Donut House, and while you do frequent the place, you didn’t even get the pen there. It was probably nabbed from a bank teller who swiped it from the business owner making a deposit who found it at the doctor’s office… you get the point. Pens get around, and although you may not run to your mug full when it’s time to call a roofer, no doubt when you flip through the Yellow Pages and spot Ron’s Roofing and Siding, somewhere deep within you’ll feel a warm fuzzy due to that purple ballpoint you use daily. Hence another reason the pen may just be mightier than the sword. Or the billboard.
So what are your options? So glad you asked. Whether the pen is cheap or expensive, they have great staying power. But of course you don’t want to hand out fancy Cross pens like they’re candy at a parade. More than likely that would remain something special for your incentive program. Here are a few suggestions for less expensive handouts:
The Character Pen: These little guys are kinda quirky, and we like their ability to stick with a theme. This cow pen, pictured top left, is a great handout for the dairy industry, for instance. It’s got lots of room for your company name and logo, along with contact info. The barrel is metal and is laser engraved. The pen cannot be milked, but it will write for a long time.
The Banker’s Pen: This one is more serious, as you can see. Since not everyone wants their pent to be smiling at them as they write (see cow), you may opt for this banker’s model. It’s inexpensive, has a metal barrel, and comes in red or blue. It’s also lasered, and the engraving comes through in a nice gold. A nice pleasant weight, it really does look and feel much pricier than it is.
 The Natural Wood Pen: A wood barrel adds some warmth and a nice natural look that’s pretty popular. This particular one is quite reasonably priced, and is great for having a theme or simply something unique that’s extra hard to part with. We think this one would be great for businesses involved in construction, interior design, anything focusing on nature or arts, and about a million other possibilities.
The pen is a pretty fun item to choose to represent your business. Endless possibilities combined with the knowledge that your brand will be in someone’s mug next to their computer make the pen the long standing first choice for promoting your company.
If you like any of the promotional pen options you see here, please don’t hesitate to call us to chat. We’d love to help you find anything from a flamingo pen to that fancy Cross pen for your incentive programs. You can contact us at 1-888/664-6449 or by using our Contact Form page.
 We’ve all worked with that person. He or she seems utterly impossible. They’re loud and offensive, they destroy office relationships, they’re just plain mean. Like the bully on the playground, no one wants to deal with them; but you’re in HR and you have to. There is a way to deal with the difficult employee or coworker. Learning how to work with someone you don’t like may not sound like much fun, but once you’ve done it successfully the first time, you may find yourself looking forward to finding more hidden “gems” in difficult people.
Let me tell you a story. When I was young and naive, I worked in a factory. One of my coworkers was a real tough cookie. She swore like a sailor, lost her cool at every opportunity, made the temps cry (and sometimes the management), and - oh, her music! All day her music of choice was loud snarly stuff about suicide, kicking puppies and other unmentionable stuff. I couldn’t figure out how she still even worked there. Being the inexperienced young person I was, she found in me a prime target. I swear she chose her most offensive language and music for the times we had to work together. When I’d just about had enough, a thought occurred to me: Maybe I could find something in her I actually liked. The idea sounded ridiculous. Like something out of a childhood fable and just about as unlikely as a cow jumping over the moon. But what did I have to lose?
At first I started noticing small things. She had really cool hair. Okay, that was likable – sort of. When she did laugh and it was genuine, it filled a room and was infectious. When the jokes were somewhat clean, they were really funny. I also discovered she knew her job very well, and when I got up enough courage to ask for her help or opinion, she would stop everything to assist me.
A funny thing began to happen–as I found small things to like, I actually began to like her. And she started to like me too. We even found a few small but surprising things in common. After some time, I noticed the music got turned down when I was around and her language was tamed. We finally began having real conversations. And then one day she came to me when no one was around and started telling me about something in her personal life that was causing her emotional pain. I let her talk. She even cried, and I realized that this tough woman was someone who had gone through a lot in her life.
We never talked about that conversation again, but we found a true respect for one another. She still made the temps cry and she was just as crude as ever most of the time, but I learned something valuable about people: There really is something to like in the vast majority of people.
Maybe the concept seems simple, but oftentimes those are the things that work. When you have to figure out how to work with someone you genuinely don’t like, and when you manage to turn the relationship around, something amazing happens – you begin to find likable things in just about everyone. That not only makes the world seem a better place, it transforms your job into the perfect opportunity to appreciate the differences in people.
 HRSentry, a national leading provider of online services for HR regulatory compliance, has created a special app for human resources professionals using iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch. HR At Your Fingertips is loaded with helpful and constantly updated features that may just prove indispensable for you and your team. It’s among the first to be approved by Apple, and right now it’s one of the top 25 paid business apps available.
So what does it contain?
- Approximately 270 terms and definitions
- Essential federal HR laws which are updated continuously, as well as qualifying events and excepetions
- Complete guide to creating a compliant handbook
- Resources kept up to date by a dedicated team of HR professionals
Says Dean E. Haller, the CEO of HRSentry: “We wanted to give small business owners and HR professionals an application that could immediately be put to use. Information is key particularly when it comes to employment law. This app updates itself from our libraries automatically each time you login.”
Risk control systems covered within the app are HR and workplace safety, health and wellness risk reduction strategies, and resources.
You can download the HR At Your Fingertips app for $1.99 through iTunes, or at HRSentry’s dedicated website for the app.
- by Russ Henneberry
I’ve never been more motivated in such a short time.
Seth Godin is known for his dagger-like writing style that communicates a powerful message with a brevity that is much appreciated by this father of two.
The Dip is no exception.
The basic idea behind this short book (the audio version is 90 mins) is that you should be QUITTING much more often than you are.
You should be quitting anything that doesn’t make a difference. You should quit anything that you don’t have the chops to stick out through The Dip.
The Dip, as Godin goes on to explain, is one of two curves that just about anything that matters traverses. The other curve is the cul de sac.
 What Is The Dip?
The first example Godin uses in the book is going pre-med. When you enroll pre-med, you are very excited. Your parents are proud of you and your friends are calling you Doctor when you meet them for lunch. It is fun.
Then you hit The Dip.
You enroll in Organic Chemistry — which is a “filter” that universities create to “weed out” those that don’t have the brains or the commitment to make it through medical school.
All of the rewards and gains lie on the other side of the dip.
Why? Simple —– getting to the other side of The Dip is hard. Most people quit before or while they are in The Dip.
This creates scarcity. Scarcity creates value.
What Is The Cul De Sac?
The Cul De Sac is the other curve we find ourselves in. It is a dead-end. You just keep going around and around. Nothing gets much better or worse. It just is.
Godin argues that this is where you must quit. If you find yourself in a dead-end job, a dead-end relationship or anything else that simply isn’t going to get better. Quit.
Quitting The Wrong Things
Staying in a cul de sac is safe. It is easy. It’s predictable.
Quitting a cul de sac is painful. It requires us to get out of our comfort zone and make something happen.
On the other hand, being in The Dip is also painful. The easy thing to do is quit while you are in The Dip. But it is the most ignorant thing to do.
If you know that there is light at the end of the tunnel, never quit. Lean into the problem, keep hustling and beat that Dip. But if you are in a dead-end cul de sac, you owe it to yourself to quit.
Godin explains that smart and productive people quit Cul De Sacs as soon as they realize they are in one. But, if they realize that something is worth doing they either quit BEFORE they enter The Dip or they stick it out to the end.
About the Author: Russ Henneberry writes and speaks about content marketing strategies and how tiny businesses can make mighty profits using a personal computer, a little imagination and a few well-placed dollars. You can read his daily blog here.
Don’t forget to enter our Special Jewelry Giveaway!
One more week to enter to win a copy of WOW: A Handbook for Living!
Now is the perfect time to get a jump on those summertime promos, before the beach fills up and the cicadas start singing. One idea with a lot of staying power is the picnic set. Why? They tend to come out year after year, and heaven knows they won’t get tossed aside or forgotten! Especially when they’re this nice. They can also be given under a multitude of circumstances: Special clients, service awards, retirement, even housewarming (great if you’re a realtor!) and of course as prizes during the company picnic.
If you’re envisioning Grandma’s old wicker basket with the checkered tablecloth nestled inside, guess again! While there are still nostalgic and (we think) very special models that bring back memories of Gram’s cherry pie, there are some pretty hip and trendy sets out there now too. Let’s take a look, shall we?
The first set (pictured above left) is a Four Person Insulated Picnic Basket in apple green. (It also comes in red or blue.) It contains a sewn-in aluminum frame so when the basket is empty, it collapses for easy storage. But the basket comes fully loaded! Plates, glasses, napkins, and flatware are included. The basket is waterproof and insulated so food stays hot or cold.
 Next up is an interesting variation on “picnic”. We like this one because it’s great for travelers who aren’t exactly hip on that 6-hour-old gas station coffee. The Coffee Tote for Two People is a great solution. With a thermos, mugs, spoons, napkins, and cream and sugar containers, any java lover is ready to hit the open road or head out for some fishing with their favorite brew in tow. It comes in black, and you have your choice of subtle plaid or gingham napkins. This one is great for the guys as well!
 Here’s a nice looking set for a romantic picnic for two. The main compartment and the detachable wine cooler are both insulated and waterproof. It contains wine glasses, plates, napkins, and flatware and has a nice long adjustable shoulder strap. With its luxury Bahamas designer fabric, it’s the perfect set for an evening walk on the beach. Included is a brass plate that can be engraved with the recipient’s name and/or company logo.
 Of course we can’t forget the old fashioned wicker basket like Grandma’s, and this one is the souped up edition. She’d have been proud of it for certain, because as we know, in Grandma’s day they didn’t use paper plates and plastic sporks. This full reed willow set includes Italian ceramic plates available in two patterns, cloth napkins, stainless steel flatware, a cheese knife and cutting board, a wine bottle holder, and much more – all set for four people to have an afternoon of picnicking. We think Grams would have been proud of this one. It’s a good choice as an executive gift, retirement gift, service award, or a fine giveaway for your company picnic.
All the sets shown here can include your company name and logo, along with a recipient’s name. And as you can see, these are sets that will have years of use – no doubt be the first thing grabbed when the recipient heads out the door with family and friends this summer, and many summers to come.
If you like these ideas or have some of your own (we have a wide array of picnic supplies and more), feel free to contact us. We like picnics quite a bit, an although we won’t insist on being invited, we’d be happy to help you select the right gear for your company picnics and more. You can contact us by phone at 1-888/6646449 or email us. We’d be happy to help and we promise not to eat all the potato salad.
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