Ameripromo is on Twitter

Ameripromo.com is on Twitter sharing tidbits of my life, keeping followers up to date on the latest promotional products, my thoughts about small business and politics and giving away awesome stuff from our product line to the smart people. Come follow: http://twitter.com/ameripromo

Great Customer Experience

I had a great customer experience today with an email marketing firm named RatePoint, and I don't hesitate to give a plug when the service and help the company gives is this good.

RatePoint is an email marketing / survey administration technology provider with what appears to be a very strong and complete suite of services for the small to medium business. I signed up for RatePoint on a 30-day trial basis through ASI (Advertising Specialty Institute) of which I am a member. Within about 24 hours of signing up, I received a call from Steve at our home office asking to set up a time to go over the software and features with a walk through. After a bit of phone tag and exchanging emails, Steve and I talked today, and he did a great job in walking me through the value their company provides. Steve used glance.net, (a very cool service itself for sharing what you are doing on your desktop remotely with your client or prospect to give them a personalized presentation) and he walked me through at least three aspects of the RatePoint service. He helpful, respectful, not overly salesy, and he agreed to make himself available for future questions to cut down on my learning curve.

I was very impressed, and the pricing is affordable for any company which takes online marketing seriously.

I haven't given the company the full trial run, but I wanted to get my initial impressions out there. My hat is off for great customer service.

Helping Hands

I had a great weekend. I participated in a service project with other members of my church. I live in gorgeous Southern Oregon, and we have a long hiking, jogging, cycling, horse riding path named the Bear Creek Greenway.

Saturday morning, I took three of my boys and my wife and we joined more than 800 others in removing blackberry brambles, weed eating long grass and weeds anc clearing a roughly 1.5 mile stretch of overgrown area back from the sides of the Bear Creek Greenway. It was a hot, hard and very enjoyable work. Here is an article "Helping Hands" from the Medford Mail Tribune.

Digital Jump Roping-For Those With a Will but not a Wii

Maybe I'd exercise more if I had a digital jump rope. A digital jump rope doesn't require a T.V. (unlike exercising with a Wii--although jump roping does feel like you're holding two remotes). This digital jump rope has a non-tangling cord, which I think would be pretty important, since I haven't jump roped in a very long time.

What's appealing about exercising with a jump rope is that it's small and portable for indoor exercise (unlike a treadmill or bike). To motivate the exerciser, it has a timer, an audio pacer, and calorie counter. It also digitally tracks best records. Well, depending on how well I jump, that feature might be encouraging.

American Promotions sells digital jump ropes here.

Pen-Highlighter-Flag in ONE

We use flags in my office. You know, the post-it notes that say "Sign here" or are a post-it arrow to draw your attention to something on a page. I have those flags in my desk drawer--and I have to move aside some paper clips and pens to get to them. Every time. That's why I like this 3-in-one pen-highlighter-flag. The pen barrel comes with 50 flags pre-loaded. And the pen writes with a smooth motion. Convenience in one pen.

Instant Group Seating-Wow

This insta-bench unfolds out of a bag, just like a camping chair, but it can seat up to 6 people (at 250lbs per seat).

I like camping. I have Cub Scouts. I've done the Little League thing. This bench seats a crowd--and it only weighs 19 lbs..

American Promotions sells it here.

Portfolio to Keep Us Oganized

This classy portfolio has special pockets for all the tech gear that we end up carrying around.

I actually get ripped pocket seams in my slacks from carrying gear. This portfolio's pockets are perfect for my stuff. I also like how the interior pockets hold things, but don't hide them. I only wish it had a locator beeper--then I'd never lose anything again.

This BBQ Apron Has it ALL

I really like the innovation in these BBQ aprons--they have an insulated pocket for a drink! Why is this the first time I've seen a pocket cooler for a drink in an apron? It's genius and yet obvious.

The aprons also include a bottle opener, padded oven mitt and a towel, and multiple front pockets. It's like a whole BBQ kit, ready to hold everything a grill cook needs. We sell them here.

Music to A Dog's Ear

This is a new take on the classic giftcard: a metal Dog Tag.

I really like how the dog tags add uniqueness and wearablity to what is really a music giftcard.

Made without lead, each 4-color imprinted tag comes with 5 prepaid songs that is compatible with iPods, MP3 players, PCs and Macs.

American Promotions sells them here.

I wish I had one of these

Many years ago, I was driving an RV from Utah to Southern Oregon with my wife, her sister and a bunch of college friends who were returning to Oregon for the holiday. It was my wife's parents' RV. It was 1 in the morning, in the middle of barren Nevada desert, and we missed our turn. Since we hadn't seen another car for a long time, we decided to turn the RV around in the middle of the highway. Well, we underestimated how narrow the highway was, and we ended up forced into inching back and forth, trying to get the beast of an RV turned around. As we were broadside, a semi truck appeared, heading our way. We had no headlights or tail-lights pointed toward him to even let him know we were there. In desperation we drove off the road and promptly got stuck in the mud. Eventually we were rescued--but I could have used these emergency flashers.

I like the magnet in the base that holds the emergency flasher to the top of the vehicle. The design is clever, and I want one for my car. And my in-laws' RV!

American Promotions sells these flashers here.

Reusable Photo- Drinkware

Plastic drinkware just got more exciting. With a new printing technology, these white plastic cups are printed with photo quality images that entirely surround the cup. The image quality is over 300dpi. Plus the cup is reusable, dishwasher safe (in the top shelf), and totally recyclable.
American Promotions sells this cool cup here!

This frosted plastic cup version turns clear when filled with cold liquid:

Designer Neoprene Laptop Sleeves

Put a wetsuit on your laptop. Honestly, I would not advise submersing your laptop underwater. These are not waterproof, but the slick feel of neoprene fabric makes for a hip laptop cover and gives you some cushioning and climate control for your computer. You can have these laptop sleeves made up in dozens of color and size combinations, with fashionable designer fabrics to integrate them with as well.

Here is a a design by P.K. Reese



Here is the standard solid color style



And here is a cool two-tone, which is perfect for school color applications

Free Design With Purchase of Promotional Item

I saw something for the first time today which I think is potentially going to be a major trend in promotional products marketing. ETS Express, one of my favorite promotional products suppliers is now offering ready prepared designer graphic wraps for several of their stainless steel water bottles.

These wraps are colorful, customizable and you can just insert your logo and order. They really aren't anything more than graphic design done for you, and included in the price of the water bottle. They are also very smart, on ETS part, because they encourage additional upcharges as the customer needs to pay additional run charges to replicate some of the designs. And several of the retail water bottle companies have bright colorful designs like this, and so I can see these being popular in the promotional arena as well for those that can afford them.

I think we may see more pre-designed graphics which can be used in connection with a corporate logo to really dress up the look of a promotional product. In an earlier post, I mentioned designer neoprene computer sleeves, with the designer stripes already worked in.

I see this high level of customization becoming more and more prevalent in the industry.

Slinky Adhesive Notepad

A note pad which looks and plays like a classic slinky. It looks fun and surprising. American Promotions sells the slinky notepad here in five separate colors.

Icefil Performance Cap

The Icefil Performance Cap by CapAmerica is very innovative. The Icefil technology takes sweat and converts it to a refrigerant cooling the wearer's head faster and more efficiently than the sweat alone. The fabric contains Xylitol, the same ingredient in an "icy" chewing gum. The cap also shields the wearer from IR and UV rays.

It is moisture absorbing, fast drying, have 2 way air circulation and an anti-bacterial coating. So ditch your basic fabric poly cotton caps and put your org's logo on the coolest cap of the year.

American Promotions, Inc. sells the Icefil Performance Cap here.

Fabriko Ship-N-Tote Bag

A very cool way to get your package opened, provide a gift with a big "Gee Whiz!" factor and be green all at the same time.

The Fabriko Ship-N-Tote Bag is a mailing packet which converts into a tote bag after it has been opened. It can be all over printed.

It comes in a drawstring bag and shopper's tote variations.

Awesome Floating Globe

This awesome floating globe is the type of thing I can't have on my desk, because it would be hugely anti-productive. I would just spend the whole day spinning it and playing with it. The globe floats via magnetic suspension. This reduces all friction except the air around it, so it can spin effortlessly.

This is the perfect gift for letting an employee or a great customer know you can work magic. I want one!

We sell the magnetic floating globe here.

14 Best Designed Products of 2009

I'm a fan of ASI, the Advertising Specialty Institute, which is a major information provider and technology developer for the promotional products and advertising industry. They have a great website at www.asicentral.com. The best stuff is for distributors only, but there is all kinds of neat promotional ideas for the general public as well.

Not everything about ASI thrills me, but for the most part, they provide more utility and service for the promotional products professional than any of the their competitors (of which there are only a handful).

I was reading on ASI's website today, and I found an article featuring the 14 best-designed products of 2009 and all of them are very cool and unique - true standouts among the literally hundreds of thousands of promotional items in the marketplace. I liked them so much, that I have decided to feature them on this blog, with my own comments - 1 per day for the next 14 days (Sundays not included.)

MoMA Magnetic Perpetual Calendar

Uniquely designed functional art which gives you the date and month. Sits on a desk or on the wall. Perfect for an advertising agency or a design centric client.

And you get to put your logo on it!

MoMA Magnetic Perpetual Calendar

Tire Key Tag

This is an example of a U.S.A. made soft vinyl key tags. A vinyl key fob is a promotional standby. It comes in hundreds of shapes, and custom shapes are not out of reach for most budgets. High contrast imprints display well on this item.

I like this tire shaped key tag, because it is simple and the message is clear: "Let's go." This is a budget promotion for lean times to help your customers feel appreciated and remember your business.