This is our last post matching Lifehacker’s Top 10 Outdoor Tips for a More Pleasant Summer list with some suggestions of our own for how to increase the summer pleasure quotient of clients, customers or hard-working staff. Hope you’ve enjoyed the series.
One good way to keep yourself cool is to pour yourself a tall glass of kumquat-aide (see Tip #3 below), find an airy comfortable place to sit, and take a look at our corporate gifts and summertime promotional ideas.
From cushiony stadium seats, perfect for company outings, to custom temporary tattoos, a fun and different way to make your mark, we have cool, colorful and creative ideas and items to help you make your company or business felt, like that elusive cool breeze we all need during the dog days of summer.
And while we are on the subject, is that an expression you wonder about? We used to think the days of summer were doggy because we all walked around with our tongues out, looking for popsicles to help us stay cool.
But, no, that is not why the hottest of days from July to September (at least in our hemishpere) are called “dog days.” The ancients thought that these hotter than hot days were caused by the proximity of the constellation Sirius (AKA the dog star) to the sun. What did the Romans do to try and stay cool? The Romans sacrificed a brown dog, hoping to appease Sirius, whom they thought was the cause of the swelter. If only they had offered some dog biscuits to the enraged Sirius, things might have turned out differently.
Tip #1: Keep Yourself Cool in the Heat Waves
J is for June, S is for Safety
Safe: Safe and sound. Safety in numbers. Failsafe. Safe sex. We may have different images of how safe looks, but we can probably all agree that at the most fundamental level, being safe is being free from harm or risk or the threat of danger.
In honor of National Safety month, in addition to offering you a wide-range of safety related ideas and items to increase your brand visibility, we’d like to share some safety resources and campaigns we think are worth paying attention to.
National Cyber Security Alliance’s (NCSA) mission is to educate and therefore empower a digital society to use the Internet safely and securely at home, work, and school, protecting the technology individuals’ use, the networks they connect to, and our shared digital assets.
U.S. Government website for Distracted Driving and great series online at the New York Times Driven to distraction
Although not being updated at present, safety is sexy is a good place to visit if you subscribe to the idea wearing a helmet is dorky or uncool. The site is entertaining and sobering and good reminder that wearing a helmet is attractive, cool and smart.
And speaking of brand visibility:
We totally dig the New York City Department of Sanitation’s logo-emblazoned vests. They rank right up there with the orange coveralls worn by Mexico City’s sanitation workers, and the cooler, quieter, blue smock-style approach of the French street sweepers.
And while we are at it, we highly recommend the new documentary about Bill Cunningham, another fan of French street-sweepers’ garb.
Calendar of Events: April
April is rife with religious holidays, but since we live in such a culturally diverse world, those aren’t always the easiest to exploit to promote your business or product. Of course, there are creative ways to celebrate these holidays in a secular way, but there are also other unique opportunities to get your brand noticed. This month, for example, isn’t just home to Easter and Passover, it’s also Keep America Month and Stress Awareness Month. If that’s not a good fit for your business, there are plenty of other holidays and observances in the month of April at your disposal. Here are some other notable dates:
April 19: Passover
April 22: Earth Day
April 24: Easter
April 27: Administrative Professionals Day
Need help coming up with ideas? Branding Ideas is here to help!
Having a Mental Block?
Trying to come up with a unique idea to promote your business or project? That’s what Branding Ideas is here for. The Mental Block, which can be twisted into all sorts of different shapes, is a great way to keep your brand on your client’s brains. You get six imprints for the price of one! It’s a fun, useful item that people will keep on their desks and grab while talking on the phone, discussing new business opportunities, or just to relieve stress. And they’ll be looking at your logo (six of them) each and every time. The Mental Block, which has been the #1 tradeshow item for four years in a row, is a puzzling solution to finding the perfect promotional product!
Calendar of Events: October
October is Self Promotion Month. It also happens to be Women’s Small Business Month. But even if you’re not a one-person operation or a woman-owned business, there plenty of monthly, weekly and daily observances on which to capitalize and promote your business, new product or project this month. There are several health-related observances: Health Literacy Month, Long Term Care Planning Month, National Chiropractic Month, National Dental Hygiene Month and National Physical Therapy Month. If health-related occasions don’t fit your company’s image and goals, what follows is a list of some other notable observances that could provide great opportunities to promote your business. And, of course, there’s always Halloween!
October 2nd – World Smile Day
October 4th – 10th National Work from Home Week
October 5th – World Habitat Day
October 5th – World Teacher’s Day
October 5th – 11th Customer Service Week
October 5th – 11th Financial Planning Week
October 11th – 17th International Credit Union Week
October 11th – 17th National Food Bank Week
October 16th – World Food Day
Calendar of Events: August
Branding Ideas has been compiling monthly lists of possible occasions worth celebrating this summer. Remember to always seek out holidays and special occasions that fit with your business’s brand and message. August is Black Business Month, so if you’re a black business owner, now is the perfect time to toot your own horn and celebrate your success by offering a special promotion to long-time customers or just use it as an excuse to promote your brand or new product. August is also Children’s Eye Health & Safety Month and National Immunization Awareness Month, so if your business is directly related to children, this is a great month to help spread the word about health, safety and immunization while at the same time gaining exposure for your brand. Here are August’s other weekly and daily observances:
August 2nd – 8th National Clown Week
August 2nd – 8th Single Working Women’s Week
August 4th National Night Out
August 7th Professional Speakers Day
August 8th – 16th Elvis Week
August 16th – 22nd National Aviation Week
August 21st Senior Citizen’s Day
August 25th – 31st Be Kind to Humankind Week
Built to Brand
While you’re trying to figure out what to bring to the beach this weekend, Built NY is already thinking about the holidays. They’re planning ahead, so you don’t have to. They’ve got promotional gifts for every price point: a new Cargo Camera Bag for under $75, even great items for under $20! Built NY also has ideas for going green, like a fashionable, eco-friendly Relish Tote Bag (pictured). Built NY is just one of many companies we work with closely to help you come up with new ideas to keep your clients and customers happy. Email us to get more information about Built NY promotional gifts with your custom logo as well as any other branding ideas!
It’s Still the Economy, Stupid
Let’s face it, the economy isn’t turning around as quickly as we would like. But inaction will only make things worse for your business. The smart business owner understands that surviving is not simply about maintaining his or her clientele but expanding it as well. Finding inventive and affordable ways to promote your business, product or project is essential to surviving a roller-coaster economy, and Branding Ideas is committed to exploring new ways to do that. Falling back on some good, old-fashioned, reliable branding ideas, however, is a great place to start. Here are three oldies but goodies:
1. Custom Magnets. Magnets pack a big bang for your buck because they’re useful, long-lasting, and most importantly, effective. Your logo, essential contact information and slogan all fit nicely on these mini billboards, and since they’re small and light-weight, they’re easy to ship – just throw one into a package you’re already planning on sending.
2. Candy. Everyone loves to eat, and even though these little suckers vanish from sight quickly, they remain in the brain for a long time, assuring that when your client or customer has a craving for more, they’ll think of you and your business.
3. Collaboration. Find a business or client whose interests are aligned with yours and cut costs in half by teaming together to promote your businesses or projects, or agree to promote theirs to your client base while they promote yours to theirs.
Need some ideas? Have some of your own? Let us know!
