If you haven’t seen these handy Life in Motion TSA Bags, check them out in this video. Very thoughtful and useful design if you travel frequently (or are looking to reach those who do!).

It’s been a long while since you’ve heard from me, too long in fact.  I’ve been busy getting the word out about our new charitable giving program – one by one.

In January, 4imprint began awarding $500 grants of promotional products to 501(c)3 organizations, schools and religious organizations.  Registered charities and societies from Canada have also received grants.

I’ve had the privilege of working with some wonderful and compassionate people who are committed to making a difference in this world one step at a time.  Some of the first recipients of these grants include:

Boys’ Home Family Association 

The Music Academy North Carolina

The Missing Children’s Network Canada

Brides Against Breast Cancer/Making Memories Foundation

Sacred Heart Community Service

Animal Protective Foundation

Foundation for Allergy and Immunology Research

You can read their stories and the stories of many more organizations by visiting http://onebyone.4imprint.com  Just click on the one by one tab.

As promised to my newsletter readers; here are the 5 bonus tips to thank your customers:

• Write a simple thank you letter.  It doesn’t have to be long or sound like it was written by an English major.  For help in crafting this letter visit http://www.writeexpress.com/thank-you.htm
  
  


• Contact a local florist or 1-800-Flowers and have a holiday bouquet delivered to your customers.
  
  


• Purchase gift cards, so customers can choose their own gift.  Try gift certificates.com, Visa® or Amazon.com  Or if customers are local, give them a gift certificate from your Chamber of Commerce.
  
  


• Check with a local bakery or grocery store to see if they can give you a discount on baked goods or cheese and sausage trays.  It’s even better if they’ll package and ship the items for you as well.
  
  


• Visit 4imprint’s Holiday & Executive Gifts Store for more ideas.

If you found this blog while looking at our site and would like to sign up for our monthly newsletter, visit our home page and look for the “Register Now” tab in the upper right corner.

And to see the latest newsletter, visit http://www.4imprint.com/marketing/newsletters/11\_05/E5280.htm.

Honestly, I didn’t plan this.  Last week I posted a blog about volunteering at our local humane society – where I walk the dogs and help out with fundraising events. 

And this week, some talented folks at 4imprint updated our website to include a pet store.  Dog bone containers, pet food scoops, leashes and more.  They’re all waiting to help promote your organization!

Read below for some advice on promoting with pets:

Consider co-advertising with a related business to reach more customers. So, if you own a dog-walking business, team up with a groomer or veterinarian in your area. Then give your “advertising partner” a display of your promotional items to distribute to pet owners. (After all, who can spot a pet that needs exercise better than a vet or groomer?) Likewise, your “advertising partner” supplies you with promotional items for their business. Everyone wins!

I recently started to volunteer at our local humane society.  I’ve been thinking about doing this for many years, but thought I’d want to bring everything home with me.  So, I promised my husband I would be a friend while the animals were waiting for a home and that’s it. 

Opps, did I forget to mention that I had my fingers crossed (sorry, honey). 

Volunteering has really made me realize how important pets are to our lives.  They greet you in the morning and when you come home.  They don’t talk back.  And they listen to you, whether you’ve had a bad day or a good one.

Here’s how you can help out your local humane society:

**Donate dog or cat food, treats, dog or cat collars, food/water dishes or even chip clips – they’re great for keeping those big bags of food closed.

**Volunteer to visit with the animals, take them for a walk or help out with your local humane society’s fundraising events. 

**Adopt a homeless animal – it will really make you feel good!

Are you tired of fumbling around for all your laptop cables?  Then get a document holder. 

Say what?

It’s true.  4imprint found out that many laptop aficionados are using document holders for their cables.  That’s because they securely hold the end of each cable, so you’re not trying to fish around for the one you need.  And it’s a great time-saver at the end of the day.

Got a unique way to use a promotional product?  Reply to this blog post and let me know!

National Volunteer Week is April 17 – 23.  It’s a great time to say thank-you to those who give tirelessly throughout the year.  Here are a couple ways our customers have said thank-you to their volunteers:

A Connecticut hospital gave its hospice volunteers a nice reception and the square glass box filled with jelly beans.  The dish was tied with purple and green ribbons – the colors of hospice.

An Alabama association gave its volunteers a breakfast and the Economy Gusseted Attache with their logo imprinted on it.

For more gift ideas visit our National Volunteer Week Boutique Store.

And for a grin, check out 4imprint employees who volunteered for our local United Way’s Day of Caring.

http://www.4imprint.com\marketing\especials\4\_05\0404blog.htm

The other night, the national news did a story on one of our local universities – UW-Milwaukee.  UW-Milwaukee made it to the Sweet 16.  Because of that, the university has noticed increased traffic on their web site and lots of people are calling for more info on the school.  Talk about publicity!

Here are some ideas to promote your learning institution, especially if you don’t make it to “the dance.”

Sport bottles and duffel bags are great for showing off school pride and students get a lot of use out of them.

One of our customers purchased insulated lunch bags, packed a lunch inside and gave the bags out at a new employee orientation.  This idea would also work well with new teachers, staff and especially new students (think incoming freshmen).

Another customer ordered coffee mugs as an appreciation gift for every school district employee.  She said the mugs were a big hit with employees.  And they were a hit with the school district, because the mugs were inexpensive. 

OK.  Here goes… my first blog post ever!  Thanks to Debbie Weil, the “mona lisa of blogging” for suggesting that this blog focus on stories that didn’t make the newsletter or in her words “items from the cutting-room floor.”

So, here’s a story about raising money for charities by simply dressing down at work.

An article in Counselor Magazine reported that Lee(R) Jeans helped raise about $7.4 million for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.  Participants in the Lee National Denim Day were asked to donate $5 to wear jeans at work.

NASCAR (of which I’m a huge fan) is doing something similar for NASCAR Day on May 20.  Proceeds will benefit three children’s charities.

I’m sure there are lots of creative things you’ve done to raise money for charities.  Just post your ideas in the feedback section of this blog.  My hope is that your ideas will help out someone else.