Today was a reminder of just how fleeting time is. Earlier this month I started a follow-up post discussing Promotional Products. I left it in draft mode when my day was interrupted and I didn't have time to finish it. A day later I went back and no sooner got started when *rinnnng* ... *rinnnng* (OK, in reality it was a digital tone but you get the idea).
I'm sure you know how the rest of the story goes because I have not yet posted the follow-up. So here I sit suddenly realizing that the month of February is the one that got away. It serves as a great reminder of how the trials and tribulations of life can change our best laid plans with time being so fleeting.
Speaking of plans and fleeting time, how are you doing in managing your health? Have you scheduled your routine appointments? Or at least put reminders on your 2009 calendar? Don't forget annual eye exams, semi-annual dental and any other special needs you may have in additional to a routine physical. I suggest this even those of you who feel you are in the best of health. If something should happen down the road, having a "baseline" record and an established doctor can be a huge factor in your care.
Don't forget to keep your personal health record updated too! Be sure that you keep it handy and in a manner that fits your lifestyle (home, work, recreation, etc.).
p.s. Don't forget to look for the Promotional Products follow-up post in early March! *grin*
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009
The Promotional Product - What Is It Anyway?
Medi-Facts, sponsor of this blog, is part of the Promotional Products industry. Sometimes those of us within the industry forget we, just like other industries, have a bit of our own lingo. We sometimes forget to even define what for us is the most basic of terms. So let's start here for those of you not familiar with this industry.
You may hear the term Promotional Product and while you might make an educated guess, you still wonder exactly what one of those things really is. A few examples go along way toward the explanation. Imagine, if you will, Blue Collar Comedian Jeff Foxworthy's way of saying "you might be a redneck."
Wikipedia (which redirects "Promotional Product" to "Promotional Item") defines
Wkikpedia further states "Almost anything can be branded with a company’s name or logo and used for promotion."
As you look around and think of all the things you encounter in the course of a week, or even a day, you might be surprised. Desktop items such as pads of paper, mousepads, pens, stress balls and coffee cups. Clothing is a huge part of the industry including printed or embroidered shirts, socks, hats, jackets and even pajamas. You can find sports items such as golf balls and tees, bowling towels, various equipment covers and bags, sweat bands, wristbands, and more. Other items you might see around you are water bottles, flying discs, calendars, "how-to" hanging guides or magnets, portable CD holders, drink cozies, and so on.
The possibilities are endless and you have probably seen more items than you think. If you have seen something really unusual and cool, we'd like to hear about it; post a comment here and tell us about the item and what logo or message is on it.
You may have heard another term, "Specialty Advertising," and wonder how that differs from Promotional Products. The two terms are quite interchangeable. A Specialty Advertising item in as Promotional item, and in either case, promotions with logos and messages are a special form of advertising. Some make argue the nuances but for all practical purposes, they are the same.
Tune in later in this blog to learn some of the other terms used in the industry. If you would like a good primer in the meantime, see this Promotional Products Glossary Of Terms from PPAI. (And before I forget that we are defining terms, PPAI means Promotional Products Association International, a non-profit trade group).
Down the road we'll also provide guidance for those of you that want to help raise awareness for special causes, promote local groups or teams, and yes, even help promote businesses where you work or may happen to own. Subscribe to our feed to get these updates and all our other observations and posts automatically.
You may hear the term Promotional Product and while you might make an educated guess, you still wonder exactly what one of those things really is. A few examples go along way toward the explanation. Imagine, if you will, Blue Collar Comedian Jeff Foxworthy's way of saying "you might be a redneck."
- If you have a golf ball and the clubhouse's name is imprinted on it, you might have a promotional product.
- If you have a pen with the name of the last hotel you stayed at printed on it, you might have a promotional product.
- If you are wearing a shirt with an embroidered logo, you might have a promotional product.
- If you have a magnet on your refrigerator with your local pizza parlor's phone number on it, you might have a promotional product.
Wikipedia (which redirects "Promotional Product" to "Promotional Item") defines
Promotional items or promotional products refers to articles of merchandise that are used in marketing and communication programs. These items are usually imprinted with a company's name, logo or slogan, and given away at trade shows, conferences, and as part of guerrilla marketing campaigns.
Wkikpedia further states "Almost anything can be branded with a company’s name or logo and used for promotion."
As you look around and think of all the things you encounter in the course of a week, or even a day, you might be surprised. Desktop items such as pads of paper, mousepads, pens, stress balls and coffee cups. Clothing is a huge part of the industry including printed or embroidered shirts, socks, hats, jackets and even pajamas. You can find sports items such as golf balls and tees, bowling towels, various equipment covers and bags, sweat bands, wristbands, and more. Other items you might see around you are water bottles, flying discs, calendars, "how-to" hanging guides or magnets, portable CD holders, drink cozies, and so on.
The possibilities are endless and you have probably seen more items than you think. If you have seen something really unusual and cool, we'd like to hear about it; post a comment here and tell us about the item and what logo or message is on it.
You may have heard another term, "Specialty Advertising," and wonder how that differs from Promotional Products. The two terms are quite interchangeable. A Specialty Advertising item in as Promotional item, and in either case, promotions with logos and messages are a special form of advertising. Some make argue the nuances but for all practical purposes, they are the same.
Tune in later in this blog to learn some of the other terms used in the industry. If you would like a good primer in the meantime, see this Promotional Products Glossary Of Terms from PPAI. (And before I forget that we are defining terms, PPAI means Promotional Products Association International, a non-profit trade group).
Down the road we'll also provide guidance for those of you that want to help raise awareness for special causes, promote local groups or teams, and yes, even help promote businesses where you work or may happen to own. Subscribe to our feed to get these updates and all our other observations and posts automatically.
Links in this post:
Wikipedia
Promotional Products Glossary Of Terms
PPAI
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Wellness in a Bailout Environment
Tough economic times create stress. We see family or friends have hours cut or even lose jobs. We see years of savings efforts appear to shrivel to near nothingness. We find it more difficult to make decisions when we don't know how far we have to stretch a dollar. We lose confidence that our jobs will be there tomorrow and the next day and the next. And this is just scratching the surface.
The point is we see much higher levels of stress during more difficult times. By now, we know a lot of the signs: We continually feeling worried, we lose patience, sleeping a full night doesn't happen enough, our eating patterns are disrupted, and we often feel physical affects such as head, back, stomach or muscle aches, or sluggishness and fatigue. This may lead to depression as well. There are a number of reputable sites to get good information about symptoms and treatments, including the Mayo Clinic, WebMD, and the Cleveland Clinic to name a few.
We can't always control the world around us. We can focus, however, on how we react to it. We have gathered some the most common ideas for stress relief. We are not acting as medical professionals (simply because we aren't) here, but rather as an old friend with some gentle reminders. That being said, here is a short list:
These are small personal things you can do to improve your body's ability to cope. Combine that with some planning for changes. And take a different perspective on what's next. Here is an example of what I mean. Just earlier this week I was asked if a trip I took years back on a small propeller plane was scary. My answer was along the lines of, "Well, it took a spirit of adventure!"
So make your flight plan, get yourself some rest and ready to cope, and go pilot your new adventure.
The point is we see much higher levels of stress during more difficult times. By now, we know a lot of the signs: We continually feeling worried, we lose patience, sleeping a full night doesn't happen enough, our eating patterns are disrupted, and we often feel physical affects such as head, back, stomach or muscle aches, or sluggishness and fatigue. This may lead to depression as well. There are a number of reputable sites to get good information about symptoms and treatments, including the Mayo Clinic, WebMD, and the Cleveland Clinic to name a few.
We can't always control the world around us. We can focus, however, on how we react to it. We have gathered some the most common ideas for stress relief. We are not acting as medical professionals (simply because we aren't) here, but rather as an old friend with some gentle reminders. That being said, here is a short list:
- Start with working at getting regular, full night's sleep.
- Cut down, or even cut out altogether, caffeine.
- Eat sensible meals, try to do so at regular times if possible.
- Try walking 20 minutes or more daily if you are not getting other forms of exercise routinely.
- Learn deep breathing and slow stretch techniques, practice them and use them when you feel stress setting in.
- We started with getting a full night's sleep and we repeat it. Everything listed here helps to that end. It is more important than you realize.
These are small personal things you can do to improve your body's ability to cope. Combine that with some planning for changes. And take a different perspective on what's next. Here is an example of what I mean. Just earlier this week I was asked if a trip I took years back on a small propeller plane was scary. My answer was along the lines of, "Well, it took a spirit of adventure!"
So make your flight plan, get yourself some rest and ready to cope, and go pilot your new adventure.
Links in this post:
Cleveland Clinic
Mayo Clinic
WebMD
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