Yesterday, I had a fascinating conversation with someone who succeeded in getting me to rethink what our business does. We’ve always considered Quintain Marketing to be a part of the promotional marketing industry. After all, we sell branded products just like all the other promotional marketing guys out there. But it’s always bugged me to think of our company as simply a promotional marketing firm. What we do really goes beyond that.

I’ve gone to plenty of industry conferences and met with other suppliers of promotional products, as well as the vendors from whom they source their products. In most cases, the business model is a simple one – find a customer, send them a pile of catalogs, and wait for them to get back to you with the products they like so you can send them a quote. It’s a simple and easy process that puts the onus of finding the right products on the customer. But it doesn’t add much value to the customer’s business model.

Here at Quintain Marketing, we’ve always approached what we do a bit differently. We never send out piles of catalogs unless someone asks for them. Instead, we sit down with our customers and learn what they want to achieve through promotional marketing. In other words, what is the end result they are looking for? An increase in sales? Winning new customers? Motivating employees or boosting their productivity? There are lots of reasons that companies use promotional marketing, but generally, the results they are hoping to achieve are very specific and measurable. We believe that good promotional marketing strategies need to produce demonstrable results, so our approach is to figure out how to craft a strategy that will send the right message to the right audience, and get the results our customers are looking for.

Sounds simple, right? Well, you’d be surprised how many of our competitors focus on the products (pens, mugs, awards, t-shirts) and not the messages they are meant to send or the results that those products are meant to generate.

So the question I was asked yesterday is “can you describe what you do in two words?” It was a lot harder than you might think! Lots of two-word phrases were thrown around, including “deliver results,” “build brands,” “deliver messages,” “drive sales,” etc. The one that I liked the best was “package messages.” After all, while we are not just like all the other promotional marketing firms out there, what we do has a lot to do with the products and packaging that are used to convey our customers’ messages and get the results they are looking for.

But what I really like about this is that “package” has two meanings. It refers not only to physical packaging (in our case, branded products and the actual packing materials in which they are delivered to the recipient), but also conceptual packaging (how a brand is positioned, a message is crafted, and a marketing strategy developed). It is the marriage of the physical packaging and the conceptual packaging that distinguishes what we do from the work of our competitors. This is also how we add value to our customers’ businesses. Because we take on the responsibility for the conceptual packaging, we save them time and make their jobs easier. Anyone can sell you a pen or a mug, but not everyone can help you develop marketing strategies that produce measurable results.

So thanks to the person I met with yesterday. It was refreshing to have someone come in and challenge us to rethink what we do – and exciting to find a new and simple way to explain why we are different from the rest of the pack!

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In the current economic climate, it is more important than ever to ensure that you are getting the most out of your workforce. One way to do this is through incentive programs. These programs use rewards and/or gifts to motivate employees and recognize outstanding performance.

If incentive programs are not already part of your organization, consider this. A recent article in the Harvard Business Review (March-April 2000), “Leadership That Gets Results,” reported that of six leadership styles studied, the use of rewards was the single highest predictor of “organizational climate,” which in turn had a direct correlation with financial results. In other words, organizations with incentive programs make more money!

So why are incentive programs so effective? The answer is grounded in behavioral science – specifically, the years of research that have proven that positive reinforcement can produce behavioral change. And behavioral change is really what we are talking about here. Whether you are trying to motivate your sales force to increase yearly sales, seeking to reward efficiency on the part of your employees, or looking to reward customers for their loyalty, in each case what you are really doing is trying to encourage a particular behavior. One of the most effective ways to do this is through positive reinforcement, defined as “the offering of desirable effects or consequences for a behavior with the intention of increasing the chance of that behavior being repeated in the future.” (source: dictionary.com)

Incentive programs are an easy and tangible way of introducing positive reinforcement and motivating employees, customers and other partners. However, to be effective, incentive programs must be designed in such a way that the reward is meaningful to the greatest number of people.

For this reason, Joshua Klapow, Ph.D. (associate professor in the Department of Health Care Organization and Policy at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health) suggests that the best incentive programs are those that allow each individual to determine their own reward. These point-based programs allow individuals to redeem their points for a wide variety of prizes. Conceptually, the greater the number of options for rewards, the more likely the program is to have an impact.

Perhaps the most well known example of a point-based incentive system is the Amex Membership Rewards Points program. If you have an American Express card, you know what I’m talking about. For every dollar you spend, you earn a point. You can redeem your points for everything from cash cards (a cash equivalent), to gift certificates, merchandise, travel rewards, and experiential rewards. The program is extremely successful precisely because of the variety of rewards it offers – no matter who you are, there is something in it for you!

Here at Quintain Marketing, we offer a variety of rewards programs that incorporate the same kinds of incentives used by companies such as American Express. And believe it or not, the programs are fully scaleable and therefore appropriate for not just large companies like Amex, but smaller firms as well. Why not give us a call to find out how we can help you incorporate an incentive program into your corporate environment?

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So you think you’re doing yourself and the earth a favor by refilling that bottle of Poland Springs you drank at lunch today? Reduce, reuse, recycle, right? WRONG! Did you know that reusing disposable water, soda, or juice bottles made from plastic #1 (polyethylene terephthalate, also known as PET or PETE) may leach DEHP, which causes cancer, into the water you are drinking and thus into your digestive system? YIKES! Plus, you can only imagine the bacteria and germs you are exposing yourself to. EW! I was once guilty of reusing disposable water bottles or buying lots of bottled water and not always recycling the empty bottles. But now I’m using reusable bottles everyday, thus reducing health risks and my carbon footprint.

Do yourself a favor and invest in BPA-free reusable water bottles. My personal favorite bottles are from Nalgene. I know – last year the big news was BPA in Nalgene bottles. But since that time, Nalgene has introduced Nalgene Choice - bottles that are made from safe plastics that can also be recycled (if you ever need to get rid of them). Not only do we have access to Nalgene bottles, but hundreds of other BPA-free plastic and aluminum bottles that are perfect for any promotion.

Reusable water bottles are a great promotional idea. They’re cost effective and are another way to help your target audience feel good about partaking in the green revolution. Plus, the bottle will go wherever they go – work, gym, school, errands, etc. - giving your brand maximum exposure. Think about it - what else can a client or prospect carry and use everywhere?

Let’s get your logo on a Nalgene or another ‘safe’ reusable bottle today!

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If you read our blog regularly, you know that we are fans of promotional strategies that can be used in multiple ways across the various areas of our clients’ businesses. Our newest example of this is the eTriever Tag and global recovery service. It’s like a LoJack for your personal belongings!

Each fully customizable tag includes a tamper resistant ID sticker. Simply apply the ID tag to any valuable (PDA, Camera, laptop…) and not only is your brand in the hands of your client or prospect, but 75% of all lost valuables bearing the eTriever tags are returned.

So how does it work? Anyone who finds an item with an eTriever tag can contact the global recovery service by following the instructions on the tag. Through this service, the lost (or stolen) valuables are returned to their owner and the finder is paid a reward.

The eTriever Tag would be a great promotion for IT departments or technology providers looking to demonstrate their concern for clients and users, or as a giveaway or gift to anyone who travels a lot. The program can be used with all existing asset tracking programs and the online registration is a breeze. To learn more about this unique product, give us a call.

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The ins and outs of graphic design leave my head spinning AND I work with client logos on a daily basis. Graphic design is complicated, so I’ve compiled answers to some of the most popular questions I’ve gotten from clients.

● What is an .EPS file? An .EPS file is a vector art file. Vector art is created using lines, points, curves, and shapes. Most vector art is created using Adobe Illustrator.
● What’s the difference between an .EPS file and an .AI file? Not much (at least for all of our intents and purposes). An AI file is an .EPS file. AI is just a proprietary format created by Adobe Systems. .AI files can only be created and saved when working in Adobe Illustrator.
● What’s the difference between an .EPS and .GIF, .BMP?, .JPEG, .JPG, or .PCX? Those file names are bitmap art. Bitmap art uses pixels that are saved in a file as a series of numbers. Pixels are tiny dots that create images. Perhaps the most important difference between vector art and bitmap art is that vector art can be edited and modified while bitmap art cannot be altered; making it impossible to change shape, color, or size without distorting the image.
● Can I copy and paste a .JPEG image into Illustrator and save it as an .EPS file? NO! Please do not even waste your time doing this. Saving a .JPEG as an .EPS does not magically change it’s composition from pixels to lines and shapes.
● Why can’t you use a .JPEG and other bitmap files? Most of the time, your logo has to be altered to fit on whatever promotional item you are buying. For example, the same size logo that is used on a water bottle cannot be used on a pen. There are also times when clients want something added, taken off, or a color changed on a logo they send me. We’re talking major distortion if I attempt to change anything on a .JPEG image!

Hopefully the above Q & A will help clear up some of your questions and provide you with a better understanding of why we need your logos as .EPS files. If you still have questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!

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Custom-branded bottles of water have been a tradeshow and event staple for years, and sales of bottled water have quadrupled in the last 20 years. But with more and more companies instituting sustainability policies and other strategies to reduce their carbon footprint, bottled water can send the wrong environmental message. Some cities – including San Francisco, Albuquerque, Minneapolis, and Seattle – have gone so far as to ban city purchase of single-serve bottled water.

The water itself isn’t the problem. Rather, it’s the resources that are required to manufacture and ship the water (sometimes halfway around the world), and the cost of landfilling all the empty bottles. According to the U.S. Conference of Mayors, plastic water bottles produced for U.S. consumption take 1.5 million barrels of oil per year – enough energy to power 250,000 homes or fuel 100,000 cars for a year!

If you are looking for an environmentally-friendly alternative to bottled water, consider a custom-branded flavor pack. They come in a wide variety of flavors so you are sure to please all palates. And if you are still determined to provide event attendees with bottled water, branded flavor packs can also be packaged to hang conveniently from any standard water bottle providing an easy to read message area – the perfect addition to a national sales meeting or for a trade show!

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These days, coupons are KING in our household. With the economy the way it is and food prices on the rise, grocery stores are taking off the gloves and offering double and triple coupons in the Sunday circulars. The result is the comeback of the coupon, with more than 86% of American households regularly clipping coupons (according to Nielson’s “Consumer Insight” online newsletter).

With all this attention placed on these tiny little clips of paper, we love the List Caddy™ for any household-related promotion. Ideal for supermarkets or retail shops, this handy device holds a shopping list, pen and coupons and attaches to a shopping cart handle. The magnetic back makes it easy to store the List Caddy on the fridge in plain sight between trips to the store and keeps your message in front of your clients.

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I don’t know about you, but I cringed when I saw the news on Friday. Hillary Clinton met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Geneva to begin talks aimed at “pressing the reset button” (as the Obama administration likes to say) of U.S.-Russian relations. To break the ice, she presented him with a gift – a device with a red button that was imprinted with the Russian word “peregruzka,” what the Administration thought was a translation for “reset.” Instead, as the Russian Minister pointed out, “peregruzka” actually means “overcharged” (an ironic mistake given the state of our two countries’ relations these past few years!).

In the end, both Secretary of State Clinton and Foreign Minister Lavrov got a laugh out of the incident, but what was meant to lighten the mood and pave the way for productive discussions about U.S.-Russian relations has turned into an ironic gaffe that will reinforce many negative stereotypes that people around the world have about Americans.

The right gift can go a long way in strengthening a relationship (whether it is a personal, professional, or political relationship), but the wrong gift can do just the reverse – sometimes with disastrous results. The same is also true of marketing messages, and this is actually one of the reasons we named our company “Quintain Marketing.” People always ask me why our firm is called “Quintain,” and this fiasco with the reset button seems like a great opportunity to explain it.

A quintain is actually an object that was used as a target to help train knights in jousting. It consisted of a swinging pole with a target on one end and weighted ballast on the other. When the target was hit by a charging squire, the whole apparatus would rotate. The squire’s challenge was to hit the target, but not get hit in the back and knocked off the saddle by the rotating arm.

What does this mean in marketing terms? To us, it means that it’s important not just to hit your target (with your message, your gift, etc.), but to hit it in the right way. Its not just about getting the translation right – its about making sure that your brand and your message are accurately reflected in everything you do. From the quality of the gift, to the choice of words, to the packaging, to the materials that items are made from, and the method of delivery – all of these elements form part of the picture that you are painting for your target audience and if one of them isn’t right, the whole picture will be ruined (and you will get knocked off your horse!).

Just look at what happened in Geneva – the “button gaffe” (as it is now being called) is getting more press than the bilateral discussions meant to improve relations between the U.S. and Russia!

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Over the past few years, nearly all of the advertising specialty and promotional product manufacturers that we work with have introduced eco-friendly alternatives to popular products. The clothing segment is no exception. Suppliers that started with organic cotton t-shirts now offer organic cotton pants, jackets, sweatshirts, and a variety of other wearables that are both functional and fashionable.

Our favorite apparel vendors have designed their lines to not only reduce their own carbon footprint, but their consumers’ as well. For all of you novice environmentalists out there, a carbon footprint is defined as “The total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly and indirectly support human activities, usually expressed in equivalent tons of carbon dioxide (CO2).” (Atimeforchange.com)

Of course, not everyone has the budget for high end, eco-friendly apparel. But that doesn’t mean you can’t do your part to reduce your carbon footprint with your next promotion. Doing a t-shirt give away? Organic cotton t-shirts start around $5.00 (depending on color and quantity) and regular cotton t-shirts also start around $5.00. It’s a no brainer! You’ll feel good giving something “green” away and your clients or prospects will feel good wearing something “green.” Check in with us today for all of the hottest organic apparel on the market!

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Sometimes less – or nothing at all – is better than more. A recent survey appearing on the Salt Lake City Tribune (sltrib.com) website reveals that nearly half of all corporate gift recipients surveyed hated what they received. Specifically:

• 48% did not like the gift given
• 32% felt the gift was not useful
• 24% felt the gift was cheap
• 59% said they did not keep the gift
• 41% said they threw the gift away
• 22% said they gave the gift to someone else

Topping the list of the worst corporate gifts were paper weights, calendars, coffee mugs, stuffed animals, pens, hams and fruitcakes.

The lesson here is that if you are going to gift, do it right. Gifts are a reflection of your brand – the public face or image that you are trying to project. If the gift is cheap or tasteless, then that is how you (or your company / product / service) will be perceived. To the contrary, tasteful, creative and unique gifts will enhance the image of the giver and send the message that time, thought, and personal attention went into their selection.

It’s important to note that the right gift does not have to be expensive. There are plenty of reasonably priced items that have proven staying power with gift recipients. Give us a call and we’ll tell you about some fantastic gifts we’ve designed for clients with small budgets!

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