The Year's Best Flash Drive Pricing - for the moment!

ncluded in the pricing below is: Free Set-up Free First 3 colors on imprint Free data load up to 100 MG Free Virtual Proof 4GB Pricing: $8.77 each for 100 $8.02 each for 500 $7.30 each for 100 2GB Pricing: $8.29 each  for 100 $7.60 each for 500 $6.90 each for 1000

Best Flash Drive Pricing!    If ever there was a time to consider getting  some USB Flash Drives, now might be that time! This year has been crazy when it comes to this  category.Prices were OK in the early part of the  year, but then the Japanese tsunami changed all  that in a heartbeat.   This is because while the  drives were assembled elsewhere, most of the  chips came from Japan.   When their production   capacity was reduced, prices sky-rocketed.     The good news is that normalcy has prevailed and  our prices are now lower than pre-disaster pricing - at least for the moment.   If you don't follow pricing for  these items closely, you need to know that they fluctuate weekly, almost like a stock.    Please review the pricing to the left for standard items in 20 or more designs.  Keep in mind that if a completely custom design is required, we can turn those amazingly quick, considering what is required (usually less than a month from concept to delivery!)     Thanks for the consideration but if you are not in the market now, please pass this along to someone you think might be.  If they mention your name, we will extend them the same pricing. Thanks, Ed Burgess ecb@weekendwarrior.biz (412) 922-8389 or (412) 491-0414 www.weekendwarrior.biz

Even Santa has to keep a Schedule!

Even Santa Has a Schedule! Important Dates to Consider and Offer We all know Santa has magical powers, but even he doesn't just wing it!    He plans his schedule, and so do we.  Here are a few important dates to consider:   Week of December 12th - Embroidery services begin to wind down.   This is not an absolutely hard cut-off date, but if you wait until this date to submit an order, it could be dicey.  Let's do ourselves a favor and get Embroidery orders in BEFORE this date, if possible.  (Imprinted orders can still be processed after this date, but you should keep in mind the 10-day norm and 2-day rush offerings along with the closure dates below). December 26th - Most of our suppliers will be closed for the Holiday so this does not count as a business day January 2nd, 2012 - Most of our suppliers will be closed for the Holiday so this does not count as a business day Weekend Warrior pretty much never totally closes, so if you shoot us a note at ANY time over the holidays, we will get it and act on it appropriately.   We like it that way! Please keep these dates in mind as you plan your end-of-year orders and to help you along, we have a promotion for our e-newsletter participants below!! FREE SET-UP FOR DECEMBER! This offer is good on orders of $500 or more and for the first color only.  Simple as that! So if you have a few bucks left in the budget, this is another good reason to "Use it or lose it"!!

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"Tis the Season.....to Plan Ahead

'Tis the Season (for frantic shopping?) After a weekend of elbows and body checks (at the Malls, not the hockey rink or the football field!), we could probably all stand to take a deep breath and plan the days that lie ahead for maximum efficiency.    With that in mind, your friends at Weekend Warrior have a few Promo Tips to help navigate the Holiday season.   Plan Ahead!   If I have said it once, I have said it a thousand times, there is no substitute for good planning at this time of year.   Our suppliers, many of whom might still be hedging their bets with inventory projections, may run into shortages during the coming weeks.   This could impact our customers in need of last-minute holiday gifts, or first quarter 2012 items for tradeshows or events.   If you need something between now and the end of January, I would suggest you order it BEFORE the Holidays hit. Consider the  Timing Details.   Related to the above point, it is critical to realize that many suppliers will be closed for several days around Christmas and New Year's Day.   So if we say that an item is produced in 5 business days, our customers will need to know to tack on the extra days.    (Don't worry though - we will plan the production schedule for you, as always!) Do Something!   We still will hear occassionally that a company does not have the budget to get something "really nice" so they choose to do nothing at all, or just have a Holiday party.   It truly is the thought that counts at this time of year and employees, vendors, referral sources and other business partners will be grateful that you went the extra mile and made the effort to provide a gift.   One thought:  how about nice pens that are personalized with the recipient's name?  Click here for a few ideas:  Nice Pens turned in 2 days.  This is the perfect time of year to show appreciation to those that have made you successful in the past year, and it is best to do so with a tangible item that will be used throughout the coming year. Lean on Us!   We know that you are all very busy at this time of year, so let us do most of the work for you.   To assist us, please provide us with the following:  estimated budget, type of recipient (employee, vendor, customer), timing, and any theme you might want to tie it to.   Once we have this basic information, we can conduct searches and provide you with a customized pdf "catalog" of items that can be reviewed at your leisure.   The key is to make the item memorable and useful - otherwise, it will just collect dust.   Last Minute!   We have a number of suppliers, including the pen supplier mentioned above, that can turn around orders in one or two days WITHOUT charging a premium.   So if you find yourself in a bind, we can still help, even if your party is next week!  NEW DECORATION CAPABILITIES In closing, we would like to also make you aware of some enhanced capabilities we have regarding the decoration of apparel or other items that might be decorated with the use of embroidery or sewn on patches or plates.   For example, in the image below, a large logo is depicted for the full front or back of a jacket.   As many of you know, if this was done in thread (embroidery) only, it would be very expensive, and to cut out the designs by hand would be expensive and time-consuming.   However, our new embroidery partner uses laser cutting automation to complete the process in minutes and at a fraction of the cost!   The result is beautifully stitched and precisely cut designs at very reasonable prices and done quickly.    We are thrilled with the extended services and our clients are giving us rave reviews.     Please let us know if you have a design in mind for your next project.   As always, we can be reached at             (412) 922-8389       or via email at msb@weekendwarrior.biz or ecb@weekendwarrior.biz.   We look forward to hearing from you soon but if you can't use us at the moment, we would appreciate it if you could forward this email to someone that can! Happy Holidays! Maura and Ed

Finally - let's get back to business!

With the NFL lockout settled, we can all get back to the business of football-related promotional tie-ins.   One of our more popular items, the 4 x7 inch rounded-corner Schedule Magnet can be customized in a number of ways.   Many of our clients that use them annually choose to have the main pro team schedule above and add 3 college (or high school) teams below as well as their own logo also.   Some feature several local high school schedules if they cater to both crowds, or make separate versions for each group.    They are very popular as they can be mailed in a regular business envelope, are inexpensive (63 cents each at 500 pieces) and will be used from now until mid-January!

Of course, the possibilities are nearly limitless.  Tailgate items are always popular, such as drink holders, mini-footballs or barbecue sets - anything that ties in to the local team or program.   

If you are planning some football-related activities, make it memorable with some nice custom items, but don't wait too long - you'll want to have them in plenty of time for the first game.

Update: Critical Trends in Promo

Update - Recent Critical Trends All of us have lived through some pretty interesting times in recent months, and buyers of promotional products, like yourselves, have asked some hard questions.   Well, we have answers to several of the most pressing trends in our industry. What happened to the price of my Tee-shirts? 100 % cotton tee-shirts are one of the most popular items we sell today.   It is versatile, easy to decorate, and appeals to a wide audience, and until recently, was very inexpensive.   Between 2000 and 2010, the average cost of cotton was about 60 cents per pound but by March of this year, the cost had jumped to about $2.20 a pound!  Gildan, one of our favorite and highest quality suppliers, raised prices 4 times in 6 months - an unprecedented situation for this long-time supplier to the promotional products industry - and many other apparel-providers followed their lead.   So what happened?   A "perfect storm" of events globally influenced the price of cotton in dramatic ways. According to industry experts, the cost jump was caused by multiple factors spanning several growing seasons including: increased demand in emerging markets and first-world countries as their economies began to expand or recover production shortfalls caused partly by farmers who opted to plant other crops that were, at the time, more profitable bad weather in major cotton-producing countries such as the US and Pakistan India, the world's second-largest cotton exporter limited exports in an effort to stabilize prices in their country market speculation in cotton futures (Gordon Gecko, in other words)   So what's the off-shoot of all this, besides higher priced tee-shirts and other cotton apparel?   As a result of the increase in cotton prices, other apparel that was previously thought to be "too expensive" is now a lot closer in price.   For example, according to Mary Ellen Nichols, Director of Marketing at Bodek and Rhodes (a top supplier in the promo apparel industry), the increase in cotton cost has made "performance wear" much closer in price, and as a result has made the more expensive items much more attractive.  In fact, 29 % of Bodek's line is now considered in that category, up from only 3 % just 5 years ago.  Other suppliers report similar trends, especially with the improvement in decorating techniques now available for this category.   Weekend Warrior has seen a spike in very thin moisture management apparel that would be difficult and/or expensive to decorate in multiple colors without the use of the new-age transfers (as shown in the pics below). Can I get my USB Drives now, please?    Yes, you certainly can!   Besides all the normal "fun" economic activity of the last several years, we faced the added challenge this year of memory chip shortages due to the disastrous earthquake in Japan.   Although most of the USB drives used for the promo industry are assembled in China, many of the key components come from Japan, so any delay in the shipment of the Japanese parts could, and did, cause delays, uncertainty and dramatic (but temporary) price increases.  There is good news on this front! According to Nate Tangerini, National Accounts Manager at leading supplier US Flash and Technologies, LLC, "the feared supply shortages that caused the immediate spike in chip prices after the earthquake have proven to be largely unfounded as other chip manufacturers boosted production to fill the supply gap.  Not only are chip prices below where they were at this time last year, but they are at or near where they were just prior to the earthquake" (see pricing sample below).   For any company considering a project involving memory drives, availability and speculation currently is not an issue.  Even so, by its nature, the market remains so volatile that suppliers are reluctant to quote prices for more than one or two weeks in advance.    The good news is that turn-around time has dropped dramatically, even on custom shapes or designs, so the price fluctuation issue has been largely muted. For more information, please contact Ed Burgess at:  ecb@weekendwarrior.biz or (412) 922-8389;  or visit us online at www.weekendwarrior.biz

Top 5 Myths about Promotional Products Marketing

In the nearly 20 years that Weekend Warrior Promotional Products has been serving our clients, we have run across a number of "myths" regarding the use of promotional products in a company's marketing efforts.   Some are based on past history but some are just pre-conceived notions that have little to no basis in fact.   Our industry, unfortunately, is probably somewhat responsible for some of these misconceptions for a number of reasons, sowe feel it is our obligation to attempt to correct them when we can.   We have listed our "Top 5" below. “Giveaways don’t work!”   This blanket statement is usually made early in a discussion, and many times, the conversation doesn’t go much beyond this point but when we are allowed to dig in a little, we usually learn that there have been some critical strategic mistakes made with their promotional products marketing plan, and the statement has really become a self-fulfilling prophesy (“it won’t work, therefore, I will make only a half-hearted effort”).   The most common mistakes include buying products of poor quality (in an attempt to stretch the budget); lacking a coherent plan; or improper targeting.   In other words, their plans probably never had a chance!  (For more information on study data that proves promo works, click here: Promo Impressions Study )  “We can’t compete with the "big boys" so why bother?!”   We hear this one occasionally, and while a large competitor may make it more difficult to stand out, it is not impossible to do, if you “hit your spots”.   If you review the reasons promo items are retained (by their recipients) in the study referenced above, it becomes obvious that it isn’t always how expensive an item is – a lot has to do with how well it is targeted to the end-user.   Giving out potato-chip bag clips to 500 high-end financial clients is probably a bad idea if you are a bank, but sending 50 of them something they might use in their daily business lives, such as a quality writing instrument, or a technology item, might just gain the interest you are seeking. “Our business is different – promo items won’t work.”  While we hold open the possibility that some businesses might actually have a tougher time using promo items than others, we have a wide variety of customer types and all have found a way to use promotional products successfully.   At times, however, we run into companies that may need to tweak their sales and marketing approach relative to promotional products usage – we can help because we have so many clients using them in so many different ways. “Promotional Products are just too expensive for the return we get”.    Multiple studies have shown that promotional products are one of the most cost effective of all mediums, largely due to the repeat usage nature of promo items (if properly selected).   Many prospective customers that have made this comment have not tried to track promo program ROI (return on investment) because they either did not know how to do so, or did not have the tools, or they did not have the time.   We work with plenty of companies that have cut their budgets, but have not cut their promo efforts – it can be done with a little creativity and planning.  “I really don’t have time to worry about promotional items.”    This is music to our ears and is one of the big reasons we retain such a high percentage of our clients every year.   We act as an extension of our clients’ companies and supplement or “gap-fill” where needed.  We will never be “all things to all people” but we can certainly help most companies maintain a consistent and successful promotional products marketing program without the need for additional headcount.   And if things don’t work out?  Well, they don’t have to give us a pink slip!

What I do with my "Free time"

All of us have favorite things to do when we aren't working, and I am no different.   For the past 2 years, starting in March and running through mid-May, I coach a boys' high school tennis team, and this year, we have had a great year.   Undefeated regular season and heading to the playoffs!


If you want to follow the team's progress, hit this link periodically:  http://bishopcanevin.blogspot.com/search/label/Boys%27%20Tennis 

Remember - when in doubt, call it IN!

Further Evidence that Lumpy Mail Works!

I received this from a friend, Dan Bailey, who has been a Direct Mail Specialist for the USPS for many years.  The point is clear:  multi-media is the way to go!   When you consider that there is strong evidence that custom imprinted items provide one of the best returns of any of the major media (click here for study:  Promo Items best ROI), it is obvious that combining direct mail with promo items is an absolute win-win!  


Here is Dan's note: 

Which direct marketing channel delivers the best return on investment?   Your own experience guides your strategy, but the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) has done some broader research for the years 2004-2010:

In 2010

For every dollar spent on   the average ROI was      And the historical 6 year trend is

Direct Mail                                 $15.28                        on the rise

Telemarketing                           $8.42                          in decline

Internet                                       $19.86                        in decline

Email                                         $42.08                        in decline

Newspaper                               $21.26                        in decline

DR TV                                       $6.62                          in decline

Magazines                               $10.26                        in decline

Radio                                       $8.28                           in decline

Insert Media                            $11.43                         in decline

The answer to the question is simple, but marketing is not a simple science.  Mixing media has proven to be the best strategy to insure optimal penetration and reach.  Direct Mail plays well with all other media.  Consider making part of your mix if it isn't already.

QR Codes: Real-world Marketing on a Tight Budget!

A Real QR Code Campaign

At Weekend Warrior, as many of you know, we like to "drink our own Koolaid".   In other words, we practice what we preach.   In the example below, we use QR Codes in a New Client Acquisition lumpy mail campaign.  

Poker chip, wind-up delivery truck, and iCalculator

The first step was to identify companies we would like as customers.   Applying what we know about our current customers, we decided that we would look for the following characteristics:  Forward-thinking, believes in the "power of promotional products", and is in Growth mode.   We settled on a "Top 50" list to target to this multi-step campaign.

The second step was to send a special poker chip with our contact info on one side and a QR code (below) on the other along with a new GREEN catalog (email me if you want a copy).   Those of you with a smart phone (with QR Reader app) can scan that image and will be launched to a video that explains briefly the value of using QR codes in a marketing campaign.    If you do not know if your phone has such an app, simply go to your app store (or App World, depending on the phone) and download a free one.   It takes just a minute or two, and is pretty straightforward.    (If you do not have a smart phone, email me at ecb@weekendwarrior.biz  and I will send you the link to the video).

This code can be linked to any web-based content, and in this case, I can change the link later if I choose to do so.   For example, since this link currently takes you to our "Monthly Minute" (promo marketing ideas), next month I will change the link so that the same QR code takes you to another video and another new idea.   Can you see how this might work for your business?  Remember, it doesn't have to be a link to a video, but it should link to something appropriate for small-screen viewing.

The third step involves a mailing of a small, wind-up delivery truck with the slogan "We won't steer you wrong" imprinted with our logo.   This is appropriate because the little truck is designed so that when its front wheels go over an edge, it immediately turns right, preventing it from tumbling over the edge.   It is really pretty ingenious!   We thought about a "We Deliver" slogan, but we ended up choosing this one.

The last step involves the mailing of an "iCalculator" that looks just like an iPhone, but is really just a calculator.   It is designed to create a call to action - time to "do the math" and see how Weekend Warrior can help you get a valid return on your investment.

While this is a direct mail campaign, Weekend Warrior can help your company in ANY area using promotional items including Business Gifting, Employee Appreciation, Event Marketing, Tradeshow, and Self-promotions.   With the economy about to really fire up, don't be left behind - let's put our heads together and plan something great!

As always, we can be reached at (412) 922-8389, or you can email us at ecb@weekendwarrior.biz or msb@weekendwarrior.biz.   We hope to hear from you soon!

In next month's Monthly Minute video and blog, we hope to recap the results of the campaign.

Thanks for reading this far!

Ed and Maura