Establish your needs before building your programs.

Your employees are your most important resource: their appearance and dress can make a profound impact on their ability to provide the service and productivity you depend on to make your organization successful. This is the third and final part in our three part series on what to consider when developing employee uniforms to meet your needs. The three articles cover the three most important components of any uniform program: Part 1. Uniform look and branding, Part 2. Uniform design as it affects productivity, Part 3. Uniform sourcing and fulfillment logistics. Read on for tips on how to successfully source and fulfill your uniform programs.

Establish Your Needs –

In order to properly design your supply and fulfillment chain, the first thing to do is fully establish your uniform needs from the perspective of understanding: who needs what uniform goods, how much volume you will consume annually, as well as what fulfillment infrastructure you need in place to get your items to your corporate locations/ employees. All of these needs will be dependant upon your corporate structure, the number of corporate locations, the number of total employees in your organization, what sorts of work your employees do and so on. Obviously, the complexity of the above combination of factors will differ for each organization.

The reason that understanding all of these factors is so important is that they will significantly impact everything from garment choice, to pricing, to inventory levels (read inventory costs), and to  your chosen shipping methods. The end goal of this portion of planning your uniform sourcing and fulfillment chain is to end up with a proper high-level map that will help you understand what available options will allow you to provide the most value and flexibility in your program.

Flexibility Versus Savings –

There is a definite correlation between volume and cost.

There is a direct correlation between volume and cost savings. It is possible to leverage high-volume purchasing power through sourcing and production overseas. Savings of 40-60 percent are not uncommon when compared to the costs of domestic production. Plus, it is much more affordable to develop and produce completely-custom uniform pieces overseas. There are two things to remember, however, when considering offshore sourcing: a.) overseas sourcing requires much larger minimum orders (typically in the thousands) and b.) overseas sourcing typically requires lead times of 90-120 days. Domestic lead times, by comparison, typically range from 48 hour to 15 days.

Which options you choose will need to be based on your total annual consumption. For most companies, sourcing an entire uniform line is out of the question due to the high inventory levels it would require. Oftentimes, the solution is best approached by identifying which items will have the highest turn/consumption rates and source those. Items that do not have a high turn rate, or change frequently, can then be domestically sourced to reduce inventory costs and maintain program flexibility.

Minimizing Inventory Costs and Maximizing Program Value –

One of the major mistakes many companies make is to order too much of either one item, or a combination of items in the quest to capitalize on volume purchase opportunities. What typically happens in these cases is the customer is forced to sit on these items until they are used up. This causes several serious problems: a.) Inventory costs build over time, thus undercutting the initial cost savings b.) The organization is prevented from being able to change or update its uniform program, even if the look is outdated with the current company image c.) The organization has a difficult time finding a new promotional partner who will help with program in which there is a plethora of pre-existing inventory (there is no money in helping a company move inventory that was not purchased through them). It is not uncommon to find an organization that is trapped in a situation where they are bleeding money in held inventory, wearing three year-old uniforms with outdated logos, and stuck with their vendor who pushed them to over purchase (and many vendors WILL push you to over purchase).

Inventory has a cost s well

Get Your Uniforms Where They Need To Go –

One-location organizations are generally pretty simple to manage from a fulfillment perspective. It is when you are looking at multi-location or even multi-national organizations that the complexity increases. Typically, these sorts of solutions will involve a combination of different shipping methods and distribution patterns. For illustration let’s say, a multi-national organization needs uniform garments shipped to Central Europe, Russia, the U.S. and Canada. In this example the organization has distribution centers in Russia the U.S, and office locations in Central Europe and Canada. One solution would be to arrange for overseas sourced uniform goods for Europe and Russia to be shipped directly to the Russian Distribution center, whereas the US promotional partner would service all U.S. and Canadian orders. In addition, for lower-volume goods, the U.S. promotional partner would organize quarterly consolidated orders of lower-volume products for the Russian and Central European locations, thus being able to proactively stock uniform items to those locations while defraying volume and shipping/tariff costs to the overseas locations.

The above example is just one possible solution to the problem, there are other, more flexible options available, but again, flexibility and cost often come in direct proportion to one another. The final choice will always be dependant on your needs as an organization. What is most important in this regard is to find a promotional partner who truly understands the complexities of both large and small scale distribution channels in order to help you maximize your program’s value and meet your needs.

There are many factors to take into account when developing a uniform program for your organization, and each organization is unique in its needs. The trick is not to just create a uniform program, but to create on that provides the most value for the money in the areas of branding, productivity, and flexibility. For more information on what to consider when designing and developing your next line of uniform goods, please call us at: (800) 588-7111 (and talk to your sales rep), or email us at: customerservice@powertexgroup.com.

Your employees are your most important resource: their appearance and dress can make a profound impact on their ability to provide the service and productivity you depend on to make your organization successful. This is the second part in our three part series on what to consider when developing employee uniforms to meet your needs. The three articles cover the three most important components of any uniform program: Part 1. Uniform look and branding, Part 2. Uniform design as it affects productivity, Part 3. Uniform sourcing and fulfillment logistics. Read on for more about how uniform design can vastly affect your employee productivity.

The mental aspect –

Employee uniforms can reinforce roles

This aspect is often the most overlooked of all uniform design considerations, yet can have as much, if not more impact on a person’s job than any other consideration. In the previous article, we touched briefly on how the customer uses visual queues to identify members of your organization’s roles subconsciously. This works the other way around as well. When you employees slip into their uniform, they are slipping into a role. How well the uniform is designed can play a critical role in how that person is perceived in their uniform, and can thus significantly impact their ability to fulfill that role.

The nursing profession is currently, on the whole, moving away from the starched white nurses robes to more soft-looking patterned and colorful garb. This allows the nurse to feel more approachable and friendly, while still being easily recognized as a nurse. This can lead to less of a frightening or cold outward appearance, especially with children, thus making it easier to interact on a more comfortable personal level with their clients.

Police and uniformed guard companies around the world are constantly researching uniform cut/style and coloration as a way to improve their daily interactions with people. For example, wearing commando-style pants and darker blue or black colors, forces can appear more mysterious and authoritative. On the other hand, wearing lighter blues with a cleaner cut can give off a more approachable, less commanding vibe. By changing their uniform appearance, these organizations can better define their presence and image within their respective communities. Communities in certain areas would reject a more authoritarian tone, while others may benefit form it.

Uniforms have been used since time immemorial to convey a sense of belonging, a team atmosphere, and to inspire confidence. Uniforms can help to bring coherence to the outward physical appearance of your staff, as well as enhance the sense of unity and pride in being involved in a professional team. In fact, studies have been performed that show there is absolutely no correlation between the amount of customer contact an individual has and the positive effects of professional uniforms. This means that the uniforms themselves had a positive impact through serving to reinforce the professional role of the individual.

Make it comfortable –

Choose your cuts and fabrics wisely for a happier workforce.

When designing your uniform line, be sure to pay serious attention to garment comfort. Spending a few extra buck s on your employee uniforms can yield high returns in attitude and productivity.

First of all, you have to make sure your garments allow your employees to move effectively. There are many styles of uniforms and garments, some more restrictive from a movement standpoint than others. You want to be sure that your employees will never have to “fight” with the uniform while performing their duties. For example, if one’s job duties include a lot of stooping and heavy lifting, you want to make sure the uniform pants will fit relatively loosely; in order for the person to squat, bend, and lift effectively. Kitchen and wait staffs, on the other hand, typically need lots of movement in the upper body area. They often need to stretch their arms and shoulders to do their job duties. A uniform shirt that is too tight can be very costly in both employee attitude and efficiency lost.

Many job duties may need multiple uniform sets to meet changing or seasonal temperature conditions. What works in January, may be horribly uncomfortable in July. Plan ahead for these changing conditions and provide our employees with seasonal options if necessary.

Jobs such as kitchen or outdoor summer wait staff, who constantly are in hotter conditions often benefit greatly from modern moisture wicking, breathable fabrics. These types of fabrics, while generally more expensive, can help keep your staff amiable and professional in the heat.

When cold weather strikes, be sure to be prepared. Oftentimes, organizations forget that there are more than two seasons; winter and summer. There is typically a wide range of variation in between, and there are many options between a summer tee and a winter jacket. Designing your uniform schemes to be easily layered can be extremely utilitarian in these cases. For example, a uniform could consist of a long-sleeve shirt, a hooded sweatshirt, and a lightweight jacket for spring and fall weather. In the morning, the employee could wear all three layers and take them off as the day heats up in order to maintain a comfortable temperature.

Practical and functional –

Pocket size, placement, and sleeve length can have a huge effect on productivity

The third important piece in affecting your employees’ productivity is in functionality. Safety, fabric choice, and construction all can be directly linked to your organizations’ success. Subtle changes in these three uniform aspects can have significant impact on how well equipped your staff is to do their job.

No matter what the job is, safety is always a factor. In jobs around heavy machinery, you will want to ensure that there is no loose fabric that could be potentially caught up in the machinery. In construction or warehousing jobs, where there is heavy equipment present, you will want to make sure that the uniforms are colored so as to make the employee highly visible. Reflective materials aid in this regard as well. Non-slip shoes, protective eyewear hard hats, and gloves all can play an important role in safety.

Fabric choice can play an important role in safety as well. New, anti-bacterial fabrics can be an important tool in preventing food contamination and/or laboratory contamination. In certain jobs flame-retardant or chemical retardant uniform fabrics can serve to protect your workers as well.

The fabric you chose can have more impact than just from a safety standpoint, however. Jobs such as mechanics or janitorial positions can come into contact with grease, oil, dirt and cleaning materials. Choosing a fabric that repels such things is imperative in these jobs in order to ensure both longevity and proper appearance. In addition you want to be sure that in jobs where there are repetitive movements, you get a fabric that does not irritate. Pay special attention to the collars, sleeves, shoulder/armpit areas as these are several areas where skin irritation can be quite common.

The final piece to consider when designing your uniforms is general functionality. Things like placement of pockets, the size of pockets for certain tasks, sleeve design, and ease of wearing can be incredibly important in day-to-day activities. For this part, you will want to observe the general tasks your employees perform on a daily basis. Could they use an extra pocket? Where could it be placed? What are they using their current pockets for? Do they need closures for their pockets? Are certain existing uniform elements not being utilized, and why? After observing your employees, what sorts of things do they struggle with in regards to their uniforms? A perfect, yet common example of one of these types of struggles is in the food industry. Often it will happen that the uniform look will take precedence over the function, and the sleeves will be made too large. What will commonly occur is kitchen and wait staff will end up with their sleeves brushing or dipping into the food. In this particular example, this results in not only lost time, but increased food waste, as well as a potential bad experience for the customer (longer wait times, possible food contamination, seeing dirty sleeves on the staff, etc…).

Check in next month for the final entry into our uniform series as we continue with a look at how uniform sourcing and fulfillment logistics. We will look at how your choices in designing your sourcing and distribution channels can significantly affect your uniform program. Until then, for more information on what to consider when designing and developing your next line of uniform goods, please call us at: (800) 588-7111 (and talk to your sales rep), or email us at: customerservice@powertexgroup.com.

Employee uniforms say a lot about your organization

Your employees are your most important resource, and their appearance and dress can make a profound impact on their ability to provide the service and productivity you depend on to make your organization successful. This is the first part in our three part series on what to consider when developing employee uniforms to meet your needs. The three articles will cover the three most important components of any uniform program: Part 1. Uniform look and branding, Part 2. Uniform design as it affects productivity, Part 3. Uniform sourcing and fulfillment logistics.

Uniforms don’t exactly have a reputation of being highly fashionable, but it is important to remember that uniforms can be more than just a necessity. Through proper, thoughtful design, uniforms can add a touch of class, enhance your brand image, and enhance the customer experience. In part one, we will be covering uniform look and branding, which is the most immediately visible component with perhaps the most direct impact on your brand.

Uniforms can be comfortable and fashionable at the same time

Uniforms as Fashion – The main pitfall most organizations make when developing uniform programs is to follow convention and not even consider alternative designs. Too often uniforms are looked on as a necessity rather than what they really are; a prime opportunity to enhance your organization’s visual appeal and provide a stylish way to establish your identity. There are limitless uniform options available. By giving careful consideration to: uniform design, fabric color, fabric type, garment cut, and sizing options, you can develop a custom look all your own. Through custom overseas sourcing, it is literally possible to design your own uniform line from the ground up.

Of course, it may not always be necessary to keep pace with the latest runway fashions for your organization. Keep in mind, however, that there are thousands of high-quality domestically sourced alternatives on the market. You don’t need to necessarily settle for a standard look. You should be sure to partner with a uniform provider who has experience in sourcing a wide variety of uniform goods. Given the available choices on the market it is a relatively small task to put together a line that makes your employees stand out. With a minor amount of coordination, it is possible to develop a line that will not only enhance your brand’s visual style, but that can improve productivity through both practical and motivational means.

Uniforms as Branding – Obviously the uniform is a central piece in your organization’s branding presentation. Your employee’s visual look, demeanor, and professionalism all reflect on your brand image. Your uniform line development choices can be instrumental in positively influencing all three of these factors.  When designing your various uniform pieces, you will want to make sure that all pieces are all consistent from a branding standpoint, as well as from a design perspective. This goes beyond just making sure the uniforms are color-coordinated. Everything from the decoration design and decoration method to the garment type, cut, and fabric need to be taken into account when putting together a coherently designed uniform line. If any of these elements are ignored, the result can be a visually scattered and confusing brand representation.

You also want to step back and make sure that your line, as a whole reflects your organization’s philosophies. Imagine yourself as one of your customers in front of your uniformed employees for the first time. What would you infer from your employees’ manner of dress?  What exactly would their uniforms tell you about what to expect from your organization? Would it stand out as a dynamic example of industry innovation? Or would it perhaps reflect quality, dependable service? Or maybe it would represent high-end comfort and performance? The point is, that your customers will form assumptions based on how your uniforms are designed and branded. Make sure your team members are given the best opportunity to succeed by matching your uniforms to your branding message.

Uniforms can help indicate jobs and roles.

Uniforms as Customer Experience Enhancements – There have been many studies about the perceptual and emotional impact of uniforms on an organization’s customers. Uniforms can be a critical aid in helping to define the customer experience by helping to clearly establish visual queues as to your corporate structure, thus helping people to find the individuals they need. Take, for instance a common experience from the retail environment. The last time you were in a big-box retailer, and needed assistance with a product, what was the first thing you did? That’s right; you looked for a colored polo shirt with a tag on it. If you found one, great. If you found one that was a little different from the rest, even better for finding a manager.

We pick up on these queues all the time subconsciously. It’s how we differentiate between the bellboy and the receptionist, the cashier from the help desk person, the machinist from the janitor. Imagine being in a store and not being able to tell the customer service from the maintenance staff, or even worse, the employees from the customers. These visual queues can be carefully implemented in order to strategically guide the customer through your sales process with the minimum of confusion and hassle. Not only that, but they can lead to higher morale, more positive customer interaction, and higher customer satisfaction rates.

Check in next month for the next entry into our uniform series as we continue with a look at how uniform design and construction can affect employee performance. We will look deeper at how everything from the fit of the garment to the fabric should be considered from a productivity standpoint. Until then, for more information on what to consider when designing and developing your next line of uniform goods, please call us at: (800) 588-7111 (and talk to your sales rep), or email us at: customerservice@powertexgroup.com.

Powertex is always adjusting to our clients' needs

Connecting with our clients to learn more about their needs.

It’s no secret that the last year has brought significant changes to the promotional products industry. Many in our industry have found that it is no longer enough to simply offer competitively priced products. In order to compete, a company now HAS to offer a complete service platform to survive. They have come to understand that each client is unique, and so should be their solutions.

This is something that we’ve long understood at Powertex Group, and it is part of the reason why we have been able to remain strong despite the current economic crisis. In fact, we feel that we have gained valuable insights and been able to take advantage of the last year to position ourselves for significant continued success throughout 2010.

We asked a cross-section of our customers for help

That however, is not enough to ensure long term growth. We have to continue to drive innovation not only this year, but next year and beyond.  It is in that spirit that we recently reached out to a cross-section of our clientele to ask them their opinions on what they currently are pleased with, where we offer value, and where we can potentially raise our service level to meet our client’s needs. I would like to point out, before we go any further, that while it is impossible to conduct interviews with each an every single client on our list, we are leaving this informal customer survey open to all. If you have feedback that you feel strongly about, or you have service and platform suggestions, please call us or email our customer service desk (information at the end of this article) to give us you thoughts. We want your feedback, and would love to discuss your ideas. The whole point of this process is to be able to better provide a more comprehensive service platform for our clients.

The following interview questions were asked of our clients. We have provided summaries of the responses provided, as well as a synopsis of what it means for us.

In your opinion, what services/products that we provide offer the most value to your organization?

We were very honored to have, throughout the course of our survey process, to hear our clients mention nearly every single department at least once. From accounting to production we had someone show appreciation for just about all aspects of our business. There were, however, several things that rose above the rest: distribution and fulfillment, e-commerce, understanding of our client’s corporate environment, and our creative team.

It was good to know that many of our clients see us in very much the same light that we see ourselves. We view these things as our real separators within our industry, and in the end, there were few surprises here.

What competitor’s services/products provide better value than what is offered by Powertex? Why are they better for your organization?

There were lots of suggestions for more e-commerce and customization options

There were a lot of different suggestions, but what it boils down to is the following areas were mentioned the most: More on-demand production (pointing to direct-print competitors), Several E-Commerce features that are offered in the marketplace that we should look at (especially at the entry level), better call center (dealer relations) integrations, more creative product ideas at better prices, more name brand options, and more international marketing/distribution options.

The good thing about this list: 5 out of 6 of them have some solutions being developed, tested, or are ready to launch this year. You can bet we’ll be revisiting each of these near-term, and we are already discussing the remaining item on the list. More to come on our solutions as we get closer to wrapping them up and rolling them out.

Are there ways in which we can further save you valuable time in terms of our business relationship?

Some suggestions were for more timely, comprehensive reporting.

We didn’t get a lot of feedback on this question. What we did get broke down for the most part, in the following two suggestions:  better and more timely sales/information reporting (i.e. sales data-item breakdowns etc.), and a greater selection of sure ship items (i.e. items available within 48 hours to 10 days of order).

We are always looking to get better and more timely information to our clients, and we are currently researching create a client dashboard of sorts, where clients of all types can log in to take the pulse of their programs in real-time. As far as the sure-ship items, we just released our new ’10 catalog this week, and we will be revisiting that soon, due to its popularity.

If you could change one thing about our business relationship, what would that be?

Our clients asked us to look at better ways to turn inventories and provide even lower pricing

The most common responses to this question were; to look at working out more programs to better turn certain inventoried items, and provide even lower prices.

With regards to the inventory issues and lower prices; those are projects that are ALWAYS in progress. They both require our organization to walk the fine line between flexibility and competitiveness. We are looking into revisiting our sourcing, warehousing, and distribution methods in order to try to develop new solutions for each of these. These are at the core of what we do, and we need to be constantly pushing the envelope one these.

Do you have any ideas on how we can increase the value we provide to your organization through additional products and/or services?

Our clients asked for new international distribution options.

What our clients’ said: Better international shipping/distribution options, improvements in reporting and transparency in billing and shipping, developing a combined platform where we can combine our clients’ vendors with our own offerings (i.e. sell parts, accessories, and branded merchandise from a completely managed platforms), more options for product customization and individual item customization.

What we say: We are on it. Many of these items have already been discussed internally, and several of them are already in progress.  We are not surprised at these entries, because they have come up across many different client types. Most of these were touched on in the feedback above as well, and we see each of these four projects as being key to improving our service levels to our clients.

All in all, there weren’t too many surprises that came up within this survey process. There did result, in our conversations, a lot useful suggestions on HOW BEST to accomplish these needs for our clients. For that, we would like to extend a sincere thank you to all who participated. Your feedback is essential in helping us get better, and remaining competitive in our market. We will be providing updates on where we are with our service offerings throughout the year. There is a lot in store already, and we are looking forward to an exciting 2010.

For those who have other feedback or suggestions for any of the content in this survey, we would be glad to take our feedback as well. We need to know how what we can do to not only provide value, but what we can do to become invaluable. To submit your feedback, please call us at: (800) 588-7111 (and talk to your sales rep), or email us at: customerservice@powertexgroup.com.

All of the old barriers are gone, it’s now easier than ever to work sustainable promotions into your marketing initiatives.

Green Promotional Products - Backpacks, Notebook Sleeves

You’ve probably been hearing about eco-friendly promotional items for some time now. If you’re a regular subscriber to this newsletter, you probably saw our previous article on the topic here. Eco-Friendly Promotional Items have become all the rage across the promotional marketing industry. Some of the primary reasons; over the last few years there has been a significant increase in the selection of available product options, and the price points have become much more competitive. In addition, eco-friendly promotional products have an immediate and appreciated impact upon customers, recycled products have become publicly perceived as stylish, and, of course, it helps organizations in significantly minimizing their organization’s environmental impact. All of the old barriers to entry with regards to eco-friendly promotional items have been erased. Now more than ever, it makes sense for just about any organization to consider “Going Green.”

At Powertex Group, we have made our commitment to environmentally friendly promotional marketing by: making the commitment to switch to environmentally-friendly screen printing inks at our main facility, surrounding ourselves with

Eco-Friendly Bamboo Polos and Recycled Headwear

vendors who are committed to providing a wide and quality line of eco-friendly merchandise, reducing paper consumption throughout our organization, committing a portion of each monthly newsletter to featuring a new environmentally friendly promo item for the last year and a half, and strongly promoting ecological product alternatives to our existing clients. We firmly believe that replacing traditional promos with eco-friendly promotions will not only benefit our clients, but will benefit us all in the long term, which is why we have made our commitment to you.

If you are interested in making the commitment to “Go Green”, it is easier than ever. With plenty of available options and price points available, just about any organization can now get involved. Below are just a few categories of product types available on the market to get you started:

Aqua-Powered Calulator and Corn Cob Pen

Recycled Plastic Products - You know all the stuff that gets hauled away in your plastic recycling bin every week? Well that’s what many of these products get made out of. Recycled plastics get made into everything from cloth shoulder bags to food grade containers such as drinkware. As stylish as they are sustainable, this category is a great place to get started with eco-friendly promotions, due to the large variety of options available. Keep the recycling business alive by supporting these products.

Recycled Cardboards - Recycled paper products have come a long way in the last decade or so, and now have a style and feel uniquely their own. Most recycled cardboard notepads on the market are made with 100% recycled covers and 70% recycled writing paper. You can also find stylish photo frames, business card holders, and recycled pens made of durable recycled cardboard composite material.

Recycled Leather -

Recycled Leather Eco-Friendly Products

Affordable and attractive, recycled leather has become more popular, especially for padfolios. While not the widest product category, it deserves mention because the products in this category are both very competitive in price, and very potentially environmentally impactful. Livestock is a significant producer of the world’s C02 emissions as well as a large consumer of the world’s food resources.

Live Gifts - About as green as promotional gifts get, this category traditionally features live plants, seeds or bulbs that are given in recycled fiber containers. These are typically fun and long lasting reminders of a positive, nurtured relationship. Plus, they typically come in nice looking custom recycled containers, which will complete the environmentally friendly motif.

Bamboo Products and Live Plant Gifts

Alternative Materials - You can’t have a discussion about environmentally friendly materials without discussing bamboo; one of the most flexible and widely available alternative materials out there. Lightweight, strong, fashionable, while at the same time very utilitarian, bamboo can be found in everything from pen holders to lightweight breathable fabric golf shirts. Another highly renewable material becoming popular is hemp, which is used in everything from bags and totes to hats and gloves. It shares a steadfast toughness and lightweight utility with bamboo, while maintaining it has its own unique texture and style.

Eco-friendly promotions and business help to show your clients and employees that you are concerned with the environment and the world around you. And while the branding message may be about you at the end of the day, it is that added environmental message that will resonate with and enhance your clients’ positive image of you and your organization. When we can form a positive branding message, that’s great, when we can do all of that, while causing less harm to the environment, and spreading a positive message about sustainability that’s the icing on the cake. To learn more about environmentally friendly and renewable promos, give us a call today at (800) 588-7111. Email us at customerservice@powertexgroup.com or visit us at: http://www.powertexgroup.com.

Social Media and M-commerce are examples of rising technologies

In a promotional marketing world where change is the name of the game, it is important to keep perspective on what is most important; your brand. It seems each month brings a slew of new techniques, new strategies, and new platforms. Of course, most of these end up either being flash-in-the-pan ideas or not relevant to your particular needs. There is always more work to be done in the promotional marketing world, and it is necessary to keep your ear to the ground for developing trends. It is important to keep in mind, however, that the most important part of any marketing endeavor is to grow your client base and convey a sense of value to your customers. That means always paying attention to the basics, no matter what particular technology or technique you are using.

The basics of promotional marketing are as such: brand identity, brand integrity, and brand value. No matter how your are reaching out to your clients, always be sure to use the medium to convey your message, rather than changing your message to suit the medium. Never sacrifice your brand integrity by communicating just for the sake of communicating.

A video on youtube describes who we are

Brand Identity: The first piece of the promotional marketing trifecta, it can be considered the foundation. The question you need to ask when looking at how best to define your brand identity is a deceptively simple one; “Who am I to my customers?” Before  you send one more promotional email, post one more tweet, or give one more tee shirt away, you need to have the answer to this question.

The complicated part of this question is that, we all know who we are, but do we really know who we are from our clients’ perspectives? Take Cadillac for example. From one perspective, they are a producer of luxury vehicles. They handle the sourcing, production, delivery of these vehicles, and maintain complex dealer relationships across the country. Another definition of Cadillac is a creator of, as their latest commercial puts it; “reinvented, re-imagined, re-inspired” vehicles that  “reignite the soul”. Which definition do you think is more relevant to their customer? It is obvious marketing speak, but the important things are there: “reinvented, re-imagined, and re-inspired” speak to not only the new and modern design characteristics, but also references the long Cadillac history and existing brand reputation. Reigniting the soul speaks to the excitement of finding something fresh and new; something invigorating.

The reality is that your customers don’t really need to know about, nor do they really care about 90% of what you do. They are only interested in the parts of your identity that directly affect them. Take care to hone your external identity with this in mind.

Mathews, one of our customers, a company expert at cross-branding and brand integrity

Brand Integrity: This is often one of the most overlooked aspects of consistent branding. With so many different mediums available in the modern marketing world, it can be incredibly difficult to struggle to maintain your brand identity across them all. This can be made much easier however, if you’ve adequately defined the first brand basic, and have a strong, coherent definition of who you are, and who you want to be to your clients.

One of the reasons so many companies have struggled with social media is not because it is so new, but because it offers a platform that is generally outside the realm of total control. Once you place your message out there, you have lost complete control of it contextually. This is something many brands have struggled with, while others have been able to thrive. Why? Because many brands have been able to successfully maintain their brand integrity while encouraging and embracing the communal nature of social media. Those that have not been able to bring their message along with them, however, have struggled in communicating directly with their audience. Not having a strong company definition, combined with not being able to properly communicate value to their customers across platforms, has led some organizations to struggle in modern marketing arenas.

Strong brand integrity is crucial in developing a cohesive branding platform. Again, be sure never to mold your message to your platform, but mold the platform to your message. Use your assets correctly, and you can build a strong, cohesive platform for promotion.

The Carbon Signature Series is an excellent example of communicating brand value

Brand Value: When engaging your audience, always consider the value that you provide. This is not to be interpreted as an excuse to SELL, SELL, SELL to your customers. It is more a reminder that your customers (and potential customers) derive value from your goods and/or services. Why would your customer choose your service over someone else? Are you faster in supplying what your clients need? Do you provide a more comprehensive solution? Be sure, when creating your marketing message, that you always keep your perceived value in mind.

In our industry, for example, our customers don’t particularly care that we deal with national and international logistics in sourcing, shipping, and production every day. Nor do they care that we face rapid production deadlines and complex production deadlines every hour of our day. What they care about, and the value we bring, is that we provide hassle-free cost effective customized promotional programs.

When we communicate with our audience, we focus on the value we bring as a provider of solutions, and someone who can help achieve goals. This allows us to more easily engage our customers, since we are talking about things that they care about and that bring value to them.

At the end of the day, you should come back to these three simple concepts: brand identity, brand integrity, and brand value. No matter what your strategy or platform, these three basic ideas should be at the core of your marketing message. To learn more about branding basics, contact our expert staff at (800) 588-7111. Contact us by email at: customerservice@powertexgroup.com

Alpha Shirts; Wide Product Line, Available Inventory, Great Value

Alpha Shirts; a key Powertex Group promotional product partner

Most people don’t realize it, but they have likely worn or at least seen one garment provided by Alpha Shirt Company at some point in their life. With the largest in-stock shirt selection anywhere, and their suite of high-quality brands, Powertex’s partnership with Alpha gives us a leg-up on the competition. This month, we are going to take a look at what separates Alpha from the competition, and why they are on Powertex Group’s preferred vendor list.

History:

American Apparel is just one of the many brands offered by Alpha

Alpha was founded in 1931 as a wholesaler of mens dress shirts, hosiery, and undergarments in the New England area. The organization, at that time, provided products to accessory and sportswear outlets. It wasn’t until the 70’s that Alpha began to radically evolve as into the organization we know today. It was at that time the imprintable t-shirt industry was really taking shape, and Alpha aggressively hitched their businesses model to this rising trend to much success.

Fast forward through incorporation in the 1990’s and rapid expansion that continues even today, and we have the industry leader you see today.

The Alpha Advantage:

The numbers are impressive: 2.5 million square feet of warehousing space, 35 different product lines, 18 distribution centers nation-wide and expanded 1-day delivery service. It is easy to be impressed with the scale of Alpha’s organization. However, what really separates Alpha from their competition are the unquantifiable aspects of their business.

Alpha Shirts is a provider of high-end brands such as Devon & Jones

Despite their immense size, Alpha has never lost sight of their commitment to customer service and customer satisfaction.  As a promotional partner, Alpha Shirts has consistently delivered on goods and within time lines that many other vendors won’t or can’t. Their organization understands their customer’s needs, and will go out of their way to ensure our clients get the products they need, when they need them, and at a fair price.

Casting a wide net:

Alpha offers over 800 unique products spread across 35 brand names. Their offerings include: t-shirts, fleece wear, sport shirts, wovens, outerwear, hats, bags, and accessories. Alpha’s items are featured under several partner brands including names such as Dickies, Champion, and Adidas Golf. Factor in their own various private labels, Devon & Jones, Hyp, and Authentic Pigment, for an incredibly wide catalog of quality products. From ultra-trendy garments to business wear, you’ll likely find what you are looking for with Alpha.

Delivering when it counts:

One of the major contributors to Alpha’s success is their expertise in strategically positioning their distribution centers across the U.S. for quick fulfillment. Alpha Shirts features 18 distribution centers nation-wide with 8 of them labeled as Express Centers. These Express centers are stocked with only the most popular styles for quick shipment. This leaves Alpha strategically positioned to get their most popular items to almost anywhere nation-wide within a day. Their distribution network ships thousands of shipments to hundreds of locations each day. With over 2.5million square feet of warehousing space, their ample inventories drastically increase the odds that Powertex, in partnership with Alpha, can get your items to you for your next tight deadline.

Alpha has a number of strategically positioned distribution centers around the U.S. for quick turnaround times.

Business and promotions move fast. You need not only committed partners, but strategically positioned partners to get you the products you need. That is why Powertex depends on Alpha Shirts as one of our preferred core vendors. They are one of several keys in providing our customers the highest service levels available. To learn more about our key partners and how we can impact your organization, give us a call at (800) 588-7111, or email us at customerservice@powertexgroup.com.

The holiday season is almost here. Now is the time to start planning for
your promotional or employee gifts. We have put together a list of great gift ideas for your holiday promotions:

Holiday Ornaments :

A simple, low-cost gift, holiday ornaments are a great way to show your holiday spirit. One of the best things about ornaments, besides the low cost, is the sheer amount of options and customizability available.

Candies and Confections:

Everyone loves candies and confections. People will take these home to their families and friends, and share them around the office. Year after year, candies and confections remain one of the most universally enjoyable holiday gifts around.

Calendars/Schedules:

The holiday season means that the New Year is just around the corner. Sports teams and clubs can take the holiday opportunity to get their schedules out. Almost everyone has a calendar in their office next years, make it yours…

Cheese/Meat Trays :

It’s been said that the quickest way to the heart is through the stomach. We believe that to be true, and that there is no quicker way to get to your employee’s or business partner’s stomachs than through a customized gourmet meat or cheese tray. Your gift will be shared and savored by many with one of these.

Car Safety Kit:

Show you care with one of these. They can come in handy when someone has hard times in cold weather. Featuring a flashlight, first aid kit, foil thermal blanket, and multi-tool, these kits are a great way to symbolize your commitment to the well-being of those you care about.

The Saturn Collection online store responds to recent announcements by slashing its prices by up to 80%.

Saturn Clearance Sale, Huge Savings on Saturn Branded Merchandise

The surprise announcement that GM will be shuttering the Saturn brand has seen wide-spread effects across all industries. Powertex Group of Eau Claire, WI, who is the current sole licensed provider and reseller of Officially Licensed Saturn Product, has reacted to the shocking revelations by slashing prices on the Saturn Collection online store.

According to Gray Powers, Vice President of Powertex Group, “It is really unfortunate that we have to close up shop on this excellent program we have in place for the folks over at Saturn. We really were able to gain some momentum in the program, even in a down year for auto makers.” He continued, “It’s just a shame that everyone is going to lose a great brand that has developed so many industry-leading innovations over the years.”

Powertex Group is aggressively clearing out the remaining Licensed Saturn Collection Merchandise. Visit http://www.saturncollection.com for huge discounts on all products. With everything on sale from 50% to 80% off, you’ll be sure to find some great deals on all Saturn branded clothing, caps and accessories. Offer good while supplies last!

Contest entry details below.

Become a Powertex Group Fan on Facebook, or a Follower on Twitter, and become eligible to win $500 in custom goods and apparel.

Follow Powertex Group on Facebook or Twitter and get two chances to win $500 in customized promotional products for you or your organization! Powertex Group stepped into the world of social media in 2009, and we have seen serious growth in our ability to communicate with our client base, and in our ability to let our customers know about new developments. To celebrate our social media success, we have decided to give away $1000 in total prizes to our social media followers. If you are already a follower, do not fret. Current followers are automatically eligible for this contest.

Entry is simple. Everyone has two chances to win! We will be giving away one $500 prize to our Twitter audience, and one $500 prize to our Facebook fans. Simply become a follower of us on Twitter, or become a fan of our Facebook fan page, and you’ve entered for the contest. Enter on both to double your odds!

How to enter:

Register on Twitter here.

Twitter – Visit http://twitter.com/powertexgroup. Make sure you are logged in with your Twitter account. Once logged in, click on the “Follow” button to complete your entry.

Register on Facebook here.

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/pages/Powertex-Group/101986105635. Make sure you are logged in with your Facebook account. Once logged in, click on the “Become a Fan” button to complete your entry.

Share with Your Friends - If you are reading the contest details on http://blog.powertexgroup.com, then sharing is easy. Simply scroll down right side of the page, and roll over the “+ more ways to share” button. Once the menu appears, you can share this special offer via email, Twitter, Facebook, or any of 50 other platforms. There is a simple user interface that will guide you through each.

Winners will be announced on October 31^st, 2009. Winners will be required to complete a short verification process to ensure their identity. The contest rules and regulations are as follows:

Contest Rules, Terms and Conditions:

• You must be 18 years of age or older to enter. An individual may register on BOTH Twitter and Facebook, but the contest rules only allow for two entries per person (once on Twitter, and once on Facebook). Companies and organizations may register multiple persons.
• A total of two winners (one from Facebook, and one from Twitter) will be chosen randomly from the list of registered subscribers on Oct 31^st, 2009. Winner chosen randomly from all followers (previously subscribed individuals automatically eligible for contest).
• Two winners will select customized promotional products up to $500 in value from the entirety of Powertex Group’s catalog. $500 Prize level includes all art time, production time, shipping and customization charges for merchandise. In the event that the winner’s order should exceed $500, due to cost of customizations or item minimum quantities, the client will be responsible for the balance beyond $500.
• Prize must be collected by Jan 1^st, 2010 or will be considered void.
• Odds of winning depend on the number of entries collected throughout the contest.
• The winners will be announced on Twitter and Facebook, and will be contacted individually as each platform allows. The contest winners will have to contact Powertex Group either via email or telephone to claim their prize (instructions will be provided at contest close). To prevent contest fraud, there will be a simple verification process each winner will have to follow to confirm their identities as the true account holders. Please provide a working phone number or email in order to be contacted (please do not post this information directly on Facebook and/or Twitter, as this information is public) when claiming your prize. Entrant named on winning entry will be considered winner. Acceptance of prize constitutes permission to use winner’s name and supplied photo/image on marketing materials.
• Prizes are non-transferable, must (where applicable) be used on the dates specified and may not be redeemed for cash
• Winners are responsible for any applicable state, local, and federal taxes.
• Contest valid only within the United States (Including Hawaii and Alaska) and Canada.
• All contestants release from, and indemnify Powertex Group against, all liability, cost, loss or expense arising out of acceptance of any prize/s or participation in this contest including (but not limited to) personal injury and damage to property, and whether direct of consequential, foreseeable, due to some negligent act or omission or otherwise.
• We reserve the right to cancel, modify or suspend this contest at any time without notice.
• In an effort to keep the contest fair, we reserve the right to immediately disqualify any individuals suspected of employing methods to tamper with, or otherwise manipulate the contest results.
• Contest value not applicable to previous, already completed or in-process orders.
• Employees of promotional product distributors, promotional product consultants, or suppliers of ASI products and all ASI Affiliates are not eligible to participate in this contest.
• Only one prize per individual. Individuals not eligible to win twice.
• Void where prohibited by law.

Traditionally, when most people think of garment decoration, they think of the common screen printed t-shirt. While traditional screen printing is an important technique in the promotional products industry, it certainly isn’t the only way to decorate a custom garment. Read on to learn a little about the different techniques and possibilities available for your next project.

Spot Color Printing

Spot Color Printing - Spot Color Printing is the most common screen printing process. Spot color printing normally uses 1-4 distinct ink colors to produce the final design. The ink colors print solid on the garment, without color variations. This print process is perfect for simple vector art, and not complex photographic processes. Half-toning is often used to create blending and different color variations. It is a comparatively inexpensive method of production, with a wide range of art possibilities.

Simulated Process Printing

Simulated Process – Simulated process printing uses select Pantone colors for printing and can contain up to 8 colors. This process is perfect for reproducing photographic, complex artwork with opaque, vibrant colors. Because this process prints so much cleaner that Traditional Process Printing, it produces better on dark shirts. Because we hand pick the colors in the composition, we have much more control over the finished product, resulting in rich, vibrant, faithfully reproduced designs.

Discharge Printing – The discharge printing process consists of initiating a controlled chemical reaction removes dyes or pigments from certain areas in a garment. It is akin to a “bleaching” process. The chemicals are poured on the garment and cured, at which point the chemical reaction happens, and the design becomes visible.

Foil Printing

Foil Printing – When compared to other special effect processes, foil printing is fairly inexpensive. Foil is also relatively simply to print, and easily will catch attention from a distance when worn. With foil printing you can print an iridescent layer on top of color to create interesting reflective color effects, or you can print it in dots to simulate a sequin effect. Many consumers avoided foil printing on garments because of durability questions, but in recent times, foil printing techniques and materials have improved significantly, resulting in a far more durable and washable product than in the past.

Jelly Ink, or High Density Printing – Jelly Ink Printing produces a super high-gloss look, with a slick, tactile jelly feel. Jelly Print is very versatile in that it can be used directly on the garment, or printed on top of a color base to add some “pop” to a design. Jelly ink stretches well, and is very durable over time.

Blister Printing - Blister printing essentially adds single or multiple thicker layers of plastisol ink on the garment before it is cured. Once cured, it adds a small amount of three dimensionality to the finished product. Currently, Blister printing is very popular in consumer settings, as it creates many eye-catching design possibilities.

No Underbase Printing

No Underbase Printing - Most printing on dark materials is done with an underbase. An underbase is typically a white under print upon which, the design is printed. The colors tend to end up brighter and more clear than without an underbase. However, in the consumer market, it is very popular to print a subdued color on a garment with no underbase. This technique can be combined with varying levels of ink coverage, making an intentionally faded look.

Other Techniques – There are many other methods used in garment decoration: Rhinestones and Nailheads sprinkled-on “caviar beads”, glitter print, leather etching, etc… These other methods are less common of course, but great for consumer-direct use and for high-end garments. The possibilities are almost limitless. These techniques are often combined with the previous techniques for added effect.

The above techniques can be utilized alone or combined to give your promotional product line a unique look and feel that is matched to your organization. Call Powertex today at (800) 588-7111 , or email us at: customerservice@powertexgroup.com to learn more about how you can make your next promotional branded merchandise stand out.

Try Something Different With Eco-Promos :

Bamboo items make excellent eco-friendly gifts

We see it in the news, we read it in the papers. Ecological issues are becoming a concern for just about everybody, and businesses are no different. Businesses across the world are realizing the benefits of implementing environmentally-conscious technologies into their operations. Beyond obviously limiting the impact on our environment, companies are seeing better relations with their customers and even cost advantages in some cases.

The promotional marketing arena is the latest business area to see its share of “green” growth with a boom in eco-friendly promotional products from industry leaders. This trend is quickly gathering steam, and according to industry predictions, will be less of a trend, and more the norm in the near future. Traditionally, only environmental groups requested eco-friendly promos, but now most larger organizations like Volkswagen, Starbucks, and Apple utilize them in some form or another. Some organizations are now making it a requirement that a significant potion of their promos be ecologically friendly. There have even been recent reports in which environmentally-conscious companies are actually returning brochures that are not printed on recycled paper in an effort to promote green ideas across the industry.

Eco-Friendly promotions come in many different shapes, sizes and materials

Many organizations have an interest in raising awareness of ecological concerns, and eco-friendly promotional items are a great way to do it. However, the waters of ecological or green marketing are largely untested, since it is a relatively new concept. There have been, as of yet, very limited industry-wide investigations as to the actual cost/benefit ratio of utilizing green marketing techniques, leaving the quantifiable benefits a somewhat intangible at this point for most. Certain organizations, however, have been able to utilize these techniques to great success, and there a few things you need to consider before going green with your next promotional marketing campaign:

Will my audience place value on the fact that my products are green? Will it be apparent that my program is green-oriented, or will I have to invest in additional education? Does the fact that my promotion is green add value to my brand (or how do environmental issues relate to my brand?).

Depending on the type of promotional products you are ordering, green items can sometimes carry a higher premium. Some items, such as shoulder bags and notepads have very little price difference, while others, like some polos, can vary significantly. Just make sure to talk to a promotional products specialist in the initial planning stages of a promotional marketing campaign with a green theme to understand which types of eco-promos will be most friendly to your budget.

There are many options available, and your representative can help you find competitively priced items for your promotions. Powertex Group can help you to consider the benefits of eco-marketing for your organization, as well as line up a selection of green promos for your next promotion. To learn more on how you can go green, contact Powertex today at: Phone (800) 588-7111 Email: customerservice@powertexgroup.com.

Get more marketing punch with a full-service promotional provider:

We all know the value of a fully realized and well implemented marketing program and the value it can bring to your organization. But does your organization have the know-how and resources to implement a large scale

Licensed Promotional Goods

promotional branding campaign? How about the infrastructure to supply the promotional products to the locations you need? With a large scale promotional campaign comes many different logistics issue that may be expensive and time-consuming to solve.

That is where a promotional licensing relationship can be beneficial. By bringing in a full-scale promotional partner, you can save considerable time and money by utilizing the pre-existing infrastructure that a high-end partner brings. In addition, you can take advantage of the wealth of promotional experience that a specialized promotional company has already accumulated.

In a licensing arrangement, the promotional marketing company becomes a member of your organization and assumes a major part of the responsibility of making your branding initiatives successful. This ensures a close working relationship, and is the closest thing you can have to an extension of your own marketing department.

Experience counts. When you have a promotional partner, you automatically gain access to the full experience derived from dealing with countless other clients in countless other situations. Get invaluable advice on what works, and how to build your program. Stop throwing money around on “best guess” scenarios, and focus on proven tactics and tested models. This will not only help your organization to build its brand, but save considerable money by investing in more effective programs.

When building a promotional program, you not only need to consider what the message is, but how the program will be implemented into your pre-existing business model, and how it will be fulfilled and maintained. Implementation and proper maintenance is where a vast majority of promotions fail, as they are often the most overlooked and under-planned aspects. A proper promotional partner will have an infrastructure in place that will make it cost-effective and simple to maintain and fulfill the program.

Another thing that your promotional partner will bring to the table is a flexible range of assets and abilities to help you successfully launch your projects. From art and design, to full promotional line creation, to online technologies, to warehousing and comprehensive distribution capabilities, the extra capabilities that your partner offers

Putting it Together with Promotional Programs

will give you the proper support in areas that you need to ensure a successful program. This adds strength to your organization by giving you the proper supplement in areas where you may not be as strong or as experienced. This can add much value in that it saves you the very costly measure of having to build a separate department or add employees to compensate for your new marketing programs.

With a promotional licensing program, not only do you gain a new promotional partner, but you can gain valuable marketing experience, save time/money, and hone your marketing focus. In the branding world, the possibilities are almost endless, and it can definitely be helpful to have an experienced promotional partner in reaching your full branding potential. To learn more about the benefits of a licensing deal or gain a new partner in your promotional marketing endeavors, give us a call today at (800) 588-7111. Email us at customerservice@powertexgroup.com or visit us at: http://www.powertexgroup.com.

Planning for event sales can be a very complex task. In this, the second entry in our two part series, we will talk about merchandising techniques and increasing your sales at events. If you missed the first article, you can read it here.
In this article, we will walk you through things you need to keep in mind when setting up your event promotion:

Proper Signage: One of the first and most important steps in ensuring successful sales and happy customers is setting up proper signage. First of all, make sure your signage is clearly visible from as many angles as possible, and can be read from a distance. Secondly, make sure that your signage is professional and attractive to the eye. Thirdly, make sure that the language is concise and makes sense. Try to eliminate any language that might be confusing to customers at check out time. Make sure that pricing and specials are clearly marked. Finally, make sure customers know and can find where to go for what. Whether it be a certain type of product, or the checkout, you want your customers to find what they want easily.

Managing traffic flow is critical to event success

Traffic Management : Be aware of the traffic flow through your area, and try to anticipate potential bottlenecks and traffic problems. The better flow of traffic you have through your event merchandising area, the more success you may have. You want people to be able to find what they want, checkout, and get out easily. Many event purchases are impulse buys, and you don’t want traffic congestion to interfere with that.

As was mentioned before, make sure the signage and P.O.P properly reflects the locations of things, and that the pedestrian traffic lanes are clearly defined. If you have some areas that you know will most likely be traffic problems, and you will have no way of alleviating the problem, put some product there. Let people stare at your product while they wait, you may just get some add on sales.

Product Merchandising: Proper product merchandising can be a major factor in determining the success of your next event sales promotion. Make sure to keep your product selection in mind, and make it easy for customers to pick up add-on sales. Place like products together, and make sure to display add-on items next to the other products. Invest in proper P.O.P to properly and attractively display your product. Product will most always sell better when attractively displayed. Lastly, don’t make people look for your product. If possible, display your product at or just below eye level, and keep it visible,

Staff Appropriately: Make sure you have the appropriate staff available, and that you have a contingency plan if one or more members becomes ill. Not having enough staff can be disastrous, leading to high customer wait times, frustration, and lost sales. Plus, events can be extremely stressful on staff.
The loss of a key employee or under staffing can result in high levels of frustration and can lead to other problems as well.

Safety and security are key at events

Conversely, overstaffing can eat into your profit margins and ruin an otherwise successful venture. Be sure to analyze your potential sales numbers and plan accordingly.

Safety and Security: A general rule of thumb when planning for a successful event: expect and plan for the unexpected. Make sure you are acquainted with proper evacuation procedures for you, your employees, and your customers. Know where the fire extinguishers are, and where to find emergency first aid if necessary.

Be sure to have at least one security person for every 500 persons in your area. Depending on what kind of event you are at, you may want a higher or lower ratio. Properly train your staff on techniques to prevent the theft of both products and cash. Many an event has been ruined due to excessive theft. Have a secure system for handling daily deposits, and have a set system of checks and balances in place to ensure that proper accountability is in place for those who are handling money.

Of course each event merchandising and sales are different at every event and location, but these are some general guidelines to follow when setting up your next live promotion. Let Powertex help you set up and plan your next event. Put our experience and vast assets to work for you. Call today at (800) 588-7111, or email us at: customerservice@powertexgroup.com or visit us at: http://www.powertexgroup.com or visit us at: http://www.powertexgroup.com.