Less than two months and 2010 will be rolling in. Have you put in your orders for promotional calendars yet? Calendars are one of the most inexpensive yet effective ways to build brand recall. The cheapest mini calendars are available for a little over five cents, while the desktop calendar that's  great for office workers starts at one dollar. And how far that one dollar goes! Because people look at their calendars every day, that's 365 days of exposure for your brand--at a little over a dollar! If you haven't decided  on what promotional calendar to get, here's a buying guide to help you decide: Conspicuous. Mini calendars that one can place on top of a computer monitor will ensure that desk-bound recipients will always see your name and number. Some of the cheapest cost at least $0.10. Savings tip: Buy in bulk and you can get them for a dime each. Small and lightweight. Pocket calendars that are about the size of a credit card are cheap and perfect as handouts for shoppers, pedestrians, and trade show guests. Large and noticeable. Wall calendars will cost you a little more than a dollar, but they're ideal gifts for offices and homes, where people will post them ...

Thanksgiving is a little more than a month away, so plan your gift giving early to save yourself the stress. Here are a few Thanksgiving suggestions so you can buy your giveaways early and enjoy the holiday: Be present at every dinner table across America this Thanksgiving by giving loyal customers promotional wine with your brand name on the label. Say thank-you in so many ways, in various language with this photo frame, which is embossed and debossed with "thank you" in various languages. With winter just around the corner, this season is the best time to give out winter-themed items, such as this luxurious lambswool muffler, which is as useful as it is fashionable. Having your logo embroidered on it will assure your presence every winter. Gadget-loving homemakers will appreciate this kitchen wonder and are sure to come up with a more delectable Thanksgiving feast.

If you're a newbie to buying promotional items online, you're probably worried about trusting an e-commerce site like Branders with your hard-earned dollar. And in these hard times, I would understand why. It's true: There are fly-by-night e-commerce sites that don't deliver as promised, giving others a bad rep. How, then, do you pick out the bad apples from the good ones? Aside from reading the product reviews, you can be a more involved promotional items buyer by calling your account manager and asking for a sample. (What, you didn't think that was possible?) It's easy to be misled by what you see on the Internet, so the best way to judge the quality of an item is getting an actual sample of it, which you can get for free. See a sample before you buy. Call 877-BRANDERS and ask for one now.

Travelers don't have to put off their exercise routine when they're away from home. Many hotels today understand that keeping fit is a concern for many traveling business executives, and they have gone extra lengths to offer exercise essentials in house. At Omni hotels, for example, guests can request for a Get Fit kit, which consists of a handy canvas with a floor mat, two dumbbells, an elastic exercise band, and an exercise booklet. Along with these, guests also get a bottle of chilled water and a hand towel. At Tel Aviv's Melody Hotel, guests can avail of the Morning Jog kit, which contains a map, hat, towel, and a bottle of water; or the Fit kit, which has weights and an exercise video; or even the Bicycle kit, which offers the use of a bike with a bottle of water and a map of the city's bicycle routes. Resorts, bed-and-breakfasts, and inns may not have the budget that hotels have to offer their own fitness kits, but they can make do with small gifts like jump ropes, yoga mats, and pedometers. Pocket sliders, which cost under $1, can help you build a good rapport with your guests. Leave it at bedside tables, ...

The bedroom is a sanctuary where we spend a third of our day. What happens in the bedroom influences much of the next day's mood: if we slept poorly the previous night, it affects our performance at work. But if we had a good night's sleep, we get up energized and ready to take on the day's challenges. Promotional bedroom gifts aiming to score some eyeball points would do well to be subtle and enhance the bedroom experience. Here are 5 practical gifts that will help you maximize logo exposure in the bedroom: With exotic essential oils that soothe and relax, these Sensations Aromatherapy Sticks are sure to give anyone a good night's sleep. They come in a case with a keychain, so they're certain not to be left behind. Sleep will come easily to anyone who has this aromatherapy eye pillow. Filled with flax seeds and lavender buds, it soothes and relaxes the eyes. It can be refrigerated and used over and over. Washable too. Counting sheep is so out of fashion. The Aura cube clock changes hues every hour and will have you spellbound with its sleep-inducing colors. On a bedside table, the Confetti frame, with its debossed and embossed heart embellishments, is ...

Building readership for your blog and corporate or e-commerce site is no easy task. Unless you have 100 family members and very close friends, you can't expect to have 100 regular readers just a month after launch. So aside from exchanging links with similar blogs, networking, and shamelessly leaving comments on other people's sites, what else should you do to drive people to your site? Here are some recession-friendly promotional items, all under $1, that can help you build up your site's popularity: Pens are just about the cheapest way to promote your Website. The Bic Retractable Wide Body Ice pen (as low as $0.73) comes in fun, attractive colors, and its wide barrel offers a 2x0.6-inch imprint area for your URL. Be spotted on the road by having bumper stickers (as low as $0.10) imprinted with your Website's URL. Make sure you get the outdoor-type light-fast stickers that can withstand exposure to sunlight. Refrigerator or business card magnets (as low as $0.15) bearing your URL will ensure quick recall for your Website. This 4x4-inch coaster (as low as $0.17) offers a huge imprint area that you can customize with a full-color design plus your logo. Diners are sure to give it a second glance. Offer an ...

Whether you're working or studying, note taking is an important skill that will help you ace your exam or perform your job well. Studies show that people recall only 50% of what they hear, of which 20 to 30% is incorrect. Can you imagine if we all had to simply rely on memory? Much of our ideas would be lost if we didn't write them down. We waste time and money when we drive back to the supermarket for that missed can of canola oil. We pay penalties when we forget to pick up our kids from day care on time or when we miss paying our credit card bills. Note taking would be so much easier if everyone were equipped with the right tools. Here are some promotional note-taking tools that you can give out in school and at work or keep within arm's reach: A good pen that writes well, with ink that doesn't dry up easily. Or how about something that writes well even on an aircraft? Lined notebooks with good paper, especially one that looks good inside and out. (I love this notebook's soft leather cover, available in red and pink!) Thank God for whoever invented sticky notes. Whether you're looking ...

Planning a beach event? Here are some fitting promotional items that will show off your logo at the beach: These promotional flip-flops are made with a single-layer high-quality EVA and are similar to the popular Havaianas brand. They make great giveaways for a beach event or can be sold as logo'd souvenir items at surf and resort shops. Want to leave a brand footprint? Ask your account manager how that can be made. The Jenev bag is fitting for a beach getaway. With its 15x14-inch size, it can hold all your beach essentials: sunscreen, water bottle, lip balm, hat, and even a beach towel. Makes a good giveaway for beach retreats. A beach outing or a picnic is best enjoyed with this custom fleece blanket. This easy-carry item folds conveniently into a sleek case. This one makes a great take-home gift for employees and their families.

Don't leave a bad business card behind. This week (June 7 to 15) is National Business Etiquette Week, and I thought I'd share with you some of the best business etiquette practices that our account managers (and savvy sourcing experts) do to keep their customers. These business practices are so fundamental that apply to any industry. We hope you find them useful: Respond to customers' e-mails or calls promptly. It's rude to keep customers waiting and leaving them wondering whether anyone has acted on their requests. A Branders client, Sandra Pecora, writes that what she she likes about her account manager, Alex Andersen, is that he always "responds to my e-mails and calls very quickly" and that "he has always answered my questions or found answers for me in a timely manner." Deliver what you promise. It's easy to guarantee to deliver on time or to say "we'll give you your money back," but no amount can pay for a failed marketing campaign that resulted from a promotional products order that arrived two days late. One Branders client, Chelle Watson, says she can always depend on her account manager, Chris Florendo, for any project because her orders always arrive on time. Ensure an excellent ...

Father's Day is just around the corner. Have you ordered personalized gifts for the fathers in your list? If you've already planned a big Father's Day celebration, here are some of our best Father's Day picks, perfect for every kind of father there is: For the dads who wear their hearts on their sleeves, why not order personalized T-shirts for everyone imprinted with the words, "Proud to be Dad." Highly recommended: This promotional Gildan shirt has gotten good reviews by many clients. Because hardworking dads need to play hard too. Give your sports-fan dad a day of relaxation with this custom-printed stress balls or how about a fun game with this custom football? For the dad who is always fixing things, get him a new set of toolkits. While buy a new tie for the dapper young dad who is always careful about how he looks. For the fathers who enjoy cooking, buy them their own personalized Grill Master aprons, a complete  kitchen helper that comes with a detachable bottle opener, padded oven mitt, and towel. For daddies who are regulars at the airport lounges, give them something they can take on their next business trip: a pair of custom earphones so he can ...