And I hope you don't get them to make coffee for you or run over to Starbucks to get a doubleshot espresso for you . . . But there are three reasons for getting interns: Get more work done. In this economic climate, people are forced to step up, learn new skills, and tap their other talents, previously gone unnoticed. But because there's so much work to do, they've been working long hours to get work done. Solution? Get interns--not to get coffee for you or to pick up your dry cleaning but to help out with real work. Share the knowledge. Isn't it nice to take part in molding young minds? Consider it your company's legacy to give back and contribute to the knowledge pool--internships are the easiest way to do that. On-the-job training gives them a taste of what it's like in a real workplace, where deadlines are the order of the day and one needs to keep learning new strokes to stay afloat. One day, when one of your interns becomes a hotshot marketing/sales maven, she'll look back and thank your company for the education. Learn from them. Who says learning is a one-way street? Interacting with young minds helps you ...

Last year's Earth Hour was a good exercise in getting people to understand the impact of global warming. If you've been living under a rock and haven't heard of Earth Hour, it's a movement that started in Sydney, Australia, in 2007. Its objective was simple: to let the whole world know that collection action can change the world. In 2007, 2.2 million homes and businesses joined in by turning off their lights and appliances for one hour. Earth Hour went global in 2008, with 50 million people across 35 countries switching off their lights in support. This year, Earth Hour aims to reach 1 billion people across 1,000 cities worldwide. Organizers hope these 1 billion votes will be heard at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen this year, which will replace the Kyoto Protocol. Your vote against climate change matters. It's simple, just switch off all lights and appliances in your home/office on March 28, 2009, 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. You can take your concern for the environment a step further by becoming more conscious in your choices of promotional items. If you're launching a product, building brand visibility, or increasing sales, and looking for promotional items to help you achieve your ...

With a long season of gift giving coming up beginning September, I thought it would be good to reflect on how businesses choose corporate gifts. Are these presents given much thought? What factors affect the decisions of choosing gifts? Are they chosen based on value, practicality, or fashion? Does the company's ethos come into play as well? Corporate social responsibility seems to be the fashion these days. Sometimes I can't help but think, Is this company supporting this charity or espousing as a public relations move or does it sincerely mean the gesture? So what makes for responsible and sustainable giving? Let us count the ways: Environmental impact. Corporate gifts and promotional items that are reusable, made from recycled materials, energy-efficient, organic, and sustainable can certainly convey your message and yet not take away from the planet. (And while we're at it: Remember to factor in the gift wrapping.) Ethics. Yes, a fur coat or an ostrich bag may seem extravagant and impressive, and perhaps it'll seal a business contract, if not further strengthen client relations. But at what cost? Do animals have to die for you to get a million-dollar deal? Humanity. Some corporate gifts may involve child labor or exploitation. By buying ...

Unless you have someone else doing your groceries or simply don't read the newspapers, we assume you know that paper bags are banned in our favorite furnishings store Ikea. They're a no-no in San Francisco as well--a landmark move, if you ask us (I'm guessing we're getting more promotional reusable shopping bag buyers from that side of America)--and the interest in banning plastic bags is spreading as well. I don't have the figures, but I am confident that the energy put into making reusable canvas bags wouldn't even equal that used in the production of paper and plastic shopping bags. Besides, if we can't make a plea for the environment (especially if you hardly care), maybe this one will do: Nobody looks fashionable carrying a plastic bag. So here's why I'd choose a canvas tote over a plastic or paper shopping bag. You can take it to the beach, supermarket, office, or park. You can slip your purse and a notebook into it when you're doing some errands. It hides an extra pair of footwear and saves you the embarrassment. It's strong enough to hold groceries, and you might even get extra points for bringing your own bag to the supermarket. It's durable. I can ...

Stress-free fund-raiser. Now that sounds like an oxymoron. If you've ever organized a fund-raising campaign for a project or a cause, such as adding an extra wing to the community hospital or renovating the city library, you've probably experienced the stressful nights when you didn't know whether your goal was realistic or when you were ready to throw in the towel. Don't fret now. Here is something to keep in mind BEFORE you launch that fund-raising campaign: 1. Plan. Many nongovernmental organizations may have well-meaning projects, but because of poor planning, the project goes awry. Sit down with everyone. Set realistic goals. Pull in an investor or partner (see #3) if needed. Assign duties. 2. Order your promotional items way in advance. If you're selling these imprinted merchandise, you'd want to make sure the logo was added clearly, so you need to check these promotional items to make sure they're of good quality. Another thing is to make sure the items arrive BEFORE the fund-raiser, not on the date itself, to save yourself the stress. Buying your giveaways from a trusted supplier will spare you the headache. 3. Partner with another organization. There's nothing wrong with bringing in a partner. It means you can split ...

I miss those days when everything in this world was fresh, safe, and free of toxins. These days, not only is your water or the air you're breathing possibly contaminated, even the sports bottles you take with you during your workout or your baby's milk bottles are made of materials that, at certain amounts, may be unsafe to humans. If you've been following the news, you probably heard of the debate on bisphenol-A, a substance used in polycarbonate that, in animal studies, have been found to affect reproduction and brain development., Polycarbonate is in almost every hard and plastic thing we have at home--sports bottles, baby milk bottles, sippy cups, food containers. Some studies say, however, that under normal use, the potential leaching of BPA to food is extremely low and that the average adult would have to ingest "more than 600kg (about 1,300 pounds) of food and beverages in contact with polycarbonate ...

Marketing is, in many ways, trial and error. You plan a new strategy. It doesn't work. You're frustrated, for a moment, and then you move on and think of a new strategy. It fails again. You're a little more frustrated now, but then a lightbulb flashes in your head. You have an idea. You try it out. It works. As in real life, marketing involves a lot of risk taking. "No guts, no glory" has never been so true. USAFundraising.com has a tip for nonprofit organizations, and I think it applies to business groups as well: "Give them what they want." We're all used to routine. We like everything predictable. We don't want our boat rocked. However, it takes a brave marketer to consider injecting some creativity in his promotions, such as using fun promotional items or a series of e-mails or ads to keep one's audience interested. One of Branders.com's more successful promotions involved a company that used promotional stuffed monkeys to be its company mascot during a trade show. I can imagine how the strategy must have seemed like a shot in the dark, but then it worked. Even Einstein failed many times before he finally got it right. Photo: "Hoops" by ...

Today is World Environment Day! Have you made some environment-friendly resolutions? Are you ready to abandon your careless, eco-destructive ways and go green? It's difficult to start a nature-friendly campaign alone, so why not get the rest of the team to join you? Here are some corporate team-building activities you and the rest of the team can do for the environment: 1. Plant a seedling. Trees help reduce soil erosion and absorb carbon dioxide, the major culprit for global warming. In addition, forests provide a natural habitat for flora and fauna, especially those that are approaching extinction. 2. Go paperless. I know it's so hard to do so. Well, here's a confession for you: I've done away with printing in the office (but writing on my Moleskine will always be a hard habit to break), and I must tell you how DIFFICULT it is for me not to print anything especially when I have tons of documents to study! But we all must sacrifice. Besides, no pain, no gain, agree? 3. Set one day a week as a bike-to-work day. Biking has environment, economical, and health benefits. You not only save on gas and lessen your contribution to global warming, but you also get ...

A poll at USA Today discovered that 25 percent of children 5 to 12 years old receive more than $20 a month in allowance. Banks can tap this market segment by offering promotional coin banks to children as welcome gifts when they open a savings account. More than building brand awareness, this is a way of encouraging children to save. Banks can also offer rewards such as promotional stuffed animals to those who come back with a filled piggy, ready for depositing. For adult depositors, especially valued clients, promotional pewter coin banks are perfect loyalty rewards or birthday gifts. These beehive-shaped coin holders would look good as desktop accessories. Find more promotional coin banks at Branders.

I was sifting through some sites yesterday when I came upon GoodSearch, a search engine that allows users to donate to a charity or a cause of their choice simply by searching online. I think it's a wonderful way to do good with so little, so why do not some good by installing GoodSearch? Meanwhile, if you're looking for promotional products you can use for a charity or a fund-raiser you're launching, here are some suggestions: Promotional stuffed toys are among the popular merchandise used for fund-raisers. Who can resist these cuddly, oh-so-lovable stuffed animals? Logoed ballpoint pens are suitable merchandise if you're targeting the older demographic. These leather-wrapped promotional writing instruments have deep-cut chrome engravings and make great collection pieces. If you're raising funds for breast cancer awareness, this pink promotional tote bag is a good match. Here are other promotional products to match your theme. Some previous posts you might find relevant: What's your charity? Tips for a successful fund-raiser