WALL-E and the Green Movement

My husband and I took the kids to see WALL-E this weekend. I didn't get to see much of the movie because my 18-month-old decided that running around the movie theater was much more fun than sitting still :). Even though I only saw bits and pieces of the movie, I was deeply moved by the scenes I watched.

For example, the opening scene shows WALL-E stacking up garbage in neat little piles in a landfill. When the camera moves away, you realize that the "skyscrapers" are really piles of garbage and that the entire landscape is one giant field of rubbish. Can you imagine what our lives would be like if our earth really did resemble a garbage dump? Anyway, WALL-E got me thinking that my green initiatives are right on time.

Speaking of green initiatives, guess what I found for you! Your very own digital "green" catalog. Lots of goodies await you inside this treasure chest. To get one emailed to you, simply send me an email with "Green Sourcebook" in the Subject line to wlbenterprises@embarqmail.com.

Would You Like a Complimentary Subscription?

I am putting together a list of select readers to receive a complimentary subscription to "Successful Promotions" magazine. This magazine is dedicated to providing practical marketing solutions along with case studies throughout. I know you will appreciate this valuable idea generator.

Please advise via email if you would like to be included. Send your email with "Successful Promotions" in the Subject line to the following address: wlbenterprises@embarqmail.com. Also, specify if you would like to receive the digital digest version (like the one shown here) or the hard copy edition. If you choose the latter, please provide a mailing address. Finally, if you would like to continue reading the issue here, shoot me an email and I will send you the complete version.

Do Your Potential Customers Forget About You?
Posted by Tom Kulzer (AWeber CEO)
Your web business probably gets product inquiries from potential customers around the globe. Inquiries come via e-mail and your web site, and you try to send information to each hot prospect as quickly as you can. You know that you can drastically increase the likelihood of making a sale by satisfying each person’s need for information quickly!

But, after you’ve delivered that first bit of information to your prospect, do you send him any further information?


If you are like most Internet marketers, you don’t.

When you don’t follow that initial message with additional information later on, you let a valuable prospect slip from your grasp! This is a potential customer who may have been very interested in your products, but who lost your contact information, or was too busy to make a purchase when your first message reached him.

Often, a prospect will purposely put off making a purchase, to see if you find him important enough to follow up with later. When he doesn’t receive a follow up message from you, he will take his business elsewhere.

Did You Know?

55% of the public say that they are currently dissatisfied with the quality of healthcare in this country. Since 1980, the percent of dollars spent for hospital care decreased from 47% to 36%. The percent of dollars spent for prescription drugs increased 200%.

Two thirds of the economy is influenced by word-of-mouth according to the findings of a study by Harvard University and McKinsey and Company. One word-of-mouth recommendation carries the equivalent of 600 advertising exposures. Seventy-one percent prefer a friend's recommendation to advertising.

We can help you create a brand, increase patient flow, recruit new staff, recognize staff, encourage philanthropy and create awareness in your community. Call WLB Enterprises at 1-877-667-7642.

An Example of Intelligent Follow Up

A financial institution needed a clever, creative way to celebrate their clients and touch bases with them each year. The bank ships a festive box to select customers during the week of their birthday. Each box is filled with a choice of muffin, cookie or popcorn packed alongside a party favor, colorful balloons, birthday candle and personalized birthday wishes. Some boxes come with a logo-imprinted pen inside.

If you would like to implement a similar program for your organization, just call WLB Enterprises at 877-667-7642.

Say Thank You

Spice up your thank you gifts with a delectable gift basket from moi. Aah, smell the perfectly sliced beef sausage. Indulge in sinful chocolate by Ghirardelli. Is your mouth watering yet? Imagine how delicious the food in this basket will be once you get it in your hot little hands. Let's take a peek inside.

You get Honey Roasted Peanuts, Sparrer Sliced Beef Sausage, Cheddar Cheese Spread, Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate w/ Almond Square Heart of Wisconsin Mustard, H2O Mini Water Crackers, Red Chili Chipotle Seasoned Pretzels, and Candy Caramel Popcorn.

Complete the basket with business cards and a custom ribbon featuring your company's logo. It's a scrumptious way to say thank you. Mmm, mmm, good.

Follow Up to Last Post

I received positive feedback from my donation to the Hispanic Bar Association's domino tournament. In fact, one member mentioned that she uses marketing materials and was promptly given a couple of my business cards. I look forward to following up with the different members to offer my marketing assistance. This brings me to another important key to business success and networking.

Follow up is extremely important. The person you meet today may not need your services or products right now but they may need them further down the road. If you have not kept in touch, they may not remember to call you when their desire for your services is most urgent.

Of course, you'll want to practice intelligent follow up. By intelligent, I mean not asking them if they are ready to buy every time you speak with them. Send them an article you think they would find interesting. Congratulate them on a recent success you heard about. Email them your newsletter. Stop by just to thank them for a referral. Call them and ask them what would be a good lead for them. In this way, you will be cultivating a relationship with your prospect; thus, he or she will be more likely to buy from you when the need arises because you are now perceived as a trusted friend-- not some nameless salesperson.

Happy selling!

Hot Off The Press!

I am bursting with excitement over these eco-friendly travel domino sets that just came in this week from Amerifoam, one of my favorite suppliers.

This post is a good follow up to my last post about going green. As you can see, you can promote your business and reduce your carbon footprint at the same time. It's like killing two birds with one stone, as the saying goes.

I was even able to imprint inside the lid (underside of "Domino" lid) which thrilled my client. Games like these can be used as giveaways or as tie-ins to your message in a promotional mailing.

For more information, see my site WLB Enterprises.

Can We Afford to Go Green?

Are you thinking about "greening" your office but not sure how much green you'll have to hand over to get started? Take heart. Going green doesn't have to break your bank account.

For example, Best Buy has set up a pilot electronics recycling program where consumers will be able to bring in a maximum of two used electronics to the store for recycling. So that old processor that's been collecting dust in the corner office now has a new home. The same goes for old monitors and even television screens up to 32 inches. If you're fortunate to live in the following areas, you should take advantage of this incredible offer: Northern California, Minneapolis, Baltimore and parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Virginia and Washington, D.C.

Another low-cost way to go green at the office is to encourage carpooling and/or the use of public transportation or bicycles to get to work. Some businesses offer to pay the bus fare for employees who support this new commuting arrangement. Others reward carpoolers with gift cards. Speaking of gift cards, you could take advantage of my gas card incentive program to fill up your carpoolers' tanks. With gas prices rising every day, your employees would appreciate your thoughtfulness.

Of course, once you begin these "green" initiatives, you'll want to advertise it. Take advantage of the vast assortment of "green" promotional products we offer. From "green" writing instruments to grocery shopping bags, WLB Enterprises has you covered. Click on our site and enter the keywords "eco-friendly" or "environmentally friendly" and you'll find over 8,000 products. It's enough to make you dizzy!

Never fear, the Promotion Doctor is here! Call me toll-free at 1-877-667-7642 and I'll walk you through the selection process.

Tip for the Day

The next time you receive an unsolicited credit card invitation in the mail, don't get mad. Get glad. Why? Because now you can advertise your business for free! Use the postpaid return envelope to drop in a flyer or brochure of your own. And if you've really being paying attention to my posts, you'll be smart and enclose a branded promotional product, too.

I've placed a few items above that are easy to mail and are just the right size to go alone or with other sales collateral. As always you can call me for more ideas. It's toll-free now, remember?

1-877-667-7642.

Browse my site for more hints. WLB Enterprises

Good News!

The Promotion Doctor is pleased to announce our toll-free number!

1-877-MOR-ROI2 or 1-877-667-7642.

The next time you need more return on your advertising investment, call 1-877-MOR-ROI2.

Quote for Today

Live out of your imagination, not your history. Stephen Covey

Just because your company doesn't have a history of using promotional products to market its brand, doesn't mean that promotional products are not right for your company.

Dare to think outside the box. If you need help deciding which promotional product to use, I'm just a phone call or a few keystrokes away: 321-277-4734 or wlbenterprises@embarqmail.com.

Who Wants Free Publicity?

Could your business use more PR? Do what one salon did to get free press. They gave complimentary haircuts and manicures to the residents of area nursing homes and invited the press. To keep their name on the lips of the residents and press after the event was over, salon staff handed out imprinted hairbrushes and pocket mirrors.

What a great idea! Wanna know how your company can use promotional items to create a memorable public relations campaign? Schedule your next consultation by calling 321-277-4734. Better yet, suscribe to our newsletter. Shoot me an email with your name and address to wlb.creativemarketing@gmail.com.

Thought for the Day

I was told to avoid the business all together because of the rejection. People would say to me, 'Don't you want to have a normal job and a normal family?' I guess that would be good advice for some people, but I wanted to act. Jennifer Aniston



Dare to be different when it comes to advertising your brand. Consider the following facts about promotional products:

• 76.1% of respondents could recall the advertiser’s name on a promotional product that they had received in the past 12 months.


• In addition, 75.4% of respondents said they kept their promotional product because it was useful.

If you're thinking about advertising in traditional media, here are some hard facts that might make you reconsider:

• 90% of homes that have a TIVO or DVR skip all commercials.


• Only 18% of all TV ads generate a positive return on investment.


• Fully HALF of all newspaper readers are engaged in some other activity while reading.


• 46% of all magazine readers are engaged in some other activity while reading.


• New options such as mp3 players, cell phones that play music, Internet radio, and satellite radio are chipping away at traditional radio.

(Traditional media statistics taken from "The Attention Age Doctrine Volume Two: Web Marketing 2.0" by Rich Schefren.) Click here to download your copy: http://www.strategicprofits.com/blog/attention-age-doctrine-part-2-released/

Still not convinced? Chew on this. Buying decisions are made in one of three places: the home, the car, or the office. If you want your brand to be remembered, advertise where buying decisions are made.

Promotional products are the perfect medium to use to accomplish this objective. For more sound marketing advice, schedule your consultation with the Promotion Doctor at 1-877-667-7642.

Tips for Planning a Successful Golf Tournament

Is your company planning a golf tournament for the summer? Here are a few tips to make your next tournament a smashing success!

• Start promoting your event at least three months in advance. Include a golf bag tag or handy golf kit with your invites. Your invitation is more likely to be opened and its bulkiness will create more excitement about the event.

• Start registering participants at least two hours before the tournament begins. Hand out logo'd gifts the players can use while golfing like sunglass cases, golf balls, golf towels, or a gift set with items like a shoe bag, visor and water bottle.

• Choose high-performance wearables. Remember, it's hot on the links! No one wants to be seen sweating it out. If you're providing golf shirts, remember to give clothes with moisture-wicking fabric and UV protection.

• Feed them well. A smart breakfast might include coffee, tea, muffins, fruit and water. Plan a healthy lunch and remember to take advantage of the advertising space that imprinted napkins and cups provide.

• End the day with prizes. Opportunities for prizes abound from door prizes to prizes for the lowest and highest score. How will you reward participants? How about a set of clubs, golf bags or a sports watch. Another useful gift is a multi-purpose golf tool. Look for one that has a ball marker, knife, divot repair tool, cleat tightener, nylon brush, key ring and pen.

• Remember to call the Promotion Doctor to help you score big with your clients or employees.

These tips were taken from our Spring/Summer newsletter. Get a copy by sending an email with your name and address to sales@GetMoreROI.net.

Stump the Promotional Advisor!

Ever had a promotional question and didn't know who to ask? Never fear, the Promotion Doctor is here! I am proud to announce a new service, available only to you, my faithful reader. Ask me your toughest promotion question. If I can't answer your query within 5 business days, I'll give you a free gift! Send your queries to wlb.creativemarketing@gmail.com. Remember, it has to be related to promotions so stay on topic!

Your Brand Stays on My Mind

Do you need a fresh approach to advertising? Try these ideas on for size: When your employees prepare to leave for an incentive trip, send them packing with items that will keep your brand top of mind. For example, they could probably use a sewing or first aid kit, Neckeze travel collar, travel bag or mini combination lock. You'll be on their minds, every time they pack for a vacation! Visit our website for more ideas. WLB Enterprises

The Promotion Doctor Is In

Tell me where it hurts.

Is your current advertising program costing you too much money and producing little results? Or maybe, you're getting phone calls but you are spending too much time qualifying prospects?

Do you need help in the following areas: attracting new clients, improving safety in the workplace, promoting a new branch opening, increasing the size of average orders, improving lead conversion at tradeshows, or measuring print advertising results?

Did you know that all of these objectives can be accomplished through the intelligent use of promotional products?

I invite you to schedule a consultation so you can see our programs for yourself. There, I will listen to your symptoms, diagnose your problem and prescribe a marketing solution that gets results. Call WLB Enterprises at 321-277-4734 or email us at wlb.creativemarketing@gmail.com.

One of My Favorite Things

It came on a Saturday and I've been on cloud nine ever since. I wasn't even expecting it so soon! What am I talking about? My very own eco-friendly portfolio from my favorite supplier of "green" packaging, The Platform Gallery. If you haven't clicked on my link below to view the entire line of presentation materials, do it now. Here's the link: My Eco Friendly Package Site. I use the portfolio on my sales calls because it looks more professional than if I carried loose papers in my briefcase. Plus, it's imprinted with my business name so I can keep my name in front of clients when I leave it with them. Similar products have been used as press kits, media kits, sales kits for new distributors and to introduce new services. Clicking on case studies on the website will pull up even more uses. You gotta get one so you can see what I'm talking about. If you need help deciding which one is best for your next campaign, just call me at 321-277-4734 or shoot me an email at wlb.creativemarketing@gmail.com.

Is Your Team Ready?

It's that time of year again. Time for Little League Baseball, Pee Wee Football, and Cheerleader Tryouts. Do you coach a sports team? Maybe your organization sponsors a local sports team. Either way, we can help you cover all your bases from player recruitment programs to sport-themed branding programs. Is your team ready? Call WLB Enterprises today to schedule a needs analysis tailored to fit your team objectives. 321-277-4734. Click here for more information http://63.251.14.198/marketing/video.jsp?

Can You Spot the Imposter?

Think you know a promotional product when you see one? Well, take this quiz. Don't bother with pen and paper. Do it in your head. It's easy! Look at these images and tell me which one is not a promotional product. Which one did you pick? Wanna know the answer? None of the above. That's right, you can use any one of these products to give you an edge over the competition. For more advice, schedule a consultation with us today by phone at 321-277-4734 or email wlb.creativemarketing@gmail.com.

Cool Gadgets I Love

Did you know you can get green USB drives? Yes, you can! These drives come packaged in bamboo casings.

The best part is that you don't have to sacrifice quality for sustainability. The drives feature Samsung and Hynix Tier1 Grade A USB 2.0 components and are RoHS certified. When shopping for USB drives, make sure you're getting a genuine Samsung or Hynix chip. Why? They are the most reliable and come with a lifetime warranty so you don't have to worry about data or memory failure. My supplier only uses genuine Samsung or Hynix chips.

A word of caution: Genuine Samsung or Hynix chips cost more than inferior chips so if a distributor quotes you an unbelievably low price, beware! Remember, you get what you pay for.

If all this sounds a little confusing, just call me at 321-277-4734 or drop me a line at wlb.creativemarketing@gmail.com.

Get Your Green On!

Have you been thinking about going green but you're not sure where to start? Here's a little primer for you.

"Biodegradable" means that the item breaks down naturally and returns to raw material or is absorbed by the earth. "Jute" is a vegetable fiber used to make accessories, rugs, or apparel. It's biodegradable and recyclable. "Organic cotton" refers to cotton grown on fields that have been chemical free for three to five years. It is either pesticide-free or insecticide-free. Organic cotton is biodegradable, hypoallergenic, machine washable and dryable, and absorbs moisture.

Now, on to the fun stuff! Look at these green products I found. Did you know the laundry bag doubles as a backpack? Wouldn't that be perfect for the college students in your target market?

Realtors will love the four-bottle wine carrier made of jute. It's an excellent way to welcome new homebuyers.

Who hasn't gone grocery shopping and seen the green shopping totes? Now you can offer your own shopping totes to clients branded with your organization's name. Ready, set, shop! Get more ideas here at WLB Enterprises and My Eco Friendly Package Site.

Go Bananas!

Need a new way to promote customer loyalty? How about a new twist on an old standby? Everybody loves monkeys, right? So....let the monkeys build your customer loyalty for you. Here's how it works. Take one of these monkey calendars. Come up with a catch phrase, like "Why monkey around with other banks?" Or "Why monkey around with other companies?" You get the idea. Finally, put them in your customers' hands. Find more calendars on our site: WLB Enterprises

Tag, You're It!

Have you ever needed specific information on your target audience and didn't know where to look? Well, here's a cool new way to get the goods: Dog tags! You heard me, dog tags. Use them to collect demographic data, product or service qualification, shared interests, rewards/incentives, or permission to contact. See the martini dog tag? You can advertise your business and send information about bars and taxi services and cocktail recipes to your clients' cell phones. How cool is that? Even cooler is the gorilla dog tag. You can upload your own media utilizing a PIN-based system. This is perfect for artists and bands. I'll even waive setup charges if you order 1,000 pieces or more. Need help? Just call me at 321-277-4734 or email me at wlb.creativemarketing@gmail.com. Better yet, just go to our site here: WLB Enterprises

Don't Gamble With Your ROI

When designing your next advertising campaign, consider where your end user is most likely to be when he or she is most desperate and in need of your products or services. Knowing this will help you determine which marketing strategy you should use to reach them. Do you know where most of your clients come from? We can help you develop and implement lead tracking programs, lead generation programs and client acquisition programs. Call WLB Enterprises at 877-667-7642 or email sales@GetMoreROI.net to schedule your consultation. Or visit our site here WLB Enterprises.

On Memes and Brand Recognition

Every business needs a meme, or character that when you see it, you immediately think of the company it represents. Think Tony the Tiger, Mickey Mouse for Disney, or the Aflac duck. Logos used to be the all-important must-have for businesses; today it's memes. Only a few organizations use memes. Now would be a good time for your company to get one, too. Who knows? Your next company representative may be a stuffed animal. Need advice on how memes can increase your brand recognition? Shoot me an email at wlb.creativemarketing@gmail.com or visit our site WLB Enterprises.