Continued success and hard work should be rewarded. Recognition programs can motivate employees and, as recent findings have pointed out, lead to better business. Bersin & Associates, a human resources firm, found that companies with established recognition plans are, on average, "12 times more likely to generate strong business results than their peers."

Owners and managers must establish clear criteria and rewards for their programs. Personalized business gifts can make excellent prizes, but associates should be told how they can earn those awards.

Set attainable goals
Employees want to know what actions are rewarded by their company. Staffers usually put forth their best efforts, so setting abstract goals like hard work over periods of time can be confusing. Some associates will wonder why their efforts weren't recognized while their co-workers' were.

You can set goals based on your business. For example, if you own a car dealership, you can give gifts to the sales representative with the highest monthly sales totals. Having a clear goal gives your employees something to work toward.

Have a schedule
The best recognition programs adhere to schedules so employees know when they'll be rewarded if they reach certain goals. Clear timetables motivate associates because they know they're working on deadlines and there isn't a moment to waste.

Your program may not succeed if staffers don't know when they're being monitored or when new reward periods begin. Some of your staffers may grow unhappy if they're not alerted to key dates for recognition programs.

Pick appropriate gifts
Because you're rewarding workers for their business successes, the prizes you hand out should be professional. Gifts that are functional around the workplace may be appreciated more than frivolous awards.

A personal touch can go long way toward satisfying workers. Personalized calendars and other office items, like pens, are small tokens, but show that managers are truly paying attention to who is putting forth a strong effort.

Every recognition period you can distribute a different gift so employees stay motivated to earn new prizes. Owners who want to make their rewards truly special can allow winners to pick their own rewards, whether it's a custom coffee mug, personalized portfolio or any other item that can be used around the workplace.

The post How to create an employee recognition program appeared first on Small Business Marketing Blog.

Accuweather's seasonal forecast doesn't show much snow arriving in the United States until later this autumn, but the summer's mild temperatures aren't expected to last much longer, either. Small business owners and managers can capitalize on the change in weather by handing out scarves and gloves from the Adler Collection as personalized business gifts.

Employee recognition
A business is only as strong as its employees and recognizing the efforts of the best staff members could keep them on board. According to the Spring 2012 Globoforce Workforce Mood Tracker, 81 percent of respondents said receiving recognition for good work improves overall job satisfaction. It isn't necessary for management to buy lavish gifts for workers, but a small token of appreciation goes a long way.

Some associates have long commutes through the cold weather every morning. A company could give its best employees gloves so they don't have to jam their hands in their pockets to avoid the crisp autumn air. Managers could show they are paying attention to their staff by picking out the perfect pair for each worker. For example, the salesman who drives in to work each day might appreciate driving gloves more than the accountant who uses public transportation.

Customer rewards
Regular customers want to feel appreciated by companies. Part of a business relationship is returning the loyalty that clients show toward an establishment. Gifts from Adler's fall collection of scarves and gloves could help owners demonstrate how appreciative they are of their consumers.

The cold weather affects customers as well as employees. Giving a new scarf as a token of appreciation for months of regular patronage might endear a client to an establishment. The item reinforces the business affiliation by showing the consumer that the company is paying attention to more than the bottom line.

Business gifts can help a company maintain relationships with employees and clients as functional and fashionable presents from the Adler collection keep them warm through a chilly autumn. Staff members and customers will appreciate an establishment that gives these items away. 

The post Dealing with cooler temperatures appeared first on Small Business Marketing Blog.

On April 25th, businesses and corporations around the United States will celebrate Administrative Professionals Day, which will experience its 60th anniversary this year. The day focuses on the unique skill sets that administrative experts have developed over the years, which include data management, gatekeeping and more.

If you can think of any employees that fall into this category, you might want to consider having a promotional giveaway to honor them on April 25th. However, there are a few guidelines that you should keep in mind before embarking on a promotional advertising campaign.

The International Association of Administrative Professionals

If your secretaries, administrative assistants and receptionists are not a part of the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP), you should encourage them to join immediately. This non-profit organization aims to improve the industry by offering educational events and seminars based upon the administrative world, and they are always seeking new members for lectures and other events.

According to their website, the IAAP claims "there are more than 4.1 million secretaries and administrative assistants working in the United States and 8.9 million people working in various administrative support roles. More than 475,000 administrative professionals are employed in Canada. Millions more administrative professionals work in offices all over the world."

Promotional products can raise awareness of this agency by providing the history of the industry in general. For example, custom coffee mugs may mention that the IAAP was formed int 1942 as part of a timeline logo. This way, anyone who uses the mug can pursue membership immediately.

Keep promotional giveaways short but sweet

If anyone respects time management, it is an administrative assistant. Therefore, when holding a ceremony to honor the time a person has spent helping to organize an office, it is important to keep it as succinct as possible. This does not mean having a five minute presentation, but celebrations should not drag on longer than an hour.

As the business owner or marketing manger, it will be your responsibility to gather everyone and introduce the administrative assistance for applause. Then, everyone who wishes to speak about the employee's dedication should be given a turn, followed by a speech from the honoree his or herself. Extended fanfare can be celebrated at restaurants and bars after five o'clock – while in the office, keep it professional and give out only respectable executive gifts.

Choose items that will be remembered and used for a long time

The longer your administrative assistant has been working at your company, the more luxurious a business gift should be. A good idea is to create employment tiers that are categorized by increasing years spent with the company. For example, you might stagger these at five year intervals. By stretching out these awards, you ensure that they are special enough that only dedicated employees will receive them. After all, if someone can last fifteen years at a company, chances are they deserve a rich, embroidered tote bag or personalized laptop case.

The post Reward your administrative assistants with promotional products appeared first on Small Business Marketing Blog.

Though promotional advertising can be a great way to make employees feel validated, you have to make sure that business gifts are professional, practical and of superior quality. If you are giving out these items during the month of April, keep the following tips in mind to secure the maximum return on investment.

Provide inspirational messages along with recognition

It's important to recognize employees for a job well done, but promotional products should be emblazoned with motivational messages to remind workers that hard work is rewarded accordingly. For example, a slogan like "A penny saved is a penny earned," can be written on custom coffee mugs distributed to the accounting department. These practical items can be used to hold pens, calculators or other office supplies, and may be seen by many employees if placed in a public location. This way, a person looking for some motivation will receive inspiration while remembering a company logo or brand image.

Organize a promotional giveaway to officially recognize employees

Managers can take a page from the book of tradeshow giveaways and organize such an event right in the office. Essentially, this is the chance for long-term employees to be recognized by their friends and colleagues for dedication and resilience. These events do not have to be lengthy or take away from valuable free time – as a supervisor, you can dedicate a half-hour to the presentation of executive gifts.

Quality over quantity

Items that are given to employees should always be of superior quality when compared to other promotional products. Since staff members have dedicated so much of their time to your company, the least you can do is give them something that they will be proud to showcase. For example, personalized leather briefcases or laptop cases are perfect for both men and women and can be a classy, functional business gift.

If these simple tips are combined during Employee Appreciation Month, any business may experience increased productivity as a result of happy, satisfied workers.

The post Take advantage of Employee Appreciation Month with quality promotional products appeared first on Small Business Marketing Blog.

1. Individual milestones
They will vary depending upon the nature of a business, but certain lengths of employment deserve recognition by employers. For some companies, the completion of a training program might warrant something as simple as a personalized key chain. At other offices, 2, 5, or 10 years of work are significant accomplishments and deserve a personalized pen or portfolio that features the company’s logo.

2. Team Accomplishments
In retail settings, the holidays can be a brutal time of year. Small businesses can reward their staff for making it through another season with a useful and stylish USB drive keyring or other business gift. Different companies might find their crunch time at the end of every month or after the completion of a major account. Managers would do well to reward the workers who made these efforts possible with personalized products that recognize both the individual and team contributions.

3. Departures
A present at the end of a long period of service to a company rewards the worker to whom it is given. However, it also demonstrates to current employees that their efforts are worthwhile and that they’ll be rewarded themselves one day, should they continue on at the organization. Because of how rare these departures might be, high-end personalized gifts might be appropriate. Companies could consider personalized cocktail sets, computer cases, or a handsome watch.

4. Company milestones
When a business makes it for five, 10 or several dozen years, its workforce should be thanked. Companies that endure can thank their entire staff for years of hard work with many gifts at once, including personalized pens, promotional calendars and logo gadgets, that commemorate the anniversary.

The post The top four occasions to reward staff with personalized gifts appeared first on Small Business Marketing Blog.