With all of the Muppet buzz that has been going on lately, I decided to take a break from all of my holiday shopping this weekend to go see the new movie. It was a whole lot of fun and a great way to spend the weekend. After the movie, it was back to finishing up my holiday shopping. If you’re anything like me, it’s always tough finding the perfect holiday gifts for everyone on your list. That made me think, if I were shopping for the Muppets, what would I get for them? Hah

I would definitely give someone like Kermit the frog, a big assortment of “green” gifts. It may not be easy being green, but Absorbent, Ink’s fantastic selection of Eco-Friendly Products makes giving green gifts an easy task. One exceptional way to add a green touch to the Holidays is by giving Seed Infused Greeting Cards. These unique cards can be customized with your artwork and message. Once the cards have been enjoyed, plant the seeded portion and watch it grow into a variety of flowers, herbs or vegetables. Eco-Friendly Coffee Mugs, Recycled Cotton Totes and Seed Paper Desk Calendars are just a sample of the green gifts we have available.

You would think it might be tough finding the perfect gift for someone as demanding as Miss Piggy. Luckily Absorbent, Ink. has so many products available, there is something for even those on your list with the most discriminating taste. Take a look at our decadent Custom Gift Boxes and luscious Personalized Chocolates for a holiday gift ideas that will make mouths water. Pamper someone this season with Beauty Gift Sets, personalized Relaxation Products and fashionable Handbags. You can’t go wrong with any of these gift ideas.

If you’re shopping for someone more like Animal, we have you covered! Any of our customizable Music Accessories or Custom Printed Radios are perfect for the music lovers on your list. Also, don’t forget your furry friends! With Absorbent, Ink’s large selection of Promotional Pet Products, such as, custom Dog Bowls and Personalized Pet Accessories, you can find personalized gift for everyone in the family!

There is still time to get your personalized gifts ordered for the holidays. So start shopping Absorbent, Ink. today! The sooner you’re done shopping, the sooner you can take time out to go see a movie.

Let the shopping begin!

Abby Ink

Halloween is merely days away, and that means the holidays will be here before you know it. This month has been a whirlwind of activity. Full of party planning, costume making, pumpkin carving and candy eating, it’s hard not to lose track of time. That’s why it’s so important to start thinking about what you’re going to do about your holiday gifts this year. The earlier, the better!

Great reasons to shop early:

• Makes shopping less stressful
• Ensures availability of items
• Leaves time to hunt for great deals
• Allows time for items to be delivered
• Lets your relax during the holidays!

Popular gift ideas:
Personalized Calendars are an always popular holiday gift idea. They’re perfect for leaving a lasting impression because they can be used and enjoyed all year long. Calendars are available in a large variety of styles, including; Wall Calendars, Desk Calendars, Stick Up Calendars and more. These long lasting gifts are perfect for people of all ages and work well for just about any industry.

Beverage Sets make fantastic reusable gifts that people will love. Absorbent, Ink. carries a large selection of beverage items, so there is something available for every budget. Custom Wine Sets are a classy promotional item to give to clients, customers or friends alike. They’re sure to make any holiday a special occasion. Custom Printed Water Bottles are another popular drinkware item this season. Your logo will look sensational imprinted on sleek Stainless Steel Bottles or colorful Camelbak Sports Bottles. Check out our entire selection of Personalized Drinkware.

Employee Recognition Awards are an important part of holiday gift giving. Personalized awards are perfect for showing appreciation and recognizing individuals for their hard work. Whether you’re looking for something elegant, subtle or striking, Absorbent, Ink. is bound to have a style you’ll love. Some of our beautiful options include; Acrylic Awards, Marble Plaques, Crystal Awards and so much more.

So start thinking about your holiday gifts this year and remember that Absorbent, Ink. is more then happy to help you, every step of the way. Stay tuned for more terrific gift ideas for the holidays!

Happy shopping,

Abby Ink

Halloween is almost here and the Holidays are on their way. It’s a great time to start thinking about Holiday gift ideas. What could be better than one of the most popular holiday gift ideas – edible food gifts?  Personalized food items offer an affordable way to reward hard working employees, build strong businesses relationships and to thank clients. The Holidays only come once a year, so it’s important to make a lasting impression.

Here is a taste of some of our most popular food gift ideas.

Chocolate, who doesn’t love chocolate? Chocolate Gifts are a popular gift idea any time of the year, but they’re especially popular around the Holiday season. Personalized chocolate is a deliciously upscale way to show appreciation and say thanks. Whether you’re looking for delectable Custom Chocolate Bars, Logo Chocolate Truffles or Chocolate Gift Towers, Absorbent, Ink. has the perfect chocolate infused indulgence for you.

If chocolate isn’t your number one choice, consider the ever popular gift tin. Personalized Gift Tins are classic corporate and holiday gift items that people just love to share! Popcorn Gift Tins are a well-loved choice, but Cookie Tins and Nut Tins will also put a huge smile on anyone’s face. Gift tins are available in a wide range of designs with a delectable variety of fillings, so order yours today!

Heat up your gift exchange this year with Gourmet Hot Beverages customized with your logo, artwork or message. These delicious gifts offer a great way for recipients to cozy up with your brand while enjoying the warmth of Custom Hot Chocolate, soothing teas or perky Personalized Coffees.

As you can see, there are endless possibilities when you promote with delicious custom food gifts. Why not start shopping for your holiday gifts and Business Promotional Items today and start the holidays off on the right foot.

Stay sweet,

Abby Ink

I don’t know about you, but sometimes it feels like I just can’t wake up without my morning cup of coffee. Whether it’s brewed, percolated, steeped or instant, some mornings I just have to have my caffeine! Usually I’ll stumble out of bed, grab my favorite mug and wait for the jolt of caffeine to wake me up…then I can start my day.

You know what’s better than your favorite hot beverage? Drinking your favorite hot beverage out of a customized mug! Absorbent, Ink. has a large selection of cups and mugs that can be personalized with your artwork, logo or message. Choose from coffee mugs, travel tumblers, foam cups or paper cups with custom coffee sleeves.

My favorite drinkware products to give and receive are Personalized Coffee Mugs. They make excellent gifts for co-workers, employees, coffee lovers, tea enthusiasts, customers and friends. There are so many different styles available that there is bound to be something for everyone. Whether you’re looking for plastic coffee mugs, large coffee mugs or even budget friendly mugs you can find something to perk up your next promotion.

If you’d rather take your coffee on your daily commute, Printed Travel Mugs are perfect for on-the-go. So hit the road in style with Stainless Steel Tumblers personalized with your brand or artwork. They’re insulated, leak-proof and fashionable – perfect for creating a buzz.

A great low-cost way to promote your café, restaurant or event is with printed disposable cups. Disposable foam cups and Customized Paper Cups are perfect for those on a budget. They can be personalized with any artwork, logo or message to help you easily advertise. Heat up your advertising even more by adding Printed Coffee Sleeves to your cups. They’re economical, practical and a fantastic way to reiterate your logo or message. Just add coffee!

As you can see, it’s easy to heat up your promotions and give your giveaways a jolt with Custom Coffee Mugs and Personalized Drinkware.

Take care,

Abby Ink

Don’t you just love when someone tells you that you’ve done a great job or that they appreciate your hard work? It’s always a good feeling to get recognized for your efforts. I was thinking about this on my way to work this morning and it made me realize that I haven’t expressed my appreciation to my co-workers lately. I must remedy the situation! What’s a girl to do, I thought? Then, I remembered that Absorbent, Ink. has an excellent selection of business promotional items that are just waiting to be customized.

Custom coffee mugs always make popular gifts for the office. They are guaranteed to perk up your co-workers, customers, clients, friends or business associates. Coffee cups will get a lot of use at home or in the office and there are a ton of different styles to choose from! You can customize them with practically any artwork or logo and really make them special.

If coffee mugs aren’t your thing, food gift baskets are another great idea! There is no better way to say thank you, than with personalized gourmet treats. Delicious desserts, custom candy and printed snacks are perfect gifts for showing your appreciation. Food gifts are a great tasting way to put a smile on anyone’s face! Who wouldn’t love receiving a tasty treat from Absorbent, Ink?

Business card cases and holders will make anyone’s job title look important! They’re excellent for corporate gifts or employee anniversaries. They’re also ideal for rewarding dedication or showing appreciation to your clients or co-workers. Giving the gift of a classy business card holder is a great way to strengthen business relationships and show you care.

How about it? Do you have co-workers, clients or business associates that you’ve been meaning to thank? Now is the perfect time to let them know they’re doing a fantastic job. Who wouldn’t love receiving custom business gifts?

Here’s to saying “Thanks” in style,

Abby Ink

We pulled some data from last year’s holiday sales and came up with a list to get your wheels turning on corporate gifts!

10. Watches -
Even though a lot of people use their cell phones to check the time, watches are still a popular gift.  Our casual watches are popular because they are mostly unisex. We also have Callaway, Fossil, and Swiss Army.

9. Gift Tins -
I love cinnamon popcorn!  We have gift tins that come with cookies, nuts, or popcorn.

8. Picture Frames -
People enjoy putting a picture of their loved ones on their desk. What’s even better is putting multiple pictures of loved ones.  We have digital picture frames!

7. Wine Gifts -
Bottle stoppers to wine carriers, wine gifts are a hot item this season and last.

(more…)

Golf events are a great opportunity for businesses to increase brand exposure and goodwill. Golf events can range from local golf tournaments to corporate outings or benefit events. Businesses can sponsor an event by supplying golf equipment and essentials or by providing corporate gifts and prizes. Logos and promotional messages imprinted on items such as golf balls, visors and towels let all participants identify the stakeholders of the event. Absorbent, Ink. offers an extensive collection of golf products, from basic golf tees to high-end golf bags.

Promotional Products: Customized, factory-direct Golf Balls are great gifts for large benefit events. Golf Tees and Golf Ball Markers are small items that go the distance – brand logos will be spotted all throughout the golf course. Send a big message with a basic item such as an Umbrella. It’s a practical item that limits sun exposure but increases brand exposure.

Corporate Gifts: Personalized Golf Clubs and Executive Putter Kits are savvy gifts that are sure to create buzz at a corporate outing or fundraiser event. Custom Sport Watches are a popular item ideal for clients or employees. It’s great for businesses wishing to leave a lasting impression at golf events.

Drinkware: Sport Bottles, or Can and Bottle Coolers are fun promotional items perfect for any sporting event. Sponsors can personalize drinkware products to reach both golfers and spectators.

With top companies spending billions of dollars advertising to prospective clients, customer acquisition appears to be the most important objective at these businesses. However, a business’ most valuable consumers are often its current customers.

Here are five tools that businesses can use to follow up with customers:

1. Start simple with a Thank You card. Businesses that don’t send Thank You cards are usually facing time constraints. Thank You cards send a positive message, especially if they are hand-written. Although this does take time, a thoughtful Thank You card can separate your business from the competition (especially if they’re too busy to send one!)

2. Similar to Thank You cards, postcards are another way to follow up with your customers through the mail. An added benefit of using postcards is that they can deliver a variety of messages. Postcards can serve as reminders, congratulatory messages, holiday greetings or marketing fodder. Keep the message informative and fun, but not overly promotional. Imprinting a brand logo on the postcard is a sufficient reminder to the customer.

3. “Leave Behinds” are simply promotional products given to customers after a client meeting or sales transaction to show a business’ appreciation and leave a lasting impression. The product essentially follows the customer to their home or workplace and serves as a reminder tool.

4. Use corporate gifts to build customer loyalty while increasing your brand’s value. Corporate gifts are a popular use of high-end promotional products. Start by gathering a list of your top clients. It could be a large or small group depending on your budget. Keep in mind that the goal of corporate gifts is to add value to a brand and its relationship with the consumer, so choosing a high quality gift in lower quantities is more effective than a high quantity of products with lower value. Corporate gifts are a great way to keep your business at the top of clients’ minds.

5. A strategy to communicate with customers after a sale is to collect feedback. Follow-up a sale with a phone call or e-mail that surveys the customer’s experience and satisfaction with the product or service. This is a strategy that has two-way benefits. Not only will customers feel empowered with the opportunity to voice their opinion, but businesses can greatly benefit from the information gathered. Just remember to keep the survey short and simple.

When implementing these CRM strategies, it is important for businesses to keep two key ideas in mind. First, personalization helps cut through the clutter. A direct mail piece addressed to “Our Valued Customer” defeats the purpose of CRM. Imprinting a brand logo or message onto a promotional product makes the gift more personal. Personalization reduces the generic feel that plagues most marketing campaigns. Secondly, a loyal customer is a business’ best salesperson. Customers who are satisfied with their relationship with a business are a doorway to new sales leads. In other words, investing in customer retention also leads to customer acquisition.

Keep the winter blues at bay

The holiday season is an extremely difficult time for anyone. According to therapist Joe Kort, “After the holiday season is over, many people suffer from depression. The fast pace to get presents, visit with family, send out cards and get school and work business done keeps the depression at bay. However, returning to work and school, dealing with the family issues which surfaced over the holidays and facing the winter blues can be very depressing.”

When the after-holiday doldrums set in, what is a manager to do? How can you motivate your employees to keep up the good work that they did all year long? Here are a few great ideas for your company to keep productivity up and the post-holiday doldrums down:

1. Candy gifts
After the holidays, everyone begins to miss the treats they received just a few days ago. Candy gifts are a great motivator and comfort to a worker who needs a little pick-me-up in the middle of the day. It is a small token of your company’s appreciation and can convince the employee that you care, even after the holidays.

2. Hand sanitizers and soaps
The period during and directly after the holidays is prime cold and flu territory. Keep your employees healthy by giving them hand sanitizers and soaps. Your employees will appreciate the gesture and the disease prevention.

3. Relaxation products
From bath salts to massagers, relaxation products are a great way to help your employees get through those post-holiday blues unscathed. Not only are they ideal after the relatives leave town, but they are a treat after a long day at the office. Relaxation products will be a reminder that the company cares about their mental health.

4. Yo-yos
It may sound silly, but a yo-yo is a timeless and ageless gift that your employee will enjoy for a long time. It is a great tool while brainstorming because it keeps the employee’s hands busy and eases the pressure exuded by deadlines. Yo-yos are a great break time accessory and an easyway to boost morale.

5. Ceramic mugs
The smell of freshly brewed coffee is always a great pick-me-up, but when coupled with a brand new ceramic mug, the effect is doubled because it is also aesthetically pleasing.

Pep talks are great for motivating employees, but they only go so far. A small gift can be a fantastic way to motivate and cheer up your employees. Let your employees know that you are thinking of them, even after the holidays have ended.

A couple of days ago the president of Absorbent, Ink. talked to Small Business Trends Radio about how to get the most out of giving gifts to clients. They were nice enough to post the interview on their website.

Click here to listen to the interview.