The Business Base

For mission-driven organizations, branded products are more than just giveaways—they're tools to spread your message, rally support, and create lasting connections. Whether you're thanking donors, equipping volunteers, or raising funds, the right items can make a big impact. Take the thoughtful and effective approach tailored to nonprofits and fundraisers: 1. Eco-Friendly Products Show your commitment to sustainability with items like reusable tote bags, bamboo utensils, or stainless steel straws. These align with values-driven missions and resonate with supporters. 2. Custom T-Shirts or Caps Perfect for building a sense of community, branded apparel turns your supporters into walking advocates for your cause. 3. Silicone Wristbands or Buttons These low-cost, high-visibility items are great for awareness campaigns or as thank-you gifts for donors. 4. Branded Water Bottles Durable, reusable bottles are practical items that support healthy lifestyles while promo...

It's no secret that people love free stuff, even more so, people love free stuff that they find useful! Understanding why people go out of their way for promotional products will take your marketing efforts to the next level. 1. The Reciprocity Principle: People Feel Obligated to Give Back The principle of reciprocity suggests that when someone does something for us, we feel a natural obligation to return the favor. Offering free promotional products makes customers feel indebted, prompting them to engage more with your brand. 2. The Scarcity Effect: Free Stuff Feels Rare and Valuable According to the scarcity principle, we tend to value things that are perceived as rare or in limited supply. Exclusive giveaways or limited-time offers create a sense of urgency, prompting customers to act quickly, such as signing up or visiting your store. 3. The Endowment Effect: People Value What They Own The endowment effect is th...

As the days get longer and flowers begin to bloom, spring presents the perfect opportunity for brands to renew their marketing efforts. The season of growth and fresh beginnings provides a symbolic backdrop for businesses looking to expand their reach, attract new customers, and reinvigorate their marketing campaigns. By choosing the right spring-themed promotional products, your brand can capitalize on the season’s energy and encourage growth. Here’s a list of top spring promotional products that can help your brand bloom into success this season. 1. Custom Seed Packets Seed packets are a perfect springtime giveaway that aligns with the themes of growth and renewal. In addition to seed packets, other plantable promotional products such as plantable paper, bookmarks, or pens filled with wildflower seeds are a creative and eco-friendly option. Position your brand as environmentally conscious by highlighting the sustainable aspect of these products, making them a meaningful giveaway ...

Branded merchandise is a powerful marketing tool that offers a high return on investment (ROI). From increasing brand awareness to boosting customer loyalty and driving sales, promotional products deliver measurable results for businesses of all sizes. However, the modern consumer is highly discerning. Generic, low-quality "swag" often ends up straight in the trash, harming both your budget and your reputation. To unlock true ROI, promotional products must act as a seamless extension of your brand values and directly serve your specific audience. Here is how promotional products drive business value, and how to strategically select items that stick. 1. Boosts Brand Awareness Promotional products keep your brand visible. Custom items act as walking advertisements, but only if they leave the drawer. The secret to impressions is everyday utility. The Data: 83% of people like receiving promotional products, and 87% recall the brand on items they’ve received in the past 2 years. T...

  By: Stephanie Lopez Show your support for Breast Cancer Awareness in October with products that will make a statement. "Think Pink" items don't always have to be your typical writing instrument or enamel pin. Check out these neat items you can feature throughout your business this October. 1. Awareness Ribbon Umbrella One of our favorite products that make you say "Wow!", are these color-changing umbrellas. When approached with water, small ribbons appear throughout the umbrella right before your eyes! Whether or not your weatherman says there is a chance for rain in October, this year-round staple will intrigue people at an instant. 2. Ribbon Grocery Tote It's all in the details! Your typical tote bags are great to feature your logo in support of a cause, but this tote speaks for itself. Although you may not find your company hosting a "walk-for-a-cure" event, you can still give these out to clients or employees to represent your values as a com...

As we go into this transition period of re-opening some parts of the state, it can be a time where we need to adapt to guidelines we weren't accustomed to before. Reconnecting to usual business practices impacts so much more these days as we all continue to stay safe. By: Stephanie Lopez First and foremost, let your loyal customers know that you have re-opened and what guidelines you now have in place. Depending on your kind of business, sending clients an email to advise you are now providing service is a great way to notify them. Another great resource to use is social media. Posting online that your game plan is to reopen will leave customers anticipating their return. If for any reason a client cannot find information they are looking for via your website, most customers turn to social media pages to find what they're looking for. Be sure to advise customers of your new (if applicable) business hours and what safety guidelines they are required to follow when coming back. P...

Companies, Organizations and businesses are rapidly growing as more young adults are entering the work force; filling entry level jobs everyone once started out doing. With the office compiled with different age groups, the various communication styles may cause some confusion or issues when it comes to interaction. A refresher on the types of Generation age groups are as follows: Baby Boomers: 1946 - 1964 Generation X: 1965 - 1980 Generation Y (Millennials): 1981 - 1996 Generation Z: 1997 - 2012 Every generation is presumed to have certain qualities that others are not aligned with but in some instances some age groups are quite similar. Be aware of generational differences and participating in generational bias. Getting to know your employees individually will help facilitate work relationships that will help instead of hinder interaction with other co-workers. By assuming someone's qualities according to their generation, you are basing a significant group of pe...

It's no secret that communication methods are constantly evolving. One thing we can expect from the new year is a change in the amount of media use from smartphone users. According to Spectrum Reach , there was a 4.7% increase in the average time spent on a smartphone from 2018 to 2020. And although we are seeing less minutes spent on phone calls, we are seeing a gradual increase in screen time which by the year 2021 will be up to an average of 3 hours per smartphone user. Blog by Stephanie Lopez Especially considering the new generations that are becoming more tech-efficient, we see a continuous growth of smart phone dependency.  Video consumption has also become more popular in recent years. Facebook analytics show that consumers are more likely to spend more time on video content than they are on static posts, especially videos that are longer than 3 minutes. A popular in-demand video platform that arose at the end of 2016, TikTok becam...

The hardest part about expanding your business online is getting noticed among the rest of your competitors in the industry. Getting the same type of clientele on social media platforms can take a while to build, especially if you have no idea where to start. Here are a few tips on how to make your business come alive online. By: Stephanie Lopez Google My Business Once you already have a website assigned and have it up and running, you want to make sure your presence on Google is accurate and up to date. It has been reported that 97% of people searched online to find a local business. I don't know about you but I know if I'm curious about a business the first thing I do is Google it. Creating a Google My Business page helps users find you with ease and get a glimpse of just what your business entails. Approximately 56% of local stores have yet to claim their local listing on Google. Don't be apart of this 56% and make your own Google page, It's free and contro...

What are these logos anyways?  Logos are a company's first point of contact with the world. A logo is a range of elements that work together to form a distinctive picture. A logo is brand identity. By Shirleyann Cameron With a logo comes branding, they go hand in hand. Together with logos and branding there leads to a plethora of business possibilities. When you think about it what do you first notice in a logo?  You see shape, colors, and if you are still focused you explore what it's about. The use of a logo is a  prehistoric  identity practice.  History shows us the deeply rooted and vast cultures all had the need for communicating identity, visually, in common. Looking a the past's ideas leaves much room for interpretation on a broader aspect of future designs in branding for a company logo. So when you are ready to choose something that will bring your company some recognition look into hiring a graphic designer to burst out creativity for ...

By, Victoria Martinez Studies have shown that the average consumer in America sees thousands of advertisements every day. With that kind of competition out there, how do you make sure that your business/organization stands out? 1. Customer Service Customer service is arguably one of the most important aspects of a business.  If a customer leaves your business feeling negatively, this will reflect poorly on your business as a whole.  Clients and consumers like to have positive feelings when they finish doing business with a company. If you have superior customer service at your company, positive word of mouth will be spread about your company thus increasing profits! One easy way of improving your customer service is to implement surveys. By asking your clients & customers about their experiences, you can learn what you do well and what you can improve on.  2. Competitive Advantage What makes your company different from other businesses? Why should custom...

BY VICTORIA MARTINEZ Although July is over, summer in Texas is far from gone. With each day in the 90's, it's important to remember to stay cool! Promotional Products offer a great way to keep your business cool all summer long! I have picked out my 5 favorite products to help you and your customers keep cool in the heat: 1. Sunglasses Lets start with the basics, no one likes having the hot sun beating down on their eyes. So why not try a pair of sunglasses ? While you're at it, why not add some spice to your sunglasses to really make your outfit POP ? Sunglasses have many different designs to choose from whether its the frame, the arms or even the eyepieces themselves, the options are endless!  2. Cooler  No one likes to have a hot drink when they're out and about, so why not offer them a cooler ! Not only do coolers offer a large area for you to add your logo, but they are also a very useful product for your customers. Whether is small or large, e...

BY VICTORIA MARTINEZ Salespeople are arguably the foundation of many great businesses. Without talented, outgoing, positive people reaching out to new clients for us, we would find ourselves in a lull during business days!  So what are some key aspects of being a successful sales person? I had the pleasure of interviewing one of YNIS best, Georgie Wiebe. Georgie is not only a successful salesperson but she is also an extreme NASCAR and cat enthusiast! Georgie started out at YNIS as the Front Desk and Admin Assistant and then moved to a Production Manager and then later the Owners Assistant. Because of her strong foundation within the company, she was able to continue and enhance the relationships with many of the clients when her boss retired. Georgie is now an Inside Sales Manager at YNIS and loves her work. What words come to mind when you think of yourself as a sales person? Achiever Projects Deadlines Multitasker Follow-ups  Explain the typica...

BY VICTORIA MARTINEZ Summer is upon us! Here in Texas, we're already up in the triple digit heat. With the heat moving in, vacations are on the rise. Instead of allowing your brand to take a break during the summer time, your company should embrace the heat and enhance your summer marketing campaign! Below I go into more detail on how to revamp your summer marketing campaign in 2018: Social Media Social Media is a great way to market your company. So why slow it down during the summer time? By pulling on your creative strings, there are endless ways to effectively use social media during the summer time. Start off by taking some photos outside. Highlight products in images with cute "beachy" vibes. Not only will your social media platforms stay active and engaging, but they will also keep your followers excited about what you want to post next! Videos People LOVE videos. Not only are they visually pleasing, but they are also a great way to learn/spread...

BY VICTORIA MARTINEZ Did you know that 88% of promotional product recipients remember  the name of the advertiser on the products? Promotional Products are the best way to increase brand recognition! Last week was Promotional Products Work Week . We have dedicated an entire week to celebrating promotional products because they actually work! Not only do promotional products get your company's logo in the hands of your consumer, but they also provide practical uses for many of your consumers. Still not convinced? Here are 5 reasons why promotional products work: 1. Useful Promotional products are one of the only forms of advertising that creates a way for the consumer to actually interact with a brand. By providing this unique form of interaction, your brand is much more likely to be remembered. For example, if you were given a really cool pen that you really liked, you would be more likely to use this pen everyday. This would then result with you using the pen constant...

BY VICTORIA MARTINEZ Social Media is arguably one of the best ways to reach millennials today. With millenials moving into adulthood, it is really important to market to them as a business! Not only are they bringing in new business, but they are also really excited to spend money! So why don't more businesses have a strong social media presence?  If you know your company isn't properly utilizing social media then I hope to inform you on all the benefits you can get from social media by the end of this blog. IT'S FREE Okay, first things first. Social media is FREE! So why not get some platforms for your business? It won't even cost you a penny! There is honestly no harm in signing your company up for a Facebook business page. Not only is this a great way to build relationships with your customer base, but it is also FREE marketing! What could possibly be better than FREE marketing?! Networking As many business people already know, networking is super i...