The Business Base

As travel is inching towards normalcy, people are becoming eager to travel to new and exciting places. Some people never stopped traveling because their jobs still required them to. Either way, if you are out of practice or not, let's recap on what you shouldn't forget on your next trip! By: Stephanie Lopez An item that can be overlooked are luggage tags . While it seems like something as small and simple, buying one once will last you a long time. Instead of using the paper tags the airport provides that are prone to being ripped off, having a sturdy luggage tag is a one-time purchase that will help if something as unfortunate as your bag getting lost, will help. Another essential item would be a reusable water bottle . Security doesn't allow you to pass any liquids that are greater than 3.4 oz. But once you have passed security you can refill your water bottle and avoid paying for a bottled water. Not to mention how ridiculous prices are inside the airport for a b...

It's during times like these that maintaining communication with people is so crucial. Letting your clients know that you are there for them or checking in on them can let them know that you care about maintaining your relationship. By: Stephanie Lopez Send them an update via email Getting a response back from clients can sometimes depend on what they have going on so make sure your subject line is interesting and eye catching. While this is the easiest way to reach out to your clients, it may not always yield an immediate response. Still, any effort to show you want to be there for your customer is essential in keeping that connection. Give them a call If you're able to reach your client over the phone, this could be a great time to build that relationship further. This is an opportunity to really get to know your client on more than just a business level. Sometimes a phone call can brighten someone's day and what better time to check in than now. Video has...

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 Technology has become such a prominent part of our everyday lives. Sometimes, the best way to escape from the never ending emails and phone calls is to go on an adventure! People love to travel. So why not provide them with really cool traveling products emblazoned with your logo on them? In this blog, I am only going to mention my top 3 favorite travel products. However, there are hundreds more that you can find on our website . While on any adventure, I love to eat! That's why the first traveling products I will mention are mugs/thermos' . There are so many different options for you to choose from! You can get anything from a classic plastic mug, to a 3-in-1 thermos. Not only are these essential to any trip, but they can also be really fun to show off to your friends. After I have planned out all of my meals for my  adventure, I think it's a great idea to grab a travel kit with all of my traveling necessities already ready to go. If you...

BY VICTORIA MARTINEZ Many of us have a lot going on at work. Finding a way to juggle everything at once can become really challenging. In my opinion, the best way to overcome disorganization is with time management. Personally, I try to incorporate these 5 things into my everyday life to stay organized at work. 1. Positivity Starting off each day with a positive attitude is the first step towards a more organized work day. Instead of thinking "I have to go to work today" try "I get to go to work today". Putting yourself in a good mood will help to motivate you throughout the rest of the day! 2. Plan Ahead Monday's and Friday's are great for planning ahead. Every Friday, I go through and make a list of everything I need/want to get done. Then, every Monday, I go through this list and set goals for myself for the rest of the week based off the list I made on Friday. These blogs are a great example of planning ahead! The Friday before I post, I w...

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...

BY VICTORIA MARTINEZ No matter what kind of business you're in, you always hear people talking about Brand Awareness. But what is brand awareness? Why is it important? How do you increase brand awareness for your company?  In this blog, I will answer all three of these questions and more!  So what is brand awareness? Brand awareness is "the extent to which consumers are familiar with the distinctive qualities or image of a particular brand of goods or services" Basically, brand awareness is how well known your company is to your consumers. When people see your logo or hear about your products/services, you want them to be able to make connections with your company and your company's purpose.  Now that you know what brand awareness is, lets talk about how to implement it into your company and increase it within your community so you can maximize your profits.  Promotional Products Everyone likes free things! So why not hand out free things with your lo...

                     BY VICTORIA MARTINEZ What makes your company stand out from the rest? The answer is brand awareness and networking. The best way to achieve both brand awareness and networking is to hold company events! Now, we know everyone loves to have fun, but events are not just an excuse to throw a party paid for by your company. They are a way to efficiently and effectively promote your business all while having fun! Below are 3 reasons why your company needs events! 1. Easy Branding When putting on a company event, it goes without saying that you'll be promoting your brand. But how do you do this? Utilizing promotional products is the best/easiest way to brand yourself at events. Now, although pens and t-shirts are both great options, there are more unique ways to utilize promotional products during your event.  My favorite way to uniquely engage guests during an event is the  Spin 'N Win Priz...

BY VICTORIA MARTINEZ Many of us usually think that branding and marketing are one in the same. However, if this were the case, you wouldn't be reading this blog! There IS a difference between marketing and branding, but when most people think about the two, they tend to place them into the same category. I will help make the differences between marketing and branding very clear by the time you finish reading this blog so you understand how to properly categorize the two. Define. First, lets define marketing and branding so we can actually understand the words themselves.  Marketing is "the action or business of promoting and selling products or services, including market research and advertising". This translates into what many of us understand as 'a marketing campaign'. Marketing is the promotion aspect of a business. Branding is "The process involved in creating a unique name and image for a product in the consumers mind". In other words, ...

BY VICTORIA MARTINEZ So you have a great business idea and decide to become your own CEO. Creating your new company from the ground up may already feel like A LOT of work. Then you realize you still need to brand your new company! But what is branding? and how do you implement a brand? As our best friend Google puts it, " a brand is a type of product manufactured by a particular company under a particular name ". Thanks Google, but this still doesn't help us understand what branding actually entails.  Branding is more than just a logo. It's a story about what your company does and what your company stands for. Now more than ever, consumers are seeing the value in companies and their stories. So, when implementing a brand for your business, why not tell a great story? It's easy! Below are 5 easy ways to build your brand. 1. Define Your Company Who are you? What does your company do? Do you solve a problem? Provide a service? Start out by answering th...