Tips of the Trade: Why you can’t rely on e-mail

By Ilise Benun, marketing mentor When I posted a cautionary tale last week about e-mail gone missing on the Marketing Mix Blog, not only did two readers find important messages from new prospects in their spam folder; one reader even proposed a solution to the e-mail problem that’s not getting any better any time soon. Read on… Time and time again, it’s proven true: you can’t rely on e-mail and you can’t make assumptions. Those two things together are lethal. When I first started working with Nicole, a Web designer, a couple of my e-mail messages never made it to her inbox. She didn’t

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Red House Outfits Employees at High-Profile Groundbreaking

Red House, St. Helena, Calif., outfitted Hall Wines associates at the recent groundbreaking for the Hall Winery in Napa Valley, Calif. The new building—a 10,000-sq.-ft. glass, stone, plaster and wood facility crowned with undulating trellising—is scheduled to open in 2010. The winery employees wore Red House Honeycomb Performance Pique Polos. Decorated with the Hall Wines logo, the sport shirts were made from an easy care cotton blend with moisture-wicking properties. The culmination of four years of planning, Frank O. Gehry joined vintners Craig and Kathryn Hall for the high-profile event. “At Hall Wines, we have an unwavering commitment to create the best. Red House

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Broder Bros. Announces “Super Sweeps” Winners

Hawaii, Las Vegas and Orlando vacations, a Mini Cooper, a Pontiac Solstice, a Saturn Sky and a cash prize of $10,000 are just a few of the prizes Broder Bros., Trevose, Pa., customers are taking home by participating in the company’s Super Sweeps program. Through the program, customers earn points with each purchase and the points are then used to enter the sweepstakes. There is also a daily, online instant win component that offers additional chances to receive prizes. “Our customers keep us going, and we wanted to reward them with something above and beyond the usual incentives,” said Girisha Chandraraj, vice president

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Chocolate Inn Debuts New Products, Packaging in 2007-2008 Catalog

This week, Chocolate Inn, Freeport, N.Y., will release its 2007-2008 catalog featuring a new look, a selection of new products and new packaging options. “We’ve revamped the whole catalog,” noted David Miller, president. “It has a different look—a lot more upscale and more elegant. I think when people see it, they will think of a Godiva catalog.” In addition to the catalog’s fresh face, one of the most exciting things that has happened at the company, according to Miller, is the redesign of its packaging. “We have revamped most of the packaging on our line and we feel that the new look of the

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Jules Scheck Associates, Multiline Marketing Group Merge Northeast Forces

Ray Rodriguez, managing partner of Multiline Marketing Group (MMG) and Jules Scheck, president of Jules Scheck Associates (JSA), Wayne, N.J., and managing partner of Multiline Marketing Group Northeast Division, recently announced the merger of the two companies and the supplier lines they represent in the Northeast. The merger became effective Aug. 1. Under the new organizational banner, JSA and MMG will continue representing industry suppliers in the northeast, including Spector & CO, Gordon Sinclair, Mid-Nite Snax, Pioneer Balloon, Compass Industries, Pedre and Headwear USA. Primary contact for distributors and suppliers will remain at JSA’s Wayne headquarters. When asked for a key benefit of the merger, Scheck

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Vantage Apparel to Offer Laser Imprinting

Vantage Apparel, Avenel, N.J., has installed a Tajima SEIT Laser System, which specializes in appliqué letters and engraving on fleece and tees. The central beam is more than 20 meters long and can laser or engrave up to 24 garments in one pass. “It’s an absolute game changer,” said Ira Neaman, president. “By integrating both the embroidery and laser process, you eliminate the need for die cut letters and the resultant labor costs to set them down on the garment.” While currently in the testing phase, Neaman expects the roll-out of the new service to give customers a significant edge over their

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