On Your Mark, Get Set, Go!

Whoa—let’s slow down. Remember the story of the tortoise and the hare? While salespeople race to snatch up the most promising and qualified short-term prospects that come in from any marketing-lead-generation initiative, nearly three-quarters of the leads that convert to sales are ignored. Why? Because salespeople are paid for winning the race for short-term sales, causing them to focus on the easy sales opportunities and to ignore the longer-term prospects. And because there usually is no process in place, the job of nurturing, managing and tracking the longer-term opportunities falls by the wayside. This lack of a lead-development process may be costing your organization

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0207_Blankets_intro

The American sports fan, like the American football player, has no regard for the weather. The game goes on at -7 degrees, and the fans come out to watch. The players approach the field in a plethora of padding and scientifically engineered safety devices. The fans come equally prepared, often with promotional products. Just as the helmet is perhaps the most important protection against head trauma for a player, so the blanket may be the most important protection against frostbite for the sports aficionado. Of course, blankets are not just useful for sports fans. Promotional blankets will warm the hearts and bodies of end-users on

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A little off the top

BAD HAIRCUT, MAYBE. Or it could have been a downpour of rain, sleet, snow or a combination of the three. Possibly the snooze button was pressed one (or two, or three) too many times and there was no opportunity to get ready for work. Whatever the reason, most people have, at some point, been thankful for that often-neglected hat. Everyone has one: The hat sitting in the closet above the sad-puppy sweater mom gave on the last birthday (still with a price tag on it) and the acid-wash jeans that have been hiding since ‘88 (they might come back in style). Sooner

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0207_B&R_intro

Flickering light from a votive candle shines through a beer-filled pint glass, casting a honey-golden light on a woman’s face. She thoughtfully caresses the slightly raised ink logo on the glass. The cold condensation on the glass’s exterior leaves her fingers wet. She dries them on a napkin printed with the slogan of her favorite liqueur. A man walks up to her table and asks her if he may sit for a drink. She checks the wall clock with its cheering message for the city’s baseball team. She has a train to catch; she doesn’t have time. But she likes the man’s cavalier attitude

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MVP Gift Bag Revolutionizes Promotional Gift Baskets

MVP Gift Bag, Mesa, Az., a supplier of active-themed gift baskets, is launching several new lines to correspond with its recent entry into the promotional products industry. Prior to joining the industry, MVP Gift Bag amassed three years of experience in the direct-to-consumer channel. The company’s expanded product line will provide new opportunities for distributors to offer creative products for employee rewards, customer gifts and sales incentives, as well as event and product launches. Each gift bag includes food items and industry-specific products, all contained in an attractive and practical duffle, tote, cooler or other bag. Geared

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