On Wednesday evening, Sonic received its first Gold Pyramid Award at the PPAI Expo in Las Vegas. Debbie Bostin and Seth Weiner's direct mail campaign with Columbia Books won top place in the category of Political and Legislative Program.

Read on to learn more about the project.



In 2008, Columbia Books acquired the US Congress Handbook (first published in 1974). The handbook is known as the go-to-guide for information on members of Congress, and it is often used as a tool for legislative advocates and a gift for political donors. The book can also be customized with a branded cover and custom page inserts.

In October, Columbia Books contacted Sonic for assistance with a direct mail campaign to grow sales of their custom handbooks. Facing competition from a nearly identical product, Columbia Books needed a creative solution that would highlight their handbook's superior features and get it directly into the hands of key decision makers.

The selection of items for this mail campaign was actually inspired by a past Sonic promotion. Two years ago, Sonic sent out reusable coffee mugs, water cups and personalized notes to top clients, Columbia Books included. Columbia Books was so thrilled with the gift that they chose to use the exact same items for the US Congress Handbook promotion. 

75 boxes were sent out, each containing a set of drinkware, a sample handbook, a tailored letter signed by the sales rep, and red, white and blue paper filler. One week after the mailing, Columbia Books' sales reps conducted follow-up calls to secure meetings, close potential clients and renew existing clients.

So, was the promotion a success?

You bet! Columbia Books closed 28 new clients and achieved a renewal rate of 80% from existing clients. Of new clients, eight specifically attributed the gift as the most important factor to their order. Columbia Books was so pleased with the program that they entered the project for an industry award and won.

Hi guys!
Wanted to let you know the mug and cup marketing campaign we did just won the SIPA (Specialized Information Publishers Association) award for Best Print Effort. When the award was presented, the presenter said that they decided not to award any "honorable mentions" for this category, because the winning entry was so definitively the best in its category (and yes, there were many other entries). So, thanks for all your help and feel free to tell your other customers the stuff you guys create is award winning!

Thank you, Columbia Books  for the opportunity, and thank you, PPAI for the recognition!

Remember when I first wrote about office show-and-tell? At Monday's staff meeting, Seth shared a story particularly worthy of recognition.

Last week Seth received an email and attached press release from the United States Leaders and Entrepreneurs' Association announcing that he had been selected to receive the 2011 Outstanding Leadership Award. Though thoroughly honored to be recognized as our country's "up and coming leader and pioneer", Seth's intuition told him that something about this particular accolade didn't sit quite right. While musing why an unrecognizable organization with no real contact information would decide to choose him as a recipient, Seth diligently pursued the necessary steps to retrieve his award.

An embedded link took him to their designated website, where he discovered that his USLEA award and award recognition emblem (to proudly display in [his] business' print and web materials of course) was just a $149.99 payment away.

Though obviously a scam and a terrible example of marketing ethics, the Outstanding Leadership Recognition Award got me thinking about the lengths people will go for real, genuine recognition.

As a basic human need, our desire to have our efforts recognized shows up early in life. As children, we understand implicitly that a sheet of homework bearing a gold star is far more special than one without. Our need for acknowledgement develops with age, as we compete for merit scholarships, invest time, effort and money to wear varsity jackets and giddily choose the emblems on our class rings.

The funny this is most people don't like to talk about their accomplishments. No one wants to feel like they are boasting, which works out well, since no one enjoys hearing someone else boast. That's why a physical item or symbol is so meaningful; awards, plaques, pins and certificates are seen but not heard.

Think about the hundreds of miles that long-distance runners log to achieve the title of "marathoner" and the right to decorate their car bumper with a 26.2 decal. Heck, think about the car itself for that matter. For many people, a nice car symbolizes success. If you've ever done well enough to drive a Mercedes, getting in that car each day might provide the impetus to work even harder, do even better. People understand that you've accomplished something significant without you having to tell them.

Praise is good, but a totem of the success that earned that praise provides a lasting impact on the recipient. Just the promise of said item can be incredibly motivating.

Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy knows what's what. The night before Sunday's Super Bowl, McCarthy had his players measured for championship rings. Some may call it intuition, all should call it smart coaching. McCarthy knew no locker room pep-talk could be as inspiring as the idea of wearing a Super Bowl championship ring for life. And man oh man did those boys sure knock it out (sorry, Steelers fans).

If you're looking for a way to motivate your employees, whether to hit monthly sales goals or to participate in a health-and-wellness program, you might consider an awards and incentive program.

Check out these unique recognition items:

 

However, I don't advise creating fake, meaningless awards like the Outstanding Leadership Recognition Award. Because as much as people love to be recognized, we all hate being patronized even more.

... and prepares for their television debut!



Sonic Promos received four Peake Awards at the Chesapeake Promotional Products Association (CPPA) awards ceremony Tuesday, January 20 at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.

Three of the Peake Awards were for "Excellence in Promotions", an award given for the most creative, efficient and successful promotional campaigns. Seth Weiner, MAS, President of Sonic Promos, spearheaded the Best Promotion Under $5 with a health awareness program for Southern Management Corporation.

The Best Promotion Under $15 featured an outreach project by Lindsay Hixson. She worked with Professional Accounting Solutions on a series of mailings over the course of several months.

Jamie Cohen, CAS, claimed the Best Promotion Under $25 for his work with the Washington Freedom in their effort to attract potential sponsors.

In several categories that honor individuals or companies for an overall distinction in service, nominees are submitted by CPPA members and winners are selected through a general vote.

Amanda Abbott's pleasant manner, resourceful vision and warm demeanor earned her the well-deserved title of Customer Service Rep of the Year.

In addition, we were pleased to be nominated in two other "overall" categories: Seth received a nomination for Sales Rep of the Year and Sonic Promos was nominated for Distributor of the Year.

Our industry's recognition of our collaborative efforts give us the opportunity to say something very important:

Thank you for allowing us to partner in your work. You, our clients, inspire our creativity (sometimes requiring us to push the envelopes of budget, time and space) and encourage us to bring something new to the table with each and every project.

Speaking of something new...

Sonic Promos' fearless leader, Seth Weiner, MAS, will take the stage for his first-ever television appearance tonight at 6:30 p.m. on We Mean Business!

Seth and hosts Steve Dorfman and Tony Marciante will discuss the hot-button topic "Innovative Marketing: How to Capture the Attention of Today's Customer".

Local friends can invite Seth into the living room via Comcast or Verizon MMC TV Channel 16 (also showing on Wednesday, January 26 at 6:30 p.m.) and everyone can check it out online at: http://wemeanbiz.tv/.

Interested in having Seth or a member of the Sonic Promos team speak to your organization or at an upcoming event? Give us a call at 301-869-7800 or email seth@sonicpromos.com.

October and November, the months leading up to the winter holidays, are typically our busiest time at Sonic Promos.  Our corporate customers begin planning for client gifts, and our phone rings with requests for creative ideas.  Surprisingly, we receive far fewer requests for staff gifts; if remembered at all, the topic comes as an afterthought.

This begs the question… what do your employees mean to you?

It seems ironic that most business owners spend significant time, money and effort every day to impress their clients, all the while neglecting their single biggest asset- their employees.  Without a reliable staff of hard-working and talented individuals, you can bet there would be no business and certainly no clients of which to speak.

So often we forget to thank those closest to us.  A gift or bonus during the holidays offers a kind and generous gesture, but in truth your employees should remain foremost in mind all year long.  A positive and supportive work environment is critical to employee satisfaction, loyalty and retention.

The Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) recently included Sonic Promos on their 2010 list of the 75 Best Places to Work in the ad specialty industry.  While we would never dare call ourselves the perfect office (hello dirty dishes, moldy mini-fridge treasures, habitual F-bombs and 80’s music), we do know a thing or two about staying happy and having fun at work.

We like to keep things light, without sacrificing productivity:

Set realistic goals and follow up with rewards.  While some contest that fear or punishment provide more motivation than reward, I prefer to side with the latter.  Earlier this spring, Sonic Promos instituted a new system for tracking sales in-house.  The staff was encouraged by the incentive of a health-and-wellness gift to participate and adopt the new system.  At the end of the contest, we were all on-board with the new procedure, bouncing on stability ball desk chairs and flexing P90X muscles.

Leave the office.  We celebrate surpassing monthly sales goals with a nice lunch out.  We find it to be a wonderful way to connect outside the office, where no one needs to be called away by a ringing phone. The flaming cheese and tequila shots are also much enjoyed.  If you have a particularly adventurous staff, you might look into an outdoor team-building activity in your local area.  Enjoy some fresh air, and return with improved team skills.

Lighten up. Work is where we go to work (duh, Lindsay?), but studies have shown that a little fun can go a long way toward increased productivity.  You don’t necessarily need to follow Google’s example and erect volleyball nets or install video game equipment, but you should do something to stir up a few giggles and smiles.  Fart machines, inappropriate YouTube videos, upbeat music, and Tic-Tac-Toe golf get the Sonic Promos seal of approval!

In the end, you will spend at least 40 hours per week with those in your office.  I promise that those 40 hours will be far more enjoyable if you can cultivate a work environment characterized by mutual appreciation, respect, and fun.  The return on your efforts will be invaluable.

I was just informed that I have been chosen as one of our industry's Rising Stars of 2010.  As they say at the Oscars, it is nice to be nominated but it is always nicer to win.  This honor is one that is only made possible by the good people that we have here at Sonic.  Whether it is consulting with you on your needs, finding you a great new product, creating the art to make your products look good, tracking your order or telling you a funny story about what is happening at the bus stop across the street, you can always count on us to be there for you.