Google is by and far the leader in search engine use, in 2008 69% of online searches used Google. Couple that with the trend of leaving the Yellow Pages book in the closet these days more and more people are looking for your business online.

A very useful tool that Google has created is the Local Business Center, which can be found after clicking the Business Solutions link under the search bar at www.google.com

Once there you can set up a business profile by including information about your business, link to your website, photos, videos, and any other useful selling point about your business. You will need to verify that the address is valid by either post card or phone but once this is done people will be able to find your business when they search for certain keywords. For more detail on tweaking your profile for improvements read Duct Tape Marketing’s post about some of the tips they have for improving the efficacy of the service. View Duct Tape Marketing here.

In a new revelation from one of Google’s chief search engineers SPEED is now a factor in their search rankings.   As was previously mentioned last week you can go to different test sites and see how your site compares to your competition’s in terms of load times.  Now not only will your user experience improve for the targeted audience you will benefit by improved organic search results.

See interview here: improve website performance

Since we are foremost marketing professionals, areas of interest outside of the promotional product world matter too.  Recently we tested our website to see how fast it loaded.   Quick loading websites are important becuase if your site takes a long time to load potential customers might lose interest and move on to a competitor.   Also many people are migrating to smartphones for maximum business productivity and since these powerful little pocket computers are not as fast as your desk top that’s plugged into a high speed internet connection back at the office it is important to have a light loading webpage as the way people retrieve information evolves.

In our test EMSPromotions.com loaded in 4.3 seconds, see webpage loading test.  We were pleased to see that our site loaded 2 times faster than our competition’s sites.  While this does not guarantee business success it is one of many small factors that add up to making the user experience an enjoyable one for your customers, and in this competitive business world any little advantage can help!

We are coming to the end of the tax year as a result it is never a bad thing to brush up on the tax implications of gifting promotional items for business use. This article comes from the Microsoft Small Business Center, here are some of the big takeaways along with a link to the full article:

“OK, maybe it is better to give than to receive. But when it comes to taxes, it’s definitely better to give business gifts than personal gifts. Here’s why: Business gifts can be deducted against your taxable income. And in some cases, what might be thought of as a gift might even be an ordinary — and fully deductible — business expense. More on that below.”

“”The expense might be promotional or advertising-related or marketing or compensation, but if the motive for it is business-related, then it’s probably not a gift,” Hoven says. No gift, no $25 limit on the deduction.”

LINK to article

We received some not so lovely news this morning via our UPS representative:

“UPS Ground Service will increase 4.9%; Air and International Services will increase a net 4.9%. The rate increase for Air and International Services is based on a 6.9% increase in the base rate and a 2% reduction in the Air and International Services fuel surcharge. Even with this change, these rates for UPS Next Day Air remain up to 7% lower than our largest U.S. private competitor for similar services.”

While is is not really a surprise that Fed Ex and UPS are upping their rates in these difficult times it does affect all of us so we wanted to communicate it. The new pricing goes in affect on January 4th 2010.

The Holds-It Caddy is a great way to get your logo maximum exposure. This item holds a wide variety of items:

- pen/pencil
- sunglasses
- flowers
- and more

and it can attach to several high exposure areas such as the dashboard of a car (has vent clip) or a computer monitor, two areas where your customer will be spending a lot of time.

At only 99 cents with quantities starting at only 200 pieces this is a very affordable item to get your brand exposure. Comes in black, white, green, red, and blue.

We are coming around the last bend and heading down the home stretch of this calendar year.  Having been in the industry for a several years now we have noticed certain seasonal trends and two popular ones at this time of the year is that of Thank You cards and Customer/Employee appreciation gifts.  These means of showing thanks can really help communicate your sincere appreciation for their business.

Here are the Top 10 Gift Ideas for the Holiday Season, according to our experience:

1.  Imprinted outerware to keep your employees/customers warm

2.  Logo’d calendar, it will get used and seen 365 days a year

3.  Stainless steel coffee tumbler filled with treats

4.  Fleece blankets with your logo

5.  Imprinted ice scrapers for cold weather clients/employees

6.  Knit beanie caps with embroidered logo

7.  Hot cocoa in a customized tin

8.  Cashmere scarfs with your logo

9.  Promotional lip balm

10.  Logo’d briefcases

…and of course with each gift it is a good idea to accompany them with Thank You cards adding that personal touch.

SanMar, one of the nation’s leading apparel suppliers, recently posted a great list of ways we can as employers recognize a job well done. I thought this was applicable since we are heading towards Thanksgiving. Here it the piece in its entirety:

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the number one reason people leave their jobs is because they don’t feel appreciated. Many polls say employees often rank “feeling valued” above their pay and benefits.

You can’t underestimate the power of recognition. From a sincere “thank you” to a holiday bonus, making employees feel cared about builds your bottom line because they’ll produce more and better work.

Here are 20 ideas to reward one of your company’s most valuable assets—your staff.

1. A thank you card that details what they did right.
2. Flexible working hours as schedules and workloads allow.
3. A bag embroidered with your company name filled with their favorite treats.
4. Opportunities to attend special trainings or skills-building seminars.
5. An extra day off.
6. Donuts and coffee for early morning meetings.
7. Picnic lunches or dinners out.
8. A tote containing movie passes or DVDs, popcorn and candy for a date night.
9. A framed certificate of appreciation.
10. A gift certificate to their favorite store.
11. Share praise from inside and outside the company. Forward positive voice mails.
12. An employee of the week, month and year program.
13. A designated parking space.
14. A “staff appreciation day” where managers supply, cook and serve lunch.
15. A t-shirt, sport shirt or jacket decorated with the company logo and their name.
16. Informal retreats and team building activities.
17. A personalized cooler filled with an assortment of beverages.
18. A subscription to a journal or magazine that relates to their job or outside interests.
19. Swap a task with an employee for a day. His/her choice.
20. Free chair massages at the end of a stressful but successful month.

We are excited to roll out our new site, as it will be a huge improvement over the previous site. Improvements will include but not be limited to:

- current and relevant articles pertaining to the promotional product industry
- industry insight from experienced members
- interactive catalog (in the making)
- shopping cart to purchase online (a bit far out now but in the making as well)

In the end the goal is and has been to provide ample information, quality service, and great pricing to better assist your business.