4imprint’s New E-Book: 130 Customer-Tested Promotional Products Ideas

(OSHKOSH, Wis.)—Promotional products, customer creativity and successful promotions come together in a new e-book from 4imprint®.

Promotional Products Work 2nd edition e-book is jam-packed with a new batch of customer-tested ideas for using promotional products. The book highlights dozens of customer profiles in an easy-to-read guide to using logo-emblazoned giveaways, promotional items, corporate apparel and personalized gifts to:

• build brand awareness
• raise funds for a cause
• reward a job well done
• spread the word
• create buzz
• strengthen team unity
• stand out at a tradeshow

The e-book draws its ideas from surveys conducted with customers who ordered and used promotional products. Business, government, education and nonprofit organizations shared a wide range of ideas in the surveys. The stories include:

• “The theme for our booth was “Putting character in your brand.” We had a caricature artist working in the booth and the bend-a-pen guys were real attention-getters. Many show attendees requested them specifically!” — Jill from Arlington Heights

• “We ordered aprons to give to our customers as Christmas gifts. We accompanied them with recipe cards that we created. The idea was that four yearbook reps each donate five recipes that take 20 minutes or less. Our custom-printed aprons said, ‘Stressed spelled backwards is Desserts.’ We had cute little figures on the apron representing the four of us with a tag line that said, “I’d rather be cooking than yearbooking.” Our customers (all teachers who advise the school yearbook) LOVED the aprons and recipe cards.” — Jane from Walnut Creek

• “We give away expandable plastic folders for clients when they open a mortgage with us. This folder is branded and can be used as a central repository for all of their financial paperwork, tax info, etc. The response has been incredible. For very minimal cost we have made a huge positive impact on our brand.” — Mark from Monona

“We are so impressed with the creativity our customers have in choosing and using promotional products,” said Kevin Lyons-Tarr, CEO, 4imprint. “We hope sharing these customer-tested ideas will help others as they plan their next event, team activity or promotion.”

The free e-book is available for download at http://4impr.in/MscmeZ.

About 4imprint
4imprint is part of 4imprint Group, Plc, a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange, serving more than 100,000 businesses with promotional items throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland. 4imprint offers corporate gifts, personalized gifts, custom t-shirts, promotional pens, travel mugs, tote bags, water bottles, Post-it® Notes, custom calendars, custom shirts and much more. For additional information, visit www.4imprint.com.

Personal Productivity at Work: Are You Task-sloppy or Time-savvy?
4imprint® Presents Latest Blue Paper® and Podcast

(OSHKOSH, Wis.) – Your email inbox is overflowing. A colleague requests your contribution to a brainstorming session on a project you’re not assigned to. And your cubicle neighbor wants to talk about their weekend plans. Is it any wonder that you can’t get any work done? This month’s Blue Paper and podcast from promotional products retailer 4imprint, Personal productivity at work: Are you task-sloppy or time-savvy?, offers doable solutions to the distractions and bad habits endemic in the modern workplace.

With nearly every employer running a lean operation these days, personal productivity is more vital than ever. The Blue Paper, 4imprint’s version of a white paper, compiles the strategies of professional productivity gurus to manage the constant challenges that hinder efficient workflow.

“The tips and tricks in this Blue Paper can be applied by almost any employee in an office setting, from support staff to the CEO,” says Greg Ebel, vice president of sales and marketing for 4imprint. “If you are looking for some time-saving habits that could help you become more efficient in the workplace, the ideas in this Blue Paper could be just what you are looking for.”

The Blue Paper and podcast offers strategies for seven common personal productivity challenges and concludes with a suggestion for conducting a personal time audit. Topics include:
• Email inbox management
• Social media distractions
• Useful (and not-so-useful) to-do lists
• Silencing the office chatterbox
• And more!

To read this Blue Paper, or download the podcast, visit www.4imprint.com/bluepapers.

About 4imprint Blue Papers
4imprint Blue Papers are in-depth, how-to articles, distributed to 4imprint customers to help their organizations succeed. Accessible at www.4imprint.com/bluepapers, Blue Papers have covered popular, cutting-edge topics such as podcasting, online social media, search engine optimization (SEO) and experiential marketing.

About 4imprint
4imprint is part of 4imprint Group, Plc, a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange, serving more than 100,000 businesses with promotional items throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland. 4imprint offers corporate gifts, personalized gifts, custom t-shirts, promotional pens, travel mugs, tote bags, water bottles, Post-it® Notes, custom calendars, custom shirts and much more. For additional information, visit www.4imprint.com.

2012 Promotional Products Person of the Year: Honor Reflects 4imprint Team

(Oshkosh, Wis.) – 4imprint’s leader has been named 2012 Person of the Year in the promotional products industry. The Counselor magazine, a promotional products trade publication, honored 4imprint President Kevin Lyons-Tarr at an event Wednesday night.

“Personally, I love it when this award ends up going to someone with the foresight to seize a game-changing trend – and the skills to parlay it into a whole new way of doing business,” said Tim Andrews, ASI’s president and CEO, in announcing Lyons-Tarr as the Person of the Year. “I’m talking about Kevin Lyons-Tarr – a direct marketing visionary with a personal touch. It’s clear nobody does the Internet better than 4imprint.”

The magazine cites 4imprint’s 36% growth over the last two years and its online strategy among the reasons for the selection. 4imprint is currently the nation’s 5th largest promotional products distributor, according to ASI.

“This honor reflects the spirit and efforts of our entire team,” Lyons-Tarr said. “Every time we interact with someone – a customer, another team member, a vendor partner – we try to make that interaction a success. When you work with an entire team that shares that approach, good things happen.”

In the eight years Lyons-Tarr has led 4imprint, building and maintaining that ‘do the right thing’ culture has been a top priority. For the last four years, the company has been honored as a Great Place to Work®.

“Our entire team works hard to make this a place where people succeed,” Lyons-Tarr said. “It’s a tribute to our team’s work when those efforts are noticed.”

About 4imprint
4imprint is part of 4imprint Group, Plc, a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange, serving more than 100,000 businesses with promotional items throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland. 4imprint offers corporate gifts, personalized gifts, custom T-shirts, promotional pens, travel mugs, tote bags, water bottles, Post-it® Notes, custom calendars, custom shirts and much more. For additional information, visit www.4imprint.com.

4imprint’s Newest Blue Paper and Podcast Looks at Latest Trends in Business Blogging

(OSHKOSH, Wis.) – This year, blogging will celebrate its 15th anniversary. With hundreds of millions of blogs in existence, readers have different expectations and blogging platforms have more capabilities and nearly 200 million blogs in existence, businesses continue to ask how they can get their blog to perform optimally and stand out from the rest.

The newest Blue Paper® and podcast from promotional products retailer 4imprint®, entitled Benefits of Blogging for Business, takes an updated look at business blogs and the importance of having a strategy in place to fully utilize the content you are creating.

4imprint’s latest Blue Paper on blogging complements Blogging for Beginners (2008) and Intermediate Blogging (2010) and provides updated information on the kinds of content people are looking for in blogs and what platform capabilities are currently available that may have seemed out of reach in the past.

“Blogging is an important marketing and communications channel for many businesses,” explains Greg Ebel, vice president of marketing for 4imprint. “As blogging continues to evolve, this Blue Paper and podcast provides current insight on blogging for business in today’s world.”

4imprint has compiled research on building and maintaining a blog for your business, including:

• What platforms are available for building a blog
• Effective editorial calendar development
• Tactics for keeping your blog relevant

To download the Blue Paper, visit www.4imprint.com/bluepapers.

About 4imprint Blue Papers
4imprint Blue Papers are in-depth, how-to articles, distributed to 4imprint customers to help their organizations succeed. Accessible at www.4imprint.com/bluepapers, Blue Papers have covered popular, cutting-edge topics such as podcasting, online social media, search engine optimization (SEO) and experiential marketing.

About 4imprint
4imprint is part of 4imprint Group, Plc, a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange, serving more than 100,000 businesses with promotional items throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland. 4imprint offers corporate gifts, personalized gifts, custom t-shirts, promotional pens, travel mugs, tote bags, water bottles, Post-it® Notes, custom calendars, custom shirts and much more. For additional information, visit www.4imprint.com.

4imprint® Announces More Than $30,000 in In-Kind Grants and Donations to Nonprofits

(OSHKOSH, Wis.) – Through its one by one® philanthropic giving program, promotional products retailer 4imprint donated more than $30,000 in promotional items to more than 50 nonprofit organizations and charities throughout the United States and Canada in the first quarter of 2012.

In the spirit of 4imprint’s commitment to customers and community, the one by one program aims to help charities boost awareness for their organizations, reach customers, promote events, thank key audiences and much more through $500 in-kind donations of promotional products. The program also offered many donations of product samples to community organizations to use to further their cause.

“The organizations that received these one by one grants are doing important work in their communities,” explained Kevin Lyons-Tarr, 4imprint president. “It is inspiring to see the impact they are making and we are honored to play a small part.”

4imprint is accepting applications for its 2012 one by one program online at http://onebyone.4imprint.com. Any 501(c) 3 organization, registered Canadian charity, school or religious organization is encouraged to apply. Interested organizations are asked to submit applications a minimum of two (2) months before items will be used, to allow time for application processing and product delivery.

2012 one by one™ recipients to date include:

ANE Pediatric Stroke Foundation, Fort Worth, Texas
Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Asheville, N.C.
United Methodist Care Team, Bismarck, Ark.
The Arc/Morris, Morris Plains, N.J.
ARCS: AIDS-Related Community Services, Hawthorne, N.Y.
Arthritis Foundation – Hawaii Branch, Honolulu, Hawaii
Bosma Visionary Opportunities Foundation, Indianapolis, Ind.
Boys & Girls Clubs of North Mississippi, Tupelo, Miss.
Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama, Birmingham, Ala.
Camp Blue Skies Foundation, Charlotte, N.C.
Camp Encourage, Kansas City, Mo.
Chautauqua Striders, Inc., Jamestown, N.Y.
The Children’s Ability Fund, Edmonton, Alberta
Christie Ossington Neighbourhood Centre – West Toronto, Ontario
CAAFA: Community Alliance Against Family Abuse, Apache Junction, Ariz.
Concordia University, Irvine, Calif.
Cure 4 The Kids Foundation, Las Vegas, Nev.
Dorchester Children’s Center – Children in Crisis – Summerville, S.C.
Exceptional Care for Children, Newark, Del.
Families for HoPE Inc. – Crandon, Wis.
FHNB: Fishing has No Boundaries, Madison, Wis.
Food for Thought Project, Inc., Cumming, Ga.
Frederick County Foster Adoptive Parent Assoc., Monrovia, Md.
The Gbomai Bestman Foundation, Silver Spring, Minn.
Great Plains LIFE Foundation, Normal, Ill.
Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery County, MD, Gaithersburg, Md.
Honor Flight Buffalo, Buffalo, N.Y.
International Pemphigus Pemphigoid Foundation, Sacramento, Calif.
Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation, Charlotte, N.C.
The Laurel Center, Winchester, Va.
Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals, New York, N.Y.
Middletown Special Olympics/ Middletown City School, Middletown, Ohio
Montgomery Hospital Foundation, Norristown, Penn.
Muscular Dystrophy Association of Southern Arizona, Tucson, Ariz.
New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance, Middleboro, Mass.
Newport County Community Mental Health Center, Middletown, R.I.
Ogden-Weber Tech College Foundation, Ogden, Utah
Operation Fuel, Inc., Bloomfield, Conn.
Pawsitive Works, Bonners Ferry, Idaho
Pentucket Regional High School, Merrimac, Mass.
Project Lazarus, Moravian Falls, N.C.
Red Paw Emergency Relief Team, Philadelphia, Penn.
Reel Expectation Foundation, Dover, Del.
S.A. Independent Living Services, San Antonio, Texas
Safe Kids Gwinnett, Lawrenceville, Ga.
Skyline Drive Preservation, Inc., Rapid City, S.D.
Special Olympics Brookings, Brookings, S.D.
St. Agnes Parish, Green Bay, Wis.
Students for Safe Water, San Juan Capistrano, Calif.
Volunteers of America of Kentucky Inc., Louisville, Ky.
Wrapped in Love Foundation, Inc., Bridgeville, Penn.
YMCA Lancaster, Lancaster, Penn.
YouthCARE, Minneapolis, Minn.
Zero, The Project to End Prostate Cancer, Washington, DC

About 4imprint’s one by one program
one by one is the charitable giving program of 4imprint. Now in its sixth year, 4imprint’s one by one program supports nonprofits with IRS-approved 501(c)3 status or Canadian-registered charities, religious organizations and accredited schools. Since the program began, the promotional products retailer has awarded nearly $827,000 in promotional products grants to nonprofit organizations.

About 4imprint
4imprint is part of 4imprint Group, Plc, a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange, and serves more than 100,000 businesses with its innovative promotional items throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland. Its product offerings include corporate gifts, personalized gifts, custom shirts, promotional pens, travel mugs, tote bags, water bottles, Post-it Notes®, custom calendars and much more. For additional information, log on to www.4imprint.com.

Plan, Promote and Party:
A Beginner’s Guide to Planning Internal Company Events
4imprint Presents Latest Blue Paper™ and Podcast

(OSHKOSH, Wis.) – There’s no doubt about it: Planning internal company events is a challenging and time-consuming task. Well-planned events may re-launch a brand, educate a staff, build camaraderie and reward employees for a job well done. Poorly planned events, on the other hand, waste precious company resources and may actually hurt morale. This month’s Blue Paper and podcast from promotional products retailer 4imprint entitled, Plan, promote and party: A beginner’s guide to planning internal company events, provides in-depth guidance for anyone charged with pulling off a successful internal gathering.

With employee time and company resources at stake, businesses can’t afford to approach an internal event without a strong planning team, clear goals and an action plan. The Blue Paper, 4imprint’s version of a white paper, compiles the wisdom and experience of numerous expert event and meeting planners with additional resources to help internal event planning committees form a strategy to get the most value—for both employees and employer—out of a company event.
“Internal company events—from training sessions to team building to employee appreciation—are necessary for any business or organization,” says Kevin Lyons-Tarr, president for 4imprint. “This Blue Paper presents a strategic approach to planning business events and meetings that keeps company objectives in mind.”
The Blue Paper and podcast provide a step-by-step approach to planning an internal company event, including:
• Forming an event planning team
• Setting event goals and a budget
• Developing an action plan
• Promoting the event
• And more!
To read this Blue Paper, or download the podcast, visit www.4imprint.com/bluepapers.

About 4imprint Blue Papers
4imprint Blue Papers are in-depth, how-to articles, distributed to 4imprint customers to help their organizations succeed. Accessible at www.4imprint.com/bluepapers, Blue Papers have covered popular, cutting-edge topics such as podcasting, online social media, search engine optimization (SEO) and experiential marketing.

About 4imprint
4imprint is part of 4imprint Group, Plc, a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange, serving more than 100,000 businesses with promotional items throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland. 4imprint offers corporate gifts, personalized gifts, custom t-shirts, promotional pens, travel mugs, tote bags, water bottles, Post-it® Notes, custom calendars, custom shirts and much more. For additional information, visit www.4imprint.com.

Gone But Not Forgotten: Better Employee Exits
4imprintTM Blue PaperTM and podcast discuss making the most of employee turnover

(OSHKOSH, Wis.) – Turnover is costly. Between lost productivity and recruitment costs, employee attrition is bad news for the bottom line. But forward-thinking employers don’t just shrug and move on when an employee leaves. They use it an as opportunity for growth.

That’s the message behind “Better exits: Making the most of employee turnover,” the latest Blue Paper and podcast from 4imprint. Blue Papers (4imprint’s version of a white paper) provide business insight culled from leading industry sources, including business books, human resource journals and mainstream news outlets.

“Employee turnover is something that every business has to deal with,” says Greg Ebel, vice president of sales and marketing for 4imprint. “This Blue Paper provides insights on how companies can leverage employee turnover and turn it into a learning and growing experience.”

The Blue Paper focuses primarily on employee exit interviews and how to gather honest feedback from departing employees. If the company can identify the challenges—internal or external—that drive attrition, it can make an informed plan of action for addressing those hurdles and limit future turnover.

Beyond exit interviews, the Blue Paper presents the idea of corporate alumni networks, and shares how other organizations are using them to win back former employees and drive down recruitment costs.
To read this Blue Paper, or download the podcast, visit www.4imprint.com/bluepapers.

About 4imprint Blue Papers
4imprint Blue Papers are in-depth, how-to articles, distributed to 4imprint customers to help their organizations succeed. Accessible at www.4imprint.com/bluepapers, Blue Papers have covered popular, cutting-edge topics such as podcasting, online social media, search engine optimization (SEO) and experiential marketing.

About 4imprint
4imprint is part of 4imprint Group, Plc, a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange, serving more than 100,000 businesses with promotional items throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland. 4imprint offers corporate gifts, personalized gifts, custom t-shirts, promotional pens, travel mugs, tote bags, water bottles, Post-it® Notes, custom calendars, custom shirts and much more. For additional information, visit www.4imprint.com.

4imprint’s newest Blue Paper and Podcast
Offers Tools for Creating a Culture of Candor

(OSHKOSH, Wis.) – When it comes to honesty in the workplace, many people subscribe to the theory that if you don’t have anything nice to say, you shouldn’t say anything at all. Yet some say everyone needs to stop biting their tongues; those quiet conversations happening outside of meetings contain nuggets of information essential to company success. To identify issues before they affect the bottom line, experts say organizations should strive to create transparency in the workplace. How do you create transparency? Learn that and more helpful tips in the latest Blue Paper™ and podcast from promotional products retailer 4imprintTM, “Spare the messenger: how creating a business culture of candor paves the way to success.”

“Creating a culture of candor has been a hot topic of discussion for businesses,” says Greg Ebel, vice president of sales and marketing for 4imprint. “This Blue Paper and podcast dives into what a culture of candor is all about and how to create that kind of environment in a workplace.”

By creating a culture of candor, businesses can identify weaknesses within their organization, proactively forge solutions to problems and foresee opportunities for growth. 4imprint has compiled research on creating transparency in business, including:
• the risks associated with controlling the flow of information
• how a culture of candor can benefit businesses, beyond legal compliance
• practical steps for encouraging honesty in the workplace, as well as compassionate candor
• how to protect truth-tellers in your organization so they feel comfortable sharing information
• the popularity of social media, and its role in company candor

To read this Blue Paper, or download the podcast, visit www.4imprint.com/bluepapers.

About 4imprint Blue Papers
4imprint Blue Papers are in-depth, how-to articles, distributed to 4imprint customers to help their organizations succeed. Accessible at www.4imprint.com/bluepapers, Blue Papers have covered popular, cutting-edge topics such as podcasting, online social media, search engine optimization (SEO) and experiential marketing.

About 4imprint
4imprint is part of 4imprint Group, Plc, a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange, serving more than 100,000 businesses with promotional items throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland. 4imprint offers corporate gifts, personalized gifts, custom t-shirts, promotional pens, travel mugs, tote bags, water bottles, Post-it® Notes, custom calendars, custom shirts and much more. For additional information, visit www.4imprint.com.

4imprint’s Newest Blue Paper and Podcast Highlighting Social Network Analysis

(OSHKOSH, Wis.) – Once you’ve implemented your social media plan, how can you better understand your customers and reach them in a way that’s meaningful? Through social network analysis, business owners can gain insights into their existing network members that can help grow their customer base, increase opportunities for more effective marketing practices and potentially increase sales. While the science of social network analysis for businesses is still unfolding, industry experts weigh in on the possible implications for companies, in the latest Blue Paper™ and podcast from promotional products retailer 4imprint®, Social network analysis: defining connections, relationships and interests for greater marketing success.

“More organizations are using social networks to connect with their customers,” says Greg Ebel, vice president of marketing for 4imprint. “In this Blue Paper and podcast, we look at ways to take those connections to the next level, using social network analysis and data to help your business.”

Through social network analysis (SNA), businesses can apply science to their social networking efforts, gaining a clearer picture of the network members they are reaching, their personal networks and interests, as well as the individuals who are eager to connect with your business, but have not yet been reached through marketing. The Blue Paper and Podcast look at SNA for business and covers topics such as:

• Understanding the basics of social network analysis
• How to map your social network and their interests
• How to apply what you learn through social network and interest graphing to achieve marketing goals

To read this Blue Paper, or download the podcast, visit www.4imprint.com/bluepapers.

About 4imprint Blue Papers™
4imprint Blue Papers™ are in-depth, how-to articles, distributed to 4imprint customers to help their organizations succeed. Accessible at www.4imprint.com/bluepapers, Blue Papers™ have covered popular, cutting-edge topics such as podcasting, online social media, search engine optimization (SEO) and experiential marketing.

About 4imprint
4imprint is part of 4imprint Group, Plc, a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange, serving more than 100,000 businesses with promotional items throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland. 4imprint offers corporate gifts, personalized gifts, custom t-shirts, promotional pens, travel mugs, tote bags, water bottles, Post-it® Notes, custom calendars, custom shirts and much more. For additional information, visit www.4imprint.com.

Giving to Learn: 4imprint Blue Paper and Podcast Discuss Skills-Based Volunteering as an Employee Training Tool

(OSHKOSH, Wis.) – What employer investment builds employee knowledge and benefits the community at the same time? Volunteering. The latest Blue Paper and podcast from 4imprint discusses why and how corporate volunteer efforts can serve double duty as employee training programs.
The Blue Paper, 4imprint’s version of a white paper, provides a review of recent statistical evidence on the benefits of employee learning through volunteerism. For example, it shows 90 percent of HR professionals agreed that skills-based volunteering was an effective way to develop leadership skills. It also presents research suggesting that of employees who volunteer, 25 percent do so because they are motived to learn new skills.

“Skills-based volunteering is a unique way to approach employee professional development,” said Greg Ebel, vice president of sales and marketing for 4imprint. “This approach could be interesting to companies looking for new ways to develop their employee, because it has the potential to benefit the employee, the company and the community.”

The Blue Paper and podcast cover several aspects of learning through volunteerism, including:

• Exploring the business case for volunteering
• Creating effective volunteer learning experiences
• Measuring results

The Blue Paper also contains a variety of resources for employers, managers or Human Resources professionals who want to learn more.
To read this Blue Paper, or download the podcast, visit www.4imprint.com/bluepapers.

About 4imprint Blue Papers
4imprint Blue Papers are in-depth, how-to articles, distributed to 4imprint customers to help their organizations succeed. Accessible at www.4imprint.com/bluepapers, Blue Papers have covered popular, cutting-edge topics such as podcasting, online social media, search engine optimization (SEO) and experiential marketing.

About 4imprint
4imprint is part of 4imprint Group, Plc, a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange, serving more than 100,000 businesses with promotional items throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland. 4imprint offers corporate gifts, personalized gifts, custom t-shirts, promotional pens, travel mugs, tote bags, water bottles, Post-it® Notes, custom calendars, custom shirts and much more. For additional information, visit www.4imprint.com.

4imprint’s Newest Blue Paper and Podcast Highlight Product Placement Strategy

(OSHKOSH, Wis.) – From the time a customer enters a retail store to the time they exit with packages in hand, retailers have an opportunity to showcase goods those customers want or need. Product placement plays an enormous role in the process, and can ultimately determine whether customers go home disappointed and unable to find what they want, or happy, satisfied, and willing to return.

In the latest Blue Paper™ and podcast from promotional products retailer 4imprint, “The perfect placement: The science and psychology behind retail product placement,” experts demystify the rationale behind product placement and offer practical tips retailers can employ to boost sales and customer satisfaction.

“Product placement is around us in our everyday lives, from the department store to the supermarket,” says Greg Ebel, vice president of marketing for 4imprint. “This blue paper has some insight on how stores are using product placement to help generate sales and influence purchasing decisions.”

The latest Blue Paper™ examines product placement strategy development from multiple angles, including:

• The importance of product placement
• The basic psychology behind consumer behavior
• Consumer shopping habits both in-store and online
• Retail store layout and traffic flow considerations
• Visual product placement, category-based merchandising and occasion-based merchandising
• The use of planograms and other tools for developing product placement strategy

To read this Blue Paper, or download the podcast, visit www.4imprint.com/bluepapers.

About 4imprint Blue Papers™
4imprint Blue Papers™ are in-depth, how-to articles, distributed to 4imprint customers to help their organizations succeed. Accessible at www.4imprint.com/bluepapers, Blue Papers™ have covered popular, cutting-edge topics such as podcasting, online social media, search engine optimization (SEO) and experiential marketing.

About 4imprint
4imprint is part of 4imprint Group, Plc, a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange, serving more than 100,000 businesses with promotional items throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland. 4imprint offers corporate gifts, personalized gifts, custom t-shirts, promotional pens, travel mugs, tote bags, water bottles, Post-it® Notes, custom calendars, custom shirts and much more. For additional information, visit www.4imprint.com.

4imprint Donates More Than $128,000 in Promotional Products with one by one Program in 2011

(OSHKOSH, Wis.) – Promotional products retailer 4imprint helped a non-profit, school or religious organization every business day of 2011, donating over $128,000 in in-kind promotional items to support a wide range of causes and events through its one by one philanthropic giving program.

Since 4imprint launched the one by one program, six years ago, the company has awarded more than $800,000 in in-kind donations to charitable organizations in the U.S. and Canada. In 2011 alone, 4imprint distributed nearly 1,255 product donations throughout the United States and Canada and to troops overseas.

Each business day, 4imprint donated approximately $500 worth of promotional items to a charitable cause in the U.S. and Canada. Demand for the program continues to grow. A total of 2,159 applicants requested one by one donations in 2011. In addition to providing in-kind promotional product grants to 256 organizations, 4imprint also provided product samples to 1,356 additional applicants, helping as many nonprofits, schools and community organizations as possible.

“The recipients are so varied in the causes they champion,” says Kevin Lyons-Tarr, 4imprint president. “But, what unites them are the wonderful, creative ways they gain awareness and support for their causes. We’re pleased promotional products can play a small role in that work.”

4imprint is currently accepting applications for its 2012 one by one program online at http://onebyone.4imprint.com. Any 501(c) 3 organization, registered Canadian charity, school or religious organization is encouraged to apply. Interested organizations are to submit applications a minimum of two (2) months before items are needed for use. This allows time for applications to be processed and products to be delivered for scheduled events.

Fourth-quarter 2011 one by one recipients include:

4RKids Foundation – Enid, Okla.
Action Sudbury – Sudbury, Ontario
Alamo Shape – Zia Therapy Center – Alamogordo, N.M.
Amputee Connections of Redlands – Grand Terrace, Calif.
Anchor Center for Blind Children – Denver, Colo.
Angels4Epilepsy – Williamsburg, Ohio
Association of Missing and Exploited Children’s Organizations – Alexandria, Va.
Bartlett High School – Bartlett, Tenn.
BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund – Burnaby, British Columbia
Big Brothers Big Sisters Association of Weyburn – Weyburn, Saskatchewan
Blessings in a Backpack of Citrus County – Lecanto, Fla.
Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation – Portsmouth, N.H.
Brevard C.A.R.E.S. – Rockledge, Fla.
BROC-Community Action in Southwestern Vermont – Ruthland, Vt.
Canadian Cancer Society – Ottawa, Ontario
Central Ontario Leadership Seminars – Shelburne, Ontario
Chase After a Cure – Summerville, S.C.
CHATS – Community Adult Education – Aurora, Ontario
Children First: CEO Kansas, Inc. – Wichita, Kan.
Christ United Methodist Church – High Point, N.C.
Cure with Hope – Hollis, N.H.
Derby Community Foundation – Derby, Kan.
Dorchester County Adult Education – Summerville, S.C.
Downtown Women’s Center – Los Angeles, Calif.
Emancipet – Austin, Texas
Empty Bowls – Leavenworth, Wash.
The Empty Stocking Fund – Atlanta, Ga.
Encompass/Foster Grandparent Program – Green Bay, Wis.
Family Service Regina – Regina, Saskatchewan
A Friend’s House, Inc. – McDonough, GA
Friends of Creamer’s Field – Fairbanks, Ark.
Foundation Fighting Blindness – Toronto, Ontario
FPC Church CRUSH PROJECT – Belleville, Ontario
Friends of the Orphans – Chicago, Ill.
The Generous Garden Project – Simpsonville, S.C.
Genesis Development – Jefferson, Iowa
Goodwill Homes Community Services, Inc. – Memphis, Tenn.
Great Guys Group – Wayne, Pa.
Heart of a Champion (One Heart) – Colleyville, Texas
Helping Haitian Angels – Gainsville, Va.
HEROES, Inc. – Washington, D.C.
Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence – Indianapolis, Ind.
It Ain’t Chemo – Las Vegas, Nev.
JOY (Jewels of Youth) – Santa Monica, Calif.
Kentucky Partnership for Families and Children, Inc. – Frankfort, Ky.
Kids Cancer Care Foundation of Alberta – Calgary, Alberta
Lake Forest College – Lake Forest, Ill.
The Learning Disabilities Association of WNY, Inc. – Kenmore, N.Y.
Lee Mental Health Center, Inc. – Fort Meyers, Fla.
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society – Denver, Colo.
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society – Sacramento, Calif.
M-CM Network – East Lansing, Mich.
M.A.D.D. Lunenburg-Queens – Liverpool, Nova Scotia
ManExam Coalition for Testicular Cancer Awareness – Cape Girardeau, Mo.
Mary Berglund Community Health Centre – Ignace, Ontario
Maternity Homes of Fox Valley – Aurora, Ill.
Matthew’s Giving Tree Foundation – Sayville, N.Y.
Mental Health Center of Dane County – Madison, Wis.
Methodist Home of KY – Mary Kendall Campus – Owensboro, Ky.
Michigan Donor Family Council – Britton, Mich.
Mid-America Science Museum – Hot Springs, Ark.
Natural Science Center of Greensboro – Grennsboro, N.C.
New York City Anti-Violence Project – New York, N.Y.
No Boundaries International – Edmond, Okla.
North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher – Kure Beach, N.C.
North County Women’s Shelter & Resource Center – Paso Robles, Calif.
Northwest Coalition Against Trafficking – Vancouver, Wash.
The O’Neal School – Southern Pines, N.C.
Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks – Columbus, Ohio
Operation Kenya Kids, Inc. – Largo, Fla.
Peace Officer Down Benefit – Lemoore, Calif.
Pink & Blue United – Littleton, Colo.
Purchase Area Sexual Assault & Child Advocacy Center – Paducah, Ky.
Rainbow Girls of Washington Idaho – Des Moines, Wash.
Regional Day School Program for the Deaf (FWISD) – Fort Worth, Texas
The Ronald McDonald House of Delaware – Wilmington, Del.
The Ruth Bancroft Garden – Walnut Creek, Calif.
Sacred Heart Sandwich Program – Peoria, Ill.
San Miguel Firefighters Charitable Foundation – Spring Valley, Calif.
Send ME Foundation – Chula Vista, Calif.
Shared Adventures – Santa Cruz, Calif.
Sisters4Sisters, Inc. – Lanham, Minn.
Soroptimist International of Farmington Valley, CT – Canton, Conn.
Starlight Children’s Foundation – Vancouver, British Columbia
Status C Unknown – Medford, N.Y.
Suffolk Meals on Wheels – Suffolk, Va.
Sustainable Surplus Exchange – Carlsbad, Calif.
Sycamore Land Trust – Bloomington, Ind.
TEARS, Inc. – Phenix City, Ala.
UC Berkeley Dance Marathon – Berkeley, Calif.
Veteran Outdoors – San Antonio, Texas
Victim Services Niagara – St. Catharines, Ontario
Volunteers of America northern New England – Brunswick, Maine
Welcome Newborns – Escanaba, Mich.
Wheels for Prostate Cancer Research, Inc. – Baltimore, Md.
Wish Upon a Wedding – Greensboro, N.C.
Women Against Prostate Cancer – Washington D.C.
Wyoming FFA Foundation – Newcastle, Wyo.
YPAAC – Denver, Colo.
YWCA Durham – Oshawa, Ontario

About 4imprint’s one by one program
one by one is the charitable giving program of 4imprint. Now in its seventh year, 4imprint’s one by one program supports nonprofits with IRS-approved 501(c)3 status or Canadian-registered charities, religious organizations and accredited schools. Since the program began, the promotional products retailer has awarded more than $800,000 in promotional products grants to nonprofit organizations.

About 4imprint
4imprint is part of 4imprint Group, Plc, a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange, and serves more than 100,000 businesses with its innovative promotional items throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland. Its product offerings include business gifts, embroidered apparel, promotional pens, tradeshow and tabletop displays, travel mugs, tote bags, water bottles, Post-it® Notes, custom calendars and much more. For additional information, log on to www.4imprint.com.

Be Well and Prosper: 4imprint Blue Paper and Podcast Explore Flu Preparedness Planning

(OSHKOSH, Wis.) – Flu reports may not be grabbing headlines this year but that’s no reason to get complacent. The latest Blue Paper™ and podcast from promotional products retailer 4imprintTM walks companies through the basic steps of developing a flu preparedness plan.

According to sources 4imprint cites, executives believe their organizations are largely unprepared for the kind of wide-spread absenteeism that could occur during a flu pandemic. The Blue Paper, 4imprint’s version of a white paper, pulls from several expert resources to outline a flu response plan that includes action items such as cross-training, telecommuting, and HR policy reviews.

“It’s cold and flu season, so this topic is top of mind right now,” says Greg Ebel, vice president of sales and marketing for 4imprint. “This Blue Paper has some ideas on how to prepare your company when or if your employees get sick.”

The Blue Paper and podcast cover a variety of flu preparedness concerns, collected from expert sources online and new original interviews. The paper includes:

• Building a flu response team
• Deciding when to trigger a response plan
• Building employee awareness
• Suggestions for social distancing
• And more!

To read this Blue Paper, or download the podcast, visit www.4imprint.com/bluepapers.

About 4imprint Blue Papers™
4imprint Blue Papers™ are in-depth, how-to articles, distributed to 4imprint customers to help their organizations succeed. Accessible at www.4imprint.com/bluepapers, Blue Papers have covered popular, cutting-edge topics such as podcasting, online social media, search engine optimization (SEO) and experiential marketing.

About 4imprint
4imprint is part of 4imprint Group, Plc, a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange, serving more than 100,000 businesses with promotional items throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland. 4imprint offers corporate gifts, personalized gifts, custom t-shirts, promotional pens, travel mugs, tote bags, water bottles, Post-it® Notes, custom calendars, custom shirts and much more. For additional information, visit www.4imprint.com.

New 4imprint Blue Paper and Podcast Explores Google+® for Business

(OSHKOSH, Wis.) – With Google+ setting records for growth, business, government and nonprofit leaders are looking at how the social network will affect their marketing and social media plans. 4imprint’s latest Blue Paper® and podcast tackle that topic, providing an overview of the ways Google+ and Google Pages could influence search results, customer service and more.

“It’s interesting to look at the ways organizations can use Google+ and Google Pages,” said Greg Ebel, vice president marketing, 4imprint. “We’re hoping that this introductory look at Google’s social network will provide some useful background and interesting ideas for those considering how to best use this fast-growing network.”

Google+: The scoop on the new kid on the block and what it means for business looks at features available to Google+ users, including +Circles, +Sparks, +Hangouts, and provides a step-by-step guide for getting started with Google+. Likewise, the Blue Paper and podcast identify how organizations may benefit if Google integrates other products such as Google Apps for Business and Google Wallet with Google+.

To read this Blue Paper, or download the podcast, visit www.4imprint.com/bluepapers.

About 4imprint Blue Papers™
4imprint Blue Papers™ are in-depth, how-to articles, distributed to 4imprint customers to help their organizations succeed. Accessible at www.4imprint.com/bluepapers, Blue Papers™ have covered popular, cutting-edge topics such as podcasting, online social media, search engine optimization (SEO) and experiential marketing.

About 4imprint
4imprint is part of 4imprint Group, Plc, a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange, serving more than 100,000 businesses with promotional items throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland. 4imprint offers corporate gifts, personalized gifts, custom t-shirts, promotional pens, travel mugs, tote bags, water bottles, Post-it® Notes, custom calendars, custom shirts and much more. For additional information, visit www.4imprint.com.

Career Mapping for Talent Development Featured in Newest Blue Paper and Podcast from 4imprint

(OSHKOSH, Wis.) – As the current economic climate continues to fluctuate, experts report that many companies are facing a skilled labor shortage. One way companies are tackling that challenge is by focusing on internal talent growth. The latest Blue Paper® and podcast from promotional products retailer 4imprint delves into the issue by introducing career mapping as a talent development tool.

“Career mapping is just one tool organizations are using to retain talent,” said Mary Curtin, vice president of administration for 4imprint. “This Blue Paper and podcast provide a high-level overview and case studies, explaining what career mapping is and providing some ideas on how career mapping is working in other organizations.”

Titled Maps, Ladders, Lattices and Pipelines, the Blue Paper address the need to forecast staffing needs with a long-range talent strategy. It includes case studies from two organizations rolling out career mapping as well as other best practices and step-by-step ideas for companies just getting started with talent development.
To read this Blue Paper, or download the podcast, visit www.4imprint.com/bluepapers.

About 4imprint Blue Papers™
4imprint Blue Papers™ are in-depth, how-to articles, distributed to 4imprint customers to help their organizations succeed. Accessible at www.4imprint.com/bluepapers, Blue Papers™ have covered popular, cutting-edge topics such as podcasting, online social media, search engine optimization (SEO) and experiential marketing.

About 4imprint
4imprint is part of 4imprint Group, Plc, a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange, serving more than 100,000 businesses with promotional items throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland. 4imprint offers corporate gifts, personalized gifts, custom t-shirts, promotional pens, travel mugs, tote bags, water bottles, Post-it® Notes, custom calendars, custom shirts and much more. For additional information, visit www.4imprint.com.

New 4imprint E-Book Profiles 135 Real-Life Promotional Products Stories

(OSHKOSH, Wis.)—Promotional products work.

That’s the theme for a new e-book published by promotional products distributor 4imprint. The 143-page e-book profiles dozens of creative ways 4imprint customers are using logo-emblazoned giveaways, promotional items, corporate apparel and personalized gifts to:

• build brand awareness
• raise funds for a cause
• reward a job well done
• spread the word
• create buzz
• strengthen team unity
• stand out at a tradeshow

The e-book draws its ideas from surveys conducted with customers who ordered and used promotional products. Business, government, education and nonprofit organizations shared a wide range of ideas in the surveys. The stories include:

• “I attached $25 coupons to each spatula that read “Thanks for helping us SPREAD the word!” to give out at a Women’s Networking group. Everyone loved the spatulas and even asked for extras for their friends and family. Now everyone has our name and number in a drawer in their kitchen. We know who they will call the next time their sink is overflowing!” —Emily, Mr. Rooter Plumbing

• “To collect business cards from attendees at presentations, we started announcing a raffle for a Stadium Blanket. Instead of having people ‘forget’ to bring cards, they are now going back to their desks to get a card so they can enter the contest.” —Janine, Dallas, TX

• “We use fresh basil in our restaurant’s turkey flatbread sandwich. We sent a promotional mailing out to all our VIPs with the basil stick, reminding them of the delicious flatbreads, and a fun offer for a buy one get one free on any of our entrees. Our VIPs love getting their coupons – it helps us let them know how much we value their business.” — Emmalee, Spearfish Canyon Lodge

“We’re so impressed by the creativity of our customers and the quality, real-life examples they shared,” said Kevin Lyons-Tarr, CEO, 4imprint. “Our hope is that these stories spark additional ideas and are helpful to others interested in promotional products.”

The free e-book is available for download at http://4impr.in/vLXOIX.

About 4imprint
4imprint is part of 4imprint Group, Plc, a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange, serving more than 100,000 businesses with promotional items throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland. 4imprint offers corporate gifts, personalized gifts, custom t-shirts, promotional pens, travel mugs, tote bags, water bottles, Post-it® Notes, custom calendars, custom shirts and much more. For additional information, visit www.4imprint.com.

Putting Personality Assessment Tools to Work for Business:
The latest Blue Paper and Podcast by 4imprint

(OSHKOSH, Wis.)— An article that appeared in Workforce Management estimates the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator personality assessment is administered over 2.5 million times every year. But why? And, to what effect? These are the questions promotional products retailer 4imprint seeks to answer in its latest Blue Paper® and podcast.

Research from Psychology Today indicates about 80 percent of Fortune 500 companies utilize personality assessments to gain a deeper understanding of employees. The information gathered within these organizations is used for a wide variety of purposes: coaching, employee development and team-building. For some organizations, they are used even before an individual is offered a job. With the high cost of recruiting and retaining key talent, and the high numbers of job seekers, it’s no surprise that companies are looking for relatively low cost solutions to help mine the avalanche of applicants.

“This Blue Paper covers all angles of the subject, hopefully giving businesses of all sizes helpful information regardless of whether they have used personality assessments in their company or not.” suggests Mary Curtin, vice president of human resources for 4imprint.

Personality plus: Putting personality assessment tools to work for business delves into this topic as well as covering:

• A brief history of personality assessments
• Both sides of the research
• The type of assessments most commonly used
• The risks and factors affiliated with utilizing personality assessments in the workplace
To read this Blue Paper, or download the podcast, visit http://info.4imprint.com/bluepapers/personality-assement-tools-for-business.

About 4imprint Blue Papers™
4imprint Blue Papers™ are in-depth, how-to articles, distributed to 4imprint customers to help their organizations succeed. Accessible at www.4imprint.com/bluepapers, Blue Papers™ have covered popular, cutting-edge topics such as podcasting, online social media, search engine optimization (SEO) and experiential marketing.

About 4imprint
4imprint is part of 4imprint Group, Plc, a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange, serving more than 100,000 businesses with promotional items throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland. 4imprint offers corporate gifts, personalized gifts, custom t-shirts, promotional pens, travel mugs, tote bags, water bottles, Post-it® Notes, custom calendars, custom shirts and much more. For additional information, visit www.4imprint.com.

4imprint Announces the Top 21 Customer Rated Promotional Products for 2011

(OSHKOSH, Wis.) – Tradeshow supplies, lunch and tote bags, pens and other fun and useful items topped the annual list of 4imprint’s highest customer rated promotional products. The online promotional products retailer announced the 2011 ranking earlier today.

“The most valuable feedback we receive comes directly from our customers,” said Greg Ebel, vice president of sales and marketing for 4imprint. “We review their feedback on a real-time basis and continuously assess the quality and effectiveness of each of our products based on our own customers’ experiences. This list represents products that have consistently helped customers promote their organizations in 2011, based solely on their rating.”

The top 21 promotional products and custom gifts that made the list for 2011 are:

• Closed-Back Table Throw – 8′
• Square Non-Woven Lunch Bag
• Spirit Tumbler – 16 oz.
• Javelin Pen
• Big Thunder Tote – 15″ x 13″
• Economy Pocket Coolie
• Bic Clic Stic Pen
• Sport Flyer – 9″ – Opaque
• Neck Wallet
• Closed-Back Table Throw – 6′
• Budget-Beater White Mug – 11 oz.
• Business Card Magnet – 20 mil
• Cubano Pen
• Mardi Gras Pen
• Drawstring Sportpack – Small
• Two-Tone Tote Bag – Screen
• Hanes Tagless 6.1 oz. T-Shirt – Screen- Colors
• Epiphany Pen – Translucent
• Budgeteer Pencil
• Value Stick Pen – Colors
• Value Grocery Tote – 15″ x 13″

The ratings are based on users’ experience and opinions through a five-star rating system on 4imprint’s website. Users may also share comments along with their ratings in order to better help others and 4imprint’s customer service team better gauge quality and satisfaction. For more information, visit www.4imprint.com.

About 4imprint Blue Papers™
4imprint Blue Papers™ are in-depth, how-to articles, distributed to 4imprint customers to help their organizations succeed. Accessible at www.4imprint.com/bluepapers, Blue Papers™ have covered popular, cutting-edge topics such as podcasting, online social media, search engine optimization (SEO) and experiential marketing.

About 4imprint
4imprint is part of 4imprint Group, Plc, a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange, serving more than 100,000 businesses with promotional items throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland. 4imprint offers corporate gifts, personalized gifts, custom t-shirts, promotional pens, travel mugs, tote bags, water bottles, Post-it® Notes, custom calendars, custom shirts and much more. For additional information, visit www.4imprint.com.

Latest Blue Paper and Podcast from 4imprint
Asks “What’s the Future of Public Relations?”

(OSHKOSH, Wis.) –A recent study by Veronis Suhler Stevenson points to public relations as the fastest-growing industry between now and 2015. Yet, public relations is also proving to be one of the fastest changing industries thanks to the Web. The latest Blue Paper® and podcast from promotional products retailer 4imprint explores the near future of PR and what it could mean for businesses everywhere.

“This Blue Paper and podcast are a compilation of research we found from industry thought leaders and experts on where they think the field is headed”, said Greg Ebel, vice president of sales and marketing for 4imprint. “PR is continuing to evolve so we thought the topic would be one our customers might enjoy.”

Many of the experts referenced and quoted in this Blue Paper believe that the biggest change facing PR in the years ahead will be businesses ability to adapt and respond effectively to the world of real-time. The future of public relations delves more deeply into these changes as well as covering:

• A brief history of public relations
• The need for real-time response in communications
• The changing use of press releases
• Content and context in public relations
• Case studies and more!
To read this Blue Paper, or download the podcast, visit http://info.4imprint.com/bluepapers/the-future-of-pr/.

About 4imprint Blue Papers™
4imprint Blue Papers™ are in-depth, how-to articles, distributed to 4imprint customers to help their organizations succeed. Accessible at www.4imprint.com/bluepapers, Blue Papers™ have covered popular, cutting-edge topics such as podcasting, online social media, search engine optimization (SEO) and experiential marketing.

About 4imprint
4imprint is part of 4imprint Group, Plc, a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange, serving more than 100,000 businesses with promotional items throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland. 4imprint offers corporate gifts, personalized gifts, custom t-shirts, promotional pens, travel mugs, tote bags, water bottles, Post-it® Notes, custom calendars, custom shirts and much more. For additional information, visit www.4imprint.com.

The Art and Science of Referrals:
4imprint Presents Latest Blue Paper and Podcast

(OSHKOSH, Wis.) – Countless research studies agree, employee and customer referrals are good for business. One such study from the Journal of Marketing indicated that the average value of a referred customer is at least 16% higher than that of a non-referred customer with similar demographics and time of acquisition. In this month’s Blue Paper™ and podcast, The art and science of referrals, promotional products retailer 4imprint discusses the research behind a successful referral program, how to implement one and the outcomes a business can expect.

“Businesses and marketers know how powerful word-of-mouth marketing is,” notes Greg Ebel, 4imprint’s vice president of sales and marketing. “We wanted to explore referral strategies, success stories and best practices in this month’s paper and podcast.”

The art and science of referrals, includes information from a variety of sources all of which help to provide readers with answers to these questions:

• What criteria must be in place for someone to refer an employee or customer to your business?
• How can a business enhance or start a new referral program?
• What characteristics underscore a successful referral program?
• Should a business pay or not pay for a referral source?
• When should your business give referrals?
To read about this research and more, download this Blue Paper or podcast, at http://info.4imprint.com/bluepapers/the-art-and-science-of-referrals/.

About 4imprint Blue Papers™
4imprint Blue Papers™ are in-depth, how-to articles, distributed to 4imprint customers to help their organizations succeed. Accessible at www.4imprint.com/bluepapers, Blue Papers™ have covered popular, cutting-edge topics such as podcasting, online social media, search engine optimization (SEO) and experiential marketing.

About 4imprint
4imprint is part of 4imprint Group, Plc, a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange, serving more than 100,000 businesses with promotional items throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland. 4imprint offers corporate gifts, personalized gifts, custom T-shirts, promotional pens, travel mugs, tote bags, water bottles, Post-it® Notes, custom calendars, custom shirts and much more. For additional information, visit www.4imprint.com.

4imprint Named to 2011 Best Small & Medium Workplaces Presented by Entrepreneur®
Promotional Products Retailer Recognized Fourth Year in a Row by Great Place to Work® Institute

(OSHKOSH, Wis.)— Promotional products retailer, 4imprint, Inc., has been recognized in the 8th Annual Great Place to Work® Rankings: 2011 Best Small & Medium Workplaces Presented by Entrepreneur®. For the fourth year in a row, 4imprint has ranked among the top ten.

“It’s such an honor for us to be on this list once again, surrounded by exceptional companies that understand the importance of creating a strong culture built on trust,” said Kevin Lyons-Tarr, president of 4imprint. “I’m so proud of our team, they are an incredible group of people and the fact that the culture they’ve created is recognized as one of the best is a fitting tribute to their hard work and dedication.”

Great Place to Work® Institute produces this list each year to recognize companies that have exceptional workplace cultures. The competition is divided into two categories: Small (50-250 employees) and Medium (251-999 employees).

4imprint was selected for this award following a rigorous application and review process, which included an employee survey and an in-depth questionnaire about their programs and company practices. Great Place to Work® then evaluated each application using its unique methodology based on five dimensions: credibility, respect, fairness, pride and camaraderie.

According to Great Place to Work®, employees believe they work for great organizations when they consistently trust the people they work for, have pride in what they do and enjoy the people they work with.To see the medium list visit http://www.entrepreneur.com/gptw/medium, or to learn more about 4imprint visit www.4imprint.com.

About 4imprint
4imprint is part of 4imprint Group, Plc, a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange, serving more than 100,000 businesses with promotional items throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland. 4imprint offers corporate gifts, personalized gifts, custom T-shirts, promotional pens, travel mugs, tote bags, water bottles, Post-it® Notes, custom calendars, custom shirts and much more. For additional information, visit www.4imprint.com.

ABOUT GREAT PLACE TO WORK®
Great Place to Work® is a global research, consulting and training firm that helps organizations create and sustain great workplaces through the development of high-trust workplace cultures. Great Place to Work serves businesses, non-profits and government agencies in 45 countries on all six continents. In the US, Great Place to Work produces the annual FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For® list and Great Place to Work Best Small & Medium Workplaces list published by Entrepreneur.com.

ABOUT ENTREPRENEUR.COM
Entrepreneur Media Inc. is the premier content provider for and about entrepreneurs. Our products engage and inspire every day with the advice, solutions and resources that fuel the bold and independent way entrepreneurs think.

After 33 years, nobody reaches more growing businesses. As the original magazine for the small and midsize business community, Entrepreneur continues to be the definitive guide to all the diverse challenges of business ownership. Entrepreneur.com is the most widely used website by entrepreneurs and emerging businesses worldwide. Entrepreneur Press publishes the books that turn entrepreneurial skills into business success. To learn more, visit entrepreneur.com.

The Case for Onboarding: Welcoming and Orienting New Employees
New Blue Paper and Podcast from 4imprint

(OSHKOSH, Wis.) – Onboarding, also referred to as employee orientation, is a planned, systemic approach to welcoming and orienting new employees into an organization. The newest Blue Paper™ and podcast from promotional products retailer 4imprint showcases that effective onboarding programs promote a number of benefits, including greater employee satisfaction, better job performance, greater commitment to the company, quicker time to productivity and increased retention.

Retention and recruitment are expensive initiatives. According to research conducted by partners at Kaiser Associates, an international management consulting firm based in Washington DC, these are just a few reasons to improve an onboarding process:

• One-third of external hires leave their companies within the first two years;
• Almost a third of employees employed in their current job for less than one year are already job searching;
• It is not uncommon for companies to need to replace 10 to 15% of their workforce annually, or over 50% within a three- to five-year period.
“Onboarding programs have seen a rise in popularity,” says Mary Curtin, vice president of human resources for 4imprint. “The research behind their effectiveness and bottom line impact is something we thought our customers would find valuable.”

In The Case for Onboarding, 4imprint features different onboarding case studies and the considerations for developing a program.

This Blue Paper and podcast also cover:

• Conducting a needs analysis
• Building stakeholder buy-in for the program
• Designing a program that exemplifies your organizational culture
• Measuring the program’s success
• And, more!
To read this Blue Paper, or download the podcast, visit http://info.4imprint.com/bluepapers/onboarding/.

About 4imprint Blue Papers™
4imprint Blue Papers™ are in-depth, how-to articles, distributed to 4imprint customers to help their organizations succeed. Accessible at www.4imprint.com/bluepapers, Blue Papers™ have covered popular, cutting-edge topics such as podcasting, online social media, search engine optimization (SEO) and experiential marketing.

About 4imprint
4imprint is part of 4imprint Group, Plc, a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange, serving more than 100,000 businesses with promotional items throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland. 4imprint offers corporate gifts, personalized gifts, custom T-shirts, promotional pens, travel mugs, tote bags, water bottles, Post-it® Notes, custom calendars, custom shirts and much more. For additional information, visit www.4imprint.com.

Package Design: A Primer for Marketers
4imprint Presents Latest Blue Paper and Podcast

(OSHKOSH, Wis.) – Research indicates that roughly 70 percent of Americans have accidentally purchased a product in the last year due to packaging confusion, and many have made a mistaken purchase more than once. This month’s Blue Paper™ and podcast from promotional products retailer 4imprint, Package design: A primer for marketers, offers insight on this fact and more.

“At the root of packaging is branding and that’s something that’s important to our customers,” says Greg Ebel, vice president of sales and marketing for 4imprint. “We hope this blue paper interests them and that the articles we found from industry experts offers valuable insight.”

Many resources available today speak directly to designers and creative directors, while this Blue Paper and podcast take a different approach—using case studies, design theory and marketing concepts to help illustrate how package design and marketing work together.

In particular, Package design: A primer for marketers touches on:

• Why packaging matters
• How packaging and marketing go hand-in-hand
• What makes for great package design
• How to develop a package design strategy
• Recent trends in package design and more
To read this Blue Paper, or download the podcast, visit http://info.4imprint.com/bluepapers/packaging-design/.

About 4imprint Blue Papers™
4imprint Blue Papers™ are in-depth, how-to articles, distributed to 4imprint customers to help their organizations succeed. Accessible at www.4imprint.com/bluepapers, Blue Papers™ have covered popular, cutting-edge topics such as podcasting, online social media, search engine optimization (SEO) and experiential marketing.

About 4imprint
4imprint is part of 4imprint Group, Plc, a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange, serving more than 100,000 businesses with promotional items throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland. 4imprint offers corporate gifts, personalized gifts, custom T-shirts, promotional pens, travel mugs, tote bags, water bottles, Post-it® Notes, custom calendars, custom shirts and much more. For additional information, visit www.4imprint.com.

New 4imprint Blue Paper and Podcast Explore
Things to Consider When Marketing to Youth

(OSHKOSH, Wis.) – Youth marketing is a powerful and growing approach in today’s increasingly digital landscape. The latest Blue Paper™ and podcast from promotional products retailer 4imprint, Marketing to today’s youth, explores how and when businesses should consider employing a youth marketing strategy.

Statistics show that 8- to 12-year-olds spend $30 billion of their own money each year and influence another $150 billion of their parents’ spending. Additionally, more and more marketers are realizing the value in reaching out to younger audiences: Companies today spend upward of $17 billion annually on marketing to kids, compared to $100 million spent in 1983.

“In spite of this spending power, marketing to youth is a touchy subject for many brands,” shares Greg Ebel, vice president of sales and marketing for 4imprint. “The research we uncovered highlighted the necessity of brands needing to be especially careful to market in transparent and ethical ways that truly serve this segment’s interests.”

Topics covered in Marketing to today’s youth include:

• A definition and explanation of the benefits of youth marketing
• An overview of Generation Z
• A plan for developing a youth marketing strategy that works
• An exploration of youth marketing tactics, tools and channels
• Youth marketing case studies and anecdotes
To read this Blue Paper, or download the podcast, visit
http://info.4imprint.com/bluepapers/marketing-to-todays-youth/.

About 4imprint Blue Papers™
4imprint Blue Papers™ are in-depth, how-to articles, distributed to 4imprint customers to help their organizations succeed. Accessible at www.4imprint.com/bluepapers, Blue Papers™ have covered popular, cutting-edge topics such as podcasting, online social media, search engine optimization (SEO) and experiential marketing.

About 4imprint
4imprint is part of 4imprint Group, Plc, a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange, serving more than 100,000 businesses with promotional items throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland. 4imprint offers corporate gifts, personalized gifts, custom t-shirts, promotional pens, travel mugs, tote bags, water bottles, Post-it® Notes, custom calendars, custom shirts and much more. For additional information, visit www.4imprint.com.

Content Curation: The Other Side of Content Marketing
New Blue Paper and Podcast from 4imprint

(OSHKOSH, Wis.) – Between websites, blog posts, tweets, video, white papers and more, content has become the currency of the social Web. According to research conducted by AOL® and Nielsen®, nearly one-quarter of all social media messages and one-half of industry-specific social messages contain links to content. The newest Blue Paper™ and podcast from promotional products retailer 4imprint, takes a look at how businesses and marketers can harness the power of content to build relationships and offer value to target audiences.

“Content marketing is an increasingly popular marketing strategy, but it can be pretty time intensive—many of us struggle with how to get it all done and done well,” says Greg Ebel, vice president of sales and marketing for 4imprint. “We’ve compiled some great tips and ideas from the experts in this Blue Paper in hopes of providing a solution.”

In Content Curation: The other side of content marketing, 4imprint discusses how to develop a content marketing strategy that will save businesses time and effort through content curation without sacrificing results.

This Blue Paper and podcast also covers:

• A brief background on content marketing;
• Five methods of content curation;
• Different tactics for distributing curated content;
• An introduction to content curation tools;
• How to measure the impact of curated content;
• And more!
To read this Blue Paper, or download the podcast, visit http://info.4imprint.com/bluepapers/developing-a-marketing-strategy-through-content-curation/.

About 4imprint Blue Papers™
4imprint Blue Papers™ are in-depth, how-to articles, distributed to 4imprint customers to help their organizations succeed. Accessible at www.4imprint.com/bluepapers, Blue Papers™ have covered popular, cutting-edge topics such as podcasting, online social media, search engine optimization (SEO) and experiential marketing.

About 4imprint
4imprint is part of 4imprint Group, Plc, a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange, serving more than 100,000 businesses with promotional items throughout the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland. 4imprint offers corporate gifts, personalized gifts, custom T-shirts, promotional pens, travel mugs, tote bags, water bottles, Post-it® Notes, custom calendars, custom shirts and much more. For additional information, visit www.4imprint.com.