I SEE LOCAL SERVICE CLUBS LOSING MEMBERSHIP.

I see local service clubs losing membership. Here in Ladner BC, the average Service Club membership is older now because young people aren't joining. Older members are tiring off and burning out. The clubs are reducing in size and naturally reducing the amount of good they will be able to do, and they do a lot of things for the community which would fall into the hands of the municipality paid for by our taxes.

People are so busy now trying to make ends meet. Mom & Dad both working. Who's got time to spare? Kid's volunteer for work experience and then don't have time to volunteer just to be of help.
The Community needs good young people to volunteer, as a matter of fact the community needs everyone and anyone to volunteer. A good place to get involved is a local service club, and there are many. They all do good work, have great comaraderie and for the selfish part of your selfless act (YOU WILL GET NOTICED).
I heard it again the other day about 'It takes a community to raise a child'. I've written before using this same idea that 'it takes a community to raise a successful business'. But what happens if the community doesn't care. Everybody's on their own and the whole process slows right down.
I say it again and write it again.... It takes a community to raise a successful business. People working in concert. Staff, Suppliers, Customers, IT, Couriers, Banking, Family, People on the street, everybody.
My business is aimed at helping people who are helping themselves. People who are doing things to get noticed. Doing things for their community. It's okay to be a little selfish and do things for the particular community that can help your business in the long run. For instance, if you volunteer for your Chamber of Commerce and become involved in events and functions, you will be noticed. Just like if you volunteer and work with your church, your hospital thrift shop, your local food bank or business association. YOU WILL BE NOTICED.
Not everyone you talk to wants nor needs your services but chances are they know someone that does. That's the referral you want. If you're a good volunteer somewhere, someone remembers that and mentions it to a friend who needs your services. How much better does it get.
If you want to get noticed amongst the crowd of competitors, suppliers and customers, try advertising through promotional products directed to the target. If you want to promote your product, company or event, try advertising through promotional products directed to that target.
If you want to reward your faithful, loyal, hardworking, innovative employees, try rewards through promotional products directed to that target. If you want to be remembered and stand out at a Trade Show event, try promotional products directed to that target.

Do they teach about volunteering at Entreprenuerial School?

rod-fairways@hotmail.com rod@winningfairways.com rod.winning@gmail.com
Rod Winning is the president of Winning Fairways Inc. Promotional Products for Success Rod has a background in business. info@winningfairways.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rod_Winning

Machu Picchu and Your Business

500 years ago, the Inca's built this masterpiece city on the top of mountains, completely protected from their enemies. Self sustaining, hidden, high in the mountain region of the Andies and safe.

This 'Lost City of the Inca's' is now on of the 7 wonders of the modern world. When it was found, it was in pretty much the state that the Inca's left it, although the weather has played a part in deterioration.

The people of Machu Picchu are working steadily to rebuild and ruins and maintain the city as it was. It is open from about 7AM to 5PM every day. There is a gate on the trail to Wauen Picchu where the city reaches it's highest points and the trails are narrow and one way. It is the mountain peak so famous in pictures as seen above. One way up and one way down. Only 400 people can do this climb each day and they have usually filled up by 7:30 AM.

So what has this to do with Promotional Products and my business?

Well I've always had a motto when a job came along which just looked too tough that it may not be possible. 'They built the Pyramids, didn't they? Once you size your job up against the Pyramids, then all of a sudden the task at hand doesn't look so big and impossible.

Now I can say 'They built Machu Picchu didn't they? We should be able to do anything we put our mind to. The Incan's were just people with a plan and they took to it and got it done.

So what's the difference to us. We have a plan (don't we?) so let's get to it and get it done.

If your plan includes promoting your company far and wide, and you think you could use some help in the promotional products department, give me a call.

My name is Rod Winning rod.winning@gmail.com rod.fairways@hotmail.com

Machu Picchu is so vast, amazing and beautiful that you can't prepare yourself for the viewing. Whatever you think you are going to see, it is that and more. Even before you get on site, you will be seeing things which will amaze you.

It definitely is a must see

Rod Winning

Start a Collection of Promotional Products

Would you like people to collect your promotional products?

Sometimes you can put your name on a little inexpensive trinket, which has no useful purpose, and you find that everyone wants one. They'll keep it for ever and always remember where it came from. It will graduate from their pocket/purse to their desk, to their dresser top and eventually into a box of keepsake things, but it will never be thrown away.

Interesting how that can happen, especially when most owners, managers & purchasing buyers take great pains to match the promotional product to their product, business, client base, trade show, office event, etc.

For the most part we supply fine quality products, chosen to represent the company for a long time as a useful and attractive gift or promotion.

It's true that customers are always looking for that next great idea.

They generally want something they haven't bought or used before so they can give their customers or prospects something different.

Some people want something useful as well.

The other thing they generally need is a budget price.

Different, Useful, Cheap.

There are many products that fall into this category but once the customer has bought them, they are no longer different.

Some customers may want to show some continuity with their promotional products for their/prospect / staff / etc. Maybe we could use the same item but change the logo / text / colour / etc. Maybe the result would be an appreciation for the continuity of items from that supplier. Get known for that item - start a collection. Have a contest for the complete collection. Whatever comes to mind. How many ways can you get your prospect to look at the cheap, different and useful item you gave them?

Call me for ideas. I own Winning Fairways Inc.

info@winningfairways.com rod.winning@gmail.com rod-fairways@hotmail.com

FOCUS TO YOUR GREATEST STRENGTH AND GET STARTED

You'll see by the references of TV shows that this was originally posted about 2007 when Winning Fairways was my company.  Same message today but now the company is my daughter's, Corrine Doolan Johnstone.

How many of us actually follow the guru's message to write down our goals, check them daily, check them off and renew them regularly?

While flipping the TV last night, we came across Millionaire Inside on CNBC and heard some motivational speakers. Great stuff, and it always is, and they had a short list summary of what to do.

1. Choose 5 people as mentors, 3 to show the way and 2 to keep you on track.

2. Write down why it is important that you be rich. I know they meant real reasons, not just so you can have more money.

3. Change your environment. Change whatever is holding you back. Where you live, your job, your friends, whatever's keeping you from achieving your goals.

4. Shift your focus to your greatest strength. Do this tomorrow morning, think about it during the day and consider what you've thought about at night. Do this everyday.

You know, I'll probably tune in to that show again. I found it refreshing to actually think about myself and family during an evening TV bout rather than wondering if Horatio is going to catch the criminal on CSI Miami (which he always does).

Personally, I always get something out of the motivational speakers. I think there is a lot of common sense out there. I believe that most people are already doing the things that the gurus tell us. It's how they spin the message and put it into context with their own story. It's learning the tenacity and stick-to-it-ness that's the tough part.

So what doe's this have to do with promotional products? Well its all in the spin. While you're changing your focus, and your environment, you'll want to change the way others look at you and/or your business.

Give them something to see and feel, that will make them think of you. It could be some small give-away product, a ball cap, a tee shirt, a USB flash card, or anything with your company name emblazoned on it. Maybe even your slogan or motto.

DO SOMETHING and you'll feel better. Small steps add up. Just one new person or contact approached each day = 30 per month = 365 per year. IMAGINE 365 new contacts, just like that. Some of them will become your clients or customers. Some of them will tell others about you and they will come to you.

It's nice to talk about becoming a millionaire but while you're talking about it, start the ball rolling, get into something you like, become the expert at it, do something each day that'll move you towards your goal.

I'm Rod Winning ex-president of Winning FairWays Inc. Now Corrine.   Promotional Products for Success http://www.winningfairways.com rod.winning@gmail.com or Corrine@winningfairways.com

CUSTOMER OR CLIENT? When and How Did Your Customer Become Your Client?

From Webster's concise edition.

Customer: a person who buys from a shop or business, esp. regularly.

Client: a person who employs another professionally; a customer.

Clientele: clients or customers.



In my company, we are constantly contacting prospects to sell promotional products. Hopefully, some of those prospects will become customers. From the definition above, those customers will or should become clients when we get to know each other and build the trust to become their promotional products expert or professional.

How many times have people said, 'okay, here's what I want, you go ahead and design or make or do it, "you're the professional" '.

Well you are the pro at what you do, if you have a drycleaning shop or a flower shop, you are the pro, people come in and trust you to do the job correctly so they will look good when they get the finished product. If you perform well, they will probably come back.

All we really want is for people (customers) to come to our store, be it virtual or brick/mortar and trust us to do our job. We are the professionals of our industry.

When that happens we have clients rather than customers.

Now we have to treat our Clients as Clients.

• Make it easy for them to deal with you.
• Remember their name, business and some details. (read their credit card if need be)
• Build relationships with small talk.
• Be friendly, helpful and fair.
• Offer new product ideas and share upcoming changes to your business.
• Ask for their advice in areas you think may be helpful to you.
• Train your staff to do the same as you do.
• Show client/customer appreciation.

You can't rest on you laurels just because you have some faithful/loyal clients. You must try to convert all you customers to become clients. Let them all see your professionalism and friendliness.

As it is anywhere, there will always be people that just come for the Bargain, Price, Location or Availability. They are just customers but treat them well and always consider them as possible clients.

Build your Clientele database and use it to contact them for special events or special information. Your clients will appreciate the effort and it will keep you close to them.

Whatever your product or service, constant networking within your own clientele list will expand that database through word of mouth.

Promotional Products are one way of keeping in touch with people when they are away from your shop. It may be a key tab, pen or a shopping tote bag.

My name is Rod Winning,

My company is Winning FairWays Inc. Promotional Products for Success

rod-fairways@hotmail.com www.winningfairways.com

IT TAKES A COMMUNITY To Raise a successful business

It takes a community to raise a successful business.
Everyone working in concert.
Staff, Suppliers, Customers, IT, Couriers, Banking, Family, everybody.

Do you really know what you want for your business or even from your business?

Once you decide, and I'm not really the guy to tell you what you need, you will want to find a way to reach your goals.

Everyone knows that you need a goal and a plan. Pretty easy to say.
Might as well just write it down now and head off in the right direction. Remember, the goal keeps changing. When you think you're getting close to your goal, take another look at where you started and where you want to be. Things change eh?

My business is aimed at helping people who are helping themselves. Helping yourself probably started when you first had the idea to be in business or when you took on that new job.

If you want to get yourself and your business noticed amongst the crowd of competitors, suppliers and customers, try advertising through promotional products directed to the target.

If you want to promote your product, company or event, try advertising through promotional products directed to the target.

If you want to reward your faithful, loyal, hardworking, innovative employees, try rewards through promotional products directed to the target.

If you want to be remembered and stand out at a Trade Show event, try promotional products directed to the target.

If you want to succeed in general, try a promotional products program directed to the target.

Just one target at a time? That's up to you. Who or what is the Target, your Target?

The target is the person you need on your side all the way to reaching your goals.

The target is not just a customer but it is a supplier, tradesman, IT person, key employee, general help employee, their families, your family and friends.

The target is the community in which you live and work.

AS IT TAKES A COMMUNITY TO RAISE A CHILD!

AND IT TAKES A COMMUNITY TO RAISE A FAMILY!

IT TAKES A COMMUNITY TO RAISE A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS!

Do you see the comparison?
Call Rod Winning www.winningfairways.com
Rod Winning is the president of Winning Fairways Inc. Promotional Products for Success Rod has a background in business. contact at http://www.winningfairways.com/
rod-fairways@hotmail.com rod.winning@gmail.com

SO WHAT MAKES US THE BEST PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS COMPANY? Nothing! It's People Doing Business With People

How do I find the best promotional products supplier in Canada?

If you're looking for the best promotional products company around, or the best in Canada, you'll have a hard time determining the winner.

Yes there are some very large companies selling across the country. Some of them have branch offices in major cities so you can deal with them locally. But any way you look at it you end up dealing with a sales person.

There are thousands of PP companies and they all offer virtually the same products from the large number of promotional products manufacturers from all over the world. You probably see the same catalogs from the different companies that call on you.


You may want to ask yourself a better question.

How can I find the sales person who will get the product, service, price and delivery that I need to complete my task of purchasing promotional products for our event?

After all , it all comes down to people doing business with people.

You are better off to find the person you can relate to and trust, most often through word of mouth (networking) or some other method of meeting with and talking to a PP representative who gets what you are looking for. Someone with whom you can relate to and feel confident.

Selection, Price, Quality and Delivery are all the important factors to be considered but trust is right up there. You must have the confidence that your order is being looked after and that the actual delivery and promises will be met.

Through my career in Steel Service Centre sales and 10 years as a Trophies & Awards company, my philosophy has been " I make it easy for you to do business with us".

Call Winning FairWays Inc. www.winningfairways.com rod-fairways@hotmail.com rod.winning@gmail.com

Fast, Cheap or Good, pick two for pricing

The Next Great Idea - Cheap, Different or useful (choose 2 ?)
This reminds me of the person that asks for high quality, cheap price and fast delivery. We always had to say Pick the two that are most important. The price is affected by each one of the components.

My customers are always looking for that next great idea.

They generally want something they haven't bought or used before so they can give their customers or prospects something different.

Some people want something useful as well.

The other thing they need is a cheap price.

Let me see, Different, Useful, Cheap.It's hard to get it all.

When I had the Trophy & Engraving business we offered a choice of 2 of the following.
-High Quality
-Dependable Delivery
-Cheap Price

It's hard to pick the 2 that you want.

Let's see-Different-Useful-Cheap Same thing, hard to pick the right 2 items isn't it.

While I'm telling you this, I better let you know now that there are products that fall into this category but once the customer has bought them, they are no longer different.

Let's go with being not different.. Maybe we show some continuity with the customer / prospect / staff / etc.

Maybe we could use the same item but change the logo / text / colour / etc.

Maybe the result would be an appreciation for the continuity of
items from that supplier.

Get known for that item. Start a collection.Have a contest for the complete collection. Whatever comes to mind. How many ways can you get your prospect to look at the cheap, different and useful item you gave them?

Call me for ideas Rod Winning rod.winning@gmail.comor info@winningfairways.com

Timing, Timing, Timing (not location, l, l.)

Timing, Timing, Timing (not location, location, location)
10 steps to achieving max performance –through recognition, a key to promotional products 101

1. Timing, Timing, Timing. (Not Location, Location, Location)
Nowadays, you just don't know where the person your talking to on the phone or computer is located. Could be next door, same town or somewhere else in the world.

2. Quality (not cheap, does the trick)

3. Appropriateness (choose the award to match the event)

4. First Impression, Last Impression

5. Corporate Image Your image is important where every you are located. Most images now are projected through the phone or over the internet.

6. Achievability of contests or programs

7. Image building. Communicate/advertise the program, the winners

8. Reciprocation works and creates obligation

9. Consistency exudes reliability

10. Focus on your- Business- Product- Customers- Suppliers- Employees. Focus on each one, one at a time. Remember these items as Promotional Products 101 hopefully takes us through all the reasons and results of well executed promotional products programs.

Call Rod Winning rod.winning@gmail.com
or info@winningfairways.com

Inukshuks - a constant reminder of relationships

INUKSHUKS - a symbol of dependence on strong relationships.

INUKSHUKS have become a great promotional product gift which carries many very good and intentional meanings. Although the original sign posts are found in North West Territories and the Arctic, they have become popular all over Canada and have been adopted bythe West Coast with a giant Inukshuk in Vancouver overlooking English Bay.Even the 2010 Olympic's has chosen it as their symbol.The most popular Inukshuks are made from frosted glass blocks and built into shape from 2" high to 11" high. They have become popular as Awards of excellence, Corportate team building, Sports achievement or just gifts from visitors.The Inukshuks we sell are made in Vancouver BC Canada.We always include a card which tells the story of the Inukshuk.The stories vary but have the same relative meaning.

INUKSHUKS Stone figures built to resemble humans, Inukshuks originally found along Canada’s northern shores are now popular in B.C. and throughout Canada. Built as landmarks to aid in navigation, the Inukshuk has been adopted as a symbol to remind us of our dependence on each other and the value of strong relationships.We value the Inukshuk an important promotional product.

Call for info and pictures Rod Winning info@winningfairways.com