Wedding Mints and Custom Mints with Your Logo

Welcome to the Beechies Gum Sidewiki!

2009-09-30T11:50:00.001-04:00

Welcome to Beechies Gum Promotional Products!
Thank you for taking the time to use Google's Sidewiki to comment on our site, our service and our products!

If you need more information about Beechies with your logo, please call us at 1 (888) 278-7811 or email us: beechiesgum@gmail.com.

in reference to: Beechies Gum Promotional Products | Fun Promotional Advertising! (view on Google Sidewiki)

Welcome to Mints-USA!

2009-09-30T11:43:00.001-04:00

Thank you for taking the time to use Google's Sidewiki to comment on our site, our service and our products!

If you need more information, please call us at 1 (888) 278-7811.

in reference to: Mints USA | Custom Mints, Wedding Mints & Bulk Mints (view on Google Sidewiki)

Welcome to the Mints-USA Wedding Mints and Mints with Your Logo Blog!

2009-09-29T19:06:00.002-04:00

Many years ago I started this blog as a promotional products blog. It was very generic, covering the promotional products industry and a variety of topics I thought might be interesting for my readers. We were screen printing t-shirts at the time and had added promotional products to offer more value for our Customers.

What I didn't expect was to fall in love with the food and candy sub-set of the promotional products industry. It is widely known among promotional products distributors that this segment of the industry represents the smallest market for distributors. That didn't matter to me. I love food! And I think it is a natural extension of that love to work in this segment of the industry.

I got my start with Beechies Gum which I absolutely love and began sourcing other candy items. Mints with a logo was a natural second and it didn't take long to branch out to printed wedding mint wrappers.

I hope you enjoy this blog. It's a simple blog about wedding mints and mints with your logo. I welcome your feedback and your comments. If you want to send me a photo of your wedding day or company event, I think that would be super!

An Open Letter to PPAI and ASI in Response to a Survey of PPAI Non-Members

2007-03-16T11:53:00.003-04:00

Really, you first need to provide the tangible benefits of joining PPAI before surveying non members about the price of membership.

Surveying Non-Members regarding discounted membership fees assumes that the current fee is the reason why we are not members. And this is not the case for me, at least.

What benefit does being a member of PPAI provide to me as a Distributor? I can tell you from experience, access to suppliers is open. Anybody and everybody can be or is a "Distributor"; and everytime I have called a Supplier and stated that I am not a member of ASI or PPAI, there is absolutely no problem with ANY Supplier selling to me. And there never has been.

Sure, I am asked when I call a new Supplier if I am "in the industry" but even my 12 year old could figure out the right answer to that question. Good thing I really AM in this industry.

I can say that as far as DistributorCentral.com is concerned, having tested this out two separate times, that unless you can offer up an Industry Affiliation, you will not be granted access to the database of Suppliers. But with Suppliers going direct under different business names or domain names, tenacious buyers, Distributors included, will find them.

Finally, there is no better pricing, shorter turn-around time or obvious advantage to being a Member of PPAI or ASI. Also, from a Distributor's point of view, PPAI and ASI have no "pull" when it comes to Suppliers going direct or shutting down Distributorships (which really do not exist in the first place!). In fact, PPAI is not willing to address the issue of Suppliers "going direct" within our own Industry for fear of lawsuits from Suppliers and, most likely, from a recognition that even Suppliers have a right to self-determination when it comes to furthering their business.

As a Distributor, what should be understood is whether or not a Supplier sells direct and is open about doing so. I can then make better choices about where to spend my selling time when I know that a particular Supplier does or does not sell direct. I brought this very issue up almost three years ago and the response from PPAI was that this was a delicate subject matter, someone would "raise the issue" in a committee at the January 2005 convention in Vegas - and that was it. Dead issue. No communication.

I'm sorry to be mercenary about this, but help me understand the benefits of PPAI membership that merit me pulling invoices, copying them, mailing the copied Supplier invoices, refiling the originals and parting with my hard-earned money to prove that I am a "promotional consultant."

The best thing PPAI or ASI could do for people like me is create a networking opportunity with successful Distributors/Consultants who are

still in the industry but
getting out of the industry and
willing to mentor those of us who want to grow our businesses.

Networking with other Distributors is great fun, but tell me how this is a benefit of membership in ASI or PPAI? I enjoy the camaraderie of similar-minded folks but really, this is not something PPAI can do for me that I cannot do for myself.

The next best thing PPAI could do would be to match distributors/consultants who have non-competing businesses who would benefit from an association with each other without competing for each other's business.

Finally, and this is probably the most important. PPAI could provide a list of Suppliers willing to sign a Distributorship agreement. This agreement should formalize the relationship between a Supplier and Distributor, should acknowledge the ownership of the Customer information and should spell out the manner in which the Distributor is allowed to use the Supplier's Name, Logo, trademark, etc.
This is important because without such an agreement, a Distributor can build up a business around a short list of Suppliers and without any consequence, any one of those Suppliers can choose, for no reason, to not sell to that Distributor, effectively putting that Distributor out of business where that Supplier's products are concerned. And the Distributor, right now, has nothing more than a laissez-faire relationship with the Supplier, which offers no leverage above what one can obtain in small claims court.
Thank you for this opportunity to voice my opinion.

Valerie Lynn Booth

The Great Formula

2006-05-19T08:56:00.002-04:00

Hot on the heels of The Irresistible Offer is Mark Joyner's newest hard-cover book, The Great Formula.

Whether you're in sales, the owner of your own business or a would-be entrepreneur, Mark Joyner's books make understanding marketing and customer relationships simple. Covering the basics of salesmanship along with practical formulas into which you can plug your own business variables, "The Great Formula" and "The Irresistible Offer" belong on your bookshelf. They're that good.

And, for a limited time only, you can pick up some incredible bonuses that will help you start, grow and maintain your business when you purchase Mark's book. But only for a limited time.

HERE'S HOW: The Great Formula

Now, visit Mark's blog and go Kick That Widget.

Valerie, a Domestic Android

2006-04-21T23:06:00.004-04:00

Valerie, a Domestic Android

Valerie is the most advanced android in the world having more degrees of freedom than any android shown up to now. She uses the AT&T speech synthesizer giving the most human-sounding voice available today. She is also easily the most anthropomorphic android available. She will have a high degree of artificial intelligence due to our proprietary AI software - and a generalized interface to the internet (the only existing super-intelligence).

And you all thought I was real!

Now you know the truth about that person on the other end of the phone at Ad-Ink!

Seth Godin is Right about the Dancing Dough Boy!

2006-04-04T17:24:00.006-04:00

What was pretty cool 8 years ago is only mediocre today.

My Dancing Dough Boy would have been pretty cool a few years ago. But now, I feel as if I've been given but a crumb of a fresh baked, homemade buttermilk biscuit (made, of course, with Pillsbury flour).

I want more!

Like Seth Godin (generally considered a marketing guru years ahead of his time on the internet), I want my dough boy to dance with his Betty Crocker Hootchie Mama. Maybe make a wee bit of sound... do something other than what he's doing.

Yeah, yeah, I know it's viral. But how effective is this viral marketing when compared to say, the Pillsbury Dough Boy toy that I had as a kid (uh huh I'm that old). Now there was a promotional product.

Had Pillsbury done this Dough Dance a few years ago, the wow factor would have been enough. I'd like to know what they're going to do with the email addresses they are collecting when you create your own dough boy.

Please don't say they're not going to do anything. I say offer a coupon (downloadable, of course) and get more relevant data with a survey. Then, take that data, decide who is most likely a Customer, and ... spend your marketing funds there.

Maybe send me another Pillsbury Dough Boy.

Check out the new Wedding Mints site!.

2006-01-28T17:19:00.001-05:00

We are pleased to offer you a new layout, new colors and new stock wrappers!

Our brand new wedding mints, buttermints and promotional candy website:

www.Mints-USA.com!

Promotional Products Supplier Caught "Going Direct"

2005-10-21T19:06:00.001-04:00

Speaking only for myself, some of the things I love about the promotional products industry include the camaraderie amongst distributors, the techno gadgets and yummy food gifts that can be customized with a company logo, the thoughtfulness and creativeness of promotional products consultants and feeling warm and fuzzy when all goes well in the creative and production universe.

About the only thing that really bugs me about this industry are the far and few between underhanded suppliers. Suppliers in this industry who SAY they only sell through distributors SHOULD only sell through distributors - or be forthcoming about the fact that they are trying to sell to the same people I am trying to sell to.

So, kudos to SmartBlast for catching Bel Inc. with their pants down, "going direct" and sending out this email that I'm certain most of the industry received. Scurvee Little Dawgs!

Here are the salient parts of the email SmartBlast sent out:

To All SmartBlast List Members:

As the Email marketing agency for Bel Inc., many distributors have brought to my attention that they sell direct online through a variety of [domain] names such as: [omitted to protect our own businesses]

Furthermore, I’ve been told that Bel Inc. goes as far as to describe why end-users should not buy from distributors. For example:

"We print directly at our facility. We are the direct manufacturer"
"Here are a few things you should know about brokers."
"Middlemen cannot do this."
"Most brokers work from their homes."
"Brokers will take 2–4 day to investigate the problem."
"Brokers make as much as 40% commission"

...brokers meaning you the distributor.

After several calls to Bel Inc. that all went unreturned, SmartBlast.com will no longer be advertising Bel Inc. Bel Inc. needs to understand that they must choose between direct end-users, and you the distributor. They can't have both.

Thank you and I look forward to your comments and or suggestions.

Regards,

Michael Ryan
President
SmartBlast.com
mryan@smartblast.com
Member: Promotional Products Association International (PPAI). "The mark of a professional"

Join the Organic Rebellion!

2005-06-14T15:43:00.002-04:00

And May the Farm Be With You!

Reddi Wip Whipped Cream

2005-05-12T10:31:00.000-04:00

I have a confession!

I eat Reddi Wip whipped cream right out of the can. Yes. I admit it. And I admit that I am powerless to stop. I must also confess that I absolutely will be the one to take the last of the Reddi Wip.

Now you know.

Tickle Me Florida

2005-05-06T09:34:00.000-04:00

You know, I always wanted a tickler for this:

"Dear Valerie Booth:

The purpose of this e-mail is to notify you of the procedures for
renewing your Atlantic Tunas or Atlantic Highly Migratory Species (HMS)
Permit for the 2005 fishing year (June 1, 2005 to May 31, 2006)."

Good thing I don't need that permit for Barracuda, since I'm so good at attracting and landing those scavengers. I gotta give 'em credit though for their place in the GSOT (Grand Scheme of Things); hey look at those teeth (definitely adaptive)!

Maybe the State of Florida should think about Barracuda Permits - there are so many of them and it isn't as if you can defend against them BEFORE they attack - between slots, lotto, a criminal millage rate and my idea for Barracuda Permits, this will be a very rich state indeed.

Natl Anxiety Screening Day

2005-05-05T13:25:00.000-04:00

Can you believe it?

I missed National Anxiety Screening Day. D#@n!

Beechies Backorders

2005-05-03T16:30:00.000-04:00

I'm crushed! Beechies Spearmint Gum is out-of-stock until June 1 according to Richardson Brands (we distribute for them). Good thing my favorite is the Citrus Fruit. Now if I could just convince the world...

Valerie in the press

2005-04-29T13:54:00.000-04:00

Here's the headline:
Robot Receptionist Even Gets Testy on Job

Here's a quote:
"She has no idea she's awful,"

HA!

Valerie in the press

SNDMarketing.com

2005-04-13T10:23:00.000-04:00

SNDMarketing.com

Ahh, what kind of day would it be if we didn't receive unwanted, misleading faxes? We'll find out July 1, 2005 and I can hardly wait. After receiving all of the faxes this morning, I came across one targeted at the unsuspecting and the ignorant (i've been known to ignorant, but my level of paranoia protects me from being unsuspecting). After reading the fax, I decided that I was up to the task of filing a complaint with the FCC. One more cup of coffee would be all I needed.

Here are the faxes:
Body of Fax

Fax Cover

Here's the deal. These faxes are not only incredibly misleading, but they are illegal.

Here is the body of our complaint to the FCC:

Our company received what appeared to be an Invoice from SND Marketing, complete with Fax Cover Letter that stated in big, bold letters, "ATTENTION: Accounts payable." The fax contained a description of services, how to make a payment, where to send that payment, customer number and bar code. This fax is misleading and unwanted.

Our company has never done business with SND Marketing, nor any of its related companies which include Domains By Proxy, Inc. and the Internet Coporation Listing Service, hence there is no established business relationship. We did not request nor authorise this fax and consider the sending of this fax in violation of the FCC Regulations.

A search for Domain Ownership reveals these addresses:

WEBISTE: www.sndmarketing.com
Domains by Proxy, Inc.
DomainsByProxy.com
15511 N. Hayden Rd., Ste 160, PMB 353
Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
United States
(480) 624-2599

Website: icls.net
Internet Corporation Listing Service
2530 Berryessa Road # 912
San Jose, CA 95132
USA

The fascimile does not contain a telephone number.

I have saved the fax including the cover page.

Here is where you can go to file your own complaint:
The FCC

The Day After...a Holiday

2005-03-28T10:25:00.000-05:00

Is it just me or does the day after a holiday weekend seem like slogging through mud?

OPA - Other People's Artwork

2005-03-24T13:36:00.000-05:00

It's been high season for graphic design in the Ad-Ink promotional products cubicle this month! Most of what we've been doing has been simple line art. But every once in a while, something a wee bit more challenging comes along and I get to bust out and feed my creative monster. The most fun of the month goes to Victor's 6th Birthday T-Shirts - a fantastic idea, by the way, from a client in New York - she wanted t-shirts that kids at a birthday party could color in. I had the most fun with the X-Wing fighter she wanted - it must be the pilot in me or maybe the fact that I really like clean lines.

And then there was JC Sportswear's art. Another breath of fresh air with a client who was specific, knew what he wanted and let us go at it. It's been a fun week!

New Beechies Gum Flavors

2005-03-23T09:22:00.001-05:00

I just received the most delicious samples of the NEW Beechies Gum Flavors - Cinnamon, Citrus Fruit and the revamped and very cool Peppermint flavor. Not only do we have new flavors, we also have a new box design.

Beechies gum is still made in the USA and you can still put your logo on Beechies boxes. Blank Beechies boxes are not sold (sorry!).

I want to mention the Cinnamon flavor Beechies because I've received a lot of questions about this new flavor. This is a spicy, hot Cinnamon. It is bold and I think whoever created the formula should win an award because this is the most delicious Cinnamon gum I've ever tasted. I like the other flavors; they are good and very traditional. But the cinnamon Beechies are, in my opinion, the best because the flavor is bold.

You can use this boldness to your advantage when thinking about promotional products. If you have a leading edge product or service or you want to separate your business from the pack, think about using Beechies Cinnamon gum for that purpose. First, the packaging stands out; it's red, a color that demands attention. Your logo on the other side becomes part of that packaging. Second, the bold, balanced flavor will capture the attention of whoever chews this gum (I think it's that good and that much better). Third, it carries a well-recognized American brand name that most people over forty remember. Finally, the fact that Beechies are still made in the USA, while most promotional candy is made overseas or down south, makes this product a good candidate for patriotic promotions.

If you have any questions about Beechies, feel free to comment or call!

Knowing What Should Be Quoted is Important

2004-11-11T16:27:00.001-05:00

Today I spoke with a lady I know from my daughter's school. We were speaking about upcoming school events and t-shirts. She told me a story about ordering t-shirts that prompted today's blog post.

Knowing What Should Be Quoted is Important

As part of her responsibilities at the school, she was ordering T-shirts for a fundraiser. The shirt she had chosen was a light blue, 50/50 Jersey Blend, with an imprint on the back. Only one color ink was to be used.

She was verbally quoted a price and subsequently received a written quotation. When it came time to place the Order, she was told that the quoted price was for White T-Shirts, not Light Blue T-Shirts. (White t-shirts cost LESS than colored t shirts.)

She explained she had discussed this with the Sales Rep and the Quotation reflected this. Yet the Company would not honor the price.

Why? Without being there, I can't know. But knowing what should be on the Quotation will certainly help you minimize mistakes.

Honest mistakes occur. Shirts typically have three price structures - a price for white shirts, a price for light colored shirts and a price for dark shirts. When quoting a client, it is easy - very easy - to mistakenly use the price for a white shirt instead of the colored shirt. As a consumer, I always ask that the shirt color be part of the quotation. I do this mainly to get the Sales Rep thinking about shirt color as important to price.

When printing on dark or darker shirts, it is sometimes necessary to print an image twice so that the color of the shirt does not show through the ink. Sometimes, t shirt printers have to lay down an undercoat of white ink just to get other colors to show up on dark shirts. So they'll print the image in white first, flash or quick cure the ink, then print the colors on top of the white ink. That takes time and labor and is therefore, more expensive than printing colors on a white shirt.

So, when quoting a job, the color of the shirt becomes very important - because it will drive your cost and production.

I can understand mistakenly using the wrong base cost for the Job above, but what I do not understand is why the company would not honor the Quote. Having seen the shirts, I know that the job would not have required any additional screens or an underlay. The job, frankly, would have been a breeze to set up and print.

Getting a Quote for Printed T Shirts

When you need a quote for t-shirts, keep these things in mind...
Number of t-shirts: the more t-shirts, the lower the cost per shirt.
Sizes of shirts: You can generally mix these up from S, M, L and XL for the same price. XXL and above cost more and are not always available in the color you want.
Color of the shirt: White is always less expensive. Also, if you want a variety of colors, the cost will vary with the color and whether the printer has to change the printing process to accomodate the same print on a dark colored shirt. Expect these to cost more. And expect to pay for screen clean-ups usually called "color changes."
Ink Colors: The more colors you put on a shirt, the more money per shirt.
Print Location: Printing in one location like the front OR the back is the least expensive option. Prints on both side cost more. Printing on sleeves is also more expensive, generally because it is a little more difficult to put the sleeve on a print pallet and you can only make one shirt ready at a time.
Delivery Time: Ask you printer when your shirts can be ready before you tell your printer you need them tomorrow! If your screen printer needs to move all other jobs aside to print yours, you may pay more.

Honest mistakes happen. The honest mistake made with an existing client is an opportunity for the business to keep that client. And when we take the long view with a potential client, these mistakes are opportunities as well.

Spread the Word about Social Networking and Business Communications

2004-10-08T17:35:00.001-04:00

Social networking has turned the traditional public relations industry on its head!

Social networking services like Google Friend Connect, Twitter and Facebook have put control of your business image in your hands and in the hands of your Customers. Good business communications means more now than ever!

It's not too late to learn how to use social networking techniques to reach your customers and prospects. Visit Spread the Word Now my social networking and business communications site.

If you have questions about your website, questions about using Twitter, want to know how to manage a company newsletter or how to set up a Facebook page, send me an email. I will respond.

With Warm Regards,
Valerie