The Nonprofit Toolkit series of CyberEssays.

NEW! - Going "Green" with Your Premiums

It's either the responsible thing to do -- or the latest marketing hype. Either way, you need to know what it means to "go green" when talking about your premiums.
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What Your Mother Never Told You About The Graphic Standards Policy.

Your organization’s branding elements are among its most valuable assets. Don’t treat them lightly unless your resume is up to date and your bridges are already burning. Graphic Standards and job security go hand in hand.
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Six things nonprofits can learn from profits.

Yesterday’s nonprofit heresies, originally articulated nationally by a marketing expert who left the publishing world to work in the public service sector, have become today’s common sense for the professional nonprofit manager. Here is an updated version of the groundbreaking essay Dick Taft wrote 35 years ago.
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The Relationship Between Quality and Price.

The Relationship Between Quality and Price: Every production step has a cost. Most steps have an optional shortcut. Each shortcut saves a bit. When pennies count, dimes rule. When dimes rule, quality is sacrificed to price. This is the nature of the promotional products industry. The client or end-user may not notice at first, but quality deficits will show up as an item is used. Thus, that righteous cost decision can affect product satisfaction and ultimately - constituent affinity. This is especially important for nonprofits.
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Screen-printing - A Brief Explanation.

Since screen-printing is the process that applies your logo to most of the promotional products used by your nonprofit, why not spend 90 seconds to become the only person in your organization who can explain how screen-printing actually works?
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Control Your Own Product Aspirations.

When selecting products to be imprinted with your organization’s logo, your personal taste is much less important than you think. In fact, it may lead to disaster. And if it does, the disaster is yours.
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Don’t spend more. Just buy better.

Here are four principles that will help you buy better without spending more. These principles are generic and universal – presented here as bullet-point summaries. Other Cyber-Essays cover each principle in depth, in different ways and with plenty of examples. But – as either an introduction or as a refresher, this summary will keep you focused.
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How Logos Define People.

Personal descriptors define people – soccer mom, Red Sox fan, Methodist, conservative, procrastinator, serial killer, baritone, chef, etc. We rely on them to help us define ourselves and interpret others. These descriptors are not only verbal – most have graphic forms. That means merchandise with your logo generates three benefits to your organization – brand visibility, constituent satisfaction and public endorsement. This Cyber-Essay explains how imprinted products display personal affinities with the lowest cost and greatest impact per impression. Energized by pride of association, they effectively communicating a connection with your organization and your mission. So, cost/benefit analysis determines that the trinket with the logo of an affinity organization that depends on public support is of little cost and of inestimable value.
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Don't Buy Products: Buy RESULTS!.

To effectively use your promotional dollars, you must know what you are trying to achieve. Start the product selection process at the back-end – with a decision about intended results. Then work forward to budget allocation and product selection.
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Standards – Heaven & Hell.

Printers and designers can accidentally mess up your organization’s graphic identity. They can do it on signs, pamphlets, solicitation letters, envelopes, exhibits, imprinted products, letterhead, TV spots, billboards, conference displays and so much more. Don’t let them make ad-hoc decisions that get you in trouble. Adopt a graphic standards policy. Standardize and control the way your organization’s branding elements are presented with this tool. It can also protect your job.
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Nonprofit Vulnerability

Nonprofits are vulnerable to common and costly purchasing traps, if they fail to understand the real purpose behind imprinted promotional products.
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Selecting and training a vendor

Once a product with your organization’s logo is out in the hands of end-users, it is forever beyond your control. Yet it will affect your brand equity in ways that are helpful or harmful as long as it survives. That’s why you need to avoid the promotional products hustlers and work with conservative suppliers who will put out the effort to really understand your organization and its constituent relations program. Being committed to the relationship instead of the order, a good vendor applauds an appropriate product choice, urges caution about a doubtful one and gladly gives up sales to help clients avoid costly mistakes.
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VisABILITY Product Search
If you don't see exactly what you're looking for, don't despair! We have access to nearly one million products from thousands of factories around the world. If it can be imprinted, we can do it! Give us a description of what you're looking for, and we'll find it for you.

Program Related Premiums
For public radio & TV fundraisers. VisABILITY is the primary national supplier to public radio and TV of products with public broadcasting's best-known, proprietary logos.

NEW! Using "Green" Premiums in Your Fund Drive
Let VisABILITY be your guide to the world of "green" premiums. Visit the Nonprofit Toolkit to read or download our latest white paper.

NEW! May 2008 Postage Rate Changes and Important Fulfillment Service Change Announcement

Products
Best of the Best selected for value, quality, and impact. Organized in categories and constantly updated. Our favorite custom logo products for all nonprofits.

Nonprofit Toolkit
For Development and Marketing Professionals. A series of CyberEssays about managing an ecommerce store, protecting brand equity, using premiums as contributor incentives, developing proprietary products, the critical relationship between price and quality, using graphics standards policies, and more...Plus links to cool gurus, advisors, and consultants.

FAQ City
Info-nuggets to help you do your job and get the most out of your budget. How to reduce imprint costs, order ceramics, get Bulk Postage savings, avoid product quality problems, obtain credit with VisABILITY, submit art... Plus a glossary of terms you need to know...silkscreen, sublimation, pad print, PMS color guides, camera ready art, deboss, and dozens more....