The essence of promotional items is to create awareness about a brand, company, or event. They are distributed either at little or no cost. These items are also referred to as freebies and are employed in sales and marketing. This merchandise, which is branded with the company logo, slogan, or other message, are often given out during events like trade shows, exhibitions, conferences, and while doing sales calls, which means visiting companies that may give you business. Promo items may also be given out to customers as bonus items alongside shipped deliveries or when customers buy at the shop. The business may also give them out to their employees to appreciate their good performance or for other reasons. While choosing the perfect promotional items, businesses should consider the usefulness of the product to the customer, the number of impressions they can make, and if they will last for a reasonably long time. Below are some great promotional items that businesses can give out: Custom tote bags These are very common promotional tools, especially in tradeshows and other events. Tote bags are useful to the recipients as they use them to carry shopping, books, and other things. The best thing with them is that they help to create awareness about the brand, business, or event whenever the users use them. They generate a high number of impressions since they are mostly used in the public. Business can also use tote bags in their green campaign, thus scoring two goals at once. They are promoting their brand and advancing their environmental conservation agenda. Custom pin badges One of the best ways that your business can leave lasting images on its customers is by using a custom pin badge. The badges can also be given out to employees for identification purposes. The beauty of these promotional tools is that they can be highly customised by using different styles or materials such as enamel and others. They can be used for different functions such as product launches, to create brand awareness, promoting events, commemorating milestones like anniversaries, and so on. They can easily replace business cards and if they have an attractive design, and those who receive them will keep them for a long time, thus perpetually promoting your business and brand. Branded pens Branded pens are simple promotional items, right? Well, although they are simple and quite cheap, and they are some of the freebies that never go out of style. They help to add identity to any company, so any business worth its name ensures that it has pens branded with its name, logo, or both. With branded pens, the business gets instant brand recognition no matter how they are used. They could be used by employees within the company, placing them at the front office, giving them out during events like trade fairs or conferences, and so on. Conclusion Besides the above promotional items, the business could also use branded mugs, custom key rings, and branded umbrellas. Promotional desk accessories like mousepads, calendars, pen holders, and other items can also be used. The crucial thing is to get what resonates with the intended recipients so they will find it useful and keep it for a long time. Businesses must also consider their budgets to ensure that they use items that are within their allocated budget as well as generating maximum exposure.

Society has come a long way in the last 35 years, especially when it comes to diversity and equality. In a study released by Sky News in 2019, back in 1984, 42 per cent of people felt men should be the breadwinner of a family. The same respondents agreed that women ought to take the role of homemaker. But, just 35 years later, only eight per cent of people believed that men should be breadwinners and women should be homemakers.   But gender is only a small part of equality and diversity. Everything from age to race, religion to disability can factor into this topic. This is particularly relevant in terms of the workplace, as no one should be left out of a workplace. Luckily, we’re seeing some fantastic stories coming from trade jobs lately, showcasing not only diversity at work, but success from it. Managing quarries at 22 The BBC reported on the success of Emily Burridge in 2019. Burridge had entered into the world of construction via an apprenticeship scheme. But this isn’t just an example of a woman getting her foot in the door to a stereotypically male-orientated industry. Burridge hasn’t just gotten into the sector — she’s excelled, making her a brilliant example of why the industry must recognise the importance of equality and diversity. Her success is certainly inspiring. At 22 years old, Burridge is a technical production manager, having worked on 25 quarries. Not only is she representing the women in a male-dominated sector, she’s also championing the case for age equality and diversity too. Though she is only in her early twenties, Burridge replaced a man who was of retirement age. Even though her staff are mostly older men, Burridge has had no problem in integrating with and leading her staff. 2019’s Apprentice of the Year In the latter half of 2019, On The Tools awarded the prestigious “UK’s Best Apprentice” award to Todd Scanlon. Thirty-year-old Scanlon has Down’s Syndrome, but this has proven to be no obstacle for him on his journey to forge a career. Scanlon has always wanted to work in scaffolding, and after talking to a local company and showing his determination, Scanlon has not only become a permanent worker on their team but has been voted the UK’s best apprentice 2019. Scanlon is a valued member of the team, according to his boss. He’s hard-working, enthusiastic, polite, and the customers love him. Taking Scanlon on as a member of the team wasn’t any cause for concern for Coles Scaffolding, and the apprentice has more than proven his skill and willingness to learn over and over again. What more could an employer ask for from his workforce? “I think it’s mainly because it is thought people with a disability shouldn’t be in our industry,” Martyn Coles, Scanlon’s employer, said of the win. “He’s just shown that you can do it with the right guidance. He’s just a likeable guy.” An industry improvement Going into 2020, more and more diversity is expected in trade roles. And this, says Richard Walker from rubbish removal experts Skip Hire, is exactly what these industries need: “For too many years the industry has suffered with a negative perception and reputation creating a stigma that has acted as a barrier to entry to a more diverse talent pool of workers. As innovation and technology play its part in modernising ways of working in the sector, together with schemes such as apprenticeships, we’re not only seeing a more diverse workplace, but a more talented, skilled, and varied workforce.” The stories above are just a brief snapshot, of course. No doubt we’ll see even more throughout 2020! Sources:

If you want your business to thrive, it’s essential to get your marketing right. Fail to advertise your company correctly could mean potential customers go to your competitors, costing you work and money. You’re probably an expert in construction but not so much a marketing whizz – so take a look at our top tips that will help you smash your online marketing this year. Target customer ‘personas’ A customer persona is essentially a ‘character’ or a semi-fictional ‘person’ that represents all the key traits of your target audience. This hypothetical customer is created using in-depth research and analysis of real customers. You may look at their buying behaviour, their reasons for purchasing, what their values are, how they like to communicate, what they dislike and what influences their decisions. Once you have a firm grip on your customer personas, you can create marketing and advertising campaigns that speak to them – with clear, detailed information you know they’re looking for. Follow your customers’ journey Understanding your customers’ journey from start to finish is essential if you want to maximise conversions. Customers are likely to take a lot of small steps before employing you, from searching for building companies on Google and reading customer reviews online, to dialling your number and employing you for the work. This is where software like intelligent call tracking comes in handy – as you can link your phone sales to your digital marketing campaigns – giving you better results. Companies like Responsetap provide integrated solutions so you can spend less time analysing data sets and more time on the job at hand. Produce engaging content Content is king in marketing – it is how you will communicate to potential customers, showcasing your company values and experience. It’s important not to produce as much content as you can in the hope of attracting attention, as it’s likely to have the opposite effect. Users may be confused if there is too much information to read and may get bored, leading them to an alternative website. Instead, create specialist content that is relevant to your target audience and answers their questions. It should be written and presented in a way that’s easy to digest and understand, so it may be worth investing in a mix of written, video and graphic content. Implement SEO strategies This may not be your area of expertise, but don’t underestimate the value of a strong SEO strategy. Being visible in search engines like Google is more important than ever, particularly in the construction industry where competition is fierce. This is where SEO comes in – helping to rank your website higher than your competitors’ in search engines. With customer buying behaviour and markets changing constantly, it’s important to remain a step ahead and be prepared to change your marketing tactics in line with current trends. This is the only way your company will stay on top for decades to come.

Not matter what industry you’re based in, a business success thrives on improvements being made and one of the most effective ways to do so, would be to appoint an internal auditor out of one of your staff, or hire a third-party internal auditor. The job of an internal auditor is to act as a fresh pair of eyes on your business processes, reviewing the behaviour of them on a daily basis to see whether: Processes are being followed Processes are still effective/relevant Risks occur during these processes Output is of a consistently high standard Depending of the nature of your business, certain departments would need more frequent internal audits than others. How to plan an audit Step one, would be to draw up a list of areas that need an internal audit. This may include: Purchasing Purchase invoice process Purchase order process Sales Sales invoice process Sales order process Sales quote process IT and Security Human Resources Accounting Payroll process Expenses process Manufacturing Preparation of Item A Production of Item A Finish/Quality Control process Shipping Stock process Shipping process Once you’ve listed your areas and process within your organisation, you can plan how frequent you require an audit. With this information, you can create an Internal Auditing Calendar for the year. Drawing up a calendar Audits should be considered as a necessity and not an additional process of the business structure. Drawing up a calendar ensures that the audits will be completed on time and frequently. Your internal auditing calendar doesn’t need to be anything fancy. A simple template to follow could be: By using an audit calendar, you will be able to alert your chosen departments in advance on any scheduled audits, which is recommended to be able to prepare the correct documentation for you to review. It also gives the internal auditor a chance to locate the process documents and review how the process should be followed and write up relevant questions, before they observe it in action. The process of an internal audit Observing and reviewing With questions needing to be answered, the internal auditor must monitor the performance of employees on the processes they’ve been given, preferably in a natural scenario ((i.e. the task needed doing that day). Asking the employee questions about the process they are performing will give the auditor insight as to whether or not the member of staff is, a) following the process properly, and, b) understands the process and the risks it is designed to mitigate. Based on the answers received, the auditor can plan out areas that need refresher sessions, or aspects of the process that may have not aged well (such as inefficient practices compared to technology that has been brought into the workplace). Evaluation With the completion of the observation and interview process, the internal auditor needs to document their findings and highlight areas that need improving. The document again, can be as simple or detailed as you require, as long as it records the findings. In the event of a process found to be non-compliant, the auditor will need to recommend further measures in an action plan. They may also need to raise a Non-Compliance Report, depending on your company and its quality compliance measures and recognitions: Process Findings Compliant? Process 1 Procedure completed in accordance to outline of Process 1. No risks found. ✔ Process 2 Equipment used as part of Process 2 suffering notable wear and tear. Product quality affected by this.  ✘ Process 3 Data is stored accurately and safely in accordance to outline of Process 3. No risks found. ✔ Plan of action Working with the respective head of department, an action plan must be created to address any issues or risks highlighted in the internal audit. This should include the finding, the corrective action, who will take ownership of implementing the corrective action, and the deadline for doing so. There should also be a follow-up date to ensure the corrective action has been applied: Finding Corrective action recommended Non-compliance report number Owner Deadline for implementation Review Process 2 Replace hydraulic torque wrench power head. NCR4 George 01/12/19 01/01/19 The process of internal auditing is a benefit to any business, and it should be implemented as a critical procedure, and not simply as something to tick off in the books!  You could also consider Sources: