Business Builder

With the holiday shopping rush past us, what can you do to keep your business top of mind during the rest of the calendar year (hint, hint)? With calendars, of course!

Consider designing a custom calendar with photos of your products, services, people or your logo. Think of it as a big advertisement that you pay for once and it stays on current and prospective customer’s walls all year long. 

This can be the perfect time of year to give this gift – and it offers more than one benefit. It can be a way to say thank you to loyal customers. It’s also a great way for people to have your contact information at their fingertips.

People are searching for a 2011 edition calendar for their refrigerator door (and think about how many times they say that each day), office, or desktop. Calendars allow you to stay top of mind from week to week and month to month. ...read more

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Almost everyone I know is in the middle of their Christmas shopping. One trend I’m seeing from my friends is that they are trying to shop locally to support businesses in their neighborhood during the holiday season. It got me thinking that this is probably happening in neighborhoods across the country – and I’m sure stores are really enjoying the extra foot traffic!

Hopefully if you own or help run a business, you’re seeing this trend of new customers buying products or services for the holidays. So after they’ve stopped in once, how do you get them to return? ...read more

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It’s that time of year, the much-anticipated holiday office party. It’s a chance to step away from the computer, meetings and projects to spend time getting to know your co-workers and celebrate the team’s accomplishments of the year.

Games are a great way to encourage mingling among departments and provide a fun opportunity to get to know each another in a casual setting. Here are some interesting ideas for holiday games:

...read more

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I have an awesome team. We work hard and spend a lot of time together, and it always feels good when I can give them a “shout-out” for their achievements. I’m especially reminded of this as Thanksgiving rolls around. We will all gather around the table next week to give thanks for family, friends and health, but I think we should also remember to express our gratitude to the colleagues who make work life a little easier.

As managers, we might not always be able to reward our teams and colleagues with raises, bonuses or glamorous two-week cruises to tropical paradises. Luckily, there are some things we can do to show them our appreciation.

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Back in June, I shared some news from the annual FedEx Office Signs of the Times survey with our Out of Office readers. Our poll found that small business owners believed marketing and advertising were both key to driving business in 2010. And when it comes to attracting potential customers or promoting your products and services to current customers, signage can be a helpful way to share information quickly. Colorful graphics, bold fonts and catchy prose can help to draw attention to important information in an easy-to-read format. ...read more

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This week FedEx Office will be recognizing its top center of the year. Over the past couple of days, senior executives from the corporate office came to the center to work for a day, taking over the daily duties of the team members in the wining location. This weekend, the winning team and their guests will be going on an all-expense-paid trip to Orlando, Fla.  While not every company can offer a reward like this, I think it’s a great reminder of how important it is for managers and businesses to take time out to recognize their best teams and top performers. They are, after all, the face of your business and the key to your success.
 

While a trip to Orlando is nice, there are things you can do on regular basis to show your team how much you appreciate them and reward their performance. ...read more

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When I was a fresh out of college, in my first “real” job with my first “real” paycheck, I remember that one of my first big purchases was a nice set of luggage. I agonized over the style, the brand, the features, the pieces I needed…I wanted it to be a quality set that I could use for many years to come. I finally settled on a sturdy collection of wheeled, expandable luggage. (I’m not a light packer!) With all those decisions and all the options for snazzy colors and styles available, you may be wondering what color I chose…Just basic black, along with the rest of the world, it seems!   ...read more

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A few years back, I travelled a lot for work. I was criss-crossing the country and I often had need to find a quiet place to work where I could get on the Internet and really get some work done. Back then, my options were a bit limited...

First, you have your bookstores. But finding place to sit down in a busy store tends to be difficult. On the bright side, they’re usually pretty quiet.

Then there are the coffee shops. A place to sit is easy to find, but whether or not you can get work done is another issue entirely! People scrambling in to get their coffee fix, others pounding away on their own keyboards, and still more customers having a leisurely conversation over a cappuccino. For me, all that hustle and bustle doesn’t help me concentrate on that big presentation. Don’t get me wrong, I like that atmosphere when I’m not working and just hanging out, but not when I have a deadline!

Luckily for me (and others who work like me) FedEx Office has announced that it will offer free, unlimited Wi-Fi in virtually all of its Print & Ship Center locations by the end of October 2010. ...read more

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As many of our Out of Office readers most likely already know, a business trip can be a great source of stress and nerves, particularly the night before you hit the road. Somewhere between practicing your presentation and packing just the right outfit, the anxiety hits hard.

But every good road warrior knows that the best offense is a good defense: be prepared. Good preparation for a business trip – whether it lasts two days or two weeks – can be the difference between basking in the glow of your boss’ praise or quietly wishing things had gone differently. By following these three tips for perfect preparation, you will not only survive but thrive during your time away from the office.

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Businesses do all kinds of things to get attention – everything from flashing neon signs to balloons and even inflatable blimps! If these aren’t a viable (or preferred) option for your business, but you still need signage to make your patrons aware of a new offering or special sale, you should think about how you could use ready-to-apply decals for your store or business windows. Whether you’re making a custom design or choosing from templates, these peel and stick decals are an easy way for customers to identify your business and anything else you want to catch their eye. 

You can choose whether you want your decal to apply to the inside of the window (best for store and car windows) or the outside (best for tinted surfaces). And they aren’t just for business identification, either. You can use them to provide directions at an event or other instructions, such as no smoking or no cell phone use in a certain area. ...read more

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