Labels for LifeLabels for Life will give tips for organizing your life, home and office.

The flood of counterfeit goods into the United States from the Far East, and especially China and India, has reached all time highs and is creating significant economic damage at home.  This incredibly damaging, criminal activity is spurring the development of IP protective measures, such as security holograms.

No-one wins when counterfeit products reach the market – the consumer buys goods which are not what they thought they were, while there may be serious consumer safety issues involved. Meanwhile, the manufacturer reaps the adverse reward of negative press and consumer comments because the counterfeit clings like a parasite to their brand image and reputation.  The retail distributor finds they have goods they cannot sell and quite possibly, legal consequences of holding counterfeit products they ought not to have in the first instance.

The issue is how to protect your own brand and intellectual property in a cost effective manner, and at the same time, ensure security measures are in place which will deter counterfeiters from using your product as the basis for a counterfeit operation.  The analogy of a homeowner ensuring all the doors and windows are locked, whilst fitting a highly visible alarm system to deter opportunistic thieves, is very appropriate in this context.

By applying a low-cost security device, design detail or production element to your product, you are making it harder for counterfeiters to profitably reproduce your goods.  Security holograms provide an excellent method for separating your product from the competition, and counterfeiters will be assessing a range of products to see which is simpler, cheaper and most profitable for them to replicate.  Making it more difficult to create a good imitation of your product by the counterfeiters, reduces the risk your product will be targeted by to begin with.

Security holograms can be produced as 2D or 3D images, the design of which is extremely difficult and costly for a counterfeiter to copy.  You can use the hologram on the packaging (where it can act as a tamper evident safety feature) or place them on the actual product themselves.  The presence of a security hologram acts in exactly the same was as a homeowner’s alarm system – it warns potential thieves to steer clear and try their hand at another product which is easier (and cheaper) to counterfeit.

The reasons why security holograms are highly effective in acting as a deterrent to counterfeiting, are because they are cost effective, deliver multiple security functions and can be easily customized and applied to your products or to protect other intellectual property you own.

Security holograms provide a highly visible guarantee that the goods are genuine and are not seeking to hoodwink customers with fake branding; in this regard, holograms are powerful components of your brand identity if you include them.  Further security functions they perform include providing evidence the goods have not been tampered with and where they are used in conjunction with the brand image itself, they serve to protect the intellectual property which a brand represents.  The hologram itself can be subjected to fast and effective optical validation, which provides an additional layer of protection for your goods and reputation as well as being an additional mechanism to convey data such as stock and handling information.

Security holograms cannot be copied using photocopiers or computer scanners, which is a favorite technique utilized by counterfeiters.  It is also apparent when a hologram is real or not, given the ability to present a moving image to the viewer – the only way a counterfeiter can get around this security barrier is to source counterfeit holograms.  This is prohibitively expensive to do, or the alternative, to leave the hologram off their counterfeit products, quickly serves to mark them out as not genuine.

As counterfeit products rise and the ability of the fraudsters to deceive the consumer increases, it is vital for companies to protect their brand and reputation.  Security holograms are cheap to produce, and very simple to apply and manage through the distribution chain.  The simple presence of a security hologram is enough to deter many counterfeiters from even attempting to replicate your product, which makes it easier to target those counterfeiters who are attacking your intellectual property rights and reputation.

When Beth wanted to run for Town Council, she simply didn’t know how to get started. While she wanted to help her town, she hadn’t thought very much about the process of getting her name recognized in her community. Beth was known well in her local schools because she was active helping with her three kids’ class activities and various projects.

Beth really decided she wanted to run for Town Council because she wanted to make changes in the schools. The expenses for class trips were exorbitant and parents didn’t really have much of a say. While there were several tutors available at school, it was very hard to get an appointment. In some ways, she could see that her school was working hard to help her kids get a good education and then other times the things they did just didn’t make sense. That’s when she threw her hat in the ring for Town Council.

Her husband Tom came up with the bumper stickers. Tom owns the town hardware store and thought if they created a bumper sticker saying “Back Beth Smythe, Town Council ‘09”, it would get some attention. He was right. Tom kept the bumper stickers right by the register and before long they were flying out the doors, right along with the hammers and the nails. Then people were coming in just to get a Beth bumper sticker! That’s when Beth knew things were getting successful.

Beth is a lot like you and me, she isn’t the type of person who likes to attract a lot of attention. But she really wanted to make a difference. And the best way to make a difference was to get out there and meet people – and to pass out her great bumper stickers! She went to the town senior center and shook hands and passed out bumper stickers. She went to the library for a coffee meeting and answered questions about her positions and passed out bumper stickers. Soon Beth had to order more bumper stickers to keep up with all of her appointments.

It turned out Beth wasn’t the only one who wanted change in the schools. Others were tired of paying so much for class trips. They were frustrated by the tutoring situation. There were other things they wanted to see changes. People liked Beth, they liked her ideas. Beth passed out bumper stickers and shook hands as fast as she could. Her picture was in the newspaper all the time. She was running against a popular woman who had been successful as a Town Council member. Beth thought she had a chance….but she really didn’t know how good a chance she had.

The election day came and Beth gathered with her supporters. They’d worked hard to get her there. More than five hundred bumper stickers had been passed out in all. Beth had gone earlier that day to shake hands at the local supermarket to remind people to vote. Many said they were voting for her. She smiled and hoped for the best. Beth noticed lots of cars in the parking lot had her Beth bumper stickers on them.

The results came in…..and Beth won by a landslide! By more than 200 votes Beth was the new Town Council member. She’s making changes for her town and the schools. It all started with one little bumper sticker.

Let me tell you a story. Some family members are simply harder to shop for than others. Is it like that for you too? In my family, my Grandma is very difficult to shop for. To be fair, my Grandma is not a difficult person by nature or personality. She simply knows what she likes and what she doesn’t like. So when Grandma’s birthday comes every year it can be a challenge to find that terrific gift.

We all want to find that perfect gift. You know the one. The one that makes someone smile so wide you see the tops of their gums and they look like a little kid. It makes you realize you’ve found something they would have thought of if only they knew it existed. That gift. That’s the one we all dream of buying for our loved ones in a perfect world. Well for once I’d actually found it!

I found something I knew my Grandma would love. You see she is an enthusiastic needlepoint artist. I found some patterns inspired by stained glass windows. The patterns were exquisite. Grandma had often complained she simply can’t find “interesting” needlepoint anymore. So the very moment I saw these unique stained glass window needlepoint patterns – the tiny hairs on the back of my neck stood up.

I gave the little shop my Grandma’s address to send them and thought all was taken care of. Until I called Grandma for her birthday. Then the floor fell out of my plans:

“Happy Birthday Grandma!” I said

“Thank you dear,” Grandma replied

“Did you like your birthday present?” I asked

“No dear? I haven’t received a present,” Grandma said. There was silence on the end of the telephone.

I ended our conversation and called the little needlepoint shop. They had to track the package and it turned out it was on the other side of town! Grandma had moved to a very large town and the zip code number had been transposed. I was both relieved and frustrated, but at least the package would be on its way. Grandma would get her birthday gift on her birthday. And yes, she did smile one of those big kid gum smiles.

That tracking number really saved the day. I don’t want to think about what would have happened if I didn’t have one. There was only one set of those special stained glass patterns at the shop – I don’t think I could have gotten another one had I hoped for it. Without the tracking number, I would have needed to come up with a super idea for Grandma’s birthday in a jiffy.

But it makes me wonder what happens to packages without tracking numbers. I think we’ve just gotten so used to packages having them today that we don’t think about them. That tracking number truly can save the day – I know it saved Grandma’s birthday. It could save a special day in the future for you too.

As the holidays approach, many are thinking about sending out packages. Whether you have a business or personal packages to send out – the holidays create an ideal time to use festive address labels.

The best address labels have plenty of room for a To address and a From address. They also have room to include international addresses. An address label with extra space means a business or individual can add a telephone number or a second telephone number to contact in case there is difficulty delivering a package. This is a great convenience and an ideal addition in today’s age of unique addresses.

Holiday mailing address labels let your business celebrate the holidays and pass along your Seasons Greetings to everyone who comes into contact with the package. From the package handlers at the Post Office or other delivery center to the mail room where the package is delivered, people will smile as they see your package. The holidays are simply a time when people and businesses seem just a bit warmer and friendlier. It is the perfect time to share your greetings.

Best of all, these Seasons Greetings go out into the world to connect with potential new customers for your business. No matter what products or services you sell – they will be attracted by a festive holiday address label. This address label reminds people of this special time of year and also for the reason for sending the package.

There are many ways to accent your festive holiday address label. Try sprigs of holly or ornaments. Or snowflakes and a wintery scene. Adding a small graphic is quite similar to including a holiday card with your package, and very much like the saying goes “a picture tells a thousand words.” Select festive holiday images that are ideal and that many people will enjoy. Snowflakes are a perfect choice for many as most think of snow during this time.

Print your festive holiday address label with a font that is easy to read. Some may decide to go a bit overboard, choosing a fancy font for their holiday packages too. Often this is a mistake – as then their packages are made much harder to deliver. While a pretty calligraphy font does look very festive, there are lots of people who may squint a bit at this font and wonder if those numbers are what they seem. Don’t leave that overworked post office worker guessing during this season! Use a font like Times New Roman or Courier.

Some companies today use their holiday address labels instead of including holiday greeting cards with their packages. As a business, this can be an excellent way of not only saving money but to also be “green” and act environmentally responsible. In today’s business climate there are many clients who will respond favorably to see a business that acts in a “green” manner and this will also respond them to act accordingly. This is an easy way to make a “green” decision that celebrates the winter holidays for your business.

Classic holiday colors for address labels include red, green, silver, gold, blue and white. But choose colors that are ideal and complimentary to your business, corporate culture and your logo or graphic design on the current packaging. Adding a festive holiday foil label that is complimentary is an ideal decision.

Don’t you just love the holidays? It is traditionally a season of goodwill and love for everyone. There’s something just more friendly about the holidays, even if you are in a corporate setting. People seem more cheerful – it is like there is something in the air. Why it is probably all of the gourmet goodies and treats that come into the office at this time!

Gourmet goodies and treats are the #1 holiday gift for business gifts. Whether you have a large or small business, it seems like they are the most welcomed gift. Everyone can’t resist having a little nibble of chocolate covered popcorn, cookies or candy. Sweets or other treats are a holiday tradition across the globe for all winter holidays. Sharing gourmet goodies and treats is a wonderful way to express your goodwill and cheer and express your company’s personality.

One great tip is to consider buying gourmet goodies or treats and then add your own holiday foil stickers. This is much more convenient than a card, which will likely get lost as the gourmet goodies get passed around the office. A holiday label subtlety promotes your company and the relationship that the two of you have. This is an excellent way to remind this company of the strong business relationship you have – and share something delicious for the holidays!

We suggest you don’t just pick out “any” gourmet goodie – you want to pick out something that expresses your company’s personality and style and also will be the type that your client will want to dive into. Every business or industry is just a bit different. One great idea is to look for goodies that are made by charities or groups that assist people in some way – giving back for the holidays. A nonprofit group might especially appreciate a gift that helps a charity or group that makes the product. The young internet company that works long into the night could enjoy chocolate covered espresso beans, a sweet way to devour your caffeine source (and very addictive!). There are many gourmet treats out there once you start to search – don’t worry, you’ll find just the right one.

Make your holiday label truly festive. Add colorful graphic and use color or even photos. Remember to add a picture of your company or your company logo so people can easily see this treat is from you. Create a holiday greeting that is both warm and sincere. Many companies choose “Happy Holidays” or “Happy New Year” as their ideal choice. Add your company name as a “signature” – or if there is enough space, add your staff names to sign.

Holiday treats are the perfect choice for every business client on your list. This is a gift that everyone in the office can enjoy. The holidays are a time when most people are willing to have that extra indulgence, and they welcome the opportunity to have a sweet treat or other gourmet treat. Your holiday treat will remind them of your friendship and bring a smile to their day!

Toys Noticed This Holiday Season with Product Labels

Let’s face it – there are a lot of toys on the shelf this holiday season. Every advantage you have to stand out could make the difference between making a sale – or being the Closeout item come this January. Custom Product Labels give your toys a polished and professional look every time.

Toys deserve labels with a highly original and especially playful look. You aren’t going to find that with just an “everyday” label. Labels are important on children’s toys. They can remind parents to buy batteries, of appropriate age levels for a child’s toy or if there are non-toxic or choking hazards in your toy(s). Best of all, a label gets special attention – a label often comes in a contrasting or complimentary color and really stands out. This makes parents pay close attention to whatever you have chosen to put on the label.

A custom product label is an ideal way to point out your USP (unique selling position) for your toy this holiday season. Perhaps your toy is an educational toy that has received outstanding reviews from well-respected publications. A custom product label permits you to highlight these reviews or commendations on your toy’s packaging in a show stopping way.

You can also introduce new features or characters using a custom product label. If your toy has been on the market for awhile but you’ve made some changes to this new version, custom product labels can introduce new and current customers to your changes. Many customers may not read every detail on the toy’s packaging before buying. That custom product label can help you entice buyers – and also avoid confusion or disappointment. If your toy has switched age ranges for example – the parent of a four-year old will want to know that your toy is now appropriate for ages six through eight, not four through eight.

A custom product label is also a unique opportunity to encourage customer (and child) interactivity. If your toy company has a website with interactive features – or free things for purchasers of that toy – a custom product label is an ideal opportunity to highlight this feature. Best of all, you’ll get both adults and children excited about the idea of visiting your website to check out coloring pages, puzzles, games or other fun things they might have otherwise missed out on.

The best custom product label is one that both compliments and also contrasts your toy’s packaging. So if your doll is packaged in a sweet little girl pink color box, consider not choosing another pink color for the customer product label color – but a contrasting color or a color that will compliment yet also stand out. Try another girl favorite color like purple. Or green or blue. Or a metallic custom product label for extra shine – making your label gold, silver or another metallic color.

Custom product labels can be a toy company’s best friend. Children love stickers and will happily look for stickers wherever they go. When they see a sticker on a toy they like, this alone will encourage them to stop and look longer as they view the sticker. Make your custom product labels appeal both to children as well as adults. Remember that you have two different customer bases when it comes to a toy purchase.

If you have a business that ships a product, now is the time to get ready. The holidays are U.S.P.S. and other shipping services’ busy season. Many retailers say they do the majority of their business during the holiday months. You don’t want to miss out on those customers who want to ship something to a family member or friend. Remember – every customer who ships your product to someone could create a potential customer for your business!

That’s why now is the time to get plenty of shipping labels. Not only basic shipping labels like “everyone” else has, but shipping labels that really stand out. Your business should have customized shipping labels with your company name, address, logo and other information on them. Ideally they will be done in your company’s chosen colors. Doing a shipping label using these methods will really make your package stand out from the pack.

Your shipping label should contain certain information to be the most useful to you. Always include your company name, street address, city, state and zip code. Also consider including your website url. Remember that as your package travels people will be looking at it. Simply looking at your package may prompt a sale. That attractive looking label may have a potential customer curious for more. Giving them your website url makes things much more convenient for them (and for you) as they start to shop.

Best of all, every time you ship out a package – you can think of that package as an ambassador for your business. If you are tempted to go with the “everyday” or basic labels, look at them again honestly and ask yourself: is this what you want an ambassador of your company to look like? Most likely you want your company ambassador to be as well presented as possible. You want them to come in your company colors, to have your company logos and to stand out from the pack.

When a gift recipient gets several packages, your package should be the one that tempts them the most to open. With shipping labels that look polished and professional, your package is the one they’ll be the most eager to open!

Whether your business sells ski hats, suntan lotion, surfboards, swim fins or other toys for boys and girls – your shipping label should best represent your company. You want a shipping label that has eager hands ready to open that package and reveal its contents. Or to have them visit your website for great gift ideas for their friends and family members.

Choose shipping labels with contemporary and classic designs that always get attention. Whether your business is large or Mom and Pop, your shipping labels should be top-rate! Always let your company ambassadors represent you well as they travel across the country – and beyond. Today’s gift recipient can be tomorrow’s big order of the day – well impressed with a great looking label and a well packaged gift. You never know where your next customer will come from!

As a football Mom, I haven’t always been thrilled with my boy playing the sport. Sometimes I’ve worried about him getting hurt. Other times I’ll admit I’ve been frustrated when he just hasn’t spent as much time on his studies as I would like him to. But he does love being a member of the Panther football team. So I attend every game and proudly say “Go Panthers!” with the other Moms and Dads.

But the Panthers have had some trouble with their equipment this year, making it tough for Jimmy to enjoy the sport as much. The coach had even sat the boys down and talked about the team ending the season early without the equipment due to safety, something that really just tore Jimmy up inside. We knew we had to do something. So we turned to boosting the Panthers with a bumper sticker fundraiser.

Our Panthers bumper sticker fundraiser was simple. We created three different Panthers bumper stickers. The bumper stickers were beautiful – all four color and durable vinyl. We knew they would stand up to heavy-duty use and be on the vehicles a long time. The custom bumper stickers were for different levels of fundraising. If you gave up to $25.00 you got the first bumper sticker. If you gave up to $50.00 you got the second bumper sticker. People giving more than $50.00 got the third bumper sticker.

I’ll admit that there was some subtle competition going on here. That people really wanted to be seen with that third and “best” bumper sticker on their car. So even though we had ordered three different kinds of bumper stickers, we easily sold more of our highest priced bumper sticker. But we didn’t really have to ask or arm-twist people for money. They really wanted that sense of pride that comes from helping the team. The fact that our Panthers bumper stickers looked great I’m sure really helped though.

The kids and parents sold bumper stickers for several weeks and it all went very quickly. Some of the cheerleaders were very outgoing and sold lots of bumper stickers. Some parents worked for large companies are were able to sell lots of bumper stickers. But truly everyone gave it their best effort and that’s what made it the most successful. Everyone giving their best to the Panthers.

I think our bumper sticker fundraiser was so successful because people realized they were helping out the Panthers by giving to the team. The bumper stickers didn’t cost us too much in expenses, so it wasn’t like throwing the team a fancy dinner or other type of event. But the bumper stickers looked great and best of all – they would be on the cars and SUVs year-round. So the team would get lots of Spirit from that.

As a proud Panther Mom I can say that we raised $4,500 from our bumper sticker fundraiser. Lots of folks in the community wanted to help out. I smile as I go to the grocery store or to get gas and see all of these “Go Panthers!” bumper stickers. I know I didn’t just help Jimmy but I helped the whole town.

Getting Attention With Company Holiday Cards

It seems like every company sends out a holiday card these days. The holidays are the ideal time to reconnect with old clients and to send good wishes to your current clients. It’s competitive when you sell office supplies – as customers have lots of options. That friendly “Happy Holidays” can serve as a good reminder so they know who to call when they need office supplies, gardening services or other business needs met.

But with so many holiday cards in the mail at the same time, it’s hard to make sure that yours gets as much attention as it deserves. We’ve tried personalized cards with our name on them – and it seems like every other company is doing that too. That’s when we discovered Embossed & Foil Stickers. These Labels come in many colors and you can easily customize these to truly stand out and make an impact.

Adding a Foil or Embossed Label to the back of our Holiday Card worked just like Santa’s sleigh!  From the very moment our customers received our holiday card, they knew it was from us. Best of all, that Foil or Embossed Label showed we were making a special effort for them. Not everyone goes the extra mile for their customer. We all know that when you show someone you are willing to do the little things, they know they can trust you with the bigger things as well. Our office supply business started getting orders, even before we could take our own holiday break.

A holiday card may seem like such a simple thing, but you would be surprised at how important the simple things are. Connecting with your customers is critical, especially when you run a small business like ours. When you sell office supplies, you need to get to know your customers. Celebrating the holidays and wishing them “Happy Holidays” with a festive Foil Label is the ideal choice for our business. Our customers look for our card – and it really stands out from the others.

But I haven’t told you the best part yet. We’ve had plenty of labels so we have used them for other things. Adding them on top of outgoing packages to customers during the holiday season has certainly gotten their attention. We’ve gotten a number of calls asking us about “these new labels.” Several customers called me asking where I got the labels. They shimmer and shine and come in many colors. We ordered ours in red and green and blue and white.

Best of all, we started hearing from our old customers – the ones who hadn’t ordered from us in months or years! Just by sending them a simple Holiday card with a show-stopping label, we got our customers’ attention right back where it belonged: on our business. Between the orders from old and current customers, our order department has been as busy as Santa’s workshop!

So if you are looking for a way to connect with your customers this holiday season, look no further. Pick out your favorite Foil or Embossed Label style and get your holiday cards ready. Then get ready for the phone to ring!

Mark Trumper

If you have a contracting company, I bet you’d like to know one of the easiest ways to advertise it. I’ll give you a hint: they’re walking around in front of you all day.

Give up? Okay, we’ll let you in on the secret….add Hardhat Stickers to your hardhats. This is an excellent way to make every employee on the job at your sites remind people that Grafton’s Lumber or Smithton’s Contracting is hard at work. And if people like what they see – then they know who to call.

A Hardhat Decal is not merely an advertising method, it’s also a top-notch way of protecting your job site. We all know that your typical job site is a busy place with trucks, other vehicles and people coming in and out all day. If everyone on your job site wears one of your hardhats with a Hardhat Decal, it’s an easy way to scout out someone who doesn’t belong or just plain looks funny there. And in today’s day and age you sure do need to protect your business.

A Hardhat Decal can easily tell people about your company without your needing to say a word. Put your phone number and website on the decal. Add your company logo. Include the months or years you’ve been accident-free on the job. Each of these are great ways to promote your company.

Remember that many of your construction workers will carry their Hardhats with them in their off-hours. This is easy advertising for you even when they are not on a job site. Remind them to mind their manners and that they represent the company as they carry your Hardhat. A polite interaction could lead to a new customer or business relationship for you. Why, it’s like each of these Hardhats becomes silent salespeople for you!

So don’t do things the hard way when you can choose an easier method. Look into Hardhat decals to promote and protect your construction business.

Contact Maverick Label if you are interested in purchasing hardhat stickers or any labels for your business. They are pros in the business. Call 1-800-537-8816, Toll Free from USA & Canada  (425) 771-6500 (Elsewhere)