Regardless of the category you fall into, preparation helps. After all, it can be easy to think of public speaking in the framework of only what happens in the moment: how your voice sounds, how people perceive what you’re saying. But often, the real key to sounding good in the moment means taking the appropriate steps before the event.

With holiday gifts, some people are planners and others, quite frankly, are not. Personalization businesses are familiar with both types. Clearly, most businesses would prefer to create as many personalized gifts as possible—as early as possible—for the early birds who know what they want and are thinking ahead. But businesses can’t afford to turn down last-minute orders, even if it means burning the midnight oil.

It’s always great when a plan comes together.

Nick Blumer got into the personalization business after spending four years in the United States Marine Corps and 16 years in the Air National Guard, as well as performing network security and HIPAA compliance at a nationally recognized healthcare clearinghouse. When the company he was working for was sold and downsized during the pandemic, Blumer built an online company that sold hats, T-shirts, coffee and accessories. One day, his accountant let him know that there was a business for sale in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, that might be a great fit for him and his family.

If the pandemic-era rise in online and omnichannel shopping accelerated the digital transformation of the retail industry, artificial intelligence (AI) technologies could put that transformation into overdrive. Today’s businesses are embracing the vast potential of AI—and personalization and awards retailers are already reaping the rewards. Among small businesses that have adopted AI, 95% say their investment in AI has largely reduced their need to hire more marketing people, according to a 2022 survey of over 400 small businesses in Canada and the U.S.

There is no historical record, but it’s not hard to imagine: An early ancestor chips away at a piece of flint—and bashes a finger in the process. As long as humans have had tools, we have had to figure out the best ways to use them safely.

What is your definition of a customer? Most of us spend our days interacting with customers, so the answer, theoretically, should be an easy one. But it’s worth reexamining our current definition.

One of the most beloved events in sports is the annual tennis championships held at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, England. The ladies’ singles champion is presented with an ornate salver known as the Rosewater Dish.

Located in a shopping center in a northeast suburb of Detroit, Michigan, B.B. Trophy and Awards Company LLC has learned to weather any storm. From the recession of 2008 to the automotive industry crisis that crushed Detroit to the more recent COVID-19 pandemic, the small, family-owned business has persevered despite all the obstacles thrown its way.

Even before the pandemic, the awards market for youth sports was in flux. Once COVID-19 spread, school closures and canceled events severely dampened the market. “I hear so often that COVID-19 changed everything,” says Gregory Kolenut, national sales manager, Marco Awards Group. “That is also true in the youth sports awards market.”

Google’s local business directory has been through many names over the years. Before Google Business Profile, it was: Google Local, then Google Places, then Google+ Local, then back to Google Places, then Google My Business or Google Maps.