By PCWorld Staff, PCWorld

Interactive Designs That You Can Wear (Sooner or Later)

Today, you're inseparable from your tech. Soon, you'll be wearing it. We looked across the Internet at what clever designing minds are doing with interactive wearables.

Some of these products are for sale now, while other items are coming soon (according to their creators). And some of these things are great concept designs that live exclusively with their inventors for the moment. Here are some pieces of interactive apparel that we'd love to try out (or on).

Let's start with a cool jacket intended to protect cyclists.

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Sporty Supaheroe Jacket for Night Bicycling (Concept)

All too often, cyclists are in danger of being run over, especially after dark. Someday, this unusual piece of wearable technology may be able to help.

The Utope Project, a cooperation between designer Wolfgang Langeder and Stretchable Circuits/Fraunhofer IZM, created the Sporty Supaheroe concept jacket, which has a flexible display of up to 64 RGB-LEDs placed in segments on the front, back, and shoulder areas.

The jacket's lights can generate multiple colors and patterns. On top of that, the garment offers a visual link with a smartphone placed in the jacket's pocket, and the wearer can tell whether a call is coming in by the way certain lights activate.

Image: Courtesy of Ubergizmo

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Keyboard Pants (Concept)

The "Beauty and the Geek" concept design by Nieuwe Heren integrates a keyboard into a pair of jeans. Note that the mouse is attached, and should reside in your pocket when not in use.

This idea might be carrying the marriage of life and tech a little too far.

Image: Courtesy of Gizmag

When you break a personal branding rule, one of two things happen. Either you get nervous and immediately fall back in line, or you keep pushing, blow past conventional wisdom, and find yourself all alone on the other side of the personal branding rainbow. But, don't worry, being all alone just means you don't have to share your giant pot of gold.

Over the past three years, as we've gone from Twitter friends to roommates to best friends to business partners to co-creators of the hugely popular new iOS wallpaper app, Paper'd, we've broken all the personal branding rules along the way. We've turned each broken rule into a new rule of our own, and we use these truths to guide our brand.

1. Publicly Merge Your Personal and Professional Lives
Broken rule: Maintain a clean, "business only" image

Although the topic of personal branding has the word "personal" right up in front, most advice still warns against sharing too much of who you are with your customers and clients. And yet, the early success of Paper'd was heavily driven by the social capital we've built by talking about everything from dating and sex to family and mental health on our personal blogs.

The more shockingly honest you are about yourself, the more your personal life can act as a filter for your professional life. People aren't just buying your products/services anymore, they're buying you, and being open about yourself, your struggles, your successes, etc. sets you apart from the squeaky clean public faces of others in your field.

2. Be Who You Really Are
Broken rule: Focus on being universally likable

No matter what you do to try to get people to like you, there will always be someone who doesn't want what you're selling. And that's okay. In fact, it's amazing, because the only way to offer true value to your network is to stand fiercely behind everything you believe. The flip side is that there will inevitably be things you don't believe, and therefore you won't be the perfect fit for everyone. Use that to your advantage. Some people will be turned off, but the people you attract when you're true to your most authentic self are the people you need to be working with.

3. Allow Your Brand To Act As An Umbrella
Broken rule: Have one single focus

We're told that, in order for a personal brand to succeed, it has to be single-focus. There has to be one message, and it has to be consistently maintained in every facet of your business.

What if, instead of focusing on one consistent message (some experts even take it as far as saying you have to boil your personal brand down into a single word), you focus instead on just being yourself. We're all multi-faceted people with more than one interest/passion, and it's helpful to be honest about that. Wouldn't you love to know that your kickass small business attorney is also a competitive triathlete? Isn't it fun to learn that the girls who designed your iPhone wallpaper app once installed a ball pit in their apartment?

Revealing more than a single focus isn't a weakness, it's a strength.

4. Don't Underestimate Your Customers
Broken rule: Assume people are stupid

No one actually comes right out and phrases it like this, but a lot of personal branding and marketing advice is focused on making sure your message can be understood by the lowest common denominator. And yet, when you're on the other side of the branding equation, can't you always tell when you're being fed the dumbed down version of what someone really wants to say?

As you build your brand, always remember that your audience is made up of a collection of individual people - people just like you who want to be respected, valued, and engaged. The most delicious success comes when you give people the chance to get involved with your brand in brilliant, lively, and fun ways.

5. Focus On Thoughtful Interaction
Broken rule: Always reciprocate

You've heard this advice a thousand times. "Respond to each and every comment/tweet/email. Follow everyone who follows you. Be wary of people who don't make an effort to interact with everyone in their large audience etc. etc." We've never done this. Instead, we focus on quality of interaction over quantity of interaction.

People can easily recognize reciprocity for reciprocities sake, and it doesn't make them feel good. Social media engagement (and other forms of brand to audience communication) are vital, but true brand loyalty is built when we remember that each individual conversation is really just one person talking to another person. Be yourself, treat your customer with respect, and your personal brand will build itself, one conversation at a time.

Jamie and Nicole are the rule-breaking duo behind Paper'd, the fun and addictive new iOS wallpaper app that lets you show off who you are & what you love. With nearly 200K users after less than a month on the App Store, Paper'd has proven that high-end, clever, funny, and inspirational wallpapers really do make people happy. When they're not trying to put a smile on your face with their latest wallpaper design, Nicole & Jamie can be found talking about television characters as if they're real people while frantically emailing each other gorgeous travel-related photos with subject lines such as, "CAN WE GO HERE? WHAT ABOUT HERE?"

SHEFFIELD, England, April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Need help generating leads using social media? VOICE Marketing has outlined some useful tips to help make the most of Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

While purchasing leads should form an important part of any lead generating strategy, utilising social media to build new contacts can also be potentially rewarding. Not only are a substantial number of prospective clients using social media, but creating a decent online presence requires minimal financial investment.

Still not convinced? Well the facts certainly speak for themselves, as there are currently over 850 million Facebook users, 200 million Twitter users, and 100 million LinkedIn users. Although identifying your online market is one thing, generating solid leads is an entirely different proposition. Therefore utilising the business potential of social networks, especially Twitter, is vital.

Quite simply, every person who follows you on Twitter is a potential customer. By gaining even a few hundred quality followers, you can increase the chances of generating new business contacts. Although this sounds easy enough, creating a strong Twitter and social media presence needs careful work.

The first thing to do is ensure that your biography line and photo project the correct image for your business. Early impressions are crucial, so it is important to inform your followers without giving them a sales pitch. The next step is to follow people within your target audience. This will enable your business to make some important connections, while increasing your chances of gathering new leads.

Social media has become an important factor in creating a personality for your company. This can be particularly significant in the financial services industry where trust can be vital. By even allowing customers to see the faces of someone that they may be going into business with may make the difference when creating a new lead.

But the best advice that VOICE can offer to firms looking create more business contacts is to stop wasting money. B2B lead generation is an investment, and should therefore be measured as an investment. So whether you are purchasing leads or generating them via social media, the best marketing strategy is to follow up each new connection by offering useful information to prospective customers.

For additional help and advice, please visit the VOICE Marketing website.

Notes to Editor

The philosophy of VOICE group is to provide a cost effective outsource solution. Located in Sheffield, the company combines over 50 years of telemarketing experience to offer award-winning services. Specialising in client/staff retention, multiple leads generation, management and service, VOICE also has successful sector experience gained from a range of clients in finance, business, telecoms, utilities and publishing.

SOURCE Voice Group

Legislators took a major step toward overhauling the struggling United States Postal Service (USPS) on Wednesday. After a week of debate, the U.S. Senate voted 62-37 yesterday to approve The 21st Century Postal Service Act of 2012 (S. 1789). The bipartisan legislation is intended to restructure the USPS and prevent it from falling into bankruptcy.

The 21st Century Postal Service Act will give the agency $11 billion to help it alleviate its debt. Part of that money is earmarked for contract buyouts and early retirement incentives for up to 100,000 postal employees. A great deal of the USPS's debt comes from a retiree benefits package that costs the organization $5 billion annually.

In exchange for the cash influx, Senators will require the postal service to halve the number of post offices it wanted to close, from 252 to 125, and to work with local communities to determine the level of mail service required before taking any actions.

"This comprehensive postal reform legislation will preserve vitally important rural post offices and mail processing plants," said Senator Bernie Sanders. "It also would give the Postal Service the flexibility that it needs to raise additional revenue in the years to come by offering innovative new products and services in the digital age."

The bill will now move to the U.S. House, where it is expected to face an uphill battle. House Republicans have drafted an alternative bill which would reduce the postal service's days of operation to five, eliminating Saturday delivery, and would create an oversight committee to rule on financial decisions for the USPS.

By Kyle Richardson

April 2012By Colleen McKenna

The Amusing Stats Of Amusement Parks

• 400+: Number of amusement parks in the U.S.
• 300 million: Number of amusement park visitors annually
• 1.7 billion: Number of amusement park rides
• $11.5 billion: Revenue generated by amusement parks and attractions
• 28: Percent of Americans who visited an amusement park last year
• 50: Percent who plan an amusement park visit in the next 12 months

Source: International Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions

A Cross-Section Of Recreation Workers

1.1 million: Number of employees of other amusement and recreation industries (golf courses, sports clubs, etc.)

152,000: Amusement park and arcade workers

143,000: Workers in the gambling industry

132,000: Museum and historical site workers

129,000: Spectator sports workers

118,000: Performing arts company workers

109,000: Promoters of events, and agents and managers

50,000: Independent artists and performers

Source: BLS National Employment Matrix, 2008-18

Did You Know?
The first carousel-like rides were used in the 1600s to train European princes for horse competitions.

• The first roller coaster was invented in Russia in the 1600s. People hopped on carved-out blocks of ice and careened down snowy hillsides for fun.
• Nearly all (94 percent) of amusement park visitors have a favorite food. The top-ranking snacks are funnel cake (28 percent), ice cream (17 percent), pizza (14 percent), hot dogs (13 percent) and cotton candy (12 percent).

Source: International Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions

Libraries And Museums: The Low-Key Side Of Leisure
Mark Lippett, account executive with Omaha, Nebraska-based distributor Bergman Incentives (UPIC: BERGMAN), has a handle on the slower-paced, cultural side of the leisure market. He regularly works with the Omaha public library system and the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame and Museum. Here are his top do’s and don’ts when pitching in these sectors.

Do be persistent. “Libraries and museums are like any other customers—they have other people calling on them. There’s no doubt about that. So be creative and keep at it.”

Do enjoy the creative process. “I always look forward to seeing what these clients will want to do. Their creativity makes it fun to work with them.”

Don’t neglect the details. “The museum is extraordinarily particular. We always get it right, but sometimes it takes three or four proofs. They want to be sure they’re representing the correct image, so it’s never an easy order.”

Don’t stagnate with the same ideas. “The library’s summer book club is huge, and they do a lot of other events. They buy regularly and they’re always looking for new ideas.”

There are more than 17,500 museums and more than 120,000 libraries in the U.S.
Sources: American Association of Museums and American Library Association

Make A Splash At Water Parks
How Jack Wodarski of Erie, Pennsylvania-based distributor Promo Specialties, Inc. has had six years of success creating promotions for the water park Splash Lagoon.

The relationship began with … “a cold call. I went in with an overnight bag that you could stuff with soda and chips.”

Now I do a little of … “everything. Printed towels, inflatable toys, mugs, stress balls and more. I also do their staff products: polos, security shirts and neon shirts.”

It’s an ongoing process of … “meeting with the buyer every other week. Whenever I go to a show, I return with ideas for them. They’re very loyal to their vendors, which is great for me.”

My biggest obstacle is … “sitting them down and getting things done within a timeframe. We’re all swamped. And since the public likes changes, we’re always planning new activities. There’s no schedule or routine.”

It’s amazing when … “I can go to them with a new water bottle that floats or a pen that has a banner with hotel names. It’s so exciting to see their faces when they see how a new product can work for them.”

When I sell a product … “I put it in my vehicle, deliver it and stand with clients as they open it. I can sell the excitement this way, and it’s so much easier to serve them.”

I advise other distributors to … “avoid pre-appointments. It’s better to catch prospects by surprise. If you let them know you’re coming, they have time to come up with negativity. If you walk in the door unexpected, they might give you a few minutes.”

Remy Fenster/Owner
RJF Marketing
As a frequent offender, I feel obligated and qualified to answer this question. Simply put, some suppliers do send a proof, others don’t. While I agree suppliers should supply proofs, I’ve come to learn it’s ultimately the distributor’s responsibility to request one. That’s the only way you can guarantee you’ll get one, or at least cover yourself if one isn’t sent. What I find offensive is the charge to have one sent. I think it’s a money grab on the supplier’s part, especially since it protects them as well. More than once I’ve had suppliers alter logos or designs without authorization or leave off part of the copy and have to redo the job.

Randy Chen/Director
Simple Heads
This supplier is walking on thin ice if this is their proofing policy. As a supplier, we prefer and encourage distributors to have customers approve artwork before it goes to print. In fact, if the end buyer insists they do not want to see any proof, we send them a waiver to sign so they know they will be responsible. The benefit of having a proofing process before mass production is to: 1) eliminate mistakes, 2) eliminate the grief of having to investigate where things went wrong, 3) eliminate delays resulting from mistakes and 4) deliver the order right on time, and look good in front of the customer.

Cindy L. Wright/Manager

Apothecary Products, Inc.
After nearly 15 years in the promotional products world, I’ve found a paper proof is essential. We offer them at no charge, and they are required before our orders go into the production department. Some customers bypass the proof, but after doing business with someone for 10+ years with no art issues, I’m inclined to allow it. Still, it really does protect everyone involved, and not just from a cost point of view but on a relationship level. The last thing I want to do is produce something the end buyer does not like because then they’ll stop doing business with the distributor that sold it, who will in turn stop doing business with me.

It’s not uncommon for distributor salespeople to be unfamiliar with the artwork requirements for the promotional products they sell. But, as the saying goes: Garbage in, garbage out. Good artwork reproduction starts with understanding the artwork requirements and being able to talk intelligently about them with your client.

This first in a series answers two of your most common questions about decorating promotional products.

Q: Is this vector art?

I don’t know why, but this is probably the most-asked question. I hear it in e-mails, in my seminars and on tradeshow floors. I think the main reason is because people hear the term so often, they think it must be important.

Sometimes distributors are looking at something from a client, or they get an image in an e-mail that needs to be reproduced and they just don’t know where to start. I’ll begin by explaining vector art and the other major art file, raster, and how they differ.

Vector graphics are made of lines, points and curves, often called shapes. They are defined by mathematical objects called vectors. They are usually created in a drawing program such as Adobe Illustrator or CorelDRAW. Since they’re made up of lines and shapes defined by math, they can be scaled down or up without losing edge definition or quality. The computer simply recalculates the math and redraws the image to whatever size you choose.

Here’s an example of a vector image.

A raster art file is a bitmap image. It’s usually created in an image editing or painting program such as Adobe Photoshop, Corel PHOTO-PAINT or Corel Painter. These images are made up of pixels. A photo taken on your digital camera is a raster image. (insert rastertiger.tif)

Unlike vector files, raster artwork is resolution dependent, meaning that if you enlarge an image, it loses detail. The original size of an image is made up of a fixed number of pixels, each assigned a color value and location. If you see jagged edges on a printed image, it means that the image doesn’t have enough resolution.

Here’s an example of a raster image.

Can you easily convert a Raster file into a vector file?

The short answer is “It depends.” Depending on what the original is and what is needed will determine how hard it will be, but it can be done with a little know how. You might have to scan in a customer’s business card in order to create a full front t-shirt design from it. Or, you may have a photo of something you like and you might want a simplified, stylized rendering of it to use for your shirt. Either way, you might want to recreate it as a vector file.

Dane Clement

Luckily for the sun-loving majority, there are 99 glorious days of summer stretching from Memorial Day to Labor Day. It’s a season filled with jaunts at the beach, cookouts, canoe trips and more. Whatever the outing or event, promotional products should always go along for the ride. Check out these summertime products that are sure to make your clients swoon.

Case Study: Iconic Summer Treat Helps Soften Sales Calls

Objective: A payroll services company, wanted to warm up sales prospects and generate four to five new weekly appointments. It wanted a fun item that would grab attention and soften sales calls.

Strategy: The company armed its sales force with custom s’mores kits, complete with marshmallows, graham crackers and a chocolate bar. The treats were packed inside a clear plastic tube featuring color graphics and the copy: “ADP is s’more than just a payroll company.” Each account manager received five kits to deliver to targeted accounts.

Results: Nine appointments were generated from 75 drops, giving the promotion a 12-percent success rate.

>>The Five Wackiest Summer Events—And The Promo Items To Go Along With Them

ABC News and Trip Advisor compiled a list of America’s top five warm-weather festivals and competitions that are both fun and a little out there. PPB selected the promotional items that would mesh perfectly with these summertime shenanigans. Strap on your logoed goggles; we’re diving in.

No. 5: National Tom Sawyer Days, July 1-4, Hannibal, Mississippi
This annual celebration of the works of Mark Twain includes events pulled straight from the pages of Twain tales.

Product pick: Paintbrushes and smocks for contestants who partake in the fence-painting competition a la The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

No. 4: World Championship Cardboard Boat Races, July 31, Heber Springs, Arkansas
Participants craft boats from corrugated cardboard and race them through a 200-yard course.

Product pick: Customized floaties. Because, really, 200 yards is a long way for waterlogged cardboard to travel.

No. 3: The Wayne Chicken Show, July 9-11, Wayne, Nebraska
This three-day fowl-fest includes the world’s largest chicken dance, the best chicken legs competition and a hot-wing eating contest.

Product pick: Rubber chickens. Although chances are this crowd probably already has a few of these.

No. 2: Mid-Atlantic Hermit Crab Challenge, July 10, Virginia Beach, Virginia
Hundreds of hermit crabs go claw to claw in the Crustacean 500 race on an eight-foot track of beach.

Product pick: Crabs of the plush variety. They make cuddly keepsakes and won’t raise any eyebrows at the airport.

No. 1: Barnesville Potato Days, August 27-28, Barnesville, Minnesota
Folks with a soft spot for spuds can partake in everything from mashed potato sculpting, potato-peeling contests and potato-sack fashion shows at this annual celebration.

Product pick:Potato scrubbers and peelers are a natural fit for this tater-loving bunch.

Audrey Sellers