A doctor’s greatest ally, believe it or not, is the well-informed patient. One might think differently. In fact, in popular media these roles always seem to be antagonistic and opposing. The aging doctor feeling insecure when the patient anticipates his diagnosis; a know-it-all patient trusting the Internet over the M.D. and winding up dead because he believed some crack-pot homeopathic cure; both harboring feelings of superiority, and nothing gets done. We’ve all seen these depictions in sitcoms or episodes of ER, but is this reality? Are doctors really so insecure that a patient armed with some clinical study abstracts and pre-conceived notions sends them on the defensive? Are some patients really so arrogant as to disregard a trained doctor’s medical advice? I suppose if every examination room wall could talk, at least several would report back in the affirmative for both questions. The vast majority of doctors actually welcomes well-informed patients – they make their jobs easier and increase the chance that the patient will actually understand the doctor’s terminology.

The result is a streamlined flow of information between doctor and patient. It’s almost as if they have become peers and the two can speak frankly and effortlessly, like two doctors discussing a medical case. That’s exaggeration, of course, but it’s true that treatment moves more smoothly when the doctor doesn’t have to stop to explain every single little detail to the clueless patient.

Young and middle-aged patients tend to be the best-informed. They’re the ones for whom the Internet has become a research staple. Interested in dining out tonight? Hop online for thousands of restaurant reviews. Worried about that rash? You can probably find a decent approximation of a diagnosis online. It’s your elderly patients – the most numerous of all – that are largely computer illiterate and, therefore, mostly ignorant of medical issues (unless they’re talking about their own previous health issues – we all know how Grandpa lives to discuss his arthritis to anyone who’ll listen). They do seem to have a healthy curiosity and willingness to learn, so you just have to present information in their terms.

Aside from perhaps including “Internet for Dummies” with your waiting room fare, your best bet is to set up an assortment of acrylic brochure holders containing informational brochures. When designing brochures, skew simplistic; you have to assume these people are walking in with little to no existing medical knowledge. Give general overviews supported by details. Provide the basic necessary information and the patients will respond with intelligent follow-up questions in the exam room.

Integral to the growth and sustainability of many public, religious, and educational institutions are donations made on site. One of the most common and efficient methods of facilitating the transfer of donations at these various locations is, of course, through donation boxes. In this entry, we’ll show just how important donation boxes can be, and how your institution can take advantage of their strengths.

According to the National Park Service, most zoos, aquariums, planetariums, and public parks feature at least one or two donation boxes for the sole purpose of fundraising – with some institutions pulling in more than $200,000 in a single year. Numbers like this obviously depend on traffic, but it is not traffic alone that generates such results – it is careful consideration of placement, display, incentive, and reputation.

Placement

Donation boxes come in virtually every shape and size, and can therefore appease even the most unaccommodating of venues - though little is worse than a display or advertisement blatantly out of place. Examples of such occurrences are plentiful. My favorite? Those who have logos shaved into their head. Unlike people with the Nike Swoosh on the back of their skull, however, the key to a well-placed marketing display is that it be non-intrusive. It is incredibly detrimental to imply, through placement, that your donation box has more bearing than the event or exhibit for which you’re trying to raise funds. Take a tiger cub exhibit, for example – the best place to put a donation box would not be right at the entrance, or smack dab in the middle in the exhibit, but rather, near the exit. Having the donation box near the exit allows exhibit-goers time to contemplate their philanthropy, without intruding on the experience they came to have. To summarize: place individual donation boxes near specific points of interest, but be sure not make it the first thing people see.

Display

Now you know where you want to put your box, but how are you going to dress it up to incite philanthropy? First and foremost, you must think of your patrons as customers. Therefore, the best piece of advice is never lie about or extend the severity of the point of interest. Your goal is to quickly grab the attention of the donator, and inform him or her in as little words as possible. Make your display aesthetically attractive, appropriately sized, and copy written according to your target customer. Some of the best methods to supplement an already attractive display is to make the donation an activity, having a representative present with the display, or to make the donation a raffle.

Incentive

Your next goal is to ensure that your pleasing and well placed donation box display gives the customer adequate incentive to donate. One can accomplish this by including visible aspirations on the display. Make it full of projections and up-to-date donation totals. If a donator sees both the severity of the situation, and how close you or your institution is to accomplishing a certain goal, they are more likely to assist in the last leg. For example, say your goal is $20,000. Break the goal up into five $4,000 goals that, when reached, yield a specific deliverable. People do not like their donation to get lost in a pool of money whose overall mission is broad or ambiguous.

Reputation

Last but certainly not least, you must make your customers feel like your fundraising activity is being carried out by a reputable team known to deliver. You can prove to your patrons your organization is reputable by advertising specific points of interest that were only possible due to previous donations. To supplement this, contact similar companies or organizations that may be interested in branding their name alongside yours.

Again, the keys to fundraising success via donation boxes is placing your pleasing and informative display in a suitable place, and creating reputable and trustworthy incentives. We hope this entry has given you some ideas to either jumpstart your fundraising endeavors, catalyze a stagnant fundraising campaign, or assist in one that is already rolling.

See you next time.

If you haven’t had the pleasure of being introduced to the new market term “Eco-Anxiety,” allow me the pleasure of mediating your greeting. Corporate business goer, please meet Eco-Anxiety. He’s been the one supplying you with those prevalent knots in your stomach when you drive to work yourself, fully aware your housemate is driving in the same direction. You can also credit him for that one time you walked past a plastic bottle on the sidewalk, and felt so bad that you didn’t pick it up and put it in a recycling bin that you actually walked back to get it.

Yes, he is quite influential these days, not only to your stress, but to the policy decisions of highly successful corporations.

In this edition, we want to recommend a change you can make now to partially remedy your very apparent and frustratingly unproductive relationship with Eco-Anxiety. This change is adopting the use of 100% recyclable poly bags and basking in their efficiency, versatility, and cost-effectiveness.

So what can poly bags do exactly? First and foremost, they can assist in the renovation of your administrative endeavors by playing the vital role of replacing extraneous cardboard boxes and other paper products that often end up in trashcans instead of recycling bins.

Take for example your storage room. A multitude of space hungry boxes filled with who knows what. Replace those boxes with space friendly poly bags of various sizes (relative to the items you’re storing), and hang them via wire shelving. Not only are you preserving and better organizing your supplies (therefore making them more accessible), you are also investing in customizable packaging that can be easily reused in the office or elsewhere.

These customizable and eco-friendly space savers can also assist in lowering your shipping and advertising costs. Stop shipping a huge cardboard box full of non-recyclable Styrofoam when you could instead ship a poly bag of adequate size and mailing requirements. Because most manufacturers of poly bags offer a special series of brand-able mailing bags in every size imaginable, you should have little trouble finding something to match your budget’s fancy. Doing so is both an admirable and intelligent move, and branding your packaging with recommendations to recycle will help spread the good word.

There are many more ways to experience the versatility of poly bags in your office environment, but a large part of the new eco-friendly movement is individual innovation! We hope this has been informative and motivating, as we wish nothing more than seeing your company’s continued success, both monetarily and in reputational growth - not to mention, you may rest easier once you are no longer completely dominated by that pesky Eco-Anxiety.

Like it or not, a very large percentage of us spend a large amount of time in a rather mundane and inherently stressful place every day. For some, it’s a 15×15 foot corner office; for most, it’s quite the opposite. Though, no matter what the dynamics of your work space, clutter will always be one of the major factors keeping you from enjoying your office experience.

Eliminating clutter through the use of innovative computer software, efficient placement of electronics, and various plastic office supplies can be beneficial to a less stressful, more successful day at work. Sounds like a good idea right? Well, you’d be surprised to find the hardest part of this transformation is simply getting the motivation to start. Here’s all the motivation you need: Go to your desk then take a look at that IKEA magazine sitting in the recycling bin.

Feeling motivated yet? If so, let’s get started. If not, try coming to the realization that a total renovation of your desk could cost less than a pizza, and less time than it takes to deliver it. You can now successfully check off the first task, the rest is a cake walk.

So there’s your desk; a large collection of completely unrelated paper items (receipts, magazines, newspapers, forms and expense reports), fifteen copies of your one favorite pen scattered about, colored files everywhere, your cell phone, mp3 player, headset, desktop or laptop, and your prized monitor laden with Post It notes.

The best place to start is the monitor, the one place you’re looking most often (and subsequently, the one place frequently reminding you how disorganized you are) – get rid of those Post It notes!

There’s a fantastic web tool available for free by the name of Remember The Milk that allows you to input your tasks, select due dates, set up notifications, and create groups for your department.

Another innovative and free application comes from the guys at Google. Google Desktop makes searching for files on your computer just as simple as searching on the internet. Also, you can easily eliminate magazine and newspaper clutter and become more sustainable by getting more of your news and information from internet sources. The next step might be organizing your office supplies. One of the best ideas is to find plastic office supplies that are aesthetically pleasing and part of a collection. It’s a great idea to have all of your supplies share the same color, but having two or three different colors could be very refreshing and could supplement organizational patterns.

Another recommendation would be to recycle or bring home any extraneous supplies – things you don’t use daily. Try to find office supplies that clearly define what the compartment is for. You don’t want to get caught throwing random items into oddly-shaped compartments, thus adding to your clutter. Lastly, take a look at your numerous electronics, and imagine having access to the same functionality without ever having to look at them. First and foremost, if you have the budget to go wireless, do it. Virtually everything you use at your desk can be wireless – charged by rechargeable batteries to save money and the environment. There is a fantastic guide to methodologically organizing your various electronics behind or under your desk, which involves a couple of zip ties and some patience. The final product will be phenomenal and inviting.

There you have it, a few simple, quick, and cheap ways to keep your office space from being a mundane area you dread visiting daily. With the use of free web tools, sleek and colorful compartmentalized plastic office supplies, and some zip ties, you’re on your way to having a better day at work.

In this edition, we’ll be introducing you to the various benefits your company could see given the implementation of an acrylic ballot box. You’ve seen these guys in various locations – supermarkets, restaurants, coffee shops, novelty stores, the receptionist’s desk at your beloved dentist’s office, and maybe even your place of work. What exactly are they used for anyway, and how might you utilize this item to supplement your administrative tasks? Its most important benefit is the anonymous collection of information, and we can see the importance of this benefit by looking at a few market specific examples.

Let’s start with your everyday small business, comprised of a handful of individuals working closely every day. Vital to the integrity, growth, and general wellness to the company’s employees (and subsequently the company as a business) is the careful and perpetual consideration of employee concerns and suggestions. Because the daily interactions between members of a small business are often friendly and non-confrontational, it is an incredibly daunting task to, as an employee, speak up about a company-wide suggestion or general concern. The implementation of an anonymous suggestion box, while seemingly old-fashioned, is still one of the smartest and cost-effective HR moves a company can take. Feedback from your employees is priceless as they are the ones that know your company (and its flaws) best.

Another fantastic example of the strength of acrylic ballot boxes applies to those of you who are just starting up your restaurant, market, or retail shop, and need to turn your advertising aspirations into advertising realities. One of the most important aspects of advertising is not getting your name out there, but knowing where you name already is. A fantastic method of measuring your brand recognition is to hold a raffle. Ask customers to leave their business cards in the ballot box for the chance to win a good or service, on the house. Keep in mind there are more tacky ways to conduct an in store raffle than classy ways. Consider these recommendations:

1. Don’t put the display by the door; put it by the register.
2. Acrylic, no matter how awesome you make it look, doesn’t talk – advertise the raffle as you serve your customers.
3. Inform customers that their contact information is secure and they will not be contacted for unrelated business.
4. Don’t be that place raffling off a free drink with a paid lunch. Make it enticing. The data you collect is valuable.
5. Pick a couple of winners from different zip codes.

So let’s talk about what you now have at your fingertips. First, you have information on who your customers are, where they are in location to your business, and what type of work they do. Without giving your raffle any more attention, your business’s name is now going to be spread from the mouths of raffle winners to the people in their respective zip codes, and, if you didn’t already know, word-of-mouth is the least expensive and most reliable form of advertising. Now, if you do decide to devote more attention to the raffle, you can utilize you’re newly obtained demographic information to begin targeting your customers in new ways. Some new advertising initiatives could include:

1. Using search engine ad directories to target companies similar to the companies who participated in your raffle.
2. Advertising near or around large office buildings where your participants work.
3. Targeting professionals similar to those who participated in your raffle, in trade publications and high-traffic areas.

Your advertising options are virtually endless, as there are so many variables subject to your tinkering.

In summation, it’s rather spectacular that something as simple as an acrylic ballot box has the possibility to yield informative results, whether concerned with improving your service or growing your customer base. We hope these techniques are conducive to the growth and innovation of your company, and we hope you see the results you seek.

Plastics as we broadly understand them today are synthetic or semi- synthetic products or raw materials, formed by polymerization, and largely derived from oil. Polymerization is the formation of polymers, i.e. repeated numbers of smaller structures (monomers) joined together. Modern advances in plastic fabrication, molding, casting, extrusion, cutting, bending, machining, gluing, welding, stamping of sheets, plastic engraving, fibers, and solid blocks mean that our imagination provides the only real limitations to what form plastics can take.

What’s so good about plastics?

Plastics are relatively light and very durable. The hundreds of different plastic varieties are recyclable, although it’s only in recent years that our society has begun to take advantage of plastic recycling. Plastics have great thermal and insulating properties (clothes, carpets, bedding, etc), are extremely strong, and resistant to many chemicals and water. Most notably, however, plastics have proven relatively inexpensive to produce, and are so versatile that they can take on almost any form and color.

What are the popular types of plastics and what’s the difference between them?

Acrylics
These were developed in the 1930s. Acrylics are particularly resistant to the weather and the sun. Acrylic is particularly effective as a ‘clear’ plastic as it transmits light brilliantly. Applications for acrylics include brochure holders, signs, display cases, boat windows, and point of purschase displays, to name a few.

Plexiglas
Often wrongly spelled as “Plexiglass,” Plexiglas is actually a brand name for a kind of clear thermoplastic resin that’s a cross between acrylic and polycarbonate.

Polycarbonate
First developed in the 1950s, these thermoplastics most popularly have engineering applications. This is due to polycarbonates’ strength coupled with their versatility and electrical insulating properties. Applications include machine guards, capacitors, gaskets, etc.

Perspex
This is a variety of polycarbonate. It is popularly developed in sheet form and widely recognized as a kind of ‘clear’ plastic.

Polypropylene
Another plastic developed in the 1950s with industrial applications, this is particularly suitable for hot fill packaging because it has low density but is very rigid. Other applications include carpeting and packaging.

PVC
Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC) can be shaped and molded into an exceptionally wide variety of products. Chemical Plant Industry applications of PVC include water tight tanks, and ducting for Clean Air Systems.

PETG
Polyethylene Terephalate Glycol (PETG) is another industrial thermoplastic. Applications include frames, sign holders, and point of purchase displays.  If you ask most people, they’d be hard-pressed to tell you what plastics actually are, and even more hard-pressed to tell you the difference between the many types. The irony of this is that plastics are a central and essential part of daily modern life.

As far as storage equipment is concerned, wire shelving is considered a workhorse. Versatile and durable, industrial wire shelving is commonly used for a variety of commercial applications. Adjustable wire racks make wire shelving units easy to configure 5 fit the items you need to store. And since industrial wire racks come in a vast array of sizes and shapes, they can be arranged to fit neatly in your storage space.

Using open wire shelving units can benefit your business in numerous ways, by enhancing the effectiveness of your sprinklers, improving light and air circulation, reducing dust build-up, and improving visibility.

Wire shelving is commonly used in many industries, such as food service, health care, and technology.

Get to know your wire shelving options

Wire shelving comes in a variety of finishes, including chrome wire shelving, epoxy powder coating, and black powder coating. Your choices also include flat shelves or basket shelves, which are well-suited for storing objects that might spill off flat shelves.

Use mobile wire shelving units for on-the-go storage

If you need to transport stored items frequently, consider investing in mobile wire shelving units. Available with flat shelves or basket shelves, mobile wire shelving units come in standard upright sizes and cart sizes.

Cheap wire shelving units

Since industrial racks are usually hidden away in back offices, warehouses, and storage rooms, looks aren’t always important. If cost-cutting is your main objective, consider inexpensive shelving alternatives, such as used wire shelving.

Antimicrobial wire shelving

If you’re in the food service business, antimicrobial wire shelving may be your best bet because it protects against a broad range of bacteria, molds, mildew and odors.

When you’re making your final decision about your wire racks and shelving, don’t forget:

* Choose industrial wire racks that include a warranty against rust.
* Chrome wire shelving is the most popular style and is available in the most shapes and sizes.
* If you choose mobile wire shelving units, be sure to get locking wheels that will help avoid accidents and spillage.
* Epoxy powder coated wire shelving is considered ideal for dry storage as well as cooler and freezer applications.

Can you honestly say you’ve never made a last minute purchasing decision? I doubt it. But you’re in good company: research shows approximately 66 percent of all purchase decisions are made in the store. And 53 percent of those in-store purchases are made on impulse.

So how can you capitalize on this last-minute purchasing trend? It’s called Point of Purchase (POP) advertising and it’s highly effective in persuading potential customers to buy your product now. With an attractive and well-placed acrylic POP display, you can nudge your customers into that 53% who make impulse purchases.

Here are some tips to make your business POP display friendly:

Know Your Business

In theory, you know your business. Do your customers? Choose a display that’s going to show your customers what you’re offering in a clear and easy manner. Make your sign dynamic, and the product accessible.

Keep It Simple

Sure, you’d like something elaborate that really speaks to people. But you have to remember, a POP display is about impulse. Your display will have to be simple enough for clients to notice without being too garish or complex. A clear, enticing sign in an acrylic holder will deliver the right information directly to your customer.

Field Trip

Visit other businesses to see what works and what doesn’t. You’re a customer too! See what you like and what you don’t like, and remember that when you are setting up your own POP display.

Get More For Your Money

You want to make your advertising dollar go as far as it can. Use a permanent display system for you POP advertising to stretch your resources. Acrylic POP displays will protect your advertisements and create an alluring backdrop for your product. A highly durable POP display makes you look credible, and your product worthwhile.

No matter what type of display you choose, remember not to skimp on creating the advertisement to place inside it. Do so and your customers will notice. Go for quality and they will notice, too.

Select the right POP display and you have a good chance of creating some excitement around your advertising, and, ultimately, increasing your profits Make a hasty, uninformed decision about your POP display and your customer’s excitement will fizzle. Do your research - and get creative!

There’s more to racking up sales than having a compelling product; you have to find a way to create orderly and attractive retail displays that draw shoppers to your shelves. Using plastic display sign holders, shelving, and cases is an important part of creating retail displays that produce results. Here are a few things plastic displays can offer:

1. Flexibility.

The right kind of retail display offers many ways to present your product to customers and the ability to change without a lot of trouble.

2. Efficiency.

Everyone in retail knows that space is at a premium. Since you don’t want to waste the space you’re paying for, it pays to use a retail window display, table top displays, and display racks efficiently.

3. Improved sales and lower costs.

A plastic in-store display can be used repeatedly for different types of promotions. You can devote more precious money and resources to other marketing efforts.

Now that you see the value in plastics, it’s time to start creating your display. Not sure where to start? At the beginning…

Make A Plan

What do you want to accomplish with your display? Do you want a clean look with smooth lines? Do you need functional storage space? Do want something easy to work with as the seasons change? Likewise, is it racks, cases, or shelving that will work best for each specific promotion? Look around at different plastic options and see what works best.

Browse Online For Materials

Many good companies sell plastic retail display racks, display cases, and shelves. Browse their websites for ideas - you may be able to purchase items on the website itself, too. A great way to save time.

Support Your Sign

To give your plastic display a boost, consider where you place it. Using high-quality shelving underneath your displays to make your sign stand out. Shelving options include steel, rivet, and wire. To help choose the right rack and shelving choices for your business, you’ll need to know the following: 1) width of area the racks or shelves will occupy; 2) width, depth, and height of products being stored; 3) weight of products being stored, along with the number of products to be stored for each rack or shelf; 4) depth of the shelf and front-to-back dimension; 5) total weight each shelf will need to carry, and 6) total height of shelving needed, keeping in mind the ceiling height, number of shelves desired, and spacing needed between shelves.

Finally, when choosing where to place your displays, pick a rack or shelf that is visible and well-positioned. Consider where your customers “hang out” as prime locations. You can also use plastic displays at point-of-purchase locations to encourage customers to take advantage of sales, promotions, and special offers - and watch your sales climb!

Attracting high quality attention to your business can be stressful. Sure, you have all kinds of marketing materials: signs, posters, brochures, postcards, etc., but making good use of them is as important as the materials themselves. An ill-placed sign is useless. A messy pile of flyers is unattractive. If you take a moment to look around you may notice some methods of display are better than others. Well-placed, well-lit posters get a lot of attention. Flyers placed in plastic holders are organized and accessible. You can do a lot for your business by simply organizing your promotional materials. Products like plastic brochure holders are perfect tools for maximizing the effectiveness of your marketing materials by providing a display method that is durable, versatile, and attractive.

Durable

When you place your brochures on display in another business, the last thing you want to worry about is a brochure holder that needs upkeep. The great advantage plastic brochure holders is the high quality, durable acrylic of which they are made. Once you have placed your brochure holder on a counter top, you don’t have to worry about warping (as with a cardboard holder) or discoloration (as with wood or other synthetics). A quick wipe down with a wet cloth when you refill brochures is all your brochure holder needs to stay in business.

Versatile

A plastic brochure holder is ideal because it is simple - it will look great no matter where you put it. Moreover, the clean, classic look of clear plastic won’t detract from your brochures, but it will display your brochures prominently, giving your materials maximum exposure with minimum distraction. At a restaurant, coffee shop, office or trade show, a plastic brochure holder will look professional and inviting.

Attractive

You couldn’t possibly expect to find a different brochure holder to match the decor of every place you want to display your brochures. While you may have specific holders to match the design of your office, it would be impossible to try to accommodate the design of every place that you want your brochures shown. Plastic brochure holders are attractive and understated. Whether they are in a modern building or an old-fashioned, cozy restaurant, plastic brochure holders will look great. The clean, classic elegance of high-quality acrylic enhances any decorative scheme. Simultaneously, the clear design of plastic brochure holders means that all the consumer notices is your brochure, and not some unnecessarily fancy or intricate holder.

Imagine a gigantic tiered cake. It is made from the highest quality ingredients. It was designed by a world-class pastry chef and took days to complete. The final product is a sugary, flowery masterpiece. The cake is carefully sliced by its baker, you hold your plate out for your slice of deliciousness, and the chef grabs a hunk of the cake and plops it on your plate. Do you want to eat it? I wouldn’t! Yes, it’s a world-class pastry, but the presentation ruined the entire experience! Your brochures are the cake. Instead of plunking them down on your consumers’ plates, deliver them with grace that befits the quality of the brochure. Use a plastic brochure holder to deliver your message with sophistication. Your customers will appreciate the presentation, and you will benefit from their appreciation.