Award giving dates back centuries tied to bravery or valor while serving in war. Decorations and awards have been known since ancient times. Celts and Romans wore a torc, Dayaks wore and still wear tattoos, etc. Necklaces and bracelets were given during the early Middle Ages, evolving into richly jewelled big necklaces, often with a pendant (commonly a medal) attached. The Ancient Greeks used the word Thymos expressing the concept of "spiritedness". The word was also used to express the human desire for recognition. Homer even described Thymos as a permanent possession of living man, to which his thinking and feeling belonged. Belonging, tribal in nature, is the core reason for humans to recognize something well done.
We all now recognize a plaque as a plate of metal, ceramic, stone, wood, or other material, typically attached to a wall, stone, or other vertical surface, and bearing text in memory of an important figure or event. A common trophy shop wall plaque configuration takes the metal plate to a personal size, yet signifying similar aesthetics to public bronze monuments or plaques. These aesthetic histories become part of the collective recognition culture. There seems to be a certain expectation or "plaque mentality" when it comes to giving or getting a plaque award.
As a designer and manufacturer of certificate frames with "plaque mentality" I know several features that cannot be ignored: wood grain, metal, shiny decoration, gold or silver accents all give way to the perception signifying achievement or award. To this date, elements of pendants, celtic knots and stars are all part of that image history seen on certificates, pins, military uniforms, scout badges, university insignias to name a few. More modern representations of big necklaces used in hip-hop style can even trace its roots back to the middle ages as a sign of distinction, power and belonging.
How can you make "plaque mentality" work for you and give your business or organization's award program a sense of distinction, power and belonging? When tapping this rich aesthetic and psychologically historical direction for any award program rely on historical symbolism, build in your corporate brand symbolism, then channel that Thymos!
Sources: def; in Wikipedia, plaque, Thymos, decoration, commemoration
Of course we'd like to think our certificate frames can hold that special bling of Thymos in the digital age with a modern twist! Because everyone wants to belong.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
Thinking Out of the Plaque Box
With all the new technology around makes mementos for an employee’s wall is not so daunting anymore. While the engraved plaque is the standard, and somewhat expected… try the unexpected with a certificate frame. A certificate can be designed to carry corporate branding along with unlimited appreciation text at no extra cost. Add a photo and you have something that is way more personal than a plaque.
If you make a mistake on the inscription, re-print and replace. Most certificate programs can be set up to work with MSWord. And the mail merge option through your award recipient spread sheet makes multiple award inscription a snap. While there are many wood style and metal style frames on the market today, you can always fall back on the plaque base with the certificate slide-in.
Consider the cost of a framed certificate is 25-50% less than an engraved plaque, the certificate frame is worth a 2nd look.
If you make a mistake on the inscription, re-print and replace. Most certificate programs can be set up to work with MSWord. And the mail merge option through your award recipient spread sheet makes multiple award inscription a snap. While there are many wood style and metal style frames on the market today, you can always fall back on the plaque base with the certificate slide-in.
Consider the cost of a framed certificate is 25-50% less than an engraved plaque, the certificate frame is worth a 2nd look.
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Recognition Does Not Have to Be Predictable
The dull wall plaque is out and colorful promotion with great copy writing is in. I love that graphic and product design is catching on and is carrying more importance in recognition as a way to carry a unique personal message.
Where our frame products break away from this revived emphasis on design is our product's ability to flex graphically on the mat and certificate. If you can foil it or print it our designers can develop a unique award message for your certificate frame that matches your corporate message. Using stock sizes gets you the price break you need to keep your costs in line. You cannot beat the affordability of paper material as well as the environmentally conscientious choice.
One great example of “recognition design gone wild” is Baudville’s new branding initiative “Exclamations Line” which is awesome. Saw some great things come out of SHRM09. Why does recognition need to be predictable? Well done Baudville! We love their certificates too. They look great in our frames.
Where our frame products break away from this revived emphasis on design is our product's ability to flex graphically on the mat and certificate. If you can foil it or print it our designers can develop a unique award message for your certificate frame that matches your corporate message. Using stock sizes gets you the price break you need to keep your costs in line. You cannot beat the affordability of paper material as well as the environmentally conscientious choice.
One great example of “recognition design gone wild” is Baudville’s new branding initiative “Exclamations Line” which is awesome. Saw some great things come out of SHRM09. Why does recognition need to be predictable? Well done Baudville! We love their certificates too. They look great in our frames.
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Made to Order
Our certificate frames center around the 8 1/2 x 11 page. Dictated by the digital age, the piece of paper we all know and love will forever shape the proportions of our products. We do offer frames to fit the traditional 8 x 10 certificate size, but 8 1/2 x 11 far out-paces the 8 x 10 / A4 tradition.
With size in mind, the options are limitless for certificate design. I wish more companies or organizations would think about vertical orientation, layering color graphics and including foils in their printed certificate shells. Foil accents can feed through your office printer. And color reinforces your brand as a symbol for team.
Another consideration is variable data printing which is common-place for large volume certificate reproduction. A simple spread sheet organization of names and inscriptions can give you the personal wording worthy of each of your certificates.
Here is a link to variable data printing if you are interested in learning more.
With size in mind, the options are limitless for certificate design. I wish more companies or organizations would think about vertical orientation, layering color graphics and including foils in their printed certificate shells. Foil accents can feed through your office printer. And color reinforces your brand as a symbol for team.
Another consideration is variable data printing which is common-place for large volume certificate reproduction. A simple spread sheet organization of names and inscriptions can give you the personal wording worthy of each of your certificates.
Here is a link to variable data printing if you are interested in learning more.
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Knowledge Sharing and Recognition: a Guest Blog Post by "Steve’s HR Technology Blog"
NOTE:
This Guest Post authored by Steve Boese is part of the HR Blog Exchange, a fun project that was cooked up a couple of weeks ago on Twitter, details on the project are here.
Employee collaboration, the capture of tacit or implicit knowledge, and fostering a culture of continuous learning and development are pressing issues for many organizations today. Factors such as looming retirements of the Baby Boom generation of workers, increased competitive pressures, globalization, and the rapid pace of change alone or in combination, conspire to make the ‘knowledge sharing’, the ability of an organization to encourage and support individual employees to willingly and effectively share their expertise with others, and with the organization overall a critical imperative in 2009.
Organizations realize they must try to stem the loss of knowledge and expertise, develop more effective and thorough repositories of institutional knowledge, and ensure that employees are able and willing to contribute to the organizational knowledge. This is a complex problem however, and one that has many challenging elements. Some of the issues that organizations must address when trying to build an effective knowledge sharing environment are identification of the business issues that can be addressed with better employee knowledge sharing and collaboration, determining the structure and format of the knowledge sharing platform (there are literally hundreds of competing technologies in this space), and creating an environment where employees are willing and able to easily share knowledge, and actually create the information repository. The specific technology implemented (wiki, internal social network, portal, forum, etc.) is important as it supports the business goals, but not the most important consideration when analyzing motivations and barriers to participation.
In my HR Technology Class, we utilize collaborative platforms, and discuss some of the research on the most effective enablers of information sharing, (sometimes referred to as ‘Community Participation’). We also examine some of the barriers that have been identified that inhibit or reduce community participation. Although it may seem that these kind of platforms and information repositories are very recent developments, in fact, there has been a fairly significant amount of research as to their use in organizations, and in particular the enablers and barriers to employee community participation.
One of the main drivers or enablers of increased and effective community participation are so-called ‘Personal Benefits’, things like the achievement of status, self-esteem, ability to contribute, career advancement, and material gain (monetary and other compensation). In particular, research has shown that status and recognition to be powerful drivers of participation and knowledge-sharing, even indicating these types of ‘soft’ rewards to be more effective than tangible rewards like cash or bonuses. In the workplace, as in many ‘social’ organizations, achieving status, becoming a recognized expert or thought leader can be a powerful motivator, and encourage and inspire employees to contribute their knowledge to the organization’s knowledge repository.
In a modern, knowledge-sharing platform, or information repository like a wiki, or an internal social network, electronic recognition could take many forms. Many of these platforms have tools to ‘rate’ contributions as helpful, or to mark a particular contribution as a ‘favorite’. Employees that have accumulated the highest ratings or the most ‘favorites’ are seen as ‘experts’ and new members to the organization can view these expert employees profiles when they are adapting and learning about the organization’s culture and processes. The organization could also develop and implement a recognition program, where employees are rewarded for making a specified amount of contributions to the knowledge-base (articles, blog posts, helpful answers, etc.). An organization could create the electronic version of the ‘recognition certificate’ that could be attached to the employee’s profile, indicating that employee has demonstrated achievements and value to the organization’s knowledge base.
Recognition is still important in the knowledge-sharing, information overload environment. It could be that the mechanisms of delivery are changing, but the fundamental idea of recognizing achievement and contribution by employees is still important, and still an effective driver for organization success.
Steve Boese is an HR Technology Instructor and Consultant that publishes "Steve's HR Technology" a blog about the intersection of HR and technology. Steve can be contacted at steveboese@gmail.com, and can be found on Twitter at sbjet.
This Guest Post authored by Steve Boese is part of the HR Blog Exchange, a fun project that was cooked up a couple of weeks ago on Twitter, details on the project are here.
Employee collaboration, the capture of tacit or implicit knowledge, and fostering a culture of continuous learning and development are pressing issues for many organizations today. Factors such as looming retirements of the Baby Boom generation of workers, increased competitive pressures, globalization, and the rapid pace of change alone or in combination, conspire to make the ‘knowledge sharing’, the ability of an organization to encourage and support individual employees to willingly and effectively share their expertise with others, and with the organization overall a critical imperative in 2009.
Organizations realize they must try to stem the loss of knowledge and expertise, develop more effective and thorough repositories of institutional knowledge, and ensure that employees are able and willing to contribute to the organizational knowledge. This is a complex problem however, and one that has many challenging elements. Some of the issues that organizations must address when trying to build an effective knowledge sharing environment are identification of the business issues that can be addressed with better employee knowledge sharing and collaboration, determining the structure and format of the knowledge sharing platform (there are literally hundreds of competing technologies in this space), and creating an environment where employees are willing and able to easily share knowledge, and actually create the information repository. The specific technology implemented (wiki, internal social network, portal, forum, etc.) is important as it supports the business goals, but not the most important consideration when analyzing motivations and barriers to participation.
In my HR Technology Class, we utilize collaborative platforms, and discuss some of the research on the most effective enablers of information sharing, (sometimes referred to as ‘Community Participation’). We also examine some of the barriers that have been identified that inhibit or reduce community participation. Although it may seem that these kind of platforms and information repositories are very recent developments, in fact, there has been a fairly significant amount of research as to their use in organizations, and in particular the enablers and barriers to employee community participation.
One of the main drivers or enablers of increased and effective community participation are so-called ‘Personal Benefits’, things like the achievement of status, self-esteem, ability to contribute, career advancement, and material gain (monetary and other compensation). In particular, research has shown that status and recognition to be powerful drivers of participation and knowledge-sharing, even indicating these types of ‘soft’ rewards to be more effective than tangible rewards like cash or bonuses. In the workplace, as in many ‘social’ organizations, achieving status, becoming a recognized expert or thought leader can be a powerful motivator, and encourage and inspire employees to contribute their knowledge to the organization’s knowledge repository.
In a modern, knowledge-sharing platform, or information repository like a wiki, or an internal social network, electronic recognition could take many forms. Many of these platforms have tools to ‘rate’ contributions as helpful, or to mark a particular contribution as a ‘favorite’. Employees that have accumulated the highest ratings or the most ‘favorites’ are seen as ‘experts’ and new members to the organization can view these expert employees profiles when they are adapting and learning about the organization’s culture and processes. The organization could also develop and implement a recognition program, where employees are rewarded for making a specified amount of contributions to the knowledge-base (articles, blog posts, helpful answers, etc.). An organization could create the electronic version of the ‘recognition certificate’ that could be attached to the employee’s profile, indicating that employee has demonstrated achievements and value to the organization’s knowledge base.
Recognition is still important in the knowledge-sharing, information overload environment. It could be that the mechanisms of delivery are changing, but the fundamental idea of recognizing achievement and contribution by employees is still important, and still an effective driver for organization success.
Steve Boese is an HR Technology Instructor and Consultant that publishes "Steve's HR Technology" a blog about the intersection of HR and technology. Steve can be contacted at steveboese@gmail.com, and can be found on Twitter at sbjet.
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
NEW DEMO VIDEO for Icon Certificate Frames
Check out our new demo video showing all the features and benefits of using our ICON certificate frames.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Guest Blogging HR
I am very excited about participating in an HR blog exchange the coming weeks. I will be paired up with fellow blogger and twitter friend Steve Boese. Steve is an HR technology consultant with experience in both telecommunications and higher ed. You can read his blog http://steveboese.squarespace.com/
To quote Lisa Rosendahl at HR Thoughts "A blog exchange is a simple idea where two bloggers are paired up with each other, and each submits a 'guest post' to their partner's blog, hopefully done in more of less the style and using the 'normal' subject matter of the host blog. So each blogger gets a chance to stretch a bit, potentially writing about something new, and perhaps altering their style a bit, and hopefully most of all having some fun."
Being involved in this exchange, to me, is a great example of the power of social networking. Steve and I will collaborate on our blog post subject matter adding a new perspective to each others point of view and with hope adding rich content for our blog readers as well as other audience members of the exchange. That is the idea, gain a collaborative audience, work up some interesting material and tap the wonderful resources social networking seems to reveal every day. We will see what interest it sparks. We will tweet and blog about it. Makes me want to "fluff" my blog a bit eh?
All of the participants are:
To quote Lisa Rosendahl at HR Thoughts "A blog exchange is a simple idea where two bloggers are paired up with each other, and each submits a 'guest post' to their partner's blog, hopefully done in more of less the style and using the 'normal' subject matter of the host blog. So each blogger gets a chance to stretch a bit, potentially writing about something new, and perhaps altering their style a bit, and hopefully most of all having some fun."
Being involved in this exchange, to me, is a great example of the power of social networking. Steve and I will collaborate on our blog post subject matter adding a new perspective to each others point of view and with hope adding rich content for our blog readers as well as other audience members of the exchange. That is the idea, gain a collaborative audience, work up some interesting material and tap the wonderful resources social networking seems to reveal every day. We will see what interest it sparks. We will tweet and blog about it. Makes me want to "fluff" my blog a bit eh?
All of the participants are:
Steve Boese - Steve Boese's HR Technology Blog - Twitter user name - sbjet
Lisa Rosendahl - HR Thoughts - Twitter user name - lisarosendahl
The HR Maven - HR Maven - Twitter user name - thehrmaven (The Maven really knows how to brand)
Trish McFarlane - hr ringleader's blog - Twitter user name - Trish_HR
designtwit -Fusion Frames- Twitter user name designtwit (this is me)
Steve Urquhart - Talent for the 21st Century - Twitter user name workforce101 and Talent421
Beth Carvin - Nobscot's Weblog - Twitter user name bncarvin
ImJustAGoyle - ImJustAGoyle - Twitter user name imjustagoyle
Margaret Murphy - MYFUTURE MYSELF - Twitter user name murphymargaret
Lois Melbourne - Aquire Blog - Twitter user name loismelbourne
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Shop for ONLY Certificate Frames
Our new site has finally launched. Award Certificate Frames website has been created to target the traditional Fusion Frames customer and present the EXACT product you are searching for online. No extras. No add-ons. Just certificate frames. By targeting a product line niche we can add efficient measures of production and delivery that add value and cut costs. The Award certificate Frames site features a broader selection of styles, prices and colors for 8 1/2 x 11 and 8 x 10 certificates.
We hope your buying experience on our new site is reflected in the customer service and web support you receive while shopping with us. You want certificate frames for your 8 1/2 x 11 or 8 x 10 standard certificate? Then look no further. Corporate buyers welcome. Place your order today and it will ship within 48 hours.
Award Certificate Frames is a division of Berkeley Tandem Inc. home of FusionFrames.com
Berkeley Tandem, Inc. has been producing awards and recognition products since 1995.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Our DSA (Direct Selling Association) Membership
We are excited to be supplier members of the Direct Selling Association. This is a membership that puts us in touch with a long list of famous direct selling companies like Amway and Mary Kay. We have a long-standing relationship with DSA member Southwestern Great American, a sales school for college and university students. Students come from all over the world to participate in Southwestern’s summer program. From these students, companies are started using the capital, support and resources of the SWGA business incubator. From that relationship it was suggested we offer our certificate frames and framed awards to the broader DSA market.
These DSA companies are the ultimate cheerleaders. Sales recognition is king. These organizations are no longer the “door-to-door” sales people of the past. They are sophisticated marketers with the goal to shake a hand and build personal relationships that endear their products to their customers. Whether it is home selling or Internet marketing, the goal is to reach customers on a personal level and affect lives doing it through the products they produce.
We feel Berkeley Tandem & Fusion Frames is a perfect DSA fit, offering the opportunity to customize certificates and frames to recognize sales performance and achievement. Adding that special, personal touch to an award is a hallmark of recognition. The ideal is to capture the DSA market by retaining program customers and developing custom framed product lines that fit recognition goals. We are pleased to be a part of an organization whose philosophy of personal selling is aligned with ours.
If you are a DSA member look for our booth at the national conference end of May and first of June in National Harbor, MD. We are on the waiting list for a spot. DSA is in high demand!
These DSA companies are the ultimate cheerleaders. Sales recognition is king. These organizations are no longer the “door-to-door” sales people of the past. They are sophisticated marketers with the goal to shake a hand and build personal relationships that endear their products to their customers. Whether it is home selling or Internet marketing, the goal is to reach customers on a personal level and affect lives doing it through the products they produce.
We feel Berkeley Tandem & Fusion Frames is a perfect DSA fit, offering the opportunity to customize certificates and frames to recognize sales performance and achievement. Adding that special, personal touch to an award is a hallmark of recognition. The ideal is to capture the DSA market by retaining program customers and developing custom framed product lines that fit recognition goals. We are pleased to be a part of an organization whose philosophy of personal selling is aligned with ours.
If you are a DSA member look for our booth at the national conference end of May and first of June in National Harbor, MD. We are on the waiting list for a spot. DSA is in high demand!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Social Networking Our Way Out of Recession
Twitter, Blogger, Digger? Where is the recognition market online? As part of our marketing plan I spend a few hours a day reading blogs on recognition and I'm always looking at what products are being offered in the recognition industry. I love reading HR blogs that talk about recognition, what works, what does not. I love looking at marketing ideas in other industries to see how they might apply to us. Many within management at Fusion Frames question how valuable my time is surfing the net, commenting on blogs, adding our URL like fairy dust around the world wide web.
My thought is this: if I can use my market research time online to help create conversation with vendors or marketing experts or EVEN CUSTOMERS then I am gaining ground in our online presence and learning ahead of the curve. The specialty product future is online. So you better be building your brand and carving your niche. You want certificate frames? Google us! We are THERE.
Who are my online idols? Who is serving their niche well?
http://www.despair.com/
http://www.diplomaframe.com/
And of course:
http://www.fusionframes.com/
I think we can be way better in the certificate frame niche. And we need to work on our other major key words to move our way organically into those markets. I'll be announcing how in the months to come. In the meantime I get to twitter around on the internet and call it work.
My thought is this: if I can use my market research time online to help create conversation with vendors or marketing experts or EVEN CUSTOMERS then I am gaining ground in our online presence and learning ahead of the curve. The specialty product future is online. So you better be building your brand and carving your niche. You want certificate frames? Google us! We are THERE.
Who are my online idols? Who is serving their niche well?
http://www.despair.com/
http://www.diplomaframe.com/
And of course:
http://www.fusionframes.com/
I think we can be way better in the certificate frame niche. And we need to work on our other major key words to move our way organically into those markets. I'll be announcing how in the months to come. In the meantime I get to twitter around on the internet and call it work.
Sunday, January 04, 2009
The Macintosh will be 25 on 1/24/09
My first memories of Mac was in college in 1986. The art department at Memphis State purchased their first Macs. Mac Classics I suppose or maybe SEs? I know the entire operating system fit on a floppy disk. Our graphic design work became this typography hybrid where we would make text, print it and then do paste-up with it to get our typography right. The typography on the first Macs lacked the finesse and sophistication of Service Bureau type. But, as students we loved the cheap, immediate results that we could xerox, cut-up and manipulate into beautiful work. April Greiman was my hero.
By the time I reached grad school at NC State in 1988 we had a Mac lab that was full of the first Mac IIci's. And yes, we had to sign-up and share the lab with everyone in the design program. We were still producing student work in a hybrid of Pagemaker and Photoshop layouts, stat machine, xerox, chromatex (sp?) to get color, marker comps and colored paper. Color out-put was pricey and saved for final portfolio. The work was no-less beautiful though.
At my first agency job we had a couple of Quadra 650's that we shared. It was with Quark Xpress that I was trained to see the entire project digitally, in its final typographic form to the printer, in color, transforming the printing industry forever.
Today, my job would not be possible without my Macintosh computer and iPhone. The Mac platform is how I have been trained and how my business and design skills have evolved for 20+ years.
Leave your own first Mac story at http://mac25.org/
By the time I reached grad school at NC State in 1988 we had a Mac lab that was full of the first Mac IIci's. And yes, we had to sign-up and share the lab with everyone in the design program. We were still producing student work in a hybrid of Pagemaker and Photoshop layouts, stat machine, xerox, chromatex (sp?) to get color, marker comps and colored paper. Color out-put was pricey and saved for final portfolio. The work was no-less beautiful though.
At my first agency job we had a couple of Quadra 650's that we shared. It was with Quark Xpress that I was trained to see the entire project digitally, in its final typographic form to the printer, in color, transforming the printing industry forever.
Today, my job would not be possible without my Macintosh computer and iPhone. The Mac platform is how I have been trained and how my business and design skills have evolved for 20+ years.
Leave your own first Mac story at http://mac25.org/
Friday, December 26, 2008
Why We Are Bucking the Downturn
Our certificate frame sales are up. Corporate buyers are shopping recognition and finding our unique, cost effective products. Companies do not want to give up recognition. But, as departments are asked to cut costs, alternatives are being sought out on the web. And who do they find? FusionFrames.com for employee recognition or award frames. The product is a nice breath of fresh air for those who traditionally use plaques. Our certificate frame products are 50-70% less than the cost of a plaque. We offer upgrades, but most corporate buyers are moved by lower price points and the fresh look.
Fusion Frames is diverse. Fusion Frames is a DBA. The parent company Berkeley Tandem, Inc. has been in business since 1995 with long-time established corporate program customers such as CarMax, American Red Cross, Southwestern Great American, and Boy Scouts of America. We are looking optimistically toward 2009 and will continue to put service first with an emphasis on trimming the production fat, analyzing inventory and optimizing our internet marketing. We covet our corporate buyer relationships. And thought we have tried to sell through ASI and other specialty product marketing avenues, we feel the product was always miss-understood and that the market our product appeals to was not shopping ASI catalogs.
We are unique, we sell direct, we make our product, we sell 10 or 1000+. We are made in the USA. We are environmentally conscientious. We are lean and mean and ready for more companies and organizations to discover us. Mention you read our blog, contact us directly at Sales@FusionFrames.com and we will be happy to send you a free sample. Join us, slice your budgets and continue to buck the downturn.
Fusion Frames is diverse. Fusion Frames is a DBA. The parent company Berkeley Tandem, Inc. has been in business since 1995 with long-time established corporate program customers such as CarMax, American Red Cross, Southwestern Great American, and Boy Scouts of America. We are looking optimistically toward 2009 and will continue to put service first with an emphasis on trimming the production fat, analyzing inventory and optimizing our internet marketing. We covet our corporate buyer relationships. And thought we have tried to sell through ASI and other specialty product marketing avenues, we feel the product was always miss-understood and that the market our product appeals to was not shopping ASI catalogs.
We are unique, we sell direct, we make our product, we sell 10 or 1000+. We are made in the USA. We are environmentally conscientious. We are lean and mean and ready for more companies and organizations to discover us. Mention you read our blog, contact us directly at Sales@FusionFrames.com and we will be happy to send you a free sample. Join us, slice your budgets and continue to buck the downturn.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Our Certificate Paper Journey to Green
When deciding on a paper for your certificates what matters? Is it the brightness of the paper? Print ability? Recycled content? Weight? Price?
As a company we are implementing a sustainable initiative. And part of that initiative is to analyze frame components and if we feel we can make changes that are more environmentally family we do so. Our house certificate paper is Cougar by Weyerhaeuser. We have been using it for years and offer it in a bright white and a cream natural with various pre-printed designs and sizes. Is it the best sustainable choice?
While we continue to weigh our options, I can tell you about why Cougar has been working for us. The white is a 98 brightness. Corporate colors print beautifully. The natural cream is a nice cream, not too yellow and compliments our frame colors. It foil stamps and die cuts well. It is a very economical paper and available on the floor from our paper distributor. There is 10% recycled content and it is a Sustainable Forestry (SFI) certified paper. The quality is high enough for proper reproduction of corporate graphic standards and the digital is laser guaranteed.
Problems arise when choosing high recycled content to produce a certificate that the customer prints on, self-personalizing on office printers. 100% recycled can trash a printer and achieving brightness on non-virgin paper takes more bleaching chemicals. Many recycled papers are made from papers imported from countries that do not have our strict environmental regulations. I'm feeling better about that fact that 90% of Weyerhaeuser's paper is produced in the US and is produced chlorine free.
While I feel Cougar is a good choice, could we make a choice that is better for the environment, while holding down costs and providing great quality? We will keep looking. I would love to increase the recycled content while holding the paper brightness. I would like to know that the recycled content is not coming from industry by-products that are even more harmful to the environment. And I will look for the ECF or Elemental Chlorine Free logo.
Awareness is half the battle. If all manufacturing could be more aware, then we could make some serious progress toward sustainable, closed loop production.
As a company we are implementing a sustainable initiative. And part of that initiative is to analyze frame components and if we feel we can make changes that are more environmentally family we do so. Our house certificate paper is Cougar by Weyerhaeuser. We have been using it for years and offer it in a bright white and a cream natural with various pre-printed designs and sizes. Is it the best sustainable choice?
While we continue to weigh our options, I can tell you about why Cougar has been working for us. The white is a 98 brightness. Corporate colors print beautifully. The natural cream is a nice cream, not too yellow and compliments our frame colors. It foil stamps and die cuts well. It is a very economical paper and available on the floor from our paper distributor. There is 10% recycled content and it is a Sustainable Forestry (SFI) certified paper. The quality is high enough for proper reproduction of corporate graphic standards and the digital is laser guaranteed.
Problems arise when choosing high recycled content to produce a certificate that the customer prints on, self-personalizing on office printers. 100% recycled can trash a printer and achieving brightness on non-virgin paper takes more bleaching chemicals. Many recycled papers are made from papers imported from countries that do not have our strict environmental regulations. I'm feeling better about that fact that 90% of Weyerhaeuser's paper is produced in the US and is produced chlorine free.
While I feel Cougar is a good choice, could we make a choice that is better for the environment, while holding down costs and providing great quality? We will keep looking. I would love to increase the recycled content while holding the paper brightness. I would like to know that the recycled content is not coming from industry by-products that are even more harmful to the environment. And I will look for the ECF or Elemental Chlorine Free logo.
Awareness is half the battle. If all manufacturing could be more aware, then we could make some serious progress toward sustainable, closed loop production.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Aggregating the Web in 2009
We are constantly studying how much of our market is going online to search for certificate frames. Marketing strategy with key words on Google, recommendations and posts on blogs continue to increase our exposure. 2009 will launch our new 2.0 version of our website with customer feedback and new media, such as video demos. Strong data points to the young executive in buying positions who’s buying habits always include a web search. This is the future of corporate buying. We will have our niche carved out and customers will keep coming back when they discover that our cost-saving certificate frames work for them and are stylish and easy to use.
We are aiming at Gen X and Gen Y with green eco-friendly certificate frame lines in the works. I will be attending the local AIGA sustainability conference in a few weeks to further connect us with local vendors. 2009 promises to be a year of focus, reaching out to new customers and offering new selections to our long-standing customers. Shopping Fusion Frames, you are getting the best price, straight from the manufacturer. Let us prove to you our quick ship, customer service and great products will be a welcome addition to any employee recognition program.
We are aiming at Gen X and Gen Y with green eco-friendly certificate frame lines in the works. I will be attending the local AIGA sustainability conference in a few weeks to further connect us with local vendors. 2009 promises to be a year of focus, reaching out to new customers and offering new selections to our long-standing customers. Shopping Fusion Frames, you are getting the best price, straight from the manufacturer. Let us prove to you our quick ship, customer service and great products will be a welcome addition to any employee recognition program.
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
We Will Miss You Rick
We mourn the passing of Rick Kinney, cofounder of and former partner in Berkeley Tandem, Inc. and resource partner for Fusion Frames. Rick died November 5th after a 3 year fight with cancer. He leaves his wonderful wife Sherrie and two step sons. He was the brainchild of the shadowbox certificate construction that started Berkeley Tandem in 1995, and it is that signature construction we continue to incorporate into our products today. He was a great friend and wonderful mentor. We will remember his salesmanship, his ability to be out of the box on product design and his tenacity that kept him trying to find new ways to sell recognition frames. We'll miss you Rick.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Blog Action Day Theme for 2008 is Poverty.
Why would a business blog about certificate frames touch on poverty? To quote, “Bloggers are free to interpret this as they see fit. We invite bloggers to examine poverty from their own blog topics and perspectives, to look at it from the macro and micro, as a global condition and a local issue, and to bring their own ideas, views and opinions on the subject.”
Part of our business model at Fusion Frames is to discover, refine and utilize the internet as not only as a selling tool but, as a way to broaden conversations. Meaningful conversation, just like meaningful recognition can be engaging and influential. So why not blog about poverty and raise awareness? To say poverty does not touch Middle America or Fusion Frames’ employees is to turn a blind eye.
Fusion Frames is a typical specialty product company with a focus on direct selling and wholesale, business-to-business. Our retail space is the web. Our physical space is a warehouse where we store and assemble orders. Many of our employees are part-time flex, working “piece rate”. To further explain, you are paid by how many pieces you build, not how many hours you work. Piece rate potential can earn you up to $18 an hour, which is a good wage for assembly in Middle TN. For the typical part-time assembly worker at our company, flexibility is the key for them to be able to work. We find offering flex time lowers stress and builds appreciation.
Many part-time assembly workers in America are women with children. Childcare is where we see the most hardship. And it is the primary need for flexibility in hours. Other hardships include large healthcare expenses and car maintenance. The reality of poverty is that it takes every dollar you make to live. One major illness, one car accident, one large bill is not a possible to absorb in a household budget that lives month-to-month. Debt management is the long-term reality, precluding even a raise to offer debt relief.
I see debt management as a form of servitude. Being a servant to your debt creates a condition in which one lacks liberty especially to determine one's course of action or way of life. Until we change the culture of debt management and consumption in the world to a culture of resource management and conservation, this cycle of being stuck in poverty will continue to spread.
http://site.blogactionday.org/about/2008-poverty/
Part of our business model at Fusion Frames is to discover, refine and utilize the internet as not only as a selling tool but, as a way to broaden conversations. Meaningful conversation, just like meaningful recognition can be engaging and influential. So why not blog about poverty and raise awareness? To say poverty does not touch Middle America or Fusion Frames’ employees is to turn a blind eye.
Fusion Frames is a typical specialty product company with a focus on direct selling and wholesale, business-to-business. Our retail space is the web. Our physical space is a warehouse where we store and assemble orders. Many of our employees are part-time flex, working “piece rate”. To further explain, you are paid by how many pieces you build, not how many hours you work. Piece rate potential can earn you up to $18 an hour, which is a good wage for assembly in Middle TN. For the typical part-time assembly worker at our company, flexibility is the key for them to be able to work. We find offering flex time lowers stress and builds appreciation.
Many part-time assembly workers in America are women with children. Childcare is where we see the most hardship. And it is the primary need for flexibility in hours. Other hardships include large healthcare expenses and car maintenance. The reality of poverty is that it takes every dollar you make to live. One major illness, one car accident, one large bill is not a possible to absorb in a household budget that lives month-to-month. Debt management is the long-term reality, precluding even a raise to offer debt relief.
I see debt management as a form of servitude. Being a servant to your debt creates a condition in which one lacks liberty especially to determine one's course of action or way of life. Until we change the culture of debt management and consumption in the world to a culture of resource management and conservation, this cycle of being stuck in poverty will continue to spread.
http://site.blogactionday.org/about/2008-poverty/
Monday, October 06, 2008
The Sky is Not Falling
Opportunity is ripe in down economic times. Product options abound for employee and donor recognition choices over the net. As budgets tighten we are certainly seeing a move toward our lower priced product. But, recognition is even more important now in order to boost morale and say thanks for a job well done, show confidence in your workforce and display company financial health. The little things still matter.
We will all weather this economic climate. Fusion Frames feels the ecommerce side of our business is a great example of how global and national economies are strongly linked. The internet does not build a brick and mortar industry in a community, but spreads that wealth out in a ripple effect world wide. Everyone will adjust to this new economy. We are far too resourceful not to come out ahead again.
What is Fusion Frames working on? I hope you will see a re-vamp of product lines. Maybe even a bargain basement category to move inventory that we have in small quantities, allowing you to take advantage of great prices. We feel offering great value will be important in the months to come.
Here at Fusion Frames we are constantly using technology to re-invent ourselves with the goal to best serve the national and international business community with our unique award products, certificate frames and customer service. The sky is not falling. Though my 401K is.
We will all weather this economic climate. Fusion Frames feels the ecommerce side of our business is a great example of how global and national economies are strongly linked. The internet does not build a brick and mortar industry in a community, but spreads that wealth out in a ripple effect world wide. Everyone will adjust to this new economy. We are far too resourceful not to come out ahead again.
What is Fusion Frames working on? I hope you will see a re-vamp of product lines. Maybe even a bargain basement category to move inventory that we have in small quantities, allowing you to take advantage of great prices. We feel offering great value will be important in the months to come.
Here at Fusion Frames we are constantly using technology to re-invent ourselves with the goal to best serve the national and international business community with our unique award products, certificate frames and customer service. The sky is not falling. Though my 401K is.
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
The Biggest Motivation-Killer
An Entrepreneur.com article explains THE motivation-killer in the workplace. Employee cynicism is the answer and the article does a good job suggesting how to shake it. One of the ways mentioned is to recognize an employee’s cause they believe in, either in or out of the workplace.
Employees are spending 1000’s of hours of their own time volunteering for causes that mean something to them. And how can recognition of that volunteerism give way to less cynicism in the workplace? We see this trend in our business through the “volunteerism phenomenon”. And, most commonly, matching donor funds are the way companies help employees give back to the community
What are other ways to draw attention to good deeds accomplished by employees? Our case study/example uses Asurion’s model for praising employee’s volunteerism. They use our certificate frames for their “Employee Wall of Fame” that recognizes employees that are volunteering in the community.
The model comes full circle when your business asks your employees how their volunteerism can directly affect your customer? How could your employees improve your customer’s lives in some way? Then the synergy comes full circle, not only affecting morale, but affecting sales as well by building relationships with customers and your employees.
See the full article.
Employees are spending 1000’s of hours of their own time volunteering for causes that mean something to them. And how can recognition of that volunteerism give way to less cynicism in the workplace? We see this trend in our business through the “volunteerism phenomenon”. And, most commonly, matching donor funds are the way companies help employees give back to the community
What are other ways to draw attention to good deeds accomplished by employees? Our case study/example uses Asurion’s model for praising employee’s volunteerism. They use our certificate frames for their “Employee Wall of Fame” that recognizes employees that are volunteering in the community.
The model comes full circle when your business asks your employees how their volunteerism can directly affect your customer? How could your employees improve your customer’s lives in some way? Then the synergy comes full circle, not only affecting morale, but affecting sales as well by building relationships with customers and your employees.
See the full article.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Recognition in the “Chaordic Age”
How can “Chaordic” relate to recognition and certificate frames? I’ve been giving a lot of thought to this book (written in 2000) and the buzzword “Chaordic” which can be briefly described as the chaos of competition and the order of cooperation coexisting though meaningful connections.
“A chaordic organization is formed by attending to six elements in the proper order: Purpose, Principles, People, Concept, Structure and Practice.” – Dee Hock Birth of the Chaordic Age
Note “purpose” is first. Everyone wants purpose. High business success correlates one-to-one with the genuine purpose of the product you sell or the service you offer. Recognition with empty, generic, purpose lacks the fundamental congruence to connect with employees to make them feel really appreciated.
So then how can we apply the chaordic to recognition directly as a methodology for new recognition products or a recognition program structure? In its MOST simple form I see the Six Chaordic Elements as the guide. The PURPOSE of recognition is to honor, and promote good work resulting in motivation to do more good work. PRINCIPLES honor competition to earn recognition. It is all about PEOPLE and recognition is personal. Rather than giving something generic, make it personal in CONCEPT, creating a memento that allows reflection on that specific moment of good. Concept brings specific content to that recognition product that creates connection. STRUCTURE guides us to define real goals for recognition. PRACTICE represents the follow-through to consistently monitor and present recognition for those goals or good deeds in a timely manner.
Congruence between all six elements applied to recognition takes an award or thank you to the next level, forming connections. A Fusion Frames case study describes a great example of this congruence in action. Poster size certificate frames created for the American Red Cross to recognize 2007 corporate donors for the California Wild Fires used actual photos from the disaster, creating a connection between the donor and recipient. The use of corporate logos on the posters also connected and marketed the corporate philanthropy, all within the recognition structure of Red Cross recognition levels. The concept and practice was applied all the way down to a simple paper certificate of thanks, achieving a real connection to the generosity provided from the largest corporate donor to the single volunteer.
Real, meaningful recognition is the hallmark of a successful recognition program. Meaning through chaordic methods can be the calling for all employees to feel good about success and all volunteers and donors to feel good about giving.
ADDENDUM: I cannot say that this blog post does justice to the complexities of Hock’s book. It is meant to be a brief glimpse of practice and food for thought in our little recognition niche.
“A chaordic organization is formed by attending to six elements in the proper order: Purpose, Principles, People, Concept, Structure and Practice.” – Dee Hock Birth of the Chaordic Age
Note “purpose” is first. Everyone wants purpose. High business success correlates one-to-one with the genuine purpose of the product you sell or the service you offer. Recognition with empty, generic, purpose lacks the fundamental congruence to connect with employees to make them feel really appreciated.
So then how can we apply the chaordic to recognition directly as a methodology for new recognition products or a recognition program structure? In its MOST simple form I see the Six Chaordic Elements as the guide. The PURPOSE of recognition is to honor, and promote good work resulting in motivation to do more good work. PRINCIPLES honor competition to earn recognition. It is all about PEOPLE and recognition is personal. Rather than giving something generic, make it personal in CONCEPT, creating a memento that allows reflection on that specific moment of good. Concept brings specific content to that recognition product that creates connection. STRUCTURE guides us to define real goals for recognition. PRACTICE represents the follow-through to consistently monitor and present recognition for those goals or good deeds in a timely manner.
Congruence between all six elements applied to recognition takes an award or thank you to the next level, forming connections. A Fusion Frames case study describes a great example of this congruence in action. Poster size certificate frames created for the American Red Cross to recognize 2007 corporate donors for the California Wild Fires used actual photos from the disaster, creating a connection between the donor and recipient. The use of corporate logos on the posters also connected and marketed the corporate philanthropy, all within the recognition structure of Red Cross recognition levels. The concept and practice was applied all the way down to a simple paper certificate of thanks, achieving a real connection to the generosity provided from the largest corporate donor to the single volunteer.
Real, meaningful recognition is the hallmark of a successful recognition program. Meaning through chaordic methods can be the calling for all employees to feel good about success and all volunteers and donors to feel good about giving.
ADDENDUM: I cannot say that this blog post does justice to the complexities of Hock’s book. It is meant to be a brief glimpse of practice and food for thought in our little recognition niche.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Cheaper, Better, Faster
How can you save money and extend your company’s brand while boosting morale with a certificate frame? In today’s price sensitive economy a certificate frame provides a great alternative to a plaque in your recognition program. Priced at more than half the cost of a wood plaque, Fusion Frames’ shadowboxed framed presentations coupled with the fast digital flexibility of certificate printing can open up all possibilities to graphically nail your companies brand without a lot of hassle. Non-profits and military love the graphic punch and dimensional, corporate presentation our frames give. There are few limits to artistically representing achievements with corporate marketing in mind when printing and foil stamping on the mat as well as the certificate. And our products are made in the USA, so in-time delivery with small, custom quantities are affordable. Our certificate frames are a win, win.
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