JanFeb 2022 by Tristan Communications

IMPRINT CANADA THE MARKETING AND INFORMATION SOURCE FOR IMPRINTABLE PRODUCTS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022

A Tristan Communications Ltd. Publication

INSIDE THIS ISSUE SUPPLIER NEWS

Volume 29, Issue 1

6 Mindsets To Help Your Team Reboot in 2022 By Jason V. Barger

NINE SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY TIPS FOR 2022

We break down nine simple, actionable tips to help your social media strategies boost your brand and audience engagement in 2022. 6

THE FUTURE OF CUSTOMER SERVICE

Customer Service guru Jeff Mowatt explains three trends that will define customer service in 2022 and beyond. 16

NEW PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS

Check out the latest wearables, headwear, drinkware, advertising specialty and supplies and equipment from the industry’s leading suppliers. 20

Did you know that in the United States, 7.6 million people quit their jobs in the months of April and May of 2021? In Canada, the situation is fairly similar; 51 per cent of senior managers are considering leaving their jobs, while a recent RBC study found that nearly 100,000 working-age women completely left the workforce since the pandemic started. Reports of loneliness at work are as high as ever, and coincidentally divorce rates are up significantly Teams and companies are in need to reboot after what from last year. the pandemic has done to employees’ psyche. Let’s dig a little deeper into what the research is also telling us. Nine out of every 10 employees say they want to work for a more meaningful culture. People want to feel like they are a part of something bigger than themselves, they want to feel appreciated, valued and cared for.

Reboot, continued on Page 12

Help for the Horrible Hybrid Meeting Five Ailments and Remedies By Kate Zabriskie

Some people are in the office, some are home, others are on the road, and they’re all part of the same meeting. Who is looking forward to this hybrid get-together? Nobody, absolutely no one. What makes these blended meetings so bad? A lot of the same factors that cause in-person confabs to go south plus some new complications brought to us courtesy of the virtual world. What can you do to stop the pain? Identify your ailment and apply an appropriate remedy.

Ailment One: People come to meetings unprepared

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Unprepared participants are certainly nothing new. If people weren’t prepared when you met in person, what on There are a few simple ailments to help combat the fatigue and earth made you think they would experience an epiphany common issues plaguing hybrid meetings. and suddenly embrace pre-work? What was that; it’s not just the participants who don’t prepare but the person calling people together too? That’s not newsworthy either. Unprepared meeting leaders are a dime a dozen.

Hybrid Meetings, continued on Page 14

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The Great Restart

4. Increase competitiveness with tax, competition, and regulatory policy.

Before the Omicron COVID-19 variant hit us like a Christmas sledgehammer, Canadian businesses anticipated 2022 to be the “great big economic restart” that a published RBC economic report predicted in early December.

6. Education and labour market policy for lifelong learning.

The report focused on six key areas of government policy that would propel the Canadian economy towards a “greener, more digital and tech-enabled society accelerated by COVID-19 (that) has opened new pathways for growth that could ignite spending, investment and innovation.” 1. Embrace new approaches to innovation policy. 2. Forward-looking policy, public infrastructure and blended finance for climate action. 3. Promote services trade and Canadian platforms; protect intellectual property and data.

5. Attract, develop and retain new sources of talent.

The report referred to human capital (the sixth area above) as the linchpin - the most vital component of future economic growth. With people and skills needed to reshape our economy, the report highlighted disruptions (an aging population and the changing nature of work) as most critical to current and future growth. The RBC report predicted that labour shortages will intensify as “pandemic-delayed retirements have created a potential wave of workforce exits in the year ahead and immigration levels have still not recovered.” The report foresaw higher government immigration targets that - if met- would address the pandemic immigration shortfall and help boost the number of available workers...but it won’t be enough.

To keep the age structure of the population constant at 2020 levels, the annual immigration targets would have to double, the report declared. By increasing the women’s participation rate gap, the report estimated an addition of 1.2 million people to the labour force. Reaching the number of workers required is one thing, but having the right number of skilled and educated workers for our greener, more digitally and technologically advanced economy is another challenge, and it’s one that our government must plan for today. Canada needs to take a hard look at what other global economies are experimenting with: higher levels of deficitfinanced public spending to spur investment and growth. Only then can the expected great big economic restart come to fruition.

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January/February 2022 | IMPRINT CANADA

GLOBAL RETAIL NEWS Swedish brand H&M enters Facebook’s metaverse with its first virtual store Swedish fashion house H&M is the latest brand to jump on the metaverse bandwagon as it has introduced its first virtual store in collaboration with Ceek, a developer of premium social virtual and augmented reality experience. Companies like Nike, Adidas and Zara have also forayed into the metaverse through virtual stores and Non-Fungible Token collections. Ceek has given a preview of the H&M virtual store through a tweet on its official Twitter account.

China’s foreign trade rose 22 per cent to approximately $6 trillion in 2021

Source: Fibre2Fashion.com

Given all these factors, it will be unprecedentedly difﬁcult to do a good job in stabilizing foreign trade next year, the vice minister said.

Crocs to acquire casual footwear brand HeyDude The footwear brand Crocs has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire HeyDude, a privately-owned casual footwear brand, for $2.5 billion (all figures US).The purchase price will be funded by $2.05 billion in cash and $450 million in Crocs shares issued to HeyDude founder and CEO Alessandro Rosano. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2022, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approval, Crocs said in a media release. Upon completion of the transaction, HeyDude will operate as a standalone division. Rosano will continue to lead innovative product development as strategic advisor and creative director. As part of this transaction, Rick Blackshaw was hired to join HeyDude as executive vice president and brand president. Blackshaw brings over 25 years of footwear experience and most recently served as the CEO at CCM Hockey and previously held positions as the president of Sperry, president of Keds, and vice president/general manager of the Chuck Taylor division of Converse. Blackshaw will be a member of the Crocs executive leadership team and report to CEO Andrew Rees. “We intend to leverage our global presence, best-in-class marketing and scale infrastructure to build upon HeyDude’s strong foundation and create significant shareholder value,” said Andrew Rees, chief executive officer of Crocs. HeyDude founder and chief executive officer, Alessandro Rosano said, “We are proud of the brand we built and are honoured to become a part of Crocs, a company perfectly positioned to take HeyDude to the next level.”

China’s foreign trade rose US$1.3 trillion last year compared with 2020 which represented a 22 per cent increase, according to vice minister of commerce Ren Hongbin. Data from the general administration of customs showed that from January to November 2021, China’s imports and exports reached 35.39 trillion yuan (US$5.55 trillion), a yearon-year increase of 22 per cent. Hongbin recently cautioned that some ‘unprecedented’ difﬁculties in stabilizing foreign trade in 2022 linger due to a weak global recovery, chip and container shortages, and rising raw material costs. Other challenges include the rising currency exchange rate of the Chinese yuan, which may also put additional burden on enterprises. While the foreign trade is forecasted to come to a new level this year, bucking the global trend, the commerce ministry said there are still unprecedented challenges ahead for stabilizing foreign trade growth in 2022. Phased factors such as price increases that support the growth of foreign trade this year are difﬁcult to sustain next year, especially after superimposing on the ultra-high base number in 2021, according to a report in government-controlled newspaper. Emblemtek_Imprint_Jan-Feb-2022-1.pdf 1 12-08-2021

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IMPRINT CANADA

IMPRINT CANADA | January/February 2021

THE MARKETING AND INFORMATION SOURCE FOR IMPRINTABLE PRODUCTS January/February 2021 - Volume 29, Issue 1

ONLINE EDITION

www.imprintcanada.com/magazine

NEWS 1

6 MINSETS TO HELP YOUR TEAM ROOBOOT CONTʼD PG 12

HELP FOR THE HORRIBLE HYBRID MEETING CONTʼD PG 14

SUPPLIER NEWS

NINE SOCIAL MEDIA TIPS FOR 2022 CONTʼD PG 8

THE FUTURE OF CUSTOMER SERVICE

NEW PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS 20 28 32

WEARABLES SHOWCASE ADVERTISING SPECIALTY SHOWCASE SUPPLIES & EQUIPMENT SHOWCASE

PUBLISHER

Tony Muccilli : tony@imprintcanada.com

PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT

Adriano Aldini : news@imprintcanada.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Adriano Aldini, Katie Zabriskie, Jeff Mowatt, Jason V. Barger

Imprint Canada is published six times per year by Tristan Communications Ltd. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced either in part or in whole without the consent of the copyright owner. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. Request for missing issues are not accepted after three months from the date of publication.

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News {Business Development}

Nine Social Media Tips for 2022 By Adriano Aldini, Imprint Canada

There has been a steady, inexorable move to online shopping, networking and meeting that was accelerated by the global pandemic. Your audience lives and breathes online now more than ever before, so the importance of your social media strategy cannot be overstated. There are 4.2 billion active social media users, nearly double the number of people online just five years ago. As staggering as those numbers are, even more relevant is the amount of time people spend online. According to Hootsuite, social media users spend an average of two hours and 25 minutes on social channels every day. You have nearly 2.5 hours a day with current and potential customers to build brand awareness, develop customer relationships, and make direct sales through your social channels. How can you make your content and channels stand out in a national or global market? The first step to refining your digital presence is to do a social media audit. Once you know what is working to gain traction and what isn’t, you can begin to plan.

increase brand awareness, build your audience, and increase revenue. However, this growth won’t happen overnight. It requires a consistent and strategic approach. Signing up to social channels is free, but your time is not. The time you spend crafting, curating, posting, and boosting content is valuable and needs to impact your business. Start by defining your goals. Do you want to grow your audience? Do you want to become a trusted source of information and advice? Do you want direct social sales?

What is a Social Media Strategy for Small Business?

A social media strategy encapsulates everything you want to do and achieve on social media. It details what you’ll post, the platforms you’ll use, and defines measurable goals that will support your specific business needs. Smart social media strategies for small businesses can

Review the social media channels of the top performers in your industry. What is engaging their audience? Are they missing opportunities you can exploit? If you’re a new entrant or a more minor player in an industry dominated by multinationals, you won’t be able to out-spend or out-market your competition. You can often do what larger corporations can’t, be genuine, authentic, and build a true connection with your customers. Research to learn what to emulate and where you can differentiate.

3. Build a Social Calendar

By planning ahead, you can identify and incorporate any special days that align with your industry, prepare content for holidays, and determine your content needs. You can schedule posts ahead of time or just have them ready to go. Remember, if you have posts scheduled and some significant event happens, you may need to delete or change your message. Many brands have made the error of allowing content to post when the world was captivated by a tragedy.

1. Plan your social strategy

For a small business, having a social media strategy is essential for increasing brand awareness, reaching your target audience, and driving sales. With a strong social media strategy, you’ll never run out of ideas on what to post — and you’ll soon have an engaged community at your fingertips.

2. Research your Competition

Start with your top three marketing objectives and determine how social media can help achieve these. Follow the SMART framework. Your goals should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely. Choose metrics that will have a genuine impact on your business: 10,000 followers are great, but not if they aren’t driving sales. Spend some time trying different approaches. Until you start posting, you won’t know what is resonating with your audience. Be prepared to adjust and pivot.

4. Choose your Channels & Define your Voice

In our September/October 2021 edition, we broke down the five major social media networks and how to best leverage them. You may want to refer to that article for more details on each platform. Most brands will need to be on multiple channels to reach different segments of their audience. You might find you are handling a lot of customer service on Facebook and getting new leads from Instagram. TikTok might be vital for building brand awareness while your blog can demonstrate that your brand is a source of valuable knowledge. continued on Page 8

IMPRINT CANADA | January/February 2022

News {Business Development} Social Media, continued from page 6

Your brand voice is like your company’s personality — it’s how you speak to your audience. And it might slightly differ from platform to platform. If you’re struggling to pinpoint your tone, consider your brand’s values and mission. Are you formal and serious, or more relatable and friendly? Consider how would you talk about your business, products, or services to a friend as you refine your brand’s tone of voice!

5. Build Your Audience & Build Relationships

Boosted content can help you reach more people and

build your audience. Filling your pages with engaging content and sharing valuable insights and information will help build customer relationships. Remember, algorithms drive all social platforms. If you post something and no one interacts with it, the platform will stop showing that content to other users. Your platforms should always be hosting two-way conversations. If your channels are just pushing your products and looking for sales, you won’t be building an engaged audience. Encourage customers to interact. Post engaging content and be sure to respond to comments. Post short surveys. Invite customer questions and stories. Seek feedback. Increasing your following is great, but customer retention builds loyal customers, which leads to increased sales. People like to do business with brands they trust.

6. Build a Cohesive Digital Presence

More than 44 per cent of people use social networks to research a brand. Regardless of where a customer lands (website, Facebook, Twitter, etc.), your brand identity should be clear. Are your logos up to date? Do colours and images properly reflect your brand? Is your content aligned with philosophy and message?

7. Sell with Social

Social commerce had a global market value of 89 billion in June 2020. You can sell directly to your customers where they are already spending their time. Social sales are the next evolution in the convenience of online shopping. Customers can now buy a product right from the post where they learned about it.

According to Hootsuite, Social media users spend an average of two hours and 25 minutes on social channels every day. You have nearly 2.5 hours a day with potential customers to build brand awareness, develop customer relationships, & make direct sales through your social channels.

8. Post Quality

Post regularly to keep your audience engaged, but ensure every post is adding value. Focus on quality over quantity. Posting three times a week with valuable and engaging content is better than daily posts that aren’t interesting or relevant.

9. Track and Measure Your Progress

What gets measured gets done! Now that you’ve nailed your content strategy, well done! You’ve done the hardest part. But don’t forget, the key to a successful social media strategy for small business is consistency. Monitoring your analytics to see how many people you’re reaching and how they’re interacting with your posts is vital to your strategy as they show you what’s working — and what isn’t. There you have it — a quick how-to guide for creating a social media strategy for small business. Take the time to develop SMART goals, define your brand voice, and choose platforms that align with what you’re trying to achieve. And if you create consistent content and analyze your metrics, you’ll be one step closer to creating a successful long-term strategy.

IMPRINT CANADA | January/February 2022

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News {Business Development} Reboot, continued from Page 1

In the midst of so much angst, division and uncertainty in the world that seems out of our control, people need to be reminded about what is within our control. Teams and companies need a reboot. Most teams and companies are still figuring out how to help support their people and engage with them remotely, in hybrid settings, and in-person gatherings. With all that people have been navigating: new standard modes of communication, the expansion of remote workers, global health, issues of racism, social injustice and equity, political and economic uncertainty, supply chain breakdowns... they are still also expected to maximize the experience, product or service that you are delivering to the marketplace.

3. Agility

Possibility + Adaptability is the name of the game in a changing world. Leaders have to practice an occasional reboot that allows their mind to find new ways of doing things and the courage to adapt to opportunities that emerge. If leaders return to the “this is the way we’ve always done it” mind-set then they will sit back and watch their people leave the room.

Here are six mindsets to reboot your team: 1. Clarity

Is your Mission clear? Is your Vision clear? Are you Values for how your team is committed to travel clear? Is your Strategy for the next priorities clear? Take this time as an opportunity to reboot and make sure all are aligned with clarity. The outcome is that everything on the path forward becomes clearer. Your team may not have all the answers, but they’ll have energy and clear direction on how to take the next step.

2. Inclusivity

Leaders in the world play an enormous role in widening the circle so that more diverse backgrounds, ideas, perspectives, and experiences have a seat at the table. Teams and organizations will lead the way forward in society by modeling how to have civil, respectful dialogue and educate people on the strengths of diversity, equity and inclusion. When our teams are inclusive and welcoming, it breathes life and energy into all. We’re stronger together.

In the midst of so much angst, division and uncertainty in the world that seems out of our control, people need to be reminded about what is within our control.

To say people have been a little stressed during the past 20 months would be an understatement.

4. Grit

Resolve + Toughness is critical to help people navigate their way through obstacles, challenges, negativity, finger pointing, and division. Leaders help their people reboot to stay focused on the present moment and the actions that are needed in order to take the next step. Toughness isn’t about being physically stronger than others, it is about being able to be vulnerable with your people and still have the resolve to find solutions, together.

5. Rest

Teams and organizations have an unhealthy association with the concept of rest. In the US last year, employees left 768 million days of vacation on the table with their employers. That equates to nearly $66 billion of lost benefits. We’ve forgotten that the research actually shows that deliberate rest is essential to elite performance. When we allow our bodies, minds and hearts to deliberately rest, we breathe more efficiently and are better at everything else.

People want to feel like they are a part of something bigger than themselves, they want to feel appreciated, valued and cared for.

6. Ownership

Accountability + Action are mindsets and oxygen that the best leaders and team cultures on the planet breathe. They connect the things they say they will do with positive accountability and action. Accountability isn’t a negative word, it’s a positive mantra that all take ownership of. In a world where people are quick to gossip, point fingers, and be critics about what isn’t working, the best leaders reboot themselves and their people and shift conversations from blame to solutions-focused. The best cultures proactively help their people navigate through obstacles, together. They intentionally choose to inhale positivity and the six mindsets above and exhale negativity, blame, gossip and division. The ecosystem of their culture is grown, developed, cultivated and led with intentionality, one breath at a time. The process for developing high-performing and engaged teams never stops and the best leaders, teams and organizations are committed to rebooting how they hire, onboard, do performance evaluations, develop emerging leaders, and recognize excellence. The best leaders invest in their teams, together. If you’re experiencing a lack of energy, passion or hope for the road ahead, it may be the air you’re breathing. It may be time for a reboot.

About the Author: Jason V. Barger is the globally-celebrated author of Thermostat Cultures, ReMember and Step Back from the Baggage Claim as well as the host of The Thermostat podcast. His latest book Breathing Oxygen is set to be released in early 2022.

As Founder of Step Back Leadership Consulting, he is a coveted keynote speaker, leadership coach and organizational consultant who is committed to engaging the minds and hearts of people and growing compelling cultures. Learn more at JasonVBarger.com or on social media @JasonVBarger.

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News {Business Development} Hybrid Meetings, continued from Page 1

Remedy: Embrace discipline

Workplaces with positive meeting cultures often have rigorous requirements of their meeting leaders and attendees. When a meeting goes into hybrid mode, discipline becomes even more important. The leader crafts the agenda, assigns ownership where others must contribute, estimates the time needed for each meeting segment, and outlines any required preparation. People who work in cultures with good meeting discipline adhere to a few more rules too. For example, don’t meet if there isn’t a reason to get together and an email will suffice, and don’t schedule a gathering before you’ve planned the agenda. If you are on the receiving end of an invitation, don’t accept anything that doesn’t come with a plan. If that’s not an option, at least ask if the meeting requires you to prepare anything in advance.

Ailment Two: People don’t have time to complete meeting pre-work.

“I would have prepared, but I didn’t have time to get through 200 pages.” Reading requires undivided attention, and unless a few hours materialize from the ether, people with heavy time demands will often struggle to digest large documents. Consequently, meeting time becomes briefing time instead of collaboration and discussion time. This is not good when people meet in person, and it’s worse when some attendees go remote.

Remedy: Take advantage of your virtual platform’s recording feature.

Virtual platforms have opened a door to a new way to present pre-work. Instead of sending people 90 standalone slides to digest, how about recording 30 minutes that discuss the highlights? People can listen to you talk while they are checking email, going through paperwork, or otherwise multitasking, and you’ve moved your briefing out of the meeting and freed time for discussion and questions. The better job you do making pre-work easy, the more likely people will do what you want them to do.

Ailment Three: Participant groups are not equal.

Often, the people in the room count more than those online, and those dialing in from a distance might as well be on Mars. Nobody acknowledges them, nobody makes eye contact, and nobody asks for their input. Who is frustrated? Everyone. The people together feel as if they do all the work, and those at a distance feel ignored and undervalued: not a good formula for happy times in the workplace.

Remedy: Level the playing field.

To get the most out of hybrid meetings, everyone should get a seat at the physical table and the virtual table. What this means is having people log in on laptops from the same conference room so everyone can use the chat and creating name tags or placeholders at the physical table to represent those attending virtually. The digital presence will allow everyone to see facial expressions. The physical reminders will help the leader and others remember to address virtual participants more often.

Ailment Four: Conversations are awkward and unnatural.

“Brian, you’re on mute.” “Patty, go ahead. I didn’t mean to answer at the same time you did.” “I’m hearing an echo. Can everyone mute.” “Bill, turn on your conference microphone. We can’t hear you.” “What’s that horrible buzzing sound?” “ Bad audio is brutal. It stops the flow of natural conversation, causes people to check out, and is generally irritating.

Remedy: Attack sound problems from multiple angles.

Mute master is an essential role for someone to occupy or several people to share during virtual meetings. Mute masters silence those who have inadvertently unmuted, and they do it without a lot of fanfare. With the click of the mouse, background noises disappear just as soon as they occur. Now that we’ve addressed the sounds we don’t want, let’s look at words we do and how to get them. Skilled meeting leaders build the request to unmute into their narrative when asking for people to contribute. “Brian, could you please unmute and give your report.” With a gentle reminder, most people

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will do what’s asked. In addition to those basics, to reduce the likelihood that people will talk over each other when you ask a question, ask for hands and answer stack. “Great. I see we have questions or comments from Larry, Katie, and Greg. Let’s take them in that order.” To further reduce noise and speed up responses to short questions by leveraging visual cues and the chat function. “Type ‘yes’ in the chat if you have a hard stop at noon today.” “By a show of hands, who agrees we should move forward with a pilot program?”

Ailment Five: People are caught off guard.

“Sam, what are your thoughts on that?” “I’m sorry could you repeat the question?” People can tune out and go on mental vacation regardless of a meeting’s format. When a virtual element enters the picture, the odds of someone missing something increase.

Remedy: Provide a warning that a question is coming.

As a meeting leader, you can take a simple action that will go a long way toward helping your colleagues stay focused. “Jimmy, I’m going to talk through this next slide about credit risk. I’d then like you to add a little colour and tell us about trends you are seeing in the southern market.” Not only is Jimmy going to listen to you for the next few minutes, he’s also going to get his finger ready to unmute himself or to turn on a conference microphone. As a bonus, Jimmy will also appreciate that you didn’t put him on the spot and may like you better. Hybrid meetings offer challenges – some familiar and some new. Regardless of the source of your meetings’ ailment or ailments, with careful actions, you can move these here-or-there gatherings from horrible to healthy in short order. About the Author: Kate Zabriskie is the president of Business Training Works, Inc., a Maryland-based talent development firm. She and her team help businesses establish customer service strategies and train their people to live up to what’s promised. For more information, visit www.businesstrainingworks.com.

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News {Business Development}

The Future of Customer Service: Three Trends to Capitalize on in 2022 by Jeff Mowatt

Have you ever seen this much marketplace disruption? In my three decades of speaking, training, and writing on the topic I’ve never seen a shift in customer buying behaviours as dramatic as those we’ve recently experienced during the pandemic. Consider how you and your organization can capitalize on the following big three trends.

Buying Trend #1 - Convenience is King

The pandemic exploded online buying particularly at Amazon. Interestingly, Amazon doesn’t sell products. It sells convenience. Compare buying from Amazon to the typical retail shopping experience. With Amazon you don’t have to go anywhere, you push one ‘buy now’ button and receive it often the next day. Similarly, when it comes to service, Skip the Dishes doesn’t sell meals, it sells convenience. You can order any menu item from any member restaurant, and it’s done. A map app shows you exactly where the delivery person is, and exactly when it will arrive. Your moves: If you sell products online to repeat customers, do they have to input all their payment and delivery information every time? Or instead, can you use the Amazon approach and collect and store customer details once, to make it easier for them to order repeatedly from you? Don’t compare your company to your industry competitors. Compare yourself to Amazon and Uber. Make your customers’ buying experience more hassle free and convenient. You’ll differentiate yourself in your marketplace while making price less relevant.

Buying Trend #2 - Frustration with Shortages

I’m too young to have lived during the World War years, when many countries imposed rationing. During the pandemic however, we all experienced commodity shortages that led to delivery delays and price swings. Those shortages of materials will eventually right themselves as the pandemic subsides.

Unfortunately, the more persistent shortage that will remain for the foreseeable future: staffing. The pandemic didn’t create a staffing shortage, it just made it more pronounced. The labour shortage that began long before the pandemic is a function of demographics and lower birth rates in developed nations. That’s not going to change any time soon. In what’s often referred to as the war for talent, it’s critical for organizations to successfully hire, motivate, and retain staff. Many managers believe the only way to accomplish that is to pay higher wages. In reality, we’ve discovered working with clients across dozens of industries, engaging and retaining employees doesn’t necessarily mean paying more. In researching my book “Becoming a Service Icon in 90 Minutes a Month”, I was impressed by the work Dr. Kenneth Kovach, renowned researcher of employee motivation. Ken related to me that the #1 motivator of employees is not money – it’s actually interesting work. Your moves: A simple way to make work more interesting is to train employees on communication skills. Specifically how they can effectively communicate with customers when handling unexpected delivery delays or price spikes. When we work with teams for example, we equip them with phrases to manage customer expectations, take ownership, and earn respect. That creates a better experience for customers and a more rewarding, stress free environment for employees. It’s a win for everyone; even when there are shortages of commodities and employees. To enhance staff engagement and retention, could your team use a tune-up in customer communications?

Buying Trend #3 - Less in-person Communications

Did the pandemic ever lead you to feeling Zoomed-out or Teamed-out? If so, you’re not alone. For better or worse, virtual meetings aren’t going away. Most managers agree that

16 IMPRINT CANADA | January/February 2022

sitting behind a camera doesn’t come close to the benefits of a site visit or a hallway conversation at a convention. If however, the in-person meeting merely involves people sitting at desks or around a boardroom table, then the virtual meeting comes reasonably close. Often at a fraction of the cost than if travel was required. Your moves: If you haven’t yet, it’s time to embrace virtual meetings. According to the Harvard Business Review, shifting your impersonal email or text client communication to more personal face-to-face or virtual meetings, increases your chances of closing the sale by 34 times. That’s quite a difference! A virtual format also makes team training easier and more cost effective. For many businesses whose employees were geographically dispersed, it was often cost prohibitive to physically assemble them for training. Now with the virtual option available, you eliminate not only the travel expense, but also travel time. Plus Zoom offers wonderful options for smaller group discussions, polls, and engagement. Suddenly, virtual training becomes more fun, affordable, and impactful. Which will you embrace? So, which of these three trends do you see either being a threat or an opportunity for your business? The pandemic certainly hit a lot of people in a negative way, and not just for the devastating health impacts. On the other hand, the topsy turvy world of the last two years has inadvertently uncovered opportunities to differentiate your service and enhance employee engagement.

About the Author: Jeff Mowatt is a customer service strategist, Hall of Fame business speaker, and author of the bestselling book, Becoming a Service Icon in 90 Minutes a Month. To obtain your own copy or to inquire about engaging Jeff for your team, visit www.jeffmowatt.com

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WEARABLES New Adult Tri-Blend T-Shirt New tri-blend t-shirts for men and women enhances the Gildan 2022 line. 6750 and 6750L Gildan Softstyle® Adult and Ladies’ Tri-Blend T-Shirt are made from an ultra-soft blend of 50% polyester/25% combed ring spun/25% rayon. For added style, the 6750L features a ﬂattering curved bottom. The Adult Tri-blend T-shirt is available in a wide size range of S–3XL and ladies’ companion style in sizes LXS-L2XL and up to 10 popular shades. For more information, please visit www.mygildan.com

Constructed Pro-Round Heather AJM introduces Style 8J016M (adult) & 8J016B (youth) to their extensive line of headwear. Inspired by current fashion retail trends, both styles are made in AJM’s “Constructed Pro-Round” shape which has a medium proﬁle and a slightly curved peak. This cap features a heather front section, a solid colour peak with contrast stitching and a mesh back with a plastic adjustable back strap. Available in 13 stylish colourways (11 for youth), it makes decorating any team or company logo an easy match.

Heavyweight Performance Jacket This Ultra Heavyweight performance jacket will help you go through the most extreme weather days. The Frisco (Men’s FW3226 / Women’s FW3228) is suitable for -10°C to -35°C with cool features like anti-RFID, detachable hood, E-Zip™, and waterproof fabric. Available in black or graphite and ideal for a multitude of decoration techniques. Offered in sizes XL-4XL (Men) and XS-3XL (Women). Contact Fersten Worldwide (800) 5657462 or visit www.fersten.com

Hybrid Jacket for Him & Her Canada Sportswear is showcasing its Men’s & Ladies Hybrid Jacket (L04100 & L04101). Made from 100% polyester dobby pongee with water repellent ﬁnish, this versatile jacket features a double-layer self fabric cuff and body hem, YKK front zipper and lower front zipper pockets. Available in Black, Navy, and Charcoal. For more information, please contact Canada Sportswear, Tel: 416-740-8020 or visit www.canadasportswear.com

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Jerzees Snow Heather French Terry Collection Experience the ultimate softness and a versatile look with Jerzees Snow Heather French Terry collection. Made with slub textured fabric that gives it a vintage appearance and a ring-spun cotton/poly blend for a super soft hand. Available in a variety of unique snow heather colours, Jerzees Raglan Hood (90MR) and Crewneck (91MR) are perfect for any customization and branding. For more information, please contact Jerzees team at CanadaCustomerService@fotlinc.com

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Midweight Airstream Jacket This new midweight Airstream Bonded performance jacket will keep you warm and comfy. The Jasper (Men’s FW3093/ FW3096) features breathability, waterproof fabric, a detachable hood, and is ideal for -6°C to -21°C. Offered in three trendy colors, elevate this look with your choice of decoration techniques. Available in sizes XL-4XL (Men) and XS-3XL (Women). Contact Fersten Worldwide (800) 565-7462 or visit www.fersten.com

New Adult Long Sleeve Hooded T-Shirt The new 987 Gildan Softstyle® Adult Long Sleeve Hooded T-Shirt makes an ideal choice for cooler days. Made with 100% combed ring spun cotton for a super comfortable feel and the high stitch density fabric creates a smooth printing surface. In addition, the single ply hood makes it easy for decoration. Sizes S-2XL are available in 7 colours, including attention-getting heathers with neon yellow or dark grey draw cords. For more information, please visit www.mygildan.com

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Men’s & Ladies' Rain Jacket

Premium Heavyweight Hooded Sweatshirt S&S Activewear Canada is showcasing the new Premium Heavyweight Cross-Grain Hooded Sweatshirt from Independent Trading Co. Style # IND5000P is a 22.5 oz. double ﬂeece lined hood with antique silver eyelets, tear-away woven label, and heavy duty 100% cotton shoestring drawcord with antique silver tips. Details include double ribbing side panels for stretch, reverse coverstitch sewing on all seams for durability and a premium ﬁnish, and the body and hood panels are sewn Cross-Grain to limit shrinkage & shortening after wash. Available in 5 great colours.

Don't let the weather stop you in this Rain Jacket (L02185 Men's & L02186 Ladies'). Made from 100% recycled polyester mechanical stretch, this garment features a 5000 mm waterproof rating, 1500 gsm breathability rating, wind resistant and water repellent ﬁnish. Fully seam sealed with an adjustable drawcord in hood and body hem to help keep you dry. Other details include a YKK waterproof front zipper, zippered pockets. Available in Black, Charcoal, and Navy. For more information, please contact Canada Sportswear, Tel: 416-740-8020 or visit www.canadasportswear.com

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Athleisure Leggings Let The Force (FM9025) be your new go-to leggings for sports or leisure. Made from 87% Nylon and 13% Black Spandex, these comfy leggings boast a 4-way stretch, high waist, lined gusset, hip-pockets, and are a wardrobe must-have. Suitable for a wide array of decoration techniques. Available in sizes 2XS-3XL. Contact Fersten Worldwide (800) 565-7462 or visit www.fersten.com

Columbia Fleece Quarter-Zip Pullover S&S Activewear Canada is proud to introduce the new Columbia Steens Mountain™ Fleece Quarter-Zip Pullover. Style 162019 is a stylish and versatile garment available in Black, Charcoal Heather and Collegiate Navy. Features include a 100% polyester MTR filament fleece which delivers the modern classic fit clients are looking for. For details please visit en.ca.ssactivewear.com

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AJM is excited to introduce the newest trend in the A-Class premium headwear lineup. The “Constructed Pro-Round” shape is now available in fitted sizes. With a medium profile and a slightly curved peak, this cap is only made from the highest quality materials and accessories. Styles; AC5809 (adult) & AC5809Y (youth). Both are constructed, 6 panel caps, front panels and peak are made from a Deluxe Chino Twill, while the back sections are made from a Polyester & Spandex Mesh. The patented A-Flex elasticised sweatband optimizes for a comfortable fit and is sized S/M, L/XL or Y. Both styles are available in the same 7 great colourways. For details please contact AJM International at 1-800-361-6256 or visit www.ajmintl.com

Russell Athletic Dri-Power Fleece As an inventor of the sweatshirt, Russell Athletic has continued to deliver quality fleece products for over 80 years. Our Dri-Power fleece collection features moisture-wicking technology that keeps you dry, comfortable and fresh throughout the day. Made with three-end fleece construction, these sweatshirts provide a smoother print surface for branding and are suitable for sideline and fan-wear programs. For more information, please contact Russell Athletic team at CanadaCustomerService@fotlinc.com

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Adult Pullover Hoodie Cozy up in Canada Sportswear's Adult Hoodie (L00550). Made from 70% cotton, 30% polyester ﬂeece; heather colours: 60% cotton, 40% polyester ﬂeece. Detailing includes a self fabric lined hood with drawcord, rib knit cuff and hem, a kangaroo pocket, and tear away label. This garment is DTG-friendly and available in Black, Charcoal, Forest, Gold, Grey, Maroon, Navy, Pink, Purple, Red, Royal, and White. For more information, please contact Canada Sportswear, Tel: 416-740-8020 or visit www.canadasportswear.com

Anti-Pill Polar Fleece Scarf Cheer up your day with the Amherst (FP579), a unisex anti-pill polar ﬂeece scarf with fringes. Made from 100% Polyester, this accessory is available in 9 trendy colors and is perfect to complement a fully decorated look. Ideal for embroidered logos as well as SDT transfers, laser etching, and woven label appliques. One size ﬁts most. Contact Fersten Worldwide (800) 565-7462 or visit www.fersten.com

Heavyweight Quarter Zip Cotton Sweat Jacket

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Milltex Sportswear is showcasing the Adult Heavy Weight Marled 1/4 Zip Sweat Jacket. Style 965 is constructed from Soft-Hand Fleece and features two-needle cover stitching. The 100% Cotton ﬁne surface is excellent for decorating. Detailing includes a covered YKK metal zipper and ribbing with Lycra Spandex. Available in four great heather colours in sizes: XS - 3XL.

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Women's Bergen Sherpa Fleece Vest Designed for optimum warmth and comfort in both urban and outdoor environments. This high pile bonded sherpa ﬂeece vest (style DLV-1W) is indispensable on cold weather days. The high-zip collar allows for core temperature regulation and provides a snug, comfortable ﬁt. For more information, please visit www.stormtech.ca

26 IMPRINT CANADA | January/February 2022

The comfort and contemporary styling of the new Gildan Softstyle® 980 Adult Lightweight T-Shirt make this 100% ring spun cotton piece a must-have. Featuring shoulder to shoulder tape for added durability, this style is available in sizes S-3XL and offers a palette of 14 shades, ranging from solids to heathers, making individual expression easy.

Stylish 3-in-1 Jacket The stylish, versatile men's Zermatt 3-in-1 Jacket from Trimark Sportswear will keep you ready for any weather with a critically seam-sealed outer softshell jacket that's both waterproof and breathable. Its detachable, eco-friendly inner liner is made with 30% recycled polyester sherpa ﬂeece to keep you comfy all day and can be worn on its own or layered with the outer shell for extra warmth and protection. The detachable snap-off hood is there when you need it, and the jacket's zipper pull doubles as a whistle. For more information, visit www.trimarksportswear.com

The Official Hotel Headquarters of The Western Imprint Canada Show

The Best Western Plus Calgary Centre Inn offers accommodations that are truly at the centre of it all. Our location is only minutes from The Western Imprint Canada Show as well as downtown businesses & shopping, the world famous Calgary Stampede and countless other attractions. You are the centre of our attention while you enjoy hotel amenities such as oversize rooms, free high speed Internet, free parking, large indoor pool, whirlpool and fitness centre.

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Fully-Customized Ceramic Mugs Make Your Next Promotion the Best Yet with Windmill Canada’s Fully-Customized Ceramic Mugs - Item #WC40100. Decorate these 11 oz. white ceramic mugs with a full-colour design using the latest, high-deﬁnition, digital printing technology. Add custom text, photos, and logos. The possibilities are endless!

Popular Sherpa Comes in Four Trendy Colours Ecorite’s popular B5685 Sherpa is now available in 4 colours with the new Red/Black Buffalo check and Charcoal joining Black and Navy. The perfect holiday giveaway – one size ﬁts all!

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Klean Kanteen 32 oz. Tumbler The Klean Kanteen TKWide 32oz – Loop Cap was created with versatility, portability, and performance in mind to create the best wide-mouth water bottle for sports, hydration and the outdoors. Constructed from 18/8 food-grade stainless steel, this item delivers thermal performance using non-toxic materials. Avaiable in Black or White. Visit pcna.com/en-ca for more details

Customizable Digi-Mates Martini Vispak is offering its Digi-Mates. This round phone holder is an excellent product that allows you to handle your phone with ease. Once adhered to the back of your phone, place your ﬁnger through the holder, allowing it to rest on your ﬁnger while holding your phone. Thanks to its large printing area and Digi-Mates technology, you can display your brand wherever you go, and keep your screen squeaky clean. For more information, please contact sales@martinivispak.com

RIEDEL Wine Wings New to DezineCorp! Introducing RIEDEL’s newest collection of varietal speciﬁc drinkware. Reminiscent of the wings of an aircraft (complete with winglets!) each glass has a unique curve shape that is designed to optimize the ﬂavours and aromas of the popular grape varietals each shape represents. Available in a variety of styles and sizes the Wine Wings collection will leave a lasting impression with your customers and colleagues. Please contact DezineCorp at (866) 625-7820 or visit www.dezinecorp.com

Stanley IceFlow Flip Straw Water Jugs DezineCorp introduces the Stanley® IceFlow series of water jugs – available in 40oz (M0138SSGR) and 64oz (M0139SSGR) options. These jugs ensures that you always have crisp, cold hydration at hand. Made of 18/8 stainless steel that won’t rust and is also BPA free. These double wall, vacuum insulated jugs keep drinks cold or iced for hours! Features a built-in straw. Take it where you need to go – the rugged handle and built-in fence hook provide portability & convenience. Please contact DezineCorp at (866) 625-7820 or visit www.dezinecorp.com

Arctic Zone® Backpack Cooler Arctic Zone® RPET Backpack Cooler with removable insulated sling features a padded back panel and comfortable backpack straps for easy carrying. The exterior is made from REPREVE® RPET, the world’s leading recycled ﬁber, which makes it extra eco-friendly. Through a partnership with 1% For The Planet, one per cent of sales of all EcoSmart® products are donated to environmental nonproﬁts. Visit pcna.com/en-ca for more details

The Ultimate Travel Blanket Ecorite’s new Packable Pillow Blanket – B5650 - is the perfect blanket for car trips, campouts and backyard picnics. Easily folds up into the attached pouch and becomes a pillow… adding comfort to any situation whether it’s opened or closed. For details, please visit www.ecorite.com or contact 416.636.2328

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New Tajima TMEZ Single-Head Machine Having trouble ﬁnding skilled labour? Check out the new Tajima TMEZ and train a beginner to embroider with no trouble at all! An innovative embroidery machine without manual thread tension adjustment, the TMEZ single-head embroidery machine comes with DCP – Digitally Controlled Presser Foot which enables users to control the presser foot according to the material thickness from the touch screen operating panel. Contact RB Digital today for a demo! Visit www.rbdigital.com or call (866) 688-3347.

Engrave, Mark, and Cut Metals and More

• • • •

The new Kronus Fiber laser marking machine from Embroidery Systems Canada is perfect for marking and engraving many materials that are difﬁcult or not possible on a CO2 laser engraver, and at much faster speeds. Available in 30 and 50 watt models. Mark logos and serial numbers to metal parts, add a range of coloured markings to stainless steel, even personalize the inside or outside of rings, and more. Pre-orders are being accepted now, for anticipated delivery in 2022. Call 1-888-805-8631, or visit www.embroiderysystems.com

Emblemtek Launches New Woven Labels for 2022 Woven Labels are used to identify all sorts of garments and textiles. They can feature custom logos, or details such as sizing, manufacturing content and country, or care and handling instructions. They can simply be used to promote a brand, or to convey key information. For more details, please contact info@emblemtek.com

Monarch Vivid LB Colour Mixing System • • • •

Monarch inks have a creamy texture making them perfect for automatic and manual screenprinters alike. The accurate pantone matching system is easy to use and runs on a cloud based software. The 320F cure temperature provides opaque and vibrant colours. Comes with 24 inter-mixable colours and a neutral base. For more information, contact RB Digital today at www.rbdigital.com or contact (866) 688-3347

Supplies for the Active Decorator American & Eﬁrd Canada Inc. offers its extensive range of quality products to complement its Robison Anton embroidery thread line. A&E Canada continues to offers some of the most trusted brands in the embroidery industry like: Bataboff Bobbins, Odif Sprays & Kai Scissors. Please visit www.amefird.ca or contact 514-352-4800/ 1-800-361-0787

New Generation Heat Gun The new generation Kronus Jet handheld heat gun rapidly reaches 200 degrees Celsius in a few seconds, with a lightweight, handheld design that allows for accurate control. Perfect for cleaning up embroidery projects, using embossing powder, heat shrinkable ﬁlm, clay, quick-drying paint, catalytic adhesive, shrinking PVC packaging, sealing wax, and more Call 1-888-805-8631, or visit www.embroiderysystems.com

32 IMPRINT CANADA | January/February 2022

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NINE SOCIAL MEDIA TIPS FOR 2022 CONTʼD PG 8

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