The Platform

Referrals are wonderful! Thank you Wyteria!

Recently we received an order from Tollens Office Supply, and Max Tollens told me that he was referred to The Platform Group Gallery by Wyteria Jacobo of iPROMOTEu- WLB Enterprises. 

I thanked Wyteria for the referral....

Allison,

You're welcome. I sent a message about your company to my entire email discussion group so hopefully, you'll start getting more orders from them.

My order came quicker than I expected,too. I think it was 2 days after you sent me the email about shipping. I blogged about it on Promotional Advice.

Kind regards,

--
Wyteria Jacobo
An Independent iPROMOTEu Affiliate

WLB Enterprises
Innovative Marketing Strategies. Tangible Results.

.....It came on a Saturday and I've been on cloud nine ever since. I wasn't even expecting it so soon! What am I talking about? My very own eco-friendly portfolio from my favorite supplier of "green" packaging, The Platform Gallery. If you haven't clicked on my link below to view the entire line of presentation materials, do it now. Here's the link: My Eco Friendly Package Site. I use the portfolio on my sales calls because it looks more professional than if I carried loose papers in my briefcase. Plus, it's imprinted with my business name so I can keep my name in front of clients when I leave it with them. Similar products have been used as press kits, media kits, sales kits for new distributors and to introduce new services. Clicking on case studies on the website will pull up even more uses. You gotta get one so you can see what I'm talking about. If you need help deciding which one is best for your next campaign, just call me at 321-277-4734 or shoot me an email at wlb.creativemarketing@gmail.com.

Support for Communities in Schools Houston

For years The Platform Group Gallery has supported Communities in Schools Houston with time and product donations.  Please consider learning more about this national drop-out prevention organization that is dedicated to providing support to students in-need, teachers and parents.  Here is just one example of the spectacular work done by Communities in Schools Houston. 

At only age 9, Rene faced life circumstances that threated to overwhelm him.  He wasn't doing well in school and other kids made cruel remarks about the clothes he wore to school and his stutter.

You see, Rene lived with his grandmother, and they barely got by.  His mother was serving time for drug possession, and he had never known his father.  There were times when Rene and his grandmother had no electricity, and eviction notices were common.  Despite being hungry and tired, Rene went to school every day and did his best.

A caring teacher noticed that Rene was withdrawn and was being teased by the other students.  She referred him to the Communities in Schools office on the campus, and the project manager immediately contacted Rene and his grandmother.  She put Rene's grandmother in touch with several local organizations that could help with electricity, rent and food. And because of the generosity of CIS donors, the project manager was able to provide Rene with school supplies, a backpack, and clothing to wear to school from the CIS Emergency Fund.

Over the last 29 years, CIS has encountered thousands of Rene's.  And because of generous, caring people like you, we've been able to give them the assistance they've needed to succeed in school and prepare for life.

Communities in Schools can't do it alone.  Please consider becoming a Communities in Schools partner at one of the levels below.  Event a small gift makes a big impact!

Schools Supplies:  For as little as $5/month you can provide a child with school supplies for an entire year.

Dental Care: For just $9 / month you can provide a child with a complete cleaning, dental exam and x-rays.

Emergency Fund: For $13 / month you can provide a child with basic emergency needs such as food, clothing or shelter.

Complete Services: For $19 / month you can provide a child with the full array of CIS services, including school supplies, dental care and emergency assistance for an entire year.

VISIT CIS Houston's and Click the DONATE NOW BUTTON.

Vote for The Platform Group Gallery

Vote for The Platform Group Gallery (asi 78708, ppai 216134, upic platform) in Corporate Logo's annual Best of Business 2008 survey.

Vote for best Customer Service, best Overall, best Service Providers, best Innovative Products.  Thank you!

The Platform Group Gallery makes galleryboard packaging - an ecologically friendly line of press kits, binders, gift boxes, mailers and accessories, including custom cut foam inserts.  Every item in the galleryboard packaging line is made from 100% recycled content and dyed with chlorine-free colors.  Choose from over 300 stock items or ask us to design a custom item for your program.  We make everything in our U.S. plant and ship quickly. 

All items can be imprinted up to 6 colors with screen printing (great for PMS Pantone colors), digital vignette printing (perfect for cmyk in low-runs), offset (spectacular for half-tones and cmyk) and blind debossing.  Our customer service team is spectacular - provides firm pricing (which you can also check 24/7 online) for items and freight -- and easy to read art proofs and pre-press -- there are no surprises. 

The Platform Group Gallery has been a trust advertising specialty supplier for 10 years and we provide a host of spectacular distributor support tools.

Allison Gower featured on Millionaire Mom Radio

Allison Gower, the President and co-founder of The Platform Group Gallery (manufacturer of ecologically friendly galleryboard promotional packaging) and President and co-founder of qtags (mobility marketing made simple) was featured on Joyce Bone's Millionaire Mom radio show.  Download interview -Download mm_gower_sisters_05192008.MP3

Joyce's Millionaire Mom site focuses on the art of raising a family and a business at the same time!  Millionaire Mom is the source for moms to get together, network, be inspired and learn about building your own successful business in a fun and uplifting environment. Members of our site are moms just like you who strive to juggle their number one priority--their families--with their desire to have a successful business they can call their own. We are women who have figured out that the corporate environment doesn't fit into our vision of how we want to raise our family. We need flexibility because, let's face it, life with children is unpredictable. At Millionaire Mom, we embrace and support you. We understand your unique challenges, excitement and courage as you strive to create the right balance for your family. Our goal is to create successful entrepreneurs, one family at a time.

Allison was featured on the show alongside her sister Rachel Gower who is the President and co-founder of The Upper Hand Salons, and a noted fashion / beauty expert consulted by Gayle King and Oprah!

First Impressions

Thank you to Promotion Commotion for such a kind endorsement.

I've mentioned these products before but I think it's worth mentioning again.  I just received my order from The Platform Gallery and I am TOTALLY impressed and extremely pleased by the quality

First of all, they have an excellent customer service staff (thanks, Mencily).  CEO Allison Gower has a great business model.  I think any distributor who reads this should definitely check out their product, and every person looking for professional looking, high quality, exceptional impression-generating press kits, media kits or packaging should check out the link above.  You just can't go wrong with these 100% recycled fiberboard products.  I can't wait to visit clients and present them with my package containing my information and a few catalogs.

Here are some CASE STUDIES you must check out. Both sides of the material is printable.

They did this press kit for the Dallas Mavericks.

If you'd like a free sample for your upcoming project, just email  PROMO and we will be happy to set you up.  We have experts who can help you with your design.

Ideas are limited only by your imagination!

Thanks, Allison and crew!!

I've mentioned these products before but I think it's worth mentioning again.  I just received my order from The Platform Gallery and I am TOTALLY impressed and extremely pleased by the quality

First of all, they have an excellent customer service staff (thanks, Mencily).  CEO Allison Gower has a great business model.  I think any distributor who reads this should definitely check out their product, and every person looking for professional looking, high quality, exceptional impression-generating press kits, media kits or packaging should check out the link above.  You just can't go wrong with these 100% recycled fiberboard products.  I can't wait to visit clients and present them with my package containing my information and a few catalogs.

Here are some CASE STUDIES you must check out. Both sides of the material is printable.

They did this press kit for the Dallas Mavericks.

If you'd like a free sample for your upcoming project, just email  PROMO and we will be happy to set you up.  We have experts who can help you with your design.

Ideas are limited only by your imagination!

Thanks, Allison and crew!!

Lead through Listening - Promotional Consultant Today

The Platform Group Gallery - featuring ecologically friendly GalleryBoard Packaging is a proud sponsor of PPAI's Promotional Consultant newsletter. 

Today's issue  - Lead through Listening - outlines how to be more effective in your business dealings by truly listening to your customers, suppliers and employees.

Dad was waiting in the parking lot at the usual time. As the basketball players left the gym, he noticed his 10-year-old's head hanging low. When his son jumped in the car, and slammed the door, the father asked, "How was practice?" The boy replied, "I hate my coach."

This kind of response did not sit well with Dad. Three thoughts rushed to his head, all fighting to be delivered in a correcting tone. First, "I've taught you not to speak so disrespectfully about any coach or adult."  Second, "Are you kidding? This guy is a great coach -- one of the best."  Third, "Do you have any idea how hard I worked to make sure you were placed on this guy's team?" 
     For some reason, Dad chose not to speak any of those condemning thoughts, and instead three words came out of his mouth, perhaps three of the best words he'd ever accidentally said: "Tell me more." 
     His son went on to explain the events that took place during practice. Dad knew he wasn't getting the whole story yet, so he added, "What else happened?" Eventually -- and it took a little while -- the son admitted getting side-tracked during practice, and getting caught goofing off during one of the drills and was reprimanded for it.
     In the final analysis, his young son was so embarrassed by the coach's reprimand in front of the other players that it led him to declare, "I hate my coach."

Missing The Mark
    Dad's first, second and third thoughts -- if delivered immediately -- would have missed the mark by a mile. They were totally irrelevant in view of the facts, which would never have been revealed if he'd blurted out his all-knowing speech.
     He had been guilty more than once of jumping the gun with a quick response, but he learned so much more on this occasion with just three little words: "Tell me more." 
     The complete story gave him much more insight into his son, how he thinks and how he reacts.
    As a business leader, you have the same responsibility a dad has to his son -- listen, get the facts, determine the problem, and help resolve the situation.
     Today and tomorrow Promotional Consultant Today will look at the art of listening. When it comes to sharing thoughts, feelings and advice about an event or business problem, there are two very different types of personalities. Today we'll explore how to deal with the Fast-Twitch Responder. 

The Fast-Twitch Responder
    Some people tend to think their thoughts out loud for everyone to hear -- often in a very blunt fashion -- then they do the editing in public, too. They may say, "Here's what I really mean", or, "Let me rephrase that."  They might revise their initial version of the facts several times.
     Typically, the fast-twitch responder quickly offers the information you're seeking so it may seem as though very little patience is required on your part.
     They don't make you wait very long, yet if you immediately jump in with your assumptions drawn and conclusions blazing, you will be making a mistake. This conversation is a work-in-progress for this quick responder, and it's far more prudent for you to deliver a well-timed, "Tell me more" or "---and then what?" 
     The additional information you receive next will be worth the wait, as feelings and thoughts become clearer in the mind of this type of personality.
     Tomorrow we'll look at the Slow-Twitch Responder.

     Source: David Benzel is an author and speaker in leadership and creating peak performance. As the founder of Winning Ways, he has worked with organizations including Allstate Insurance, Sprint/Nextel and The Villages. He is the author of the upcoming, Chump to Champ: How Individuals Go From Good to Great.

On-Demand Virtual Samples on ThePlatformGroupGallery.com

Announcing -- 24/7, On-Demand Virtual Samples -- available at ThePlatformGroupGallery.com

1. Choose the item
2. Click the item detail page by clicking on the thumbnail image
3. Choose the green virtual sample rectangle button

A new window will open and you will be prompted to choose colors & upload art.  You can save jpg's to forward. 

Let me know what you think! 

                                           

 

A word about Rosalie Marcus and The Promo Biz Coach

Those who know me know that I became a word-of-mouth marketing evangelist a couple of years ago when my company became one of the leading member of the then brand-new WOMMA organization. At the very first WOMMA conference I attended, Seth Godin was a keynote speaker and he said something that rocked my world.  He said --

To be successful, you must become 'remarkable' - and that means making your product (service....self...) worth REMARKING UPON....

Common sense right?  Yes - - but how powerful if you can actually do it.  Make your product, yourself, your site, your line, your service so great that someone (a customer perhaps?) goes out of his or her way to talk about you to someone else - to make a remark about you.

Rosalie Marcus and her Promo Biz Coach service network is remarkable. She provides a network of support and advice and just plain common-sense to a host of professionals who are looking to take it to the next level.  She works honestly with suppliers and associations throughout the industry guiding them to provide better services for her client-base and beyond and she helps us all take it up a notch.   

As an industry supplier [The Platform Group Gallery 78708 / 216134 / platform] I have found my relationship with Rosalie Marcus, the Promo Biz Coach network and her other ventures to be remarkable.

After participating in Rosalie's workshop and her marketing programs my company received DOZENS of inquiries and many orders from promotional products distributors who did not previously know of The Platform Group Gallery.  And those folks told others & they told more!  We continually hear 'I heard of you from Rosalie!".

Rosalie Marcus delivers a spectacular, interested and motivated audience and provides insight, knowledge and advise that has grown my business in 2007 and will continue to contribute to its success in 2008 and beyond. 

Get to know her.

Rosalie Marcus The Promo Biz Coach(tm)
The better, faster and easier way
to boost your promotional products business!
Get a free special report: How To Attract
Promotional Products Business in 30 Seconds or Less at...
http://www.promobizcoach.com
Rosalie@promobizcoach.com
215-572-6766/877-570-6766

All About The Platform Group Gallery

The Platform Group Gallery makes spectacular, environmentally-friendly packaging specifically designed for advertising and promotional programs. Our line, GalleryBoard Packaging features over 300 Press Kits, Binders, Folders, Mailers, Gift Boxes and Desk Accessories. 

Every item in the GalleryBoard Packaging line is GREEN; made from 100% recycled content fiberboard and chlorine-free top-sheets.

We manufacture GalleryBoard Packaging in our own facility in Houston, source the majority of our raw material inputs from the U.S., have our own employees and provide better than market benefits and wages.

The Platform Group Gallery markets GalleryBoard Packaging to promotional product professionals. We  aggressively protect and support our Resellers with spectacular sales tools.  The tools include -

• Referral Program which matches ALL end-user and agency leads to a participating professional products distributor
• End-user advertising via Google AdWords and other programs to generate end-user / agency interest and grow revenue for referral resellers
• Self Promotion programs for accredited resellers
• Distributor Branded GalleryBoard Packaging printed catalogs for accredited resellers
• Distributor Branded GalleryBoard Packaging web-site catalog for accredited resellers
• ON-Demand no charge virtual sample service -- online, 24/7 ability to choose an item, upload art and save a jpg for your client's review  [NEW in March 2008!) **

You can find information about The Platform Group Gallery in trade publications for promotional products professionals, (including ASI Central, SAGE, PPB and Promotional Consultant magazines and newsletters), at industry service provider forums (like Rosalie Marcus' PromoBiz coach blog), at promotional products trade-shows (including the PPAI Expo and New Product Resource Directories), in industry networking groups like ASI Social Networking and in popular networking forums like FaceBook and Linked In.

The Platform Group Gallery was founded in 1997 as 101 Products LLC and was initially intended to supply stylish home-office organization products to retailers across the U.S.  The co-founders, Allison Gower (President) and Jeremy Konko (Vice President) saw an opportunity to build a line that paired 'European style' with U.S. functionality and cost-effectiveness and had spent months researching home-office storage across England, France, Italy, Germany and beyond. In the 1997 Back-To-School Season Allison and Jeremy launched the d1mensions line (featuring Hanging File Boxes, Magazine Files, CD Storage and more office accessories) at retail trade-shows.  Within months the d1mensions line was being shipped to College Bookstores, Art & Specialty stores, and most amazingly had won full-door distributor from Target.  The founders built inventory and warehouse space to support the Target orders that averaged upwards of $1,500,000 annually and the line performed well in that retailer for most than two years.  Unfortunately after four successful seasons and after proving the revenue potential of a stylish home-office line, Target decided to source like products from Asia and dropped the U.S. made d1mensions line.  Not only were the founders left with hundreds of thousands of dollars of inventory made specifically for Target, but they also faced a space lease way beyond what they would need to service the remaining customer base.

Allison and Jeremy quickly redesigned their manufacturing, design and marketing operations to join the quickly growing promotional products industry.  They re-purposed d1mensions into GalleryBoard Packaging and created items to support corporate and agency marketing and promotional programs.  The Platform Group Gallery became accredited by both ASI and PPAI in 1999.  Allison lived on the promotional road, exhibiting at (almost) every national and regional ASI and PPAI shows as well as traveling mini-regional shows.  Jeremy burned the midnight oil configuring operational processes to meet and exceed the timeline demands of the promotional industry.

Today, The Platform Group Gallery is a trusted supplier, renowned for customer service and spectacular support programs.  The company offers over 300 items that are specifically designed for Advertising programs, offers (4) different imprint methods, drop-ships to clients across the U.S. and the World and is 100% configured to aggressively support professional products resellers and their corporate clients.

In 2007, The Platform Group Gallery was named to the Houston Fast 100.  We work everyday to provide better service to our resellers and their clients, to expand our line to reflect new marketing approaches and to integrate state of the art technology into our service, marketing and support systems.

Our team of employes loves working with you and thanks you for your business & support.

Promotion Commotion

I cannot say enough about how helpful a blog can be for your business.  It is a great way to talk to your clients & their clients, providing up-to-the minute ideas and resources.  It is like having your own radio show and getting to choose the topics and guests.

Webbmar, a specialist in the promotional products industry, has a blog called Promotion Commotion. The blog links to their corporate promotional products site and also provides insightful information on industry trends and suppliers.  This is a super example of how to use a blog to provide resources and info!

Look for information about The Platform Group Gallery on their blog -- and more from other trusted industry suppliers.