Sklar Technology Partners - December 2018

Sklar Technology Partners - December 2018

December 2018

7462 Old Hickory Drive, Mechanicsville, VA 23111 • www.sklartechnology.com • 804-730-2628

Holiday Shopping With the Expert

Give a Memorable Gift This Year

I love the holidays, partially because I am great at buying gifts. It’s a matter of pride, which is why I roll my eyes when I see the ridiculous offerings my friend Brad brings to our annual white elephant gift exchange. From nose hair trimmers to little plastic bears that roar when you fire a toy gun, he always manages to find the worst possible “gift.” I’m not sure if this is some twisted humor or if he’s just really bad at buying gifts. In honor of Brad’s terrible gift-giving, each winter I like to bring you some examples of excellent gifts. If you need some tips for your holiday shopping, consider a few of these quality items. Chemex Pour-Over Glass Coffeemaker I’m a coffee aficionado, always looking for better ways to enjoy my morning brew. Great coffee takes a little extra time, and the Chemex Pour-Over Glass Coffeemaker gives fresh coffee grounds time to bloom, releasing the best flavors as you pour the hot water by hand.The grounds are evenly soaked and you get to enjoy the most flavorful coffee of your life. This glass coffeemaker even looks like a piece of art. When you pair it with the Chemex filters, it becomes essential for your 3 p.m. coffee fix. Hestra Winter Mittens My son got the Hestra ski gloves not long ago, but even with the army-grade gloves, his fingers were still getting cold.This is because it doesn’t matter how impressive the gloves are, when your fingers are separated, your hands get cold. Here’s where the mittens come in.Your thumbs are free to move, but

your fingers remain snugly bundled together, keeping your hands nice and toasty. Plus, Hestra gloves and mittens use top-of-the-line materials you can trust while skiing down a mountain. KMC 6-Outlet Surge Protector A surge protector isn’t flashy, but anyone who receives this gift will wonder how they managed to live without it.This particular surge protector has three outlets lining both sides and two USB ports right in the front.The surge protector also has two tiny shelves built in that you can rest your smartphone on while it’s charging.This is really handy when you’re traveling with family. No more fighting over limited hotel outlets! And the whole thing is so small that you can fit it in your carry-on. Tumi Alpha 2 Suitcase Did you know you could love your luggage? I didn’t. Not until I got the Tumi Alpha 2 International Carry- On.This suitcase is amazing.The quality of it cannot be overstated. It rolls super nicely, the zipper pockets are easily accessible, a suit bag can fit perfectly inside, and everything stays in place. It’s like a work of art. I love this bag so much that I also got the hangers, which snap easily inside the bag, and the Tumi Alpha Bravo Slim laptop bag.These bags really change the way you travel. Garmin Fenix 5X Sapphire Watch A holiday gift list isn’t complete without some technology.This year, I’m singing the praises of the Garmin Fenix 5X Sapphire watch. If you want an amazing piece of technology, Garmin has you covered.

This smartwatch has everything. It syncs to your phone, monitors your vitals, offers breathing exercises when you’re stressed out, and has a crazy-long battery life. I also hear that it’s pretty handy on the golf course. Best of all, it looks cool. These are just a few of my favorite gift suggestions from the past year and, as always, they’re available on Amazon for those who don’t want to deal with the mall crowds. I hope these suggestions help you find the perfect gift this holiday season. Let’s be honest — no one should have to unwrap a nose hair trimmer. “In honor of Brad’s terrible gift-giving, each winter I like to bring you some examples of excellent gifts.”

Happy holidays!

–Randy Sklar

A REFERRAL IS THE HIGHEST FORM OF FLATTERY. WHEN A CLIENT REFERS FRIENDS AND ASSOCIATES TO US, IT REPRESENTS AN APPRECIATION OF A JOB WELL-DONE. IF YOUR FRIENDS OR ASSOCIATES COULD BENEFIT FROM OUR SERVICES, I’D BE HONORED TO HAVE YOUR REFERRAL!

CHOOSING THE RIGHT

DELIVER A ‘WOW’

CHARITY

How Your Business Can Give Back the Right Way We believe that small businesses can have a positive impact on local communities and the wider world.A successful charity campaign can make a world of difference for people in need, especially over the holidays. But not all charitable organizations are created equal, and supporting the wrong organization can do more harm than good. Here are some tips on finding the best fit for your business.

3 Direct Mail Marketing Campaigns You Won’t Forget

Marketing is hard. If anyone could do it, there wouldn’t be a hundred self-help books claiming to hold the secret to marketing success. Fortunately, we have the answers you seek! Or, at least, we have one very good piece of advice you can’t ignore. Here are a few examples of excellent direct mail marketing. See if you can guess what they have in common. Precrumpled for Your Convenience Here’s a piece of direct mail we received at our office that we were pretty impressed with. A company that specializes in custom shirts sent Randy a sales letter and some fabric swatches. The letter itself was wrinkled up, and the eye-catching header read, “In order to save you time, we have precrumpled this paper to make it easier to throw away. Before you toss it, please use the extra seconds we have saved you to read about our offer.” LavOnline’s Tomato Splat LavOnline is an Italian-based laundry company. Eager to boost their business, LavOnline cultivated a list of 1,000 prospective clients and sent them each a small box with a tomato-shaped stress ball inside. The box unfolded into the shape of a white T-shirt, and recipients were invited to “splat” the tomato onto the shirt. The delightful, interactive ad worked wonders. Thirty-two percent of the target customers signed up, and LavOnline’s website saw a 15 percent increase in traffic overall. Earth Hour’s Candle Box Every year, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) organizes Earth Hours. This massive event aims to make people more aware of their energy use by turning off their lights for one hour. To encourage large companies to participate, the WWF sent yellow candles to several CEOs in 2010. The candles came in a box that looked like a tall office building with silhouettes of people in the windows.When the yellow candle was removed, it looked like the lights in the “building” were being turned off, floor by floor. The campaign was so memorable, corporate support for Earth Hour rose 260 percent that year. These are just a few examples of successful direct mail marketing campaigns, but the lesson can be implemented across all platforms: Don’t be boring. It doesn’t matter if you are using email, billboards, or Google AdWords. You aren’t the only person trying to get your clients’ attention, so make sure you’re the most memorable. Talk about a great hook.

Align Missions

When narrowing down the thousands of local and national charities you have to choose from, comparing the mission statements of these organizations to your own is a great place to start. Charities that align with or complement your own goals as a business are natural partners. Still, while matching big-picture goals is a great start, you also need to make sure your chosen organization aligns with the heart and soul of your business: your employees and customers.

Find Human Connections

The most powerful charity work your business can support is a cause that stems from the needs and passions of people connected to your work. Maybe a member of your team lives with a disability or a significant number of your customers face social, cultural, or economic challenges. Putting time, money, and effort into supporting a reputable organization that helps the people and communities connected to your business is one of the best ways to show you care.

Check Credentials

Good intentions only go so far.To really make your charity efforts count and ensure your donations are used appropriately, you need to do some research.Thankfully, organizations like the Better Business Bureau, CharityWatch, and GuideStar.org keep >Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5

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