Marketing Tip of the Day: Referral Programs

To generate sales in a cost effective, why not try a referral program? You can let your customers do the selling for you!

Here’s how to create an amazing referral program:

Rule #1: Use incentives! Give the client who brings in more business for you something special such as free or discounted sessions. Or think outside the box and give them gift cards to their favorite neighborhood restaurants or movie tickets. (These types of rewards can pay off doubly – they’ll think of your business positively when they get the reward AND when they use it!) When you think about the cost of acquiring a new client, these types of perks are a bargain. Remember, when it comes to referral programs, the more you give – the more you get!

Rule #2: Give your referrers a good script to work from. Make it easy for the referrer to spread the word about your business. Come up with a quick pitch – an elevator speech - that really sells the benefits of your business. Next, make sure this phrase is EVERYWHERE – in your emails, on your flyers, coupons, and signs so that every existing customer will know it like the back of their hand. The more your clients know how to sell your business – the better they will be at bringing in new people.

Rule #3: Promote the program like crazy! Get the word out everywhere about your referral program. Think outside the box, adding it to all your various outgoing media and telling everyone who will listen about the benefits of the program. Develop a web page that lets the client enter their friend’s email addresses -- then, with the click of the mouse send out a pre-formed message promoting your business.

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The Best Novel About Office Life Ever Written

Joshua Ferris’ 2007 novel Then We Came to the End is required reading for anyone who has ever worked in an office and found themselves caught up in the day-to-day antics of that crazy family you call your co-workers.

Set at a Chicago advertising agency at the tail end of the dot.com bubble, Then We Came to the End tells the story of lay-offs, practical jokes and the general coping mechanisms we all employ to get through our day. The novel (a tremendous first effort by writer Ferris) perfectly nails the gossip, rumors and deadlines of the modern office.

Ferris knows the territory he’s covering here – he himself was a dot.com advertising copywriter who experienced all the dizzying highs and terrifying lows of that turn of the century moment when the Internet bubble burst.

The book is laugh-out-funny, and is so well-written that it appeared on hundreds of “Best Books of 2007” lists around the country.

If you’re in a cubicle as you read this blog post, you owe it to yourself to pick up a copy of Then We Came to the End.

For the best office furniture at unbelievable prices, visit www.aceofficesystems.com. Call us at 1866-964-8457. Or contact us via e-mail @ sales@aceofficesystems.com.

Five Stretching Exercises To Help Keep You Sharp While You’re At Your Desk

Chances are, you don’t have time to hit the gym in the middle of the workday, but never fear – here are some simple stretching exercises that you can do at your desk. These mini-workouts will give you extra energy, help you avoid stiffness and cramping throughout the day, and provide a peaceful balance that maintains good health!

Shoulder roll. Sit up as straight as you can, then rolls your shoulders backwards and hold the position. Now, reach behind your lower back with both hands and lock your fingers together – stretching out your chest muscles. Next, roll your shoulders forward and stick your arms out at shoulder level. Lock your fingers together with the palms facing out. Great for the upper back!

Neck stretch. Slowly move the right part of your chin towards the right side of your collar bone and hold. Repeat with the left side of the chin and the left portion of the collar bone. Repeat both sides several times. This loosens your neck muscles.

Stretch your hamstrings. Make sure that your lower back is supported, then sit back in your chair. Cup your hands under your right knee area and slowly lift your leg up towards your chest (with the knee remaining bent). Repeat with the other leg.

Shoulder shrugs. Lift your shoulders up towards your head as if shrugging them. Hold them there for a few seconds and then relax. Repeat for 3-4 minutes.

Finger stretches. Make a tight fist and hold it for 2-3 seconds. Then, open your fingers and stretch out all your digits. This exercise works to relax the hand and finger joints.

For the best office furniture at unbelievable prices, visit www.aceofficesystems.com. Call us at 1866-964-8457. Or contact us via e-mail @ sales@aceofficesystems.com.

Five Must-haves for Every Workspace

There are some office accessories that transcend all industries and work environments. Whether you’re on your own or in a Fortune 500 company, occupying the corner office or the smallest cube in the building, here are five things no working person should be without.

1. A great chair. An adjustable chair that’s built for comfort and good health is an office essential. Great chairs are the ones you actually look forward to sitting in each day, and always leave your back pain-free. If you’re sitting in an uncomfortable chair at work, stand up RIGHT NOW and get yourself the seating arrangement you deserve.

2. An In/out box system. Some people think that the old-fashioned in-box/out-box method of organization is dusty and out-of-date. Well, those people are late for meetings and behind on their projects. For efficiency at its most elegant (and low-tech), get two trays and place them on the corner of your desk. Then, just let nature take its course and you’ll get a visual representation every day of what you’ve accomplished, and what’s left to do!

3. , Highly underrated in the world of workspace health, the foot rest is nevertheless one of the best ways to stay comfortable on the job and keep your back and joints from going south. You can even get them with extra padding for more comfort when you kick off your shoes and settle in for some serious PowerPoint work.

4. A whiteboard – You never know when the next great idea is going to hit, so having a whiteboard and some colored markers (scented, of course) handy is the key to helping your next million dollar concept come to life!

5. Wildlife - Whether it’s a fern, a cactus or a Venus flytrap, every workspace should have something living in it besides you. Plants improve the air and help you relax and focus on the tasks at hand.

For even more office essentials, visit www.aceofficesystems.com where you’ll find the biggest names in office furniture and accessories at the lowest prices. Call us at 1866-964-8457. Or contact us via e-mail @ sales@aceofficesystems.com.

10 Feng Shui tips to insure peace and productivity in your office

The art and science of Feng Shui have been adhered to for centuries in the homes of well-balanced, spiritually-sound individuals from all over the world. But applying the principals of Feng Shui need not be limited to the home-front. Smart businesses everywhere have begun to utilize the principals of Feng Shui to help enhance productivity, improve worker health, and build additional prosperity.

Here are some simple Feng Shui tips for the office to get you started!

Your desk should be facing the door to your office. Never work with your back to the entranceway to the building, your office or your cube.

2. Use colorful artwork or large mirrors to “interrupt” wide spaces on plain walls. Learn the Bagua (the sectional breakdown of a space according to the Eastern principals of life and posterity) and arrange your office space accordingly

Remove clutter wherever possible. In Feng Shui terms, clutter produces negative Chi (or energy).

Choose a desk with rounded curves. The smooth curves that surround the desk enhance the spirit of creativity.

Pick prosperous colors. Reds, blues and purples are all thought to increase prosperity and happiness (and they look cool too!)

Add plants to your office space. This will enhance your connection with the natural world, even as you stay inside amongst the business world all day.

To build your essential workspace, visit http://www.aceofficesystems.com/ and select from the finest office furniture and accessories in the industry. Call us at 1866-964-8457, or contact us via e-mail @ sales@aceofficesystems.com

How to brew the perfect pot of coffee for your office

Want to know the secret to being the big cheese in your office? It’s not beating fourth-quarter sales projections, or nailing that presentation in Albuquerque…it’s the ability to craft the perfect pot of coffee for you and your coworkers!

Here are some sure-fire tips for becoming the ideal office barista:

1. Clean your materials. You wouldn’t go into surgery without properly sterilizing your tools, and you should never make coffee without cleaning your coffee maker. Scrub everything from the pot to the machine itself until they shine.

2. Don’t use tap water. Distilled or purified water make the best coffee…so don’t settle for the faucet.

3. Use cold water. The colder the water you use, the more flavorful the coffee will be.

4. Know the perfect measurements. No matter what brand or strength of coffee you are using, always use 2 level tablespoons of coffee for every 6 ounce cup of water you add.

5. Keep your coffee grounds fresh. Coffee exposed to the air loses its flavor fast. Keep your coffee grounds or beans in an air-tight container near the coffee machine.

6. Grind your own beans. Granted, not everyone has time for this, but if you can, buy whole bean coffee and then grind the desired amount right before you brew up a batch.

7. Accept praise graciously. You’re going to have a lot of fans after you start whipping up near-perfect pots of java every day. Remember, you put your pants on one leg at a time just like everyone else.

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Tips for better office lighting

Productivity and employee health are greatly influenced by the office lighting. Well-designed, well thought-out lighting makes everyone work more efficiently and feel better, while poor lighting design can be unpleasant and unhealthy for everyone concerned.

Here are some sure-fire tips for creating the perfect lighting scheme in your office:

Where you use a computer, utilize desk lamps instead of overhead lighting wherever possible. Top-down lighting represent an example of over-lighting and only adds to glare (which causes headache and eye strain).

Use indirect lighting throughout the office. Indirect lighting has been shown to improve working conditions for employees significantly. With indirect lighting you achieve better balance by sending a portion of the light down towards the workspace and some upward towards the ceiling. To achieve this effect, use a central ceiling-based light fixture.

Make sure there is no direct sunlight coming in on computer monitors. This causes significant glare which is another source of eye strain.

Keep light levels higher in cold winter months. Low levels of light during the winter months has been shown to cause Seasonal Depression Syndrome.

Remember, better light means happier, healthier employees!

To create the most productive office in your industry, visit www.aceofficesystems.com and select from the finest office furniture and equipment. Call us at 1866-964-8457, or contact us via e-mail @ sales@aceofficesystems.com