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Cooley Group, Inc. wins PEAK Award

Mon, 14 May 2012 14:32:53 -0500

Cooley Group, Inc. wins PEAK Award from Print Services & Distribution Association

The Print Service Distribution Association ( PSDA) selected Cooley Group, Inc. as the Grand Winner in the Best Collaboration between Distributor and Vendor partner category of the 2012 PEAK Awards.

Cooley Group, Inc. won this prestigious industry award for the entry of its Self-Promo pURL campaign, promoting its 2011 Vendor Fair in its East Syracuse, NY office. Cooley partnered with Printco, Inc., of Omro, WI to produce and execute a variable data campaign to promote an event where its customers could meet vendor representatives and discuss new opportunities.

“Having our work recognized by the Print Services & Distribution Association is an honor,” said Jim Bonaventura, Cooley Executive Vice President. “It is especially rewarding that, as founding members of the association nearly 60 years ago, our work is still being affirmed as a commitment to producing excellent work with cutting edge ideas.”

The Award will be presented to Cooley Group, Inc. at PSDA’s 2012 Print Solutions Conference and Expo in Baltimore, MD on June 5, 2012.

Learn more about Cooley Group at www.cooleybrand.com

HOW DOES YOUR EMPLOYEE WELLNESS PROGRAM MEASURE UP?

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 07:53:51 -0500

“UP 2,3,4- DOWN 2,3,4”

HOW DOES YOUR EMPLOYEE WELLNESS PROGRAM MEASURE UP?

Employee wellness programs that promote healthy exercise and eating habits can be just as beneficial to the employer as to the employee. If you offer incentives for your employees to get healthier- quitting smoking, losing weight, or reducing stress for example- you benefit from a healthier workforce, with less absenteeism due to illness.

In addition, you may be eligible for reduced health care premiums from your insurance provider. You can also experience a significant ROI on the cost of your wellness programs. A 2011 report issued by the Incentive Research Foundation (IRF) found that corporate wellness programs have shown savings-to-cost ratios of $3 for each dollar invested. It’s a 3:1 ROI that companies can take to the bank. Further, companies that provide employee incentives (including promotional products, company stores or corporate gifts) as part of a wellness program appear to earn the best ROI of all.

With the passage of national health-care reform in 2010, businesses gained a greater incentive to offer employee wellness programs. Most apparently, by 2014, companies will be able to offer rewards of up to 30% of the total cost of an employee’s insurance coverage. For a single person’s policy, the reward increase will average $483 annually, while family policies will earn an employer credit of about $1,300 each year.

Companies will also have access to free government-provided educational wellness tools like Web portals and call centers. The Department of Health and Human Services will be additionally charged with conducting periodic national surveys to measure chronic disease prevention and the effects of promotional wellness programs – a clear benefit to firms with smaller staffs.

The Brand Consultants at The Cooley Group can help you navigate through the myriad of options to help you shape up your employee health and wellness program. Promoting your employee’s good health and healthy habits will bring you long lasting benefits.

It's Flu Season

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 07:08:32 -0600

It’s Flu Season/It’s Trade Show Season........

Are you looking for a Cost-effective promotional handout that everyone uses and enjoys receiving? Look no further. Order branded Anti-Bacterial Hand Sanitizer from your Cooley Brand Consultant today. Your clients/prospects will appreciate receiving this healthy gift, which can be prominently decorated with your logo and marketing message. This product is an effective promotion anytime, but especially so as a trade show handout, since it will be used IMMEDIATELY…and then time and time again in the ensuing weeks and months. What better way to promote personal health and advance your brand image at the same time!

HAND SANITIZER is available in a wide variety of sizes and styles:

From 10ml up to 16 oz…and even larger
Spray plastic bottles
Spray Pens [with and without Pocket Clips]
Credit Card sized Spray containers
Gel Squeeze bottles
Gel Pump Dispensers

Wipes [individual or multi-sheet packages]

EMBELLISHMENTS such as Clips, Carabiners, Key-Ring Chains, Neoprene Sleeves and Pouches can help to make this item VERY user-friendly. These attachments allow the product to be hung from Lanyards, Tote Bags, Purses, Briefcases, Key Rings, Belt loops and shirt Pockets. And mini sizes, even without attachments, are perfect for pocket, purse, briefcase, bag and car amenities compartment storage.

HAND SANITIZER can be decorated in 1-4 color; and have ample area to imprint your Corporate Branding Message.

HAND SANITIZER is available in a variety of aromas. And most have a moisturizing component such as aloe. If a sanitizing MOISTURIZING LOTION is desired, that also is available. Also, while most Hand Sanitizers are alcohol based, effective Alcohol-Free options are attainable.

IMPORTANT FACTS: to be EFFECTIVE and SAFE Hand Sanitizer must be properly formulated in clean and rigidly monitored manufacturing environments. And if alcohol based, the sanitizer must contain at least 60% alcohol. Most of the Hand Sanitizer that we sell is USA Made and therefore comes under the watchful eye of the FDA. However, there are some products that are imported. With imported product it is critical that EVERY batch coming onto the production floor is BATCH TESTED. This assures Proper, Effective formulation, and ensures Product Safety for our clients. The bottom line is that you must know who you’re dealing with.

You can trust that your Cooley Brand Consultant will only deal with high quality suppliers who meet and exceed the safety and efficacy requirements of this product. Image is everything – you can trust that Cooley will always have you and your image in mind.

Whether it’s HAND SANITIZER or another of our unique promotional products, your Cooley Brand Consultant can help you to achieve maximum brand exposure.

WHY COOLEY?

IMPRESSIVE SELECTION. UNPARALLELED SERVICE.

Color Trends for 2012

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 07:26:09 -0600

As your team of Brand Consultants, we keep current on a variety of trends to help you stay ahead of the curve. As you plan your marketing efforts for 2012, contact Cooley for the most unique and popular opportunities to have your marketing strategies incorporate the latest trends. Here’s an idea of the colors to watch for in 2012…

With each change of season, new color palettes emerge. Do you ever wonder who determines these trends?

These new colors seem to be prominent everyplace we look. Each manufacturer decided a long time ago what colors to present in this season’s designs, but they are all similar.

There are two organizations recognized for identifying the current trends in color. They are Pantone and the Color Marketing Group. A couple of times each year, they gather a panel of color experts from various industries. They analyze which colors will be most attractive to the general population. This is where color forecasting has become a science.

They understand the psychology of color and how it will influence which colors will be most attractive to the public. These factors include current events, politics, the economy, world issues, global and cultural influences. The panels then determine which colors will be the most pleasing to the largest segment of the population.

Our first glimpse of these color trends is usually seen on the fashion runway. As a result, we see these new colors incorporated into every aspect of our world, from textiles to plastics. We ultimately purchase items that are readily available in these color schemes and can easily be incorporated into our environments.

Today’s Trends:

“Green” has taken on multiple meanings honoring all things that grow and provide nourishment. Pantone 14-0116 Margarita is a shade of green that will dominate this Spring.

“Earthy Neutrals” are apparent with subtle hues of grays and warm browns. Think of a jar of pebbles or grains and dried grasses. Pantone 16-1120 Starfish is a top neutral color for 2012.

“Blues” also honor our appreciation of the most precious resource, water. These tones reflect glaciers, tranquil waters and clear blue skies. Denim is also making a comfortable comeback. Several pantone shades will be popular: 19-3953 Sodalite Blue, 14-5320 Cockatoo are top shades of blue for Spring 2012.

“Red” is the color of passion and gives us a taste of glamour and an escape from the ordinary. This year’s favorites come alive with tones of burning fire and glowing embers. Bright orange and deep purples. Tangerine Tango, Pantone 17-1463 will be a very hot color this year.

Your Brand Consultants at Cooley have many products to show you that will incorporate these colors into your Marketing plans.

Cooley Gives Back

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 08:45:54 -0600

Happy New Year!

As the Cooley Group, Inc., enters our 67^th year as a company, we want to extend our heartfelt appreciation to our customers for a successful 2011 campaign. It may sound like a ‘cliché’, but we could not have done it without you….THE CUSTOMER. Despite a slow economy nationwide, the Cooley Group, Inc. has managed to deliver steady growth. Like all successful organizations we ‘crunch’ numbers and analyze our ‘bottom line’ to determine what is needed to maintain and expand our growth into 2012. However, an area that does not show up in the year end accounting books is the wonderful generosity exhibited by the employees of the Cooley Group. Throughout 2011, countless hours and material goods were donated to various charities and non-profit organizations. This was done in a very quiet and low keyed manner, with the emphasis squarely directed on helping groups and individuals in need.

The strength of a company resides in its people and the Cooley Group has been blessed with employees of great character. Their ability to give back to their respective communities is a recognition of their own good fortunes and the sense of responsibility to donate in some small way. With our five offices across New York State, we have supported many of the organizations you see below and in 2012 we have already earmarked several organizations to support once again:

American Cancer Society
American Heart
Salvation Army
Hospice
Habitat for Humanity
Big Brothers Big Sisters
Food Pantries
Upstate Cerebral Palsy
March of Dimes
Vera House
Little Leagues
Athletic Booster Clubs
Veteran’s Outreach Center
Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts
Youth Sports
Religious Organizations

Do you need help with your 2012 Fundraising efforts? Are you looking to increase participation in one of this year's events? Are you looking to automate your 'Save the Date' and 'Response' postcards through the use of digital printing and email campaigns?

Contact your Cooley Brand Consultant today to learn how to make your event a HIT in 2012. At Cooley-We practice what we preach!

http://www.fundraisingsuccessmag.com/webinar

Paper or Plastic? Maybe Neither?

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 09:55:56 -0600

As reported in our blog of July 5, 2011, there has been an increasing trend nationwide in eliminating or taxing the use of plastic bags and paper bags in the retail forum. This movement has been in the works for several years originating in Seattle, Washington and has been made into a law in a number of cities around the United States. Retail establishments, municipalities, environmentalists and a number of other advocacy groups are firmly in support of this but has met considerable resistance from the plastic bag industry who has launched petition drives to abolish this proposed law.

Whether you are in favor or against this new movement, the trend will eventually lead us to more reusable bags in all facets of the retail community. Grocery stores will require you to provide your own bags or the option to purchase one of theirs. Paper bags in retail stores will incur a cost which ultimately will be passed on to the consumer and eventually will be replaced once again with a reusable product.

How does this affect all of us? As a consumer, your buying and packaging habits will forever be changed. Walking into a store with your own reusable bag will become commonplace and there will be a greater opportunity for stores and businesses to promote their name and establishments on these bags.

How can Cooley help you? We offer a variety of reusable and recyclable bags in numerous shapes, colors and designs that will comply with these new laws. We can help your business brand your name effectively and allow you to be ahead of your competition by offering this product today. Let Cooley incorporate this product into your total brand program for 2012. We are here to help. Cooley- Brand New!

In Memoriam- C.E. "Scoop" Cooley- 1900-1984

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:52:13 -0600

December 19^th marks the anniversary of the death of our founder and namesake, C.E. “Scoop” Cooley. There are only a handful of current Cooley employees who ever met Scoop, but those of us who were fortunate enough to work for him directly have many stories about Scoop- some fond, and some not !

Scoop began his career working for George Eastman’s Kodak Newspaper, The Kodakery, in the early 20's. Eventually, he joined the business forms company, The Gilman Fanfold Company. To no one’s surprise who knew Scoop, he became the manager of the Rochester Office, and one of the entire company’s leading salesmen. In 1945, Gilman was merged with their parent company and Scoop, ever the entrepreneur, left and started the Cooley Company. The rest is history.

Scoop was instrumental in starting the National Business Forms Association, and was one of the first Presidents of that organization. Among his many accomplishments was the establishment of Cooley as one of the very first employee- owned companies, as a way to pass ownership to them after his retirement.

Scoop was also one of the first business owners to fight for their rights under the restraint of trade provisions of the Sherman Anti-Trust act. He did so when the major manufacturers tried to keep the independent distributors out of the business forms market in the late 40’s.

But to those of us who knew him, Scoop was completely different. He signed the checks, and his vision gave hundreds of employees an opportunity to make their own destiny. He was a task master, and even more so after a liquid lunch at the Brighton. Altho small in stature, “Mr. Cooley wants to talk to you in his office” could strike terror in even the largest of salesmen.

Scoop had a plaque on his desk that clearly identified his perfect salesman. It read

“Our Company Prefers Married Salesmen- Because They Already Know How To Take Orders”.

That was his hiring profile for years- salesmen were to be just that- men, married, sole income earner for the family ( gave them extra motivation), college educated at top- notch universities ( knew the value of hard work), and experienced in sales. Clearly old school, Scoop turned his people loose and expected them to provide a profitable return on his investment.

With Scoop’s passing in 1984, ownership of Cooley passed to the employees, and a new era was born, and the company continues today as Cooley Group, Inc. Many changes have occurred (we now have a sales staff that’s nearly 50-50 men and women), but one constant remains- Scoop Cooley’s insistence on excellence. Now, over 65 years later, we have evolved into a diverse and dynamic company- without sacrificing the independent vision imbued by our founding father.

So here’s to you, Clarence! Thank you from all of us for the opportunities we have. It couldn’t have been done without you.

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 07:48:39 -0600

LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW!

Meteorologists call it La Nina. Al Gore calls it Global Warming Climate Change. Here in Syracuse- the undisputed snow capital of New York State, we call it WONDERFUL! As of December 15^th, we had received exactly .7” of snow at the airport. In the last 257 days. And for those of you still waiting for the winter snowfall contest winner to be announced…well, you’ll just have to wait while our snow shovels collect cobwebs.

This is an extremely extraordinary weather pattern for Central New York. And we don’t expect it to last much longer. Those of us who haven’t yet gotten ready for the snow and arctic cold can take the extra time to assess their lack of planning.

Have you done an assessment of how ready you are to promote your brand and hit the ground running for the New Year? If not, why not? If so, have you consulted with your Cooley Brand Consultant to see how we can help you achieve your goals in 2012? Now is the perfect time to prepare- before the snow flies! Call your Brand Consultant today and use our expertise to your advantage.

Those of you who entered our winter snowfall contest should keep your Cooley ice scrapers handy. Mother Nature can be very fickle and can change her mind at any time. We’ll announce the winner of the contest as soon as we receive a snowfall of greater than one inch at the Syracuse Airport. But not too soon- we’re starting to get used to this!

DON'T GO POSTAL!

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 13:58:28 -0600

Effective January 22, 2012, letters (1 oz) will have a 1 cent increase to 45 cents. Post cards will increase 3 cents to 32 cents. Prices for other Standard Services are also changing. Saturday mail delivery is on the chopping block. The US Postal Service is facing a multi-billion dollar debt.

Do you still think your old “spray and pray” direct mail efforts are cost-effective? How much longer do you think the current delivery system will be around to facilitate your marketing efforts?

Your Cooley Brand Consultant can help you navigate the multitude of options which make use of evolving print technology to drive your response rates up, and your cost per piece cost down. Yes, even with the slated cost increases by the Postal Service, we have solutions to allow you to do more with less.

Ask your Cooley Brand Consultant about the increased response rates for pURLS (Personal URL’s) and other personalized, one-to-one marketing efforts. We can show you how the effective use of QR codes can drive your response rates even higher. Better yet, why not ask about doing an entire personalized email campaign, and leave the Post Office on the sidelines?

There are so many options available for you to increase your brand’s visibility. Don’t let the Postal Rate increases prevent you from marketing success in 2012…give us a call and let us show you how.

Cooley works with clients large and small to help enhance and build your brand.

Achieve maximum brand exposure with Cooley.

Printing

Promotional Products

Specialty Printing

Branded Apparel

Cooley Vendor of the Year Awards

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:57:48 -0600

Cooley Group, Inc. Announces their Vendors of the Year for 2011

Cooley Group, Inc. has initiated a Vendor of the year program. Suggested and implemented by Duke Dufort, Cooley Brand Consultant in the Albany, NY office, this is the initial year for this award.

The award attempts to identify vendors from each of Cooley’s product lines that excelled at criteria such as communication, timeliness of delivery, quality, and ease of doing business. Every Cooley employee was able to vote for the vendor of their choosing.

Cooley is proud to announce that the winners for this year are SanMar, Inc, an apparel supplier from Preston, WA and Printworks Printing, a print supplier from Syracuse, NY. Congratulations to both vendors for their outstanding work!

Social Media Marketing changing in Canada- Can the US be far behind?

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 14:39:51 -0600

Canadian Anti-Spam proposal could get you in a LOT of hot water

Are you aware you could be fined up to $10,000,000 under Canada’s New Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) Bill C-28? PER VIOLATION!.

This has serious implications for everyone who is moving into the digital media marketing arena. If you market to anyone in Canada, you should be aware of this potential impact and. Moreover, what you can do to lessen its impact.

Andrew Hunt of Social Media Today explains the problem and offers some solutions HERE. Please take a look- you’ll be glad you did!

Just a thought….perhaps such legislation is being considered or is pending in the US. If so, it makes sense to educate yourself for the future, even if you don’t currently send anything to our neighbors in the Great White North!

COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND THANKSGIVING WEEKEND

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 14:23:21 -0600

There is a lot of college football on this weekend, as the season winds down and the traditional rivalry games are played. But have you noticed a subtle shift in the power elite of college football?

Instead of Notre Dame, and Michigan and Texas as the major players, there are new kids on the block who have taken over at the top of the rankings. Teams like Oregon, Boise State and Oklahoma State have emerged as the new top tier.

Is it coincidental that those teams have all spent considerable effort re-branding themselves? Oregon and Oklahoma State have new, ultra modern looking uniforms nearly every week. Boise State has their “signature” Blue Turf. And those re-branding efforts have helped them attract the best young talent to their campuses to play football.

When asked, a majority of their players cited the “cool” factor as the number one reason they chose each school…or the “cool” field. Perception of the brand became the reality. Many people scoffed when those schools first came out with their new brands. They aren’t scoffing now!

In addition, the re-branding efforts helped in other areas for each school, as applications and donations have increased dramatically. They are now the “cool” picks for many high school seniors.

What have you done to promote your brand? Is it old and tired- or “traditional”? Maybe it’s time to take a critical look at your branding efforts and ask your Cooley Brand Consultant for some new and fresh ideas. Why not start 2012 off with a fresh look at your brand and how your customers perceive you? It certainly worked for Oregon and the others. Put us to work for you!

COOLEY GROUP, INC. RECEIVES INDUSTRY RECOGNITION

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 14:07:36 -0600

At its November sales meeting, Matt Sanderson, Executive Director of the Print Service Distribution Association (PSDA), presented the employees of Cooley Group, Inc. with a plaque recognizing Cooley for 65 years of PSDA Membership ( Mr.Cooley was one of the PSDA’s founders) and Industry Leadership.

Mr. Sanderson was also a guest speaker at the meeting, touching on current trends and the future of the print services industry.

Cooley Group, Inc. holds these 2-day educational sessions ( with a liberal sprinkling of fun, too!) twice each year, in an effort to remain on the cutting edge of what’s hot in our respective product lines.

If you would like to know more about what we think the future holds, give your Brand Consultant a call and they would be happy to discuss where we think our industry is going, as well as what it means for you!

Email Marketing isn't a Silver Bullet!

Sun, 06 Nov 2011 14:43:55 -0600

Before the Internet, B-to-B direct marketing must have been a snap. Think about it: for customer acquisition, direct mail was the only game in town. All you needed to do was create compelling offers, buy or rent decent lists, send out the mail and get results. Once the campaign was over, crunch the numbers, pick the best offer and find better lists. It all came down to looking at how much it cost to acquire each customer and how much each customer was worth.

Well, of course it was a lot more complicated than that. But contrast that with what today's direct marketers face—a broad array of marketing choices, most of which didn't exist 20 years ago—and it seems simplistic. Direct Mail. Email. Display. Search Engine Marketing (paid and organic). Social CRM … Today's list is staggering and grows constantly. And to add more complexity, let's face it, we're living in an age of shrinking marketing budgets that force marketers to do more with less and spread it across more and more channels.

Given the situation, it's not surprising that many B-to-B marketers are turning lock-stock-and-barrel to email, while scaling back or eliminating their traditional marketing channels, particularly direct mail. While email marketing can be highly effective, employing an email only strategy is both limiting and short-sighted. Contrary to popular belief, direct mail is not dead yet. In fact, direct mail remains a highly effective and powerful tool in every direct marketer's arsenal—and is not going anywhere anytime soon.

While email marketing can be relatively inexpensive and highly effective tool, it's not a silver bullet and should not replace other channels in your marketing mix. Think of email marketing as a tactic—one of many—that you should be using to reach out to your customers and prospects.

Your Cooley Group Brand Consultant can help you determine the BEST marketing strategy for your brand, based on your expectations and budget. We can help you choose from among the options our experience has shown to be most effective- options like pURLS, mobile marketing, 1 to 1 personalized marketing, and others.

Cooley will help you navigate those options, track your results, and reach your goals- give us a call!

Happy New Year!

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:15:06 -0500

DID YOU KNOW? That the Chinese New Year celebration this year begins on January 23^rd and this year is the Year of the Dragon? Legend has it that in ancient times, Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each one. He announced that the people born in each animal's year would have some of that animal's personality. Those born in dragon years are innovative, brave, and passionate. Salvador Dali, John Lennon, and Mary-Louise Parker were all born in the year of the dragon.

Interesting, you say, but what does that have to do with me? Well, Chinese months are reckoned by the lunar calendar, with each month beginning on the darkest day. New Year festivities traditionally start on the first day of the month and continue until the fifteenth, when the moon is brightest. In China, people may take weeks of holiday from work to prepare for and celebrate the New Year.

Many of our overseas sources are Chinese- and the New Year can mean extended lead times and raw material shortages. Many of them shut down completely for 4-6 weeks! You should contact your Cooley Brand Consultant and plan ahead, if you have any large volume requirements during the first quarter of the year. After all, we don’t want you to get bitten by the Dragon!

Personalizing Your Next Direct Mail Marketing Campaign

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 08:14:06 -0500

Personalizing your direct mail marketing may seem like an overwhelming task, but if you manage your database regularly, it doesn’t have to be such a big process. If your database is well-managed and organized you can simply segment your audience into subgroups based on demographics, likes and dislikes to better pinpoint what incentive will make them most interested in purchasing.

When using Variable Data Printing you are able to personalize your message with more than just a name – again, assuming your database is up-to-date. Once your database is grouped you can offer unique deals to each individual in your subgroups. This also helps to reduce the overall cost of your campaign (and increase your ROI), because you are able to ‘weed out’ those who would most likely not respond in any way to the direct mailing.

Over 80 percent of direct mail pieces are at least skimmed over when a person is going through their mail, so this means, your message should be concise and based on that individual’s known interests.

Another way to personalize your direct mail piece is through personalized URLs. Because your printed message needs to be concise, adding a pURL allows you to include more information online for the customer. It also allows for incredible measurement and analytics. Once the recipients enters their personalized URL you are able to track how long they spend on the site and what they click on – allowing you to further understand their interests and follow-up with any warm or hot leads based on their movement through the pURL.

Cooley can help you with personalized direct mail, email, landing pages, surveys, QR codes, mobile marketing and database management and are just a few of the elements that can and should be incorporated into your cross media marketing plan. For more information about the individual elements of cross media marketing or for more information contact your Cooley Brand Consultant.

2011 TAX FORMS- IS YOUR COMPANY 100% COMPLIANT?

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 14:39:49 -0500

Did you know that we at Cooley are your Brand Consultants for the most comprehensive line of Tax Forms for 2011? All our stock tax forms are 100% IRS compliant and we have a complete inventory of all items.

Ask us today for special pricing on all envelopes that are ordered with your tax forms.

Many people wait until after the first of the year to place their tax forms orders. This can create problems for you, as we only manufacture a finite number of each form, based on past history. Once they're gone...we will have no more available. Additionally, since many forms are changed by the IRS every year, we don’t want to have unusable inventory. Don’t’ delay, call your Cooley Brand Consultant today!

New Federal Labor Law Requirements

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 12:07:53 -0500

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) https://www.nlrb.gov/news-media/fact-sheets/final-rule-notification-employee-rights

recently issued the final rule requiring nearly all U.S. businesses to post a notice notifying employees of their union rights. All covered

employers must display the posting by November 14, 2011. This new poster is mandatory regardless of your company’s union status. It applies to

union and non-union workplaces alike. Noncompliance can be treated as an “unfair labor practice” and can be used as damaging evidence in a lawsuit.

Protect your business with the ComplyRight Federal Poster. This convenient all-in-one poster includes the new NLRB notice and the six other mandatory federal postings:

• Equal Employment Opportunity

• Family and Medical Leave

• Federal Minimum Wage

• OSHA Workplace Safety

• Employee Polygraph Protection Act

• USERRA Military Rights

Or, for complete peace of mind, order the ComplyRight Federal and State Kit. This poster set meets every federal and state requirement to keep your business in full compliance.

Don’t let the deadline get away from you! Stay in compliance, and order your updated poster today from the Cooley Group- Cooley-Brand New! We also provide all 100% IRS Compliant Tax Forms for 2011.

Cooley Group Trade Fair Hits a Homerun

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 13:28:58 -0500

The Syracuse and Utica offices of the Cooley Group, Inc. recently had their first-ever Trade Fair. Patterned after the successful event held last year in Rochester, this event drew nearly 200 customers to a show where they met a few, favored vendors in an informal setting to see samples and learn new product offerings….all topped off with a delicious luncheon buffet.

The vendors participating included Norwood, Printco, Custom Resale Group, Leeds/Bulletline, Ash City/Hub Pen, SanMar, and Cooley’s own promotional packaging expert.

This event was made possible thanks to the hard work of everyone in the Syracuse office, the dedication of our vendors, and especially, the guidance of Cheryl Ebert, Cooley Brand Consultant- Rochester. The Trade Fair was Cheryl’s brainchild and her experiences and advice was invaluable in structuring this event.

If you missed it, please ask your Brand Consultant for all the details!

Outdoor Event Promotion is a GREAT Opportunity

Wed, 14 Sep 2011 10:22:35 -0500

There are well over 100,000,000 outdoor leisure opportunities per year for corporate logos to be at work spreading awareness.

Think about it:

There are over 13,000,000 camp-nights per year and the gender is split 50-50
20,000,000 kids play youth baseball each year- doesn't count parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, other
3,000,000+ play youth soccer each year and it's growing rapidly
100,000 Elementary & secondary schools will offer baseball and girls softball
4,000 colleges/universities - baseball and girls softball, soccer, lacrosse, golf
2,500 outdoor music/art festivals with average attendance in the thousands

Over a third of the population will attend an outdoor event this year!

Are you looking for ways to get your company recognized? Contact your Cooley Brand Consultant Today!