Recognition Awards Sometimes promotional items are created solely for inside purposes, such as case with recognition awards. These can range from plaques and pins to jackets and messenger bags, and many other types of gifts. These can be used for reaching and exceeding goals, perfect attendance, leadership qualities, promotions, inside contests and much more. Unlike ad specialties and premiums, which cater to public, these cater to employees to motivate and boost morale within place they work. While recognition may mean more than actual item, it serves as a reminder of accomplishments. When others see someone with an award, their own performance may increase. In a way, a recognition award is sort of like a premium after all- there is an incentive to earn one.

Other Uses Sometimes promotional items are given out to customers as prizes as events. This is similar to recognition awards, only these are usually smaller ticket items given to random customers. An example would be a special sale or promotion where people can enter to win at store, perhaps there is a grand prize of a big-ticket item and runner-ups will be selected to win imprinted prizes donning your logo. Also, items like inflatables (balloons and other shapes) will draw attention to a business and are indeed considered promotional items. Also, everybody has seen items with logos up for sale in gift shops- think tourist attraction, or gift shops at end of a company tour (Hershey, Crayola factory, etc). These are still promotional items, but are considered souvenirs and are bought my consumers. Shot glasses, pint glasses, mugs, license plate frames, bumper stickers, salt and pepper shakers and more can fall in to this category!

What about making your own podcast for your own business or website? That's not exactly rocket science. Get some sound recording software (Audacity or WavePad, for example) and a microphone. Then record some MP3 files yourself.

All that's left is to get them up on web somewhere and have them formatted into RSS. Some blogging software and services allow you to attach audio to a blog post. There's even free programs you can use.

For example, you could open a Producer account at:

www.podblaze.com

You can start with free account, which lets you store up to 40MB of MP3 files on their server. It's enough for about four half-hour shows.

That's an easy and risk-free way to try out podcasting. They also have paid accounts for people who want to do more than experiment with this new media.

Now why would you want to podcast? I can think of many good reasons. Here's a few: Put some recordings of your band up and maybe you'll get a recording contract. Sweet!

If you did a teleseminar, make it available to world. Position yourself as an expert and people will take you more seriously.

Maybe you know about news items that local and national media won't pick up. Podcasting gives your story a chance to be heard. Maybe you just want to share something personal with world.

Whatever your reason for wanting to put your music or voice on web, podcasting is an easy and inexpensive way to do it. So pick up that microphone and record your thoughts. I'm waiting to hear it.

============================================================ Steve Humphrey is a programmer, web designer and author of 2 ebooks on programming. His latest project is making podcast technology easy enough for anyone to use. Visit these sites: and ============================================================