Full Version: First Trophy
From: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#1]
28 Mar 2006
To: ALL
Hi Gang.....
In the last couple of years on this forum and in my reading, I have seen several comments about how passe` trophy's are, how throw away they are etc.
Well, tonight at the age of 51, I received my FIRST trophy...it was first place at a Toastmasters meeting.....it was pretty cool.....I was pleased, proud and actually still on a bit of a high....
I bring this up not to toot my horn or for accolades, but to re-inforce how important the work those in the awards and recognition and trophy business is. Trophys are really no less important today than they were 40 years or more ago.....and the thing is, that without YOU, they would not exist.........Hold your head proud of what we do and know that you are doing MORE than earning a living or building a business..... you are making someone proud, and happy and fullfilled.....and quite possibly changing the world along the way by providing a means to build ones self esteem.....
What a grand thing to do and to be a part of......you just do not know how the trophy you built, will affect the person who receives it, and how they will go on to change the world.....it truly is mind boggling.....
From: Pete (AWARDMASTERS) [#2]
29 Mar 2006
To: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#1] 29 Mar 2006
From: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#3]
29 Mar 2006
To: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#1] 29 Mar 2006
Chuck,
First off, congratulations on your well-deserved award. Those are real feel-good moments, at any age.
The greatest satisfaction I get from my work in this industry is knowing that I, in a small way, get to participate in and enhance many great events, such as the recognition of someone for blowing away a sales quota, acknowledgment of the joy of 50 years of marriage, celebration of a new life brought into the world, retirement, excellence in achievement, and so much more.
This is the aspect of your job that will keep you going and generate the spirit that will allow you to do great work. We are all doing so much more than cutting, blasting or coloring a substrate.
Those who are doing only industrial engraving, let me re-think this. ;-)
EDITED: 29 Mar 2006 by DATAKES
From: JHayes55 [#4]
29 Mar 2006
To: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#1] 29 Mar 2006
What - no picture of it??? Have you taken it apart to see how it was put together??
congratulations. I still have plaques and awards from college and 23yrs in the business world.
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#5]
29 Mar 2006
To: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#1] 29 Mar 2006
Congratulations! I once attended a Toastmasters meeting, with a view to improving my public speaking abilities (which certainly need help).
Very intimidating. It was like a Marine boot camp for speakers.
I take my hat off to you for joining a group that will give you yet another skill that will enhance your burgeoning business and your standing in your community.
I think most of our comments, regarding trophies, were more about their profitability and not their impact on the recipients.
Points well-made.
From: Rodney Gold (RODNEY_GOLD) [#6]
29 Mar 2006
To: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#1] 29 Mar 2006
Congrats on your achievement!!!!
Apart from your personal feelgood , it has probably been a powerful and invaluable lesson business wise , you have now put yourself in the consumers position and now "understand" more.
Even tho I work with awards every day , every one of the few I have ever won takes pride of place , as tacky as it may be. .
Money is soon forgotten and literally goes down the loo , a trophy endures. Some customers NEVER understand the concept of recognition , asking for the cheapest thing we have. I tell them I can go as cheap as the cheapest effort the recipient went into winning the event or failing that , we can take a $1 coin , drill a hole and put some string on it and the recpient will know EXACTLY how much they are worth!!
If you do the sums , awards are easily justifiable , even in monetary terms. Think about a small bus with say 20 employees , the av monthly wage will be round $3k per person x 20 , yearly this is $700k or so. If an awards scheme can get 1/2 a % increase in productivity , this is already worth $3.5k , so if a co spends lets say $2-3k on Trophies and awards per year , payback is LESS than a 1/2 a percent increased productivity - emminetly achieveable. Recognition is not a hard sell and its a product that provides REAL benefits. Apart from staff motivation , a Co that hands out awards is seen as a "caring" co and being PC these days is also a powerful marketing aid. Apart from staff productivity , if a co rewards outside suppliers , this too can bring disportionately big benefits on the supply line side of things , a double whammy.
Of course I'm totally biased as I specialise in awards and trophies;)
Profitability resides in custom designed awards etc , not the same old PDU/Freeman/airflyte/whatever thing everyone else carries.
It's really SOOO easy to motivate Award and recognition sales to customers , financially and emotively and get repeat easy business , best of all it can reflect your creativity as a designer and reward yourself too in that respect.
From: JHayes55 [#7]
29 Mar 2006
To: Rodney Gold (RODNEY_GOLD) [#6] 29 Mar 2006
From: logojohn [#8]
29 Mar 2006
To: ALL
Working with awards and yes trophies everyday, its easy to become complacent about them.
The kids have a ball looking at all of them when they come in with their parents to pick them out for the team. It makes it obvious how important they are to them.
During the huricane evacuation, the news showed a mother and kids in line to check into the shelter carrying everything important they managed to bring with them. One of the few things one of the kids had was a trophy.
You see that all the time after a fire or tornado when people are fleeing or going through the rubble. They list the family photos and trophies as some of the things they miss most or try and save and some try to restore or replace the damaged ones.
Granted, many end up in the trash or basement, but many are cherished whether it is a tiny one or something expensive for a CEO.
I think the negativity here is more about making an unchallenging item with more labor and less profit than other items.
.
EDITED: 29 Mar 2006 by LOGOJOHN
From: precisionlaser [#9]
29 Mar 2006
To: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#1] 29 Mar 2006
No laughs please (ok, go ahead!), but your post reminds me of the small cheap "Mr. Hustle" trophy I received in 1974 and the medals I received for track and field the same year. Yes I still have them. In fact, if you ask my kids if they've ever heard of "Mr. Hustle", they'll roll their eyes since I've only mentioned it to them 98 times! You're right about the value of recognition!
Mark
From: Peter [#10]
29 Mar 2006
To: JHayes55 [#4] 30 Mar 2006
Well done on your award....Wish I had one :-(
The toastmaster award ! ;-)
regards
Peter
From: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#11]
29 Mar 2006
To: Peter [#10] 29 Mar 2006
Peter,
You have WAYYYYY!!!! Too much time on your hands....
:D
From: Peter [#12]
29 Mar 2006
To: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#11] 29 Mar 2006
You have WAYYYYY!!!! Too much time on your hands....
You been talking to Kathy again ..? ! :-(
regards
Peter
EDITED: 29 Mar 2006 by PETER
From: JHayes55 [#13]
30 Mar 2006
To: Peter [#12] Unread
We have noticed that Kathy never gets to post only you. >.<
Did you get her one of those outfits from the Star Trek shop after we were at Quarks? (devil)