SROSource
Treadway Graphics - Serving the law enforcement market since 1991.
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Skeletons
By Jay Treadway
February 26th, 2010
Wow! When I blogged about Tiger Woods in July and August last year I never expected what would happen a short 6 months later! How the mightly have fallen.
It makes me reflect on what I was trying to say back then. I was feeling a little sheepish about comparing our company to Tiger. Wanting to be the ”Best of the Best” still is true for Treadway Graphics and for Tiger Woods. Tiger’s wandering “off course” when he was “off the course” is where I think we part ways.
The second blog was about how companies react when things don’t go right. The true test of the characrter a company lies in how they react when things go wrong; how they fix the problem. It’s not when things are running smoothly. I think our company has a great track record the past 25 years when things are going right and when things are going wrong. This appears to be Tiger’s first real “character” test. I wish him well. He has a lot of repair work to do. And the whole world is watching.
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Smart Choices
By Jay Treadway
February 24th, 2010
When we designed the Smart choices program 7 years ago we really didn’t know where it would take us. We had just lost our license for the D.A.R.E. Program (Drug Abuse Resistance Education and Training) that we had held for 11 years. It wasn’t our fault, it was simply something that happens to you in business. It was traumatic nonetheless.
We thought we would design our own program with products and logos to “compete” with the D.A.R.E. Program. Our message was centered around three primary designs that had a resist drugs and violence theme. We came up with a Smart Choices design, a “HERO” design and an UP2ME design. The HERO design was an acronym for “Helping Everyone Realize Options.” The most popular by far has been the UP2ME design shown below. We have many products available on our website store with all these designs.
But the most interesting part has been where it has taken us. Yes, we do sell some of these products to D.A.R.E. officers. However, most of our sales have come from officers doing other programs conducted locally in their schools. We have incorporated some of our Smart Choices designs into products for programs like S.T.A.R.S. in Arizona, R.O.A.R. in New Jersey and Too Good ForDrugs in Illinios, among others.
The basic message of the Up2ME design can be used for a lot of applications. Indeed, it has been used in many applications the past 7 years by our customers. We still call these designs our “Smart Choices” designs, but in fact UP2Me has been the clear winner. Funny how it works out. Designing the UP2ME logo was a Smart Choice in the end!
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New Products
By Jay Treadway
February 11th, 2010
When you get new stuff in life it’s usually fun. Except times like when you get socks for Christmas from your Aunt Laura! Or that stupid bunny suit Ralphie got from his aunt in the movie “Christmas Story.” The same applies to business, most of the time. This week Treadway Graphics is publishing and mailing our new 2010 GREAT (Gang Resistance Education and Training) catalog.
I don’t think we have any “socks” in our new catalog, but my customers will be the ultimate judge of that. Here’s a brief recap of the new stuff we’re putting out there for 2010:
20 Oz. Neon Bottles: Here’s a great bottle at a great price point! This bottles sells for only $ .99 for 500 or more!
Nylon Backpack: We’ve brought back our popular nylon drawstring backpack! This 13 x 16.5 backpack sells for less than $2.00 in quantities of 400 or more.
Sports Backpack: A low cost substitute for the traditional backpack. This 14.5 x 17 backpack sells for $4.00 in quantities of 100 or more.
Ruled Notebook: We’ve taken the ruled notebook from our best selling school kit and we’re offering it as a separate item.
Vienna Pens & Sets: A great looking pen with a laser-engraved logo and gift box selling for under $2.00! The pen and pencil set sells for under $4.00!
Scented Highlighters: The same scented highlighters we’ve been selling you for years! Now they are available in our catalog.
Frosted Stick Pens: A great stick pen selling for under $ .30 and available in five assorted colors.
Neon Ballpoint Pens: Here’s a fun item selling for under $ .50! It’s a retractable pen in five neon colors.
Neon Erasers: We’ve found a great value with this 1.5 x 1.25 eraser in four neon colors. These erasers sells for less than $ .25 each!
Dog Tags: We’ve finally added this poopular item to our cataog. It’s laser-engraved aluminum and comes in four colors.
LED Flashing Light: Here’s a great safety item that attaches easily to a bag or clothing with the clip on the back.
Retro Clock: Here’s a fun teacher or appreciation gift. Gift boxed and selling for under $4.00!
USB Flash Drive: This flash drive is a whopping 2GB size! And it sells for under $14.00; under $12.00 for quantites over 50!
Awareness Bracelets: Now we’re offering one of our most popular items in a new color: teal and black swirl! Very distinctive design!
All of these items can be viewed on our website store anytime.
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2010 Is Offically Here
By Jay Treadway
February 10th, 2010
It’s always a “GREAT” feeling when a new catalog is done! Our 2010 GREAT (Gang Resistance Education and Training) catalog is being printed and mailed this week. It’s exciting to offer many new items and then sit back and see who “salutes.” Some are busts and some are successes. Always a fun time.
Reductions in budgets by police departments and schools the past few years have hurt our business. But, we keep our chins up and continue to be aggressive! Unlike some of our competition, we stock a lot of merchandise 365 days a year. That costs money but we feel it’s the best way to serve all of the GREAT community. Some customers want to buy things right off the shelf in quantites of one or more; some want things customized with their department or school name. We appreciate all of this business.
Our competition that just wants the bigger orders is not truly serving the GREAT officer or the GREAT Program. I don’t think they are being responsible licensed vendors. But that’s just my opinion.
