Blogging Certificate Frames & Award Design

The New Website is Coming!

2010-11-30T13:57:00.000-08:00

In the next week we will be launching the new Fusion Frames website. As with any website launch there could be hiccups. We are hoping for a smooth transition with little down time. Any delays will be well worth it with new product and - my favorite - easy ways to create sale items, new items and a website that is fully featured with all of your social tools and ways to share information on our products.

This site has served us well since 2005. But, an upgrade is needed to continue to make your shopping experience and access to our products as easy as possible. We look forward to your feedback. Thank you.

Avoiding the Broken Glass Certificate Frame

2010-10-21T08:22:00.000-07:00

Customers must trust our shipping methods to know they will receive a quality product.

Our glass breakage percent in shipment is extraordinarily low. Approximately 2% - 3% of our frames will break in shipment. Usually rough handling by our shipper of choice causes this: Fed-X ground. It happens but, rarely.

Why? Our product is designed from the ground up to minimize breakage. We think about it at every step from product design to packaging. All of our gift boxes and ship boxes are custom made for each frame style giving us an advantage that pays off in the less product damage.

Hey Fusion Frames I was one of the 3%, now what? Just email us and we will replace your frames for free. We stand by our guarantee that your frame will arrive in the best condition possible. So don’t shy away from glass. It is the most professional presentation possible. And Fusion Frames can give it to you, worry free.

Image credit: translogisticsinc.com

“Hey, how is the trophy shop going?”

2010-09-15T06:59:00.000-07:00

Ever feel you just always struggle to fit in? There is no mould that fits to help ground people so they immediately understand what you do. I can say Berkeley Tandem and Fusion Frames can certainly be a miss-fit in the recognition world.

We are not a trophy shop. We are not a custom framer. We are not recognition program designers. Though, in many ways methodologies do over lap. We also over lap in marketing, graphic design, product design and interior design. When it comes to designing something that hangs on the wall in a franchise, yes the interior people are involved in the decision-making.

Well what are we then? We are a hybrid company. We are designers. We are manufacturers. We are LISTENERS. We are unique. We are flexible. We fit where we are wanted, needed and appreciated. We work best with companies that have a vision and a purpose established with their recognition program. And this vision needs a strong graphic representation in a framed object that will be given to appreciate, thank and or honor the recipient.

Like most miss-fits, when we finally find where we are wanted, appreciated and needed, it is a great experience. You are a company that wants something different when you work with us. Yet, there is an undercurrent of traditional recognition that is desired. It is a special niche. And you expect service. Part trophy shop, part framer, part product designer; our offering should feel it is built especially for your needs.

“How is the frame shop going? People still buying certificates?” I smile and say “Yes, it is great.” Knowing it is not that simple and there are customers that truly understand what we do and apply it effectively within their business recognition. Wanna know what makes us miss-fits? Call us today. 800-833-4438 or visit one of our two websites fusionframes.com and awardcertificateframes.com

Your Customer Will Notice

2010-07-01T08:48:00.000-07:00

It is a busy night at my favorite local restaurant. We are on a wait. I notice in the waiting area there is a wall of certificate frames promoting the business' latest success and employee praises. There are quality awards for sanitation, employee safety and the classic employee of the month award. There are community philanthropy plaques and softball team sponsorships. As a customer I love this wall of fame. My quality perception of my favorite restaurant goes up because I see a business that cares. And they care on many levels. The food and facilities matter, their employees matter and the community matters.

A certificate frame is an easy cost-effective way to show your customers all you do to support your business success and your community success. Create a quality program within your business or recognize your best employees each month. And let your customer know. They want to know and they will notice. Show them with a certificate program and be sure to "frame it."

Carnival of HR Guest Post: Fusion Frames Social Media Case Study

2010-06-16T13:40:00.000-07:00

Written by Trish in Carnival of HR, HRevolution, Social Media, HR Ringleader's Blog

*Today I’m sharing a guest post from Lyn Hoyt of Berkeley Tandem, Inc.

We are designers and manufacturers of framed corporate recognition. With two locations in TN and NJ, we have been manufacturing and shipping our unique frame products to training facilities and HR departments’ worldwide since 1995. My name is Lyn Hoyt. Also known as @designtwit on twitter. I am the Director of Product Design and Marketing as well as a co-owner of Berkeley Tandem, Inc. We have two online stock product brands: fusionframes.com and awardcertificateframes.com. I am a social media advocate.

CASE STUDY- FUSION FRAMES:

OUR SLOW MOVE ONLINE & Discovery of Social Media
Each year the number of customers shopping online continues to increase. And our recognition business continues to grow despite the bad economy. Millennial and Gen Y are now moving into buyer positions with corporations and they immediately turn to the internet to research their award programs. And we are there. Search is king. So you must be online writing about your product and creating content about your product to be found in search. I saw that as ANY way to be online. In 2008 I started on twitter and discovered Social Media. Initially I was only there to create product content for search: industry term SEO (Search Engine Optimization). I was tweeting about corporate recognition, framing, and certificates. I was blogging about these same subjects too. And it was really rather dull.

But, slowly something happened – I realized social media was a direct connection to conversing with my customer and the industries I sell to. Rather than pushing my agenda I started making conversation. My content evolved as a reflection of my business and my personality creating an online persona that is influential and engaging. I wanted my experience to be the online cocktail party where I go to find HR people and talk shop.

Social Media is a platform to reach out in a different way. There are so many in marketing that immediately jump on the “Who can I sell to?” strategy. And admittedly I was there over a year ago blogging and on twitter. But, as I started engaging, building interest, and learning about my customer online things changed; communities formed, conversations started and relationships blossomed. And just like any relationship, social networking takes time and commitment. It is not and immediate pay-out.

“The more trust you build, the more value you release, and the more wealth you create.” Says Shoshana Zuboff in a Business Weekly viewpoint. When online networking evolves from “What can I sell you?” to “Who are you? What do you need? How can I help?”, things change. It may never get past “Who are you?” You may find out “what they need” is not what you offer. And help may come in the form of content generation or advice rather than “selling” your product. If you love what you do it is easy to generate content about it. It is easy to talk to others with similar interests. Let your connections find out about you. Learn from them. You are putting out content that relates to your audience and your subject. They search and find you. They link to you. You link to them. Influence and message reach spreads. Building relationships, networking, content mining result in qualified people interested in your expertise or your product.

It took me over a year to build up my twitter following to over 3,000 people. I have met incredibly smart, talented people in the industries I sell to and I have formed relationships with customers and non-customers alike. The biggest bonus is the reach beyond business to personal and professional development. This is how I became involved with this fantastic group of HR professionals online. They were studying me. I was studying them through the content we were creating and communicating on Twitter and on our blogs. We were (and still are) learning how Social Media shapes our industries. Even taking networking to the next step with in-person tweet-ups and un-conferences like HRevolution, hoping to educate and bring more mainstream HR online to find and create information of value and quality.

WE HAVE ONLY JUST STARTED TO UNDERSTAND

Social Media is rather new. It is a cutting edge tool. There are all kinds of 3rd party tools that help me manage this ever-growing segment on the Internet and on our cell phones. (Hootsuite.com is my top tool right now, helping me categorize and track followers by subject.) I am stumbling through trying to figure out how it fits into my business and personal life. It is not black and white and it evolves. I am human, with typos, spelling errors and personal commentary. It makes my personal brand real.

People ask me how much time I spend on Social Media. It varies depending on what I read, how active my market is and what inspires me to write. But I spend at minimum 30 minutes a day. I could do it in 15. But, I am a people person so 15 can grow to 30 or even an hour. It is never in vain from a business point of view. It is personal selling. SEO is still of value to keep a high Google presence in organic search. It works well for small businesses because there are no barriers to putting a message out there or discovering online markets. The cost is in the value of my time.

My content continues to shape my business message and my personality gives it authenticity as a personal brand. Social Media is a slow, evolving experiment. And my goal is to still be there in a sustainable, almost pragmatic way that helps my business grow, helps me learn what my customer wants and helps me continue to discover this content-rich, people driven, ecommerce, electronic, virtual, digital frontier called the Internet.

“Who are you? What do you need? How can I help?” ~ Zuboff, Business Weekly

Yes, I’m on twitter @designtwit and @awardframes

My Other blog: http://www.hrbaconhut.com

Please Support TN Flood Victims

2010-05-06T12:54:00.000-07:00

Nashville-based Berkeley Tandem, Inc. and Fusion Frames dodged the rainfall bullet that left West and Middle Tennessee devastated by flood. But, our hearts and support go out to our friends, families, customers and vendors who were affected by this awful tragedy. While national media continues to report about bombs and oil spills the Grand Ole Opry sits under water and one of the finest pipe organs outside of Europe is flooded in our symphony hall. Those national entertainment venues will be repaired. Repairing lives will take longer. But, it can be done. If you would like to help, there are three ways that people can make a donation to the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund: Visit redcross.org to donate online, call 1-800-REDCROSS, or make a $10 donation by texting REDCROSS to 90999.

Thank you.

AP/Mark Humphery

Courtesy WSMV Viewer posts

Featuring a Great Certificate Idea!

2010-04-01T15:45:00.000-07:00

Thanks P.L.! These certificate examples are now celebrated on my blog bringing joy to see our frames used in an innovative and creative way. Note the design of the certificate with colored type on the black background and photography. Today's sophisticated workplace has all the tools to design some pretty unique certificates. Whether you have a staff of designers or MS Publisher, with some thoughtful magic your certificate frame can become less than ordinary. Reach for extraordinary. Bay Graphics in Syracuse did it. Graphically creating a solution that showcases their unique award needs.

Yes, the photos are crude customer snap-shots. But, think how good they must look in person! You rock Bay Graphics!

How is Corporate Culture Reflected in a Certificate Award?

2010-03-30T12:22:00.000-07:00

The more we give the more giving remains the same. The scalloped edge, the brush script all the acceptable layouts of a contrived award system we have come to fondly know as the certificate program. Everyone has them. That piece of paper that screams, “I’m a dinosaur, but people expect me to show up to the recognition party.”

I know change is hard. But, if you don’t analyze what content your certificate design presents that is personal for the recipient and reflects your culture it will end up in a drawer, or even worse, the garbage. It will be one notch above a handshake and a thank you. So why not just a handshake? Why not an electronic paperless email thank you certificate? I’d say there is a place for that.

But, I would also say there is a place for the tangible object that contains your name, that describes the achievement you accomplished, that gives you reflection on the quality job you do. But, if you give it… make it good. Give it real content and present it in real context. Make it reflect your culture. Design it. Brand it. Give it meaning. And drop the brush script!

Framed recognition does not have to be predictable. Culture is image and image is design. You can see how that works here.

Image courtesy of 123rf.com

HR Bacon Hut, a New Blog

2010-03-01T14:20:00.000-08:00

I started blogging online two years ago because someone told me I should. There were a multitude of reasons. SEO value, more product content all really web 1.0 information goals that were... well, knuckle dragging for me. Was my customer really reading what I thought about certificate frames? Oh, there are those who do dig deep into understanding our products and us. I know some have appreciated my blogging about my business. But, I needed something MORE.

At about the time my knuckles were beginning to bleed I started connecting with HR professionals on twitter. Ah, real people with ideas and information were out there online! And so were designers and artists and foodies and… wait how can I blog about all this? How can I bring together what I love about my customer, the recognition industry, food, travel and yes… BACON!? How?

Wanna see how? Go check out my new blog “HR Bacon Hut.” It is HR Lite. a community building blog where my online HR friends and I share HR stories, tools and strategy along with a virtual beer and some bacon and BBQ recipes. It should be fun! They are pretty interesting folks.

I’ll still put my thoughts down over here about selling frames online. It does get exciting. I’ll always enjoy sharing. But, I see this blog going in more of a case study, product idea direction. It is what people want. They want recognition ideas and they want to see how others use our products.

I hope you will include my new blog on your reading list. And I will focus this blog to inspire you. I leave you today with this inspirational custom format we are using to help the Red Cross recognize Haiti relief donors. And when you get a chance check out HRBaconHut.com.

Valentines Day: The Ultimate Pre-Fab Recognition?

2010-02-14T10:53:00.000-08:00

Last week we celebrated Valentines Day. The greeting card industries' manufactured holiday. Most everyone who has a significant other celebrated this with the obligatory card and candy and flowers. I could not help reflect on how that obligatory expression of appreciation relates to the recognition industry. Is your recognition program like Valentines? Do you find you are going through the pre-fab motions because everyone else does it or are you really doing something meaningful to show you care?

In my children's school every classmate brings cards and notes and candy to pass out. Different from my days in school where you thought about the card and who you gave it to for fear they might think you were crushed out on them. You may not even give everyone a card. The "party" was not so organized, just something you did for 20 or 30 minutes during the school day. But, it had big impact. Especially if you received a card from your crush. But, my kids' day involved punch and cookies and games. We did the stock cards, made for the occasion. My son chose dinosaurs. The girls did pets. And then they taped a chocolate to each one after addressing them to each classmate. Seemed like a lot to me at the time. Nobody was left out.

After school that day my 3rd grade son jumped in the car and started pouring through his Valentine goody bag. Out came the trinkets. Some parents go all out with little toys, tattoos, and stickers. Reminded me of a conference swag bag. "What you got there?"I asked. "Good stuff? What is your favorite? Anything special?" I said. "I think I like Lana's card best because she drew a boat on it." he said. I looked at the card, handmade from construction paper in all its glory. Boats, as of late, fascinate my son. It is his current passion. And Lana was thoughtful enough to pick up on that personal detail and express it in his card. That handmade card my son received cut through the clutter of those pre-fab cards and really connected with him.

So what are you doing with your recognition program's content to make those special connections? Are you just going through the pre-fab motions with what is expected? Or do you find a way to add to your program's content and make REAL, personal connections that tell your employees you know them and you recognize the good job they do and you care? Recognition does not have to be complicated or follow the pre-fab expectation. The point is to create a way to make it personal and cut through the clutter.

Wonder what Lana thought about her dinosaur card?

Who? What? How?

2010-01-21T12:49:00.000-08:00

As our certificate frame business continues to grow and evolve, social media is playing a bigger part in how we maintain presence in the marketplace. Online sales continue to grow and search is king. Here at Fusion Frames we are taking to heart this new transparent business strategy. Social Media is a platform to reach out in a different way. There are so many in marketing who immediately jump on the “Who can I sell to?” strategy. And admittedly I was there over a year ago blogging and on twitter. But, as I started engaging, building interest, and learning about my customer online things changed; communities formed, conversations started and relationships blossomed. And just like any relationship, social networking takes time and commitment.

“The more trust you build, the more value you release, and the more wealth you create.” Says Shoshana Zuboff in a Business Weekly viewpoint. This story really spoke to me via a @Victorio_M tweet. Thanks Victorio! Obviously it spoke to me enough to finally blog this year!

When online networking evolves from "What can I sell you?" to "Who are you? What do you need? How can I help?”, things change. It may never get past “Who are you?” You may find out “what they need” is not what you offer. And help may come in the form of content generation or advice rather than “selling” your product. Be ready for that. If you are not, then you don’t understand social networking. Trust is not built in one tweet or even one handshake. If you love what you do it is easy to generate content about it. It is easy to talk to others with similar interests. Let your connections find out about you. Learn from them. Put out content that relates to your audience and your products. What you sell is only a slice of the information pie. And if your audience sees how that slice can help them then you may get a sale. You will get SEO. And without a doubt, if you are a people person, you will meet incredibly smart, talented people in your industry and the industries you sell to.

"Who are you? What do you need? How can I help?” ~ Zuboff, Business Weekly
Yes, I'm on twitter @designtwit and @awardframes

Giving Thanks: It is Not Seasonal Ya Know?

2009-11-24T11:18:00.000-08:00

'Tis the season of gift giving. Family and friends are gearing up for the holidays and the gift lists are growing. We’ll start our season of thanks here with that traditional Thanksgiving meal. There is much to be thankful for. Following that Thursday meal is the “Black Friday” shopping. The mind-set is initiated with the thoughts of those special gifts for those special in our lives.

How is corporate recognition any different from holiday giving? It feels good to give and it feels good to receive. I think there is lots of emphasis on the receiving end that is miss-guided. We all know employee morale is enhanced by recognition. Everyone wants the pat on the back for a job well done. It is an age-old adage applied to recognition whether you are giving bonuses or incentive trips, watches or luggage. Huh? Sounds like a Christmas list?

But, what about the giving part? Why isn’t there more emphasis on helping managers want to give recognition? Managers, does it just feel like work to follow up and follow through with that pat on the back? Is it just another management box to check to recognize your workforce? If it feels good to receive then why doesn’t it feel good to give?

An employee recognition program needs to have that element of “feel good” in both giving and receiving. It should feel good to give! Ask yourself why it does not. And then ask yourself how to fix that. What you give and how you give makes it fun and enjoyable. So maybe your employee recognition program needs to have more of a holiday attitude to promote the “feel good”. Just as the holidays are anticipated as a season of giving thanks and appreciation, your employee recognition program should be too!

Make it a party. Celebrate. And may you have a fabulous year of giving!

Turkey image provided by:FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The History of Bacon & HR

2009-11-09T06:06:00.000-08:00

Post-HRevolution Un-Conference and I have not stopped thinking about this conference experience. Yes, it was a small conference, a gathering of visionary HR bloggers and HR social media enthusiasts in Louisville, KY. The heart of the discussion was how social media can influence HR’s place in business and to paraphrase Trish McFarlane’s Fox News interview “… to drive the business strategy … be leaders in our companies that bring in new tools and technologies…”

Meeting these HR professionals in person and being actively involved in the discussions that have been going on online for months was a thrill. The energy and intellectual discussions were fluid and filled with the collaborative spirit that seemed all too familiar in many ways. Oddly familiar since I had only talked on the phone to Steve Boese a few times and met Crystal Peterson at KYSHRM a month ago. I had never met any of these people before outside of Twitter and their blogs. But, I knew their voices, their point of view and their businesses. It met all expectations for me. My role was to add value by tweets, questions, cookies and bacon buttons. I hope it inspired HR visionaries to DO something beyond the talk.

The one question that was asked repeatedly to me… “Why bacon buttons?”

So I felt I owed it to everyone to share “The History of Bacon and HR.” I must preface by saying that bacon is a common theme in social networking because of the “Kevin Bacon, Six Degrees of Separation.” In HR there is also the food component centering around Lance Haun’s family butcher history and this rock'n guest post he did on Punk Rock HR here and Steve Boese love of BBQ that birthed HRevolution here and another Steve bacon reference here. Throw in Mark Bennett’s blog post here on Talented Apps that ties it all together, we now have a string of bacon blogging themes that run through tweets and blog comments that just made a bacon button meaningful to me to give to you. If I missed some other good blog posts on bacon please share the links in the comments. If you missed getting a bacon button, DM me. @awardframes. Now I hope bacon is meaningful to you and symbolizes that personal aspect of social media that makes us all real. I sure enjoyed meeting the “real you” at HRevolution.

--
Thanks again to Steve Boese, Crystal Peterson, Ben Eubanks and Trish McFarlane and a special shout out to the event sponsors and session leaders. We appreciate being involved and sponsoring this cutting edge experience. Bacon Button photo courtesy of zazzle.com

See You at HRevolution Friday

2009-11-02T16:36:00.000-08:00

The lead-up to this conference has been a social media example I continue to learn from. Lots of topic hype online! Session topics will start with: “Is HR Dead” and wrap up with “Future of HR & Role of Social Media.” This un-conference is going to resuscitate HR discussion that has been flying all over the HR blog-o-sphere and bring it to life in these sessions! What is also interesting are the sessions scheduled in the middle of the day which center around the impact of technology and blogging.

Will you write the answers to HR’s issues of identity crisis in your blog? Will you define and lead your expertise into social media for everyone to read? There is a hungry audience out there. Many attending are already doing this. For those who aren't (like me) we win when the Rock Stars show up.

___

Wikipedia’s definition: “Blogs, either used internally to enhance the communication and culture in a corporation or externally for marketing branding or public relations purposes are called a corporate blog.

You can’t change the world if you don’t talk about it and get as many people as possible on board talking about it too.

What happens when marketing strategy is applied to HR blogs? Fran Melmed blogged about this. And Lance Haun touched on this in the last “HR Happy Hour” episode 16 . And I think they are right on! Blogs, tweets and writing are marketing "outreach" delivering a message to help companies and employees "get it" and understand the value HR adds to the bottom line. Marketing is the power. How can we all better understand and empower our individual voices and HR messages?

What else do I look forward to at HRevolution? Meeting all you bloggers, Rock Stars and HR Happy Hour fans will be the real highlight. And there will be milestones! Raise a beer toast. It will be the first time Shauna Moerke and Steve Boese will meet in person. And we will all be there to witness the magic and bring alive all of our online connections!

Berkeley Tandem and Fusion Frames is proud to be an HRevolution sponsor and I thank Ben Eubanks (Upstart HR), Trisha McFarlane (blog: HR Ringleader), Steve Boese (blog: HR Happy Hour and HR Tech) and Crystal Peterson for making HRevolution possible! And lets not forget the simplicity of a good conversation over a beer and BBQ. See you Friday. – Lyn Hoyt @designtwit @awardframes

Blog Action Day Post

2009-10-15T07:39:00.000-07:00

This is Fusion Frames' second year to participate in Blog Action Day. This years' theme is Climate Change. And awareness is half the battle as we all look to reduce our carbon footprint and help make the world a cleaner, more environmentally stable place.

Action Day is on" October 24. The International Day of Climate Action will cover almost every country on earth, the most widespread day of environmental action in the planet’s history.

There will be big rallies in big cities, and incredible creative actions across the globe: mountain climbers on our highest peaks with banners, underwater demonstrations in island nations threatened by sea level rise, churches and mosques and synagogues and ashrams engaged in symbolic action, star athletes organizing mass bike rides—and hundreds upon hundreds of community events to raise awareness of the need for urgent action." This comes from the website 360 which profiles the "Day of Climate Action" and the cumulative world voice calling for help to change the course of human contribution to global warming.

Fusion Frames' customers run the length of political belief. Recognition and certificate frame buying does not draw a left or right line in the sand. Some customers are hard-core recyclers and stewards of the environment. Others are skeptical global warming exists. The world is full of opinions.

At Fusion Frames and Berkeley Tandem, Inc. our opinion is that business practices which fight global warming are also good for the bottom line. To quote Patty Calkins, Xerox's global VP of Environment, Health & Safety, "Firms can indeed implement sustainability policies and strategies and see their efforts positively affect bottom line results." Patty's profile page on the Xerox website is awesome. She has a video and white pages. It is an excellent reference for any company looking to take action for more sustainable business practices. We look to Xerox as a model since we use printed paper & wood products. This is not politics for Fusion Frames. It is good business and the important benefit is leaving the earth for our children to enjoy as we have.

I hope this post can raise awareness and move business toward green operational practices that are no longer seen a political choice but accepted practice for better business and a better world. Happy Blog Action Day.

HRevolution Anticipation: Part A

2009-10-05T21:07:00.000-07:00

HRevolution is a no-profit event for HR bloggers and aspiring bloggers being held in Louisville November 6-7. Fusion Frames is a committed sponsor of this HR tech event and I'll be attending. This un-conference is a bit of a paradigm shift for me. I have my company wondering what in the world I am doing and how this will translate to sales? And I could care less if I make a sale. I may show up with postcards to put in bags, maybe a poster or sign? But, I'm tempted to show with nothing but my sponsorship check, a smile, and a listening ear.

This has been an incredible journey to become involved with this online group of HR professionals. The appeal is broad sweeping. And it all started with a twitter connection to guest blog in order for me to jump-start blogging about HR and employee recognition. I stumbled on Steve Boese and he was gracious enough to let me participate in a blog post swap. My blog has yet to really flourish but, my connection to my HR customer base has grown in ways I never expected.

The bigger connection is what takes place beyond twitter, on blogs and at conferences, conversations about how technology is transforming how people connect, find common ground and move beyond surface introductions. These people I will meet with in Louisville are online friends. I know about their families, what food they like, what beer they drink. The camaraderie and HR team building fundamentals are all right here online. Now facilitated by an HRevolution handshake, eye contact and making this cyber-tribe real.

I hope to find my blogging voice in Louisville. And I look forward to collaborating, learning and sharing perspective on what I feel is going to be THE cutting-edge HR tech conference of the year. People coming out of this conference WILL be the ones spreading the social media seeds throughout the HR profession, changing the way HR and business thinks about social media.

I feel like I'm gonna be sitting in on something big. A break through. Kinda like I felt several years ago when I was asked to design a platinum record award frame for this band I had only recently heard about called... Rascal Flatts. See you in Louisville!

SHRM Attendees Reminder

2009-10-05T09:55:00.000-07:00

If you visited our booth and picked up a postcard at your Middle Tennessee or Kentucky SHRM conference be sure to sign up for your complimentary frame. Information about how to apply is printed on the conference postcard. We hope you will take advantage of this *free* offer. Expires November 1, 2009.

SHRM Conference Season

2009-09-29T09:10:00.001-07:00

This week we exhibit in our own backyard at the Middle Tennessee - SHRM Conference at the Opryland Hotel. Look for us at Booth #803.

Did you See us at KYSHRM in Louisville?

2009-09-21T07:30:00.000-07:00

Thanks for coming by our booth at KYSHRM. With and no minimums on our EOM and Certificate Frames and small quantity availability on award frames, anyone can give our products a try. You may find, like many of our customers, that our frames are the perfect addition to your recognition program. Did you pick up a post card at our booth? Then follow the instructions and order your free sample today. Thank you again for considering Fusion Frames for your recognition program.

See us at KYSHRM Booth#438

2009-09-08T20:45:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to be exhibiting at the KYSHRM in Louisville this week. The samples are coming together. To touch and to feel what you get for the price is the big reason for getting product out to experience live and in-person. The post card is printed. You'll have a chance to register for free samples! So come by booth #438.

The History of Plaque Mentality

2009-08-10T14:58:00.000-07:00

Award giving dates back centuries tied to bravery or valor while serving in war. Decorations and awards have been known since ancient times. Celts and Romans wore a torc, Dayaks wore and still wear tattoos, etc. Necklaces and bracelets were given during the early Middle Ages, evolving into richly jewelled big necklaces, often with a pendant (commonly a medal) attached. The Ancient Greeks used the word Thymos expressing the concept of "spiritedness". The word was also used to express the human desire for recognition. Homer even described Thymos as a permanent possession of living man, to which his thinking and feeling belonged. Belonging, tribal in nature, is the core reason for humans to recognize something well done.

We all now recognize a plaque as a plate of metal, ceramic, stone, wood, or other material, typically attached to a wall, stone, or other vertical surface, and bearing text in memory of an important figure or event. A common trophy shop wall plaque configuration takes the metal plate to a personal size, yet signifying similar aesthetics to public bronze monuments or plaques. These aesthetic histories become part of the collective recognition culture. There seems to be a certain expectation or "plaque mentality" when it comes to giving or getting a plaque award.

As a designer and manufacturer of certificate frames with "plaque mentality" I know several features that cannot be ignored: wood grain, metal, shiny decoration, gold or silver accents all give way to the perception signifying achievement or award. To this date, elements of pendants, celtic knots and stars are all part of that image history seen on certificates, pins, military uniforms, scout badges, university insignias to name a few. More modern representations of big necklaces used in hip-hop style can even trace its roots back to the middle ages as a sign of distinction, power and belonging.

How can you make "plaque mentality" work for you and give your business or organization's award program a sense of distinction, power and belonging? When tapping this rich aesthetic and psychologically historical direction for any award program rely on historical symbolism, build in your corporate brand symbolism, then channel that Thymos!

Sources: def; in Wikipedia, plaque, Thymos, decoration, commemoration

Of course we'd like to think our certificate frames can hold that special bling of Thymos in the digital age with a modern twist! Because everyone wants to belong.

Thinking Out of the Plaque Box

2009-07-13T08:40:00.000-07:00

With all the new technology around makes mementos for an employee’s wall is not so daunting anymore. While the engraved plaque is the standard, and somewhat expected… try the unexpected with a certificate frame. A certificate can be designed to carry corporate branding along with unlimited appreciation text at no extra cost. Add a photo and you have something that is way more personal than a plaque.

If you make a mistake on the inscription, re-print and replace. Most certificate programs can be set up to work with MSWord. And the mail merge option through your award recipient spread sheet makes multiple award inscription a snap. While there are many wood style and metal style frames on the market today, you can always fall back on the plaque base with the certificate slide-in.

Consider the cost of a framed certificate is 25-50% less than an engraved plaque, the certificate frame is worth a 2nd look.

Recognition Does Not Have to Be Predictable

2009-07-07T09:45:00.000-07:00

The dull wall plaque is out and colorful promotion with great copy writing is in. I love that graphic and product design is catching on and is carrying more importance in recognition as a way to carry a unique personal message.

Where our frame products break away from this revived emphasis on design is our product's ability to flex graphically on the mat and certificate. If you can foil it or print it our designers can develop a unique award message for your certificate frame that matches your corporate message. Using stock sizes gets you the price break you need to keep your costs in line. You cannot beat the affordability of paper material as well as the environmentally conscientious choice.

One great example of “recognition design gone wild” is Baudville’s new branding initiative “Exclamations Line” which is awesome. Saw some great things come out of SHRM09. Why does recognition need to be predictable? Well done Baudville! We love their certificates too. They look great in our frames.

Made to Order

2009-06-04T06:59:00.000-07:00

Our certificate frames center around the 8 1/2 x 11 page. Dictated by the digital age, the piece of paper we all know and love will forever shape the proportions of our products. We do offer frames to fit the traditional 8 x 10 certificate size, but 8 1/2 x 11 far out-paces the 8 x 10 / A4 tradition.

With size in mind, the options are limitless for certificate design. I wish more companies or organizations would think about vertical orientation, layering color graphics and including foils in their printed certificate shells. Foil accents can feed through your office printer. And color reinforces your brand as a symbol for team.

Another consideration is variable data printing which is common-place for large volume certificate reproduction. A simple spread sheet organization of names and inscriptions can give you the personal wording worthy of each of your certificates.

Here is a link to variable data printing if you are interested in learning more.

Knowledge Sharing and Recognition: a Guest Blog Post by "Steve’s HR Technology Blog"

2009-05-07T10:02:00.000-07:00

NOTE:
This Guest Post authored by Steve Boese is part of the HR Blog Exchange, a fun project that was cooked up a couple of weeks ago on Twitter, details on the project are here.

Employee collaboration, the capture of tacit or implicit knowledge, and fostering a culture of continuous learning and development are pressing issues for many organizations today. Factors such as looming retirements of the Baby Boom generation of workers, increased competitive pressures, globalization, and the rapid pace of change alone or in combination, conspire to make the ‘knowledge sharing’, the ability of an organization to encourage and support individual employees to willingly and effectively share their expertise with others, and with the organization overall a critical imperative in 2009.

Organizations realize they must try to stem the loss of knowledge and expertise, develop more effective and thorough repositories of institutional knowledge, and ensure that employees are able and willing to contribute to the organizational knowledge. This is a complex problem however, and one that has many challenging elements. Some of the issues that organizations must address when trying to build an effective knowledge sharing environment are identification of the business issues that can be addressed with better employee knowledge sharing and collaboration, determining the structure and format of the knowledge sharing platform (there are literally hundreds of competing technologies in this space), and creating an environment where employees are willing and able to easily share knowledge, and actually create the information repository. The specific technology implemented (wiki, internal social network, portal, forum, etc.) is important as it supports the business goals, but not the most important consideration when analyzing motivations and barriers to participation.

In my HR Technology Class, we utilize collaborative platforms, and discuss some of the research on the most effective enablers of information sharing, (sometimes referred to as ‘Community Participation’). We also examine some of the barriers that have been identified that inhibit or reduce community participation. Although it may seem that these kind of platforms and information repositories are very recent developments, in fact, there has been a fairly significant amount of research as to their use in organizations, and in particular the enablers and barriers to employee community participation.

One of the main drivers or enablers of increased and effective community participation are so-called ‘Personal Benefits’, things like the achievement of status, self-esteem, ability to contribute, career advancement, and material gain (monetary and other compensation). In particular, research has shown that status and recognition to be powerful drivers of participation and knowledge-sharing, even indicating these types of ‘soft’ rewards to be more effective than tangible rewards like cash or bonuses. In the workplace, as in many ‘social’ organizations, achieving status, becoming a recognized expert or thought leader can be a powerful motivator, and encourage and inspire employees to contribute their knowledge to the organization’s knowledge repository.

In a modern, knowledge-sharing platform, or information repository like a wiki, or an internal social network, electronic recognition could take many forms. Many of these platforms have tools to ‘rate’ contributions as helpful, or to mark a particular contribution as a ‘favorite’. Employees that have accumulated the highest ratings or the most ‘favorites’ are seen as ‘experts’ and new members to the organization can view these expert employees profiles when they are adapting and learning about the organization’s culture and processes. The organization could also develop and implement a recognition program, where employees are rewarded for making a specified amount of contributions to the knowledge-base (articles, blog posts, helpful answers, etc.). An organization could create the electronic version of the ‘recognition certificate’ that could be attached to the employee’s profile, indicating that employee has demonstrated achievements and value to the organization’s knowledge base.

Recognition is still important in the knowledge-sharing, information overload environment. It could be that the mechanisms of delivery are changing, but the fundamental idea of recognizing achievement and contribution by employees is still important, and still an effective driver for organization success.

Steve Boese is an HR Technology Instructor and Consultant that publishes "Steve's HR Technology" a blog about the intersection of HR and technology. Steve can be contacted at steveboese@gmail.com, and can be found on Twitter at sbjet.

NEW DEMO VIDEO for Icon Certificate Frames

2009-05-05T13:23:00.000-07:00

Check out our new demo video showing all the features and benefits of using our ICON certificate frames.

Guest Blogging HR

2009-04-28T09:04:00.000-07:00

I am very excited about participating in an HR blog exchange the coming weeks. I will be paired up with fellow blogger and twitter friend Steve Boese. Steve is an HR technology consultant with experience in both telecommunications and higher ed. You can read his blog http://steveboese.squarespace.com/

To quote Lisa Rosendahl at HR Thoughts "A blog exchange is a simple idea where two bloggers are paired up with each other, and each submits a 'guest post' to their partner's blog, hopefully done in more of less the style and using the 'normal' subject matter of the host blog. So each blogger gets a chance to stretch a bit, potentially writing about something new, and perhaps altering their style a bit, and hopefully most of all having some fun."

Being involved in this exchange, to me, is a great example of the power of social networking. Steve and I will collaborate on our blog post subject matter adding a new perspective to each others point of view and with hope adding rich content for our blog readers as well as other audience members of the exchange. That is the idea, gain a collaborative audience, work up some interesting material and tap the wonderful resources social networking seems to reveal every day. We will see what interest it sparks. We will tweet and blog about it. Makes me want to "fluff" my blog a bit eh?

All of the participants are:

Steve Boese - Steve Boese's HR Technology Blog - Twitter user name - sbjet

Lisa Rosendahl - HR Thoughts - Twitter user name - lisarosendahl

The HR Maven - HR Maven - Twitter user name - thehrmaven (The Maven really knows how to brand)

Trish McFarlane - hr ringleader's blog - Twitter user name - Trish_HR

designtwit -Fusion Frames- Twitter user name designtwit (this is me)

Steve Urquhart - Talent for the 21st Century - Twitter user name workforce101 and Talent421

Beth Carvin - Nobscot's Weblog - Twitter user name bncarvin

ImJustAGoyle - ImJustAGoyle - Twitter user name imjustagoyle

Margaret Murphy - MYFUTURE MYSELF - Twitter user name murphymargaret

Lois Melbourne - Aquire Blog - Twitter user name loismelbourne

Shop for ONLY Certificate Frames

2009-04-23T04:34:00.000-07:00

Our new site has finally launched. Award Certificate Frames website has been created to target the traditional Fusion Frames customer and present the EXACT product you are searching for online. No extras. No add-ons. Just certificate frames. By targeting a product line niche we can add efficient measures of production and delivery that add value and cut costs. The Award certificate Frames site features a broader selection of styles, prices and colors for 8 1/2 x 11 and 8 x 10 certificates.

We hope your buying experience on our new site is reflected in the customer service and web support you receive while shopping with us. You want certificate frames for your 8 1/2 x 11 or 8 x 10 standard certificate? Then look no further. Corporate buyers welcome. Place your order today and it will ship within 48 hours.

Award Certificate Frames is a division of Berkeley Tandem Inc. home of FusionFrames.com

Berkeley Tandem, Inc. has been producing awards and recognition products since 1995.

Our DSA (Direct Selling Association) Membership

2009-03-23T18:12:00.000-07:00

We are excited to be supplier members of the Direct Selling Association. This is a membership that puts us in touch with a long list of famous direct selling companies like Amway and Mary Kay. We have a long-standing relationship with DSA member Southwestern Great American, a sales school for college and university students. Students come from all over the world to participate in Southwestern’s summer program. From these students, companies are started using the capital, support and resources of the SWGA business incubator. From that relationship it was suggested we offer our certificate frames and framed awards to the broader DSA market.

These DSA companies are the ultimate cheerleaders. Sales recognition is king. These organizations are no longer the “door-to-door” sales people of the past. They are sophisticated marketers with the goal to shake a hand and build personal relationships that endear their products to their customers. Whether it is home selling or Internet marketing, the goal is to reach customers on a personal level and affect lives doing it through the products they produce.

We feel Berkeley Tandem & Fusion Frames is a perfect DSA fit, offering the opportunity to customize certificates and frames to recognize sales performance and achievement. Adding that special, personal touch to an award is a hallmark of recognition. The ideal is to capture the DSA market by retaining program customers and developing custom framed product lines that fit recognition goals. We are pleased to be a part of an organization whose philosophy of personal selling is aligned with ours.

If you are a DSA member look for our booth at the national conference end of May and first of June in National Harbor, MD. We are on the waiting list for a spot. DSA is in high demand!

Social Networking Our Way Out of Recession

2009-01-29T06:22:00.000-08:00

Twitter, Blogger, Digger? Where is the recognition market online? As part of our marketing plan I spend a few hours a day reading blogs on recognition and I'm always looking at what products are being offered in the recognition industry. I love reading HR blogs that talk about recognition, what works, what does not. I love looking at marketing ideas in other industries to see how they might apply to us. Many within management at Fusion Frames question how valuable my time is surfing the net, commenting on blogs, adding our URL like fairy dust around the world wide web.

My thought is this: if I can use my market research time online to help create conversation with vendors or marketing experts or EVEN CUSTOMERS then I am gaining ground in our online presence and learning ahead of the curve. The specialty product future is online. So you better be building your brand and carving your niche. You want certificate frames? Google us! We are THERE.

Who are my online idols? Who is serving their niche well?
http://www.despair.com/
http://www.diplomaframe.com/
And of course:
http://www.fusionframes.com/

I think we can be way better in the certificate frame niche. And we need to work on our other major key words to move our way organically into those markets. I'll be announcing how in the months to come. In the meantime I get to twitter around on the internet and call it work.

The Macintosh will be 25 on 1/24/09

2009-01-04T13:06:00.000-08:00

My first memories of Mac was in college in 1986. The art department at Memphis State purchased their first Macs. Mac Classics I suppose or maybe SEs? I know the entire operating system fit on a floppy disk. Our graphic design work became this typography hybrid where we would make text, print it and then do paste-up with it to get our typography right. The typography on the first Macs lacked the finesse and sophistication of Service Bureau type. But, as students we loved the cheap, immediate results that we could xerox, cut-up and manipulate into beautiful work. April Greiman was my hero.

By the time I reached grad school at NC State in 1988 we had a Mac lab that was full of the first Mac IIci's. And yes, we had to sign-up and share the lab with everyone in the design program. We were still producing student work in a hybrid of Pagemaker and Photoshop layouts, stat machine, xerox, chromatex (sp?) to get color, marker comps and colored paper. Color out-put was pricey and saved for final portfolio. The work was no-less beautiful though.

At my first agency job we had a couple of Quadra 650's that we shared. It was with Quark Xpress that I was trained to see the entire project digitally, in its final typographic form to the printer, in color, transforming the printing industry forever.

Today, my job would not be possible without my Macintosh computer and iPhone. The Mac platform is how I have been trained and how my business and design skills have evolved for 20+ years.

Leave your own first Mac story at http://mac25.org/

Why We Are Bucking the Downturn

2008-12-26T16:15:00.000-08:00

Our certificate frame sales are up. Corporate buyers are shopping recognition and finding our unique, cost effective products. Companies do not want to give up recognition. But, as departments are asked to cut costs, alternatives are being sought out on the web. And who do they find? FusionFrames.com for employee recognition or award frames. The product is a nice breath of fresh air for those who traditionally use plaques. Our certificate frame products are 50-70% less than the cost of a plaque. We offer upgrades, but most corporate buyers are moved by lower price points and the fresh look.

Fusion Frames is diverse. Fusion Frames is a DBA. The parent company Berkeley Tandem, Inc. has been in business since 1995 with long-time established corporate program customers such as CarMax, American Red Cross, Southwestern Great American, and Boy Scouts of America. We are looking optimistically toward 2009 and will continue to put service first with an emphasis on trimming the production fat, analyzing inventory and optimizing our internet marketing. We covet our corporate buyer relationships. And thought we have tried to sell through ASI and other specialty product marketing avenues, we feel the product was always miss-understood and that the market our product appeals to was not shopping ASI catalogs.

We are unique, we sell direct, we make our product, we sell 10 or 1000+. We are made in the USA. We are environmentally conscientious. We are lean and mean and ready for more companies and organizations to discover us. Mention you read our blog, contact us directly at Sales@FusionFrames.com and we will be happy to send you a free sample. Join us, slice your budgets and continue to buck the downturn.

Our Certificate Paper Journey to Green

2008-12-19T12:51:00.000-08:00

When deciding on a paper for your certificates what matters? Is it the brightness of the paper? Print ability? Recycled content? Weight? Price?

As a company we are implementing a sustainable initiative. And part of that initiative is to analyze frame components and if we feel we can make changes that are more environmentally family we do so. Our house certificate paper is Cougar by Weyerhaeuser. We have been using it for years and offer it in a bright white and a cream natural with various pre-printed designs and sizes. Is it the best sustainable choice?

While we continue to weigh our options, I can tell you about why Cougar has been working for us. The white is a 98 brightness. Corporate colors print beautifully. The natural cream is a nice cream, not too yellow and compliments our frame colors. It foil stamps and die cuts well. It is a very economical paper and available on the floor from our paper distributor. There is 10% recycled content and it is a Sustainable Forestry (SFI) certified paper. The quality is high enough for proper reproduction of corporate graphic standards and the digital is laser guaranteed.

Problems arise when choosing high recycled content to produce a certificate that the customer prints on, self-personalizing on office printers. 100% recycled can trash a printer and achieving brightness on non-virgin paper takes more bleaching chemicals. Many recycled papers are made from papers imported from countries that do not have our strict environmental regulations. I'm feeling better about that fact that 90% of Weyerhaeuser's paper is produced in the US and is produced chlorine free.

While I feel Cougar is a good choice, could we make a choice that is better for the environment, while holding down costs and providing great quality? We will keep looking. I would love to increase the recycled content while holding the paper brightness. I would like to know that the recycled content is not coming from industry by-products that are even more harmful to the environment. And I will look for the ECF or Elemental Chlorine Free logo.

Awareness is half the battle. If all manufacturing could be more aware, then we could make some serious progress toward sustainable, closed loop production.

Aggregating the Web in 2009

2008-11-20T07:52:00.000-08:00

We are constantly studying how much of our market is going online to search for certificate frames. Marketing strategy with key words on Google, recommendations and posts on blogs continue to increase our exposure. 2009 will launch our new 2.0 version of our website with customer feedback and new media, such as video demos. Strong data points to the young executive in buying positions who’s buying habits always include a web search. This is the future of corporate buying. We will have our niche carved out and customers will keep coming back when they discover that our cost-saving certificate frames work for them and are stylish and easy to use.

We are aiming at Gen X and Gen Y with green eco-friendly certificate frame lines in the works. I will be attending the local AIGA sustainability conference in a few weeks to further connect us with local vendors. 2009 promises to be a year of focus, reaching out to new customers and offering new selections to our long-standing customers. Shopping Fusion Frames, you are getting the best price, straight from the manufacturer. Let us prove to you our quick ship, customer service and great products will be a welcome addition to any employee recognition program.

We Will Miss You Rick

2008-11-05T13:37:00.000-08:00

We mourn the passing of Rick Kinney, cofounder of and former partner in Berkeley Tandem, Inc. and resource partner for Fusion Frames. Rick died November 5th after a 3 year fight with cancer. He leaves his wonderful wife Sherrie and two step sons. He was the brainchild of the shadowbox certificate construction that started Berkeley Tandem in 1995, and it is that signature construction we continue to incorporate into our products today. He was a great friend and wonderful mentor. We will remember his salesmanship, his ability to be out of the box on product design and his tenacity that kept him trying to find new ways to sell recognition frames. We'll miss you Rick.

Blog Action Day Theme for 2008 is Poverty.

2008-10-15T06:41:00.000-07:00

Why would a business blog about certificate frames touch on poverty? To quote, “Bloggers are free to interpret this as they see fit. We invite bloggers to examine poverty from their own blog topics and perspectives, to look at it from the macro and micro, as a global condition and a local issue, and to bring their own ideas, views and opinions on the subject.”

Part of our business model at Fusion Frames is to discover, refine and utilize the internet as not only as a selling tool but, as a way to broaden conversations. Meaningful conversation, just like meaningful recognition can be engaging and influential. So why not blog about poverty and raise awareness? To say poverty does not touch Middle America or Fusion Frames’ employees is to turn a blind eye.

Fusion Frames is a typical specialty product company with a focus on direct selling and wholesale, business-to-business. Our retail space is the web. Our physical space is a warehouse where we store and assemble orders. Many of our employees are part-time flex, working “piece rate”. To further explain, you are paid by how many pieces you build, not how many hours you work. Piece rate potential can earn you up to $18 an hour, which is a good wage for assembly in Middle TN. For the typical part-time assembly worker at our company, flexibility is the key for them to be able to work. We find offering flex time lowers stress and builds appreciation.

Many part-time assembly workers in America are women with children. Childcare is where we see the most hardship. And it is the primary need for flexibility in hours. Other hardships include large healthcare expenses and car maintenance. The reality of poverty is that it takes every dollar you make to live. One major illness, one car accident, one large bill is not a possible to absorb in a household budget that lives month-to-month. Debt management is the long-term reality, precluding even a raise to offer debt relief.

I see debt management as a form of servitude. Being a servant to your debt creates a condition in which one lacks liberty especially to determine one's course of action or way of life. Until we change the culture of debt management and consumption in the world to a culture of resource management and conservation, this cycle of being stuck in poverty will continue to spread.

http://site.blogactionday.org/about/2008-poverty/

The Sky is Not Falling

2008-10-06T14:33:00.000-07:00

Opportunity is ripe in down economic times. Product options abound for employee and donor recognition choices over the net. As budgets tighten we are certainly seeing a move toward our lower priced product. But, recognition is even more important now in order to boost morale and say thanks for a job well done, show confidence in your workforce and display company financial health. The little things still matter.

We will all weather this economic climate. Fusion Frames feels the ecommerce side of our business is a great example of how global and national economies are strongly linked. The internet does not build a brick and mortar industry in a community, but spreads that wealth out in a ripple effect world wide. Everyone will adjust to this new economy. We are far too resourceful not to come out ahead again.

What is Fusion Frames working on? I hope you will see a re-vamp of product lines. Maybe even a bargain basement category to move inventory that we have in small quantities, allowing you to take advantage of great prices. We feel offering great value will be important in the months to come.

Here at Fusion Frames we are constantly using technology to re-invent ourselves with the goal to best serve the national and international business community with our unique award products, certificate frames and customer service. The sky is not falling. Though my 401K is.

The Biggest Motivation-Killer

2008-08-06T06:05:00.000-07:00

An Entrepreneur.com article explains THE motivation-killer in the workplace. Employee cynicism is the answer and the article does a good job suggesting how to shake it. One of the ways mentioned is to recognize an employee’s cause they believe in, either in or out of the workplace.

Employees are spending 1000’s of hours of their own time volunteering for causes that mean something to them. And how can recognition of that volunteerism give way to less cynicism in the workplace? We see this trend in our business through the “volunteerism phenomenon”. And, most commonly, matching donor funds are the way companies help employees give back to the community

What are other ways to draw attention to good deeds accomplished by employees? Our case study/example uses Asurion’s model for praising employee’s volunteerism. They use our certificate frames for their “Employee Wall of Fame” that recognizes employees that are volunteering in the community.

The model comes full circle when your business asks your employees how their volunteerism can directly affect your customer? How could your employees improve your customer’s lives in some way? Then the synergy comes full circle, not only affecting morale, but affecting sales as well by building relationships with customers and your employees.

See the full article.

Recognition in the “Chaordic Age”

2008-06-19T14:22:00.000-07:00

How can “Chaordic” relate to recognition and certificate frames? I’ve been giving a lot of thought to this book (written in 2000) and the buzzword “Chaordic” which can be briefly described as the chaos of competition and the order of cooperation coexisting though meaningful connections.

“A chaordic organization is formed by attending to six elements in the proper order: Purpose, Principles, People, Concept, Structure and Practice.” – Dee Hock Birth of the Chaordic Age

Note “purpose” is first. Everyone wants purpose. High business success correlates one-to-one with the genuine purpose of the product you sell or the service you offer. Recognition with empty, generic, purpose lacks the fundamental congruence to connect with employees to make them feel really appreciated.

So then how can we apply the chaordic to recognition directly as a methodology for new recognition products or a recognition program structure? In its MOST simple form I see the Six Chaordic Elements as the guide. The PURPOSE of recognition is to honor, and promote good work resulting in motivation to do more good work. PRINCIPLES honor competition to earn recognition. It is all about PEOPLE and recognition is personal. Rather than giving something generic, make it personal in CONCEPT, creating a memento that allows reflection on that specific moment of good. Concept brings specific content to that recognition product that creates connection. STRUCTURE guides us to define real goals for recognition. PRACTICE represents the follow-through to consistently monitor and present recognition for those goals or good deeds in a timely manner.

Congruence between all six elements applied to recognition takes an award or thank you to the next level, forming connections. A Fusion Frames case study describes a great example of this congruence in action. Poster size certificate frames created for the American Red Cross to recognize 2007 corporate donors for the California Wild Fires used actual photos from the disaster, creating a connection between the donor and recipient. The use of corporate logos on the posters also connected and marketed the corporate philanthropy, all within the recognition structure of Red Cross recognition levels. The concept and practice was applied all the way down to a simple paper certificate of thanks, achieving a real connection to the generosity provided from the largest corporate donor to the single volunteer.

Real, meaningful recognition is the hallmark of a successful recognition program. Meaning through chaordic methods can be the calling for all employees to feel good about success and all volunteers and donors to feel good about giving.

ADDENDUM: I cannot say that this blog post does justice to the complexities of Hock’s book. It is meant to be a brief glimpse of practice and food for thought in our little recognition niche.

Cheaper, Better, Faster

2008-05-28T11:00:00.000-07:00

How can you save money and extend your company’s brand while boosting morale with a certificate frame? In today’s price sensitive economy a certificate frame provides a great alternative to a plaque in your recognition program. Priced at more than half the cost of a wood plaque, Fusion Frames’ shadowboxed framed presentations coupled with the fast digital flexibility of certificate printing can open up all possibilities to graphically nail your companies brand without a lot of hassle. Non-profits and military love the graphic punch and dimensional, corporate presentation our frames give. There are few limits to artistically representing achievements with corporate marketing in mind when printing and foil stamping on the mat as well as the certificate. And our products are made in the USA, so in-time delivery with small, custom quantities are affordable. Our certificate frames are a win, win.

Trends in Employee Recognition

2008-04-29T05:52:00.000-07:00

An April 2008 WorldatWork Survey shows recognition in the workplace still strong with certificate frames and plaques the top choice for recognition at 78%. The second choice award given is cash. The survey stats show 42% of award ordering is done online with 58% of businesses and organizations choosing the HR department to administer their award program.

Employers are using their total rewards toolkit to differentiate themselves as an employer of choice and/or solve for a variety of business challenges. The survey states that nearly nine in 10 responding organizations have employee recognition programs in place and only 7% are doing less recognition today than they were one year ago.

Source: WorldatWork via LinkedIn Connection

We Have a New Certificate Frame Affiliate!

2008-04-09T12:38:00.000-07:00

Marketing Assistants' site was created to provide an affordable source of materials and information that member hospices, across the U.S. and Canada, can utilize in their efforts to educate their communities and raise awareness of the hospice concept care and the invaluable services that are offered.

Marketingassistant.org carries a complete menu of products and services designed to serve marketing/public relations and fund development departments of hospices nationwide. These services include certificate designs used to recognize donors, volunteers and nurses. These certificates are available for download on the Marketing Assistant site. Fusion Frames is honored to have Marketing Assistants' referral and we hope our certificate frames and awards provide a stylish presentation to honor all those who give of their time and talents to hospices.

Certificate Frames as Employee Recognition Solution

2008-03-07T15:06:00.000-08:00

When was the last time you updated your Employee of the Month Plaque? Timing is key to great employee recognition. We'll give retailers immediate results with our system. Fusion Frames has a unique certificate frame award product that translates perfectly into a complete year-long employee recognition system. Our Shadow Star certificate frame is modified with a panel that allows the special certificate insert to be personalized with an employee photo or company logo. The EOM kit comes complete with replacement certificates. No more waiting on engraved plates. No more expensive plaques. Re-use the frame year after year for the best value yet. We'll supply the replacement certificates. Discounts apply if you order individual employee awards. Our certificate frame product is a great solution!

The Back of the Frame Matters

2008-01-17T14:52:00.000-08:00

As a framer of awards we have learned that the back of the frame matters almost as much as the front. Some customers have let cost conscious choices drive a simple cardboard back. But, in the end, what is not seen does matter when you are at an award ceremony. You are passing the frame like a plaque or trophy. To see a cheap brown cardboard back is not what the recipient wants to see. It is not attractive.

We are re-tooling the back presentation of our wood products to standardize our products. All backs will be flush black chip board or a professional craft paper dust cover similar to a custom framer. If a wood frame is used, the door back will need to cover the wood frame or the frame molding will need to be painted at the same quality as the front. Our molding manufacturers are game to make the change. And we are excited about adding another level of quality to our wood frames. Our metal and poly wrap frames already come with clean black flush backs. I'll be glad to see the hardwood frames have the same look and feel.

Is it the Frame or What Goes in the Frame?

2007-12-31T15:16:00.000-08:00

Red Lobster pushed my design buttons at the end of the year and we created a great certificate for them. Same great ICON frame presented at a different level. Is it the frame or what goes in the frame that makes it look great? I've often wondered about how that works? I've had artwork of my own framed in a wonderful way and it seems to elevate the art to a new level when it is framed. The opposite seems true for our certificate frames. Yes, they are shadowboxed with unique foil details but, it is a simple mat and frame. Yet, place a certificate that fits a corporate purpose into the frame with a non-traditional certificate design approach and you have something that transcends a plain old certificate or plaque. SO... is it the frame or what goes in the frame that makes it work?

Customization

2007-10-30T07:24:00.000-07:00

Congratulate, Celebrate, Motivate and Appreciate

HIGH POINT, N.C. -- How does a business distinguish itself in new, meaningful ways with business gifts year after year? The key is customization.

The most successful gifting programs include plenty of personality and replicate the company's culture.

That's why the Business Solutions Specialists at pictureframes.com are using their unlimited framing, printing and engraving abilities to create new, custom-made presentations for creative employee recognition and corporate gifting.

"Gifts become unforgettable when designed as masterpieces," explains Jane Rhem, Business Solutions Specialist.

"We're able to design business gifts at almost any price point because printing capabilities range from photo to fine art giclee quality and framing options range from metal to fine hardwoods."

Ideas to fuel your next corporate gifting campaign:

For Employee Recognition

-- Acknowledge the creativity of employees with "Create Your Own Masterpiece" gift certificates.

-- Celebrate revolutionary developments with news articles framed in archival presentations to preserve the moment.

-- Appreciate employees every year with awards and certificates, optionally engraved with logos on the frames. When the certificate is replaced, exposure continues.

-- Commemorate events with framed group photos. Add a message engraved into the frame or mat.

For Key Customers, Clients, Donors & Partners

-- Appreciate key partners or donors by creating and framing a special limited edition with engraved plaques just for them.

-- Celebrate a new partnership by sending custom canvas art with imagery relevant to the relationship.

-- Create a commemorative poster and archive in "My Gallery" at pictureframes.com. By changing the mat and frame presentation style, the gift can be given to new clients over time.

-- Share in the giving season with a donation to their favorite charitable organization and then frame the document announcing the contribution.

Story Created: Sep 25, 2007 at 1:07 PM CDT

Story Updated: Oct 17, 2007 at 5:27 PM CDT

Snipped from: website

KIII-TV3 Studios

5002 South Padre Island Drive,

Corpus Christi,

Texas

Award Design & Framing Going Green?

2007-10-23T14:48:00.000-07:00

I have been working on our environmental statement over the last few months. We are committed to change. We are recycling packaging at the warehouse, using recycled paper content in all of our mat board, using only wood frames from responsibly harvested wood sources. We do have a water cooler- not bottled water.

Maybe we can get ISO 9001 certified in 2008?

The trick is not passing on our desire to go green to our customer through increasing the cost to operate. Currently there is no way to avoid increasing the cost of materials to build products green. If the material is green in the awards or framing business, then it is custom or hard to find. The industry is slow to change. I hope we can be a leader in making that change.

Increasing the Local Profile

2007-10-07T21:28:00.000-07:00

We find ourselves giving more and more money to our children's schools, volunteering more and more time to committees, and donating to auctions, book sales and bake sales. When our son's elementary school lost a corporate sponsor we thought we would step up. One of the sponsor's responsibilities was to provide certificates for Honor Roll. Hellooo Fusion Frames. I took a little time to re-design the certificate and slugged our website in 6pt type along the bottom edge for free advertising. Why not? Louis says... not our market. True, one frame for a kid's honor roll certificate is not the business growth direction we need. We are not the local plaque shop. But, it is all about volunteering, giving to the school (which we'll do anyway). So why not try to get back something in return? And if not, well, we have great looking Honor Roll certificates. Before shown on top, after on bottom.

Online Marketing

2007-09-30T12:46:00.000-07:00

The fact is: not even a 3rd of our business is from online sales. Why the buzz about online marketing? Are our customers online? That is a bigger question to answer. We spoke with an online marketing consultant last week. Chip was impressive. He knew his stuff. It really made me think about our growth directions. It is all connected. Yes, we are reaching customers by Google Adwords. I'm in agreement with Rick & Louis that we need to move into vertical markets. The pot of gold is not exclusively with Google. It is the fact of our market. Chip's background is gaming. That whole market is online. We have to diversify our marketing to reach customers. I think the website is more of a tool to hold onto customers and give them an easy way to buy our products. Here is a link of note that we should certainly pursue to achieve that goal of "website as tool." It is all about service and recognition... no matter how you approach it eh?

Case Study: COKE

2007-09-30T11:49:00.000-07:00

Coca-Cola Company understands. They get the product. They understand our capabilities as designers and manufacturers. They understand the product's flexibility to customize graphics. It is hard for customers to visualize sometimes. But, I think this is a great case study that illustrates how on-target our products can become to reflect corporate identity and graphic standards. My hope is that you can see the photos showing the original Fusion Frame Quantum Medallion product and the modified Coke solution on this post.

BSA Product Research

2007-09-30T11:39:00.000-07:00

William has his first Cub Scout meeting this weekend. We are proud and excited. The uniform needs work. It would not pass inspection. We hope to get tips on completing the uniform at this first meeting. The benefit: our son learning about being his personal best. The added benefit: product research. See our product line at: scoutstuff.org

Happy Birthday Joshua

2007-09-30T10:42:00.000-07:00

Susan, our warehouse manager, had her baby Friday. Everyone is happy and healthy. Our best to her as she adjusts to her first baby. Our best to us as we adjust to her maternity leave.

Ugly Plaques

2007-08-20T08:23:00.000-07:00

What is the attraction to ugly wood plaques? Is there some kind of mystique? Is it the cultural connotation to an award that people expect? It all seems so dated to me. The wood plaque is stuck in the 1970's.

It is our goal at Berkeley Tandem to further research and develop new ways to recognize achievement, creating alternatives to the ugly wooden plaque. I also feel a new generation of buyers are looking for new, fresh presentations. We'll keep pursuing good design and with hope the industry will follow. fusionframes.com

Google Ad Words

2007-01-16T12:25:00.000-08:00

Fusion Frames is certainly going through some changes these days. As we utilize Google Ad Words to get the site in front of customers it continues to amaze me the power the technology has to hand you everything on a silver platter. How many pages get clicked, how far the customer drills down, how long they stay on your page, which page is the most popular... it is a remarkable tool there to access in real time.

We are a small niche market. But, if you are looking for an inexpensive way to frame a certificate and you use a search engine to research products on the web WE ARE THERE ready to fill one frame or thousands of frames for the corporate market or the individual. Since the business's conception in 1995 we have been down many avenues trying to reach our customer. I'd say this is the most direct road yet!

Free Certificate Template Downloads

2007-01-08T12:09:00.000-08:00

Fusionframes.com is committed to updating and revising our free certificate templates for you to make the best looking certificate possible. These MSWord documents help you style your text for a visually balanced presentation. Visit our certificate templates today.

Employee of the Month

2006-12-04T18:55:00.000-08:00

Our EOM frames are inventive! "Paper plaques" allow easy monthly changes that can include a picture or your corporate logo. Purchase re-fill paper and use them year after year.
The dimensional shadowbox presentation will be the show of success and employee pride. These EOM frames were also used to promote the Lions Gate film "Employee of the Month" with Jessica Simpson.

NFIB Article on Effective Recognition

2006-11-27T19:59:00.000-08:00

For recognition to be fully effective, it should exhibit several characteristics:

It must be earned or deserved; if it isn't, it will immediately be seen as flattery or manipulation.
It should be consistent. Inconsistent recognition confuses recipients, and unequal recognition comes across as favoritism.
It must be timely. Much of the value of day-to-day recognition lies in its immediacy. Personalized, spur-of-the-moment recognition is highly valued.

Read more in this good article posted on the NFIB website.

Welcome to the Fusion Frames Blog

2006-11-27T19:31:00.000-08:00

This blog is devoted to certificate framing and recognition. As Fusion Frames begins building its online shopping exposure, I hope this blog can become a good resource for recognition ideas and recognition resources. Our goal at Fusion Frames is to provide customers with a great product that is attractive and modern. It should be as easy to give as it is to receive.
Visit fusionframes.com and see what we think is the most innovative certificate frame you will find in the marketplace!