Virgil Winston:Marketing Guru
It had been close to two weeks since the “animals,” my wife’s affectionate name for our children, had gone back to school. The house was quiet, eerily quiet actually, and Mrs. Winston’s smiles of relief hade turned to sighs of boredom or perhaps even loneliness. I admit that I don’t always have my finger on the pulse of my beloved’s emotions, but I knew she was missing…something. As a concerned spouse, I felt I had to act, so I brought home a dog. Now before you think I am a complete idiot, let me assure you that I didn’t go out and buy a puppy—I learned my lesson the last time—instead, I agreed to foster a dog until a suitable owner could be found. I thought this was the perfect solution to my wife’s malaise. I picked up Buster, a slightly hyper German shepherd / Collie mix, from the shelter and headed to Petco to load up on doggy accessories. Buster was pretty amped up after our shopping trip so I took him to the doggy park to play and run off some of his boundless energy before heading home for a bath so he’d be all ready to surprise the Missus.
Unfortunately, I was the one in for a surprise. I came home to find my wife in the middle of a late afternoon poker game with five other empty nesters and Buster proceeded to greet each and every one of them with a big wet kiss. One look at my wife’s face told me I had made a big mistake. This was worse than the time I brought home a 21-Function blender for Valentine’s Day. Buster’s exuberence broke up the game, and before I could grab the mutt and head out, Mrs. W gave both of us a piece of her mind. She calmed slightly once I explained Buster’s temporary status, but I was glad I didn’t purchase a doghouse at Petco—otherwise I am quite sure I’d have been sleeping in it. Needless to say, I had misinterpreted my wife’s sighs. She was most certainly not looking for a furry companion to shed all over her new couch and track mud on the carpet. So, after a week, Buster was gone. Don’t worry, Mrs. Winston is not heartless—he didn’t go back to the pound. A lovely family with a huge backyard and old furniture adopted him.
The moral of the story is obvious; when you are giving a gift, think about what the recipient would like to have, rather than what you would like to give. As it turns out, Mrs. Winston wanted a birthday gift of the sparkly nature…not another responsibility. When you are thinking about promotional gifts—think about your customer’s wants and needs and give them a gift they can really use. That way, when you put your name on it—they actually see it and remember you. Rush Imprint has oodles of practical gifts that your clients are sure to love—like the Men’s District Tee. This fashionable t-shirt combines modern style with a classic look. The fitted cut and modern styling will make this t-shirt a wardrobe staple. And for your female customers, the Ladies Short Sleeve District Tee should do the trick. A t-shirt is a safe bet and if you choose one that fits well, you won’t find yourself in the doghouse with your clients.
Well, I’m off to practice my talk for show and tell at my son’s school. I promised not to embarrass him so I’ve really got to nail the magic tricks I’ve been working on. Remember, if it looks like a dog, barks like a dog and smells like a dog—do a DNA test just to make sure…because it just might be a coyote.