Minister in talks with Mullingar Crystal

Mullingar Crystal were the company of choice recently for the Local Government Awards.

Rarely could you get such a volume of similar people in the one room at the one time!

The minister gave an incredibly boring speech. Didn't quite have it in me to tell him so!

Mullingar Crystal Reach Final of Enterprise Awards

Mullingar Crystal reached the final of the 2009 County Enterprise Awards. The Awards were held at the Radisson Hotel in Athlone and were presented by Patricia Callan of the Small Firms Association. The overall winners were Robotic & Drive Services Ltd who stood out with their hi-tech assembly systems for industry.

We wish them well in the future as we do to all the finalists.

Mullingar Crystal become supplier of Awards for Chambers Ireland.

(Press release from Chambers Ireland July 30th 2009)
Mullingar Crystal become supplier of Awards for Chambers Ireland
We are delighted to announce that Mullingar Crystal are the suppliers of Crystal Awards for both the Corporate Social Responsibility Awards and the Excellence in Local Government Awards. Mullingar Crystal was set up in 2006 by managing director Bernard Flynn. Mullingar Crystal offers a wide variety of Prizes and Awards to suit all budgets and offer a promise of “the price you see is the price you pay”. Mullingar Crystal have developed a system called CrystalPrint whereby a colour logo, text or even a photograph can be added to the crystal piece thereby creating a truly unique personalized prize or award.The awards will come from their newly designed CrystalArt range. As the name suggests, CrystalArt is where “crystal meets art”, a new range specially tailored for true winners. The pieces are modern in look and evoke feelings of triumph and success.

Making your Charity Event Work

In the current economic climate, making your charity event is harder than ever. Golf classics are harder filled and there are so many others looking for funds from the same people.

We at Mullingar Crystal get asked on an almost daily basis to sponsor events. As we make our money from such events, we can hardly work for free.

However, as business is hard, we are willing to talk to event organisers and come up with a solution. We can sometimes sponsor a category or if the event is suitable (whereby we can promote Mullingar Crystal), we can come to some other arrangement.

Talk to us, tell us your needs and we will come up with an affordable solution so that you can have a successful event.

Guide to Crystal Awards by Matt Alderton

Guide to Crystal Awards
Crystal employee recognition awards are the perfect way to say 'Thanks' and 'Good job'
By Matt Alderton

Crystal awards are stylish. They’re sophisticated. They’re sturdy. They’re also smart, as crystal corporate awards are small tokens that make a big difference in engendering allegiance, excitement, gratitude and respect within the workplace. In fact, crystal awards and crystal trophies -- which are made of brilliant glass -- are the perfect means to many ends. For example:1. Crystal employee recognition awards, used to thank employees and honor their accomplishments, can increase employee motivation and retention.2. Crystal trophies, given as thanks to partners and suppliers, can improve and secure vendor relationships.3. Crystal achievement awards, on display where customers can see them, can improve customer confidence and loyalty.

While most crystal awards have lead in them, those with the 'lead crystal' distinction have upwards of 70 percent lead content; higher lead content translates into crystal awards with more shine, brilliance and clarity.

For an artistic aesthetic, choose optical crystal awards
Optical crystal awards are among the most popular crystal trophies. Known for their incredible clarity and flawless finish, they capture light in order to create beautiful rainbow prisms and refractions.

Corporate recognition awards come in many shapes and sizes. For truly unique crystal employee recognition awards, look beyond crystal trophies and plaques and consider engraved crystal gifts, such as paperweights, figurines and bowls.

Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
• When choosing a crystal award, consider the occasion for which you're giving it; obelisks and triangles are popular for sales achievements, for instance, plaques for financial achievements or donations, and stars for more personal achievement awards.
• Crystal awards can cost less than $100 or more than $400; the more customized and unique the design, the more expensive the award.
• While vendors tend to offer the same types of crystal corporate awards, what differentiates them is customer service; look for vendors that offer free engraving, discounted shipping or complimentary logo setup.
• Choose traditional clear crystal awards for more formal occasions and treated or colored crystal awards for more innovative achievements.
• Consider where you will be presenting your various crystal awards before you purchase them; taller pieces are appropriate for crystal awards that will be presented in front of a large audience in a large space, while smaller pieces are appropriate for crystal awards that will be presented in a more intimate ceremony.

Best of Irish Awards

Mullingar Crystal were the awards of choice at the "Best of Irish" awards held recently in the Four Seasons Hotel in Dublin. This prestigious event which is run by TV3 and The Star Newspaper is unique in that the recipients are chosen by the readers/ viewers of both TV3 and The Star. On the night, there was a monthly winner for each of the twelve months with August being shared by our three Olympic boxing heroes. The overall award went to Bernard Dunne.

In previous years, the awards came from Waterford and thus Mullingar Crystal is delighted to have been chosen for such an event.

Make more money from your golf classic

In this "difficult" year, many are finding it very hard to fill time sheets for golf classics.
One simple solution that I came across in the USA is to use your own grounds.
This of course is only suitable for certain clubs, schools and associations.
The idea is that you"make " an 18 or 27 hole course on your own grounds. This does not need to be long. It can be almost crazy -golf like.
This system has many advantages. The course can be mapped out and mown in a few hours.
You can be much more inclusive with the entry by including kids and of course adults who would not normally play golf.
The big winner is the organiser. As the "classic" is held on own grounds, all proceeds therefore go to the organiser. You can charge teams a lot less and thereby automatically get more entries. You can still have all your sponsors including tee sponsors.

The Mini Golf Classic could be your organisations money winner for 2009.

If you would like any further help or information, just email sales@mullingarcrystal.com

Mullingar Crystal to sponsor annual Rugby Club Golf Classic

Mullingar Crystal will sponsor this year’s Rugby Club Golf classic to be held at Mullingar golf club on the Friday of the May bank holiday weekend.
Speaking at the announcement, Bernard Flynn, MD of Mullingar Crystal expressed his delight in teaming up with MRC. He went on to say that in this commercially difficult year, it is incumbent upon business to continue to support local and in turn for all of us to support local business.
Mullingar Crystal will use the event to showcase their new range of CrystalArt which will be the prizes on the day.

Pictured are Bernard Flynn, MD, Mullingar Crystal and Brendan Leahy, President, Mullingar Rugby Club at the announcement of Mullingar Crystal’s sponsorship of MRC golf classis.

Dragons Den Revealed

Mullingar Crystal applied for and were sucessful in getting on to the Irish Version of Dragons Den.
Our pitch: to get €50K to enter the corporate awards market in the US.

We were unsucessful in our pitch but I genuinely have no problem with that.

We entered the programme based only on having watched the BBC version and having been a fan of the programme for years.

I was barred by contract on saying anything about Dragons Den until my episode had aired which it now has.
I, as an Irish Entrepreneur, having set up and sold 5 businesses am disgusted at what Shinawil productions and ultimately RTE have done with the Dragons Den franchise.

Larry Bass, the MD of the production company, in an interview last Sunday said that he wanted to give Dragons Den a uniquely Irish feel and thus filmed the programme in a pub. Mr Bass went on to speak about there being more chat in the Irish version. He just stopped short of Arran Sweaters and a few pints of Guinness.
Ireland is second in the world with the number of businesses per capita.
However, Dragons Den has more of a “freak” show feel to it.
While first and foremost, I understand that Dragons Den should be entertainment, this appears to leave the sound business ideas on the floor while going to air with the “freaky” people, many with quit silly ideas.
I would be worried if RTE decided to sell this programme on, where people in other countries would be laughing at the stupid Irish.
I also have a big problem with the quality of the dragons themselves. I would question whether they actually have the cash. In fact, at least one is going through the courts at the moment for non payment of rent! The token female, Sarah, seems to have a derogatory comment for everybody and also pulls an excuse not to invest. My information is that she actually makes no investment whatsoever in the first series.

In the current climate, it is agreed by most commentators that it is business and ultimately exports that will take us out of recession. The business ideas that are being backed by the dragons are colloquial, lack real imagination. Specific examples include a light for a handbag at a cost of €25 to manufacture and the guy does not make handbags. The Dragons were falling over to back the guy. Why? Because it meant they could tick the box of “having invested”. It is obvious that they could pull out at a due diligence time which was sure to happen in this instance. Anybody with any knowledge of the handbag industry will tell you that they are predominantly made in china, so forget patents etc.

The precursor to today’s Dragons Den was of course The Late Late Show. The guy from Stira still has “as seen on the late late show” on all his advertising material and that must be 30 years ago. If Stira were to appear on Dragons Den, he would guaranteed to be told, “You missed the Celtic tiger”. Others that spring to mind are Ballygowan Water and of course the guy from Tuam with the buckets for calves. His name, John Concannon, who now runs his business, JFC, still based in Tuam with an annual turnover of €40 million. If John Concannon were to arrive on Dragons Den, he would have no chance.
However, he is the kind of guy we need as a Dragon. There are many other names around, real people, self made and most importantly real millionaires with real cash and not a fictional amount of what their property was worth at the height of the boom.

Dragons Den on the BBC has proven itself as a great format. It could and should work here, but not in its current state.

Tip # 6

Tip # 6
The double door syndrome.

If you are walking through double doors and somebody is following, you might hold the door for them. On doing so, it would be therefore expected that the other person would hold the second door open for you!

In business, it is much the same. If you give something free, it would be good manners to receive something in return.

I was in my local electrical wholesalers recently, just down from our factory. The owner had a coffee machine in the corner with Free coffee for his customers. His customers therefore lingered a little longer and purchased more. It is not a surprise that he has the biggest business of his kind in the area.

This principle is often taken up by big companies with junkets to the Ryder Cup, World Cup etc.
Smaller business can learn from this. It doesn't have to be World Cup tickets. It could just be an invitation to play in a local golf classic or even like my neighbour, a cup of coffee.

The Giver will receive. Try it today.

Business Tip of the Week #4

Yes But or Yes and.

We all know the type of person, you have an idea, they say, "that's great but" and then come the reasons why not. On the other hand we have the reaction where someone says, "yes, and ", and they go on to further the idea.
In business, you need to avoid the "yes but" people.
Align yourself and BE a "yes and" person.

Business Tip of the Week #2

SLEEP IN YOUR COMPETITION'S BED TOO!
We're often so busy worrying about what we're doing, we forget our competition might have some great ideas we can use too.

It's called S & D - steal and distribute. An idea doesn't have to be original to be great. And besides, your customer does'nt care where it comes from, just how it affects them.

Value is the name of the game in 09!

Value, its the new buzz word and if you are in business you have got to give it to survive the current recession.
In 2009, people are more "time rich" than in recent years and with less money about, they have time to search for better value. This is already evident with grocery shopping with the so called discounters increasing their sales at the expense of the higher end retailers.

Internet businesses will thrive through this recession as they don't have the same high rent costs and can pass on that good value to their customers.

We at Mullingar Crystal have adopted this approach from the start. When we set up, we promised value. We have kept that policy up in the hard start up years and now hope to reap the rewards in 2009.

Free Business Tips

Sign up for our business tip of the week. It's Free, yes, free no catches.
Each week I will email my "Business Tip of the Week".

The tips can be adopted for any business.

Simply go to www.mullingarcrystal.com and enter your name and email address.

like the advertisement says "every little helps" and sometimes that little piece of advice can be the one thing that makes the difference.

And yes, it's absolutely FREE.

Tell your friends and particularly anybody in business or thinking of going into business.

Club Committees Culture of Cronyism

I am just fed up with the culture of cronyism on golf club committees.
This is my experience over the last few years and while in the good times, not giving value to the club members may have been acceptable, I don't think that members should be ripped off in the name of cronyism any longer.
Precisely, what I mean is that when clubs are buying prizes, they have buying power. They should use this as a means to get the best value for their members.
Currently, many clubs just buy prizes from their buddy's, in many cases receiving a "little thank you" in return (nicer word than bribe).

So, if you are a member of a golf club, make sure you are not being ripped off. Simple rule: if they are buying direct from a factory, then they are seeking the best value.

Raise the issue at your next AGM and embarrass them!

Waterford unable to commit?

Lately, we have found customers coming to us having got prizes and awards from Waterford Crystal for years. While we genuinely take no delight in the apparent demise of Waterford, who have been the best in the world in his business, we will gladly look after your order.
There are no set-up charges with Mullingar Crystal, we have a very quick turn around time and we will not be beaten for value.
Call us today on +353 44 933 1572 or email sales@mullingarcystal.com

Things I can do to honour my employees effectively.

Things I can do to honour my employees effectively (that won't make me look cheap).

I was very impressed and intrigued last year when on a school morning, my 9 year old son who was visibly ill, still wanted to go to school. This was a long way from my day, when even a hint of illness left me pleading to stay at home. I might add at this point that we do have a nice home with all modern appliances etc. He wasn't trying to get away from us!
The real reason for him wanting to go to school was that he did not want to break his record and ruin his chance of receiving an attendance award.
Yes, just a simple attendance award was the lure to pull a sick child out of his bed.

Would your employees do the same?
Are you missing people this week?

It's not always about money.

Learn from a 9 year old. Put an attendance award scheme in place today.