The Dunstan Group

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Christmas in July?

We’ll admit, we’re not fans of seeing Halloween candy on the shelves when we’re still in summer mode. It’s not like we’re going to stock up on Butterfingers. We’d just eat them anyway. But the reality of it is, if you have plans for Q4 or holiday gifting, you actually do need to think about it now. And not just because the holiday promotions seem earlier and earlier each year.

If you’ve ordered anything lately you’ve likely experienced extended delays, out-of-stock notices, or backorders. Same here. Supply is still struggling to match demand in the branded merchandise and apparel space, too. But with a little bit of planning and flexibility, your holidays can still be merry, bright, and a lot less stressful.

Order early

Honestly, it’s hard to think about holiday gifting when you’re still shaking sand from your car’s floor mats. But getting your holiday gifting orders placed now will ensure you’ve got the most product selection, plenty of time for customization, and enough time to get your product delivered in advance of your event, holiday gifting, etc.

Consider your options

Got your heart set on a particular product, brand, or style? We get it. Sometimes it’s hard to look at other products once you’ve got something particular in mind. Especially when there are seemingly endless other products. Be open to looking at several different items to maximize the opportunity you’ll get what you want when you want it.

Act fast

You’ve found the product you want, add it to your order, only to find it’s gone before you can complete the transaction. It happens with our suppliers, too. Our recommendation is that once we’ve found what you’re looking for, confirm the order immediately. While the price quote may be good for days or weeks, someone else may swoop in and make their order before you’ve approved yours.

As always, the team here at The Dunstan Group is here to help. Make your holiday and Q4 plans less stressful – and a whole lot more creative! Connect with us now, and let’s get to work.

 

The Dunstan Group Tees-Up Something Special for Greg Olsen’s Tourney

The Dunstan Group has long been a fan of putting branded merchandise to work for a good cause. A recent collaboration with Greg Olsen’s HEARTest Yard Foundation is no exception.

Panthers fans may already know the story of HEARTest Yard Foundation, created by Panthers Tight End Greg Olsen and his family after their son, TJ, was born with a congenital heart defect. The foundation provides financial assistance to families of children born with heart defects, and this year, they cut the ribbon on a new HEARTest Yard Congenital Heart Center at Levine Children’s Hospital. Olsen’s HEARTest Yard Foundation donated $2.5 million for the new 25,000 square-foot pediatric cardiac center.

Olsen shared that the project “represents the gratitude our family feels towards the entire community.”

Olsen thanks “a tremendous group of donors” for making the new heart center possible, including corporate sponsors, individuals, and anyone who took part in one of the HEARTest Yard’s many fundraisers. Olsen’s foundation is synonymous with a 5k, Panthers beanie sales, cookies, and the HEARTest Yard Golf Tournament on May 3rd — where The Dunstan Group provided the co-branded phone caddy and hosted a tent on tournament day as a co-sponsor.

“It’s always great to be a part of such a good cause,” says Scott Dunstan, Founder and President of The Dunstan Group. “We all know what a huge contribution Greg Olsen has made to Panthers victories, but his work off the football field is shared for an even greater purpose — and that will make a lasting impact on children across the Charlotte region.”

Olsen shared his thoughts about the tournament, the cardiac center, the HEARTest Yard, and life as a “heart dad” on the BrandBuilders Podcast. It’s one of their best yet — Olsen is funny and engaging as he tells TJ’s story, and how he and his wife Kara coped with the process of having a son born with a congenital heart defect. It’s apparent Olsen’s heart is in the Charlotte community.

“We’re so indebted, we feel such a connection to our community, that we love being out in it, we love being a part of it, and even though i’m done playing, this will be home,” says Olsen. His gratitude towards Levine Children’s Hospital shows in his charitable efforts. “We’ll find ways to give back to the community that’s given so much to us.”

You can hear more from Olsen as he explains how he and Kara came up with the idea for HEARTest Yard, and how you can help him continue his new mission, in his episode of the BrandBuilder’s Podcast: http://dunstangroup.blubrry.net/2021/04/22/greg-olsen/

 

Teaming-Up with Ronald McDonald House Charlotte

Teamwork makes the dream work, and The Dunstan Group is proud to be teaming up with Charlotte’s Ronald McDonald House and the 2021 spring fundraising effort. Thousands of people will take part in the campaign to “Sport A Shirt, Share A Night” for Ronald McDonald House Charlotte, and The Dunstan Group will supply this year’s shirts.

For 10 years, the Ronald McDonald House has been a safe, affordable home-away-from-home for families of children receiving care at Charlotte-area hospitals. It costs $142 per night to serve these families, and teams who purchase the $15 t-shirt help defray these costs. Families are stronger when they stay together, and the campaign allows Ronald McDonald House to provide a caring community for families regardless of their ability to pay.

“What an honor to be a part of the Sport A Shirt campaign!” says The Dunstan Group Founder and President, Scott Dunstan. “We’re proud to be a part of helping facilitate this project, but we’re even more proud to be engaged in our community this way.”

Teams and individuals can purchase shirts for the “Sport A Shirt, Share A Night” campaign throughout March, and can start wearing them on April 30. The T-shirts not only raise money to support families at RMH Charlotte, it raises awareness of the house’s important mission. This kind of community awareness is part of The Dunstan Group’s core values.

“This tee is not only a great platform to help tell their story and celebrate 10 years of helping families, it’s a great tool to help them raise dollars that go towards sharing the cost of a family’s stay at the house,” says Dunstan.

If you want to lead a team of supporters to get Sport A Shirt tees, or just buy one for yourself, you can find the link on the Ronald McDonald House Charlotte website.

 

Newest Opportunity for The Dunstan Group is All About Family

Relationships are key to good business because learning and knowing the needs of customers over time leads to unmatched service and satisfaction. The Dunstan Group President and Founder Scott Dunstan has now brought one of these relationships full circle as the new branding and apparel source for ALLPRO Corporation, a business-to-business buying cooperative for the paint and decorating products industry.

“This is an exciting time for The Dunstan Group to bring our business back to the beginning like this, and renew relationships from our family,” says Dunstan. And by family, he means his own family business where he began his career.

Dunstan honed his branding skills with his uncle, owner of Jeff Brown & Company, the branding and apparel provider for ALLPRO since the new century began. The experience made him keenly familiar with the needs of the vendors and suppliers who are members of ALLPRO. Because of that, Dunstan can, from day one, bring his insights into how the cooperative nature of the industry group allows paint brands and independent paint stores, alike, to market themselves better when they work together.

“We understand their market and how to help members build their brands in their communities, especially through utilizing co-op dollars effectively,” says Dunstan. “We can hit the ground running, even in such a big group, because of our experience with them from our earlier generation of business with Jeff Brown & Co.”

And ALLPRO is all about family, with second and third generations now representing the smaller, independent paint stores or vendors that are its members — the so-called “Mom and Pop Shops.” Family businesses are the heart of ALLPRO, and carrying on the “family tradition” of providing them a powerful branding voice means a great deal to Dunstan.

That’s because when he left his uncle’s company, he didn’t take any of the family business with him. He wanted to create his own family with The Dunstan Group, but the ALLPRO Corporation remembered — and reached out when they needed a new supplier. The opportunity grew organically from a relationship that had always provided top-notch service, keen insights into how co-op dollars work, and a family feel to ethical behavior.

“We’ve had experience with this group, and know them well, and look forward to re-establishing those relationships,” says Dunstan.

As a preferred vendor, The Dunstan Group will provide the branding and apparel for both ALLPRO representatives and more than 250 member businesses and 1,700 retail locations. It sounds like a big job — but to Scott Dunstan, it’s just family.

Five Ways to Win with Your Remote Team 

Working from home is likely a thing that’s here to stay. More and more companies of all sizes and industries have discovered a virtual workforce can be just as — if not more — effective. Companies who can best manage remote employees or teams will be primed for the long haul. Here are five ways to support your remote team and future-proof your success! 

Communication is Key 

Setting up periodic virtual check-ins or conference calls is essential to keep remote teams and employees engaged. This is particularly true for teams that rely on the collaborative process to do their best work. No one is looking to add more meetings, but shorter, more frequent, goal-oriented meetings can help employees be more productive and feel more connected, and can often replace longer, less-frequent “catch-all” meetings. 

Surveys are Great Get-To-Know-You Tools

It’s tough being the new employee at any company. Those challenges are magnified for employees joining a new team or company that’s working mostly remote. Send an introductory questionnaire that can be shared across teams to help remote employees can be sent to all employees. It’ll not only break the ice, so to speak, but can also reveal skillsets and talents that may otherwise go unused. 

Create a “Home Office” Catalog or Company Store

Some high-quality, company-branded office supplies are a generous and practical touch to improve your remote employee’s work from home experience. Branded work-from-home essentials have the feeling of a gift with the additional benefit of making your remote team more effective by providing them with tools they need to do their their jobs. 

Ask for Feedback

Why only ask for feedback when an employee is on their way out the door? For a better sampling and trend-spotting, ask all employees and teams for regular feedback on anything and everything. Not sure how to start? Begin simply with short survey, or a prompt seeking answers to a question management is currently struggling with. 

It’s Always the Right Time to Say “Thanks!” 

Gratitude never goes out of style. And let’s be honest, does anyone tire of being appreciated? A job well done, a benchmark hit, a sales goal surpassed, a work anniversary… the reasons for recognizing employee and team efforts is practically endless. From “thank you” notes, to awards, prizes, to company apparel and incentive items, The Dunstan Group can make your team look and feel like winners every day. 

 

 

Five Trends for 2021 

The last thing most of us want from 2021 is more of the same. As much as we anticipate something completely different from a brand new year, we feel there are still a few categories you can bank on. Check out five branded merchandise and apparel trends we’re seeing for 2021. 

Personal Protective Equipment 

Vaccine or not, it’s going to be a minute before personal protective equipment like masks, clean keys, hand sanitizers, and other PPE go out of style— or is no longer required. Businesses that take advantage of these branding platforms their customers, clients, and employees use every day will absolutely have an upper hand on the competition. 

https://shop.dunstangroup.biz/sr/1810451

Work From Home Essentials 

Businesses of all sizes plan to keep team members spread out and working from home well into 2021. As makeshift and ad hoc home offices become more semi-permanent, work from home essentials become just that— essential! Branded work from home products make onboarding easier for new employees, too! 

https://shop.dunstangroup.biz/sr/1823387

Gift Baskets and Boxes

As the story goes, there’s never a wrong time to say “thank you.” Gift baskets and bundles will continue to provide a personal touch between businesses and their clients as we wait for face-to-face opportunities. Conferences, concerts, fundraisers, and other events have all found creative ways to use gift baskets and boxes to connect their virtual audiences. 

https://shop.dunstangroup.biz/sr/1833298

Brand Names Energize the Custom Space 

The North Face, OGIO, YETI, Peter Millar, and more have made it even easier for customers looking to outfit their teams with familiar brand names. The Travis Mathew activewear line is now available at The Dunstan Group in 2021. We’re expecting a very warm reception! 

Personal Privacy Products

A little personal responsibility can go a long way. Blocking webcam and microphone access is one easy way to add an additional level of security to electronic devices you use every day. Our webcam cover combo pack is compatible with phones, tablets, desktop monitors, and laptops. 

 

Gratitude: Now More Than Ever

You don’t need to hear us say it. Everyone, in just about every way, recognizes it’s been an unusual and challenging year on practically every front. That’s equally true for your clients and partners as it is for employees and coworkers. Now more than ever, there’s no better season — or reason — to express gratitude for their business, their partnership, and their teamwork. Here are a few easy ways to show you care:  

Keep the Communications Lines Open 

With so many of us working remotely, collaboration doesn’t come as naturally and it’s easy to become siloed or isolated. Establishing brief but regular check-in meetings can keep communication current and projects on track. Better still, set “virtual office hours” where team members, clients, etc., know you are available and ready to listen. 

Host a Virtual Breakfast, Lunch or Happy Hour 

We know, we know; this one’s been done. So why not find a way to do it better? The Dunstan Group has helped more than a few clients and friends take this concept next level with branded, catered boxes of goodies delivered just in time for a virtual group get-together. 

Read: Hood Hargett Dishes Up Virtual Breakfast Club

Special Delivery 

And speaking of delivery… With so many local restaurants offering delivery service, you’re a call or a click away from making someone’s day with a special treat. Not sure the timing is right? No problem! Some of our favorite local restaurants even offer virtual gift cards that can be emailed directly to the recipient. 

Recognize Birthdays, Anniversaries, and Special Dates 

If social media excels at anything, it’s keeping us in the loop about upcoming birthdays and anniversaries. It doesn’t cost anything to send a quick note or email recognizing their special day. You “planning ahead” types can use your personalized stationery to send a hand-written note. Who doesn’t like getting a card in the mail? 

Yep! We can do customized cards, too!

Check-in “Just Because” 

You don’t have to be a manager, business owner, or chief executive of anything to genuinely care about your team members, coworkers, clients, or employees. A quick call, text, or email just to check in might be just what they need at the moment. 

BrandBuilders Spotlight: Ground 40

One in a series of case studies highlighting creative projects, imaginative clients, and remarkable results.

The Client:

Ground 40 is a Christian ministry that seeks to provide practical Biblical application to the lives of men caught in the grips of addiction, homelessness, and incarceration. Men in the program spend their first 120 days on a working farm as they learn practical discipleship. When ready, they move to a home with others in the program, to continue growing their faith while working with mentors and businesses to learn a skill or vocation.

The Challenge:

Each year Ground 40 sponsors a Farm Fun Day event to raise awareness about the challenge of addiction, and the work Ground 40 is doing in the community. The day of hayrides, pumpkins, volleyball games, food, and music is also a big opportunity for Ground 40 to open the farm to the public and raise funds for the ministry.

The Big Idea:

Lyndsie Davis at The Dunstan Group worked with Ground 40 leadership to provide branded merchandise that would share the Ground 40 brand and message to visitors at Farm Fun Day. Two soft but rugged T-shirts sported the nonprofit’s logo, and the long sleeve (youth) and ¾ sleeve styles were perfect for the crisp, sunny October day. A Christmas ornament in matte black with the Ground 40 logo on one side and “For unto us a child is born” on the other was on-point for the group’s faith-based mission.

The Reaction:

“The Dunstan Group has been a fantastic partner in helping raise awareness.  We were able to do a podcast in late 2019, and of course the gear they make is amazing!”

-Matthew Davis, Ground 40