Teacher Appreciation Week Giveaway!

04/23/202004/23/2020Leave a comment

We all know our school systems have been thrown a lot recently. With sweeping school closures, parents and teachers are adjusting to the new norm. Many parents have bravely jumped into homeschooling as teachers continue to send learning materials and some are even still conducting classes through video conferencing. It is safe that say that we are all appreciating our teachers more than ever.

Nominate Your Favorite Teacher!

The week of May 4th – 8th is Teacher Appreciation Week and we couldn’t think of a better time to express our gratitude to teachers. That is why we will be hosting a prize giveaway in which three lucky teachers will each receive $1000 worth of school supplies for their classroom for the coming school year. But we need your help!

Please fill out the form below to nominate your favorite teacher for the prize. Once all nominations are in, we’ll select the three winners! Now is the perfect time to let our teachers know how important they are.

To nominate a teacher, click here.

From Pit Bulls & Parolees to the Dog in Your House, April is Their Month

04/09/201302/22/2019Leave a comment

“Did you know April has more pet-awareness events than any other month? [There are more than] 10 national events, including ASPCA’s Prevention of Animal Cruelty and the Red Cross Pet First Aid Awareness. Why do we care so much about our pets for us to celebrate them in so many different ways in just one month?

“Most of us own pets. We know the comfort they provide for life’s invisible scars. The unconditional love they provide transcends work issues, family conflicts, death, divorce and other life events. Our pets don’t care if we can read or not, what our skin color is, or who we love.

“At DollarDays, the nation’s premier online wholesaler, we are doing our part by giving away $5,000 worth of merchandise to help animal shelters across the country—and you can be a part of it. Please nominate an animal shelter in your community by entering on our Facebook page. Additionally, Animal Planet’s hit reality TV show, ‘Pit Bulls & Parolees,’ will have a donation opportunity for their pit bull rescue center, Villalobos (VRC), on DollarDays’ checkout page during April. Customers can choose to donate $1, $5 or $20 to VRC.

“During this month-long celebration honoring our best friends, please do the right thing. Do what you can to help shelters and caring organizations ease the burden for defenseless animals. Make a donation to and/or try volunteering at your local shelter. Whatever you do, be sure to enter DollarDays’ $5,000 pet shelter giveaway—it takes less than a minute. Your act of kindness goes a long way for animals who can’t speak for themselves,” said Marc Joseph, Founder and CEO of DollarDays.

You can read Marc Joseph’s blog, “Pets Rule in April,” [in] The Huffington Post to understand why DollarDays’ heart goes out to our pets who need our help.

About DollarDays
Founded in 2001, DollarDays is the leading supplier of wholesale goods for nonprofits, businesses and betterment organizations. By sourcing affordable products, backed by exceptional service and meaningful community engagement, we strive to inspire and empower our customers to accomplish their missions to improve the lives of people around the world. Recognized as the City of Phoenix Mayor’s Office “2018 Product Exporter of the Year” and Internet Retailer Magazine’s “B2B E-commerce Marketer of the Year” for 2016 and 2017, DollarDays is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. For more information, visit www.dollardays.com.

DollarDays Wants to Help You Help a Family in Need Anonymously

03/08/201302/22/2019Leave a comment

“During the holidays, we see an outpouring of thoughtfulness to those who are less fortunate, but what about after the holidays, when the outpouring of good intention ends?

“Unfortunately, the holidays are not the only time families need help. It’s 12 months a year—there are always families in need. Some families have had their breadwinner [or breadwinners] out of work for months, taking its toll on family finances. Others have had medical emergencies. There are many situations that can put a family in need, and, as you might imagine, there are many families who don’t reach out for help at all, and often, they are the ones who suffer the most.

“That’s why DollarDays is anonymously giving away $5,000 in merchandise this month to people and families who could use a hand. To support this suffering segment of our population, we, as a nation, must come together, and this giveaway is DollarDays’ way of giving back,” said DollarDays’ CEO, Marc Joseph.

Joseph just authored a Huffington Post article about what happens to a person or family when unemployment benefits are depleted, both short- and long-term. It’s a devastating tale and paints a realistic picture regarding the domino effect of unemployment. The article is also the catalyst for DollarDays’ March $5,000 giveaway, where merchandise will be dispersed to families in need who are anonymously nominated by you. DollarDays will be giving one $2,000, one $1,000, one $500 and 15 $100 shopping sprees.

We all know that the most vulnerable part of our society is going to be in real trouble for the next several years, especially with what we have been seeing out of Washington recently. It’s time for all of us to look around in our own backyard and be a good neighbor. Whatever each of us can do to pay it forward to help others just might cause a ripple effect that will help those in need pull through these difficult times.

This is the time for businesses to step up and chip in. We know nonprofits tirelessly help 12 months a year, but if you’re unemployed or needing help, no day is a holiday. Let’s do what we can to help others, and entering the DollarDays $5,000 merchandise giveaway by visiting DollarDays’ Facebook page is a good start.

Nominate a Small Business to Win in DollarDays’ $5,000 Giveaway

02/12/201302/22/2019Leave a comment

“If you know anything about DollarDays, the nation’s premier online wholesaler, then you know we are committed to the success of small businesses everywhere,” said DollarDays’ CEO, Marc Joseph. “This commitment is evident in a myriad of ways—from wholesale and closeout pricing on over 225,000 products to several online business opportunities to a monthly $5,000 merchandise giveaway.

“Our country was settled by innovators and risk takers. This entrepreneurial spirit is still alive today, and each of us must go out of our way to ensure its continued growth, as our nation’s small-business owners are truly the backbone of our country,” said Joseph.

In cadence with DollarDays’ support of small business, Joseph shares a fresh, reflective insight about the critical role small business plays in America via his most recent Huffington Post article, “Is Entrepreneurship Dead?” This article complements the sentiment behind DollarDays’ February $5,000 merchandise giveaway, “Pay It Forward,” designed to help small businesses launch or expand. Anyone can nominate a small business in their area by visiting DollarDays’ Facebook page.

Each month, DollarDays gives away $5,000 in merchandise to nonprofits or small businesses with the mindset of giving back to the hardworking people who are truly the strength of our nation’s economy.

Disaster Creates Huge Demand for Survival Supplies for DollarDays

11/13/201202/22/2019Leave a comment

“We had orders for survival supplies even before [Hurricane] Sandy hit the East Coast as people prepared for the worst, and they are still pouring in. The demand for our wholesale Marc Gold fleece blankets is incredible—we continue to ship thousands.

“In addition to stay-warm supplies such as jackets, hats and gloves, [items like] flashlights, personal hygiene kits and food are selling fast. Businesses, nonprofits and consumers are buying in bulk to be well prepared for the long road to recovery. It’s hard to imagine what it’s like to be in such a horrible disaster. We are happy to be able to provide some relief to the victims of Sandy.

“Read the Huffington Post article, ‘Holes in the Safety Net,’ to see why DollarDays recommends that people partner up with The Salvation Army, Red Cross, Gospel Rescue Mission and other nonprofits equipped to help with disasters,” says Marc Joseph, President and CEO of DollarDays, a subsidiary of America’s Suppliers, Inc. (AASL), the premier Internet-based wholesaler to small businesses, nonprofits and local distributors.

You can help, too, by participating in DollarDays’ Facebook merchandise giveaway by nominating any nonprofit organization to share $5,000 in merchandise through November. Additionally, visit DollarDays’ site, where designer Marc Gold is […] giving away 100 cases of toys to 100 different community toy drives, and nominate your favorite organization. It’s an easy and free way to help others at the time of year that giving is so important.

6 Surefire Ways to Capture More “Likes” on Facebook

02/13/201203/19/2019Leave a comment

Facebook “likes” are quickly turning into currency for credibility. The more “likes” your business has, the more seriously consumers will perceive your company. Extra bonus: every time someone “likes” your page, each of your updates shows up in their news feed, thereby providing them constant reminders of your brand.

So how can you pump up your “likes” to Apple and Gap levels (2.7 million and 1.4 million, respectively)? Follow these tips, and you’ll soon be on your way.

Tag, Tag, Tag

In late January, Jill Homiak, founder of Presenza, a wrap-top designer in Alexandria, Va., posted this to her company’s Facebook wall: “Who else is excited that Sofia Vergara is the new CoverGirl?!?!” She tagged the word “CoverGirl” by putting an @ before the “C,” thereby alerting CoverGirl to the post. Her plan worked; it not only caught the attention of the cosmetics brand, but the brand ended up “liking” her comment.

“By ‘liking’ my comment, it showed up on their Facebook page, which is ‘liked’ by more than 1.7 million people,” says Homiak. “It gave us huge visibility, and we attracted more ‘likes’ in the process.”

Donate to Charity

PaySimple, a cloud-based accounts-receivable provider out of Denver, is taking a touchy-feely approach to attracting “likes.”

“We are taking part in a month-long philanthropy campaign where, for every ‘like’ we receive, we will donate $1 to Kids Are Heroes, a nonprofit that inspires volunteerism in children,” says Sarah Jordan, the company’s Director of Marketing, adding that [PaySimple] is hoping to bring in around 200 “likes” and, so far, is up 40 from last month.

If you’re inspired to try this but aren’t sure what charity will resonate with your customers, Jordan recommends the trial-and-error method to see what brings about the most interest.

Host a Giveaway/Contest

On New Year’s Day 2011, Marc Joseph’s Facebook business page had around 3,200 “likes.” Today, it has more than 42,000.

How’d he do it?

“I’ve been doing giveaways every month since January 2011 on Facebook, and it has worked beautifully,” says Joseph, CEO and President of DollarDays, a wholesale distributor out of Scottsdale, Ariz. “In addition, we really engage with our customers online and ask them what kinds of giveaways they want, which inspires even more attention and comments.”

Contests are also great “like” drivers. Just before Christmas, Brina Bujkovsky, founder of The Younique Boutique in San Marcos, Calif., offered a free hanging quilt as the prize of a contest asking followers to describe their happiest holiday memories on her business’s Facebook page. The contest worked—her “likes” went from 100 to more than 800 in just two weeks. [S]he selected the winner at random and then asked them to post photos of the quilt once they received it, attracting even more “likes.”

Create a Splash Page

A splash page is a gate to one’s Facebook wall and usually contains colorful graphics describing a company, promoting products or sales. Louis Hernandez, Jr., CEO of The Motor Bookstore, a car-manual retailer in DeBary, Fla., uses his splash page to capture “likes.”

“A splash page asks the visitor to ‘like’ your page before seeing your wall contents,” he says. “You can bypass this, but the majority of visitors will follow instructions.”

Reward Reposts

In an effort to get the word out about her harp-performance business, Merry Miller turned to Facebook in a creative way: she asked followers to do the work for her.

“I inspired my base to repost a link to my love CD by offering to play a wedding for free to the person who got the most ‘likes’ on my link,” she says. “I captured 100 ‘likes’ in the first day.”

Get Personal

Facebook users hate a hard sell. Endear your business to followers by posting on personal topics such a popular sports games and how you feel about the weather. Michael D. Haaren, cofounder of Rat Race Rebellion, a work-from-home job board out of Annandale, Va., posts about his obsession with Nutella and gets tons of feedback, as well as “likes.”

Bottom line: Remember to put the “social” in social media. [D]on’t talk at your consumers; [t]hey will just tune out.

Original article here:
https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/business/trends-and-insights/articles/social-media-for-business-2012-6-surefire-ways-to-capture-more-likes-on-facebook-1/

Put up or Shut up

12/07/201102/22/2019Leave a comment

“It’s time for us to pull together and stop the bickering and finger-pointing and just help people in need,” says Marc Joseph, President and CEO of DollarDays, a subsidiary of America’s Suppliers, Inc. (AASL.PK), a premier Internet-based product wholesaler to small businesses and local distributors.

As part of the company’s ongoing corporate philanthropy program, this month, DollarDays will donate more than 1,000 blankets to homeless shelters around the country. Through the company’s Facebook page, customers can enter their local shelter into a sweepstakes. Winners will be selected January 4, 2012.

“The economy is in shambles, and our neighbors and fellow human beings need help. The people that help them need assistance, and it’s time we stop griping and just do something,” says Joseph. “DollarDays works closely with small-business owners who are so economically burdened, but they also are the most philanthropic people, and we appeal to them and their customers to help out as well.”

According to Michigan State University, three-million Americans, a fourth of which are children, go without shelter every night, and, during the winter months, the 3,235 homeless shelters and social service outlets in the United States are filled to capacity and working at a breaking point.

Every month throughout 2011, DollarDays has donated up to $5,000 in product to small businesses and nonprofit organizations, and they plan to continue it throughout 2012.

“There’s so much noise about how to solve economic woes, but at a grassroots level, we just need to help with product, food and financial donations.”

In addition to small businesses, DollarDays services the nonprofit sector, which has been the fastest-growing segment of its business. Through DollarDays, nonprofit organizations have access to necessary supplies by the case that help them stretch their donated dollars.

Joseph reports that nonprofits are buying everything from office supplies and health and beauty products to fundraising items. Other top-selling supplies include batteries, inexpensive clothing, recognition awards and plaques, holiday greeting cards, and small electronics. In fact, Occupy Wall Street ordered Army blankets.

In November, Blind Cat Rescue & Sanctuary, located in St. Pauls, North Carolina, won the DollarDays $2,500 grand prize for use toward product. Founded in 2005, Blind Cat Rescue & Sanctuary provides a safe place for blind cats deemed un-adoptable by regular shelters due to blindness or illness.

“Thank you so much to DollarDays for their wonderful contest, giving us the opportunity to win $2,500 of merchandise,” says Alana Miller, Director of Blind Cat Rescue & Sanctuary. “This wonderful gift allowed us to buy cleaning and office supplies that will last us many months. Freeing up those funds allowed us to provide the cats with new climbers that were not in our current budget. We are so grateful to [DollarDays] for their kindness!”

Joseph adds, “Everyone has something that touches them, whether it’s animals, children, homelessness or medical issues. We just need to act on our natural impulse to help, and in this hectic world with a scary economy, it’s hard to do. But, like DollarDays, even a little every month helps, and it’s so rewarding for everyone.”

The Best Therapist You Ever Met

10/13/201101/28/2019Leave a comment

October is “Adopt-a-Pet-Shelter Month,” and, as far as I am concerned, we should be celebrating this every month of the year. According to the Humane Society, animal shelters care for up to eight million dogs and cats every year and euthanize around four million animals. Today, there are more than 135 million dogs and cats in our homes. Back in the 1970s, when there were just 67 million pets, over 12 million dogs and cats were euthanized a year, so, in a sense, our society has come a long way in caring for our animals.

All of our local shelters do their best in trying to get these defenseless animals a home. As was reported in the Bandera Bulletin this week, “Saturday turned out to be another great day for adoptions in Old Town Helotes, where nine dogs and puppies found new homes.” Publications like Philadelphia’s PhillyBurbs.com continually promote local animals available for adoption. They even suggest that if you can’t adopt one yourself, be a good citizen and “support local shelters by putting together care packages, which could include baked goods for the volunteers, blankets and toys for the pets, and pet food items for the shelters’ supplies.”

[D]on’t forget the Red Star Animal Emergency Relief effort that was reported on recently in The Huffington Post. This part of the American Humane Association helps animals in disaster events like the Minot, N.D., flood this summer and the Joplin, Mo., tornado last spring.

There are plenty of Americans who don’t have pets and don’t understand how important a companion these pets can become. Pets are also teachers helping humans of all ages learn about loyalty, responsibility, empathy, sharing and unconditional love. Kindness to animals can rub off and teach us to be kinder to our fellow man and woman. If you are elderly, a pet can offer you hope, because being responsible for another life can add new meaning to your life.

Every American should give thought during this special month for pets on how they can help their local shelter. My company, DollarDays, is giving away $5,000 in supplies to shelters on our Facebook page. If you have a favorite shelter, make sure you nominate them to win. If you don’t have a favorite shelter, support them all by donating to one of the national organizations helping animals.

During these tough economic times, it is quite difficult to help the humans who need us, let alone the animals that need us, [s]o if you can’t support this cause financially, volunteer at your local shelter. These animals need a friend as much as you do, even though pets offer us much more in return than we give them. They can help us learn more about love and friendship than we can teach them. Just a few hours with a pet can improve our emotional health. These animals may be the best therapist you have ever met.

Original article here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/the-best-therapist-you-ev_b_999272.html

We Are Forgetting About Our Kids

08/15/201101/28/2019Leave a comment

I don’t need to rehash what has been going on in Washington. The moves that were made with the most recent agreements, we are told, were made to protect our children and their future. I am more worried about protecting our children of today to make sure we don’t have a lost generation gliding through our school system.

Where is our country’s moral standard when we read the article in The Huffington Post on August 8th, [titled] “Schools Caught Cheating in Atlanta and Around the Country“? […] Where is Washington when The Wichita Kansas Eagle reports this week, “Board Approves Heavy Budget Cuts” and goes on to say they are doing away with librarians and stringed-instrument classes? Or when the Corsicana, Texas, Daily Sun reports, “Mildred Cutting Budget“ and talks about the band not being able to go to football games? Where is our country’s ethical position when, as the Chicago Sun Times reported earlier this week, “Aldermen Not Warming up to Proposed School Property Tax Hike”?

Like any business, if you don’t have enough money coming in, the services you provide will be decreased. Around the country, skills that were being taught that have made our country what it is today, like music, art and physical education, are being eliminated. Teachers are being fired, increasing class size. This is not the legacy I want to leave my children today, let alone the children of tomorrow. […]

The Huffington Post, back in December, reported, “U.S. Falls in World Education Rankings” and that our great country is rated “average.” I know my kids aren’t average, and I am sure your kids aren’t average, either. In this horrible economy, we all have to make sacrifices, and any “average” American understands this—[b]ut don’t sacrifice our kids in the short term, because this country will pay for this in the future. Sacrifice our retirement benefits. Have us pay more in sales tax. Have the adults in this country benefit less in social services, but don’t sacrifice our kids, especially in their formative years.

At DollarDays, we are trying to help the kids a little. On our Facebook page, we are giving away one free month of SAT test preparation to an entire junior class at one school. You should enter your favorite high school into this sweepstakes.

Education is what has helped the quality of the American society grow so quickly in the last couple of hundred years. This is because adults have made the right sacrifices for all of our kids. It is the honorable and decent way to treat the next generation.

Original article here:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/budget-effects-schools_b_923951.html

School Supply Giveaway Contest

07/08/201101/28/2019Leave a comment

The Wall Street Journal reported today “For Small Businesses, Recession Isn’t Over.” As a supplier to small businesses of over 140,000 general-merchandise products, we knew the recession wasn’t over months ago, because small businesses are still having trouble getting traffic into their business, [and] those buyers [are spending] less than last year. [O]n top of [that], [small business are still] not […] able to get loans [easily] from banks to help not only keep their business afloat, but, as all optimistic entrepreneurs dream of, expand their business, as well.

Nonprofits are suffering in the same way, because they just can’t raise the kind of funds they need to support the causes needed to sustain our American society. During these recessionary times, all of us, whether you are a business or an individual, need to dig just a little deeper to help.

At DollarDays.com, during July, we are running a school supply giveaway contest of $500 to the school that gets the most votes. In just two days, [more than] 250 schools have been nominated on our Facebook page. […]

Nominations of schools are open until July 18, 2011, [s]o if you know of a school in need, send them to this contest—[o]r, better yet, figure out a way where you can give back, [too]!

Original article here:
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/school-supply-contest_b_893471.html?ec_carp=4117238912175737153

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