January is almost over. Yes, you made your new year’s resolutions. You are hitting the gym, eating well and feeling great. Good for you! But what about your business? Did you make new year’s resolutions for your business? Is your business striving to contribute back to the community in 2013? Maybe you read an article or two about businesses becoming more socially responsible. Maybe you are realizing that businesses, like individuals can make a difference. No matter your reason, 2013 is the year to be green. Let’s explore some different ways a business can step up to lead the community to a greener environment and build customer relationships at the same time.

• Abandon Paper Advertising. First, we need to cut down on commercial waste. Have you done an ROI analysis on your paper advertising recently? Businesses are becoming increasingly aware that flyers, post cards, door hangers and other paper advertisements are not cost effective. Customers find these types of advertisements more of an annoyance than informational. So why not cut your cost and save a tree. Stop the plastering of unwanted flyers and postcards. Your customers will appreciate not having to deal with the annoying pieces of paper waste.

• Spread the Word. Perhaps you are not yet aware of the power that your business holds in shaping the opinions of your customers. This thinking should be dashed by Chick-Fil-A’s political stand last year and the swift actions and reactions caused by it. Your customers support you because they have a certain trust in your business. This kind of trust is powerful in bringing a positive change in our society. So tell your customers that you care about the environment and be a part of this positive change.

• Build Your Green Brand. Take the step above a bit further. Build an advertising campaign around your message of being green. Let your customers know that you are contributing back to the communities that support you. Your customers will subconsciously associate your brand with being responsible and wholesome. This subconscious association can make the difference when your customers have to choose between you and your competitor.

• Bring It All Together. Adopt a Highway. How exactly can a business do all of the above at the same time? By adopting a highway! Adopt a Highway Programs allow you to put your business name & logo in front of millions of motorists that drive the busy highways in the largest cities of America. The exposure your business will receive is unrivaled. When you adopt a highway, you are displaying corporate citizenship to your current and potential customers. Your business is contributing to a cleaner environment while bringing your brand to your customers. Your green advertising will give back to the community that supports your business. See what others say about Adopt a Highway Programs.

So what are you waiting for? Let 2013 be the year that your business commits to being green! Take the steps and bring positive change to your community. To find out more about Adopt a Highway Programs in your city, contact Adopt a Highway Litter Removal Service of America, Inc for pricing and information at (800) 499-2367.

Commercial Office Environments is committed to creating attractive, healthy, and productive environments for their community, whether that is through their many services they provide for creating work environments or through their numerous community outreach programs including the Sponsor-A-Highway Program of Indiana.

Established in March of 1987 by Sara Cook, COE is proud to be a Women Business Enterprise (WBE) and is celebrating 25 years of business, growing to a company filled with an experienced staff providing professional services for the planning, management, installation and maintenance of attractive and productive work spaces.

COE is the largest dealer in the State of Indiana to represent Haworth, the second largest office furniture manufacturer in the industry.  Haworth is an award winning leader in the development of ergonomic and environmentally sustainable office furniture. Along with Haworth, COE represents over 450 other commercial manufacturers, consisting of commercial furniture, architectural products and interior products, to create a workspace tailored for the needs of today, yet adaptable for the requirements of tomorrow.

Dedicated to their community and providing attractive environments, COE participates in the new Sponsor-A-Highway program to help keep Indianapolis streets clean with budget-friendly advertising that reaches thousands daily.

To learn more about the Sponsor-A-Highway Program in Indiana, please contact Sarah Parkes at (800) 540-8694.

The community of Grain Valley, MO has cleaner highways thanks to GE Transportation.

GE Transportation is a global technology leader and supplier to the railroad, marine, drilling, wind and mining industries. GE provides freight and passenger locomotives, railway signaling and communications systems, information technology solutions, marine engines, motorized drive systems for mining trucks and drills, high-quality replacement parts and value added services.

Not only does GE Transportation help with the building of our roadways, they are helping to keep them clean! A big thank you to our friends at GE. If you would like to join GE and take part in the Sponsor-A-Highway Program in Missouri, contact Sarah Parkes at (800) 540-8694.

GE Transportation is honored to be a part of such a great organization such as the “Sponsor-A-Highway” program. The Grain Valley site takes a lot of pride in knowing we can contribute to helping keep our roadways clean. The company likes the program so well we plan on signing up our Warrensburg General Electric site! – Dan Morton, GE Transportation

April 22 is Earth Day! Get ready to take part in making our Earth a greener planet. There is no better time to adopt a highway in your area and contribute to a cleaner environment. Adopt-A-Highway Programs will put your business in front of millions of motorists twenty four hours a day, 365 days a year. You will receive unrivaled exposure for your business.

With Earth Day approaching, there is a heightened sense of environmental awareness and social responsibility. By adopting a highway, you are displaying corporate good citizenship to your current and potential customers. Your business is contributing to a cleaner environment while bringing your brand to your customers. Green advertising gives back to the community that supports your business.

Pledge now to a cleaner environment and Adopt-A-Highway. And don’t forget to go to Earth Day Network and share your pledge.

There is a new sponsor in town cleaning up the highways of New York Long Island. ShopRite of Patchogue has joined the Sponsor a Highway program to contribute to a cleaner environment. This family-owned business is focused on giving back to their community as they bring freshness and convenience to their neighbors.

A native of New Jersey, Harry Janson’s 40 year career (1970-2010) in the Supermarket Industry led him from New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Virginia, Alabama, and Arkansas before bringing him close to his home state in 1998. That’s when Harry, President of Janson Supermarkets, L.L.C, became a Wakefern/ShopRite member when he built a new ShopRite location in Hauppauge, New York. He and his family including his wife, Elizabeth, sons Harry II and William and daughter-in-law Amy manage this 61,000 square foot location. Just this past October, The Janson Family opened their second location in Patchogue, New York.

From day one, Harry was focused on giving his customer’s the best. Every day, his Bakery Department prepares Bagels and Donuts from scratch. The Prepared Foods Department features Rotisserie Chicken and Fried Chicken, which is breaded and fried on site.  Harry also has a full-time Sushi staff that prepares fresh Sushi daily, using only Grade A Ingredients.With many of his customers being working couples with young children, Harry offers ShopRite from Home.

Making sure customer’s have the ethnic foods they need is important to the Janson’s. The store’s ethnic aisle includes Polish, German, Indian, and Spanish products as well as a selection of Hala and Kosher foods including both a Kosher Red Meat Case and Chicken Case.

Harry Janson and his family feel very strongly about helping within their community.

A big welcome to our new sponsor in Kansas, Firehouse Subs. Besides serving up tasty hearty sub sandwiches, Firehouse Subs is serving up clean highways. Owner Mike McNicoll is dedicated to giving back to his local community that supports Firehouse Subs. This dedication is a corner stone of the company’s philosophy. By sponsoring the Adopt a Highway Program in Kansas, the company is expanding beyond their Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation in community service.

Be sure to stop by your local Firehouse Subs:

The story of Firehouse Subs is both touching and inspiring.

“Growing up in a family that is both entrepreneurial and built on more than 200 years of firefighting heritage, it seems we were destined to start Firehouse Subs®. Of course we tried other things along the way to our American dream – rock ’n’ roll, real estate, even Christmas tree farming. But everything we experienced on our path led us to Firehouse Subs.

Nearly 17 years later, with more than 450 Firehouse Subs restaurants in 29 states, we’re convinced we’re doing a few things right. People come back when they’re treated well, and fed even better. Turns out, people absolutely LOVE the same things we do – the best meats, cheeses, and toppings we can find. People come back again and again because, unlike other sub places, we steam our meats and cheeses, releasing a rush of flavors, then stuff a serving that’s way over code on one of our toasted private recipe sub rolls. It’s a winning combination that satisfies ravenous appetites and the value conscious alike.

As they say in the fire station, let’s eat.”

Chris Sorensen & Robin Sorensen

– Founders

As the year 2012 begins, many marketing executives and business owners are racking their brains trying to figure out the best way to spend their advertising budget. With the on-going economic recession, what are the cost-effective ways to attract attention to your business and products? How do you stand out in the sea of competitors?

Here are five reasons why a business should adopt a highway as part of their marketing strategies for 2012.

1. Advertise to Millions of Motorists
• Adopt a Highway Programs allow you to put your business name & logo in front of millions of motorists that drive the busy highways in the largest cities of America. The exposure your business will receive is unrivaled.
2. Cost-Effective Compared to Other Advertising Methods
• With monthly cost ranging from $150 to $550 per month, the average cost per thousand views is $0.20. Whereas with the more traditional advertising methods, you are likely to pay around $36 per thousand views for a TV ad, or $25 per thousand views on a magazine ad. In comparison, Adopt a Highway programs will save you thousands of dollars of your marketing budget.
3. Signage That Works Day and Night
• Unlike traditional TV, radio, magazine or even online ads, your Adopt a Highway signage works for you 24/7. There is no scheduling of the ad appearance. Your potential customers will see your sign day and night, all year long.
4. Subliminal Name Recognition
• Name recognition often makes the difference in deciding between competitors. In situations where a consumer has to choose between competitive brands, one would most likely pick the brand that rings recognition. If a consumer has seen your name somewhere, the consumer is more likely to choose your brand over your competitors.
5. Be Socially Responsible, Give Back to the Community
• In our society, there is an increasing sense of environmental awareness and social responsibility. By adopting a highway, you are displaying corporate citizenship to your current and potential customers. Your business is contributing to a cleaner environment while bringing your brand to your customers. Your green advertising will give back to the community that supports your business.

So if you are looking for a way to attract more customers in the new year, be sure to look into the Adopt a Highway Program in your city. You may call Adopt a Highway Litter Removal Service of America, Inc. at (800) 499-2367 for pricing in your area.

Adopt-A-Highway Litter Removal Service of America is proud to introduce our new market – Indiana!  Environmentally conscious businesses can now join the Adopt a Highway Program in Indiana.  Adopt a Highway Program gives you exposure to millions of motorists of Indiana with outdoor signs along highways.

We welcome our first sponsor of Indiana, Monte Smith State Farm Insurance Agency.  Monte Smith Insurance Agency has over 25 years State Farm experience, and active in the State Farm Volunteer Network.

Proudly display you corporate citizenship to potential and existing customers and gain unrivaled exposure in Indiana.  Adopt a highway today in Indiana.  Contact Sarah Parkes at (800) 540-8694 or email her at sarah@adoptahighway.net.

My vision is to be a resource in the Fishers Community While developing meaningful relationships with my clients, helping them prepare for the unexpected and plan for their future.

- Monte Smith.

If you are ever in the neighborhood of Montauk, New York, you would be doing yourself a favor by stopping in at Coffee Tauk.  Serving the best coffee to a chic upscale clientele, Coffee Tauk is frequented by celebrities and professionals.  Committed to bring high quality with only the best ingredients, Coffee Tauk is also committed to bring its community a clean environment.

Coffee Tauk has been with the Adopt a Highway Program since 2010 with two signs on the Montauk Highway running through the Hamptons.  They are truly a socially responsible business conscious of our impact on the environment.  We are proud to be working with them!

Check out their Facebook page and like them.  They frequently give out specials for their Facebook fans.

When MagnaCare committed to their roots, they committed to becoming the region’s best healthcare advocate.  With that commitment in mind, MagnaCare is giving back to their neighbors through the Adopt-A-Highway programs of New York State, New York Long Island and New Jersey.  By keeping the highways in the neighborhood clean, MagnaCare is inspiring clean and healthy living in its communities.

More focused, more agile, more in touch. We decided that while other companies scrambled to cover more lives in more states, we’d offer thoughtful health plan solutions and an unmatched provider network to our own neighbors.

We sincerely thank MagnaCare on behalf of its communities and neighborhoods for doing their part in being a socially responsible company!