In The News
October 15, 2021: Forbes Expert Panel Feature – 10 Things To Keep In Mind When Leveraging QR Codes For Business
When integrating QR Codes into your overall marketing objectives, there are many considerations to navigate. Where to start?
Corporate Specialties President Valerie Hayman Sklar, alongside nine other business leaders, shared their best insights in the Forbes.com article “10 Things To Keep In Mind When Leveraging QR Codes For Business.”
Her tip? Change QR codes from static single-use to an active part of marketing communication—and use promotional products as the delivery vehicle. Read more here.
July 19, 2021: Forbes Feature – Three Ways To Leverage Branded Merchandise To Support Hybrid Employees
In the Forbes.com feature “Three Ways To Leverage Branded Merchandise To Support Hybrid Employees,” Corporate Specialties President Valerie Hayman Sklar talks about the three ways you can give employees working in a hybrid office the much-needed items to help them navigate between working from home and the physical company headquarters—while simultaneously supporting and strengthening your brand. Read more here.
June 30, 2021: Forbes Expert Panel Feature – 16 Ways To Preserve Company Culture In A Remote Environment
As virtual teams and remote working conditions continue, how is company culture being impacted, and what can leadership do to protect and strengthen company culture as the way we work continues to be defined?
Corporate Specialties President Valerie Hayman Sklar was featured alongside 15 other business leaders in the Forbes.com article “16 Ways To Preserve Company Culture In A Remote Environment.” Her tip? It’s all about finding ways to foster connections between employees so they feel involved and supported. Read more here.
June 1, 2021: PPB Magazine Feature – Tough Times, Stronger Companies
What are some of the biggest business lessons to come out of 2020? Corporate Specialties President Valerie Hayman Sklar shares her experience in the PPB magazine article “Tough Times, Stronger Companies.” See what she and the other promotional products industry leaders had to say here.
May 6, 2021: Forbes Expert Panel Feature – 13 Perks To Improve Employee Morale And Retention
In the Forbes.com article “13 Perks To Improve Employee Morale And Retention,” Valerie Hayman Sklar, Corporate Specialties’ president, joins 12 additional Forbes Business Council members to talk about the perks that most often make employee retention and morale skyrocket. Her tip? It’s all about creating a culture of recognition. Read more here.
February 8, 2021: Forbes Feature – Seven Ways To Maximize The Impact Of Promotional Products For Virtual Events
What’s one of the hardest things to facilitate in a virtual event? Creating an emotional connection. But there’s one thing that can help: Promotional products.
In the Forbes.com feature “Seven Ways To Maximize The Impact Of Promotional Products For Virtual Events,” Corporate Specialties President Valerie Hayman Sklar talks about the seven tips to successfully integrate branded merchandise into your next virtual event.Read more
January 22, 2021: Corporate Specialties’ Valerie Hayman Sklar Accepted Into Forbes Business Council; Published On Forbes.com
DETROIT, MICHIGAN (January 22, 2021) – Corporate Specialties, a Detroit-based business, President Valerie Hayman Sklar has been accepted into the Forbes Business Council, the foremost growth and networking organization for successful business owners and leaders worldwide. Read more.
May 8, 2020: Corporate Specialties Certified As Detroit Headquartered Business & Woman-Owned Business Enterprise
DETROIT, MICHIGAN (May 8, 2020) – Corporate Specialties has met the eligibility criteria of the Detroit Business Certification Program, which is administered by the City of Detroit, Civil Rights, Inclusion & Opportunity Department. As such, the company has been certified as a Detroit Based Business (DBB), Detroit Headquartered Business (DHB) and Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE). Read more.
January 17, 2017: Corporate Specialties Wins Silver PPAI Tech Award
DETROIT, MICHIGAN (January 17, 2017) – Corporate Specialties has received the Silver PPAI Technology Award, which was presented to the company at the PPAI Awards Presentation & Reception on January 9 during The PPAI Expo in Las Vegas. This is the third year the company has been recognized for excellence in blog content. In 2015 and 2016, Corporate Specialties received the bronze award. Read more.
August 23, 2016: Corporate Specialties Completes Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Detroit Program
DETROIT, MICHIGAN (August 23, 2016) – After nearly 100 classroom hours, Valerie Hayman Sklar, president of Corporate Specialties, is one of 30 graduates in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Detroit program. Designed by Babson College, the nation’s top-ranked entrepreneurship school, the curriculum focuses on practical business skills that can immediately be applied by business owners to help them recognize new opportunities, embrace practices that increase business growth and ultimately develop a customized growth plan for their business. Read more.
January 18, 2016: Corporate Specialties Wins Bronze PPAI Technology Award
DETROIT, MICHIGAN (January 18, 2016) – Corporate Specialties has received the Bronze PPAI Technology Award, which was presented to the company at the PPAI Awards Presentation & Reception on January 12 during The PPAI Expo in Las Vegas. This is the second year the company has been recognized for excellence in blog content. Last year, Corporate Specialties received the bronze award as well. Read more:
October 31, 2014: Valerie Hayman Sklar Elected To MiPPA Board Of Directors
DETROIT, MICHIGAN (October 31, 2014) – Valerie Hayman Sklar, president of Corporate Specialties, has been elected to the Michigan Promotional Professionals Association (MiPPA) board of directors. She joins Sarah Merrill of Mercury Promotions and Fulfillment as well as Jane Mitchell of Jungle Jane Promotions as members of the Class of 2017. The three-year term begins January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2017. Read more:
To see the coverage published by Promo Marketing Magazine, click here:
To see the coverage published by PPB magazine, click here:
September 2014 Advantages Magazine Interview: You’re Invited
While corporate parties can give employees a much deserved celebration and morale boost, this only happens when the parties are done right—and this goes beyond reserving a venue and hiring a caterer. Because of her corporate event experience, Corporate Specialties President Valerie Hayman Sklar was interviewed by Advantages magazine for the September 2014 feature article “You’re Invited: Help Your Clients Toast Their Talent With The Perfect Bash.” The article looks at how to build excitement, get interactive, present a choice, plan early and keep in touch throughout the entire party planning process. Read more:
September 18, 2014: Corporate Specialties Named 2015 PPAI Technology Award Finalist
DETROIT, MICHIGAN (September 18, 2014) – When the Corporate Specialties Blog as well as its companion blog for The Apartment Boutique was launched in the spring of 2013, the goal was to create an educational portal that provides informative content on promotional marketing and branded merchandise as well as relevant research findings and business marketing and branding articles. And while the objective didn’t include building a blog to simply win awards, it’s an honor for Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) to take notice of the editorial-quality content and name Corporate Specialties as a finalist in the 2015 PPAI Technology Awards. Read more:
May 2014 PPB Magazine Profile: Coworking Works For Corporate Specialties
When Valerie Hayman Sklar, president of Detroit-based Corporate Specialties, began looking into coworking in the fall of 2013, she wasn’t sure what to expect. But something about Grand Circus (grandcircus.co), a training institute that’s on a mission to elevate the tech community in the heart of downtown Detroit, drew her in…and PPB magazine tells her story. Read more:
March 27, 2014: Valerie Hayman Sklar Named Contributor To NAA Blog
DETROIT, MICHIGAN (March 27, 2014) – Valerie Hayman Sklar, owner of The Apartment Boutique, powered by Corporate Specialties, is one of the few promotional products professionals who specialize in serving the marketing needs of the multi-family market. In additional to sharing her expertise in The Apartment Boutique Blog, Hayman Sklar is now contributing monthly to the National Apartment Association (NAA) APTly Spoken blog. Read more:
To see the coverage published by Promo Marketing Magazine, click here:
October 11, 2013: Corporate Specialties Receives AIA Velocity Award
DETROIT, MICHIGAN (October 11, 2013) – Growing sales in any economy is never easy, but increasing revenue by more than 50 percent in a recovering economy is even more remarkable. With a nearly 58% sales growth during the 2012 calendar year, Corporate Specialties has been awarded the AIA Velocity Award, Category 2, at the recent AIA National Sales Summit. Read more:
To see the coverage published by PPB Magazine, click here:
To see the coverage published by Promo Marketing Magazine, click here:
November 11, 2013: Corporate Specialties Launches Blog Series
DETROIT, MICHIGAN (November 11, 2013) – It’s no secret that promotional products are a useful and cost-effective way to gain awareness, build brands and ultimately grow businesses. While there’s no shortage of people willing to sell logoed merchandise, there is a vast difference in order takers and true promotional consultants.
To enhance the company’s service offerings, Corporate Specialties has launched its blog, an educational portal that provides informative content on promotional marketing and branded merchandise as well as relevant research findings and business marketing and branding articles.
