Believe it or not, Halloween is just a couple months away so it's time to order your personalized trick or treat bags. You may be asking: why should my business order these? Here are a few reasons why customized Halloween bags make great promotional imprinted products for your company to hand out:
1. Imprinted Trick or Treat bags are inexpensive. The average price for these are .38 each.
2. There's a large imprint area. On a majority of the bags, the Halloween design is on one side of the bag & the other side is left for your company name, logo & your advertising message.
3. Your company name & logo will get lots of exposure. Halloween bags are protentially seen by hundreds of thousands of people. This gives you a great marketing return on your purchase.
4. They promote child safety. Most Halloween bags have safety tips for trick or treating. Your customers who have children will appreciate that & remember you the next time they need your services. And face it, everyone likes it when something is given to their kids. For added safety, look into buying the metallic reflective bags.
5. People love getting something for free. You can't deny that people like to get a free gift no matter how small it may be, just so it's useful & these definitely are. You can give out your personalized bags with each order or just have a "Free Take One" display. If you have a booth at a trade show, these are ideal to hand out. Does a local school have a Halloween event where you can leave them?
6. Halloween is the beginning of the holiday season. It is one of the most popular times for businesses to get promotional custom products, so don't be left behind when your competition markets during this period.
7. Attached coupons are an option that will bring you repeat business. You can get the trick or treat bags with a detachable coupon at the bottom so you can get repeat business from your customers & draw in new consumers with a special discount.
8. It's a great way to promote your business--now & later in the year. You can put your other custom promotional items such as pens, note pads or a letter opener in the bags. This way your customers will have something with your logo on it long after Halloween is over.
Keep in mind, if you order the bags now, you won't get them for another three weeks--that's mid to late September & that's just when you should start giving them out.
Billions of dollars each year are spent on Halloween related items. In fact, it is the second highest revenue producing holiday. Make sure you are marketing your business during this festive, fun & productive time of year.
IT'S YOUR COMPANY......SHOW IT OFF!!!
Ronni Sherman
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Integrate Advertising Specialties With Other Promotional Methods To Boost Your Business
There are numerous ways to promote your business but more & more companies, large & small, are turning to promotional imprinted products as one of their options. Customized promotional items have proven to be effective in enhancing brand recognition & recall. They have the ability to stay visible longer than any other form of advertising. This makes it possible for your name & logo to stay within the recipient's view for months on end.
But few, if any, companies will put all their eggs in one basket & just use advertising specialties as the only way to promote themselves. Promotional custom products can be incorporated with other promotions & used in conjunction with almost any form of advertising. So another benefit of using these items is they are versatile.
Here are a few quick tips on how to use promotional wholesale products with other means of advertising:
1. Face-To-Face Contact. Make sure you interact with your existing clients. Yes, it's easier & quicker to sent an email asking what you can do for them; but it's also impersonal. Calling on your loyal customer in their office or taking them out to lunch will do more for your business relationship than a quick email ever will. Remember when you meet with them, leave behind your business card & an imprinted item such as a pen, mouse pad or this time of year--a calendar.
2. Attend Trade Shows, Seminars, Conferences, Meetings, Fund-Raisers, Athletic & Political Events. It's even a good idea to conduct some of these events yourself. Whether you're attending or heading an affair, try to personally meet as many people as you can. Don't leave your place of business empty-handed......bring your printed material & promotional custom products to distribute among the crowd or as you network. Flash drives that are downloaded with your catalog showing your entire line are perfect for trade shows, seminars & conferences. Non-woven reusable tote bags are also ideal for trade shows & fund-raisers. Bookmarks, notebooks & neon markers work well at school functions. The main thing is make sure that both you, or a representative of your company, & your imprinted message are present at a number of these various events throughout the year.
3. Networking Using Social Media. Offer an incentive for people to follow you on one or more of your social network sites or to give you feedback on your website or blog. Almost everyone has a laptop today, but they don't come with a case to protect them. That's an extra expense many people don't want when they buy the laptop & choose to fore go getting it for awhile. A protective case with your logo imprinted or debossed in the lower corner would be a welcome gift. One company used beach balls to get people to follow them on Twitter & it was a huge success.
4. Mailings. I know they're expensive & time consuming when you can do the same thing over the computer. But sometimes a handwritten thank you note to a new customer or an existing one will bond them to your company. It's a sincere gesture that anyone would appreciate the time you took to write them a personal note. It will make a more lasting impression if you enclosed a notepad or a letter opener with your name on it. Mass mailings & newsletters still work for many industries & that notepad or letter opener will make more of an impact if it's enclosed. My dentist sends out a newsletter every three months with a flat container of dental floss. I find that to be a very effective way to use promotional imprinted products. Keep in mind, the items you mail out should be non-breakable, flat & light-weight.
So what are you waiting for? Start promoting your business today! Good luck!
IT'S YOUR COMPANY......SHOW IT OFF!!!
Ronni Sherman
But few, if any, companies will put all their eggs in one basket & just use advertising specialties as the only way to promote themselves. Promotional custom products can be incorporated with other promotions & used in conjunction with almost any form of advertising. So another benefit of using these items is they are versatile.
Here are a few quick tips on how to use promotional wholesale products with other means of advertising:
1. Face-To-Face Contact. Make sure you interact with your existing clients. Yes, it's easier & quicker to sent an email asking what you can do for them; but it's also impersonal. Calling on your loyal customer in their office or taking them out to lunch will do more for your business relationship than a quick email ever will. Remember when you meet with them, leave behind your business card & an imprinted item such as a pen, mouse pad or this time of year--a calendar.
2. Attend Trade Shows, Seminars, Conferences, Meetings, Fund-Raisers, Athletic & Political Events. It's even a good idea to conduct some of these events yourself. Whether you're attending or heading an affair, try to personally meet as many people as you can. Don't leave your place of business empty-handed......bring your printed material & promotional custom products to distribute among the crowd or as you network. Flash drives that are downloaded with your catalog showing your entire line are perfect for trade shows, seminars & conferences. Non-woven reusable tote bags are also ideal for trade shows & fund-raisers. Bookmarks, notebooks & neon markers work well at school functions. The main thing is make sure that both you, or a representative of your company, & your imprinted message are present at a number of these various events throughout the year.
3. Networking Using Social Media. Offer an incentive for people to follow you on one or more of your social network sites or to give you feedback on your website or blog. Almost everyone has a laptop today, but they don't come with a case to protect them. That's an extra expense many people don't want when they buy the laptop & choose to fore go getting it for awhile. A protective case with your logo imprinted or debossed in the lower corner would be a welcome gift. One company used beach balls to get people to follow them on Twitter & it was a huge success.
4. Mailings. I know they're expensive & time consuming when you can do the same thing over the computer. But sometimes a handwritten thank you note to a new customer or an existing one will bond them to your company. It's a sincere gesture that anyone would appreciate the time you took to write them a personal note. It will make a more lasting impression if you enclosed a notepad or a letter opener with your name on it. Mass mailings & newsletters still work for many industries & that notepad or letter opener will make more of an impact if it's enclosed. My dentist sends out a newsletter every three months with a flat container of dental floss. I find that to be a very effective way to use promotional imprinted products. Keep in mind, the items you mail out should be non-breakable, flat & light-weight.
So what are you waiting for? Start promoting your business today! Good luck!
IT'S YOUR COMPANY......SHOW IT OFF!!!
Ronni Sherman
Monday, August 2, 2010
Six Typical Mistakes When Buying Promotional Imprinted Products
It's been proven in study after study that customized promotional items are one the most effective ways of marketing. Most businesses, whether large or small, have used some type of advertising specialty at one time or another. A big majority of those companies have realized the benefits of promotional products & have appreciated how economical & effective this form of advertising is because it directly reaches their targeted audience.
Yet, as in all other fields, there is a small percentage of business men or women who feel it is not advantageous for them to invest in these products. It probably has nothing to do with using promotional items in general, but more to do with how they marketed them or what products they bought.
Here are six of the most common pitfalls you should be aware of before you invest in promotional custom products.
1. Wrong item for your target audience. This is a huge mistake that a lot of business owners make. Make sure you know who your recipients are & what their needs are. Mouse pads are great promotional items but they are the wrong thing for the elderly in an assisted living facility. A deck of cards, a bookmark or a pillbox that is divided & acts as a daily reminder would be more appreciated. Find out if they are physically active. If so, then a pedometer might work. Believe it or not, gum is a good thing for a dentist to give out as long as it is sugarless. If the target audience is a conglomerate, then pens, note pads & coffee mugs are among the items that appeal to a diverse crowd. This may seem like a no-brainer, but you'd be surprised at how many people order an item because they like & they don't consider who it's going to.
2. Not identifying an objective for your campaign. What exactly do you want to achieve with your purchase of promotional items? Are you going for brand awareness & to increase your sales? Are you trying to promote a grand opening, a fund-raiser or a sporting event? Do you want to draw people to your trade show booth or are you using them in a seminar? Are these gifts to thank your loyal customers? These are crucial questions you must ask yourself before you buy promotional wholesale products. You need to define your targeted audience & your goal in distributing these.
3. Buying a cheap product. You've heard this saying: "you get what you pay for". It's especially true for the promotional items you give out. Don't buy a twenty cent pen & expect people to jump up & down with excitement. Especially when your competitor gave them a great pen just a week ago. A cheap item like that pen is likely to skip when writing, smear & maybe not even write at all. It will end up in the trash while the fifty cent pen is on the desk & being used. All you've done is wasted your money & given the consumer a bad taste about your company. They'll associate your products or service as cheap & useless just like the pen they threw out.
4. Being stingy. This is a favorite & something I don't understand. I have customers who buy promotional imprinted products all the time, but never give them out. Sometimes their sales reps are too lazy or they "forgot". But usually the items are stored in a closet & "saved" for "special people" or "special occasions". Unless you're going to invite the public to rummage through your closet, you won't get company recognition with the promotions you invested in. You've spent money on them, so now let them go to work for you & advertise your business. The average promotional item is viewed by many more people than just the recipient. Therefore, one product is a powerful marketing tool & can be seen in multiple locations.
5. No contact information. Having just your logo printed on items without contact information like your website, email or phone number is not usually recommended unless you're a national company that is recognized by your logo. Your letter opener or note pad should not be a guessing game.
6. Too much printed information. I've come across this so many times. Often someone will want their company name & logo along with a tagline, street & email address, website, fax & phone number. Unless you're planning on purchasing note pads, mouse pads or tote bags, you won't have room for all this information. Your business name, phone number & website--maybe an email address, if there's room--is sufficient on most customized promotional items. Do you really need a fax number or zip code on a pen or paper clip holder?
These simple, but costly mistakes can be avoided by using an experienced & qualified advertising specialties distributor......one who has the ability to make your next marketing campaign a successful one. I hope this will help you find the promotional items that are right for your business.
IT'S YOUR COMPANY......SHOW IT OFF!!!
Ronni Sherman
Yet, as in all other fields, there is a small percentage of business men or women who feel it is not advantageous for them to invest in these products. It probably has nothing to do with using promotional items in general, but more to do with how they marketed them or what products they bought.
Here are six of the most common pitfalls you should be aware of before you invest in promotional custom products.
1. Wrong item for your target audience. This is a huge mistake that a lot of business owners make. Make sure you know who your recipients are & what their needs are. Mouse pads are great promotional items but they are the wrong thing for the elderly in an assisted living facility. A deck of cards, a bookmark or a pillbox that is divided & acts as a daily reminder would be more appreciated. Find out if they are physically active. If so, then a pedometer might work. Believe it or not, gum is a good thing for a dentist to give out as long as it is sugarless. If the target audience is a conglomerate, then pens, note pads & coffee mugs are among the items that appeal to a diverse crowd. This may seem like a no-brainer, but you'd be surprised at how many people order an item because they like & they don't consider who it's going to.
2. Not identifying an objective for your campaign. What exactly do you want to achieve with your purchase of promotional items? Are you going for brand awareness & to increase your sales? Are you trying to promote a grand opening, a fund-raiser or a sporting event? Do you want to draw people to your trade show booth or are you using them in a seminar? Are these gifts to thank your loyal customers? These are crucial questions you must ask yourself before you buy promotional wholesale products. You need to define your targeted audience & your goal in distributing these.
3. Buying a cheap product. You've heard this saying: "you get what you pay for". It's especially true for the promotional items you give out. Don't buy a twenty cent pen & expect people to jump up & down with excitement. Especially when your competitor gave them a great pen just a week ago. A cheap item like that pen is likely to skip when writing, smear & maybe not even write at all. It will end up in the trash while the fifty cent pen is on the desk & being used. All you've done is wasted your money & given the consumer a bad taste about your company. They'll associate your products or service as cheap & useless just like the pen they threw out.
4. Being stingy. This is a favorite & something I don't understand. I have customers who buy promotional imprinted products all the time, but never give them out. Sometimes their sales reps are too lazy or they "forgot". But usually the items are stored in a closet & "saved" for "special people" or "special occasions". Unless you're going to invite the public to rummage through your closet, you won't get company recognition with the promotions you invested in. You've spent money on them, so now let them go to work for you & advertise your business. The average promotional item is viewed by many more people than just the recipient. Therefore, one product is a powerful marketing tool & can be seen in multiple locations.
5. No contact information. Having just your logo printed on items without contact information like your website, email or phone number is not usually recommended unless you're a national company that is recognized by your logo. Your letter opener or note pad should not be a guessing game.
6. Too much printed information. I've come across this so many times. Often someone will want their company name & logo along with a tagline, street & email address, website, fax & phone number. Unless you're planning on purchasing note pads, mouse pads or tote bags, you won't have room for all this information. Your business name, phone number & website--maybe an email address, if there's room--is sufficient on most customized promotional items. Do you really need a fax number or zip code on a pen or paper clip holder?
These simple, but costly mistakes can be avoided by using an experienced & qualified advertising specialties distributor......one who has the ability to make your next marketing campaign a successful one. I hope this will help you find the promotional items that are right for your business.
IT'S YOUR COMPANY......SHOW IT OFF!!!
Ronni Sherman
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