Promotional Wholesale Products Study Shows Advertising Specialties Still To Be A #1 Marketing Tool

In the last quarter of 2010, The Advertising Specialty Institute released the results of a study that showed customized promotional items are still the most cost-effective way of marketing your business.

The study was conducted through in-person interviews with individuals in eight different cities in the United States, Canada, England & Australia. Detailed questions were asked regarding various promotional products that they received recently.


Here is a summary of the conclusions:

1. Cost Per Impression: The cost per impression for promotional items remained unchanged--or showed very little change--in 2010, compared to 2008 & when compared to other forms of media, promotional imprinted products were more affordable & more effective. This just goes to show you that marketing your business with promotional products is much less expensive & more effective than using print or television ads. I am in no way recommending to use only promotional items to market your company......integrated marketing using advertising specialties along with other media is extremely important.

2. Product Usage: Bags were revealed as the highest number of impressions per month, making it one of the most effective marketing products available. Although their prices may be higher than other customized promotional items, they are much more effective in marketing your business. They have a high perceived value which means they tend to stick around more & be used more often. Another study by the Advertising Specialties Institute shows ONE bag will be used approximately 10 times a month & be seen by 1,038 people. That's pretty impressive--now multiply that by all the bags ordered & given out that month.

3. Gender Usage: Males were more likely to keep shirts & caps while females were more likely to keep bags, pens, notepads, and health, beauty & safety items. By knowing this information, you can make smarter decisions when buying promotional products. When distributing your marketing items, it is extremely important to know who your target audience is to get the desired results & full benefits from your advertising campaign.

4. Ability To Identify The Advertiser: 84% indicated they could identify the business on a promotional product they owned. More than 75% of the recipients have had their promotional imprinted products for an average of 7 months. This is, of course, the reason you do marketing......for company identity. That recipient may not be ready to make a purchase that day, but if you give out a useful item then your business name will stay in view. In the future when they need  your product or services they will call you over a competitor. Company recognition is a definite necessity for business growth & success.

5. Ability To Influence User Opinions: 42% of the respondents indicated their opinion of the advertiser was more favorable after receiving the promotional custom product. 62% of the respondents said they have done business with the advertiser after receiving their promotional products. Business today is tough. We all have multiple competitors so we have to stay one step ahead of the competition. Everyone loves getting something for free (as long as it is useful), so giving out promotional items will keep your company favorable among your targeted audience.

These were only some of the results. This landmark study from the Advertising Specialty Institute proves ad specialties were far more effective than prime-time TV, radio & print advertising. The full results for the Promotional Product Study is available online.

Promotional items are the most cost-effective advertising medium available. They provide measurable results for a minimum investment. They provide real impact in a creative way.

I hope this year proves to be a profitable & successful one for you.

IT'S YOUR BUSINESS......SHOW IT OFF!!!

Ronni Sherman 

Why Use A Distributor For Promotional Imprinted Products?

You can Google a product you're interested in on the web, yourself, & find the manufacturer. Doing this you'll feel you made great strides in your marketing plan & that you saved money. But are you sure you saved money? I believe you'll lose money & time, not to mention your marketing campaign may not go the way you thought it would.

I've heard so many sob stories from people, mainly new customers, who bought directly & were sorry later. They were stuck because the company they bought from had no interest in them or their problems once they had their money.

Here are a few of the actual complaints that were told to me.  Pens......they quit writing within a short time of receipt; they had a very limited choice of fonts or the client didn't like how the type looked on his pen--too small or hard to read; the grips left their fingers feeling sticky. Want to hear more......the sharp blades fell out of the letter openers (ouch!); tops didn't fit on the water bottles or the copy rubbed off as they were using them; bags tore after only being used once. My favorite: copy on the sticky notes wasn't centered & the customer didn't know to ask for a proof.

When you buy a pen or any other customized promotional product, you're not just buying the item--you're buying advertising that is telling the public what your business is & what it stands for. Would you tell a consumer that you have nothing more than the next guy to offer or to buy from you because you're cheap & nothing else matters? No, you definitely would not, so don't say it on what you hand out. Your competition doesn't.


Contrary to belief, dealing with a distributor when buying your promotional imprinted products won't cost you any more. Their prices are the same, if not less, than what you found on the web. But they know the quality of the vendors in the field & they know how to find specials that will really save  you money. With this in mind, here are more reasons to go through a distributor:


1. Good distributors go beyond selling promotional items.  Successful promotional campaigns don't just happen by chance. To achieve your goals, buying promotional wholesale products take alot of consideration: your targeted audience, the best product for your budget & the ultimate result to be gained. A distributor is aware of this & will work with you to get the result you want.

2. Professional distributors have access to vast product resources, including an extensive data base which contains more than 500,000 items. Yes, you can find a mug online; but a distributor can find hundreds of mugs in a multitude of colors, sizes, shapes, materials & those that are on sale. What if you ordered what you thought was a maroon mug but when it came it was actually more purple than dark red? Is it worth the savings if you get the mugs & they are so breakable due to inferior materials that they are virtually unusable? 


3. Distributors know their products including items that work & ones that don't. They can add creativity & imagination to make your promotional product have that extra impact. Many online services show you the products they want to sell while a qualified distributor will listen to what you want & help you find the right product for your needs--& at the best price.


4. Personalized service is the role of a good distributor. When going online your selection is what the internet company determines to make available. When you work with a distributor, your selection is determined by your needs & goals. That's enhanced by the experience, creativity & recommendations of the distributor who has your best interests at heart. Online, you're a faceless, nameless buyer. With a distributor you're a client & should have a working relationship with this dealer that will be vital to your marketing campaigns. He should act as your own personal shopper, giving you service along with ideas & the best prices. 


5. Industry distributors can offer experienced advise on & IF to imprint items. You may have found the flashlight you want, but will your logo stand out on it? Will it be recognizable? Some things just won't work or there might be something else that will work better. Once you find the item you want, a trained specialist can work with you to accurately transfer your artwork, including fonts, sizes, spacing & many other important factors. Besides working with you, they deal with the vendor to make sure your copy is clean & your layout fits properly in the space provided.


6. Trained distributors can save you money in the long run. I mentioned earlier thow they can find special discounts on may items. It's not just the cost of the product, it goes further because there's additional costs you have to take into consideration when deciding on a budget. In a generic catalog or or the internet, many times the price you see does not cover the "hidden" costs involved--set-up fees, copy changes, charges for exact color matches, shipping, etc. A good distributor can help you avoid unexpected & unbudgeted costs by quoting the total price up-front. 


Next time you want to purchase a marketing item with  your name & logo on it, avoid finding something "cheap" & "fast" on the internet. Call a reputable distributor. They  know what you buy & hand out represents your company & will help you put your best foot forward with the promotional custom products you choose.


I hope this helps & good luck with your next promotional campaign.

IT'S YOUR COMPANY......SHOW IT OFF!!!

Ronni Sherman

7 Questions To Ask Yourself Before Buying Customized Promotional Items

Many times a potential customer will tell me he doesn't use promotional products because "they just don't work." The statement couldn't be further from the truth. They do work--just look around you. All the big companies use them......HP, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Delta Airlines, Pizza Hut, NBC, Lexus & the list goes on. But it's not just the large corporations; the small local businesses in your town also take advantage of these because they've seen how effective marketing items can be.

It's been proven in study after study that promotional custom products leave a lasting impression & that they have the ability to stay visible longer than any other form of advertising. This is one of the best ways to obtain company recognition.

So why hasn't imprinted marketing products worked for you? It's not the items that haven't worked, it's most likely the product that was sold to you wasn't effective. Either the item didn't represent your company or it was the wrong one for your targeted audience. Or is it still sitting in a box hidden in a storage closet?

Here are seven questions to ask yourself the next time you purchase promotional wholesale products:

Does my customer need this product? This is the most important question to ask. Will your customers use this item you're going to give them or will it be hidden in a drawer or on a closet shelf? Worse yet, will it even be kept or will it eventually be thrown out because it was useless? Make sure whatever you hand out will be used on a regular basis, otherwise it won't work to your advantage.

Would I be happy to receive this product? This is similar to the one above, but ask yourself this anyway because it will help you filter out cheap items or ones that don't look good.  Select only promotional items you'd like to receive.

Does this item reflect my company & what it offers? The promotional imprinted products you are going to give should be relevant to your own products & service and at the same time be useful to the recipient. If you are in the tourism industry, then luggage tags are an idea for your targeted audience. Another useful & needed item would be the plastic bags TSA requires for all liquids--this has a large space for your logo & agency information. And if there's a problem enroute, your contact info is within reach.

How will the products look once they're customized with my company logo & name? Select advertising specialties that have the space to show your logo, name & contact information easily & clearly. This should not be a guessing game nor should it be an autobiography. Also think of the colors you are using as part of your brand. They should be incorporated into your promotional items because it's part of your identity.


Are the products reliable? Nobody likes something that stops working after a few days, even if they are getting it for free. Make sure the customized promotional items you are giving out are of good quality so that people can rely on them & create a positive image about your business. Realize this above all else......promotional products will reflect your company & what you stand for. Don't let that pen or cubicle clip say you don't care about quality.

Are these products unique? Research your competitors & don't select the same thing they are using. Try to think out of the box & opt for something different so that you can stand out easily from your competition. Even a common pen can be unique......there are gels, highlighters, eco-friendly pens, pens where your logo floats in the barrel. Or if you're a vet, pet groomer or dog trainer, how about a chip bag clip in the shape of an animal's paw?


Do you want your product to be identified with a current trend? If you're a local business appealing to people in your area, you might want to give out two messages......your own advertising your company & another showing you care about what's important in the community. Eco-friendly products would help you identify yourself as someone caring about the future of our environment. Is there a drive towards cancer awareness or improved education in your town? It's a good idea to become involved & let people connect to you on an emotional level--then they'll remember you when they need your product or service.

Please don't blindly order a pen, note pad or clipboard with your logo on it without doing some research first. Don't put yourself with the small minority who thinks promotional custom products don't work because they DO work & they can work for you.

Good luck with your next order.

IT'S YOUR COMPANY......SHOW IT OFF!!!

Ronni Sherman

Using Promotional Custom Products To Partner With Another Business

As you hand out your promotional wholesale products, do you wonder how you can reach more people? Wonder how you can attract more attention by being more creative?  You know the saying: two heads are better than one......well, sometimes two companies are better than one.

There are times when it's good for one business to partner with another business & together they come up with a clever promotional idea that will bring them customers. In order to make this work both companies have to benefit from these three objectives:

1. the widening & enhancement of their company exposure

2. the prospect of enlarging their clientele

3. the eventual goal of financial gain

Sometimes a plan can be worked out where both companies' names are on the promotional imprinted product. This may not seem ideal to share advertising space with someone else, but it has it's advantages. By doing this, you are also sharing the cost which means you can give out more expensive items to make a bigger impact or buy a larger quantity of promotional items & cover a broader area to distribute the products. This, in turn, gives your company more recognition.

Be careful if two business logos go on one item. You need the space to show off the information of both companies effectively. This obviously means a pen is out of the question. Mouse pads, recyclable bags & drinkware are some examples where this will work.

The experiences I've had when one of my customers partners with another are described below. As you can see, only one company name is on the customized promotional items; yet both benefit from this.

1. An owner of a Mexican restaurant went to the grade schools in his area & worked out a plan with the teachers & principal. He provided fun, colorful bookmarks with his restaurant name on them. There was also a space for the teacher to add a small sticker everytime a child finished a book that year. At the end of the year, if they had a certain amount of stickers on the bookmark, they would bring it to the restaurant & get a free children's meal. The teachers were happy because it gave the students an incentive to read & the business owner had new customers frequent his restaurant. This was a inexpensive way for him to increase his traffic & get new clientele.


2. A bank, new to the area, wanted to give out drinkware, but they wanted it to be used & seen since it was going to be imprinted with their logo. They didn't want it hidden in a cupboard or rolling around the floor of a car. So they worked out a deal with local coffee houses......the coffee houses gave the banks coupons for 15% off any drink as long as it was filled in the bank's insulated coffee mug. It was a win-win situation for both businesses. The insulated drinkware was used & the bank's logo was seen. The coffee houses had increased business & as a bonus, they didn't lose money considering they saved on cups & sleeves.

The important thing when doing something like this, is not if both companies' names are on the promotional custom product, but how they can both benefit from this. How can they use this form of advertising to broaden their target audience & reach their ultimate goal? This takes alot of thought......don't rush in to it, but consider it over time & pay attention to all the details.

Do any of you have any novel or creative ideas about distributing advertising specialties? If you do, I'd like to hear from you.

IT'S YOUR COMPANY......SHOW IT OFF!!!

Ronni Sherman

Ceramic Coffee Mugs As Promotional Wholesale Products

You may have doubts just how effective it is to put your company name & logo on promotional custom products, but ask yourself this, "If promotional product advertising is an inadequate way to increase your business, then why are we constantly flooded with logo images every place we go?"

They are everywhere. Drive along any street or freeway where there's other cars & what do most of them have in common? A vast majority of them bear license plate frames with a dealership's name & phone number on them. Walk into fast food restaurants......their logo is on everything from the paper bags & the wrapping around their burgers to the paper cups & napkins. It's usually even imprinted on the toys in the children's meals.

Even on television, you will find that more & more companies are looking for ways to sneak their advertisement into the station's programming.  One way that they're accomplishing this is with ceramic coffee mugs. Next time you watch the local morning or evening news or tune into a daytime or late night talk show, look at the mugs sitting on top of the table. They're promotional coffee mugs with a logo facing towards the camera so the audience can see it. A subtle move, but oh so effective!

Some people will pick up on this form of advertising while others may think they don't see it. You may not realize it but your psyche is affected by these subtle images. Everytime you see your favorite anchor person, talk show host or an actor drink from a mug with the NBC logo or a mug sporting Good Morning America, it improves the image of that company. This is the best form of brand advertising.

Ok, let's be honest......a mug with your logo will not make it to a network's scheduled program; but you can still attain the same results. If it works for them, it can certainly work for you if you go after your targeted audience.

A mug with your logo can sit on desks in any business or home. Whether it's used for coffee, tea, hot chocolate or to put pens in; it's giving your logo & company name exposure. Make it colorful so it stands out & gets noticed. A bright or dark colored mug with white imprint can attract attention just as much as a mug with a multi-colored logo.

They also come in a wide assortment of shapes & sizes. Try a grande mug for more impact. Add your company name to a mug with a rounded bistro shape, one that stands on a short stem or one with stripes going around the top & bottom. You can even imprint a photo of your place of business or your product right on the mug. Now how's that for a lasting impression! Your options are endless.

Overall brand & logo recognition on a customized promotional item single-handedly does more to boost business & sales than any other form of advertising. The next time you watch a program & see that mug, think about the subtleties of the message they are sending you. This is an excellent way for you to create brand identity & company recognition for your own business. Frankly, I think it's the best way to go.

Whose logo is on the mug you're drinking from now? Whose logo should be on it?

IT'S YOUR COMPANY......SHOW IT OFF!!!

Ronni Sherman

What Can Promotional Wholesale Products Do For Your Business?

Happy 2011--I hope this will be a successful year for all of you. It should be......for the first time in three years, last year ended in an upward economic swing due largely to the increase in retail sales. People are starting to spend so the opportunity is there for you to increase your profits this year. But no matter how optimistic the economy looks, you won't be a part of it if the public doesn't know you exist.

There's a very easy & inexpensive way to get your logo out there & be recognized--customized promotional items.

There are many different ways to use advertising specialties in your business, but you may be asking yourself, "Will they really work for my company? Are they worth the expense?" In one word, the answer to both questions is YES!

Before I explain how they can work for you, let me tell you this......promotional imprinted products are not an expense, but rather an investment. Companies, large & small, are investing in advertising specialties more now than ever before. If you haven't already done so, jump on the bandwagon & get  your logo out there for the public to see.

There are many different ways that promotional custom products can impact your business. Here are just a few of their many benefits:

1. Promotional product advertising will remind your client & prospective customers about your business. Whatever promotional imprinted product you give them will serve as a reminder of your company each time they use it. And this, in return, will bring you company & logo recognition.

2. Promotional products serve as an advertisement for your business everywhere they go. These items tell others of your company & the products or services you offer. They travel & can be in places where it's inconvenient or too expensive for you to go. A non-woven, eco-friendly bag with your logo on it will used approximately 11 times a month & be seen by an estimated 1,038 people......that's just one bag. Now multiply those figures by the number of bags you ordered & gave out.

3. There's no waste with advertising specialties because you target exactly where & to whom you want the product & your advertising message to go. In most cases they are given directly to clients or to prospects. Your message is the medium so if you target your audience wisely, the products will not be discarded......rather they'll be used on a regular basis.

I hope this helped you see advertising specialties as an investment & not an expense.


It's important not to overlook this essential form of advertising. As you can see, imprinted wholesale products can help stimulate new business. They foster customer loyalty, referrals & goodwill. And that's a good recipe for a successful business year!

Wishing you a happy & profitable year in 2011.

IT'S YOUR COMPANY......SHOW IT OFF!!!

Ronni Sherman

Fun Facts About Thanksgiving

This is my favorite holiday & I think it's safe to say it's a majority of people's favorite. The fire in the fireplaces along with turtlenecks & sweaters, falling leaves & holiday decorations are signs fall has finally arrived in Southern California.

Most people claim they cherish Thanksgiving because of the food. I won't dispute that, but I love it for the warmth & gaiety it brings......being with family & friends starting in mid-afternoon & celebrating long into the night. Somehow we all feel a little closer to each other at this time as we treasure what is around us & how lucky we are to have one another.

Here are some fun facts about the holiday you may not know:

1. The first Thanksgiving day was celebrated in the fall of 1621 in Plymouth, MA & lasted for three days.

2. The state of New York officially made Thanksgiving an annual custom in 1817.

3. In 1863, President Lincoln declared Thanksgiving to be the last Thursday of every November. Before that each president decided when the holiday should be celebrated; always in the fall, but at a different time each year.

4. In 1939, President Roosevelt proclaimed it to be the 4th Thursday of every November to lengthen the holiday retail season by a week. This was his way of stimulating the failing economy.

5. List of foods that were available to the colonists at the time of the 1621 feast & were probably on their menu:

SEAFOOD: lobster, clams, eel & cod

WILD FOWL: wild turkey, geese, ducks, swans, partridges & eagles

MEAT: venison & seal

GRAIN: wheat

VEGETABLES: pumpkin, corn, peas, beans, onions, lettuce, radishes & carrots

FRUIT: plums & grapes

NUTS: walnuts, chestnuts & acorns

HERBS & SEASONINGS: olive oil, liverwort, leeks, dried currants & parsnips

6. These traditional holiday foods did not exist at the first Thanksgiving:

POTATOES: potatoes of any kind were not growing in North America during this period.

CRANBERRY SAUCE: the colonists had cranberries but no sugar. Cranberries were mainly used by the Indians for medicinal purposes.

PUMPKIN PIE: the recipes did not exist at this time--they stewed the pumpkins.

7. Pilgrims are shown wearing only black & white clothing, but actually that was only worn on Sunday & formal occasions. Women typically dressed in red, earthy green, brown, blue, violet & gray; while men wore clothing in white, beige, earthy green & brown.


8. Minnesota is the top turkey producing state in America & Illinois grows the most pumpkins.


With Thanksgiving, the holiday season is officially here. Remember to order holiday gifts for your loyal customers. There's still time. This isn't the place to budget--you don't want to be part of the cuts your clients make in their own budget next year.


My last posts have detailed how to choose the appropriate gift plus ideas for the individual client & for the entire office. Please read them to help you choose the gift to wow your customer & make an impact with your company name. Customized promotional items are perfect business gifts--your logo should be visible, but discreet.


Keep in mind that even though you should have plenty of promotional imprinted products on hand to give out, these should not be given out as holiday gifts. Your client won't jump up & down with the .50 pen they've been writing with all year or the letter opener they've used everyday. Promotional custom products should definitely be used as appreciation gifts, but they need to be special & more unique than what is usually distributed among the public for company recognition.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING.  I hope this is your best ever!

IT'S YOUR COMPANY......SHOW IT OFF!!!

Ronni Sherman

Your Logo Can Taste As Good As It Looks

Every year, just before the holiday season, I have customers ask what can they give out as a food gift to their clients that will make an impact. Many times it has to be shared by numerous people in the office. It should also show off your logo in some way. It's very simple to use food as promotional custom products.

If you're thinking of giving out food for the holidays, don't think along the lines of cutting back on cost......you'll only compromise on the quality & your gift will be the same as everyone else's. Once it's gone, you'll be forgotten--it may happen before it's gone, if you're giving the same old boring food items everybody else is.

You should plan on purchasing the very best tasting food products that are made when ordered & have not been sitting on the shelf for months at a time. What many people don't realize is the gift food items that you find at the membership clubs or discount stores have been sitting in a warehouse for 6 -7 months before you purchase them. If this is how you have done holiday shopping over the past years, your customers will be surprised when you present them with fresh made-when-ordered food gifts.


Whatever it is that you give out, it should have your logo clearly displayed somewhere on the gift. This is not where you should forget about your company identity. Your options for customized promotional items in this area are endless.

Here are three ideas for shared office gifts:


1. tin of popcorn: the idea is about as ordinary as the 6:00 news, but you don't have to buy the popcorn off the shelves of your local grocery or discount store. If you're giving the popcorn as a gift, then customize the tin with your name & logo on the lid or the sides & make sure it's filled with fresh popcorn that is grown by the same people that pack & ship it. It is freshly popped--probably within a day or two of your order. And you can taste the difference! You'll never go back to that old stale stuff again.  Many gourmet flavors available, as well as combinations with nuts & pretzels. In fact, forget the popcorn & fill it with hand-dipped chocolate covered pretzels, an assortment of nuts or freshly baked cookies (again, baked by the people who are packing & shipping your order).

2. chocolate: chocolate bars in all sizes are available--from miniature squares to 2 lb bars. You can add your own logo to the bar, itself, as well as the wrapper. In many cases you can add industry themed designs to the chocolate assortments in a box. Imagine a 1 - 5 lb box of chocolates......the box has your logo on it as well as the large bar in the center & around it are the special die cast chocolates related to your field. The custom chocolate rivals that in European markets. The recipients are wowed by the intricacy & the level of detail & often exclaim, "this is too beautiful to eat!" Eventually they do & appreciate the difference in taste from the boxes of mass produced chocolates your competitor gave them.

3. gourmet food baskets: here you can let your imagination run wild from muffins & coffee or tea for a delicious breakfast for the entire office to an assortment of appetizers or mini lunches for everyone to enjoy throughout the day. Word of caution......whatever you fill the basket with make sure it doesn't have to be refrigerated & it's not something easily found on neighborhood grocery stores' shelves. Don't forget to add your company name & logo. Ribbon that ties the gift together can have your name, but it's also good to add something inside with your identity. Small candy bars or mini snack packs both with your name on the wrapper will be a hit. If it's a small office, a lasting impression would be to include drinkware with your logo on it--enough for the everyone. These could be ceramic mugs, insulated tumblers that keep drinks hot or cold or stainless steel water bottles. Wouldn't it be fun to walk into the office later in the year to see your logo on everybody's desk!


Keep in mind, don't give the lackluster gift your customers are used to getting. Wow them with a creative & fun gift that they'll remember. I hope this gave you some good ideas.

IT'S YOUR COMPANY......SHOW IT OFF!!!

Ronni Sherman






 

Gift Cards Aren't Good Appreciation Or Holiday Gifts

Gift cards have many advantages but when you're giving them as business appreciation gifts, the disadvantages outweigh all the positive factors. Do you really want your customers or clients to know what you spent? Here are a few other reasons why it's not a good idea not give them:

1. Your customer will know what you spent on him so you're showing his value to you with a thin plastic card. Nothing can be more disastrous when building a relationship. I guarantee you that he thinks he's worth more to you than the amount of the card.


2. This is the most common gift given now mainly because it's easy to give. It takes no effort. Is that what you want your client to think when he receives it? That he's not worth your time or effort?


3. Your imagination equals that of a plastic lawn chair. You're not the only one giving out cards this year. You'll be one of many & the recipient won't remember what you gave him or that you gave him anything once the card is stashed in his wallet with all the others. He may remember only if the value of the gift was worth no more than a few cups of coffee. And he may take that memory with him to your competitor if that business made him feel his value as a loyal customer is worth more.


I've stressed in other articles about gift giving that to stand out from competition your gift has to be unique. It also needs to be useful so the recipient will use it day after day all year long. And your company name should be on it so he's reminded of you.


Now with that being said & you still like the idea of gift cards, here are some ways to give them where you can disguise their monetary value & still give a gift of value with your logo on it:


1. Include a gift card to Starbucks or another coffee house inside a ceramic coffee mug or an insulated tumbler that's good for hot or cold drinks. Drinkware is available in any price range so you've covered up the cost of the gift with a customized promotional item that has your name & logo on it & will be used on a daily basis.

2. Give a note pad holder with your note pads or adhesive pads & tape the gift card to the top sheet. The note pad holder can also have your company name, if you wish. They're available in a wide assortment of styles......stainless steel, wood, acrylic or a combination of chrome & glass.

3. Plants are popular & give warmth & personality to any office. Ceramic or plastic planters imprinted with your name are unique. This is definitely a one-of-a-kind gift that will be remembered all year. Add a gift card inside the planter along with a package of seeds for indoor plants, like a money tree, & you should have a customer who's one happy camper.

4. Many cities, like San Francisco, are banning the use of plastic bags & soon some states will follow. This is the time to show you care about the environment. Cotton & non-woven tote bags are becoming more & more popular. They don't have to look like grocery or commercial bags. Many have an abundance of pockets & come in multi-color combinations. Tape a gift card to a book store, department store or even a gourmet/specialty food store to the bottom of one of these totes & you're giving a handy & thoughtful gift.


These are just a few ideas of how to give a gift card without showing the actual value of the gift & at the same time giving something that will display your company name & logo. They can be included with almost any promotional imprinted product to make a creative & lasting impression.


Remember, in giving a gift to a loyal customer, it's important to give something that makes him feel special & appreciated. Don't show any signs you're giving it because you feel you have to do it. With this in mind, think twice before giving a gift card by itself & calling it a day.


Incorporate gift cards with promotional custom products & make them fun to get. Be ingenious, be unique & above all--stand out from everyone else. You can do it! Good luck!

IT'S YOUR COMPANY......SHOW IT OFF!!!

Ronni Sherman

Put Your Name In Lights With Customized Promotional Items

The holiday season is upon us. If the advertisements on TV haven't grabbed your attention, then I'm sure the brightly lit displays in the stores have. Lights are powerful & all the retailers are aware of it as they compete for your business.

Promotional imprinted products that light up are seen & remembered above any other marketing items. Think of the signs that you notice immediately--they're lit in some way. Whether it's a sign in a store window, on an office building or a billboard......they're all brightly lit, screaming to be noticed. The same goes for promotional items. There's no denying it, lights attract attention so light up your logo & make a statement with the gift you give this year.

If you want that extra impact, that special pizazz, when you hand out your promotional custom product or gift to a loyal customer, this will do it like no other: put your name in lights!

The one time not to blend in is when you purchase promotional items, especially if your product or service is in a highly competitive field. Let these promotional wholesale products display your name in a fun & creative way. Your logo will be in the spotlight & your company will be remembered long after you've met with the client or prospective customer. If you gave it as a gift, it will surely be a favorite & used even when the holidays are all but a faded memory.

Here are a few ideas that will be welcomed & useful to the recipient:
1. pens--the barrel lights up to show off your logo.
2. mouse--it lights up every time you move it.
3. mouse pad--a blue mood light frames the pad when it's being used.
4. flash drives--a soft glow keeps your logo lit.
5. luggage tags--lights blink while coming down the luggage ramp.
6. folding picture frame--when opened a soft light surrounds the photo--good for traveling.     
7. tumblers & drinkware--some have a steady light while others a blinking light.
8. yo-yo's & high-bouncer balls--if your business is youth-oriented, this will be a hit.


When you opt for customized promotional items to give out as appreciation gifts or as promotions to boost your identity during the year, take the ordinary out of the items you choose & add lights to your name. Wow your customers with your ingenuity & creativity. They'll think of you the next time they need your service or product.


Good luck & remember to make it fun & bright!

IT'S YOUR COMPANY......SHOW IT OFF!!!

Ronni Sherman