Expanding A Medical Practice Using Promotional Custom Products

Retail companies dedicate a lot of time & research to figure out the best ways to market their business. On the other hand, medical & dental practices tend to have little perspective on effective marketing practices that help build a strong, referral based business. Ironically, it's the referrals that expands the practice.

Are you in the medical field or, as an advertising specialties distributor, does your data base include doctors' & dental offices?  Promotional imprinted products are a natural for the medical profession.

Older, loyal patients & the new ones just referred are not enough to sustain a thriving practice. No business, no matter what field, can afford to stay stagnant. A main concern for everyone is how to retain the customers & patients they have & still get new ones.

So how does a medical office spread word about their practice without spending thousands upon thousands of dollars on TV or radio advertising & still keep a demeanor of professionalism? One logical, effective & economical solution is the same other professional fields........customized promotional items.

Distributing promotional custom products to existing patients after an office visit or to prospective new ones at health fairs & other special events is a healthy way to grow a practice. Giving the recipients something of value that will be useful to them will not only be appreciated, but will keep the doctor's name in front of them every time they reach for the item. And an added bonus is that name will be seen by others when the product is used in public. This is a subtle way to advertise.

The list of promotional merchandise a medical practice can use is endless--from the obvious to pushing the envelope & getting a little creative.

GENERAL MEDICAL PRACTICE: Pill box organizers, band-aid cases, reusable hot & cold packs, compact 1st aid kits for the purse, desk drawer or car are items that can be used in any age range & there are no boundaries regarding sex & activity levels. Every practice uses clipboards. Pedometers are great tools for preventative health care. 

PEDIATRICIANS: Logo imprinted toys, junior sized sport bottles that come in a wide assortment of shapes & bright colors & coloring books that teach healthy habits are ideal for the little ones who come in for visit. If a child has to go to the hospital there are coloring books that, in a nonthreatening way, tell what they will encounter while being there. Stuffed animals with imprinted t-shirts offer comfort for kids of any age.

OBSTETRICIANS: There's a whole spectrum of baby products that can promote a practice while pleasing the expectant mother. From newborn t-shirts & medicine dosage spoons to baby shampoo, soap & lotion all imprinted with the doctor's information......the list is endless.

DENTISTS & ORTHODONTISTS: There are many promotional imprinted products such as dental floss, toothbrushes, toothpaste & sugarless gum that can help advertise good oral hygiene & a practice as well. My dentist gives stress items in the shape of a molar to those anxious patients to squeeze during a procedure. A pediatric dentist can give his young patients coloring books touting dental habits. When teens have braces, their lips get dry so lip balms in different flavors is a good idea for orthodontists.

OPTOMETRISTS: All glasses come with glass cases, so why not give them out with the doctor's name & phone number on them? They'll be used daily & his name will always be seen. Other items that would promote an eye doctor's practice are microfiber lens cloths, a package of disposable wipes for glasses or an eyeglass repair kit.

CHIROPRACTORS: The obvious is the hand massager. They come in a variety of shapes & can be found in brightly colored plastics or sturdy wood. The options don't end with massagers--there's also hot & cold therapy gel packs, stretch therapeutic bands & pain reliever & muscle relaxant patches made from Arnica......all having ample space for an advertising message.



DERMATOLOGISTS: Sunscreens & lip glosses that are SPF30 are ideal. There's also a wide assortment of lotions & hand sanitizers. These all come with full color labels to really make a practice stand out & be noticed.




Some doctors choose to collaborate with a charity or school to create a joint project--one that would boast the name of their practice & website & they, in turn, donate the proceeds to the charity or school. An example of this would be a healthy eating cookbook & the doctor's name would be imprinted on the front cover. One doctor specializing in sports injuries donates reusable hot & cold packs to physical trainers & gyms in this area. These are great ways to show community spirit & still bring attention to a medical practice.

These are just a few of the any different ideas that can be used for advertising a medical practice. Even something as simple as distributing pens among the public get a doctor noticed. I hope this gives you ideas for an entire new area to promote advertising specialties.

The best of luck to you.

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

Ronni Sherman

Nine Reasons To Use Promotional Imprinted Products

The main question is: Why buy promotional custom products?
The answer is simple: Promotional merchandise really works!

Are you interested in growing your business? Do you want to land new clients? Keep your existing ones? Increase brand exposure? Attract attention?

Promotional products are one of the most proven marketing strategies, yet they aren't used by a surprising number of businesses. They are great marketing tools. The idea is to provide the buying public with something in addition to whatever it is they purchase from you. The items should have some perceived value & tie into the overall theme of your company.

1. They open lines of communication.

It's a law of business that the more you give, the more you receive. Promotional products are a perfect example of how this works.

Having a branded item on hand gives you the perfect conversation  started, "Here take this pen." Once you give someone something, awkwardness & tension seem to ease away & the door is open to better communication.

2. They attract attention.

Have you ever seen the lonely table at the trade show with little or no visitors? Well, good news, if you have promotional products on hand it won't be your table. At trade shows, people are attracted to two things: food & freebies. I would pass on the food & go for the promotional merchandise, like a bag with your logo boldly displayed.  Food is expendable, but something like a bag travels the show drawing attention to your company & booth. People may stop someone & ask, "Where did you get that?"

It's not just a trade show that a promotional imprinted product will attract attention for you. Wherever your logo is seen, it will draw people to notice your company. a coffee cup on an office desk, a t-shirt at the park, a water bottle at the gym, a beach ball on the beach, a pen at a seminar, a tote at the airport........the list is endless.

3. They stick around.

Advertisements come & go but tangible promotional products stay. They are easily used everyday, allowing for an increased chance of retention by the receiver.  Items like mousepads, pens & note pads stay with someone for a very long time because they are useful to the recipient.

Promotional products take your cost per impression & drop it drastically compared to traditional advertising. Less advertising expense & greater impression numbers--what more could you ask for in an advertisement?

4. They elevate brand recognition.

A large part of brand recognition is exposure to that particular brand. Very few individuals will remember who a logo belongs to or what a company does if they are only exposed to them once or twice. With your promotional products, potential customers will be exposed to your company & your clients will be reminded of you, all on a regular basis.

Not only will your clients & potential customers be constantly exposed to your brand, they will also develop a favorable impression of your company over time.

5. They expand your company's exposure.

You see your competitor's brand all around you but your advertising is not getting the exposure you want. Well, you too, can get better & wider exposure. Promotional custom products can expand your exposure as well as reach out to potential customers who may not currently be seeing your advertisements. Whether your promotional item is one that changes hands like a pen, or one that is an active billboard like a t-shirt, you can be assured your company is being promoted.

Promotional products often show off your company, brand or logo in a variety of places that traditional advertising has a hard time reaching. These places could include the inside of a boardroom meeting, a gym or even an educational environment like a school or university.  You never know where your customers might be so why not utilize a marketing strategy that allows you to advertise non-stop in even the most unconventional of places.

6. They increase company goodwill.

People who received a promotional product tend to not only remember the company behind the promotion but also think highly of the company who gave it to them. This person will then be more likely to recommend your business or product based on their positive experiences with you.

Promotional products can also be given to employees as rewards for working hard or achieving certain goals. They tend to be great incentives.

7. They travel........they go places you don't.

Often times "re-gifting" is frowned upon, but not when it comes to promotional imprinted products. It's not called "re-gifting" but rather continuous advertising. Passing along a promotional item from one person to another will expose your brand to a vast network of people to whom it had previously not been accessible. A pen travels from hand-to-hand almost like a dollar bill goes from hand-to-hand.

Promotional merchandise doesn't have to go from one person to another to "travel". One customized promotional shopping bag will be used approximately 9 or 10 times a month. That means it will be seen by 1,038 people in that month........1,038 people in locations where you or your advertisements are not present. Now multiply that by the number of bags you gave out in that month. That's a new, huge audience in places you've never been before.

8. They enjoy wide appeal.

Most advertisements & products are created with a target audience in mind. While the idea of a target audience is beneficial to various types of marketing, the limitations may or may not apply to promotional products. Advertising specialties often satisfy a universal need for a large group of individuals. This means that items like pens, stress balls & note pads can be appreciated by anyone. This also means that they can easily land in the lap of a potential customer who was six degrees separated from your company.

The more people who are exposed to your promotional products, the more potential business you will receive.

9. They generate referrals & new sales.

The entire purpose of purchasing & distributing promotional merchandise is to bring in money for your company. This is exactly what advertising specialties accomplishes. Promotional products can often begin the sales process without you having to do any work!

As promotional items are used & passed along, they create brand recognition in addition to a positive association with your business. This leads to individuals who are more likely to recommend your company to others by as much as 22% over businesses who didn't take advantage of promotional products.

So the next time you're writing with a pen with someone else's logo on it or you're looking at an imprinted shopping bag being used in the grocery store, don't just think "wouldn't it nice if......" or "I wish I could afford......"  You can afford it--actually you can't afford to overlook this economical, yet effective means of advertising.

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

Ronni Sherman

Promotional Imprinted Products For The College Student

Either this month or next month, college students will be returning to their campus & getting ready for the school year ahead. There is no greater school spirit than at a university or college, especially among the Freshmen.

Does your target audience include college students or universities? There's a multitude of promotional custom products you can offer them. And I'm willing to bet that most of them are available in the school's colors. If not, they can be imprinted in the school colors.

Now, depending on what type of business you have, there are two routes you can go with this. If you're a distributor like I am, then it would be very lucrative to sell directly to the school book stores & the students purchase them showing off their school pride. Fraternities, sororities & other groups on campus also purchase products promoting their organization or school. Parents' week-end, homecoming, class reunions......all are occasions when items showing the school insignia are used.

If your business is in another field, then promotional imprinted products are a great way to get company recognition. Find a way to distribute the items with your name & logo among the students on campus. You'd be giving them out & saving them the added cost & burden of having to purchase them. Your logo will be on the items, but it could be beneficial to do it in the school colors.

Here's an example: when my daughter enrolled as a first year law student at the University of Minnesota, a local bank had booths conveniently located for students to open new accounts. With each account opened they got a pen & an insulated mug for hot drinks. If they opened up a savings account with a certain amount or an investment account, they'd get a flash drive with plenty of memory. The customized promotional items had the bank's name on them, but the students were thrilled to get them because they were something they could definitely use.

Some promotional imprinted products that would appeal to students are:

LAPTOP BAGS

Buying a laptop has become a rite of passage for college students, making backpacks with a protected sleeve for the device extremely popular. A separate padded laptop cover that can fit in a backpack is another, more versatile, option. Laptops are a costly investment & they need to be protected.

 FLASH DRIVES

Speaking of laptops, all of a student's work will be in that computer. Not just his work for the semester, but also everything else that his life revolves around will be in his hard drive. So what if his computer crashes, gets lost or something else happens to it? A flash drive is as important as his laptop.

FLEECE BLANKETS

This is a popular item among college students whether it's folded at the end of their bed & they use it on cold nights while studying in their room or they take them to football games & they're used as lap blankets in the stadiums.  Many students want blankets showing the Greek letters of their fraternity or sorority.  Bookstore shelves are stacked with these.

DRINKWARE

Whether it's a stainless steel water bottle or an insulated tumbler to keep drinks hot, students carry these wherever they go. This is a tried & true customized promotional item. These, too, can be imprinted with the fraternity or sorority letters.  Many have the university team mascot on them.

PENS

Students may use their laptops, but pens are still needed on a daily basis. They'll be stashed in their desk drawers, backpacks & yes, even their computer cases.  And like all of us, they can never have too many.  The pen can be a very elusive item.  Where is it when you need it?  Believe it or not, a pen is not an antique......it's used often.

FLYING DISCS

What college green is complete without the Frisbee-style flying disc floating in the air? They can even be used as holders for paper plates at the food stands during a fall football game & then later used as a flying disc.

SWEATSHIRTS

This is, hands down, the favorite of all promotional imprinted products for college students. All styles are popular: the crew neck, zippered jacket or the hooded sweatshirt. This resonates with members of any school group whether Greek, sports related or independent student chapters of organizations like Habitat for Humanity.

STUFFED ANIMALS

These 4" - 12" stuffed animals can be found on beds or bookshelves in the dorms or sorority houses with either the school name or sorority letters on the miniature imprinted t-shirt.  If the team mascot is an animal, they are really popular with the students.  For example if the mascot is a tiger, then stuffed tigers sell faster than the other animals at that school.




These are just a few ideas that can be sold to the college student......the list is exhaustive.  Don't overlook this group. Their enthusiasm makes them good candidates for promotional products.

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

Ronni Sherman

Ten Things To Avoid When Designing A Logo

I don't think anyone will argue how important a logo is to your company. It's the face of your business--a reflection of who you are & what you stand for. It's the first impression that people will have of you & hopefully the lasting impression, the one that stays with them.

We all know the advantages of a good logo. But what about the bad logo design? There are so many out there. A bad logo can literally turn people away from your business; sometimes consciously, sometimes unconsciously. No matter how good your service or product is, a bad logo can keep prospective customers away.

Since no one is business for that to happen, here are 10 things to avoid when designing a new logo or redesigning an existing one:

1.  FONTS: Ask any designer, & they can name a selection of fonts that should never ever be used in logo design. Perhaps the greatest offender is Comic Sans, the condemned face that has had websites created calling for it's removal from software programs & eradication from the library of fonts. I feel those are extreme measures, but because of it's reputation, stay away from that font. Other fonts to avoid are Mistral, Viraldi & Curlz because they are either to hard to read or too cutesy to be taken seriously. Further, you should make sure that the font you select matches the corporate image you are trying to convey.
 
2.  STOCK ART: If you can't afford to hire a graphic designer, using clip art in your logo may be your only option when designing your first logo. That said, you should avoid it whenever possible. Logos comprised of clip art look amateurish, & you run the risk of reusing art that another company has already used. Your logo should be original for two reasons: you'll be remembered & it shows you're different for your competition. You also don't want to be linked to someone's negative feeling towards a business that has nothing to do with yours simply because you both have the same logo. 

3.  PHOTOSHOP FILTERS & EFFECTS: Outer glow, inner glow, gradients, bevels are effects that can overkill a logo. Used sparingly, a gradient or drop shadow can really make your logo pop. Too many effects can be distracting, though. What's more, they can make your logo difficult to read or understand. One filter or effect, used wisely, can create an interesting logo. Avoid using too many--it will have the reverse effect.

4.  UNRELATED IMAGERY: Make sure the imagery in your logo is somehow related to your company or at least the industry your company is in. Including images, though pleasing, but unrelated to your business may confuse prospects & new customers.

5.  INAPPROPRIATE IMAGERY: When you are reviewing the design of your new logo, put your head in the gutter for a second. Is there anything remotely inappropriate about your logo? Are there any elements that could be construed as a phallic symbol or otherwise offensive? Is the lettering in your logo spaced so that it says something other than your company name at a glance? Not everyone looks at images like these shown & see phallic symbols, sexual innuendos  or four-letter words. But many do so take a good look at your graphics to ensure they don't resemble anything offensive or inappropriate.

6.  FUZZY GRAPHICS: While full-color photographic images can be aesthetically pleasing, they wreak havoc on graphic designers. Try to limit the photographic to it's simplest form. Not only will it cut down on headaches for your logo designer, it will also make things much easier whenever you decide to use your logo on promotional imprinted products. The bigger mistake, in this case, is using raster rather than vector images. Raster images are made up of tiny pixels, & get extremely fuzzy when blown up. Vector images, on the other hand, are scalable, so they look good at any size. Programs that don't deal with vector images--like Photoshop--shouldn't be used to create logos.

7.  COLOR FOR EFFECT: Would your logo lose any effect if it were one color rather than several? Try to design a logo, so that if multi colors are used, it will still look good in only one color. This is an especially important point when it comes to customized promotional items since a one color imprint is used most often. One of the best tests for logo design is to put it in black & white. If its's still crisp & readable, even on a small scale, it's a good logo. If not, try again.

8. THE CORPORATE SWOOSH: Even though Nike popularized the swoosh & made it theirs, today too many companies rely on this design for their logo. The swoosh generally does little to differentiate one company from another one. The corporate swoosh is safe, yet completely disconnected from brand identity. After over a century of ineffective, constantly changing logos, Pepsi has finally resorted to the swoosh......the bland, meaningless decorative flourish that says "I give up". You're not Pepsi so you shouldn't take the risk sending out that message.

9.  TOO COMPLEX: For every corporate swoosh, there's a logo that goes too far in the other direction......it has too much going on. Many national companies & sports related logos fall into this catagory.  Think about the fast food logos.  They are nationally recognized & most of them have a very simple design. If these logos had complicated images, they may get overlooked. Try to keep your logo as simple as possible, & what design element you do employ will stand out as a bold statement, even if viewed hundreds of yards away.

10.  TOO ABSTRACT:  Make sure your logo isn't so convoluted that the public doesn't recognize what it's supposed to be. People should not have to squint or have to figure out your logo. One of the best examples of this is a logo you'll be seeing regularly for the next two weeks......the one for the 2012 London Olympics. This is abstraction taken to the extreme.  Did you know those blocky shapes are to read 2012? Luckily the Olympics doesn't need publicity, but if this logo were for a company, they'd be in trouble.

There are many things to avoid when designing a logo for your company--ranging from inappropriate fonts to generic images. If you are designing a logo for the first time or redesigning the one you already have, think about the logos that stick in your mind. What makes them so effective?

Remember your logo will be seen on a multitude of media ranging from your website & printed brochures to promotional custom products. Don't envision it in only one place.

Good luck!

ITS YOUR COMPANY......SHOW IT OFF!!!

Ronni Sherman

Eco-Friendly Bags Have Become The #1 Promotional Wholesale Product

Most customers & potential clients judge a company based on a combination of things, including the promotional custom products they receive. With a growing awareness over the environment & the health of our planet, people are looking for companies that do their part in cutting down on emissions & using more environmentally friendly products.

There are some promotional products that are perfect advertising tools for businesses, both large & small, that are eco-friendly. Imprinted, non-woven bags are one of these. It doesn't matter what field you're in or who your target audience is......these will appeal to just about everybody.

Thousands to millions of dollars can be spent on advertising campaigns for billboards, television & radio ads; but the fact is that a custom tote bag, starting at a low, low cost has the possibility to reach more people with your message than any other outlet.

The Advertising Specialty Institute conducted a survey & reported that people who received promotional items kept them for an average of 7 - 9 months. This provides repeated & consistent exposure for your company. Have you given a bag to your customer lately? Chances are he'll use it more than 10 times a month & it will be seen monthly by 1038 people. That's just one bag........now multiply that by the number of bags you ordered & then gave out in that one month.

I feel these facts about customized promotional bags are so very important. Every business owner should be aware of them so they can understand just how effective they are as promotional imprinted products. Take the promotion of your company one step further & invest in the planet's future by using customized totes.

So let's talk about these bags. They are the largest, most purchased item in the ad specialties industry. In recent years, with consumers focusing on being more environmentally-friendly, their usage has skyrocketed.

Thanks to the excellent quality of printed bags made from eco-friendly material, they can be used countless times which is good for the planet & your business identity. The non-woven polypropylene totes are everywhere, used over & over. It's the one product you can never have enough of. They're recyclable, reusable, eco-friendly, water resistant & can be washed.

All positive, right?  Here's the biggest plus for you......these non-woven bags have a huge imprint area. You can blow up your logo so it really pops & can be recognized from a distance or you can add all the information you want about your business. These should be given out to everyone you come into contact with because wherever they go shopping, they're taking your company right along with them!

The newest non-woven bags are now laminated or metallic.  This gives them added pizzazz & gives them more strength & durability. Some display a multi-color pattern or design covering the entire bag. These will stand out & will highlight your business when your logo & company name is imprinted on them.  These designer totes really make an impression.

You can even get them insulated to carry fresh or frozen products home. Other bags allow you to carry more than just groceries......they have pockets & zippers. These customized promotional totes come in all sizes which make them adaptable to travel.  People head outdoors--to the beach, picnics, sporting events, museums, shopping--the list is endless. Carrying items to & from work is something most employees do, so why not have them do it in a bag with your logo.

What could be better than bags & totes as promotional imprint products for your customers.

Many cities in Los Angeles & Orange counties have passed a law that bans the use of plastic bags & there will a .10 charge for every paper bag used. More & more cities across the nation will be adopting this policy. Jump on the bandwagon now & start handing out the logical solution to plastic & paper bags.

Buying these non-woven, polypropylene bags & effectively displaying your company name on them is a promotional strategy that is priceless. Don't miss out on this great opportunity to promote your business to thousands of people with just a handful of bags.

Have fun with your name. Make it stand out--be creative.

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

Ronni Sherman

Proof That Customized Promotional Items Work

Advertising specialties are products that are imprinted with a company's name, advertising message & most likely a logo. These products spread recognition & identity for a business. Promotional custom products are one of the most effective mediums among advertising because they have the ability to expose a company's name over & over again.

Best of all they are an inexpensive, yet effective way to get your name out in the public while fostering goodwill to your clients & prospective customers. Here are some studies that were done showing just how dynamic these products can be:

1. Research by A. C. Nielsen Co found that almost 1/3 of recipients of promotional products were using them one year after receiving them. The study also showed that, six months after receiving them, 42% of the people with customized promotional items could recall the name of the advertiser when the item was not in view.

2. Another study, by Specialty Advertising Association International, revealed that nearly 2/3 of the business travelers at Chicago's O'Hare Airport had at least one promotional item in their possession & 3/4 of those traveling could recall the advertiser's name without looking at the article.

3. Non-woven recyclable bags are quickly becoming the number one promotional imprinted product & this next study is impressive. The Advertising Specialties Institute (ASI) conducted a survey & reported that people who received a promotional bag kept it for an average of 7 - 9 months & used it about 10 times a month. That one bag would have been seen by 1038 people.  That's just one bag........now multiply that by the number of bags you ordered & gave out that month. 

4. Baylor University conducted a study where a textbook publishing company gave 4,000 educators either a thank you letter or a thank you letter with a pocket calculator that had their logo imprinted on it. The results showed that the customers who received the calculator were more positive towards the publishing company & rated it 34% higher than those who received only the letter of thanks.

5. This next study is one of my favorites because it shows promotional items bring better results than coupons do. According to Southern Methodist University, customers of a dry cleaning store who received promotional custom products over an eight month period spent 27% more & frequented the establishment 49% more often that those who were given only coupons.  Remember the promotional item must be useful to the recipient to get this positive return.

6. This last example is not a study, but still shows the power of promotional imprinted products & how they can aid in your marketing program. Zaki Usman of Severa Corp used imprinted beach balls to lure their website visitors to their Twitter site & sign on as followers. They launched a FOLLOW US ON TWITTER & WIN A BEACH BALL campaign. By the ninth day after the program had started, their follower count went for 4700 to 9400. In that short time, they had more Twitter traffic than they had in the last two months. They also found that once they posted the offer on their website, people stayed on there longer than they did before the promotion. Zaki, himself, credits all this to the genuine interest people had in his beach ball campaign.

All I can say is what a wonderful & unique idea! Congratulations, Zaki, on your success!

Research proves that consumers who receive promotionals return sooner & reorder more frequently than those who receive no advertising specialties. These studies also show how important it is to keep your name in the public at all times & promotional custom products are the best way to do it.

Try it & see for yourself. I wish you the best of luck!

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

Ronni Sherman

Four Time-Tested Promotional Imprinted Products

Last week I wrote an article on the unwritten rules in promotional advertising. They are so very important to succeed & to stand above your competition. These four rules can literally make or break your advertising campaign......follow them & you're on your way to a successful marketing program.

Now that you know the unwritten rules to successful branding, how do you know what to pick that will make a difference......make you stand out & distinguish you from your competitors?

There are several factors why certain customized promotional items sell more than others, the main reason being that they work more effectively. There are products that are ordered more & render positive results for businesses time & again.  Some promotional products people respond to better than others. By using these for marketing, you help boost your brand recall & customers are more likely to remember your company.

When deciding which promotional imprinted product to use for your next advertising campaign, give some thought to the type of promotional item that would help attract new customers & keep existing ones loyal to your brand.

Here is a list of the top four items that are most popular simply because they are effective marketing tools & companies have relied on them to grow their business time & again. These four products have proven to be successful, time after time, in getting a company's brand out among the public.

Custom Water Bottles: These are by far the top-selling promotional items in the promotional industry. Why, you ask......well, there are several reasons for this.  The main one is the basic functional value of the product. Everyone drinks water or another beverage 365 days a year. Bottles personalized with your logo will be taken everywhere by their users & your logo & company name gets seen each time the bottles are used.  This is great exposure for you.

Imprinted Sticky Notes & Note Pads: Everybody uses one or the other or both everyday. These are like mini billboards. Multi-color imprint is usually included int he price so you can get creative with your logo & advertising message making it stand out to the user.  They are available in any size you want. Your name will be in front of your potential customer or client day after day in a fun & useful way. Let your creativity soar & see how you can wow your customer with a basic promotional imprinted product.

Promotional Pens: The most popular promotional tool of all time is the imprinted pen. It's a favorite with businesses across the globe. The variety of promotional pens is endless. The major attraction is the low price of the item which allows companies to stay on budget without having to compromise on their advertising efforts. And it's something everyone uses--even in this age of technology. Choose from a variety of metal, plastic, eco-friendly or gel ink pens.  Don't forget about highlighters & the combination pen/highlighter.

Imprinted Promotional Bags: This method of advertising has proven to be effective & cost efficient. The largest businesses in the country & around the world use imprinted bags constantly. This should be proof in itself. With the recent emphasis on saving our planet, non-woven, recyclable bags are quickly moving ahead of all other promotional custom products to be the number one best seller.  It's a common sight to see people tote their own bags into the grocery store.  What do all these bags have in common......they're imprinted with someone's logo.  With all the airlines' restrictions on baggage, tote bags--large & small--are seen at the airports.  Many of them are imprinted with a company's name & logo. Think of the exposure just one bag can give your business!

I hope this helps the next time you are ready to purchase promotional items for your company. Best of luck!

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

Ronni Sherman

Unwritten Rules For Branding & Company Identity

How many of you can say you have no competition........that you don't care about your competition? If you're in business to succeed, I don't think any of you will stand up & shout "me" to that.

Companies are fighting over their share of the market......trying to convince you that they're the best in their industry......offering special deals & introductory offers that are hard to ignore. This is why brand & company recognition is so important today.

Brand presence is something no business can afford to ignore. Logo identity is vital to the growth of your company. Gaining that recognition is not an intall-and-forget gizmo. It requires persistent efforts to stay on top of your game & there are a few things you should pay attention to if your brand is to shine.

In fact, there are four unwritten rules about promotional marketing you should know if you are to be successful:

A well-executed marketing strategy: Your competition never sleeps. In the world of brands, everyone is making their own noise, leaving their own mark on the minds of the public. You must get your strategy right & stand above your competition to be noticed. It's showbiz time all the time in the world of brand marketing. In other words, keep your customized promotional items out there to be seen.

Be sure it's relevant to your business & of use to your customer: I've said this over & over & because it's so very important, I'll keep saying it until I retire this blog. Don't just buy something to give out because it was on sale or you don't have time to give it more than a few minutes of thought. A promotional imprinted product that your customer won't use or worse, stash in the back of a desk drawer or throw away won't do you any good. And they won't remember you unless it's by the useless junk you gave them.

Stay in touch & they will remember you: Your target audience has a short memory. Your clients & potential customers are perpetually being bombarded with new offers, new products, new brands. They can soon forget you with so much going on in the world of brands. So keep reminding them about yourself. People love receiving gifts. Hand out promotional products imprinted with your company logo. Promotional pens, imprinted notepads, recyclable bags with your company name will be considered thoughtful gestures to the recipient. In turn, they will think of your business over your competition when they need your product or service.

Make quality a priority: A pen is always a good item to give out, but a pen that skips when it writes or won't close when you click on the plunger will not give your brand a good image. What you give out reflects your company & what it stands for. Saving .10 - .20 on a pen could cost you a lot more in the long run. I used the pen as an example, but this goes for any promotional custom product you choose.

All four of the above unwritten rules in marketing are an absolute must if you want to succeed.  One is not more important than the other & one should not be excluded as you execute a promotional plan.

Good luck in your marketing endeavors.

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

Ronni Sherman

Customized Promotional Items For A Healthy Life Style

This is the time of year to start looking at healthy lifestyles beyond the dinner plate & renew those vows for more exercise that may have faded since they were made as New Year's resolutions. Inspire your customers to engage in fitness-oriented activities with promotional custom products.

Promotional health products are very effective in branding your business in a convenient & useful way. These are sure to be appreciated & used, giving your company exposure.

Many of your customers belong to a gym or a health center, so promotional items that are conducive to their workout are always a good idea. An acrylic or aluminum sports bottle will prove to be useful. Your clients will not have to buy a bottle of water every time they go to the gym, & if they run out, they can just refill it & get back to the weights or treadmill. The bright colors are attention getters & your logo is displayed for everyone in the gym to see.

To further inspire your customers to lead a more active life, give out customized promotional health items that can be used for fun. A flying disc will have them running around in the backyard, park, beach or campsites. Ultimate frisbee has become an extremely popular game for all ages. It's a standard on most college campuses--just walk by during the fall or spring months & there's sure to be a game in progress. A beach ball has been has been a favorite for any age & can also be seen at the beach, parks & around backyard pools.

Yoga enlightens the mind, body & is great exercise. It's become a popular trend & yoga studios are cropping up all over. Some provide yoga mats & others ask you to bring your own. There are classes in the park & on the beach.  People are buying the DVD's & doing the exercises in the privacy of their home. This PVC yoga mat comes in a nylon carrying case so it can be toted to the gym, park or a favorite yoga spot.  Not in to yoga? This can be used for other floor exercises as well. 

Golf is a big charity fund-raiser during the summer months & many businesses actively take part. Whether you're a sponsor in the tournament or playing, you can get your company & logo seen by donating tees, golf balls, divot tools or towels with your logo on them. If it's useful to the golfer, he'll use more than just this one game & your name will be in front of him, hopefully, throughout the summer. Another popular way to display your logo is on a multiple of items, for example an imprinted sports bottle filled with branded tees, balls & maybe a divot tool or a towel.

Encourage walking with a multi-function pedometer. Functions include measuring steps--up to 99,999 steps--distance walked & calories burned. Many include the time & have an automatic shut-off & idle mode to save energy. These are light weight & clips to a belt or waistband. If you sponsor a walkathon for a charity, this item is a great way to promote the cause & show your company cares about the community.  Or you can go one step further with a jump rope that has an LCD display showing the number of jumps & calories burned. 

What could be more needed after a run around the park or a heavy work out in the gym........a quick absorbing & a quick drying towel. It comes in it's own case. The towel, itself, is 12" X 31". You have a choice of white or blue in a black case. It's the case that gets imprinted with your logo. This is a definite must for sport bags, golf bags & lockers in a gym. Don't forget about team sports........this promotional imprinted product will be appreciated at schools & at parks where community teams play.

This is also the time for travel. Your client can stay in shape with the latex exercise band whether they're camping, taking a road trip, flying across country or traveling abroad. It's compact & easy to store. It won't add weight to luggage. It can also be used while at the office, the gym or at home. It doesn't matter if your customer is on the go or spends most their day in one place........this item fits easily in a purse, carry-on bag or a desk drawer.  It also fits any exercise regimen--from a light one to a heavier workout.

Speaking of healthy lifestyles this summer........let's not forget about the damaging rays from the sun & how important it is to protect your skin. Spread this life saving message to your customers with sunscreen that has your logo imprinted on a mult-colored label to grab everyone's attention.  They're available in sprays or lotions........SPF 15 or SPF 30........with optional attached carabiners.  These handy 1 oz or 2 oz bottles will fit anywhere--purse, pocket, desk drawer, car console, sports bag.

The main purpose of promotional imprinted products is to get your name out among the public & to make your company & logo recognized. The most effective way to do this is to give out items that people need, reminding them of you every time they use your product. And as an added bonus, hopefully they'll use it where others will also see your company name. These products that promote a healthy life style (as well as your company) are things that people will want during the summer months.

What would your customers use the most?

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

Ronni Sherman

A Great Summertime Promotional Custom Product

"Although I am far from what you might consider 'outdoorsy', last week-end I ventured into the wilderness & went camping. As I was sitting around the campfire - surrounded by trees, water & insects rather than cubicles, advertisements & televisions - realized that in spite of the natural surroundings, I was accompanied by many brands.

From my flashlight to the collapsible can cooler & of course the Swiss Army knife, many of the items I brought had been given to me by a corporation. I started thinking about how these promotional products successfully traveled all that way with us, & I came to the conclusion that functional promotional items are key to building any brand."

The above paragraphs were not written by me, but were taken from an article written by a woman named Sara at Pinnacle.com.

Her last sentence is a huge statement: functional promotional items are key to building any brand.

There are so many promotional imprinted products to choose from & depending on your target audience & your business, there will be several that will be very beneficial to the growth & recognition of your company.

A customized promotional item that I'd to talk about now is a product that Sara also brought up........imprinted coolers for beverages & food.

Summer is an excellent time for travel, camping, hiking, picnics & days at the beach or the lake. And it's important to keep your food & beverages cold.

It's also the time for company picnics, sporting events, golf tournaments, marathons, water spectacles & the list goes on.

This is the time when children go to day camp.  Some include lunches while others do not. For those kids, who take their lunches with them, an insulated lunch bag is important so their food stays cool & fresh.

large cooler w/ 2 compartments

The common link between all of these events is the branded item. Promotional custom products are a key part of every special event, as they help to keep your company visible long after the event is over. One of the most versatile & universal items for summer events is the cooler.

Coolers are a fantastic marketing tool because of their functionality. For so many people they are practical, usable & not only for this month or this year--they tend to last many years to come. Camping, fishing, hunting, picnics, tailgating parties, the list is endless as to the uses. They'll be a prized possession & your investment will keep your logo visible for many years into the future.

collapsible cooler for lunch or drinks

Promotional coolers come in a variety of different styles & colors which makes them an excellent showcase for your business name, logo & contact information.

Small, portable cooler bags can be used for carrying home cold foods from the grocery store or used to transport ice cream home from your favorite frozen yogurt shop. No matter where they are used they will be advertising your business & people will love these handy customized promotional coolers to keep their stuff cool when it seems too hot to transport cold items from the store to the front door.


Medical practitioners will find insulated cooler bags to be an efficient way to travel with medications that must stay in a cool, dry space.

cooler on wheels

Today, customized coolers are not just for cans. Promoting your business with a logo imprinted  cooler can also be easily done on rolling wheels, 6 pack or 24 pack coolers, coolers that double as a backpack........all are just as handy for food as they are for drinks. Ice buckets, beverage tubs & lunch bags are also available. How cool would it be to see people sitting around a tailgate having a good time while conveying your company brand & message.

collapsible ice chest

In the absence of refrigerators & freezers, promotional coolers can be your answer to the coldness of beverages & food; also the freshness of fruits & vegetables.  It's an eco-friendly & healthy way to promote your business.

With their wide printing area, you can imprint your company name, logo & advertising message turning this product into a valid marketing tool--because where they are toted, so is your company name.  It's easy, it's efficient & it's effective.  That's what customized promotional items are all about.

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

Ronni Sherman