Protect Your Image--Stay True To Your Brand

So some people ask, "What is branding?" Steering clear of any cattle, branding in business simply means the identity of a company or product.

A well known example would be Kleenex. Kleenex has done such a great job of branding that many people don't say "I need a tissue," but they say, "I need a Kleenex." Kleenex is the name of the product, but it is now interchangeable with they type of product it is.


 A top priority for any company should be to create a unique branded image & protect that image at all times. This means anytime you print business cards, brochures, promotional custom products, produce videos, post on social media or do any other form of marketing, you should stay consistent with your brand. You have many competitors, both locally & online, that offer the exact same service or product; so you need to differ from them & be unique. You need to make an impact & be remembered. It's more important now than ever before that you stand out.

June 19, 2012, I wrote an article stating four rules for successful branding & company identity. Are you ready for three more?  These have to do with keeping your brand consistent so it well be easily recognized.

Use this as a checklist to make sure you are staying true to your branding when doing your marketing:

Always use your logo. Think about how many people know the McDonald's arches. Better yet, think about how many people DON'T know what the McDonald's arches represent. While you may be a small company & your logo won't be recognized nationwide or worldwide, it will be recognized within your local business region if you brand it properly. Don't skew the proportions of your logo & don't change the colors. If you have a multi-color logo, sometimes you have to print in one color & that is okay, but stick to one of your colors. The ultimate goal is for people to be able to recognize your logo without having the business name printed below it.  That's successful branding!

Stay true to your company colors. Most companies have certain colors used with their logo & their marketing theme, which is great. Whenever possible, always use the color combination on your customized promotional items, when printing your logo on paper such as a newsletter or with your presence online. This consistency of color branding reinforces your brand.

There are some exceptions to this: sometimes it's wise to go with colors other than your own if you're distributing promotional imprinted products at a political rally, school function or sport events. Then it might be wise to use their colors with your logo prominently displayed.

There is a new school of thought which I have doubts about: following a trendy new color........orange is an example. Orange is just not for Halloween anymore. You may have seen a lot more clothing in 2012 from the orange color family.  Same with promotional products. Sometimes with your business, you have to go with the "in" fashion & capitalize on that even if you don't personally follow the crowd. When giving out your promotions, if you give people what they want, including the "in" colors, they will use your promotional custom products more, giving your company more marketing exposure. To decide if you should stick to your company colors or go with a trendy color, depends largely on your target audience, the group you're appealing to.

In both these instances where it could be necessary to stray from your colors, it's more important than ever to have your logo & tagline vividly displayed for your company identity.

Develop a tagline. It should highlight why your company is different from competitors or be catchy & represent the mood of your business. Always use your tagline on any printed product or material. Let it become part of your logo......part of your image.

Overall, the main theme to remember in branding is consistency. Always keep a uniform look & make sure your employees understand this as well so your branding comes across consistent in all forms of communication. Over the long term, your branding will pay off big time & your company will have a much better recognition with not only your current clients, but also with potential customers who have yet to use your products or services.

Stand out from everyone else. Let your image scream out: "Remember me! I'm here!"
IT'S YOUR COMPANY........SHOW IT OFF!!!
Ronni Sherman

Building Customer Loyalty

How do you retain your existing customers? What can you do to keep their loyalty so they don't wander over to your competition? These two questions seem to plaque everyone who's in business today--whether he's a CEO of a large corporation or an owner of a small neighborhood store.

The thought seems to be that repeat business happens naturally if you're good at what you do. To a certain extent that's true, but not entirely. Why not implement tactics that boost the likelihood of repeat purchases?

Here are the main constituents of customer loyalty:

1. CUSTOMER'S LOGICAL & EMOTIONAL REACTION TO YOUR BRAND: Your target audience has to feel rationally & emotionally connected to your product or service. Before you get your name out among the public you should know who you're targeting & what their needs are. Also, be familiar with their buying habits. If they can't relate to you, they'll go to your competition. It is important your brand is defined & consistent......that the message you're sending is what your customers want. Above all, make sure your marketing campaign is going out to the fraction of the public you want to receive your advertising message.  Do your homework before you distribute your promotional custom products or place your ad in the neighborhood circular.

2. GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CUSTOMER: Once your product or service has been used by your customer, you should focus on establishing & maintaining a beneficial relationship with them so they continue to come back to you. This is done through online & offline advertising & marketing: emails, direct mailings, follow-up phone calls, personal sales calls & of course, promotional imprinted products. And just as important, the quality of what you offer & the quality of your customer service. How well did you keep the promise you made to your client? This is the essence of their loyalty.

3. OFFER PRODUCT EXTENSIONS: If possible, introduce an extension of your line to keep your customer's loyalty or to draw in new clientele. For example, Crest toothpaste offers more than their basic fluoride toothpaste with a whitening solution. They expanded their line to include Crest Pro-Health gel, toothpaste specifically for night time or children & dental whitening strips. To grow & bypass your competition, you need to find ways to expand your targeted audience.

4. SUPPORT A GOOD CAUSE: Some consumers will remain loyal to you if you support a social, environmental or communal cause that is advantageous to the public. For example, KFC offers pink buckets & Wilson Sports Equipment has pink tennis balls & rackets with the pink ribbon--all to support breast cancer awareness. Most pharmacies & grocery stores use non-woven bags for their promotional custom products to promote an eco-friendly environment.

5. AVAILABILITY OF YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE: Don't advertise what you don't have--not having your product available can drive your clientele to your to your competition. Obviously, not having it available is sometimes out of your control. I then strongly suggest that you have a rain check or some other special offer on hand to keep your customer close to your side. Above all, do not let this be an ongoing issue.

6. CONFORM TO THE LATEST TREND: Don't be a dinosaur & think if it worked last year, it will work this year. That line of thinking spells disaster. Be educated about your product--stay up to date by constantly reading & learning all there is about your specialized field.

7. KEEP YOUR COMPANY NAME VISIBLE AT ALL TIMES: Don't fade from their memory. Customized promotional gifts such as pens, note pads, letter openers, recycled bags or drinkware......whatever relates to your field or to your target audience should be given out constantly. They'll appreciate what you give them & will be reminded of you when they need your services or products. Promotional items outlast any other form of advertising & is the most subtle & less intrusive of all advertising.

8. AVAILABLE OPTIONS USED AS LURES: A consumer gets a host of benefits from a new company trying to lure him over to their business. Many of them are hard to ignore. Hopefully you've already won their loyalty; but many times it's hard to resist lower prices & special offers. Rather than only concentrating on special offers for the new client, it's extremely beneficial to reward your long-standing customers with discounts & promotions for their loyalty. If you offer incentives only to potential customers, you may lose your older, loyal ones. In other words you're trading a new client for an old one. Your business won't grow that way & whose to say that the new one won't roam to your competition once a better reward is offered. This is such an important point: acknowledge your long-standing customers!

My pet peeve is when large nationwide companies like Time Warner or AT&T offer great incentives to get new customers but don't pass anything on to the clients they already have. An example: Time Warner is offering $150 Target gift card to people who sign up now, but not to the ones that have previously signed with them. I feel Time Warner is taking my business for granted & are hoping I'm satisfied with their not-so-perfect performance that I won't look into AT&T or Dish TV.......they are so wrong.

If I didn't have to wait a week for a service call or if they weren't constantly shutting down their service for updates, maybe I'd stick with them......with or without an incentive. It's not just one variable that creates customer loyalty, it's many.

One last thing: don't forget to smile or to say "thank you". Both of those go a long way.

No doubt you will always face stiff competition. I hope this helps you to stay ahead of the game.
IT'S YOUR COMPANY........SHOW IT OFF!!!
Ronni Sherman

Take The Stress Out Of Your Promotions

There seems to be no way to avoid it......stress is all around us & has become a part of our lives. Whether it's at home, at work, trying to juggle busy schedules or family or health issues, stress & tension is prevalent.

Most of us live with it, but have also found outlets for it......the gym or another form of work-out, a favorite sport, hobbies, shopping, hanging out with friends. Yelling, hopefully not at someone but in the privacy of your car, can also be a release & some experts claim a pretty effect one at that.

Circumstances, uncomfortable situations & people are all triggers for the stress we feel. This is never more true than in the work place. Offices are confined & don't have the space to work off steam when tension builds. Maybe you could get a punching bag into your cubicle or do yoga during your lunch hour; but start yelling at the top of your voice from your desk & you might find yourself out of a job.

Bottom line, there really isn't an outlet for stress during the work day. Tension is one of the leading causes of decreased work productivity & absenteeism. There is a quick fix though & that's giving out stress items as your next promotional imprinted product. Putting your logo on one will not only keep your name visible but you could be associated with good health in the work place. Because the primary health issue in the office is stress, your customer will use these more than you think.

Stress relievers are a fun & inexpensive way to keep your business name in someone's view. They are cute, funny, useful & people really like them.

Happy Wobbler--imprint on the back.

Customized promotional stress relief items are effective. They can be used any number of ways from customer appreciation & trade shows to holiday gifts. People love to sit them on their computers which is good, because their primary purpose (other than promoting your business name) is to stretch & relax the muscles of the wrist, hand & forearm which can become stiff & irritated from extended computer use.



There also some that talk or have a magnet on top to hold paper clips. These become more of a novelty item to decorate the desk & no longer have the original use of relieving tension......unless you want to hear "thank you" or a hearty laugh every time you squeeze it. Frankly, I think that could add to the stress--not only yours, but your co-workers also.

The stress ball is the most popular for squeezing away anxieties. Picture an executive leaning back in his chair squeezing it while on the phone, a receptionist absently gripping it while reading something on the computer or a sales person throwing it around while on a short break. They provide a release for someone without taking up valuable work time or space.

Here are some unique ways that stress items have been used:
1. AFLAC salesmen give out stress relievers in the shape of the famous duck.

2. A company selling pre-owned European cars advertises "low stress, hassle-free experience" on  VW Bug shaped stress relievers.

3. Businesses mostly opt to imprint stress relievers that actually relate to their fields, such as a dollar sign for a bank or a shopping cart for a supermarket; but occasionally you'll see some creativity.......like an apple for a doctor's office or a snail for a post office.

You can choose a style that best represents your business......globe, convertible, plane, tennis or golf ball, computer mouse, molar, house, hard hat, stop sign, judge's gavel, nurses & doctors, limo, cell phone & every kind of food & animal you can possibly think of. Or go with the season  or special event. For September, October, November & December any shape that represents the holidays will set the mood for good times to come.

Whatever shape you choose stress relief items are novel & effective ways to put your name in front of your client or prospective customer. These promotional custom products will help relieve the recipient's tension & energize your advertising efforts.

Build your brand while providing fun stress relief.
IT'S YOUR COMPANY........SHOW IT OFF!!!
Ronni Sherman

Halloween Bags As Customized Promotional Items

Wow! where did this year go?! It just flew by & now it's almost fall. The holidays are still a few months away but it's already time to think about seasonal promotional  products.  The first on the list & probably the one that will give you the most exposure are customized promotional Halloween bags.

You may be asking: Why should my company order these? Here are just a few reasons why personalized Halloween bags are great promotional imprinted products for your business to hand out:

1. Imprinted Trick or Treat bags are inexpensive. They cost less than a pen or a notepad, yet more people will see your logo on these bags than on the other items.

2. You'll get tons of exposure. Halloween bags are potentially seen by hundreds of thousands of people giving you a great marketing return on your purchase. They have a large advertising area so your logo & message will be seen as children go door-to-door.

3. They promote child safety. Most Halloween bags have safety tips that are imprint in fun, colorful designs. If your business is child oriented, your customers will appreciate that. For added safety, look into buying the metallic reflective bags.

4. Every parent of a trick-or-treater needs something for all the candy. With the expense of costumes & accessories, Halloween has become a very expensive holiday. Save your customers time & the added cost of a container for the treats & give them a sturdy promotional bag with a fun design. Your company will be remembered for this personal & thoughtful gesture.

5. People love getting something for free. You can't deny that people love getting a free gift, no matter how small it may be, just so it's useful & these definitely are. You can give out the personalized bags with each order or just have a FREE TAKE ONE display.

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 fun & festive time.

7. The bags are reusable & recyclable. You can show you care about the environment when you hand these out with your company name & logo on them. They're available in a variety of sizes & materials including the popular non-woven polypropylene.

8. It's a great way to promote your business--now & later in the year. You can put your other customized promotional items such as pens, sticky notes, stress balls or letter openers in the bags. This way your customer will have a lasting product with your logo on it long after Halloween is over.

The bags have preprinted designs. You have a large variety to choose from & depending on the design you picked, your logo & custom adverting message will either be on the front or the back of the bag. Either way, your business will be bold & large for all to see.

I, personally, like the non-woven bags because they're eco-friendly & have multiple uses. They make a perfect shopping bag during the month of October. Remember these figures......a non-woven bag is used about 10 times a month giving your business exposure to approximately 1038 people. That's just one bag--now multiply that by the number you gave out.

Another question you may be asking: It's not even Labor Day, why is she talking about Halloween? In just a month pumpkin patches will open. Soon after that there will be pumpkins, witches & scarecrows in every front yard. Keep in mind, if you order the bags now, you won't get them for another three weeks--that's mid-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's the second highest revenue producing holiday. Get on the bandwagon & make sure you are marketing your business during this fun & productive time of year.

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

Ronni Sherman

How To Avoid 1000 Little Mistakes When Ordering Promotional Custom Products

So you think you've found the product that's perfect for your promotional campaign. Where did you find it........online because it was advertised to be cheap & the picture looked good or did you call a distributor of customized promotional items? I hope the latter. We have the experience & have developed good relationships with reputable vendors to bring you the best quality.

If you go directly to a company advertising promotional products online, you'll have no idea whom you're dealing with & no recourse should your marketing products come & it's not what you ordered. That same company who eagerly answered all your emails & phone calls before you placed your order could now avoid you once you paid upfront & your order was shipped.

I am a distributor of promotional imprinted products & often wondered about these ads I see online that sell imprinted pens from .08 - .28........they look good & the price is good, but there has to be a catch.  Well, there was but you have to read the information in little print that they try to hide.  This is what I found in one of the ads I read.  While it may not be true for all cheap pens selling direct to the consumer, it is typical of many of them. 

1. IMPRINT--sometimes you only have a choice of two basic & boring fonts--Helvetica or Times. There's nothing to make your copy stand out & be noticed. The ad I looked in to added a third font: Comic Sans, which any graphic artist will tell you is the one font to avoid.  To make matters worse, your copy is small because they suggest you use four lines.  Even if you use only two or three, the type size doesn't get bigger.

2. NO PROOF--they tell you to proof the copy you're submitting carefully because once they receive it, they print as you sent it & they're not responsible for any mistakes. What, no proof so you can see how it will look? Wait until you get the pens with that small copy.

3. MINIMUMS--their minimum order was 1000 & that's a lot if you've never ordered pens & this is a trial order. Most minimums, when you order through a distributor, are 300 - 500. Your actual cost could be almost the same as what's in the ads.

4. INITIAL ORDER--this is the best one........the price of .28 (in the ad I read--it differs) is only for the first order. Every order after that, the price jumps to .48.  Even the ads that advertise pens for .08--read the small print because they also go up to .40 or higher.

The ads you read may not have the glitches I found, but most of them have something along the same lines.  If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Save yourself time, money & a lot of aggravation & go with a distributor who can guide you to the right pen or other promotional imprinted product that works best for you & your company.  And still will fit your budget.

Ok, now you found a distributor of promotional products & you've discussed what items are best for your business. You've read the description, seen the photos & you're ready to order. At this point it may be worth seeing a sample of the product prior to placing the order.

If the product is inexpensive they can usually be sent to you free of charge. This simple precaution will ensure there are no nasty surprises when you receive your full order.  An image of a pen may look great on your computer screen but when you get the actual item, it could look totally different. If you don't have time for a sample & if you're dealing with a reputable distributor, they may have had customers order the pens in question & can give you feedback. They will also have a list of best selling pens for you to make a selection.

Now you've placed the order. The next step in the process will be the most important one........to approve the proof.  This is the most important step because from the time you approve the proof onwards there is no turning back. Take your time to check & recheck all the copy, color & positioning. I make sure a virtual proof is sent is sent back to my client. This is true with every order I take, no exceptions.

A distributor can make a simple pen stand out & give it pizzazz!

If you follow the above suggestions then you might save yourself from receiving 1000 little mistakes delivered to your office. There is little worse than handing out 1000's of customized personalized pens or other products only to discover the website is wrong, pens skip when writing, the lids don't stay on the travel mugs or the lip balm stings rather than soothes the lips.

I hope this helps the next time you're thinking of ordering promotional items.

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

Ronni Sherman

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