Turn Up The Heat This Summer With These Promotional Imprinted Products

Summer is less than a month away. Can you believe that! How many of you are making plans for vacations, camp for the kids, family reunions or signing up for Little League, soccer or swim teams? School is almost out & in most families plans are made for the three months ahead.

Let me ask you this......how many of you have given the same consideration to your summer marketing plans? Are you satisfied giving out the same pens, sticky notes or mouse pads?

I'm sure you've heard the saying, "variety is the spice of life". That goes for your business too. So spice up your advertising campaign with these summer promotional custom products.

1. BEACH BALLS: They're fun & used over & over. How many people can walk by a beach ball without kicking or tossing it? They have a large advertising space for your name to be seen at a distance. Your logo will bounce along the coast or in a backyard around the pool. Take them on family vacations, camping trips or a day at the beach. They take up little space before they're blown up so it's a perfect customized promotional item to give out a trade show.



2. SPORTS BOTTLES: These are great because wherever they go, so does your company name & they are taken everywhere. They're available in a wide variety of shapes, sizes & colors. These are not the water bottles of the past that used to be forgotten & discarded in the trunk of your car. This new plastic doesn't retain odors or taste, is shatter resistant & comes in bright translucent colors that will make your business stand out. Sport bottles now come in aluminum & stainless steel for something different. Look around you......at the store, in the mall, at the park or at the gym......people are carrying water bottles wherever they go. Let them take your logo along for the ride.

3. KOOZIES: These are fun promotional custom products that will keep beverages cold, prevent the can from sweating & keep your logo in the hands of your target audience. They are perfect for the beach, a Sunday outside get-together, family bar-b-ques, sporting events, conventions give-aways & fund raisers. They come in many sizes that will fit cans, bottles & even wine. There's also a large assortment of colors.  No more warm beverages in a sweaty can or bottle. Use them inside to prevent rings on a desk or table. And when an outside event is not so casual, you can get them in leather.

 4. SEED PACKETS: Promote effectively by giving out a gift that blooms & will keep on living. Customized promotional seed packs are hot, new marketing tools that provide an interactive experience & a lasting impression. They are available in a variety of types: organic vegetables, fruits, herbs, wildflowers, garden flowers & more. You can even get a money tree......how's that for an idea to promote your business! In some cases, they come with imprinted planters that can sit on a desk or windowsill. These packets will have such a positive impact on everyone who receives them.

5. FLYING DISCS: Frisbees have become a popular sport & can be seen in parks, at beaches--almost anywhere that people gather during the summer months. It's become a popular pastime on university campuses so hand them out this summer & your company may go to college in the fall. And don't forget your customers who are dog owners. Flying discs make a better game of Fetch than a ball. Let your logo fly through the air & be noticed on these bright colored discs.

6. GOLF ITEMS: Whether at a private club or a public course, your company name will be seen. Your options are endless......tees, balls, markers, divot tools, towels, gloves & yes, go for it--put your logo on an umbrella. Show you care about what is going on in your community & give them out at a golf tournament for charity. Your clients & prospective customers who are golfers will appreciate anything you give them that has to do with the sport. Your logo can be seen rolling around a golf course & you will be remembered.

7. T-SHIRTS: The weather is warmer & people are wearing lighter weight clothing & short sleeves. T-shirts are walking billboards & they are taking your company name to places where you haven't been. Just look around you & notice all the t-shirts. Most of them are imprinted & many of them advertising a business. These t-shirts are a sign of the times & should be inserted in a time capsule.  Some people collect them & to others they are a fashion statement. They boldly show a logo & what the company is all about. It's all prominently displayed. They are worn, they are read & they are noticed.

8. COOLERS: Customized promotional coolers run the gamut when it comes to size & uses. From the traditional square ones that hold a 2-pack or lunch to the large ones on wheels, these are indispensable. I can't begin to name all the ways they are used or all the places they are taken......camping, the beach or lake, boating, fishing, sporting events, movies in the park, schlepping frozen groceries home from the store, potluck dinners. Many day camps don't offer lunches & using coolers as lunch bags, you can pack more than a peanut butter & jelly sandwich.

Offering custom promotional products during the summer months is effective because the days are longer, people are active & they are spending more time outdoors. No matter how big or small your business is or what industry you be in, summertime promotions are a fun & wise way to boost your brand.  Just make sure you had out quality items that people will use repeatedly.

You may take a vacation this summer, but your company name won't as long as it's on products that will be seen & used by the public.

I hope this will help give your business a new & sizzling boost. Good luck!
IT'S YOUR COMPANY........SHOW IT OFF!!!
Ronni Sherman

Customized Promotional Items For Safety

My heart goes out to the people in Oklahoma who lost their homes & everything they own & especially to those who lost their loved ones. I can't even imagine the grief.

Towns are flattened as if they never existed--homes reduced to a pile of rubbish, trees stripped of branches & bark, cars landing miles from where they were parked.  The wrath of Mother Nature in just a matter of minutes......it's unbelievable.

I think we are all reeling from the devastation the tornadoes left in their wake in Oklahoma. The residents of Moore & Newcastle are in our thoughts & prayers & have the sympathy of their fellow Americans. And I'm sure many of us are thinking "all but for the grace of God" for none of us are immune from this kind of destruction. Tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, fires......we could all be victims at any given time.

While Oklahoma is still in our thoughts & the question "what if" may linger in our minds, this might be a good time to rethink what we are giving out for promotional imprinted products. No matter where you live or what your lifestyle is, everyone needs first aid kits & precautionary items like flashlights.

Customized promotional safety items may be the best products you can give out now, especially with summer approaching. These can include almost any target audience & your clients & prospective customers will be grateful that you were thinking of their well-being. I'm not talking about the large emergency kits a family could live on for a week--that's the individual's responsibility.

Here are some FIRST AID IDEAS that can fit compactly in a car, carry-on bag, desk drawer, a child's backpack, an overnight bag or a sport bag.

How is it whenever you need a bandaid there isn't one handy? This plastic case holds bandaids & is refillable. Perfect for the car, boat, purse, backpack or any kind of bag.

This hard cover first aid kit holds an assortment of bandaids, swabs, tape, cotton & scissors. There's also an inside compartment for pills.

 This canvass covered kit contains an assortment of bandages, gauze, cotton, scissors, tweezers, sewing kit & a bottle for pills.

FLASHLIGHTS are a definite must in any emergency situation & a person can never have enough. They should be tucked away in every room, on the boat & in the car.

This handy aluminum flashlight is only 3 1/2" long so it can fit anywhere. Yet it shines bright with 9 white LED lights.

 This flashlight has a dual setting. You can shine light from front to side with a push of a button.

A crank flashlight means you never have to worry about batteries. This 3" flashlight has three extra bright LED lights.

This flashlight can function as a flashlight, a strobe light or a lantern. It has a bright white LED light & a convenient hook for easy hanging.

We all need to take precautions whether it's only a scraped knee or a real emergency. These custom promotional products are a good way to reach out to your customers & show you care.

Be safe.
IT'S YOUR COMPANY........SHOW IT OFF!!!
Ronni Sherman

Color & Your Brand

Color is extremely important in brand identity. The most prominent brands in the world are identified by their colors. McDonald's golden arches, UPS, Coca-Cola, Tiffany's--these companies, & many others, strategically use color in their logo, website & product for instant recognition & to appeal to customers.

Learn from these huge conglomerates & pick a color or colors & use them ALL the time--in your written communication, on your website, your promotional imprinted products & your packaging.  But don't pick just any color or a color because it happens to be your favorite.  Colors relay messages & choosing the wrong color could extend the wrong impression of your business.

Why should you care about your colors?

• Studies have shown that a product color influences 600 - 80% of a customer's purchasing decision. Color can make or break a product.
• Color is the 1st thing a customer will notice about your logo.
• It costs your company next to nothing to choose a color, but making the wrong decision could cost your business in the long run.

 So you see, color matters........your brand colors will make a huge statement about your company!

Colors have an impact on people's emotional state & on their ability to learn & concentrate. The effect of color are physiological, psychological & socialogical.

Research has found that different color provoke different reactions. Here are some examples:

• Non primary colors are more calming than primary colors.
• Children prefer primary colors. Children's books & toys use these colors.
• Blue is the most calming of primary colors. Test takers score higher & weight lifters lift more in blue rooms. Blue text increases reading retention.
• Blue & black suppresses appetites.
• Yellow evokes cheerfulness. Houses with yellow trim & yellow flowers in the garden sell faster.
• Reds & oranges encourage diners to eat quickly & leave. Red also makes food more appealing & encourages people to eat more. Fast food restaurants always use these colors.
• Red trim is used in casinos & bars because it causes people to lose track of time.
• Orange is often used to make an expensive item look less expensive.
• Pink enhances appetites & has been seen to calm prison inmates.

Companies use colors to express who they are & what they want you to think of them.  How many companies can you recognize just by the color they use?

After reading what emotion each color elicits, scroll down  & see if your list matched mine.  Did you add to it? 

Brands use red when they want to be seen as powerful, passionate companies.

Brands use green to show youthfulness, financial savings or gain, love of nature & the environment.

Brands use yellow to show they're fun & friendly.

Brands use orange to signify playfulness & physical comfort, enjoying social interaction & you get your money's worth from the product or service.

Brands use blue to seem calm & logical. It also conveys trust, integrity, & communication.  But if the wrong tone of blue is used, the company can seem cold & unapproachable.

Brands use pink to show femininity, love, nurturing & sexiness.

Brands use purple to seem luxurious, whimsical, highly intelligent & to convey a sense of royalty.

Brands use browns to show warmth, dependability, safety & earthiness.

Brands use black to signify exclusivity, glamor, luxury, sophistication & sometimes mystery.

Brands use white to be associated with coolness, cleanliness & freshness.

RED: The Virgin Group, Coca-Cola, Target & Macy's. The French shoemaker, Christian Louboutin won the right to trademark his shoes' distinctive red soles after suing Yves Saint Laurent.

GREEN: Garner Fructis, National Car Rental, Land Rover & Starbucks. And of course, the recycle icon is green.

YELLOW: McDonald's, Best Buy & Disney. IKEA uses yellow in their stores to emphasise a feeling of fun & happiness while shopping, inducing customers to buy more.

ORANGE: Nickelodeon, Blogger & Office Depot. The financial institution, ING, uses orange in their branding to show you'll get your money's worth; but they also use blue to show logic & trust.

BLUE: Facebook, LinkedIn, AT&T, GAP & Pillsbury.  Tiffany is immediately recognized by it's distinctive teal blue, which they had trademarked.

PINK: Victoria's Secret & Barbie. Different charities related to breast cancer have branded themselves pink.

PURPLE: Cadbury Chocolates, Yahoo!, Harrahs & various academic institutions. The pop singer, Prince, is known for only wearing purple & that has become his own brand.

BROWN: UPS, Luis Vuitton & Hershey's. The original M&Ms come in the easily identifiable brown package.

BLACK: Chanel, Nike & the car maker Lamborghini. Very few companies are known for just black--that color is usually combined with other hues.

WHITE: I can't think of any that uses white as their only color or as the main color.  Can you? But laundry products that use no additives--only natural & pure ingredients have solid white containers.

What are your colors?  How did you pick them? Because they were your favorites or because of the emotion behind them? After reading this post, do you feel they fairly represent your company?

I'd like to hear from you.
IT'S YOUR BUSINESS........SHOW IT OFF!!!
Ronni Sherman
 

Customized Promotional Items Are A Sure Bet For Success!

What's the first word that comes to mind when I mention pop-up internet ads & TV commercials? If you're like most of us, it would be "annoying", "frustrating" or "interruption" or something along those lines.  Promotional custom products can advertise for you & reach a vast audience without being so annoying & so expensive.

What's more--promotional products stay with the consumer much longer than a TV ad; therefore, your company will be remembered for a longer period of time.  And they're not nearly as expensive as an advertisement on television or any other media.

How effective are promotional imprinted products? In a word: VERY. They are a proven, cost-effective way to attract new customers, increase sales, heighten brand awareness & inform current clients.

National & international companies continually use customized promotional items: airlines, hotels, car rental agencies, banks, escrow companies, realtors, colleges & universities, retail & grocery stores, trucking companies, construction, the medical & health field, television networks, auto makers & dealerships--you see them in all walks of life.

How about politicians & political parties during campaign seasons? How many times have you gotten a hot pad holder in the mail with a politician's name on it? While campaigning, swag is constantly being handed out......political candidates run the gamut from pens & buttons to bags & t-shirts, leaving nothing out in between.

So the proof should be in the pudding if Fortune 500 companies & political campaigns use promotional imprinted products.  If it wasn't a successful way of advertising, they wouldn't be doing it. This is the one time you can do the same as these huge conglomerates--maybe not on the same scale, but there is something for every budget.

Advertising Specialties Institute (ASI) interviewed professionals in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago & Philadelphia regarding promotional products they have received.  The purpose of this study was to understand how promotional items influence the consumer.

Summary of Conclusions:

• INSTANT RECALL: More than 8 out of 10 (84%) respondents remembered the advertisers of the  promotional products they received.
• VERY IMPRESSIONABLE: 42% of the respondents had a more favorable impression of an advertiser after receiving the item. And 24% said they are more likely to do business with the advertiser on the items they received.
• IT'S ALL BUSINESS:  Most respondents (62%) have done business with the advertiser on a promotional product after receiving the item.
• PENS ARE IN: Writing instruments are the most recalled advertising specialty item (54% of the respondents recalled owning them), followed by shirts, caps & bags.
• USER-FRIENDLY: The majority (81%) of the promotional products were kept they considered useful.
• STAYING POWER: More than three-quarters of respondents have had their items for an average of 7 months.
• BAG IT!: Among wearables, bags were reported to be used most frequently with respondents indicating that they used their bags an average of 9 times per month.  They also delivered the most impressions: each bag averages 1,038 impressions per month.
• MOST IMPRESSIVE: The average CPI of an advertising specialty item is $0.004. As a result, marketers get a more favorable return on investment from advertising specialties than nearly any other popular advertising media.

This last one, the CPI or cost per impression, is the most important because that determines how effective your advertising is & if you're getting a good return on it. The greater the frequency of exposure, the lower the cost per impression.

Just what is an impression? An impression is created when a person sees or hears your brand image/message in some sort of advertisement. Impressions are crucial in creating brand awareness. The more a person sees your brand message, the higher the chance that they will one day do business with you.

This study also proves customized promotional items aren't the "cheap give-aways" they were once considered to be & they don't go straight into the trash.  Think again......over 80% of the promotional products are kept because they are useful & they are kept for an average of 7 month.

What if there were no promotional products?

• The budgets assigned for advertising would be significantly higher even for a small business.
• The chief traffic driver to exhibitions, trade shows & seminars is the "free gift". This would not be available then. The result, less people attending the function & lesser visibility.
• All this accumulates into into lower sales, lower chances at brand building & in turn less business development.

So the next time you & your staff are discussing how to divide up your advertising budget & what works the best for you, don't forget to include promotional products.  Without using these marketing tools, your advertising campaign will be like a puzzle with some pieces missing.

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

Don't Let This Happen To You!

Don't let your next promotion embarrass you. Whether it's a sign advertising your company or a customized promotional item, it's important to not only think about the product being imprinted, but what kind of message are you sending.

When a business places any sort of message on a printed product, not only must the statement be politically correct, but the logo or an image you're using must not carry a secondary meaning. Even if it's an innocent or subconscious mistake, others may see it as intentional & view your company unfavorably.  Look at what you're printing as others would--people who know nothing about your business--how would they interpret your logo?

It might even be a good idea to put your mind in the gutter while you're studying a new logo or image. Here's some examples of what could go wrong:

The black & white images in this poster create an unintended optical illusion.

It even happened to Disney Pictures. Millions of video covers for The Little Mermaid were sold before a hidden phallic symbol was discovered in the castle.

Now I've got your attention........it's not just images that can give a wrong impression. Spelling errors can make your company look sloppy & give potential customers the idea that you don't care about the end result.  Spacing between words & letters & your selection of fonts is also very important.

When it comes to marketing & promotional custom products--sweat the small stuff. It's those minute details that can make or break your advertising campaign......or worse, make or break the public's image of your company.

Advertising is the main contact that you & your business have with the outside world. Therefore, you & your company must always make sure that your image professionally reflects your company & what it stands for. Above all, this must be consistent--don't waver because you have just one chance to make a first impression & once you make it, you have to keep it. Don't bank on your customers' loyalty.

We've all seen errors like these & we've all laughed at them. Jay Leno flashes them on The Tonight Show constantly. But they're far from being humorous when it happens to you. That's why it is so very important to be meticulously observant when you get a proof for the printed product you ordered.

What do you think a client could do after spending $600 on 1000 pens that read:

JON PETERS HAIR SALON & SPA

COME TO OUR SALOON & TREAT YOURSELF ROYALLY

That actually happened to one of my customers (before he became a customer of mine). He was terribly upset over the mistake, but owned up to the fact that was his error & eventually saw the humor in it. Very few people have his forgiving temperament.

Any message placed on a promotional imprinted product must be sure to follow good promotional marketing practices. For example, in 1998, an elementary school in New York received pencils with the imprinted message: Too Cool To Do Drugs.  The customized promotional pencils were a great idea to promote a positive lifestyle to children.  But unfortunately when the pencils were sharpened, the words would spell out "Cool To Do Drugs" & eventually "Do Drugs".  The pencils were recalled & altered by imprinting the beginning of the slogan at the erasure end of the pencil.

Here's an example of a bottle opener sending a wrong message. A national car rental agency used to purchase key tags with a bottle opener attached.  They claimed they were given out at non-alcoholic events they sponsored & not to customers renting cars.  But still, think of the message they're sending......giving out a bottle opener with their corporate logo on it when it's associated with driving?  It promoted drinking & driving in an indirect way. Someone must have rethought that strategy because that item was later replaced by others more conducive to the nature of their business.

So another thing to watch out for--while a promotional imprinted product may work for one field, it could be disastrous in another.

Reputations & lasting impressions can take a long time to build but can evaporate in  an instant!

I hope this helps you from an unforseen disaster. Think everything out beforehand.  Good luck!
IT'S YOUR COMPANY........SHOW IT OFF!!!
Ronni Sherman

Clever Ways To Advertise With Promotional Imprinted Products

Spring is finally here & it's again time to bar-b-que. What does your grill look like after the long winter season? With this cheap & easy advertising campaign, a manufacturer of barbeque grills attracted attention to his products. Several street corners with sewer covers were chosen for the ads.  The question, "Need a new barbeque?" & the name & phone number of the company was then added. Anyone with a barbeque knows what it's like to have a grill that is beyond cleaning, so this was an effective campaign.

This new way of advertising was done on the streets in England. I don't think there's a city in the US that would allow you to write your message on their street corners.

Here is something Bounty paper towels did on the streets of New York & Santa Monica that grabbed the attention of everyone who passed.  On the streets of New York & Los Angeles, Bounty successfully demonstrated how well their product works.  The ad read: "What better way to demonstrate the superior absorbency of Bounty paper towels than with some big spills".

And they are talking about some seriously big spills. On Seventh Avenue in New York, busy commuters were greeted by a six foot tall coffee cup knocked over & spilling onto the sidewalk--complete with steam & the aroma of freshly brewed coffee.  In Santa Monica, week-end shoppers found a seven foot, 500 pound ice cream bar melting on the Third Street Promenade. The message: "Bounty makes small work of BIG spills" was highly effective.
(Advertising agency: Publicis, New York, NY)

Ok, so most of us don't have a bigger than life budget for advertising but there are other ways to cleverly advertise your business & use promotional custom products as well. The whole idea is to be unique......grab the public's attention by doing more than simply handing out pens or t-shirts. If you find a unique way to distribute your marketing products, the image of your business will make a long-lasting impression.

If you are a realtor, instead of just sending out calendars with your photo on them, offer something out of the ordinary. Something that's a little bit more expensive than the normal promotional custom product to the first ten (20? 25?) customers who register at a showing with an agent.  A good example of this would be a flash drive--something everyone with a computer could use, but few people actually invest in them. If advertised correctly, chances are that many more than ten or twenty people will show up & may make an offer since they are already in the office. Plus, having these people actually in the office allows the owner to hand out other applicable, but less expensive promotional items & show what they have on the market.

Another way to capture the public's attention is to reach out to people waiting in line. Dubbed "wait marketing" by the industry, this concept centers around the concept that everyone will have to wait in line at some point. A small business owner can offer free promotional products & will usually be met with a favorable response because those in line have little to do but wait. One word of caution: many public places require exhibit permits to give out advertising material--no business owner should try this in a public environment without permission.

Here are three ways my customers used to stand out form their competition when handing out customized promotional items:

1. One of my customers goes to local soccer matches & high school football games when it rains & hands out plastic ponchos with his company name imprinted on the lightweight poncho. The poncho easily folds into a small pouch & can be worn at other times--showing off his logo at a variety of places. When the rain catches the spectators off guard, he's more popular then the players.



2. Another customer, an auto dealership, had an ad campaign, "Biggest Savings In The Valley". They bought plastic piggy banks with their logo & name on them to distribute among people who walked on to the lot. They put a coupon in each bank & hten displayed them throughout the dealership. Most coupons were for maintenance while a few were for bigger items like detailing or a free set of tires. You couldn't tell ahead of time what the coupon was for until you randomly picked your bank.

3. A chain of gyms bought beach balls with their logo vividly displayed & on hot summer days when the beaches were crowded, they had employees go to various ones in Los Angeles county.  The employees stood on a rise above the beach or on the pier & threw the balls out at the crowd. People clamored to get them & for the rest of that day & for weeks after, the gym's logo bounced along the Pacific coastline in LA.


 Don't have the time or the budget to get creative with your campaign? That's alright too. The bottom line is that you have promotional imprinted products at your disposal to distribute among your targeted audience at all times.  You've heard the saying: "out of sight, out of mind"......don't let that be you.

The whole idea is to get your company name out there & to be recognized. Pens travel from hand-to-hand like a dollar bill does, t-shirts are walking billboards & will go wherever you or your customer goes, shopping bags are seen by 100's of people monthly as they are used in grocery stores.  Letter openers, note pads & stress relievers are only a few of the items that are used regularily by people & every time they're used, your name & logo are in front of them.

Distribute, distribute, distribute & if you can come up with a clever idea then that's icing on the cake. It could be that one creative step that will make someone really notice you & call them to action.

Good luck!
IT'S YOUR COMPANY........SHOW IT OFF!!!
Ronni Sherman

Ten Places To Leave Customized Promotional Pens

Personalized pens are one of the best promotional investments a company can make. Distributing pens is also a great way to promote a fundraiser or special event. They are so versatile that they can spread your business name in any setting or at any venue.

They're small--they don't take up space, they're economical--there's a variety to fit any budget & they travel far--they go from hand-to-hand like a dollar bill. They'll go places you won't.

Not to mention, pens are useful, even now when everyone uses a computer, they are still needed on a daily basis.

But once you invest in customized promotional pens to help spread your brand name, where should you distribute them? What kind of locations will help them travel further fastest? How can you get them to people you don't come into contact with? Handing a couple out to a few people a month won't do the trick.

Consider these ten locales from your staff to local business:

1. Your employees: First things first, make sure each of your employees have plenty of pens for their own use as well as to hand out.  Think of these branded pens as multi-functional business cards!

2. Your customers: Make sure you give a couple to your customers every time you see them. Don't be stingy........the pens will help make your company visible & bring you new business. Also don't forget about the prospects. Make sure they have your pens so they won't forget about you when they need your services or products.

3. Local banks: Ask the bank manager if you can leave your pens at strategic areas around the bank so when a customer comes in, there's one handy if he needs it. Hopefully he will take it with him. It's also a good idea to give them to some tellers to hand out to customers who are business owners or in a position to make decisions for their company. Now if a bank is handing out their own pens, the manager will not allow yours to be distributed.

4. Local restaurants & coffee shops: Many local coffee shops have a corner where other businesses, artists, writers or freelancers can leave their information or show their work. Why not leave personalized pens? At restaurants offer to furnish the staff with free pens for the customers' bills. And with luck, a few will walk off with your pen. Most managers will be happy for you to supply the pens & many of them are eager to help build a stronger economy in their community.

5. Library: Libraries are spots where people often find themselves in need of pens. After all, folks rarely just sit around & read at the library--there's usually a lot of note taking. If your company is looking to draw the attention of students & college-aged kids, the library is a great place to leave your customized promotional pens.


6. Local schools: Most schools, especially the public ones, have had their budgets cut so there is little or no money for extras. When they have functions such as PTA meetings, bake sales, silent auctions offer your pens with your company name. The parents will take them home with them--another way for you to reach households you normally wouldn't have had access.

7. Trade shows: Of course, you'll want to include at least several pens & maybe a few other promotional imprinted products as part of your marketing kit at trade shows. This is the time to make sure your pens stand out........think bright colors, maybe cushy grip or gel ink. Remember, you won't be the only one giving out pens; but give a little extra thought to ensure yours is the pen people will keep & use.

8. Client meetings: Whether it's a formal meeting with prospective clients or just doing lunch to help maintain communications with a few customers, be sure to have pens on hand to offer around.

9. Special events: If you're hosting a charity event, fundraiser or a grand opening; be sure you've got plenty of pens in stock to share with attendees. These can be given out alone or in conjunction with other promotional custom products. Pens will "travel" & help your brand spread far.

10. Outside ATM machines: Take a moment to consider where you most often need aq pen & can't find one around. Chances are, the ATM is where your mind leaps. When depositing a check, you've got to endorse it first & how many of us have been without a pen at this key moment? Stop at near-by bank-affiliated ATMS--stick to to those outside the banks themselves or right inside the doors--& leave a few of your branded pens.

These are just a few ideas to show you where a pen will be appreciated & how to distribute them. You could probably go in to any local business (dry cleaners, pet shops, gyms, nail salons, body shops) & if they don't have pens of their own, ask if you could leave yours at their establishment.

Let me know if you have any other ideas. Where have you handed out your pens?
IT'S YOUR COMPANY........SHOW IT OFF!!!
Ronni Sherman

Customized Promotional Eco-Friendly Shopping Bags

Two question that I frequently get asked regarding promotional imprinted products are: Besides a pen, what can I give out that will last longer than a note pad? What's the most popular item--the one people ask about the most?

The answers to both of these are the same......non-woven, recyclable bags.

So let's talk about bags. They are one of the largest, most purchased items in the ad specialties industry--& with good reason. In recent years, with consumers focusing on being more environmentally-friendly, their usage has skyrocketed. The non-woven polypropylene totes are everywhere, used over & over again.

It was only a few years ago that they were sparsely used in a few food stores, usually the health or specialty ones. Now you can't go into any grocery store without seeing a lot of customers using them. With more & more cities cracking sown on the usage of plastic & paper bags, these light-weight, non-woven ones will become increasingly popular.

It's the one product you can't have enough. How many people walk out of a store with just one bag of groceries? They're recyclable, reusable, eco-friendly, water resistant & can be washed.

All positive, right? Here's the biggest plus for you......these customized promotional 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, some with a metallic finish giving the bag a rich look. Another option are two-toned bags. These stand out & will highlight your business when your logo & company name is printed on them.

 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 bags come in all sizes which makes them adaptable to travel. It's almost spring & people are heading outdoors......to the beaches, picnics, sporting events. Or just everyday errands, shopping, the gym, museums......the list is endless.

Carrying items to & from work is something that most employees do, so why not have them to it in a bag with your logo. What could be better than bags & totes displaying your logo on commuter trains, subways or the walk from a public parking lot to an office building?

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. So another plus to these bags--you can appeal to a whole new clientele by showing you care about the future of our planet.

Thousands to millions of dollars can be spent on advertising campaigns for billboards, television, magazine & 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.

Here's a study that was done & these results prove how the non-woven bags will give your business great exposure:

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 to your company. 

Have you given a bag to your customer lately? Chances are he’ll use it more than ten 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.

It doesn't matter what field you're in or who your target audience is......these will appeal to just about everybody.

Now is the time to jump on the bandwagon......show your concern for the environment while promoting your company at the same time. Start handing out the logical solution to plastic & paper bags. This is a great opportunity to expose your business to thousands of people with just a handful of bags.

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

Ronni Sherman

Promotional Custom Products Do's & Don'ts

For two years I've been writing about how promotional imprinted products work. How they are one of the most economical & easiest ways to get your company visible. But I'm sure some of you are saying, "Yeah, I tried it once............."

With promotional products, the sky is the limit. But just because something can be branded or you saw an item w/ a logo & you liked it, doesn't mean that's the right product for your company. And if it's a good customized promotional item for you, there are some precautions to take so people will want it & use it.

Here are a few simple suggestions to help you make the right decision:

1. Quality: A quality promotional custom product does not mean it has to break the bank. But cutting  corners to save a few cents may mean you're wasting your money on your entire order if they aren't going to be used because they don't work, they look cheap or they aren't useful to the recipient. It doesn't do your business any good if the promotional item you gave out is shoved in the back of a desk drawer to be forgotten or tossed in the nearest trash can never to be seen again. Paying a bit extra could go a long way. The quality of a product can mean the difference between a throw-away or a keepsake. Also the quality of what you hand out will say a lot about the quality of the goods or services you offer.

2. Know Your Audience: Promotional materials should be appropriate for your audience--something they need & want. You wouldn't give a bottle opener on a key chain away at a pediatrician's office just as a CPA wouldn't have use for a hot pad holder with your logo imprinted on it. If you are dealing with the hotel or travel industry, home health care or assisted living facilities, then a deck of cards with your company name name will probably be used over & over. Water bottles are great for gyms & spas. Bookmarks & notebooks are good for book stores, schools, libraries & tutoring agencies......or that pediatrician's office that doesn't need the bottle opener.

3. One Size Doesn't Fit All: T-shirts are popular & people love to wear them. But think twice before ordering customized promotional apparel because it's impossible to predict the size & shape of each person receiving them. Unless you know your targeted audience very well, consider ordering accessories like caps or visors.

4. Political: Whether it is a local, state or national election, political promotional products can be a great way for your company to show support for your community, state or nation. But it can also lead to dangerous ground if you are promoting a specific cause or candidate while promoting your business. You can easily turn off your customers or prospects who don't agree. Avoid polarizing items that endorse an individual, a political party or an issue. Instead choose to support the democratic process while you're distributing your promotional imprinted products.

5. Child-proof: The only thing children like more than toys is putting toys in their mouth. When choosing promotional items for children, avoid small products or things with detachable pieces. Stick with larger items like coloring books, crayons, rubber balls or child-size drinkware.

6. Distribute, Distribute, Distribute: The purpose of promotional imprinted products is to get your name out among the public & to be recognized among the sea of competitors. This won't happen if you keep your marketing items for a special occasion or for special people. Your family & best friends already know about you. By keeping the products in a storage closet, you won't be known or remembered unless you invite the public to rummage through your closet.

7. Don't Blend In: You've spent time & money on your promotional gifts. Make sure they stand out & don't get lost among the other items. Make sure the recipient wants to use what you give them. Using a pen as an example, don't get a plain white pen that looks like all the others in the desk top coffee mug. A bright colored pen that writes smooth is a good choice or there are 8" pens that, surprisingly, write as comfortable as their smaller cousins. They will get you noticed. If you are giving out note pads or sticky notes,  the price generally includes multi-color imprint. Take advantage of it & design something unique & colorful. Whatever you decide to distribute, be creative & let your logo pop.

8. Check For Errors: This seems to be a no-brainer, but you'd be surprised how many people hand out promotional products with their website spelled wrong or have inverted numbers in the phone number. What could be worse if you customer points out that your street is misspelled? When your order arrives, take time to check for errors before you distribute them. Basically, if you used a professional advertising specialty distributor, you would have gotten a proof & the errors should have been corrected before the products went in to print. That also seems logical, but I've had clients look at the general layout & they don't proofread the copy. If you don't, trust me, someone else will & then it will be too late to do anything about it. And what does that say about the business you're trying to promote?

It is important to hand out promotional imprinted products to get company recognition & stay in the minds of your clients; but before you order take time to go over these eight points so what you order will work for you & not against you.

Good luck!
IT'S YOUR COMPANY........SHOW IT OFF!!!
Ronni Sherman

Your Customized Promotional Items Can Come Alive

Bring spring & summer to your clients all year round. There is nothing like a live plant to pick up someone's spirits or brighten an office. Even in these bleak winter months, flowers & herbs can grow from an assortment of planters--all with your logo on them.

At the same time these are eco-friendly gifts. When you distribute these to your clients, you'll be giving out two messages: your own, advertising your company & another one showing you care about the environment.

Yoko Ono has designed a plant that, once grown, is printed with the word 'love'. The 'Grow Love With Me' limited-edition piece was originally created for the Serpentine Gallery in England. A recyclable aluminum can houses a seed that promises to grow love. The text is laser-etched onto a bean. Then, as the plant grows, it's message becomes easier & easier to read.




Want an imprinted seed/plant to grow your own message......something that will remind your customers who you are & what your business stands for? Good news, you don't have to travel to England--just pick up your phone & call a distributor who sells promotional custom products.

This is a recycled plastic imprinted planter (several colors available) that contains growing mix, 5 magic beans & planting instructions.  The price includes a lid that also serves as a saucer, an imprinted one or two color logo & 5 various words to be engraved on the seeds--a different word for each bean.  You choose the words that best describes your company or the message you want to relay.



 Besides handing them out to your customers as promotional imprinted products, they can also be used at fundraising dinners, for environmental awareness & as favors at weddings or other special occasions.

How about a planter kit that contains everything that is needed to grow flowers & herbs? Your customers can have a mini garden at home or in the office all year long.  Choose from plastic planters or leak-proof pouches. Both come with seed packets, soil discs & instructions for planting & drainage. The planter shows your logo in a one-color imprint while the pouch as a multi-color label  on one side advertising your company & on the other, a color graphic of the plant chosen.


Seeded paper products are unique customized promotional items--when you are through with them, don't throw them away but plant them instead. You can grow flowers, wildflowers, herbs or spruce trees; depending on what the paper is made from. The actual seeds or flower petals are blended into the paper or vellum. How's that for an awesome idea!  These come complete with your company name & logo & instructions for planting.  It's not a gimic........they really will grow!

1. BOOKMARK: Full color bookmark with a seeded paper shape attached. Keep the bookmark & plant the seeded paper.  There's a wide variety of shapes & colors.

2. NOTEBOOKS & JOURNALS: Thick seeded paper embedded with flower petals. The cover is debossed with your logo or message & then bound with 40 sheets of recycled paper. After the paper is used, the cover can be planted flowers.

3. MAILERS/POSTCARDS: Your message & company is printed in full color on one side of recycled card stock. The seeded paper shape is attached.

So bring your logo to life & give something that will keep on growing!
IT'S YOUR COMPANY........SHOW IT OFF!!!
Ronni Sherman