Other-Than-Pen Trends in Promotional Items

Beer Is Here To Stay: The nation’s love with craft beers continues. So, beyond the classic drinkware options we’re seeing the introduction of beer-centric products like this custom printed 64oz Stainless Growler from the folks at BIC - one of the country’s best promotional products designers/producers.

New Sticky Notes Designs: How to improve on the already best-selling BIC Sticky Note – make them spring cut. Get all the details here.

The Styluis Stays In Style: Pen/stylus combo sales almost tripled in 2015 and for 2016 manufacturers have responded with new offerings. We’ve added so many you’ll have to take a look at our iPen Collection and get caught up.

Branded Promotional USB Sticks

Branded Promotional USB Sticks Are the Perfect

Promotional Item for Photography Businesses

 

A branded promotional USB stick is the perfect promotional item for a photography business to use in terms of marketing, branding and creating customer loyalty. Modern businesses need to be efficient in all areas including marketing. It is also important to consider environmental factors by ensuring that products and policies include environmental awareness. These can be critical for photography businesses, especially smaller ones.

Efficiency in processes and procedures can lead to greater output, higher sales and increased income. This is something that all businesses strive to achieve. Using a branded promotional USB stick for delivering photographic proofs or final images is an extremely efficient method. The images are all stored in one place and delivered at the same time. The use of the USB stick will also provide ease of use to the customer.

A branded promotional item such as a USB stick makes an ideal ‘carrot’ to hook a new customer. Smart photography businesses use them as a gift for booking a photo shoot. USB sticks are valued by all computer users due to their size, high storage capacity and the fact that they are portable.

The use of the promotional USB stick branded with the photography company’s details not only ensures that it is effective advertising, it also promotes an environmentally friendly message to clients. USB sticks are re-usable; by the recipient and by anyone that they may pass the USB stick to. Providing a reusable media to customers will be appreciated. They will recognize and respect your company’s awareness of environmental issues as well as not wasting consumables such as ink or photographic paper.

Another advantage of using the promotional USB stick is reduced postage and packaging costs. Packets of printed proofs or photographs can weigh a significant amount. A USB stick is small and light requiring less packaging and incurring a lower postage rate.

Many photography businesses, large and small, now use branded promotional USB sticks as part of their marketing strategy to help increase awareness and business. These promotional items are also a great way to show a respect for the environment which will be admired by many customers and potential customers.

Tags: branded promo items, branded usb sticks, promotional items, promotional products, promotional usb sticks

Spread the Word With Promotional Items

Promotional Items Raise Awareness About Important Issues and Spread the Word

 

Using promotional items to raise awareness around important issues and causes that your business supports can help to spread the word and increase commitment. Many companies have important issues that they feel are important to support. These may be charities that require fundraising or important issues such as health or safety concerns.

While the charity or concern will be a part of a long-term plan, companies very often have a time of central focus such as a day or week. This is to ensure that the topic is put in front of all employees and is highly promoted. Oftentimes this will involve additional promotion on the website, in store as well as in the press.

Many companies will kick-start such an important campaign by spreading the news and associated messages through handing out newsletters, leaflets and gifts. The gifts will be chosen from promotional items that have been imprinted with information about both the cause and the company.

By ensuring that the cause is imprinted on the item, recognition of the charity or concern will occur each time the item is seen or used. Featuring the company logo at a minimum will provide a focus for gratitude in the recipient. By providing a useful gift the recipient will feel a sense of gratitude and this is valuable in terms of the employee/employer relationship.

An example of a suitable message for inclusion on the item is, ‘XYZ Co supports cancer research.’

Promotional Items that are eminently suitable for this type of use are water bottles, pens, mugs, coasters and USB sticks. These are all very useful to the recipient and highly visual items through their usage.

Once your cause has been announced, consider holding a day annually where you promote the cause and ensure it is a center of focus for all staff as well as a hot topic for discussion. The day could involve speakers, booths and games. The speakers can ensure that the central message of your charity or cause is put across to all staff. Having booths from the charity or cause as well as a company one increases the opportunity to spread the word as well as to brand your company as caring.

Fliers, fridge magnets, notepads and pens handed out at the booths will also provide another way to promote the message and increase your brand awareness. Ensure that the press have been contacted to help the spread word further afield.

If your good cause has a safety focus then you could consider the following promotional items: a carabiner key holder or a tire gauge. Another useful safety item that has a decent imprint area is an ice scraper.

If your company is amongst the many that decide to support a charity or good cause then promotional items can help. By choosing wisely you can use them to promote the cause and raise brand awareness at the same time.

Tags: brand recognition, charitable causes, customized promotional items, promotional items, promotional products, support charities

The Effective Use of Promotional T-Shirts

Promotional Shirts Can Build Team Spirit

as well as Build Your Brand

 

Utilizing wearable promotional items like promotional t-shirts or promotional ball caps can be an important strategy in building cohesive brand identity by having your company employees utilize the promotional uniforms or shirts while working.

Your business depends on employees to help grow the business and it’s success. The marketing plan you create each year will include ideas and strategies to achieve growth. Part of the success your company will achieve will depend on the staff you employ.

 

If your company does not have a corporate identity through the use of a uniform the individuality will be apparent through each individual staff member’s clothing. However, introducing a corporate identity or dress code can help build team spirit and your brand. By providing a cohesive feel to the work wardrobe staff will feel a deeper connection to their own department and a sense of membership.

If your company has different departments or teams, that cover different areas then the use of promotional shirts to identify the teams can be extremely beneficial. Within each team the  promotional shirt color can be used to identify both membership and role. Department heads could be provided with shirts of a different color to their team thereby enabling their quick identification and seniority.

The use of the company logo on the promotional shirts will provide a visual branding as well as a professional image. Providing shirts with the company logo to staff at discounted rates will also help with budgeting by providing fixed price clothing. It can also help avoid staff stress by ensuring that they know what they need to wear to work each day.

When used by departments or teams who are working directly with customers these promotional shirts can be a significant brand awareness raiser. By ensuring that your sales team wear promotional shirts bearing your company logo they will be easily recognizable when attending appointments. Their professional appearance can increase the confidence in the potential customer in your company and the services or products it offers.

Providing promotional shirts at discounted rates to your staff can instil a sense of belonging and team spirit. Additionally, different departments and staff levels become easier to identify. The corporate branding will be visible beyond the workplace and ensure that your staff looks professional while out and about in the community, either performing work commitments or simply commuting.

Promotional shirts can be an important element in your company branding. There are many other promotional items that can be used in addition to these to strengthen branding as well as team spirit.

Marketing With Promotional Items

The Secret to Marketing with

Promotional Items

For many businesses the traditional forms of advertising may be too expensive. Traditional advertising methods include radio, television and print. For these businesses it is important to find a cost effective advertising method that provides a significant return on their investment.

One such medium is the use of promotional items. With a diverse number of items available for businesses to choose from it is no wonder that this is a highly successful advertising method.

Businesses can distribute free promotional items to existing and potential customers and clients. The items chosen will be imprinted with the logo and contact details.

Case studies have shown the successful implementation in this advertising strategy for businesses in a range of industries. Additionally, the affordability of this advertising and marketing strategy ensures that all budgets are catered for.

In terms of advertising effectiveness, the use of free promotional items has been shown to be more effective than the traditional advertising methods. This is due to the fact that they strengthen recognition of the brand and the familiarity with the company for the recipient.

Indeed, the use of free promotional items such as pens, notepads and coffee cups allows the company to strengthen ties with the recipient. This is because they will feel a sense of gratitude. This in turn can engender a sense of reciprocity. Positive emotions are very powerful marketing tools.

The secret to marketing with promotional items is to engender gratitude in the recipient. Judicious promotional item choice is a key element in the successful implementation of this type of marketing.

Successful promotional items should:

• Create the sensation of gratitude
• Offer value to the recipient
• Be useful

Attractiveness, quality and color can all be important factors in the item choice. Offering a choice of colors that recipients can choose from can be worthwhile. This is because it will allow the recipient to feel more involved in the process, and an increased emotional attachment to the gift they receive. Ensuring that the items chosen meet these requirements will make sure that the return on investment is both significant and worthwhile.

Tags: customized promotional items, marketing, promo items, promo products, promotional items, promotional products

Promotional Wrist Bands Make Great Promo Products

Trending: Fundraising Success With Promotional

Product Rubber Wristbands

 

Promotional product wrist bands made of rubber, or silicone are proving to be very popular. Men, women, young and old are all happy to wear wristbands to support a charity or cause.

Fundraising for charities is important. Ensuring that the charity receives sufficient funds can be challenging. This can be because of the vast number of charities that require support from limited budgets. It can also be due to the fact that supporters are looking for something new in return for their donation; something that they have not received before.

Many causes have wristbands in a specific color or embossed with a particular design. Young people are often happy to wear a range of these bracelets as a fashion accessory and statement.

The choice of promotional wristbands as a promotional item for your cause will be beneficial in two ways:

• Raising funds: promotional rubber wristbands are not an expensive item but they are desirable. Many people will donate more than the requested amount due to the fact that they are not expensive.
• Raising awareness: rubber wristbands are a highly visual form of promotion for good causes and charities. When worn they can be a conversation opener. Indeed wearers of wristbands will usually wear them for a significant length of time.
• The benefits of choosing these promotional items as a vehicle for fundraising and increasing awareness of the cause or charity are:
• Low production costs ensure low costs to purchase and ensure a good return for the fundraiser;
• Low production numbers mean that even small groups can afford to use them as a vehicle for fundraising;
• Imprint area extends around the wristband ensuring space for a design or logo, as well as contact details or name of the cause; and
• Large color range.

There are ways to use wristbands that do not involve simple selling but that will increase the number of sales. This can increase the desirability and the success of the fundraising effort. The wristbands should be used as a marketing tool with a significant return on investment potential for the cause.

If an event is being organized to raise funds, the wristband could be used as an entry ticket. This will work for all sorts of events.

By having a wide range of colors or designs available, supporters can be encouraged to complete a set. Of course, this method will work well for raising funds over time.

Sell the wristbands with a lucky number. Offer a prize to one or more lucky numbers. This can substantially increase sales. The prize could be a donation from a local business and will provide them with free advertising and promotion.

Another really effective way to use the wristbands is to provide wearers with discounts from local businesses. Each time they visit a supporting business the wearer could receive a free gift or discount. This method is highly effective for local causes and charities. It will ensure that the entire community feel involved in fundraising and supporting the cause.

Using rubber wristbands as a promotional item for a charity or good cause is a very effective method of both raising funds and awareness.

 

Promotional Items are Great for Church Fundraising

Church Bake Sale Fundraising

Using Promotional Items

 

Bake sales are a popular fund raisers for churches and promotional items can help increase revenues and spread the word about upcoming events and other sales. The church members will have a plethora of delicious recipes that they can use to create a vast array of baked goods to sell. Indeed many of the recipes will be those treasured, used and handed down through generations of their family.

Bake sales can be used to raise funds for the church buildings and repairs. They are also a fantastic way to increase awareness and raise funds for church groups, both adult and youth.

Promotional items that are suitable for use in bake sales are customized jar openers for canned goods and tote bags. These promotional items can be imprinted with the church name, phone number and address or website, along with a nice scripture or quote.

Adding in some extra promotional items beforehand can both ensure that the community is aware of the cause and the forthcoming bake sale. Items that can promote the forthcoming sale are fridge magnets, pens and key chains, to name a few.

For a successful bake sale it is important to ensure that all helpers meet at least once to discuss organization, pricing and how the sale will be run. Although the purpose of the bake sale will more than likely be to raise funds, it is important to remember that it is an ideal opportunity to raise awareness of the church. Hopefully, the bake sale will also help generate new members for the church and its associated groups.

One promotional items that is great for such events is the customized t-shirt. Provide the bake sale helpers with t-shirts to wear on the day of the sale; this will ensure that everyone knows who is “staff”. It will also provide an additional awareness raising method. The t-shirts should have contact details as well as an attractive design or catchy slogan; this will catch the eye and ensure that they are noticed.

As well as having stalls for selling canned goods and other edible treats, a table for drink refreshments is always a good idea. It might not occur to some that an imprinted table cloth or banner is a great promotional item, but it is. Another important fundraising and awareness tool is a table to sell other promotional items that are available. These could include baseball caps, bags, pens, water bottles, travel mugs, mouse pads and calendars; all useful items. By remembering to include an opportunity to purchase other promotional items, the potential to raise funds, awareness and membership is increased.

Bake sales are a very popular fundraising method. There are excellent opportunities to use both existing promotional items held in stock at the church, as well as bake sale related items. Regardless of which items are used it is important to remember to include contact details on each promotional item used.

Tags: church fundraisers, custom t-shirts, customized products, fundraisers, fundraising, promo items, promo products, promotional items

Express Your Gratitude with Promotional Items

Using Promotional Items to Say, ‘Thank You!’

 

Promotional items can really boost the morale of employees and volunteers in any organization. Staff appreciation is essential to encourage top performance and of course, showing that you value your employees is simply good business practice.

 

By showing your thanks through the gifting of promotional items, your gesture will increase loyalty and production. However, to ensure that your gift doesn’t backfire on you, it is important that you choose wisely. It is crucial that the recipient sees the gift as valuable to them. A good promotional item does not have to be an expensive one; it simply should be one that is thoughtful, well made and useful to the recipient.

 

It may be that you decide to purchase a range of branded promotional items so that you can provide a more targeted gift to each employee or group of employees. That is always a terrific idea and will receive an extra nod of appreciation for the effort.

 

So what items could you choose to give?

 

A travel mug will allow the recipient to have a hot, or cold, beverage available for their commute. Of course, having your logo on the tumbler will ensure their fellow commuters will get a taste of your brand and message, as well. It may even be a conversation opener, thereby increasing awareness of your company and creating brand recognition.

 

Staff and volunteers will welcome higher quality bags like gym duffels or messenger bags or computer totes. By providing such a high quality promotional item, there will be no doubt in the minds of your recipients that you value your team. Because the bags are both useful and good quality they will be used instead of consigned to the back of a closet. Ensure that your logo and contact details are well placed to make sure that your brand gets maximum exposure.

 

Thanking your staff members, volunteers and supporters is easy when you choose promotional items to express your gratitude. When chosen wisely, the promo items speak volumes about your company, brand and you as well as your appreciation of hard work and dedication. When you invest in your company by investing in quality promotional items to express thanks, you can always expect a high return in effort, work ethic and production.

 

 

Promotional Products Increase Involvement

Using Promotional Products Helps Create Awareness and Motivates Participation

 

Many programs, organizations and institutions use promotional products to increase awareness of their brand and role. In fact, the use of such items is, for many, one of the main ways that they spread word the word about their organization. After all, if nobody knows that they exist or what they do, then they are unlikely to succeed.

 

Of course leaflets and flyers, as well as digital advertising, will grow awareness. However, in the days of social proof, having members, students and users actually carrying, wearing or using a branded promotional products, is a far more effective way of increasing awareness of your program, institution or course.

 

Judicial choice of both the promotional items you use, as well as offering free items in addition to purchasable items, will maximize both exposure opportunities and return on investment. They are a smart investment in your brand.

 

Some police departments in the U.S. have begun to hand out promotional ice scrapers during traffic stops. They believe that this increases awareness of safety when driving, provides an item of use to the vehicle owner and enhances community relations.

 

Education districts often run awareness programs such as healthy living or parenting skills. To increase awareness of the programs that they run, and to increase attendance, they have found that providing useful promotional products is essential. By giving parents a bag, pen and pad all branded with the logo, slogan and contact details, awareness has increased. This has resulted in greater attendance at events and meetings. The websites also receive more visitors who then access more information and resources. One organizer reported that parents also contact them by telephone for information. Some parents even request more bags to hand to friends and family.

 

Many organizations will choose to invest in clothing such as t-shirts and fleeces. These can be incredibly effective promotional tools, as providing quality clothing for sale that is branded with your details will promote your organizations name each time the item of clothing is worn. Clothing also has another effect in that it strengthens your brand in your community and builds a sense of membership.

 

If you wish to increase involvement then choosing a promotional products that will provide social proof and build a sense of community is ideal. The return on investment will be worth the initial expenditure.

 

 

The Benefits of Promotional Items

Should Your Business Be Using Promotional Items?

Benefits of Using Promotional Items

 

Promotional items such as mugs, pens, USB drives, to name only a few, are the perfect way to benefit your business and build your brand and increase its exposure and reach.

 

Regardless of the promotional item you choose to use, it will increase the reach of your company and your brand. Each time the lucky recipient uses that promotional pen, for instance, your company will be instantly at the forefront of their mind. It will also be visible to anyone else in their vicinity and may well spark a discussion about how, why and where the person received the pen or other promotional gift. The conversation may well continue with a discussion of the products or services that your company offers.

 

If you have given your company’s promotional items away at an event, such as a trade show, your company’s name will continue to be seen and mentioned long after that event has finished. Unlike flyers and brochures, which are often only looked at once and then thrown away, a pen, USB stick, cap or mug will be used and be visible for a much longer period. This means that any expenditure on the promotional gifts will have a good return on investment.

 

Any gifts that you give to prospective, or existing, clients and customers should be high quality and functional. By purchasing high quality gifts you will be known for providing quality and this perception will extend to the goods and services you offer. High quality gifts will be valued more highly by the recipient so they will be more inclined to use them or to show them off to their colleagues and friends. This can substantially increase the chances of gaining new business.

Ensure Results From Your Use of Promotional Gifts

 

Your choice of product to use as a promotional item may depend on the industry you are in, as well as your budget.

 

What should guide you in choice, though, is not just value for money but quality. It is pointless spending less on a poor quality item that will break as soon as it is used because it will be thrown away; even worse, your company will be perceived as one that does not care about quality.  Once the product has broken it loses any impact, creates a poor impression in the recipient and loses the chance of promoting your company in the future.

 

Another important consideration when choosing a promotional item is the purpose of your promotional efforts. If you are choosing an item to give away at an event then you will probably want to choose an item with a long shelf life so that any products not given away can be stored for later use. Items without specific dates or event names on them can be used at multiple events as well as be given away in between events whenever the opportunity arises.

 

Remember to include your company name as well as logo, web address and telephone number if space permits. The use of your company name and logo will ensure that they are easily visible to the recipient and anyone who sees your gift. By providing your website URL and/or your phone number you are making it easier for them to find you and get in touch.

 

Another important consideration will be cost. It is often more cost effective to order in larger quantities providing the promotional item you are choosing has no “expiration date” or time limitations for its use.

 

With the wide range of promotional items available you should have no trouble finding at least one that will suit your needs and budget. Any investment in these items will be well worth it, as they will provide you with a source of passive advertising. Choose a high quality and useful item that the recipient will be likely to use multiple times per day, and especially in front of others, and you will be advertising to a wider audience than you imagined with virtually no effort and minimal cost.