Promotional Products | promotion-specialists.com

Why promotional gifts are such an important marketing tool

November 18, 2011 By

Promotional gifts are a fantastic marketing tool used around the world and by
many companies in a whole range of industries, quite simply because they work
and have an enormous impact on everyone from staff to clients. The promotional
gift is a simple way of getting across your message and encouraging potential
customers to do business with you. Your gift can be anything from a pen or sticker to
something far more elaborate. The item you choose will be led very much by your
marketing budget, but the cost of investing in promotional merchandise is greatly
overshadowed by expensive television and radio advertising, which is another
reason why it has become so popular.

Why promotional gifts are so popular
Promotional gifts have the ability to grow a business and increase sales and
profit margins and so all businesses regardless of their size invest in this method
or marketing. Creating a brand and pushing it forward into the minds of your
target audience will raise your company’s profile and increase consumer
awareness, so using corporate colours and building an identity will help your
audience relate to you. Promotional gifts do not only have to be a way to
increase business though, they can just as easily be used as a thank you to
those who have built up a good working relationship with you over the years. Undoubtedly, people love to
receive free gifts, especially if they are of use and are of a good standard of quality. Handing out gifts reach
out to people and make them feel considered and well-thought of. You can thank your clients or you can
thank you staff for their hard work by marking important annual holidays with a gift.

How promotional gifts can motivate people
A gift that carries your brand will serve to remind people about your business and what you do so that
every time your gift is used, the receiver will think of you in a positive light. Moreover, a promotional gift
will motivate people. You might want to motivate your staff to continue their hard work or you might
want to motivate existing customers to continue working with you, or you might want to motivate
potential clients to think of you in the future. Whatever your aim, your promotional gift will play a
part, so it is important that you think of developing merchandise that carries your corporate brand
and build this into your marketing strategy.

Creating a quality gift people will love
Choose a reputable supplier that can develop your products for you. Search for companies that can
provide you with samples so that you can check the quality. As much as people love to receive a free
gift, they will expect that it won’t fall apart the second they use it so ensure you put a great deal of
effort into the design and development stages by hiring a specialist firm you can trust.

Filed Under: Promotional Items, Promotional Merchandise, Promotional products Tagged With: Promotional Gifts, promotional items, promotional merchandise

Using imprinted promotional products as an effective way of promoting your business

September 28, 2011 By

Lots of businesses feel the need to promote themselves to stay ahead of the game
and remain competitive. Very few businesses have the luxury of claiming to
operate in a monopolised market without any rival threatening to take away
their custom. Because of this it is important to think of new and interesting ways
to put your brand out there and get people talking about who you are and what
you do. Of course cost is a factor that requires careful consideration. Not all
businesses can afford to get their advertisements on the television or up on
enormous bill boards at the side of the road so it is necessary to think about
cheaper options that are open to them. Promotional products are one way to
go and whilst some companies may overlook the benefits they afford, they are
a very viable way of attracting interest and attention to a brand.

Create a marketing campaign around your promotional products
It is possible to create an entire marketing campaign around your promotional items and develop a strategy that
will look at how you give out your products and who you give them to. When deciding on the product you will give
out you should think about what it will look like and who you will get to create it because the quality and usefulness
of your product will go a long way towards creating the right impression with your customers.

Imprinted promotional products will carry some form of information about your business and your brand. It is
always a good idea to display your company details on your products so people know how to get in touch with you
at a later date. Choosing a brand that enables you to inform people about your services is your next step and so you
will want an item that is large enough to carry the information you need it to display. A t-shirt offers you the space
to display a large amount of information whereas a pen may only allow you to show your name and phone number.
You could choose to offer out a calendar so that your clients can see your brand and contact details every day, or a
lighter which can be used multiple times each day.

Think about quality when designing the products you will give away
The quality of your item is essential if you want to create a positive impact. It is important that you do not assume
that people will just be happy with anything because it is free. You should ensure that it does not fall apart after the
first use because if your customers think your item is not up to much they might make the same assumption about you.

Vary your products to suit each of your target markets
You might want to think about varying the products you give away to tap into different consumer markets. The
products you choose to give to older generations may not suit the interest of younger clientele and so the products
you give to each target market could be differentiated. You might want to give a hoody to a younger client but a polo
shirt to an older client as an example. Being able to customise your gifts will also give your clients or customers the
impression of thoughtfulness and consideration.

Imprinted promotional products can have a great impact if enough thought goes into them so ensure you put enough
thought into your options during your design process.

Filed Under: Printed Promotional Items, Promotion Gifts, Promotion Items, Promotional products Tagged With: Promotional Gifts, promotional items, promotional merchandise, Promotional products

The long-term benefits of using promotional items to promote your brand

September 24, 2011 By

Much research has gone into the field of marketing
and what works in terms of getting your brand out
there and increasing consumer awareness. Results
have shown on a continued basis that promotional
products work and can have a substantial impact
upon potential customers. Imprinted promotional
items can have an even greater impact because they
can carry your corporate brand and contact details to
let people know a little more about you.

Being creative with the gifts you choose to give away
If you decide to go ahead with your promotional gifts then
you have room to be as creative as you wish. The more original
your product the better, because the more likely it is that it will
stick I your customers’ minds. You could think about giving
away products that are useful too such as pens and umbrellas.
The best products are the ones that are useful, functional,
original and long lasting.

Different ideas you could try when thinking of good promotional products
Promotional pens are quite common gifts, but are always appreciated because everyone always needs a pen and
will carry one at all times. The more people that get to see the pen the more people will be exposed to the brand.
Mugs are treasured items because everyone enjoys a hot drink at work, around the office, in the canteen or in
the home and they are big enough to carry a little more than just the branding. You can be a little more imaginative
though and think about practical items such as business card holders and calendars or diaries, for instance.
The idea is to think of a promotional item that will get maximum exposure and be seen or used by as
many people as possible.

Getting started in developing your corporate giveaways
It can be tricky to get the ball rolling when thinking about what gift you are going to give away, and you will need to
think about your target audience as much as all the other aspects of the product. Your gift will need to be suitable for
all of the people you intend to target unless you are thinking of customizing your product to apply to each segment.
Aside from the actual nature of the product you will be giving away, think of where you will give it away and on what
occasions. If you decide that there are lots of occasions in the business calendar that you are going to attend and that
you wish to give away your promotional products at all of them then it may not be sensible to think of a gift that is
going to cost a great deal of money. This does not mean skimping on quality, though, it just means that you will need
to produce a cheaper product but to the same high standard.

Long-term brand affiliation and customer loyalty
Your promotional gifts will ensure that your potential customers look fondly on you when they use their product and
over time they will become accustomed to your branding so that it is instantly recognisable. The effect of your product
should be that every time they consider a service you provide or a product that you make, they will think of you and
only you. In this way you will grow your customer base substantially.

Filed Under: Promotion Gifts, Promotion Items, Promotional Merchandise, Promotional products Tagged With: Promotional Gifts, promotional items, promotional merchandise, Promotional products

Using promotional merchandise to generate business

September 9, 2011 By

Promotional items have long been used to promote businesses
around the world, but it is how you use them that will affect your
success as a business and the growth of your custom. If you choose
to give away different items to promote your business then you can
vary them to specify what you will give away to whom. If you have
lots of different clients of all different ages then you may want to
differentiate what you choose to give away. If you giving away clothing
items for example then you may want to give something like a hoodie
away to younger generations and something more classic to the more
mature clientele.

Who will you give your products to?
Think about who you will give away your product to. You might have some very
influential clients that you work with and you may want to give them some high
end gifts like brief cases or cuff links. If your clients are particularly influential then you can expect that they will talk
about you to other clients and colleagues, which in turn will raise your profile significantly. Generating business is
about promoting yourself and getting people to want to use your company, and what better way to do this than with
promotional business.

Raising your profile in your local community
It may be that you want to direct your energy to your existing customers or those that you think you will attract on a
more regular basis. Securing the loyalty of your everyday customer may be the key to your success, and thanking them
with gifts or encouraging them to think of you with promotional merchandise is certainly one way to do this. Your
customers may be local members of the community and so thinking of clever ways of raising your profile, such as
supporting a local youth football team by purchasing their kit could be a great way to do this.

Things to think about when creating your promotional merchandise
You might want to find out what community events are being held in your area and attend them so that you can hand out
flyers or promotional items that will encourage community members to think of you. Ensure that all of the items you
hand out are of good quality as anything that is poorly made may be detrimental to your reputation. Another
consideration is making sure you have the right quantity because attending an event where you do not have enough
to give out to all who want them can also be detrimental. Of course it is important to consider your own costs and so
thinking of items that you can produce cheaply but to a good standard in large supply, will help you immeasurably.

Other ideas you could try
You could thank your existing customers with gifts so that they will continue to come to you. This will not only encourage
loyalty but motivate them to talk to their friends about you because they were so impressed with their experience. In this
way, your existing customers will promote your business for you. There are lots of ideas that are open to you but being
as creative and thoughtful as possible will pay dividends in the long run.

Filed Under: Promotional Items, Promotional Merchandise, Promotional products Tagged With: Promotional Gifts, promotional items, promotional merchandise, Promotional products

What to think about when deciding to use promotional merchandise

August 26, 2011 By

You may have made the decision to market your business using promotional
products rather than expensive advertising campaigns. Because of the costs
savings businesses stand to make by deciding to use these products it is quite
common that a lot of cheap low quality products are bought in the belief that
they will work but then don’t. Just because promotional merchandise is less
expensive does not mean that the same degree of thought should not be given
to the development process. It is important to think through which products will
serve you best and choose a supplier that will deliver high quality products that
will be gratefully received.

Have you created your company logo to display on the products you’re going to give away?
It goes without saying that your logo or brand will need to be added to the product
so that once you have given it away your client will remember who has given it to them.
You want your product to be a continuous reminder to your customers of who you are
and what you do. If you have not some to a decision yet about what your logo will look like
then you will need to work on this first. Ordering a large batch of merchandise displaying a
logo that you will change in the near future will not serve you as well.

Do you have any corporate colours you can use?
Your logo or branding may be made up of certain colours that are instantly recognisable.
If so, it would make more sense to use these colours when you are developing your product
because this will help people associate your product with your company. Keeping in with the
themes you have already established when creating the logo for your company will help your
clients identify with your product.

What to think about when choosing the right supplier
If you already have an idea in mind about what kind of product you will giveaway then this is an
important step but you will still need to give consideration to who will supply it for you. You will
need a reliable company that will deliver on time and to order. It is always a good idea to build up
a strong relationship with your supplier so that you can order more products at short notice should
a promotional opportunity arise.

Shopping for your products online
Online suppliers are always a good choice because you can scan through their products with ease and
without having to visit the supplier at their location. There may even be the facility to customize your
item and so you can plan what your product will look like before you even make contact with your
supplier. This will all help in the planning process.

You might want to think about items like key rings because these are always added to the key ring and
seen every time that key is used. Make your product bold and bright and in keeping with your corporate
colours for maximum effect.

Filed Under: Promotional Items, Promotional Merchandise, Promotional products Tagged With: Promotional Gifts, promotional items, promotional merchandise, Promotional products

Choosing the best promotional item for your business

August 10, 2011 By

There is one sure thing out there for everyone who is engaged in whatever business sector nowadays; things are not easy. Businesses are trying to find ways on how to increase their public profile. One of which is by giving clients their promotional products. It is one best way to keep their image fresh in the minds of their prospective business partners and at the same time keep their costs low amidst economic recession.

Now, what is the best type of promotional items that you should be sending out to your new and present clients? Here are a few tips on how to choose a promotional product for your business.

Things to Consider In Choosing a Promotional Gift

Definitely, the kind of promotional merchandise you need should best suit your business and your prospective clients. In this regard, one promotional product that works best for one business may not work well for another.

Generally, the best type of promotional gift is something that is practical, gives a positive impression of your business, and should have some relevance to the customer who receives it. Make sure that it is something that will be used for high chances of being seen. It should also be environment friendly. And last but not the least; consider your budget before choosing a product.

How to Pick the Best Choice

Overall, products such as pens, mugs, calendars, and diaries are practical and used by a huge group of customers; thus, makes them the best type of promotional gifts. These types of products have great appeal to people from different backgrounds regardless of their age, ethnicity, religion and gender. Otherwise, a fashionable and nice looking choice may not be an effective marketing product; as they may not suit your prospective client and subsequently end up at their bins. Definitely not a well spent money.

Your choice of promotional product should also have relevance to your business and replicate the services you offer. Using a practical item with a logo or name of your business helps customers easily identify your business. A trendy product may not always seem to work at times, but may be worth sending out after a few months.

Undoubtedly, when choosing a perfect promotional gift, you need to distinguish the products that attract attention and promote your business effectively. Pick something that endures the test of time. For instance, most of your target customers are based in an office, check on anything on top of an office desk that can be used both in and out of that room. Possibly, items like mouse pads, coffee mugs, rulers, and pens work best for them. On the other hand, if your target customers work outside an office, items like umbrellas, jackets, and travel mugs would best suit them.

Filed Under: Promotion Gifts, Promotion Items, Promotional Merchandise, Promotional products Tagged With: Promotional Gifts, promotional merchandise, Promotional products

Choosing a promotional item that brings success to business

August 8, 2011 By

A road block which is deciding which promotional product to purchase is commonly encountered in every business. It is totally understandable if you feel overwhelmed with the thousands of promotional products that you encounter both offline and online, or if you do not have any idea which suits best your promotional drive, need or event.

Getting your messages across your customers is very crucial in choosing the most effective promotional gift. With this being said, it will be very much of help to have enough knowledge of the industry.

Considering Item Popularity and Visibility
Of the countless custom promotional items, there are certain items that will emerge to be the most popular year after year. To name a few, pens and other writing instruments do command the promotional market, in fact taking up the 50% slot, followed closely by shirts and calendars as the close contenders. Bags, headwear, desks and office accessories, mugs and food items are just some of the promotional products most owned in the United States of America and are in decreasing order in popularity.

Before taking a decision basing on the information provided above, it is also important to consider the statistics for promotional products which has great visibility. These items should mainly yield the utmost promotional competency over the others. These are items which are visible to a large number of customers at any given point in time, thus increase the brand presence and impression.

Promotional Items on Top of the List
Promotional bags and totes are on top of the list when talking about the order of visibility of these promotional items. Next on the list are shirts, caps, jackets and electronics, outerwear, writing instruments, desk accessories, mugs and glassware, health products, calendars, automotive and lastly food items.

Thus, bags and totes made the highest number of impressions with users and the most effective giveaways. In fact in just one month promotional bags generate 1000 views making them the best choice for promotions and advertising campaigns. Since pens or any writing instruments are definitely priced lower, they demand high volume in sales and in popularity. When one considers usage of such products, it is evident that it still does not create as high visibility as the bags, which attract more attention. Consequently, that makes them a perfect item to customize with the company logo.

Filed Under: Promotion Gifts, Promotion Items, Promotional Merchandise, Promotional products Tagged With: Promotional Gifts, promotional items, promotional merchandise

Tip about using promotional shopping bags to market your business

July 29, 2011 By

It is commonly known that promotional merchandise works very well for any company that wants to attract more business or raise the profile of their brand. They can be given away as a thank you to existing customers in the hope that they will remember the brand and recommend it to a friend. Lots of businesses use promotional merchandising, regardless of how big or small they are or how large their marketing budget is, and that’s because it has been shown to work well. Because of this, it is important to recognise that lots of your competitors will be using promotional advertising and so if you are to compete you should be as creative as possible with your ideas. Think about products that are useful and of a high standard of quality so that your customers will be happy to receive them.

Why are promotional shopping bags so popular?
Promotional shopping bags are one such idea. They are popular items because they are hardwearing and large enough to accommodate a number of items. In addition they are recyclable and can be reused whereas a plastic carrier bag cannot. Because of their size they are also large enough to display your company’s brand clearly and for all to see. They can be carried around shops and public places where they can gain a great deal of exposure for your brand. In this way you are not just targeting the customer that you giveaway your bag to, but the potential number of people that are likely to see your product being carried around.

Making your design unique
As there are lots of different products out there that are used as promotional items, you will need to be imaginative when it comes to selecting the one that will represent you and your business. If you decide to use shopping bags to promote your company then think about how you will design them so that they are set apart from the rest. You could print a humorous design that will grab attention or you could choose to print in lots of bold colours. You could even choose a unique fabric so that the look and feel of them is different to others. Providing the quality remains the same you can be as creative as you wish.

Promotional items are cheaper to produce and don’t take nearly as long to plan for as expensive TV advertising campaigns and radio advertising. Promotional merchandise works well and if it is done thoughtfully and carefully they can have exceptional results for your business.

Filed Under: Promotional bags, Promotional Items, Promotional products Tagged With: Promotional bags, Promotional Gifts, promotional items

Promotional USB Products for your business

July 15, 2011 By

With the dawn of the internet and the rise in the number of computers both in the home and in the workplace, promotional items have taken a turn in the direction of IT. Some businesses will now give away items such as pen drives and USB sticks. A promotional poster that is displayed on line is one example, as is the now very common mouse mat. Some firms have chosen desktop software to promote themselves too.

USB sticks
Flash pens are commonly given away IT-related products. They are highly useful and so always welcome. They can be used for storage and are portable so can be transported from one location to another. This is a huge leap forward for promotional marketers because the possibilities for merchandise that can accompany laptops and PCs is almost endless. Flash pens can also be linked in to websites so that a promotional page appears as the user logs in.

Laptop carry cases
Laptop carry cases are a great idea as most people use laptops especially if they commute a great deal and travel around with work. They can be expensive to buy and so make for a great gift. A kit can be created so that you are giving away not just the carry case but all of the little accessories that might go with it too. Because of how useful a laptop kit can be, they are always warmly received.

USB cup warmers
A plug-in USB cup holder that keeps your cup of tea warm is a fantastic little treat. When you are busy at work you can often forget that you have made a cup of tea, especially when it’s really busy. A plug- in cup warmer will avoid this problem and keep your cup warm for you.

Web Cams
A portable webcam that is compact and lightweight is not only valuable but has that added sentimentality that a user will love. For people who travel a great deal with work and have young children at home, this gift will be loved. And if it incorporates your company logo then every time it is used, your user will see your branding. Whilst a large number of laptops do have web cams built in, some do not, which is why they are great little gifts to give away.

Speaker pods
A stereo speaker pod is also very valuable because of how annoying the low volume speakers on a laptop can be. They can raise the volume enough for music to be heard over a group of voices and so are very much appreciated, particularly for the younger generation. Again, they can be expensive to buy so are always a welcome gift.

The examples above show just how creative and thoughtful you can be with your promotional gifts. These are only some of the many options you have that are related to the world of IT and web-based technology, but the list is endless.

Filed Under: Promotion Items, Promotional computer items, Promotional Merchandise, Promotional products Tagged With: Promotional computer items, Promotional Gifts, promotional items, promotional merchandise

Promotional Posters are an effective marketing tool

July 11, 2011 By

Posters are a great way to display information about a company and its products or services. They are a large canvas on which to display information and contact details and because of their size they can be seen from a distance or as drivers drive past in their cars. They can also be seen by a great many people because of their positioning, provided an ideal location is chosen in a busy area. Because of their popularity, more and more businesses are choosing to use posters to advertise themselves or their products and in so doing are saving considerable amounts of money as they are inexpensive to produce.

Save money with promotional posters
By advertising in this way it is possible for a company to raise awareness of their products or services amongst a large audience. To maximise on a limited budget it is important for firms to make the most of their money and save on costs wherever possible. By finding a low cost printing service that offers discounts for larger orders it is easy to get the quality you need without the massive costs. Quality, after all, is essential if your poster is going to attract the attention it deserves and get people interested in what you are promoting, so saving money without compromising in this area is crucial. Think about the printing service you are using and think of creative ways of achieving worthwhile discounts.

Don’t compromise on quality
Most printing services will use the same materials and equipment as each other regardless of the prices they quote. The main difference is that one printing firm may use slightly less up to date equipment, but the end results will look and feel the same. If you are concerned about quality you can always ask to see a sample so that you can make an informed decision. Most printing services will be more than happy to show you what they can achieve for you.

Full colour printing
Full colour prints are the most desirable option for companies that wish to advertise themselves using posters. They catch the eye more than black and white copy and if they are designed well they can stand out against other posters. High resolution images, quality photographs, eye catching colours and font styles will all make a great deal of difference so it is important to take the time to think about what you will include on your poster.

Our printing service offers inexpensive prints with quality inks and materials so that your poster will outshine others.

Filed Under: Printed Promotional Items, Promotion Items, Promotional Merchandise, Promotional products Tagged With: Poster printing, Printed Promotional Items, promotional items, Promotional products