The Power of "FREE" is Undeniable

For proof, go to any tradeshow.

While you'll certainly see a lot of traffic at booths exhibiting the latest new products, there's inevitably even more traffic at those booths giving away the best free stuff. More technically known as promotional marketing products, these items - are emblazoned with a company log or message longer visibility.  They can be a great tool to generate name recognition and create customer goodwill, often at very little cost. In turn, promotional marketing products can help drive sales. In 1999 alone, businesses spent $13 billion on them; that's up from $5 billion in 1990.

Choosing the right items:
Anything a logo can fit on is a suitable promotional product. Christmas ornaments and computer accessories, golf balls and tees, yo-yo's and ice scrapers… the options are endless, ranging from serious and useful to tacky and silly.

With the menu you'll have to select from, it's worth spending time to make the right choice - one that will effectively get your company's name into the heads of potential customers. To make this choice, you'll likely end up poring through either a web-based or print catalog to pursue a vendor's offerings. If you're a financial service that wants to build customer loyalty, for example, a good fit might be a monthly planner.   Or if you're looking to attract repeat customers to your car repair shop, you may want to give away a tire pressure gauge imprinted with your logo and phone number. And a big choice for computer-related businesses is a Photo Mouse Pad.

Considerations:
Once you've made a decision, the next steps are to determine:  Color -   Size  -  Quantity
Most importantly, there's the logo. You'll need to send your logo with thorough instructions on how and where it should appear on the item. Logos are typically accepted as graphic attachments via email, or on paper via snail mail.

Working with a vendor:
There are many, many ad specialty vendors that can outfit you with pretty much anything you can imagine found on the Web and beyond. Most vendors you'll encounter don't actually produce the goods themselves, but instead act as a broker, sourcing what you want the manufacturers and managing the production process for you.

When working with your chosen vendor, pay special attention to the visual appearance and quality of your promotional marketing item. Samples should be readily available for you to inspect firsthand as you finalize your decision.

Also, make sure to request a sew out, or a piece of material that shows exactly how your logo will look in actual size and color. This will prevent any last minute surprises; it may be jarring to see your logo drastically reduced on something tiny like a pen or key chain.

Pricing:
Most companies that offer logo merchandise require a set-up fee (around $35) to prepare your artwork, as well as a minimum order (usually a few hundred for the smallest items, less for larger ones). Pricing varies depending on quality and quantity; you could pay anywhere from $5-$20 per T-shirt, for example, depending on whether you go with brand names and how many you order. And as with any bulk orders, your per-item price gets lower as your quantity rises. Whatever you decide, make sure you're getting the most for your dollar while not resorting to shoddy materials. After all, whether it's a baseball cap or a Frisbee, the final product will represent a tangible symbol of your company's message. Make it one worth hanging onto.

Hot tips from the experts:
Avoid rushing. If at all possible, give yourself at least 3 weeks from start to finish to ensure the smooth production of your promotional products. Measure results. It's a good idea to implement some kind of tracking so you know how effective your promotional items are.

Promote from within. Giving employees logo-ed T-shirts and baseball caps   can be a great way to increase external brand awareness while also building company loyalty.

Promotional Items:
Trade shows can be a valuable marketing tool when managed properly. The most important elements to consider are:

1) What kind of audience will this show attract? How many people?   This is critical because you need to have the right message delivered in the right way to your audience. For some types of shows, you'll want to offer live presentations to get attention and efficiently communicate your value proposition. For other types of shows, the approach is more one-on-one. Some show audiences expect to be entertained or wined and dined. Others are happy with simple give-aways. But in all cases, you need to make sure the people working the booth know how to reach out so that you in fact register in the minds of the people you want to attract.

2) What is the goal of the show? Are you trying to generate sales leads, get press coverage, meet with existing clients, or launch a new product for all of the above? Knowing your ultimate mission helps you define what you do at the show.

3) Define success and what you are hoping to achieve upfront. Set expectations. If your goal is sales leads, know that you want to generate, say, 100 leads. That way, you can better determine how you staff your booth, how many days do you participate, how big your booth should be, and what you plan to do in your booth. A goal of many may lead you to offer a give-away or contest, have some sort of 'draw' or entertainment, and certainly a well-versed and trained booth staff that knows how to approach people, qualify them, answer questions, and determine the next steps to a closed sale. If you follow these guidelines, you should be able to use trade shows effectively and get a return on investment that will support future efforts and build your visibility in your marketplace.

Narrow down the possibilities.
Once you somewhat narrow down the possibilities you will more easily be able to hone in on a product fitting to your needs. Just an idea: imprinted Memo Pads are always a fairly inexpensive item and it not only serves a good use but it also spreads your advertising many times as notes are handed around.

Product Search:

PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS

Promotional Mouse Pads

Promotional Mugs & Cups

Promotional Pens

Promotional Pencils

Promotional Plastic Bags

Small Plastic Bags - 9 x 12
Medium Plastic Bags 12 x 15
Large Plastic Bags - 16 x 18

Promotional Balloons

Promotional Buttons

Promotional Magnets

Promotional Golf Products

PERSONALIZED TOOLS
Grilling Tools
Boot Bottle Opener
Multi-Tool

PERSONALIZED STEMWARE
Frosted Toasting Flutes
Elegant Glassware for Toasting
Perfect Flutes for Your Special Day

Bottoms Up! personalized pilsner
Super Shot Glass
Wine Tumblers

PERSONALIZED CARDS
Assorted Greeting Card Packages
Photo Greeting Cards
Birthday Cards

Get Well Cards
Value Priced Cards
Thank You Cards

Catchy Quote Playing Cards

PERSONALIZED LABELS
Personalized Labels
Photo Labels and Gift Tags
Classy Color Standard Roll Labels
Classy Color Designer Roll Labels

Cascading Elegance Sheet Labels
Authentic Style Sheet Labels
Serene Moments Sheet Labels
Baking Labels

PROMOTIONAL BUSINESS SUPPLIES
Business Cards
Letterhead
Envelopes
Formatted Memo Pads
Folders
Post-it® Notes
Pre-Inked Stamps and Accessories
Self-Inking Stamps and Accessories
Rubber Stamps & Accessories
Engraved Signs and Holders
Magnetic Signs
Banners
Metal Plates
Embossers and Inserts

PartyMerchant.com is an authorized dealer for Carlson Craft personalized promotional products and ad specialty selections.