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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
USB Flash Drive
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.
Put Your Company Logo & A Message On MY M&M'S Candies. Free Logo Setup - $100 Value!
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.
Heart Key Ring
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.
Imprinted Noisemakers
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.
Classic Travel Bag
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.
Personalized Pens
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.
Colored Memo Pads, Notepads & Accessories
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