2-4-6-8-Make Your Marketing Really Great!

As much as we all enjoy the hazy lazy days of summer, there is always a feeling of excitement when the Fall season rolls into the area.

Is it because the beginning of a new school year is fast approaching?  Or the start of a new football season?  Or maybe the crispness in the air as the temperatures begin to lower?  It could be any one of those.  But it’s probably a combination of all three as well as other things that we can’t quite put our finger on.  There’s just a magical aura of a fresh beginning.

It’s not just a great time to be a student or football fan, however.  It’s also a great time to be a marketing person for a business or organization.  There are many opportunities this time of year to spread your message far and wide, with many low-cost options to also spread your budget the furthest it can go.  Let’s take a look at some of these opportunities.

High School Activities - Probably the biggest and most effective opportunity during the fall is right with your local high school.  You have thousands of students heading back to the grind.  And with every new school year, students and their families spend A TON of money to prepare.  If you are in retail or sell a service that coincides with student needs, you can start your promotions early enough to be sure your name is there when that money starts to fly.  The best methods are in keeping your name right where folks will see it every day – on the refrigerator or on the dash of their vehicle, for instance.

If your business doesn’t exactly fit a student need, you can still get in on the fun!  Promotions to help parents prepare for the year would be beneficial for both you and them!  This can be accomplished with home organizers, planners, or picture frames (stand up and magnetic) for when those new school pictures arrive.

Sports Teams – This could go along with the high school opportunity, but can also include recreational sports that aren’t sponsored through the schools.  The one that usually comes to mind first is in sponsoring a team.  Your name is printed on the front of the jerseys so parents and other spectators will see your support.  For those sports you can not sponsor or are part of the high school, you can use the sporting event itself as an opportunity to spread your message.  Having a representative at the event to pass out giveaways is always a big hit with spectators and parents.  Some great products for event giveaways include magnets with the team schedule, mugs or tumblers with the team mascot, or decorated apparel.  Of course, you should include your company information along with an incentive and a call-to-action on all of these items so your organization has staying power.

Trick or Treat – The kickoff holiday to the fall season, Halloween is actually one of the most celebrated days across the country.  Ghosts, ghouls, goblins, jack-o-lanterns, and every creepy critter you can think of generate boundless opportunities for fun and advertising.  Safety is a huge market when utilizing Halloween.  Glow-in-the-dark items and products that light up or flash are popular and effective.  Not to mention the staple of the trick-or-treat activity, candy bags!  Pricing for trick-or-treat bags are very reasonable whether purchased as stock items to add your company information or completely customized with full color artwork.

Make A Difference Day – Initiated in 1990, this is a national holiday held on the 4th Saturday in October, and is devoted to helping others by doing volunteer work in the community.  Millions of Americans participate in community projects, clean ups, repaintings, and just about any other project you can think of to help the local area.  The best method for your company to show your community spirit is simply ordering a few dozen t-shirts and start asking for volunteers to help!  Contact your local non-profit organizations if you are looking for a project to join.  Of course, you can also pass out some momentos imprinted with the date of the project for a long-lasting remembrance of your contribution.

So even though we are losing the warm temperatures and long summer days, we can certainly look forward to the many wonderful opportunities that are available as the fall season approaches.  Route for your local team, help out your community, and enjoy promoting your organization!

Distribution Methods (Part 2 of 2)

In the last post we discussed Personal Distribution Plans, which are some methods of getting your custom imprinted merchandise into the hands of your customers and prospects.

In this follow-up post we will discuss two additional methods, Carrier Distribution Plans and Third Party Distributions.

In Carrier Distribution Plans you are sending your promotional piece to the recipient.  These are probably the most well-known methods of delivering your goods, such as:

• United States Postal Service (USPS):  An obvious dependable choice offering a large variety of options including, among others, Express Mail, First Class, Priority Mail, Bulk Rate, and Book Rate.  It is not as well known, however, that you can pretty much send anything through the USPS, even something the size and shape of a watermelon!
• United Postal Service (UPS):  Includes other common national carriers like Federal Express, Emory, Airborne, and Express Mail.  These services usually have a lower cost on larger and heavier items and have less restrictions.  One additional benefit is a higher perceived value than using the USPS.
• Local Delivery Services:  These services are available from private entrepreneurs in most cities.  You can usually find them under “Mailing Services” under your local directory.  Although the cost will vary, some general benefits of a service such as this is zero/low waste, the delivery can usually be timed during the day, and the delivery has a much higher perceived value which can add a great impact to your presentation.
• Independent Personal Delivery:  Includes Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, 4-H Clubs, and other groups including “rent-a-kid” all of whom want to earn extra money for their organizations or for themselves personally.  There is a slightly higher risk than the other services due to the potential for negligence, but the cost can be lower as well.  This service in addition to the local delivery service above both contain one added benefit – you do not need to have exact addresses.

The last distributon method we’ll discuss are Third Party Distributions.  In these plans, items are distributed by someone other than the advertiser who has something to gain by distributing the items (besides direct payment, of course).  Here are some of these methods explained:

• Piggy Back:  Sometimes called Co-op Distributions, this method involves selecting some third party – other than the advertiser and his customer – who has something to gain by distributing the advertising.  Often an exchange between two or more non-competing businesses that share a common market can add value and impact to your message.  Some examples would include Health Clubs and Chiropractors; Landscape Architects, Contractors, and Lawn & Garden Outlets; Playground Equipment Manufacturers, Private Nurseries, and Schools; Hospitals and Insurance Companies, and many others.  Think about shared advertising space in association with this method to further expand your reach into your target market.
• Public Good:  This method associates the message and the advertiser with the good causes promoted by various public, civic, and charitable organizations.  Distributions are made by a wide variety of organizations including schools, churches, non-profit United Way organizations of various kinds, fraternal organizations, state and federal agencies, your local Welcome Wagon, and many others.  This method is a strong image builder that creates a perception of honesty, integrity, and permanency in the community (and of course, we hope you actually ARE honest and have integrity!).
• Associations:  Any number of professional and business associations provide outstanding distribution value for items needed by these organizations for meetings and special events.  Using this method gives the perception of a great gift and creates a high implied endorsement value as well.

All of the distribution methods from this post and the previous post – Personal Distribution Plans, Carrier Distribution Plans, and Third Party Distributions - summarize most of the methods that you will use in delivering your custom imprinted merchandise.

You most likely have used one or some of these methods, and we hope you’ve learned a new one through these posts that has opened the “idea generator” to getting your next promotion off to a great start!

Distribution Methods (Part 1 of 2)

Putting together an idea for a promotion with custom merchandise is a fun experience.  You can get as creative as possible with the hundreds of thousands of merchandise items available.  Couple this with the ability to imprint absolutely anything you need on these items, it’s no wonder that specialty advertising with custom merchandise is one of the largest growing media today.

One very important aspect of creating a new promotion, however, is often the part that is sometimes the last piece of the puzzle, the distribution method.  The method you choose to actually deliver your merchandise to the end user can add just as much to the impact of your promotion as the product itself.  The distribution plan is the piece that gets the message to the right people.  It’s what makes your promotion a powerful targeted plan which reduces wasted advertising, a benefit not found with most marketing media.

There are many types of distribution methods available.  Most fit under three main categories – Personal Distribution, Carrier Distribution, and Third Party Distribution.  In this article we will review some of the methods involved with Personal Distribution methods, and we’ll review the other two methods, Carrier and Third Party Distributions, in our subsequent article in a few weeks.

Personal Distribution plans include methods which you or someone associated with your organization hands the item to someone.  Some of these methods include:

• Point of Purchase (POP):  sometimes called over-the-counter (OTC).  The specialty item is presented personally usually with some ceremony like: “Ms. Jones, we have a limited number of these (name the item) for our regular customers.  We’d like you to have one in appreciation for your business.”  If a premium incentive promotion is geared to attract new customers, you should add “Do you mind registering for our preferred customer plan?  We’ll notify you in advance of any upcoming sales.”
• Take One:  Customer takes an item, usually small and inexpensive, from a container imprinted with an appropriate message like:  “Free.  Please take one.  We sincerely appreciate your business.”  Containers are usually located on the sales counter or in waiting rooms.  Or in the case of hotels, restaurants, and hospitals, at a place convenient to guests or patients.
• Leave Behind:  Item left with customer by service people or sales reps.  Can be left with or for neighbors as well.
• Event Distributions:  Sometimes called “At Function”, items are distributed at and in association with special events like ground-breaking ceremonies, grand openings, company picnics, company tournaments and events external to the company like public events, civic organization meetings and events, and county and church fairs.
• Trade Shows:  Technically the same as Event Distributions, trade shows and specialty advertising are bread and butter partners in marketing.  Trade shows, conventions, and association meetings are outstanding opportunities for booth and on-floor distributions.
• Self Liquidation and Loss Leader:  Technically premium distributions, items are sold at cost or less normally as an incentive associated with purchase of a service or product.  Items may be sold without a purchase as a tie-in to prompt voluntary advertising when customer sends in coupon and payment for the item and receives more information.
• Employee:  Items are issued free or at cost or less to employees who act as voluntary “advertising agents” for their employer by displaying and distributing the item inside and outside their place of work.  Employers may issue several items to each employee asking they distribute them to friends and relatives for expanded exposure of the message.
• On-Pack:  With this distribution method the specialty item is physically attached to a product and used as a premium incentive to buy that product.  The product manufacturer or distributor normally attaches the specialty item to the product, but not necessarily.  You may be attracted to this method to feature or introduce a particular product and for the added value it gives a product which otherwise would be a slow mover.

Personal Distributions are usually the most cost-effective method of delivering your promotional items to the end-user.  This leaves more room in your budget for the actual product and message.

In our next article we’ll review the methods involved with Carrier and Third Party Distributions. Until then, enjoy your promotional planning!

Branding or Marketing?

I’m sure you’ve heard both of the terms “branding” and “marketing”.  In fact, I’m sure you’ve heard them used interchangeably many times as well.  Some folks simply refer to either term when trying to get across the idea of getting more exposure for their business or organization.  There is, however, a subtle difference in what these two terms mean.  And this difference can make a great impact to your immediate promotional results as it relates with custom merchandise.

When it comes to custom imprinted merchandise, the difference between these two terms comes down to what is imprinted on the product and how the product is used with the end user (your customer or prospect).  If the expected result is simply to keep your name “top of mind” to the end user, with nothing specific to say and no designated action for the end user to take, the product would be considered as a form of “branding”.  In other words, you just want people to see your name and/or logo multiple times over to establish a presence in their mind (much like branding on cattle!).  On the other hand, if you have a specific goal in mind, and imprint goal-specific information on your products, you would be taking more of a “marketing” approach.  The information to be printed on the merchandise could be certain benefits of your product or service along with a call to action for the end user to take.

As an example, lets imagine this scenario: a local pizza parlor decides to order two types of promotional t-shirts.  On one order the t-shirts have the pizza parlor’s business name and/or logo printed on the left chest.  On the other order the t-shirts have a large imprint on the full front which not only contains the parlor’s name and/or logo, but also states:

FREE SODA AFTER EVERY GAME!
Stop in at Pete’s Pizza on Main Street

Now, the pizza parlor takes both orders and distributes the t-shirts at various high school sports games during the school year.

What do you suppose would happen?  First off, people LOVE to receive free t-shirts, so both shirts would be highly accepted at every event.  But the difference is in the message.  People who received the shirt with the logo only would certainly be very appreciative to the pizza parlor, and may decide they should go down and try the pizza sometime.  People who received the shirt with the offer of free soda after the game, however, would react differently.  Not only would they decide to try the pizza parlor sometime, but, hey, why not after the game?  We get FREE soda, so we should do it tonight!

And that is where you feel the most impact with marketing versus branding.  Branding certainly has its place.  If you are hosting an event, merchandise branded with your logo adds a distinguished and successful image for your guests.  Also, supply items are also used as a branding item.  Pens in your office, the shirts your staff wear as uniforms, etc.  Things people see when they are already using your product or service or visiting your location.  Many very large corporations also use branding to situate themselves effectively.  Pepsi, Nike, and McDonalds to name a few.

But if you are looking to create the most immediate and effective result for your advertising budget, it is always a great choice to use your custom merchandise as a marketing tool, stressing a benefit to the end user that will give a reason to react to your call-to-action, whether it’s to visit your location, log on to your website, or give you a call.

Branding is for your overall image.  Marketing is to accomplish a specific task.  And with these differences in mind, you can more effectively choose which method you should use for your current needs.

Increase Sales or Memberships with Value

If you have a retail location, or offer services or products that include paying for memberships, sometimes adding just a little bit of value can do wonders for your bottom line.

A supermarket chain used a product called the Original Beverage Wrench as a gift for signing up for their membership card.  The card provided the consumer with instant discounts on advertised savings each week.  They set up a registration table in the store, provided beverages to drink while filling out the paperwork (used the Original Beverage Wrench to open the cans) and were told that beverage brands on the table were on super low discount just for them.  After filling out the paperwork, the Original Beverage Wrench was given with their new membership card attached.  The beverage wrench was imprinted with the supermarket logo and the text “Opening New Opportunities”.  This promotion was successful and they experienced a 15% increase in registrations for the card in comparison to their last promotion.

The wrench also provided a way for the supermarket to keep “top of mind” to consumers at home.  And keeping your name consistently in front of your customers is a sure way to keep a great handle on the bottom line.

As Simple as a Pin

When putting together an idea to better promote our businessess and organizations, we often times get too involved and overwhelmed with all the ideas that flow through our minds.  The plans we put together can sometimes get intricate and detailed in the quest to be sure our brand gets the exposure it needs.  One company, however, took a subdued and mysterious approach at a recent tradeshow, and it appears it worked wonders!  Here is the info shared by DailyBoost, a PPAI website.

Objective – To raise recognition of a new company and product at a national tradeshow and drive booth traffic.

Strategy Execution – A start-up software company was having its inaugural launch at a national tradeshow, and wanted to create as much ‘buzz’ as possible.  In addition to the usual media marketing efforts, several promotional products were distributed at tradeshow events. 

The logo of the company is the focal point of all communications for the company and was featured in all advertising and signage at the show.  A simple pin was created in limited quantities, without any verbiage…just the company’s logo.    Company representatives wore the pin to all events and in the booth.  Additionally, pins were distributed in limited quantities to recognized industry thought leaders at the show.  Although the pin was being worn by staff and selected individuals, it was not available as a “booth giveaway.”  However, if people asked about the pin, company representatives would give them theirs.

Results – “Off the charts!” was the response of the VP of Sales.  “Once others at the show saw the pin being worn, they wanted their own. We heard that folks were actively inquiring about the pin, what it meant, and how they could then get their own! We actually had people clamoring at the booth wanting to get a pin.”  It created great buzz and the traffic at the booth was much higher than the company anticipated.

Launching a New Website

A lot of time, money, and energy goes into the development of a company website.  So when it’s finally ready to be announced to the public, you want to shout it out to the world!  This insurance company wanted to as well, but they went about it a little different.  Check out this success story shared from PPAI.

Objective – A health insurance company needs to drive people to its new website.

Strategy Execution – After investing a lot of time and money into redesigning their new website, the company wanted to get as many people to see it as soon as possible.  At first, the company was going to implement a plain direct mail campaign giving the user the URL for the site.  However, the company realized that that method would be too passive and take too long to get the numbers they were looking for.

To make the campaign more interactive, they decided to include in the mailing a USB Web key.   When inserted into a computer, the web key automatically launched to the insurance company’s new website, inviting the user to check it out.

Results – The results were higher than expected and very pleasing to the insurance company.  Over 60 percent of the recipients of the web key direct mail package accessed the site, well above industry results for a plain direct mail invitation.

Now that’s some fantastic results that you can’t get anywhere else with the exception of promotional merchandise!

Little is the New BIG

With their sizable impact, small promotional items prove that oftentimes less is more.  And this is exactly what large companies such as UPS, Wachovia, Liberty Mutual, Chase, Nationwide, and Honeywell have found out.  They’ve all promoted themselves with smaller items such as antibacterial pocket sprayers, even though they certainly could utilize big, impressive, expensive promos.  Why would they use smaller items?  Consider these exerpts taken from an article from ASI’s Advantages magazine.

Lower Cost
The first consideration is the obvious one, a lower cost.  When one financial services consulting firm wanted to give its clients a classy holiday promotional gift, they considered items such as a 5″x7″ digital photo frame.  They believed the frame would be a very useful item for many demographics because everyone likes to display pictures of family and friends.  But the cost of the frame exceeded their budget.  What their distributor found instead was a digital mini photo keychain, which holds 56 photos and displays them on its 1.1″ screen.  The function was still satisfied and the price difference brought the gift promotion down right where it was needed.

Good Traveler
In addition to helping clients stay within their price point for gift promotions, miniatures can also offer portable, practical giveaways for a general end-user.  Smaller items are perfectly sized for the pocket, purse, briefcase, and drawer.  One hotel wanted to provide their customers with a small, attractive momento of their stay.  They decided to use mini stain removers which met this need perfectly.  Their diminutive size also ensured that airplane travelers could take their souvenir home in their carry-on luggage.

Quality Counts
Selecting a smaller item may allow the advertiser to ensure a higher quality item, which reflects more positively on the advertiser’s image.  One Realtor wanted to give mini flashlights to his clients as a closing gift.  The problem with most mini flashlights, however, is they are provided with a watch-type of battery.  The concern was that these types of batteries would expire before the Realtor was able to hand them out because they would need to be stored (the Realtor did not close a lot of houses per month).  What his distributor found to fit this need was a higher quality mini flashlight which used AAA batteries.  With this flashlight the Realtor was able to buy fresh batteries for a high quality promotion at every closing.

Cross-Generation Appeal
Mini items do not just appeal to one or two demographics or age groups.  It works across the board.  Folks 65 and older, for instance, like getting almost anything free.  But they prefer quality items and American-made goods, particularly if it’s a thank you gift.

Many Baby Boomers, upon retirement, downsize their digs and whittle down their stuff.  They may be more likely to keep a smaller item than a big one, especially if it fits in with their pared-down lifestyle.

Generation X likes portable items that help them maintain their on-the-go lifestyle.

Generation Y has grown up with their favorite techno toys shrinking with each new release.  Smaller is better to this age bracket, especially wth anything technologically savvy.

And, finally, children like things that are small, like them.  They like items that older people use, such as lip balm or flashlights on a keychain.  But tiny replicas and toys such as mini plush or popular figures work well also.

With the stress of today’s economy, going smaller may just be the way for advertiser’s to go.  The right product could yield a lower cost, higher quality, higher portability, and the right appeal to appease every demographic.

Doing Business at the Water Cooler

If you work in an office environment, or even if you don’t, you’ll notice one aspect of our daily work life never changes.  We all discuss our lives at some point during the day with our coworkers.  It used to be with neighbors, but with our lives so busy every day, we need to let it all out at work, as this article from Promotional Magazine explains…

The American workplace is rapidly surpassing such cornerstones of neighborhood life as the front porch and the living room to become the most powerful social network available to advertisers today.  A study from consumer intelligence firm BIGresearch shows that 68% of American workers socialize with coworkers while taking a break from work, and an additional 42% also communicate with friends and family during the workday via telephone, email, and texting.

This employee-to-employee networking has direct implications for marketers, since about 96% of at-work consumers say that they regularly or occasionally give advice to their peers in the workplace about products and services.  Further, 93% indicate that they also seek advice from coworkers before making purchases.

“With Americans now spending a record-breaking 60% of their waking hours at work, the days of stopping by your neighbor’s front porch in the afternoon to discuss current events over an iced tea are over”, says Stephanie Molnar, CEO of WorkPlaceMedia.

The benefits of targeting consumers in such a highly connected, yet traditionally “ad-free” environment have not gone unnoticed by marketers looking to stay ahead of the pack.  A staggering 95% of U.S. companies who have already granted advertisers access to this highly coveted demographic indicate that their employees regularly or occasionally talk about the advertiser offerings and promotions they receive during the workday, proving that individuals can become very influential and passionate brand advocates in the workplace.

As this article suggests, allocating some advertising funds towards the American workplace makes perfect sense with the incredible amount of time we spend there!  A great place to strategically place pens, pencils, mugs, calendars, planners, and bags, just to name a few.

What can a candy bar do for me?

Many of us love chocolate.  It’s one of those guilty pleasures that we can’t be without.  And as much as you like chocolate, it goes without saying that so do most of your customers!  With this in mind, how can chocolate help you?  Here are a few case studies from one of our suppliers, Chocolate Inn…

“We received a wrapper bar order for a furniture distributor.  We produced 50,000 chocolate bars and sent 250 to each of his outlets.  The inside of 247 wrappers contained coupons for 5% off a purchase, two wrapper bars had a coupon for 10% off, and one wrapper bar had a coupon for 20% off.  The furniture distributor advertised that any customers that came in on that given day would not only receive a chocolate bar, but inside was a valuable coupon for a discount on any furniture purchase.  All of the stores indicated that they were much busier than usual and reported higher sales on this day than the same day on previous weeks.  The client was extremely happy.”

“A computer company advertised that they were going to be giving away chocolate bars at their trade show booth.  If that in itself was not enough to get people to the booth, the advertisement indicated that inside one of the wrapper bars was a winning ticket for a free computer.  The company reported much higher traffic at his booth than previous years and he had 30% more qualified leads than the previous year.”

So, what can chocolate do for you?  It can increase your sales, that’s what!