EME

Promotional Items clients may use

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 19:07:00 GMT

Small businesses have to use every tool available to them when it comes to reaching new clients and keeping established ones. Creating a brand identity and making your vision clear and accessible to clients is necessary for every small business, but how that is done is likely to vary on a case by case basis. Businesses should be aware of what they offer and who they want to reach.

Promotional products are a unique way for businesses to reach clients by offering them something they will use. It is best if companies tie these gifts in with a particular promotion or if the products have something to do with the services offered. Consider the following business gifts to make you stand out in clients' eyes.

Promotional pens
Pens are needed every day by a majority of workers. Companies can have pens or other writing implements customized to carry a business logo or contact information. Pens are likely to be circulated widely, and people that come across them may have their attention piqued. Excellent companies specializing in promo items can also offer pens fitted with tools or flashlights, which should make a significant impression on clients.

Technology-related items
Many workers today are engaged in technology-based production for which computers and tablets are central. Think about reaching these clients with a promotional USB flash drive adorned with a corporate logo. These items are designed to transport data easily and efficiently, and workers are therefore likely to use them often, increasing brand visibility. For an upgrade, consider an environmentally-friendly solar powered smartphone charger. The recipient of this gift will likely think highly of the company and consider them forward thinking and concerned about green enterprise.

Roadside emergency kit
For an important client who is often on the road, an automotive emergency roadside tool kit makes a direct statement that the company is looking out for its clients. Kits come with jumper cables, screwdrivers, socket sets and glass shattering tools. The case can be customized with the company's logo, making for a unique and desirable corporate gift.

Businesses may see benefits from choosing several different price points for corporate thank you gifts by distributing them to clients according to different levels of involvement. Companies should always consider clients' needs when determining marketing strategies so they may best take advantage of opportunities to make their services known.

Golf Accessories

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:26:00 GMT

EmbroidMe has the customized golf accessories and golf clothes you’re looking for. Being able to combine a promotional opportunity with a pastime favored by clients is like hitting the elusive hole-in-one. Golf, for some people, is all about the win. For others, it’s the challenge of self-improvement, and for many more, it’s just the opportunity to be outside and simply participate in a sport they enjoy. Whether you are a course champion or weekend enthusiast, a game of golf is also a time to build or maintain relationships, business and personal.

Golf accessories can become useful giveaways that fit almost any budget. Game necessities like balls and tees are available in several packaged designs, like a match book, nylon pouch or reusable zippered organizers, each with a different configuration of balls, tees, markers, club brushes, divot repair tools or spike wrenches. Refining the item selection provides an opportunity for multiple or repeated messages with imprinting options on each item in the assortment. Additionally, most brands and varieties of golf balls are available by the box and send an impressive, memorable message when imprinted with a logo.

Looking good on the course is easy with embroidered or imprinted apparel. Golf clothes like polos and T-shirts are practical yet valued giveaways. Additional options include caps and visors or outerwear like zippered jackets or pullover windshirts.

“Golf tournaments are terrific opportunities to build your brand with customized promotional products,”. “Organizers look for customized golf shirts for staff and teams, and participants appreciate event-supplied golf accessories such as club towels or pouches for valuables, but everyday items like water bottles and beverage can insulators are all popular items. Post-event gatherings are ideal opportunities for awards and trophies, as well as prizes like golf umbrellas, shoe bags or coolers.”

Promotions with a Health Theme

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 19:03:00 GMT

It is no secret that a poor diet leads to health problems later on in life. According to Fatty foods high in cholesterol are well-known to be a leading cause of atherosclerosis in adults, and people don't always understand the nutritional properties of the food they are eating. A small business can project a responsible brand image by distributing promotional products with suggestions on serving size and alternative ingredients.

Regular exercise or physical activity helps many of the body's systems function better, keeps heart disease, diabetes, and a host of other diseases at bay, and is a key ingredient for losing weight. According to the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, (1) being physically active on a regular basis

Improves your chances of living longer and living healthier
Helps protect you from developing heart disease and stroke or its precursors, high blood pressure and undesirable blood lipid patterns
Helps protect you from developing certain cancers, including colon and breast cancer, and possibly lung and endometrial (uterine lining) cancer
Helps prevent type 2 diabetes (what was once called adult-onset diabetes) and metabolic syndrome (a constellation of risk factors that increases the chances of developing heart disease and diabetes; read more about simple steps to prevent diabetes)
Helps prevent the insidious loss of bone known as osteoporosis
Reduces the risk of falling and improves cognitive function among older adults
Relieves symptoms of depression and anxiety and improves mood
Prevents weight gain, promotes weight loss (when combined with a lower-calorie diet), and helps keep weight off after weight loss
Improves heart-lung and muscle fitness
Improves sleep

Promotional products can be branded with information on how to reduce your daily intake of fat. For example, custom coffee mugs can suggest the use of soy milk and other sweeteners instead of the traditional heavy cream or milk. Customers are likely to be impressed with a company that is trying to improve their lifestyle, and even something as simple as a promotional pen that features health information can go a long way.

The Target Audience

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 17:48:00 GMT

Many different aspects are involved in a promotional marketing strategy. Aside from the design and construction of unique features and brand images, a geographic distribution zone needs to be created to reach a specific target audience. Financial analysts and executive managers often spend a lot of time and money researching these markets, but there are a few simple categories that you can use to maximize return on investment while saving as much capital as possible.

Age

It may sound simple enough, but age is one of the most important characteristics promotional products may target. It can be a painful to the small business if promotional items target the wrong demographic, and there are two sides to this coin that must be taken into account.

The first is the services that a given business supplies. If your company designs personalized checks, for example, it would not make much sense to distribute promotional pens to a group of people below the age of 18. It is not necessarily likely that teenagers have checking accounts or associate with people who might need one. If this group is your only option, get creative – only hand out products to youths who are employed.

The second answer to the age question regards the promotional products themselves. Marketing executives must imagine which age group will get the best everyday use from business gifts. Daily visibility is critical to the success of a promotional advertising campaign – once again, you would not distribute personalized USB keys to an elder care facility because the average resident will be a senior citizen. People over the age of 65 cannot, by default, be expected to be familiar with modern computer technology.

Gender

This can be a sensitive subject for some companies, but the bottom line is that some promotional products are more frequently used by one gender than another. A ladies' diver watch can be worn by a man, but fashion sense typically dictates that a woman should be the one receiving this particular gift. It would not be a good idea to send this watch out to a traditionally male demographic, like the construction industry.

However, unless you are targeting one of these gender-specific industries, your promotional products should err on the side of caution and remain gender-neutral for optimum results. As with any promotional giveaway, practical items that can be used by anyone will most likely result in the maximum return on investment.

Location

Another critical thing to remember are the geographic distribution zones mentioned earlier. These can be as small as a local town or as large as an entire continent. A demographic typically knows no bounds when it comes to physical location, but it is still up to you to decide where to send executive gifts.

These areas should be evaluated in conjunction with age and gender, in addition to any other important characteristics. The same check design company mentioned before might give out custom coffee mugs geared toward people in between the ages of 20 and 30. Though the west coast of Florida boasts plenty of residents and tourists around this age, there are also a lot of senior citizens who maintain permanent homes there. It would be much better to give out these promotional products in Boston, Massachusetts, which has a large percentage of college students in this age range.

Essentially, a marketing team needs to scout a planned location beforehand. Age, gender and other types of personal information are collected by government agencies like the U.S. Census Bureau, which can provide all of the data a promotional advertising strategy needs to be successful.

Learn from the past

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 20:52:00 GMT

Promotional products should generally follow the mantra that the less quirky a theme or item is, the more likely it will be successful with a potential client. However, some companies have embarked on bizarre promotional advertising schemes in the past, and small businesses can learn valuable lessons from these examples.

The popular movie franchise Star Wars embarked on a reboot during the turn of the 2000 millennium with three films that portrayed a world before the original trilogy. These movies featured brand-new characters, younger actors and exotic locales that were incorporated into promotional products. Some of the more memorable items included Death Star-inspired straws, but the flawed design interfered with the drinking process at the cost of decorative features. Marketing executives may have felt the straws would not appeal to casual and die-hard Star Wars fans and were rejected.

Promotional products can be effective when they offer practical applications. A gift that can be used every day is more likely to generate future business and referrals than another which looks good but will be thrown away soon after it’s received. For example, Star Wars may have been better served with a themed personalized USB key than with these other items.

Build a Strong Incentive plan for your Employees

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 15:54:00 GMT

Company success rests on the performance of employees. As organizations look at ways to reward and motivate their workers, recognition methods have come a long way from a pat on the back and upgraded parking spot. Structured incentive programs—which reward employees for meeting performance-based milestones—are helping employees set, meet and exceed goals, and helping companies attract and retain valuable talent.

In fact, a recent survey shows that employees who participate in company-driven incentive programs say they feel more valued (85 percent), are more loyal to their companies (65 percent) and get better results (60 percent). And at companies without incentive programs, one-third of office workers say they'd put in an extra workweek each year, if their company would implement one.

With these productivity and performance benefits in mind, EmbroidMe provides four tips to help companies structure effective incentive programs.

1. Align the program with company objectives: By keeping your incentive program in line with company business goals, you'll ensure that employees are trying to achieve milestones that matter. That is, they'll be focusing on your organization's priorities while striving to improve the business as a whole.

2. Communicate effectively: When structuring an incentive program, it's essential that the goals and details of the program be communicated to participants. Have a clear plan that outlines communication frequency, along with vehicles—such as conversations with managers, an internal website, a company newsletter, etc.—for communication. Increased understanding within the business can ultimately lead to better results.

3. Engage all levels and departments of business: It's critical to align the entire company around the goals of the incentive programs. Providing incentives for just one level of business can ultimately have a negative impact on performance goals. If salespeople are part of the incentive program, make sure the sales managers are as well, so that everyone feels engaged and motivated.

4. Choose effective awards: An incentive program is only as good as its rewards. When selecting awards, remember to provide products that motivate employees and drive performance. Many incentive programs are points-based, allowing workers to earn points that can be redeemed for an award of their choosing—which in turn, can make the award more meaningful.

EmbroidMe offers award systems for all kinds of electronics, fitness, apparel and necessities

Event Planning

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 19:08:00 GMT

Organizers in charge of planning private events know how difficult it can be to successfully promote their projects beforehand. Flyers and fancy invitations often seem to get thrown out or ignored, and advertising campaigns are never guaranteed to yield fruitful results. However, promotional products can be the answer for anyone from wedding planners to club producers.

There are two main qualities that an event planner can target with promotional items – posterity and publicity. These two ideas can either be implemented at the same time or separately, but some specific events require one over the other.

Remembering momentous occasions

For example, wedding planners do not have to worry about promoting the marriage before the big day. Guests are typically invited by the bride and groom to a closed ceremony, because who would want to have strangers at a private ceremony? Therefore, a wedding planner can focus on the memory of the nuptials with promotional products.

Since February is National Wedding Month, there is no better time for a wedding planner to include personalized gifts in ceremony plans. Items like cufflinks, watches and whiskey decanters can be provided to male guests, while foldable flats, cosmetics and tote bags can be given to members of the bridal party. They can be branded with personal messages about the bride and groom – for instance, a custom coffee mug could read “Best wishes to Mr. and Mrs. Smith” and be stamped with the marriage date.

For more fun, quirky ceremonies, a wedding planner can include creative information like humorous facts about the couple. These promotional products can ensure that guests remember the big day for a long time afterwards.

Promotional products can be used before and after an event

The other side to this promotional marketing coin is products that can be used in both the lead up to an event and afterwards. For instance, if an event planner is looking to promote a summer concert series, they can hand out logo USB keys that have the date and theme of the event written on them. USB keys saying “Summer Concert 2012, Peace & Love” will continue to be used well after the performance is over, and can be instrumental in attracting future attendees if it is an annual event.

Event planners should consider using promotional products in their marketing strategies to help foster fond memories for future return on investment.

Trade Show

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 18:11:00 GMT

According to Trade-Show-Adviser.com, exhibiting at a trade show is often essential for businesses that are working to attract new customers. However, the opportunity comes with the risk of spending a lot of money without achieving the desired traffic. A strong promotional plan will help draw in new visitors and bring in new business.

Attracting crowds is primarily a matter of utilizing natural human curiosity, writes the source.

A customized prize wheel is a great way to draw potential customers. The bright colors and loud sounds will naturally attract attention and the materials don’t typically require a large investment. Once a booth has drawn participants, business owners can offer simple promotional items that feature their organization’s logos as prizes.

Promotional items are a standard at trade shows. In addition to traditional options, such as customized pens, promotional tote bags and water bottles, business owners who want to stand out from the crowd should look for unique promotional items that will enhance the visibility of their brands. Newer technology products like USBs or practical favorites with a new twist like a flashlight pen are likely to draw a crowd and improve an organization’s brand recognition.

I recommend Trade Show City USA website for displays, banners, table cover and more at http://embroidmeedenprairie.tradeshowcityusa.com

Support a Cause

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:07:00 GMT

When it comes to promotional marketing, there is nothing more important to a business than projecting an image of personal responsibility and general caring. There are innumerable charities dedicated to specific diseases and ailments, and by supporting such an organization, a small business can expect quality positive reinforcement.

Breast cancer foundations are a popular example of such organizations and are prominently supported by billion-dollar enterprises such as the NFL. Unfortunately, breast cancer is something that many woman will have to deal with in their lifetime. According to the American Cancer Society, there will be 230,480 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed in the United States this year. When deciding which charity to support, small business owners should consider a well-known ailment that many people can relate to, or at least support optimistically. Breast Cancer Awareness promotional items can provide a practical business gift while linking a company to an extremely positive movement.

Large causes like breast cancer awareness often have a specific week or month dedicated to an overload of marketing, and a company should always target these times to ensure promotional products will have the maximum desired effect. October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month, and anything goes during that time. Pink lights are shone on international monuments and charity events are organized side-by-side with massive parades. For a company looking to create a positive image, October is the perfect month for promotional products like magnets with a breast cancer ribbon.

EmbroidMe Eden Prairie will be supporting the Courage Center this month, February 2012. Along with the Dance Art Centre we show our support. The Courage Center is a Minnesota-based non-profit rehabilitation and resource center that empowers people with disabilities to realize their full potential in every aspect of life. We use a holistic approach that includes comprehensive rehabilitation therapies, an inpatient transitional rehabilitation program, a physicians' clinic, independent living services, drivers' services, a community reintegration program, chronic pain rehabilitation program, accessible aquatics and fitness programs, camps, and adapted sports and recreation programs.

This years Dance with Courage is at the Mall of America on February 19, 2012 at 1:00 PM. Dance Art centre has done a fantastic job coordinating Dance with Courage. As well as supporting the Courage Centre. Please help support this great cause.

However, business managers should not feel limited to such a prominent disease as cancer. Especially if there is a personal connection to an obscure disease, it can be of great importance to draw the public eye to the subject. Combining corporate gifts with medical information such as risk factors or symptoms informs the average worker about such diseases and might even save a life by encouraging early diagnosis.

Q Code Do You Know II

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:50:00 GMT

Nine Q Code Suggestions
1. Use error correction at the M lever (most code generators have this option). This means that even if up to 15 percent of the code is blocked or dirty, it can be corrected and still be read.
2. Save your codes as a SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) if possible, which is a vectored image XML file. It can be increased or reduced without losing resolution and makes for a better printed code. You can also put colors into the code using Illustrator or CorelDraw. Try out different colors and test, test, test.
3. A good margin or white space is important to the proper rendering of a code. Most codes are 25 modules up and 25 modules across. I like to have at least three or four modules of white space. Do not print on black without having white space beyond the code itself around it.
4. Not every target has a smartphone... it's best to show the URL link the code renders to next to the code when you print. This helps increase your scan rate. About 50 percent of mobile phones in the USA are smartphones, make sure the other 50 percent can respond to your promotion by showing the URL link.
5. Show how to get a free reader. Print "get a free reader at your app store" near the code.
6. Some URL shortener services will let you change the destination link without changing the code. You could then use the same code and redirect it to a different YouTube video or offer each week.
7. Make sure you have color contrast... a dark and a light color... no less than 4:1 ratio (black/white is best). If there is not enough contrast, your code will be harder to read or not be read at all. Other colors can be used as long as you stick to the 4/1 ratio; brown/yellow or red/white would work.
8. Create your code so you can track how many scans it generated... using analytics to improve your project. Both bit.ly and goo.gl offer free analytics when you use their service to shorten an URL.
9. Finally, make sure any code you create for printing is not RGB. Even when printing black and white, it should be changed to a grayscale or CMYK so only the black plate is used when printing. This will help the resolution and make scanning easier by more smartphones. Saving a SVG code as a jpeg will work if it is the actual size it will print at, if it is saved as CMYK and if it is saved at a minimum of 300 dpi. EmbroidMe can help print the Q code on pen's bags, drinkwear, shirts and more.

Q Code - Do You Know

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:20:00 GMT

DO's
1. DO | create a Call to Action... give them a reason to scan your code, tell them what they'll get; view this video on YouTube (create a video about your product)... join our mailing list... find our nearest location... download this info article about... enter our drawing... like us on Face book... follow us on Twitter.
2. DO | always Test, Test, Test... before publishing, test your code on all Smartphone’s (Android, Blackberry, iPhone, Win7) with different readers. There are many popular code readers available. I personally use i-Nigma on my Android (go to www.i-nigma.mobi on your phone to download it free).

3. DO | use a URL Shortener... this helps to increase the number of scans. Use a service like bit.ly or their alternative j.mp (one character shorter). Another is goo.gl . Both offer tracking with their use.

DON'Ts
1. DON'T | send them to your normal website... create a mobile-enabled version

2. DON'T | make the code too small... the smaller the code the fewer phones that can scan it

3. DON'T | reverse colors to a white code on black or other darker color

QR Code projects make good sense for any kind of business. EmbroidMe can print your Q code on every product. You'll see more and more use of them for many years.

Capitalize on Technology with Promotional Products

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:41:00 GMT

From the early rise of the internet to the more recent development of smartphones, human culture is becoming more and more dependent on the electronic gadgets that make life much easier. Small business owners can exploit this technological progress to their advantage.

In the modern world, most people have a cell phone, and accessories designed around such mobile devices will be seen every time a potential customer picks up a call. Leather smartphone holders or solar-powered portable chargers are innovative and durable and will stand out from other promotional products.

Another item typically found in the office is a laptop or desktop computer. For a laptop, a travel wireless mouse can provide a quick and easy solution to frustrating finger pads or cursor buttons. Desktops can be targeted with promotional items like customizable USB drives – people always need ways to securely transfer corporate and personal information, and such products are often expensive to obtain. USB keys are a cost-effective way to engage the computer market.

It is even possible to combine already existing promotional products with technology – a USB pen, for example, offers the practicality of a writing device combined with secure data storage.

Your Words Have Power

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:31:00 GMT

What you say determines your destiny as much as what you think. Could the everyday words uttered around the office or shop be the biggest threat to long-term success? While the literal words one uses only constitute 7 percent of an entire message—the other 93 percent are comprised of 38 percent tonal inflection and 55 percent non-verbal communication—consider that a word is a thought revealed.

Positive thinking and positive speech are analogous to the chicken and egg argument. While positive thinking begets positive speech, positive speech inspires positive thinking. The two must be present simultaneously and be in harmony. When they exist together, productivity and results are not far behind—change your thinking, talk the positive talk, and set a shining example for your co-workers, clients and business associates, and be on your way to achieving your dreams.

In the beginning… Partner(s), employees and day-to-day business contacts have come to know you and expect you to act in a particular manner, for better or worse. Those “glass half-empty” kinds of people who bounce into the shop with a new perspective on the power of the spoken word should be careful not to cause chaos by springing “the new positive you” on others unexpectedly. Ease into any “for-the-better” transformation. Learning to use positive speech will take practice and patience. Society, in general—and television, in particular—has taught us otherwise. Fast-acting remedies and instantaneously improved results are not part of the plan this time. It takes discipline and diligence to rewrite and reprogram scripts we have taken decades to learn.

Perhaps the first step should be to assess how less-than-positive you really are. What are some of the things you find swimming in your head that are self-defeating? Ask a loved one—someone you trust to point out any negativity in a caring and constructive manner—to recount things you tend to say that could be reworded in a more positive way. Take a moment to write them all down, but don’t dwell on them. They serve only as benchmarks.

Now comes the tough part. Take each defeatist thought or phrase and give it a positive makeover. For example, instead of “what else can go wrong” think “I just learned something; I wonder what other challenge I can beat.”

Give me a “P” Dr. Frank Luntz, author of Words That Work and WIN-The Key Principles to Take Your Business from Ordinary to Extraordinary, has made a lifelong examination of how top performers win in all areas of human endeavor by utilizing superb communication skills. As an accomplished pollster and respected communication professional, Luntz has interviewed hundreds of notable business people, celebrities from the world of sport and admired politicians. From such interviews, he has gleaned The Nine P’s of Winning—what it takes to get to the top—and the inspirational, winning words that, when woven into our speech, exemplify each principle:

People-centeredness—more than just being a people person, this is about getting to know and value others on a deeper level. People-centered winners use phrases such as “I’m listening,” “I hear you,” “I get it” and “you decide.”

Paradigm breaking—instead of asking why, ask why not. Paradigm breaking winners use words like “you deserve/have the right to,” “imagine…” and “wow, that’s a breakthrough!”

Prioritize—take time management to a new level. It’s realizing that your first words are more important than your last. Prioritizing winners say, “if you remember only one thing,” “first things first” and “the bottom line is….”

Perfection—why great is not good enough. Winners who strive for perfection use words such as “no excuses,” “extraordinary/exceptional” and “hassle-free.”

Partnership—akin to chemistry, it’s ensuring there’s alignment between what is said and what is done. Winners who practice partnership use terms such as “we agree,” “measurable results” and “fully aligned.”

Passion—not just what people hear, but how they hear it. It’s like living your personal tagline. Passionate winners weave words like “celebrate,” “nothing is more important than…” and “let me fight for you.”

Persuasion—in the words of Benjamin Franklin: “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” The language of persuasion includes words such as “insight,” “convenience” and “reliability.”

Persistence—Hall of Fame golfer Arnold Palmer once said “The most rewarding things you do in life are often the ones that look like they cannot be done.” It’s learning from failure and being willing to try again. Persistent winners are often heard saying “let’s get it done,” “let’s give this another try” and “relentless.”

Principled action—winning the right way. The language of demonstrated principles includes “say what you mean and mean what you say,” “the simple truth is…” and “uncompromising integrity.”

Perhaps, somewhere along your upbringing, a parent, teacher or boss advised you to think before you speak. Sage advice, wouldn’t you say? I believe if you take a moment to choose your words more carefully and/or adopt any number of Dr. Frank Luntz’s nine P’s, you can’t help but to raise the overall morale and productivity of your office. Good luck!

Rewarding Employees has Much Value

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:04:00 GMT

Companies, especially small businesses, often function best when they operate like a close-knit family. Bringing workers together is as simple as marking special occasions by rewarding individual workers or an entire workforce with a personalized memento from the company. Here are four times to celebrate hard work with apersonalized business gift.

1. Individual milestones
They will vary depending upon the nature of a business, but certain lengths of employment deserve recognition by employers. For some companies, the completion of a training program might warrant something as simple as apersonalized key chain. At other offices, 2, 5, or 10 years of work are significant accomplishments and deserve a plaque, personalized pen or portfolio that features the company’s logo.

2. Team Accomplishments
In retail settings, the holidays can be a brutal time of year. Small businesses can reward their staff for making it through another season with a useful and stylish USB drive keyring or other business gift. Different companies might find their crunch time at the end of every month or after the completion of a major account. Managers would do well to reward the workers who made these efforts possible with personalized products that recognize both the individual and team contributions.

3. Departures
A present at the end of a long period of service to a company rewards the worker to whom it is given. However, it also demonstrates to current employees that their efforts are worthwhile and that they’ll be rewarded themselves one day, should they continue on at the organization. Because of how rare these departures might be, high-end personalized gifts might be appropriate. Companies could consider personalized cocktail sets, computer cases, or a handsome watch.

4. Company milestones
When a business makes it for five, 10 or several dozen years, its workforce should be thanked. Companies that endure can thank their entire staff for years of hard work with many gifts at once, including personalized pens, promotional calendars and logo gadgets, that commemorate the anniversary.

Promotional Items become more common during economic upswing

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:04:00 GMT

During an economic slump, it’s more important than ever for companies to invest in promotional items, such as logo USB drives, luxury pens and personalized mugs to get their name out there. This can help a business reach out to a larger audience and potentially find more clients for profit.

Depending on the financial status of a business, it might be difficult to put forth a large amount of money for advertising during sluggish economic conditions. However, using promotional products as a way to heighten brand recognition is a cost-effective marketing tactic compared to the cost of print, radio and television advertising.

One of the benefits to using promotional items, whether the economy is booming or not, is to gain a competitive advantage. When a company reaches out to a wider audience, it will gain more recognition and increase its chances of finding clients by putting a tangible marketing message into many hands.

“Advertising in a down economy is even more important than advertising during the good times,” Joyce Gioia, president of the Herman Group, told SignIndustry.com. “That’s when you can build market share. That’s when you have less competition for share of mind.”

As the economy begins to improve, companies that have invested in this type of marketing will begin to reap the rewards as potential customers will remember them and their message when they have more dollars to spend.