360 Promotions – let's brand together

T-shirts are an ideal promotion to use for events, causes and thank you gifts, just to name a few. The big question is what breakdown of sizes should you order? We’ve created a guideline to help you answer that question.   Is it 100% perfect all the time…of course not. If that were the case we would be predicting things oh, like let’s say the lottery! But, it will definitely help you take the guesswork out of your next t-shirt order!

The other day I received an email, from a client, that simply read “Do you ever sleep?”  Yes, I do! But, I also work flexible hours and my Productive-O-Meter tells me that I get more done at night. It’s no secret that my ideal business hours would be from noon to 10 pm. Unfortunately I understand that the rest of the world has not come around to my way of thinking…yet!

In addition to business hours that cater to me being a night owl, in my perfect world, companies would plan events, promotions and marketing campaigns at least one year in advance, budgets would not be an issue and yes…holiday gifts and calendars would be ordered in July *gasp*!

Well, now that we have that out of the way, I also understand that marketing is fluid. What’s hot this quarter might not be in the next, events change, budgets get revised and campaigns that made perfect sense at inception need to be constantly evaluated for overall success.

What does all this have to do with returning emails at 2am? Our business is not about selling products. It’s about building mutually beneficial relationships and understanding that as your needs change we will be there to support you… even at 2am!

It’s time again for the super “Creative” list of things that you can use to market your business in a way that people will remember!

August 5^th – Work Like a Dog Day

Well, I thought this was everyday…but I guess some people need a reminder!  Actually this is a great way to appreciate your clients and/or employees for the ALL the days they work like a dog!

August 9^th – Book Lovers Day

Reading is an excellent hobby and makes us happy!  Millions enjoy it and employers look for this “hobby” on resumes!  Great time to give out a book as a promo item!  A book not in the budget…how about a bookmark?

August 10^th – S’mores Day

MMmmm…mmmmm…..mmmmmm – Everyday is a good day for S’mores!  How did a S’more get it’s name?  Legend has it that it’s because after eating them the kids would chant (loudly I am sure!) – “Give Me Some More!!!”  How about S’mores kits with your name proudly imprinted on ‘em?

August 15^th – National Relaxation Day

Ahhhhhhhh…..I can’t wait for this day!  So many of us don’t take enough time to do this, so making it a “National” day is an awesome reminder to stop and smell the roses every once and a while!  Fact is that we REALLY are more productive with a little relaxation under our belts!  Great ideas for this holiday are massagers, teas or candles!

We hope you remember to celebrate one of these fun and quirky holidays in August – Let us know all about it and we will post it as an upcoming feature!

I love companies that combine fun, creativity and branding into one amazing marketing concept! So, two thumbs-up to Chick-Fil-A for celebrating Cow Appreciation Day on July 10^th (see blog post from June 15^th)! How are they celebrating you ask???

· On July 10^th Chick-Fil-A will award a free combo meal (breakfast, lunch or dinner) to any customer who comes to any one of the chains restaurants dressed as a cow – There are over 1,300 locations across the country to test it out!

What does it take to qualify as “Dressed as a Cow”? According to www.chickfila.com –

· An effort has to be made to be dressed like a cow from head to toe to qualify for the free full combo meal

· For customers who want to join in partial cow attire, such as a cow headband, cow printed hat, vest or purse – a free entrée will be given

· Need some ideas on how to accomplish this for free “eats” ? How about taking a white t-shirt, white shorts and white socks and painting black spots on them? Head to toe right? They also have a lot of other ideas on their website

You can check out the full details at www.chickfila.com or on their facebook page by clicking here.

….and that’s no Bull! (couldn’t resist….again)

Last weekend was Father’s Day and I went to East Texas to see my family. On Sunday morning, after my Granny made pancakes, she decided that we needed to go through old memorabilia to see who wants what. In case you’re wondering, I am so NOT a pack rat and while I love my family and want keepsakes of them, you have to know when enough is enough…Right?

As we were going through the boxes, you will never believe what we stumbled upon…. a custom calendar and imprinted car trash bag from 1965! Yes, they are both 44 years old but are in mint condition! They are from the grocery store my Grandparents owned and my Granny kept them all this time.

I am so glad that I took the time to stroll down memory lane with my Granny and she gave me the calendar so that I can take it and have it framed. Now you know that even promotional products can make priceless family heirlooms!

Using Promotional Products as part of your advertising mix is absolutely the way to go, but like any other part of your marketing plan….the pieces have to come together in a way that really benefits and drives your business.  We are in the business of helping you tie it all up, so we’re not just being nosy or entering your information into some marketing mix of our own – we just really want to help you succeed and have a great experience using Promotional Products!

Help us…Help you!

P.S.  The soapbox says “Thanks for your time” – see you soon, but not too soon!

Consider this….do you want to qualify what you give away?  I briefly talked about a Tier Program in Part One but there are several ways to go about it so I decided to expand on the idea – Here’s what I’ve got for a start

·        Do you want to use your Promo Items as a Thank-You?  The qualifier here is that the recipient has done business with you –

·        Do you want to use them as a reward for people coming to see you or requesting information about your product or service?

·        Do you want to use your item as a way to reward your customers/potential customers for participating in some way?  Maybe in a demonstration, testing or a contest scenario?

·        Do you want to use it as an incentive for sales?  You can do this by including an “offer” or “coupon” with a redemption qualifier?

All of these are a great way to use your Promotional Products to “Qualify” your customers!

By now you might be thinking….Wow – Promotional Products require a lot of thought????  Actually, that is what we are here for – we can break it down with just a few questions…..One of the many great things about us Promo Gals!

No more suspense – here are the 4^th and 5^th things to consider for your advertising –

·        Budget – What kind of quality are you looking for?  How many do you need? Do you need a custom product?  Can you do more of several items to tie in throughout the year?  The greater the quantity…the lower the per piece price!

·        Message – Many times we can tie your message to an item that is a perfect compliment!  Share the message with us and we’ll barrage you with ideas!

All of this (with a few more to come) is our way of helping you to effectively incorporate Promotional Items into your Marketing and Advertising – it really is the number one way for people to keep on remembering you and your company…and keep on….and keep on….!

The Single Most Important part in the life of a promotional product is….(drum roll)…..Finding the right one!  There are literally hundreds of thousands of promotional products so this can seem like an overwhelming undertaking.  We have a search function on our website ( www.360promos.com ) that I have a love-hate relationship with – I love that it is available for people that love to shop and browse on the web…or want to order koozies at two in the morning!  But I also hate that it can seem like SO much….I mean, how will you ever choose from all of the cool ideas?

 Here are some “Rule of Thumb” guidelines for narrowing it down –

·        Again with the objective business…What is your objective?

·        Do you need to tie your item to a theme?

·        Are you trying to convey a specific message?

·        Are you trying to educate your target audience?

·        Do you have a purpose?  If not, let’s get one!

Remember….this is your company’s brand and image and we want to help you make it the absolute best that it can be!  Theme of the week – USE your Promotional Products Specialist!

……..Part 3…….Tomorrow!

My soapbox has been eyeing me from under my desk for a few weeks…so I thought before the looks turn evil, I would take it out and step up for a bit.  So, my soapbox rotation for the week is “USE YOUR PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS COMPANY”!!!  (the soapbox is thrilled to be out for a whole series!)  We are here to help, we want to help – please use us for more than someone that fills your orders (although we are great at that too!).

How can we help you “Get Some Groove to Your Giveaways”?

• Help You to Define Your Audience – A focused objective is crucial to your success and we can help you break that down.  Are these giveaways for key customers, prospects, employees or everyone that passes by?  Do you need something for all of the above?  We can help you to establish a Tier program for giveaways that meets your budget and creates the desired impact.
• Goal Setting – All promotional item purchases should be made with this in mind…”What do you want to achieve?”  Are you trying to launch a new product or idea,  are you trying to incite action or are you trying to increase your recognition with a particular audience?  We can help you make an impact with your message and with your promotional product by bringing the two together.

Look for my next posts for more ideas to help you get your……