Clever promotional ideas are plentiful if you’ve got a creative mind and the innate desire to have fun and take some marketing risks. Of course there are those of us, and there’s nothing wrong with this of course, who don’t have that creative flair. They’ll sit in front of the computer, whiteboard, note pad, or whatever they use to set up their marketing plan and just draw, pardon the pun, a blank. Don’t be ashamed, it happens. Even the best of us can be caught staring at an empty space trying to formulate something that will be remembered and trigger potential clients to invest or buy our product or services.
Thankfully we at Clever Advantage are fun. We just laugh it off, take a walk around the block, toss a foam brick against the wall, shoot a squishy foam basketball into a hoop on the back of our office door, or even go bug our work neighbors. Whatever it takes we do it, and honestly, after a few laughs or some constructive distractions we are right back on track.
We are a clever lot when it comes to clever promotional ideas.
As always, when I blog, I like to share some creative or even clever promotional ideas we’ve done, or that I’ve gleaned from the internet, or maybe just some idea that’s stopped me in my tracks.
Today is no exception of course!
One idea, which is sort of similar to what I mentioned when attempting to come up with thoughts for clever promotional ideas for existing and new clients, is pretty straight forward. Even with the turn in the economy people are still remodeling and doing work on their homes. As a matter of fact, a certain large retail construction outlet has posted some wonderful stock gains this week already. But, let’s not get off track. We mostly deal with smaller, entrepreneurial businesses, because we can identify with them. One of our clients is a contractor, a good one, whose specialty, although he has many, is laying brick and tile. His business card is a compressed foam board that enlarges to the size of a small brick when wet. He hands them out at trade shows and to customers, and last time we spoke, he said his customers ask for more when he does repeat business. It seems they use them as a sponge as well.
The business-card-brick works well for him. Customers use it and most importantly it doesn’t get misplaced with all the other paperwork.
On my last blog, near about the last paragraph, I mentioned the words, ‘trade shows’ and went so far as to promise that I’d give you the in and out of some great promotional product ideas for the aforementioned. Well, here I am ‘getting back to you.’
Trade shows are a great way to meet up with your clients for some face to face time, generate new leads, establish brand identity, and even promote a new product on the market. The overall impact can be valuable and worthwhile.
For me, the right trade show giveaways are vital to your marketing campaign, keeping you in the physical and mental view of potential customers. Unfortunately, when one tries to cut corners, these trade show promotional giveaways end up in the trash.
I think the main part you need to focus on is how re-usable your product can be. Asking yourself how someone can use your promotional product over and over again is a great way to find the answer. It’s imperative to subtly invade potential clients’ homes, desktops, drawers (desk drawers!), cars, and many other personal and business related spaces to help drive up your investment. The more they see you the more pivotal it is to gaining maximum retention effectiveness.
That’s a mouthful!
I think one of the easiest ways to do this is through pens. They are relatively inexpensive and people, no matter who they are, just have a hard time tossing them in the trash can. Please don’t scrimp on this; you want to be sure the pen works, because if it doesn’t, well, that’s a quick trip to the garbage and a loss on your investment. So, I ask you to think about it. A portable trade show giveaway that can be used at home, office, and even the car. The funny thing about these trade show giveaways is that they can be considered commonplace because everyone else is doing the same thing. That’s a perceived fact by the way, so a lot of marketers overlook them.
Am I hearing a comeback for the pen!?
My goal, when I work with clients on trade show giveaways, is to ensure they receive the biggest bang for their buck, or in layman’s terms, the highest return on their investment.
As I do most days, I think about the market and what I can do to penetrate it – to make it turn in my direction. It seems that I should have this complicated grand master plan. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not unhappy – I’m nearly always happy and make the best of all situations. It’s just that I feel I can do more, especially in this highly competitive market. The simple matter of fact is plain and simple though. I need to focus on the little things, a lot of little things.
What I’ve found over time is the more I focus on big grandiose marketing tricks, the more they become just that, tricks. They are nothing concrete or reliable and that’s what I want. I want my brand image to be recognized, to stand out in the pack without being pretentious at the same time. Again, it’s pretty simple, I just forget sometimes. The best way to be subtle, remembered, and recognized is through promotional products.
Promotional products are able to bridge a gap between a business and its customers. They convey messages. Incorporating design, artwork, formats and fonts with your logo, company name, website URL, phone number, and maybe even some tag line or a slogan of some sort is an important part. Don’t rush this part of the process. If you have a really cool logo and tag line you could even have high quality polos, t-shirts, or tanks created, and give them out to your best customers. And who knows, you might even be able to turn them into merchandise for your business. That’s just an idea to make some extra cash-o-la in these times.
The most important thing here is to be sure to have promotional products as part of your overall marketing budget. Don’t break the bank or anything like that. You need to get your name out there to current customers so that they keep coming back to you, but you also need to pick up new customers as well.
Another great way to get your name out there is through trade shows. Promotional products can be freely distributed at these events. They are normally a high energy situation with people looking to find the right match for their business as well. My first word of advice on trade shows is to not print up promotional flyers. They end up in the trash bin.
Alright, I’ve got to run for now.
Next time, I’ll give you the in and out of some great promotional product ideas for trade shows.
On Tuesday of last week, a client of mine stopped by with a promotional product gift for me. It was a box of hot chocolate. You know the ones that come with 12 packets in a box? She said she enjoyed my blogs and felt I needed a thank you. Her business is thanks enough, but who am I to turn down a cup of hot chocolate! So I graciously accepted her promotional product gift and will surely think of her next time I need, or hear about an associate who might need, her services.
There is great potential from the use of promotional products in San Diego, and when they are appropriately used, they’re an awesome cost effective venue to get your company name out there. Anything from pens, note pads, caps, calendars, and even food are worth the time and effort because they are promotional products that both future and current customers will keep.
Promotional products are considered to be a significant advertising effort that a company can distribute during a conference or other event. Where some companies hand out informational flyers and other types of literature, which primarily end up in the trash can, people hold onto promotional product materials for a much longer period of time.
Ask yourself this, when was the last time you tossed out a cool looking pen? And the cool ones we offer at Clever Advantage are considered stellar!
The use of promotional products in San Diego should be considered as some of the first items to include in your marketing budget. Never consider them as extras or when you have a bit more to spend on advertising. They should be on the first line of offense!
So, Google it up as: promotional products San Diego. Clever Advantage should be on the short list!
My hot chocolate is ready, so I’m off to enjoy it on this blustery, rainy day here in San Diego.
Oh, and please remember that I’m never too busy for any type of referral.
Since I’ve started blogging about Pop-Bys and how Clever Advantage can help turn nearly any product into a memorable promotional product, I’ve received some pretty wonderful feedback with great ideas for pop-by gifts and some awesome tag lines too!
You know, staying fit is one of the main things I like to do in my life. Although, I must confess I have from time to time slacked off on my workouts, watched an extra hour of television when I could have gone for that brisk thirty-minute walk after dinner, and I’ve even had a second helping of French Fries when I was already full. As usual though, whenever I get back into going about things with a physically healthy way, I feel some discomfort from the aches and pains of not exercising.
The same can be said for the business end of things. Although I know what works, I sometimes get slack, but then I bounce back. It’s uncomfortable that first time around, but it gets better and easier the more I do it. And the more I do it, the more creative I am, and the more creative I am, the more I can do!
Segueing here! So, business for me has been steadily picking up, yes pop-bys are a great niche within the promotional market, and with the economic times being as they are, surely temporary in my opinion, it has never been more important to continue getting your name out there so that your customers know you’re still around.
Don’t give up the fight!
If you’re new to the whole target Pop-By promotional product phenomenon or a seasoned pro, there’s no time like the present to show those A+ clients of yours how much you respect and admire them. And nothing shows you care more than a thought provoking, scintillating item that generates warmth while simultaneously building your business community.
Just remember, the most important thing to do during a Pop-By is to do just that…Pop-By. Your gift should be sufficient for now, so don’t stay unless they ask you to do so.
I need to head off here.
Please remember, I am never to busy for any type of referral!
Hey it’s Bobby again. It’s been about a month since I’ve had time to get back to my blog here at Clever Advantage, and I believe the last time I blogged it was about Pop-bys and using them with favorite customers, or what I like to call my ‘A+ customers.’
To recap just a bit, a pop-by is normally a small, thoughtful gift that reminds you’re A+ customers, the ones who send you referrals and are steady business, to think of you when making decisions. They work as a one-time occasion, but I recommend using them a bit more often than that, maybe once a month, every other month, or even more frequently. The pop-bys become tremendous sales tools that enhance the building of your client community.
But, does anybody really enjoy doing a pop-by? Yes, they actually do. Doing the work sometimes may feel like climbing some insurmountable pinnacle but when the items are coordinated through Clever Advantage, you can rest assured you’ll make that A+ customer smile! Be sure to add a catchy phrase, we at Clever Advantage seem to have an abundance of them, your logo and name, and then you’re on your way to wiggling your way into the hearts and minds of some pretty great people – your clients.
I developed a great, little, relatively inexpensive pop-by recently. I went to the local hardware store and purchased a number of keys, blank ones, not copies to my front door. I created a miniature, abbreviated, plastic coated business card here at Clever Advantage and fastened them on like key tags. What was my tag line? “You are truly the key to my business! Thanks!”
Honestly, I received so many smiles and laughs that it made my day. I felt like I was walking on air because I’d done something creative and fun.
You’ve really got to try something like this.
Well, I do need to get running here.
And as always, please remember I am never too busy for any type of referral!