Importance of Functional Promotional Items

Promotional products are an effective way to make hundreds or even thousands of impressions at a very low cost per.  These impressions are obviously gained with the recipient but many times they are also seen by those around them.

Choosing the right product for your company comes down to your available budget, determining the message you want to convey and how you will get the product into the hands of your recipient.

When I work with clients to create promotional campaigns, I always stress to choose items that will be viewed as functional by the recipient.  This is the best way to ensure that it will be seen on a regular basis or passed on to a friend or relative which will further your exposure.

Some of the most functional items available today are in the tech world.  As reported in a recent article on arstechnica.com, more than 90% of Americans use cell phones.  This is a very useful fact for companies that are looking for creative and functional ways to implement promotional campaigns in their business.  Choose from stylus items, cling screen cleaners, USB charges or even USB power banks that can recharge a phone without an outlet.  These items range in cost from under $1, which are great for general giveaways and branding, to items that cost about $20 each, these higher end items are great for client or employee appreciation gifts.

It's important to remember the key objective in promotional marketing that is to create an emotion in your recipient, this is what creates the memory of the item and where they received it.

For more information on how to use promotional items effectively in your company, contact us.  We would love to partner with you to increase your market share!

Custom Doughnut Boxes, Brand Your Company!

Who doesn't enjoy fresh baked donuts?  Bringing a fresh treat to clients or even on cold-call visits is a great way to break the ice and show appreciation for their time and attention.  This is not your average promotional product!

Think about your doughnut box sitting in a patient waiting room or employee break room with your logo and message for all to see!

These full color, high resolution donut boxes are completely customized for your needs.  Choose between our stock designs or go wild with your own imprint!

They are perfect for:

• Lunch and Learns - Package lunch in these custom boxes and skip the plated lunch or buffet line.
• Holiday and Special Occasions - Deliver treats this holiday season in this great looking package!  A perfect way to brand yourself and not another company.
• Thank you for Your Business - A simple "thank you" goes a long way, imagine saying it with a sweet treat!

How would you use these boxes?  Leave a comment below with your idea.

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Denielle Lue      |  dlue@stitchtomylue.com  |  (813) 789-5598 All prices and descriptions are subject to change without notice. If the price listed is different from the actual price or we feel that a different vendor is recommended, we will notify you before processing your order. All pricing shown is in US dollars. Total price is for merchandise only and is exclusive of any setup charges, shipping and duties charges, state/provincial required taxes, rush charges or any other additional charges which will be communicated prior to processing the order. Online catalog is available in English; for information in other languages, please email us at dlue@stitchtomylue.com.

Please visit our online catalog where you can find thousands of branded gift ideas. Our catalog offers wearable products in the following categories: Accessories, Button Down Shirts, Caps/Hats, Exercise/Fitness, Fleece/Knits, Footwear, Jackets/Outerwear, Pants/Shorts, Polos, T-Shirts, Uniforms, Team/Work, Women's, and Youth. We also offer products for office use, including: Business Supplies, Calendars, Books/Cards, Computer, Desktop/Office, Electronics, Notebooks/Folios, Organizers, Stress Balls/Relievers, Writing Instruments. For home products, we offer: Auto, Clocks/Watches, Eco Friendly, Food, Candy/Drink, Games/Novelties, Healthcare/Safety, Holiday, Home/Housewares, Keychains, Mugs/Drinkware, Optics, Pocket/Purse, and Tools/Hardware. Our online catalog includes a broad selection of products for events and travel, including ideas for: Awards/Recognition, Bags/Totes, Company Outings, Corporate Gifts, Executive Gifts, Gift Sets, Golf, Sports/Outdoors, Tradeshows/Events, and Travel/Luggage.

10 Reasons to Work with a Promotional Consultant

Not only can a promotional consultant think of questions you might not think of or didn't even know you needed to ask, a consultant will be able to design a program that will get you results and save you time and money in the process!

Take a look at 10 more reasons working with a Promotional Consultant is beneficial to you:


Reason #1: Promotional consultants go beyond just selling products.

Products can be purchased anywhere, catalogs, internet maybe even in retail stores.  A successful promotional campaign requires thoughtful planning and doesn't just happen by chance. To achieve your goal, it's important to consider many details of the program before making any product purchase (ie, budget, target audience, method of distribution, etc.)

Reason #2: Professional promotional consultants have access to vast product research resources, including an extensive database which contains more than 700,000 products.

A professional consultant has access to an extensive database of products.  This database also contains supplier ratings that are left by previous promotional consultants.  A good consultant is not going to just take item price into consideration when quoting a request, they will also use supplier ratings to guide their decision so that ultimately their customer receives a high quality item with high quality service on time!

Reason #3: Promotional consultants are in tune with the latest trends, including hot items and the newest products.

A promotional consultant will listen to what you want and help you find the right product for your needs.  A qualified promotional consultant can add creativity, innovation and imagination to your overall program to achieve your desired goals.

Reason #4: Your promotional consultant is more than just a salesperson.

Think of a promotional consultant as an extension of your marketing department or maybe even THE marketing department.  Often a consultant becomes someone you know and trust and will continue to work with for years.  They can even be a valuable addition to your marketing meetings.

Reason #5: Personalized service is the role of a promotional consultant.

Developing a professional relationship with a promotional consultant can be priceless.  This person will get to know your business and can often negotiate even lower prices than what you see on the internet because of their established relationship with suppliers.  The consultant can even keep you in the loop on special pricing and closeouts that apply specifically to your needs.

Reason #6: Industry promotional consultants can offer experienced advice on how to imprint items.

Some logos are designed with very simple lines while some are very complex and contain a lot of detail.  These are things to consider when choosing an imprint method.  Not all methods will work well with your specific design or logo colors.

Reason #7: Trained promotional consultants can save you money in the long run.

Typically, a generic price is displayed on the internet or in a catalog.  There are many fees to consider when ordering custom imprinted items.  Set-ups, imprint duplication and shipping are just a few to watch out for.

Reason #8: Promotional consultants will work with you to get your artwork imprinted properly.

There are dozens of imprint options for products.  Some work well for some types of products while other may not.  Let an experienced consultant help you navigate through these choices.

Reason #9: Professional promotional consultants can assist you in developing a workable distribution plan for your products.

Purchasing a promotional product is just the first step, you need a thoughtful distribution plan to increase the effectiveness of the products.

Reason #10: Promotional consultants are the experts in their field.

When you're sick, you see a doctor, when you're car stops running you see a mechanic, when you need a creative marketing solution a promotional consultant is the expert!  Don't spend your precious time searching through the internet or catalogs, let a promotional consultant come to you, like a doctor that makes house calls!

Email us today and we'll help you develop just the right campaign using just the right items within your budget!

Do Promotional Products Really Make a Difference? Part 3

How often are those products seen?

Well, to say thousands of times is correct but is not very descriptive.  Take a look at the picture below.  Each row shows the items with the highest number of impressions on the left to the lowest on the right.  Each row represents different regions around the globe.

As you can see, in the U.S. bags and caps rank the highest.  Reusable bags are a wonderful and practical way to get your company or organization seen by others.  It's important not to discount other items that may not rank as high as these.  Sometimes, the value in these items is not about the number of impressions with other people, but more about making a connection with the recipient.

Before moving forward with a purchase, it is very important to work with a consultant that has a clear understanding of the goal you are trying to achieve so that they can recommend products that will be most useful to your target audience and will be useful to that audience.

Below I've featured one of the many shapes, sizes, styles and colors of a reusable bag that we carry.  This particular bag is available in many different colors and pricing is as low as $1.29 each for 100 bags!  This is a very affordable way to be seen at trade shows (then all the other vendor material ends up inside the bag!) or around town in grocery stores and malls!

Contact us today for more information!  Don't forget to "like" us on Facebook and check out our YouTube videos!


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Do Promotional Products Really Make a Difference? Part 2

Generating New Business

Promotional products, or ad specialties, play an important role in generating new business.  The chart below shows the number of people that said they were likely to do business with an advertiser they hadn't previously used after receiving an item.

Items that had a higher than average impact on recipients and their decision to do business with new (to them) company are logo-ed outerwear (53%), USB drives (43%) and bag recipients (42%).

Shopping totes are a great items to create goodwill towards consumers and generate new business because people use them EVERYWHERE!  They can be imprinted on both sides and serve as a walking billboard at a fraction of the price.  Here is a simple tote that will fit into just about anyone's budget.

Contact us today, so we can find the right products for your company and budget!!  Don't forget to check back next Friday for Part 3!

Do Promotional Products Really Make a Difference? Part 1

Have you ever wondered if giving away free items to your customers or prospects make a difference?

In Part 1, we'll take a look at how ad specialty items (another term used for promotional products) make your customers feel.

Check out the chart below.  Just over 5,000 people were asked their opinions of companies who gave them a logo-ed item.  Over half (52%) of the time, ad specialties left a more favorable impression of the advertiser.

Outerwear and shirts make the most favorable impression with your customers.  One of my favorite and more useful items, is the USB drive.  Although it's quite convenient to attach a USB drive to your keychain, this drive can be easily stored in your wallet right next to your debit and credit cards!

Don't be discouraged from using pens or drinkware because they are on the bottom of the chart.  Take note that consumers still feel 42-47% better about the advertiser which still makes this an effective and very affordable option!

Based on the data above, don't delay!  Contact us today, so we can find the right products for your company and budget!!  Don't forget to check back next Friday for Part 2!

Survey data is from ASI 2012 Impression study.

3 Reasons You Should Consider Logo Wear

There are many reasons you should consider logo wear for your business.  If this is something you've considered but can't decide if you should move forward with the idea, here are three reasons to get started now!

1. Unity
2. Advertising
3. Recognition

Companies tend to run the smoothest when everyone feels like a part of the team.  Logo wear helps reinforce the team concept.  It also presents a unified look to the rest of the world.  It's very easy to determine who is a part of the team and who is not.

 Source: ASI Study conducted in 2008
 
Another great reason to consider logo wear is advertising!  Adding your logo to polo shirts or t-shirts is one of the most cost effective forms of advertising.  The average consumer keeps a promotional shirt for 8 months.  Compared to other forms of advertising (ie, TV, radio, mail, newspaper), promotional items have the lowest cost-per-impression.  Easily recognized logos are likely to stick in a potential customer's mind.  The more the logo is seen, the more it is remembered.  Promotional items, also known as Advertising Specialties, has an average cost of $0.004 per impression.


Although there are many other reasons to include logo wear in your advertising budget, the last reason listed above is recognition.  Logo wear makes a great reward!  Whether your company has just achieved a goal or you want to recognize an employee for years of service or an individual achievement, receiving recognition makes employees feel valued.  You can even give away themed shirts for a company event or at a trade show.

There are many options for logo wear which make it an easy item to include in your budget.  Whether you choose to screen print t-shirts, embroider dressier polos or explore other items, promotional products make a lasting impression with employees, clients and prospective clients!

What creative campaigns have you used in your business to increase your company's brand awareness?