The Perks of Promotional Pens

Written by Jenn Jimenez Tuesday, July 14 2009 00:00    
Courtesy of promotionalproductsarticles.com

In the world of promotional products businesses seek maximum exposure. The process of choosing the perfect product and inscribing it to most pleasingly suit your company requires a lot of time and effort. Once the decision is made and the products are delivered it is most important that the clients put the products to work. Spreading the word of your company and enlisting more business is key. And throughout the years, pens have proven to do just that.

Keeping up with their record, writing instruments were the number two product by sales again, for the 2007 business year. Custom imprinted pens maintain their high ranking as a household product while they offer an abundance of options. Color, type, and function are three categories that must be discussed when deciding on the perfect custom pen. And the goals of your company must be kept in mind. The appearance of the pen should compliment your company and any added functions should work to utilize your exposure.

For instance, key ring pens will be used by people who are on the go. Where ever someone travels, your company's name will be seen because it's attached to a set of keys. It's also important to go with the trends. Promotional USB flash drives are big in the market today, so an imprinted pen with an attached flash drive will attract customers and send out the message that you're a leading professional. Not to mention, USB's will travel back and forth from offices to libraries and more, which will allow for free publicity of your business.

With a jump in sales from $1.87 billion in 2006 to $2.02 billion in 2007, promotional pens are experiencing a new surge of effectiveness. By surpassing the 2 billion barrier, business logo pens have entered space only trumped by wearable promotional products. And while tees, hats and awareness bracelets are extremely useful, personalized pens provide more promotional benefits. Consider the amount of pens in your purse, or pens in your desk drawer. Where did they all come from? Chances are some one owned one of your pens before you did. With the daily exchange of pens inevitable the exposure of your business can soar.

Even as computer usage rises, writing instruments remain a necessity in our society. Back to school lists across the world read "Pens" as a must have. Pens are needed at stores and restaurants for signing receipts and doctors offices for filling out paper work. Therefore, it's simple to say that pens are the most universal promotional product.

Promotional pens are also a very reasonably priced product, especially considering the amount of usage you get out of them. The price of a pen ranges depending on its quality and features. But no matter what your budget is, there is a pen for you. The most important feature of a custom logo pen is its imprint space. Regardless of special features and flashy designs, a promotional pen will be effective if your business' name and information is displayed proudly.

Bags: The Ultimate Summer Accessory

Bags: The Ultimate Summer Accessory

 

Written by Sarah Shepherd Tuesday, April 21 2009 15:34    

Courtesy of promotionalproductsarticles.com

As temperatures sky rocket and more people head to beaches, water parks, and other fun vacation destinations, they all have one thing in common: they'll be bringing things with them.

Whether they're jet setting across the globe to an exotic local or just walking to the local fishin' hole, they won't be going it alone. They'll be toting their cell phones, laptops, beach towels and sunscreen. They may be packing some snacks for the journey and they'll definitely have their tunes, but the question you should be asking yourself is: are they bringing my branding?

Do Promotional Bags Work?
According to a study done by the Advertising Specialties Institute, promotional bags deliver the most logo impressions, averaging about 1,038 per month. Does that mean that should you choose to give out promotional bags, your business will increase tenfold? No, but it does mean more people will be seeing your branding as opposed to if you chose not to give them out. Additionally, ASI revealed that bags were the fourth most commonly owned promotional item, behind pens, shirts and caps. Bags were also reported to be the most frequently used, on average 9 times per month. Branding exposure at it's finest.
Why Summer?
The facts stated by the Advertising Specialty Institute were reported as key findings that can be stated as truths throughout the year. So what makes the summer a great time for promotional bags to be given away? Firstly, when temperatures spike, people wear less. Tanks and tees replace sweatshirts. Ladies tend to favor skirts and dresses, over jeans and pants. The lack of pocket space seems insignificant, but when people have no sweatshirt or jacket pocket for a cell phone or a wallet, they'll turn to a bag.
Secondly, when people travel, they bring more things with them. Whether it's a beach towel and some sunscreen or a cooler full of food, they need space to carry their things. In this economy, no one is going to go out and buy a drawstring backpack to bring with them to the water park. And money won't be spent on beach bags. With the fact that people use promotional bags 9 times a month, it can be assumed that the custom tote bags you gave out at the last trade show will be seen everywhere from the town pool to the city streets.

What's the Best Summer Bag?Here's a fun debate for all you buyers out there. When giving out summer bags, what kind do you choose? Do you want something simple like custom tote bags or something more modern, like a drawstring backpack? While several people tend to favor totes during the summer months, because they're perfect for beach goers, others prefer backpacks and messenger bags. The age old adage applies here too: To Each, His Own. What works for your branding? What colors work best with your logo? What will stand out and what's the most functional. Consider asking these types of questions to your promotional consultant because they'll be able to help you. They've got the experience behind them to tell you what the best summer bag is for your event or promotion
As was previously mentioned, promotional bags are used on average 9 times a month, generating approximately 1,038 logo impressions. And while this article is focusing on bags as giveaways for the summer months, the facts can't be ignored. Promotional bags are great branding opportunities.

Check out our website for some of the summer's hottest bags: STEPromos.com

May is National Smile Month!

May is National Smile Month! STEPromos.com offers many great ways to celebrate those pearly whites! Good oral hygiene is very important! In recent studies, bad oral hygiene was linked to heart problems, infertility and even cancer! Let us help you get the word out about staying healthy!
Remind your clients about their upcoming cleaning or check-up with our tooth-shaped magnets! Personalize with your company name, logo, address and phone number.
Starting at $.51 each, with a minimum of 250: http://goo.gl/EF5uk
Available in five colors, print your company information on our dental floss! In the traditional rectangular shape, get 12 yards of minty freshness that customers can take anywhere! Starting at http://stepromos.com$.90 each, with a minimum of 144: http://goo.gl/LoyKI
Brush, brush, brush! The best oral hygiene tip is to brush after every meal! Send your clients home with a great Colgate brand toothbrush to ensure they keep their mouths clean! Starting at $1.80 each, with a minimum of 250: http://goo.gl/3IVSP
Looking for a cheaper alternative? Check out these toothbrushes that still get the job done but without the brand name! Starting at $.93 each, with a minimum of 144: http://goo.gl/aK9Ep
Want a non-traditional approach on advertising to your clientele? Try our Post-It brand tooth-shaped notepads! These come in a wide variety of colors and are a great handout! Starting at $1.37 each, with a minimum of 500: http://goo.gl/G1nvr
Hand-crafted polyurethane foam stress relievers are a great way to promote your company and help your clients relieve stress all in one! Our tooth-shaped ones come in a wide variety of colors! Starting at $1.79, with a minimum of 150: http://goo.gl/3QVVl
Keep the kids entertained while cleaning mom's teeth with our wind-up, walking and chattering teeth. These can be imprinted with your logo or sold blank. Also great as a reward for being a good little patient! Starting at $1.10 each, with a minimum of 250: http://goo.gl/VuLKq
Our healthy teeth and gums pocket guides help people understand the importance of good oral hygiene and explain to them how to do this correctly. Starting at $.67 each, with a minimum of 250: http://goo.gl/BdBxJ
Make brushing your teeth easier with our Wind 'n Save tube squeezer! Featuring a tooth-shaped key, this item lets you roll up the tube as it gets empty. These are dishwasher safe and individually bagged. Starting at $.90, with a minimum of 300: http://goo.gl/KBuoG
It's tooth time! Send the little ones home with a “Tooth Time” coloring and activity book imprinted with your company logo! Starting at $.66 each, with a minimum of 250: http://goo.gl/YbfqY
Let STEPromos.com help you with all your promotional product needs! We have over 600,000 products available! Visit http://STEPromos.com, email us at travis@stepromos.com or call us at 1-866-PRINT-IT! And remember, keep smiling!

The Importance of Trade Show Giveaways and How to Choose the Best Ones

If you've been doing your research on how to run a successful branding campaign, then you know how important trade show season is for your company. Every year, thousands of businesses come together in convention venues and arenas to show off their new products, talk to potential customers, and try to expand their customer base. There are multiple ways that a company can have a successful trade show experience: a visually appealing trade show booth, a central location on the floor, and outgoing company representatives with positive attitudes. While all these factors will enhance your trade show presentation, the one thing that you must is trade show giveaways.

The concept of trade show giveaways is important for several reasons. Most importantly, they give attendees of your events a tangible reminder to bring home with them so that they don't forget your company name once they walk out of the door. In reality, you can do everything right at your event in order to make your company memorable. You can shake everyone's hand that passes, call them over to your booth, demonstrate why your business is so relevant and beneficial to its customers, and encourage the attendees to look further into your business after they leave.

But remember - the same people that you have been talking to are also going to be passing dozens of other trade show booths who are giving them the same speech. Even if you bring your "A" game, you are still easily forgettable. Therefore, giving people promotional items helps to separate you from the competition, and make your brand name stand out in people's minds as they are getting in the car to drive home.

Every one of the trade show giveaways that you choose will have your company logo imprinted on the body. Since you only want your brand name to appear on the best promotional items around, you need to develop criteria to find the products that are going to position your brand in the best light. Three of the most important categories to consider on your search for the best trade show giveaways are: appeal, functionality, and relevance.

1. Appeal
The appeal of the trade show giveaway will rely heavily upon its visual appearance. In the field of advertising, people place a high value on what their eyes see, so you want your products to make a positive first impression. When searching for the promotional products for you, look for items that have bright colors, large sizes, and interesting shapes. These items have the best chance of attracting people to your trade show booth in the first place, as well as the best opportunity to have them recall your brand name later. So remember, appeal, and especially visual appeal is a crucial part of the successful trade show giveaway.

2. Functionality
Once you select the promotional items that are most attractive in their appearance, then next criterion to fulfill is function. Often times, a promotional item is fun to look at but it won't serve much of a purpose for the person who receives it. In these cases, the only value of the product is a novel one, and it will easily be forgotten. In order to have your trade show giveaways carry more weight, they need to be able to perform some type of function for the recipient. The different types of functions that a promotional product can perform are endless, but the best ones fulfill some type of basic universal need that creates a convenience in the life of the person who receives it. Some of the best examples are promotional pens, embroidered apparel, and promotional drinkware. All of these items act as functional trade show giveaways because of their basic purpose, in this case writing, clothing, and providing a container to drink out of.

3. Relevance
The final measure of a quality trade show giveaway is relevance. You need to ask yourself, "Does the product that we are distributing do an accurate job of representing our brand?" If it does not, then you need to rethink your strategy. There are thousands of promotional items which are specific to a particular industry. For instance, if you are in the hardware business, you can distribute imprinted Swiss Army knives or promotional screwdrivers. If you're in real estate, a promotional stress ball or magnet in the shape of a house or building will work just as well.

Keep these criteria in mind on your quest for the perfect trade show giveaways. Remember, it's very difficult to find a product which will embody all three categories to the fullest extent - so do the best you can. When it comes down to final selections, use your instinct and common sense. If all goes well, you will be taking your company to a whole other level after the success of your upcoming event.