Promotional Products Case Studies: How to Creatively Maximize Your Marketing Potential

Posted on May 17, 2013 by admin

There are many creative ways to use a promo item to promote your business. Take this product, for example: a Sure Grip Massager given to prospective customers at a Home Show by a bath and remodeling contractor. The product was imprinted with the slogan “Remodel Without Stress.” This is a great example of a company thinking outside of the box and beyond the product they are offering. Providing prospective customers with services that exceed their expectations are added benefits that those customers will appreciate and remember.

Another great example comes from a computer repair service company. They imprinted their logo on a Bristle Buddy Computer Duster and gave it to their customers as a thank you gift for using their service. Not only is this a useful gift, but the customers will be more likely to use their business again because they will see their logo hanging from their computer.

These are just a couple examples of great ways companies used promotional products to promote their business creatively. These promo products relate to the company and the customer by going beyond the initial product or service offering and creating future benefits for the customer. So what are you waiting for? Browse our promotional products website today to brainstorm a variety of creative ways to maximize your marketing potential! www.imprintmylogo.com

4 Ways to Get Your Message Heard (say what?) Through All the Clutter!

Posted on May 13, 2013 by admin

With a population of over 100,000 people, Missoula County is home to approximately 10% of the state’s inhabitants (not including cows). This may seem like a great population base to conduct business in, but when you are competing with 14,122 other firms (wow that’s a lot!), it’s difficult to stand out in an economy that is so cluttered. (census.gov)

Don’t get me wrong, Missoula is a great place for a business to thrive, 65% of which are owned and operated by a single employee. (census.gov) The vast amount of sole proprietorships speaks a lot about this area of western Montana. The people here are passionate about their lifestyles and have turned this passion into an opportunity for other Missoula County residents to thrive within.

So when competing with over 14,000 other firms, how can your business’s message get through all of the clutter? Your business may not be directly competing with each of those businesses, but with all the media and advertising out there, every business is your competition when it comes to brand recognition and catching a consumer’s eye.

The following tips can be useful not just to Missoula businesses, but other businesses in cities where there are a vast amount of firms to compete with. Here is how your business can break through the clutter: (ok, now you’re talking)

First, it is essential that you keep your brand image consistent across all media and advertising platforms. Whether it’s your website, print advertisements, billboards or other signage, you want people to be able to recognize your business’s logo and message over your competition’s. This may seem like a no brainer, but especially when re-branding, businesses can find the logo on their website to be different from the logo on their brochures or advertisements. Keeping your brand image consistent will create better brand recognition for your customers.

Second, break free from the clutter by reducing the clutter. This doesn’t mean that you have to buy every ad space within city limits, but nothing is more frustrating than trying to read every word on a billboard as you are driving. Not only is this distracting to drivers, but it makes it difficult for potential customers to understand your message. Keep advertisements, whether it’s on a billboard, newspaper, online, or television, simple and easy to remember. A simple and recognizable logo with an easy call to action will drive people to your business more often than you think (no pun intended). Include your company name, slogan, location, and website, things that are easier to recall than a hard-to-read paragraph and a 10 digit phone number.

Third, know your target market and how to reach them. Don’t advertise on radio and television stations that your target market isn’t likely to tune into. Put the time and effort into finding out what your customers and potential customers like, and then find out the best way to maximize your brand’s exposure to this market. For example, if your business involves restoring antique cars to their original condition, purchasing a booth at a car show where you can give potential customers promotional products (such as a key chain or air freshener) would be a great way to reach your target market.(http://www.imprintmylogo.com/automotive.html)

Lastly, engage your customers. Don’t bombard them with your business’s products and services. It’s easy to find what you are looking for on the Internet, but what is more important today is customer service. Provide customers with more than just a product or service; develop a relationship with them that creates benefits beyond the features you are selling. This benefit could be your differential advantage that sets you apart from your direct competition. Whether its 1-day shipping or free lifetime repairs on your product, benefits like these are what customers are looking for the most.

Key takeaways: (you mean I didn’t have to read all of that other stuff?)
1.   Keep your brand image consistent.
2.   Keep your advertisements simple and recognizable.
3.   Know your target market and how to reach them.
4.   Engage your customers through great customer service.

It’s as simple as that. However, you’re not done yet. Be sure to spend some time researching your target market so that you can find out the best ways to reach them. Make sure all of your advertisements, signs, website pages, etc. display the same message and logo. Put more time into serving your current customers; they are easier to maintain than new customers and will be more apt to come back to your business.

I hope that these tips are helpful to you and your business. The information I provided isn’t any big secret, so be sure to share it with others who are looking to maximize their marketing potential!

Happy Marketing!

Kate Wilkins
K Design Marketing, Missoula, MT

Questions or Comments?
Contact me at: Kate@kdesignmarketing.com

10 Questions When Designing Your Trade Show Booth

Posted on April 24, 2013 by admin

1) Are you looking for Displays to be used exclusively in a trade show booth or Displays that will be used in multiple applications? Products like booth displays, signs that you could use at your office as well.
2) What is the size of the space you will be renting? 10×10, 10x 20, etc… & will it always be that size?
3) When ordering a table cover? Do you want a full color imprint or is one color imprint ok? Is the table cover fitted? What is the size and shape of your table? Round or Rectangular? Will you be renting the table?
4) Will the booth display items be shipped or will you be carrying your items to the trade show exhibit?
5) What are your Considerations…..Portability/ Weight Restrictions/ Freight Costs/ Ease of set up?
6) Do you want a fixed Visual Look or Graphics that you can change with your booth display, banner stands and signage?
7) Where do you want your primary display focus to be? Back Wall, Banner or Table?
8) How are you going to display and organize your collateral? Do you want display racks for your collateral or will they be laying on the table.
9) Are you going to use one vendor to purchase all your display items to ensure the best quality and consistence with your brand image?
10) What is your budget?

A Customers Success

Posted on February 22, 2013 by admin

It sure was nice to be part of a customers success, Craig Ruch with Armor Anodizing www.armoranodizing.com has a company in Columbia Falls, Montana that provides high-quality anodizing and electropolishing services. One of our guys think it’s pretty cool that they can do MIL-A-8625 Type II and Type III anodizing
for any gun and give it a matte finish.

Checkout Craig Ruch story which was in the Montana Manufacturing magazine, that was published by Montana Manufacturing Center www.mtmanufacturingcenter.com

The Results For 2012 B2B Marketing Efforts

Posted on February 1, 2013 by admin

It is very interesting to see the results Optify found with this study.

2013 B2B Marketing Benchmark Report from Optify Inc, to download the full version, go to http://www.optify.net

1. There is clear cyclicality in the B2B space with first quarter of 2012 and from September to mid-November, showing the strongest performance in terms of traffic.
2. Google is the single most important referring domain to B2B websites, responsible for over 36% of all visits.
3. Social Media is still a small fraction of traffic and leads to B2B websites, contributing on average less than 5% of all traffic and leads.
4. Email shows high engagement rates as well as strong conversion rates with an average 2.9% lead conversion rate.
5. Paid search usage showed a constant decline among B2B marketers in 2012. Over 10% of companies in the report discontinued their paid search campaigns during 2012.
6. Twitter is the strongest social media channel for generating leads, outperforming Facebook and LinkedIn 9-to-1 with 82% of social media leads coming from Twitter.

The # 1 Selling Promo Item For Us

Posted on February 1, 2013 by admin

For those of you that love to have the hottest promo item on the market, this is it for the digital market, it gets fantastic results at trade shows. Check it out.

NASA Promotion

Posted on November 16, 2012 by admin

The 17oz Visstun Reusable Clear Plastic Cup was used to honor the 40^th anniversary of the Apollo moon landing, NASA was looking to order a unique cup for a special reception in Washington DC. These cups received such a great response at their function that they were reordered and can now be found in all NASA souvenir shops.

Never before has a drink cup been able to promote your image with such detail and clarity. Hi-Definition, 4-Color Process Clear PLASTIC cups add a unique touch to your promotions with vibrant translucent colors and dynamic effects created by mixing opaque and transparent areas. Plus, these cups are top-shelf dishwasher safe

Herringbone 3-in-1 Parka

Posted on September 17, 2012 by admin

Two separate jackets combine to give you a third option so you’re ready for whatever Mother Nature dishes out. The waterproof shell has a subtle herringbone texture, a soft hand, a detachable hood and two external storm flaps. The quilted inner jacket has two zippered pockets and an interior zippered chest pocket. Both jackets are ready for decoration.

100% polyester
8000MM fabric waterproof rating
Fully seam-sealed for additional waterproof protection
3000G/M² fabric breathability rating
Detachable hood with drawcord and toggles for adjustability
Zippered chest pocket
Front zippered pockets
External storm flaps with hook and loop closure
Self-fabric adjustable cuffs with hook and loop closures
Inner jacket has front zippered pockets, inner zippered chest pocket, Lycra binding at neck and cuffs
Open hem with drawcord and toggles for adjustability

Popular reality TV show creates buzz with 30 inch coiled gummy snake

Posted on August 22, 2012 by admin

Promotion Objective

The purpose of this promotion was to increase awareness about a new reality program on television, Forever Eden. Without completely creating a new tin, the distributor wanted to design a product that would generate a buzz promoting the show.

Making It Happen

Working with the ½ quart tin, we were able to use a four-color process label to transform this standard tin into something truly special. The tin was filled with gummy apples surrounding a coiled 30 inch gummy snake in the center. This corresponded with the “Garden of Eden” theme of the show.

Evaluation

With the success of this program, the distributor placed many additional orders using the ½ quart tin. The ½ quart tin is in the catalog with the low minimum of 50 pieces.

Alternative Ideas & Capabilities

The ability to fill the ½ Qt. tin with any of our large variety of products, and printing both the lid label and body wrap with any 4-color graphics has made the ½ Qt. tin one of our most versatile items.

The ½ Qt. tin has been used countless times as an inexpensive, yet effective way to transform an otherwise plain tin into something unique with staying power.

Case Study and Selling Ideas: QR Codes

Posted on August 20, 2012 by admin

This 32 oz Reusable Clear Plastic cup was used to promote the Ecofest event in Arlington, Texas. Of the 1,000 total cups, 500 were used to give away trees that could then be planted in the community; the other 500 cups were given away at concession stands. Two different QR codes were used on this cup. The first code linked to a page where the attendees could register their tree–which was a huge success as people were able to register the tree from their phones while they were still at the event. The other QR code helped to generate interest in upcoming events since it was linked directly to the Ecofest website. This Hi-Definition reusable cup was the perfect solution for Ecofest’s promotion needs. And since the cups were taken home and used over and over again, they continued to provide exposure long after the event was finished.