Top 10 Best Promotional Products To Advertise Your Business

Our company is constantly being asked to provide our clients with "The Most Effective Promotional Products to Advertise our Business". That question really should read, What product will bring me the best ROI?

For a first time buyer, choosing promotional products to display your logo is not an easy task. There are more than a few options out there and Proforma Adam Promotions actually offers hundreds of thousands of imprintable items. In fact, going the custom route can ensure that almost anything can be turned into a promotional product. But what about the typical buyer with a modest budget? If you’ve got some (not a lot) of money and don’t know what to choose, this list is for you. Here are the top 10 most effective promotional products.

1. Promotional Apparel
Custom apparel and hats are by far the most popular form of promotional products. Custom wearables account for one-third of all promotional product sales, according to a 2007 study done by the Promotional Products Association International. Logo exposure is extremely high, as people tend to wear promotional t-shirts at the gym and on the weekends. The "greening" of the apparel market will really come into play in 2009 as more and more apparel becomes available in "Eco-Friendly" fabrics and materials.

2. Writing Instruments
At some point or another, people are going to need a pen, so why not give them one with your logo? Promotional writing instruments are well-liked because they’re functional items that recipients will actually use. Additionally, statistics show that during the lifespan of a promotional pen, it will have at least 8 owners, which equates a high logo exposure. Look for product which is possibly made from bio-degradble material for an ecologiaclly sound message for no additonal cost.

3. Bags
A study done by the Advertising Specialties Institute (ASI), the largest media and marketing organization serving the promotional products industry revealed that promotional bags deliver the most impressions per month (1,038 on average). Promotional bags are welcomed by recipients because they are useful products. The most popular types include promotional tote bags, promotional drawstring backpacks, and promotional computer bags. All of these styles are now being made from recycled fabrics. As more municipalities ban plastic shopping bags, there is a real opportunity for companies to exploit this as an advertising opportunity.

4. Drinkware
Promotional mugs, custom water bottles and promotional tumblers are always effective giveaways. A logo imprinted coffee mug will sit on an office desk. A promotional travel mug will keep beverages hot and will showcase your branding for the world to see. Custom reusable stainless steel sports bottles are being made more available at better costs, making them an extremely popular giveaway for customers with low budgets.

5. Desk Accessories
Desk accessories for the office are often purchased by companies to give to employees, but are also purchased for trade shows. Exhibitors know that promotional desk accessories, like paper clip dispensers, promotional desk sets and business card cases will be used by recipients and their logos will be seen by anyone who passes. One of the most popular forms of office accessories are promotional 3M Post-it Notes which now are available in recyled paper and come in a variety of shapes and sizes, any one of which will get your logo noticed. According to 3M, the average imprinted Post-it Note sheet is viewed by at least three people. This equates to an amazingly low cost per impression.

6. Calendars
Promotional calendars are among the most affordable promotional products available because of their extremely low cost per impression. A study done by PPAI indicated that 94% of business calendar recipients could recall the logo imprinted on their calendar and 85% of individuals who received calendars in their homes did business with the advertiser. Some companies build internal morale buliding contests by asking employees to submit drawings from their children. The winning entries become the pictures on next years calendar!

7. Magnets
Promotional magnets are often chosen because of their affordability and excellent logo exposure. Available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes (the most popular being business card magnets), promotional magnets clearly display contact information and keep it readily accessible at all times. Magnets are now available in FSC certified materials.

8. Computer/Electronic Accessories
As technology advances further and becomes a bigger part of everyone’s lives, the need for computer related accessories increases. Promotional items such as custom USB flash drives, promotional MP3 players, and other promotional electronics are highly in demand as advertisers want to give promotional items that will be used and appreciated. Technology related items are the ultimate in eco-friendliness as USB flash drives can actually be pre-loaded with sales sheets or catalogues thus eliminating the cost of producing catalogues and the ulitmate need to dispose of those catlogues once they are outdated.

9. Sporting Goods
Sporting events, both professional and amateur, are an excellent place to advertise and it’s because of this well known fact that promotional sporting good are extremely effective giveaways. Promotional stadium cushions work for football, soccer and baseball games. Gyms can advertise new membership specials by offering promotional duffel bags as gifts with purchase. Promotional flyers, more commonly known as Frisbees are often chosen for company picnics. Again, as most items, all of the examples shown above are available using a recycled material.

10. Automotive Accessories
Promotional automotive accessories are chosen by more than just mechanics because everyone knows that they will be used. Promotional ice scrapers come in handy during the cold winter months, and everyone can appreciate receiving a promotional auto safety kit. Even promotional organizers will promote your logo, as users will value these practical items. Studys have shown that by just keeping your tire pressure up to the manufacturers standards will help increase your gas mileage regardless of what you drive. Imprinted promotional tire gauges will help you to promote savings form your clients and your business at the same time.

Top 5 Reasons Why Clients Create a Company Store

Why do companies create a company store? Understanding the answer to this question will help you determine whether this type of program is right for your business.

The following are the top five reasons why companies create an online company store to help manage their promotional products and corporate apparel:

1. To control their branding: brand abuse is out of control, they have no system of protection for their brand
2. To simplify their corporate apparel program: apparel selection and ordering is messy and requires too much administration
3. To centralize their location: they have no organized system to easily see and purchase the branded products
4. To control their purchasing: product purchasing is fragmented, no purchasing leverage and little organizational control
5. To minimize administration: too much energy duplicated across multiple locations to create similar branded products and delivery channels

You can reduce this list down to three simple words: speed, power and control.

Speed is important in getting branded materials into the hands of the people that need them the most, quickly.

Power is critical because a large organization needs a scalable, robust eCommerce solution that can handle virtually any branded product.

Control is imperative. Maintaining brand consistency and providing easier ways to track departmental purchases are critical components to a healthy store.

The bottom line is, within most large organizations, the internal staff is spending too much time procuring and organizing material for their brand; the creative capital of these employees is best spent on mission-critical objectives, (i.e., selling, communications, market development, etc.). A company store provides the perfect vehicle to save time and simplify what is normally a complicated process.

Promotional Products That Really Work

It’s practically impossible to think of a successful business that doesn’t have some sort of imprinted promotional product, be it nothing more than the standard branded pens.

Before you decide to make the leap into promo products, make sure that you have some idea of what “branding” means. Build your company image with a well-designed logo and standard slogan. Your company brand can be enhanced by promo products, but you must have a good logo to start with.

What are Promotional Products, and Do They Work?

In simplest terms, promotional products are useful or decorative items – merchandise – imprinted with a company’s name, logo, or slogan and used in marketing campaigns. The most common promo items are pens, mugs, and USB related items.

Baylor University conducted a study on promotional products, to survey how effective they actually are. In the study, 3,000 school administrators were divided into three groups and sent a specific type of mailing. The first group received a simple envelope with a sales letter and business reply card. The second group received an envelope with the same sales letter and reply card, but they also were given a promotional product. The last group received all of the contents that the second group did, but their mail was delivered in a box instead of an envelope. How did it turn out? Actually, the results were impressive: the administrators who received the box of goodies responded at a rate 75% higher than those who received only the sales letter, and 57% higher than those who received their goodies in an envelope.

Another study, conducted by Southern Methodist University, explored the role that promo items play in gaining repeat customers. After two separate studies, their results showed that customers who received promotional products returned sooner, more often, and spent more money than customers who received dollars-off coupons.

Enhance your next direct mail piece with the use of a targeted imprinted promotional product.