A Holiday Card That Makes A Green Statement

November 21, 2009 by Gloria Lafont

Seeded Holiday Cards

In my opinion, at least 99% of people  like receiving Holiday Cards, which makes this time of the year a great opportunity to thank our clients and business associates for their support. It is a very inexpensive way to make contact and remind them of our business, while showing appreciation.  To contribute to the eco-friendly movement, there are a wide variety of choices made from recycled papers and water and soy based inks to choose from.

So if your budget doesn’t allow for business gifts this year, more of a reason to send them a holiday card, especially if you expect your clients to continue to do business with you next year. If your budget is extremely tight, just select your best clients,  don’t let them feel you take their business for granted, make sure you land on their desk this holiday season.

If you want to make your card a conversation piece, there is a kind  made with paper that is not only 100% recycled, but also has seeds in it, so when the holidays are over, it can be placed in soil and adding a little water, a few days later, a new plant will sprout. This card will stand out from the rest and you will be memorable!

There are other paper products made with seed paper and organic inks, such as desk calendars, business cards, book marks, special envelopes, and more.

If you’d like to find out more give me a call! 954-636-1685

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Get Your Business Holiday-ready: 3 Things You Can Do Now

July 29, 2009 by Gloria Lafont

One thing I love about summer is that we can turn every weekend into a mini vacation. This is the time to slow down, enjoy outdoor activities with friends and family. So the Holiday season is probably the furthest thing in your mind. But actually, this is the best time to get your business Holiday-ready, so you can focus on making the most out of the busy season, which will be here before you know it, as well as the Holidays

Here are 3 things you can do now:

Get your Holiday cards .

Purchasing your business Holiday cards now, personalized with you logo, will save you money. There are companies that offer discounts and free envelope printing with your return address if you order now. You can then print labels with your contact’s addresses and hire your kids (or sister’s kids) , which is a tax deduction, to do the card inserting-envelope sealing- label and stamp affixing . Then all you’ll need to do is drop in the post office in December. Also, if you prefer, you can buy them now and not have them ship to you till later on.

Think Calendars

In this era of electronic tools calendars have not lost ground. Giving your clients a calendar is a way to remain visible each day of the year and also avoid having your competitor’s calendar on their desk. If you are participating in tradeshows and other events in the third quarter, there are some calendar specials to take advantage of that will make excellent promotional giveaways. Also, for tight budgets, you can’t go wrong with a calendar when it comes to holiday business gifts.

Do your gift shopping

If you have been giving holiday gifts to your clients and maybe also to your employees,. chances are they are expecting them this year as well , which is likely a challenge to your budget ,now a days.. Sarting to plan now will allow you to take advantage of specials some manufacturers run at this time of the year, when things are slower, providing great value.

Take a look at some great specials we have selected for you  at www.action-promo.com, or give us a call for more specific products that fit your needs at 954-636-1685.

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Are Promotional Products A Good Investment?

June 11, 2009 by Gloria Lafont

 

Sales Chart    The purpose of a promotional product is to get the recipient to remember your business when the need for your product or service arises. In today’s challenging times, where every dollar counts, investing in the right advertising medium is vital to your business.  The Advertising Specialty Institute, the largest media and marketing organization serving the advertising specialty industry,  recently  conducted a study that reveals how advertising specialties beat other forms of advertising, such as TV, radio and print advertising, turning out as the most cost-effective medium available. The comprehensive study surveyed travelers in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Philadelphia.  Respondents were asked if they had received any advertising specialties in the last 12 months and the majority were businesspeople over age 21.Among key findings, here are some interesting results:  

•  84% of people remember the advertiser on a product they receive.

•   42% have a more favorable impression of an advertiser after receiving an advertising specialty.

•  Nearly one quarter, or 24%, indicate that they are more likely to do business with an advertiser on items they receive. 

•  Most respondents (62%) have done business with the advertiser on a product after receiving it.

•  Writing instruments are the most commonly-owned advertising specialty, with 54% of respondents owning them, followed by shirts, caps and bags.

•   The majority (81%) of promotional products were kept because they were considered useful.

•   More than three-quarters of respondents have had their items for about seven months.

•   Among wearables, bags were reported to be used most frequently, with respondents indicating that they use their bags on average nine times per month.  

•  Bags deliver the most impressions, with 1,038 impressions per month on average.

•  The average cost-per-impression of an advertising specialty item is $0.004, making it less expensive per impression than nearly any other media.  (According to Nielsen Media data, the CPI for a national magazine ad is $0.033; a newspaper ad is $0.0129; a prime time TV ad is $0.019; a cable TV ad is $0.007; a syndicated TV ad is $0.006; and a spot radio ad is $0.005) 

These statistics conclude that marketers get a more favorable return on investment from advertising specialties than almost any other popular media, with a very low cost-per-impression, high recall among those who receive ad specialty items, and increased intent among recipients to make purchases from the advertiser.  

If you would like to brainstorm promotional ideas that will be a good fit for your business, contact us.

 

 

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3 Mistakes To Avoid When Advertising With Promotional Items

May 29, 2009 by Gloria Lafont

Most business people are aware of the positive impact promotional items have on the public, often looking to include them in their marketing mix. Like any advertising tool, they most be used properly to produce tangible results. Here are 3 common mistakes that deter from their effectiveness.

Selecting based on the cheapest price

“Get me the cheapest of it’s kind, it’s just to give out for free” I hear quite often. This criteria will turn a powerful tool into a potential risk of getting your business perceived as not quality oriented. The last thing you want is to spend money on an item that malfunctions at the first attempt to be used, or your logo and message fading or coming off in time. Not a good idea. Even though you provide excellent services and products, a faulty free gift will deter your image in a big way.

Not including contact information

Frequently business people want to display the logo prominently,taking most of the imprint area of the selected item. Generally speaking, besides your logo, printing your phone number and website is a must, adding a call to action is also recommended.

Distributing without a plan

Consider how will this item become an instrument to new sales. Handing the product exclusively to your target audience, with an intention, is key. Your intention can be to keep your name top of mind for when they need your service or to as for referrals, for instance.

Chances are you have a lot on your plate and planning a promotion tends to fall through the cracks. Working with a professional will free up your time to concentrate on your business, will geting you higher results and save you money.

Have questions about your next promotion? Give us a call, 954-636-1685 or send us an email. We are here to help.

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Promotional Grocery Bags: Good Idea?

May 8, 2009 by Gloria Lafont

 

Promotional Grocery Bags

Promotional Grocery Bags

Last week one of the trade publications I’m subscribed to, had an article about the significant increase in use of reusable grocery bags by shoppers. Because distributing a promotional product that people will use and appreciate is a smart way to use your advertising dollars, I’ve become a fan of these bags, recommending them a lot.

To me, it includes all 4 of what I call the 4 L’s of the ideal promotional product:

 

· Large imprint area to display your logo
· Likely to be used frequently on public places
· Long Lasting
· Low price point.

As an added benefit, they come in a wide variety of colors, they can be imprinted in full color and be ready to ship in 24 hours if needed.

As far as shoppers response to the plastic bag elimination, in April 2008, Whole Foods became the first U.S. supermarket chain to eliminate its use. A year later it reports that it has seen the use of reusable grocery bags triple. Most major supermarket chains and club stores, from Publix to Sam’s Club, have followed suit by offering inexpensive reusable bags. In a relatively short period of time, “green” bags have become something of a norm for many shoppers. “At first we wondered if shoppers would just switch to paper, but to our great surprise, people have been truly excited about using reusable bags,” says A.C. Gallo, co-president of Whole Foods Market.

This kind of effort is only likely to increase in the coming year with more than half of marketers claiming their companies will increase their sustainability initiatives this year, according to a survey conducted by the American Marketing Association.

Gallo says the effort is worth it because his company is helping its customers turn the green corner. “Our shoppers have been inspired to make a positive environmental change and have really incorporated the reusable bag mindset into their lives.”

Incorporating grocery bags into your marketing mix will present your company as environmentally responsible while working for your brand very effectively as a walking billboard.

Posted in Advertising, Eco-Friendly promotional Items, Marketing, Promoting your business, Promotional Products, Promotional Shopping bags, Using Promotional Products | Leave a Comment »

15 Ways To Use A Promotional Mug

April 24, 2009 by Gloria Lafont

 

imprimted mugs

The good old coffee mug remains one of the most popular promotional items and, according to a recent study,  4th in line as far as most used by receivers, after pens, apparel and bags. You might be considering these or have invested in some and haven’t used them all up. Besides handing them out bare as they come, they can be filled with goodies and wrapped with cellophane and tied with a ribbon, for great added perceived value. 

Recently, one of the members of my industry Master Mind Group, came up with 29 ways to use a mug and challenged the rest of us to make the list grow to 100. It was a fun exercise, and I want to share with you 12 of them, randomly selected, as all were really creative. 

These are all using the white, “C” handle, most basic and inexpensive ceramic mug of all:

1. Use as a package for a small gift. A good example when working with children: give a mug with a teddy bear inside: the toy goes to the kid, the mug is for the mother. (Actually, one of my clients thought of this one)

2. Use as a flower vase when delivering flowers. Great to congratulate a client on her birthday, a promotion, an accomplishment, etc.

3. Use as a reference card: imprint with important company dates, phone numbers and extensions.

4. Use as a calendar: imprint a calendar on one side, company message on the other.

5. Use as a desk caddy: fill with imprinted pens, pencils, small ruler, letter opener, etc.

6. Use as a jelly bean dispenser. Perfect for sales people: give as a thank you gift after first purchase, great excuse to revisit your client for “re-fills” 

7. Use for employee motivation: imprint with compliment such as “Top Achiever”, or as an award, imprinting achievement using gold ink.

8.   Make it a kit box: a tool box, filling with mini-screwdrivers, mini-flashlight, tape measure, etc. Or fill with a sewing kit, a first aid kit, you get the idea.

9. Make it a commemorative souvenir: imprint with event info and/or picture. 

10. It’s a fundraiser: imprint with worthy cause info, then sell it.

11. Make it a recipe card: great idea for restaurants and caterers: imprint wit a simple recipe. 

12. It’s an important safety reminder, example: “Change the batteries in your smoke detectors when Daylight Savings Time changes.”

If you’d like to know how to apply ideas like these  to promote your business effectively, leading to  tangible results, contact us. We’re here to help.

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A Tote Bag To Reinvent Your Brand

February 11, 2009 by Gloria Lafont

A distinct brand is a fundamental part in your marketing communications, invaluable as the competition grows every day. Regardless of weather you are a large business or an organization of one, a well established business or a new one, having a well defined brand image will make you recognizable and set you apart from your competition, therefore helping you attract your target audience and gain presence in the marketplace.

Building your brand is the place to start for building a successful business, as it will determine how you’ll be perceived. It requires consistency in all forms of communications from the business, where the logo, colors, message, design layout of marketing materials, even place of work décor and everything else that has to do with your business, needs to  have the same look and feel.

Sometimes it’s a good idea to update your brand ID to make it more appealing to your target audience or to bring it up to current times, as we’ve seen big brands like Coca Cola go through brand evolution. Showing there is no bad time to reinvent a brand,  Walmart, a major employer and one of the businesses that remains strong in this crummy economy, has decided it’s time to create a new brand image.  Walmart launched an aggressive TV ad campaign to introduce a new, more modern looking logo, prominently using a blue tote bag to display it. Not only they repeatedly show their new logo printed in the  bag, but the tote  is also used to reinforce their value proposition (savings, quality brands, family) and, additionally, to bank on the reusing-recycling growing trend. Brilliant, in my opinion.

Time for a brand check up
Chances are you have a number of marketing materials such as business cards, flyers, print ads, website, etc. If  you didn’t have the same professional do all of your marketing materials or are mostly done by yourself,  gather a sample of each piece and place them on a table. Take a good look at them; compare the logos, tag lines and colors, compare them to your website, signage and uniforms. Better yet, have a friend or partner take a look as well, paying attention to the following:

• Do you have different versions of your logo?

• Are the colors in your materials different?

• Do you see different types of fonts ?

• Are there stock images on your website, banners or print materials?

• Do you have different versions of the tag line?

The correct answer to all those questions is NO. If you have one or more YES answers you must take action ASAP. A yes means a weakness in your brand image, less chances of being recognized and remembered and an open door for your competition.

Not sure? Consult with an expert. Investing in professional looking marketing materials that work together will help your brand build momentum,  and be top of mind , when the need for your product or service arises.

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Employee Recognition Programs, Do They Work?

January 17, 2009 by Gloria Lafont

A few weeks ago my 19-year-old daughter walked in and proudly showed me the button she had gotten at work for her first year anniversary, from the well-known chain restaurant where she works at. What got my attention is that although she takes her job very seriously, she takes it as a completely temporary thing while she is going to College. Yet the little pin with the restaurant’s logo made her feel very special.

Is Cash A Good Incentive?

Although when asked, employees claim they prefer a cash prize rather than an award, cash incentives tend to be aggregated with overall compensation, seen as an entitlement and perceived as income, while tangible awards are perceived as a trophy and tend to generate positive reactions toward the item and the company.

What’s In It For The Employer?

In a recent Gallup survey of 80,000 employees, which identified 12
Workplace areas that correlated with higher employee retention, customer satisfaction, productivity and profits, employee recognition and praise ranked fourth highest on the list.

In today’s market’s conditions, where businesses might not be able to increase salaries, the best way to improve morale and performance is through the use of recognition programs.

A Case Study

A great example of  an employee recognition program that proved highly effective and low cost, is one implemented for an assisted living facility for seniors, were every care giver  seen going the extra mile for a resident would get a silicon wristband bracelet, imprinted with the facility’s name and a slogan praising the employee’s extra care. The results were outstanding, as employees quickly went on board with the concept of giving the best of them and feeling proud about it,  with a high level of enthusiasm to “earn” the wristband.  As added value, it became a strong brand reinforcement and selling point, as both, families of residents and prospective residents, would see the personnel wearing the bracelets as proof of how well their loved ones were being taken care of. This is a perfect example of a small investment delivering high returns.

Take Action

Every business can benefit for the use of premiums in a tangible way, when programs are properly implemented. If you’re thinking about putting together an employee recognition strategy, you’re better off  taking the guesswork out and working with an expert that will help you develop a successful program with tangible results.

 

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Is Your Client Looking At Your Competitor’s Calendar?

November 26, 2008 by Gloria Lafont

 

Calendars

Calendars

     The recent elections are a great example of strong marketing campaigns based on (constant) repetition. These types of campaigns use a large chunk of their astronomical budget on TV advertisements to get their message across many times a day, bombarding the audience with not well-received commercials that interrupt our favorite shows. Taking off on that concept but without annoying the audience and dealing with a fraction of the budget, one very inexpensive way to accomplish the same repetition effect is with calendars, a holiday gift your recipients will appreciate and use all year round.

     Calendars provide a perfect branding opportunity, exposing your business, each of the 365 days of the year, directly to the person you want to be in front of.  So if you invest $5 in a calendar and divide it by 365, that’s $ 0.014 advertising cost per day, can you think of any other advertisement that will give you that number of impressions for 1.4 cents for each?  And considering that you can find calendars for under $1, that would bring your cost per impression to 0.3 cents, further, since calendars are looked at more then once per day, you do the math.

     When you think about it, if every one of your clients uses a calendar on a daily basis, why risk they’ll be looking at your competitors? One thing is for sure, if they’re looking at yours, they won’t be thinking about your competitors…. and vice versa.  

Choosing A Good Fit For Your Business

There is a calendar for every budget, industry and target audience profile. Starting at under $1, for peel and stick type or credit card size, you are sure to find one that will accommodate the tightest budget.  

Some tips to help make your selection:

1. Think about were your recipient spends most of their time.

Does your client works in an office or in a shop? Or perhaps driving or in appointments on their customers locations? Base your selection on what type will be most useful to your customers. 

2. Pay attention to the size of the dates.

A desk or wall calendar with very small size dates will be difficult to read at a glance, therefore is more likely to not be put to use.   A good rule of thumb is to pick one where the numbers are nicely spaced and with a light background so it’s easy to read.

3. How do you want to be perceived?

To get the most out of your investment, your calendar choice needs to match your business personality. You can find many stock themes that come with a space for your company info or you can go fully customized. 

4. Don’t forget to put your contact information

Make sure your logo and phone number can be prominently displayed on it.  Better yet if you can have your website and tag line. If space doesn’t allow for anything other then your logo, pick another one. 

5. Think long term

Calendars are a so well appreciated that when the year is over your clients will be expecting a new one, which only means that it did what it was supposed to: keep you top of mind. So based on this fact, keep it simple selecting one that you know will easily allow for the continuity.

     One last word on calendar vs. TV advertising: have you heard of anyone being glad to “receive” a TV ad? If you are considering this marketing tool and would like to discuss what best works on your situation, feel free to contact me sending an email to glafont@action-promo.com. Consultation is free of charge, for up to 1 hour. I’m here to help.

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What’s Your Bail Out Plan?

November 19, 2008 by Gloria Lafont

sales-down-chart2A few weeks ago many business people I know were nervously waiting for our government to come up with the magic formula to save our economy from collapse, as financial giants tumbled.   Although it was good and necessary, for most of us, it didn’t make a difference in our business reality. In the end, there is no bail out for us. Our business success or failure depends solely on our ability to find possibilities in these tight financial times. A lot has been said about small businesses being the basis of our economy so the real way out of this economy mess is in our hands, small business owners. 

No question about the fact that there are a lot of hurting businesses out there, watching their sales decline which, along with the news networks, can cause a lot of worry and fear. 

 But history proves that in the worst economy there are many businesses that flourish. While it’s wise to anticipate that your customers will have less to spend and therefore a you’ll experience a sales decrease, it is necessary to have a strategy to keep the pipe line full.  Keep in mind, many of your competitors will be cutting back in advertising as they think of it as an expense instead of an investment, therefore loosing presence in the marketplace and shrinking. This is the time for you to make your move, investing wisely in bringing in more business. This is no time to hide, out of mind, out of business.  It’s time for a consistent action plan that will keep you top of mind, right in front of your prospects. 

Focus your marketing.

There is plenty of people with enough money to buy what they want, including  your product, so focusing your marketing efforts on this audience will keep new customers coming to your door, regularly.  The key is to have a plan that includes several tactics to make contact with your prospects on a regular basis. 

Use Direct Mail

Objective: effectively put your message in your ideal customer’s hands.

Here are some guidelines:

1. Get the right mailing lists. Get lists with very specific characteristics that describe your  ideal customer’s profile in detail.

2. Include a headline in your mailing piece that addresses a problem you solve for your ideal client.

3.  Include a call to action: like calling for a free consultation,  or visiting your website, registering for a newsletter, etc.

4.  Do at least 3 mailings at set intervals, the more the better. It can take between 3 and 7 contacts before your prospective client will take action.

5. Include a promotional product in one of the mailings, with instructions to keep it in sight for when they need you.

6. Devise a method for tracking the response before hand, so you can have control of what’s working best. 

Use Online Free Resources

Objective: to spread information about your expertise so when your prospect researches your business they find good information about you.

1. Create a blog and write a few articles about your trade.

2. Participate in forums. Research the forums where your prospect it’s likely to participate and create a profile with links to your site and blog. Start answering questions and refer to your blog posts, encouraging readers to go there to read more about the subject.

3. Register in on line directories. Include information about your blog and website. 

Be a Sponsor

Objective: To be visible to your prospective clients generating good will.

1. Select events where the attendants fit your prospect’s profile.

2. Use promotional products to be distributed in goody bags, making sure the item selected and the printed message are thought provoking and conducive to a response.

3. Have a large banner made to reuse every time you have a chance. 

Network

Objective: To develop business relationships

1. Join only those organizations you’ll be able to be active in.

2. Before joining, do some research to make sure your ideal customer will be there.

3. Host networking events at your place 

To ensure maximum results it’s worth working with a marketing expert to avoid improvisation that tends to lead to wasted money and poor results.  

 

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