Capture Awareness at Halloween

Halloween is coming and with over 31 million kids out trick or treating this fall it's a perfect promote your business. It's also an opportunity to be a good neighbor to families providing a reflective safety Halloween bag for children with your company branding.

Don't forget that adults like treats too, consider Halloween boxes with baked goods or custom candies to your favorite clients as a way to stop by for a visit this fall.

Why should you distribute free Halloween bags?

• As children go from door to door their bag is seen.
• Concern for child safety will be remembered.
• Bags made of reflective material keep children visible at night; some with safety tips.

How do you set up a distribution plan for Halloween bags?

Offer a safety tip on your website or blog encouraging parents to stop by your location for bags. Do you own a retail location? Start handing them out with purchase or create a contest on line for great costume ideas.

• Consider assisting a day care or senior center, promote together to save costs and double your exposure!

 

 

 

Marketing With Case Studies

What is the benefit of a case study?

How about I answer that question with a question? What makes a great painting? The beauty of art is there is no one way to create a masterpiece. Understanding the basic principals and elements of design allow the viewer to experience art yet create their own perceptions. Some artists create with the intent to allow a variety of interpretation and discussion, while others have a purpose that is captured quickly by the viewer. In writing a case study the business might be presenting a very straight forward message or they may be attempting to provide an image of how a product or service was adapted to their client’s specific needs.

How to write a case study:

Define a character with problem/aka the client

Be Concise, Be engaging

Explain the problem, introduce the company

Account for how you've helped solve a problem

Describe the change or result

Wrap up with current state of affairs- our competitive advantage is how we helped solve the problem and result of allowing for a new direction or positive change.

How do we use case studies to grow our business? Internally at Promotional Partners we work with our team to highlight stories with partners that will inspire ideas for other clients in similar industries; you've probably read one on this blog site or recieved one as part of our on going partners brand education tips. While each client has unique promotions, there are common core needs to driving business to the door and acknowledging partners that help to grow your business. By focusing on how a promotional piece was used by one of our clients we are reinforcing how promotional products create results. Afterall, you come to our company for results and expertise right?

Does your logo impact your business?

How important is your logo to sales?

Is the viewer's perception of your logo impacting your business? Recently I read an article with research that crossed demographics throughout the US. Respondents to the survey were asked questions related to the appearance of a logo in terms of how they felt about the appearance of the logo and were questioned as to how the logo impacted their perception of that company. The study found that logos that were simple and colorful gained higher marks. Additionally, those participants surveyed shared that would not buy products or build trust with a company as a brand if they did not like there logo. Wow, this type of feedback certainly received my attention. We've been thrilled with the feedback from our clients for our new company logo, unveiled in May.  

What are some common mistakes we see with local entrepreneurs when branding their new business?

1- Selecting a logo that has gradients, which look great for print or web but cause many costly headaches in reproduction for a promotional product or in silk screen.

             Instead, if you have a colorful logo, make sure it looks good as a one color imprint

2- Using too many words or lengthy words in your logo. While taglines are great, they may not be appropriate for printing due to legibility when reduced to imprint size on a promotional product.  

            Instead if the name of your company is long, consider a stacked logo or have a dual brand to work with the specific type of imprint area. As long as the font and imagery is consistent you will be building your brand identity.

3- When branding a little bit of boring is good, work with a promotional specialties during the logo development can save you money later in printing. Graphic artists often skew font or select unique PMS colors in branding.  Suppliers pay for stock ink colors for the most popular corporate brand requests, even our corporate companies realize that they may have to settle on close to avoid PMS color match charges.

 

Would you like more detailed information regarding how to build quality brand standards? Simply request a copy of our art guide or logo mojo for reference.

 

 

 

 

How can you maximize results during a tradeshow?

Use a tradeshow setting as a way to be distinctive, be the booth that everyone wants to visit.

Promote your upcoming show via social media channels to invite prospects and current partners. Offer incentives for those that visit because of your social media messages.

Consider mailings to key attendees to create a personalized invitation to let them know you would like the opportunity to talk with them about their business.

Showcase products and benefits at the show that will help to increase sales for the attendee.

Make sure your booth is inviting and claim your space.

How should you claim your space? BRAND your space on the table, the floor, overhead, and with displays.
Use attention luring visuals or play games that offer initial engagement. Offer those attendees that stop a unique special or discounts. Remember the more you can interact with an attendee the more likely they are to remember your message. Make sure your visitor has a take away from your booth! Considering that most promotional items are kept at a minimum of 7 months and many for years, make sure your promotional piece is going to be functional for your attendee.

POST SHOW: don't forget to follow up in a timely fashion with attendees. They stopped at your booth, take the time to thank them and acknowledge that you appreciated the opportunity to introduce your brand to them. Consider offering follow up tours, seminars to "lunch and learn" and of course a promotional piece in the mail.

How to make the most of your money

Part 4: 

To yield the strongest return on your investment for marketing dollars start by knowing your objectives; sounds simple right? 

 

By focusing on your objectives and outcomes it becomes easier to perform an analysis of your business. Once you are focused on achievable goals with a clear business plan your message, your target audience and the vehicle you plan to use to facilitate advertising will fall into place.

How do you define your objectives?

 Start by quantifying and qualifying your best contact. What is the long term value of that client? What are your expectations for growth? How will you introduce your brand to this “perfect” prospect? For example if you are a local baker you are probably seeking a long term relationship with the local families and businesses in your area for products. By getting to know local families you hope to be their go to source for family celebrations. By reaching out to elementary aged families your connectiong will help to secure the birthday, holidays, wedding, graduation, anniversary and baby shower goodies in the future.

 After you have defined your target audiences consider how you will create a call to action when distributing to that target audience. How will you determine the best medium for developing that message? The partnership with your promotional partner will help to steer your planning in the right direction.

 

How and when will you measure the results?

If you are seeking a client that will provide you 10,000 or 100,000 over the life of their account what is the appropriate amount to spend to secure those types of clients? Define that budget.

Congratulations, your planned worked and growth is coming, what now? Have you adequately planned for the additional volume to business operations? Make sure to plan for the unexpected and the expected!