#Tech Trends

To proclaim that tech is the must-have accessory for this season is no  revelation. Every year, consumers continue to shell out for the latest trending technology and digital innovations continue to permeate more of our everyday tasks.  Most consumers depending on their  smartphones to stay connected, so it’s no surprise that complementary products are at the top of shoppers’ wish lists. To take advantage of the tech boom, add these Prime Line, in-demand products to your lineup.

• Bluetooth® Devices With smartphones dominating the market, consumers are seeking more ways to expand on a smartphone’s capabilities. One way to achieve the ultimate in connected living is with Bluetooth® technology. These wireless devices continue to draw fans and promise to be a part of technology that is here to stay. According to Statista, Bluetooth®-enabled  devices worldwide will grow to 10 billion  devices in 2018. ReportsnReports.com stated that the global Bluetooth® speaker  market is expected to reach $7 billion by 2019- how's that for increasing your brand awareness?

• In addition to speakers, Bluetooth®-enabled headphones are growing in demand, thanks to shoppers looking for wireless tech  experiences, as well as Apple’s elimination of the headphone port. Need more evidence? The NPD Group found that Bluetooth®  headphones saw a 42 percent year-over-year increase in sales in 2017. When it comes to promotional applications, Bluetooth® headphones are great for the  entertainment industry or for business travel applications. Bluetooth® speakers are also popular for college students and holiday gifts.

•  Smart Devices The connected home, the connected wrist, the connected water bottle—we’re living in a  connected world, and it’s smart devices that run the show. In the coming years, there will  be no shortage of smart products driving profits in the digital world. According to Gartner Inc., there will be 20.4 billion  connected products by 2020.

• One of the hottest sellers this year will be the smartwatch. Consumers love using them to track their fitness regimes, send quick texts and monitor their sleep. In 2018, unit sales are expected to almost double to 141 million,  according to Statista. In addition, fitness tracker revenue is expected to reach $2.57  billion by 2018, making connected wrist  accessories a smart bet for corporate meetings and wellness programs.

#Augmented Reality

Augmented reality (AR)—10 years ago, this technology would have seemed like a concept  that only belonged in “The  Matrix” movies. Flash forward  to 2018, and this technology is no longer just a concept, it’s  the next big thing for the  promotional products industry. In fact, according to Digi-Capital, AR and virtual reality are  expected to grow to $108 billion by 2021, with mobile phone AR leading the way. Doesn’t this seem like a business opportunity you could get behind? With tech giants like Apple making AR more accessible to the everyday consumer, it’s easier than ever to break into this market.

If the idea of incorporating AR into your promotional business seems inaccessible and  intangible to you, fear not.  Here’s everything you need to know about AR.
 
What is Augmented Reality? In order to use promotional products that incorporate AR, you have to understand the media. Our friends at Prime Line help to showcase how to incorporate this trend into your marketing & public relations projects. In simplest terms, it takes an outside computer-generated image and overlays it in a user’s current view. An example of this technology at work is the hot sensation, Pokemon Go, an  app that utilizes a player’s  smartphone camera to overlay images of fictional creatures on a user’s phone, making it look like there are Pokemon directly in the immediate surroundings. Another example is Disney’s  promotional “Star Wars”  campaign. Fans of the saga can use a mobile app to unlock exclusive experiences at 20,000 stores selling merchandise  worldwide. And for SXSW,  National Geographic promoted its new series “Genius” by using AR headsets to let viewers  experience Albert Einstein’s theories and research right in front of their eyes.

How Can It Help My Business? While AR might seem too  complex to layer in your marketing efforts, it’s actually  the perfect way to bring a  company’s branding to a wider audience.

• A company launching  a new product that requires a demonstration to truly sell its advantages could give ARenabled promotional products to prospective buyers. By scanning a promotional product with an AR app, prospective buyers can witness the interactive features and sophistication of these products from the comforts of their homes with their  smartphones or tablets. Rubik’s® and Magic Concepts items enabled with AR can  activate an experience such as an animated logo or product that appears in an alternate  reality or in the real world. In  a real-world scenario, the  user can interact with the logo or product and manipulate it to create amazing pictures that can be posted directly to social  media. It also offers AR  experiences that can activate a video or URL when scanned.

In the near future, other AR  enabled products such as  T-shirts, bags and journals are expected to be available in the  promotional products industry.

Will Your Branding Flop or Shower Sales?

Cannonball!!!!!!!!! Who does recall the fun of a cannonball or belly flop contest at the local pool? One of our son's loved the annual July 4th belly flop at our pool. He was usually a prize winner! I'm not sure which was wider the red mark on his stomach or the grin on his face.

Are you ready for summer? 

Outdoor leisure events are in full swing, offering ample opportunities for you to provide quality, branded gifts to employees, referral partners and top clients.

While your brand interaction might not spray water on viewers like a belly flop, you don't want to be "all wet" or a "flop" when it comes to engaging your target market.

Go ahead, make a splash!

June is National Safety Month, with organizations like the National Safety Council providing FREE tips for safety in the workplace, home and on the road; spread the word and BE SAFE! Safety is a great message for many of our clients to incorporate into their summer promotions.

If your client base plans to hit the water in a boat, at a pool or on a beach, you won't want to miss our open house on the 27th for some new ideas! Prime Line will have solutions for consumers that keep your brand close at hand. RECALL & RETENTION comes from interaction; engagement translates into sales as well as brand loyalty.

How do you go about planning an effective summer campaign?

It all starts by sitting down in the showrooms. Take price off the table and talk about what you want to achieve. As the conversation develops, we apply our expertise, suggesting products that will fit your distribution plan & maximize your objectives to achieve your goals.

Here is a quick review of what we need to craft a plan:

1. Clear direction on what you what to achieve
2. A firm understanding your budget, which includes the number of products or kits in your distribution, as well as how the distribution will take place.
3. Consistent message. Extracting the key words that create a visual impact.
4. Making the best use of imprint space for the message or theme.
5. Determining the best way to present your product/materials, including determining if collateral materials will help the message.

Looking for a splashy appearance at the office?

Need some fresh office or conference ideas?

By the way, are you registered to attend our Open House on June 27?

How to Create Lasting Impression

When most people think of mats, they typically think of a boring black mat that goes inside or outside the door to a business. Your branding message takes center stage every step in the day when you use full color branded floor mats. Given the number of options for styles, there is literally the right mat color, shape, size and price for you; even custom shapes!  How does a mat address challenges? How about: 

•  anti fatigue 
• heavy traffic areas; soaking up gallons of water for safety
• indoor fun or directional point of purchase
• outdoor seasonal/festival fun
• Welcome home
• Own your tradeshow floor space- images, fun selfie spots, directional; no floor decals to apply or remove
• Thanks for your patronage or partnership
• Look at our sponsors! 

 .....mats are the grass growing beneath your feet if you are not covering it with your brand story. Our expert partner Logo Mats, LLC provides rubber-backed floor mats that can be personalized to display a information about your company. Beyond safety in preventing slipping or falling, branding the floor grabs customer's attention; creating a lasting impression.

Our first signage was an outdoor mat. When you consider we can hose it off, it can bear all the elements and years later still be looking good, it's a pennies a day investment to welcome our clients to our new home. 

In fact, in our move to the new location, we parted with our first indoor mat from Logo Mats, purchased 11 years ago with our first company logo. Guess what? It looked as good as the day we purchased it. How's that for longevity and quality? 
 
Floor mats can be placed inside or outside your business. The best option for an indoor mat would be the DigiPrint HD, a carpeted mat with a rubber back. This mat is the first pick for commercial-grade branding. The best outdoor option is the SuperScrape Impressions, an all-rubber mat. The SuperScrape Impressions, as you can infer from the name, does a stellar job at removing dirt and water from the shoes of people going inside.
                           Indoor












                           Outdoor
For those of you that really only want one logo mat, you will be happy to hear that our partner offers a one-mat minimum. 

Need it fast? Logo Mats also has one of the fastest lead times in the industry, only three to five days; shipping 1 day ground to NC! In case you are worried about wear and tear, mats from Logo Mats LLC on average last two to five years, depending on what product you purchased- however the warranty is super and our indoor mat lasted 11 years!

What about costs? There are a lot of myths about renting floor mats instead of buying them. It is believed that renting is more convenient, cheaper, and that they are delivered in pristine condition. All of the above are false. Floor mat rental includes a service agreement that can range from weekly to monthly. When you own your own floor mat, you can clean your mat as much as you want, based on your company's needs. Mat rental is more expensive that owning one in the long run. Renting a standard size mat can cost up to $800 over five years, while owning one mat costs $250 for longer than five years. When renting a mat, quality is compromised. The mats can vary in appearance and structure, which negatively affects how much safety it provides. Buying a mat ensures that your brand looks great for a long time.

People who stand all day at their jobs, like warehouses, hospitality, hair dressers, health care locations and food service are excellent places  to mend the aches and pains of standing all day.  The solution is  The Anti-Fatigue mat is a wonderful solution to this problem. The mats provide not only relief while standing, but also a good impression for your brand. The HogHeaven Impressions is the most popular anti-fatigue mat Logo Mats offers. The mat is cushioned and features a diamond patterned surface for extra traction. The Cushion Max Impressions is similar to the HogHeaven Impressions, except this one features a beveled edge for safety. Both mats can have photographic-like images printed on them for branding purposes.

        
                 HogHeaven Impressions                            CushionMax Impressions

Owning a logo mat is the perfect way to promote your brand in a unique location, let us show you how this type of branding should be working for you. Join us on June 27th from 10-1 at our new location for our Open House....featuring LOGO MATS! Register Here Now!

All Drinkware Is Not Created Equal

There are about a dozen kinds of insulated bottles on the market, making it difficult to know which kind of insulated bottle is best for your specific needs. Which bottle is best for your lifestyle? We researched the varieties of insulated bottles to find the best bottle for you.

As you can see from the infographic below, the difference between these bottles lies in the space between the inner and outer walls of the bottle.

• Air Insulation - air between walls, contents cold for 4 hours and hot for 2 hours
• Foam Insulation - foam between walls, contents cold for 5 hours and hot for 3 hours
• Vacuum Insulation - no air between walls, contents cold for 15 hours and hot for 5 hours
• Copper and Vacuum Insulation - no air between walls AND copper plated inner wall, contents cold for up to 48 hours, hot for up to 12 hours

Results show that bottles insulated with copper and vacuums prove to have the longest amount of time for keeping your drink hot or cold. The reason for this is that the inner and outer wall do not touch each other. As we all learned in science class, heat is transferred by conduction, radiation, or convection. 

In relation to copper insulated water bottles, conduction is used to ensure that the the outer wall is cool to the touch when filled with a hot drink, and prevents condensation forming from cold drinks.

Having an inner wall made of copper is an excellent way for a hot drink to remain hot for long periods of time. The heat the drink radiates is absorbed by the copper wall. Because the inner and outer walls are separated, the inner copper wall has nothing to push the absorbed heat energy on to, so it is radiated right back into the hot drink.

The vacuum between the inner and outer wall prevents convection. As there is no gas in the vacuum for the hot or cold air to transfer to, the temperature of your drink will stay the same for an extended amount of time.

Though copper and vacuum insulated bottles are more expensive, the product is worth the money, because your drink will be at a constant temperature for hours on end, no matter how crazy your day becomes, things are crazy here at Promotional Partners with the pending move. 

Have your marked your calendar for the move? What move? Reading your monthly newsletters? We will be moved to our new location down the street by June 1! 219 North Salem Street Suite 200 in the Salem Street Promenade.

Billions of Dollars Generated from 5 Simple Reasons

Did you know that an industry that is over 20 billion dollars exists because branded advertising works? Allow your mind to absorb the fact that branded items are EVERYWHERE- you see them morning, noon and night. Right now, you probably have at least 2 or 3 branded items in your kitchen, probably at least 10 around your office space, 2 or 3 in the car, 2 or 3 in your purse, business case or your pocket. In fact, you might be drinking from a branded piece right now. So what are the 5 reasons promotional products work?

1. Promotional products are a tangible representation of the buyer’s brand
2. Promotional products solve problems
3. Promotional products fulfill a purpose
4. Promotional products create emotion
5. Promotional products impact (buying) decisions

Our team at Promotional Partners understands the POWER of promotional products branding.

It's so cool that an international organization like PPAI ( Promotional Products Association International) created a week to shine a spotlight on the effectiveness of our industry as a marketing & branding partner during our annual company anniversary! While I'd love to say they did it just for us, it's much larger than us! In fact, it's a HUGE spotlight on a tremendous industry; over 20 billion, yes billion dollars. Our team is not floating billions of dollars, however, we are helping our clients achieve their marketing goals with our creativity, expertise and interactive style. The money we make helps us be very engaged in supporting a variety of community programs- we are invested in the community. 

During this year's work week- we will take an uncharacteristic "soft approach". Instead of our normal show- open house format with key suppliers, we will be featuring articles, facts, images and contests on social media this year. Does that mean you are missing out on interaction with our suppliers or an open house? Nope- just delayed this year!

If you are following our newsletter or seeing us out & about, you know we are moving the business this month...down the street from our current location to another space in downtown Apex. Our new location will be 219 North Salem Street Suite 200 Apex NC 27502. We will celebrate WORK week after our move with a series of special events. For now, back to the facts of why folks love promotional products:

• Promotional products work well as a standalone advertising medium or part of an integrated communications campaign. 
• Promotional products are one of the most effective forms of advertising. 
• Promotional products are a functional multi-sensory advertising medium. Adding a message to a product turns an ordinary message into a marketing experience an audience can smell, taste, see, hear and touch. 
• Promotional products are the most tangible, long-lasting and cost-effective form of advertising. 
• Promotional products impact consumers through a social, intellectual, educational and entertaining form or engagement. 
• Promotional products are unique and customization; yes! 
• Promotional products are a mainstream form of advertising. 
• Promotional Products Work! May 14-18 is a celebration by the promotional products industry to raise awareness about promotional products as an advertising medium and the benefits of working with highly qualified promotional products professionals to develop and produce innovative advertising and branding strategies. In the U.S., the promotional products industry is a $22 billion industry with more than 40,500 businesses— 96 percent of which are small businesses—and more than 500,000 promotional products professionals. The promotional products industry has a positive impact on the U.S. economy and contributes. In fact in NC alone check out these stats: Promotional Products Industry State Statistics* Reseller (Distributor) Sales Revenue: $ 464.6 Million Manufacturer (Supplier) Sales Revenue: $ 135.8 Million Total Promotional Products Companies: 1,003 Industry Jobs: 6,147 Percent of Companies that are Small Businesses: 97%
• By the way, click this video link to see why, Consumers Love Promotional Products! why consumers love promotional products

It's a Fact- Promotional Products Generate Consumer Sales

One of those folks that needs facts to believe? Our industry provides some pretty compelling facts to demonstrate why promotional products as an advertising medium are effective! Don't believe me?

Besides the video you just watched, take a look:

• In the U.S., promotional products are a $22 billion industry. 
• In the U.S., promotional products rank 7th in advertising expenditures. 
• Promotional products affect all five senses. But, promotional products are the only advertising medium consumers can TOUCH! 
• Promotional products are the only advertising consumers say THANK YOU for receiving 
• 79% of buyers use promotional products in standalone campaigns. 
• 69% of buyers use promotional products in conjunction with other media.
• 88% of buyers recommend the use of promotional products. 
• 83% of consumers are more likely to do business with the advertiser after receiving a promotional product. 
• 88% of the next gen looked up the company after receiving a promotional product. 
• 89% of consumers have received a promotional product in the last six months. 
• 9 in 10 consumers recall the branding on a promotional product. 
• 8 in 10 consumers recall the messaging. 
• 7 in 10 consumers recall the call to action. 
• 88% of the next gen had a more favorable impression of the advertiser after receiving a promotional product. 
• 82% of consumers own 1-10 promotional products. 
• 81% keep promotional products for more than a year. 
• 78% keep promotional products in their home. 
• 48% keep promotional products on or with them. 
• 50% use promotional products always or most of the time. 
• 55% of next gen keep promotional products on or with them. Promotional products have the lowest discard or pass-along rate at 20%, compared to online 68%; TV 66%; digital 57%; direct mail 50%; print ads 48%; email 46%; radio 46%; and mobile 38%. 5 
• 83% of people like promotional products. 
• 81% keep them because they are useful. 
• Recipients of promotional products have a significantly more positive image of a company than those who do not receive promotional products. 
• A promotional product incentive and eligibility in a sweepstakes drew as many as 500 percent more referrals than an appeal letter alone. 
• Tradeshows: 71.6% of attendees who received a promotional product remembered the name of the company that gave them the product. 
• Tradeshows: 76.3% of attendees had a favorable attitude toward the company that gave them the product. 
• Tradeshows: Including a promotional product with a pre-show mailing or an offer of a promotional product increases the likelihood of an attendee stopping by a tradeshow booth. 
• Recall: In comparison only 53.5% of participants could recall the name of an advertiser they had seen in a magazine or newspaper in the previous week. 
• Impressions: 52% of participants in the study did business with the advertiser after receiving the promotional product. 
• Frequency: 45.2% used it at least once a day. 
• Note: The greater the frequency of exposure, the lower the cost per Impression 
• Retention: 75.4% of those who received a promotional product stated that they thought the item was useful. 
• Direct Marketing: The inclusion of a Promotional Product to a mail promotion increased the response rate by 50%. 
• Direct Marketing: The use of Promotional Products as an incentive to respond generated four times as many responses as a sales letter alone. 
• Direct Marketing: The use of a Promotional Product as an incentive to respond reduced the cost per response by twothirds. 
• Repeat Business: Promotional product recipients spent 27% more than coupon recipients and 139% more than welcome letter recipients over an 8-month period. 
• Repeat Business: Promotional product recipients were also 49% more likely than coupon recipients and 75% more likely than letter recipients to return and patronize the business in each of the eight months studied. 
• Referrals: Sales people who gave promotional gifts to their customers received 22% more referrals than sales people who did not use promotional products. 
• Good Will: Customers who received a promotional product scored 52% higher than a letter only. 
• Conclusion: The value of Promotional Products is in their ability to carry a message to a well-defined audience. Because the products are useful to and appreciated by the recipients, they are retained and used, repeating the imprinted message many times without added cost to the advertiser.

Sources: 1 PPAI - Georgia Southern University Study; 2 PPAI - L.J. Market Research Study; 3 PPAI - Southern Methodist University; 4 PPAI - Baylor University Study; 5 PPAI Consumer Study; 6 PPAI Buyer Study; 7 PPAI Sales Volume Study