Argon Promotional Products and Promotional Gifts. » Promotional Gifts

In these days of heavy cost cutting, the choice of promotional items becomes crucial as the items have to justify the costs and the return on investment is a key criterion. The accent is on maximizing the bang for the buck and companies are taking a hard look at some of the promotional items to review whether they are really providing them the advantages initially perceived. Most companies have however not given up on promotional bags as an effective advertising tool and are still placing orders for distributing these bags to not only their customers but also to vendors, third party associates and employees. Besides companies, promotional bags are very popular with a whole host of other organizations like hospitals, educational universities, schools etc.

What is the reason for such demand and popularity?
There are many reasons and one of them is the tremendous variety that is on offer. So whether it is the luggage and trolley bag best suited for airlines staff, the backpack ones for those on the run, vanity and cosmetic bags for the beauty conscious or simple laptop bags for the busy executive, you get them all in the form of promotional bags. The list does not end here. You can get eco-friendly designs, duffel bags and a whole spectrum of high quality and high utility items which are sure to meet with everybody’s requirement and get you a lot of appreciation. This variety really sets this popular product apart from all other promotional items as there is hardly any other item that offers such diverse utility value and that too at very reasonable prices.

Coming to specifics, the air porter trolley varieties are truly for the busy traveler and though they cost more than their other peers, these are gifts that you would do well to give your high profile customers who are always travelling. The practical utility of such items is sure to impress your customers and they will continue to favour you with their business for a long time. The brand recall will also be very strong as you have given the customers something they are going to use regularly and it is human nature to remember what is dear and useful to us. These products travel with your customers to locations which may be outside the country and thus provide superb exposure to your brand even at those locations. Nothing can be more value for the money spent and since your customer is a regular traveler, he is going to make your brand visible to many people many times, which definitely would not be possible with conventional advertising. So the money spent in this case on a luxurious air porter bag is well worth it and you should not have any regrets.

Whichever promotional bags you decide on for your campaign you are sure to reap the rewards and increase your brand awareness.

It is always a tough decision to take on the feasibility of a promotional campaign during such recessionary times. You do not have much of an option if you wish to keep your present customers in good humour and also want to enlist new customers into your fold. In fact during times as tough as this, it is all the more important to maintain goodwill and strive to retain existing business as they are more profitable and you might not want to take on the acquisition costs of new customers for the moment. So the crux is to utilize the budget at hand in the most prudent and thrifty manner to achieve your objectives. A couple of business gifts would serve your cause very well as they are both inexpensive and at the same time good for the visibility of your brand.

The first one is the promotional calendar. They are great items to gift due to their utility and will pay you back adequately. People will not stash away these calendars, but will prefer to hang them on the wall providing a lot of positive publicity to your brand through the year. This is one promotional piece that is required by all offices and custom printing them in themes of your choice does not cost a lot. It is of course necessary and ideal to hand over these business gifts at the beginning of the calendar year to rake in the full benefit of this gift and enjoy brand recognition for all twelve months.

The other business gift is the calculator which again is a necessity for every business meeting and a handy tool in general. These calculators are always well received due to their utility, portability and durability. They are very inexpensive to procure and present adequate space to advertise your company trademark. They are a hit with all departments and hierarchies in a company – from the sales person to the finance guy and from the ordinary accountant to the top boss. In fact these items are useful and used by everybody. They are practical tools and can be gifted to anybody irrespective of gender or age. Due to the need to perform accurate and swift calculations on a daily basis, your brand gets noticed every time they are used and staff within your customer’s organization will thank you for making their task easier. They are not items that people will discard and will thus present your brand in good light for a long time. High quality calculators will not tax your limited budget and yet provide you with a good marketing option.

The basic aim of any business establishment is to have the maximum profit margin it can attain. For maximizing profit, it is really important that it has a base of customers who are loyal to the company. For increasing the overall profit, it is imperative that this customer base is augmented on a regular basis. Here comes the role of the marketing team in a company. It is the responsibility of the marketing team to popularize the company’s products among the common people, and create a positive image of the brand in the minds of the general public. Good quality products are of primary importance. But equally important are the right marketing strategies according to the target audience. Good advertisements always work. In addition, it is often very useful to launch a range of promotional items to popularize the brand’s name among members of the target audience.

In general, promotional items are inexpensive items bearing the company’s name and/or logo. After the target audience is decided according to the nature of the products, such freebies can be distributed among the public to make them aware of the company and create a general curiosity regarding the products. People never say no to something they are getting for free, so most likely they will carry home the item you give them. As this will probably be their first interaction with your company, it is important to make a really good impression. They will judge the quality of the products you offer on the basis of the promotional item you have offered them… so be sure that whatever it is, the item should be of the best possible make. If your item makes a favourable impression on someone, they are likely to try your products at least once. And if they are satisfied with the products, then bang! You have got yourself a new customer!

Certain studies suggest that on an average, people use good promotional items for a minimum of 5-6 months. Also, freebies sent through the mail are supposed to be more effective at building a brand image than giveaways distributed randomly. Keep in mind, selection and distribution of an appropriate item is no mean task. It takes a lot of planning and preparation. Depending upon the nature of the organisation and the target audience, a variety of products may be chosen from. Such items may have one of two kinds of value for the potential customer: aesthetic value or utility value. Corporate houses may favour scratch pads and conference folders, whereas a computer peripherals company may go for decorative mouse pads. Soft drink companies may go for bottle openers, and baseball caps will do pretty well for sports manufacturers and retailers. Bags also tend to work well and also corporate planners and yearly diaries, etc.

Promotional items, if handled correctly, can get you a multitude of new customers. A few pointers: make sure that the item bears clearly the logo of your company, and has the same colour scheme. Some caption which generates interest regarding the promoted products should be clearly visible on the item. Make sure you plan well ahead and distribute the freebies amongst the right audience. Follow these simple guidelines and you should be good to go!

The most valuable intangible asset of a company is its brand which also maintains and bears its reputation. If for some reason, your competitors do not spend their budget on any promotional merchandise, they are only compromising their own brand identity and this is when you must demonstrate through this form of media your gratitude to your customers for their support. It is very important in a stagnating economy to at least maintain your market share, since new business would be difficult to procure. When you maintain your brand equity and market share in troubled times, as and when the good times come along, your target audience would immediately favour you with business as your brand name would still remain fresh in their minds thanks to some of the promotional campaigns run during the tough times. The worst thing to happen in business is, everything is hunky dory, but your brand name has been forgotten.

In fact during economy slowdown times, you must do all the more in terms of brand building and indulge in promotional activities. You will have more time to focus on such activities and do it more professionally. It may seem a paradox that you are indulging in business promotion when business itself is floundering, but that is the precise reason for its success and effectiveness. You need to do something different from others and will be noticed for it, lending your brand the uniqueness and exclusivity. At times of recession, you need to keep in touch with the top honchos of your customers and honour them with carefully chosen promotional merchandise. It may happen that some of them might get retrenched and would start off on their own and you need to be at the forefront to be considered favourably by them when they are looking for vendors in their new avatar. So, by concentrating on fine tuning promotional campaigns and taking the time to meet influential decision makers during the rough times, you are actually investing your time and effort to reap the fruits, when the good times return and by doing this, you will be putting yourself in a sound position to cash in when things start looking good again. The fact that you recognized the true value of distributing promotional merchandise and the suitable timing of this will ensure that your competitors will have a lot to catch up and it won’t be easy to grab your customers.

So make the best of even the recessionary times by choosing suitable and useful promotional merchandise and getting your message out to the right people. You will not regret it.

If you are looking for a practical option to boost your brand image, look no further than the promotional mouse mat as they are not only durable but also come at reasonable prices suiting your needs. With the usage of computers so wide spread, mouse mats will always remain in demand and your brand will continue to get the visibility you are seeking.

The range of mouse mats available range from the conventional ones to customized shapes suiting the needs of customers and at the same time maximizing the value of advertising for the company.

Some Design Suggestions for Promotional Mouse Mats:
To start with, the mouse mat shape should be such that it must display mandatory information. It is no use having a fancy shaped item which does not give you the ability to reflect the ad message in a manner you want. This information should be crisp and to the point like the name of the company, contact numbers with website address and your sales or ad slogan, if you have any. It is again of little use cluttering up the surface area with a lot of information as much of it won’t be noticed and you stand the risk of people ignoring even the main message. Your mouse mat design should include certain essential information. Therefore, just displaying the essentials with the right colour and graphic combination would be enough for people to notice the mouse mat.

Why Use Mouse mats As Promotional Tools?
This question has been asked quite often, though there are many reasons; the one that stands out is the utility of these promotional mouse mats. Other promotional items also have great utility but in the case of mouse mats, the recipient is literally in touch with it everyday and your brand gets very good visibility. The fact that unlike some of the other promotional items, the mouse mat is used practically everyday and everybody needs to use the computer for many hours in a day. Because of this reason users are not likely to miss noticing your brand and for this reason the mouse mat gives it the edge over other items.

Besides the utility factor, these handy promotional products can be manufactured in different shapes and the advertising message can be imprinted in ways to match those shapes. This important quality of customization enables you to garner more customers as they would feel much happier to receive something reflecting their business.

The clincher has to be the low cost of these items compared to others and given their broad acceptance, makes it possible for you to place bulk orders fully knowing that they will never run out of favour.

Getting repeat business from a customer is the most critical aspect of your business not only because it is more profitable but also since it sustains an ongoing relationship and fosters goodwill. From the time you sign the contract with the customer, you need to set the ball rolling by giving the customer something that he would feel good about, while entering into a business association with you. So you can hand over a nice stylish pen which is distinct and is of high quality which the customer will always remember. You must be aware that the first business gift is always memorable and has a special place in the heart of the recipient.

This gift of the pen when imprinted with your company name and contact numbers will make sure that the logo is fresh in the mind of the customer and can be the beginning of a mutually beneficial relationship. You can maintain contact with your customers through the year with nice business gifts bearing your company brand logo. So even something modest such as a planner with an inbuilt calendar, a tiny pocket calendar planner or a wall calendar will all serve as very effective business gifts lending great visibility to your brand everyday. Small points like remembering the birthday of your customer and sending him a business card holder on that particular date will create a very positive impression about you and the company. The choices are many from a mobile cradle to stress balls and while these items are not very expensive, they project your organization in very good light.

You must not forget to treat your premium customers with better quality and costlier gifts as they are the main contributors to your success. Gifts like good quality wall clocks, combo gift sets are some of the items which are always well received and will do wonders to your current equation with the customer. They will always keep you in mind and will not shift business without discussing with you about any problem or issue they may be facing. Your competition will thus find it difficult to break in and you will make regular and rapid progress in your business dealings with such customers.

Business gifts are thus valuable tools to establish and cement relationships. They effectively serve the dual purpose of brand recall and creating a good impression with customers and need to be perceived as investments. It is not always the cost but the timing and the quality together with the manner in which they are presented which delivers the cutting edge to a business relationship.

As items that display the logo of your company, promotional gifts can do wonders, particularly in the realm of marketing. Apart from this, these can bring a number of benefits for the company that will improve the bottom line. Here are a few reasons why you should include promotional gifts in your company’s annual budget:

1. Promotional gifts are a great vehicle for increasing brand awareness as well as customer recall. Giving away these items is an ingenious way of constantly keeping your company’s logo right in front of your customers’ eyes, thus leaving a lasting impression in their minds. A useful and tasteful gift that they associate with your company will surely be remembered especially when the time comes that they need your products and services.

2. They can enhance the image of your company. When you give your customers something for free, they would immediately associate the act of kindness and thoughtfulness with your company. Every time the item is used, it will further build the goodwill that you have established.

3. They help you introduce your business and its products and services to people, especially to potential markets. By making your logo more visible to the public, such as on the back part of shirts or the canopies of umbrellas, you’ll boost the exposure of your company to the world. Moreover, gifts that are frequently seen by people like organizers and desk calendars will certainly be a non-stop reminder of your company.

4. They will help you gain back your lost customers. If you send them a little token, it’s the same way as telling them to come back.

5. They are a way by which you can announce the changes happening in your business. By using customised items such as a mug or a shirt with your company logo, you can market your products or advertise your newly opened branches. Promotional gifts can serve as your little portable billboards.

6. Used as incentives, they can raise your employees’ morale and work motivation. Employees general thrive on the appreciation and recognition of their efforts. By presenting them with gifts, they will get inspired to work hence productivity will increase.

7. Useful and memorable promotional gifts can help raise tradeshow responses. Studies show that promotional free gifts will attract more people to your booth and thus generate tradeshow traffic. Sending out gifts before the tradeshow starts is sure to double your targeted traffic. More booth visitors translate to a bigger network of sales leads.

Promotional items are getting increasing popular among advertisers as an efficient business marketing tool. Several business organizations and companies utilize printed bags for promotional campaigns and logo enhancement. Earlier, when this new promoting trend came to be introduced in the market, there used to be a single all-purpose bag. However, later, with greater understanding of market trends, lifestyles, and profiles, advertising agents realized that having separate designs for each specific use and stamped with the company logo or brand message creates a more influential advertising effect.

Laptop Designs:
These have replaced the very commonly utilized briefcases used for office purposes. These recent laptop briefcases are well-equipped to fit all office papers and tools required for office use. Today, almost every company, especially an IT company, has its brand stamped on its laptop bags for advertising purposes.

Back packs and Travel Designs:
These are more suitable for advertising brands of travel companies, especially airline brands. These quick-to-use trendy promotional items have remained a favourite among several airliners as well as ocean liners. Advertisers recommend travel companies to utilize totes and back packs or nap sacks for branding, since these are exceedingly popular among seasoned travelers.

Sports Utility Designs:
Advertisers are skilled at exploiting sports utility bags by promoting their sales to sport buffs. These varieties come in various types and sizes, depending on the type of sports purpose they are manufactured for. For instance, sportspeople may use bowling pouches, golf bags, or tennis racket holdalls.

Another example of a purpose-oriented variety is the generic bag which is used to carry photography equipments and tools. Another type that can be selected is the mobile phone pouch, this is not strictly a bag as such, but is used to a great extent by companies to generate brand awareness.

A new advertising trend in the market is to make use of eco-friendly designs to convince your customers that you are trying your best to help save your environment. This has given rise to an entire new industry producing an extensive line of organic, hemp, imprinted, biodegradable, and recycled bags.

Many eco-friendly designs are made out of jute fabric in dyed, printed, and natural designs. These can have various attractive designs on them that feature an advertising tag, name, event, slogan, or theme of a company. Several materials such as prints, logos, laces, bamboos, and embroidery are used to make these products more striking and influential. Beach designs and small and large net bags are the most common ones.

Whatever promotional items you choose for your campaign you are sure to find the right product by browsing our website.

Conference goodie bags are treats that most conference attendees look forward to. It has been a tradition for conference speakers and sponsors to contribute different items to a goodie bag. If you are a major sponsor and you are given the chance to contribute towards the contents of a goodie bag, you are handed the opportunity to promote your products and services. This is a tested and cost effective method of advertisement for the company. And as such you have to make sure that conference attendees will value your promotional gift. A conference goodie bag would contain various items from sponsor companies. Because of this you have to make sure that your chosen item would stand out. Your giveaway gift should be both useful and attractive because recipients would naturally junk all items that they find not useful and keep only those that they like and need.

So how do you make sure that your chosen promotional gift is worth keeping? Below are some pointers that could help you in making the right choice.

• Know your Target Audience:
Generic or common products will do as trade show giveaways but conferences and seminars have attendees sharing a common field of interest. For your giveaway to be appreciated, you have to make sure that the items will attract and be useful to the recipients. You can do this by spending some time to research the kind of people attending the conference. In so doing you can be sure that your contribution to the goodie bag will be well appreciated.

• Stretch your Budget:
Your promotional gift will serve as your ambassador and as such should be a quality product - it has to last a long time to serve its purpose of promoting your company. On the other hand it must be affordable so as not to hurt the company economically.

• Go for the Fun Factor When in Doubt:
Conference attendees are there mainly to learn. To break the monotony you could provide them with entertainment by giving fun products such as yo-yos or slide puzzles. Your Company will surely standout and gain enormous recognition.

• Choose an Eye Catching Design:
Before making your choice of product, take time to search what is available on the website, there is plenty to choose from and when you have selected your promotional gift make sure that your Company logo and message is clearly displayed on the item. An eye catching logo will give you that added brand recall every time your gift is used. That, in turn, will benefit your business products and services.

With the cut-throat competition in the market and the customers becoming extremely choosy about buying products, various marketing strategies are being adopted to draw the customers towards retail outlets, offices, shopping hubs and websites. Distribution of promotional products and items is one such strategy which has captured the attention of the marketing gurus.

With technological advancement, there remains a huge scope for using such trendy giveaways. Technological devices such as MP3-MP4 Players, USB Pens and thumb drives are few of the most preferred items which are widely used today. These hi-tech devices usually carry the company’s logo and name when they are gifted to clients. This enables the customers to immediately recollect the name of the company.

Such gifts help in developing healthy business relations between the company and the clients. It boosts customer interests towards the company. People love gifts. When the customers see that these are offered by a company whose products are well-examined and tested, the customers feel even happier. The overall image of the company changes, customers bestow more faith in these companies. In turn, the companies gain in terms of business revenue and popularity.

The distribution cost of these giveaways to probable clients is considerably cheap. Sometimes, the companies are also found to organise events or programs for attracting the customers. Often, customer feedback is taken by the company where the potential clients are asked to give their suggestions on the products. They are asked to comment on how these companies can further improve. This, in turn acts as a value addition for the company.

These marketing strategies bear fruit for the company. It comes to know the areas on which it needs to improve. It also comes to know the new products and services which the customers want to see in the stores. It becomes aware of the innovative business tactics which can help draw the customers towards it.

The customers who have already received these types of products and items tell their friends and colleagues about the company. This helps the company gain prominence over the others. This way, the client base increases, leading to more sales and better revenues.

Investments in promotional products such as MP3 players, promotional apparel and flash drives prove to be effective. This is because the company professionals educate the customers about the advantages of the products. The customers, in turn, tell their friends and associates about the proposed benefits. This makes the others curious to know more about the company.

Studies reveal that with these types of marketing exercises, the company manages to invite more mail from the customers. It builds customer goodwill. It helps in improving trade show traffic, advertising campaigns are organised and customer referrals are improved.