We come across products frequently that we absolutely love. The collapsable water bottle is one of these products. These are great for summertime events, and also for water awareness. They are also very easy to brand with your logo imprinted on the bottle. It makes us wish we would have thought up this product idea!
The Advertising Specialty Institute recently released a report* showing that advertising specialties to be a more cost-efective marketing strategy than prime-time TV, radio and print advertising, as seen in the below cost-per-impresssion chart:
Some interesting pieces of information from the report:
Now do you believe us that a pen can ruin your brand?
From ASI:
It’s important to note that the pass-along rate has actually increased 11 points from just two years ago – which speaks directly to the global recycling trend. Not only do ad specialties make impressions on everyone who sees them, but messaging is reinforced every time the item is used. No other form of media can allow the advertiser to so closely tie a benefit to the recipient.
*You can read the entire report here.
We recently printed a banner for a client, that utilized new technology. The client is a startup non-profit, and needed material for their booth at a local event. The goal of the night was to get their name out there, and meet potential donors of future partners. They understood that there would be plenty of opportunities to engage the potential supporters and donors, and wanted something that would differentiate their organization and provide an interaction.
They wanted their message to be sticky.
Their approach was multi-faceted, using a few different materials to engage their audience. They printed a vinyl banner that hung above their booth that had both their logo and a large QR code that could be captured while standing in front of the booth. The QR code linked to their website, so people left the event with their organization’s website in their phone’s browser. This also required the interaction they wanted, and provided a time to speak with a captive audience. Additionally, the had very simple handouts that captured the vision of the organization, which served as a brief introduction that people could take with them when they left. In-hands items are used so heavily for one reason: placing your message in people’s hands is a proven promotional strategy.
Offering standard material like a handout or a brochure is time-tested, but can tend to get lost in the shuffle of a crowded event. Mixing in new technology to your promotions, either in place of, or along side, traditional promotional products can result in the differentiation you’ve always wanted.
It doesn’t have to be either/or, and the real win happens when you step out and try something new. Who knows, it may be the very thing that takes your brand or organization to the next level.
New technology, such as QR codes and interactive platforms create an interesting opportunity for those who want to engage their audience in a compelling way.
These emerging technologies provide the business or organization with a way to not only communicate their brand to an audience, but interact with a captivated audience.
The risky thing with products such as a QR code is that it requires your audience to actively engage with your promotion. That very risk is why the new technology is so valuable; it requires an active and engaged participant.
We have had the honor of helping a non-profit utilize new technology, QR codes specifically, to promote their organization. That success story will follow in the next post; stay tuned!
You’ve probably been introduced to price vs. cost while being sold something that was overpriced, or that you weren’t ready to buy. In the retail space, this is an effective conversation to have with people who can’t quite justify spending $300 on denim, or $1000 on a jacket. Let’s for a moment, strip away the salesman pressure and talk about the reality of price vs. cost.
Price is an immediate expenditure. I am going to hit checkout, or place the order, and you are going to tell me the price of that transaction. I feel the price, because I can see the funds withdrawn from my bank account. Right now. This is why the salesman tries to get us to see beyond price; because price hurts for a moment.
Cost, on the other hand, introduces a theoretical scenario into our spending. The price of those jeans is only $60, but they will wear out and need replaced…So the cost of those $60 jeans far exceeds the price. And this is true, in theory. The only problem with that logic is that we have no idea how many times they will really need replaced (dependent upon several factors) and if we really even plan on wearing them past their original lifespan.
Now let’s apply this thinking to a promotional campaign.
You have a cash-strapped startup business who is trying to get their name out to as many potential prospects/donors/potential parters as possible. Quantity is their focus, and they are willing to sacrifice some of the quality. So they would need to think strategically about what products can be ordered in high quantity, that are designed for single-use or short term. Price is important here, as their lack of funds doesn’t allow them to think about long-term promotional initiatives. Yet.
But there’s also a business who is well-established, and is looking for a product to thank their loyal clients, a gesture of appreciation. So they would need to think strategically about products that are designed for long-term use, and add value to the recipient. These products aren’t cheap, but that’s okay, because it is a response to customers who have generated significant revenue, and who will continue to as they remain loyal to the business.
These are polar examples, to illustrate the point. All businesses, though, must figure out the significance of price vs. cost, which boils down to short-term vs. long-term, when making decisions for a promotional campaign, or the selection of products.
One thing we’ve learned over the years from matching organizations with effective promotional products is that style matters. Just like you have to know your brand before you can create an impact with your promotional efforts, you also need to know your audience. You probably aren’t (or shall we say, shouldn’t) give away v-necks printed with a distressed logo to the same crowd that you give embroidered golf shirts to. While these both might be highly effective ways to reach an audience, they are most likely two very different audiences, which should be treated uniquely and approached with a promotional product that fits their style. So take the embroidered golf shirt to the event at the country club, and save the v-neck for the lunch and learn with the urban professionals.
A great way to provide value to clients is to offer multi-purpose products. We’ve all seen the bouquet of silk flowers attached to pens at a receptionist’s desk before. It’s brilliant because it combines a practical, felt need, (pens are always needed) with a desire to have decoration. Where I think this idea would be truly effective is at the checkout in a flower shop, with intricate arrangements made of unique pens.
This concept can be applied to offer creative and innovative promotional products that arrest people’s attention, and provide lasting practical use.
The possibilities are endless, but here are a few examples to get the wheels turning.
Of course, feel free to contact us if you have questions or would like to explore new ideas.
The title of this post may seem a bit dramatic, but I’d like for us to think about a problem that is many times overlooked in the midst of a promotional effort. The problem that we see happen in promotional campaigns has to do with brand representation. Everything you put your logo and/or website on represents your brand. Another way to think about it is, everything you brand becomes a piece of marketing. Even if it’s just to get your name out to potential clients, it must be thought through and line up with your brand.
So something as commonplace as a pen has huge implications when viewed through this lens. The pen, once it carries your name, tells people about your company. A single-use, throwaway pen says as much as the nice pen that people will keep around for years. And no, we aren’t advocating that more expensive is always better (we will address price vs. cost in another post) but we are saying that all branding and promotional products, to be effective, have to be a clear representation of your business. Or better yet, they should be a representation of who you want to be.
Welcome to PickADilley.com! This is the blog of Proforma Pick-A-Dilley, where we will be sharing the insights, ideas and best practices that we’ve learned while navigating the promotional industry. We hope you’ll stop by frequently, and lend your voice to the conversation. You can subscribe here and never miss a thing!