Seasonal Promos

When I started working at rushIMPRIMT some years ago, one of my first assignments was to help a radio station choose promotional items to give to its employees for its anniversary party. The station employed only about 40 people, and they were pretty close-knit. It was important for me to find a promotional product that they could use in their daily lives.

I had only one day to come up with my recommendation (because this is rushIMPRINT), so I talked to their representative and asked some questions – unusual questions – to help me make an informed suggestion. I found out that the majority of the employees are in their early thirties, took the train to the office, were heavy coffee drinkers, and spent about $50 a week on Starbucks. That was when I decided on the perfect promo item:

A 24-ounce thermos bottle with two mugs and a comfort grip molded handle to make it easy to carry. It’s perfect for coffee-drinking commuters, because it can keep coffee either hot or cold during long morning commutes. It’s also great for busy offices like a radio station, where employees keep going back to the kitchen for their morning cup of coffee.

My recommendation apparently worked, because just two days later, the radio station placed a reorder. Oh, and their employees cut spending on Starbucks, because they can now bring brewed coffee from home.

- Jen

I thought I was the most technologically-backward person this side of the country, until I read this: Most people still prefer traditional paper folios to personal digital assistants (PDAs). And it makes sense, really.

Many carry phone numbers in their cell phone, and therefore do not need electronic organizers to do that for them. Most professionals are always sitting at their computer and lugging around their laptops, anyway, so what use would they have for a digital assistant? Conclusion: Electronic organizers are often redundant. They’re also pretty scary – you have to religiously synchronize them with your main computer, or you risk losing data.

The best thing about paper folios is that they are very simple but still work well. I’ve already tried using a PDA, but I find that there is no better alternative to dark ink on bright pages. The glare on screen texts makes reading harder. Paper is still easier on the eye, tangible and portable.

That probably explains why the orders we get for paper folios still continue to grow. In fact, we get a lot of orders from IT companies! That just goes to show that no matter how tech-savvy or ultra-modern people are, their affinity for paper never goes away.

This is one of our Cutter & Buck paper folios, crafted from stylish top grain leather in chestnut color.

So, should you buy a digital organizer or renew your paper planner? That is a personal choice. I know I won’t trade in my paper folio for anything electronic this year. For me, the paper folios work, and work well.

Over 22 million people own iPods or MP3 player in the United States alone. So it certainly makes sense to give iPod-related promo items like these:

The Sound Pod Travel Speaker (left) is perfect for travelers who use either MP3 or CD players. Who knew that high-quality speakers could come in a size smaller than a hair dryer? Put your logo on the back left or right speaker and music lovers everywhere will surely remember you.

The Smart Pod Media Case (right) is another go-getter’s dream come true. People always on the move can keep their MP3 players secure and easy-to-access. It’s tailor-fit for every lifestyle – corporate people can use the belt attachment or swiveling clip, while more rugged individuals can use the arm band.

-Jen

I am a total ‘bag hag.’ A sizeable portion of my annual earnings goes into paying off purses. In fact, I am so obsessed with bags that I build my outfits around it. I even have a formula that beats the Euclidian code:

blue bag = blue shoes = blue cardigan

Can you blame me? Ask any woman you know – she will probably say that yes, a bag makes an outfit. You can wear a ratty old sweater but carry a beautiful handbag and get champagne when you drop by any store in Rodeo Drive.

But more than a fashion statement, a bag is really a woman’s ‘sanctuary’ – a private space where men fear to go. It carries all our essentials – wallet, keys, checkbook, maybe a laptop, a good book, sunglasses, a half-eaten sandwich, 30 pounds of pennies, and even a flashlight for ‘emergencies’ that never really come.

So when we received the new shipment for these beautiful Nine West duffels, totes and computer cases, I nearly fainted. Have I died and gone to heaven? I want them all!

They come in basic colors and styles for every working woman. All of them feature very helpful pockets that organize pens and keys, a KitKat bar, even a bottle of water, so that you never have to rummage through all your stuff just to get what you need. And best of all, it’s from Nine West – the Mecca of bags

Put your company logo on it and you’ll probably increase your female client base by more than half. Trust me. I know.

- Jen

A study shows that new customers of dry cleaning shops who received promotional products spent 27 percent more than customers who just received coupons, and a whopping 139 percent more than those who just received plain vanilla ‘welcome letters.’
I guess the tides are changing even for the ‘repression-proof’ dry cleaning industry. It has become very competitive, and even though most of these business already have a captive customer base (because dry cleaning is a staple), this base is becoming pickier and less loyal.

So I wasn’t surprised when a new client – a dry cleaning business operator – called us yesterday to ask for help on what promo items to use. I recommended this lint removal brush. It’s a clever little contraption that dry cleaning customers can keep in their coat pockets and use to remove linty from suits, jackets and virtually any clothing material.

I don’t know about you, but I can very easily switch from one dry cleaner to the next (especially if the next one gives me free stuff). Somehow, free deliveries and a friendly staff just isn’t enough anymore – I would like to receive useful free items too, if only to feel like a valued client.