All Things Promotional Marketing
Promo How-To
The Key To Successful Branding
Aug 25th
Information is more accessible today than any other time in human history, and with that ease of access comes a new responsibility to consistently market yourself for who you are and who you want to be.
Let’s face it, most of our businesses aren’t Apple, Nike, McDonalds, Starbucks, or Wal-Mart, and most of us aren’t as recognized as Michael Jordan, Donald Trump, or Oprah. We are, however, placing decreasingly less value on previously established gatekeepers to approve us for super-stardom. You and your business can definitely climb the economic and social ladders by remembering that YOU are your brand.
Most people fail at branding themselves and their business because they get too caught up in the structural foundations of branding (logo, name, imaging, etc.) and lose track of what branding is fundamentally about. Branding is, without a doubt, about consistency and business. Think about it: you probably know that McDonalds sells hamburgers (primarily), Nike sells athletic essentials, and Apple makes user friendly tech. The outrageously successful companies across the world are successful because they consistently perform, people know what to expect, and (usually) they provide value to people’s lives in some way or another.
Success is yours, if you want it. But to be successful you need to provide outstanding products, services, and/or customer support; you also need to perform consistently so that those that do business with you KNOW what to expect and can share your message with others. Finally, remember that if you are consistently good GREAT at what you do, then eventually people will start talking.
As you develop your brand more thoroughly, remember that rushIMPRINT is happy to help you promote yourself and expedite the process of getting more people to talk about you and your business!
Simple ways to get organized for vacation
Aug 19th
Almost everyone has taken a vacation. Whether it’s a short or a long one, it helps to plan ahead. Knowing where you’re going and what you’ll be doing will be the reasoning for what you pack.
Step #1 Buy a planner
Like me, if you always feel like you’re forgetting to pack something, you can start off with writing everything in a pocket planner or a journal. I would start by writing down the most important items that you can first think of, then write anything else that comes to mind. Always double check the items on the list against the items you are packing.
Step #2 Pack to your own needs
If you usually carry a wallet, it would probably be best not to pack that into the travel bag so you have all of your most important information with you. While you’re on vacation you may need something a bit smaller to carry around with you and keep your personal items together. How about a tote bag, they are big enough to fit many things into but small enough to not get in the way. Don’t forget to take your sunscreen! I hate going on vacations and turning red.
3 “Aha” Moments to Think About For Your Next Promotional Plan
Aug 18th
I was having a conversation with a friend of mine the other day discussing some of the more difficult aspects of his job. My friend works for a professional sports team and is responsible for ALL of the promotional products, giveaways, and half-time events. During our chat I had a few “A-Ha!” moments about finding the right promotional goods for the right clients; I thought I might share them with you today:
Start at the end and work your way back
Sometimes we forget to think like an end user, and end up buying things that can quickly find their way to the trash. Before your next event, giveaway, retreat, or any other thing that would benefit from things with your logo on it, spend some time considering how the product will be used and who will use it. Notepad holders are great for conferences, water bottles for sporting events, and reusable grocery bags would be great for green folks.
Be unique and stand out
Pencils, pens, and foamy balls may be inexpensive when preparing for a mass giveaway, but I can’t begin to count the writing utensils I have amassed over the years that have gotten lost or lent without ever even being looked at. When planning your next move try to come up with a few ideas the might help you stand out from the rest. Don’t be bland and boring just because of cost.
Stay on target with the environment
It seems off to me when people give out USB drives at sporting events – sure everybody at some point can use a USB drive, but that isn’t the right crowd; perhaps a warm knit cap for a football game this Fall would be a wiser choice. Plan ahead and remember where you are going to be distributing your promotional goods.
By the end of the conversation we had come up with some unique, useful, and valuable solutions for him and his clients. Surely this fall should have some surprises for the fans of this team. RushIMPRINT can be your one stop shop for promotional goods – let’s find some solutions together.
Back to School & Back to Basics: 5 Ideas for Marketing to Students
Aug 10th
Summer is almost over and it’s time for the kids to start gearing up to go back to school! For business owners in college towns this can be a magical time of year for promoting your business and raising brand awareness. With so many young people mobilizing in preparation for fall classes, now is your perfect opportunity; the only real problem can be finding the right way to spread the good word of your business. Here are 5 great ideas for reaching out to the campus community.
Sponsor a club
Whether it’s a Greek Letter Organization, a sports team, a campus ministry club, or the AV club, they all need places to meet, t-shirts purchased, or donations to host events! A simple call to the campus life department should render you with some kind of organization that could use any amount of donation or sponsorship.
Promotional Products: Do it the Right Way
Jun 30th
When you think of the word ‘promotion’ what do you think of? Trade show? Contests? Slogan? Logo? Being Rememberable? All of these things are traits of a good promotional product–promotion is not limited to one venue. Get in the mix and get your company out there into the minds and mouths of the world. You don’t have to physically be somewhere to make an impact with your fantastic promotional items, you can penetrate the barrier online. Here are some things to consider:
Promote your company’s website on everything:
When at a meeting, a social network event or even just bumping into someone on the street, it seems to always end with, “do you have a website?” Well, make sure that you are sharing that information on everything that you give out. This way, people will have access to your homepage and can see what you do and how your company can benefit them.
Find items that fit you and your company:
Make sure that your promotional items are representative of what you do as a company. If you are a computer company, invest in USB drives with your logo/website on it. If you’re an outdoor recreation company, give out backpacks with your information on it, or if you’re a health care company, try branding thermometers or first aid kits.
Give out your stuff online:
Whether you are looking to increase your traffic, get more people to subscribe to your newsletter or just for plain promotional purposes, give your stuff away online! Keep them coming back to your website to sign up for a contest and make sure that you give something away that is worth giving their email address up for. Remember, by giving it away, you are adding value to the consumer’s life and they are promoting for you, carrying your brand and message with them where ever they go!
Rewards and thank you’s:
Loyalty is a strong word in life and especially in business. There’s nothing that says thank you more than gifting them a fantastic product that has function, quality and of course, your information on it.
‘Rememberable’ yourself.
By giving away promotional products you are giving yourself the competitive advantage. You are standing out amongst the rest by showering your customers with free promotional products that will go a long way in your ‘rememberable’ status in their world. There are so many companies doing so many things, make yours not just another company, but a unique establishment that provides quality.
I like to move it, move it
Apr 21st
It’s fine when your target audience grabs your gift and eagerly uses it in their daily activities. But what if they are all office-workers? From some modern office where they don’t use much paper for business activities any more and spend most of the day using just the mouse and keyboard. This leaves most desktop accessories overboard, but still leaves us some solutions to choose from. A mug is a classic solution, but I bet if you are still reading this, you think a mug would be too commonplace. A photo frame would be welcome to most desktops. Nice try, but together with many other static things it only gets seen when people are not busy with their current tasks and their attention is wandering.
What if this desktop thingy would move and catch people’s attention? We have something that does exactly this. However, it does not move by itself, which might make it a bit annoying. This rocking memo holder really rocks and also has 2 imprint areas, which leaves space for some message to go together with your logo. Or may be you are also into co-branding these days?