What's the point in promotional products?

What is the purpose of promotional products and how can they help you? This is a question that many people ask themselves. Some people may struggle to see what they are used for and what use they can do. Your company is obviously important to you and in turn so is attracting new clients and keeping current customers happy. promotional gifts play a huge part in the marketing and advertising campaigns of most companies as they realise the important role they play in securing new business.

The marketing potential of even the smallest promotional product should not be underestimated. Take promotional pens for instance. Look around the office and at home and see how many you can find lying around. There are literally millions of promotional pens out there, all with company details custom imprinted on them. Imagine if your company message was printed on a promotional pen and you will be able to see the impact they can have on your business.

The marketing potential of a promotional product is incredible and in most cases it is more effective than an advert in a paper, magazine or brochure.

With thousands of promotional products out there, the choices available are mind-boggling and it allows you to be as creative as you want when choosing a promotional product which you think will bring in new business.

For the environmentally friendly conscious company, there is an ever increasing range of eco-friendly promotional gifts such as Jute bags, recycled pens, recycled rulers and solar powered electrical goods just to name a few.

New year, new diary

Now that we are coming to the end of 2009 you may be thinking about your promotions for 2010. What better way to kick the new off than with a quality leather, embossed personalised diary. Perfect for a corporate gift or as a treat for your staff.

Get a head start on your competitors and send out 2010 diaries as an early Christmas present to your best clients and make sure they don't forget about you in the new year.

Stylish and useful a diary can keep your company details on the forefront of your customer's minds as it is an item that the will use throughout the year. Available in a huge range of styles, colours, materials and sizes there is a diary to suit all requirements.

A5 personalised pocket diaries, A4 leather desk diaries and PU diaries are some of the style of diaries which can be custom imprinted with your logo.

A diary makes a perfect corporate give away or business gift as they ooze quality and are something that can be used all year round.

Increase sales with promotional products

In times as financially challenging as these it has become more apparent that promotional products are a valuable asset to the marketing campaign of any company. The importance of keeping your brand and corporate message out there with new and exciting promotional gifts is vital.

Think of it this way, you are at an exhibition and you meet two representatives from two different companies offering the same product or service and one of them give's you a promotional gift such as a key ring, printed pen or jute bag. Which of the two company's will you remember a week later after the exhibition has ended?

Promotional gifts don't just offer that initial impact, if a bit of thought is spent on it and the correct product is chosen it can spread your brand message to a wide range of people. Take a printed jute bag for example. Given out at an exhibition as a free gift, it is then used by the recipient as a shopping bag or general purpose bag. Turn your customer into a walking talking advertising billboard. A promotional gift that may only cost you pennies can end up spreading your message to hundreds of potential customers.

With thousands of promotional products out there it allows you be really creative when producing marketing material for your next promotion. If you can print on it most promotional products suppliers will be able to supply or source it for you.

A free promotional gift goes a long way, as it always generates great interest in your stand at an exhibition or event.

Creative advertising with promotional mugs

Promotional mugs are a great way to have your company details within the reach of your customers at all times. A brilliant promotional vessel to promote your company in a creative and unique way to a whole new pool or potential clients. Increase your customer base and brand awareness with printed mugs. Mugs stand out from the majority of promotional products as the leading corporate give-away.

The days of standard shaped and dull coloured mugs are long gone. In these modern times promotional mug manufacturers are becoming more adventurous and are pushing the boundaries with their designs and colour combinations, so the choice available is massive. Multiple colour options are available to match your corporate branding and an attractively styled mug is sure to make your customers stop and take notice.

China mugs, earthenware mugs, plastic mugs, glass mugs, acrylic mugs, photo mugs and heat reveal mugs are just some of the range of mugs available for custom imprinting.

Mugs are not one of those products which spend time hidden away in a cabinet or desk drawer, they spend most of their time with the end user. In effect they turn your customers desk into your very own advertising space.

If you are looking for a low cost and effective advertising tool for a last minute promotional event, mugs are perfect, as with massive stocks and modern printing techniques mugs can be printed in as little as two days.

4 different ways to personalise a t-shirt

Personalised t-shirts are a highly visible and cost effective way of mass marketing. Personalising your t-shirt is not as clear cut as it sounds. There are a number of different ways to personalise t-shirts as it all depends on what type of t-shirt, where or how they are going to be used and what size your budget is. Here are four of the main t-shirt personalisation techniques:

Screen printed t-shirts - Screen printing is the perfect choice for large quantities of t-shirts. It provides a really high quality finish and a type of textured print. The only downside to screen printing is that there is an initial set-up cost for a screen of £35, but when this is added onto a total order for a thousand t-shirts this cost seems minimal.

Flexi printed t-shirts - Flexi printing is ideally suited to stag party or hen night t-shirts, where each garment is personalised with a different name or number. Flexi printing involves having the separate letters of text cut out from a piece of vinyl and then being heat applied to the garment.

Digitally printed t-shirts - Digitally printing onto a t-shirt is probably the cheapest form of personalisation on a small number of t-shirts. A digital image is simply printed onto special transfer paper and is then heat applied to the chosen garment. If you are looking for a full colour image to be printed onto a t-shirt then digital transfer print is the solution.

Embroidered t-shirts - Embroidery is normally reserved for more quality garments such as staff work wear or sports team uniforms. The finish on an embroidered garment is of the highest quality.

Artwork for promotional products

Now that you have chosen the right promotional products which is going to bring in thousands of new customers, it is now time to think about the design or message that you will want printing. This isn't as easy as it sounds as there are a number of factors to consider when choosing a logo or message suitable for printing.

Logo size - Your logo is possibly the most important part of your promotional gifts as it represents your company and what you do, so it is important to make sure that it looks good and is displayed correctly. Choose a product which compliments your corporate colours or provides a decent print area to display your chosen design or message.

Number of colours - Depending on which promotional gift you have chosen, the number of print colours can be significant as it can increase the price of the item or may not actually be possible to print. In some cases certain products can only be printed with one colour or if a 4 colour print was to be applied it may incur 4 separate screen set-up charges which will dramatically increase the price.

Design complexity - On a promotional gift such as a printed pen or key ring, simple designs generally produce the best finish. Well defined, sharp lines always stand out best on a small printed item.

If artwork is not your strong point, talk to your local promotional product supplier and get as much advice or information on your chosen product as possible. The last thing you want is to choose your product and find out that your design is too large or too complex to be used.

Executive pens as corporate gifts

With christmas coming up you might be thinking about sending out a business gift to your best customers. Custom imprinted executive pens can be a most valuable tool as they are a useful product as well as sending out a professional impression to your clients.

Printed pens such as Waterman, Parker, Cross and Sheaffer are all available custom imprinted and associating your company with well known and quality names such as these can only enhance your reputation.

All this talk about big brand names and executive pens you may be thinking that you are in for a very expensive giveaway campaign. This is not necessarily the case. Top quality executive pens can start at a couple of pounds each, printed with your message.

If you are looking to add a bit more class to your business gift then why not choose to send out your pen or pen set in a quality presentation box. These days most top quality pens come with the option of a presentation box to give it a more luxurious and gift like feel.

With a huge selection of pens available it make be a daunting task to trawl through them all and find the right one to send out the right message. At the end of the day, choose a pen which you like the look of and falls within your budget.

Sending out an executive gift may only be a small gesture, but everyone likes to receive a free gift and it could make the difference to whether your client stays with you for another year.

Trade show display stands

To promote your business or increase your brand awareness you might think about having a display at an exhibition, event or trade show. It is more important than ever to try new ways of gaining new business and just getting your company name and services known. Once you have done the easy bit of booking floor space at the next industry event it is now time to think about your display.

Choosing the correct display is a very important part of an exhibition. For the majority of people at that event the first impression they will get of your company will be your display stand and as we all know first impressions count. With this in mind it becomes more apparent that what ever display stand you choose, it has to be the right one.

The most popular and cost effective way of setting up a successful exhibition display is the roller banner. A lightweight, portable and versatile product which includes a full colour digitally printed banner. Standing 2 metres tall, you can create a wall of advertising which provides a truly awesome visual solution.

For the more experienced exhibitors out there, the pop up display stand is fast becoming the display stand of choice. An all in one solution for any event or exhibition and it comes loaded with accessories.

If portable displays aren't for you or if you are looking to create a massive impact why not try a printed banner. Available in any size, quantity and digitally printed in full colour, they are a versatile and cost-effective method of large format advertising and can be noticed across even the busiest exhibition halls.