September 1, 2014

Custom Tumblers: The Perfect Promotional Gift

It can be challenging to find that perfect promotional item that will positively reinforce your brand and be of value to your customers. At Great Atlantic Outfitters, we love all promotional products, and we enjoy helping out clients find the perfect items for their campaigns. One item that has been gaining traction is tumblers. We’ll explain why tumblers are great products to consider for your marketing campaign, and why they offer long-term value.

What makes tumblers so much fun?

They’re portable
They’re durable
They’re practical and useful
They’re environmentally friendly
They’re available in all different shapes, sizes and materials
They can be used at the office, gym, school, home, etc.
Your brand goes where your customers go!

There are many types of tumblers available, so you can find the perfect fit for your audience. For instance, plastic, colorful tumblers are perfect for keeping hydrated and avoiding the 3 o’clock slump in the workplace. If your audience is found more at the gym, a tumbler with grippers may be the better option. Or, consider an insulated travel mug if your audience is more on the go. Examples of tumblers available are:

Stainless steel tumblers
Ceramic tumblers
Insulated tumblers
Heat tumblers
Beer tumblers
Leather-wrapped tumblers
Hot/cold tumblers
Straw tumblers
Tumblers with sleeves

If you want to get more bang for your buck, consider tumblers for your next marketing campaign. You can promote the fact that your business supports sustainable living, as tumblers can be used over and over again and take the place of water bottles. Plus, your brand and logo will be featured big and bright on the front of the cup and go with your clients to the gym, the workplace, a business meeting or school function.

Browse our selection of tumblers, and let us know if you have any questions. We’re here to help! We monitor every step of the production process so that your promotional items exude confidence and professionalism just like your brand.

April 15, 2014

How to Save Money on Promotional Items

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Running a business is not cheap. All the small expenses can add up quickly, and in turn, provide you with less money to spend on the more important things, such as effective marketing campaigns.

Promotional items remain an effective way to promote your business, but they can also be costly. Since you need to balance both your online and offline marketing efforts, our team at Great Atlantic Outfitters has a few pointers for saving money while making the most of your promotional products.

Plan in Advance

Many businesses do not plan ahead, and they end up ordering promotional items at the last minute. Rush charges and express shipping costs can nearly double the cost of your order. Also, by rushing to place your order, you may end up ordering too much or too little. By planning in advance, you have the time to order the correct quantities, take advantage of lower shipping costs and keep an eye out for sale and clearance items.

Buy in Bulk

Buying promotional products in bulk is almost always cheaper than buying in smaller quantities. Look at the cost that you are paying per item and see how much these prices will drop with a larger order. If you have items left over, you can repurpose them for other marketing campaigns in the future, saving additional money. Also, many companies offer free or reduced shipping with a minimum order.

Look at the Big Picture

Aside from putting out the money, you also want your investment to go to good use. That’s why it’s important to choose promotional items that are practical and useful. Pens, notepads, highlighters and other office supplies are handy for people, so they are much more likely to be used than other products, which may have a lower price tag.

It’s also important to choose products of moderate quality. Even if it means spending a bit more money, you want your product to positively represent your company. So, if you purchase inexpensive pens or highlighters that break or run out of ink, they’ll end up in the garbage, and you just threw out a lot of money. Don’t just look at the numbers; consider the whole picture.

April 8, 2014

Lanyards: The Perfect Promotional Product?

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The success of promotional products relies heavily on the industry they are being used for and how they are being distributed. It’s always best to choose promotional products that align with your business, such as plastic piggy banks for a banking event or a keychain and flashlight for a safety event. Still, finding the perfect promotional items can be a mystery. You may try different types of products, as well as various ways to market them, and still not see the ROI you hoped for.

What Lanyards are Used For

When customers ask us what our recommendations are for cost-effective and worthy promotional items, one of our top picks is lanyards. Lanyards are often used to carry around identification and are effective communication tools. They can also be used to tote around keys, allergy information, sunglasses, USB drives and badges. With so many uses in mind, lanyards offer practicality for just about anyone, especially students and athletes.

Why Lanyards are Effective

What makes lanyards such effective marketing tools is that they are bright, functional and practical. You can choose from dozens of vivid colors like yellow, green or pink. In fact, lanyards are designed to be visual. They help people find their keys when buried at the bottom of the gym bag, and they create communication on college campuses where people need to carry around identification. Lanyards can be worn around the neck, or attached to shirts, jeans, duffle bags or briefcases.

How Lanyards Can be Used for Branding

From a marketing standpoint, lanyards complement all types of designs. They are long, so your business has plenty of room to have their name or slogan printed around the lanyard. Logos can also be accommodated, so you can have your entire business message printed for one low cost. Imagine that you hand out lanyards at the local gym to promote your massage business. Just think about how many gym-goers would find use for the lanyard to carry around their keys or gym membership. For you, this is instant branding in a setting where people would have a use for your services.

Lanyards must look good when put together, so be sure to consider the complete design and how the color, logo, wording and text will flow. For affordable, high-quality lanyards, contact Great Atlantic Outfitters!

March 21, 2014

Do I Really Have to Pay Someone to Design My Logo?

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A logo is the single most effective way to represent your business. With something so integral, it’s amazing that many people with no background in design refuse to pay for a logo. Granted, this can be quite expensive, and businesses that are just emerging may not have the funds to pay a graphic designer. Still, this is an investment worth making, and if you didn’t do it right the first time around, you can always pay to have a logo re-design.

Skills and Experience

Graphic designers have unique skills and experience that people without this training overlook. For instance, designers know how to mix and match colors, use the layout of a space and produce designs that will be cost-effective to print. They also have a knack for creativity and do an excellent job of bringing ordinary ideas to life.

Tools and Programs

Basic art programs aren’t going to cut it if you want a truly unique and professional-grade logo. Graphic designers use expert tools on a regular basis, with examples being Adobe Illustrator and a high-end Mac. These two tools would cost the average person at least $700, and that doesn’t include all of the other programs that would be needed to complete the design. Graphic designers have access to these programs and won’t charge you any extra for them.

Time and Energy

Designing a logo takes a lot of work. As you are trying to set up or refresh your business, your efforts are needed in other areas, not designing a logo. That said, you should also be careful in choosing a graphic designer, because you want to make sure that your project is a priority. How long will it take them to produce your logo? How long do revisions take?

Long-Term Impact

What do you want your logo to accomplish? Do you want it to represent the quality and integrity of your business in both the short and long term? Do you want to be proud of your logo and willing to print it on everything, from business cards to t-shirts to the back of a truck? Your logo is crucial in building a reputation for your business, so think about how this investment on the front end could impact your company in the future.

chicago therapy

January 10, 2014

Choosing a Theme for Your Promotional Products Campaign

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Choosing a theme for your promotional products campaign can be a difficult task. Not only can it make or break your campaign, but also it will affect how people view your brand. If the campaign doesn’t go well, you could be left with an overflow of promotional products, and this isn’t putting your advertising budget to good use. Let’s discuss some helpful tips for choosing an awesome theme for your promotional products campaign.

Identify the Purpose of Your Campaign

Think about the goals you want your campaign to accomplish. Do you want to get the name of your business out there? Do you want to reward employees within the workplace? Are you putting on a fundraiser? When you clearly define what your goals are, you can think of a theme that complements this mission.

Know Who Your Target Audience Is

What group of people are you marketing to? Think about their lives, not just a general role, such as employee or consumer. Is your target audience parents? Commuters? Students? By knowing who you are marketing to, you can think of a theme that will appeal to this group. For instance, parents enjoy anything that makes their kids happy and quiet, while commuters prefer products that will make their long ride more enjoyable.

Use Trending Topics as a Guide

Which campaigns are doing well? Do you notice a trend among them? For instance, short and simple does it today – just take a look at how well the “Got Milk” campaigns have done. Your promotional products campaign should be unique, but it should also fit within the marketing landscape. Hashtags are an example of a current marketing trend that could give your theme more exposure on social media.

Consider the Season

You can give your campaign additional leverage if you make it fit within a particular season. Football season, for example, draws in plenty of fans, and they are more open to campaigns related to the sport. When launching your campaign, think about the season and what themes will embrace it.

When you have figured out what your theme is going to be, you can then choose the best products to complete your vision!

November 14, 2013

4 Ways to Use Promotional Items Online

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These days, most companies put the bulk of their advertising budget into online marketing campaigns. Even though offline marketing isn’t quite as effective as it once was, it’s still an excellent way to complement an existing online marketing strategy and reach out to audiences that may not be using the Internet as much as other groups of people (i.e., older adults).

Here are four ways that you can use promotional products to help your online marketing strategy.

1. Promote Your Website

You’ve put time and money into your website, and you want traffic to come to your site. Getting your site to the top of the search rankings is exhausting to say the least, so why not give your company some true exposure by printing the URL on your promotional items? This is a win-win because you can reach out to your target audience, increase traffic to your site and generate quality leads.

2. Online Contests and Drawings

Encourage your followers and fans to join in a Facebook contest or Twitter giveaway. Offer a number of prizes, as well as free “gifts.” Select a variety of promotional items to fill these purposes, and send them out to those who participate in your contest or drawing. This is a surefire way to increase traffic and engagement, get more likes and follows on social media and positively connect with your customers.

3. Motivate Return Transactions

The advantage to generating quality leads is that you hope they will be a source of continued transactions. If a customer makes a purchase online, motivate them to buy more by offering a free promotional item with their purchase. This a great way to encourage those who are on the fence to complete another transaction, or spend a specified amount of money to get the free product.

4. Reward Your Best Customers

If there’s one thing that really pays off, it’s customer appreciation. These days, customers can go anywhere with their business, so they really appreciate when companies notice their loyalty to a particular brand. Don’t be afraid to send out promotional items to the best supporters of your brand – they won’t mind giving you a glowing review on social media!

October 29, 2013

What is Co-Branding?

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Co-branding is when multiple brand names come together on a single product or service. Two or more companies will feature their logos on one product so that customers see the relationship as a joint enterprise. Co-branding is nothing new; just take a look at your local supermarket and see all of the products that are co-branded, such as Breyer’s and Hershey’s, Kellogg’s and Healthy Choice and Lay’s and KC Masterpiece. Co-branding is an effective way to introduce one brand’s product with the loyalty of another brand.

With competition steeper and more companies working with smaller budgets, co-branding often makes sense. If you are a small business owner, for instance, co-branding with a larger, more established company is a great way to market your product or service. The simplest approach is to split the cost of promotional items and have both logos printed on the products. This gets your name out there, positively reinforces your brand and saves money.

Speaking of money, cost savings are another benefit of co-branding. We’re still going through tough economic times, so co-branding is becoming more commonplace. You can split the cost of promotional items and marketing materials, allowing you to do more with less. Co-branding also allows you to reach a larger audience since you can connect with not only your target audience, but also the customers of your co-brand.

There are things to think about, of course, as you don’t want to co-brand with just any label. Consider which labels will enhance your brand image and credibility. Since local targeting is effective, partnering with a local Florida business in your niche may be the best co-branding opportunity for your small business. For example, a restaurant can partner with a packaged foods company, while a physician can partner with a new medically related product line.

Choosing a company to co-brand with is an important decision because if the brand leaves consumers with a negative impact, it will rub off on your brand as well. You also want to ensure that your brand looks strong, as sometimes one brand will look secondary or weak to the other. Yet with careful planning, implementation and effective promotional items, you can smartly build a successful co-branding relationship.

October 22, 2013

New Trend Alert! Promotional Items with Hashtags

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Hashtags are becoming one of the most effective ways to market your business on social media. Whether you find them useful or annoying, the fact is that hashtags are no longer limited to Twitter, and are now expanding to sites like Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. Hashtags are a great way to cut through the noise and find an audience that your brand will appeal to. They are also useful for users who want to narrow in on a particular idea, concept, product or service. With this in mind, it’s no surprise that hashtags are branching out to promotional items as well.

If you want hashtags to be effective for your company, the best approach is to have a few words or phrases that are unique to your brand. When someone searches for that particular hashtag, they should see material that relates only to your brand. The best way to make these hashtags stick? Have them printed on promotional items.

Brands That Have Used Hashtags Effectively

Logos are still integral to a brand, but they are becoming simpler by the day. That’s because there are other ways to recognize a brand, one of them being a hashtag. Take a look at Starbucks. Surely we all know the green and white Starbucks siren, but people also recognize the coffee chain by their hashtag #treatreceipt. Customers who purchase a drink in the morning can show their receipt for a discounted drink in the afternoon.

Starbucks isn’t the only one. Cover Girl launched their #EasyBreezySummer campaign by including this hashtag in Twitter and Facebook posts. The hashtag has reached so many people, it’s now synonymous with the brand and shows up in event descriptions for pop-up parties and award shows.

It can be hard to make a hashtag stick, especially with so many of them floating around online, but if you commit your brand to one or two of them, you can see real results for your brand. Having your custom hashtag printed on promotional items brings all the benefits of positively reinforcing your brand while also enhancing your social media marketing campaigns.

September 25, 2013

4 Tips for Marketing Your Business with Promotional Items

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There is so much information out there, it’s becoming more difficult for businesses to attract potential customers. Even though online marketing is where much of the budget is going for today’s businesses, promotional items still have much value to them. The important thing is that you know how to maximize your investment so that you market your brand effectively and put your advertising budget to good use.

Here are four helpful tips for marketing your business with promotional items.

1. Establish Clear Goals for Your Promotion

What do you want the products to do for your business? Are they intended to build brand awareness? Get people to visit your website? Boost sales? By knowing exactly what your goals are, you can better select the best promotional items for your needs.

2. Set a Budget, and Don’t Waiver

Promotional items can get expensive because there are so many things out there. But, it’s still important to stick to the products that are within your budget. Identify your spending costs in advance, add them to your marketing strategy and track all expenses. Stick to your budget, even if you find another product you really like. Remember, things like shipping and storage also cost money.

3. Leverage Partnership Opportunities

Here’s a good idea to getting the products you want and sticking to a budget: ask one of your suppliers to share the cost. In exchange, you can feature their logo on the item, giving both you and the supplier brand exposure. Plus, joint promotional efforts boost rapports and show your commitment to using promotional items to strengthen your company’s image.

4. Acknowledge the Shelf Life of Promotional Items

Many promotional items only have a short shelf life, and some may go along with a particular season. Since you don’t want a warehouse stocked with more than you need, order smart. Promotional items are a great way to market your business, but they still cost money, which means you should hand them out wisely, use what you have and move on to a new campaign. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a warehouse stocked with odds and ends of items you can’t use, and that’s wasted money.

June 25, 2013

Top 5 Least Expensive Promotional Items

Promotional items are a useful way to brand your company, but that doesn’t mean you have a never-ending advertising budget to spend on them. Fortunately, there are many super cool promotional items that will get your business the attention it deserves while staying within your marketing budget.

Custom Can Coolers (Koozies) – These products are budget-friendly yet still leave room for customization, such as by choosing the color of the cooler and the logo on the exterior. Plus, they are very convenient, especially for concerts, summer picnics and barbecues, so you can expect to get your money’s worth from them.

Reusable Bags – Many companies are lowering their carbon footprint as part of their overall marketing strategy. Consumers prefer companies that are committed to the environment, and they have more trust in these companies from the start. Reusable bags are a great way to promote your business while showing your concern for the environment.

Frisbees – Frisbees may be simple, but they offer plenty of fun. These are perfect for summer outings or company picnics, and they do a nice job of promoting the company name since the center of the Frisbee is used for the logo. Frisbees can also be made in dozens of bright, vivid colors.

Key Tags – We all have keys, usually more than we actually need, making key tags a practical promotional item. Key tags are great for small budgets, and you have to room to grow if you want. For instance, key tags can include a small flashlight or bottle opener, giving them a dual purpose.

Stadium Cups – Available in a multitude of colors, stadium cups remain a smart and effective promotional items. They’re great for sporting events and festivals, and somehow, these cups always seem to remain in our homes as fun “extras” when we have friends or family over. Or, stadium cups can be used as pen holders on a desk. Either way, they’re inexpensive, fun and useful.

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