June 11, 2013

Top 4 Uses of Promotional Products

[image title=”Promotional Giveaways” size=”full” id=”342″ align=”left” linkto=”https://greatatlanticoutfitters.com” ]

Promotional products are fun and often times unique, and people love to receive them. There’s nothing like getting something free just by attending a trade show or participating in a non-profit event. Let’s take a look at the top four uses for promotional products and how they can align with your marketing scheme.

1. Brand Awareness

Studies have shown that when consumers are given a promotional item with a company name on it, they are much more likely to remember the company name than if they didn’t receive the item with the business logo. Also, consumers are more likely to think positively about the brand when they receive a free item. This small but thoughtful token is a great way to build customer rapports at any point.

2. Trade Shows

If your company is going to be at a trade show, it’s important that they stand out from the crowd. With booth after booth, you need something fun and unique to represent your business. Furthermore, when people attend trade shows, they are more open to learning about your business because of the nature of the environment.

3. New Product Information

When a new product is launched, a solid marketing plan must follow behind. What better way to market your product than by handing out some version of it as a promotional item? Consumers can try your product for free, and you can take the opportunity to have your company’s name printed on the item for added exposure.

4. Customer Referrals

A large part of growing your business is getting customer referrals. There’s nothing better than having positive testimonials from your clients, and this puts automatic trust in prospective customers. To help this transition, promotional items are a true asset. To reach more people, you can have existing customers hand out items and reach a larger demographic.

May 28, 2013

Top 10 Buyers of Promotional Items

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romotional tshirts” size=”full” id=”333″ align=”left” linkto=”https://greatatlanticoutfitters.com/” ]

Do you ever wonder who the top buyers for promotional items are? Promotional items are practical and cost-effective, but some markets use them more than others. Let’s take a look at the top ten buyers for promotional items and how they use these products to expand their industry.

1. Education – Whether it’s welcoming students back to school, showing appreciation for teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week or displaying school spirit, promotional items are a real hit for schools and universities across the country.

2. Financial – When it comes to finances, promotional items have it all. From piggy banks to money-filled pens, promotional items come in handy for banks, loan officers and other financial institutions.

3. Not-for-Profit Organizations – Since non-profit organizations are not government-funded, it’s important that they are well supported by the community. A great way to publicize the organization and its mission is to use marketing items at events and fundraisers.

4. Healthcare – Even the healthcare industry needs support at times. Promotional items are great for recruiting patients and showing appreciation for staff members.

5. Construction – Advertising tools can help those in the construction industry because these individuals are often self-employed and don’t have much time to market their services. Promotional items such as flashlights and wearables can proudly display the name of the construction company for instant brand awareness.

6. Trade and Professional – Be prepared for trade shows and other events with items like banners, signs, trade show signs and polo shirts for booth members.

7. Real Estate – Promotional items for real estate are an effective way to market your company or yourself, if you are self-employed. From calendars to magnets to pens, these items can be mailed out to prospective buyers and sellers in the area.

8. Government – Advertising products are great tools for local, state and federal agencies that depend on these products to represent their organization and their commitment to people across the globe.

9. Professionals – From doctors to lawyers to CPAs, these professionals can use marketing products to recruit new patients or clients and market the name of their practice.

10. Restaurants and Bars – What better way to let people in the local area know that you’ve opened a new restaurant than with a fun promotional item, such as a magnet, pen or drink coaster?

Advertising products are fun and unique and can be part of a successful marketing strategy for all industries.

May 21, 2013

Best Places to Hand Out Promotional Items

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Promotional items have a huge impact on marketing your brand and expanding your customer base. Yet many people are unsure of how to distribute their promotional items to potential customers. Putting some thought into how and where you’ll hand out promotional items will make a difference in how well your items are received and how many customers carry out the desired action, such as by visiting your site, signing up for your mailing list or purchasing your product or service.

Handouts

Handouts are the easiest and most inexpensive way to hand out promotional items. Just be sure to follow the rules in the area where you’ll be handing out items, as some areas prohibit this behavior. The good thing is that you can reach out to people directly and hopefully even start up a few conversations about your product. The drawback is that people are often in a rush and may not give your product a chance.

Trade Shows

Trade shows have the same effect as handouts since you can stand there and hand out products with very little effort. The advantage is that you’re at a trade show, and this environment is specifically designed for companies to market their business. Your audience is already there, and chances are high that they already have some initial interest in your product. The biggest drawback is that there is a lot of competition in this setting, and it can be difficult to make your product stand out.

Mailings

Bulk mailings have a lot of advantages: you’re reaching your audience directly and not bothering them during the day. However, mailing items does cost money, and you will need to get a hold of addresses and names. If you choose to send products to the current resident, your envelope might get tossed in the mail for being impersonal.

Grand Openings

Look for grand opening events at local hotels, restaurants and retail outlets. This can be a good opportunity to market your product in a business-orientated environment. You can also host your own grand opening and offer special events for new clients. People enjoy grand openings for the very idea of getting special offers!

Remember that handing out promotional items is an ongoing way to attract new customers and continue your positive rapport with existing clients, so don’t hesitate to hand out products at holiday parties, special events and conferences.

Blog sponsored by: Great Atlantic Outfitters

Photo c/o: mrceviz

May 14, 2013

Screen Printing Marketing Ideas

c/o: Gabriella Fabbri

Marketing is always evolving, and many businesses deplete their advertising budgets without having much to show for them. Sometimes, it’s the simple marketing approaches that work best, even in an economy where real-time marketing is dominant. Still, customers love getting free stuff, and having promotional items to hand out at events, trade shows or special happenings is still one of the most cost-effective and efficient ways to reach out to your customers.

Fortunately, screen printing is a great way to market your business while giving your customers something tangible to hold onto. Screen printing is affordable and enables businesses to print off a large quantity of products at once. Let’s discuss some screen printing marketing ideas that will make your business shine.

Seasonal Trends

Tying in the seasons with your product or service is a great way to make your company stand out. For instance, screen printed hats in the winter and screen printed beach bags in the summer are practical, useful items that will brand your image. And, you can’t argue with the free advertising that you will be getting since your customers will be wearing these items around town.

Contests

Customers love contests, and it gives them a fair shot at winning something fun. To make the contest more engaging for your customers, have a handful of prizes that have your logo screen printed onto them. Don’t forget that you can do the same contests over social media. For example, everyone who gives your Facebook page a “like” can be signed up for the contest and a chance to win a screen printed sweatshirt with your company’s logo.

Mailings

Maybe you have a list of customers who haven’t been in to see you. Send them screen printed gloves, winter hats or bandanas to serve as a friendly reminder that you are still around and miss them. You can also use these same gifts as thank yous for customers who may have recommended a friend to your business.

Blog sponsored by: Great Atlantic Outfitters

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April 30, 2013

Why Consistency is Important for Your Business Logo

Once you have your business logo in place, one of the best things that you can do is keep your logo consistent. This may seem to be obvious, but many companies end up having inconsistent logos over time. And, it’s easy to do when you think about it. For instance, say you have your business logo printed on 100 water bottles to hand out at a pool party. During the holidays, you use a different company to print off t-shirts. Using two different companies, your logo turned out unique with each one in terms of font, color and quality.

As you can imagine, inconsistent logos can be confusing for your audience. You want your logo to be clean, simple and consistent at all times. Just think about the logos you see; you can always recognize an “A” for Amazon or “F” for Facebook. Something as simple as one letter and a color is all you need to brand your business, and having inconsistencies can interfere with the professionalism of your company.

Here are some tips for ensuring that your logo is always consistent:

– Use the same business name, logo or logotype.

– Choose a clear, easily digestible font and stick to it.

– Select a color scheme to use on your logo and throughout your marketing materials.

– Use lock-ups. This means that the way your logo and text is positioned becomes set.

– Utilize a consistent design system so that your business logo looks the same across business cards, printed materials and promotional items.

– Work with one company, such as a screen printing shop like Great Atlantic Outfitters. This ensures that the printing is always consistent across products.

Being consistent with your business logo makes business sense. You save money from not having to re-print materials, and your audience continues to have the same trust in your product or service. Consistent logos speak confidence, professionalism and trust, and they avoid confusion from new customers who may be hearing about your business for the first time.

Photo c/o: Billy Alexander

April 25, 2013

Uniforms Can Make or Break Your Business

c/o: Alessander Raker

Uniforms can be simple and sophisticated or unique and engaging. They may involve a simple black shirt with a company logo stitched on it, or they may include brightly colored clothes with badges and buttons. No matter how you look at it, uniforms are important to a company’s image. Even if you’re just starting out and don’t have a lot of money to invest in uniforms, you should have some type of consistency for your employees so that new customers don’t get the wrong idea about the professionalism and competence of your service.

What makes uniforms so important in the first place? Well, consider your first impression of a company. How would you view a restaurant where everyone is wearing the same black embroidered shirt with black pants versus a restaurant where employees are dressed casually in jeans, t-shirts and other clothing? Would you believe both restaurants to have the same professionalism? Could you tell the employees apart from the customers? Would you put trust in the long-term business of the restaurant?

Although simple, uniforms provide the following benefits to a business:

Branding – Allows consumers to associate certain individuals with a particular company or brand.

Consistency – All employees look the same and create a professional corporate image.

Competence – Uniforms indicate that the people wearing them have been trained by the company, are reliable and trustworthy and know the product or service.

Security – People dressed in uniforms are easier to trust, which comes in handy if your company works with sensitive information or items, such as valet parking or computer programs.

Organization – Instead of having employees with a need to express their creative freedom at work, all employees look organized and have a common ground. There is no need to worry about what employees are wearing, shouldn’t be wearing and the like. Uniforms make everything, well, uniform.

It’s true that uniforms can make or break a business. Just think about how you want your customers to view your business when they walk in. You want them to take your company seriously, put trust in your staff and feel good about referring your service to others. If money is a factor, remember that uniforms don’t have to be an investment. When you work with a screen printing shop like Great Atlantic Outfitters, you can save money on clothing from our wholesale prices, and put your trust in our own screen printing methods. The cost of uniforms is always offset by the professionalism that is brought to the business, which in turn raises the bottom line.

April 13, 2013

Promotional Items are Free Advertising

There is a reason why businesses continue to invest money in promotional items: it works. Average studies report that when a company’s name is printed on a promotional item, consumers are 76 percent more likely to remember the name. Additionally, approximately 75 percent of consumers keep the item. After all, you can’t argue with free stuff, and the wide selection of promotional items such as pens, pads of paper, drink KOOZIEs and magnets certainly come in handy for the average person.

Why Promotional Items Make the Difference

What makes promotional items worth their money is twofold. First, with the wide variety of promotional products to choose from, it’s easy to select practical, useful items that your customers will enjoy. These items serve as a way to say thank you to existing customers and bring in new customers by branding your company.

Second, promotional items give you free advertising. For instance, say you hand out screen printed water bottles at a trade show. These people then use their water bottles at school, work, the golf course, the swimming pool, picnics and the like. Other people then see your name screen printed on the water bottle and get familiar with your brand. The best part is, you can sit back and let the advertising do the work for you.

Practicality Comes First

What you should keep in mind is the practicality of the promotional item. Think of ways that the item may be used and how much exposure it will bring your company. While pens are popular promotional items, you’ll find that a screen printed coffee mug, water bottle or backpack will bring you more exposure. In fact, many businesses are turning to environmentally friendly products or technology-driven items, as these are more commonly used in today’s world. For example, reusable bags, headphones and cell phone accessories top the charts in terms of popularity.

The bottom line is that promotional items do more than give your customers something tangible. They brand your image, provide you with free advertising and continue to grow your customer base.

Blog sponsored by: Great Atlantic Outfitters

April 2, 2013

Best Screen Printing Ideas

c/o: etsy.com

Screen printing was one of the first methods of printing, and it’s still used today on all types of products, including T-shirts and CD covers. Basically, anything that can be stretched and printed on is sufficient for screen printing, and the ability to make a large number of copies at an affordable cost keep this type of printing at the forefront. Let’s take a look at some of the most fun ways you can use screen printing.

Wall Quotes

Wall decals are popular these days, but why not go the extra step and have a favorite quotation screen printed on the wall? Use fabric or paper to print the quotation on and hang it up in your home. The best part is that you have the freedom to experiment with different sizes and fonts instead of having to go with a standard decal.

Household Items

Looking to freshen up your home on a budget? Screen printing can be used on materials such as pillowcases, hand towels and bath towels. Monogram your towels to give them a special touch or turn your dish towels into seasonal hand towels.

Greeting Cards

Do you feel that you’re always running out for cards for birthdays, anniversaries and holidays? Take control of these days by screen printing greeting cards to have on hand. Make some for various events and keep them stocked so that you always have a card for those special people in your life.

Backpacks and Sports Bags

Whether your child goes to preschool or high school, screen printing is a fun way to personalize a backpack, laptop case or sports bag. Choose to screen print your child’s name or a special image, such as a photo of a baseball or soccer ball.

Napkins and Place Mats

Do you host the holidays? Then why not turn your napkins and place mats into something spectacular? Instead of having plain napkins on the day of the holiday, screen print them with a holiday tree, Easter eggs or a Thanksgiving turkey. Your guests will surely get a kick out of them!

Blog sponsored by: Great Atlantic Outfitters

March 22, 2013

Business Logo Trends and Predictions for 2013

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Real-time marketing is becoming more important than ever. Where we once planned for business campaigns ahead of time, it’s now more constructive to act in real-time. This year, look for these logo design trends that will take your business logo to another level.

Honest and Simple: Short, sweet and simple is in right now. Consumers like being able to look at a product and know what it has to offer in the first glance. Terms like ‘honest,’ ‘healthy,’ ‘wholesome’ or ‘simply’ are great words to add to these logos.

Watercolors: Everyone enjoys a dash of color, and watercolors are stylish and bright. Look for watercolors that leave behind splatters of paint for added color and personality.

Optical Illusions: What grabs your attention more than an optical illusion? These fun illusions are being used by more companies to draw in interest while being simple and unique. Next time you see a moiré, take the time to notice the brand name.

Geometric Shapes – Whether it’s mosaic-like patterns or solid boxes, geometric shapes are becoming the new standard for business logos. The advantage is that shapes are simple yet functional and leave room for color and fun.

Icons – Icons dominate in the app marketplace and have slowly crept into branding a logo. All you need is a sleek and stylish icon to download an app onto your mobile device, and we’ll surely be seeing more of this type of branding in 2013.

Overlays – Overlays and opacity are great ways to change a simple logo into something more fun and elegant. Since you can add a combination of color, overlays are also a great way to instill positive feelings about your brand.

Cool Fonts – Okay, so cool fonts have always been around, but they’re becoming even cooler. There are hundreds of fonts to choose from, and this small detail in itself can make a business logo stand apart from the rest.

These are just some of the most popular trends that we can expect to see in 2013. Also look for plant-inspired logos that signify growth and nature, color-coordinated compound words and crazy spokes and nodes that have a science-like feel to them. What logos are you seeing out there?

Blog sponsored by: Great Atlantic Outfitters

Photo c/o: evobranined

March 8, 2013

Promotional Items and Their Impact

Promotional products are items that are used to promote a company, product or service. Chances are, you’ve already given out promotional items for your own company, but you can’t help but wonder if these products have a lasting impact. In an increasingly competitive market where every dollar counts, you want to know that your money is going to the right means of advertising. Fortunately, we have good news to share on the power of promotional products.

The promotional products industry in the US is worth nearly $20 billion and shows steady growth each year. Here are the most popular types of promotional items that companies use:

Wearables
Stickers and decals
Bags
Writing instruments
Drinkware
Calendars
Sporting goods
Magnets
Housewares
Food
Buttons and badges
Desk and office items

There are a variety of reasons why promotional products continue to be the benchmark for smart advertising. For example, giving away free items with your company name and logo provides tangible, long-lasting impact and targets a specific audience. Plus, these products are flexible and easy to measure in terms of success.

A 2003 study carried out by Georgia State University found that people who received promotional items had a more positive image of the company and were more likely to refer the company to a friend. Additionally, the study found that 76.1 percent of those who received a promotional item remembered the company name, and 52 percent did business with the company. Studies have also looked at the relationship between promotional items at trade shows and have reported that booths with these items have a 176 percent increase in traffic.

Of course, there are other factors that play into successful promotional products. Not just any old item will do; it helps to offer a product that is attractive, has value and is of high quality. Many companies will try to offer products that resemble their logo or mascot, while others want items that are unique and won’t be found anywhere else. In most cases however, the item still links back to the purpose of the company. For example, a travel company may hand out frisbees, beach balls or sunglasses, while a bank may give away small piggy banks, wallets or safes.

The bottom line is that promotional items have a huge impact on the image of your company, and can make or break the relationships you have with your customers. So, make the most of your advertising budget with high-quality, fun and unique promotional items from Great Atlantic Outfitters.

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