I think I’ve mentioned in previous posts how much business can actually go on at the golf course. And while some of you might think I’m crazy, it’s absolutely true. If anything, it’s a place where a company, if playing their cards right, can get their image seen by a lot of people. Here are some great promotional golf products that can really score well on the golf course.

Not only are these products completely functional for a round of golf, but they also can serve as a great way to show off your logo on a cool product. Whether your golfing with a boss, friend, business partner, or potential client, these product can serve as a great, functional gift to these people. And everything they golf, with their friends, bosses, business partners, or potential clients, they will have a great product with your logo on it! This is an awesome concept and will work. So next time your client hits the links, let him be reminded of what your business and what you can do for them

Summer’s a great time for all kinds of outdoor activities. Swimming, biking, going to the park, whatever it might be, people are outside enjoying the sunshine. But when the sun’s down in the summer, there are always people camping. There are always people out by a lake, in their tent, RV, camper, whatever it may be, they’re out enjoying the summer by the campfire. Here’s an awesome product that could really help out!

Did I mention it’s on SALE? Definitely check this clever little flashlight out. And if you plan on enjoying it in the comfort of the great outdoors, you’ll love to know that it is environmentally-friendly. If you’re a company, this is a great product to slap your logo on and have people be reminded of your product even in the most remote places. A clever imprinted promo product like this will have people coming back wondering what you’ll do next and this traffic of course, means a stronger bottom-line.

Just like your marketing attempts, you want your promo products to stand out from the rest. A bland promo item doesn’t do a lot of good if it doesn’t catch someone’s eye, remind someone of your logo, or get your image out there. There are a lot of ways to differentiate your promo products from your competitors, but one way is with a great use of color. Here’s some ideas:

• Bright colors usually catch people’s eye, it doesn’t have to be neon or over-the-top, but bright strong colors can be great to get your logo stand out.
• Contrast your colors: using colors with each other can make your image stand out even more. Don’t let your imprinted message blend in with the rest of the product.
• Let the color of your promo product match the emotions your trying to get with it. If you’re going with a lighter message, often times it’s best to go with lighter, brighter colors, etc.

Adding color to your imprinted media is just one way to make it stand out. It seems simply, but if your logo stands out it’s easier for people to recognize it and remember what it stands for. When you shop for your promo product this year, opt for strong bright colors and not bland ordinary color.

I don’t know how hot it’s been where you live, but where I am it just cracked 100 degrees again and summer is clearly in full swing. With this in mind, it’s time for businesses to really think about what kind of promotions they can use during this time of year. What kind of activities are going on right now that a timely promo product can be involved with? Are there some specific imprinted promotional items that can really be used during this hot time of year? Here are some ideas:

• Beach Products: anything that can be used at the beach; towels, water bottles, Frisbees, sunglasses, anything that can be used at the beach will showing off your brand.
• Heat Stoppers: water bottles, umbrellas, spray bottles, visors, fans, anything that can help cool someone down, while sporting your logo!
• Golf Items: this is a huge golf season, take advantage of this with some timely promotion at the links. Plus, we all know how much business is done on the golf course, let your logo be seen on the course this summer.
• Garden and BBQ: whether it’s on the grill or in the yard, remind people of your brand during a great summer night!

These are just a few ideas of how your company can get some imprinted promotional items out in the sun this summer. This is the time of year people are out and about the most, enjoying the outdoors, the beach, parks, lakes….why not get your brand and your logo out there for people to see, while also providing a service for your buying public. Let the summer sizzle with great logo merchandise this year!

There’s the old saying in business that any publicity is good publicity. Any way that your company can get it’s name into the spotlight, paper, or TV is good because many people are hearing about your company and seeing your logo. While it’s hard to believe that ALL publicity is good, it’s worth believing that getting your name in the news is mostly a good thing. Promo products can be a good way to get this publicity. If your company comes up with a creative promo product, or maybe your company partners with a great event with a great promotion (like the pink ribbon for breast cancer awareness or the yellow Livestrong bracelet). Here are some great tips to gain some quality publicity:

• What’s your Goal? What do you hope to gain with this publicity? What kind of coverage do you hope to gain?
• What kind of emotions do you want people to carry from this publicity? WHO do you want to see your message?
• What’s the show-stopper? What’s going to make your news the kind of story that people want to listen to, or read? (Could be a great time for a promo product)

People may not read your story, or really focus on your publicity campaign based on your promotional product alone….BUT, a great promotional product can remind people of the story, or what the publicity stood for. Long after the story has passed and the publicity is gone some imprinted promotion can be the perfect reminder of your company’s message.

So get your name out there, create a stir, offer a great promotion and watch the traffic to your website, store, and product sky-rocket!

I’m inspired to write about customer service tonight because of a situation that happened to me mere hours ago. I purchased a coffee table three weeks ago and today it got in. My fiance and I were so excited to get it out of its box, constructed, and in the middle of our living room. When we opened the box and began construction, we realized they had actually given us the sofa table instead of the coffee table. After a quick call to the store the verdict was that I needed to hang onto the sofa table for tonight and call the manager tomorrow morning when the store opens.

Now as the company, what do you do?

It’s inevitable that there will be times that you have to face an angry customer, product shortage, price dispute, or some other hairy situation. There’s isn’t a company out there’s that so air-tight as to not run into these situations once in a while, if not daily. And what seems to make or break a company is how they handle or rebound from these situations. Here are some tips:

• Take Responsibility. There’s nothing a customer will hate more then to hear a laundry list of excuses why something didn’t get done, own up to the mistake
• Be Honest. Tell the customer what’s going on, what you’re doing to fix the situation, and what you believe to be the outcome. A trail of lies and fabrications will only push the customer further and further away.
• Give the Customer the Benefit of the Doubt. It’s hard to say the customer’s always right, but it’s certainly worth giving them your full understanding and much leniency
• Remind them that you Care. After a situation is taken care of quickly and efficiently, remind them that you appreciate their business, that you worked hard to straighten it out, and that if they have any problems in the future they should expect the same kind of service

These are just a few tips. Basic civility and courtesy will win over buyers and will keep them coming back even after tough situations. Remember, a well-handled situation can remind them why their doing business with you and while they’ll continue to use your services. It’s worth noting here that a well timed imprinted promotional item can be given to them as an apology gift and also as a reminder of how well you handled the situation. This can be a great use of a promotional item.

Anyways, I will certainly keep you all updated as to the status of my coffee table and the kind of customer service I receive.

My latest entry had to do with sending the right message as a company. How it’s important to portray the image, emotions, and language that you want your company to be all about. How it’s also good to use the right material to portray this message and the right environment to do it in. What I didn’t talk about was the people. Often times in this day and age, the distinguishing factor between your company and the next is your people. Those who make up your business, those who speak directly with the client, build your product, sell your product…these are the people that really need to sell your image, message, or idea more than anything else.

Everyday when your employees deal with an angry client, needy customer, or just a usual client, the type of attitude they have and emotions they invoke from those they deal with are the greatest message a company can send. This is first-hand experience for the buyer about the type of company you are and the kind of ideals you instill upon your employees…and there’s not enough word of mouth or marketing that can have the effect a great first-hand experience can have on a potential buyer/customer.

Marketing your message is one thing, but having the people to back that message up is SO crucial. Surround yourself with the right people, surround yourself with the kind of people that can portray your message, and ultimately, surround your business with the idea/message itself.

It’s important as a business to send the right message to your clients, customers, buyers, and potential customers. One of the worst things that a company can do is to send these people the wrong message or mixed messages that confuse them. Here are some tips to make sure you send the right message for your business:

• Think as the customer, think about what they want to here and how they will interpret the message you are sending
• Think of the emotional ties you want your message to have and if these emotions are present in your message
• Be able to clearly define your ideas. Nobody wants to hear a jumbled message or thoughts that are hard to put into words. You should be able to send your message clearly, confidently, and efficiently
• Stay consistent with your message. If you take a stand on an issue as a company, keep that stand and maintain the integrity of your business and message
• Promotional material can help you send the right message, just make sure it is consistent with the idea, theme, and emotion of your message

These are just a few helpful tips that will aid your company in sending the right message. Remember, a clear, confident, and consistent message communicates so many things to your buyers, clients, and future customers. A mixed or confusing message with deter future business and strain current relationships. Getting your message out there is important, but getting the RIGHT message out there, is invaluable.

In previous posts I’ve challenged you to find promotional material on a day to day basis. Whether it be a pen, water bottle, magnet, or any other kind of imprinted product, these are all products your bound to run into during the course of the day. But just for fun, I thought it’d be worth while to point out some famous promotional icons.

“Every now and then, a promotional product is so special that it compels consumers to throw open their wallets and purchase it. These clever products accomplished just that – and more…” This is the start to an article by Kenneth Hein pointing out some once in a lifetime promo icons while touching upon the branding-building, staying power, and advertising of promotional products.

Finish the rest of the article here and see what promotional products can do for you!

We’ve talked a lot about promotional products, how they help your marketing plan, how they improve your image, help brand, and can portray your company’s creativity and uniqueness. But WHO exactly are the top buyers of imprinted logo merchandise, WHO exactly is the most interested in using promotional products to improve their business practice. Here’s an idea:

• Education Industry: Schools, Universities, Seminars
• Financial: Banks, Credit Unions, Investment Firms
• Healthcare Industry: Hospitals, Clinics, Nursing Homes, Private Practices
• Non-Profit Organizations
• Construction: Contractors, Building Supplies
• Real Estate: Agents, Agencies
• Automotive Industry: Dealers, Manufacturers
• Government Agencies
• Insurance

Honestly, this is only a taste of the kinds of business that would be interested in using logo merchandise/promo products to promote their interests. Obviously their are some industries, like education and financial, that will utilize these tools more, but it’s important to see who broad the promotional product net is. There are very few industries out there that you can honestly say don’t, or at some point haven’t, utilized some sort of imprinted product to get their image out there.

As you go about your everyday life, try and see exactly how much you see this kind of marketing and what this could do for you and your business!