Year Long Advertisements

As I think more and more about practical promotions and gifts for customers, employees, and others, one particular product seems easily forgotten. I attribute this primarily to the sheer amount of use this item gets, as well as the number of styles this product comes in. Sitting at my desk, I have 4 of them in sight. There are 3 in my kitchen as well. If you want your promotional message appreciated, kept and looked at multiple times every day, then there is no better medium than the calendar.

Calendars are, plain and simply, useful. Think about it. The true measure of the practicality of an advertising specialty is whether your customer will spend their own money to buy one if you don't give it to them. I know that I would buy calendars. As a matter of fact, I give a wall calendar every year to my daughters as a Christmas present. Though they are twenty-somethings, my girls still look forward to their yearly calendar.

As I said, calendars come in many shapes, sizes, and styles to fit your needs. The most common is the 12 or 13 month wall calendar. Other popular standards are the the desk calendar, the desk pad calendar (you know the kind, the one that gets buried by paper and your keyboard) and the pocket planner. But that doesn't even scratch the surface. Calendars can fit on computer keyboards, mouse pads, wallet cards, pencil holders and even on ink pens. We have the vinyl self-stick calendars for the car or workshop, and magnetic calendars for your prospect's refrigerator that will stay on their refrigerator all year, and maybe longer. Why longer? Because magnets on the refrigerator are useful beyond the date. I still have a 2008 calendar magnet on my refrigerator from a local real estate agent that is holding up my favorite recipe for chocolate truffle tart.

Calendars are a gift that is greatly appreciated by customers because they are USED. But don't just send them to customers or prospects. Think about the types of businesses that can send you referrals. Mortgage companies get most of their referrals from real estate agents, for instance. An auto body shop might get referrals from repair shops that don't do body work; cleaning services from plumbers or HVAC contractors who see a lot of water damaged homes, etc. Get your calendar on their wall as well. Imagine someone fresh from a fender-bender sitting in the repair shop waiting for the car to get fixed and wondering how much the body work will cost. There is your calendar on the wall behind the counter...who will they call?

Just a little side note. Most of our wall calendar vendors offer special pricing for ordering your calendars early in the year. The savings are substantial. If you are certain that your logo, address and contact information are not going to change, then take advantage of the specials and order early. Once the order is placed, we will print them, send you the bill, store them for free and ship the calendars to you in the fall when you need them. Once it is printed, though, we cannot change the imprint. Here is the sale information from just one of our vendors.

Steve
www.raggo.com

Keeping It Practical

As I mentioned previously, practical, every day items imprinted with your advertising message will make great additions to your next business promotion. The more often a customer uses a product with your business name and logo, they more they are reminded of you and the less likely they are to forget about your great product or service. Practicality is what makes promotional products a superior advertising medium...they have perceived value. I don't believe a customer has ever thanked me for running a radio, newspaper or television ad. But while I am handing someone an item that they want or need, an item that they likely would or have already spent their own money to purchase, I often hear a sincere thank you. Though not (usually) an everyday item, an umbrella is a great promotional product because of its practicality and high perceived value.

I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been caught in the rain without an umbrella. We’ve all had those days, perfectly sunny in the morning when we leave for work and then an afternoon downpour hits. Racing from the office to the car with my portfolio over my head...getting drenched and wondering why I can never remember to pick up an extra umbrella for the office and maybe one for the car as well. Your prospective or current customers have likely had the same experience, so they know the value of that umbrella and will appreciate your thoughtfulness in picking one up for them.

Umbrellas come in all sizes. Large golf umbrellas are great when you’re sponsoring a tournament. Their size also makes them perfect home or office use. Larger umbrellas are able to handle really heavy downpours because of their larger canopy. They also offer a bigger imprint area, so keep that in mind. Because of their size, storage and shipping can be a bit of a hassle, but large umbrellas make up for it in their durability and their, simply put, ability to keep you dry!

A word about venting. Vented umbrellas like the one shown above, allow strong wind gusts to pass through the canopy and help prevent the umbrella from inverting or breaking apart in big storms. Both golf umbrellas and folding umbrellas can be vented. The venting costs more, but your customer knows it has a higher value.

My daughter hates getting caught in the rain, and so she has invested in several telescopic umbrellas. She likes these for their portability. Folded up, they fit in her purse, glove compartment, and anywhere else she hides them. (I think she has two in a junk drawer.) One of her favorites is the 37-inch umbrella with a traveling case from Hit Promotional. Zipped up, it takes up all of six or seven inches worth of space, unfolds to a full size, and the bright lime green is a little pick me up on those dreary days. Other colors are available.

Want to be a hero...put an extra one of these in your briefcase or car and be sure to carry it into a rainy day networking event. When it is your time to introduce yourself to the group, mention that you have an extra and ask if anyone needs an umbrella. I am certain that you will see a number of hands in the air and a relieved smile on the face of the prospect you hand it to. They won't forget you quickly.

Steve
www.raggo.com

Another New Start

I want to apologize for the length between blogs; things have been busy in the Raggo business and household as I am sure that they have been in yours. I did a better job of keeping in touch in 2010, though and will continue to improve in the years ahead. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season! I know I did and let me be one of the first to wish you a Merry Christmas 2011!

Now, it’s a brand new year. Happy 2011! While working out resolutions in our personal lives, we sometimes forget it’s a good time to reevaluate our business goals and take steps to improve our sales, service, and (of course) profits. The beginning of a new year is a great chance to think about where you want to go and how to get there. We have great sale pricing on many of the items you need and pledge to keep the sales current throughout this year.

In the past few years, we have been tried with difficult economic times. We have had to make sacrifices and turn our attention to filling our basic needs, ignoring frivolity and fun. There have been trends in the consumer market reflecting this return to basics. Think... packing lunches, walking or riding bikes instead of driving, and other more thrifty practices. I will be writing a few upcoming blogs on some of these practical products to help you keep your business on your customers’ minds.

Right now though, I’d like to mention a gift for your customers that is just plain fun. While the dreary days of winter are wrapping up, you can give a gift to your customers to help brighten their home or garden. Seed packets and seed papers are available in a variety of shapes and sizes and at very economical prices as well. Bright daisies, forget-me-nots, and all types of herbs are available in a number of unique packaging choices. They make great Earth Day promotions (April 22, 2011), too.

Indoor plant kits are also available, for those with less of a green thumb. I’m a fan of the Sunflower kit. This four-inch pot is small enough for a window sill and the pop of yellow from the sunflower will brighten anyone’s day.

As the doldrums of winter drag on, a gift of seeds or a growing kit are a great way to remind customers that spring is indeed on the way.

Happy New Years everyone!

Steve
www.raggo.com