Making the most of promotional letter openers involves more than just having a bucket of them on the front desk free for the taking. With creativity and a bit of elbow grease, you can distribute promotional items to your clients in practical and fun ways.

Customized letter openers are a great way to connect with your clients. A well thought out advertisement will let your customers know your goals, message and contact information all on a simple letter opener. As you consider your options for marketing, consider these ways of making the most of promotional letter openers:

1. Select letter openers shaped to resemble a symbol of your industry.

2. Get more exposure with multi-functioning letter openers.

3. Give high-quality letter openers as customer and employee incentives.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Choose a business promotional letter opener that represents your business

A simple letter opener will be enough to get your logo and contact information to your clients, but it may not make a lasting impression. Choose a letter opener that represents your business to make the most of your marketing. Promotional letter openers are available in many shapes: House-shaped openers are perfect for a realtor or mortgage broker, an at symbol is a clever solution for an Internet-based business and a heart would work well for a cardiologist.

I recommend: 4imprint has several cleverly shaped advertising promotional letter openers. Browse its entire inventory to find a solution for your industry. Another company that sells shaped letter openers is rushImprint. It has several openers to choose from.

Select personalized letter openers that have more than one function

Any product that performs more than one task will get more visibility than a standard version. There are several useful gadgets that companies have paired with letter openers to make them handier. Aim the function of the gadget to your clientele. Companies that work with older people can purchase letter openers paired with a magnifying glass, or teacher supply stores can pair letter openers with staple removers or rulers.

I recommend: Branders is a promotional supply company that carries several multi-purpose letter openers. It carries a five in one tool that opens pop tops and CDs, removes staples, opens letters and is a screen cleaner. Promo Direct is another company that sells several different types of multi-purpose letter openers. It has a 100% low-price guarantee.

Give a business letter opener as an employee incentive or customer prize

Reward hard working employees and valued clients with an engraved letter opener. An engraved letter opener is a classy way of marketing; it will last for years and be a frequent reminder of your services to employees and clients.

I recommend: Choose from a selection of metal letter openers at Quality Logo Products. It has several metal openers to choose from. The Silver Gallery sells a selection of pewter and sliver letter openers, which you can engrave. It offers free shipping for qualifying orders.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Make the most of promotional letter openers by distributing them through bulk mailings, conferences, trade shows, grand openings and holiday parties.

Okay. So you like your morning cup o’ joe, and surely your clients do, too. But really, how many coffee cups does one person need? Soon, everyone’s cupboards are filled up with mug after mug. They have the white one with the cute company logo, and it’s likely the blue one with big white block letters of the business name is hidden in the back of the cupboard.

Sure, the basic white mug is a classic in the promotional industry…always will be. It’s an industry standard. You know, it’s what the classic black dress is to the fashion world: a staple. A simple garment that has withstood the test of time each year, adding a slightly different twist on the trusted standby.

But before your clients’ routine gifts find a place collecting dust in the closet, it may be time to take a new approach in finding the perfect promotional items.

Rule #1: Yes, promotional gifts are necessary and effective.

Rule #2: No, don’t do the norm and ordinary when choosing an effective way to make a lasting impression for your company.

In an industry that coughs up more than $18 billion dollars in business, successful companies are groomed to understand the importance of how promotional products can enhance the growth of their business. But what is key in understanding the biz is to identify what products will be most effective for your company. From t-shirts to pens to calendars, the promotional industry offers thousands of unique products to choose from. So, in order to stand out from a sea of pens and cups, try being a little bit more daring by choosing items known for their individuality and functionality.

By following a few simple steps, the next time your in the market to order your promotional items, you’ll be able to find fresh and innovative ideas to keep your company name out there for the long haul.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

#1 Match Your Product To Your Business Goals

Ask yourself, ‘What are you trying to accomplish by handing out these gifts?’ For example, if you are looking for something to create an idea of relaxation in the office, go for something practical and unique by handing out Stress Balls to all employees. Items for the office always make great choices and they especially have extended shelf-lives. According to Tamara Trim, who has spent many years in sales and marketing for the hotel industry, Stress Balls serve as a fun and lasting impression for her clients. “The stress balls are a great choice because they stay on the desk, which keeps the company logo out there. Basically, they are an inexpensive way to keep our company top of mind.”

I recommend:
If you are considering custom stress balls for your next promotion, I would highly recommend trying a few different shapes and styles first, ordering the minimum quantity for each, as opposed to ordering 1,000 of just ONE shape. There's is no sense in putting all of your eggs in one basket. Handing out multiple shapes at the same show will help you determine which stress balls is most popular with your target demographic, and more importantly, which shape has the largest impact on your bottom line.

The trick is to try and locate stress balls with similar imprint areas so you can receive combination pricing (250 Product A + 250 Product B = 500 Piece Price for A and B) and reuse the same setup charge over and over again.

#2 Keep The Company Logo And Colors In Mind

Think of yourself as the cheerleader of the company…sis…boom…bah! Tie in your gifts with the company colors or logo. By adding this small attention to detail, your promotional gift will soon turn into a keepsake that everyone will want to display. Especially if the business has a unique color in their logo, something that you wouldn’t typically find on a standard color wheel. Simply get a piece of the company letterhead to take with you when ordering the items to ensure a great match.

I recommend:
Checking with your logo products supplier to see which standard ink colors they offer before placing an order. More often than not, most promotional product manufacturer's will require you to pay an additional fee for a custom ink match (referred to as a PMS Color Match). When trying to match the item or imprint color to your company's colors it is highly recommend that you contact someone in your marketing department for your company's logo uses and requirements.

This color code or PMS Color is used to precisely match ink colors for printing. Each hue has a coded number indicating instructions for mixing inks to achieve that hue. Whenever ordering multiple promotional products, especially for the same event, show, or customer - it is EXTREMELY important that you specify the SAME imprint color to be used for each item otherwise your yellow imprint on your mug may look gold when sitting next to your t-shirt.

A great source to view available Pantone colors can be found by visiting here.

#3 Be Conscious Of The Budget

There are so many items to choose from in the world of promotional products, it’s easy to satisfy any budget. Figure out how much you can spend per item, and how many pieces you need. Do the math, then narrow down your choices as to what will fit into your budget.

I recommend:
Focusing more on the return on investment (ROI) that the promotional product has to offer and not so much the initial investment itself. Sure, money is important, but what does it say about your company when you give a potential client a $.18 pen that breaks moments later?

For a great source of over 9,000 hand picked promotional products for ANY budget I recommend visiting Quality Logo Products, Inc. where they allow you to search and sort by price (low to high and high to low).

#4 Be Creative

Go beyond the ordinary. If you want mugs, go for ones with special effects like the disappearing ink trick, where your company logo magically appears whenever a hot beverage is poured into it. If you’re a pen person, think of ones that double as a carabiner, or lights up, or has a calendar. Consider mouse pads that do double duty as a calendar…you get the idea.

I recommend:
Ordering unique promotional products. Something you never tried or seen before. There is nothing worse than two similar companies showing up to a trade show, event, or outing distributing the SAME promotional product. Potential clients will become confused, yielding your promotional marketing efforts useless. Play it safe by choosing a promotional product you feel comfortable with, making sure you are not selecting something you've received at a previous showing or event.

Your promotional products advisor should be able to help you locate or identify new promotional products that should fit both your operational and fiscal needs.

#5 Consider Useful Items

Again, you might be adding some pizzazz in the piece by finding the new-fangled cup or the latest and greatest, trendiest pen, but these items are still practical and will get used on a daily basis. The whole idea is to find pieces that will be around for a long time…leaving a lasting impression of the specific company.

I recommend:
Locating a logo item that is attractive and functional. What good is a stapler remover to a client who works in a "paperless" office space? What IT engineer needs a compact sewing kit? Be sure to consider your target audience in addition to identifying your promotional marketing goals. Ask yourself, what might my client need or consider handy? Just as with your regular product or service offerings, your promotional product should fill your customer's needs, wants, wishes, or desires.

If your a lumber company looking to market yourself to contractors on a tight budget, why not consider a custom carpenter pencil?

Making sure your promotional giveaway aligns itself well with your company image or marketing message will go a long way in increasing brand awareness.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When putting your gift list together, keep in mind that no matter what dollar amount you do spend, the value of the imprinted products far exceeds the initial cost. You’ll find that many people will keep their gifts for more than a year, or even two or three, all the while thinking about your company on a daily basis. Now, you can’t put a dollar amount on that!

Personalized letter openers are a smart alternative to pens for business advertising. Letter openers are handy both at home and in the office, making them a sure fire way to remind your clients of your services. Whether sending an engraved letter opener as a thank you to new clients or sending personalized letter openers to all your clients, there is a letter opener priced for your budget.

Companies can engrave your company logo or other information on pewter and other metal letter openers. Most companies discount the pricing for the majority of promotional products when you purchase large quantities. There is generally a minimum order of 250 for promotional products. As you search for pricing and costs of promotional letter openers, consider the following:

1. Purchase dual-purpose customized letter openers, which combine a letter opener with another office tool like staple removers, magnets or rulers.

2. Send an engraved business letter opener, which is the most expensive type of letter opener, to valued clients.

3. Get economy priced letter openers for discount prices.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Use dual-purpose promotional letter openers

Keep customers using your promotional letter opener when you purchase dual-purpose openers. The type of office tool combined with the letter opener varies. These types of customized letter openers run as little as 50 cents to around a dollar for each letter opener.

I recommend: Marco sells letter openers that also function as staple removers. Its minimum purchase is 250, and it discounts its prices for larger orders. Another company that sells dual-purpose letter openers is Quality Logo Products. Look through its entire listing of products to find pen-light openers, ruler openers and magnet/letter clip letter openers.

Distribute engraved letter openers to top clients

When you are working to woo your most valuable clients, send them an engraved letter opener. Engraved letter openers are a practical and thoughtful gift to give to clients. The price range for engraved letter openers is $5 to $20.

I recommend: Absorbent, Ink. sells several different letter openers that you can engrave with your company logo or any other information. Besides the standard letter openers, it also carries dual-purpose openers. USimprints is another company that offers engraving on promotional letter openers. It will beat the price of any competitor.

Price budget friendly personalized letter openers

When working with a lower budget, look to economy priced promotional letter openers. Several options are available when it comes to displaying your company logo on promotional letter openers: companies can print your logo directly on the openers, slip your business cards into clear windows or apply labels to the openers. You can expect to pay between 50 cents and $2 for economy priced letter openers.

I recommend: Idlebrook Promotional Products sells several styles of promotional letter openers. WestSky Promotions also sells budget-friendly promotional letter openers.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Many promotional product companies will send out free samples of their products before you order. Get samples of advertising promotional letter openers from several companies to compare product quality and pricing.

Many marketing planners choose promotional letter openers to get their business' name into the public sphere. While many household letter openers are simple "sword" shaped designs, promotional letter openers tend to have a more involved design that allows room for logos and business names. If you're considering promotional items for your business or organization, learn a few promotional letter openers key terms before you begin your selection process.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Dual function letter openers

Dual function letter openers are items with another function in addition to opening letters. There are ruler letter openers (letter openers including rulers), stapler letter openers, and much more.

I recommend: Find out more about dual use promotional letter openers and design tips at Art Promos.

Business card letter opener

The business card letter opener is so popular in the business community that it has its own acronym (BCLO). A business card letter opener has space for the giver's business card allowing for easy promotion.

I recommend: See more on business card letter openers at Friends of Uncle Jay.

Chadders and slitters

Chadders and slitters are two types of letter openers. The chadder cuts a piece off of the envelope, while a slitter opens a neat seam at the top of an envelope. Promotional letter openers are generally hand-held slitters.

I recommend: See more on chadders and slitters at AllBusiness.

Exposure

Lots of promotional experts talk about the relative value of 'exposure' when discussing promotional products. Many experts talk up promotional letter openers because letter openers are small and widely used in office settings.

I recommend: See more about the exposure value of letter openers at Promotional Pro, as well as other details about how these little items are generally designed.

Pewter

As a tin alloy, pewter is a popular lower cost metal solution for crafting promotional letter openers and a lot of other small objects.

I recommend: Get a detailed definition of pewter at WiseGeek. See a range of pewter letter openers at Shirley Pewter Shop.

Magnetic letter openers

An additional design feature for some promotional letter openers is a magnetic element. Magnetic letter openers include a magnet piece for attachment to metal surfaces.

I recommend: See more about magnetic promotional letter opener styles at UC-URBANA.