Plastic bags can be a very important tool for your business. Custom printed plastic bags can get your company name out in the marketplace and potentially bring you new business. And other types of personalized plastic bags can offer something to your customer that they are unlikely to forget where it came from.

Plastic bags have a variety of uses, making them very versatile and helpful to your overall business plan. Figuring out ways to incorporate wholesale plastic bags into your business can open up new doors and lead to an even more prosperous business. Consider the following when making the most of plastic bags:

1. Have specialized plastic bags made for your next professional conference or trade show.

2. When potential clients or other businesses visit your workplace, hand out your company information in plastic bags with logos.

3. Offer samples or other giveaways in your retail store that are stuffed inside plastic merchandise bags.

Action Steps
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Take custom printed plastic bags with you to your next professional event

Conferences and trade shows are full of take-home gifts and company information. Make your handouts stand out by offering them in their own personalized plastic bag. That way all of the other giveaways that other businesses pick up will go inside of your company's bag. And when conference-goers go to sift through everything they acquired, they will be less likely to forget about your business because they will be easily reminded of your company just from the bag they took home with them.

I recommend: Bags OnTheNet.com offers many plastic bag styles you can have customized. Bagbarn.com is a plastic bag distributor where you can purchase wholesale shopping bags.

Keep company information packets inside customized plastic bags

Rather than just handing potential clients a stack of company information, hand it to them inside of a personalized plastic bag. The plastic bag will not only keep all of the information in a safe place for your potential client but it will be more convenient for them as well. The bag in and of itself will serve as another reminder of your company and what you are offering to them as a client.

I recommend: Aplasticbag.com has customized plastic bags that will fit any type of information you would like to include. You can also have custom plastic bags made at 4imprint.

Give out samples and giveaways inside plastic bags with company logo designs

At a retail store your customers shouldn't have to purchase something to leave with an impression from your store. As a new business or maybe during a special promotion, consider handing out samples or other tokens of your appreciation inside of plastic bags to show your thanks to customers that took the time to stop at your store. Clear plastic bags will allow the potential customers to show off what they received just by stopping through.

I recommend: InkHead Promotional Products offers customized plastic bags in different shapes and sizes. MARCO Promotional Products offers several plastic bag choices.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When choosing the style of plastic bag you want, be sure to know ahead of time what you plan on putting inside. If you are going to put small, easily lost items inside, think about going with a drawstring bag. If you are handing out papers, go for a die-cut handle plastic bag.

Plastic shopping bags, plastic take-out bags, plastic trash bags -- plastic bags may not generate a lot of excitement on your business agenda, but these often overlooked items are essential to many businesses. For instance, plastic bags are a staple in retail and restaurant operations. For these businesses, personalized plastic bags can play a vital role in an overall marketing plan. With the right plastic shopping bags, you can build your brand and reinforce your company image. And when customers leave your establishment carrying pre-printed plastic bags with your company name and logo, they become a walking billboard for other consumers to see.

Plastic bags have dozens of other critical uses in the business arena, including plastic trash bags, plastic storage bags and more.

To get the most bang for your buck from plastic bags:

1. Choose plastic retail bags in colors and styles that fit the image of your business.
2. Make sure your plastic bags are sturdy enough to hold your products without breaking.
3. Use personalized plastic bags with your store name, logo and perhaps your phone number, street address or website address.
4. Follow vendor guidelines when providing artwork for personalized plastic bags.

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

Plastic retail bags

Plastic shopping bags come in hundreds of styles - from bargain-basement basic varieties to unique upscale versions. The best plastic retail bags for your business depend largely on your industry - a hardware store has very different needs than an upscale clothing boutique. Also, you need to consider the size and weight of your merchandise when choosing plastic shopping bags.

I recommend: Find plastic retail bags, such as plastic handle bags, Euro shopper plastic bags, plastic tote bags and preprinted plastic bags in numerous styles at Paper Mart, Uline Shipping Supplies  and Action Bag Company.

Plastic take-out bags for restaurants

Many restaurants depend on a thriving take-out business to meet their financial goals. That means you need an ample supply of plastic take-out bags with handles for to-go orders. Printing plastic take-out bags with your company name, logo and phone number increases awareness about your restaurant.

I recommend: Find plastic take-out bags at Uline Shipping Supplies and a variety of foodservice bags at BagBarn.com.

Pre-printed plastic bags

If you want to curb costs, check into pre-printed plastic bags that work for retail or restaurants.

I recommend: The Nu-Era Group offers pre-printed plastic bags that say 'Thank You'.

Promotional plastic bags for trade shows

If trade shows play a part in your marketing plan, promotional plastic bags are an ideal giveaway. Imprinting your company name and/or logo on promotional plastic bags turns these simple totes into a walking calling card.

I recommend: TradeshowExhibitor.com and Affinity Bag Co. offer a wide variety of promotional plastic bags for your trade show needs.

Plastic bags for office supplies

When it comes to plastic trash bags and plastic storage bags for everyday office use, you can find an adequate variety at major office supply stores.

I recommend: Visit Office Depot or OfficeMax to order plastic trash bags and plastic storage bags.

Industrial plastic bags

To store equipment parts and other materials, industrial plastic bags are a popular and affordable choice. Anti-static plastic bags are especially useful for some industries, such as the computer and electronics fields.

I recommend: Find industrial plastic bags at Uline Shipping Supplies, BagBarn.com or CentralPack.com.

Recycled plastic bags

Recycled plastic bags don't have to be dull or ugly. In fact, recycled plastic bags come in a variety of colors and styles that look just as good as non-recycled plastic bags. For retailers, going green can improve your image with environmentally conscious consumers.

I recommend: Visit Earthpack for a variety of recycled plastic bags that can be personalized with your name and logo.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Be sure that your personalized plastic bags are easy to read from a distance.
• •  Track your plastic bag usage and order accordingly to avoid running out of bags or overstocking.
• •  It pays to invest in good quality plastic bags. Consumers are more likely to re-use high-quality plastic bags, which provide you with free advertising.

Plastic bags are one of those items that you may not have put much thought into for your business. However, personalized plastic bags may play a larger role in your marketing plan than you would have thought. Plastic bags are an inexpensive way to get your company name on the streets and into the homes of consumers everywhere.

You can purchase basic plastic bags for as little as a few cents a piece. Custom printed plastic bags will run closer to 10 or 15 cents a piece for plastic T-shirt bags. Larger bags, possibly with rope handles, run more in the 50 cents to $1 range. Consider the following when evaluating the pricing and costs of plastic bags:

1. Buying wholesale plastic bags can save you money.

2. Plastic bags with logos can be customized for your business.

3. Plastic bags come in a variety of styles, sizes and durability.

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

Buy plastic bags in bulk

Many suppliers of plastic bags require that you purchase a minimum number of plastic bags. If you know you are going to need the plastic bags eventually, it pays to buy several cartons at a time. Saving a few dollars per carton can add up if you are buying multiple cartons. The difference between ordering 1,000 and 5,000 plastic bags is approximately $3 per carton of 1,000. That equals a savings of $15 on one order. If you go through plastic merchandise bags quickly, ordering wholesale shopping bags will be helpful to your bottom line.

I recommend: Uline is a plastic bag distributor where you can buy plastic bags in bulk. Paper Mart, too, sells plastic retail bags in large quantities.

Have plastic bags customized for your business

One of the keys to having plastic bags work for you is to plaster your company name on the outside. Whether just your company logo is on the bag or the entire bag is printed with a picture or design that represents your company, plastic bags can be an important marketing tool. Custom plastic bags run slightly more than plain plastic bags. You can purchase custom plastic T-shirt bags for around 10 cents a piece. You will also have to factor in extra charges for multiple printed colors and setup fees. These fees can run upward of $50 per order.

I recommend: Places like Premier Packaging have several plastic bag options you can customize for your business. You can also have plastic bags made for your company at 4 All Promos.

Decide on the type of plastic bag you would like to purchase

The price of plastic bags is ultimately due to the durability of the bag and any accessories such as handles and drawstrings that you want on the bag. Frosted plastic bags can cost on average 50 cents per bag for orders of 1,000 or more bags. The same frosted bag would cost around $1 a piece for minimum orders of around 100 bags. Drawstring bags generally run around 50 cents a piece but aren't offered in as many colors as some of the other choices. Depending on the size, colored supergloss plastic retail bags can be purchased for around 30 cents a piece.

I recommend: Absorbent, Ink. carries several plastic bag varieties. Plastic BagMart, too, carries everything from clear plastic bags to drawstring plastic bags.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Think about purchasing a few different styles of plastic bags for your business. You can use the cheaper 10-cent bags for small items and larger printed bags for larger items that people passing by are more likely to notice.

There are a variety of ways that a business can use plastic bags to help promote a brand. Even businesses that want to show an environmental side can utilize plastic bags by opting to use recycled ones. Knowing plastic bags key terms can help you determine specifications like the size and weight of the bags that will best suit your goals. The terms can also help you analyze which type of bag would best promote your brand.

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

Size

When it comes to plastic bags, the size can refer to the dimensions for the entire bag, or it can refer to the size of the plate. Manufacturers of plastic bags use plates to stamp information, like logos or names, onto the plastic.

I recommend: View an example of the way that size affects plastic bags at Freedom Plastic Bags, which provides both the size of the plastic bags and the size of the plate for each of its products.

Compostable

If you care what happens to your bags after consumers leave your store, you might want to know the key term compostable. These bags are biodegradable so they will decompose at a faster rate than regular plastic bags.

I recommend: Eco-products carries a line of compostable plastic bags. To learn more about this key term, read the in-depth descriptions for the bags, which provide the rate of degradation.

T-shirt bags

A plastic bag with loop handles is a T-shirt plastic bag. Retailers such as grocery stores often provide T-shirt plastic bags to customers.

I recommend: You can look at pictures of different types of T-shirt plastic bags at Uline Shipping Supplies, which carries plain and colored bags.

Anti-static

An anti-static bag reduces the risk of static electricity damaging a product. These types of bags work well for business owners selling electronic equipment like computers or iPods.

I recommend: Universal Plastic provides information on its line of anti-static plastic bags and offers an informative description of the damage these bags help prevent.

Recycled

While most people are familiar with the term recycled, when it comes to plastic bags key terms, this can mean a variety of things. It can mean that a manufacturer used a small percentage of recycled material to make the bag, or it can mean that the entire bag utilizes 100 percent recycled material.

I recommend: Plus Packaging breaks down the recycled materials used in its product line so that you can tell what the term recycled means with relevance to the product you want to order.

Personalized

A personalized bag, also called a customized bag, is one that is unique to your store. Usually, you order the graphic preprinted on the bags so that when the bags arrive, you can open the box and be ready to hand out the bags. Whether you design your own artwork or hire a graphic designer, if you select a design different from the stock designs, you've ordered a personalized bag.

I recommend: ArtPromos.com provides examples of personalized plastic bags. It shows what your customized bag can look like on a variety of colored bags.