Every business owner knows that advertising is guaranteed to be the most expensive item in the startup or maintenance of any business. Rent, utilities, inventory, and equipment are all incredibly cheap compared to the cost of marketing. The question facing all small business owners is how to market effectively? Websites, newspaper ads, direct mail, and door to door marketing all have a high price tag with a relatively low return rate. While these are time-tested marketing solutions, we always have to think of new and more cost effective ways to get our message and our image to potential customers.

In today’s ecologically friendly world, sturdy reusable bags and totes are a perfect marketing vector. They are easy to customize with original logos or graphic designs, and can be ordered in bulk for relatively little money. They’re a great way to add value to any business, generating extra sales, and to get your name, image, and services into potential customer minds. The average customer rate on direct mail marketing is two people in ten taking a serious look at the advertised item. That’s not the rate of customers buying the product or service, just looking at it. After they finally decide to use the product or service, you have the added expense of ensuring repeat business. Tote bags guarantee repeat consumer exposure, thus increasing the return rate for both initial and repeat business. In addition, totes and bags are a softer sell than direct mail or door to door. Consumer avoidance is legendary throughout the advertising industry, and affects direct mail campaigns worst of all. Everyone throws out ninety-nine percent of the junk mail that comes to the mailbox, but very few would throw away a sturdy, useful bag. In addition, whenever the tote is used in public, new consumer exposure increases by leaps and bounds.

One of the requirements of this advertising tactic is quality. Any given tote that is meant for repeat business must be made of sturdy, quality materials, or it will be a consumer turn-off. It is said that in business, you have to spend money to make money, but the question this old saw doesn’t address is how to get the most bang from your advertising buck and turn a profit. No one can afford to throw money away on an advertising product that doesn’t perform, or worse, drives consumers away. Please, do not skimp on quality goods to place a quality logo on, the company’s reputation is at stake. Impressions, once formed, are next to impossible to change in the customer mind.

Speaking of logos, a quality logo is a must as well. There is no point in spending the money to advertise with quality tote bags when the company’s logo is poorly designed. A good logo should be clear, crisp, and easy to understand. It should convey the services or products the company provides quickly and with wide appeal. With the advent of the Internet, it can be quite efficient to hire a good graphics company to come up with a logo in any file format. JPEG is the most popular graphics format, and easy to transmit to any customizable tote company, but an individual tote company may have a different formatting requirement, so be sure to ask.

If you decide to use custom totes and bags in your business marketing practices, these tips will ensure the maximum customer response while optimizing the advertising budget. Good luck, and happy ownership!

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

Area Demographics

First, do research on your area demographics. Find out how many people are in your area you wish to market to, and what their living circumstances are. For example, do you have a lot of large families? A bunch of single twentysomethings? What product you choose to market with will change depending on this information, so do get it.

I recommend: For cheap demographic information, the U.S. Census can't be beat. It's free.

Finding Quality Totes and Bags

Go to your local Wal-Mart and take a physical look at the totes and bags they have for sale. See which ones feel flimsy, and which ones feel sturdy. Take notes, and then go online to Google and put in promotional totes and bags. Look for how the better quality totes are advertised as a reliable channel marker for good merchandise. And don't be afraid ask for a sample.

I recommend: Google, Yahoo, MSN, and the Yellowpages are the best places to start research on quality totes and bags.

Graphic Design

You can easily find either a template program or a professional graphic designer to assist in your logo creation. Keep the logo simple, clean, and make sure it says exactly what you want about your company.

I recommend: For some of the best graphic designers on the Internet, I highly suggest DeviantArt. Another marketplace to find them is iFreelance. StockLayouts.com has a huge variety of customizable templates for your individual creation needs.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Design your tote to suit your target demographic. Busy mothers will not appreciate nor use a tiny and funky bag designed for a twentysomething single man.
• •  Again, do not skimp on quality. Whether you're selling or giving them away, a flimsy, cheap tote will only degrade your business reputation