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Matt Alderton

Guide to Finding Great Promotional Gifts & Products

Recruit and retain customers with personalized promotional items

By Matt Alderton, Writer, Editor and Media Consultant, Logolepsy Custom Content and Communications

Consumers in the information age are exposed to a continuous stream of electronic messaging; it flows past them via laptops, TVs and digital music players, fast and fleeting. Businesses that send lasting messages via tangible products — personalized promotional items such as T-shirts or pens, which sit on a customer's desk for weeks, months or even years — have a leg up on their fast-moving competitors. Corporate promotional gifts will:
  1. Build brand recognition.
  2. Reward current customers.
  3. Attract new prospects.

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


Clothing as personalized promotional items

T-shirts, hats or jackets embroidered with your company name and logo turn your customers and employees into walking advertisements.
I recommend: Customize clothing of all types in all sizes with merchandise from LOGOSportswear.com or AceLogoGear.com.

Magnets as promotional merchandise

Magnets with your phone number or Web site make inexpensive business promotional items that put your business name in thousands of local kitchens, where customers will see it every time they open the fridge.
I recommend: Purchase a variety of custom magnets — from business card magnets to calendars and memos — online from Magnets.com or Fridgedoor.com.

Key chains as business promotional items

Put your business name in your customers' pockets with these inexpensive personalized promotional items, popular among consumers for their portability and utility.
I recommend: Metal or plastic, carabiners or rings, promotional key chains come in all shapes and styles. Browse a vast selection online at PromotionalKeyChains.biz or see the directory of suppliers of key-chain promotional merchandise at  Business.com.

Office supplies as business promotional products

Desk accessories — from pens and stationery to sticky notes and calculators — are extremely effective for their staying power, as customers will keep and use these promotional gifts at work on a daily basis, reminded each time of the company that provided them.
I recommend: Promopeddler.com's online catalog includes everything from custom binder clips and desk sets to letter openers and rulers. Look for office supplies for promotional merchandise in the directory at Business.com.

Calendars as promotional merchandise

Calendars branded with your company name, logo and address are monthly reminders to your customers. Add reminders to the calendar to push them into your store for special events, promotions or holidays.
I recommend: Build your own custom calendars featuring photos of your store or merchandise and have them printed using special software from Digilabs Inc. Or, work with New York Calendar Co. to choose the design that's best for you.  Find a directory of suppliers of calendars as promotional merchandise at Business.com.

Really useful things as corporate promotional gifts

The most creative and effective personalized promotional items drive loyalty by giving customers something they regularly use.
I recommend: Find inspiration when you browse creative promotional gifts online courtesy of Branders and ePromos, which offer everything from branded flash drives and mouse pads for tech companies to coffee mugs and coasters for cafes.

Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

  • Develop an effective distribution plan to make sure your personalized promotional items reach the audience you want them to reach.
  • The most effective corporate promotional gifts have a message – they represent your business or your brand, for instance – and a call to action — a phone number to call or a Web site to visit, for example.

The official source of Finding Great Promotional Gifts & Products is
the Promotional Products page at Business.com

Promotional Golf Products
Find Promotional Golf Products And Much More. Buy Before December 30th To Receive 15% Off Ashworth Logowear.  Promo Code: 15ashworth
Apparel | Golf Balls | Golf Accessories | Golf Gifts
AdMotionsGolf.com
Branded Vacation Getaway Incentive Vouchers
For less than the cost of pens & magnets, give away exciting vacation vouchers branded with your company information. Free samples here.
www.creativemarketingincentives.biz
Custom USB Flash Drives
Wholesale Direct Pricing on customized USB flash drives with your company logo or text printed on the drives themselves. Over 60 styles to select.
www.PrintUSB.com
Promotional USB Drives
Free Custom Logo. 64MB, Only $6. 1GB $11.75. Fast 48 Hour Turnaround. Free Gifts with Bulk Orders. 110% Lowest Price Guarantee. Request a Quote Today!
Quick Quote | Custom Shapes | USB Pen Drive
www.MemorySuppliers.com/CustomUSBDrives

Recommended Solution Providers

Branders: Trade Show Promotions
Promotional items and products for your small business' marketing and trade show promotions.

Trade Show Exhibitor: Promotional Merchandise
Find all your promotional merchandise needs here. Use for trade show giveaways or your promotional marketing campaign.

Compleat: Promotional Products
Provider many types of promotional products for trade show giveaways.

A Promotional Outlet: Promotional Products, Promotional Items, Promotional Gifts, Custom Imprinted I
Use this solution to find products to give away at trade shows.

Gimmees: Promotional Products
Offers thousands of promotional products to choose from, advertising specialties, and trade show giveaways.

Inkhead: Promotional Needs
This provider offers a large selection of promotional products, tradeshow items and corporate gifts.

E-Promos: The Promo Know-How People
From promotional items and tradeshow giveaways to employee gifts and apparel, our product experts goal is to make the process easy for your small business.

Promo Geek: Promotional Items Research
This provider's aim is to collect and categorizes promotional merchandise to meet your small business' needs.

Adco Marketing: Promotinal Products
This provider carries over 500,000 unique promotional products ranging from fun tradeshow giveaways, tote bags, mugs, padfolios, lanyards, umbrellas and embroidered corporate apparel.

Extra Mile: Promotional Products
Find many different promotional products to use for trade show giveaways.

Best Sites to Learn More

Corporate Promotional Gifts: Trade Show Giveaways
Find articles with tips and advice about many different aspects of promotional products and giveaways.

Motivator.com: Promotional Products Articles
Articles relating to the uses of promotional products and how to get them.

PromoPeddler: Promotional Marketing Articles
Collection of articles discussion specific promotional products.

Gimmees.com: Promotional Product Marketing Articles
Articles about choosing the best promotional products and how to use them.

Best Blogs and Forums

Inkspress: Promotional Products Blog
A blog featuring entries describing specific promotional products ideas.

Epromos: Promotional Products Blog
Entries focus on promotional products ideas that have been used successfully.

Logo Expressions Blog
Shows specific promotional product ideas for showcasing your logo.



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