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promotional product ideas


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promotional product ideasThere's a good reason that an estimated 16 billion dollars worth of promotional products were sold worldwide in 2010. Free stuff is amazingly popular (as most people would guess), which is why promotional products work... but only if you know what you're doing! You need to pick the right promotional product that is best for what you are promoting, and then use the promo or giveaway item in the right way. We've all gotten promotional products (aka marketing giveaways, freebies, swag, corporate gifts, employee appreciation rewards, etc), and we know how many of them end up in the trash can and then the local landfill (a lot!). So how do you utilize promotional products effectively, and keep your customized promotional product from joining the other promotional losers in the trash? Well, with these great promotional products ideas, of course!

As I've written in other trade show articles here, promotional products are great for trade show giveaways (which is why I've provided some specific trade show giveaway ideas). But promotional products are also great for other business promotion and marketing events (like grand openings) as well as for corporate gifts (to important customers) and for employee gifts, and for employee reward programs. If possible, you should select a promo product that will meet all your marketing needs. For example, if you are choosing a promotional product idea for your trade show giveaway, order extra, and then use it for other marketing (like sending to your best customers at Christmas and other holidays as gifts). Promotional products can be used for employee appreciation gifts and rewards (like for perfect attendance, hitting sales goals, etc). Promotional products can also be used for personal events, like family reunions, baby showers, anniversary celebrations, etc. Generally promotional products for personal events are more limited in scope, and include items like custom-printed t-shirts, silicon wristbands, and baseball caps.

For cheap promotional products ideas, I'm a big fan of custom-printed pens and silicon wristbands, as well as keychains and various puzzles. For more expensive promotional giveaways and also for corporate and employee gifts, I'm a big fan of embroidered logo apparel, such as polo shirts, jackets, and baseball caps. And if you really want to impress corporate customers or reward special employees, all the Apple electronics, such as iPads and iPods are extremely popular, though putting one's logo on them can be challenging (USB flash drives and memory sticks are a cheaper and more easily imprinted option).

If you are using a promotional product as a free giveaway to market your business, a few basic rules apply (similar to the rules for using trade show giveaways effectively)

1. YOUR COMPANY NAME: The promo item needs your company or business name, logo, and contact information on it.

2. ADD SOMETHING UNIQUE AND CATCHY: If you can, add something unique to the imprint, like a funny, memorable, and/or useful phrase, tagline, or motto, and if possible, relate this phrase to your business. Something catchy on your promotional product giveaway will encourage people too keep your giveaway instead of a competitors giveaway if they have multiple items that are the same and only keep one.

3. COST AND COST EFFECTIVENESS: The cost and price of the promo item needs to make sense. You need to be able to afford to hand it out to as many people, prospective clients, and/or customers as needed, and you need to make more in return from the promotional effect of the promo item so that it more than covers the cost of the items and giving them away.

4. THE KEEPABILITY FACTOR: What is the "keepability factor"? It means will people keep your promotional product giveaway, or will it end up in the trash? Is the item useful, helpful, or funny? Is there a reason to keep it, and hold on to it, or will it just get discarded?

The Rail Road Spike Beer Bottle Opener...
a truly UNIQUE, UNUSUAL, and USEFUL Promotional Product Example

effective promotional product example - a railroad spike bottle opener

Here's an example of a promotional product that would be unique and useful. A beer bottle opener made out of a rail road spike. Now just image your company name and website (and perhaps a tag line) are printed or engraved on the side. If you've ever had a bottle opener like this, you should know it is something you would keep and use, and everyone that uses it would see your company name on it. This is a great example of an effective promotional product.

More Common and Not-So-Common
Great Promotional Product Ideas


baseball caps

pens


corkscrews

key chains

Air Fresheners
Alarm clocks
Aprons
Arm Bands
Auto Emergency Kits
Back Packs
Back Scratchers
Badge Holders
Bags
Balloons
Balls
Band-Aids
Bandannas
Beach Balls
Beach Towels
Beauty Aids
Beer Openers
Beer Mugs
Beverage Coozies (Koozies)
Bicycle Flat Tire Repair Kits
Binders
Binoculars
Blankets
Bookmarks
Books
Bottle Openers
Bottled Water
Bottles
Boxer Shorts
Breath Fresheners
Brushes
Business Card Holders
Buttons
Calculators
Calendars
Cameras
Candle Holders
Candles
Candy
Caps
Cards
Ceramic Mugs
Chewing Gum
Christmas Decorations
CFL Light Bulbs
Clamps & Clipse
Clipboards
Clippers
Clocks
Clothing
Coasters
Coffee Mugs
Coloring Books
Combs
Compasses
Computer Accessories
Cookware
Coolers
Corkscrews
Cosmetics
Coupon Keepers
Crossword Puzzles
Cups
Decals
Decorations
Deodorizers
Desk Accessories
Dog Tags
Duffles and Duffle Bags
Earplugs
Electric Outlet Protectors
Erasers
Fanny Packs
Fans
Figurines
First Aid Kits
Flags
Flashlights
Flasks
Flip Flops
Flyswatters
Foam Toys & Novelties
Folding Chairs
Footballs
Frisbees
Games
Gift Baskets
Gift Wrap
Globes
Gloves
Golf Balls
Golf Tees
Gum
Hand Mirrors
Hand Sanitizer
Hats
Headbands
Headrests
Hide-A-Key Devices
Highlighters
Ice Packs
Ice Scrapers
Insect Repellents
Jackets
Kaleidoscopes
Kazoos
Key Chains
Key Holders
Key Tags
Kleenex
Labels
Jackets
Lanyards
Lapel Pins
Laser Pointers
LED Lights
LED Key Chain Lights
Letter Openers
License Plate Frames
Lighters
Lint Removers
Lip Balm
Luggage Tags
Lunch Boxes
Magic Tricks
Magnets
Magnifiers
Maps
Markers
Massagers
Matches
Measuring Tapes
Medals
Megaphones
Memo Pads & Cubes
Microwave Popcorn Bags
Mints
Mugs
Mouse Pads
Noisemakers
Notepads
Office Supplies
Paperweights
Party Favors
Pen & Pencil Sets
Pens & Pencils
Photo Cubes
Picture Frames
Pins
Plastic Travel Mugs
Playing Cards
Polo Shirts
Post-It Notes
Puzzles
Reading Lights & Lamps
Re-useable Shopping Bags
Rulers
Sandals
Scarves
Scissors
Seeds
Sewing Accessories
Shirts
Shot Glasses
Silicone Wristbands
Slippers
Snacks
Socks
Sports Bottles
Sports Equipment & Accessories
Stadium Seat Cushions
Stainless Steel Travel Mugs
Stamps
Stopwatches
Stress Balls / Relievers
Stuffed Animals
Sudoku Puzzles
Sun Visors
Sunglasses
Sunglass Keepers (Leashes)
Suntan Lotions
Survival Kits
Sweatshirts
T-Shirts
Tattoos
Telescopes
Thermometers
Timers
Tissues
Toiletries
Tool Kits
Toothbrushes
Tote Bags
Towels
Toys
Travel Accessories
Travel Mugs
Umbrellas
USB Flash Drives
Watches
Whistles
Wine Corks
Wine Glasses
Wine Openers
Word Find Puzzles
Wristbands
Yo-Yo's


silicone wristbands

travel mugs


umbrellas

re-usable shopping bags

Just remember when you're picking a promotional item for marketing your cause or business, the point of promotional products is NOT just to give out free stuff, or even worse, free junk. The point is to promote your business! You need your promotional item to be useful so it is kept by the recipient, and also to help promote your business. It should be a win-win... a win for your future customer because it is something they will keep and use, and a win for your company because it will result in the person contacting you in the future to do business with you. Don't just hand out junk, and don't hand out stuff to people that will never become your customers. Remember the point of promotional products... they are for promoting your business. Be smart, and pick your promotional products carefully and wisely. Make sure they also fit in with your overall marketing strategy. And remember that often the best promotional item is the most obvious item... a sample of your product or service. Nothing identifies and defines your company more than a sample of what you make or do, so remember to consider samples as promo items, but also remember to make sure your samples are labeled with your company contact information!

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Please bookmark this page and visit it again. We will be regularly posting updates to our Promotional Products Ideas & Tips page as we find more ideas for the top promotional products well as the latest best, most popular promotional products also. Come back soon and visit us again!

 

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