How to Have a Successful Promotional I-store

Over the last 15 years I've put together several promotional I-stores for clients.  Some have been widely successful other have had moderate results and a couple have been complete bombs.  With that in mind I wanted to share what I believe to be a few important keys to setting up a successful I-store.

1.  Who's going to buy the merchandise?  The least successful I-stores I've seen over the years are the ones solely dedicated to employee purchases.  Most of us are proud of our companies and if given a nice shirt to wear with the company logo we will.  Not as many of us will reach into our pockets and pull out our hard  earned cash for the right to wear the logo.  Many times clients come to me and say we want to have products to sell to our clients.  This is great if your Nike or (insert the name of your favorite sports team here).  If your with Joe's Sanitation service it just might not fly.

2. Make use of Budgets.  The most successful programs I've worked with are the ones where companies set up their department's or sales people with budgets.  For example one client gives each of their sales people $750 /year to spend on merchandise in the store to give to clients.  Another client rewards their top 100 dealers with gift certificates of $500, $1000 or $2500 dollars a year.  These types of plans push product through the I-stores and ensure their success.

3.  Keep the Products Fresh.  One of the hardest decisions to make is when to pull a product from the store and replace it with something that will sell better.  You try a new item it sells well.  You order even more of them and quickly you run out.  The third time you order nobody buys them and you wind up with a warehouse full of what was the latest fad but has since blown over.  Personally I think once a quarter you need to look over the site and identify which items need to be retired and what they can be replaced with.

If you would like more information on setting up an I-store drop me an email.

Creative Drinkware

I went to a 5am spin class this morning.  I'm still not sure about the long term affects of exercising before coffee but I have noticed that after working out first thing in the morning I'm fired up and ready to take on the day.

Maybe it's all the water I'm drinking to rehydrate today but I thought I'd take a moment today and talk about one of my favorite drinkware suppliers Gordon Sinclair.  Gordon Sinclair consistently comes out with new and interesting products.

The SWB-10 is a great product complete with its own collegiate looking insulated sweatshirt.  Great for schools, Universities or any team.

The SB-92 is not only a 24oz stainless water bottle but also comes with a cause bracelet with the stock words Hope, courage, care, support or for as few as 576 pieces you can get a custom bracelet made to support your cause.

One of my all-time favorite Gordon Sinclair products are their tumblers with heat changing technology.  Once you pour hot liquid into the tumbler your graphic message is slowly revealed.  Great for product launches, announcements, or anything else you would like to reveal to your clients. Check out their complete line of drinkware products:  Gordon Sinclair

Is Your Company Offering a Wellness Program

Tried something new at Boot Camp last night.  On the floor in a plank position (basically arms extended in a pushup) facing away from the treadmill.  Then you put your feet on treadmill and do mountain climbers.  It had to look strange but I've been  amazed over the last 6 months how many things I can do now that I never thought I could.

Worker's today face more stress and as a country we have become pretty unhealthy.  Many companies are offering wellness programs to their employees with incentives to get in better shape.  Today we're going to look at a couple products that can be used in the office or when you travel.

Leeds has one of the best collections of wellness products at various price points.  I like the refillable Fitness Journal which includes pages to log daily exercise routines and daily nutritional information for as low as $6.48.

I also like Leed's Everlast Resistance Band Kit that tones and strengthens the entire body with three different bands along with a training DVD and storage bag for as low as $29.98.  What a great investment for your employee's wellness.

Check out the complete list of wellness products offered by Leeds:
Leeds Wellness Products

Release a Little Stress

I admit it I'm a big kid.  You can give me a coffee mug or a t-shirt with your logo on it and that's nice.  However, if you give me something that shoots nerf balls or does somersaults on my desk and I will never forget you or your brand. 

There is a place for products that are functional or informational but with the amount of stress the average employee deals with in this fast paced hectic life a promotional item that can relive a little stress makes a great giveaway.

I like the Original Bend-A-Pen from The Aakron Line.  It' fun, flexible, functional and best of all frugal at a price of as low as $1.45.   AAkron Line Bend-A-Pens

Maybe it's my age I still remember the Mood Ring and AAkron also has a complete line of mood products from coffee mugs to pencils.  For as low as $0.23 you can get a very cost effective biofeedback device to monitor your stress levels. (Something I generally need desperately.) 

AAkron Mood Products

Promotional Items are Great. Knowing How to Use Them Even Better!

What a great weekend!!  Got to attend a playoff game for the Portland Trail Blazers.  We had seats 11 rows up behind the basket.  Not quite close enough to get taken out when 7 feet of basketball player leaps into the stands but close enough that when there is a foul you can see it and feel it.

Best of all was the swag.  I bought my Brandon Roy shirt to wear to the game and then when we got there I was given a sign to hold up and a free rally towel to wave and intimidate the other team.  Right before the game they handed out Thunder sticks to all of the fans behind the basket to make noise when the opposing team took free throw shots.

Not only did they give out swag but they had a plan for how to use it.  I can't tell you the number of times I've worked with clients who want to have something to give away but don't know how or where they are going to use it.  Many clients have a magic closet filled with swag they bought but haven't found a use for yet.  Next time you get ready for an event or promotion ask yourself these questions.
1.  Who am I trying to reach?
2.  What message do I want to convey?
3.  How will this item be distributed?
4.  How will I measure the success of this promotion?

As a diehard Blazer's fan I like to feel that all the noise we made in the stands pounding the thunder sticks and waving the rally towels helped the Blazers overcome their 21 point deficit in the 4th quarter to come back and  win the game.  Who knows but I do know I have some great memories and great swag to remind me of a great game.

Happy Earth Day to All

Today is Earth Day so it's seems only fitting to take a moment and talk about the many new eco-friendly products available in the promotional products industry.  I still remember when the green movement first hit. There were only a few eco products available and they were not very attractive.  Typically you paid more for the "green" product and the quality was not as good.

Today there are a host of products and apparel that are available, attractive and priced competitively.  One piece of apparel I like in particular is the Bamboo Sports shirt from Sanmar.  It has a great feel, look, moisture wicking and is UV resistant.  All for around $29.00.

Eco Friendly Bamboo Shirt from Sanmar

Logomark one of my key suppliers is also offering many sustainable products made from bamboo.  With summer right around the corner what better time to offer our better clients a nice BBQ set made form bamboo.
Check out this and many other sustainable products below:
Logomark Sustainable Products

Stretch Your Budget by Planning Ahead

I'm as guilty as anyone.  I know Christmas is December 25th it's the same date every year.  Why then am I surprised when I suddenly realize I have to purchase gifts?  A close friend of mine has her Christmas shopping all done usually by June.  She saves a ton of money by planning ahead and avoids the stresses of last minute shopping.

The same is true in business we know we have events, meetings, product launches, tradeshows and sales kick-offs and at the last minute we realize we need promotional items for giveaways.  We've reached the point where I have suppliers I can go to that can imprint and ship product out the same day for rush needs.

However with a little planning ahead, typically 60-90 days, I have suppliers who can produce whatever my clients need overseas at a greatly reduced cost.  If you are looking for a way to stretch your budget a little farther  and you have the time to wait this can be an excellent opportunity to get more for less.

Leeds Offers Griffin Accessories for iPads, iPods, and iPhones

It seems just about everyone I talk to who didn't already have an iPad has now gotten the iPad 2.  I want one but like anything else I have a goal that has to be achieved first before I get my reward.

I have been receiving lots of requests from clients for accessories and cases for the iPad and iPad 2's.  Leeds yet another one of my favorite suppliers has just announced their complete line of Griffin products for ipads, iPods, and iPhones. 

Check out the link below for great cases and accessories:

Griffen products offered by Leeds

It's been a very busy few days.  I've been preparing for Federal jury duty.  I've had to get all my projects and tasks organized and detailed to be able to hand over to someone just in case I was called up.  After calling in last  night I found out I'd been released from duty.  On the plus side I'm really organized.

With the goal of being more organized today I want to recommend a product from one of my favorite suppliers Castelli North America.  Castelli has one of the finest lines of planners and journals.  You can have custom pages tipped into the books which makes them excellent gifts for sales meeting or any other event.  For a small charge the name or signature of each attendee can be put on the cover of the books.

Best part of the deal is that now through the end of June Castelli is offering better than end quantity pricing on all orders.

Castelli Special Offer

Pebble Beach Corporate Collection

What a wonderful weekend!  The sun was out in Oregon which is cause enough for celebration.  Those of you who know me know that since October I have been working hard to get in shape.  Well at least a different shape.  This weekend I shaved another minute off my 5k time.  

One of the exciting aspects of getting in shape is losing weight and being able to go out and buy some new clothes.  With that in my mind I'm going to get some new apparel from one of my suppliers Pebble Beach Corporate Collection.  They provide quality golf apparel at very reasonable prices.  I'd recommend taking a look at them for your next golfing event or just for that quality corporate apparel piece.

Pebble Beach Corporate Collection

New Ideas from Yesterday's Tradeshow

Attended a great trade show at the embassy suites hotel yesterday and true to form came back with three great new ideas.

1.  Custom Golf Gloves form Glove Branders.  These great quality golf gloves can be fully customized with your full color art and packaging for as few as 150 pieces.  Great for all the upcoming golf giveaways for something new.









2.  Filtered Water Bottles with 3D Logo from Water To Go.  There research shows that if you drink one bottle of bottled water per day you will spend over $45/month in bottled water.  Not to mention the fact you will put 30+ plastic bottles in recycling or worse yet landfills.  Try one of these new water bottles with your logo in 3D. Minimums as low as 500 pieces.

3. Pebble Beach Golf Apparel.  This is a great apparel line started by one of the original founders of Cutter & Buck.  Great quality at very attractive prices.

Tradeshow Giveaways

I've been working in the promotional products industry now going on 14 years.  One thing I never get tired of is attending industry tradeshows.  I love swag.  I love seeing the new products available that can help solve complicated marketing issues for my clients.

Today I'll be attending a multi-line rep showcase at the Embassy Suites.  If all goes well I hope to come back with at least 3 great ideas to help out my clients.  Everyone has different criteria for grading shows.  Mine is 3 great ideas.  If you have a project you're working on and need some new fresh ideas drop me a line or give me a call.

I am also excited to announce that this year American Eagle will be throwing a client celebration event with great food and supplier exhibits.  Keep tuned in for dates, times and more details.

Easy Pack 25 oz. Water Container

This has been the year of exercise for me.   Boot camp classes at the Y three to four nights a week, spin classes and most recently running 5k's, all with the goal of trying to fight back the advancement of age and life behind a desk.  All that exercise makes me mighty thirsty!  Taking a water bottle to the gym or spin class is one thing but packing it around while running a 5k is a little awkward.

That's why I love this new product from Logomark.  The Easy Pack 25 oz. Water Container is the first water bottle I've seen that can be filled and then rolled up when drained.  It comes with a convenient carabiner for easy roll up and storage.  This item is perfect as a giveaway for events, walks, runs, tradeshows and picnics.  It’s completely reusable and as low as $1.90 with your company logo.

People Love to See Their Name in Print

A while back I started putting one of my favorite quotes on Facebook each morning based on whatever mood I was feeling or trying to achieve that day.  After a few weeks I stopped until many of my friends complained that they really missed their daily dose of inspiration.  People love good motivational quotes.

People also love seeing their name in print.  If you are looking for a great giveaway for an event or tradeshow try this.  Send out a letter or email to your best clients or prospects.   Ask them to stop by your booth and give you their favorite quote.  As a result they will receive a free gift after the show.  Once you have all the quotes compile a book of the motivational quotes along with a few pages dedicated to your company and services.  Then present each of your clients or prospects with a copy of the printed hardcover book. 

The recipient will love it because they are featured in the book.  They will show it to people and every time they look at it they will see your information as well.  One more benefit is that they will never throw it away. 

We did this for one client for their Global Sales Meeting.  Not only did we have quotes from all the sales people but a call to action from the Vice President of Sales.  Each sales person received a copy at the meeting.

The Gift of Food

Clients tend to fall into one of two categories when it comes to food gifts: love them or hate them.  Food gifts can leave recipients with a very warm impression of the giver.  On the other hand, once consumed there is nothing left to remind the recipient of the gift.

That is one of the reasons I love the food items from Gifted Expressions one of my best suppliers of all food related gifts.  They have several food options that come with very nice faux leather gift boxes.  Once the food is consumed the box can be used for storage on your desk.  Many of the boxes come with a place for a photo.  When my supplier sent me a sample not only were the treats inside well received but the box sits here as a reminder of the excellent gift.

Throw a Little Change into your Routine

 I was at the gym at 5AM this morning for an extra boot camp this week.  Normally I do my exercising in the evenings.  Like most people I am pretty set in my ways.  Change hurts.  Now here I am at almost 8AM sitting at my desk.  I can feel the blood pumping and the heightened metabolism.  It’s Friday and I’m ready to take on the world.

Marketing can be like that.  We get used to doing the same things.  We don’t want to examine our routines and upset the apple cart.  Change would hurt.  Here is my challenge for next week and next month.  Try some new things.  Find a new way to promote your business, reward your loyal customers, make a contact through social media or attend a networking event.  The results just might amaze you.

Best Desktop Promotional Item

A question I hear quite frequently is, What kind of promotional gift can I give away that people will keep on their desk and actually use?   A quick scan of my desk reveals that I’m not much of a packrat and my desk real estate is very valuable to me.  I can see 6 things with logos on them.  Two are coffee cups, the one that brings my coffee with me in the morning and one I drink from while at work featuring a favorite local music artist (yes I take my caffeine and music very seriously).  Of course there’s the always present mouse pad with a calendar on it and my calculator with my own company logo.  The next two items came to me from the same source and are the only things I’ve kept on me desk for over a year.

The first is a coaster for my coffee cup.  Sarabeth one of my suppliers gave me this coaster that has her company name, her name, phone and email address.  Sarabeth hasn’t been with this company for over 5 years but the coaster remains.  The second item also came from Sarabeth.  It’s a new cell phone holder that sits on my desk and holds the brains of my life my Droid X.  I look at it at least 50 times a day along with the message “Think Logomark call Sarabeth xxx.xxx.xxxx”.  Is it effective?  You tell me.  She is the only supplier I’ve mentioned in this article and one of the first suppliers I call when I need a project done!

Not only are they a great functional item they are inexpensive and ship flat for easy distribution.  Here is a link to check out the mobile phone holder:Cell Phone Holder

Also, for just a little bit more and to make it even more functional there is the Mobile Phone Holder with 2”x3” Photo Frame:Cell Phone Holder with Photo Frame

QR Codes

Okay I admit it.  Since purchasing the Droid X phone I’ve become addicted to apps.   I’m one of those people who hold up my phone to have Starbucks debit the price off my coffee right from the app.  I’ve been using ShopSaavy to scan barcodes and make sure I’m getting the best deals on items I purchase.  I even scan the barcodes on what I eat right into calorie counter to track my food intake.  I’d say barcodes are playing a larger role in my life more than ever.
As interesting as those things are the barcodes I’m most excited about are QR Codes. A QR code is a two dimensional barcode that is designed to have it’s contents decoded at high speed.  Using the camera on your smart phone along with a decoding software (I use Barcode Scanner) to capture a picture of the QR code which then transforms the data held with the QR code to a meaningful action for the mobile phone:
• Connect to a web address
• Download a MP3
• Dial a telephone number
• Prompt your email client with a  sender address
A QR code can hold up to 7089 characters unlike a typical barcode which can hold about 20.  Where can you see QR codes:
• Magazines
• Papers
• Buses
• Signs
• T-shirts
At the recent promotional products show in Las Vegas QR codes were visible everywhere.  People were using their smart phones to capture QR codes printed on booths, catalogs, and promotional products to obtain information, web catalogs, samples and prizes.
In the last month we have printed QR codes on t-shirts for one client who wanted prospects at a tradeshow to scan the codes on their shirts as they walked around for a chance to win prizes but also as a way to capture their contact information.
If you would like more information on QR codes and how they are being used please give me a call or send an email.