Promotional Products Marketing Ideas

When your business is planning for a promotional product giveaway, you may want to stray from the traditional pens, highlighters and sticky notes that dominate trade shows and can clutter up desks. To stand out from the competition, consider giving away marketing products that your business-savvy clients might not already have at their office.

Your customer might be happy to receive your custom-printed computer screen and keyboard duster. The blue dust-attracting bristle can keep work spaces clean and keyboard crevices clear of debris.

A five-piece precision computer tool set can be a useful item when it comes to making quick fixes at work. The set comes with two Phillips and three standard screwdrivers in various sizes that can handle the little screws found on computers and small electrical devices. The kit is compact, and can be easily stored in a desk drawer for quick use and serves as a reminder that your business can conveniently supply companies with products and services.

For the business person who never seems to slow down, a utility keychain with a letter slitter and staple remover can be a helpful gift. Your customers might never know what they did without you and your handy products as they seamlessly prepare documents and process mail on-the-go.
 

Organizations that are planning a fundraiser might consider offering an item that people already use and enjoy on a regular basis. If you're selling a product that people often buy and you're giving them an opportunity to support a good cause, individuals might be more likely to participate in your event.

Americans consume 400 million cups of coffee every day and it's estimated that half of those over the age of 18 drink coffee on a daily basis. If your organization wants to run a successful fundraiser, you can try selling coffee mug gift sets, custom travel coffee mugs or other accessories for enjoying a cup of java.

An coffee mug filled with a pack of exotic coffee can inspire individuals to help raise money for your organization. The mugs can be custom printed with the organization's logo, and the name of the fundraiser or event so participants can remember that they bought it to support a good cause.

When it comes time to deliver the promotional gifts that people purchased, you can even tie a chocolate-covered stir spoon to the cup as a thank you for their support and help make the coffee a special treat. 

Keychains are good promotional products because they're customizable, inexpensive and popular with customers. These fun and useful promotional gifts can earn a permanent spot in your customer's daily life, and when people ask where they got such a unique accessory, they can spread the word about your business.

Entertainment keychains
These take-along items can keep even the most restless people entertained while waiting in line and can show off individual interests. Puzzlers can stay sharp with an electronic sudoku game keychain, and movie fanatics might like a mini clapboard keychain with a moving clapper so they can call the scenes. A miniature harmonica keychain can let music lovers show off their love of the blues any place they go. 

Utility Keychains
These keychains do much more than keep keys together and accessible. A tape measure keychain can be helpful for those last-minute measurements in a DIY project and an eyeglass and CD/DVD cleaner tackles both spotty glasses and skipping CDs. A combination keychain with whistle, light and compass can come in handy for outdoor adventures.

Hobby keychains
Your golf-loving customers can add a divot keychain with nylon brush to their keyring and avid fishermen might like one with a flash spoon nearly 3 inches long, so they'll never be without a lure.

School fundraisers can be a great way to get students involved in their communities. Fundraisers create an opportunity for students to learn how much money is required to fund activities they participate in like choir, theater and the debate team. Afterwards, they might have a new-found appreciation for extra-curricular pursuits and take pride in knowing that their hard work has helped make them possible. When deciding on what promotional products to use for fundraisers, schools should consider what items students will be proud to sell.

Give your students a leg up on the competition. Classic items like chocolate bars and popcorn tins might be used annually at other schools. Sending your students out with those products can lead to disappointment and low sales if their neighbors have already purchased them from a student in another school's fundraiser.

Creating a unique promtional gift pack can be the ticket to a successful fundraiser. Try filling a reusable tote bag with a cold drink travel mug, and a hat printed with your school's mascot and an eco-friendly theme. Recipients can use the bag when they do their shopping and get a discount on refills in their travel mug all while showing support for your school and the environment.

One-third of Americans have dental anxiety or a dental phobia and approximately 8 to 10 percent avoid going to the dentist as a result. You can help patients feel more comfortable at your office by creating a welcoming environment with a friendly staff. Offering promotional products can be a reward for visiting and remind patients to keep coming back.

Giving away fun promotional gifts might take the edge off while they wait. Receptionists can give anxious patients a tooth-shaped emery board to pass the time before their appointment or while waiting during a child's visit. Even if they don't have dental anxiety, patients can appreciate their well-groomed nails when they leave.

Dentists that establish good relationships with young patients can help stymie dental fears from an early age. Giving away coloring books that teach the importance of visiting the dentist to first-time visitors or kids that tag along with parents can foster positive interactions.

A tooth-shaped stress reliever can be just the thing to give patients with dental anxiety. They can take it home afterwards as a reminder of how understanding and accommodating you were to their fears and be sure to schedule appointments in the future.
 

Giving away corporate promotional gifts to clients is a great way to thank them for their business throughout the year. It can make customers feel appreciated and foster a personal relationship that might lead to continued patronage.

Here are some ideas to make great corporate gifts work for your business:

Custom calendars 
U.S. News and World Report suggests getting creative and sending out promotional gifts like custom calendars at times other than the winter holiday season to establish an independent tradition for your business. Since customers are overloaded with promotional products around Christmas, they might appreciate getting something unexpected, which can help you stand out from the competition.

Food items like chocolates
Treats are a great option for corporate gifts because your customers can immediately enjoy them. Food items can be mixed and matched depending on what the client likes. The gift can be customized with your customer's indulgence of choice to become even more effective and thoughtful.

Customized traditional gifts
Traditional office items like pens, crystal paperweights and leather-bound journals can be customized to make a personal and professional gift for your clients. They might appreciate having personalized office items that will last them throughout the year and will have a reminder of your high-quality services. 

Corporate gifts can be a great way to tell employees "thank you." The gesture of giving gifts to show recognition might boost morale at your office or business, and even simple promotional products like pens and journals printed with employees' names can show your gratitude.

The corporate gifts you give away don't have to stack up to Oprah's Favorite Things giveaway, which has gained notoriety for the extravagance of the gifts like tropical vacations. Items that they can use at work might be greatly appreciated and show employees that you understand their jobs and want them to be in an enjoyable environment.

Employees that work at a desk might be able to put an electronic picture frame to good use. While they work, they can enjoy a slide show of their favorite photos. Since the frame can be custom printed with your business name and logo, they'll be sure remember who the generous gift came from.

For employees that work on a sales floor, gifts as simple as promotional water bottles or travel mugs printed with their names and a cool design can make their days more enjoyable and express your appreciation. 

The American Bankers Association reports that 62 percent of individuals now prefer to do their banking online, which can mean they're bypassing personal service at local branches. Financial institutions that are looking to keep banking personal can try offering promotional products as an incentive for customers that visit their location to open accounts or learn about services.

Banks can give away piggy banks to young customers opening savings accounts. These simple items might inspire kids to start saving money and can help reinforce positive habits that will be beneficial in the long run.

Piggy banks can also be a good marketing product to give customers when they open new bank accounts. Instead of the classic pig shape, this item can be personalized by selecting shapes like a house, car or dog. Theses gifts can help remind individuals to put money away for big-ticket items they hope to purchase down the road like a car, home or new television.

Calculators can make good promotional items for customers managing investments or mortgages to help them keep track of payments and interest rates. A bank or financial institution can customize these promotional gifts with its logo, name and contact information. Customers may find this helpful if they have questions about their accounts and will be reminded about the personal service they received at your branch.

Independently owned coffee shops looking to increase their brand awareness should consider carrying personalized travel mugs.

Coffee shops are hot spots for niche customers. Cafes with innovative brewing techniques that deliver the most caffeine per cup bring in computer techies that expect free Wi-Fi and lots of counter space. Fancy coffee shops that feature exotic beans and purist drinks attract trendy customers that wouldn't dream of adding caramel syrup to a latte. Quick service coffee shops lure busy clientele that want consistency and more bang for their buck.

Offering branded travel mugs as promotional products can be mutually beneficial for customers and small businesses. Customers can carry their coffee shop's travel mug around with pride to show off their particular loyalty, which increases brand visibility. In turn, most coffee shops offer discounts for customers who bring their own travel mugs because it saves on the cost of paper cups.

Coffee shops can pick from a variety of travel mug designs to meet the needs of their customer base. There are mugs made of recycled material, stainless steel travel mugs and heated travel mugs that can be plugged in and reheated.

It's a new year, which is sure to mean many new things, including weather phenomena, television shows, Oscar winners and celebrity scandals. One new trend that could be important for marketing products is the top color of 2012. It's called 'tangerine tango,' according to the Pantone Color Institute, and the bright reddish-orange color could be a hot marketing trend for 2012 promotional products.

Pantone decided to name tangerine tango the color of the year after studying design trends, upcoming fashion and consumer attitudes towards the color. Experts maintain that this bright shade of orange can energize and help people to move forward. Businesses looking to create brand momentum could use the vibrant color to grab customers' attention.

Using the trendy color could help boost the appeal of your promotional products as people look to accessorize this season. Tangerine tango can be used in customized t-shirt designs to give customers a taste of this year's hot color.

Business can also print logos on tangerine-colored shirts and distribute them to start a fresh promotion in the new year or provide customers with tangerine-colored beanies to keep them warm and in-fashion as we head into 2012.