Interactive, Online and Direct Marketing Ideas: Promotional Products For Long Term Exposure

There are various ways to promote your business. Direct response promotion is immediate. But businesses and consumers are bombarded with advertising every hour. They include;

Radio
TV
Outdoor advertising
Flyers
Infomercials
Print-(magazines, newspapers, etc)

So the question is how do you maintain your business' mind share in the marketplace long after the promotion?

A solution, that has been around for over 200 years, is called promotional products. The industry can be traced to commemorative buttons issued in honor of George Washington's inauguration.

Wikpedia defines promotional items or promotional products as:

"articles of merchandise that are used in marketing and communication programs. These items are usually imprinted with a company's name, logo or slogan, and given away at trade shows, conferences, and as part of guerilla marketing campaigns."

Promotional Products is a multi billion dollar industry. According to Timothy M. Andrews President and CEO of ASI, (Advertising Specialty Institute) 2007 sales reached $19.6 Billion, up 5.4% from 2006.

The marketing approaches you take are only limited by your imagination. With the age of the internet, you can search websites for product idea. You can use distributors to provide expert guidance in this type of marketing. A distributor has access to all promotional product manufactures.

One of the oldest distributors in the country, dating back to 1920, is Larick Associates Inc. Their website, www.larick.com contains almost 800,000 items to peak your marketing mind.

So what are the ways to use this multi-billion dollar industry:

Video Message Pens-this is a pen with the capability of displaying up to 6 different messages through a cut out in the barrel of the pen. When you "click" the pen to write, the message appearing in the barrel rotates to the next message. You can also have your company name and address imprinted on the barrel. Great leave behind at sales presentations, with customers and at trade shows.
USB Drives-all computers today come with USB drives. You can place your company logo and message on the outside of the drive. The drive can contain customized product messages, drive people to your web site etc.
T Shirts-when someone is wearing your t shirt, they are advertising your company, services etc. These are great handouts at experiential marketing events (i.e. college spring break) and other guerrilla marketing venues.
Computer laptop bags-as an example-a well know college's law school hands computer lap top bags out at incoming orientation. The bags have the college name and logo. They are a walking bill board.
USB Hubs-it is a hub that connects to your computer via a USB socket. The hub has multiple USB connections allowing multiple USB connections to your laptop or computer via one USB port. The hub is imprinted and sits permanently on your desk top offering visible advertising of your company and brand.

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