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Attention Hungry |
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This month, our experts help readers find the right products to get their customers’ attention.
Time flies by. Days are losing hours and minutes are losing seconds. With this shortage of time, who’s able to take a deep breath, let alone open junk mail, fill out a survey or test drive a car?
The right product can get people to slow down long enough to notice you. This month, four desperate readers wrote us to find products that grab their clients attention as they attempt to start new businesses, get customers into their stores or otherwise engage them. Read on for our experts’ take on how to really grab your clients’ attention – and keep it.
Q:We’re a car dealership who would like to send out a postcard offering a premium to the first 100 people who come in and test drive one of our vehicles. Our budget is $5 to $10 per item. What are some products that would work well for this?
A:Sporty, classic or rugged, “the item should be unisex and useful,” says David president of an advertising specialty distributor in. “I would recommend something you would use while in the car or something related to making the driving experience more pleasurable.”
Some items that stand out are stainless steel travel mugs, window scrapers, or memo pads that suction to the windshield.
Another hot item: a sunshade with your logo on it. “That’s major advertising,” says Sharon president of A promotional product distributor. “I live in the Valley of the Sun, and if you don’t have one of those in your window in the summer, you’ll burn your hands getting in the car,” she says. “Think about it … in a parking lot, with all those logos all over the place – that’s pretty good billboard advertising.”
If you’re selling luxury cars and can afford to bump up your budget a bit, give away a car blanket imprinted with your logo or an emergency car kit.
Q:We’re an upscale boutique chain that’s about to launch a new series of shops and we want to send out announcements to key prospects in the cities where we’re launching. We’re looking for a product to package with the announcement.
A:Give them bling! “Bling is really flashy and feminine,” says Karen owner of a sales promotion and counseling service company. One flashy option is a Bling Ring. “It’s a keyring that looks like an oversized diamond ring, and it’s fabulous,” she says.
The Bling Ring includes a large faux diamond or a colored stone that’s sure to be noticed. “It’s dazzling, brilliant and elegant, it’s just a real statement about femininity,” Karen says. It can easily slip into an envelope, keeping shipping costs down.
Another trendy option is a bling mug – an insulated travel mug with rhinestone-type studs at the top. People take coffee and drinks with them on the go, so don’t invite them for a drink; rather, invite them to be beautified. “With the mug, send something that says ‘We’ll help you look marvelous, wherever you go – come in and we’ll get you ready for your outing,” Karen says.
If bling’s not your thing, Sharon suggests a die-cut Post-it-type note, in the shape of a high-heel or a pocketbook, shrink-wrapped onto a postcard. “It needs to be something that appeals to women,” she says, “and I think that would be darling.”
Q:I work with a nonprofit organization that is looking to send out a survey to several thousand people. We want to offer an incentive to people who respond to the survey. Any recommendations?
A:“Stick with the calendar!” Morrison says. “Your clients probably appreciate your gift more than you know. What item works 365 days a year for less than a few pennies a day?” he asks.
If your clients use the calendar and count on receiving one every year, they may be disappointed if you send something else. Rather than bailing on calendars altogether, consider upgrading the standard calendars you’ve given in the past.
"Make the calendar more effective as a promotional tool, by adding local merchant coupons or tips and useful information on real estate transactions,” David says. Give a calendar that also has a thermometer, clock or calculator.
“I like the idea of calendars,” Sharon says. “Real estate agents need something that’s going to constantly be in front of people.” She recommends a year-at-a-glance calendar on a coaster or a calendar strip that sticks to the top of a computer monitor.
But, if you really want to try something different, send a flash drive with a preloaded video says Joseph vice president of a distributor of advertising specialties and marketing strategies. “When your clients plug it in, you’ll pop-up and say ‘Thank you very much! Here are 10 things you or your friends can do to prepare to sell your home,” Joseph says.
Reprinted with permission of Successful Promotions, copyright 2007
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