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Tell Your Story

storyThere is great value in storytelling as a marketing vehicle.  A good story gives the reader a reason to put aside subconscious barriers, allowing you to communicate a message directly to their hearts.  Once you have reached their heart, you are one step closer to winning a new customer.

The story should be memorable, even contagious.  Corporate stories like the founding of McDonald’s Corporation by Ray Kroc, a 52-year-old milk-shake machine salesman; Harvard drop-out Bill Gates and Paul Allen forming Microsoft; or, one of my personal favorites,  the TOMS Shoes business of giving one pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair sold, are stories that connect with the buyers.  Of course, once you have decided on the story you want to tell, one of the questions all marketing departments must answer is how to communicate the story.

Your corporate story can be communicated through many vehicles – advertising, social media, marketing materials – and, on a grass roots level, through the distribution of promotional merchandise at events and trade shows.  When working with this marketing medium, the story should be a short, concise mini-version of the whole narrative.  For example, “One For One” was gleaned from the history of how the company was founded and is a brilliant three-word line that represents the TOMS story and business model.   Fortunately, whatever that shortened version of your company story becomes, there are several marketing vehicles that can creatively carry the message.

  • Marketing Card:  Printed information card the size of a business card.  They are offered as part of the product purchase for items like cell phone grips and screen cleaners.
  • Banner Pen:  Ballpoint pen includes a retractable laminated banner that offers a cost-effective vehicle for your message.
  • Custom Journal:  Add a separate information page to the front of a basic business journal.
  • Hang Tag:  Easy way to include your story on gifts such as apparel, drinkware and briefcases.
  • Pre-Loaded USB:  Add your story to the memory on a flash drive and it will launch every time the user opens it.

Regardless of what marketing vehicle you choose to tell your story, remember that stories are meant to engage the reader.  Make it fun – make it heartwarming – make it memorable!

Made Better In America

usaThere are many reasons to prefer merchandise that is made in the USA – patriotism; opposition to foreign standards on low wages and poor working conditions; support of domestic jobs – but the one I like the best is the quality of US-made goods over that of many overseas manufacturers.  And when a corporation adds their logo to an item that will be distributed as a way to increase brand awareness, that company wants to know the quality of that product reflects the quality of their brand.

Americans recognize the competitive advantage of American-made goods, and are not settling for just the cheapest product anymore.   Added to the fact that the cost competitiveness of US manufacturing has begun to take off, while the rising labor costs in China erode their cost advantage, USA-made merchandise becomes not only a choice that’s good for the corporate conscience, but is also a practical decision for the budget-minded.

As for the quality of those goods – the high US manufacturing standards and strong employee attitudes around pride in the quality of their work, contribute to the product excellence buyers are looking for.  According to the Boston Consulting Group, 80% of consumers surveyed said they would be willing to pay more for “made in USA” products than those with a “made in China” label.  Not surprisingly, BCG goes on to report that 82% of Chinese say they “agree” or “strongly agree” that they feel better about Made in USA quality.  Made in USA has come to represent old world craftsmanship and socially responsible values.

But once convinced that the quality and price for USA-made goods make it an attractive choice for corporate logo products, it’s good to know the types of merchandise that are easily sourced and readily available for timely shipping.  After all, very few corporate event planners consider their giveaway sooner than a few weeks prior to the need date.  I have listed below a few of the most common promotional items in the Made in USA category.

  • Items made from recycled materials:  drinkware, flyers, ice scrapers, bag clips
  • T-shirts
  • Pens
  • Tote bags
  • Key tags
  • Ceramic mugs
  • Mouse pads
  • Calendars
  • Lip balm

When considering your next promotional product, consider the quality of USA-made merchandise.  Your customers will notice!

 

 

 

Skimping On Quality Incentives? Quality Employees Will Lose Interest

1-skimping-on-business-plan-ssTaking care of the people who help grow and expand your organization is essential in a corporate world that is becoming short on quality employees willing to stay with an organization longer than a few years.  Therefore, when executing an incentive program, it’s important to keep product quality and gift variety front of mind when considering award options.  One size definitely does not fit all, and regardless of the program budget, the quality of the items offered should be considered the core of the program itself.

Keeping in mind that quality merchandise comes in all price categories, there are ways to design an incentive program product selection that suits your audience as well as the expense guidelines that should have been defined at the beginning of this process.  Also, creative thinking can enhance a program by incorporating more than just gift items into the plan.   Bonus vacation days, local spa and restaurant gift cards … one firm even created cardboard cutouts of actual employees to build excitement … are all ideas that can heighten excitement and increase participation.

If the budget calls for gift tiers that start at $10.00 and top out at $50.00, then be sure to select items that the participants will recognize as the best $10.00 item available.  For instance, a simple water bottle is a cost effective item, but be sure to consider a bottle brand that most employees will recognize as the best water bottle on the market.  The same strategy applies to all price points – it’s better to select gifts that are seen in the retail market with well-known, well-respected brand names than to offer a lower cost item that looks like every other logo product on the market.

A few examples of brand name items, in the $10.00 – $50.00 price range, that can be sourced in the incentive market and branded (or not) with the company logo:

  • Camelbak® Sports Bottle
  • Stanley® Insulated Beverage Bottle
  • Moleskine® Notebook
  • Built® Neoprene Wine Bottle Holder
  • High Sierra® Backpack
  • Woolrich® Blanket

Your employees are the key to continued organizational growth and success.  Let them know you recognize their value with a quality incentive program that reflects the quality of those individuals.

(Image via Inc.com)

Fore! The Love Of Golf

golf gloveAccording to the National Golf Foundation, there are over 29,000,000 golfers in the United States, with an average annual household income of $95,000.  In consideration of the popularity of the sport and the purchasing power of those individuals, corporate marketers continue to add their logo to everything from golf balls to golf gloves in an effort to increase brand awareness.

And why not?  The statistics give us a picture of a demographic that most companies, regardless of their product or service, would be pleased to attract.  The profile of the average golfer describes a mostly male demographic at an average age of 46, attended and/or graduated college and owns at least one home.  Insurance companies, financial institutions, automobile manufacturers and the travel industry are just a few of the corporate entities that would have a reason to distribute branded golf merchandise through an annual sponsored tournament or just as a leave-behind when visiting key customers.

Want to know more about the golf enthusiasts in your target audience?  Read on for a little more insight into where they may be spending their money in the next 12 months.

Golfer Purchase Plans:

  • 53% Golf equipment
  • 47% Automobile purchase/lease
  • 40% Financial planning
  • 59% Banking
  • 46% Computer Hardware
  • 46% Continuing education/training
  • 84% travel/vacation
  • 33% Furniture/home furnishings
  • 37% Legal/consulting services
  • 45% Health/auto/life insurance
  • 48% Office equipment

Golf is a year-round sport in the warmer climates, and goes into full swing for the rest of us in the next few months.  Those individuals who never have enough golf balls for the tall  grass in the rough and the watery graves of the water holes are the same people with purchasing power.  Start now with plans to consider some of the creative new golf products that can increase your brand’s visibility with the golfers in your target market.

(Image via Ball Pro)

Scratch And Win Customers

scratch off Marketing your brand should be fun for you, and more importantly, for your customer.  Grabbing the attention of increasingly savvy customers who can easily choose to tune out advertising messages is difficult without an integrated approach that pulls clients in, rather than just pushing the message out.

One way to pull those clients in is with a scratch-off game campaign.  This inexpensive, versatile marketing tool owes its popularity to the lottery games that made it famous.  But today it can be customized for any industry and aimed at audiences of every age, gender or ethnic background.  The element of chance and surprise draw the customers in, and once there, the sales team can inform, consult and sell those products and services that make up your brand.  The cards can be distributed in various ways, such as direct-mail campaigns or gift-with-purchase promotions.  The point is, everyone loves a chance to win!

Some of the more popular scratch-off promotions are described below.

  • Bank Promotions:   increase customer accounts & deposits;  new branch opening awareness;  employee incentives;  increase loan application
  • Prize Ideas:    rate reduction;  loan application fee rebate;  new account deposit bonus;  branded gift items
  •  Trade Show Marketing:  motivate attendees to stop by booth;  capture new contact information;  gain early information on upcoming new projects
  • Prize Ideas:   branded gift items;  meal coupon at local restaurant;  spa service at hotel
  • Employee Wellness Programs:  boost participation in community wellness programs;  reward hitting fitness target;  motivate participation in wellness seminars
  • Prize Ideas:  workout clothes;  water bottles;  gym bags;  healthy recipe books 

Today’s always-connected consumer is besieged with advertising messages through every conceivable media vehicle.   The company that finds creative ways to market their brand with different types of media will win customers, increase sales and improve profits.

Low Price Losers

costBranded merchandise doesn’t have to be expensive to have a high perceived value, just as high prices don’t guarantee quality.  It is the job of your corporate supplier partners to introduce you to product options in all price categories that will enhance your company brand and carry the message of quality, creativity and reliability that most firms want their customers to see in their own products and services.

Distributing quality merchandise, regardless of the price point, should be one of the most important considerations for corporate marketing and procurement departments.  There are thousands of well-made low-cost items in the advertising specialty industry that can improve brand awareness.  However, there are just as many inexpensive giveaways that are poorly made and/or have little or no value for the recipient.  So why consider those options just because they are cheap?  After all, if the gift you decide to give is discarded immediately, why give it at all?

I have listed below a few of my favorite low-cost promotional items, and have followed that list with the same number of low price losers that I recommend leaving off your list of options for the next giveaway.

Favorites:

  1. Pen/Stylus:  Less than $1.00.  You never have enough!  Available in multiple colors with double duty practical applications for writing and working on a touch screen device.
  2. Anti-Slip Phone Sticker:  Less than $2.00.  Keep that phone in place!  Full color digital graphics on phone grip that comes attached to a full color marketing card.
  3. Laser Cut Acrylic Magnet:  Less than $1.50.  Creative approach to a classic!  Available in custom shapes with full color graphics, and inexpensive to mail.
  4. Neoprene Can Cooler:  Less than $1.00.  Especially in the summer!  Multiple colors and decoration options from camo pattern to rhinestones.
  5. Hand Sanitizer:  Less than $1.50.  Everyone uses it!  Full color label graphics available on a variety of container options from small bottles to credit card shape.

Losers:

  1. Small Plastic Toys:  Choking hazards are never good!
  2. Scented Anything:  So many people are sensitive to smells and additives, it’s safer to choose unscented products made from natural ingredients.
  3. Inferior Tools:  Tools that break under the pressure of using them are frustrating for the user and a poor reflection on the giver.
  4. Low-Grade Speakers:  Speakers are meant to improve sound, not drive the listener to turn it off!
  5. Open Cell Foam:  Fingers, balls, hats.  These things are cheap for a reason!  For the tournament game, go with a noisemaker or rally towel for close to the same investment.

Creative marketing giveaways can be found at every price point.  Be sure to enlist a supplier partner who understands the merchandise as well as the budget.  Your customer will be glad you did!

Drink Up, Ladies!

mugsAccording to a recent article in the Harvard Business Review, “In aggregate, women represent a growth market bigger than China and India combined—more than twice as big, in fact. Given those numbers, it would be foolish to ignore or underestimate the female consumer.”   Ergo, when considering the next branded giveaway aimed at a female audience, it would be wise to look at the product category that is nearly twice as popular with women as it is with men:  branded drinkware.

Branded drinkware has long been a popular option as a corporate promotional giveaway, but in recent years the advertising specialty suppliers have stepped up their game in terms of styles, color choices and materials.

  • Mugs:  ceramic, acrylic or glass mugs are offered in shapes and colors designed to hold any type of coffee concoction the local barista can whip up
  • Sport bottles:  made from aluminum, BPA-free plastic and collapsible polyethylene, and are constructed in sizes perfect for the serious bikers, casual sports enthusiasts or students’ backpacks
  • Stadium cups:  still available in paper, plastic or Styrofoam (not my recommendation), have been reimagined to accommodate the sports team tailgaters as well as the sippy cup toddlers

In consideration of capturing the highest return on the investment, marketing and procurement teams may want to read on for a few more statistics to help provide further insight into this popular promotional product category.

What percentage of U.S. consumers own branded drinkware?

  • 21%

What age group owns the most branded drinkware?

  • 21-34:  25%
  • 35-44:  20%
  • 45-54:  20%
  • 55+:     19%

Where is the drinkware most likely to be used?

  • Office:  39%   Home:  39%

Branded drinkware joins the ranks of the most widely used promotional merchandise, particularly with young women.  Next time your company wants to target this powerful market segment, think about drinks!

The Power Of Bags

ultimate2In a recent study, the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) conducted a national survey of end buyers to determine the effectiveness of promotional products versus other advertising media, and the results highlighted the effectiveness of bags as an advertising vehicle.   Besides what we see at the retail stores, eco alternatives are increasingly used to replace paper or plastic on our grocery runs; trade show attendees often receive a lightweight bag at registration to carry all the literature and giveaways; and even the humble brown paper lunch bag and upscale wine bottle totes have gotten bag makeovers.  How do all these bags give corporate marketing departments better brand power?   See below for the highlights of that ASI study:

  • Bags were reported to be one of the most frequently-used promotional products, nearly 6 times per month – even more than shirts or caps.
  • Bags made the highest number of marketing “impressions” during their use, approximately 1,084 per month. This was more than twice the number for caps or writing instruments, and 3 times number of impressions made by shirts.
  • Even more remarkable, bags were kept a long time, nearly 7 months. That’s more than 7,200 marketing impacts over the life of the bag!
  • 88% said their reason for keeping a bag was because it was considered “useful”. The second most cited reason was its “attractiveness”.
  • 82% of recipients said they could clearly identify the advertiser who gave them the bag and 45% said they now had a “more favorable” impression of the advertiser. Best of all, 59% reported doing business with the advertiser after receiving the bag!
  • The overall “cost-per-impression” for bags averages only $0.001. That’s less expensive than traditional media such as prime time TV ($0.018), cable TV ($0.005) or national magazines ($0.045). When measured against other promotional product categories, bags scored equally as well. Bags have a lower cost-per-impression than calendars ($0.003), drinkware ($0.004), shirts ($0.005) and business accessories ($0.008).

Bags are extremely effective marketing and branding vehicles, giving companies a better return on their investment.  Few promotional products are more powerful, so consider one of the thousands of different bag styles when looking at options for your next branded giveaway.

(Image and data courtesy of Bag Makers)  

Create A Successful Incentive Program In Six Steps

carrotIncentive programs are essential drivers of employee motivation, loyalty and morale.  Regardless of the size of the company or the budget, successful incentive programs will recognize outstanding employees; make good employees great, and give the lowest performers the opportunity to become more focused on skills improvement and positive results.  These programs can be structured for a company-wide audience intended to boost employee morale or improve the customer experience – or they can be designed to target just one department that may be working on a time-sensitive project that requires long hours and razor sharp focus.

In any case, getting started can be the most difficult part of creating a successful incentive  program.  Beginning with a simple outline will help the conversation get started.

  1. Set Your Goals:   Figure out what you hope to achieve when the program ends.   You may want to increase warehouse productivity, improve safety or simply reduce the amount of time your call-in customers are kept on “hold”.   You can have more than one goal, and most likely you will have different goals for each group of participants.
  2. Determine How You Will Measure ROI:    A variety of metrics can be employed, such as number of packages shipped, monthly sales, lost-time accidents, etc.   Decide how you will measure the results, and assign someone to manage that data.
  3. Decide The Budget:    You need a budget for the entire program, and a breakdown of how that budget will be spent over the course of the program. For example, $20,000 for the whole program budget; $4000 disbursed quarterly; and the balance allocated to the top achievers at the end of the year.
  4. Select Award Items:    Premium merchandise, customized items and possibly travel are all options for outstanding programs.   The best programs avoid cash or gift cards so that the rewards become individual goals that each person identifies, such as a gas grill, TV or weekend getaway (for the larger programs) – or brand-name apparel, sports gear or the newest small tech gadget (for the smaller budgets).
  5. Launch The Program Loudly!   Create excitement with an employee kickoff meeting and a low-cost giveaway (pen, mug, phone decal, etc) printed with the company logo and program message.   Keep the message alive with emails, posters, and follow-up small gift reminders.
  6. Build The Buzz!    Engage everyone as often as possible.  Announce monthly winners; post daily or weekly figures on how close you are to the goal; keep up the email communication with program reminders.

There are many industry polls and statistics that prove how well incentive programs work to motivate employees.   Now that we are at the beginning a of a new year, with new goals and challenges, choose to lay the groundwork for a successful incentive program and enjoy the rewards that will follow.  Six steps will get you started!