PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS
Popularity of promotional products
The use of promotional products—for business marketing and communication programs, keeps soaring, from an $17.8 billon industry in 2005 to $18.6 billion in 2006. The industry has grown faster than any of all other forms of advertising, i.e., newspaper, radio, cable TV, the Yellow Pages, outdoor, and yes, even larger than Internet advertising. They have been gaining popularity because, let’s accept it, businesses that use this kind of promotional marketing continue to flourish. Promotional products are known for their usefulness and relevancy to the targeted recipients.
Exciting promotional products
Promotional items come in a variety of forms, the most popular in 2006 of which are wearables—caps, hats, t-shirts, golf shorts, footwear. Writing instruments are popular, too, and so are calendars, decals, buttons, magnets, time pieces, umbrellas, playing cards, computer products, travel accessories, leisure products, sports products, bags, tools, stickers, food products, and the list goes on and on. Most often than not, the items are decorated or imprinted with a company's logo, name, or message.
This year perhaps, computer accessories and technology products come close to wearables in terms of popularity. Think about an exciting list, which includes MP3 players, voice recorders and accessories, colorful wrist rests and mouse pads, USB Wifi and Bluetooth accessories, flash drives and memory drives, CD cases, accessories and media downloads, monitor and keyboard accessories, laser pointers and presenters, computer bags, USB laptop light, monitor cleaners, on the air desk speakers, ear bud amplifiers. Again, the list goes and on.
Not only for businesses
Along with the long list of promotional products come with it a long list of their use, the biggest of which are for businesses who use them for their marketing campaigns, to foster goodwill and retention among their customers, to facilitate tradeshow traffic-building, to generate new customers, to introduce new products, to recognize their employees, to gain customer referrals, employee relations, brand awareness, public relations, etc.
Politicians use promotional products for their campaigns. Other sectors, like educational institutions and non-governmental organizations use them as a part of fund raising and awareness-raising campaigns. Remember the livestrong wristband that was used for cancer-awareness, and to raise funds for cancer research and survivorship program.
Themes now in use
Nowadays, with competition moving in a fast phase, promotional products even adapt to various themes that are “in” at the moment. Take for example the subjects of global warming, care for the environment, protection of endangered species, and oh yes, the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Look at these exciting promotional products with an eco-friendly theme: translucent eco-friendly pens, medicated lip balms, organic balsam sticks, organic cotton t-shirts, reactor solar charging kits, crank LED flashlights and cell phone chargers, eco-friendly journals, tote-bags, recycled rulers, recycled business portfolio, recycled back packs, recycled sling packs, coffee kegs, biodegradable golf tees, colorful plastic cups, holiday greeting cards, letter openers, recycled magnets, piggy banks, recycled ice scraper, and many others.
Holidays a-coming
With very important holidays coming soon, Thanksgiving, Christmas and the New Year, it’s time to rush your orders. Better yet, next year, place your orders early. Choose the perfect gift for the important people in your business. Go only to reliable suppliers of your imprinted promotional gifts - those who have been known to you to supply only the best, those who carry a wide range of exciting top quality lines, and those who could deliver your orders in a timely manner, the way you want it, the place you want your promotional products delivered.
And for your employees, do reward them for a great performance during the year, share the wealth with fine holiday gifts—not just the traditional fruitcake or sweater that you used to give in the past. Give them something that they will not forget for a while. Holiday gifts that your employees will talk about for the rest of the year. Say, for your employees based in Chicago, the second largest financial district in the country, gift your most outstanding employees with hi-tech gadgets, like for example a portable media player or a digital camera perhaps?