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Wednesday
September 16, 2009 Sell This Product - DrinkwareFiled under: Sell This Product This American supplier offers unique twists on ceramic mugs. Drink it all in. Kerney-Karp Inc. (asi/40261), a.k.a. The Creative Source 4 Drinkware, has been in business since 1975. The supplier specializes in USA-made ceramic products in unique shapes, styles, and colors, and they distinguish themselves from other drinkware suppliers by offering clients various unusual-shaped handles, stylish selections, fashionable matte colors, hand-painted designs, and deep-etch imprinting. The products are made using lead-free inks and glaze materials. “To supplement the great tradition of coffee drinking, our concept was to come up with ceramic drinkware that conveys what our customers stand for, be it a hammer-shaped handle, a wrench, an eagle, a light bulb etc.,” says Anna Ramos, V.P. of marketing. “Our ceramic line has items applicable to a wide range of companies promoting different interests. Plus, being an American-based production company gives us the added advantage of being able to fill orders quickly and have total quality control.” Top markets and uses include employee incentive programs, client giveaways, retail, contractors, banks, car dealerships and government. “There’s really something for everyone,” Ramos says. “Also, bucking the trend of throwaways, ceramic items are reusable, which makes them more eco-friendly”. GREAT IDEA! The 60-211H Hammer mug is perfect for any construction company or do-it-yourselfer. A home-improvement store could give these as gifts for people who open a new account. CREATIVE USES OF A COFFEE MUG
From the 2009 Advantages September Supplement.
Tuesday
September 15, 2009 Sell This Product - MatsFiled under: Sell This Product Mats make a great first impression at the door and keep people safe from slipping. Companies that want to make a grand entrance – in the literal sense – should consider Logo Mats as a promotional product. The potential for exposure is virtually unlimited, as employers, customers, vendors and even passers-by will see the company’s logo on a mat positioned at the front door. Logo Mats Inc. (asi/67849) uses state-of-the-art digital printers that allow reproduction of details, shading and even 3-D images to make the greatest impression. “A lot of companies now are looking for branding, and the DigiPrint is a perfect way to do that,” says Matt Sprague, account manager for the supplier. “The DigiPrint is a fully custom-printed mat that offers unlimited colors and quick turnaround times.” DigiPrint mats come in 25 colors, including vibrant hues like turquoise, emerald green, dark gold, burgundy and chocolate. Stock sizes range from 2′ x 3′ to 6′ x 12′ – and special sizes with 3′, 4′, 5′ and 6′ widths are also available. There are no set-up fees, no charge for art proofs, and production time is only five days. “The mat has a nylon surface that is made for high-traffic applications with rubber backing that does not curl or crack,” Sprague says. Mats are available with a smooth or cleated backing. One type of backing contains 100% Nitrile rubber that offers additional protection by resisting oil and grease. For clients who are interested in eco-friendly products, mats are available with rug backing made from 10%-15% recycled content. Besides being a way to display your client’s logo at the front door, mats can help keep people safe. The National Floor Safety Institute has certified all DigiPrint mats as slip-resistant. Lutradur, a translucent 100% polyester spun bond, keeps the rubber backing in place with the carpet. The long-wearing mats also reduce static. Unlike some promotional products, Logo Mats offer set pricing for orders as small as one mat, in addition to pricing for multiple mats. “The market that this product is applicable to is anyone that has a door,” says Sprague. “With a minimum of one, the DigiPrint can be used by anyone.” TOP MARKETS
From the 2009 Advantages September Supplement.
Monday
September 14, 2009 Sell This Product - LanyardsFiled under: Sell This Product Today’s clients want their every promotional purchase to get the extra goodwill mileage eco-friendly gives. Here’s a green twist on an industry staple – organic lanyards. When it comes to the advertising products a company chooses to promote its business, buyers are looking to make more responsible choices. Promotional products that are recycled, organic or sustainable (used for multiple purposes, rather than being discarded after an event) express that the company cares about the environment and its customers. Lanyards from SnugZ/USA (asi/88060) are great examples. Health care, entertainment, corporate, government agencies and schools are only some of the many industries that use lanyards. “Whether for employee credentials, a giveaway, or at a trade show or meeting, most businesses at one time or another will have use for a lanyard,” says Megan Ludlow, marketing/sales executive for SnugZ. “They are useful for keeping keys or other items close at hand, but the most popular use is for identification.” Ludlow notes that lanyards can also be used in more creative ways:
The lanyards are also easy to customize and come in different materials and with different attachments. The company offers cell phone holders, eyewear retainers, neck wallets and other accessories under the lanyard category. “But we like to sell service above all else,” says Ludlow. “We are known in the industry for our service and quality.” The company is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, and manufactures its cotton in North Carolina and knits its products in Utah. CASE STUDY Zenith has a line of woven fruit- and veggie-colored jump ropes to combine the concepts of physical fitness and healthy eating. Colors like banana, berries and broccoli weave together, so that food service companies and restaurants have extra reason to consider the jump rope as a promotion. The American Dietetic Association hosts National Nutrition Month in March and the Centers for Disease Control hosts Fruit & Veggies, More Matter Month in September – both are perfect times for such a promotion. LaFichi says that one smart vegetable vendor used back to school as the reason to send the produce-themed jump ropes to school food managers in the districts it services. The imprinted message on the jump rope reminded recipients of the importance of 5-a-Day for students. The jump ropes were given in bulk so that the schools could then pass them along to children for use on the playground. TARGET MARKETS 1. Ice cream parlors From the 2009 Advantages September Supplement.
Friday
September 11, 2009 Marketing Tip of the Day: Write a Good Email Subject LineFiled under: Marketing Everyone gets too much e-mail. The key is to make people open your e-mail marketing efforts. Here are three tips to make sure that your subject line stops them from just hitting delete: 1. Write the subject line last. “It makes more sense to come back to the subject line after you finish writing the content,” says John Arnold, author of E-mail Marketing for Dummies and Web Marketing for Dummies. “Look for the most compelling topic to highlight in your subject line.” 2. Give a hint. “A vague subject line is a waste of space,” Arnold says. For example, consider a monthly newsletter with the subject line of “Bob’s Bistro Newsletter: July, 2009.” According to Arnold, “This fails to tell the recipients anything about what they will find when they open the e-mail and offers very little reason to do so. A better approach for a newsletter is, ‘Bob’s Bistro: Our favorite recipes shared.’” 3. Keep it short and simple. In just three seconds or less, recipients will either open or delete your e-mail, says Arnold. And “with only 30-50 characters, including spaces, to create a winning subject line, you must convey your most powerful statement into those few words.” – Kenneth Hein – From Counselor’s 2009 State of the Industry
Tuesday
September 8, 2009 Sales Dish of the Day: Ask For A ReferralFiled under: Sales Dish of the Day Referrals are (dare we say it?) the lifeblood of any distributor’s business. Still, getting the referral tap flowing often takes some effort. Ann Latham, president of the consulting firm Uncommon Clarity, says, “First you need self-confidence. If you think your product or service has improved your client or customer’s condition, ask for a referral.” Be specific when making your request so you can make it easy for them to help, she says. Before approaching them, think “Who would I like to meet? What are the first three names that come to mind? Someone from a particular company? Someone with a known need?” Don’t make them try to select the perfect referral without sufficient information. Hank Shaw, chief marketing officer for The Phelps Group, stresses the ability to read your client’s comfort level in providing referrals. Give them “an out if you think they might be uncomfortable providing the recommendation,” he says. For example, tell them, “We would appreciate this reference, but we understand if it against your company’s policy.” Shaw suggests making the policy the bad guy, so it’s not a personal decision. – Kenneth Hein – From Counselor’s 2009 State of the Industry
Thursday
September 3, 2009 Poll Results: Christmas in AugustFiled under: Poll Results Remember those old Crazy Eddie commercials back in the day where the fast-talkin’ insane one hocked his audio hardware in August at such low prices that he claimed was practically giving the stuff away? Billed as “Christmas in August”, those commercials always stuck with me for several reasons: 1) What drugs was this guy on? and 2) Christmas in August?! How insane is that concept? Well, apparently not that insane if you’re in the ad specialty industry. In June, we polled our ASICentral users with the following question: In what month do you start focusing on selling corporate gifts for the holidays? The results were overwhelmingly, well, Crazy Eddie-like! Of the 226 respondents, the majority (81, 36%) started their holiday selling in August, while another 35% (80 voters) started in September, proving that Christmas does begin in August … well, at least in the audio and ad specialty industries! The complete results, below:
– CrazyVinnie PS - the original Crazy Eddie, in all his glory: |
