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High End Gift Programs For Employee Recognition

You want to set up a gift program for your employees, but need some help. No worries, we got you covered. For certain occasions, such as welcoming a new employee, celebrating a birthday, or simply successfully dealing with a rude customer, smaller gifts work just fine.

There are those times, however, when something more high-end is required to show the depths of appreciation and recognize the lengths an employee went to. We have advice on which products work well in such a program.

Clothes-Minded
Unless employees live and work in a nudists’ colony, they need and use apparel. A luxury bathrobe, especially one that is unisex would be appreciated and it relays your warm regards. Higher-end jackets, like those with leather accents, or made from other upscale materials, could also be included. Be sure to have both men’s and women’s versions available.

Just Rewards
It practically goes without saying that more expensive awards should be a staple; think out of the box with artsy decanters and glass sets, but also include awards that signify strength, such as an eagle taking flight. A high-end globe atop a pedestal signifies the employee means the world to the company.

Keeping Time
Watches, too, should be a staple. Make sure they are stylish, yet practical and again, have both men’s and women’s versions in storage.

Sporty Gifts
The golf fanatics would be grateful for a rugged and durable golf bag to carry their clubs and make them feel they are an important part of the company. And what sports enthusiast wouldn’t enjoy a tailgating grill that lets them know they add to the company’s recipe for success? Throw in a ticket to the game and your employees will really score.

Custom Tumblers Are a Great Way To Keep Your Name and Brand Out in Front of Prospects

Custom tumblers have long been a popular choice in the marketing world. They’re a way to tangibly promote your brand, logo and contact information.

That’s why many of our clients, who are Realtors, hand out logo tumblers as marketing gifts.

We have one Realtor client that visits 5 local businesses, that they frequent, each week, striving to build relationships with members of the business community. The Custom Tumbler is used as a leave behind at the end of a meeting. Another realtor client uses them to drop off as a housewarming gift when a property closes escrow.

Another Idea to enhance the tumblers by filling them with customized candy and attaching your business card with a ribbon. Image is everything, and adding those kinds of touches keep the gift presentation is polished.

When a Custom Tumbler is used as a gift, it helps the Business or Homeowner remember the Realtor when someone is looking to buy a home, and it shows appreciation for potential referrals they may be sent their way. It's a great custom corporate gift that will helps build relationships within a Community.

Recipients of Custom Tumblers can use them anywhere—at home, the office, the gym, or in the car and can be Enjoyed by Everyone who receives them

Get the Biggest Bang for Your $$$ with Imprinted Promotional Products

"Nothing beats Imprinted Promotional Items for getting a targeted message to a designated recipient on a repetitive basis". The key part of this statement is "On a Repetitive Basis."

This fundamental benefit of imprinted promotional items is probably the most overlooked and misunderstood factor in buying imprinted items to give-away at trade shows.

Here's a typical call I get from Las Vegas Trade Show Exhibitors

"I need some giveaways for a trade show. Do you have blah blah blah? They are really cute and I saw an exhibitor giving them away last year.”

Just imagine… billions of dollars are wasted every year. Most trade show exhibitors only get a fraction of the return on investment. Why? Because they spend their money on giveaways and not repetitive message senders.



Promotional Products Work

Studies show that 7 out of 10 people who receive promotional items at trade shows can recall the name of the company that gave them the product. That sounds good, but that's not all - not even close. That's just the tip of the iceberg.

While most trade show exhibitors would be overjoyed at these results, they are missing one simple point:

If your prospect has a "RE-USABLE" product, your company gets seen over, and over and over again, your cost per impression goes down and your return on investment goes up. Retention is the key to maximizing your effectiveness.

Want to Maximize Your Budget?

Think about this for a minute. Say you spend $1 on 1000 items. If 9 out of 10 get thrown away, only 1 in 10 is reused. Your cost per retention is $10 each and your $1000 got your message re-used by 100 people.

But if that $1 item is kept and reused by 5 out of 10 people, your cost per retention is $2 each and you have exposed 500 people on a repetitive basis for $1000. So for $1000 if I had the choice of being seen by either 100 people or by 500 people over and over, what should I do?

So Why Doesn't Everybody Get Maximum Results?

The reality is the promotional products industry (unfortunately) is more concerned about selling products than about maximizing their customers return on their investment.

Have you ever met a promotional product sales rep that has taken the time to educate you on what will and will not WORK FOR YOU, instead of trying to up sell you on the most popular items? The second biggest problem is this. Customers go to catalogs, websites, and salespeople who simply sell products and not solutions.

Still not convinced? Go to any promotional product website (not ours, www.kennedyadv.com) and you will find thousands of products. Most of these – about 9 out of 10 – if you think about it, people will never use.

What's New?

99% of the time "What's new?" is an abbreviated way of saying for "What can I buy that no one will ever use?" Remember the "Carabineer" craze? For 3 years everyone under the sun was buying these things. (Like the metal clips that rock climbers use.) Not only was everyone selling them, but then they made 500 different flavors of the product.

They had Carabineers with Compasses, Carabineers with Flashlights, with Key Chains, and Locks built in. They came in plastic, aluminum and steel. They became available in 90 different colors! Think about this! How many people do you know carry a carabineers key holder around with them on a daily basis? The promotional products industry sold 5 billion dollars worth of them. 2 billion at trade shows. Why? Because it was new. The colors were cute. They matched the trade show booth. "Oh it has a compass; this will come in handy if I get lost on my way home from the office!"

Let's face it. How many of us have used a compass in our life after boy scouts and girl scouts? The landfills are full of them. My point is this: There are items that have a high retention rate that have been around a long time and there is a reason they are the top items. Quite simply, THEY WORK.

Let me try to narrow it down for you. Here are the top selling categories of Promotional Products and percentage of overall sales.

1) Wearables 30%
2) Writing Instruments 11%
3) Calendars 8%
4) Drink Ware 6%
5) Desk/Business accessories 6%
6) Bags 5%

I have sold thousands of T shirts in my career. They are the highest retained item in the promotional products industry and there is no greater value. Look around at the desktops when you visit a company: Mouse Pads, paper cubes, many pens, highlighters, letter openers, carabineers (just a joke), coffee mugs, calendars, and rulers. Look in your house: Bag Clips, Jar Openers, Refrigerator Magnets, Coffee Mugs, Tee shirts and Caps.

Get in your prospect's house, on their desk, in their briefcase, on their backs, and in their drawers. Every day items have the greatest return. Remind them of your products and services and you'll micro brand them. Never buy a throwaway again and you'll no longer see the promotional product budget as an expense. You'll know what the Wise Buyer knows, you bought an asset.

Never hesitate to call with questions. If you wish to speak with me directly, you can contact me toll free Toll-Free Mobile: 888-725-4487 or e-mail me. I would be happy to help you in anyway that I can.

Criteria for Selecting Custom Trade Show Giveaways

If you’re heading to a trade show, you need custom trade show giveaways. They’re a tangible, cost-effective way to get your name in front of your audience—the majority of which are decision makers.

More than 80% of tradeshow attendees have the authority to influence buying decisions, and more than 50% buy something as a result of attending the show, according to a study from Exhibit Surveys.

Naturally, promotional trade show giveaways are a must. They boost your company’s sales and shorten the sales cycle. You can’t afford not to use them. Your competitors certainly will be using them to woo customers and prospects. That’s just the nature of trade shows.

You don’t have to blend in with all the other booths, though. You can stand out and make your company memorable with promotional items.

Follow these three criteria when choosing trade show giveaways, and set your company apart at your next event:

1. Choose giveaways that make sense for your brand.   

There are thousands and thousands of promotional products on the market, but that doesn’t mean they’re all a great fit for your brand. To maximize the effectiveness of your trade show giveaways, always opt for products that tie in with your brand. People need to make an immediate connection with your company and the giveaway you’ve just placed in their hands. For example, if you’re in the healthcare industry, logo hand sanitizer makes more sense than a custom lighter. If you’re in the food business, a promotional cooler bag is a better choice than a custom dog leash. Keep your promo items relevant to your brand.

2. Make them appealing.

People flock to promotional items that are attractive, trendy and visually appealing. If they’ve never seen it before and it looks interesting, they’ll want to check it out. Plus, it shines a positive light on your brand when your logo is imprinted on high-quality, well-designed promotional products. Select trade show giveaways that have a natural appeal to your audience, and you’ll create a buzz around your booth.

3. Opt for promo items with a purpose.

Novelty products are fun, but if you want your logo to stick around for the long haul, your trade show giveaways should serve a real purpose for your audience. If attendees see a value in your giveaway, they’ll hold onto it. If not, it will likely end up in the trash; people can only schlep so much stuff at a tradeshow. Make sure your giveaways are useful and fill a universal need, such as custom bags or logo drinkware. Everyone has a need for these items, which makes them more likely to be used.

 

KennedyPromos Tradeshow Tip:

Related Post: Don’t forget about your booth staff—you can maximize your trade show presence by dressing your trade show team in custom shirts or hats. 

 

 

Top Five Reasons To Give Corporate Holiday Gifts

With the holidays fast approaching,’tis the season
to think about corporate holiday gifts. They’re one of the most effective ways to polish your company’s image and earn your customers’ loyalty going into the New Year.

Plus, your clients, associates and business partners are likely expecting at least a little something from you. If they’ve worked with you all year, the gesture of a business holiday gift shows you value the relationship—you’re not just in it for your benefit.

When you give corporate holidaygifts, you …

1. Make your business stand out.

Think your customers won’t take note if you send them a luxurious embroidered blanket or a ribbon-tied box of gourmet brownies? Oh, they’ll notice. And what’s great about business holiday gifts is that it doesn’t matter what the gift is, as long as it’s thoughtfully selected. Whether you give something sparkly or sumptuous, exciting or elegant, your customers won’t forget it.

2. Highlight your company’s core values.

What’s at the heart of your company: ingenuity, tradition, forward-thinking, a commitment to quality? Your corporate holiday gifts can express these values in a tangible way. When you give your clients a meaningful, carefully selected gift, it leaves a lasting impression on them and speaks volumes about your business.

3. Show your appreciation.

Business holiday gifts aren’t about blasting your brand to recipients—they’re about expressing your gratitude for their business. Your company wouldn’t exist without your customers, so say thanks with personalized gifts. Consider your audience and give them something they’ll be genuinely happy to receive.

4. Strengthen your brand.

Business holiday gifts are a win-win: you’re gifting something special to your audience, and you’re getting your name out there, too. Just keep it subtle with your branding so your gift doesn’t seem insincere. Try using a tone-on-tone imprint or color scheme that coordinates with your logo for more understated branding.

5. Solidify your business relationships.

Start the New Year off on the right foot with your valued customers by giving them well-chosen corporate holidaygifts. It shows that their business is important to you and that you’re committed to working with them in the coming year. The key is to choose something special—you don’t want to select promotional items you normally give. This is the time of year to wow them.

The holidays can be a magical time of year for your marketing and your brand when you give corporate holiday gifts. Whether you aim to impress or you simply want to send season’s greetings, your audience will appreciate the gesture, and you’ll be establishing an emotional bond that will last long into the New Year.

Related Link: Additional Gift Ideas can be accessed in our Zoom Product Catalogs

KennedyPromo Idea tip:

Make your holiday gift budget go further by segmenting your audience into groups and sending gifts based on the level of the business relationship.

Custom Calendars Give Your Business Exposure for a Full Year

Wouldn’t it be fabulous to have a marketing tool that gives your company maximum visibility, day in and day out? And what if you only had to think about that marketing tool once a year? It would be like hitting the marketing jackpot—and you can do it with custom calendars.

Custom calendars keep your company name top of mind 365 days a year. When your customers receive a promotional calendar, studies show they look at it 1-10 times a day. This means multiple exposures to your brand—every day, all year long.

Plus, even in a digital age, your customers still want printed calendars. Sure, they may have smartphones, but research shows that 50% of them haven’t ever used the calendar function on their phones. Instead, they’re turning their attention to printed calendars.

Promotional calendars have long been one of the top five most commonly purchased business gifts for three main reasons:

1. They’re practical. Your customers refer to custom calendars every day at home and at work. In fact, the average person keeps three calendars at home and two in the workplace. They’re useful and appreciated, no matter the style you select.
2. They offer can’t-be-beat exposure. Custom calendars offer 365 of advertising. You simply don’t get this kind of exposure with other forms of advertising such as e-mails or newspaper ads. Plus, consider where your customers place their promotional calendar. It likely ends up in a high-traffic, easily seen location in a home or office, boosting the probability that your logo gets seen regularly every day.
3. They’re affordable. Custom calendars can pack a punch even if you have a slim marketing budget. For example, many of our calendars are well under a buck a piece. When you consider that your company name and logo are visible 365 days a year, you end up paying pennies a day—or less—for high-impact exposure.

Want to know how to give your customers promotional calendars or uses for promotional calendars?
Contact Us Today!

KennedyPromo tip: Be first! Typically, the first calendar on the desk or wall stays put all year, so get a calendar in your customers’ hands before everyone else does. Now’s the time to start your custom calendar shopping.