Going Green With Your Promotional Swag

Featuring guest blogger Brian Hughes, Internet Marketing Director at farfromboring.com

The impetus for protecting our environment has been growing steadily for decades, and recognizing that is important. This is true not only for those with concerns about global warming and air pollution, but for people in all areas of marketing and business. If a high quality product can be made in an eco-friendly way, consumers tend to prefer the eco-friendly version.

Marketing trends, like politics, have always depended on popular demand. Richard Nixon was one of the most environmentally friendly presidents (establishing the Environmental Protection Agency and the Endangered Species Act) because he understood people cared about the environment in the early 1970s. Businesses and corporations need to recognize people care deeply about the environment today, and should act accordingly.

If your promotional paraphernalia is green and eco-friendly, it promotes a positive image that shows you care about the environment.

Brand Building

What is a brand? Why is it important? Simply put, a brand is your unique fingerprint -- how you are identified in your community. Whether we know it or not, we all have a brand, both personal and professional. Our personal brand is how we are identified as an individual (i.e., kind, witty, intelligent, thoughtful, etc.). On the other hand, our professional brand is how we are identified as related to our specific profession (i.e., successful entrepreneur, detailed auditor, zealous attorney, dedicated physician, etc.).


In most cases, your personal and professional brands are examined collectively. It is your responsibility as an individual to actively participate in shaping the overall perception of your brand so that it is displayed in a manner that you are proud to represent. When establishing a brand, consider building upon the following factors:


• Identify Your Brand: Decide how you want to present yourself and/or your business to the world. Determine what makes you stand out from the masses and decide what niche you would like to create within your practice area.


• Know Your Value: Identify your strengths and the particular set of skills that you have to offer your clientele. Exercise confidence in your abilities knowing that what you have to offer, no one else can bring to the table.


• Build a Team of Advisors: Discuss the goals for your brand with individuals that you trust and admire, who also have experience in the particular area or subject matter that is of interest to you. Establish relationships with several mentors who inspire you and are not afraid to be honest and direct with you while offering assistance during the formation and growth of your brand.


• Become a Scholar: Adopt a hunger to learn and expose yourself to everything that you need to know in order to become an expert in your specific area of interest. Educate yourself by reading articles about various companies and individuals that have obtained long lasting brands. Humble yourself and become an apprentice or intern for a more established company or individual who is a leader in your area of interest.


• Get Out There and Build: The best way to learn is to get out there and do it. As long as you have the passion to build your brand and are actively working on developing your skills-- while maintaining the hunger to grow and learn, you must step out on faith and be confident that you are ready to introduce your brand to the world. Of course this step in the process may seem scary. You are beginning a new experience with no instructions to guide you or even a blueprint of what to expect; however, you must remain positive that you will succeed and you must know that you are equipped for whatever task comes your way.


Brand building is essential; however, you must not become so consumed in perfecting your brand that you lose yourself and your personal touch in the process. After all, people work with individuals that they like and trust, not machines with no personality. Brand building takes time and dedication; however, if you commit the time and energy to build your brand wisely, all of the hard work and sacrifice will be worthwhile. Remember that loved ones, current clients, and even future consumers will all gravitate to you for your brand -- "that thing" that only you can offer.

As published by

Donald Gonsalves

Founder & CEO, Enthof Creatives, Brand Communications Expert, Serial Entrepreneur

Promo Product Boosts Referrals for Financial Firm

Here is an example of how firms like AdVantages can brainstorm with you to find a clever way to be sure your brand is desirable and attracts attention.

To help power sales growth, a Boston-area financial firm relies on a steady stream of referrals from lawyers and accountants. It's no surprise, then, that key players at the investment company were keen to stay top of mind with these white-collar professionals. For help with that, they turned to promotional products distributor partner.

After consultation and brainstorming, a program was pitched in which important referral contacts would receive a promotional gift every other month. The client liked the idea, and the roll-out revved into gear in April with a promotion themed around the start of baseball season. It centered on sending about 300 referral feeders a Baseball Tube.

The logoed tube bore the financial firm's branding and contained game-day delectables enjoyed by baseball fans: Cracker Jacks, Big League Chew and ballpark peanuts. Each item was logoed, and the gift came with the tagline, Looking forward to a great 2014 season with you. The client was very excited about the campaign, and another round of gifts is in the planning process. One option is a desk egg tucked in a nest of gold paper clips with the slogan, Let us help you grow your nest egg.

A good tip to remember: Promotional programs that reward referral networks can help you increase referrals – and thus sales. To get things started, be sure to contact us (613) 938-8591 or sales@advantagesadvertising.com. Visit us online too: advantagesadvertising.com.

Straight Talk: What Ad Agencies And Advertisers Really Think Of Our Medium

In March, PPAI embarked on a first-of-its-kind benchmark study—PPAI Buyer Insights: Ad Agencies and Advertisers—to determine buying habits and preferences for promotional products among advertising agencies and corporate advertisers. Of the 400 who responded, 178 were advertising agency decision makers and influencers in the purchase of promotional products, and 222 were corporate advertisers with annual revenues of $10 million or more.

The study results yielded a satisfying mix of methods to better understand the needs of this demanding segment of buyers along with several unexpected and enticing sales opportunities for promotional consultants.

Paul Bellantone, CAE, president and CEO of PPAI, sees the data as further confirmation that promotional products are effective, deliver a high level of brand recall and generate sales. “According to the study, 74 percent of buyers at advertising agencies and large corporations consider promotional products effective or highly effective,” he says. “This clearly gives the promotional products advertising medium a prominent place in the marketing mix. Advertising performance goals put a great deal of pressure on agencies and advertisers to deliver results, and study data show promotional products can help drive a high rate of return on the dollar as a part of the core advertising planning and buying strategy.”

Key Takeaways

• When asked about the buying process, about eight in 10 advertisers and advertising agencies say they purchase promotional products from promotional consultants—a significantly higher percentage over any other purchasing method including online, retail/catalog and/or third party.
• Just over half of the project budgets/campaigns put together by advertising agencies and advertisers surveyed include promotional products.
• Advertisers are significantly more likely to buy promotional products as needed—without having a specific budget. This gives promotional consultants additional opportunities to encourage seasonal or new product purchasing throughout the year.
• In the past 12 months almost all the advertising agencies and advertisers surveyed say they purchased promotional products (96 percent)—with 75 percent of those individuals purchasing three or more times during the period.
• Roughly 40 percent of those surveyed say their companies have spent $25,000 or more on promotional products during this timeframe. This suggests room for sales increases in average spend by becoming integrated into the buying process.
• Promotional products are seen as strong influencers of brands as they are used to promote brand recognition, brand/product awareness and corporate identity. As a result, the use of promotional products increased good will and increased brand recall.
• When asked about promotional product effectiveness, almost 75 percent of respondents say these products are either effective or extremely effective.
• The top three drivers of both groups are equal (77 percent) when deciding to include promotional products: price, design/function and they are a proven favorite of recipient.
• In the past 12 months advertising agencies and advertisers report that apparel was the category of promotional products most frequently purchased. Apparel was followed by writing instruments and sporting goods, leisure products and travel accessories.
• When advertising agency respondents were asked which promotional products were mosteffective, apparel was the overwhelming response followed by printed advertising materials (booklets, posters, flyers, signage, labels, inserts, print advertisements, bookmarks, discount coupons and laminated charts). Electronic devices and accessories and writing instruments tied for third place.
• While apparel was also the overwhelming top choice of advertiser respondents, their second and third choices varied from their agency counterparts. For these, writing instruments and desk/office/business accessories were seen as the second and third most effective promotional products used during the past 12 months.
• More than half of advertising agencies and advertisers use promotional products in creating brand recognition and awareness.

While there will always be areas of opportunity to increase market share, the majority of advertising agencies and corporate advertisers recommend using promotional products (88 percent) and almost three-quarters of respondents believe promotional products have contributed to campaigns’ successes.

PPAI is Promotional Products Association International