Promotional Products

8 Effective Uses of Promotional Products

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promotional products brisbane

1. Charitable Organisations

Find a product which engages the donators to give more money and provide more information to the charity itself. Insist on an on-line focus group to provide targeted product success and remove the “ego based” product decisions made by Marketing Managers (which often affest the promotions success).

2. Incentive Programs

Cash Vouchers or Bonuses: Here today, gone tomorrow. Research shows that the moment the recipient has spent the cash, the goodwill it generated fades. Promotional products have a longer retention value of the appreciation. Link incentives with sponsorship programs or events your company maybe affiliated with.

75% of Human Resource Managers surveyed are using promotional products in recognition programs.

72% of Marketing and HR Managers say promotional products are very effective in motivation and retention of staff.

3. Gift with Purchase Programs

When advertising a Brand, Gift with Purchase programs can more than double sales.

4. Media Attention

Create promotions which garner free media attention (photo apportunities for TV and Print). You could ask your promotional products Brisbane company to handle the media roll out.

5. Active Promotional Trigger Campaigns

Use the promotional product as a trigger or teaser for action not just a reward. Example: using elements of the product in a time sensitive roll out (providing the headphones of an MP3 Player first to your target market, and then the player if they attend the event or take the action you require).

6. Event Invitations

Use promotional products as the invitation itself. Examples include a Spring Racing Carnival invite which includes a pair of jockey shorts with the invite information and your logo on a stress horse. Invite clients to Cirque du Soleil by printing the event on 3 separate juggling balls.

7. Make the Trophy as Memorable as the Event

Motivate and inspire recipients with memorable keepsakes as the trophy. It can garner media attention and make the award more desirable for the recipients thus creating increased future involvement for the event.

8. Sponsored Table Gifts at Your Next Event

Branded table gifts can substantially offset event costs (if they are co-sponsored) and commemorates events in a meaningful way.

Need Proof? Check out these Results from a Recent Survey

Reach

71% of business travellers surveyed at an international airport recently reported having received a promotional product in the last 12 months.

Moreover, 33.7% of this group had the item on their person. The item was promoting the givers logo repeatedly to the partcipant and their associates.

56% of people kept their promotional product for more than 1 year.

76.4% said they kept their promotional product because it was useful.

Recall

76.1% of the respondents could recall the advertisers name on the product they have received in the last 12 months. In comparision, 80% of participants answered yes to reading a newspaper or magazine in the last week but only 53.5% of them could recall the name of a single advertiser.

Conclusion

Promotional products, properly implemented, have a longer physical and mental retention value then many “above the line” advertising methods for less cost. Cross compare to TV & Print.

When advertising a Brand, Gift with Purchase Programs can more than double sales. For more information contact a trained promotional products consultant.

promotional merchandise

The Power of Promotional Merchandise

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promotional merchandise

Distributing branded promotional merchandise is a powerful and cost effective way to build long term brand awareness.

For example, did you know that:

  • 71% of business travelers surveyed at an international airport advised that they had received a promotional product within the last 12 months.
  • 76% of the respondents could recall the advertisers name on the product.
  • 56% of kept their promotional product for more than 1 year
  • 34% of this group had the item with them
  • In comparison – 80% of participants answered yes to reading a newspaper or magazine in the previous week but only 53.5% of them could recall the name of a single advertiser.

Source: Australian Promotional Products Association

Snappy Uniforms has access to just about any type of promotional item and promotional ideas that you can think of, including:

  • Giveaway items and marketing products to increase your brand awareness at events and trade shows
  • Corporate Gift items to thank your clients for their business
  • Reward items for special achievers on your team
  • A whole range of products to sell at fundraising events such as tee shirts, caps, bags, mugs, promotional pens and list goes on
promotional key rings

Getting Keyed up on Promotional Key Rings

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How many times a day do you use your keys?

Now you can realize the amount of logo publicity and impressions that a good key ring can offer as a company promotional product.

There are some basic things to consider when buying key rings. If you want the recipient to value it in the long term it is important to spend a little more money and go for a metal option with laser engraving or if the logo is to be printed ensuring that a polymer dome covers the print to prevent the printed logo from being worn off with the abrasive action of the keys rubbing against the print. A leather key ring is also a classy option.  If you wish to appeal to a wider audience a less expensive alternative in plastic or acrylic will do the job beautifully. Either way key rings offer a multitude of choices in function, style and price.

promotional key ringsIf your business is not in the automotive, housing or security industry would you still give away a key ring?

While it is true that promotional key rings make great gifts for businesses for which they are clearly relevant a knowledgeable promotional product consultant knows that this medium is not limited only to those industries. A target base of optometrists might appreciate a key ring with a microfiber optical cloth attached. A local physiotherapist or relaxation clinic could hand out a stress gripper key ring. Or a consumer products company may want materials die-cast or die-cut to create a key ring replica for a new product launch.

This is where it pays to review the four factors of promotional success:

  1. Audience Appropriateness
  2. Marketing Message
  3. Qualified Recipients
  4. Timing

There are enough choices in promotional key rings to fulfill most any combination of these elements and to promote your brand to the public.

polo shirts

Cheap Polyester Cool Dry Shirts Make You Stink

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I’ve lost track of how many times customers have told me they don’t like wearing polyester polo shirts because they make them smell. The reason for this is that contrary to some belief not all Cool Dry garments are anti-bacterial treated and whilst most perform moisture wicking removal actions, the less expensive garments retain body odours rendering them unwearable in only a few months. In my experience some of the big offenders are cheap imported hi visibility polo shirts.

corporate polo shirts BrisbaneOne of the best moisture wicking fabrics in the market is Aussie Pacific’s performance fabric DRIWEAR™ which breathes like cotton, is quick drying and has anti-bacterial properties which makes it cool and comfortable to wear all year round. DRIWEAR™ is woven from anti-bacterial treated yarn instead of whole cloth. This means that the garment will retain its freshness for the life of the garment and will not retain body odour as opposed to a garment that is not treated in this way does. Cheap moisture wicking fabrics are produced by simply spraying chemical anti-bacterial treatments to whole cloth which tests reveal washes out after 10-15 washes before this feature diminishes. DRIWEAR™ is not a fabric as such but an anti-bacterial treated yarn which is then woven into fabric. It is the anti-bacterial treatment to the yarn which ensures the garment will not retain odours and stay fresh for the life of the garment.

DRIWEAR™ yarn can be knitted into various forms with the min-waffle being used extensively through the Aussie Pacific range. The unique fibre construction makes it lightweight and highly breathable as the micro construction causes the yarn to bulk up when exposed to moisture and then dry quickly when exposed to air. Cotton on the other hand absorbs moisture into the fibre whereas DRIWEAR™ facilitates the moisture wicking properties by using capillary action. Moisture is wicked away from the skin to the outer surface spreading moisture from fibre to fibre and when woven together in cross sections allows air to flow through the fabric.  DRIWEAR™ yarn has the ability to move moisture and speed evaporation which is crucial to your body dry and comfortable. The end result is no more uncomfortable wet patches under your arms or on the back of the shirt and most importantly, no smell!!

DRIWEAR™ fabric continues to get ‘rave reviews’ particularly with its versatility for sports, corporate or team wear. It is also available in hi visibility polo shirts and singlets to keep you Tradies cool and comfortable. Now that’s the perfect kind of polo shirts for Brisbane.

To view the Aussie Pacific range CLICK HERE.

promotional pens

Here’s How Promotional Pens Can Build Your Brand

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Even in the technological world that we live in today you will still see on most people’s desks multiple pens with many of them branded. The popularity of pens is second only to branded apparel. Writing instruments are daily tools that people not only look at but also hold therefore increasing the time spent with the product, your logo and advertising message. Let me now discuss some of the advantages of promotional pens, the branding methods and the different types of pens that are offered.

Advantages

  • Low Cost – (anything from $0.50 to $5.00) in a pen is considered a promotional item. Above that and it becomes a gift. In this case the idea is to give out lots of them, and hope that they travel far and wide, while imprinted with your name/logo/message.  One manufacturer’s study showed that on average a pen may have as many as eight owners. It gets passed around and I am sure you can relate to ending up with a pen that wasn’t yours.
  • Some pens are refillable and can therefore be used over and over again.
  • Pens are a great item to put in tradeshow bags and to give out to delegates at conferences.
  • Premium pens such as Parker, Schaeffer and Waterman have different packaging options and are a really great Corporate Gift to give to those valued clients to show your appreciation.

Branding

  • Pad printing is the most versatile and common decoration process for plastic pens due to the ability to print on compound angles and three – dimensional objects. Pad printing is cost effective and there is the ability to print multiple colours.
  • Laser engraving is a sophisticated form of customizing metal pens and it is even possible to achieve a multi tone effect. Engraving provides a permanent subtle branding and a professional finish for high end pens.

Different Types of Pens

Pens can be divided into 3 categories based on what material they are made from, what they are used for and what type of ink and tip they have.

Material

The most common are plastic pens, metal pens, wooden pens, bamboo pens, bio-degradable pens and recycled pens.

Use

Pens are available for many uses including standard writing pens, marker pens, highlighters and banner pens.

Tip and Ink Type

Choice include ballpoint pens, roller ball pens, fountain pens, gel ink pens, felt tip pens and fibre-tip pens.

Promotional Pens

Things to Watch Out For

As with most things you get what you pay for. Two pens might look alike and yet differ greatly in price. There are many different factors that can affect the price of pens. Don’t cheapen your company image by giving out a pen of questionable quality that does right well or runs out of ink quickly and then gets thrown in the bin! A good refill costs more than a basic pen with a basic refill. A basic refill will write 300 metres, while an ultimate refill will write more than 9,000 metres.

Ever picked up a pen which has fallen apart? This is because the pen parts have been forced in or just screwed in. A good quality one is glued in place to help stop it from falling apart.

An experienced promotional product advisor will be familiar with all of the many products which are available and will be able to recommend the best product for your business and target market.

Hi-Visibility Workwear

Four Things You Should Know When Buying Hi-Visibility Workwear

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1. Why is it that some hi-vis workwear is less/more expensive than others?

In the area of workwear the old adage “you get what you pay for” has never been truer. With so many brands competing for market share how do you work out which brands are good value for money and what is just a cheap product at a cheap price? This can be done by doing three easy things:

Visually inspect the garment to see if the appearance, stitching and finish of the garment look presentable and is of retail quality.

  1. Try the garment on to ensure that it is comfortable and fits well.
  2. Wash the garment to make sure that it holds its shape and colour.

Hi-Visibility Workwear2. Compliance with Australian Standards

The most important point with hi-vis apparel is that it meets the correct Australian Standard for the conditions under which the garment is to be used. The standards vary depending on whether it is for day use, night use, aboveground, underground, fire retardant, antistatic etc. Snappy Uniforms uses reputable workwear manufacturers who only supply garments which comply with the relevant Australian Standards.

3. Branding

On a worksite everyone looks the same in their hi-vis clothing so many businesses differentiate themselves by using decorative options to indentify their staff and promote their brand. These garments are essentially no different to other work uniforms other than the tighter constraints in terms of meeting fairly strict Australian Standards. The two most common methods of decorating hi-vis clothing are embroidery and screen printing.

Embroidery

The advantages of embroidery are the longevity of the decoration, the professional image associated with this type of branding, the relatively low cost compared to other forms of decoration and the quick production time. It is also important to recognize that there is embroidery and embroidery. To ensure the best result, get your logo professionally digitized. Beware of cheap digitizing setup costs as you very much get what you pay for. A logo which is digitized correctly will sew out beautifully time after time. The quality of threads can also make a significant difference to the overall outcome. Low quality embroidery threads will lose their colour and the dye from the thread can run into the shirt fabric. The use of backing material also affects the comfort of wearing the garment and the stability of the embroidery itself so that the logo does not become distorted with movement. When embroidering fleece type fabrics it is important to use Solvy embroidery topping to prevent the embroidery nestling down into the fleece.

Screen Printing

This option is commonly used in conjunction with embroidery. The logo is embroidered onto the front and then a larger screen print on the back. Screen printing provides a nice crisp image and is more cost effective to use when covering a large area such as on the back of a jacket or shirt. Some of the disadvantages with screen printing include slightly longer turnaround times, more expensive for smaller runs due to the screen setup costs, and the longevity of the application. Sometimes the garment will outlast the screen print. The prime reason for this occurring is in the type of ink used and application chosen. For example most inks which are used on a polo shirt or cotton drill shirt cannot be used on say a wet weather garment as the ink does not adhere in many instances causing the flaking and peeling that some people relate with screen printing.

Hi-Visibility Workwear4. Different types of Hi- Visibility Apparel 

There is a large range of hi-visibility clothing to suit every situation. Singlets and polo shirts are available in lightweight polyester or microfibre moisture wicking fabrics which are great in hot and humid conditions. These shirts are also offered in poly cotton blends and 100% cotton. For those who want something different there are now some modern stylish designs. Cotton drill long and short sleeve shirts are available in different fabric weights and also include additional venting and mesh to allow for more ventilation. Fire retardant and antistatic fabrics are the best choice for hazardous working environments. There are jackets to suit all temperatures and weather conditions along with polar fleece vests, hoodies and jackets. Whatever the conditions we are able to provide you with hi-visibility apparel that complies with the Australian Standards and is comfortable for your staff to wear.

Promotional Tee Shirts

Could Promotional Tee Shirts be the Best Promotional Product Ever?

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In these times when advertising budgets become a bit tight it is often difficult to decide how much of your budget you should dedicate to promotional products. With so many great proven promo products to choose from which are an effective way to build you corporate branding it is difficult to know where to begin. It is however arguable that the promotional t-shirt wins out every time in terms of its cost-effectiveness, perceived value and universal appeal.

Five reasons to Choose Promotional Tee Shirts to promote your Brand

1. Cost-per-impression

Think about how many prospective customers are likely to view a promotional message printed on a mouse mat that’s sitting on a recipient’s desk, or a pen that lives in a shirt pocket? Compare that to the number of people who are likely to see a similar promotional message emblazoned across a promotional tee shirt. As an example during a single visit to a shopping centre the tee shirt (and your message) is likely to be viewed by several hundred members of the public!

Impressions are the number of times a logo or message on a promotional product is viewed during the product’s lifetime. The higher the number of impressions, the lower the cost-per-impression, and the more cost effective the promotional product becomes.

Every time a person wears a brand’s promotional tee shirt they are effectively acting as a “walking billboard”, advertising the brand’s promotional slogan to everyone they encounter – potentially thousand of people a day.

The key to maximizing the number of impressions is to provide tee shirts that will be valued by recipients and that they will want to wear repeatedly. This means providing good quality tee shirts which look good, fit well, are comfortable and will last, allied to creative embellishment that enhances the brand and promotional message. A poor quality garment that shrinks or falls apart may be false economy and is likely to be thrown away and could even compromise the brand image.

2. Universal Appeal

Tee shirts are popular and have universal appeal. Everyone owns and wears them so they are widely regarded as an item worth having. A number of manufacturers now supply promotional garments that match the quality and fashionable styling of the products consumers are buying in retail and this further increases the desirability and perceived value of the promotional tee shirt to the recipient.

Promotional Tee Shirts3. Perceived Value

The effectiveness of the tee shirt as a promotional item also stems from the high perceived value that it commands amongst consumers. People perceive far more value in a branded tee than the items actual low cost.

4 Targeted Promotions

There is now a promo tee to suit everyone. There are specific fits for men, women and children; sizes to cater for the largest adult to babies; different fabric weights and price points; and an extensive colour range that covers all corporate favourites. This makes it possible to tailor a promotional clothing campaign to gain the maximum appeal amongst a given audience.

5. A Versatile Choice

The promotional tee shirt is suitable for a broad range of promotional uses. A budget tee could be used for a high volume giveaway at a fundraiser or tradeshow. An elegant fitted ladies tee shirt could be used to promote cosmetics or hair products. Restaurants and hotels could dress their wait staff in a branded tee shirt and these could also be available for patrons to purchase as a souvenir of their visit. Tourist attractions and theme parks can also greatly increase merchandise sales by selling tee shirts to visitors. Promotional tee shirts cover everything from high volume one off events to up market promotions and cater for all budgets. The tee shirt remains the most cost effective way of mobilizing your promotional message and is worthy of serious consideration when planning your promotional budget.

Brisbane Corporate Uniforms

Promote Your Brand with Brisbane Corporate Uniforms

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Brisbane Corporate Uniforms

From caps, polo shirts and t-shirts to complete uniforms – making your staff easily identifiable can be a key part to your marketing – here are some ways to do this effectively with Brisbane Corporate Uniforms.

Staff Become Walking Billboards

If you use signs to indentify your company buildings and vehicles, and printed stationery to identify your communications, then why not add embroidered corporate uniformsl and turn your staff into live, branded ambassadors for your business? Uniformed employees stand out from the crowd, and get your brand in front of more prospects and clients with walking, talking human billboards!

Ways Uniforms Can be Used

  • Frontline people in a retail store who need to be easily recognizable as someone who can help customers
  • Behind-the-scenes staff who need to feel part of the team
  • Delivery people who take your brand to the streets
  • Employees socializing as a team after work
  • Tradeshow staff and sales representatives
  • Even sports teams, branded with your logo through sponsorship agreements

Enhance Team Spirit

Whether you provide uniforms for daily use or special occasions, this professional, branded look can enhance team spirit and present the desired image for your company. It can also provide a standard dress code, ensuring that each member of your staff is dressed appropriately for work. This has been a key concern for many HR managers in the wake of ”dress down” policies running amok! Snappy Uniforms offers many choices in logoed business wear and uniforms.

Options to Suit All

In planning your company wardrobe, you can choose the level of dress required. You can also provide a range of choices to fit a variety of occasions, (i.e. separate “uniform” for the office, tradeshow floor and company social or sporting event).

The right garment will sometimes even spill over after hours. For example, if you give t-shirts and caps to your staff or corporate-sponsored sports team, there’s a good chance they’ll eventually turn up at the gym or be seen at the supermarket or beach. This builds a sense of community among your staff while also providing great, low-cost promotion of your brand!

quality embroidery services

How to Identify Poor Quality Embroidery

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Not all embroidery is equal!  Here’s a few tips to ensure that you receive high quality embroidery services.

  • Embroidery which doesn’t have enough stitch density will allow the fabric of the shirt to show through. Also the embroidery will not sit up and look full and vibrant.  Ask to see an example.
  • Low quality embroidery threads will lose their colour and the dye from the thread can run into the shirt fabric.  Ensure that only the finest threads are used.
  • The process of Embroidery using a needle and thread means it is impossible to get the same level of detail as something that is printed. It’s better to leave off very fine or shaded elements of a design and any very small text as they won’t stitch out nicely and detract from the final impact of the logo. A good graphic designer will provide you with an Embroidery version of your logo.  We can also help.
  • To ensure the best result, get your logo professionally digitized. Beware of cheap digitizing setup costs as you very much get what you pay for. A logo which is digitized correctly will sew out beautifully time after time.

quality embroidery services

Promotional Bags

5 Ways to Use Promotional Bags to Enhance Your Brand

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Many people say – “I’ve got lots of bags, I don’t really need anymore”. Yet these are often the same people who call and ask to borrow one when they go away for a weekend or on a business trip. In the 2010 Global Advertising Specialties Impressions Study branded bags were shown to have the highest number of impressions in a month, over 1,000. In fact, over one-third (36%) of those with incomes under $50,000 own bags. Branded bags are useful items and here are 5 great ways that you can use them to Build Your Brand.

1. Sporting Events

Sponsorship of a sporting team has long been seen as a good way to get your name out to potential customers and also to show your support of your local community. Having your logo placed on a good quality sports bag or back pack for team players and supporters will ensure that your brand is highly visible. Not only this they travel! Yes, one thing you can count on is that a good bag will be seen in many places from airports and gyms to bobbing on children’s backs as they bike to school.

Promotional Bags Promotional backpack

2. Tradeshows

 

A canvas or non-woven tote bag printed with your logo gives trade show attendees a way to carry all the brochures and objects they’ve collected during the trade show. Because guests will carry your bag throughout the convention the bag doubles as a powerful moving billboard for your company. Better still choose to use a bag made from environmentally friendly products and show the public that your company cares for the environment.

Promotional tote bags Promotional tote Bags

3. Employee Rewards

Employees who are recognized for their good work and achievements will feel valued and proud to be part of the team. These feelings will have a positive effect on the way they interact and treat customers. By rewarding employees with a travel bag or laptop bag branded with your logo they will carry it proudly as Brand Ambassadors for your business.

Promotional Bags Promotional duffle bag

 

4. Corporate Branding

In this day and age were everyone is competing for a slice of the business pie branding has never been more important to businesses wanting to grow. A great way to reinforce your brand to customers is to give them a useful product such as a compendium printed or embossed with your corporate logo. They will be reminded of your brand each time they pick it up and will also be displaying it to their clients too.

Promotional folio

 

5. Corporate Events and Conferences

Build team spirit and morale by providing delegates with a conference satchel or laptop bag printed or embroidered with your company logo. Long after the event has finished your branded bag will be delivering long term traces of your brand.

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The Best Way to Brand Your Bags

Most bags are printed with your logo in one colour or multi colours, or in the case of sports bags, back packs and travel bags they can be embroidered to give a more appealing and up market look. Other decoration types include digital prints, sublimation and embroidered badges. To really give your bags the customized look so they portray your corporate colours bags can be customized to these colours. Also the interior linings can be printed with your logo and the zipper pullers can also be branded with your logo to add to the wow effect.

What Makes a Good Quality Bag

  • Good quality fabrics. With nylon bags 600 denier nylon with latex rubber backing is ideal and will prove to be durable.
  • Reinforced compression straps
  • Ergonomic and quality hardware
  • Boxed stitched webbing joints
  • Double stitched heavy duty zippers

When considering promotional products for your business bags branded with your logo are an incredibly effective and versatile option.