If you go to any office with a cake you are instantly the most loved person in the room. Particularly around 10.30am or 3.30pm. When people typically are thinking about food. It’s not time for lunch yet, but they want a distraction of some sort, and they are feeling food could help on both a physical and emotional level. Unfortunately driving around delivering cakes is not something we can do every day.
A hamper could be the way to go. Yes, there are a lot of daggy hampers out there, but there is also plenty of beautiful gourmet Hampers to choose from. Recently we produced a box of Truffles for a client. And for Christmas, you cannot go past a beautifully wrapped Christmas Pudding.
Whichever way you go, just give some thought to your customers and your business – finding that sweet spot between giving them something they want and something that reflects the type of business you are.
When you receive a gift that looks like it has been well thought-through, it’s a good moment for the receiver. You are impressed with the effort someone has gone to. Or the fact that someone knows you well enough to give you a gift that really resonates. A gift that you love so much you can’t stop talking about it.
That’s the receiving bit. Not that this is the intention of giving, but the effect of how a client will feel about you and/or your brand going forward.
So instead of giving for the sake of giving, give to create a moment or even better, many moments. That’s why well thought through branded promotional items that you gift to your customers and clients can really have an ongoing impact, and not become a one hit wonder… off their desk into the secret santa basket!
8 Step Process of Creating a Promotional Gift Experience
Who is the gift for? What type of person are they? What kinds of things currently resonate with them?
Think about your business / brand – Who are you? What’s essence of your brand and your brand values? Is there something that you are feeling increasingly passionate about?
Brainstorm with your Promotional Specialist to discuss the tried and tested and the latest and greatest, along with any other ideas you have.
A good promotional idea connects customer, business/brand, and the message – in a memorable way.
Strategic Design – Think beyond placing a logo on the promotional item. How can you create more for the customer through this experience?
Quality Check – Great design, poor quality promotional item – is not a good look. You want something to last more than 5 minutes. The ideal scenario is for the customer to integrate the promotional item into what they do. So they keep using, keep being reminded of you.
The packaging – Create the experience right through to the end. You want your customer/client to be excited about opening your gift. Anticipation is a beautiful thing. So don’t miss this opportunity.
If it’s a good gift, people will tell you and continue to talk about it. I have lost count of how many people speak to me about my Promotional Pens.
If you are looking for Christmas Gifts for your Customers/Clients I encourage you to start to finalise your plans to avoid missing your required dates.
The one time of the year that no matter how hard we pushed there is no way of getting around factory closures in Christmas and Chinese New Year.
Generally factories can be on leave 1 week prior and 3 weeks following the Chinese New Year which falls on Friday 16th February.
Dependent on what products you order, there could be a 12-14 week lead time. So to work through the holidays in the best way possible we encourage you to plan ahead by placing orders in no later than November.
Please do not hesitate to give us a call to work through the precise timing, based on the product, design requirements and your deadlines.
We are pleased to be awarded Finalist in the 2017 APPA Awards for Promotional Excellence. We attribute this award to our partners at StreetWork, for the opportunity to work with them in maximising the effectiveness of promotional products to help achieve their business and brand objectives.
The key to the campaign’s success was working with StreetWork with a long term vision, versus a short term project approach. This proved both beneficial for the results they achieved and for our ability to source and align products to meet their objectives.
StreetWork is a boutique charity that aims to help teens troubled by destructive influences and behaviour to turn their lives around through one-on-one mentoring. To read more about the fantastic work StreetWork does, visit their web-site http://www.streetwork.org.au/
Unless you need to grab a hat quickly to protect you from the sun, when attending to your garden, the choice in your ‘Cap’ wear is very intentional. There a thousands of hats to choose from. The quality varies significantly. So when choosing a Cap to represent your brand, choose wisely. Cheap cap, will mean less likely to be worn in public – because it doesn’t feel good and doesn’t look good. And therefore your leverage opportunity to creating awareness is substantially reduced.
When going down the ‘Cap’ path things to consider:
Material quality – does it feel good
Stitching – prominent or discrete
Durability – will it last a lifetime
Style – Visor, Basketball, SnapBack, all weather proof.
Colour – So loud you cannot miss it or too cool for school.
Branding – how big or how small
Ask yourself, what are you trying to achieve. The gift of a branded ‘cap’ is more than a gift. It’s a statement that someone is saying about themselves every time they wear your ‘Cap’.
A Cap is such a small item, and yet it can be so significant. If you get it right, it will be the ‘Cap’ that keeps giving back.
A brand for the future is a brand that concerns itself with sustainability. On the contrary, promotional items can help your business to become more eco-friendly. More sustainable. It’s about discovering the opportunity from investing in a promotional item. The opportunity in what can be gained, for example, what it will replace or improve, so you both you and the environment can benefit in the long-term.
The Oxfam Trailwalker had a target of reducing waste by $18K this year. One of the initiatives at this years event, was the sale of ‘KeepCups’ in replacement of paper coffee cups (that unfortunately cannot be put in the recycle bins). A great example of an organisation putting sustainability at the forefront of what they do – not just in the communities they help but in how they themselves behave.
The Environment is one area of sustainability, but there is also safety in the workplace and at work events. There are different requirements for different businesses, but using re-useable apparel (hi vis workgear) or apparel that has been produced with minimal, if any impact, to the environment and to the communities it is produced in, is a great step forward.
The thinking about leading or nurturing your brands sustainability, ties back to clarifying what your brand stands for? If your brand or business is looking for different ways to increase sustainability for both the business itself and the wider community, then I encourage you to request promotional items that can continue your commitment in this area. Don’t hold back in asking your supplier the questions around manufacturing, shipping, disposing, etc. This is what brings the value to the complete product.
If you are interested in finding out more about Eco-Friendly Promotional Products email: info@turnkeypromotions.com.au
Spring is here and already there are more people out and about enjoying the warmer weather and exercising their bodies to rid themselves of the Winter insulation, ready for Summer.
But what to wear? Athleisure wear of course!
The term comes from combining the word athletic and leisure. As the name suggests, Athleisure wear combines the streamline looks of athletic gear and the ease of use like leisure wear. Simply put, it’s apparel for the everyday and it’s also the fastest growing category … as can be seen by more and more fashionable retail gear like Lululemon, Fabletics by Kate Hudson, Lorna Jane and more.
The main qualities include:
– thin and light weight material
– bright colour ways / patterns
– polyester and cotton blends to give a bit of stretch and comfort while holding it’s shape, with maybe a little spandex.
The great news is there’s a range of styles available … customisation offshore or available locally where we can add your corporate logo … think of the number of impressions!
Tradeshows are a dime a dozen. If you have recently been to the ICC in Sydney, you will see that there can be up to five shows on any given day. This year alone, I have gone to over five tradeshows.
Tradeshows are a great way to engage with your current and potentially new customers in a way you cannot do online.
But it’s a show. It’s theatre.
The more theatre, the more engaging, the more customers to your stand, the better the opportunity for new business.
The same people are attending the same tradeshows year on year, it’s in everyone’s best interests for business and brands to continue to bring new life to their stand.
Here are our tips for putting on the show:
Each year start with a blank canvas – Open the door for some new thinking. How can we do it better than last year?
Communicating to your customers before the show telling them what they could expect when they visit.
Create space in your space. More room for customers. And the more customers on your stand, the more drawn to the stand will any passers-by.
Bring some fun. What are the fun spikes? This is good for both the staff on the stand and the customers.
Food is always a draw card. As long as it’s relevant. Having chocolates and snacks gets people, but it’s even better if the give-away has a direct association with what you do. Promotional products are a great take-home. If you take the time to create something that is too good to discard post the show, it’s a great opportunity for your brand awareness and consideration. Even better if you tie in a call to action.
Stand design… it’s worth the investment. It’s the difference between someone stopping or not. You want to stand out. What will it take for you to be up there with the best of the best.
Follow up! Get leads, add to your database. Then make sure you follow up and keep interacting after the show.
Energy is everything. Dynamic personalities that can speak to anyone and everyone and have fun at the same time. Find these people to work on your stand so you make it work hard, and get a great ROI.
Pens would have to be the most popular choice for a promotional item. So versatile, always needed and easy to brand. But there are lot’s of different pens, so how do you choose?
I think most of us have used promotional pen after promotional pen, finding that they don’t work to begin with or last for no time at all.
The Turnkey pens were more expensive, but they last. I have lost count of how many people have told me about how good the pens are, or how often I see people pull this pen out, or even ask for another one! They have proved to be a nice reminder of what we do and the quality we provide.
If you are going to the effort and expense of buying promotional pens, invest in one that works. Cheap pens speak volumes about your brand. So don’t be afraid to choose a pen for your next promotional campaign, just make sure it’s going to make a mark!
Brand intimacy – what is it? Creating not just a connection, but an intimate connection with your brand, sounds potentially farcical, but before you judge, just listen and observe. People can and do get very close to brands. Why on earth would someone buy a $400 T-shirt from Gucci?
I once was asked, by a marketing team (of course!), if a brand was actually a person, who would I want to share my bed with? Sounds ridiculous, until you start to think about how you would answer the question! Then your inner dialogue starts, and you are thinking maybe this brand, maybe that brand!
We all use brands in our life to demonstrate to ourselves and the entire world who we are, how we think, what we like and what we don’t like. Social media has only exemplified this form of aligning ourself with brands, giving us a platform to scale our associations.
So knowing this, how can we build on the relationships customers are having with our brands, so they become more intimate? So they become an extension of the person. This is not limited to fashion brands. All brands can find a way to build deeper relationships with customers by finding the balance between resonance and aspiration.
Promotional items can definitely help with this. It’s a great way to invigorate a brand … but first dedicate the thinking around selecting the right item and the message.
Find the sweet spot, that encourages your customer to get that bit closer.
Tradeshows are a dime a dozen. If you have recently been to the ICC in Sydney, you will see that there can be up to five shows on any given day. This year alone, I have gone to over five tradeshows.
Pens would have to be the most popular choice for a promotional item. So versatile, always needed and easy to brand. But there are lot’s of different pens, so how do you choose?
Brand intimacy – what is it? Creating not just a connection, but an intimate connection with your brand, sounds potentially farcical, but before you judge, just listen and observe. People can and do get very close to brands. Why on earth would someone buy a $400 T-shirt from Gucci?