Every man and his dog is doing or has done notepads. A long standing promotional product, that continues to grow. Year on year the notepad holds a top 10 position in the most popular promotional products. People still love stationery; despite being constantly tied to our phones. The great thing about the notepad is that you can make it work for your brand and your customer. It comes down to the type of notepad, the accessories you team it up with (e.g. pen or pencil), and the design. How and where you position your logo. What message do you want to convey to the audience? Is it a message that inspires and motivations? A message that people want to Instagram?The target market is wide, so it’s just about finding the right style.
This is to help you with your event planning for the year, whether it’s within your business or with your customers. Go low key or go all out. If you need any ideas around for promotional products, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Australia Day: 26th January
Back to school: 30th January
Valentine’s Day: 14th February
Chinese New Year: 16th February
Australian Women’s History month: 1-31st March
Worldwide Wildlife Day: 3rd March
Start of Rugby season 8th March
International Women’s Day: 8th March
St Patrick’s Day: 17th March
Australasian Promotional Products Association Tradeshow: 21st March
Earth Hour 8:30pm: 24th March
Easter: 30th March – 2nd April
Harmony Day: 21st March
National Youth Week: 31st March-9th April
Administrative Professionals Day – 4th May
Mother’s Day:13th May
Word Refugee Day: 20th June
End of Financial Year: 30th June
International Youth Day 12th August
World Humanitarian Day: 19th August
Australasian Promotional Products Association Tradeshow: 22nd August
A great all year round promotional product, hands down. And anyone and everyone loves a coffee mug.
Whilst there’s nothing wrong with a coffee mug with your logo proudly displayed, there are other creative ways you can decorate your mug, ensuring the user will love it.
Coffee mugs can come to life that your customers/clients/staff will love with a little bit of creativity. Things to consider:
Size and weight of the mug
Texture – shiny matte
Material – ceramic, porcelain, china
Number of colours to be printed
Design
Message
Brand presence
Print quality
Price
Delivery Date
How will you deliver it to the receiver?
Can you personalise it?
Quantity and lead-time, with larger quantities custom designs can be produced offshore
Decoration position, consider a lip imprint, decoration on the base or on the inside to reveal your message
Also think about the packaging. How will the gift be received? A bit part of opening anything is the anticipation. Also when working with breakables, plan for the rough handling, so you protect the product as much as possible.
With the increase in digital decoration, there are more options to print coffee mugs with full colour and personalisation … your staff will always be able to find their mug in the staff kitchen cupboard and who doesn’t love receiving a gift with their name on it!
Branding Appears Magically
A thermochromic coffee mug with a unique thermochromic coating, allowing the dishwasher safe wrap, around branding to appear ‘magically’ when hot liquid is added, and then disappear again as it cools. A bit of fun. And it is nicely presented in a black gift box.
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.
With Christmas just under two months away, NOW is the time to finalise your corporate gifts. The last months of the year fly by, so if you haven’t thought about Christmas gifts yet, don’t put it off any longer. Production times vary by product, so order sooner rather than later to ensure you have plenty of time to distribute them to staff, clients and customers. Ensuring your order is in soon safeguards against the silly season becoming manic.
Gifts to clients at Christmas time fulfills more than a feel-good festive function. Although that feeling of giving a gift that is equally well-received is great, there a few other reasons why giving a great branded corporate gift is more than good vibes!
Saying Thanks
The first and most obvious reason for gift giving is to say thanks to clients who are using your products and/or services and keeping your business humming along. It doesn’t take much to say “I appreciate your business” on top of what you regularly deliver.
Build strong relationships and retain business
Every business wants to nurture client relationships and have them continue to choose you as their partner. Gifts at Christmas help solidify these relationships and give greater meaning to just another transaction. If a business is completing 6 month budget reviews and are cutting costs and assessing service providers, now is the time to ensure that you make a great impression even if you’re in front of them every day. A well-thought gift is one that will make you stand out and come to mind regularly in the eyes of your client.
Stay top of mind in a slow season
Most businesses shut down for at least a week over Christmas and New Year. While your contact might disappear for a summer holiday for most of January, a meaningful gift given before that holiday will have your business top of mind in what is usually a frantic time of year. If a client or key contact is not returning to the organisation, that personalised, thoughtful gift will be a reminder of you at the person’s new company who may just need your services.
Diana’s Top Gift Tips
You’re the best at what you do, so give best-in-class gifts.
Send gifts that are visible, are used, and are a conversation starter that keeps you top of mind with the recipient.
Give gifts that serve a purpose, or solves a problem.
Chinese New Year: January 28, 2017.
Australia and China do so much trade and business with each other it’s important to keep an eye on Chinese New Year. As well as planning Christmas gifts, it is important to look at any upcoming events occurring in the early part of the year as factories often shut down for up to 4 weeks over this time with increases in demand occurring. So before China shuts down, get your large quantity custom indent orders for offshore production in by early November, so you can celebrate instead of stress!
Best wishes,
Diana
Diana O’Cobhthaigh, is the owner of Turnkey Promotions, boutique agency specialising in promotional merchandise and product development. Turnkey Promotions provides a helpful and consultative experience that is tailored towards our clients’ Branding, Values and Vision. Diana and Turnkey Promotions are focused on a partnership that delivers precision in planning, quality products and timely delivery.
With Christmas just under two months away, NOW is the time to finalise your corporate gifts. The last months of the year fly by, so if you haven’t thought about Christmas gifts yet, don’t put it off any longer. Production times vary by product, so order sooner rather than later to ensure you have plenty of time to distribute them to staff, clients and customers. Ensuring your order is in soon safeguards against the silly season becoming manic.