Does putting your brand on a promotional product actually work? Researchers from the Advertising Specialty Institute set out to answer that question with a study they conducted in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia. ASI interviewed 465 businesspeople as well as conducted an online survey of 678 more. The purpose was to gauge just how much promotional product advertising influenced purchasing decisions, what the cost per impression (CPI) index was on promotional products, and to determine the Return On Investment of promotional products. Each respondent had received a promotional product within 12 months of the study and all were over the age of 21 years. Here are the results:

• 84% of respondents remembered the company of the promotional product they received
• 42% of respondents had a MORE favourable impression of the company that gave them the promotional product. 25% of the respondents actually stated that they were more likely to do business with the company after receiving the promotional item.
• 62% of respondents went on to do business with the company after receiving the promotional item.
• Pens were the most popular item followed by shirts, caps, and then bags.
• 81% of promotional products were kept as they were seen as useful.
• 75% of respondents kept their promotional items for at least 6 months
• Promotional bags were deemed the most useful and received 1,038 impressions per month
• The average Cost Per Impression for a promotional item was $0.004.

The results are positive for those looking to market their brand. Promotional products cost less than other popular advertising media such as t.v. commercials or print ads. The ROI is fantastic and the longevity of a promotional item is high. With a little research and creativity, utilizing promotional products as part of your marketing strategy and campaigns is an excellent way to go.

Did you happen to get a Tablet or E-reader during the holiday season? If you didn’t , you probably know somebody who did. Tablets and E-readers were one of the most popular gifts during the 2011 holiday season and for good reason. We simply love our tech gadgets. Now that you’ve played with your new toy and are ready to incorporate it into your daily routine, here are some must have accessories that will heighten your table and e-reader experience:

1) Tablet/E-Reader Journal Book

2) Tablet/E-Reader Envelope

3) Tablet/E-Reader Stand

4) Tablet/E-Reader Portfolio Case

5) Tablet/E-Reader Backseat Organizer

6) Tablet/E-Reader Carrying Case

7) Tablet/E-Reader Messenger Bag

What you need:

4 squares of semi-sweet baking chocolate, 1/4 cup of butter or margarine, 3/4 cup of sugar, 2 eggs, 1tsp. vanilla, 1/2 cup of flour, 1/2 chopped nuts (of your choice…or go nut-free), 2 1/2 cups of cold milk, 2 packages of chocolate Jell-O instant pudding & pie filling, whipped cream (we rely heavily on Cool Whip).

What you do:

Heat your oven to 350. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Microwave the chocolate and butter in a microwavable bowl on high for 2 minutes. Stir until the chocolate is melted (don’t lick the spoon!!! our research shows this can lead to burnt tongues). Stir in the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Mix in flour and then the nuts. Spread in pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool..don’t pick at it.

Pour milk into large bowl. Add pudding mixes. Beat with whisk for 1 minute. Let stand for 2 minutes. Spread over the yummy cooled brownie. Top with whipped cream. Get a grater and shred some chocolate on top. Refrigerate until ready to gorge. Makes 8 servings but of course that all depends on how you serve it. Enjoy.

1) Build Your Brand: Whether it’s through Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, or whatever online platform you choose, getting your brand out there does help. It’s where your customers want to connect with you and you had better be there to service them or they will find a company who will. Believe it or not, having an online presence with a Social Media persona actually humanizes your company.

2) Do What You Do. Stop trying to be a jack of all trades. If you sell promotional items than sell them. You will not be fooling your savvy customers by trying to dip into a niche that you just aren’t in. Rather than trying pretend to be something your company is not, help that potential customer actually find what they are looking for, albeit with a different company. This will come back to you in spades.

3) Focus on Quality. Customers are more educated than ever with regards to what goods or services you provide. Establish quality and excel at customer service to generate that valuable repeat and referral business. This makes marketing your brand so much more valuable with a greater ROI potential.

4) Allocate more money to Social Media. Marketing dollars in budgets are tough to come by as it is. But allocated some of those dollars to Social Media endeavours, campaigns, and research will pay off in the end. How much time do you spend online? I guarantee you it’s not even close to what your customers are doing. Make your brand more approachable and more readily available on the Social Media channels.

5) Invest in an App. Today’s world is mobile. We bank, purchase, and communicate all with mobile devices. You are doing your brand a disservice if you don’t allow your goods and services to be accessible from mobile devices. Anything that makes life easier for your customers will put dollars in the coffers sooner rather than later.

6) Integrate your efforts. The trend towards social media is by no means the end-all-and-be-all of marketing. We all know what works and what doesn’t. Some marketing tools just stand the test of time. Diversify your strategies in order to reach a broader base of potential consumers. Make your brand available.

7) Co-brand with a friend. With purse strings tightly clasped, we need to get creative with our marketing efforts. Co-branding with other companies or community partners is perhaps the single most effect way to cut costs while still yielding excellent marketing opportunities. It may even introduce your brand to a new audience. Just do your homework and ensure that any co-branding partners have the core values and business ethics that align with yours.

Halloween is perhaps the best time of year to be a kid. Where else on the calendar are you expected to dress up and act weird and are rewarded with a barrage of candy? Halloween is situated perfectly between the end of the summer and the coming of Christmas. It provides a little boost (and sugar crash!) through the blahs of November. But Halloween also means a time for a safety check. Here are some safety tips for the little ones as they corral their candy:

Don’t enter a home unless you are with a parent and they say it is okay.

Costume accessories such as swords and knives should be short, flexible, and not real.

Using reflective tape on your bags, shoes, and clothing is always a great idea.

Don’t go out alone. Always trick or treat in groups.

Walk on sidewalks not streets.

Wear flame-resistant clothing. There are many sources of flame on this night.

Keep costume makeup away from your eyes.

Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering. Avoid homemade treats.

Bring a flashlight.

Set a curfew and stick to it.

You may have noticed a brand new section or display when you last visited your favourite electronics store. Tablets are all the rage at the moment and are being gobbled up by consumers at a ferocious pace. These powerful little ‘gadgets’ are packed with the ability to browse your favourite websites, watch movies, gaming, and of course playing music. But as fun as this is, should businesses be looking at tablets for their needs? Our answer is yes and here’s why:

1) Access to the internet also means access to ‘cloud-based’ client and project management software such as Salesforce. This means instant customer support not to mention real-time availability of such key factors like stock and price. Nothing is as impressive as being in real-time in front of your clients.

2) Making your client presentations portable and easy is an invaluable benefit. The tablet, whether using its own crystal clear screen or hooked up to a projector, allows you to create, manipulate, and distribute a key presentation instantly. And having the ability to make last minute changes, something we all encounter, makes a tablet that much more of a business tool.

3) Whether we like to admit it or not, more and more employees are bringing their work home. Whether it is checking emails or preparing for meetings after the kids go to bed, the lines between the office and home get blurred regularly. Tablets, for better or worse, make bringing your work home easier. They are small, light, yet very powerful and user-friendly. As the saying goes, if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.

4) Apps, apps, and more apps. The applications that come with today’s tablets are astonishing. If there’s a need, there’s an app. All the tablets have them and like anything else, some are better than others. But if you are looking at investing your money, and time, in the new tablet technology, it would be worth your while to investigate exactly what is out there and what fits you.

http://www.moneyville.ca/article/1013680–5-things-your-grocery-store-won-t-tell-you

1) You can never go wrong with a gift that pampers mom. Something to take all the troubles away and to escape, even for just a few hours.  A spa certificate is almost certain to please mom. Pedicure, manicure, or massage, it’s all good at the spa. A great way to say thanks mom, now go and relax.

2) One of the greatest gifts you could give your mom is your time. As simple as that sounds, mothers all over the world just want to spend time with their children. So how does this sound? Movie night out with mom! Grab a bite to eat and hit the theatre. Of course the movie choice is hers and you’re on the hook for the popcorn too.

3) In keeping with the theme of spending time together, put your chef hat on and make dinner for your mom. That’ll definitely impress her. By now you know her favourite dish so set out to make it. Compliment the meal with her favourite vintage and treat her like an honoured guest. The evening will be full of old stories and anecdotes, sure to bring a few laughs. Hey you might even learn something about mom that you never knew before.

4) Take mom on a shopping spree. Well maybe not a spree but taking your mom out to pick out a nice casual top or something summery will lift her spirits for sure.

5) Flowers are the old stand by but how about a nice plant or rose bush for the garden? Very inexpensive and if taken care of properly, will last forever. She will think of you every time she sees it. This idea is definitely a winner. If you are going to go with flowers, add a personal touch to it. Visit discount stores to find an unusual or unique holder. A watering can, coffee mug, or ice bucket make cool vases for flowers. Put a few pebbles on the bottom of the container to avoid tipping. Fill with fresh flowers and you’re all set.

6) Do you want to give the gift that just keeps giving? And we’re not talking about a dessert of the month club.  How about making a recipe book for mom? All you need is a 1” binder with a clear pocket on the cover. Insert a nice family photo into the pocket and you’re half way there. Now nobody expects you to create these recipes from scratch so visit www.allrecipes.com or www.foodnetwork.ca and find some good ones there to print off. You just may have created the next family heirloom.

7) Mom’s seldom get free time to themselves but when they do, some enjoy getting curled up with a good book. Figure out what who your mom’s favourite author is or what genre she enjoys and head over to the bookstore to pick her up the next great classic. Adding a personalized or thoughtful bookmark is a nice touch.

8) Music is the spice of life. Creating the ultimate playlist for mom will take a bit of time and investigation on your part. Learn what she likes to listen to and take note. Grab a blank CDR disc and pop it into your computer. Most computers come equipped with software that allows for burning. Burn the disc. Next, make a CD cover. Use a photo or other memorable image, photocopy it and size it to fit the jewel case. Even better if your burning software comes with this capability. Voila. Two gifts in one.

9) Moms have hobbies too. Give her a magazine subscription on gardening, decoration, health, nature, birds whatever she is interested in. There are many publications to cover all subjects.  Present her subscription with a certificate you design on your computer just for her (see http://office.microsoft.com/en-ca/templates/CT010104321.aspx)

10) Discover the poet in you. Writing a ‘Thank You Mom’ poem is sure to melt her heart. Take some quiet time and jot all the things down that make mom special to you. Poems don’t have to rhyme but they should have some rhythm (if that makes any sense). Let it flow and when you are done, print it on nice stock paper and pick up a frame to immortalize it. Mom will surely find a special place to keep it.

“Our goal is to work with suppliers to make the most energy intensive products in our stores, anywhere in the world, 25% more energy efficient within three years. We do not know exactly how we will get there. We do not even know if our supplier can make items like hair dryers use 25% less energy. But we do know that our approach works – to partner with suppliers, to help customers make better decisions, and to use our business model to drive out waste,” says Wal-mart CEO Lee Scott.

And Scott’s vision extends to beyond jus the products Wal-mart sells. “Imagine your customers pulling into your parking lot, and seeing wind turbines and solar panels, and being able to charge their cars while they shop. I think that would make them feel good about shopping at your stores. It would also make them feel good if they could save money in the process. What if we fed the power generated by those wind turbines and solar powers back into the electrical grid? Just imagine the impact of our customers being able to buy eco-friendly energy at the unbeatable Wal-Mart price.”

If that wasn’t enough, Scott imagines a time when every Wal-mart store will be using 100% of its energy from renewable resources. A once tarnished environmental image looks a lot brighter for the world’s largest retailer.