Marketing with promotional products
Promotional Apparel - The Perfect Fit
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- Written by Morgan Mackey
Branded apparel is by far the biggest category in promotional product sales. According to recent research by APPA (Australasian Promotional Product Association), apparel represents 32% of all sales.
It is a promotional tool that provides high visibility, versatility and is long lasting.
Branded Apparel falls into a few main categories:
Workwear (staff uniforms for any work purpose, including corporate, retail/hospitality, industry, trades)
Sports (organised sports teams, corporate activities (e.g. golf days) and community sporting events
Event/Promotional (conference staff or give-away, gift with purchase campaigns, trade shows, event merchandise)
Here are a few tips to take into consideration :
1) Fit for purpose
1a) Conditions of use e.g. is weather an issue? will clothing be worn mainly indoors or outdoors? Are you looking for a city slick look or a casual feel?
1b) Compliant requirements such as health and safety e.g. Hi Vis wear should comply with Australian Standards.
1c: Longevity e.g. does the style have to last or does it only have to follow the current trend (are there mix and match options to update)
2) Fabric choice
Fabrics are quite sophisticated these days, with properties including moisture wicking, uv protection, wrinkle free. These are features that create differences between one choice over another.
Motivate, Recognise, Reward Staff with Promotional Products
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- Written by Morgan Mackey
A happy work force creates a much more successful business, by increasing productivity and sales (not to mention a decrease in staff turnover).
Promotional Products can play a role to reward, engage, recognise and educate staff. Here are 8 ideas that are easy and cost effective to incorporate:
1: New Employee Welcome Kit - Create a Welcome Kit for new staff. Include branded items e.g. branded water bottle, stationery items, mints. Read more here - Employee Welcome Kits
2: Monthly Award - Reward employees who have contributed to the business during a given month.
3: Training - Reinforce important messages and policies using a branded item e.g. mouse mat, USB stick or branded desk item.
4: Communication - Use a newsletter or the intranet to engage staff and include prizes for employee submissions that are included as policy.
Promotional Product Artwork
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- Written by Morgan Mackey
Print ready artwork will always be requested for decorating promotional products i.e. screenprinting, embroidery, pad print, engraving). This refers to Vector files i.e. original artwork produced by programmes such as Corel Draw and Illustrator.
A vector file enables easy scaling of a logo or design without losing detail.
Kids Gotta Eat - Promotional Products for Restaurants
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- Written by Morgan Mackey
Heading out to a restaurant as a family with young children can be 'eventful'. It can be especially tense if the restaurant isn't geared for kids and the night becomes all about grumpy wait staff and bored children.
There are great opportunities for restaurants and cafes to capture this sizable market and make the experience for family customers worthwhile and worth repeating (and worth recommending).
With only a few smart tweaks, changes don't have to be huge or be a big cost. In fact, not only will your changes be a hit with families, the increase in business should cover all or most of your initiatives.