When devising a promotional products strategy for your business, beyond trade show and event giveaways it’s also important to plan for products that convey just how much you appreciate your customers and/or employees while also achieving the intended external or internal marketing objective. Appreciation-based merchandise inherently says “thanks for doing business with us,” “thanks for your continued support” or “thanks for working hard” among similar sentiments.  Of course, the higher dollar value of appreciate-oriented promotional products, the higher perceived value—and emotional impact—it will have on the recipient.

Here are some popular promotional products that duly show gratitude while also providing enough room for you to include a personalized message that illustrates you are truly thankful for the recipient:

• Gift Baskets: A perennial favorite, gift baskets are a bountiful way to extend a wholehearted thanks to a group of people or even just one special person. These can be tailor-made to fit a certain budget and to accommodate specific tastes, lifestyles and interests. That way, you can not only personalize the message but the items as well, which shows you pay attention and know what they like. Popular choices include premium fruit, gourmet foods, chocolates, savory items and even wine. Beyond victuals, common thank you gift baskets can also feature pampering spa products or even be centered on golf or another favorite pastime that a client or employee is known to love.
• Plaques: Plaques are a time-honored way to recognize the recipient and can be customized to send certain messages of thanks and appreciation in a thoughtful manner. The recipient can proudly display such placards on their wall with much pride, creating a lasting memory and helping to foster the relationship.
• Chocolates:  A way to almost anyone’s heart is to send them a gift of chocolates. It’s hard to resist, especially in the form of a large novelty chocolate bar that has been imprinted with a special edible message of thanks for the recipient. Of course, you can also opt for a classic chocolate box with individual treats accompanied by a special handwritten message—always a nice touch.
• Luxury Items:  Any time your promotional products are regarded as a high ticket item, the recipient will revere it that much more. Leather goods such as briefcases and computer bags, watches, jewelry, golf clubs, and high technology gadgets and gear, are examples of thank you promotional gifts that will make a huge statement, also maximizing your chance for ROI. Have the luxury item personalized with the recipient’s name or monogram and send their gratitude through the roof!

In Review

Here are some things to remember when selecting promotional products that transmit your appreciation and thanks:

• Select items that can send thanks to a crowd with a gift basket.
• Plaques are a way for your message of thanks to last a lifetime.
• Chocolate flavored thanks shows just how sweet your thanks can be.
• Luxury items illustrate just how much you care and make the recipient feel extraordinarily special as well.

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One of the most popular and enduring promotional products has been the pen. And with good reason as pens are a ubiquitous front-line, high-use, readily visible tool in the business world and beyond.  For these and other reasons, including their affordable price point, pens are one of the most practical promotional products on the market and remain a highly effective strategy for getting a company’s name and brand seen in the marketplace.

Here we’ll cover a few current trends in the promotional pen marketplace.

 Pen Trends

Recent surveys illustrate just how much consumers appreciate promotional pens with 46% of all U.S. consumers noting they have at least one in a drawer or bag, according to ASI Ad Specialties Impressions Survey. These often come from hotel rooms, offices, beauty salons and service-based businesses.

And, with the fact that pens are such a low-cost promotional item, averaging a tenth of one cent per impression, it makes good business sense to select this as an investment that pays a significant return.

While pens certainly serve a function, there are some notable ways to make your promotional pen a standout amongst the competition’s promotional products:

• Expensive-looking pens that cost less than they look is one of the biggest trends. Indeed, manufacturers are re-designing what had been mid-range pens but using lower cost materials in order to lower the price point for customers. These include sleek brass and stylish aluminum pens that can cost as little as those basic plastic stick pens that didn’t exude style per se. Even the ink in these modern pens has been upgraded as technology has improved, also allowing these promotional items to come down in price.
• Savvy marketers will look to pop culture for inspiration to design appealing and eye-catching pens. These include everything from pens with neon colors or pearlescent shades to a wide range of cool and hot ink colors that reflect trends in clothing, automobiles, and interior design.
• It’s always wise to add more, and today’s pens can offer multiple functions that serve this purpose. This includes features like a light on the pen, a stylus tip, or even a key chain. Provide consumers with more functionality, and they will be more likely to hang onto that pen rather than misplace it, providing a longer period of visibility for the brand detail imprinted on the instrument.
• More people are looking to buy products made in America to support growth in the national economy rather, and are even willing to pay a higher price per unit for domestic manufactured goods over those produced in other countries.
• There is an ongoing trend toward customization of products where customers have more options and versatility in the type of personalized information that can be imprinted on pen barrels, which can readily set their promotional endeavors apart from the competition. This could include photos, graphics, textures, grips, and more colors or specialized logos that stand out.

 In Summary

Here is a summary of the pen trends and their value as one of today’s most popular promotional products:

• Pens are one of the cheapest promotional items but also one of the most popular ones for their practicality.
• Everyone is looking for pen manufacturers to raise the bar on quality, performance, and functionality but maintain the same low price.
• Pen designs recently have been inspired by consumer markets like clothes and interior design.
• Customization remains an important trend in pen design to help businesses differentiate themselves among the competition that often uses the same type of promotional products.

 References

http://counselor-digital.com/publication/?i=127096&p=92

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 Where branded merchandise is concerned, businesses and consumers have become accustomed to seeing a non-U.S. country on the label relative to where the item was manufactured. Producers of such branded merchandise have chosen to develop their goods outside of the USA due, in large part, to the economies of scale and cost controls of manufacturing outside of American borders.

However, in recent years there has been a surge in demand for American-made products, promotional and otherwise. Here we’ll spotlight a few product categories where more “Made in the USA” goods can now be found.

Go American!

Despite the labor cost challenges and other operational issues, the tide is turning as more consumers are taking a nationalist stand with their pocketbooks and selecting products made in the USA—even if they cost more.

According to a survey conducted by Perception Research Services International, 80% of U.S. consumers recognize the “Made in the USA” label and 76% say that this label positively influences their purchase decisions because they equate it with quality, patriotism, and the need to boost what has been a sagging economy. More consumers are moving away from the “consumption society” mentality, preferring a more traditional and environmentally sensitive view of the world. That is, if products are made better, then they last longer and do not have to be thrown away as often.

Branded Merchandise from America

Certain product categories are offering more American manufactured items amid growing demand for domestic goods:

• Markers and pens are making their mark as a domestic product, including more unique, customized, and functional types of pens and markers in a wide range of colors with a range of pen features and functions.
• Paper products like calendars, coloring books, diaries and decals are also growing in domestic production as printing technology has advanced to the point where manufacturers are able to lower their costs and become more price-competitive as well as provide a greater range, variety and value for customers.
• Domestically manufactured hats, clothing, and bags are also on the rise as consumers associate an enhanced level of quality with such apparel items. The rise in using recycled materials for bags and clothing has enabled American manufacturers to save money on materials and fabrics, thereby passing on a lower cost price that is palpable to customers.

 In Summary

Here is a summary of the main points about branded merchandise and buying American:

• Surveys show that more Americans now want to buy American regardless of whether it costs more or not because domestic merchandise represents quality, patriotism, and a boost to the economy.
• Consumers would prefer better made merchandise so they do not create as much waste and overly consume, which puts stress on the environment.
• More industries are increasing their domestic production of certain products, including markers, pens, paper and promotional goods, clothing, hats and bags.

References

http://counselor-digital.com/publication/?i=131646&p=32

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