Holiday Gift Giving – Business Style

Time is quickly approaching to thank employees and customers for your success. Yes I said that correctly. Business relies on their customers as well as their employees. A happy employee is a productive employee. Some of the important factors in a satisified employee according a one survey are communication and recognition.

Many employees look forward to the big Christmas party and their bonus. When given a choice many would appreciate a token, a small gift over the christmas party; something they can take home, show off and of course use.

How does a business give a promotional item without it seeming like marketing or advertising? Purchase items you know your employees would appreciate within your budget but don’t be cheap. Items like travel tumblers, computer bags or quality desk accessories are just a few that people have mentioned. Use a subtle, elegant decoration method such as debossing. Sure you want your name on it but to put a full color image blazing across the item shows your intentions are toward advertising rather than appreciation.

The party is fun but in the end employers and employees realize it is one night. A tasteful gift will be held on to and even cherished for years to come, spreading your name all along.

Photographers – Look at Me!

Marketing your business today offers so many opportunities.  A saavy business owner can match his style without blowing his budget with cost effective promotional items.  Photographers are fortunate that companies like EBS can actual use their own photography on some promotional items like coffee cups, dog tags or calendars!

Photographers who sell portrait packages to their clients can take advantage of branded flash drives.  The customer is provided a great convenience but the photographer has a marketing tool that will be seen over and over again.  Also, customers will appreciate the extra option for their photos. Digital photo frames are also a hit with photographers  The customer will not only be displaying their fine photographs but the photographers name and brand for all to see.

Recently a trend towards wearing art has been spreading.  Artists, including photographers can have a photo and information printed onto metal dog tags in a photo quality image.  Because the photograph has a unique product she can use these everyday items in a way that will stand out from the crowd making the impressions count even more!

The New Year is here and reports are leaning toward an improving economy!  Everyone who’s in business for themselves made a promise to make it through the past few years.  Now’s the time to start laying the foundation for a strong marketing campaign. 

Visiting events such as bridal shows and providing customers with a free frame or magnet with one of their photos in place of a business card can make a big impression. Magnets with artwork are displayed in prominent areas in the home or office for friends and coworkers to notice.

I have a MOTORCYCLE SHOP, how can promotional items help me?

First off promotional products can help anyone.  They are not just for big business.  They can be targeted for your demographic and cost pennies on the dollar when compared to traditional marketing media such as television or radio!

Motorcycle shops have a very specific client that have needs unlike those of some other types of businesses, but rest assured there are advertising specialty items that can help potential consumers find your motocycle shop!  You need to be sure that you have a plan and that you have created, with the help of your service represetative an effective marketing tool.  What does that mean?  Be sure that when you purchase promotional items whether its a ball cap, t-shirt or key ring that you include all the pertinent information; business name, contact information even it is a web address and what do you do.  If you can fit a logo for branding that is better but many smaller items that would be suited to motorcycle consumers won’t allow for that large of an imprint space.  It can help to brand your shop if you have a special font or color scheme to use that also.  The more information that can be duplicated the better because you want to be sure people will recognize your signs, promotional items, flyers, etc in the future.  Studies show that consumers won’t even begin to recognize your name until 17+ impressions.  Getting inexpensive items like key tags, license plate frames and kickstand plates around your town can increase the impressions without the expense of newspaper ads or  television spots which can be extremely high.

If you participate in or even host bike nights in your community there is a perfect opportunity for handing out give-aways to potential customers. Items such as nylon drawstring backpacks, key tags, kickstand plates, calendars, ball caps, t-shirts and even pressure gauges or small tools can help remind a consumer that they need your services when the time comes, remember consumers need to be reminded many times to change their habits. Encourage a visit by including a coupon or special offer with your item.  You can print them and include them IN your item or why not have them bring the bag, key tag or kickstand plate in for that savings.

Another popular method of using specialty products like kickstand plates is to sell them at a low price.  Items like kickstand plates especially can be sought after and if riders see them while out they will seek you out by the information provided or ask the owner where they got theirs. This creates a marketing tool that pays for itself while working 24/7 on your brand recognition.

Working with a promotional products company, like EBSpromo can be a lifesaver when it comes to finding specialty items that would be appropriate for a motorcycle shop or dealership as well as unique ideas for using your advertising specialty items.  Many traditional print shops just don’t have the ability to provide such a broad spectrum of products and if they do chances are they are buying from someone like EBS and marking the price up for their profits.  Call and explain your needs to the customer service agent, many times specialty items won’t be listed on a website but you don’t want to miss out on a great opportunity to have a unique give away to pass out at bike night because you did not ask the professionals.

What’s your plan?

You’ve decided its time to step bravely into the world of marketing your business.  You don’t have the budget some of those big guys do so you can’t get the professional firms to do all the work.   How do I know where to go? Who is my target? What works? How do I minimalize risk?

Strap yourself in for a wild ride.  The short answer is you’ll learn as you go.  That’s not going to help you in the short term so here are some answers and some tried and true ideas to get you started.

How do I know where to go?  Well, you want to get the best value for your dollar.  That means not only do you want to spend less money but you want to be sure that you’re getting what you thought, you have a contact person who is willing and ready to work with you, that will share their experiences with you and invest themself in your success.  You look for someone that has a good Better Business Bureau rating or someone that you’ve been referred to by friends, family or colleagues. Also, joining a local chamber of commerce can be a great resource for business contacts, customers and networking! There is usually a fee associated but the benefits of a well run chamber make it a good value.

Who is my target?  That could take some time to discover.  It comes with the short answer of you’ll learn as you progress.  Many smaller businesses cater to a specific demographic because its obvious and easy.  There are fingers that reach further than the obvious.  I watched a reality show about a hair salon that caters to New Jerseys middle class, nice normal Jersey girls…but one of the employees thought it would be a fantastic idea to bring in a less middle of the clientele by doing a Glam Make up Class.  It introduced a whole new group of young, hip club kids to the salon.  Those kids also have moms, aunts, sisters, etc.  Its always a good idea to venture into new territy to increase business! 

What works may change with the target audience, the economy and the product. Teach a class like the salon.  It helps consumers feel confident in your skills.  It makes you an expert.  People will have questions and KNOW they can turn to you for answers. Becoming an expert can also be blogging or contributing to the local newspaper.  Just remember you must have effective skills and outstanding customer service to be the expert; a willingness to follow through once the questions (and business start rolling in).  If you have the budget you can place an ad in the local paper or on a local station.  You will reach a very broad audience.  You can track who’s seen the ad by including a special coupon code and asking customers where they heard about you to gauge the success/value of your ad. Remember the key to an effective campaign is impressions.  Most customers won’t even recognize your name until they’ve seen it at least 17 times.  Promotional products are effective at increasing the impressions to a broad range of consumers, often times for just pennies on the dollar!  Contacting a company like EBSpromo.com and let them know what you need or ask if they can help you find something to match your goals, budget and style!

How do I minimalize risk?  Well at least understanding that risk can’t be eliminated is a good start.  Make a plan. Research your questions, study your market, whether you are a local business or working with a much larger area. Focus on your service levels.  Today, so many businesses have shut their doors that consumers are scrambling to find new salons, auto repair shops and accountants.  Though the market is thinner, you still need to stand out among the competition. Handing out promotional products will help get them in the door but your level of commitment to their satisfaction will keep them coming back for years. Track your marketing plan. Assess what works and what doesn’t.  Because a tool in your arsenal doesn’t work immediately do not discount it all together.  All industries have ebb and flow. There will always be slow times and busy times so don’t give up because things seem to have dropped below usual.  Track and adjust accordingly.  The more complete your tracking records the better your ability to adapt to the flow of the market!

Finally and it bears repeating…customer service should always be your key marketing tool.  Always assume people you meet in the grocery store, library or DMV could be customers.  Have business cards with you at all times and always be a representative of your business.

Now, make that marketing plan for 2011. Join the Chamber of Commerce for the New Year. Contact that promotional products company and find cost effective advertising specialties that will get your name noticed. Track your promotions and constantly hone customer service skills and you’ll be looking at a prosperous New Year!

Advertising Specialty Ideas by Industry – Automotive

It is reported by some that the automotive industry has started making a recovery!  Its very exciting news for the economy certainly.  If you are looking for ways to improve your marketing strategy for you car dealership, repair shop, body shop, detail shop, etc without blowing your budget look no further than advertising specialties!

Many of your competitors have already started planning their 2011 strategy.  Big companies have the big bucks to spend on television and newspaper but they don’t have that small dealer advantage.  You can gain significant market share by getting your name to be a household word with promotional products and giveaways like key tags.  Dealerships should consider license plate frames for each new car sold.  They should consider giving a new car buyer a sunshade or highway safety kit.  Key tags will remind him of you when its time to look for a new car for his teen or when an office worker asks if he has a good place to buy a car.  The also should provide the service department with practical items such as ice scrapers for service customers.

Automobile service providers can give customers car organizers or calendars when they come in for service. Calendars can even be imprinted with a monthly message about service schedules for the season or facts about cars to make it unique to your business!

You don’t have to bust the bank to make impressions with customers.  Today’s economy has people scrambling for new service providers as theirs have closed their doors.  What you will have to do is follow up your giveaways and promotional product giveaways with great service! Customers report they are more likely to do business with shops that do give away promotional items that they can use. 

Another report on Yahoo indicates that businesses intend to increase hiring for 2011.  That could mean new car purchases are on the horizon!  Do not let the big guys get all the customers because they have the money.  Make your dollar work smarter, not harder.

Business Cards Just Aren’t Enough

Today’s savvy business person has an arsenal of marketing tools at their disposal.  Dancing mascots, promotional items, newspaper, radio, local chamber of commerce, and more.  Smaller businesses don’t have the budget to compete with the larger coroporations. Handing a business card to a potential client almost seems futile in this world of big buck marketing strategies. There is promotional apparel, coffee cups, highway safety accessories, ice scrapers, calendars, rulers, filefolios and much more that consumers appreciate.  During a study consumers confirmed they’re more likely to do business with a company who has given them a practical promotional item.

So what is your plan for 2011?  A report shows that 35% of businesses intend to increase their marketing budget for the new year.  This means that they will be spending more money to take away your business.  They will be placing ads and handing out advertising specialties like pens and lanyards at chamber events rather than just giving out their business cards.  They will be handing out business card magnets that don’t get filed or thrown in a drawer but placed on a filing cabinet or refrigerator to be seen by people day in and day out. 

Take a look around you at the end of the year, businesses are thanking their customers with free calendars. Remember Hallmark? Every year customers flocked to their store to get the free calendar with their card purchase.  Now who’s a household name? Promotional products are not just for big companies either. You can find them at your local gym, grocery store, lawyer’s office and doggie day care! Businesses use them in conjunction with promotions; bring in this water bottle and get a free soda, be spotted around town wearing our ball cap and get a gift card, find this dog tag during the course or your hiking and get 20% off.  These are all promotions our customers have told us work!

Business cards will never go away. They are a staple.  They’re convenient to carry all the time. But to rely just on business cards in this new business enviroment is like not having a website. If you can’t be found business won’t come.

Customer Service 101

There was a time in retail, many years ago, when the “Customer is Always Right” was the rule rather than the exception. Employees could be terminated just for speaking back to a customer regardless of dollars spent. Vendors built a solid strong business on treating customers with respect until they were given a reason not to treat them that way.  If customers had a problem with quality, service or pricing, owners listened and responded.  Today, many vendors have been tainted by bad experiences, with cause I am sure but it is still important in business to treat your customers with respect; to treat them the way you would expect to be treated by a store or business.

It is important to understand that customer service doesn’t stop when the person walks out the door or receives their product in the mail. A business owner or manager with integrity knows its just as important to stand behind their product.  Consumers who have bad after purchase experiences should be granted the same courtesy and respect they were shown during their initial experience.  Many consumers confirm the reason they continue to support the businesses they do is because the business turned a bad experience into a pleasant situation.  It doesn’t always require refunds or losing money either. Some smaller errors can be rectified with a simple gift certificate for future use!  That serves two purposes, you’ve not only pleased an unhappy customer but they’ll most likely be back.  When they’re treated well the second time they will surely share their positive outcome.

This brings up another very important point.  Customer service is the number one reason consumers stop using a business.  They don’t just complain to the owner, manager, corporate office either.  Many consumers go straight to your potential consumers, their friends, family and co-wokers!  No matter how many promotional products, t.v. commercials or newspaper coupons you offer, bad word of mouth will negate any marketing strategy. 

We made a purchase recently.  We were assured the product was top quality, would perform to our expectations.  Immediately upon the first use we determined the product was not as promised by the vendor.  I called them to find out if something could be done to correct this and the owner told me I was wrong. The product was perfect.  There would be no ammends and we were just to stupid to figure out how it worked. She said she had many return customers and losing just one like me isn’t really a big deal.  I am of the business school that teaches, one lost customer is many lost customers.  It is important that when you have a service or product you back it and if that product fails by no fault of your customer you make it right somehow. Arguing is never an acceptable way to communicate with a customer. 

If you feel a conflict stop and listen to what your customer is saying.  Make it part of your communication skill set. Customers, even customers who are wrong will appreciate the courtesy and be sure to tell everyone how you handled the issue. 

Following through and keeping in touch with customers is another excellent business building tool. Many times I have sent emails updating customers of our status, address or new products and they are thrilled because they were just about to have to start a project which would require our services.  They didn’t have to look for us or they had lost our information and really did not want to use another supplier.

In today’s business environment, if you intend on being successful, it is critical to ensure customer satisfaction because there is a competitor down the street waiting for the opportunity to treat your dissatisified customers well and win their business. It is imperative to live by that golden rule of treating people how you would like to be treated.  You would never support a business who was rude, thoughtless or lacked respect therefore why would you assume consumers will support you if they don’t find the commitment to service they feel they deserve? If you have any doubts then a new customer service attitude could be something to work on for the coming year to ensure success.

Marketing on a Budget

Todays business owner is in the tricky spot of having to do more with less.  They have fewer employees, less budget, etc.  Marketing has always been one of the first casualties of a down economy.  People don’t realize that marketing is the lifeline to your business. New customers cannot come to you if they don’t know you are there! 

There are many ways to maximize your marketing budget no matter how large or small.  Many of the larger businesses such as Target implement a multi-layered strategy.  Big companies have other big companies who tell them how to best utilize their marketing dollars to reach the most consumers possible. They hae a budget that allows them to use different layers like television, radio, newspaper and promotional items.  Today, I can act as your “big company” to break down which of these is most effective for the smaller business owner.

Television, radio and television have a broad market reach.  One advertising will reach many potential customers.  Depending on how much you spend determines your frequency or time slot.  All of these avenues have budget conscious options like remnants, less than premium placment and off peak times but that drastically reduces the impressions your ad will receive!  Media advertising can be very expensive especially for small business owners.

Promotional items are another avenue big businesses use with regularity.  Visit any expo, city event like 4th of July, or spring break and you’re sure to find t-shirts, frisbees, ball caps, towels, water bottles and other give away items customized with Progressive, Geico, Corona, Coke, and other big businesses aiming for that market.  Ask yourself why do these busineses spend their budget on these items?  Because they work!  They maxamize the return on investment with impressions.  Pens, water bottles and other practical items are seen by potential consumers several times a day.  Items like calendars are kept for 12 months and can be purchased sometimes for less than $1 each! 

Companies like EBSpromo can find promotional items for all budgets, style preference and industries.  Take a few moments to visit the site and plan your marketing budget for 2011!  Marketing is the lifeline to your business finding new customers!  Small businesses should look toward reasonably priced promotional items to make the most of their budget and send them into the green for 2011!

How to Make Major Impressions!

Figuring out the marketing angle is quite the task.  Will customers like these tote bags and are these pens really worth it?  These are questions we hear all the time.  One of the most important rules in purchasing promotional products is make sure it is going to make impressions…that is to say that people will see it.  You don’t want to spend money for advertising if its going to sit in someones drawer like a business card right? 

Practical items are the best route to take in any industry.  All types of customers, business associates and employees can appreciate items such as tote bags, water bottles and pens.  They will use them and many times they will take them outside of their office or home creating even more opportunity for impressions.

There are also great items for industries. Real estate agents might like coffee mugs, candles or plastic storage containers while a software company might find better uses for mouse pads or USB hubs.  These are items that will remind their users daily about your business.  Many people spend thousands of dollars on television, newspaper or radio advertisments but although they get many people seeing that advertisment, it can take the average consumer 27 times of seeing your name before they even remember it!  Imagine how many tv ads it would take and how many thousands of dollars that will take. 

If you, like many businesses, plan on increasing your budget for marketing this year you should check out EBSpromo for the best value in promotional products!

Time for Recognition

The past year has been trying for even the strongest business.  Our employees and volunteers have had to do much more with much less.  This year more than ever the people who make life easier deserve to be recognized.  Awards banquets and holiday parties are the perfect venue. 

You can find awards and plaques for all budgets and style preferences from large art glass to engraved nickle.  The important thing is at any price your staff will feel like they have been noticed for thier contributions and hard work during the difficult year. Reconition is one of the primiary reasons employees say they do not feel motivated to go beyond the usual scope of their job or even to perform the tasks expected during their days.  They complain that their employer doesn’t notice or doesn’t care so why bother.  The sad reality is that unhappy, unmotivated employees can hurt your business with bad customer service.

It is a step toward improving your business by recognizing your employees. Reports claim that employees and volunteers who receive thank you gifts believe they make a difference and therefore work harder.  Small tokens such as file folios or computer cases are also an outstanding selection for your year end corporate thank-you.

Don’t forget your customers!  Most employers realize their business wouldn’t exisit without customers but do they ever take the time to thank them.  A practical item like a pocket planner, calendar or mouse pad will make each customer feel like you recognize their contribution to your success and continue to patronize you and potentially refer friends and family.  That is what promotional items can do for your business.

Take a few minutes to browse EBSpromo for ideas that will make your employees, customers and volunteers feel special.