A Powerful Promotion to Create Trade Show Buzz

Want to create buzz at your next trade show that will not only get your more booth traffic but will have attendees bringing their friends back to your booth?  Here's a proven promotional idea that can work for you to get you that trade show booth traffic you want. It all starts with a wristband.

The Tabbed Wristband Promotional Trade Show Game

Here's how it works:

When a prospect comes into your booth, you scan their name badge and then give them a promotional wristband, like the one above. Then, rip off one of the numbered removable tabs to put into a drawing. Simple enough, right? But here's where the viral marketing or the buzz comes in - the attendee is told that if they would like to increase their chances of winning they should bring two additional people back to the booth. When they bring back another person, an additional tab (one for each new person that they bring) will be removed and entered into the drawing. Their friend will also receive a wristband and the whole process begins anew.

Here are some tips to make this promotion most successful for you.

Have a great prize.
This traffic building promotion is most effectively used with a desirable door prize, like an e-tablet, e-reader, noise cancelling headphones, or other coveted electronic device. We have plenty of ideas for you on what items people want to win most.

Must be present to win.
Tell people that they must be present at the time of drawing to win. That way people will be returning to your booth and you'll be able to briefly reintroduce your company before the winning number is pulled. Also, more people will wander over to see why there is a crowd in your booth.

Ron Williams, a trade show exhibitor from Minnesota, shared that this promotion worked incredibly well for his company.

"We told them our 30-45 second spiel and within seconds, they are gone looking for people. It allows visitors to do their own networking. Our booth traffic increased over 250%; our quotes increased 275%."

This is great way to leverage the power of the people by providing a strong incentive for your prospects to talk about your company and refer their friends back to your booth. A true example of customer engagement! So if you are looking for a viral marketing idea with a strong ROI, consider this tabbed wristband trade show promotion. It looks likes an innocuous vinyl wrist band but it has hidden powers. It has the power to attract prospects to your trade show booth, giving you an opportunity to share your story.

For more information about this buzz-worthty promotion or other trade show traffic builders, contact me at 847-398-5500 or at dona.blunt@newportpros.com.


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How a Hall of Famer Can Help You Promote Your Business

Did you know that there is Hall of Fame for Toys?  Indeed there is and thus far only 53 toys have been inducted. It seems to be really hard to get inducted.

This year, the two inductees to the Toy Hall of Fame are the game of Chess and believe it or not, rubber ducks. The rubber duck made it into the Hall before other toy favorites like bubbles, the Magic 8 ball, Nerf toys and even the board game Clue! That's one popular duck.

All kidding aside though, people love rubber ducks and they can be good for business. They certainly bring a smile to your face and get carried home from trade shows.

How can you use these much-beloved items to promote your business?  Just be creative. Look for one of the many themed variations to the unadorned duck to tie in with your marketing message and target market.

How about a Graduate duck to promote a school or an upcoming course?  Hand them out as giveaways to promote a Graduation Sale. It can also be used to encourage recent graduates to open up an account at a local bank.

There are several rubber duck versions that promote different vocations. So here are some promotional ideas to put the power of the rubber duck to work for your business.

Fire or police ducks: Use these to honor local first responders or to recruit candidates into these occupations.

Construction ducks: Use for "Pardon Our Dust" remodeling projects or to announce the building of new homes at a local Chamber of Commerce event.

Doctor ducks are great for all health-related messages for company Wellness Programs or to promote individual health facilities. Use the ducks to promote using your health facility for getting flu shots or other preventative tests.

The heart duck is perfect for a seasonal promotion around Valentine's Day but you can also use it anytime of the year to promote how much you love your customers or would love to do business with your prospects.  Will they love your low prices or great service?  Let a duck do your talking!

Another seasonal duck is the Angel Duck which can be used to promote "heavenly" desserts or to "Be an Angel; Give Blood."

As you can see, there are many ducks to choose from so contact me to match up the best one to promote your brand and get your unique marketing message across. Give me a call today at 847-398-5500 or email me at dona.blunt@newportpros.com.

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Enhance Your Next Trade Show or Event with a Custom Mobile App

Calling all event planners! Do you have an event or series of events coming up? To make the event experience more memorable and enhance your brand, you'll definitely want to take a look at one of our newest promotional offerings - the mobile event app!

With this customized mobile event app, you can make your event much more user-friendly by giving event attendees all the information they need at their fingertips. They can quickly access maps of the building, a schedule of events, and even travel information to find a great place for dinner. This app will really depict your company as a technology leader, too.

Best yet, you can avoid expensive printing and paper costs by eliminating those printed show or event guides. All of that information, including sponsorship advertising, can be built into the app that attendees can access from their smart phones.

We can work with you to create a fully-branded mobile app for your event that provides valuable information, connects with your target audience, and eliminates waste. Whether you have a single event, multiple events, or need a year round app for your organization, we have the perfect solution to engage your audience and boost your impact.

Don't worry, you won't lose any advertising or sponsorship revenue by eliminating your paper guide. You can still sell sponsorship ads on the app that will appear with the content that is important to your attendees.

Other features that can be added to the mobile app include:

• Event Schedules
• Interactive Floor Plans 
• Surveys and Audience Response
• Instant Alerts to Promote and Boost Attendance for Special Events
• "My Show" planning features
• Speaker Bios
• Local Destination & Travel Info
• Social Media Integration making it easy for attendees to promote your event on their social media accounts

Let us show you how easy and impactful this promotional marketing idea can be to make your next trade show, conference or event a huge smash. Give me a call at 847-398-5500 or email me at dona.blunt@newportpros.com.

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Newport Promotions Recognized as a Top National Sales Leader for Kaeser & Blair

I really enjoy going to Kaeser & Blair's annual National Sales Conference. I get to meet up with colleagues, learn from my peers, and chat with all of the people who support me and my business at Kaeser & Blair. This year the conference was held in Cincinnati, Ohio at the end of the September. 

I was asked to be a panel member this year, answering other dealers’ questions and sharing tips and best practices for running a promotional marketing business. 

Of course, I have to say that the best part of any conference has to be when you win an award. I was thrilled that for the third year in a row, I was recognized as one of the top U.S. dealers for the Kaeser & Blair. I also received the “DICK KAESER LEGEND AWARD” for finishing as one of the Top 20 Sales People Nationally, out of a group of 3,000 authorized dealers. You can see me receiving the award from Kurt Kaeser, president of Kaeser & Blair, a company founded by his grandfather. Just as an FYI, Kaeser & Blair is a member of the PPAI and ASI and is the 17th largest distributor of Promotional Products in the United States.

The promotional product supplier does a very nice job of updating their dealers and sharing new promotional ideas at their 3-day conference. One day was devoted to “A College of Promotional Products” where the application of Promotional Products to specific business needs was explored. Another day featured a Trade Show that was made up of 190 leading industry product lines exhibiting product ideas and how to use these products to help our clients promote their brand and their business.

So, while I enjoyed receiving my award, I'm most excited that I am armed with new, creative ideas on how to help you promote your business. I'd love to share some of these ideas with you to help you grow, build more brand awareness, or drive more traffic to your trade show booth in 2014. Give me a call at 847-398-5500 or email me at dona.blunt@newportpros.com. 

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This Holiday Season Make Your Direct Mail Piece Stand Out

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This Holiday Season Make Your Direct Mail Piece Stand Out with a Little Snow!

This Holiday Season your customers are going to be getting a lot of thank you cards, Holiday Cards and promotional direct mail pieces. How can you get your mailing to stand out from the crowd? Send them a little snow!

We found a truly unique direct mailer that will add a little snow to your customer's desktop. This fun item is sure to make your brand stand out, not only for the recipient but by everyone who stops by their desk. It's so fun, they may even keep it for next year.

How does it work? 

Just add water to snow packet and watch it expand into a pile of snow. The kit even includes a mini shovel, making this an unique executive desk toy. The recipient can create snow anytime, anywhere and it lasts indefinitely. Just keep adding water to "fluff" up the snow.

The promotional direct mail piece includes a pop-up box, tray, snow packet, mini shovel and ready to use mailer box. You can choose from 8 stock pop-up designs that include space to imprint your logo or you can custom design your own box.


There are so many fun ways to use this unique, branded promotional mailer:

• As a year-end thank you or holiday card
• As an impactful invitation to a winter event
• To promote a warm weather location as an "escape from the snow".
• To promote a Christmas in July sale or event
• For tree companies and landscapers to thank their customers or remind of winter landscape care services
• To promote a bakery or food service who sells a lot of Holiday orders
• To market snow removal services or even outdoor Holiday lighting services  

What do you think? How else would you creatively use this instant-snow, promotional direct mail piece? 

This is just one of many promotional ideas we have that can make your direct mail campaign more effective. Contact me, PromoDona, for ideas on how to best to achieve your marketing objectives this Holiday Season or for next year's marketing campaigns. Call at 847-398-5500 or email me at dona.blunt@newportpros.com.

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Gift Sets Make Buying Promotional Products Easy and Impactful

The Holiday Season is coming up fast and it's time to start ordering thank you gifts for your clients and employees. You want to give them something they'll use or keep, you want your logo to be prominently displayed, and you want the whole ordering process to be easy, right? Well, then promotional gift sets could be the perfect solution for you.

With gift sets, you don't need to spend the time and hassle of choosing individual gifts for the set. That's already done for you, saving you precious time. The other big benefit of gift sets is that your logo appears on each item in the set, giving you multiple impressions. What's not to like about that?


Here are some of our favorite Promotional Product Gift Sets.

A. Road Warrior Gift Box Set: For those with a long commute or salespeople always on the road, this car gift set will be very much appreciated. It includes a double walled acrylic tumbler with straw, a full color microfiber cloth for cleaning your phone and tablet screens, a USB car charger, and a retractable universal USB wire.

B. Bath and Body Gift Set: Everyone loves to be pampered and this gift set does the trick. Spoil your favorite employees or customers with these splendid Spa Kits containing everything they need to soak away stress and feel refreshed. Includes:

• Translucent drawstring tote
• 2 oz. shampoo, hand & body lotion, and bath & shower gel.
• Net sponge and fingertip loofah

C. Perfect 10 Gift Set: If you want to make a big impression this Perfect 10 gift set is for you. Because you get your logo printed in one color on every item in the set, it's perfect for launching or rebranding your company to reinforce the name or new logo design. The set includes a Drawstring Sport Backpack, Classic Coffee Cup, Plastic Cup Tumbler, Tech Pocket Carrier Case, Ballpoint Stylus, Gel Pen, Aluminum Flashlight, Color Wave Notebook, Journal Book, and it's all packed into a Carry-All Cooler. You can give these items out as one big gift or create a promotion and give your customers or best employees a new item every month until they have a complete set. 

D. Travel Mug and Tumbler Set: If you thought you didn't need another travel mug, you were wrong. This Travel Mug and Tumbler Gift Set includes two 16 oz. beverage holders. Both feature a Stainless Steel exterior with a bold metallic color finish, double wall insulation with plastic liner and shiny chrome accents. They also feature a black rubber center band and black plastic twist-on lid with slide lock to prevent spills. The mug has a sturdy, black plastic handle while the paired tumbler has no handle. Both are packaged in a beautiful sturdy silver open window gift box! Here's the best part, you can choose the same color for both or different colors.

E. Traveler’s Gift Set: The world travelers on your gift list will feel special with a leatherette passport cover and matching luggage tag gift set. Available in several bold colors to show off your logo, this gift set is a stylish way to keep track of your important papers and luggage when traveling.

F. Cozy Fleece Gift Set: Available in several bold colors every item in this gift set is made of 100% polyester anti-pill fleece material. The set includes a hat, scarf and a pair of fingerless gloves with removable mitten top for extra warmth. It's all packaged together in a matching fleece drawstring pouch, which is great for traveling, storing, or toting to a football game! Each item can be embroidered with your company's logo.

What do you think? Do gift sets make gift buying easier or would you rather pick the items out yourself?

New NFL Regulation Creates New Promotional Opportunity for Your Company

Are you ready for some football .... regulations? The National Football League (NFL) recently enacted a rule that restricts what type of bags and other carriers that fans can bring into a stadium.  They are only allowing clear bags of a certain dimension and with a maximum size imprint.  It's probable that colleges and other sports events will soon adopt the same restrictions. What does this mean for your business? It's an opportunity to promote your business logo by providing your customers or employees with a bag they'll need, if they are sports fans. People with season tickets or customers you entertain in your VIP sports box will love these clear bags as gifts.

However, as this is a recent ruling, companies have been scrambling to find bags to fit the criteria set forth by the NFL. Any imported clear bags that were already in the U.S. have sold out and many of the new imported inventory that is due to arrive in late October has already been pre-sold.

But don't panic! PromoDona has a solution for you! We have a bag made in the U.S.A. that meets all of the specifications and can be ready in 3-4 weeks, while at an affordable price. However, order TODAY to make sure your orders gets in for any upcoming trade shows or Holiday gifts. If you wait too long you might have to wait 10 weeks for bags made overseas or get in line if our U.S. factory gets swamped and can't handle the demand. Your clients that attend sporting events will thank you while they promote your brand name to everyone in the stadium. 

To place your order, call me today at 847-398-5500 or email me at dona.blunt@newportpros.com.

Wooden Truck Food Gift

Want a food oriented promotional gift that will promote your brand long after the food is consumed?  This wooden truck with sliding lid is the gift for you.  It is filled with 9 oz. of delicious pistachio nuts but after the nuts are gone, the truck can serve as a handy storage unit for jewelry, coins, desk supplies or other treasures. These trucks would be fun have out on tables in your trade show booth to serve snacks and then give them away as prizes to VIP customers.

Don't think that this truck is only appropriate if you are in the transportation industry; it also ties in well to emphasize old fashioned service or to commemorate a corporate anniversary.  How about promoting a "truckload" sale?  Or, communicating a safe driving message to your employees?

The truck is 12-1/4" L x 4-12/3" W x 5" H.  You can add your company logo to a laser engraved plate on one side and you can have an optional plate added to the second side for more marketing messages. The personalized promotional item is packed in an individual mailing box; perfect for easy distribution. If pistachio nuts are not your thing, then the truck can be ordered empty and you can either add your own contents or send as is.

This item is on special for the remainder of 2013 at only $37.80 with pistachios and $30.15 empty. As part of the special promotion, you can order as few as six pieces at the sale price, rather the the usual 12 piece minimum order. This sale price saves you as much as $8.00 from the usual price and allows you to give a personalized gift to a small group. 

If you are looking to drive sales and deliver a message of thanks to your employees and customers, this is the perfect promotional gift for you. Call me at 847-398-5500 or email at dona.blunt@newportpros.com to learn more and get your order in for the Holidays.

Versatile Reward Card to Incent your Customers

Here's a common problem I hear from customers. They want to give a high impact gift away in a trade show raffle to drive traffic to their booth, or they want an exciting door prize for their next event, or they want a nice incentive gift for their customers but they don't know what would be appealing to everyone. They don't want to just give cash but they don't want to guess wrong on what type of gift would motivate or appeal to the recipient. Well, here's a solution! Check out this new reward card that makes it easy to give a high impact gift where the customer chooses exactly what they want.

MyCompanyGiftCard is available for $100.00 each (and thereafter in increments of $50.00) and it entitles the recipient to go onto a website and select high-end, brand-name apparel of their choice.  The website has brand names such as Columbia, Brooks Brothers, LaCoste, Page and Tuttle, plus many other brands. They can choose from polos, jackets, woven shirts, hoodies, caps and fleece for both men and women. The minimum order is only 5 cards so your program can be up and running almost immediately. 

Contact me today for a demo code that enables you to check out the ordering site and the apparel available to choose from. Call 847-398-5500 or email me at dona.blunt@newportpros.com.

An Affordable Way to Make Your Brand Stand Out at Your Next Event

Ever wanted to have a retractable banner to use at your trade show booth, meetings or other public event to make your brand stand out and draw traffic? What stopped you? Did the high price and set-up charges turn you off? Were you confused about the lead time or the production process?

Here's an affordable solution that eliminates those fears and roadblocks and helps you get your brand in front of customers and prospects.

Check out this 31" x 78" size retractable banner made of a durable vinyl material that imprints beautifully.  Best yet, it's affordable! The low price of $120.00 includes the banner with a four color imprint to show off your logo or marketing message, durable mounting hardware with double swing feet for extra durability, and a travel case so you can easily carry it on the plane to your next event. You can even choose from gloss or matte finish vinyl material.

Simply add local sales tax and shipping and you can have an eye-catching, professional display to promote your business  at parties, trade shows, sporting events, meetings, schools or retail stores.

Tell me, if you had one of these retractable displays, where would you use it?

Contact me today to discuss how easy it is to get started. Call me at 847-398-5500 or email me at dona.blunt@newportpros.com.

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5 Unique Ideas to Drive More Traffic to Your Trade Show Booth

Have you got an important trade show coming up? Did you invest a huge amount of your marketing budget in this one show and you really need to make an impact? Well, one of the most important lessons I have learned in exhibiting myself and helping my clients promote their business at trade shows is: Just because you put up the booth, it doesn't mean they will come. 

Time and again I've seen so many small companies spend so much of their effort and investment on the booth itself but they forget the most important part of trade show marketing which is drawing people to the booth so you have an opportunity to grab a lead and make a sale. You need to start marketing and driving traffic to your booth well before the trade show starts.

To help you make your next trade show a HUGE SUCCESS, here's a round-up of 5 unique ideas to drive more traffic to your trade show booth.

1. A Buzzworthy Campaign - Turn your next trade show into a Scavenger Hunt. You'll get everyone talking.

2. Countdown Timer - Mail your customers and prospects countdown timers before the show. Have them bring their timer to the booth to win a prize. This post has a lot of great ideas for drawing traffic to your booth.

3. Leave Them Wanting More - Mail your audience half of a promotional item before the show starts. Make them come to your trade show booth to get the other half.

4. Score Big with Games - See how Herr Foods used a golf promotion to get tons of trade show traffic and increased sales.

5. It's All In the Swag Bag - Swag bags are hugely popular with trade show attendees and an easy way to draw traffic to your booth and create buzz. There are ways to do it that won't cost a fortune. We'd be happy to share ideas.

To get started on a promotion to drive traffic to your trade show booth, give me a call at 847-398-5500 or email me at dona.blunt@newportpros.com. We've got a lot of Memorable Trade Show Promo Ideas on Pinterest. Feel free to follow me and share!

What trade show traffic driving promotions have you seen that were incredibly effective?

Top High Tech Holiday Promotional Gifts for Clients

The end of the year is coming up and it's time to start thinking about Promotional Holiday Gifts for clients and employees. Not sure what to get? Some of the most popular items this year have been computer accessories. Everyone appreciates these high tech promo items because they are useful. The recipient actually uses them and keeps them for a long time. This creates great exposure for your brand and goodwill from your customers or employees. Who doesn't want to get a Holiday promotional gift that they can actually use?

So, to make it easy for you to choose a great gift this year to show your appreciation, we've put together a list of our favorite high technology promotional gifts. Every one of these items can be customized with your logo but order soon to make sure you have them in hand before the Holiday Season.


1. Rechargeable Emergency Back Power Bank. Two USB ports will accommodate all USB charging devices; Lighted charge indicator; Multi-adapter connectors included. Starting at $32.00 each.

2. Over-the-Ear Headphones: You won’t believe the sound quality at this affordable price! Choose from white, red, blue or black colors. Folds down for easy transporting. Starting at $10.00 each.

3. Bluetooth Multi-Purpose Speaker: Spectacular sound from a wireless Bluetooth device. Choose from five colors plus silver. Starting from $37.00 each.

4. Desktop Organizer: Leatherette finish with white contrast stitching. Lots of storage compartments for a small tablet, mobile phone, and pens. Has hidden slots for media charging cables. Includes 100 sheets of notepaper and it all comes in a nice gift box. Starting at $20.00 each.

5. Smart Phone Sanitizer: Recent studies show that your smart phone, MP3 player, headphones, and other handheld devices are covered with more germs and bacteria than door knobs, the soles of your shoes - even your toilet seat! This germicidal UV light sanitizer will eliminate 99% of germs and bacteria, including strep, e.coli, salmonella, and others. It even includes an accessories basket to sanitize small devices such as headphones, MP3 players, and cell phone headsets. Perfect for home or office. Powered by 3 x AA batteries(included). Best yet, it's easy to use and works in under 4 minutes. Starting at $21.00 each.

6. Cable Organizer Case: Stay organized and keep your important phone and tablet cases in a safe place while traveling. Case made of black neoprene material with white contrast stitching. it has a carry strap and double zippered pull closure. Starting at $4.50 each.

We've got even more technology promotional gift ideas to help you thank your customers and appreciate your employees this Holiday Season, so give us a call at 847-398-5500 or email me at dona.blunt@newportpros.com to get your customer promotional gift order started.

Do you get your customers the same gift every year? What promotional gift have you given or received that made a huge impact?

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Best-Selling Promotional Product for 2013 Will Make Your Company Stand Out

Summer is almost over and it's time to start thinking about the promotional products and gifts you need for the upcoming Holiday Season and fall trade shows. Here's a promotional idea that will make your company and brand really stand out.

One of the best selling, hottest, new promotional items for 2013 is one of those "why didn't I think of this first?" type of items. Check out the Mobile iWallet, a wallet that attaches to your smart phone. 

It's so functional! The Mobile Wallet is a silicone wallet with 3M adhesive that sticks to the back of most smart phones that have a flat back. It securely holds up to 3 credit cards, a driver's license or business cards. It's perfect for business travelers because it won't deactivate the magnetic strip on a hotel key card. Credit cards are also protected from deactivation.

This new promotional product is so popular because it's perfect for work, a night on the town, for sporting events or when all you need is a driver's license and a debit/credit card or cash, not your entire wallet or purse. It's ideal for business travelers who want to carry light or for keeping your business cards handy as you walk a trade show floor.

Even when not in use, the silicone material helps make your phone easier to grip and prevents it from sliding on smooth surfaces. It also provides low-level protection against data theft from smart cards.

This Smartphone wallet/ card holder is attractively packaged in a cello bag with instructions and is easy to mail. It's the perfect giveaway item for trade shows, direct mail campaigns or prospecting leave-behinds. For event planners, this would be a unique and valuable gift to give conference attendees.

Since it appeals to men and women, it will be kept and used no matter who your targeting. This promotional product will definitely help your company stand out and keep your logo in front of your customers and prospects for a long, long time.

What do you think? How could you use the Mobile Wallet to promote your company?

Give us a call today for information on pricing, lead times, and marketing ideas for this item. You can reach me at 847-398-5500 or dona.blunt@newportpros.com.

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A Happy Ending for Obsolete Promotional T-Shirts

While many election year promotional products end up in trash cans at the end of campaign season, one group defied the easy route and is putting those old items to good use.

The Daily Caller reports that the Knox County Romney Campaign of Tennessee has donated its leftover Romney-Ryan 2012 promotional t-shirts to a needy school in Kenya.

The campaign managers donated the unused promotional shirts to The Orbit Village Project, a nonprofit organization that runs a school, medical clinic, orphanage and Baptist Church in Nairobi, Kenya. More than 200 of the school's students received their own t-shirt.

"We were thinking, 'What's the best use for these shirts?' And it was very organic in how it came together," said Alexander Waters, campaign director for the Knox Country Romney Campaign. He explained that he became aware of The Orbit Village Project through his aunt, Cyndy Waters, founder and director of the charity organization.

This was indeed a happy ending with promotional items being put to good use instead of ending up in a landfill. So, what else can you do with leftover promotional or logoed marketing products?

1. Give employees first pick. Your employees are your best salespeople and the living representation of your brand. Why not reward them for their hard work with some free promotional items? Everyone loves free stuff and sharing extra promotional items, especially if they are useful, creates a lot of goodwill.

2. Have a "garage sale" and donate the proceeds to charity. Set up a table in the lobby one day and tell your employees or other office workers that all donations for the items will go to a charity. Even if people only pay $1 for each item, you're supply closet will be empty and the charity will be grateful for any help you can give them. Some charity retail stores will take the promotional items, as well. Give them a call to see if they are interested.

3. Donate them to a local school. Kids love free stuff and school PTAs are always looking for prizes to give out to students for contests or motivation. As long as your promotional item is kid-friendly, let the kids take them home and show off their winnings.

What have you done with your leftover promotional items?

If you have the opposite problem and need to create some promotional products or get your logo printed on some trade show giveaways, give me a call at 847-398-5500 or email me at dona@newportpros.com.

Promotional Products Given Away at Trade Shows Work!

Ever wonder why so many companies give away promotional products at trade shows? Because they work! 

A few Universities have done studies on the subject. Most notably, the Promotional Products Association International reports the results of a study done by Georgia State University that was conducted at four trade shows representing the gift, jewelry, dry-cleaning and close-out (housewares, toys, clothing, etc.) industries. University researchers conducted exit interviews at these trade shows, consisting of 18 multi-part questions designed to determine what attendees remembered about the promotional products they received at the shows, their perceptions about the promotional product and its usefulness, and their impression of the companies giving them the product.

The results were good news for marketers. 62.6% of trade-show attendees stated they had received a promotional product. 71.6% of attendees who received a promotional product remembered the name of the company that gave them the product. 76.3% of attendees had a favorable attitude toward the company that gave them the product. 

Providing promotional gifts to attendees at trade shows, increases the likelihood of them remembering your company's name and it creates a favorable impression of your brand. A great return for your marketing investment! 

So what can promotional products do for your business?

Promotional products can be used as a one-time promotion to grab the attention of and acquire new customers. They are effective tools to inform, remind, persuade and support a company’s effort to increase loyalty and sales, ensuring the continuous growth of your business. When it comes to trade show marketing, you can't beat a promotional product's ability to drive traffic to your booth and create a create a positive image in the mind of the recipient. 

Best yet, there are so many unique and creative ways to promote a special product launch or boost your company brand with promotional products. The possibilities are endless and effective.  

For an example, Herr Foods was extremely successful in meeting their trade show marketing goals with a unique promotion.

OBJECTIVES: Herr Foods had a few objectives for their trade show marketing:

1. Drive traffic to the trade show booth; 
2. Write orders at the booth with existing and new customers;
3. Increase brand awareness for the company; and 
4. Create a positive image for the company in the attendee’s minds.

STRATEGY & EXECUTION: Herr Foods’ decided to promote their company with a trade show booth at an annual vending machine operator’s trade show. The show took place in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Recognizing the golfing appeal of the location, Herr Foods hosted a lively, attention-getting golf-themed game in the booth. Booth visitors were challenged to use a golf club to lift a golf ball globe onto a tee as spectators around the booth loudly counted down from 10. Game players who were successful in the 10-second time frame won five cases of Herr Foods snacks. Those who weren't successful were still winners since they got to keep the golf ball shaped globe. Of course, no matter the outcome of the game, the participants enjoyed the game and took home something of value with the Herr Foods logo. While Herr Foods was the big winner, as more and more show attendees were drawn to the booth to see what all the excitement was about.

RESULTS: With never less than 6 and as many as 18 visitors in the booth, this was by far the most active the Herr Foods booth had been in 12 years at this particular show. More importantly, the company sold over 4,000 cases and signed on 12 new accounts both at show itself and immediately after the show. By the end of the show, Herr Foods met all four of their marketing objectives: driving traffic to their booth, writing orders, increasing brand awareness, and creating a positive image for the company. By using a promotional product - a golf ball shaped globe with their logo - and a fun game idea, Herr Foods shot a hole in one with this promotion. 

Now, I'd love to hear from you! What's the best promotion you've seen at a trade show recently?

If you are looking to drive traffic to your upcoming trade show booth or see how promotional products can help you meet your marketing goals, give me a call at 847-398-5500 or shoot me an email at dona.blunt@newportpros.com. I'd be happy to consult on a unique promotion for your business.

For more trade show marketing ideas, you might like the following:

Draw More Traffic to Your Trade Show Booth

Creating Trade Show Buzz

A Surefire Traffic Building Promotion for Your Next Trade Show

A New Shape to Make Your Trade Show Booth Stand Out

Want to draw more people to your trade show booth? Sure, who doesn't, right? Well, here's an attention grabbing idea - showcase your marketing message in 4D with this four-sided, full-color, pyramid-shaped display! 

Tired of the "same old, same old" trade show booth banner stands that can only be viewed from one side?  Have more than one message to communicate, but need to do so in a small booth space?  Then this new four-sided display could definitely be your answer.

The display is 7 feet tall and can be seen from any direction so you can draw traffic to your booth from any angle. It's perfect for a corner booth space. It features strong carbon composite poles that easily open up like an umbrella so it can be set up very quickly by any member of your team. The hardware and graphics are super lightweight and packaged in a soft carry case that can be transported via auto or plane, saving you expensive shipping costs. Best of all, at under $400 each (including set-up charge), it's very affordable. 

Frank Cooper, Vice President of Marketing for the Magellan Industrial Group recently brought his display to an important trade show in China and was very pleased with it. Frank said: 

"The pyramid display unit is extremely unique and does draw a lot of attention, depending on your graphics. The OEM machined parts we displayed on it almost seem 3-D! Many show attendees commented on it very favorably. Thanks for all of your help in purchasing it and expediting the shipping. It’s a real winner!!"

The display is perfect for all indoor venues, such as trade shows, malls, conferences, or lobbies. You can have the same message on each side or have each side feature a different message for versatility.

Make your marketing message pop with beautiful, full-color graphics and a unique 4D display. Don't let all of the attention go to your head, though.

If you want to learn more about this unique and effective trade show booth signage, give me a call at 847-398-5500 or email me at dona.blunt@newportpros.com. 


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Use Personalization to Create Unique and Memorable Promotional Materials

Want to get your promotional marketing material read, kept and remembered?  Personalize it! Personalized copy is the way to go with marketing material. It's human nature to pay attention when you see your name, right? It's also eye-grabbing when you see your name inserted into a graphic that looks as if it were designed just for you. Digital printing has come a long way and it's easy for your business to take advantage of its customized features to Wow! your customers and prospects.

To bring this idea to life, let's take a look a successful example of a personalized promotional piece. WINGS, a not-for-profit group, was trying to encourage early registration for its 13th annual Benefit Ride.  In order to do so, they had to make their mailing unique and grab their potential participants' attention. The personalized postcards they created accomplished their objective and then some. Not only did the postcard cause a buzz when it was first received, early registrations were up over 40% from the previous year!

Another very popular personalized item that will grab your client's attention is this calendar where the recipient's name is incorporated directly into each month's photo. It's not just printed in a text box or typed onto of a photo. It is actually incorporated into the photo as if it were photographed that way. This is one calendar that someone will certainly keep on display for at least 12 months!

So how else can you use this technology to promote your business? How about signing people up at your trade show booth to receive one of these personalized calendars if they fill out a form to request more information?  Because these calendars can start with any month, they are good for follow-up visit gifts or in a mailing with a proposal and sales literature. Insert your customer's name on your sales postcards and tell them you miss them. It's so easy to do, especially if you have been collecting names for your mailing list.

Technology has made it easy and cost effective to grab your clients' attention, so consider getting personal and adding individual names to your marketing materials. It's a unique way to set your business apart from the competition.

Need help on where to start? Contact me today at 847-398-5500 or at dona.blunt@newportpros.com and we'll create a memorable promotion that's perfect for your customers.

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Scan Your Way to Sales Sucess

By now you have probably seen those postage-stamp size squares with squiggly lines known as QR (quick response) codes. And, you probably know that scanning them on your smart phone takes you to a specific website to get more information on the company promoting the code. But did you know that they are also an inexpensive and powerful way to drive sales? 

Here's a case story that will help illustrate the power of QR codes for promotion. Moretti's Pizza was trying to stay "front of mind" with its current and prospective customers to generate more sales. So they decided to initiate a deal-of-the week campaign. When thinking about how to advertise these weekly deals, Moretti's noticed that their competitors spent a great deal of money printing custom pizza boxes with their promotional details and/or sending direct mail flyers with coupons. However, they realized that these methods were not only expensive, but they prevented those companies from being able to change their specials quickly. In fact, these traditional promotions literally had to continue until either the printed pizza boxes ran out or the direct mail flyers expired. Moretti's realized they wanted to do something that was easier and more flexible.

So, Moretti's supplied their current and prospective customers with a key tag that had a QR code printed on one side. Not only was a key tag a unique and inexpensive, it was ideal for their "on-the-go" customers.  As they were planning their promotion, Morttti's realized that most of its customers were calling in their orders from a cell phone and they didn't have their coupons with them. However, with a key tag the customers could simply use their smartphone to scan the printed QR code, see the weekly special, and place their order right from the same phone. If they saw that one promotion wasn't pulling in enough sales, they could change it quickly. With a QR Code, Moretti's accomplished two objectives--making it super easy for their customers to see the promotions and order from their phones, as well as gaining the flexibility to change promotions weekly or even daily based on customer response and competitor's offers.

On another note, Moretti's chose a key tag to give to customers to deliver their QR Code because it was inexpensive, customers would hold on to it, and it was perfect as a reminder for ordering pizza while you were out in your car or driving home from work. But companies don't have to use a key ring for their promotion. There are plenty of other promotional items that customers find useful enough to hold on to and are cost effective. 

For example, this pen with billboard clip is a perfect example. 

Everyone hangs on to and uses promotional pens! This example combines an area large enough for a QR code but it's also a very comfortable writing instrument. Other affordable items that can accommodate a QR code include coasters, insulated can wraps, sticky note pads, rulers and pocket mirrors.

Need an idea on how to use QR codes to promote YOUR business?  Contact me today at 847-398-5500 or at dona.blunt@newportpros.com and we'll create a custom promotion that's perfect for your customers. 

Put the Promotional Power of Swag Bags to Work at Your Next Event

Swag Bags are all the rage! You read about them at the Oscars, and other celebrity events. You even hear about them in conjunction with national sporting events, such as the Super Bowl.  But can you bring the glamour and promotional power of Swag Bags to your event?

Of course! Swag Bags work so well as a promotional marketing tool because people just LOVE receiving free gifts Event guests get a bag filled with wonderful products that marketers are eager to get into their hands. The guest loves receiving new, free items to try and the marketers love the advertising and potential word of mouth for their products. However, Swag Bags aren't just for the rich and famous. They don't have to contain items that value in the thousands of dollars to be effective. They just need to include items that the target audience finds valuable.

Companies are using promotional Swag Bags as:

• Gifts in rooms for travel incentive trips
• Incentives to get people to buy tickets early to events, for example, the first 100 people who register get a swag bag
• Thank you gifts for attending trade shows, conferences, sporting events, and even networking meetings
• Product trial inducers - give people a sample of your product and a coupon for future purchase

To create a Swag Bag for your next event, there are a few considerations. First, what is your objective? To get people to try one of your products to promote future purchases? To get your company logo in front of them for more brand awareness? Once you know what you want your target audience to experience or take away from the swag bag you can think about the bag and filling it.

Start with the bag? Is it part of the "value" to the customer or is it's only purpose to hold the items in the bag? Should the bag be be casual, like a drawstring backpack? Or, more business-like, such as a briefcase or messenger bag? Or, more practical like a shopping bag or tote? The answer depends on your brand's personality and on whether you want your target to hand on to the bag and use it, giving your brand more visibility.

Next, what's in the bag? Products you want sampled? Coupons? Brochures? Giveaway items that will tie with the theme of your event or to visually to remind attendees of the meeting objectives? For example, if you are hosting a Wellness Fair, how about a pedometer that is both useful and is wellness-related? 

If you are staging an event for college-age students, how about including a speaker that amplifies a cell phone's music selections? 

On a tight budget?  See if your event sponsors will contribute an item to the bag-- the more the better!  If you are part of a Chamber or business networking group, all of you can combine to make a gift bag. Just try to eliminate duplicate items so everyone's contribution has maximum impact. It is not effective to have seven pens and two hand sanitizers when instead you could have had nine distinct items.

Also, if the event has a definite theme, try to have the items related to that specific theme as much as possible. I have personally seen people at a golf event throw out non-golf items from their swag bag, which is truly a waste of both precious advertising dollars and an opportunity to make a good impression on the bag recipient.

Need help in creating, customizing, or improving a Swag Bag for your event? We have so many ideas for both the bags and the valuable items inside to help your promote your business effectively. Contact PromoDona at 847-398-5500 or dona.blunt@newportpros.com  for some unique ideas that will make your clients feel like you're treating them like celebrities.

For more trade show, conference or event marketing ideas, check out my Promotional Marketing Board on Pinterest or Like my Newport Promotions Facebook Page. 

A Surefire Traffic Building Promotion for Your Next Trade Show

One of the things I get asked all the time is "How can I get more prospects into my trade show booth so I can tell them our story?" I've listed a few ideas on the blog here but I wanted to share another idea I came across in ASI's Advantage Magazine.

Jay Irby, the President of i-Mark, a pen manufacturer, suggests using personalized pens as a trade show traffic builder. Here's how it works. Personalize the cap or top half of a pen with your name or logo and phone number. Send only the personalized top half of the pen to important customers or prospects you know will be attending the trade show. Make sure it arrives a week before the show.

Include a short note about how to receive the bottom half of the pen, they need to visit your trade show booth. Don't forget to leave the booth number and a cell phone contact if they can't find you at the show. This will drive traffic to your booth! i-Mark's distributors claim  they've received an 85% response rate on this type of promotion.

Looking for other ideas on how to drive traffic to your trade show booth? Check out my post on using Matching Games to Drive Trade Show Booth Traffic and 4 Unique Promotional Ideas to Draw Traffic to Your Trade Show Booth. I've also got some great ideas on my Memorable Trade Show & Exhibit Promotions Board on Pinterest.

Ready to create a traffic building idea for your next trade show? Give me a call today at 847-398-5500 to get one of these promotions working for you. You can also contact me via email at dona.blunt@newportpros.com.

What is the best trade show traffic building promotion you've ever seen?