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? 

Creating Trade Show Buzz

Want people to flock to your trade show booth and create so much buzz that they send other people there as well? You do, right? You just invested a lot of time and money to promote your business so now, bring on the people! We recently came across a unique idea and case study that you could use to drive traffic to your booth and create a buzz about your company.

Soren is a company that makes travel gear and accessories. At a recent trade show, they distributed tote bags at their booth with unique four digit numbers. The goal for the booth visitors was to find a matching number on a the bag that someone else had received.  Kind of like a party game where you need to find the other guest who has your name or number. Once they found their match while walking around the trade show, both parties would return to the Soren booth and claim their prizes.

Why is this such a great promotional idea?  First, each person receiving a tote made sure that their bag and tag number was prominently displayed while walking around the trade show. So, the Soren brand received a lot of exposure and was seen many times during the show by the attendees - from those who visited the booth and from those who didn't. The company created walking billboards. Secondly, since each participant in the promotional game was actively looking for their match, there was a tremendous amount of recognition and reinforcement for the sponsor's brand, Soren. Thirdly, it encouraged bag recipients to direct their fellow attendees to the Soren booth so that they too could receive a bag and be part of the quest. People were talking about the company and creating buzz. Fourth, by engaging and entertaining people at the trade show, the brand created a lot of goodwill and had an opportunity to introduce their products to a new audience. During the three day show, there was never a lack of traffic at Soren's booth!

This promotion was creative and engaging but more importantly it was effective in helping a company stand out and get more trade show booth traffic for their marketing investment. This type of promotion could also be done with cards, lanyards, or other creative options that would promote your business brand.

So, do you have a trade show coming up? If you'd like to make a similar splash promoting your business, please give us a call.  PromoDona can be reached at 847-398-5500 or at dona.blunt@newportpros.com.

Looking for even more unique ways to promote your business at trade shows? Check out my blog post on the Best New Promotional Products for 2013 or my Memorable Exhibit & Tradeshow Board on Pinterest. 

The Best New Promotional Products for 2013

I recently attended the largest show for our Promotional Products industry and I was struck with how times have changed so dramatically. Remember that old expression "The way to man's heart is through his stomach"?  Well today's update could be: "The way to your customers' and prospects' hearts is through their mobile devices."  Though not so succinct as the earlier maxim, based on what I saw at the trade show this new maxim is true in today's world. Our smartphones and tablets are with us all of the time, so it makes sense that advertisers want to be in front of people where they spend most of the waking hours.

In fact, many of my favorite new promotional products for 2013 are for use with mobile devices. Giving a client or an employee a gift that makes their life easier and that they will use for a long time will always make your company stand out from the competition.

I've listed some of my favorite new ideas for promoting your business below. If you want more info on these or other new items, please contact me at dona.blunt@newportpros.com or via phone at 847-398-5500.

Phone Frame



PHONE FRAME: A photo frame that also serves as a charger for your phone. Genius! What I like about this item is that when it is in use, it is a handy and practical way to store your phone on your desk when you're recharging or using it as a speaker phone.  However, when it is not in use, you are able to view your favorite 1-3/4 x 1-3/4" size photo.  The advertiser's logo is printed below the photo window, so it's a win-win for all parties!

PHONE STYLUS CHARM: More and more people are using a stylus when working with their smart phones or tablets. Why? They are frustrated with trying to type on a screen with their fingers. Whether you feel you have "fat" fingers or not it's so easy to end up with a mess of typos.  Likewise, it difficult to type while wearing gloves.  A stylus can rescue you from both of those scenarios.  You can get a variety of stylus styles with the most popular being a pen/ stylus combo. However, since it's not attached to your device, it's easy to lose or leave on your desk. Wouldn't it be nice to have a smaller size stylus that's easy to find?  This charm-size stylus plugs into the earphone plug on your device so it is always handy.  You can brand the stylus with either a digital insert or imprint. Best of all, at a little over $1.00 each, this stylus fits into almost everyone's promotional budget.

DRY CASE: Dry Case is a patented waterproof vacuum seal case for cell phones, digital cameras, mp3 players or tablets that allows for full functionality of the device while keeping it protected and dry in any environment. That means you can listen with you headsets while swimming and you can keep your phone dry while on a boat with your phone.This is a truly unique promotional item that would help your business and brand stand out at your next trade show.

PHONE DOT: The Dot is a handy little item to make the home button on on iPhone easier to find, especially in the dark. it gives your home button a more tactile grip so it's easy to find. This promotional item comes attached with a fold-over card that contains 2 dots. It adheres with a special adhesive and leaves no sticky residue when removed. Truly a useful promotional item to give to clients.

AUTO CUP HOLDER TISSUE PACK :  This item isn't designed for mobile devices but I liked it so much I had to add it to my list of Best New Promotional Items for 2013. Does it feel like you live in your car sometimes? Well, many people spend so much time in their car that any items to help make the ride more comfortable or convenient are truly appreciated. This cup holder tissue pack is so useful, I wish I had thought of it first. A tapered cup, printed with your logo fits into your auto's cup holder and holds 40 tissues. Not only does it put tissues right where you need them most, it is safer than having a traditional tissue box sitting on the seat in your car.  In case of a sudden stop, you don't have to worry about the box flying through the car and potentially hitting an occupant. The digital insert allows an unlimited number of colors for your design. and your choice of two lid colors makes this a winner for advertising your brand. Your customer will hold onto this item and see your logo every day!

If you have any questions about these items or how we can help you promote your business, please call us at 847-398-5500 or email me at dona.blunt@newportpros.com. You can also check out our full assortment of promotional items at http://newportpros.com/.

Here's to your business success in 2013!     


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