What do you guys give away as promotional items?

[wetgravy]

Every year I give out lots of swag, generally cheap stuff that sticks with people easier than a business card (pens, cheap plastic cups with interesting designs, ice scrapers, etc) But this year I plan on switching it up a little and getting some postcards (4x6) printed with some of my illustrations on them and giving them away in packs as sort of a frame-able print on heavy card stock ... or a post card if they want to use them that way. That and I'm looking into getting some embroidered beanies with a design on them if I can find them for under 5 a piece.

What do you guys give away?

 

[iSign]

stickers!

My logo has a customized array of the Hawaiian Island chain, designed for me by Dan Antonelli. It's unique, yet recognizable as the islands, so I have a small web address, but left off the large business name that appears under the islands in my logo. This way, it's not a sticker of my logo, which less people would want to drive around with... it's a sticker of "my" island chain look, that I'm starting to see in traffic a lot more these days, and while it doesn't promote me much, with only tiny letters identifying me.. it is part of my branding process I suppose.. & can't hurt!

 

[signage]

Edge printed magnetic calendars.

 

[bayshorecreations]

My great smile and memorable charm...

 

[Barry Jenicek]

25 foot Tape Measurer

I give 25 foot tape measures to all of my new clients.

If bought in quantity, I can purchase them for less than a dollar each. I remove the label that is on the case and replace it with a digital print that states
"Complements from Signs by Unique" along with my telephone number.

Think the client is going to throw it away???

Barry

 

[fmg]

A Free envelope with my company name on the front containing an invoice inside!

 

[Pro Image]

T-shirts..............

 

[HulkSmash]

My Smile

 

[MikePro]

nothing yet but samples of materials and brochures/DVDs when we're selling projects
i like the tape measure idea tho'... i always pickup $2 tape measures in the bargain bin at the hardware store for extras to keep in our trucks and randomly around the shop.

 

[klemgraphics]

I give 25 foot tape measures to all of my new clients.

If bought in quantity, I can purchase them for less than a dollar each. I remove the label that is on the case and replace it with a digital print that states
"Complements from Signs by Unique" along with my telephone number.

Think the client is going to throw it away???

Barry

I like this idea, might I ask where you purchase them? I have done these in the past, koozies, pens, post-its, t-shirts, letter openers. Pocket screwdrivers are good too for automotive related shops, mine is by far the most used tool that I own.

 

[wetgravy]

I give 25 foot tape measures to all of my new clients.

If bought in quantity, I can purchase them for less than a dollar each. I remove the label that is on the case and replace it with a digital print that states
"Complements from Signs by Unique" along with my telephone number.

Think the client is going to throw it away???

Barry

That is a great idea, Harbor Freight always has that $1 bin with little things like that in it.

 

[Rick]

I get a kick out of Draplin's stuff....

http://www.draplin.com/merch/

I have given out decals, shirts and buttons all packaged like it was a retail item with a brochure or card thrown in... will probably start doing it again in the near future...

 

[WildWestDesigns]

At one point, I've done just about everything as a promo item, it depends on how good the order has been, depends on what kind of vibe I get from the prospective customer, or what industry the customer is in as to what specifically I give them as a promo.

 

[James Burke]

In one of our earlier businesses we did hot stamping and we used to give away business card magnets that had our logo with some cool looking foil designs.

Since we've changed the nature of our business, I put together these pocket folders made from 150 lb. card stock and blind debossed on the hot stamp press. It holds a business card, and a photo of what we do. Since I make them in-house, they're cheaper than small quantities of rack cards, and I can change the photo anytime I want without having to use up 10,000 brochures if they were printed elsewhere. The 4 x 6 photos are printed at WalMart. I use their one hour photo service so I don't get their www imprinted on the backs of them.

Total cost for the pocket folder, business card, and the photo is approx. 30 cents (for everything), plus a little bit of time to put them together...stamp, score, fold and glue. It's a little more elegant than just a plain business card, and customers are less likely to misplace them or throw them away.

They're also a great marketing tool since they are a little bit different. Whenever I hand one to a prospective customer, they usually look it over, rub their fingers in the debossed logo and then open it up and look at the picture, and that usually that starts a discussion. They seem to make cold calling a little easier.

They fit in a #10 envelope and are easy to drop in the mail.