We have access to over
half a million promotional items and represent over 4,500
suppliers. We take ideas or themes and help our clients develop
programs to assist with:
Many times, depending on the product, a promotional item will
help carry informative copy that educates a target audience
(potential market, distribution channels, etc). An example could
be a software program that highlights or cleans up accounting
discrepancies. Part of the marketing mix of a solution could be a
highlighted, magnifying glass, a lint brush, and a host of other
items. If the product is a tangible item, it could be reproduced
in miniature and embedded in a lucite paperweight.
2. Motivating Salespeople Salespeople like commissions, but thrive on recognition. Awards
must be more than the old standby Plaque. We have the expertise to
put together a sales incentive program that will help modify
behavior, reward achievement, and these programs frequently cost
NOTHING (increases in productivity pays for the cost of the
program). Many incentive programs include a catalog of awards
given to the salesperson and his or her family. Points are awarded
for certain behavior and redeemed for award merchandise.
3. Opening New Accounts New contacts and new business is important. A sales force that
has promotional tools (not just literature) is a sales force more
apt to make contacts and build new business. An example of a
promotional item that could pave the way for future contacts is a
quality ceramic coaster that lists the services and benefits of
the product/company. Consider this; according to Sales and
Marketing Management Magazine, the average sales call
costs in the hundreds of dollars per call. Isn't it wise then, to
leave something behind that will reinforce what was said at an
initial contact? Creates good will also.
4.
Stimulating Sales Meetings Promotional Items can help put across major points of a sales
meeting, and leave the recipients with a reminder. It can be as
simple as a specially imprinted notebook and pen with the theme
imprinted. An Austin software company had a sales meeting
introducing a new product and had compressed and shrunk wrapped tee
shirts IN THE SIZE OF A CD reproducing the product made. Lots of
Dollars are spent putting on sales meetings. It makes good sense
to "finish the job."
5. Develop Traffic at Trade Shows All too often, we are called up one week before the trade show
by a panicked client asking “what can we get to give out at the
trade show next week?” The answer many times is that because of
the time constraints, the universe of ideas are very limited. The
ideal situation is to have a relationship with a counselor, such
as ourselves, and let us know well in advance your trade show
plans so we can take a proactive stance. There are many ways to
build traffic at trade shows, but many involve sending mailings
out and inviting prospects to visit. Depending on what services or
products are being promoted at the show, there are many
promotional items and programs that will get qualified buyers in
the booth. One good example is the manufacturer that sent out a
playing card to prospects inviting them in the booth to see how
their poker hand stacked up. Everyone who came back with the card
was given a prize or a deck of playing cards with the company logo
on it (and of course a product presentation). Also giving
attendees prepaid phone cards are an excellent item to build booth
traffic. The attendee is usually away from home and everyone likes
free long distance. Of course, it doesn't hurt that they see your
information on the calling card, and that they hear a short
recorded company message each time they use the card.
6. Improper Product Mix You may have a variety of products and services, but the sales
force seems to be selling the lower margin items as opposed to the
higher profit items. You want to achieve a better balance. We can
help by:
Developing an incentive program to achieve a better balance
Focus on the "under-represented product" using
promotional products.
An example is an Insurance Company whose agents sold casualty
products, but did not sell the Life Insurance products that were
high profit. An incentive program was designed and within 8
months, the product balance was a lot more favorable.
7. Activating Inactive Accounts This sometimes happens when a mature company (in business many
years) has had and lost many customers. Many of these inactive
customers are inactive simply because they have been ignored or
made to feel unimportant. These lists of inactives are a gold
mine. First, purge the list of the accounts no longer in business,
and send a promotional item to the inactive. Follow up and win
customers back. An example is an old line large furniture store
that had many inactive customers. A mailing was set up where a teaser letter inviting them in to pick up their free
gift (in this case a prepaid long distance card) was sent to them. When they came
in to pick up the gift, they were shown what was new and many
sales resulted.
8. Company Name or Product Change This marketing problem involves educating the target audience
that while there is a change, the company is the same good
company, the product is the same great product, but there is a
change. Communicate openly as some people are very resistant to
changes of any kind. One company, a manufacturers representative
firm, no longer sold a certain brand of equipment, but replaced it
with another brand that worked as well (or better). A package was
sent to the target audience along with a penny, a nickel and a
dime shrunk wrapped in an imprinted change tray...the headline of
the letter was a "small change is coming."
9. Safety Programs Insurance premiums for a company that has a high accident and
injury rate are astronomical. With a well managed safety program,
you can lower your companies insurance premiums AND increase
productivity. Safe behavior CAN be created and maintained. Regular
safety meetings, peer group pressure and incentives for operating
safely can lower premiums much more than the costs of a program.
Consider the cost of accidents in not only direct dollars, but in
lost time inefficiencies, attorney costs, accidents to equipment,
etc. For example, an oil refinder was paying several million dollars per year in direct and indirect
costs associated with accidents. After three years, their costs
went down to well below $450,000.00, and the cost of the program
was a small percentage of that.
10. Moving Products at the Dealer or
Distributor Level Many times companies have to rely on dealers or distributors,
rather than direct employees to move product. Some times these
dealers or distributors have more products to sell than just
yours. We have ways to make sure they will PREFER to sell and move
your product. These promotional ideas do not work alone. Of
course, they must be a part of a cohesive plan. The more we know
about your company, the better our ideas will be.
11. Improve Client or Customer Relations Your best clients are your competitor’s target accounts. 66%
of the reason that businesses lose customers is perceived
indifference. With tangible symbols of your appreciation of your
clients (Christmas remembrances, Birthday programs), your clients
are always reminded that you are important to them even after they
return from lunch with your competitor. 80% of your business comes
from a small percentage of your clients. It is just good business
to constantly build and improve that relationship. "I have a
good product and good service and that should be enough" will
not keep you in business for the long haul. Think of it as a
Client Insurance premium payment.
12. Employee Relations One of the most important assets that a successful company has
is its employees. They must be appreciated and made to feel like
partners. The successful companies we do programs for recognize
their employees’ achievement. They get a remembrance at their
business anniversary, Birthdays, and Christmas (or traditional
holiday time). Think ABC program for Anniversary, Birthday, and
Christmas. Years of service recognition programs, employee attire
(casual days) golf shirts, tee shirts, pizza days, and logoed
merchandise all play a role. Your personnel need to be made to
feel a key part of the company.
13. Casual Dress Days We at UltraService, Inc Promotional Design produce golf shirts,
and other clothing ensembles that display the logo with class and
distinction. We can do as few as 12 garments and up to several
thousand. We do it right. It is rare to see a tie these days, and
to encourage customers and employees to "get casual" it
is traditional to buy the garments for the wearer.
14. Promote Landmark Events It is good business to celebrate and promote such events as:
The one millionth product shipped
Company Anniversary...5, 10, 15 years, etc
0ne Million safe man hours worked
Being named to the INC 500 list.
Look for any landmark event and promote it.
15. Institutional Image Building Be involved in the community. Encourage your employees to get
involved. There are promotional products that can be donated to
community services that:
Discourage drug use
Encourage Fire Safety
Educate the public about a wide variety of important
subjects.
Volunteers are crying out for sponsorship materials your company
can donate with your name of the item.
16. Repair Service Lapses There will always be times when despite our best efforts, our
service does not measure up. Use these times as opportunity to
build a big bridge using promotional products. The customer is
always right, and needs to feel important when a problem occurs.
17. Out of Sight, Out of Mind This is a variation of improving client relations, but it is
important to keep your name in front of people. It has helped
Microsoft and Intel, but it can work for your business on a
smaller scale. When we imprint one of the large universe of
products we have available with your logo and you distribute the
item to a target audience, one byproduct is that you are perceived
as being a larger business than you are. Of course, the biggest
byproduct is that you build good will. People like to get
stuff...what can we tell ya?
Some of the products available (out of a list of over one
million) are coffee mugs, pens, calendars, wearable items,
coasters, letter openers, software organizers, magnets, lead
crystal gifts, etched glass, engraved wine bottles, and more!
Promotional Calendars are also known as: custom imprinted calendars, custom calendar printing, printed calendar, and custom printed calendar.
