Buy One Get One Free
What's mightier than a pen?
Look around your office and home and you will see writing instruments or pens often and chances are you have used one in the last 73.6 seconds.
Did that pen have a logo message on it?
There is a reason writing instruments are the 2nd most popular promotional item. (Writing Instruments are second only to clothing, and that is based on dollar value, so truth be told, if by quantity, writing instruments are probably #1)
Writing instruments are used daily by individuals who not only see, but hold the advertising message – thus escalating the amount of time spent with the product, your logo and marketing message. Since writing instruments are used often the cost-per-impression is minimal.
There are multiple types of writing instruments, which include:
- Pens
- Pencils
- Highlighters
- Markers
The right choice of a writing instrument can help increase sales, build customer and employee loyalty and increase brand awareness.
Draughon Cranford, The Promo Professor
Click Here To Play Podcast
Download | Duration: 00:01:35
Giveaways, Trash & Trinkets and Swag Are Waste Of Money
First let me be clear, not all promotional products are giveaways, trash & trinkets, and swag but almost all could be if they are used as such.
What do I mean by this? Well many companies only think of promotional products as giveaways and because that is their view of promotional products the promotional products are simply wasted.
This blog’s purpose is to share “News and knowledge on the effective use of Promotional Products”.
And simply put promotional products must have a purpose or a goal to be effective.
So the next time you use a promotional product, be sure it has a goal or purpose.
Some possible goals could be:
- Brand Awareness
- Customer & Client Retention
- Customer & Client Acquisition
- Employee Loyalty
In upcoming blog entries we will address each of these purposes & goals in more detail. As the entries are added they will be available in the "Category Archives" to the left.
Draughon Cranford, The Promo Professor
Download | Duration: 00:02:45
Click Here To Play Podcast
Promotional Products & Client Retention -- Why Do Customers Quit?
Can promotional products increase client retention? You better believe they can. Promotional products have the power to convey appreciation and increase the relationship between a company and it customers.
Before we talk further about client retention let us examine “Why customers quit” in Michael LeBoeuf Best Selling book “How To Win Customers and Keep Them For Life” he shares these facts on “Why customers quit”:
- 3 Percent move away or go out of business.
- 5 Percent develop other friendships.
- 9 Percent leave for competitive reasons.
- 14 Percent are dissatisfied with the product.
- 68 Percent quit because of an attitude of indifference toward the customer by the owner, manager or some employee.
68% Lost due to an attitude of indifference. Promotional products can easily convey an attitude of appreciation and gratitude. 
For some real life examples listen to the Promo College podcast below and I will even share the story of my eBay coffee mug.
Download | Duration: 00:04:57
The 5 Strengths Of Promotional Products
The 5 Strengths Of Promotional Products
- Promotional Products are Targeted.
- Promotional products provide long term advertising value.
- With promotional products "The medium becomes the message."
- Promotional products create goodwill, and are often received as gifts.
- Promotional products provide "The endorsement aspect."
Later we will spend more time looking at each of these 5 strengths.
In preparation for the follow up lessons on "The 5 Strengths Of Promotional Products" take note of the next time you receive a promotional product.
Promo College
Welcome to The Promo College Blog. On this blog we will share “News and Knowledge on the effective use of Promotional Products”.
Our goal is to educate marketers, managers and business owners how to effectively use promotional products to achieve their desired results. We will share success stories, learn from others mistakes, study research and even invite visiting professors to share their knowledge.
Our professors will post text entries to this blog along with podcasts and video podcasts we invite you to comment on our post and share this blog with other who you think may benefit.
Thank you,
Draughon Cranford, Dean & Distinguished Professor
Click Here To Play
Download | Duration: 00:00:21