New Client Promotion – Bank of America

Bank of America teamed up with the NY Yankees and Major League Baseball for a midsummer promotion. To attract new clients with a sports-friendly partnership, the bank handed out brochures and base-shaped logoed key chains during the All-Star Game Parade. Not only is the promotional key chain an incentive, but it presents added value to the brochure and makes it more memorable. It also complements the baseball theme that can be customized when you open a checking account. The offer features your favorite MLB baseball team logo on your checks and credit card to match. As this creative concept generates new clients and business for the bank, the keychain extends the longevity of the promotion when the client uses it in everyday life to gain even more exposure for the brand.

Why Should You Use Three Dimensional Mailers?

For your next direct mail campaign, consider your purpose. Does your company need to generate new business or thank first-time buyers? Perhaps you’re looking to reward loyal customers or invite clients to an event. No matter what, the desired result is to grab attention and create curiosity. To ensure a happy ending for your spending and increase the odds that the message is effectively communicated, you need to employ promotional mail pieces that stand out! Let’s veer outside the boundaries of flat postcards and envelopes.

The most creative way to target your audience is with 3D mailers, which are oversized or oddly-shaped mail pieces that appear as novelties in the junk mail mix. They are designed to reach the intended decision maker, be it a consumer, executive or associate. It’s difficult to reach top-level clients via direct mail when you have to infiltrate a jaded mail room staff or just differentiate your piece from “spam.” Dimensional mailers, like this promotional nylon flyer, have the appearance of a toy and will surely be opened with priority before all the other boring mail.

The packaging of promotional products proves to pique interest as well as increase direct mail response rates. A 1993 study by Baylor University found that the use of dimensional mailers can significantly improve response rates over direct mail alone. Check this out; those who received the 3D package had a 57 percent higher response rate than recipients who received the same product in an ordinary envelope. Plus, response rates shot up 75 percent with dimensional packaging, compared to a standalone sales letter. It’s clear that going 3D makes a direct, positive impact on the success of a direct mail campaign.

And you can bet that bulk and size are important factors, too! Human nature makes us innately curious; no one will resist the intrigue to open an important-looking box. Impressive mailers are bound to make heads turn and generate buzz around your company. Package your promotional letters and corporate gifts in customized folio mailers to convey a polished image. With your logo professionally screen printed, your company gains visibility and maximizes opportunity for new business ventures.

The Building Blocks of Customer Relations

Building Block # 4 - Promote Repeat Business

Have you ever encountered the issue of one-shot customers? What’s the secret to keep them coming back for more? The key to transforming first timers into frequent/heavy users of your product or service is through memorable customer service that leads to impressionable customer satisfaction. Corporate gift programs help build that lasting rapport because they convey the company’s generous investment in the relationship. Customers who receive promotional products, on average, return sooner and more frequently, and spend more money than customers who receive coupons.

There’s hard evidence to back this up. Researchers from Southern Methodist University conducted two separate studies to test whether promotional products would outperform coupons in the area of repeat business and sales. They found that promotional product recipients spent 27 percent more than coupon recipients and 139 percent more than welcome letter recipients over a period of eight months.

Moreover, promotional product recipients were also 49 percent more likely than coupon recipients and 75 percent more likely than letter recipients to return and patronize the business who gifted them! It’s clear that corporate gifts make a positive impact on purchasing decisions and spending patterns. You can bank on this correlation with gifts with purchase, post-purchase thank-yous and frequent customer rewards programs.

With these facts and figures, it’s easy to understand the importance of strengthening customer relations. In every sense, a returning customer is essential for survival in small and large businesses alike. Corporate gifts have the ability to promote a positive brand image, advance business forward, and build the working foundation for a prosperous company. Remember too, repeat customers cost less than perpetual marketing to attract new ones!

Refer back to Building Block #1.
Remember Building Block # 2?
Don't forget Building Block #3.

Corporate Gifts on the High End

You may think your business sector is abstract: retail, finance, health care, construction, education or legal services. But there’s more concrete substance to the services of your company. Whether you deal with clients directly or serve other businesses (B2B), you’re in the people business. Bottom line, people hold the purchasing power, so it’s important to establish a quality relationship with clients and develop rapports that sustain the test of time. Celebrate your most valuable contacts with commemorative gifts that exceed your associates’ expectations.

To go above and beyond, send the presence of luxury to a singularly sensational client. Let the frequent customer feel the warmth of appreciation with a personalized velour robe and slippers set. Momentous occasions like new business acquisitions, contract renewals, contact anniversaries and retirement merit premium recognition gifts. In turn, the recipient will sense the generosity and transfer the assigned value of the high price point to the high regard held in the corporate relationship.
An instrument to cherish, the classic customized gold ballpoint pen marks the sign of an established executive force. It shines with elegance to express gratitude, accomplishment and admiration. For specialty clients, vendors or suppliers, the gilded writing tool shows immaculate client appreciation and indicates that you want to promote the longevity of the business association. It’s a status symbol worthy of expense for exclusive clients because they will cherish and utilize the pen timelessly, which promotes reciprocity for future dealings.

Remember this customer retention technique: you’re in the people business. To cultivate client relationships, go beyond the scope of good customer service. If you truly care about your clients, express that veneration openly. In return, they’ll care about you and become your upper class of loyalty.

The Building Blocks of Customer Relations

Building Block # 3 - Capture New Clients

If you dig a little, you’ll find that your established base of loyal customers is the literal gold mine for excavating new referrals. When asked, satisfied customers will generate the names of friends and associates whom you can contact in the future. So, how can you pose the question? You can request referrals with promotional product incentives (i.e. ballpoint pens) and eligibility for further rewards (i.e. sweepstakes) as they reinforce one another. Take note, the bundling effect helps achieve the highest response rate!

You can employ a one-time promotion to expand your customer base, or a repeated “pulsing” approach to propel the growth of your business. Either way, you’ll find promotional products to be effective tools in converting prospects into customers. Marketers who use combined direct mail offers can secure valuable referrals and increase leads generated to surpass the cost of promotion. Just remember, the success of your corporate gift program all depends on how persistent the salespeople are with following up the new leads!

The Building Blocks of Customer Relations

Building Block # 2 - Generate Goodwill

What is goodwill? It’s basically the consumer’s feeling of approval and support for a brand, as the result of having established a favorable reputation. You can foster lasting relationships with your most devoted customers by utilizing meaningful gifts with purchase or thank-you gifts. Such sentiments of sincerity and gratitude have an inherent advertising value that is passed on to the consumer.

Studies repeatedly show that customers who receive a promotional product express more goodwill toward the company and its salespeople than those who do not receive a promotional product, according to Promotional Products Association International. Ultimately, when you put a corporate gift program in place, customers receive a tangible receipt that will endure to continually promote the desired brand image.

Also see: Building Block # 1

Special Edition: Mrs. Fields Cookies

Did you know Mrs. Fields has a premium business gift collection? Not only is the presentation impressive, but the gooey sweet taste of freshly baked Mrs. Fields cookies has the ability to captivate your most treasured clientele. With an array of fully customizable gift options, the famous Mrs. Fields presents loveable treats to celebrate any corporate occasion. Let’s get down to the crumbs—why give the gift of Mrs. Fields?

• Customizability - Cookies can be custom cut in any shape or size to reinforce your theme or brand identity. One of my favorite goodies from the Mrs. Fields line is the perfect logoed cookies. Your logo or promotional message can be imprinted on edible icing, to serve the purpose of a business card, but the sentiment will surely be internalized.

• Personalization - Tasteful tins filled with oven-fresh treats are available in varied quantities to fit your gifting needs, from one sweet cookie box to caseloads of 100. The classic tin, along with the tied satin ribbon, features your company name to add a personal touch for the recipient. You'll be surprised how such a simple individual signature can contribute to lasting client relationships.
  

• Impression - The arrival of Mrs. Fields perfectly packaged gifts create that dazzling “wow” factor in an office setting starved for excitement. Scrumptiously desirable, Mrs. Fields presents charm and nostalgia that is instantly recognized and appreciated. For the ultimate people pleaser, I recommend The Bundle of Treats. The colossal tower contains premium cookies and other indulgences, which makes a remarkable statement of gratitude, congratulations or cordiality from a company to its associates.

• Selection - It’s never too early to start brainstorming and budgeting for the upcoming holiday gifting season. What are your needs? Who are your most esteemed contacts? Send sweet holiday cheer to the indispensable clients of the year. The way to their heart is with decadent luxuries like nibblers, brownies, muffins, popcorn clusters, cakes, candy and coffee. Gourmet and flavorful to suit various tastes, they’ll be remembered long after they are devoured!

The Building Blocks of Customer Relations

Building Block # 1 - Establish Loyalty

No matter what market niche you occupy, your company faces saturated competition and the threat of parity products. What’s going to help you gain a competitive advantage and avoid endless price wars? The establishment of customer loyalty will insure stability and growth of market share. It takes time to cultivate legitimate loyalty; it cannot be derived from a single advertising campaign on TV. Rather, it takes an integrated approach to create customer allegiance.

One important aspect of the marketing mix that is not given due credit is promotion (the others are product, price and place). Your company can gift interactive promotional products, like logoed stress balls, imprinted pens or branded USB products as gifts with purchase or direct-mail incentives. With these types of hands-on products, you implant consumer touch-points that are activated upon their everyday use. They give your company name increased visibility in the consumer’s surroundings, contributing to increased recall and recognition. And all good marketers know that brand familiarity leads to brand loyalty. It is consumer nature to be attracted to the name we know and trust most.

9 Out of 10 Real Estate Agencies Use Promotional Products!

It’s a buyer’s market in the current down-turned economy, with properties stuck at a standstill and realtors suffering the brunt of it all. How can you gain a competitive edge?

The Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) executed a questionnaire to find out the most effective marketing efforts for realtors at the most recent National Association of Realtors Expo in Las Vegas.

The results of the survey indicate that nine of 10 realtors use promotional products as part of their marketing efforts. Yes, as many as 95 percent of real estate agents contest that promotional products are a mainstay in their agency budgets! Further, 70 percent of respondents rated promotional products as “effective” or “extremely effective.”

Check out the top FIVE most useful purposes of real estate promotional products:

Overall, I think it’s important to share this information to highlight the integral role of promotional products in the real estate industry. They provide a personable touch to connect with each client individually and build a lasting relationship of trust. For realtors, that’s essential to have, as you direct customers to make one of life’s most weighty decisions.

Gift with Purchase: The New York Times

Looking to attract new customers? It’s challenging to get people to sign up for things—whether it’s a subscription, a political petition or a group membership. The New York Times knows that promotional products carry serious clout for its potential readers. This booth was set up at the Water Street Fair in New York City on the fourth of July, with the objective of capturing new eyes to read the paper. In the bustling crowd of food, crafts and jewelry, the NY Times stood out from the pandemonium with a table full of giveaways. The classic gift with purchase promotion appeals to be an effective seller, helping the newspaper seize a bigger chunk of its target audience. Laid on the table are imprinted T-shirts, logoed water bottles, customized coffee mugs and fun bubbles. The screen-printed banner also enhances the newspaper’s visibility at the festival, adding a sleek touch of authority for the national news source.

Budget-Saver: Say Thanks with Chocolate

I was scouring for inexpensive ways to send a simple “thank-you” to meaningful customers or clients. You know what I found? You can express heartfelt gratitude with the sumptuous substance that we commonly know as chocolate! Tinged with sweetness, chocolate serves up rich rewards for your most treasured clientele. Its essence of upscale gourmet and digestible price tag are the perfect blend for a prestigious corporate gift! When you’re ordering in bulk or with limited budget, you want to reduce unit cost. However, you never want to compromise quality and consideration in your gift—ogle these chocolatey riches!

Chocolate Thank-You Cookie

A divine thank-you treat, this sugar cookie defines cordiality. Swathed in velvety dark chocolate, each cookie is individually packaged in a silver wrapper with the words "Thank You" printed in multiple languages. Just think of the utility for international companies with worldwide customers and affiliates!

Thank-You Chocolate Bar

Grazie Molto. Muchas Gracias. Mercí Beaucoup. Thank You. No matter how you phrase it, everyone loves to know their contribution is appreciated. Whether it's customers, employees or vendors, the multilingual chocolate mold adds a touch of personalization and finesse. The savory bar will leave a delightful impression of your business practices and sweeten up future relations.

Thanks a Million! Message Chocolate Bar

Imprinted chocolate is inexpensive, but you can convey a thank-you worth a million bucks. This satisfying chocolate promotion functions as a thoughtful gift for all kinds of occasions and will be remembered. Cash in the rewards of building loyal clients and customers. Chocolate is always a people-pleaser and of course, a successfully inexpensive corporate promotion!

Corporate Gift Special Edition: Proud to be an American

With the fourth of July quickly approaching, how are you going to wish your associates a happy weekend filled with fireworks and hot dogs? I’ve found that business relationships prosper from simple sentiments like holiday cards. But an even more impressive practice is to give a thoughtful corporate gift, either as a mail-out to recent buyers or as a gift with purchase during holiday weekend sales events. With patriotic promotional products to use and keep, your customers get one-on-one contact with your brand. Let’s see how you can take advantage of this grand opportunity.


Beach Ball
During the countless beach days of summer, what more practical gift is there than a patriotic stars beach ball? As a hands-on element of recreation, the ball allows consumers to enjoy a playful experience that is transferable to the brand image. The logoed ball keeps with the idea of creating consumer touch points, which offers engaging lifestyle interaction between the consumer and the company. Also, the ball is economical and lightweight for mailing.




Light-Up Flag
Talk about a star-spangled banner! This custom-printed wavy light-up flag glimmers to make any customer beam with satisfaction. It can be imprinted with your logo and adorned as a badge or placed on the fridge for lasting visibility. Either way, the red and blue LEDS will definitely attract lots of attention.






USA Pen
I know it seems typical, but promotional pens a brilliant avenue to gaining handheld interaction with your clients. Whenever the utensil is used on-the-job, your company’s name is part of the picture. This customizable USA map pen has an entertaining light on top for added novelty. Place them in a cup near the cash register or reception desk and invite people to grab and go! It’s amazing how excited people get for free stuff.