Read these articles:
It's the latest. It's the greatest. But is it a waste of money
The Company Store – Part of a Marketing Program
Proper care of graphics and exhibit
What is production-ready art?
It’s the latest. It’s the greatest. But is it a waste of money?
Promotional items are a proven and valuable way to increase tradeshow effectiveness.
However, the hottest new promotional product on the market can be a complete waste of money, and even worse, your time at a tradeshow if you don’t have good metrics for evaluating ROI.
When selecting promotional items for your tradeshow booth you need to carefully examine what you really want to accomplish at the show. For example:
Are you looking to increase brand awareness?
Do you want to give product demos and collect leads?
Are you looking to close sales?
Each outcome should determine the kind of ad specialty item you use and your method for delivery.
Let’s assume that you need to increase brand awareness for a new product and are attending a targeted show where almost everyone is a realistic prospect.
In this case, to increase booth traffic, you might want to offer attendees the latest and greatest ad specialty item that matches your product benefit.
Now, what happens if your company’s product is already established and your goal is to give demos to qualified buyers? That same booth driver can swamp your staff with unqualified leads!
Even worse, if you are looking to the show to drive revenue, your team is now wasting time with bad prospects and losing valuable sales opportunities!
Try this instead. If you are looking to give product demos, you might want to choose a higher-end product and pre/post market to attendees. Get them to schedule a demo time and have the item on hand to give them after the demo is over.
If you are looking to close sales, consider a separate meeting room and promotional product that will set the tone for the discussion. Often times you may want to present the item to them on location and offer to either ship it or hold on to it until the event's close.
For even more ideas and suggestions about improving your
tradeshow ROI, please contact me at dmcdesign@verizon.com
The Company Store – Part of a Marketing Program by Dorothy M. Clark
The company store – not at all the kind coal minors owed their lives to – but is one that can be a vital part of your marketing or branding program. The store may be physically set up within the company office with set hours of operation and staff where items are sold to employees. This is similar to a Pro Shop or a University Book Store. Items could include polo shirts, t-shirts, hats, ceramic mugs, pens, travel mugs, portfolios, business card holders, CD cases, appointment books, etc. Each item is custom made in the company colors and logo and according to any unique preferences.
If the company has no space or staff to handle a physical store, then consider a printed catalog or a virtual store. In both cases, outside help is available. The printed catalog would be similar to mail order, while the virtual store can be integrated into your website, or intranet, or hosted on a third-party website. An outside agency could warehouse and mange the inventory, sales and delivery.
What are the benefits of a company store?
1) A vital part of a loyal customer/employee program
When employees wear company apparel or use items imprinted with the company logo, they feel more a part of the company – with the pride that goes with it. The results are productivity and loyalty. In addition to selling store items, they may be used as perks an employee can earn. This tends to add even more value and pride.
The same type of program can be made for customers. Whether the items are used as end-of-the-year thank you gifts or a free gift with a purchase, your customers will be more inclined to remain loyal. Depending upon the item and situation, it may be best to downplay your own logo and instead personalize the gift or highlight a brand or slogan.
2) Integrate the store into the corporate identity or branding program
Identity and branding are incorporated in every stationary, brochure, print ad, TV and radio ad, tradeshow exhibit, website, etc. But remember that every employee is also a living testimony of the company. If employees face customers in person, a nice embroidered polo shirt provides instant recognition and strengthens the company’s identity.
3) Spread the word
Adding to the above program, the identity may even become popular on a retail level. Look at how many people wear a t-shirt advertising a company, a sport team or a rock band. If people see your company as ‘cool’, they will want to be associated with it. Wearing your name will help fulfill that desire.
4) Promote a program; support a cause
Does your company have a ‘quality assurance’ or ‘safety’ program? The company store can include items that promote and remind employees of their responsibilities and achievements.
Supporting a cause can work in the same way. A portion of the profits are donated to the charity, while the item purchased is imprinted with graphics that help promote the cause.
DMC Design can help with the company store supplying any or all of the following:
• Design the logo or graphics which are imprinted on the store items
• Provide the imprinted items and/or embroidered or silk screened apparel
• Create a printed and/or digital catalog of store items
• Create the store website pages
Proper care of graphics and exhibit
When removing Velcro applied graphics, run an old, plastic card (like a credit card) between the Velcro and the fabric. This eases the pull on the fabric and extends the life span of the display.
When storing your exhibit, avoid humidity and extreme heat or cold.
Never steam clean your exhibit. Avoid water contact of any kind.
Store flexible graphics flat or loosely rolled with the image on the outside.
Unroll flexible graphics and lay them flat for a day or so in a room temperature area before setting up the display.
Package display materials properly for transporting and handling.
When handling your display, make sure hands and the environment are clean. Also make sure you are not wearing any sharp objects (jewelry, belt buckles, tools) which may scratch the panels.
Avoid touching bare halogen light bulbs even when not in use. The oil transferred from your hands causes the light bulb to overheat when in use. Wear gloves or handle the bulb with a clean cloth.
What is production-ready art?
If you intend to supply production-ready artwork, please follow these guidelines:
We prefer digital vector artwork. These are files which usually end with .ai, or possibly .eps, or .pdf. The graphics are made with lines and solid colors and can be enlarged to any size without loosing quality. They can also be color separated properly. Some production methods require these formats. All fonts must be converted to outlines.
Raster images are files which end with .jpg, .gif, .tiff or .bmp. They are made up of tiny squares of color which loose quality when enlarged too much. These file formats are best used for photographs and must be of the highest quality for production. Please note that website graphics and Power Point graphics are low resolution and not suitable for print or display graphics. For print we require 300 dpi at actual size; large display graphics can get by with 100 dpi at actual size.
If this is too confusing, don't worry. We can make your graphics come to life!
