Bowl Game Promotional Products

Just in case you are interested in what promotional products will be
given out at some of the NCAA Football Bowl Games this year: www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily/Issues/2014/12/05/Colleges/Bowl-gifts.aspx

Sending Credit Card Information

I read a good article about sending credit card information and they recommended the following scenarios:

 1. Fax the information over

2    2. Phone the information in

3    3. Email the info but split up the info in half in 2 separate emails….first 8 digits and 2 security codes and the month of the expiration date in one email and the other 8 digits, the rest of the code digits and the year of the expiration date.

Rastor vs Vector Artwork

Creating images

There are two types of computer graphics: raster and vector.  It is important to understand the differences between these two data types before you begin working with them.

Raster graphics

Raster images are composed of individual elements, called pixels, which are arranged in a grid. Each pixel has a specific location and color. If you magnify raster data, you can see the individual pixels as squares of colors. Raster images contain a fixed number of pixels, so when you magnify the image you are magnifying the display size of the pixels. As a result, raster images may display jagged rather than smooth edges when magnified on screen or when printed at a large magnification.

An object in a raster image is defined by its pixels. For example, the front door in an image of a house is made up of a mosaic of pixels at certain locations in the image. In bitmap images, you edit pixels rather than objects or shapes.

Raster images can display subtle changes in tones and colors, so they are most often used for images like photographs and digital artwork.

Vector graphics

Vector graphics use geometric characteristics — lines, curves, and their locations — to define objects. For example, a door in a graphic of a house is made up of a rectangle that has a certain width and height, is placed at a specific location, and is filled with a certain color. In vector images, you edit objects or shapes rather than pixels.

Vector graphics do not lose clarity or detail when they are scaled or printed, regardless of the change in size or resolution. For this reason, vector graphics are suited to technical illustrations or corporate logos.

Choosing to work with raster or vector data

In general, it is best to use a vector object if you need to edit it as an element separate from other parts of the image. For example, if you add a star to an image, you may want to change its size, color, or location. You can make these changes more easily if the star is a vector object. You can create raster data on separate layers, which can be easily edited or moved.  When finished it a good idea to SELECT ALL and CREATE OUTLINES then hit SAVE.  

Using promotional products to encourage repeat business

Here are interesting findings on a report when promotional products were used to encourage repeat business:  

Customers who receive promotional products, on average, return sooner and more frequently, and spend more money than customers who receive coupons. In two separate studies, SMU researchers tested whether promotional products would outperform coupons in the area of repeat business and sales.

FINDINGS - Food Delivery Service
• Customers who received promotional products reordered up to 18% sooner than those who received coupons and up to 13% sooner than those who received no promotion.
• Customers who received promotional products also averaged up to 18% more orders than those receiving coupons and up to 13% more than those who 
received nothing.
• In summary, customers who received promotional products reordered more quickly and ordered more often than those who received no promotional 
products.

Pen / Stylus Combo

With the proliferation of electronic devices there has been a high demand for pens that also double as a stylus.  I like this silver barreled one and it is on sale until 8/29 for $.65 each at 300 quantity or more.  Best thing is that there is no setup charge for a 1 color imprint!

Variable Data Printing

In my opinion one of the coolest products of new technology in the promotional product industry is the invention of Variable Data Printing.  VDP allows for copy or photos to be changed on different pages of an item.  For example, a notepad could have the same logo printed a the top but a color photo & wording of different products to be printed on the bottom of the page on every 6 pages of the notepad.  Here is a link to the information for the notepads....http://www.bkpress.com/index.php/scratch-pads/90-sp-200series# .  This process can also be used on journals, calendars and more shown on the same website listed above.

Koolgator

A KOOLGATOR is a FULLY customizable, full color, branding tool that consumers put around their neck to keep cool.  KOOLGATOR is the perfect product to use Anywhere It’s Hot to help consumers keep cool.  Soak in cool water for 15 minutes and the non-toxic, biodegradable crystal polymers, sewn inside the middle chamber, absorb hundreds of times their weight in water.  This keeps the consumer cool all day through the process of evaporation.  Reusable. 

No refrigeration or ice required.  For your convenience, the directions are printed directly on every cooling neck wrap.  Includes: Up to 50% total ink coverage on both sides. 

150 @ $8.12 each, 250 @ $5.52 each, 500 @ $3.27 each, 1,000 @ $2.92 each.  

NO setup charge, freight is extra.

Urban Passage Utility Kit

A utility kit is a great item for travel.  This kit includes several mesh pockets for organization, and a separate zippered wet pocket.  The kit also comes with a convenient hanging feature for storage and a top handle that makes it easy to carry.

Minimum quantity is 48 at $17.68 each plus the setup charge.

Poker Chips

Poker Chips are a great item for Golf Outings that can be used as ball markers and of course Texas Holdem Tournaments.  They also are a great fund raiser item for these events as well.

Zippered Padfolio with Dividers

This zippered padfolio with dividers is a great item to take notes and be able to store information in separate compartments.  Made of 600 denier polyester, includes the writing pad, dual compartments, business card slots & pen holder.  Minimum of 24 @ $20.75 each plus the setup charge. 

Sticky Notes

One of my most favorite low cost promotional items are Sticky Notes.  The 3" x 3", 25 sheets per pad, are on sale right now for $.25 each for a minimum quantity of 500 pads plus shipping/tax and there is NO setup charge for a full color imprint!  Price is good until the end of August.

Coasters

One of my most favorite promotional products is the coaster because it usually is placed on the desktop which is a highly sought after piece of real estate.  Specifically, I love the ceramic coasters because they absorb any liquid that finds its way on to the coaster surface and thus helps to avert the dreaded drippage on important papers on the way to the holders mouth. 

Awards

One of the truly great things that can happen to someone is to win a tournament or competition or be recognized by your company, association, or industry.  I've been an athlete and coach all of my life and all I have to do is look around my game room and I have trophies, plaques & great memories from some of these competitions

Luckily, I also am a source for awards and trophies and get "Close to" the same satisfaction by helping people through the process of purchasing them. I recently had a client that only needed 8 awards and it was a non-profit association so I looked and looked and found a great supplier that had NO setup charge, NO change of line charge, minimum quantity was ONE, printed in FULL COLOR, they prepared a color e-proof for NO CHARGE and production time was 5-7 working days.  The cost on this award was only $21.60...double WOW!

PPAI Expo

This is my first post after returning from the PPAI Expo that has held in Las Vegas.  It was a very exciting week to say the least as I had submitted a promotion I did with a collegiate client for the PPAI Pyramid Awards and we won a GOLD.  Winning a Pyramid Award is such a big thing in our industy and to win a Gold was truly unexpected but very much appreciated.

Also attended some great seminars and loved seeing many new products that suppliers have come up with for 2014.  Let me know if you would like to hear about some of these new products, I will be happy to share them with you.