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Promotional Products2024-10-10T13:26:19+00:00

Promotional Products

Are you looking for promotional products and materials for your business or organization? Let Spotlight Strategies help you put your best foot forward by creating unique marketing materials that stand out for your next event!

How We Help

Whether you’re seeking a specific product or are working within the confines of a pre-determined budget and are in need of suggestions, Spotlight Strategies will help you find the right plan for a successful marketing strategy. We’ll produce it on time and on-budget!

We have thousands of items for you to choose from, and with our experience and industry knowledge, we’re confident we can deliver you the right product to fit your needs. We produce pieces that range from the fun to traditional to sophisticated, giving you the option to choose whatever the most desirable items the market calls for.

  • Inexpensive

    One of the most cost-effective forms of advertising is promotional products. They’re inexpensive, easy to distribute and allow you complete control over your brand identity when handing them out to your targeted prospects and clients.

  • Fun

    Promotional products are fun, excellent for branding purposes, and are proven to create a very positive impact on your business.

  • Traffic Driver at Conferences

    Studies show that these come in handy when attracting the attention of potential customers by improving traffic to your display at trade shows and conventions.

  • Staff Motivator

    Promotional products can also be an excellent way to motivate staff and say thank you to current clients. Advertising, motivation and gratitude are all aspects of a successful business or organization.

Popular Products We Print On

  • Ballpoint Pens
  • Board Games
  • Candy Packaging
  • Cell Phone Accessories
  • Clocks
  • Glass Wear
  • Tools & Hardware
  • Tote Bags
  • Tumblers
  • Stress Balls
  • Watches
  • and all things Golf!
 
 

The Most Commonly Asked Questions

Promotional products are usually imprinted with a company’s name, logo or message. They include useful or decorative articles of merchandise that are utilized in marketing and communication programs. Imprinted products that are distributed free are called advertising specialties. Imprinted items given as an incentive for a specific action are known as premiums. Business gifts, awards and commemoratives are also considered promotional products.

There are tens of thousands of different types and styles of promotional products. Examples of common items include: pens, calendars, coffee mugs, coasters, key chains, desk accessories and bumper stickers.

Promotional products allow people to see your brand, associate your brand, and recognize your brand. All these things are important as the more people who become aware of your brand, the better results you will see in business and sales.

Promotion helps in increasing customer traffic. The more you promote your brand, the more customers will know about you and your company and the more will they be interested in your products. Promotion can be done even by giving out free samples which work wonders for customers!

Promotional products are an incredibly powerful marketing tool since they allow a brand to connect with consumers by engaging their senses. As one of the only forms of advertising that allows consumers to interact with a brand on a physical level, promotional products often create a more memorable brand experience.

The acronym swag means ‘Stuff We All Get,’ and it usually refers to free promotional or marketing items. It’s often spelled out in lower case letters, no periods, appearing more like a word than an acronym.

There are tens of thousands of different types and styles of promotional products. In many cases, it’s even possible to obtain custom items that aren’t found in any catalog. Examples of common items include: pens, calendars, t-shirts, caps, coffee mugs, calculators, key chains, desk accessories and bumper stickers.

Of the $21.3 billion spent in 2016 on promotional products, the most popular was wearables/apparel.

An artwork charge normally applies to all orders unless you send your entire imprint in an acceptable electronic file. If you require only a small change in artwork — such as adding a website address or phone number — there will be a minimum fee of $15.00. Complicated artwork may require an additional fee, which we will quote prior to order placement.

The setup charge is a fee charged by the manufacturer and involves preparing a plate and the other necessary steps to get your job on the press. This fee normally is $35 to $75 – depending upon the vendor. Some of our vendors do not charge a setup charge.  A set-up charge may also apply to repeat orders, but often the fee is reduced or waived.

A PMS (Pantone Matching System) color is a numbering system used by printers and the promotional product industry to give you the very closest match to the color you want.

Because we use different vendors and factories for production, a “purple” cup may differ from a “purple” key chain. If you have to match color, it is best to discuss this with a Spotlight Strategies representative.

When it is time to show your appreciation to employees, quality branded promotional products work overtime to do the job. By rewarding them with the branded items they covet, you are essentially equipping some of your most passionate brand advocates with precisely what they need to help you achieve widespread brand awareness. Businesses use branded promotional items to reward their employees for lots of reasons, including:

  • Loyalty
  • Performance
  • Onboarding
  • Holiday celebrations
  • Participation in new business initiatives
  • Product/Service launches
  • New office openings

Whatever the occasion, you will want to make certain that your branded promotional products for employees are items they will use and keep for a long time. The more branded promotional products are used and the longer they are kept, the more visible and influential your brand becomes.

Current fan-favorite promotional products range in cost from the most budget-friendly to higher cost items that boost your brand and stand out from the crowd. Examples of top corporate gifts for employees are:

  • USB Drives
  • Outerwear
  • Drinkware
  • Pens, Pencils, and Other Writing Instruments
  • Performance Wear

Giving your clients gifts is a great way to show how much you value them and their support of your business. Whether you plan to present them with these tokens of your appreciation at holiday time, for a special occasion, or just to say thank you, these gifts are typically very well received. Once you have decided that it is time to gift your clients, there are several questions to consider when it comes to how much you should spend in the process. You don’t want to make the mistake of giving a gift that is too lavish or, on the other extreme, give a gift that is a poor representation of your generosity and business.

Here are several ways to determine how much you should spend on client gifts:

  • Decide how many clients you want to gift. The number of clients on your gift list will play an important part in your budgeting process for the initiative.
  • Evaluate their long-term relationship value to your business. This may help you pare down the list and/or the cost of the gifts. Are clients giving your company business regularly? Is most of their business a one-off? The clients giving you the most business should receive the largest part of your gift budget.

Corporate awards programs for employees typically reward loyalty and exceptional performance on the job. The most effective corporate awards programs provide the opportunity for employees to repeatedly engage positively with a business’s brand, providing them with further motivation to be enthusiastic brand ambassadors. Common types of corporate awards include:

  • Recognition for work anniversaries
  • Recognition of individual accomplishments
  • Recognition of team accomplishments
  • Recognition for company accomplishments

Many businesses have found that branded promotional items play an important role in their corporate awards program because they are often used, kept for years, and remind employees of their accomplishments each time they see them. The types of promotional items used in corporate awards programs vary widely and include:

  • Plaques and Trophies
  • Polo Shirts, Jackets and other apparel
  • Drinkware
  • Wireless charging pads and other tech items
  • Tote Bags and Duffel Bags
  • Caps and Hats
  • Lapel Pins

Event marketing is a promotional strategy that focuses on marketing a brand and its products and services by offering customers and potential customers memorable experiences or promotional events. The tactic usually provides direct interaction with a brand’s representatives at events designed to encourage brand awareness and engagement. These can be hosted and/or attended by brand ambassadors either online or offline. Each event is meant to provide a favorable, lasting, and brand-focused impression by securing the attention of people gathered in a group.

When done well, event marketing provides each attendee with a positive experience associated with a brand that will resonate with them over time. This goal is different than that of traditional advertising, which focuses on amplifying a specific message via TV, radio, or billboards in what is a one-way, limited conversation. This tactic has value for many companies; however, event marketing is a supplemental marketing tool that targets specific groups and individuals to make high-quality and individual positive impressions. Virtually any company in any industry can benefit from event marketing providing that the sponsored event aligns with its mission and image, increases brand awareness, and encourages attendees to engage with the company. Some examples of event marketing include:

  • Handing out t-shirts, pens, or water bottles at an event
  • Hosting an informational webinar and providing attendees with a code to retrieve a promotional product
  • Hosting a contest or competition
  • Hosting an online networking event and providing a promotional product giveaway

No matter what event your business sponsors, the branded promotional products associated with it must be useful to attendees. They also should have your company’s logo, contact information, and social media details imprinted on them so recipients will see these messages again and again as they keep and use your giveaways. The best promotional products for events are consistent with your business’s mission and image and are the best quality your budget allows. This is critical, as you only want your customers and potential customers to associate your products and services with quality.

If you are planning an event that is live and not at your headquarters, your promotional products must be portable and easy to distribute to attendees. If your event is online, make sure that its associated promotional products can be easily accessed and received by attendees via mail if necessary.

All of these details considered, your event’s promotional product giveaways should be items that people want so that they see your brand as one that understands their values.

Research recently conducted found that there are five products that most often influence consumers’ brand engagement:

  • USB Drives – About 91% of consumers keep these.
  • Outerwear – An impressive 86% of consumers think more positively about a company after receiving branded outerwear, such as jackets.
  • Drinkware – 50% of US consumers use logo cups they have been given two to three times per week.
  • Pens, Pencils, and Other Writing Instruments – Very budget-friendly and long-lasting, 50% of US consumers own promotional writing utensils.
  • Performance Wear – These durable apparel items create a lasting impression and lots of buzz as they get noticed frequently.

Your employees are the heart of your business and often become your most valued and passionate brand ambassadors. Each time you provide them with quality, branded promotional items, you unleash the power of these brand advocates to influence multiple audiences often and for long periods. When you give the hottest promotional products to employees, you increase this sizable bang for your most-effective marketing buck exponentially. Right now, several promotional items are especially hot and very influential.

  • USB Drives – 91% of consumers keep these because they consider them useful.
  • Outerwear – An impressive 86% of consumers think more positively about a company after receiving branded outerwear, such as hoodies and jackets.
  • Drinkware – 50% of US consumers use the logo cups they have been given two to three times per week. Whether you go with a cup or a reusable water bottle, the possibilities are endless with drinkware.
  • Pens, Pencils, and Other Writing Instruments – Budget-friendly and long-lasting, 50% of US consumers own promotional writing utensils.
  • Performance Wear – Go beyond a uniform to get noticed when you provide performance wear for your employees who covet this gear for their workouts and leisure time.

For small businesses looking to get the most bang for their promotional item buck, there are plenty of options. Some of the best promotional items for small businesses are classics that have been used by savvy marketers for years because they have proven to be both popular and business generators. Others are newer favorites delivering brand awareness, goodwill, sales, engagement, and loyalty.

Here are several of the best small business promotional items that are budget-friendly and effective:

  • Pens, Pencils, and Other Writing Instruments – These come in many colors and materials and are saved and used frequently. Research conducted by the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI), the promotional product industry’s largest membership organization, found that 50% of US consumers own promotional writing utensils.
  • Magnets – With plenty of space for your company’s contact details, logo, and social media information, magnets come in many different shapes, sizes, and colors – all of which are budget-friendly favorites that people like to place on virtually any magnetic surface.
  • Calendars – What better way to stay top of mind with your customers than to give them a calendar they will use daily to check dates and log appointments? These are available in many creative themes, shapes, colors, and materials.
  • T-Shirts – There are plenty of choices in terms of style, material, design, printing or embroidery techniques, and sizes to choose from when you display your logo, contact details, and social media information on a t-shirt that will be worn and appreciated frequently.
  • Drinkware/Cups/Water Bottles – It’s almost impossible to be out and about without seeing people carrying reusable water bottles and other drinkware – including cups. These often colorful and always appreciated promotional items associate your company with healthy choices as people use them and see them being used again and again. ASI research found that 50% of US consumers use the logo drinkware they have been given two to three times per week.
  • Wellness & Health – Items for personal wellness are well-received and always useful. Popular items that can be branded for your business include hand sanitizer, lip balm, face masks, first aid kits, hot/cold packs, and much more.

Already widely considered to be one of the most budget-friendly promotional items, promotional pens become even more affordable when you order them in bulk. From the most inexpensive pen to the jewel of pens, the options are nearly endless when you work with a professional to order and receive these highly valued promotional gifts. When you order your promotional pens in bulk, you will likely have some of these options to consider.

  • Economical Branded Pens
  • Executive Pens
  • Pens with More than One Feature
  • Pens with Banners
  • Pens with Special Grips

Whichever type of pen you choose, all of your bulk promotional pens should be examples of the best quality in their category. Your goal in providing these pens to customers and potential customers is to associate your brand with quality, usefulness, reliability, and creativity. All promotional pens should also be imprinted with your business’s contact details and logo. If the pen is large enough, you may consider adding your social media details.

Everyone loves a giveaway! As you plan your business’s promotional freebies, it’s important to keep in mind several concepts that will make them effective brand ambassadors.

  • Branded promotional freebies – Each giveaway should have your logo and contact details.
  • Quality giveaways – Make sure that you are associating your brand with a quality product, so it reflects positively on your business. They are more likely to keep and use a quality product longer making it more cost-effective.
  • Freebies that communicate your brand’s messages – Consider what you want your giveaway to accomplish and make sure that it sends that message about your business. 
  • Giveaways your customers and potential customers like and use – Use all that you know about them and their likes and dislikes when selecting your promotional products. 
  • Freebies that fit with themes and events – Pair your choice of promotional product with the theme of the event and make it unique and fun to receive.
  • Freebies that set your brand apart from the competition – Whatever promotional giveaways you choose, differentiate them with your special touch. Think about using a unique color combination, incorporating specific features, or exceptional quality. 

Our Promise to Our Clients

Solutions Focused – Team Power

  • Being solutions focused means creating a strategy, idea or process to end a problem.  Our best solutions are created by team members who are inherently optimistic, creative, and energetic.  We take great pleasure in delighting our customers. We love it when our solutions help our customers “Hit it out of the Park”.  Whether we are making them look good and feel great in their logo’d apparel, or their tradeshow giveaways and printed marketing pieces help land a big customer, seeing our customers “WIN” is a super charge to get up and do it all over again tomorrow.

Servant Leadership – Win Win

  • A servant leader is a leader that shares power, puts the needs of others first and helps people develop and perform as highly as possible. We believe that every day is a fresh start and an opportunity to learn something new. There is no endpoint to servant leadership development. It begins with knowing who you are and what you bring to the table. As Iron sharpens iron, we as team members sharpen each other’s skills when we are faced with customer challenges by brainstorm together to solve problems which gives us a competitive advantage. We have the power and the accountability to make good judgments under tight timelines.

Efficiency – Git-r-Done

  • We measure efficiency by having the ability to do something or produce something without wasting materials, time, or energy. Spotlight Strategies is most successful in an atmosphere where team members and systems consistently optimize the standard processes (and roles) as defined by the company, yet, where a spirit of flexibility prevails when customer and production needs require team members to assist and support one another to deliver on company promises and points of differentiation. Team members have a passion for exceeding customer expectations while preserving the company’s ability to grow and thrive (strategically and financially).

Integrity – No Excuses

  • Integrity is the quality of being honest and fair and at Spotlight we value that our customers can count on us. If we make a mistake, we own it. If our vendors make a mistake, we get it fixed. If we say it will be done at a certain time, it is – No Excuses.

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