Get Your Customers Ready for Summer with Promotional Products!

Despite late-season snow and cold snaps in the Midwest, summer is right around the corner. Summer means beach sports, trips to the pool, camping, barbeques, traveling, and more. Consider these marketing ideas to make your company part of your customers’ summer fun!

The Beach, the Pool, and Waterparks– When even the hottest of summer heat keeps people indoors, beaches and pools are guaranteed to be filled with people socializing, playing games and enjoying the sun. They’re also bringing promotional products like coolers, towels, sunscreen, beach games, flip-flops, sunglasses and chairs with them. All of these are great customer loyalty gifts, event giveaways, new client incentives, or a gift with purchase that are sure to be used ALL summer!

Custom Printed Beach Towels

Camping – Across the country, families and youth organizations will hitch up campers, put up tents, roast marshmallows and spend time enjoying the great outdoors. They will also be using can coolers, barbeque sets, drinkware, sunscreen, compasses and insect repellant with a company logo on them. With some well-placed giveaways or gifts with purchase, that logo could be YOURS, guaranteeing customers associate you with their fond outdoor memories.

Imprinted Cooler Chairs

Summer Safety – Summer fun can be enjoyed well into the PM thanks to long days, late dusks, and cool evenings. Help keep bikers, joggers and children at play safe in these summer evenings with visibility promotional products while making your customers associate your brand with community impact and safety!

Imprinted Tri-Function Flashing Light Clips

Summer Sponsorships and Donations

Summer approaching also means an increase in sporting events, music festivals, car shows, community picnics and many other opportunities for sponsorships. Here are some tips for improving your visibility at sponsored events and increasing the value of your donations:

Product Donations –If the event allows, take advantage of the opportunity to donate products that are being used to promote the event or given as a registration gift. Always donate products that will be used in-event (such as lanyards or water bottles for a run, balls or ball markers for golf tournaments, baseball caps or wristbands for a softball team, binoculars for professional sports events, tote bags for car shows and festivals), as they are much more likely to then be used post-event. Any promotional product donations should have your logo AND the event logo – commemorating the event makes any product received more meaningful to the recipient.

Promotional Water Bottles

Event Promotion – Any time you have a table or booth at an event, always promote it through your social media channels with a link or tag back to the event, talking about any in-event promotions or giveaways (IE: Join Safety Insurance at Summer Music Jam, where you can get a free 2013 car buyer’s guide and enter for a chance to WIN 1 of 5 awesome prizes!). 

Your Table/Booth – Summer events present an amazing opportunity to showcase your brand and share your message where every member of the audience has something in common. Make your booth visually appealing and as easy to identify as possible with bright and attractive signage, branded table throws, and matching imagewear for all of your employees and volunteers. Take this opportunity to have another giveaway for anyone that walks by, along with a gift to give as an incentive for a desired action, and make sure both are prominently displayed.

Full Color Custom Sublimated Table Cover

Efficient Advertising

Looking to stretch your advertising dollars? Consider investing in promotional products that carry a high number of impressions per month and extended shelf life. According to a recent study by the Advertising Specialties Institute, imprinted bags (totes, backpacks, gym bags) and writing instruments are extremely efficient ways to spread your message, with an average cost of just one tenth of one cent per impression!

Imprinted Drawstring Backpacks

Need a medium with long staying power? Consider beach towels – in addition to having a very large imprint area, people tend to keep beach towels for a very long time. For this reason, towels are great for (and are more likely to be used with) commemorative messages.

The Power of Promotional Products: Branding Your Outdoor Event

Ready to get started branding your next outdoor event?  Contact Red Canoe Promotions today!

Price Break Alert: Spirit Imprinted Tumblers

 

For more information or to place an order, contact Red Canoe Promotions- Your Denver Promotional Products Authority!

Innovative Summer Promotional Products!

With summer finally on the horizon, its time to think about the marketing strategies you'll use to build your brand in the coming months.  In order to truly engage your target audience this summer, try one of these innovative promotional products!  You'll be pleasantly surprised by the ROI you'll achieve with these!  These will also be great giveaways as prizes and awards at your company BBQ.  For more info on any of these promotional products or to request your free virtual sample, contact Red Canoe Promotions- Your Denver Promotional Products Authority!

Encore Music Cooler

From picnics to the beach, you'll be the life of the party!  This roomy imprinted cooler would look great carrying your company's logo.  Innovative design features built-in speakers and jack for your MP3 player.  Starting at $26.98 plus setup.

Deluxe Spectator Cooler Chair

This custom printed cooler chair is the perfect accessory for outdoor events and activities!  Large capacity and durable.  Starting at $39.98 plus setup.

Grill and Groove Apron

Grilling has never been so fun!  This innovative apron has integrated removable speakers that connect to your mobile device.  Also features a bottle opener, insulated beverage pocket, and zippered pocket with neoprene pouch to protect your mobile device.  Machine washable.  Starting at $29.98 plus setup.

June is Safety Awareness Month!

   

ARE YOU ready for

Safety Awareness Month?

June 2013 "Safety Starts With Me"

  

What can you do to get ready?

• Promote and refresh your safety program
• Safety and First Aid training 
• Replace and replenish safety equipment
• Safety incentives/employee recognition 
• Community outreach  

Most importantly, you can make safety and wellness part of your brand through your customer loyalty and employee appreciation programs.

Don't have a safety program?

Why not? Safety education and training for your employees can save you money and improve your company culture, no matter what industry!  Learn more here.

  

Learn More

Recognizing and Rewarding Safety

Rewards and recognition are not just for fun- they are a vital part of your safety program. Employee incentives ensure the continued support and success of your safety program by giving employees something to work toward and reinforcing your commitment to their safety.    What works well? It's important to have incentives at multiple reward levels to recognize the significance of large accomplishments. Brand name electronics and home items, luggage, paid time off, clothing and awards are all extremely effective safety incentives.    Try This: Combine safety recognition with promoting wellness with a recognized branded promotional product like this imprinted BlenderBottle! Price: $10.99  Min Qty: 72

Safety Must-Haves - Equipment, Incentives, and Promotions Bolle Cobra Twilight Glasses  Try this premium as an employee service award - they will appreciate it much more than another plaque! Outfit your employees with the best in eye protection! Glasses or pouch imprints available.    Price: $24.90 Min Qty: 24 Hardcap Bump Cap Showcase your brand and your commitment to safety through your field employees! Stylish baseball-cap design with high-density protective liner. Price: $38.79 Min Qty: 12 Rescue Tool Kit A must-have addition as an employee incentive or customer loyalty reward! This practical tool features a blunt-tipped hawkbill blade, glass breaker, pocket clip, and ratchet and bit set. Price: $15.49 Min Qty: 36

Focus Roadside Safety Light Do you have field support or traveling employees? Aluminum body, bright 12-LED light and magnetic bottom make this light a MUST for roadside safety kits! Price: $32.09 Min Qty: 12 First Aid Kit This water resistant kit is sure to be used at work or home. Great as a customer loyalty gift, in your own office and as a companion with employee First Aid Training. Price: $11.80 Min Qty: 50 Clip On Flashlight Strobe How are you promoting safety in the community? Consider this combination flasher and strobe for your outreach events to encourage visibility for walkers, runners and bikers! Price: $2.09 Min Qty: 250

Product Safety - Why It Matters

There are an array of federal and state regulations regarding product safety, especially children's products, that carry serious consequences for non-compliance. In addition to the legal issues of non-compliance, giving out non-compliant product can hurt your reputation with your customers. Safety and compliance does *not* need to be something you worry about when you partner with a safety-conscious and experienced promotional products distributor. I protect your brand and your customers as if they were my own!

Outdoor Items as Event Giveaways? They're a great idea, but they can be classed as children's items, even if you didn't buy them to give to children. Rest assured with certified compliant items like this flier, made in the US with food-grade plastic and non-scraping digital print.      Price: $1.95 Min Qty: 200

For more information, contact Red Canoe Promotions- Your Denver Promotional Products Authority!

Promotional Products for National Nurses Week

For more information on the promotional products listed above or to get additional ideas for great Nurses Week promotional products, contact Red Canoe Promotions- Your Denver Promotional Products Authority!

Unique Promotional Product Alert!

Milk Bottle Shaped Promotional Water Bottles

How great would your logo look on one of these retro-style promotional water bottles?  Reminiscent of the old style Coca Cola bottles or milk bottles, these uniquely styled, custom printed water bottles are sure to grab attention.  These 23 oz. imprinted water bottles are made from BPA-free, smoky polypropylene with your choice of colorful bottle caps.  For more information on this innovative promotional product, or to request a virtual sample with your logo, check out the Retro Promotional Water Bottle product page or contact Red Canoe Promotions- Your Denver Promotional Products Authority!

Earth Day, Every Day

More Than Just a Day!

EARTH DAY (April 22) is a day to celebrate sustainability, recycling, and the beauty of our world, but it cannot be the only day. Without commitment, action, and long-term focus, meaningful change will never happen for our planet. Products made from recycled materials or that support sustainable living are great, and they can have an even greater impact when used to raise awareness or to inspire larger change.  Check out some of our Eco Friendly promotional products today!

Innovative Promotional Product Alert!

Gadget Grips® DOT™ Custom Logo Home Button Grip

Introducing the new Gadget Grips® DOT™ custom printed home button gripper!  This innovative new promotional product is a great new way to build your brand.  The Gadget Grips® DOT™ has a patented 3M adhesive backing that will not leave a sticky residue.  Stick it on the home button of your iPhone, smartphone, iPad or tablet for an eye-catching, tactile grip.  Comes attached to a fold-over card with one DOT™ visible, and a second DOT™ is discovered when the card is opened.  Your target audience will be amazed at the glossy, 3D full color domed imprint, and they will be thrilled to receive a product that is unique and functional.  And since the average person that receives your Gadget Grips® DOT™ will view and touch your logo up to 100 times daily, the number of brand impressions you are receiving is phenomenal.

The new Gadget Grips® DOT™ is an itty bitty promotional product... but it will get your message across in a HUGE way!  For more information or to have our graphic artist set up your shiny new custom logo Gadget Grips® DOT™ home button grip, check out the Gadget Grips® DOT™ product page!  From Red Canoe Promotions- Your Denver Promotional Products Authority!

Best New Promotional Products for 2013

At the start of each year, I like to highlight my top 10 picks for the best new promotional products for the year.  Some of the things I look for in an effective promotional product are:

• Usefulness of the promotional product.  Is it something people can use (and therefore want to keep around for awhile), or will it end up in a drawer (or even worse, the trash)?
• Relevance.  Is the promotional product something that the average person will find relevant in today's world?
• Approximate cost per impression.  The cost of the promotional product divided by how many times a person is likely to see the item (and your company's logo).
• Buzzworthiness.  Is the promotional product unique or cool enough that the end user will share or show the product to someone else, resulting in favorable brand appeal for your company or business?

Based on these criteria, here are my top 10 picks for the best new promotional products of 2013 (in no particular order).  You can click on the title of each promotional item for product details and pricing:

1.  SoundByte™ Imprinted iPhone Speaker Amplifiers

2.  Gadget Grippers™ for iPads, Tablets, and Laptops

3.  DöGo™ Logo Dough

4.  MicroBuff TAB™ Cleaning Pads for iPads, Tablets, and Laptops

5.  AdScents Auto Air Fresheners

6.  Gumbite® Clippi Cable Organizers

7.  Ballzee Golf Ball Cleaners

8.  MaxGlide Click Pens with Hybrid Ink

9.  On-The-Go Car Chargers

10.  Wired E-Padfolios

There's more where that came from!  There are lots of other unique, innovative and buzz-worthy promotional products that didn't appear on my "Best New Promotional Products for 2013" list, so please check out the Red Canoe Promotions website for more great ideas to help build your brand!

Using Awards and Recognition Programs to Get More Out of Your Team

One of the most important things you can do to increase your company's profits is is to increase efficiency, and the best way to do this is to maximize employee productivity.  How do you maximize your team's efficiency?  Motivate them!  This is more easily achieved than you might think when you have a solid rewards and recognition program in place.

Rewards and recognition programs boost esteem and performance.  They inspire people to perform to their fullest potential.  Nothing is more demoralizing than when one's hard work goes unnoticed.  In fact, the answer to the question "What would make your job more enjoyable?" almost always includes something about wanting to be recognized/rewarded for achieving goals or milestones.  Recognizing a job well done will motivate your team to improve their performance even further.  Recognizing an employee for exceptional performance also sends a message to their co-workers as to the type of performance that gets rewarded, and motivates them to strive for excellence as well, improving your team's overall efficiency.

Custom awards are a great place to start when trying to motivate your team.  They can be personalized with the person's name, so they're not something that people can just go out and buy.  They have special meaning.  Custom awards build self esteem and motivate the recipient to continue, or even further improve, their performance.  They work better than cash because they're seen as a "gift" rather than compensation.

Red Canoe Promotions of Denver is a great place to get started when implementing an awards and recognition program.  Get started today and take your company's productivity (and profits) to a new level!

Cool Promotional Product Facts

The results of the 2012 Global Advertising Specialties Impressions Study are in!  Here are a few fun facts about promotional products that you might not know, and that prove promotional products are still one of the most effective advertising mediums out there.

• The average promotional product is kept for around 6 months, with many being kept even longer.  The advantage here over other forms of advertising is that just one promotional product delivers your message for a far longer period of time.
• The #1 reason people will keep a promotional product is because they can use it to perform a task or action.  81% of recipients say that an item's usefulness is the primary reason to keep it, so when you're choosing promotional items as part of your marketing plan, be sure and choose something your target audience will consider useful.  That way, they'll keep it around for awhile and you'll enjoy extended brand exposure.
• Almost 90% of those who receive a promotional product can remember the name of the advertiser on the item...overwhelming evidence that promotional products are excellent marketing tools.
• Promotional products have the ability to generate business from new clients.  Overall, 1 in 3 people are more likely to do business with a company after they've received a promotional product from them.  That number increases even more when the promotional product is unique or innovative.
• Imprinted bags receive a phenomenal number of impressions!  Just one bag gets an average of 5,732 impressions over its lifetime.
• What's the first word that comes to mind when I mention pop-up internet ads and TV commercials?  If you're like most people, you probably thought "annoying" or "interruption," or something along those lines.  Promotional products are actually useful in helping people to achieve a goal, like drinking water or carrying groceries.  'Nuff said.

 Just a few compelling reasons to start (or continue) using promotional products!  Even small marketing budgets can achieve big-time results with this powerful advertising medium.  Need help finding the right promotional merchandise for your business?  Give Red Canoe Promotions a call.

Research provided by the Advertising Specialty Institute, ©2012, All Rights Reserved.

Sweet Deal on Imprinted Wine Bags!

For more information or to place an order, contact Red Canoe Promotions-Your Denver Promotional Products Authority!

Tips for Marketing to Baby Boomers

       Baby Boomers represent approximately 30 percent of the US population, and each year about 4 million of the Boomers turn 50. So what does that mean for you, the savvy business owner or marketing rep? Well, it means that you need to understand how to market to this aging section of your customer base—because statistics also show that they control about 50 percent of all the US’s discretionary income. In other words, you’re sitting on a potential goldmine if you could just figure out how to best tap into it.
That said, here are a few things to keep in mind in respect to marketing to this powerful generation.

•    Boomers act on referrals. While a young 20-something is likely to go searching for products and services online, Baby Boomers tend to place more weight on referrals. How can you capitalize on this? Get active on social media and give clients incentives to refer their friends (namely Baby Boomers) to your website. Maybe you could even use promotional products to offer incentives for referrals.

•    They place more emphasis on practicality. When a Baby Boomer looks at a product or service, they simply aren’t worried about what or who is cool. In other words, the fads don’t faze them. That said, make sure your marketing efforts are focused on the manner in which your product benefits them. How does it fill a need in their life? How can they use it to help themselves out? Keep this in mind also with the promotional products you use.

•    Don’t focus on age. It’s common sense—who wants to constantly identify with their age? Yes Baby Boomers are getting older, but they don’t want their age to define them. With things like Active Senior Adult Communities springing up all over the place, it’s clear that Baby Boomers are redefining the way we look at the Golden Years. So make sure your marketing efforts don’t dwell on how old people are getting. Instead, maybe focus on how more people are wanting to remain more active with promo products such as exercise equipment. For example, you could purchase a nice jump rope with your logo emblazoned on the handle.

Say "Thanks" with a Turkey in a Bag!

Need a great way to thank your employees this Thanksgiving?  Many companies already give out turkeys to their employees.  It's a nice gesture, and an always appreciated gift to let your employees know that they're valued.  But there's an easy way to make an even bigger impression for just a few dollars.  Why not purchase some insulated tote bags, custom printed with your company logo, and put the turkeys inside?  Once Thanksgiving's over and the turkey is long gone, the recipient will be left with a lasting gift that they can reuse time and time again.  And to boot, your brand is also getting a boost as the imprinted tote becomes a walking billboard for your logo.  Custom printed bags have been shown to have the lowest cost-per-impression of any form of advertising, so when your employees continue to use the insulated tote bags for grocery shopping, picnics, or to pack snacks for vacation, you're getting effortless and valuable brand exposure.  It's a win-win situation!  Order your custom printed insulated tote bags today from Red Canoe Promotions.