Unique Products for Advertising Your Business!

If you have been looking for that right promotional product to advertise your business, we probably have that product that is going to set you apart from your competition. Business owners are always looking to advertise in a different way from their competition. Magnetic business cards are by far our biggest seller, and we are always happy to help our customers who needs this product, however there are so many other products out there that make your customer think about your business a little differently than a business card that sticks to the fridge. Check out these unique products that we offer at www.homegrownpromos.com!

Air Fresheners

Air fresheners are the forgotten form of promotional advertising it seems. But it is a great way for businesses to advertise. Typically, businesses that are in the automotive industry invest their promotional advertising dollars in air fresheners to advertise with. The truth is, this is a very versatile form of advertising. Do you know how many times I talk to my wife about what is for dinner during the week on my way home from the office? I have an air freshener for a local burger joint in town hanging from my rear view mirror and guess what? We eat take out from there at least 1-2 times a week. It twirls in front of my face and I notice it every single time! 

Shammys and Towels

Everybody has a use for a towel or a shammy, or chamois. This is another versatile product that can be used in the kitchen, out in the garage, on the golf course, or in the gym and a lot more places! This is another product that is pigeon holed by only a few industries. However, we have sold these to plenty of small businesses that have seen great success by handing these out to customers as a giveaway, or for businesses who have resold them for profit. Whatever way you want to handle this product with your customers, you will see an increase to your bottom line! 

Water Bottles

Custom water bottles have a great interest in many different venues, especially restaurants. However, we have brought great interest to alternative businesses such as car dealerships, hotels and motels (including bed and breakfasts), realty companies, and fitness centers. Many of these alternative businesses love this product not because it is something that customers will keep, let's be honest, it's a consumable item. But it creates buzz. Car dealership management says that it actually helps their salespeople to sell cars. It's a bonding agent between salespeople and customers. It also builds brand value. This product instantly brings a boost in sales when used correctly!

Laptop Skins

Laptop skins are a very popular product with technology related fields. However, this is another versatile product in our opinion. The typical laptop has a screen between 13 and 19 inches. The laptop is highly portable by design. By handing these out to your customers, you create a huge sign for your business and the customer's expensive laptop is protected from scratches and dings. If you have a good relationship with your customers, they will gladly adhere your sign to their laptop and create some buzz for you! 

So as you can see, there are a lot of great products out there for those who need to think outside the box. For more info and other great ideas visit our site, www.homegrownpromos.com!

Maintaining Positive Business Relationships

One of the biggest obstacles small business owners have, particularly in the retail environment, is how to create that great business relationship. This can be with their customers, suppliers, or business partners. It is really tough to compete out there with the big box chains in retail. There is a small contingent of people who shop the local business owner first, however not enough to keep a business afloat.

While we are a promotional products company, we still understand the importance of keeping a customer for life. HomeGrownPromos.com is not just your custom pen supplier, we are also here to offer advice for you and your business. We know what it takes to be successful in business and that process is universal throughout any business. First it starts with honesty.

Honest business practices include, setting fair pricing, being truthful with your customers about your business position, and being honest about your product. Using HomeGrownPromos.com as an example, we do not hide behind the fact that we are a distributor, not a manufacturer. We do only work with the best manufacturers to ensure that you get the best product. Our manufacturers understand the value of customer service and support us wholeheartedly whenever a situation arises, which is hardly ever. That is our business position. Other distribution companies, online particularly, purport themselves as the manufacturer when they are truly just a distributor. Here is a clue for you as a shopper. If the number you are calling is in North Carolina, but they print and ship out of Arizona. You are dealing with a distributor.

Another business position we have, and we hold with great regard, is that we will never outsource our work. This means that we will never have staff that is based overseas internally. All our designers, sales and support team is based within the US. This is vital for communication within each department. Also, we will not work with a company that does not have a production facility in the US. Many suppliers have factories in the US, as well as Canada, Mexico or China among other countries. We are approached daily by suppliers who are strictly overseas to add their products to our site and we respectfully decline to host those products.

In regards to pricing, HomeGrownPromos.com sets their pricing based on what the manufacturer recommends. Of course, we can offer promotions, which we always do. We do not tell our customers "We set our margins too low." in order to skirt around a discount. If we need to discount our products to earn your business, if it makes sense for us to do so, we will do our best to earn your business. Many distributors work the same way as we do. However, some offer a "Low Price Guarantee" and never make good on their promise. Beware of doing business with these companies.

We at HomeGrownPromos.com are confident that our products are high quality but sometimes a product will slip through the cracks. If you feel that your order is less than perfect, give us a call! We have a standards guidelines that we follow and it is a very high standard. We will make every attempt to replace a product which you feel is substandard. Other companies have a strict no returns policy, or they outright lie to customers about the status of their refund. (I know because I worked for a promotional products distributor that made this practice a policy)

I hope business owners in other fields understand the points we are making using our own business as an example. If a business is honest about their product or service, priced fairly, and doesn't hide aspects of their business. They will build a solid business relationship with their customers, suppliers and partners.

Promotional Products On The Rise In UK

An interesting story from MarketingWeek shows that promotional products sales are jumping in the United Kingdom. With London being one of the bigger cities in the world, and certainly one on the forward edge of technology, I find it quite fascinating that businesses are returning to effective methods of advertising such as with promotional products. One of the great things about this form of advertising is that one can do it on a minimal budget. So even in times of recession such as the present situation, a business can still find highly effective and concentrated advertising in these little giveaway novelty items that we love so much!

There is a reason why this industry is an $18 Billion industry. These are products that entice customers to return to businesses and that will bring new customers through your doors. I make sure that my sales reps all know the importance of advertising with promotional products and how to convey that to their clients. For the clientele I handle personally, it is a major selling point. These products are highly visible when used, they can be conversation starters, topic changers, and points of interest. They are designed to get your customer talking about YOU!

Imagine this... You are a pizza shop owner. For a neat giveaway, you decide to hand out pizza cutters with your logo on them to customers that are regulars. Your dedicated customer has a birthday party for one of their kids. They order pizza from you, because they love your pizza. They bring the pie home and use YOUR pizza cutter to separate the pizza, make smaller slices, etc. Your logo will now be in the hands of multiple people. You could have earned 2-3-10 customers in that one $3 giveaway. Even if you were to gain 1 customer out of that $3 investment, you will make back that investment and a whole lot more on the very first order.

No other form of advertising can say that for you.

Please visit HomeGrownPromos.com for more ideas on promoting your business!

NBA OK's Advertising Patch Good or Bad?

As a distributor of promotional items like custom patches, I can't help but to love this move. But as a fan of all sport, I can understand why the fan would be upset with this move. The patch is going to be a small part of the uniform roughly 2.5x2.5 inches on the shoulder. The patch will be noticeable to just about everybody watching the game, which is exactly why big business will be clawing for a spot on a team's jersey, particularly the big market teams like New York, Los Angeles and Boston. Fans are already saying that it is going to distract them from the game, but I disagree. European soccer already has jerseys that are well represented by the businesses who sponsor that team. Nascar has decals that cover the car. There should be no reason why a small patch distracts a person from the game.

The big money winner is the advertising businesses, though. Imagine looking at a 2.5x2.5 inch McDonald's patch while Ray Allen is at the free throw line. That's a lot of air time for a logo!

This sign size is perfect for TV, which is the big selling point for the NBA I'd imagine, yet small enough for fans to live with. Sports teams already spend big money, millions of dollars a year handing out items to their fans such as custom calendars, sports schedules, mini sports items like basketballs, hockey pucks, baseballs, etc. The revenue that the NBA looks to earn from selling this advertising space is in the $100 million range. That's a lot of money for a 2.5x2.5 patch! In the end, it's good for the game, which struggles with finances as it is with player salaries skyrocketing. This money should be used to support smaller market teams, or at the very least go back into the league and fans in one way or another. We'll have to see about how it all shakes out. But, fret not fan! This will not be too bad.. It's not like Ronald McDonald is suiting up for the Lakers, or Tony the Tiger for the Mavericks. However, I would like to see the Burger King in a Wizards uniform.

Grow Your Business In A Fun Way!

I'm sure by now you've heard about the predictions made by Nostradamus and the Mayan Calendar that the world is going to end this coming December 21, 2012. I've come across many blogs that speculate on the end of the world and what they believe will happen on that date. One thing is for sure, December 21, 2012 has turned into a global phenomena and this is your chance to take advantage of this event! 

From our recent conversations with our customers, it seems that businesses will be throwing "End of the World" parties on that day. If you are one of those businesses, consider ordering some great promotional products to hand out to your customers to use after December 21, 2012!

HomeGrownPromos.com offers many different items for business owners to hand out to their customers in the weeks before "The Big Event"! Consider flashlights, light sticks, filtered water bottles, wind up radios and first aid kits. Many of the essentials you will need during "the end of the world as we know it". Any of these items, and many more, can be imprinted with your business logo and a tongue in cheek phrase such as "I survived the end of the world". HomeGrownPromos.com also offers items such as backpacks, pet ID tags, hand fans, and edible items to help your customers during this momentous occasion!  We will help any business poke fun at the rumors swirling around December 21, 2012 by putting together an "End of the World Survival Kit" made of custom printed promotional items!

Visit us at www.homegrownpromos.com to see all the potential items you can purchase for your customers for the end of the world!

Thinking Outside The Box

It's easy to fall into the status quo, the norm, the standard. It's up to you to break from that norm to stand out against the crowd. With the economy sour in most spots, we feel the greater need to be a part of the collective, to help one another. The truth is, you still have to look out for Numero Uno first.

In the world of advertising with promotional products, a correlation can be made for the same. If you are advertising with poor results using the same products that you have been for years because your sales rep keeps refilling your order without making a professional recommendation, or you are placing the order on your own through a website; it may be time for a change! For example, pens are a great advertising medium! They serve your customer as a writing utensil and your message is right in their hands. But! (There's always a but!) Will your customer be excited by the 10th pen that you hand them? Probably not.

Consider this. By changing your strategy, you actually excite your customer! Handing them a new product for them to use, play with, admire will build brand value and loyalty. Your customer will remember that you actually changed your giveaway product thus remember your company name, logo, information, or message. We suggest changing your product altogether to something completely different, in our example, if you change that pen giveaway to a custom stress ball or a personalized key chain, you will blow your customer's mind!

But, if you love your pens because they are tried and true, try switching to a different model. Maybe go with a gel tip rather than that ball point. By changing up your strategy and going against the norm, you will make a huge impact on your customer's psyche and that will correlate to a huge impact to your repeat business!

For more suggestions and ideas, visit www.homegrownpromos.com!

An Introduction

So you've decided to look into advertising your business with promotional products. As an expert in the field, I would say that you've made a wise decision. Studies show that your advertising dollar works harder for you when you invest in small items to give away to your customer with your logo on it. In the grand scheme of things, your main goal for advertising is to build your brand value. Nothing achieves this better than advertising with custom giveaways.

The great thing about this form of advertising is that you make a personal connection with both your current customers, and customers you hope to win over. Many business choose to advertise with the sports schedules of local teams which makes that instant connection with your customers locally. Another way to connect with your customer is to offer a product that is useful such as a personalized umbrella or custom lip balm with your logo and contact information.

If you compare promotional advertising to many of the "blast" advertising methods such as TV, radio, or print ads, you will find that many of these advertising methods are not nearly as successful as advertising directly to your base with giveaway items. You can, and most likely will, pay thousands of dollars for that radio ad, but you can spend half of that money on promotional items and win over your customers much more effectively.

If your business involves participating in trade shows, than you should already know the importance of giveaway items. Many of the standard giveaways you'll find at trade shows are pens, fiber cloths, mints, and note pads, but we offer many ideas to stand out from the crowd to make your business more successful. Such items include logo printed luggage tags, custom hand sanitizer, and handheld compact mirrors. Why do these items stand out over the old industry standards? Trade shows are generally visited by people whom travel the country to visit the show. Is it making sense yet? These are the types of ideas that we can provide to you! 

Visit our site at www.homegrownpromos.com for more ideas. We've got many products you probably didn't even know existed!