| |
| |
|
Advertising Information |
|
|
|
10 Tips to Use Giveaways Effectively
Walk around any trade or consumer show and you will be able to collect a bag full of advertising specialties, or giveaway items all designed to promote. But look a little more closely. How many really do an effective job? How clearly do they get a message across? Is the message sufficiently visible? Is the giveaway useful or unique enough that you would want to keep and use it? All these questions, and more, need to be considered before jumping into the giveaway game. Everyone enjoys receiving a gift, even if it is "just a little something." Gift giving creates a favorable impression. It can build goodwill, be an incentive, communicate a message and create awareness. When thinking about advertising specialties for your next show, consider the following ten questions: 1. What do you want to achieve by giving away a premium item? Your giveaway items should be designed to increase your memorability, communicate, motivate, promote or increase recognition. It is important not only that the message have an impact, but also the premium itself. 2. How will you select your premium item? There is a multitude of different items you could consider as a premium. However, which one will best suit your purpose? To select the right item, you need to decide your objective. Do you want it to enhance a theme; convey a specific message or educate your target audience? A clear purpose should help make your selection process easier. A promotional specialist can also help you make an effective selection. Remember that your company image is reflected in whatever you choose to give away. 3. Whom do you want to receive your premium? Having a clear objective for your premium item will also help you decide who should receive it. You may consider having different gifts for different types of visitors. You might have different quality gifts for your key customers, prospects and general passers by. 4. How does your giveaway tie into your marketing theme? Is there an item that naturally complements your marketing message? Have the message imprinted on the item and make sure that your company name, logo and phone number appear clearly. An important aspect of any gift is to remember who it was from long after the fact. 5. What is your budget? The price range for premium items is enormous. Quality, quantity and special orders, all impact the price. Establish a budget as part of your exhibit marketing plan. Consider ordering the same item for several different shows. The greater the quantity of your order, the lower the individual unit price. 6. What must visitors do to qualify for a gift item? There are several ways to use your premium effectively. For example, as a reward for visitors participating in a demonstration, presentation or contest; as a token of your appreciation when visitors have given you qualifying information about their specific needs; as a thank you for stopping at the booth. Avoid leaving items out for anyone to take. This diminishes value and has little or no memorability factor. 7. Will your giveaway directly help your future sales? Consider handing out a discount coupon or a gift certificate that requires future contact with your company for redemption. Consider premiums that will help generate frequent visits to customers and prospects, such as calling you for free refills. 8. How does your premium item complement your exhibiting goals? Premiums can be used to prequalify your prospects. One company uses playing cards. Prior to the show, they send "kings" to their key customers, "queens" to suppliers, "jacks" to new or hot prospects. They request that the cards are brought to the booth in exchange for a special gift. When the cards are presented, the booth staff already know certain information about the visitor. They can then act on their previous knowledge and use time with the visitor more productively. 9. How will you inform your target audience about you giveaway item? A sufficiently novel or useful giveaway can actively help to draw prospects to your booth. So make sure your prospects know about it. Send a "tickler" invitation with details of the giveaway, or create a two-piece premium, sending one part out to key prospects prior to the show and telling them to collect the other half at your booth. 10. How will you measure the effectiveness of your premium? Establish a tracking mechanism to measure the success of your giveaway. If it is a redemption item, code it so that you know it resulted from the show. Post-show follow-up could include a question about the premium - did visitors remember receiving it and how useful was the item. After the show, critique your giveaway with your exhibit team: Did it draw specific prospects to the booth? Was it eye-catching enough to persuade passers by to stop? Did your customers find it useful? Did it project the right corporate image? There are plenty of exciting premiums for you to choose from so that you can avoid the usual pens, pencils and keychains. Make your premium work for you and it will be money well invested. About The Author Written by Susan A. Friedmann,CSP, The Tradeshow Coach, Lake Placid, NY, author: "Meeting & Event Planning for Dummies," working with companies to improve their meeting and event success through coaching, consulting and training. Go to http://www.thetradeshowcoach.com to sign up for a free copy of ExhibitSmart Tips of the Week.
MORE RESOURCES:
Advertising - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Avoid Being Vague We are bombarded with thousands of marketing messages daily?on television and the radio, on the internet, in magazines and newspapers, on billboards and other signs, and even at the bottoms and on the backs of receipts. The world is, indeed, a very noisy place. Radio Interview 101 Different Types of Station ContactReaching radio hosts (for the purpose of trying to get booked for an interview) can take on various forms, depending on the type of station the show is done at. What's best? All of them at the same time, of course. Internet Advertising: How To Use The Golden Rule To Enrich Yourself. What is the golden rule of internet advertising?Give, so you may receive.It is as simple as that. Yellow Page Advertisers: Your Calls are Going to Decrease - Heres the Remedy Response rates to Yellow Page advertising are decliningThere's no getting around it, traditional Yellow Pages are in trouble. Fewer people use them every year. What Does the Back of Your Business Card Say? Business cards with nothing on the back are wasted opportunities to sell.Use the back of your card to expand and reaffirm your selling sentence (which should be prominent on the front of your card). Cross Cultural Advertising "Culture is a like dropping an Alka-seltzer into a glass - you don't see it, but somehow it does something," Hans Magnus Enzensberger.Culture affects everything we do. 6 Ways To Get More Sales From Your Advertisement To bring great sales success, a great advertising technique is not the only parameter. You must know what it is that your customers are actually buying. How To Create Instantly Compelling Ads Every Time Use This Quick 3-Question Evaluation Process, So You Can Be Sure Your Message Will Sell!EVALUATION #1: "Well, I Would Hope So!" When you make a claim, don't think about it in terms of words coming out of your mouth. Think of it in terms of words entering your prospects ears. Testimonials Convert Prospects Into Buyers Big businesses get instant credibility with their well-known company name or brand name. But small companies have to create their own credibility. When Advertising Wears Out One of the challenges facing marketers is determining the most effective level of advertising exposure for a brand, while maintaining a given budget. Conceptually, the media planner could choose continuous advertising (even exposures spread over a period of time) or follow a strategy of pulsing ("on" for some months and "off" for others). 16 Ways to Make Your Business Cards Unforgettable Every time you hear someone say "May I have one of your business cards?" you should get excited. I know I do. Choosing a Print Mail Dealer "Print & Mail is a type of service that is popular among small mail order operators. It is an inexpensive way to get your ad material printed and mailed to people. LED video Displays LED video displays give you the power to communicate, to motivate, and to entertain. Led video displays are seen to be sited for outdoor advertising, in casinos, for events like sporting events in stadium and arena, for staging and mobile display etc. Imprinted Promotional Items - Their Many Marketing Applications There are many uses for promotional items. This means that they are just not used as freebies for a grand opening special. Direct Mail = Your Money, From Printer to Mailbox to Trash! I did a quick, very unscientific survey of 25 of my friends. I asked them to put the mail that they do not open or read in a specific trash bag. How to Write Ads that Increase Your Business I caught myself wracking my brain over what kind of article I should write for newspapers that would be useful to business people. It struck me that I was making a solid effort to get into the mind of my target market. Ten Ways To Sell Advertising Space Fast 1. Give your customers a discount when they spend over a certain dollar amount for ad space. How Much Money Do I Need to Spend on Advertising? Q: I've never really done much advertising for my business; I've always relied on networking and word-of-mouth. Now I'd like to launch a small campaign, but I'm frightened it will cost a lot of money. Is Advertising Art? Oh Grand and Glorious Southern Guru, I am perplexed. What ails thee, my peabrained little grasshopper? My sleep has been short, my walls have been climbed, my hair has been pulled. Improve Your Promotional Flyers And Improve Sales Admittedly, I have not seen your advertising flyer. Then again, I probably don't have to.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
