NEWS

With New Zealanders using over 1.6 billion single use plastic bags per year, companies have seen this as a great marketing opportunity to put their company logo and marketing message on reusable promotional bags.Pipi Promotional Products, a promo products company has seen a 75% increase in printed bags over the past 18 months through their online store www.pipipromo.co.nz.The supply of reusable shopping bags have been selling out with some styles even out of stock throughout New Zealand.Manufacturers have had a hard time keeping up with demand.

It’s no wonder companies are seeing this as a good investment, 80% of people use promotional products they receive. There are so many reusable bag materials to choose from; jute, cotton, recycled plastic, paper, bamboo and more.“It’s great to see all types of eco-friendly products being branded like reusable coffee cups, drinkware, recycled pens, pencils and notebooks.” says Kathy Wilson, owner of Pipi Promo.“Other countries such as Vanuatu and Australia have also been ordering from us who have a plastic ban, it’s a great way to help the environment and brand your business.” With the most recent New Zealand ban on single use plastic bags it is expected to see the bag and reusable products growth to continue for the promotional products industry.

Owners, Andrew and Kathy Wilson, from Papamoa Beach, worked in the promotional products industry in America for over 20 years.Andrew, a Kiwi, felt the New Zealand industry was lacking the technology people wanted to be able to make easy decisions when searching and buying promotional products online.Pipi makes it easy with search features where you can select by product category, colour, imprint method and price.

Pipi Promotional Products offers a range of promotional giveaway items such as pens, magnets, keytags, tools and more, plus a variety of drinkware, bags and hats for events.Corporate gifts, health and safety programs and trade show giveaways are hot right now.High tech products such as branded phone cases, power banks, head phones and accessories are new to the industry and very popular.

Whatever you call them, giveaways, swag, tchotchkes, every booth has them and attendees love to get them. When used correctly, they can entice people to your space, create leads and leave potential customer with a brand message long after the show is over.

Step 1

Align your brand to the product. First, make sure that any product you choose has your brand message and or logo printed on it. If you are in the travel industry, select a clever travel product. If you are a builder, how about a multi-function tool or tape measure. If your booth has a theme, have products to match that idea. If you are running a specific campaign brand your promotional products for that purpose.

Step 2

Make sure your team is branded. Not with just the ordinary polo shirt but try hats, caps, ties and scarves as well. Have a spinning wheel or dice game to attract attention and give some of these branded items away as premium gifts.

Step 3

Giveaway products that make sense to your target audience. People want useful items that they will keep around and remind them of your message later. Sporty people like water bottles, towels, sunscreen. Business people like notebooks, pens, usb hubs etc.

Step 4

Budget Promotional Products into the show cost. The idea is to rely a message, attract people to your booth and leave them with a lasting impression. You can have a few higher end products that you have contests or promotions attached to, have lead generating giveaways such as pens and more premium items for real prospects or sales.

Top 10 Promotional Giveaways

Phone wallets – Smartphone are part of us every day, everywhere. One of the most useful products is a lycra, plastic or neoprene phone wallet with a place to stash business cards, credit cards and money.

Reusable Drink Bottles – Metal are the most popular but there are tons of PBA free plastic and glass bottles also to choose from.

Reusable Tote Bags – The hottest trend when everyone is going plastic free. Not only will they carry around all the trade show goodies, they will be around for years for future outing and shopping trips letting others see your branding as well. A real bang for your branding dollar.

Lip Balm – This will get used around the busy trade show floor and you will be on the top of their mind every time they reach in their purse or pocket for this useful item.

USB Chargers – A high impact item as a giveaway but something everyone can use and will be impressed with.

T-shirts/caps – These are one of the most sought-after trade show giveaways. Amazingly affordable these days with your company branding. Great for a large or lengthy brand message. Worn for years to come.

Breath Mints – With all the talking that gets done at trade shows, the obvious products to brand are breath mints. These come in clever packaging some even reusable.

Food and drinks – Be hospitable and invite them in for a cuppa. Everyone loves a sweet or a coffee. Brand a variety of sweet treats and be clever with drinks such as coffee or tea by serving them in a branded cup they can keep.

Audio Devices – These are premium items meant for VIP’s but they will sure make an impact. You can also use these as gift with purchase or incentives for employees; whoever closes the most deals or get the most leads. Very popular are Bluetooth speakers, headphones and earplugs. These will get used right away and create long-lasting brand impact.

The Humble Pen – Finally, the most popular trade show giveaway. The options are endless with pens anymore. Try a pen stylus, multi- function pen, pen light or even a banner pen.

We know it is a hard decision to come up with just the right promotional items for your next trade show. But when done right, it can reap tremendous rewards in client engagement and recall.

If you need some clever ideas for your next trade show or even promotion, let us know we can suggest some ideas. orders@pipipromo.co.nz

Set a clear goal – You have invested a lot of money in this trade show. It is imperative get results. What do you ultimately want to get out of the show? Some common goals are to; build your brand, generate new leads and establish new relationships. If these are your goals, make every contact you have with potenital customers aimed at reaching those goals.

• Give out useful promotional products to build your brand and keep them thinking about you when you get home. Items like pens, key rings, tools, phone wallets
• Have a contest or drawing of some sort of a nice branded premium item to get people to fill out personal details. Ask more than just their name such as would they like more information on specific products or services.
• To establish relationships, ask them open ended questions you want answered and then let them talk. Follow up is very important shortly after the event.

Get out from behind your booth - Don’t create a barrier between you and your potential customer with a long table. Invite people into your booth to engage in conversation with you. Set up multiple stations so several conversations can be happening at a time. Make it comfortable for them. Give people something to look at or sign up for while they wait to talk to you if you are busy with another customer.

Don’t give out a lot of paper - To really make an impact put your presentation, photos and catalogs on a sleek branded usb stick or card. They will keep this and look at it later to review your materials in their time. Email or call them after the show to prompt them to look at the materials or see if they have any questions about them.

Rehearse your pitch – You have a very limited amount of time to get your point across to your potential customer. Rehearse snippets of your most important points and then ask them questions.

Never, ever eat at your booth - Nothing says “you are not important or go away” than eating at your booth. Take a break and always have a smile and be ready to engage when you are at your booth.

Dress the part – Brand your booth with large colourful graphics of what you are trying to sell. Keep to one or 2 ideas. Themes or costumes can be very interesting in getting attention. Luring them in with giveaway or activities to win something is always great. Promotional items such as branded pens, keychains, lollies or a branded bag they can put all their materials in. Don’t forget to brand yourself with a logo t-shirt and or hat, lanyard and name tags.

Have specific jobs for each booth worker - Maybe one person’s job is to lure them in, get them to sign up for something and then they go to the next person for the pitch and to answer questions. This keeps a good flow going through your booth.

Everyday the majority of us pick up a pen to use. Branded and personalized pens are a great way to affordably get your message in your current and potential customer’s hands.

Amazing new products and yet, the humble pen still remains one of the top used, kept and asked for in the promotional world. A main reason, “bang for your buck”. Starting as low as .30 for a branded pen, it is one of the most affordable items to pass out to customers. People like pens and keep them for years. This is a great way to spread your word.

But, a pen is not just a pen anymore. There are so many different types, styles and colours of writing instruments, with a multitude of imprint options, it is easy to stand out. Some of the most popular writing tools have multiple uses.

Look at some of these hot ideas for your next promotion to market your business.

Plastic Pens - The most affordable of the range but certainly not boring. There are gorgeous colours to choose from with mix and match options for barrel, top and clip. Pens will also match branded notebooks perfectly. Available in 1 – 3 colour imprints as well as full colour.

Metal Pens – High quality and high value. From metals to vibrant colours the options are endless as well as the imprint methods. Try a laser engraved pens in a branded box for a professional presentation, gift or incentive item.

Stylus & Multi-function Pens - Quality pens come fully branded with the added feature of a touch screen stylus, great for a high tech or business customer. Stylus pens can also be found with multiple ink colours, led lights, screen cleaners and phone holders making these truly useful tools.

Highlighters and Pens - Found in every office, highlighters give great branding area. A large selection of highlighters can be found for all the important highlighting jobs. Targeting a younger crowd, contractor or artist, pencils are still used and come in singles, great colours and in creative packs with clever co-branded products such as cases and sharpeners.

Novelty Pens -Looking for more than just a pen? There are many multipurpose and novelty items to choose from. Pens that are also highlighters, magnets, eco pens, banner pens, lanyards and multi-tool pens. This is sure to get you noticed.

Promotional Pens can make a real impact and come with great gift and presentation boxes that can also be branded. There are plenty of ideas for mixing and matching them with USB sticks, notebooks and other business products for maximum results.