Retro Phone Dial

By Darlene Hajduk

Maybe you are old enough to remember this, and, well, maybe you are not….but, years ago when we had rotary dial phones, there were promotional items designed to work in conjunction with the dial. 

This year in the midst of unpacking boxes in our new home, I came across a plastic advertising piece that was from my parent’s real estate and insurance business.  (see photo).  Basically,  it was a phone accessory intended to put the agency’s phone number at the fingertips of their clientele.  What an amazing piece.  Even more amazing is that it is intact, and, that I was able to find it!

So now, several decades later, I am giving people the same advice.  Put your money where your customers spend their time.  And, usually, depending on the demographics of your intended target audience, that means a cell phone. 

Knowing the frequency at which people are using mobile phones, we recommend the following interesting and useful accessories for cell phone ad specialties.  (And, items my parents would appreciate, were the business still around!)  http://www.prolinesupplyco.com/:quicksearch.htm?quicksearchbox=mobile+phone.

Call us for more help and information.  Proline Supply Company, 713.939.9730, www.prolinesupplyco.com.  Ideas  *  Solutions  *  Results!

Die Struck Coins Drive Traffic and Sales

By: Audrey Sellers, Associate Editor
Issue: February 2010, PromoConsultant

A Florida bar uses promotional coins as mementos and to drive traffic to its gift shop.

It’s not the lively atmosphere, tasty beach bites or umbrella-laden drinks that has made Pineapple Willy’s a Florida hotspot since 1984—it’s the fact that this restaurant and bar happens to be the only one with a pier in the Florida Panhandle. It’s also home to a $3 million gift shop, complete with souvenirs of all kinds and a line of t-shirts printed in-house. It’s enough to make any Spring Breaker raise a mojito in celebration.

Pineapple Willy’s is packed from Spring Break through the summer season, and Dan Baird, general manager, wanted those crowds to return year after year. “We’re very selective about our advertising,” he says. “Everybody does coupons—nothing memorable there.”

Preferring non-traditional promotional tactics, Baird opted to use custom coins minted with the bar’s logo.

“We give out the coins to potential customers to see the business and check out the gift shop,” Baird says. “Some people keep them as good-luck charms or mementos. This is great because we’re getting advertising value every time they show it to someone. How often does that happen with paper coupons?”

Whether patrons plunk down their coin at the bar for a free cold one or the gift shop for a discount on merchandise, Baird trained his staff to treat the coins as cash. “We’ve given away 500 so far and we’re getting a good return rate,” says Baird.

Patrons could pick up two types of coins—one good for a free drink and the other for $5 worth of food or merchandise.

If we can help you develop a traffic builder for your company, contact us, ProLine Supply Company, www.prolinesupplyco.com, 713.939.9730.  Ideas * Solutions * Results.

By Darlene Hajduk

My husband says my job is to play all day long.  I get to check out all the cool stuff fueling the promotional products industry.  Here is a Top 10 list of the hottest products with the season’s coolest features, including a desk top wind turbine and a mini-mister that actually lowers air temperature.

Start the sizzle process with a summertime promotional campaign.

The Top 10 Coolest Hot Products:

• Electronic Rock Guitar Shirt:  Features mini amp and magnetic picks to strum “guitar.”
• Metal Driving Trio Ensemble Sunglasses:  This ensemble includes 1065 sunglasses, CS-31 Sleek thin case and RIS repeat imprint strap.
• The CoolerGrill:  Keep cold ones cold while you grill. High-end promo appeal.
• USB Wind Turbine:  Wow appeal for eco conventions and conservation conferences.  
• 5-Color Fun Crayon:  Perfect for education or day-care promotions/giveaways.
• Matrix Travel Wallet:  Great giveaway for executives or traveling salespeople.
• World Globe 14″ Beach Ball: Inflatable beach ball that teaches world geography at the same time!
• Collapsible Auto Sunshade – Nylon Single Panel Shade:  With an impressive 34″ wide imprint area, this sunshade provides maximum surface area for your advertising needs. Its specialized UV coating reflects 90% of the suns harmful rays, preventing cracks and fading of your vehicles interior
• Slap-On Watch:  Slap on, slap off. Look out, next generation! Comes in 6 colors.
• Mini Mister Water Air Pump: Great for hot summer days. Fill mister with water. Pump and press button to release a cool mist.

Need more information?  Give us a call, 713-939-9730, ProLine Supply Company, www.prolinesupplyco.com.  Ideas, Solutions, Results.

By Darlene Hajduk

While opening the mail, it is not unusual to come up with a stack of direct mail pieces.  Occupational Hazard:  going through them and ranking best to worst.  Have you found yourself ever doing that?  What actually got my attention and what hit the garbage can first?

Recent surveys indicate that because there is so much online emailed advertising, people are actually ignoring or deleting emailed promotions.  With that said, direct mail has actually had a resurgence of sorts. 

So, when you are in the direct mail piece design phase.  You might want to say to yourself.  How will mine rank in design and appeal when next to my competition?  After all, your collateral material is always on display when mailed.

Here are some basic guidelines for consideration:

Tell the recipient what you want them to do!  Make it explicit; Call, email, redeem coupon, take survey, subscribe, etc…

Should you include a reply form, always put it at the bottom, (always perforate it, people do not like to rip or tear)

Add 1- 800 and fax numbers, and email addresses for quicker response.  Don’t forget blogs, UTube links, websites, etc..

Make it short and sweet.  No one is going to read more than a paragraph unless it is really interesting.

Toll free numbers increase response 20%.

Adding a promotional product increases response by 75%.

If you accept Visa, MC and Amex, PayPal, etc…it should be listed.

Postage for returning mail should be prepaid

Use paper a different color than your letterhead

Use environmentally friendly materials, and make a note of it somewhere:

         Recycled paper

         Soy Inks

(Non-coated paper recycles better than coated and pressure-sensitive/window paper is not recyclable).

Give us a call if you need more guidance, 713-939-9730, ProLine Supply Company, Inc….Ideas, Solutions, Results.

www.prolinesuppplyco.com

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering implementing new guidelines for retail and promotional sunscreen later this year, potentially updating standards that have been in place since 1978. As part of its proposals, the FDA is looking at stricter rules to prevent misleading labeling, while also developing a rating system to measure a sunscreen’s effectiveness against ultraviolet A rays. “The FDA has been talking about new labeling for sunscreen for a dozen years,” says Bijan Hosseini, president of HandsFree Sunscreen (asi/59523). “I do think a rating system would be effective because of the technology that exists today.”

B y  S h a n e  D a l e

Golf balls have always been a great corporate gift, but they’verecently become quite the popular promotional item for big spenders, says Greg Smith, owner of Thread & Ink Designs.  Most customers prefer a medium priced range of golf balls, butwith the golf tournaments and a lot of the corporations that we work with, they often use those more expensive balls for their own corporate events, or they like to give them away to their customers,” he says.

Perceived quality is huge when it comes to golfing gear, as most golfers are constantly seeking to obtain some sort of advantage over the competition. This is why the higher-priced balls are more popular, Smith says. “They tend to go to the more expensive, especially if it’s for someone a little more seasoned in golf.”

Golf balls are one of those items that often come as a package deal, according to Smith. “They give a hat, golf shirt and then maybe a sleeve of golf balls,” he says. “It’s a good long lasting promotion.

 To see how golf ball custom packaging is accomplished check out this link:

http://www.asicentral.com/html/protected/news/advantages/June08/pdfs/HowdTheyDoThat.pdf

More golf promotions are available at, www.prolinesupplyco.com, 713.939.9730.

Ideas, Solutions, Results!

I remember working years ago with a  true tree-hugger and thinking how cumbersome the whole process was for her.  Bringing her own bags, riding a bicycle to work and eating only whole grain foods.  What a paradigm shift we all have made.  It seems as though overnight the terms “eco-friendly,” and “green” began popping up as buzz words.  Now they are a part of marketing messages and corporate mission statements.

Planet-friendly, reusable, recycled and repurposed product lines have transcended into the promotional products world as well.  Customers are trying to get the most out of marketing budgets and for some, this means securing products that while price is important,  conveys quality and relevance to their marketing message.

Some ideas for your next green promotion might include?

Coco-Eco Sandal-Recycled coconut fiber insole sandals.  Keeps feet cool while the outer sole is made of recycled EVA with a natural rubber strap.

Unite 4×6″ Photo Frame-Classic natural look photo frame with stripe design, made of sustainable bamboo.

Plantable Handmade Papers-Handmade paper that when planted grows into various flowers, including wild flowers.  Packaged with a logoed insert, available in mini and large sizes.

One could argue that the environment is pricesless.  I’ll bet BP would agree about now.  It is our children’s future home. 

It is our goal to bring smart products with high perceived value to customers that are clever in function and design, which will be used consistently to create excellent top-of-mind awareness for advertisers.

For more information, www.prolinesupplyco.com, 713-939-9730. 

Ideas, Solutions, Results!!

Do you want your message visible evertime someone answers their cell phone?

Try the new cell phone cleaners made of microfiber with a PU gel back.  It is repositionable and will stick to the back of your cell phone, MP3 player, or anything with an LCD screen and never loses it’s adhesive quality. 

When things get a bit smudgy, just remove and wipe you screen clean.  Great for any application where a cell phone is a necessary tool.  And, let’s face it, is there anyone without a mobile phone today?

Your message will be visible daily.  Talk about a great promotion!

For more information, www.prolinesupplyco.com, 713-939-9730. 

Ideas, Solutions, Results!

If your style of soliciting donations has been simply sending out a mass e-mail to everybody in your contact list, then maybe it’s time to target your audience for better results.  Money is tight and that means better use of time and resources.

For example, if your fund-raising involves saving the dolphins, who better to reach out to than your tree-hugging, planet-friendly cohorts?  Similarly, if you’re raising money for the local  community choral group that is going on an international competition, it’s best to e-mail friends and acquaintances who appreciate music.

It is common to separate your e-mail lists by two. For example, send out one e-mail to a group of people who have previously helped you, and another, written differently, of course, to a prospect list; people whom you rarely hear from. To the latter, you might want to ask for referrals to family, friends, and co-workers who just might be interested. Even if these people don’t help you directly, they probably know someone who can.

Dont forget to send out an appreciation gift to donors. And do remember to send back good news when you get it!  Donors would be happy to know how their small offerings have helped you reach your goals.

For more ideas, ProLine Supply Company, www.prolinesupplyco.com, 713-939-9730.  Ideas, Solutions, Results!

What do you do when you are asked to buy some reflective work wear for associates that are in high trafficked areas?  Where do you go?  Who has the latest information? 

When it comes to workwear, there are several compliance issues to keep in mind…

Class 1

This apparel provides the minimum amount of necessary reflective striping to differentiate the wearer from the work environment.

Class 2

This workwear provides superior visibility by the additional coverage of the reflective striping on the torso and stands out more than Class 1 (above).

Class 3

This clothing is intended to offer greater visibility to the wearer in both complex backgrounds and through a full range of body motions.  Class 3 visibility is achieved with the full addition of background and retroreflective material to the apparel’s arms and/ or legs.

Class E

This standard applies to pants or shorts that are used to create a high visibility ensemble.  When Class E pants are worn with a Class 2 or Class3 upper body garment, the overall classification is Class 3.

Which color to choose?

Workers should be wearing the color that will make them stand out in their particular environment.

Bright Lime- will best differentiate workers from orange-colored work vehicles, signs and construction barrels.

Bright Orange-is recommended for those working in leafy green areas.

For garments that meet ANSI/ ISEA class requirements, give us a call. Proline Supply Company, www.prolinesupplyco.com,  713-939-9730.  Ideas, Solutions, Results!