It's not every day that you get to receive a stuffed animal from a company, so I was quite impressed with how Illinois-based K-Patents utilized an adorable-looking teddy bear for one of its trade shows. The company, which manufactures measuring instruments for liquid chemicals, wanted to emphasize the importance of always getting the right blend of chemicals. Its tagline, "Rest easy with K-Patents," fit the teddy bear to a tee. We heard it was a success in their last trade show. (Another company also got a positive reaction from customers by giving out stuffed monkeys.) Giving plush toys can help change your customers' impression of your brand. Customers will see a gentler side to your business. It may even enhance consumer trust in your company. Here are other ways to use promotional plush toys: Sell teddy bears to raise funds for a charity that's focused on children. It may be an orphanage or an organization that fights for children's rights. Thank children's charity donors by giving each of them a teddy bear to take home. If your organization is working on seeking sponsors for children in impoverished countries, you can order personalized teddy bears that carry each child's name to symbolically represent each child you're helping. ...

One of the easiest ways to get your brand in front of customers is by adding your logo to promotional desk clocks. This ensures that your logo is the first thing people see when they wake up—and the last thing they see before they fall asleep. Don’t be overwhelmed by the different types of promotional desk clocks available online. Narrow down your choices by keeping these three promotional tips in mind: Buy good-quality promotional desk clocks. Such an investment will make sure your logo is around for years to come, helping you build brand recall and giving you more than your money’s worth. Choose multifunction promotional desk clocks such as those that come with photo frames and thermometers. Such features increase the value of your gift, which recipients are more likely to keep. Explore various designs and colors. The promotional desk clock you choose will be your brand’s ambassador, so select a design that will attract attention. Color-changing promotional mood clocks will be quite a hit with your recipients and are sure to be noticed even when the lights are out.

Building readership for your blog and corporate or e-commerce site is no easy task. Unless you have 100 family members and very close friends, you can't expect to have 100 regular readers just a month after launch. So aside from exchanging links with similar blogs, networking, and shamelessly leaving comments on other people's sites, what else should you do to drive people to your site? Here are some recession-friendly promotional items, all under $1, that can help you build up your site's popularity: Pens are just about the cheapest way to promote your Website. The Bic Retractable Wide Body Ice pen (as low as $0.73) comes in fun, attractive colors, and its wide barrel offers a 2x0.6-inch imprint area for your URL. Be spotted on the road by having bumper stickers (as low as $0.10) imprinted with your Website's URL. Make sure you get the outdoor-type light-fast stickers that can withstand exposure to sunlight. Refrigerator or business card magnets (as low as $0.15) bearing your URL will ensure quick recall for your Website. This 4x4-inch coaster (as low as $0.17) offers a huge imprint area that you can customize with a full-color design plus your logo. Diners are sure to give it a second glance. Offer an ...

Don't leave a bad business card behind. This week (June 7 to 15) is National Business Etiquette Week, and I thought I'd share with you some of the best business etiquette practices that our account managers (and savvy sourcing experts) do to keep their customers. These business practices are so fundamental that apply to any industry. We hope you find them useful: Respond to customers' e-mails or calls promptly. It's rude to keep customers waiting and leaving them wondering whether anyone has acted on their requests. A Branders client, Sandra Pecora, writes that what she she likes about her account manager, Alex Andersen, is that he always "responds to my e-mails and calls very quickly" and that "he has always answered my questions or found answers for me in a timely manner." Deliver what you promise. It's easy to guarantee to deliver on time or to say "we'll give you your money back," but no amount can pay for a failed marketing campaign that resulted from a promotional products order that arrived two days late. One Branders client, Chelle Watson, says she can always depend on her account manager, Chris Florendo, for any project because her orders always arrive on time. Ensure an excellent ...

In this economic climate, when people are looking for ways to stretch their dollar, one can make money simply by offering store-brand products, which cost less than well-known branded items. Here are a couple of items you can add your store brand label to: 1. Gourmet Cookies - You can personalize these cookies' foil packaging. Available for less than $1, these custom cookies come in chocolate chip, white macadamia, oatmeal raisin, and triple chocolate variants. Five cookies go into a bag. 2. Bottled spring water -Make money by selling these during fairs, concerts, and tournaments. The custom labels on this bottled water come in colorfast, tear-resistant, waterproof material. SAVINGS ALERT! This item comes with free set-up and no run charges. 3. Fortune cookies - A good strategy to market these is to place these custom fortune cookies at the checkout counter. (Makes a good after-dinner giveaway for Chinese restaurants too.) People love reading the message in fortune cookies like they do their horoscope. 4. Granola bars - Great as snacks, these granola bars come individually wrapped in custom packaging. Sell these at fitness centers, school cafeterias, or cafes. They make good fund-raising items for Girl Scouts. 5. Animal treats - Pet stores can make extra money ...

If your sales are suffering in this economic down spiral, you're not alone. Even Girl Scouts are seeing a 19% decline of pre-order sales of custom cookies and Girl Scout mints, says this USAToday article. Part of the sale proceeds supports the Girl Scout Council's trips, community projects, and scholarships. Reasons ranged from penny-pinching to the tasting differently now because of the change in bakeries. Others cited their non-agreement with the fact that some parents sell the cookies for their children. Whatever people's reasons may be, I wonder if nonprofit groups are also having difficulties selling fund-raising items. Fund-raising coach Marc Pitman mentions three no-nos when soliciting donations in this economic climate: Spend less on fund-raising. Be pessimistic. Apologize when asking. If you're a nonprofit or your company has done an event for a cause in the last six months, what techniques did you apply to raise more? P.S. A tip: This promotional Silver Bullet USB Pen, now on sale for $7.59, makes a good  fund-raising item, whether you're selling it or giving it to donors as a thank-you gift. Read the full-length article on USAToday: "Girl Scout cookie sales crumbling"

Grace under pressure. Calm. Resolute. If that is something that best describes your company, then the Uni-ball(R) Vision Elite pen (as low as $2.19) is for you. Featuring a patented design that prevents ink leaks on a pressure-filled aircraft, this special pen has a 0.8mm tungsten carbide ball that delivers fade- and water-proof strokes. It also has a uniquely designed barrel that isn't seen in most other promotional writing instruments. To boost ticket sales, one airline customized the promotional Uni-ball Vision Elite pen with its logo and sent it out to corporations and individuals who did a lot of traveling, positioning itself as an industry leader for business travel. The airline's flights saw an increase in ticket purchases as well as good referrals. Find out if this promotional pen best fits your brand. Call 877-BRANDERS and ask for a sample. Get subscriber-only discounts on promotional items when you sign up with the Branders newsletter.

A promotional products industry newsletter today quoted British writer and literary critic Gladys Bronwyn Stern (1890-1973), who said, "Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone," an observation that speaks volumes on how important it is to say thank-you to co-workers, employees, friends, and business clients. It's a reality that cuts across generations: Articulating our appreciation and affection--whether this be a romantic, business, or familial setting--makes another person feel good about himself, and this in turn helps strengthen the relationship. Isn't it amazing how a small gesture such as a thank-you does wonders? There are many ways to say thank-you, and one of them is through giveaways and corporate gifts. Do you have a thank-you plan for the end of the year? If not, Branders has slashed the prices of a number of promotional items in our Current Specials, which gives you up to 20 percent savings. See Current Specials.

I've always believed in seeing the good in any bad event that happens, and I bet that while reading the news today, you're probably feeling down--and I don't blame you. How else will you be when everything seems to be plummeting? I believe something good will come out of this recession. Here are some frugal habits American have acquired: 1. Americans are finding ways to save money. During the good times, we charged everything and cared only when it was time to pay. Today, we're doing more thinking before plunking down our hard-earned money at the cash register. 2. We're eating out less often and eating more home-cooked meals. I see this as a good sign, because it means the family is eating together at dinnertime and seeing more of one another. Eating at home together is also a good opportunity to catch up with your kids' lives. I'm hoping that these home-cooked meals are low in cholesterol and sodium and rich in nutrients that we all need. (A tip, if you're looking for corporate gifts: food baskets are in this holiday!) 3. We're more motivated to exercise. Instead of enrolling at the gym or taking the car to work, why not walk or ...

Yesterday we suggested some back-to-school giveaways below $1 you can use to pep up your business in time for school opening. Now here are some promotional items that every dormer will find useful: 1. A promotional ballpoint pen that encourages them to write home. If being away from home is stressful for college kids, just imagine how nervous parents back home will be. The custom Write Home ballpoint pen carries every reminder of home: house, key, welcome mat, and sold sign icons. I think this pen sums up what our old folks always say to us: "Take care of yourself--it's the best thing you can do for those who care about you." 2. A personalized door alert to make sure they're safe. Instead of the usual boring university pennants, this one makes a good welcome gift to dormers. 3. A promotional door hanger indicating when to stay away and when it's okay to visit. More than a sign, this custom door hanger is a good way to reach out to a big group. University laundry shops, fast-food delivery outlets, car and laptop repair shops, bookstores, school supplies stores, counselors, and teen support groups can use this giveaway to target dormers, especially college freshmen who are still ...