Uniforms as A Marketing Tool

When operating a business that heavily interacts with the public, it’s important to understand that your business, and the brand you craft to represent that business, is represented in a variety of ways. Of course, there are the advertisements that are put out about the brand, and these are carefully crafted in order to achieve sales and attract new customers or clients. However, your brand is represented through more than just advertisements; and if you have a uniform policy, the uniforms your employees wear can actually be your biggest marketing tool.

Especially if you are in an industry where your employees are interacting with customers and clients on a regular basis, a uniform is not only a possible advertising tool – it is a necessity. Having a dress code ensures that your company’s brand is presenting its best face to the public at all times. Purchasing uniforms for your employees takes it one step further. Not only are they then dressed to appropriately represent your brand, they are also wearing your logo. This will ensure that your employees are easily recognized and readily remembered later on, particularly when current clients are looking to make another purchase or when they are making recommendations to their colleagues.If you’re still not sure, <a href=”http://www.bizreport.com/2011/03/staff-uniforms-trump-internet-as-marketing-tool.html”>the numbers back up these claims</a>. Over three quarters of people surveyed in about 14 industries state that uniforms perform noticeably better than traditional forms of advertising such as radio, television, and the newspaper. When it comes to competing with internet advertising, the numbers are still very positive, with approximately 51% in favor of uniform effectiveness.

Uniform policies and preferences vary, and are largely dependent on the type of work your employees will be doing. You may decide to keep it simple and ask your employees to wear a polo shirt with the brand logo on it. Or you may prefer that your employees wear button-down dress shirts with the logo. You can also get jackets, which are great for colder weather, when your employees will need an extra layer on top of a shirt.

No matter what you decide on, the image you are presenting to the public has a huge impact on your marketing. It simply makes sense to take advantage of the opportunity uniforms present for both marketing and public company image.

Preparing for Fall Promos

Crisp fall air brings to mind tail gating parties and cozy nights next to a crackling wood fire. Fall promotional gifts are a reflection of the season, and they may be used throughout winter months too. Warming autumn products, imprinted with a company logo or slogan, can leave a lasting positive impression for many years to come.

The choice of imprinted fall items is enormous, leaving lots of room for imagination. Fleece items are always a good selection, providing both warmth and premium visibility. It is a sure bet that hoodies, jackets, vests and other fleece promotional items will be most often worn outdoors where the imprint will be noticed and remembered.A fleece stadium blanketcan make a unique promo gift that is sports-minded and useful in colder months. Warming gifts like that start to make more and more sense as autumn approaches. It isn’t hard to imagine the recipient cuddled up for warmth under an imprinted fleece blanket. As the weather turns colder, the blanket becomes a cherished item, and a constant reminder of the thoughtfulness of the imprinted company.Knit caps also make great fall promo giveaways. Whether embroidered or screen-printed, knit caps are a one-size-fits-all item that everyone loves. Emblazoned with a company logo, knitted caps can last for several seasons, and be worn multiple times for huge marketing impact.

Keep in mind, the idea behind fall promos is to consider the seasonal needs of recipients. Fall is a time for afternoon football games, long walks in the park, and bonfire weenie roasts. It’s an active time with lots of social interaction. The right promotional items will enhance the enjoyment of autumn’s special appeal, and provide lasting branding power throughout the ensuing colder months.

For more ideas on fall-related promo products, consult with the marketing specialists at Clayton Kendall Promotional Marketing.

What Promo Products Can Do for Your Brand

The mark of a successful company is its brand. Consumers will remember companies by the way they have been branded, and that goes for both good and bad impressions. Smart companies know that imprinted promotional products can create strong brand recognition that sticks indefinitely in the minds of consumers.
Any business can develop a company persona, and promote their brand with imprinted items. The trick is to match the promotional theme to the company’s niche. For example, a business that sells running shoes might select promotional apparel items that promote the outdoor lifestyle. Items like imprinted sunglasses, caps and hats, or hooded jackets would make a good reminder of a company that loves sports.
Another sporty angle is imprinted gifts for golfers. The variety of golf related items is virtually endless, including handy divot tools, golf balls and tees, binoculars, golf bags, shirts, hats and many more. It’s easy to imprint just the right golf products to develop positive brand awareness, and create a lasting impression of a company that champions the sporting lifestyle.
Promotional products can also reflect a company’s humanity. For example, items can be imprinted with a pink ribbon to express solidarity in the fight against breast cancer, or a red ribbon for the fight against AIDS, and so on. There is even a foam stress ball keychain in a ribbon shape that comes in multiple color formats to correspond with any healthcare concern.

Another good branding angle is to go “green.” A company can develop an image of global consciousness by gifting recycled, bio-degradable, and eco-friendly promo items. Reusable items, like imprinted shopping totes, water bottles and coffee mugs, are good examples. To further increase green branding awareness, choose items that bear the universal sign for recycling.

Any company can reinforce its brand with imprinted promotional products. It just takes some imagination and thought. Look to the experts at Clayton Kendall Promotional Marketing for more branding ideas.

Antibacterial Spray Made in USA Says ‘Good Health’

Anti-bacterial hand sanitizer makes a thoughtful and caring promotional gift, especially when flu season is in full swing. Imprinted sanitizing sprays are a pleasant reminder that we are all responsible for keeping germs at bay. Anti-bacterial sprays without the approval of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), however, may not be worth the effort.

The FDA has determined that, in order for anti-bacterial sanitizers to be effective, they must contain at least 60-95 percent alcohol. Many foreign-made products do not contain enough alcohol to kill the germs that cause colds, influenza, and other respiratory illnesses. Chinese hand sanitizers, in particular, will often fail to meet FDA standards. On the other hand, US-made hand sanitizers must be FDA approved before going to market.These days, germs are nothing to sneeze at. Highly contagious and dangerous strains of influenza can travel quickly from country to country, and from person to person. Remember swine flu and bird flu? Modern germ warfare makes it essential to use only hand sanitizers that contain the FDA-approved alcohol formula.Hand sanitizer as a promo item works well in any public situation. The simple preventive measure of sanitizing the hands can preserve millions of productive work hours from loss due to illness. In fact, according to a Harvard Medical report, the use of alcohol based, FDA-approved hand sanitizer can reduce the incidence of gastrointestinal illness by as much as 59 percent.

Anti-bacterial hand sprays made in the US bear the stamp of FDA approval. When used on an imprinted promotional item, the FDA stamp becomes an expression of good health from a company that cares. For more ideas on marketing with health and wellness, contact the specialists at Clayton Kendall Promotional Marketing.

Eco Friendly Items for ‘Green’ Branding

The trend towards eco friendly promo items is one that every company should consider. By selecting “green” promo products, a business can forever brand itself as environmentally friendly and globally conscious. Corporate gifts made of eco friendly materials and recyclable substances can leave a strong and lasting impression in the minds of environmentally-conscious consumers.

Imprinted shopping bags are one of the most practical eco-friendly promotional products. Reusable fabric shopping totes last virtually forever, and they can be used to hold groceries, schoolbooks, laptop computers, beach towels, or practically anything that can be toted out in public. Reusable, eco-friendly shopping bags allow the imprint to be seen again and again, by the owner of the tote when she takes it shopping, and by those who are shopping around her. It is a constant reminder of a company that shares the public’s concern for environmental matters.The promo gift of BPA-free polyclean water bottles can send a similar message. Imprinted drink bottles show that a company cares deeply about the health of its clients as well as the environment. Reusable water bottles may be used hundreds of times, saving untold numbers of disposable bottles from the landfill, and at the same time burning the name of the imprinted company into the memory of consumers.

Durable goods are great for establishing a company as eco-friendly, and so are recycled and biodegradable promo gifts. Consider giving a recycled cardboard journal embossed with the universal recycling symbol on the cover. A biodegradable imprinted journal stands as a beacon of green living from a company that cares, and when the pages ate used up they can be recycled once again.

The inspiration behind eco friendly items is to affirm that a business cares greatly about the environment. When carefully selected and imprinted, eco friendly products have the power to raise the image of a globally conscious company to a new level and beyond. For more eco friendly marketing inspiration, look to the marketing experts at Clayton Kendall Promotional Marketing.