Hello everyone! Here is my list of “must have” promotional items hot this month.

Golf Must Have’s – From divots and towels, to unique golf outing giveaways and incentives!

http://www.promoplace.com/starpromoz/golf.htm

Techie Must Have’s – Who doesn’t need an extra USB charger or drive? Brand something useful.

http://www.promoplace.com/starpromoz/compaccs.htm

Eco-Friendly – As always, remember to be earth conscious! Brand with eco-friendly items, and build both your brand awareness and awareness for our environment.

http://www.promoplace.com/starpromoz/eco.htm

There are absolutely no “cons” to building your brand, only Stars and Pros.

The Pros: People who build their brand the Pro way take initiative in developing their new brand, and tackle the building of a brand in a manner that they feel best fits their need to grow their business. They have all the answers – after all, they are pros.

The Stars: Brand building Stars know that they are pros at what they do best, and that brand experts are pros at branding.  They also know that a brand is only as powerful as its memory. They don’t just develop a brand; they develop a brand strategy to create a lasting impression. Stars know the difference between a great goal – I want to grow my business - and a better strategic approach – I want to grow my business by  forging relationships to promote client retention or I want to grow my business by being in front of each and every client and potential client in a meaningful way.

What type of brand builder are you? Looking to move up the brand building ranks? We turn Pros into Stars at Star Promoz.

You need to grow your business. Most small businesses are sustainable in their current condition only in the short term, and to reach the 5 and 10 year goals of your start up plan, you need to experience growth and competitive market share. The line between you and your competitors is sometimes marginal, especially with similar products or services. You have two options: either cut your price in half and offer a competitive, enticing price for budget shoppers and savvy consumers, OR BUILD  YOUR BRAND. You probably can’t afford to offer 50% discounts to each and every client. In fact, building your brand can help you increase your revenue by adding value to your product or service, i.e. Growth!

Your brand needs immediate sticking power. It needs to stick with them throughout the decision-making process. It needs to stick with them when they return to purchase again. Think of your brand as purchasing glue. You need your brand to be extra strength super glue, but right now it works like glue stick. It is immediately sticky, then it loses its strength. You can transform its sticking power by helping your brand stick around. Think of everyday helpful items that are always around you like calendars, pens, utility tools, and various tech gadgets like USB thumb drives. How often do you look at your calendar for a date, or plug in a drive to access a file? Instead of a momentary glimpse of your brand in a print ad or on television, it is constantly with your potential client, helping them throughout the day.

How do you build you brand? 7%. Remarkably, it only takes 7% of your revenue to increase your brand awareness and the perceived quality of your products or services beyond the competition. Marketing gurus won’t share this secret; you wouldn’t pay for their consulting services if you know what it takes and you had direct access to resources that allow for you to spend your 7% marketing budget wisely.

Let’s spend your budget wisely! First, take advantage of your free marketing opportunities. Word of mouth. Friends and family. Ask for referrals, always! Keep happy clients happy because return business is guaranteed business – business you can count on in the future. Social networking should be used extensively, but also use social networking to learn potential clients by name, assess their needs, and reach out to them to let them know the benefits of choosing you over the competition.

Brand your business with promotional products. Whether it’s a thoughtful holiday sentiment or a crafty wine opener, each product gives your brand value. Maybe they just needed a laugh? Some promotional products offer an invaluable emotional connection, too! You can spend 7% on promotional products and feel your business grow instantly, and the only thing you need to do is stick with it.

An example of branding to make a difference - My blood drive sponsorship! You're invited!

Let’s discuss the 4th P of marketing – PROMOTION.

Shelly Lazarus, chairman of Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide, was interviewed by Forbes and simply stated, “First, you have to determine what you want your brand to stand for.”

Creating a brand “foundation” isn’t easy. We typically brand as we go, following trends and testing each strategy. Small business gets stuck in the marketing testing phase, as ROI becomes the focus. I know that it’s hard to spend money and not see instant returns. I know it’s hard to put effort into marketing, only to have our strategies seem inconsequential. These are only a few of the reasons I consistently direct small business towards philanthropy.

Nonprofit foundations help build a brand and provide you, the investor, an instant return. Yes — it’s the instant gratification of giving back to your community and making a difference! What I’ve noticed is that most business men and women want to feel like marketing investments are making huge strides, and since these investments are often difficult to quantify, the easiest way to feel the difference is by making one. Meanwhile, you are building your brand. You are providing your brand with a tradition, lending it the following foundations and corresponding brand interpretations:

• Stability – an established member of our community / an unselfish business with integrity / annual participation proving reliability
• Recognition – consistent co-branding with a nonprofit / sponsoring local teams or foundations / providing your service or product at fundraising events
• Purpose -  staying at the forefront of your community / leadership through philanthropy / community assistance within your industry

Most brands fight for these characteristics. Promotional efforts can be targeted to wins these three without a huge investment or effort, but we need to think about where our money is going and what it means to have a strategy in the first place. A strategy is not about instant success; it’s a long term commitment and we need to stop looking for strategies that work, and start making our brand work for our products/services.

BRAND Workshop: Let’s start now! I’m beginning a new workshop series within my blog posts to provide direction to my readers. I want to help you — and your busy schedule — by taking my blog posts and putting them into action. How easy is it to build your brand through philanthropy?

1. What inspires you? Do you enjoy assisting art nonprofits because you’re a design firm? Did you know someone who inspired you to your full potential who struggled with cancer? Start with your personal inspiration.
2. Find a corresponding nonprofit. (Too busy? No such thing! Call me and I’ll find it for you.)
3. Each and every nonprofit organization needs assistance. Think first if there is a way your business can assist with its current products or services, and offer these to a leader within the organization.
4. Once you provide your product or service, most nonprofits will want to announce your sponsorship in some form of marketing material. Send your logo to website administrators or promotional material creators. If the organization is finding it difficult to print materials, offer your assistance in providing promotional materials with your logo and the logos of other sponsors.
5. Meeting other sponsors is a fantastic way to grow your B2B network. Throw a sponsorship luncheon or outing, and invite your non-sponsor friends to come and assist in some way. Charge guests in fundraiser fashion and donate the proceeds to the nonprofit. Encourage your guests who are not participating to help your chosen organization.
6. Raise awareness & participation. Do (1) awareness raising effort each month – whether it’s including the nonprofit in your newsletters or reaching out to your nonprofit B2B network to ensure everyone stays energized. By participating once monthly, you will stay involved without stressing over other time commitments.

In this workshop, we’ve built your brand through philanthropy by promoting your brand and by growing your network. This workshop provided one brand strategy, and if completed, will ensure you are always properly branding your business.

To read the complete article quoted in the beginning of this blog: http://www.forbes.com/2010/03/01/shelly-lazarus-ogilvy-leadership-managing-interview.html

Jackpot! Branded Relationship Building

The novice salesman or woman is hungry, and they begin selling by talking about their products, their brands, their experience… before long, the potential client is overwhelmed with information. The message is lost. The impression of the person becomes the foundation for the interaction. This can be fantastic in some situations, but relying solely on the charismatic nature of your sales team is something of a gamble.

The wiser sales team member starts by asking questions from the client, and learns invaluable information regarding the client’s needs, peeves, and goals. The client was really disappointed with the invoicing, or the follow-up, of their last provider. The client  wants to have everything done on Thursday; Friday is reserved for golfing. This information is coveted,  but you still need to convey the message of your brand.

How do you find time for everything in your discussion? You don’t. The promotional product sells the brand, while you make a personal connection.

Promotional products can’t learn intimate details about your client. How did you hear about the client’s promotion in their company, or your client’s baby on the way? It was from calling the client and building a relationship. The promotional product says Congratulations for these life events, with your logo, your contact information, and your brand’s message. In this scenario it performs two functions. It lets the client know you were listening and you care about him or her. It has also reminded the client that you are providing a service or product.

Jackpot! Branded relationship building!

Think: You can’t buy the information you’ve learned about the client, but you can invest money into promotional products.

I can’t stress enough how important it is to not fall into negative opinions of promotional products and their results. Do promotional products cost money? Of course. You’re budgeting for them, and they are returning at least DOUBLE what you’ve invested into them. Is it easy to track results? Yes, watch your business grow. If one client pays for your investment, then by the fourth client you’ve witness a significant return. Consider this when creating your marketing budget.

Build Your Brand with Star Promoz

We’re all guilty of deadly brand stalls. The momentum of your business depends on the strength of your brand, and throughout the year we neglect our brands for immediate results in other important areas – b2b networking, fulfilling orders, client follow-up, new products or services, industry research, etc. What we don’t consider is that each and every other priority is an opportunity for raising brand awareness and developing successful marketing access points.

First, what is a marketing access point? It’s simply a gateway to building your brand and promoting your business. Access points can be as simple as providing a business card and describing you business, and as complicated as clever guerilla marketing tactics to generate buzz. Every invoice, every shipment, every email, any communication, and almost all your daily activities can play a dual role – their primary purpose & a marketing access point.

Renewal of your brand does not mean stopping everything and creating a huge campaign. Brand awareness takes time, and it’s the one area where details do matter. Logo everything! Anything that leaves your desk and arrives in your clients hands should possess both your logo and a call to action.  Your email signature should contain your logo and a call to action, not just your contact information. Examples include: Contact me for a free estimate this month 555-555-5555, or Click to sign up on our newsletter and receive special offers with a link to your e-list sign up.

Promotional products deliver your brand’s message in multiple ways. They can be imprinted with your logo, your motto, and they can also be customized to instantly relay your brand’s message. I recently had a client who came to me with a need for a promotional product that conveyed the direction his marketing was leading his brand: he promised his clients the best price, and even matched competitors pricing without them needing to comparison shop. The fun solution: a match puzzle game for a desk with his logo, contact information, and the phrase we match all competitor prices.

His sales increased! He wasn’t doing extra work in the field, or creating a new brand direction, but he was making the most of the connections and his existing message by choosing the right product. Clients noticed his commitment to price matching instantly. It wasn’t lost in the information he provided his clients.

And this brings me to my next blog entry: shorten your pitch, let the product do the talking. Until then, happy promos everyone!

The holiday season offers a slightly different promotional items buying experience for businesses.  The focus shifts from branding your business – marketing strategy - to branding within context – marketing within the confines of the holiday season. If you’re new to buying promotional products and starting this December, you’ll be overwhelmed with the sheer number of offers and customizable products. It’s simply fantastic – but not simple. Some of the guides listed here will assist you , but I don’t suggest going it alone! Review the guides & ask yourself the following questions:

Is this a “high stress” time of year for my industry?  – Look for funny stress relievers and items that promote serenity

Have my clients and/or employees met particularly daunting goals this year? – It’s time for a reward! Offer gifts of gratitude and gifts of congratulations

Did my clients communicate any special concerns regarding promotional products for their businesses? – Sometimes the best gift is the one that truly assists someone in solving a problem. If a client has a difficult time finding new business in a particular area, consider providing him or her with a unique way to reach the target market.

• Holiday Gift Guide
• Holiday Gift Guide 2011

Lately we’ve had inquiries on our activities this Summer. In fact, Star Promoz was recently accused of being – *gasp* – silent all Summer… and we couldn’t be prouder of this accusation!

Personally, I’m known for matching clients to the items that best “fit” their businesses. Marketing budgets that include branded items must also consider that any marketing expense is an investment. Would you invest blindly in a new business venture or the stock market? I hope not! You shouldn’t invest money into branded items without speaking with someone who is listening to your needs and strategizing for your business.

This means that the majority of my time is spent listening! I listen to WHO is the target for branded items, WHAT has worked in the past for my clients and WHEN the items are needed. I listen to what makes my client special in their field, and the ways that my client’s products or services are different than the competition’s products or services.

Sometimes I’m like a BRAND therapist, through the ups and downs! I’m there for my clients when business is slow – brainstorming ways to increase sales – and I provide support for my clients when business is booming – meeting deadlines for items that were needed yesterday.

In other words, YES! We’ve been quiet all Summer. And beyond assisting our network with invaluable sales and marketing tips, we’re going to continue our quiet trend!

Business Tech: I was just reading this great article at LegalZoom.com that outlines the ways technology has transformed business in the last 10 years.

• Banking – Online banking & loan applications
• Media – RSS Feeds, blogs, networks, smartphones
• Personal Communication – Video chatting & chat freedom
• Google – It’s more than Google! It’s Picasa, Blogger, etc
• Social Networking – One of the most significant communication phenomenons
• Tablets – Personal tablets & ultra mobile computer
• Cars – Smart cars & hybrids
• Legal Matters – Common legal issues & questions fixed online!

This list is to just get everyone thinking about how technology has transformed business. When you consider the list, it’s apparent that any marketing strategy should investigate not only these changes but also the future of technology. Where will tomorrow take our businesses? How can we anticipate these changes to be on the forefront of business technology instead of being left behind?

Promotions! A key element of promoting your brand is thinking ahead of your competition and using all tools available to you to develop an efficient and effective marketing strategy. We offer many fun ways to incorporate technology into your brand strategy – such as branded Flash Drives – that will elevate your branding into the next generation!

Today’s tip maximizes your ability to not only reach your customers, but connect with them too!