I think most of us can agree that 2020 has been difficult. Between pandemics, civil unrest, murder hornets and an election year, it’s hard to know which way is up! And if you are an entrepreneur (or in sales in any way) you know you need to keep the lights on. But how is it appropriate to market and sell? Should I keep posting to social (I was asked that here)? What branded products should an entrepreneur use to promote their brand in today’s world?
I think you need to go back to basics. Here are a few branded products we see working for entrepreneurs today. (Oh…and you can find all of these here).
Soft T-shirt
A t-shirt has long been one of the best pieces of branded merchandise for telling your story. It still is, but it has evolved. The customer is demanding more. While giving a lower cost t-shirt with your logo on it still has it’s place, you can do better. When you invest just a little more, you can create a shirt that you AND your customer base want to wear. As I have been told many times, the cost of that shirt is not decided when you purchase it. It’s decided at the point of use. If your customer wears your nice shirt once a week, the cost per impression gets really low.
Entrepreneurs don’t only want to create a brand, they want to create a movement!
A really nice t-shirt can help you! Again, find a couple of examples here.
Vacuum Sealed Tumbler
Like I said, back to basics. If you want to get something in your customer’s hands that they will use, a nice piece of drinkware is a GREAT place to start. The double wall vacuum sealed tumblers are great for keeping coffee hot and cold beverages ice cold. They can be used on their morning commute or on a beach vacation. And…you don’t need to worry about sizes! Then, if you want to take this idea to the next level, add personalization! If you add the name of your best customer’s to the tumbler, it will get used for sure!
Anti-Bacterial Pen
“Okay,” you might be thinking. “But what branded item can I do that is lower cost and timely?” I have you covered. If you have been to a bank or a restaurant recently, you might have noticed that they are handing you pens that it feels like everyone has touched. You could give everyone their own pen (and I wish they would) but that can become expensive. How about a pen that is Anti-Bacterial? Do you love it? What if you can also do a pen that has a full color imprint…and actually writes? It’s not too good to be true. For under $1 you can have a pen that is worth passing around.
Branded Mask
Yep. They are here to stay (for now anyway). And if you are going to be required to where them, you might as well tell your story. And here’s the thing, as an entrepreneur (or sales pro) your job is to put your customers at ease. If they are anxious, they are not going to be in a buying mood. I talk about the real reason masks matter here. In addition, our customers are going to need more than one mask. Why not give them one that shares your brand? You do it with t-shirts!
Year At A Glance Calendar
If you are smart during this time, you want to think of marketing pieces that have longevity…and don’t break the bank. This is why at Year At A Glance Calendar can be the perfect item. A Year At A Glance calendar (as it says in the name) shows you the whole year on one sheet…so they are cost effective. They are great for planning and there are simply not as many of them out there…so your customers and prospects are likely to use them. Combine that with the fact that your who, what, where message will be on their wall all year round and you have a cost-effective marketing hit!
4 x 3 Sticky Note
And speaking of cost-effective, let’s talk about a marketing idea that really sticks! (Sorry…I had to). Simple. Inexpensive. Old school. But a 25 sheet 4 x3 Sticky note is an incredibly functional piece that will allow you to tell your story to the masses. And if you are person who likes deals (and who isn’t?), these are on special right now.
Mission Pack in Black
We are not traveling much right now. But many of us are still heading to the office and seeing clients in modified ways. Well if you still need to be on the move, do it in style! This Mission Pack in Black is super functional. It’s the backpack I use and I love it. Oh…and for those that don’t have an army behind them, you can get JUST ONE with your brand on it. How cool is that?
These are just a few branded items that Entrepreneurs need to know about right now. You can find these items (and more) on the Product Shop we set up right here. But don’t give up there. We work with many entrepreneurs to grow their business…and we would love to help you. Learn more about that here.
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