Are you planning a trade show now that business is getting back to normal after the New Year’s festivities? Doing a tradeshow booth takes planning and some thought. With some work before the show, the time you spend at your booth, and the show in general, can be more effective both during and after the show.

Here’s a simple 4 part plan that might help:

1. Distribute something to potential tradeshow attendees to encourage them to visit your booth. It can be a postcard, actual item or something to peak their interest. It can be as simple as “Show this postcard or email at our booth and get X”. That handout can be a tool, item or something with your name on it to take home, just for those who bring the mailing or email to the booth.

2. Have a different handout to give to everyone visiting the booth. Good items to give are something for the desk, car or refrigerator. Why the fridge? People visit their refrigerator at least 10 times in a day, a simple magnet or button there will get them seeing your name day after day, time after time. We have frame magnets, business card size, custom shapes and more. Think outside the box and we can find it for you!

3. Hold a drawing at your booth for some kind of item or offer that takes place several times during the day. It can draw people to your booth and back to see if they won. This can be a gift of some type, gift card to local establishment or something bigger, your budget, your choice. Use something creative to collect the business cards or entry forms, a glass bowl or vase vs a box. People want to enter (your chance to collect more business names) if they see others are also entering. Have plenty of your own business cards and some blank slips for those who don’t have a business card themselves.

4. Post show follow-ups are also vital so that the company is ready for a visit from one of your sales people. That can be a postcard, email, some touch that shows that you follow up after you meet someone. 

If you need ideas or items for your next tradeshow, a good promotional products person can be an awesome resource. They know what is hot, what is in and what can fit in your budget, be it large or small. Thank Em Promotions would be happy to assist you in your next tradeshow venture. Email info@thankem.com or call 303-425-0230 or 877-351-2627 for more information. 

Here’s a new item, a moose shaped bottle opener keytag, item # SM-9703, only 77 cents at 300 qty, 68 cents at 1000, available in green, red or silver.  Put your name or log on the moose and attach a card with some thing like “We are moose interested in helping you with?” Or “Deer potential client”…Your creativity is the only limit! 

People often ask “what are the best items to use to market my business?”  After 12 years in the promotional product industry, trends for savvy businesses tend to fall in 5 areas.  Top of mind is pens. How often have you picked up a pen from a business? Industry research shows that the average pen has 7 owners. Not exactly sure how they determine that number but if you want to get your name to people, a pen is a useful way to do it.  There are hundreds of choices of writing instruments so choose one you like, that feels comfortable and that has a good imprint area. The Javelina pen is very affordable, writes well and has been widely used by varying segments of businesses.

Another good piece to use is a magnet. People go to their refrigerators an average of 16 times a day. That is your message being seen for pennies. A business card size magnet can be handed out, mailed, given out at events and more…Handy, useful and rarely are they thrown away!  Prices start at 20 cents per magnet and go down and the quantity goes up.

A good quality business card, printed on both sides, can get you work, jobs, orders or simply help you be remembered. Hand out 2 at a time if someone asks you for your card, one they can keep and one they can pass on. Literally pennies, a business card can be your ticket to open doors and keep your name in front of people.

Calendars are a standby promotional product. They can adhere to a monitor, be kept in a purse or pocket, hung on the wall.  People may have i-phones and other devices but many still like a calendar as backup for their appointments and meetings.

Jar openers are number five of favorites. They come in a wide variety of colors, have a large imprint area, have incredible number of uses from jar opener, coaster, light bulb grip, keeping the blender in place. They last for years so your name and information will be seen time and time again.

For these or more ideas and items, visit www.thankem.com or www.kbbestbuys.com

Order today!    877-351-2627      info@thankem.com 

Want something that can be shared by an office or family? Food gifts are a great way to thank your clients and customers at holiday time. Fresh made and packed when ordered, these gifts arrive safely to your destination (your address or we can drop ship for a little bit more), you have the ability to choose what fill goes in the packages from delightful chocolate covered almonds, crunchy fresh toffee, yummy coated pretzels, spicey nuts, heavenly jumbo cashews and more! Packaged in wooden crates, imprinted boxes, stacked in towers with logo imprinted on items or ribbons, your logo can be there, not a retail store’s name or logo.  Lots of items can fit on a desk such as coasters or business card holder or set on a display.  Show your customers and clients how much they mean to you and shop from the convenience of your office. No malls to visit and you can choose when they ship and arrive.

See all the choices at www.mapleridge.com/thankempromotions

 Item # BHSF725 contains:

Chocolate Covered Almonds, 11 oz.   Pecan Turtles, 6 oz.,  , English Butter Toffee, 5 oz.,  Fresh-Roasted Deluxe Mixed Nuts, 5 oz., , Peppermint Bark, 5 oz., Chocolate Covered Raisins, 1?2 lb., Almond Pecan Honey Corn, 3?4 lb. 

877-351-2627   cheryl@thankem.com

Are you looking for a way to make a big splash at the next trade show or event? A stand up banner makes you stand out.  With a large imprint area, you will be sure to stand out above the crowd. Weighs only 6 lbs., easy to carry and convenient to store, assembles in minutes.  Give yourself a professional presence at your next tradeshow.  Banner size is 33.5″ x 79″. Art needs to be 84″ long for attaching to banner stand. Stabilizing feet, 3 piece pole and nylon carrying bag included.  Free shipping.  180.00 + tax.

Banner + stand, Item #Budget 850 includes banner, nylon carrying pack

Order yours today!      877-351-2627      info@thankem.com

Looking for a cool gift to give at closing or for a tournament.  Cooler bags are a great way to present your logo or slogan to your target market.  Holding 6 cans of pop or beer, these bags will keep your items cold if you put an ice pack in with the pop, food or beverages.  Available in red, light blue, charcoal, royal, orange, apple green, yellow or fern.  Front slip pocket, decorative tab reading Big Chill, striped shoulder strap reinforced with rivets, 6 can capacity, waterproof liner, holds ice.   Material is 70 Denier Nylon , 8 1/2″ x 7″ x 6 1/4″.  Imprint area is: 4-  1/2″ x 2- 1/2″.  50.00 set up charge per imprint color.   Add .60 running charge for each additional color, per location.  Weight  11 lbs. (approx.) @ 25 per carton.  Why wait, order yours today.  Free BIC all purpose lighter with each cooler order by June 29. 2010.

AP7600 Big Chill Cooler Great gift for summer gifting

Why wait, order yours today.  Min 50 4.72 ea, 150 4.13 ea, 250 3.98 ea, 500+ 3.60 ea.

1-877-351-2627          www.thankem.com

If you want return on your marketing dollar, find an item that your customer will keep around so that your name is seen time and again.  Think of items you use on a daily basis and most likely your customers will do the same.  How many times do you make yourself a note?  If it’s not on an electronic device, it’s probably on a sticky note somewhere.  Great idea to hand out is sticky notes with your name imprinted on each page.  Your message is seen time and again.  Who knows how many notes your customers will send to their customers using your sticky note.  The kids’ teachers, the milkman, the babysitter…wherever they write and leave a note, there is your advertising.  If you want to hand out something that is useful and has your logo on the outside, another idea is a sticky pad book.  Logo is on the outside cover.   Inside are 2 sizes of sticky notes and 5 different colored sticky flags.  Very useful, each time the user picks up the book they will see your logo.  Make a great impression and help your name stick in someone’s mind.

Sticky Notes # ST 26 help your name stick around

Sale on ST 26 is good through June 25, 2010 at 1.99 for 150 or more.  50.00 set up.  Blue, red, black or white.   Order yours today!

877-351-2627            www.thankem.com

Will you be doing a tradeshow or display in the upcoming weeks?  What impression you make at your booth can impact the traffic you attract to your booth and ultimately, your business.  Is your table well marked with good signage, legible from several feet away?  Are your handouts fresh and interesting?  Is there a friendly face waiting to greet visitors?  Do you have levels in your table or it it simply flat and uninviting.  To get people to notice and then stop at your table to inquire about your service or products, they first have to notice your booth.  A good runner or tablecloth with your name or logo can catch their eye.  Colorful, interesting handouts will give them something to remember you.  If you have space and it applies to your business, a laptop running a program showing your product or service can be a great way to showcase your business.  Adding headphones so that the person can listen to your information can make for better booth neighbors.  This lets visitors hear your information without making the booths around you and their occupants having to hear it as well.  To be sure you stand out, have something interesting to hand out.  Here’s one good item that will keep your name in their mind.

Thank Em Promotions also has full color tablecovers as well as banners and thousands of hand out ideas.  Available in 14 colors, business card luggage tags keep your name available and the recipient will be able to slip their card into the middle and be able to spot their bag on an airport carousel.  87 cents at 250 pieces with no set up.

Luggage Business Card tags # 5100

Order yours today!

www.thankem.com    877-351-2627

How can you get more walk in traffic?  Offer something they can come in for and offer a discount at the same time.  With Twitter, Linked In, Constant Contact, you have lots of ways to reach past and potential clients.  Give them a reason to visit your location if you are brick and mortar.  If you a business without a “set” location where customers visit, you can do the same offer if they fill out your online registration where you capture their email or contact information.  Instead of them coming in, you can drop their schedule in the mail.  With a sticky area at the top of the schedule for any major league team of your choice, you can put your business card to have your name and info handy for your target market through October!  Great for auto shops, barbershops, repair, banking, tradeshows, sports tournaments or any business or event where you want your customers to act.  Whether it be coming to you, your service techs going to the client, the magnet will go up somewhere in their office or home and be long remembered after a single business card handed to someone.

Available in increments of 100, min is 100 at 50 cents ea, at 300 or more, they are 40 cents ea.  Shipping and tax is add’l.

Order yours today as spring training is right around the corner.  #471533 Mention which team you prefer.

Magnet schedule www.thankem.com for info

Call today!   1-877-351-2627      info@thankem.com