People are known to shop on impulse- buying an item just because it is on sale, or purchasing something because it looks great in the store. When shopping for promotional items, you really can't succumb to impulses. Instead, you must carefully decide on an item that will help meet your objectives.
A career school admissions representative who worked with the high school market once wanted to buy magnets to give to people. Although magnets were in the budget, they would not really do the job of spreading the word among other high school students, as the magnets would be at home on the fridge where maybe a handful of other students would see. A better idea was to give out day planners (only to enrolled students) that they could carry to school everyday where hundreds of classmates could see. "Oh- that's where I'm going to school after graduation" they would say when asked about the school's name on the planner. Rachel, the rep, was hurt that the magnets she liked did not get ordered. But, Rachel does not have a marketing background and she didn't understand that these items served another purpose.
So, when ordering your items before you even browse the pages of catalogs or websites, you want to have some objectives in mind. You would not want to invest money in an item that doesn't match the tactic. Think about these:
-Do you want to stimulate trade show traffic?
-Do you want to use these as sales aids?
-Are these going to be premiums?
-Are you introducing a new product/service?
-Do you want to thank current customers?
-Are these for an event giveaway?
-Are these to motivate employees?
-Are you trying to gain back lost business?
-Are you trying to improve customer service?
-Are these going to be used as gifts?
-Are you using them to supplement a direct mail campaign?
These are just a few questions you will want to ask yourself. If you are looking to supplement a general direct mail campaign, you will want to keep postage costs in mind. Perhaps mailing a magnet, sticker, pocket calendar, pen or pencil would be something good to use. You would not want to mail a t-shirt or mug- that would be very pricey for the response rate of direct mail! If you are doing a campaign to target past customers or are just doing a smaller-gauge mailing, perhaps something a little bigger would work.
On the flipside, if you are looking at motivating employees, thanking customers, buying gifts or building premiums chances are you will want to budget more money per item. However, there is likely to be fewer items ordered. I don't think a pen would be ample to thank someone for years of service! Items for these categories would fall under desk supplies, plaques, acrylic awards, clocks, engraved items and more.
If you are using these items or sales purposes, perhaps if you have traveling sales people, you will want something that will be left behind to keep your name top of mind. Things like a note cube or coffee mug are things that can sit on a decision-makers desk for a long time.
If you are looking to promote your business at an event, such as a concert or festival, passing out t-shirts could be a great idea. You can easily tie t-shirts up in knots and throw them to the crowds. Lower ticket items for events could be things like pens, pencils, keychains, magnets, calendars, tape measures and more.
Finally, cost is something to keep in mind too. You don't want to spend the same amount on a prospect as you would on a loyal customer. Use this as a suggestion:
Under $5- Prospect
$5-$25- Reward
Over $25- Loyalty
The important thing here is that promotional items should not be ordered just because you like it. The item should clearly be in the plan to help meet your business objectives.
About the author:
Cindy Carrera is a freelance creative author who's written numerous articles about PR including: business promotional items, custom promotional products and wholesale promotional items.
MLM Leads- The Top 5 Traits of a Great MLM Leaddoug firebaughThere are certain traits that you look for in a good MLM lead. After working a TON of leads, and blessed to having built an organization worldwide, I have found that all good MLM Lead have 5 traits in common, with no exception. These traits you look for, and if you find that a lead has at least 3 of them you have a great possibility for your business. And MLM Leads can also end up being one of the best revenue sources for you, but first, find these traits. If you do, you will strike GOLD. These traits are common sense in many respects, but many times are rare to find.
1) A GREAT Personality.
One of the KEY traits that we have found is an infectious personality. A personality that truly shines and glows. You can feel their warmth over the telephone, and sincerity. They have the type of personality that you simply want to be around, and talk to.
You know the type. For whatever reason, you ENJOY the conversation with them, and they are always positive, and optimistic. They have a tendency to make you glad that you talked to them, and you are drawn towards them
This type of MLM Lead can be a gold mine, as they usually hang out with people of the same personality, and same outlook on life. They rarely are down, and when you call them they always seem glad you called.
2) High Energy.
Another KEY traits to look for is High Energy. But let me be clear: High Energy is NOT hype. There are many folks out there that you will call that will try to HYPE you into believing you have found the GOLD MINE you have been looking for, and will tell you all about how great they are.
High Energy people don???t really talk that much about themselves, but what they are doing. They focus on the engagement of actions and results, and you can FEEL their energy radiate form the phone and any communication they do. They can GET THINGS DONE, and refuse to quit during adversity. Plus, they have a great approach to Success in Life and Network Marketing- they have a philosophy of WHAT ARE WE WAITING ON????
3) Great People Skills.
This trait is HUGE. They MUST feel comfortable with people. Especially people they do not know. In MLM, you will communicate and work with a lot of folks that you do not know. And if you find that your MLM Lead has great people skills, you will have found a great potential for Success in network marketing.
People skills include friendliness, good listener, sincere, great communicator, and loves people. If a person truly loves people, they will go a LONG WAY to being a Success as an MLM lead.
4) A Good Listener.
An MLM Lead that is a good listener will end up being a better recruiter than most. Recruiting is all about listening to the prospect.. If you fins that the MLM Lead asks questions, and then LISTENS and them asks more questions,. You have found a good possibility for a recruit. Listening is the MASTER skill in Communication in Network Marketing, and Recruiting. A good listener is hard to find, but they are out there.
Does the MLM Lead talk more than they listen? Do they try and dominate the conversation? Do they try and impress you? If this is the case, they probably do not have a great listening pattern established. But if they do listen to you, ask questions, and then ask more questions that make sense to ask, then you have found a potential gold mine for recruiting and building an organization.
5) Available when they said they would be.
This is a HUGE trait that many MLM leads do not have. If a prospect says to call them back in 2 days, and you do, and they continue the conversation as before, you have a good one. Many MLM leads will not available at the time you call, because they had no intention to begin with of doing your business. A person of their word, who shows up for a return call like they said they would, is a person of integrity.
Many people will attempt to play hide and seek as an MLM lead, and that is just part of the business. If they do not show up like they said they would, that is an issue that you may want to consider in the future, as all Future Great Leaders keep their word.
And here is a BONUS Trait- DISSATISFIED. A Great MLM lead MUST be dissatisfied with their income, life, future, or something. You are to help them change what they are not happy with in their life, with your products and company. If they are Dissatisfied, then that means they are probably LOOKING for something better. Help them find it.
These are the 5 Traits you should look for in a great lead. Yes, there are other traits that you will MLM leads, but these are the ones that we found to be worth GOLD in this business of working MLM Leads.
blessings…doug
PassionFire Intl
(c) 2005
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About the author:
Doug Firebaugh is one of the top trainers in the world in MLM and Network Marketing. He was fulltime in MLM for 13 years, and the last 7 years has traveled the world training and speaking. He lives in Birmingham, Michigan. Over a million people a month read his training ezine. You can get a FREE subscription at:
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contact: doug@powerfire.com
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