Tag Archives: promotions

5 Mobile Marketing Trends You Can’t Ignore

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Promotional items such as drinkware and tote bags still play an important role in an overall marketing strategy. However, mobile marketing is arguably the most interesting (and increasingly lucrative) area of any marketing strategy. This guide will discuss the growth of social media worldwide, and the tools that allow that user base to be targeted more accurately. It will also discuss the increase in mobile video content and the general growth in Internet marketing as a whole.

Global social media penetration is at 40 percent worldwide (and growing)

Social media has caught the world by storm, and is being used by an increasing percentage of populations around the world. Currently, social media penetration is around 40 percent worldwide, but that number is significantly higher in countries like the United States (81 percent), Canada (82 percent), the U.K. (76 percent), South Korea (74 percent) and Australia (73 percent). This rapidly growing market spends the majority of its social media usage on mobile devices, and the advertising and marketing opportunities are only now beginning to be utilized. The mobile social media advertising market is poised to be one of the most lucrative advertising venues, and companies should begin to ramp up their efforts in this area as soon as possible.

Geography-based marketing is increasingly popular

For years, Internet advertising on platforms such as Facebook and Google allowed advertisers to target their audience through geography-based advertisements. Back then, geography was defined by the “hometown” or “current city” of the user, which provided some insight into their geographic location, but did not provide up-to-date information about where the user was located. For individuals who moved without updating their profiles, or for individuals who travel frequently for work or otherwise, the geographic information was far less accurate.

Today, however, mobile devices are increasingly using GPS coordinates to determine a user’s location in real time (with the user’s permission). This provides a unique opportunity for companies who wish to target users who are currently in a particular geographic location to do so.

Micro-targeting is increasingly accurate and effective

Geography-based marketing is one (significant) element of a larger trend known as micro-targeting. Micro-targeting is the utilization of specific demographic and geographic user information for the purpose of more accurately targeting the right audience. Micro-targeting is a benefit for everyone involved. Users receive advertisements that are more relevant to their interests, while companies are able to communicate directly with users cost-effectively, by removing a significant portion of advertisements that would otherwise be seen by unqualified users. Micro-targeting will increasingly allow companies to be more cost-effective in their overall marketing efforts, and is quickly becoming a necessity in the mobile marketing world.

Video content is increasing viewed on mobile devices

Video content is one of the best places to reach users, and it is increasingly being viewed on mobile devices. In fact, more than 40 percent of video content on YouTube is now viewed directly on a mobile device. Creating video content that is formatted for mobile devices is still a relatively small market, but trends like this are set to make video content formatted for mobile devices a crucial part of any marketing strategy involving video.

Internet advertising growing significantly each year

Of course, it is important to remember that all of this growth in the mobile advertising market is taking place within the broader context of a growing Internet advertising market. Internet advertising has seen robust and rapid growth over the past few years, and that trend is only set to accelerate. This year, Internet advertising grew by 16 percent, and mobile advertising grew by an astonishing 47 percent. Most interestingly, however, is the fact that mobile advertising still only makes up 11 percent of the overall Internet advertising market. With all of the factors described above, that number is likely to increase significantly over the next couple of years.

Promotional Items: What Every B2B Marketer Needs To Know

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The world of B2B marketing is complex and diverse. From using SEO for lead generation to direct mail to help with branding, a company has a lot of options when deciding how to spend their marketing dollars. However, one marketing tactic that should never be overlooked is the use of promotional items.

Why Should B2B Marketing Include Imprinted Items?

In short, promotional items are some of the most affordable types of B2B marketing available, and they often yields the best results. It puts the name of the company in front of the desired end user time and time again. This repetitive visualization is what is often required for a company to finally decide to do business with another company.

 

Additionally, promotional items are much more effective than standard direct mail advertising because they usually do not just get thrown in the trash. Not only that, but the ROI is hard to compete with. The cost of most imprinted items is minimal compared to other lead generation techniques, and the amount of customers it can garner is quite dramatic.

Which Promotional Items to Choose?

While imprinted items can be ideal for B2B marketing, not all of them are created equal. A successful marketing campaign using promotional items focuses on quality over quantity. A company with a limited budget should invest in nicer items for fewer people instead of cheaper items for the masses. Generic, run-of-the-mill, cheap items will just end up in the trash, while nicer items will be used for many months to come. In fact, it is believed that some of them (like T-shirts and tote bags) are used for years after they are received.

 

A recent study by Promotional Products Association International backs up the belief that it is really all about quality. They surveyed over 700 recipients of promotional items to get an idea of their views of the items they received. When it comes to perceived value, those costing $25 or more definitely made the biggest impression on the recipient. When they were given an item that they believed cost more than $25, 71 percent of them said their opinion of the company improved — or made them more receptive to what the company had to offer. As the price of the item went down, so did the percentage of people who said it altered their opinion of that company. At a price range of $5 or less, only 33 percent of recipients said that the item improved their view of the company.

How Should Imprinted Items Be Used?

OK, so it is clear that promotional items are a necessary part of any B2B marketing campaign — but how exactly should these items be used? According to Marketing Made Simple, there are three main ways to effectively use imprinted items:

 

Advertising: When handed out at trade shows, sent in the mail or given away at the place of business, promotional items serve as an excellent branding tool.

 

Gifts: Promotional items can also be a great way to thank a new client for a recent purchase, congratulate them on a big accomplishment or even spread some holiday cheer.

 

Incentives: Offering useful, high-quality imprinted items with a certain dollar amount spent can also be a very successful way to encourage clients to place bigger orders.

 

When promotional items are incorporated into a B2B marketing campaign thoughtfully, a company will see large returns. As long as the company chooses unique items that are practical and well made, the ROI will be one of the most impressive in their marketing portfolio.

Eco Friendly Bags and Drinkware

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As we continue to see the dramatic temperature spikes and wild weather nationwide and worldwide, we are hopefully becoming more aware of how we affect our environment and making efforts to decrease our negative impact on our world. There are many ways to make positive contributions to our future and environment. One way to decrease your carbon footprint is to reduce consumption; Reusable replacements are an excellent way to prevent the occurrence of single use plastic bags and bottles that stagnantly crowd our landfills. Another way is to focus on recycling and purchasing recycled items.

A bag for every occasion

We have great reusable bags for every budget. There are many different options of reusable GGES - Bluebags! My favorite and the most functional reusable grocery bags, are bags that fold up for easy storage in your car or purse. This makes it easy to always have them on hand when you are at a store. While there are many styles of fold-able bags in prices starting from $1.99, the best bag I’ve found is the EnviroSax Green Grocer Bag. These bags are made of Rip Stop nylon and can carry up to 44 lbs, when you’re done with the bags, they fold up and store easily! With a cute imprint, these are bags that your customers will keep and use for years, really maximizing your investment and positively impacting the environment at the same time! They are available in 8 great colors, allowing you to choose a great color that fits perfectly with your logo.

The perfect bottle

Along the same lines of reducing consumption, another way to positively contribute to our environment is to reduce the number of single use plastic water bottles that we use. 5827_blueThe easiest way to eliminate those bottles and the waste they create is to use a bottle that can be washed and filled over and over. The possibilities for water bottles are practically infinite and can easily be catered to your customer or event. One great option is our 22 oz. Gripper Bottle. This bottle is BPA free and made from durable Tritan plastic. Additionally, the bottle has a tethered screw on top, is shatter resistant, and has non slip side rubber grippers. At 22 oz. this bottle provides enough volume without being prohibitively large, which can make bottles heavy and can make people less likely to use them. Convenient lines of measurement are printed on the bottle to make it easy to track water consumption and 6 great colors make this an ideal give away or gift for any client.

Change is hard

WitKW2708Gh a very familiar shape, the 25. Oz Tritan Water Bottle is another great option! This bottle makes a very easy transition from the water bottles we have become so accustomed to, but provides the added convenience of a twist off top for easy bottle cleaning. BPA Free Tritan plastic makes this great bottle shatterproof and long lasting, meaning more imprints for your money!

 

Classic Convention Style

The Indispensable Everyday Tote make for the perfect environmentally friendly tote for AP8380ECO_onyx_3cyour trade show or convention! This tote has shoulder length handles for easy carrying and a zippered main compartment to keep the contents safe. Additionally, there is an interior organizer pocket and this bag is made from 45% recycled PET material. Great neutral color options and a great SALE price make this the perfect environmentally friendly tote for your conference or event!

Earth Day is April 22!!! Contact us asap about these and other great environmentally friendly products for your events and clients for Earth Day and Everyday!!

5 Plays To Up Your B2B Marketing Game For 2015

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 B2B signpost

This year was a pretty good year, and you did an impressive job with your marketing budget. But that doesn’t get you off the hook for 2015. There is always room for improvement, and with technology changing daily, you can’t afford to be left behind. Some marketing tactics can always be used, like top-notch copywriting and creative promotional items, but others come and go as quickly as the latest iPhone. Here is what you need to do to stay in front of the curve for the new year.

Build a Connection

With the popularity of social media and the importance of relevant content to search results, being genuine has never been more crucial. As Forbes points out, people are no longer satisfied with simply seeing your offerings and making a purchase. They need to know who you are, what you stand for and that you sincerely care about them as a client.

 

To do this, you need be active on social media and have a blog with regularly posted content. However — and this is a big caveat — all of these efforts should be strictly focused on helping your target market. These platforms are not the place for strong sales language. That being said, you do want to make sure your branding is clear.

Brush Up on Copywriting

You may have been able to write a killer sales letter your first year on the job, but have you brushed up on your clients’ latest wants and needs? Chances are they have changed, and so should your approach. Read a new book, research your competitors, or attend industry conferences on the subject. Once you feel armed and ready, put your newfound knowledge to the test. The results may surprise you.

Optimize for Mobile

If you look at your own buying habits, chances are you have used your phone to make a purchase — or at least research one — several times in the past week. Guess what? You are not alone. Mobile use is rampant, and your website better be optimized for the occasion. Yes, this even applies to B2B business. Just because you don’t have a retail store or e-com site, that doesn’t mean your clients aren’t looking you up on the go. Don’t skimp here, because it will cost you big. People don’t have patience for poorly functioning sites when they are using their phones, so they will just move on to your competitor when your site is not cooperating.

Go Back to School

If you really want to step up your marketing game in 2015, B2B Marketing suggests heading back to class. There are so many online options today that you can fit into your busy schedule, so a lack of time is no longer an excuse. An MBA in marketing, business or business analytics will provide you with a fresh look at marketing that you can use to catapult your success. The degree may even be able to land you a raise.

Embrace Change

As you know, technology is constantly improving, and one of the biggest marketing mistakes you can make is not taking advantage of it. Yes, redoing your marketing strategy can be scary, expensive and time consuming, but if it makes the process more efficient and profitable in the long run, it is worth the effort. Continually seek out the latest improvements in lead generation and sales conversions and don’t be afraid to try some out.

 

It’s equally important to be willing to let some of your old marketing tactics go. Just because you have been using them for decades, that doesn’t mean they are still effective. If it has been several years since you have seen the ROI you were hoping for, it may be time to say goodbye and spend the funds on a strategy that is more relevant.

 

You know that the marketing game is always changing, and now is the time to really take an in-depth look at where your resources are going. Just because something worked this year, that doesn’t mean it’s going to work next year. You need to take the time now to reallocate your funds to make the most of your efforts come January.