| Branding your comapny should be the first | | | | out promotional products is a useful way of |
| thing a company does. You have to convince | | | | staying on their minds. The trick is to find |
| potential customers to buy from you. Very few | | | | a great promotional product, that fits you |
| people have a monopoly like Microsoft or | | | | budget, is useful to the end user and doesn't |
| Ebay, Everyone else need to steer business to | | | | shout your name too boldly. Humour is a great |
| their company or product. When people think | | | | way to have your customers keep your stuff. |
| about your company, what is their impression. | | | | The items seen most times for an office |
| For my company, Solutions Ink, I wanted to | | | | person are calendars and coffee mugs. To be |
| portray a fresh, professional, ease of use | | | | different in the Montreal Promotional Product |
| type of company whoose product meets their | | | | market, Solutions Ink sent out to all |
| quality needs while helping their business. I | | | | existing customers a 14 ounze special mug |
| wanted to portray Solutions Ink as always on | | | | which was imprinted with thermochromic ink. |
| the fore front of the printing and | | | | The ink is heat sensitive and evaporates on |
| promotional product industry's.To achieve | | | | heat and returns on cold. With this you can |
| this I needed to tell potential customers of | | | | print something underneath the thermochromic |
| new and innovative products for the printing | | | | ink which is revealed when cold. On the |
| industry. Variable data, large format digital | | | | outside we simply put the word STRESS in red |
| printing, digital printing with pantone | | | | over a black background. Most people who work |
| colors, label and form combinations, magnet | | | | know about stress. The humour side was that |
| and form combinations and e-commerce ordering | | | | when you poured your hot coffee the message |
| systems. How best to show customers then | | | | turned into stress free at Solutions Ink. A |
| actually devise a campaign where the product | | | | simple inexpensive idea that our customers |
| you are trying to educate your customers | | | | really enjoyed and every time I stop at one |
| about is sent out to them to give them ideas | | | | of their offices I readily spot our mugs. On |
| how to use this product to help their | | | | top of this I received 4 orders from these |
| businesses. One campaign I organised was to | | | | customers for these mugs with a different |
| compile a list of fashion retailers whoose | | | | message for their customers.Another great way |
| logo's were specific pantone colors that are | | | | for your company to be branded positively is |
| not reproduced well in 4 color process | | | | to become associated with a worth while |
| printing. Today with 6,8 and 10 color presses | | | | charity. Today we must give back to those |
| you can print in 4 color process and 2 | | | | less fortunate. Sponsering an event gives |
| pantone colors quite easily. This keeps the | | | | your company great exposure but the real |
| integrity of the company's logo intact in | | | | treat is in knowing that you've helped |
| their big marketing or flyer campaigns. This | | | | others. Money is not the end all, all the |
| is OK for large run printing jobs. The | | | | time. A funny thing, helping others usually |
| problem is that even for large chains, you | | | | rewards yourself if not immediately some time |
| tend to have regional sales in a small amount | | | | in the future.The trick is to plan out your |
| of stores. In store displays usually are done | | | | actions. Research the market, research your |
| in small numbers and are printed digitally. | | | | company's attributes and brand your company's |
| Today there are certain digital presses that | | | | image positively and constantly. Following |
| can insert pantone colors on top of the 4 | | | | these steps should help your company stand |
| color process printing. After devising a mock | | | | out from the competition and make yourself |
| up campaign and targetting by variable data | | | | more successful Best of luck. If you need |
| the buyers of these retail fashion chains, I | | | | help you can contact me at 514-337-2238 or |
| was able to secure 2 large accounts for | | | | visit us on the webb at SchneidmanSteven |
| present and future business.This technique | | | | Schneidman has a B.A. in Psychology and an |
| can be applied to any industry. The key is to | | | | MBA from Canadian Universities. He also |
| really now your product and the strengths of | | | | served as a professor at a Montreal |
| your company. The next step is to educate | | | | University and worked for the secong largest |
| your customers on your company's merits. Then | | | | Canadian bank. I have owned 2 very successful |
| you must reinforce your image constantly to | | | | printing and promotional product companies. |
| stay in your existing customers mind, as well | | | | My greatest achievement is my wife and 3 |
| as peak the curiousity of potential new | | | | kids. |
| customers.Once you have achieved this, giving | | | | |