Government funding promotions

Baldwin County, Alabama recently rolled out a plan to get more money into the region through increased visibility and tourism.

The county legislature voted in favor of setting aside funds for promotional items more than 10 years ago, but they only recently realized they could make good on it, ordering a plethora of branded items carrying the county seal. Among these items are a variety of desk flags, bumper stickers and coffee mugs emblazoned with Baldwin's historical seal. While the county is currently using tried and true advertising methods, the fact that the state budget allows them $25,000 per year for promotional items means they may soon be considering weird and innovative items to draw attention to this small Alabama county.

Some strange sights

Some businesses are also looking for promotional mugs to change the way people look at the world. Rather than making them see a county in a different light, however, electronics manufacturer Philips is using custom mugs to make men more likely to use their products.

These innovative cups are made of transparent plastic and feature black etching along the sides that, when a man holds the cup up about to take a drink, makes it look like he's sporting a fashionable mustache or trendy goatee.

The point of this fun but curious marketing campaign is to get men interested in buying the company's personal grooming tools. Shavers, clippers and other similar devices aren't as popular in some parts of the world where a clean-shaven appearance is most preferred. In order to overcome this fashion trend while increasing company visibility and building buzz, Philips wants to cash in on custom mugs that will boost awareness of their product line.

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Bringing home memories

In the case of 'Madagascar 3' the studio is using outside advertising to get the word out, but sometimes a patron will be given a promotional item at the time that they pay for a ticket. Promotional key chains have been popular in the past with releases like 'Almost Famous,' 'Big Fish' and 'Hellboy.' Other movies like 'Dinosaur' and 'Pokemon' have given away collectible cards, while 'Anchorman' and 'Spiderman' handed out promotional pens with movie stubs.

These items symbolize a person has seen a film and can show it off to friends, family and co-workers. They in turn will want to acquire a free commemorative item as well, bringing in more revenue for the movie theater and the production company, making these promotional items a desirable expense for the movie industry as they provide a solid return on investment.

Reliving the experience

Promotional items can also make a consumer more willing to purchase a film once it's released on DVD and Bluray. Bundling additional items like keychains, pens, T-shirts and other swag can boost sales and increase the desirability of a DVD, as well as interest in the movie itself. While some are simply outlandish, like 'Man of the Year's free George Washington wig or 'Kung Fu Panda's punching bag, a free T-shirt or movie poster like those released with 'The Lord of the Rings' and 'The Matrix' are practical advertising strategies as well as incentives to consumers.

The nice part about promotional wall calendars or posters is that they're easy to distribute and are displayed prominently in various parts of a person's home and office, meaning other people are likely to encounter them on a regular basis. This sort of conditioning will get them thinking about the product and may increase the likelihood that they too will go out and research it or even buy it.

The post Movies ‘Go Bananas’ for promotions appeared first on Small Business Marketing Blog.

A cup of business

Handing out pins and hats may seem like a good idea at first, but if you want your promo to be used daily, something practical is key. Custom coffee mugs are not only great reinforcement for the person grabbing a quick cup in the morning, but in an office setting where they also can get others interested in the company. Promotional calendars can serve the same purpose, but they may not be as visible to someone who isn't specifically checking for the date. Making sure images are interesting and compelling can go a long way in getting a person's attention, even if they're just casually passing by.

Memorable memory solutions

A lot of the time employees want to take work home with them and since not all companies operate in the cloud or allow remote access, they need a way to carry digital information to and from the office. A promotional USB can help them meet that goal and will increase the importance of the item, depending on what they store on it, which in turn raises the significance of the company moniker emblazoned on the outside of the flash drive.

A savvy company can also have software or promotional information pre-loaded onto a USB drive before they distribute it as a giveaway. This means from the first time someone plugs the flash drive into a computer, they will be able to access screensavers, white sheets or whatever other data your business chooses to supply consumers to better inform them of your services without spending additional money on advertising.

Successful supply

It's not enough to hand out a thousand promotional pens to people. You have to make sure the setting and recipients are targeted correctly. Business shows, conventions and similar events are a good forum for getting your company's name out there and tailoring your promotional product to the environment will ensure your logo is seen far and wide.

The post Targeting your promotional audience for maximum impact appeared first on Small Business Marketing Blog.

The first step to the process is for a business owner to decide what kind of information he wants to go viral. Information about the field he works in and why his company is well poised to be a leader may be harder to integrate into a viral hit than a commercial. Both have viral possibilities, but he'll have to be more careful with the former type of information.

Videos are much easier to make into viral hits, as the most important part of the equation is entertainment value. Video is easy to share on the internet and takes little effort on the part of the viewer. It is important for creators to remember that not every video manages to go viral. Consequently, they should put effort into more than one. It's also worth noting that viral videos can originate as something people really like or something they really dislike. Many viral hits are celebrations of the failure of the video rather than its success.

When making the video, it's important to present a fun and interesting side of your business. Companies like Old Spice have seemingly mastered this approach. Many of the company's recent commercials have gone on to be viral hits, transforming perception of the brand from the deodorant for grandparents to one for in touch with youth. The success is largely thanks to a combination of appealing to internet sensibilities and keeping them short and easy to share.

Creating a written post is much more difficult for viral sharing but may be more feasible for small business marketing. One thing for business owners to avoid in this situation is too much promotion. Internet users are members a savvy demographic, and they'll likely be unwilling to share information if it comes off as a promotion. The trick is to make the information it contains both useful and entertaining. A company trying to make a viral news story may want to consider first looking at what information is already out there about the industry or product. The next step is to present new information and make it as newsworthy as possible.

Once the creator has the information, it is time to consider the structure. Keeping the post digestible is the most important part of the equation. There is an infinite number of areas of entertainment that those reading a post have as options, and by simply covering page after page with text, the post will be off-putting and ignored. Lists are good for conveying the same amount of information while making it seem easier to read.

Making sure to have an attention grabbing title is important as well. One of the big steps in something gaining the widespread attention it wants is that people are willing to click on the post. While there are likely going to be a few people willing to read and share anything they come across, the next wave of readers who see the link on friends' social media pages have to be interested enough to click.

There are many ways to make a post go viral, but for the business owner looking to promote his company, it can be difficult to find the right angle. It's a complicated process, and continuing to try is an important part of that process. All it takes is one viral hit, and a small business's visibility will grow incredibly.

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