Now is back-to-school season, and everywhere students and their families are stocking up on the essentials. Teachers too are buying for the classroom, as well as themselves, in order to make it through the long season ahead. The end of Summer 2012 is supposed to be a boon for retailers as consumers come out in greater numbers and spend more than they have in years, making this the biggest time for businesses to advertise except for Christmas.
Using targeted promotional products will be sure to lure in shoppers. Partnered with other great sales and back-to-school deals, these items will win over consumers and make great classroom additions.
Pens and notebooks
Students need these tools to begin with, no matter what grade they’re going in to. These are also staples of the promotional giveaway past time, with pens being one of the most recognized of items consumers use. Notebooks also are sure to gain better visibility when a student carries it with him every day to class.
Marketing these tools to customers can bring in more foot traffic and hopefully more conversion to regular sales. The Chicago Sun-Times recommended to shoppers that they specifically look more toward stores willing to offer discounts and promotions for these items, as they’re not only staples, they’re also relatively easy to obtain. Nicole Duhoski of VineSprout told the source that consumers will be looking online more than ever to track down the best deals, so making sure you advertise these promotions on your website or get the news out through social media will ensure that customers see you’re looking to help them out with back-to-school shopping lists.
Coffee mugs and cups
Early mornings and full course loads will weigh heavy on teachers and older students alike. For these people, having a reliable custom mug to keep on a desk, in a dorm room or a kitchen cabinet can give them a way to relax or re-energize, depending on their mood or the time of day. Sometimes a warm drink is a good way to get back into a solid mindset for studying, or a fresh cup of coffee can help power through even the longest class.
Giving away promotional mugs is therefore a great way to gain brand visibility and support educational endeavors for students and teachers alike. These items can be as decorative or plain as a company wants, carrying important business information like phone and website details, or it could just be printed with the logo for a company as well. Portable, functional and indispensible, consumers are likely to keep these for a long while, making them a staple of any kitchenette in dorm and home alike. The San Francisco Chronicle also pointed out that the Promotional Products Advertising Institute found more than 90 percent of people kept mugs and cups like these in their kitchens somewhere. The article went on to explain that most people spend an average of 3 to 5 hours a week in the kitchen, be it preparing meals, getting a snack or just hanging out.
All this time in one room with a promotional product means visibility for businesses, a chance no organization could miss out on as the economy continues to struggle for recovery. This season is expected to be stronger than previous ones for sales, according to the Consumer Reports Index, but companies must still do their best to win the biggest portion of that revenue. The CRI showed that previous months weren’t so kind to retailers, so this could be the last chance to recover before Christmas season.