Stretching the Envelope

Do you know your services have value to a company, but can't get past an assistant? Is your direct mail going straight to the recycling bin?  Time to get creative with attention grabbers and free stuff!

It's called object marketing and it's all about capturing attention.  Consumers are more likely to open a direct mail piece that looks interesting, especially with the promise of a free gift. This type of direct mail creates curiosity (which gets your package opened and read) and creativity (which reflects positively on the sender).

We break it down by "lumpy mail" and "dimensional mail":

Lumpy mail is a standard business envelope with lumps. Popular freebies include pens, seed packets, calendars, magnets, or paper pads - really any inexpensive promotional item that can be mailed in traditional envelopes. Avoid any items that could be crushed or that have sharp edges or points that could tear the packaging.  A good direct mail envelope should include a return address, teaser, offer and curiosity. Make it interesting enough to stay in the "keep" pile.

       

Puzzle Postcard $.64 ea.      Pen Postcard $1.21 ea.             Key Card $.56 ea.

Dimensional mail involves the WOW factor of special packaging (padded envelopes, tubes, boxes, bags, etc.).  You can send a sample of your product, or something that makes noise or plays music. While dimensional mail draws the greatest attention, it costs more to execute. You'll have to pick a reasonable number of your best prospects and carefully qualify them prior to mailing.

        

Mailing Tube $1.48 ea.        Sound Mailing Tube $9.79 ea.    Pic Changer Card $3.89 ea.

General tips on direct mail letters:

• Make your point in the first couple of lines and keep it to one page.
• Sell the value to the reader.
• Be demanding -- make it absolutely clear what you want your prospect to do with a strong and obvious call to action:  visit a website, call for an appointment, email a sales associate, etc. Make sure there is a deadline.
• Consider using real testimonials in the letter.
• Offer a guarantee.
• Be a person, not a corporation - use "I" and "You"; sign in blue ink
• Include a P.S. with a quick summary of the offer.
• Above all, be unique - make receiving a piece of mail so compelling that it screams "I dare you not to open it."
• Follow Up: Within a few days after the mailing, follow up with a phone call. This concept is a very effective way to rekindle a relationship or get your foot in the door for a new customer. (Bonus - it's success rate is highly measurable!)

Cool Ideas

• Send one part of a two-part promotional product by direct mail and require redemption of the second part.
• Use a promotional product as an incentive to respond to your direct mail piece (maybe only offer is to the first x amount of responders.)
• Send a gift a few weeks before a customer renewal date or next service date.  
• Use promotional products as part of your direct mail campaign as a pre-tradeshow incentive. Send our postcards before a trade show and tell the recipient to bring the card to your booth to receive a cool prize.
• A unique invitation can create buzz prior to an event. People will start talking about you, your company and your event.  Use the power of word-of-mouth to attract attendees.

                              

Traffic Builder $.59 ea.                        Tag and Win $.67 ea.              Movie Box $2.60 ea.

Including a promotional product with your direct mail piece increases the response rate by 50% on average.  Not only does this reduce the cost per response, it just makes sense from a marketing stand point. Using promotional products in your direct mail campaigns will definitely lead to higher success rates .. . call us for the most effective ways to pair direct mail with promotional product!

Why Promotional Products Have An Edge Over Other Forms of Marketing . . .

By using branded promotional products instead of (or in addition to) other forms of marketing, such as television, internet, and print ads, you already have the upper hand over your competitors who don't use promotional products. Why? Promotional products appeal to all five senses and provide your customers with items that are engaging and have a long lasting appeal. Studies have shown that by appealing to one or more of the five senses (sight, sound, smell, taste and touch) brands become more memorable and recallable!

Sight
If you want someone to see your logo or your message, why not do it with promotional products, in a way that engages your audience? Give people something stimulating, like a custom printed Rubik's cube or light up buttons.

Blinking Button $2.09 ea.      Glow Sticks $1.00 ea.          Video Lanyard Badge $49.50 ea.



Sound
Make the most of sound to grab attention -- get your message out there, but do it in a way that's more enjoyable and memorable to your target audience than, say, a radio commercial. And you're doing it over and over at no additional cost.
            
Talking Key Chain $4.59 ea.    Sound Card $6.49 ea.             Hand Clacker $.73 ea.

Smell
It's a proven fact that of all the five senses, smell is the one that creates the most powerful impression in your brain. A particular scent can trigger memories from decades ago. By using scented promotional products, you can rest assured you're making a powerful impression.

     

Scented Pens $.93 ea.     Tin Candle $2.85 ea.       Scented Krazy Cube $2.47 ea.

Taste
Most people don't think of advertising by using food, but it's actually a very effective method of getting your message to your target audience. When a potential customer enjoys a tasty treat imprinted with your logo, you're creating a memorable experience you're simply not going to get with traditional advertising.

            

Candy Tin $1.75 ea.                 Caramel Corn $2.30 ea.        Chocolate Bar $1.50 ea.

Touch Promotional products are tangible. You can hold them in your hands, feel them, use them, play with them. Who can resist picking up a stress reliever or toy on your desk?

          

Tangle $3.85 ea.                   Stress Reliever $.99              Brain Teaser $2.68 ea.


Oh, yeah - promotional products not only hit your sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch - they hit a sixth sense - emotion. Promotional products have been proven to elicit a feeling or emotion, creating a memory from the experience.


So give us a call for ideas to appeal to all the senses and stand out in your marketing!

Cause Marketing with Promotional Products

Whether you are with a non-profit organization out to make the world a better place or a company that is focusing on corporate responsibility, promotional products can deliver your message of awareness, encourage action and call many others to your cause (think yellow LiveSTRONG bracelets and pink ribbons for breast cancer).

Companies that show support for a charity or a particular cause establish the perception of caring and show an effort to make an impact on social issues. "Cause Marketing" helps to gain credibly, provide customer loyalty, create brand awareness, and to ultimately improve the social issue you support.

When choosing promotional products to spread awareness, there are several considerations you must take. First, it has to have mass appeal. Second, although inexpensive promo items are the ideal choice for this purpose, be sure that the item is worth keeping. Functionality plays a big role in the success of your awareness promotional product. Aside from having walking ads for your campaign, you are also building a base of supporters. The more people see others wearing it, the more they would feel like it's a cause worthy of their support.

It is for these reasons that ribbons and silicone bracelets are popular choices for cause marketing. They're inexpensive and they work for almost all market segments. Pens, bumper stickers, stickers, magnets, buttons, t-shirts, water bottles and key chains are also great items for this purpose.

Many organizations sell awareness items for profit. By buying promotional products in bulk, you can save on the items - and then sell them for a higher price and use the profit to further your cause.

We have a huge variety of products that boast large imprint areas that can accommodate information and artwork for your cause. Consider imprinting help hotlines, motivational quotes and links to ways to donate.

Give us a call at 1-800-264-4294 for more ideas!

Pop Culture + Promotional Products = Brand Facelift

Yes, traditional promotional products such as pens, magnets, key chains and notepads are tried and true items that will always have their place in marketing. However, keeping an eye on trends and becoming an active participant in the phenomena will give a huge boost to your brand. Think of some items that have worked in the past . . .  Beanie Babies, Sili Bandz, Ionic Sports Necklaces, and more!

Capitalize on the trend:  What’s the current must-have item?  What’s new in pop culture, runway looks, and pro athletic wear?  When a hot new craze hits the market, the consumer’s demand has already been demonstrated.  This is the time to introduce a well-conceived promotional product!   The folks at Petrocelli Marketing, are trend-spotter gurus!  We keep up with the trends and have the expertise to help you choose the best items for your brand.  We’ll make sure the hot new fad connects with your brand . . . and gives a jolt to your marketing!

What You Need to Know About Golf Tournament Branding

Golf tournaments provide the perfect venue for companies to promote their names, businesses, products and services. Petrocelli Marketing knows the value of golf tournaments as remarkable marketing opportunities and we can help you make the absolute most out of your event! We've prepared a plan to seize every chance for brand-building: Pre-Event Marketing Save-the-date cards, invitations, brochures and posters are all great ways to spread the word. Important Tip: These pre-event printed items should always include the date, time, place, cause, and sponsors. Celebrity Appearances Consider having a celebrity or local business leader to be part of your event - it will give the tournament instant credibility. Important Tip: Be sure to feature the celebrity or business leader - send out press releases before the event, take pictures during the event, and send out press releases with photos after the event. Sponsor Marketing Opportunities Offer a lot of sponsorships and load them with value. The majority of your event's revenue comes from sponsors. These businesses, organizations and individuals will all be driven to your event because of the opportunity for increased exposure. You can sell spotlights such as tee-signs, pin flags, skills contests, signage on the golf cars. Important Tip: Offer your sponsors ideas for establishing their presence as a sponsor. How about handing out other brand building tools like logo stadium cups, bottle coolers, golf pencils, or scorecards? Signage Show your sponsors and golfers appreciation for their support and participation with professionally created banner, signs and flags. Important Tip: Sponsors support your event in return for more visibility among existing or potential clients. Be sure to have high-quality banners and signs and always include the sponsors' names!                                                                                                                                                                              Golf Sign $13.11 Giveaways Some of the most popular giveaways include imprinted golf balls, ball markers, divot repair tools, golf towels, shirts, visors, caps, golf umbrellas and golf bags. You should also consider offering other practical marketing tools like custom sunscreen or hand sanitizer. Important Tip: Use high-end promotional items to promote your corporate image at every golf tournament. Your potential customers will perceive your promotion - and your business - as high quality.        Titleist Golf Ball Tube                               Golf Kit                                                 Golf Umbrella                                          prices as low as $13.00 ea.     prices as low as $11.70 ea.     prices as low as $17.35 ea. Volunteers Providing volunteers with useful promotional items benefit the people helping at the tournament as well as the sponsors. Items such as imprinted golf umbrellas, embroidered golf shirts, golf jackets, visors and caps will be appreciated by volunteer staff, while at the same time displaying your logo and sponsors' logos!                                                                                                                                                 Nike Cap $21.98 ea. Important Tip: Volunteer T-Shirts are always a hit. Not only do they help identify everyone who is helping out at the event, they also contribute to a sense of camaraderie among the volunteers and will be surely worn after the event. Raffle Show even more goodwill for a charity golf tournament! Hold a raffle for the charity and supply some high-end items that players would appreciate. Important Tip: Showcase the items before the tournament so people can see the items they could win and sell the raffle tickets before they hit the course. Also have raffle ticket sales available at the awards ceremony following the tournament.                                                                              Golf Bag $193.00 Awards Be sure to give out awards for all kinds of achievements, such as Longest Putt, Longest Drive, Closest to the Pin, and Overall Best Golfer. And, while the huge check may be a bit overdone, it's a great way to increase donations and get public relations! Golf Ball Clock $30.53 ea. Important Tip: Trophies and plaques should be imprinted or engraved with your tournament name and logo, date, location, and the contest or event the award represents. Post-tournament Marketing Opportunity Be sure to thank all participants. How about sending them a themed frame with a picture - not only will they appreciate the gesture, they will likely display it on their desk - even more exposure for your brand! Golf Frame $2.83 ea. Important Tip: Assign at least one person to take photos throughout the entire event. Be sure to take photos of all participants and all sponsor advertising. Petrocelli Marketing is dedicating to helping golf tournament organizers deliver ROI! Give us a call!

Great place to put your logo!

Introducing the world's first silicone pint glass, Silipint™. This 16 oz. pint glass is unbreakable! It's made of 100% food grade silicone, FDA approved, BPA free and non-toxic. You can dish wash it, nuke it, freeze it, bake in it, bounce it and even run over it with your car. No more broken glass or throw away cups. Great place to put your logo!!!

The Promo Item Everyone is Flipping Over!

This sand sifter is a Stress Reliever - Paperweight and a Cool way to Communicate. Watch as colored sand flows through to reveal your logo on one side - FLIP-IT - and reveal a differant logo or message on the other side. KEY Advertising Value

BONUS FEATURES: User will regularly INTERACT at their desk with your logo and message. Customer spends time CONCENTRATING on your brand. Customer is INVOLVED with your promotional theme. Customers can't resist DEMONSTRATING The Sandvertiser to others - thus your message impact multiplies.