Businesses need ways to keep their names in front of customers, says W.T. "Hoppy" Hopkins, president of Professional Business Systems Inc., a 17-year-old distributorship in Charlotte, N.C. "If you don't leave your name in front of them, they're going to forget you, because the next guy is walking in the door right behind you."
It's no surprise to Hopkins that businesses spent approximately $16.6 billion on promotional products last year, according to Promotional Products Association International. Firms use promotional products to stimulate new business, ensure customer loyalty and reward employees for achievements. Popular items include pens, award items, T-shirts, stress relievers, baseball caps, candy, bottled water, coffee cups, mouse pads, key chains, tote bags, travel mugs, magnets, rugs, golf balls and more.
Promotional Power
Distributors penetrate accounts by offering promotional products.
Professional Business Systems began offering promotional products 16 years ago. "I had a client that wanted to buy $25,000 worth of suckers," Hopkins says. "That made an impression on me." Promotional products now account for 60 percent of the distributorship's sales.
When the accounting department at an apartment management company experienced problems marking vendor invoices, Professional Business Systems provided the solution. Although the distributorship had provided printed products for other departments at the apartment management company, it hadn't worked with the firm's accounting department. The department used a rubber stamp to mark incoming invoices with details such as costs, general ledger (GL) numbers, vendor names and locations, and more. Unfortunately, the stamp often obscured vital invoice information.
Professional Business Systems provided the client with 1,000 3 x 4-inch pads of custom imprinted yellow Post-it® Notes imprinted in green with requests for costs, GL numbers, vendor names and locations, and more. Accounting department employees affix the notes to invoices, then write in vendor information. The pads also are custom imprinted with each apartment community's name and identification number. The department orders approximately 1,500 pads annually.
--Kara S. Carpenter
Drinkware, Glassware
The Allen Company, Blanchester, Ohio, offers more than 200 promotional items, including Spinner Mugs™, bistro mugs, latte cups, plastic travel mugs with magnetic bottoms, American pride mugs, flower pot mugs, English Ironstone, bone china, glass jars, bud vases and more. In addition, the company offers a variety of decorating capabilities, including iridescent blending, gold and platinum etching, neon ink, glow-in-the-dark ink, simulated pewter and disappearing ink. For more information, call (800) 783-2491, (937) 783-2491 or (800) 329-2491 (fax). Send email to artwork@allenmugs.com. Visit www.allenmugs.com.
Writing Instruments
PENCOA, Westbury, N.Y., offers the SUPERMATIC Line of Swizzle™ writing instruments, including satin-silver finish twist pens with chrome plated trim, chrome and gold-tone retractable pens, translucent barrel retractable pens, and more. Writing instruments are packaged in matching pouches or suedette. Visit www.super
maticline.com. Send email to sales@pencoa.com.
NEWS
Prime Resources Corp., Bridgeport, Conn., consolidated its offices and expanded into a new facility, increasing its floor space to nearly 200,000 square feet. "Prime's warehouse has been moved into the new location, giving us much more space for our huge inventory," said Jerry Russo, the company's COO. "It will allow our production capabilities to expand at the same time." The move coincides with implementation of Prime Resources' new ERP computer system, which will go online in the first quarter of 2003, according to the company. For more information, call (203) 331-9100 or visit www.primeworld.com.
The Growth of Wearables
Sales of promotional wearables grossed more than $4.8 billion in 2001, up from approximately $1 billion in 1991.
Source: Promotional Products Association International
Professional Business Systems Inc., a 17-year-old distributorship in Charlotte, N.C., provided an apartment management company with 1,000 3 x 4-inch pads of custom imprinted Post-it® Notes, such as the pad shown here. The client, which orders approximately 1,500 pads annually, uses the notes to label vendor invoices.
Courtesy of 3M Company, based in St. Paul, Minn.
Businesses use promotional products to stimulate new business, ensure customer loyalty and reward employees for achievements. Popular products include award items, T-shirts, stress relievers, pens, baseball caps, calculators, bottled water, mouse pads, travel mugs, golf balls and more. Courtesy of Prime Resources Corp., Bridgeport, Conn.
