Why Buy Promotional Products? An In-Depth Study

Posted on April 1, 2019 by Lio Perez

An In-Depth Study of Ad Impressions of Promotional Products

Why should I give away branded freebies?
A recent study by the Advertising Specialty Institute finds that promotional products are the most high-impact, cost-effective advertising medium around for their clients. The findings in this study are based on thousands of in-person and online surveys taken by consumers in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and parts of Europe. This survey answers questions about promotional products’ reach, consumers’ perceptions of them and how branded products influence buying decisions and products’ impact on consumer opinions of the advertiser.

U.S. consumers were asked which promo products they currently owned. Promotional items are defined as items that have an advertiser’s logo and/or message on them, that are usually given away for free by companies to consumers.

Promotional pens and drinkware are widely owned by consumers across the United States, nearly 9 in 10 consumers report owning each. In fact, most categories of promotional products are owned by more than half of consumers!

The study also reveals some interesting information about impressions made by each product. The number of impressions a product makes was derived from multiplying how long a recipient has the product by how many people they come in contact when using it by the frequency of its usage. In the U.S., outerwear generates the most impressions (6,100) of any item measured in the study. This is because outerwear is often worn in public places where it can be seen by many people. Other items that deliver a large number of impressions are headwear, T-shirts, bags and writing instruments.

Promo products are the most highly regarded form of advertising, beating out traditional standbys like newspaper, magazine, internet, radio & television advertising. Consumers are about 2.5x more likely to favor promo products over internet advertising. Surveyers also asked respondents how many promotional products they owned. The results indicate the average household in the United States owns 30 promo items! Talk about reach! You can read the full study here.

Let us help you make an impression that lasts on your customers!
Call (918) 252-4110 today, or visit us at sundancepromos.com

Earth-Friendly Promotional Products

Posted on April 5, 2017 by Tyler

Celebrate Earth Day with Earth-Friendly Promotional Products from Sundance Office

Promote your business, organization, or cause with earth-friendly promotional products. Look for products made from recycled/recyclable materials, products that are biodegradable, and/or products that help reduce waste, such as reusable grocery bags.

Earth Day is on April 22, but you don’t have to wait for a holiday to choose earth-friendly products for promotion. Here are some ideas of ways you can promote your business and do a small part to help the environment.

Biodegradable and Reusable Tote Bag

This cotton tote bag is the perfect earth-friendly promotional product! Sustainable and spacious, this tote bag is made of 6 oz. biodegradable cotton canvas. A reusable bag takes the place of hundreds of plastic grocery bags, saving landfill space, sea creatures, gas and oil, and more.

Recycled Cardboard Notebook and Pen

A recyclable and biodegradable spiral notebook, which also includes a recyclable and biodegradable cardboard pen! Includes 60 sheets of spiral bound, white, lined paper. Great for a conference giveaway.

Seed Paper Mini Cards

Plantable mini cards are a unique promotional idea. The seed card is made of wildflower seeds that you can simply plant the card, water it, and enjoy lovely flowers. Each one is handmade from 100% recycled paper.

If you need more ideas for earth-friendly promotions, give us a call at 918-252-4100. We have many other options including recycled sticky note pads, recycled pens, plantable coasters, seed pencils, and more. Of course, we always have many “green” choices for office supplies, janitorial, and breakroom products. We can help you make sure everything your company uses is as eco-friendly as possible, from recycled clipboards and folders, to waste-reducing cleaning chemicals. Make every day Earth Day with earth-friendly products. Every little bit adds up to help make our planet healthy for us and for future generations.

Choosing the Best Promotional Pen

Posted on December 21, 2016 by Tyler

Promotional pens are the most popular promotional product in the world. Open up a random desk drawer, and you will probably find at least one promotional pen with a company name and phone number on it.

Why are promotional pens so popular?

Pens are one of the most economical options available. Pens can cost as low as 27 cents each, providing a low-cost way to market a business or organization. Furthermore, pens are useful and likely to be kept.

The drawback to promoting a business with pens is that everyone else is doing it. So, how can a business make its promotional pen stand out?

Don’t just go with any pen. Choose the best promotional pen to suit marketing needs and to impress the target audience.

Here are some examples of different audiences a company may want to target, and the best promotional pens to reach these audiences.

Young Adults

Millennials care about the environment, and 72% of them are willing to pay more for products they see as eco-friendly. Any business looking to target the younger generation should consider a recycled cardboard pen. Not only does it show that a business cares about the planet, but it also is a pen that will definitely stand out from the rest with its unique look.

Children and Parents of Young Children

Try a fun, crazy pen for kids, or for parents to share with their children. We love this Flower Bend-a-Pen. It features a bendable body and arms, and the feet work as both a stand and a cap. Customize it with a logo or message to create a lasting impression on clients with children.

Tech Savvy

Potential clients who spend more time using a tablet or smartphone than writing on actual paper will appreciate a pen and stylus combination. The Bic Honor Stylus Pen is a great choice, featuring stylish color accents.

Teachers and Writers

People who write with a pen often will appreciate a pen that not only looks great, but also writes well. The Bic Gel-Ocity pen features smooth, vivid gel ink.

Luxury Seekers

Giving a boxed, luxury pen set as a gift will show a client appreciation and value. This cross pen set has a contemporary, chic style. Featuring an ergonomic design coupled in both a ballpoint and roller ball silhouette, the deep, sophisticated basalt black finish reflects contemporary fashion for modern metals. Superior black Cross® ink cartridges, premium gift packaging and lifetime mechanical guarantee complete the writing experience.

Festival Attendees

Whether it will be given away at a booth, or in a swag bag for attendees, a fun, unusual pen is a must-have for any type of festival, holiday event, or concert. A groovy, colorful mood pen is a great choice. Plastic mood grip changes color with the heat of your hand. Comes with chrome trim and bright white barrels. A fun and flashy way to get exposure!

Fashionable

A stylish promotional pen is perfect for fashion and retail brands. For the modern, sleek look try the Luxe Carrara pen. On trend marble pattern completes the bottom barrel. Shiny polished chrome upper barrel. Subtle Luxe branding on center band. Pen includes premium black ballpoint ink. Includes Luxe gift packaging.

For a more trendy and colorful look, try the Silver Jubilee pen and stylus. It features a chrome body with stylish, colorful accents, including a rubber grip dot pattern.

Print-Ready Art Part 3 - Bleed, Cut Line, and Safe Areas

Posted on November 21, 2016 by Tyler

If you are ordering any print items and are preparing your own artwork, here are a few things to keep in mind to make sure your artwork is print-ready. For more information please see this post about resolution and this post about file types. Once you have the correct resolution and file type, make sure your file has the correct layout so the printer can cut it properly.

Bleed

Make sure your file has at least .125 inches of bleed on each side. What this means is that the artwork for your postcard, brochure, business card, etc. must be .125 inches larger on all sides than the finished product. For example, a standard business card is 3.5 inches by 2 inches. Your artwork should therefore be 3.75 inches by 2.25 inches. This is to ensure that there is no white space around the card when it is cut by the printer.

bleed-picture

2. Safe Area

Make sure all text and important pictures are inside the “safe area.” This is to make sure that important pieces don’t accidentally get cut off. Text and logos should not be close to the edge.

safe-chart

3. Cut Line

Finally, look at your final artwork and make sure that you have .125 inches of bleed beyond the cut line. See the diagram below for a standard business card. Artwork should extend beyond the red line.

cutlines

Corporate Gifts - Ideas and Inspiration

Posted on September 13, 2016 by Tyler

corporate gifts

With the holidays rapidly approaching, now is the time to think about corporate gifts. Thoughtfully chosen corporate gifts show appreciation for employees or clients. Create a positive vibe around the office with gifts for the staff, or keep clients loyal with personalized luxury gifts.

The best corporate gifts are useful. Useful doesn’t necessarily mean the gift has to be practical. A luxurious, pampering gift such as a spa gift box engraved with your logo or scented candles will make the recipient feel appreciated. Food items such as chocolates or nuts are always appreciated, as well. Practical gifts are great, too, because the recipient may use the gift often-for example a mobile charger or thermal mug.

Corporate gifts can help keep your company on the mind of your customer, and associate your company with a positive feeling. Customers and clients will think of your company when they use the gift, and will feel valued. Send an elegant gift such as a leather journal personalized with his or her name embossed on the cover, or a gift basket tailored to his or her interests.

imahe

To truly make customers and employees feel appreciated and valued, include a personal, handwritten note with the gift. This shows more effort and will have a greater impact than simply sending out the same gift and generic card to everyone. A handwritten note makes the recipient feel that time and effort was put into the gift. Customized note cards with your company logo and message are a great, as long as a personal written note is inside.

handwrittennote

Don’t forget your employees who keep your business running. As with gifts for clients, the best gifts for employees are thoughtful and useful. Gifts such as a basket of gourmet snacks, a gift card to a favorite restaurant, or tech gadgets are popular corporate gift items.

employees

Corporate gifts are not just for the holidays! Gifts are even more appreciated at unexpected times. Surprise an employee with a gift recognizing an above-and-beyond effort, or send a client a fun gift on a different holiday such as St. Patrick’s Day or Valentine’s Day.

Need some more gift ideas? Give us a call at 918-252-4100 and we will be happy to help you come up with great ideas sure to make an impact!

Custom Promotional Products: Print-Ready Art Part 2

Posted on August 3, 2016 by Tyler

When ordering custom promotional products, it is important to make sure that you have artwork in the correct format and size for printing. In a previous post, we discussed vector artwork which is needed for custom promotional products such as clothing, bags, drinkware, etc. This post will focus on printed paper products such as business cards, brochures, invitations, postcards, and folders.

A vector file is not necessary for most printed items. However, a high-resolution file is a must. A .pdf is the most common file format used for printed promotional products. For the tech savvy: the .pdf file needs to be in CMYK format, at least 300 dpi, and the same size or bigger as the final product.

If all of this is a foreign language to you, don’t worry! Give us a call and we can help.

To put it simply, a picture grabbed from a website will most likely not work for your print project. Sharp on the screen does not mean it will look sharp and crisp in print. Here is a visual example:

web images will not work for printing custom promotional products

The picture looked fine on the computer screen, but when it printed, it looked blurry and pixelated. We don’t want this to happen on your printed custom promotional products. When you place an order, we will check your artwork to see if it is print-ready and help you find or create* artwork that will work for your particular project.

Call us today so we can help you create eye-catching, professional business cards, promotional materials, brochures, mailers, and more to make your business or organization stand out. Also, browse our website for new custom products to help promote your business.

*there may be an artwork fee depending on the amount of work involved. We will provide an estimate before beginning any work if a fee is involved.

Print Ready Artwork - Vector Files

Posted on July 26, 2016 by Tyler

Preparing print ready artwork to be used on printed materials and promotional products can be confusing. We can help you get your files ready for print, convert your current artwork to a vector file, or even create artwork for you.*

In this series of blog posts, we will explain what type of artwork is needed and why to help you understand a little more about the printing process.

First, there are many different types of printing processes and each process requires a certain type of artwork. For this post, we will discuss only one type of printing.

The type of printing (for example, screen printing) used for most promotional products like t-shirts, hats, cups, large signs, or any other non-paper product requires a vector to be considered print ready artwork. Embroidered items also generally require a vector file. If you have vector artwork already, great! If not, we can help you.

What is a vector file?

A vector is a type of file that can be expanded to any size without becoming pixelated or blurred. Here is an example of a vector file compared with a raster file:

How do I know if my file is a raster or a vector?

First, where did you get the file? If it came from a webpage or social media, it is most likely not a vector. Next, look at the file extension (the letters after the period in the name of the file.) If it is .ai, .eps or .pdf it could possibly be a vector. If it is a .jpg, .doc, .png, .gif, or .bmp it is not a vector file.

If it is an .ai, .eps, or .pdf, it could still be a raster file. Confused yet? Don’t worry. If you are ordering promotional products, simply send us your file and we can let you know what type of file it is.

I still don’t understand. Why won’t my picture from the internet work for printing?

Most printing methods only use vector files. Furthermore, even if they did use other file types, the printing would look terrible. We don’t want to sell you something that doesn’t look absolutely amazing!

What do I do if I don’t have a vector file of my logo?

Ask your marketing department if they have a vector file, or contact the graphic designer who created your logo for the vector file.

If no vector is available, we can re-create a vector file for you in most cases. Please note that this is a manual process that can take a lot of time depending on the artwork. We will let you know how long it will take and if there will be a charge for this service.

Can’t I just save my file as a .ai or .eps to make it a vector?

Unfortunately, no. It will still not be a vector and will not be print ready artwork.

None of this makes any sense. How do I get print ready artwork when I don’t understand any of this?

No worries! Give us a call at 918-252-4100

*there may be an artwork fee depending on the amount of work involved. We will provide an estimate before beginning any work if a fee is involved.

Custom Printed Business Cards and More

Posted on May 10, 2016 by Tyler

SunDANCE now offers custom printed business cards, along with many other custom printing options including signs, envelopes, notepads, sticky notes, and more. We can print your design, or design a card for you.

Many options are also available for custom printed business cards such as gold foil, embossing, and rounded corners. Make your business card stand out by making it a unique shape, such as an oval, or a different material such as clear plastic or wood. Another great way to make your business card memorable is to also make it useful. For example, create a business card with a yearly calendar on the back, or order business card magnets. Don’t waste any space on the card-put a coupon or special offer on the back of the card.

Some may argue that business cards are not needed anymore because people keep contact information digitally. However, business card sales are still going strong and according to The Economist:

“one can just as well argue the opposite: that business cards are here to stay, and in a blizzard of meetings and correspondence, it is more important than ever that your card stands out. Attempts to reinvent business cards for the digital age have got nowhere.

Even at the trendiest of Silicon Valley tech gatherings, people still greet each other by handing out little rectangles made from dead trees rather than tapping their phones together.”

Having a quality card with a unique design that reflects your brand will help you stand out against digital contacts.

In addition to business cards, we also offer many other types of custom printing including forms, presentation folders, stickers, calendars, and more which are a tangible way to promote your business. Browse our website or give us a call to learn more about our custom printing options.

Embroidered Custom Hats for Pied Piper

Posted on May 5, 2016 by Tyler

These embroidered custom hats for our client, The Pied Piper, turned out great. The Pied Piper asked us to create a set of custom merchandise for their pest and lawn services. These items included the usual promotional items such as custom hats and shirts with their logo, and also a few unusual items-stickers and signs for rodent traps!

We were able to find sources to print custom signs and stickers that the company used to label and number their various pest-control devices. We had to find a sturdy sticker that was also able to be written on for numbering. We used the company’s cute and colorful rat logo to make all of the items from hats to traps have a consistent look.

Artwork can look different on different mediums, so we were careful to make sure that the embroidery and printing were consistent with the digital artwork of the logo. This involved careful matching of colors, selection of hats with the correct color, and detailed communication with the embroiderer to ensure quality.

Custom hats and stickers with logo

The client was happy with their hats, shirts, signs and stickers. We can help you with any of your custom product needs-whether it is simply custom hats with your logo, or something more unusual, we can help you with every aspect from making sure the artwork is suitable for printing, to selecting products, to making sure the finished product is the perfect way to promote your brand. Browse our promotional products website or call us today.

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