The Clydefitch Report

Promotional Items: Buy Now ? Save Later

Promotional Items: Buy Now ? Save Later

The end of 2010 is fast approaching along with that thought is the knowledgeable perception of promotion budgets for 2011 taking shape. Inflation is consistently increasing especially in items that are born of the commodities markets such as oil and paper related products. It is only true intelligence that observes the perks of purchasing the products in advance of yearly price increases that they will order and utilize anyway as promotional items for business.

Oil is a commodity that is bound by a worldwide decreasing supply on one hand and an ever increasing demand on the other hand. In addition oil is priced in US dollars for which are becoming worth less and less every year as US national debt increases adding to the to current free fall of the dollar compared to the basket of currencies it is compared to upon the worldwide Forex markets. Since the dollar buys less foreign oil with every decrease of real intrinsic worth in the Forex markets, the suppliers and commodities traders have no choice but to bid oil up higher with no end in the foreseeable future.

All products totally regardless of manufacturing or transport methods are affected, resulting in higher costs passed on ultimately to the end user whether it is a business or consumer end user. Paper products are affected along the same parameters as derivatives of oil are present in varying percentages in every household or business product on the market today. Even items that do not actually contain oil will ultimately have to be delivered to the consumer or company. This factor is all inclusive in the complete pallet of merchandise shipped to Walmart or a box of promotional items delivered by a common carrier to a large company or small business.

Since the projected deflation of the dollar in the Forex markets is a given and the inflationary pressures that are omnipresent with oil related promotional items such as plastic insulated travel mugs, sticky note pads, foam can coolers, pens, plastic cups and even the ink used for imprinted products such as coffee mugs this sets the stage for price increases when January 2011 arrives. Promotional items such as insulated mugs imprinted with a company logo are a bargain at this point. Nationally recognized brand name items pertaining to paper products such as personalized Post it Notes are frozen in cost for the remainder of the year. Knowing that 3M is a multinational corporation and that fluctuations in the Forex will definitely be felt is a prime candidate for price increases. Custom coffee mugs are imprinted with oil based inks but the greatest price challenge is the projected increase in shipping cost for next year.

Buy your promotional items this year as the shelf life is far and away more than one year for all of the promotional products mentioned. Realize a savings of ten to twenty five percent on the items you would purchase anyway pocketing the savings for marketing promotions next year.

Source: ArticlesBase.com

Digital Promotion Basics: Leverage Your Marketing Campaign

Digital Promotion Basics: Leverage Your Marketing Campaign

A digital promotion campaign can fit seamlessly within the overall framework of your marketing strategy. Mobile promotions, skins promotions and music download promotions don’t replace your current advertising channels – they complement them. They leverage them. Digital promotions extend your company’s reach into your chosen market. By doing so, they improve brand awareness, attract invaluable market data, and encourage customer loyalty.

Over the past few years, there has been a surge of interest in using digital promotions to spearhead broad market advertising campaigns. Companies of every size are realizing that mobile promotions, such as downloadable coupons, instant win games, ringtones, and other digital currency can have an enormous promotional impact. Many of your competitors are already leveraging them.

Below, we’ll explain why digital promotions, including music download promotions and skins promotions, should be an extension of your current marketing strategy. You will discover why companies in nearly every market have begun taking advantage of them.

Why Your Competitors Are Using Digital Promotions

Few incentives attract consumers and generate a response as effectively as digital promotions. They are a cost-effective promotional tool with which you can educate your market about your products. They build top-of-mind awareness of your brand. They encourage customer loyalty and long-term sales within the retail market. And they accomplish these goals while preserving your profit margins.

Because digital promotions can be delivered directly to an enormous base, they eliminate layers of costly advertising expenses. Mobile promotions, such as instant win games and sweepstakes, can be distributed at low cost to millions of consumers. That allows your company to generate sales without sacrificing your margins.

Music Download Promotions: Understanding Their Appeal

Have you ever wondered why music download promotions are so pervasive within our society? Consumers seem glued to their iPhones, PDAs, and other mobile devices on which they can download digital music incentives. To understand their appeal, it’s worth noting how this type of digital promotion dovetails perfectly with consumer psychology.

First, music is enjoyed universally and is consumed on an almost primal level. Second, consumers can instantly access music download promotions on their mobile devices. These two dynamics can be leveraged to gain quick entry into a large retail market. Digital promotions that offer downloadable music incentives allow you to tap into an infinite, universal reservoir of consumer interest. What’s more, you can use them as the launch pad upon which to build an opt-in database. That creates a mechanism through which you can deliver a perpetual string of future digital promotions.

Digital Promotions And Skins Promotions Complement Each Other

Skins promotions allow you to advertise your brand on consumers’ cell phones, laptops, and MP3 players. They can be personalized by consumers to suit their preferences and their devices. The effect of skins promotions is subtle, yet potent. They increase the level of loyalty felt by the device’s owner toward your brand. They also help your brand gain more market exposure as others observe the skins.

Digital promotions can build upon skins promotions to further increase brand awareness. For example, suppose you are promoting a soon-to-be-released movie by letting consumers download photos and create personalized skins of the actors. Further suppose that you launch a digital promotions campaign through which consumers can download games and music based on the movie. These multiple points of contact (i.e. skins, games, music, etc.) strengthen each other. In doing so, they further cement your brand in the consumer’s mind.

How To Leverage Mobile Promotions And Other Digital Promotions

To this point, we’ve merely touched upon the potential of using mobile promotions. Besides digital music incentives and downloadable games, you can also leverage instant win games, sweepstakes, and coupons. The key to making these digital promotions successful is to look beyond the immediate surge in sales they can produce. Their value extends much further.

Mobile promotions let you tap into the ubiquitous nature of mobile devices. They allow you to deliver your digital promotions instantly to a wide audience at a low cost. As a result, your promotional incentives will generate excitement in the retail market, which encourages consumers to participate. That expands your brand, builds customer loyalty, and paves the way for a long-term increase in sales. If you are not currently leveraging digital promotions as a key component of your marketing strategy, it’s time to explore your options.

Source: ArticlesBase.com