Tis the season for gift giving!  It's that time of year to spread cheer and say thank you with a token of appreciation to your top customers, valued employees, even your key suppliers.  A logoed item ensures that your company will be remembered long after the gift is given.  And if it is a useful and popular item, you can be sure your brand will be seen over and over again.  So, what are the hot items this year?  We've put together the top 5 promotional ideas for companies to give this holiday season.

1.    Ipad Accessories - The ipad craze is not a phase, it is here to stay and changing the way we get information and communicate.  According to a Fortune Magazine poll, Apple sold between 15 and 23 million iPads in the third quarter of 2012 alone.  This growing population of users needs accessories to complement their favorite electronic.  Companies who put their logo on an iPad accessory demonstrate that they are progressive and forward-thinking.  New promotional iPad accessories are being introduced often at varied price points.  If you want the most cutting edge corporate gift this season, make it an iPad accessory.

2.    Acrylic Tumblers - You've seen them in your favorite coffee shop, on the desk of a coworker and in car cup holders all over the country.  Acrylic tumblers with straws in different sizes and edgy styles.  With the populations growing environmental concerns and an increased focus on reusable drinkware, acrylic tumblers are a popular retail trend.  Add your brand to that trend, and give a fun and functional gift that won't break your budget.

3.    Blankets - Bringing your logo into the home is a great way to increase your brand recall rate.  Blankets are the in-demand promotional item for the home this year. There are a wide variety of blankets and price points to consider for your holiday gift.  From outdoor picnic options to plush blankets that make you want to curl up on your couch, you can't go wrong with a logo blanket.

4.    Chairs - From the soccer field to the outdoor concert to the campfire, portable chairs are a necessity in almost every family.  A great promotional item for almost every audience, chairs are topping the list this year.  When your recipient pulls that much needed chair out of their trunk at his or her son's next soccer game, you can be sure your company will be remembered - in a good way!  With a high perceived value, chairs are a go to item for the holidays.

5.    Food Storage Containers - Did you know that more than half of office-working Americans do not leave their desk for lunch?  That means that these people are likely bringing their own lunch to work.  Food storage containers are a great inexpensive gift for anyone bringing their lunch to work on a daily basis.  There are some super-functional new options for soups, salads, sandwiches and more.  If you have a limited budget for your holiday gift this year, storage containers are a great option.

Whether you decide to follow the trends this holiday season, or come up with your own great gift idea, don't forget to say thank you to those who impact your business with a functional gift they will remember throughout the entire year.

Visit our holiday selection for a huge selection of gift ideas for the holidays.

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Any smart sales rep knows that your image and relationships with your customers are a key factor to your success.  Customers often view their sales rep as the face of the company, and their relationship with the sales rep affects their repeat business with the company. 

Are you a sales rep who is truly memorable to your customers?  Do you want to know how you can be? The newest trend for sales representatives around the country is to create your own personal brand that your customers will remember.  Below are five tips for creating a personal brand that will set you apart and create a lasting impression with your clients.

1. Understand your audience.  A vital element in creating any brand is taking the time to profile your audience or customer base.  Are they conservative or relaxed?  Are they mostly males, females, or a mix of the two?  Do they typically fall in a certain age range?  Understanding these factors will help you determine the best way to approach them.  You might want to make your message all about facts for a highly educated audience.  You may incorporate relevant trends for a younger audience.  Take some time, just as you do when approaching your clients in a meeting to determine the direction of your brand.

2. Focus on what you provide that your competition does not. Think of both the product and service you sell, as well as what you provide as an individual representative that your client will not receive if they purchase from your competitor.

3. Pick a tagline that is catchy.  Take the information from above and create a tagline for yourself.  Make sure it is something memorable.  Run it by your friends, family and colleagues first and get opinions from people you trust, as once you pick a tagline, it is important that you stick to it.

4. Stay consistent.  Include your tagline in every touch to your customers.  Start every meeting with it, add it as your tagline in your email signature, and make sure to include it on every communication to your customers.

5. Incorporate Promotional Items.  To really ensure your brand lasts beyond face to face and electronic contact with your customers, purchase some promotional items printed with your name, contact information and tagline on it to hand out at meetings and tradeshows.  You can pick an item as simple as a pen, or as silly as off the wall as a bobble head.  Whichever direction you decide to go, make sure the promotional item reflects the brand image you are trying to achieve.

Building your own personal brand is a fun way to interact with your customers.  It will keep you and your message memorable, and help you build lasting relationships.

Find great promotional items at every price point to hand out to your clients at www.bestpromotions.com, or call them at 866-887-2378 and talk with a product expert that can help you bring your personal brand to life.

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Now that the year is half over, we have a good sense of the products that have really left an impression this year in the promotional world, and can rank the top 5 trends of the year.  These top trends prove that you can get you message out in a trendy and fun way, regardless of your budget, and that there are always new options beyond the typical tote bag to use as your company's advertising vehicle.

Tech Accessories - Every year some type of technology item rises to the top of the trend list.  This year, it isn't necessarily a tech item, rather accessories to existing technology pieces that have the promotional world in a spin.  Skins for smart phones, pen and stylus combos, fun ear buds, portable speakers, and anything iPad-related are the hottest items to put your logo on.  By putting your logo on a technology accessory, it shows you are a forward-thinking company and ensures that the product will get used over and over again.

 Reusable Tumblers - You've seen them in every retail outlet and coffee shop, those tumblers that look like a plastic cup with a straw you are used to receiving at your favorite fast food joint. They are really reusable, acrylic tumblers, come in multiple sizes, colors and styles, and are topping our list this year.  They are great for work, home or travel, have a great area to imprint your logo, and are eco-friendly!  Give them to employees or customers at your tradeshow, summer event, or just to say thank you.

Social Media Promoters - Social media continues to grow as a key marketing initiative for companies throughout the United States.  QR Codes are a top social media tactic and promotional products are a great way to disperse the codes throughout the public to get more people to your site.  You can print a QR code on anything from a stress block to a water bottle to a tote bag.  It is a great way to utilize the hottest marketing tactics with your traditional promotional vehicles. 

Awareness Bracelets and Thumb Rings - Awareness bracelets are certainly not the newest product on the block, but this year the anti-texting thumb rings have flooded the market, which has led to resurgence in the awareness bracelet trend.  These are an inexpensive and popular way to get your message out to the masses.  Adults and kids alike are seen every day sporting silicone bracelets and rings.  Make sure your message isn't left out.

Totally Unique Products - Look around at some of the hot, unique products in the retail market, and chances are, they will be showing up in the promotional industry before you know it. Right now the retro handheld phone that you can plug into your cell phone is generating a great amount of interest.  It is a perfect item for anyone who wants to generate some buzz.  Another unique promotional item this year is the portable grill/cooler.  This item is ideal for any outdoor promotion. 

The promotional product industry is evolving as fast as the retail industry, and trends continue to grow and change.  The great news is that there is always something new and unique to put your logo on and set you apart from your competition. 

Visit www.bestpromotions.com for new ideas for your next promotion.

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            Summer is here, and for many companies this means taking a vacation from marketing themselves.  Smart marketers know that summer is actually a great time to promote your business with less noise in the marketplace and more of an opportunity for your message to be the focus.
            Promotional products are the perfect choice to showcase your brand in the summer.  There are so many options for products that will be used over and over again and are bound to give your message maximum visibility.  Below are the top 5 product categories for summer promotional items, and fun ideas on how to incorporate them into your promotion.

1. Folding and Camp Chairs - Chairs are a summertime staple. From the baseball fields to the campfire to the beach, a folding chair is a portable billboard for your logo.  Consider planning an outdoor meeting, training session, presentation or teambuilding event.  Instead of renting chairs, use promotional chairs as your seats and each attendee can take them home when the event is over. 

2. Umbrellas - Another useful product for any audience is an umbrella.  With so much outdoor living in the summer, umbrellas are used over and over.  They are the perfect option for dual branding, as you can imprint different logos or messages on each panel of the umbrella.  If you organize fundraiser or event with sponsors, choose an umbrella and add sponsor logos to different panels along with the name of your event.

3. Coolers - Coolers make a great gift in the summer and come in many different sizes at different price points.  Use a cooler as packaging for a new product.  Pack it with lunch and bring it to customers for your next meeting.  Fill it with other promotional items and use it as an incentive or raffle gift at your summer event.

4. Toys - If you are looking for something unique that your recipient can interact with, consider a toy or game for your summer promotional item.  Both kids and adults enjoy toys and they can be a different and fun way to deliver your message.  Use a fold up Frisbee as an invitation to an event, give outdoor game sets to employees after a summer cookout, send a desktop game out to customers after they place their first order with you.  There are a lot of fun promotional toys and games to choose from.  Find one you like and build a themed message around it to make it even more memorable.

5. Bags - Bags are always a good choice for a giveaway, but even more in the summer.  Backpacks, cinches and totes are sure to get use throughout the summer months with trips to the gym, pool or beach.  Find a bag that represents your business, fill it with samples or information about your company, and give it to prospects.  Or create a summer referral program and give referrers a bag with a coupon for their next purchase.

Take the time this summer to give your business the extra boost it needs with promotional items.  For great summer promotional items, visit www.bestpromotions.com.

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The season has arrived for outdoor activities, summertime fun, and one of America's favorite corporate sports, golf.  Over the past ten years, the occurrence of corporate golf outings has declined as budgets decreased and corporate spending was put to a halt.  However, we are finally seeing a rebuilding relationship between the golf industry and corporate America.  In 2011, promotional golf item sales were up 6%* and are continued to grow.  The one-on-one face time provided by golf outings and tournaments with clients, and the opportunity for employee teambuilding are valuable experiences that only golf can provide. 

The way to truly maximize the impact of any golf outing is to incorporate promotional items into the event.  Complementing a golf experience with branded merchandise ensures the goodwill and memory of the event will continue to make an impression long after the event is over.  Everyone from big budget corporate entities to smaller community businesses can use golf events to boost business and build their brand.  Regardless of an organization's size or budget, there are promotional items at various price points that can enhance both an event and a brand. 

Below are some great ideas for promotional golf items at various price points.

Budget-Friendly (Under $5)
For those who truly need a budget-friendly item, there are value-priced options that can still make an impression.  Every golfer can use tees and divot tools on the green, and a water bottle or can coolie to help quench their thirst on the fairway.  These are inexpensive items that can be used as mass giveaways before, during, or after your event.

Conservative ($5-$10)
In the lower priced range, there are some options with a higher perceived value that can be given to event attendees as thank you for attending.  Consider giving a ditty bag with a thank you note inside or with drink tickets for a post-golf dinner or happy hour.  Or give out golf towels, bag tags or hats upon registration that attendees can use while on the course and take home after play is over.

Mid-Range ($10-$25)
Some of the most popular golf event items fall in the mid-range price arena. Apparel is always a great option, and it gives your brand much exposure.  Apparel can range from t-shirts to golf shirts, to windbreakers.  The most recent trend in golf apparel is moisture-wicking fabrics.  Coolers, duffels and shoe bags are also popular options.  They are useful, easy to transport, and can double as packaging for other event-related gifts. 

Premium (Over $25)
Merchandise in the premium category can be used as attendee gifts, prizes or auction items, starting at $25 and ranging over the hundred dollar mark.  The most common premium giveaway is a golf umbrella. An extra golf umbrella can always come in handy and when you pull one out on a rainy day, you will definitely remember who gave it to you.  Other ideas include golf bags, premium golf balls and even watches. 

As golf events become more popular, golf-related items will continue to evolve.  Whatever route you take with your next golf event, make sure your attendees don't leave empty handed, and the items they leave with prominently showcase your logo. 

Best Promotions has a great selection of promotional items for your next golf event.  Visit http://www.bestpromotions.com/products/browsecategory/118/ for ideas.

*PromoMarketing, March 2012

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