Marketing Tie-Ins for Promotional Products

It's so easy to buy an imprinted pen or calendar and hand it out at your next trade show or sales call. But it is often a one shot deal. As a marketer, you want to find different ways to get your brand or services out there for clients and prospects to see.

Burger King, McDonalds and other restaurants have tied burger promotions to popular movies and tv characters for years with great success. We are not saying your little business should contact MGM or Warner Brothers, but you can certainly find plenty of tie-in opportunities in the news.

Take for instance the current swine flu epidemic. The so called H1N1 virus is a concerning isse. But it also gives you a chance to be part of the solution while you show off your logo or name. Custom imprinted hand cleaners and sanitizers will be well appreciated by everyone you hand them out too. They even make ideal handouts for employees.

With all of the talk about 2012 and the end of the world, you certainly can find humor in a "going out of business sale". You may not want to get too political, but there is plenty of humor in Washington and our state governments that would make a fun gimmick.

How about the weather. Soon it will be snowing in most parts. Why not be the first to hand out an ice scraper or snow brush. You guessed it, with your logo and contact information printed right on the handle. You can also create winter walking billboards by distributing knit hats or outerwear with your logo embroidered in full color.

Major sporting events like the Super Bowl and March Madness are around the corner. There's nothing like the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat to attract the attention of men and women to your brand.

Entertainment stories are great for tie-in publicity as well. The Academy Awards are very popular in many demographics and an "Oscar" themed promotional product can glamour up any dull theme.

So, watch the new and come up with some fun ideas. Your existing and future customers will sure take notice. Your employees will pick up on your motivation or safety theme. And you will be involved in a promotional activity that is above the mundane.