Women hold the purse strings and decision-making power in many households. Chances are they are a big part of your target market. Consider these stats:
Women account for 85% of all consumer purchases including everything from autos to health care:
91% of New Homes
66% PCs
92% Vacations
80% Healthcare
65% New Cars
89% Bank Accounts
93% Food
93 % OTC Pharmaceuticals
Women represent the majority of the online market:
22% shop online at least once a day
92% pass along information about deals or finds to others
171: average number of contacts in their e-mail or mobile lists (and they are telling people about you!)
76% want to be part of a special or select panel
58% would toss a TV if they had to get rid of one digital device (only 11% would ditch their laptops)
51% are moms
Source: Mindshare/Ogilvy & Mather
With your female customer in mind, think about the promotional products that will appeal to her. Think about the design and the message that will make her actually use the product. She’ll wear/carry it and talk about how much she loves you to her friends! Certainly worth the investment for that word of mouth.
Here are a few tips in choosing items for your female audience:
Items that are functional and make her life easier (organizers, journals, magnetic chip clips!, mini first-aid kids/sunscreen to carry in her purse).
Canvas totes are always good. Great for trips to the grocery store, library and just hauling all the kids’ stuff around.
T-shirts/hats/jackets that look good! Think fit (no boxy unisex shirts!), flattering and stylish colors, and EASY to launder.
Environmentally friendly products are important, especially to moms.
Also remember, quality matters. If you’re going to put your name/logo on it, make sure it represents the quality and integrity of your brand.
“The great question that has never been answered and which I have not yet been able to answer, despite my thirty years of research into the feminine soul, is ‘What does a woman want?”
― Sigmund Freud
The news released this week that Australian billionaire, Clive Palmer, will build a Titanic replica – Titanic II – got us thinking about brand/name recognition. It’s been just over 100 years since the original sank after hitting an iceberg, killing 1,500 people and 15 years since the wildly popular movie. Certainly, when you say “Titanic,” nearly everyone will know what you are talking about. Pretty strong name recognition.
But…it’s recognition of an enormously tragic event. Is it good or bad to associate so strongly with something that was such a catastrophe?
Sure, there will be travelers who are curious and will appreciate the novelty of the new ship. On the other hand, there are those who are superstitious and wouldn’t set foot on the darn thing.
And let’s hope it’s not an exact replica. Luxury? Hardly: although most passengers had to share bathrooms (only the two promenade suites in first class had private bathrooms), third class had it rough with only two bathtubs for more than 700 passengers.
Mr. Palmer assures the public that the ship, “will have state-of-the-art 21st-century technology and the latest navigation and safety systems.” He’d better keep singing that tune until the new ship sets sail in 2016. He’s fighting 100 years of a name that to many means death.
When we started this little blog back in October, we were excited to give our friends, clients and anyone who stumbled upon it a little insight into Promolux. The things we talk about, think about, and do on a daily basis. Sometimes it’s for fun, other times motivation, and maybe a little inspiration.
And while Tyra and Melissa and the team are slaving away, I just get to listen to them talk, watch them work, browse the Internet, and write this blog. Easy life. Lucky me.
Before I came to work for Promolux, I did a little undercover work for my homeland. It’s made me fairly secretive and protective of my identity. So when Tyra suggested this week I talk about what I’ve been up to, I was hesitant, but willing. After all, I’m not undercover anymore!
I’ve spent the last few weeks on a whirlwind world tour of the U.S. Enjoy some of my favorite photos from the trip. I was lucky my friend Boris joined me to get some great pictures of me in all my favorite spots.
We started in New York City. Had such a great day in Times Square!
Then off to the Jersey Shore for some R&R.
Then we jetted to Orlando to hang out with my nieces and nephews in Disney.
We had a great time at Dollywood in the Smokey Mountains in Tennessee.
And finally…back home and Brewers Opening Day at Miller Park. We had AWESOME seats!
So that’s what I’ve been up to.
I look forward to getting back in the swing of things and getting back to blogging.
(Real photo sources in order from top to bottom: Sotti, Andrew Mills/The Star-Ledger, orlandoinside.com, destination360.com, mnartists.org)
We’d bet there are days when you do all of these things at once. You’re a…MULTITASKER! And you take pride in it. Truth is, we’re a little guilty of that around here, too.
But while it seems like you’re getting lots and lots done, truth is – according to this great blog by Tony Schwartz, president and CEO of the Energy Project – it’s zapping your productivity and your energy.
He says, “The best way for an organization to fuel higher productivity and more innovative thinking is to strongly encourage finite periods of absorbed focus, as well as shorter periods of real renewal.”
Focus. Renewal. Sounds pretty good. Better than the constant “bing” of an incoming email.
Read the blog. He gives three great tips for managers and three for individuals to help us be more productive, set boundaries, be fully engaged, and renew. Truly renew.
Now if you’ll excuse us…we’re going offline for a bit to enjoy a sip of tea and a bit of renewal. Just getting ready to tackle the next project with pure, uninterrupted focus!
We’ve been enjoying unseasonably great weather here in the Midwest. The greening of the grass and pleasant temperatures have us all thinking about golf. And our clients are thinking about their golf fundraisers.
Sure, there’s the invite list, the booking of the course, food selection, sponsorships, auction items, but let’s be honest about what everyone loves the most: the Swag Bag.
As you plan your event and think about giveaways, you want to be sure you are spending your money on branded items that people will keep, use, and enjoy.
Here’s our take on a few of the more popular items:
Golf balls: a great way to feature your logo and every golfer needs golf balls. Golfers will appreciate a higher quality ball, but they will likely get lost. On a positive note, whoever finds the lost ball will also see your logo!
Divot tools, golf towels, ball markers: fairly inexpensive to produce and have a high likelihood of being kept.
Golf umbrella: will likely be kept, but is a higher cost and may not get much use on the course. Still, a nice item appreciated by golfers.
Tees: cheap, but a throw-away item with not much imprint space for your logo.
Visors/hats: a highly popular item that will get lots of use, but many golfers are picky about what they’ll wear. They like to wear the brand that matches their clubs, balls, etc. Choose wisely.
Polos or other shirts/jackets: Everyone likes free apparel, but again, choose wisely – you’ll have to order a wide variety of sizes to fit all golfers and, like the hats, many golfers are brand-loyal.
A few top golf brands: Nike, Antigua, Adidas, Titleist, and Callaway. You’ll be pretty safe with any of these choices.
Bottom line: people like free stuff. If you select attractive, high-quality products, your golfers will either enjoy it for themselves or give away to another golfer who will.
One of the most satisfying parts of my job is the people I work with. Many of my clients are nonprofit organizations whose staff dedicate their career and life to making the earth a better place. I’ve been working with one such organization for the past three years.
Introducing one of my favorites: Imerman Angels and my main contact (and source of continual inspiration): Jonny Imerman, Chief Mission Officer. Diagnosed with testicular cancer at age 26, Jonny was blessed with loving support from family and friends, but had never met anyone his age who was a cancer survivor. He wanted to talk to someone just like him and who completely understood his fight. Same age, same cancer. And he wanted to give that to others.
His vision became a reality in 2003 when he founded Imerman Angels.
Created on the belief that no one should have to fight cancer alone and without the necessary support, the organization pairs Mentor Angels with a cancer fighter or caregiver. A Mentor Angel is a cancer survivor or caregiver who is the same age, same gender, and most importantly who has beaten the same type of cancer. A Mentor Angel is walking, talking, living proof, and inspiration that cancer can be beaten.
Now 4,000 Angels strong, this free service helps anyone touched by any type of cancer, at any cancer stage level, any age, all around the world. (In 60 countries and all 50 states!)
This video beautifully captures the power of the relationship between Mentor Angel and fighter.
“It takes people to help people,” says Imerman. “We are so grateful to our survivors who volunteer as Angels. Every year we hope to increase our reach and help more families. Awareness is the key to helping more people.”
I am honored to be a small part of this organization. Learn more. Spread the good word. Support them. (Buy some gear!) And share with anyone you know who is in need of support or can serve as an Angel.
Considering Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow a few weeks ago and we’re facing six more weeks of winter, we’ll keep our fleece handy for a bit longer. It’s our go-to layer when it’s chilly, and based on many of our orders we know it’s also a favorite for people across the country.
Why is fleece so great? Pound for pound, it provides twice the insulation of merino wool and four times the insulation of cotton. (Not bad.)
It wasn’t until about 1979 and the invention of Polar fleece by a company called Malden Mills (now Polartec LLC), that a fabric was able to be warm, lightweight, and perform well even when wet, although those wearing it will likely perspire less, allowing them to be cool and dry when not active and will retain more body heat when they are active. (Great for skiing, snowshoeing, even dog walking!)
But what’s it made out of? Polyethylene terephthalate (say that three times fast) or other synthetic fibers, or sometimes from recycled plastics such as soda bottles. Typically, it takes about 25 disposed plastic bottles to make enough polar fleece for one piece of clothing.
It’s easy to wash. Easy to dry. Vegan. Comfy. Durable. Looks good. And just feels good to wear. It was even named “One of the hundred great things of the 20th century” by Time Magazine in 1999.
They say that necessity is the mother of invention. Seems to be the case with Sherwin Williams new LetsChipIt.com website. Their ad agency’s copywriter was looking to create easy color palettes so she teamed up with a few other smarties to create the site, which uses an algorithm to analyze every pixel in the image and find prominent colors. It then composites the top 10 into a shareable ChipCard.
Take your favorite photo, piece of art or whatever you just pinned on Pinterest and turn it into the color palette for the room you’ve been waiting to decorate. Of COURSE you’ll buy the paint from Sherwin Williams, they’ve made it too easy not to!
Amazing what technology can do to bring an idea to life. What image would you pick to create your new living room? Too bad painting the room isn’t as easy as picking the paint!
A recent article from Ad Age, Why Brand Love, Satisfaction Aren’t Keeping Shoppers Faithful, shares recent survey results about brand loyalty and satisfaction. More than half of U.S. consumers switched brands last year despite their reported increase in satisfaction. Consumers are happier with shorter wait times, the ability to solve issues without having to speak to someone, and the ability to resolve an issue by speaking to just one person.
So with the higher satisfaction, why the switching? Higher expectations. No wait times and easy issue resolution has become the norm. Now companies must do more to keep customers loyal.
With love on our minds this Valentine’s Day, we can’t help but compare brand loyalty to a romantic relationship. Patty Smythe was right when she sang, “Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough.” Good relationships take work. We thought of a few tips that might keep the spark alive (and keep your customers loyal!).
Be yourself. No one wants you to pretend you are anything but your authentic self.
Pay attention to their needs.
Listen. Listen. Listen.
Be honest.
Admit when you are wrong. Fix it. And don’t do it again.
Show your appreciation.
Surprise them with something good!
Give them your best.
You must have mutual trust and respect.
Don’t take them for granted.
Surely there’s nothing surprising on this list, but we all need a little reminder now and then to exceed expectations for the people we want to keep in our life.
Whether you have any of her music in your library or not, you can probably sing (or dance) along to many Madonna songs. As we joined the more than 114 million viewers in the most-watched Halftime show during last Sunday’s Superbowl, it was obvious that Madonna is a branding master. (Did anyone else Vogue in your living room or was it just us?)
Since her debut album in 1983 Madonna has sold more than 300 million records worldwide and is recognized as the world’s top-selling female recording artist of all time by the Guinness World Records. Not bad for a girl from Bay City, Michigan.
In the nearly three decades of her reign as a household name she’s reinvented herself time and time again: dancer, singer, director, producer, actress, mother, wife, humanitarian. She’s been provocative and tame, outspoken and peaceful. While every movie and album (and marriage) wasn’t a wild success, she’s always been on the forefront of fashion, trends, and pop culture. And she’s reinvented herself to not only keep up with, but also set the trends.
We try to stay ahead of the trends at Promolux. Just like the technology, automotive and food businesses have trends (cake pops, anyone?), promotional products also have cycles and trends. We spend time researching the newest and latest products to help you represent your company in the coolest way possible.
As for the Madonna jelly bracelet phase? While some of us might not wear all 50 bracelets half-way up our arm as part of our daily wardrobe, we keep them safely tucked in a drawer as a reminder of the days we belted out Borderline in front of the mirror.
are they are a big part of your target market. Consider these stats:
