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QR Codes and similar items have been popping up everywhere lately.  There is a version from Microsoft as well as one for Goggle Places.  But what the heck are they?  Why should YOU care about them?  They are another tool in your marketing arsenal that any savvy business owner or marketer should be aware of.  I know some type is here to stay, but I’m not sure who is going to win.  If I had to make a guess based on what I see here in Austin, I would have to say QR codes.  Google has a presence here in Austin, so I know they will try very hard to make the Google Places app the thing to have here.  I have a Google Places symbol on the front of my shop and so do several of the other businesses in my complex, for example. 

If you haven’t already heard, Google+ is become a force to be reckoned with on the web. It’s still too early to predict if it’s a “Facebook killer”, but it’s already obvious that Google+ has caused a major shakeup of the social aspect of the web. It will affect you; I’d like to explain what Google+ is, how it will affect you, and the five things you need to do with Google+ now. 

Promotional calendars are one of the most effective promotional products that any business can invest in. They get used more than any other promo. Not only do they get used, they are almost always placed in a position of high visibility and prominence. Since they are consciously looked at regularly, your business information will register on the user’s mind every time he or she glances at it.

 

I was talking with an old friend the other day and he started complaining about how much he paid for a box of Girl Scout cookies and the fact that they are only available for a short time each year.  I started thinking about this, and if you do the same, you will realize that Girl Scouts don't sell cookies.  They are actually giving you a thank you for helping keep their organization going.  The Girl Scouts are a non-profit organization run by volunteer parents and a relatively small staff in each state and at the national levels.  The donations keep their doors open.  Since the cookie gift is only available once a year, they have managed to create a pent up demand for the amazing cookies.  Sure, I will donate $3 so I can get your thank you gift! 

Today, I'd like to talk about one of my pet peeves rather than something directly related to promotional items. I have been doing a lot of networking lately, and I've noticed that there are a lot of people out there who are actually marketing their competition more than themselves!    

I can't take credit for the headline, but I can take credit for NOT being one of the guilty.  It is very easy in the Internet Age to set up a quick and dirty business to sell just about anything.  That also goes for promotional products and apparel items.  I'm here to tell you that I'm not one of those people. 

Unfortunately, we don't live in a world that can be isolated from others.  Global conditions do affect us.  The latest are the Tsunami and effects in Japan.  Japan makes most of the memory for USB devices so we are already seeing increased pricing and sold out situations on some of these items.  Additionally, it may be hard to get some promotional items manufactured in other parts of Asia here to the US.  This is because quite a few containers and container ships were left adrift after the disaster.  I saw one photo of containers that remined me of uprooted trailer parks after a tornado! 

In the days of cutbacks and wage freezes, companies often look for low cost morale boosters.  Consider giving everyone on your staff custom logoed apparel.   

I attended a webinar the other day on green promotional items that really made me think.  Living in Austin, everyone wants to be green so I'm frequently asked to provide quotes on eco-friendly or green products.  However, it's likely that some of these options are not really as green as they seem.