Are you considering adding branded merchandise to your retail or online store? No matter the size of your business, branded merchandise is a great option for all kinds of businesses. Discover the benefits of selling branded merchandise for your business to understand how it can work for your brand.

Boosts Brand Recognition

Selling or giving away branded merchandise is an effective avenue for boosting brand recognition. Think of your branded T-shirts, hats, and other merchandise as mini billboards. When customers wear and use your branded merchandise, they’re sharing the image of your logo and brand name with everyone they encounter. This makes branded merchandise even more effective than a stationary billboard because your products are mobile. More eyes on your branding and logo mean an increase in your brand recognition.

Acts as Cost-Effective Marketing

One of the biggest benefits of selling branded merchandise is that you can acquire it easily and at a fair price. Many manufacturers offer merchandise in bulk for a discounted price. Once you get your branded merchandise, you can use it to promote your business by selling it in your store or online, promoting it on social media, and more. The merchandise also makes a great prize for social media giveaways and free gifts for your online or in-store customers.

Expands Your Products

If you plan to sell your branded merchandise in your store or online, then you should know that these items make great additions to your product lineup. If you’re looking for new products to spice up your inventory, try choosing from the many diverse types of merchandise available. If clothing and apparel items don’t fit your business, try branding water bottles, notebooks, and other practical items. However, almost any business can benefit from adding apparel items—even small accessories like hats might be just what your customers want.

Helps Your Business Stand Out

Merchandise can also help your business stand out. You can set your business apart from the competition by creating and marketing your own brand of products in the form of merchandise. All kinds of businesses can expand their marketing this way. Even apparel stores that specialize in accessories and clothing can stand out with their own branded merchandise. Branded merchandise helps your apparel store stand out from the rest of the competition while expanding your product selection at the same time.

Have these benefits of selling branded merchandise for your business helped you decide? Offering branded merchandise in a store is a fantastic marketing opportunity for any business, and you don’t want to miss out.

As every seasoned sales professional knows, not every lead turns into a sale. You may have hundreds or even thousands of prospects who didn't convert. Whether they return your calls or emails, or they said they weren't interested, you may be tempted to move on completely from these potential buyers.

However, it might be worth trying a few strategies to re-engage them. This is because most buyers need about five follow-up contacts before finally deciding to buy. By reaching out again, you can potentially win some of these lost leads back, says Flori Needle, a writer for HubSpot Sales Blog on Promotional Consultant Today as they discuss a few Needle's ideas for re-engaging lost leads.

1. Survey your lost leads. Keep it simple by asking where they stand with your company-- are they still interested or no longer interested at all? If they are not interested anymore, what caused them to lose interest? Either way, you'll find out which leads could benefit from nurturing and why some leads just aren't that into your business anymore.

2.Maximize trigger events. These can be anything that creates a sales opportunity with your leads, Needle says. Whether it’s a new location opening, an acquisition or even someone opening your email, these trigger events create opportunities to reach out again.

3. Share relevant content. Try combining this strategy with the one above. Send your lost leads an article or new product information that makes sense for their current situation. Needle says this can help you increase your chances of closing a deal because you’re giving them resources that can help them solve their pain points.

4. Reach out in new ways. If you typically call your prospects, try connecting with them in fresh ways. Needle says switching up your mode of communication works because it’s unexpected. Your leads are used to hearing from you in one way, and you can capture their attention, leave an impression and stay top of mind by mixing it up. This simple switch may inspire your prospects to start a conversation with you again.

5. Try retargeting. Staying in front of potential buyers online is another powerful way to reconnect with lost leads. Retargeting ads appear when prospects browse online and remind them that you’re there and have something to offer them, Needle says.

6. Start from scratch. Although you already have some relationship history with your lost leads, it can sometimes be helpful to start from square one. Reach out and ask your leads what has changed since you last spoke and listen to their new pain points. This allows you to tailor a new strategy to better meet their needs. Essentially, restarting from zero allows you to put all your cards on the table and start a relationship that is more likely to end in a sale, Needle says.

If you have a lengthy list of leads that didn’t work out, try some of the strategies above. You may not convert every lead into a buyer, but you’ll likely win some new business. And remember what Needle says: Lost leads don’t have to be lost forever.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers.

Content marketing can take on many forms, from blogs to videos to podcasts. When you create and publish content your audience finds valuable, you can help show your expertise and stand apart from other businesses. Your content can also help you get found on search engines and generate leads.

Whatever kind of content you create for your business, it helps to stay current on the latest trends. In this issue of Promotional Consultant Today, we’re sharing a few insights from Barbara von der Osten, a writer for Rock Content, on some key trends in content marketing. Read on to learn how you can make the most of your content this year.

1. Include more interactive content. You know those polls and quizzes you see on social media? Aim to include more of these in your content marketing. These allow you to engage your audience, gather useful insight and capture leads. Some other ideas for interactive content include guides as animations or expandable reports, says von der Osten.

2. Focus on empathy. This is the year to refocus on your clients and prospects and ensure you have them at the center of your content marketing. What do they need and want from you? What motivates them to take action? According to von der Osten, when you know these answers, you can create helpful content that evokes relatable emotions in your audience.

3. Embrace video marketing. Video isn’t going anywhere in 2022. In fact, von der Osten points out a HubSpot survey that reveals that 59 percent of marketers already use video in their content marketing and 76 percent say video is their most effective content format. Why is video so helpful? Because it captures attention and creates deeper connections.

4. Think hyper-personalization. Brands like Stitch Fix and Netflix are already using this approach with their content marketing. It requires going beyond using someone’s name to tap into their preferences, wants and needs, says von der Osten. You can embrace hyper-personalization in your content marketing by exploring artificial intelligence or using automation to create unique interactions with individuals.

5. Use more visual content. Written blog posts are the gold standard in content marketing. However, you can elevate your approach by attracting and engaging prospects with visual content like infographics. According to von der Osten, well-designed visual content can increase engagement and help you expand your reach.

6. Mix in more audio. Podcasts aren’t new, but von der Osten says they will continue to trend higher during 2022 and beyond. This kind of audio content lets listeners tune in while they are doing other activities like commuting or exercising.

7. Optimize for voice search. Another key content marketing trend this year is optimizing content for voice queries. Instead of writing for keywords such as “best promotional products for real estate agents,” you should now create content that answers questions like, “Hey Alexa, what are the best promotional products for real estate agents?”

Content marketing is always evolving. Whether you refresh your strategy to incorporate some of the trends above oryou double down on what works well, the main components are still the same. You should know who you want to reach with your efforts and what you want to accomplish with your content.

How custom stickers can help build your business

Are you starting a business on a low budget or looking for a creative way to boost your branding? Then custom stickers can help.

Custom vinyl stickers are different than labels and a great way to get your brand in front of new customers and advertise in new markets with minimal investment. Stickers are an easy way to get your brand in front of new customers by sharing them in fun environments in a more casual way versus traditional marketing methods. Check out the following 10 ways you can use custom stickers to promote your business and get some inspiration.

1. Give custom stickers as a gift

Whether you sell goods online or in-store or operate a service business, consider giving custom stickers as a loyalty gift or as a gift with purchase. Custom stickers are a fun surprise-and-delight for your customers. Include a quirky or inspirational message that showcases your brand’s personality for extra engagement, or you can contact us and a friendly customer service rep can help you create your personalized stickers that your clients will love sticking everywhere. They’re great as stickers for laptops, stickers for cars, stickers for water bottles and anything your customers can think of.

2. Hand out stickers at trade shows

A great way to generate traffic at your trade show booth is to hand out branded stickers with funny sayings or cool designs that are relevant to attendees and the industry.

Custom stickers will make your business stand out from other vendors and they’re a unique giveaway that attendees can apply to personal belongings or pass on to friends and family, organically marketing your business in the future.

3. Sell your stickers as branded merchandise

Impulse purchases at the register or checkout are a great way to increase order value. If you have a retail store, place custom stickers with unique slogans toward the end of the aisle near the register where customers are most likely to make a last-second purchase.

If you sell on an eCommerce site, consider a dedicated accessory section where you can feature low-cost stickers for consumers to add to their cart when checking out. This can also help customers reach any free shipping thresholds you might have while it increases order values.

Using custom stickers that showcase your brand personality can increase your bottom line when used correctly as an impulse buy. If you’re stumped for design ideas, contact us and a friendly customer rep will assist you with your needs.

4. Give out stickers at grand openings & special events

Are you throwing a grand opening or a special event to drive additional traffic to your store? Then give away stickers along with samples of your products as a free gift to help market your business and products. A free sample and gift can go a long way to securing a new customer. They let consumers emotionally connect with your brand because you have given them things for free right off the bat. It also lets potential customers test out your products, while the custom stickers help communicate the look and feel of your brand. It’s also a very inexpensive way of marketing your business to many people at once.

5. Apply brand stickers to personal items

Use your custom stickers as additional branding in your store. Many businesses add their logo stickers to various items in-store so that customers see your brand as they are shopping. Whether on your cash register, your office door, or the tip jar, let the stickers be seen by others and do the marketing for you.

Also, add your branded stickers to personal items that you, your family, and friends carry around on a daily basis. Add stickers to thermal water bottles, laptops, notebooks, car windows, bumpers, and luggage. The more your stickers are seen, the more brand awareness you create

6. Create goodwill with employees

Give your employees custom stickers to use themselves and to give away. Let them place the stickers where they choose to help promote the company and brand. Soon you will see your company’s brand displayed on bottles, computers, bags, and other work items. It’s also great for improving company culture and pride.

7. Give out custom bumper stickers

Promote your company with custom bumper stickers that can be handed out at events, in-store, or packaged in product shipments. It’s an incredibly low-cost way to share your brand or just to give your customers a special gift. And if consumers apply the bumper stickers to their vehicles, it’s free advertising that can reach areas much further than you anticipated. It’s a simple, cheap way to build brand awareness. For example, if you own a pet-sitting or dog-walking business, order cute personalized bumper or window stickers of your clients’ pets and give them as a thank-you for using your service. Your client will likely put that bumper sticker on their car, refrigerator, laptop, or water bottle, a constant reminder to use your service again.

8. Add stickers to packaging

9. Apply stickers to storefront windows

10. Put stickers on floors & doors

Add stickers to floors and doors as an unexpected way to draw people’s attention. While floor decals are popular for safety and directional messaging, they can be a great way to engage customers. Point out directions to fun, new products, or sale items. Or add fun sayings to keep your customers smiling while shopping. With our non-slip vinyl floor decals, you can customize signs for your business and order online in minutes. No matter what you decide, stickers can be used in a variety of ways. Whether to grab someone’s attention as they pass by, to surprise customers with a small gift, or to hand out at a trade show or event.

One of the tools that a lot of companies use, but is rarely acknowledged or even noticed for the help they provide, is the humble label. You can call them Stickers, Labels or Decals – whatever they are called, these are essential to the success of any company. These self-adhesive tags are used for quite a number of purposes, some of which help keep order in the workplace, and without which, chaos may ensue.

These tags can be made using any of a huge number of material choices made available by manufacturers to their clients. The choice is often dependent on where these labels or stickers are to be used, with some being more durable than others, making these more ideal for harsher and tougher environments.

Where these stickers, labels and decals are used is dependent on the business that has these made. There are some rather common uses across industries though, and one of these is for branding. When a label is customized for branding purposes, the main objective is to have people easily remember the brand as well as recognize this when they see it elsewhere. This is why most labels and tags that are made for this purpose are created in vibrant colors and use materials as well as marking methods that produce eye-catching results.

Another common use for labels, stickers and decals are for inventory purposes, and these come in the form of tags with barcodes, model and serial numbers, and other mediums that make tracking and inventory keeping easier. These tags are also used by retail outlets for their own tracking and inventory purposes, as well as for when these items are sold. Since the codes on these labels are machine readable, scanning these with a barcode scanner is all they need to do at the point of sale.

Decals and stickers are also used by various industries for decorative needs. When they need to add a special design or make an item look different from others, one of the options they look to is the use of decals. Since vinyl decals can be attached to items without these needing any backing, and the design can actually stick to the item on its own, this particular type of label or sticker is used on numerous items and products made by various businesses.

Also part of the list of uses that stickers, labels and decals have is for informing consumers of the contact details of the manufacturer of a particular item. These stickers often carry not only the brand and logo of the item’s manufacturer, but these tags also have on them the address of the factory or the service center of the company, contact numbers, and even websites or email addresses. The information that you find on these stickers can also be integrated into some of the labels that were mentioned earlier, like model and serial number tags, branding tags, and barcoded labels.