The Importance of Promotional Products

Promotional products can serve many important functions for your business. First, promotional products given to potential clients at a tradeshow or other promotional event serve as an easy way of ensuring that this perspective client has your contact information easily accessible to them. The more likely that the promotional product will actually be used and seen on a regular basis by this person, the better chance you will have of making a sale. Keychains, pens, desk calendars, stress relief balls, and many other promotional products containing your company logo are regularly used as an excellent way of continually getting your name in front of that perspective client.

Promotional products can also be used after the sale as a method of ensuring that this customer is likely to contact you again in the future. By providing promotional items such as refrigerator magnets, calendars, and other common promotional items used around the house, the consumer has your contact information readily accessible when they need it. It is much easier for them to look on the refrigerator at your magnet and give you a call, than to go look you up in the yellow pages or online. You also don't run the risk of this customer seeing a competitors name or online advertised special when looking for your contact information online or in print.
Just remember, having your company name constantly in front of the customer is the best way of ensuring you will get repeat business from your clients. Promotional products can often times be found to be used for many years. Each time the promotional item is used, your name is in front of that customer.


If you would like to discuss the right promotional product for your business, please contact one of our customer service representatives at 615.523.9937 or email us at contact@fiercecreativeagency.com

Gold Diggers and the Emerging Apps Market

Recently, I finished reading a history about the ‘49ers’.  No, not those 49ers, the original American settlers and immigrants that came from all over the world to California in search of gold in the state’s riverbeds and mountains.  The article cleared up a misconception I had held learning about these early settlers.  The first image that had always popped into my head was the old bearded man with the pickaxe and dirty clothes.  Yet, it stands to reason that, if these guys were the ones making all the money from the gold rush, shouldn’t they look a little less…impoverished?  The story went on to say that it wasn’t the miners who prospered the most during that time, but rather the merchants.

I was then introduced to Samuel Brannan. An avid entrepreneur, he was a shopkeeper, newspaper publisher, and described as a ‘tireless self promoter’.  Brannan’s economy was people, his risks were calculated, and his technology was his mind. He knew that the gold rush of 1849 was imminent based on a small group from the year prior (also known as the ‘48ers’).  Brannan made his move.  He bought almost all the shovels in San Francisco and opened up a chain of supply stores in surrounding towns.  He went on to be the first millionaire of the gold rush and forever etched in history.

The documentary had me thinking what Samuel would do in this 21st century economy. As a developer, it seems that there are many parallels between the gold rush and the world of apps, where millions are made, and much is at stake. Many companies go into apps thinking they have to be.  Many of those miners in the mid 1800’s thought they needed to be on the search for precious metals, but their decisions were made in haste and desperation, and the results for many of them ended up in financial ruin.

In your decision to go into the app market, what considerations will you need to make? What is your ROI? Can you cover your cost with ads if you offer your app for free? There are a handful of critically important questions that need to be nailed down before you consider putting an app together. It can sometimes feel overwhelming. Where does a company even begin?

No matter what size of the business or the budget, to make the leap in the app market, you’re first goal is to answer why.  Why or why not? Why bother?  Why will your app be better than say, a mobile site? Why will your app give the consumer a better grasp on what it is you do/offer? I would also add that there are a lot of independent businesses doing great without an app in the marketplace.  Although Fierce Creative Agency would love everyone to come through the doors needing an app, to protect our clients, we strongly urge them to make sure it makes sense.  Just because you see others in the mountains and riverbeds, doesn’t always mean they’re bringing up gold.  You may even be surprised to find out all the other options available.  On the other hand, some companies are sitting on undiscovered gold by not having an app in the marketplace. At Fierce Creative Agency, our business is helping yours grow.  We offer free app consultations to help you become a merchant, not a miner.

-Jason Barrett
Senior Artist and Programmer
Fierce Creative Agency
615-523-9937
jasonb@fiercecreativeagency.com

Can Community Translate in Business?

by Jason Barrett (designer/programmer at Fierce Creative):

When we think of the pace of business, it looks more like fast food than it would a meal with your family. For so long the paradigm has been to get what you need, get out, and be done. As a business that works exclusively with other businesses I'd ask, 'How's that working for you?'

Furthermore, I'd ask, what if there were a company that had more in mind than just a payment of an invoice? What if you did business with a company that had a keen interest in your goals, your dreams, and your ideas?

I'm a traditionalist, a purist of sorts when I think back to meals with my family. It was less about allowance and more about who I was as a person. I can remember a time when my family would turn the TV off, sit at the table, and discuss not only how I was doing, but where I wanted to be. More importantly, who I wanted to be.

At Fierce Creative Agency, deadlines and bottom line definitely have their place, but more than that, we want to know about you. Your business. Your place in the market of free ideas and expression. We believe that there's a dynamic that can still exist, where your ideas come before quotes and estimates.

We are not a unique business as far as what we do. However, we are unique in how we serve. In every project we undertake, whether it be business cards or an entire business branding, at the forefront, we have our clients goals at the beginning and end of everything that we do.

So, do you want fast food or a meal with the family?

Top 7 Reasons Why You Should Use Promotional Products

1. Promote goodwill: Are you involved in your community? Do you exhibit at the community expos, trade shows, health fairs, community service events, i.e. health fairs, charity golf tournaments, fundraising events? If yes, you need to provide your audience and fellow exhibitors with a tangible reminder that you were there, for the good of the community as well as exposure for your company!
   
2. Advertise your goods and services: Going to trade shows which are relative to your industry is a given, but what about those trade shows/events/appointments that you don't consider relative to your company? Insurance companies naturally will go to home shows, auto shows, (hopefully) health fairs, but what about educational fairs, safety events, and schools? All elementary schools know that the safety issue begins with our little ones! Take a gift for the K-8 students, making the reminder for safety and health appropriate to their age. For the high school group, emphasizing car safety, anti-gang, peer pressure, smoking, drinking and drug information and reminders are a must! Take things to your local law enforcement, fire department and social service department for them to give out to the kids in the community. They will appreciate your consideration! God knows our community helpers rarely have the money to spend on goodwill tokens!
   
3. Build customer loyalty: Do you have customers who you want to thank for being with you for "X" amount of years, "X" number of referrals, "X" amount of items purchased from you, or money spent at your place of business? This would be a great thank you to them for helping your business to grow!
   
4. Build store and trade show traffic: Going to your trade shows is one thing, getting people to your booth is quite another! Have something interesting for them that they will not only hang onto, but others will see and say "Hey, where'd ya get that!?" I did a promotion for one of my customers that was not only inexpensive, but brought numerous potential clientele to their booth. We did personalized Polaroid picture frames and took Polaroid pictures (with a flash) of the folks who came to the booth. The flash brought other onlookers who wanted to get a "keepsake" that was unique and meaningful to take home, too! This was a great promotion, inexpensive and "flashy."
   
5. Celebrate an anniversary or grand opening: Just starting up? You'd better have some budget allowed for your opening to show people you intend to stay in their community for a while. Otherwise, not showing "good faith" to the community may keep people away. Anniversary gifts are a great way to say "Thanks for your business through the years."
   
6. Thank your employees and customers for a great year: You didn't get where you are all by yourself -- your employees helped, which you know well. Give them a tangible thank you gift on their anniversary or your fiscal year-end anniversary. A picnic is wonderful and fun, but something small to take home with them is a real perk! And they will remain happily loyal just for such a small gesture.
   
7. Provide incentives for total quality or safety programs: Have your employees kept your company injury-free? Have workmen's compensation claims and suits dropped or diminished? Your employees will strive even harder to provide a safe environment for your workers if they are rewarded for their efforts. Trust me...it really works!
   
   BONUS TIPS
   
   • Introduce new products: Check out how well the pharmaceutical companies do this...they have their name on more things then you can imagine. Next time you go to your health care provider, take a look around the office. Do you see anything that doesn't have a sponsor's name on it? Not much, I assure you. I have found myself asking my doctor if "such and such" would be beneficial to me for whatever I am seeing him/her about. Their advertising does draw my attention. This works for all products, new or not!
   • Get your company's name and phone number or URL in front of customers and prospects: Have you just gone online? Gotten a Web site? Who knows you are there? Do you do a direct mailing or have something small you can send with your billing? I have just the things to show your clients are seriously wanting to consider your Web site as a real part of your/their business with your company, where they can go to get their questions answered without having to always get someone on the phone. Do you have a troubleshooter site? Checking status site? Things like that would be realistic reasons to alert your clientele of your Web site. Send them something (even as small as a magnet) to keep close at hand for getting in touch with you when they need to without always having to go to their phone book or their bill file.
   
   Now that you know the top 7 reasons to use Promotional Items, contact us and we'll get the ball rolling for you.  If you want it, we can get it and print on it!
   
   Fierce Creative Agency
   530 Church St. Suite 200
   Nashville, TN 37219
   Office: 615.523.9937
   Fax: 615.250.2447
   contact@fiercecreativeagency.com
   www.fiercecreativeagency.com

Branding - What's Involved?

To create a “brand” for your company is to create your image, and to promote that image with campaigns and visuals. Working in branding incoporates many aspects of the industry, from logo design to advertising to copywriting and slogans. The goal of a brand is to make your company unique and recognizable, and to project your desired image. Over time, a brand can make your company a household name, and identifiable by a simple shape or color. To create a brand for your company, we need to fully understand the goals of your organization and your industry as a whole to create the appropriate materials to represent your company.


When Branding Your Company, Here Is What To Expect From Us:

• Logo design
• Business card design
• Letterhead design
• Packaging
• Copywriting
• Writing slogans
• Advertising design
• Typeface design
• Research
• Marketing

Examples of Branding

Examples of branding are all around us. The NBC peacock, the UPS brown truck and Nike’s “just do it” are some of the most famous examples. They are so recognizable that we don’t need to hear a company name to know what they are. Online brands such as MySpace, Facebook and YouTube are more recently developed but now just as recognizable. Logos on your favorite products, the packaging they come in, and the slogans that represent them are all examples of branding.

Contact us today to get the process of branding your company started right away!

www.fiercecreativeagency.com
contact@fiercecreativeagency.com

Top 10 Promotional Items of 2011

Every year, people spend thousands of hours sitting at their desks. In the past twenty years, working time has increased by 15% while leisure time has decreased by 33%.
With the troubled economy, it's not surprising that more and more workers are spending time at their jobs. Why not help your own business by providing these busy workers with promotional desktop items?.

Promotional Desktop Items are an excellent way to brand your business with clients. They'll be receiving items that they can use on a daily basis and you will be receiving the piece of mind that every time they use them, they will see your logo. Need help getting started? Here are the top ten most useful desktop promotional items for the common cubicle dwellers.

1. Promotional Calendars
Calendars are perhaps the most essential accessory to any cubicle. Everyone needs one in their direct line of vision. Giving clients a branded promotional calendar will keep your logo in front of their faces 365 days a year.



2. Promotional Pens
As technologically advanced as the world is, pens are still a necessity. Giving clients and customers promotional pens will ensure that your logo is exposed eight-fold, since studies have proven that during its lifespan, a promotional pen will have approximately 8 owners.



3. Promotional Mugs and Drinkware
According to the National Coffee Association, fifty-seven percent of Americans drink coffee everyday. For those Americans that drink it at work, there's nothing more useful than a promotional mug. A promotional coffee mug will sit on their desk, displaying the logo all day long. Similarly, promotional travel mugs will ensure that your logo is seen as users tote the mugs along on their commutes.



4. Promotional Notebooks
Keeping a notebook handy is always useful, even for the most tech savvy individuals. Promotional notebooks can be taken into meetings, or can be used to jot down things like to-do lists. Custom imprinted notebooks will be kept on the desk of the users and logos will be seen.



5. Promotional Memo Clips
They say that a messy desk is the sign of an organized mind. Regardless of whether or not this is true, the one thing that everyone needs is more organization options. Promotional memo clips will showcase your logo and give users easy ways to organize important documents.



6. Promotional Post-It Notes Every cubicle dweller needs Post-Its. Promotional adhesive pads are extremely useful for jotting down notes while on the phone or writing down a quick reminder. Your company will receive the added bonus of logo exposure since your branding will be seen every time they need to look at the note.



7. Promotional Stress Balls
Squeezing a stress ball is an effective form of tension release, something that everyone can benefit from now and again. In addition to being beneficial, promotional stress balls are available in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some people enjoy collecting these fun items and displaying them on their desks, which means that your logo will be exposed as well.



8. Promotional Candy Jars
The quickest way to people's hearts is through their stomachs. Everyone knows that the most popular desk in the office is the one with the free candy. Promotional candy jars are easy affordable way of branding your logo. When workers and visitors stop by for a quick treat, they will see your message.



9. Promotional Mouse Pads
While there are some companies that provide laptops to their employees, most offices today are equipped with desktop computers. Promotional mouse pads make excellent trade show giveaways because they are items that people need. Recently, ergonomic mouse pads that feature wrist rests have become highly popular with users who spend hours at their desks.

10. Custom USB Flash Drives
USB flash drives have become a staple in the business world because of their usability. These handy items allow information to be easily transferred from one work station to another. Flash drives, sometimes called memory sticks, are perfect for traveling executives who need to tote along power point presentations to meetings. They also work well for employees who want to take work home with them.


Contact us today, we can do all of this and more for you!

Fierce Creative Agency
530 Church St. Suite 200
Nashville, TN 37219
615-294-0382
contact@fiercecreativeagency.com