This week we are running a number of special value coupons for specific promotional product categories.  Our first segment in for pens and writing instruments.

Writing instruments are one of the most popular categories when it comes to promotional products.  Most pens start in the $.25 price range.  When ever my clients want to do pens, I typically take them first to Bic.  While there are numerous options that are less expensive, Bic pens seem to always work?  If Bic is not their first choice, I still try to stay with brand names such as Senator Pen, Pentel or one of my favorites… the F-301 ZEBRA pen.    The reason I recommend these brands is because they have the best chance of lasting for a long time.  Or better yet, the client decides they love how their pen writes and it becomes their favorite pen.  One of my last clients was upset with me because they threw out 25% of thier last pen order.  I had recommended Bic, but they wanted to save money.  Whats up with that?

Check back via e-mail as these coupons may be extended.  Written verification of competitive quotes must be submitted.  Contact Sales@ProfessionalGifting.com.

Last year I came across a new supplier to the industry that really takes post it notes and desk cubes to a new level.  While most people look at corporate gifts as trinkets and trash, these treasures are a keeper.

This form of design is ideal for anyone with an artistic flair.  The tall multi color cubes start in the $16 range while it’s smaller companion shown below is a little closer to $7.  This piece comes with approximately 1000 sheets and if you do as few as 250 pieces, we can use your corporate colors.  Our design team can also help in designing your new creation.

This particular cube manufacturer is having a design contest that will end on January 10th.  Contest winner will receive $500.  Any winning designs will become the property of the factory.  OK… enough with cubes.  They also offer a number of unique desk ideas as well.  All wood designs are totally unique.  They must have a metal base that is wrapped with a wood venier, as they come with small magnetic tacks that hold small pieces of paper.

The average price for most of the desk designs fall in the $100 range.  The loop de Loop is closer to $65 each  as it does not use as much paper.  All can be ordered separately blank, or with your logo with a 24 piece minimum.

The samples that I received were wrapped in tissue paper then placed in a very nice box.

Another nice feature with many of the styles is that you can first write your note, then dictate the size that you want to cut it.

While some of the styles are a tad flamboyant, the piece above is pretty straight forward.  Price is still around $100.

IMC will begin carrying in 2008 a new line they call Croco.  Named primarily for it’s Crocodile like finish, these items will be great movers for programs designed around causes such as “Speaking for Womens Health” and “Race for the Cure”.  A core item for every womens purse is the Croco Compact Mirror, IMC-M707.  This item is engraved on the back for a modest logo.  When ordering in quantities over 50 pieces, your price is $6.50 each plus a setup charge.  The Croco Card Holder, IMC-B30CR is the perfect complementary piece for the gentleman supporter.  When ordering in quantities over 50 pieces, your price is $8.95 each plus a setup charge. Be sure to mention this article to receive this pricing.

Additional items available are the Croco Lipstick Case, IMC-LP678 at $5.50 the Croco Money Clip at $3.95 and another piece ideal for meetings, the Croco Notepad with Pen priced at $6.95.  No collection would be complete without a matching pen. 

The top piece is of course the matching item to the Croco set.  The other two are just a couple of new designs being carried by IMC.  Remember if you are a qualified buyer and would like to receive free samples, drop us a note at sales@professionalgifting.com.  To view the full line of IMC products, go to www.imc-miracles.com  .

For those of you that have read my Zorrel tee shirt review, here is a rundown on their jackets.  Yesterday I was really excited when my sample boxes arrived.  I had ordered a couple dozen tee shirts that I would use for sampling to potential clients and I couldn’t help but to order a few products in their jacket line.

The “Seattle” Z1207 Reversible Sideline Jacket was the first piece that made it out of the box.  I would have to say that the color was almost identical to the picture above and the optional colors are much more retail oriented than your standard colors.

While this item is posted on the Zorrel site for $131.95, our price with a 12 piece minimum order is $79.95.  This includes up to 7000 stitches of embroidery.  Another nice benefit is that they are available in sizes up to XXXXL.

The Z1030 “Golf” is a Classic Golf Jacket.  Here too, we have retail oriented colors and an outstanding design.  I am not real crazy about the gathered sleeves, but they are nice when it is cold outside.  Colors available are the Copperlake (shown), Black, Catamaran blue, Roco and Wet Sand, being the lightest color.  Your price is $57.95 with embroidery.

Should you be looking for an outstanding line of jackets or wearables, contact sales@professionalgifting.com.  Free samples to qualified buyers.

Computer related gifts are a trendy way of gaining your piece of customer real estate.  Thats right… Look at the desk like valuable real estate and you will be one step closer to finding the right item for your client.

One of our latest finds out there are the custom mouse.  The ones shown are particularly unique because of the custom colors used on the exterior casings.  Sure, it would be nice to receive one of these as is, but would that give the best impression?  What if we added custom packaging.

Packaging is the icing on the cake.  As you will find, I will be recommending packaging on almost every item we discuss.

Don’t ever feel limited to just the mouse in the pack, add a jump drive or CD or a matching coffee tumbler.  Pricing for the setup shown above falls in the $35 range.  If you want to be a little more adventurous, why not customize a liquid filled mouse?

Here you have the option of creating a resin piece of your product, your vehicles or anything that portrays your company or your clients interests.  We can also customize a number of the plastic areas.  For more information on coputer related ideas for your next promotion, contact sales@professionalgifting.com. 

At some point I thought there was nothing left on the planet to place your logo on.  Then came Custom Eye Black.

Schools are always looking for ways to raise money and I think this would be a winner.  By placing a custom order of 1000 pairs, your price is $.78 each.  If you send your order to us, we will offer a $50 discount off your total order.  These can easily be sold for $2 or $3 per set at games, pep rallys or at school.  These are also ideal for game day give aways.  For more information and special discounted pricing contact sales@professionalgifting.com.

Acrylic is another one of those materials where numerous customizations can be used.

Our raffle drawing rotating drums are available in 2 different sizes and are equipped with a hinged door and locking clasp.  The gravity feed bulk dispenser is one of our many stock items that introduce specialty displays without limitations.  Our furniture line is unique and has functional designs with the best quality of acrylic.  Our acrylic podium gives any environment a clean polished look.  The football case is one of our many stock sport cases.  They have an attractive base and offer the option of a back mirror for further enhancement.  Ballot boxes are another strong mover.  They are compact and efficient for collecting confidential information.  The airplane design is just one of the many custom awards that we’ve created for our many clients.  All items are priced differently based on quantity and how you would like it customized.  When you are ready to try something a little different, contact us through email at sales@professionalgifting.com.

If you were not aware, the promotional product sales is an 18 billion dollar industry.  These numbers are acrued primarily by the spending of approximately 20,000 promotional product distributors throughout the country.  Below is a breakdown of the approximate per item percentages.

As you can see, drinkware takes up around 5 1/2% of that total spend.  Thats over a billion dollars.  These numbers do not include the volumes pushed directly through manufacturers.  These orders are typically $500,000 or more.

This segment will revolve around some of the more unique styles of tumblers that are currently on the market and a few ways that your organization can utilize them.  The most recent trend has been in combining finishes.  One of the richest looks in my opinion is combining ceramics and stainless steel.

This is clearly an executive look and holds up great.  An average price would fall in the $8.00 range.  This would include a 1 color logo.

Lets talk a minute about price ranges.  When looking at high end mugs such as these, you may be able to order them in as few as 50 or 72 pieces, however a more common minimum order for mugs is 144.  Standard mugs are packed 36 to a case while tumblers are 24 to a case. 

When ordering them, particularly if you order a lot, there are a few downfalls that you can expect.  First, be sure that you ask for inside delivery when placing your order.  Unless you have a full fledged shipping department with a loading dock and forklift, many manufacturers use freight companies that will only back up the truck.  This is a nightmare if you are in a multi-story building.  Another thing you can expect is breakage.  If the vendor uses UPS, they allow for up to a 45″ drop.  You will lose some of your mugs if you ship by UPS.  With that in mind, here is another unique design that can save a shipping weight and breakage.

The fusion tumbler is a combination of acrylic and stainless.  Again, priced in the $6.50 to $7.50 range with a 1 color imprint, this piece does a great job in displaying your corporate colors.  One additional use of tumblers is that they can be used for packaging compressed tee shirts or any other item that would fit.

Another great item for anyone in customer service are the Bling mugs and particularly the ones with mirrors.

When it comes to customer service, it is a great idea for the CSR to be smiling while he or she is on the phone.  This is a great example of how a promotional product can help improve moral… service… and the overall experience your customer has with your company.  If your CSR’s are virtual and spread throughout the country, this is the perfect opportunity to send some fat mail.  Package this item in a nice box, using tissue paper with your corporate colors and let us design a complete program for you that will also tell the recipient how important they are to your company.

Since we are talking about packaging, here are a few designs that are great for the road warrior.  The first one with a screw off bottom is an ideal way to deliver a special suprise to the recipient.  The second is a new style for traveling tea drinkers and the third is designed to be sure you don’t lose your keys when you go to the nearest Starbucks to fill up.

Remember that when it comes to utilizing promotional products, it is best to use a professional that has a clue about how to use these items.  For a detailed analysis on how we can be assisting your company, or for free samples to qualified buyers, drop us a note at info@ProfessionalGifting.com.

Do you remeber the first time you wore a Columbia Jacket… Uggs Shoes… Croc’s… or Patagonia winter gear.  I got the exact same feeling when I started wearing Zorrel tee shirts.  Their long sleeve tee in particular is nicer than any other I’ve owned.  All of the stitching is very elegant, yet durable.  I have worn mine to work out in the yard and I’ve worn it under a sport coat.  Definitely one of the most versatile shirts I own.

Another benefit of this line is the color selection.  They also offer 19 colors and get this… pricing on colors is the same as whites.  They are so proud of their colors that they are a part of their logo.

As far as pricing goes,  I just placed an order for 100 short sleeve tees with a 2 color log on one position.  They priced out at $7.75 each.  If I would have done a standard Gildan or Hanes piece, they would have priced out at $5.25 each.  Hey… wait a minute, that’s $2.00 difference!!!  Why would I pay $2 more for this shirt?  Here is my answer.

1. The quality is outstanding.  The Zorrel piece has a higher perceived value.

2. While many shirts come in different colors, these are not your standard basic colors.

3. Would you prefer the recipient wear your shirt 4-6 times or 100 times?

Combine this item with creative packaging; create a unique hang tag, pay extra for outstanding artwork and you will have a piece of art instead of just a tee shirt.

By the looks of their website and advertisements, they likely have a nice marketing budget as well.  I’m not really sure what some of these graphics mean, but they would be great on a tee shirt.  I guess the top design means that they have cool colors.

My guess on this one is that they are not “Plain as Toast”.  Ok maybe I’m pulling at straws.  I have a number of samples on order and will be checking out their new outerwear line.  I have no doubt that these will be equally outstanding.

When you are looking for an expert opinion of wearables and the many unique ways to design a garment that will stand you apart from your competition, contact sales@professionalgifting.com.  Mention this article and I will send a free Zorrel tee shirt in your size and color if you are a qualified promotional or logo apparel buyer.  Limited to the first 10 people.

One of our current projects is to come up with ideas for prizes given away at training seminars. Attendees are only allowed to receive up to $15 in prizes at these events.  Being in the window covering business, some of the most popular items have been calculators and tape measures.  Below are additional recommendations.

Two of the latest ideas that have come from our suppliers in the orient are the Chrome Highlighter set and the Cell phone holder with tape flags.  The highlighters are particularly unique as they are metal.  They are available individually or in a carrier designed to hold 4.  Cell phone holders are gaining popularity simply to keep ones desk organized.  Add the function of tape flags and you have another winner.  Both items are ideal for designers, architechs or anyone that spends most of their day at their desk.

Once again, anyone that is constantly working with contracts or sending catalogs out to their clients, the leatherette Tape Flag case is an ideal promotion.  While it comes standard with a 2008 calendar, this is a great area to tell your story to clients or employees.  Provide us artwork with your message and we will add this to the item.

Tape measures are another item that people can’t have enough of.  Sooner or later they break or are lost.  While they don’t take up the valuable desk real estate that everyone vies for, they take up the next best spot.  Tools regularly used that are kept in the desk.  For years I have been cutting paper with scissors given to me by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and I didn’t have to go to my desk and look up their name.  Logo Tape Measures are available in numerous sizes, quality and prices.  Our job is to determine who your audience is and advise on the best fit.  One of our favorite suppliers is Logomark.  A wide selection can be found here. 

Calculators range in price from $1 to $20 plus.  Some of the more popular styles are add in clocks and calendars, as well as robot like movements.  Once again, calculators are used by everyone and no family has only one.  Here is another wide assortment that might fit your needs better.

As Americans age, by 40 years old most people have either had to get glasses or contacts.  High quality magnifiers are an ideal piece to carry in your professional gifting arsenal.  They are available in all shapes and sizes.  One item that is not shown is the credit card magnifier that is frequently used in dim lit resaurants.

The last 2 ideas fall back into the tool category.  Both screwdrivers and flashlights always seem to disappear.  Any of these tool related items can be geared toward the theme of giving people the tools they need to be more successful at whatever goal you want them to acheive in.

ProfessionalGifting.com is a provider and supplier of creative custom ideas for corporations throughout America.  For the perfect gift contact sales@professionalgifting.com