Introducing the new promotional PicPoc-it Monitor Frame!

The best pieces of promotional merchandise are always those that have a great purpose...something that can be seen everyday by your target audience as they place a value on it. That's why promotional pens, promotional mugs and the like are such a success!

Well, we can now offer another new idea to the list - the promotional PicPoc-it!

This clear acrylic pocket simply affixes to a monior screen (or stands on its own) and the user can insert any pieces of paper or card as they see fit - anything from sticky notes and business cards right through to family photo's! sized to 30 x 7.5 x 3cm its perfect for today's office / desk environment and allows the user to completely declutter there work space.

And with prices at just £6.25 each (based on 1 colour print on 1,000 units) its a cost-effective use of marketing budget too!

For more details contact the team at Code Promotional Merchandise on 0844 879 7323 today or email your enquiry to sales@codepromotional.co.uk and we'll get back to you asap!

What is the best way to sell promotional merchandise?

For any business, contacting your potential customer at the right time in the right manner is one of the most difficult quandaries they face. And, of course, all suppliers of promotional merchandise face the same issue. At Code Promotional Merchandise, we have tried to take a different approach by focusing on brand awareness in the right places.

For the vast majority of businesses there will be no dedicated marketing manager or marketing officer. So it could be down to a variety of individuals who could be left in charge to ‘find me some promotional products to giveaway at that exhibition’ or ‘this Christmas, let’s give our best customers a nice corporate gift’. So we have tried to put ourselves in their shoes and targeted the Search Engines with the key phrases that they may use to search. For example, promotional merchandise, promotional products, cheap metal pens etc.

But there is also a place for well targeted e-shot activity. The lesson here is don’t try and hide what you are selling. Make sure the subject line gives a strong indication of what you are trying to sell...there is nothing worse than an email that mis-represents the content. Sure, the recipient might open it but you will have lost their trust if they perceive the subject line to be a lie and you’ll just go on their blacklist. Put yourself in their shoes. Is a price led offer best? Or should you show a range of options? Maybe you can focus on a theme eg seasonal, sports event, popular culture.

There is now doubt that promotional merchandise does play a part in the marketing activities for businesses. Whether it’s a promotional mug, a branded pen or a printed mousemat the industry is still showing signs of growth even during economic downturns because it’s cost-effective, flexible and easy to produce. The key is take a softly-softly approach to marketing it, be honest about its capabilities and let your customers come to you when the time suits them.

Promotional Brite Mat Mousemats Make Great Sense!

Promotional Mousemats make great business sense. These items are low priced and virtually guaranteed to remain in place on a desk top for months and months...giving your brand continued exposure for pennies per day! At Code Promotional Merchandise we offer the market leading Brite Mat mousemats and coasters and fantastic rates. or you could consider our Presentation Packs allowing you to deliver a mousemat and two matching coasters to your customer. Call the team on 0844 879 7323 today for more details or email sales@codepromotional.co.uk now!

Introducing The Americano Takeaway Mug!

Code Promotional Merchandise is pleased to offer the brand new Americano Takeaway Mug, a great new promotional mug that makes a real impression!

This new takeaway style double walled insulated mug is made from PP (polypropylene). The rubber grip is available in a range of colours and offers a large branding area. The screw lid fixes securely to the mug to create the style of a take out cup. One colour print to mug or grip. Cup is dishwasher & microwave safe. BPA free. Approx 35cl capacity.

For more information call 0844 879 7323 or email sales@codepromotional.co.uk today!

promotional twister memory sticks at great prices!

This week at Code Promotional Merchandise we can offer the market leading twister memory stick at just £2.95 each (price based on 1gb memory, 1 colour print, 1,000 units). The memory stick is now an integrated part of office life and offers great long-term exposure for your brand message. For more great ideas for promotional merchandise call today on 0844 879 7323.

Promotional Tongue Tattoos Now Available!

Code Promotional Merchandise are now offering new Promotional Tongue Tattoos for 2011...another great example of the flexibility of promotional merchandise! These promotional Tongue Tattoos conform to all food safety standards and are manufactured in a BRC-accredited factory in Europe. These are available any shape, any size, and printed with 1 – 4 colour process edible food dyes. Dyes come in synthetic or vegetable-based variants. Prices start from under 14p on 100,000 or more units. Minimum order quantity is 30,000 and leadtime is 5 – 6 weeks. Please ring or email sales@codepromotional.co.uk for a price quote and more details!

The allocation of marketing budgets...it’s not rocket science?

Whether it’s during challenging economic times or periods of sustained economic growth, the allocation of marketing budgets should never be a simple question of ‘repeat what we did last year’ or ‘do what the competition did’! The allocation of such funds needs to be strongly linked to all elements of the business plans for your business.

I was recently presented with a cost estimate (unsolicited I might add!) by a marketing / design / advertising agency who promised me the transformation of the way my business is perceived in the marketplace. They were going to re-design my logo (it’s dated apparently!), provide me with “fresh, stimulating visuals” and support this by changing the font we have used to a more “modern, friendly style suitable for 2011”.

How will this support the business plan to increase sales by 25% this year? What will this radical overhaul of my visual style mean to my online customer as they search for a promotional item to use as a giveaway at their next exhibition? How will we know if the red-design has worked? As you would suspect, there were no answers to these questions as they had no idea about me, the business or the plans we have for the business both short and long term. My point is if you are allocating several thousands of pounds to a design fee, personally I would question it! How have they come to this valuation? Hourly rate possibly...but they might take 10 minutes, 10 hours or 10 days to come up with the idea so how do they know? And will it have a justifiable impact on your bottom line...apart from the additional cost of new signage, van livery and stationery!!

To me, any allocation of marketing budget must be linked to a tangible, measurable, increase in sales. After all, why else are win in the private sector in business? I need to see ideas, innovations and suggestions that are quantifiable. For example, I know the sort of budget I need to put into seo to get onto page one of Google for the search term promotional merchandise. And I have a fair idea of the type of new innovation in the promotional products market that is likely to sell in volumes next year.

For example, a promotional takeaway mug has come onto the marketplace complete with lid – a neat crossover between the standard Sparta ceramic mug and the Travel mug complete with exterior handle. Or the new Token 2 Go keyring with the ability to print on the plastic trolley token and the outer casing. Or the new technology that allows me to offer customers scented polymer so that plastic products can be impregnated with an aroma to support any marketing message they have.
In my humble opinion, it’s not the design of a piece of marketing support you should be allocating funds to...it’s the delivery ability of that piece to the bottom line that should be the be-all and end all!

About The Author
Code Promotional Merchandise is an online supplier of promotional products and business gifts to businesses, charities and public sector organisations with products including promotional pens, promotional mugs, promotional umbrellas, promotional desk top items and eco friendly promotional giveaways. The full range can be found at http://www.codepromotional.co.uk/ or call 0844 879 7323.

Promotional mint card offer!!

For a limited period only whilst stocks last, Code Promotional Merchandise is able to offer transparent mint cards, printed with upto 4 colours, at only 34p per unit!!

These cards are a simple way to get across a brand message due to the large branding area and are another example of how cost-effective promotional merchandise is.

For more details call the team on 0844 879 7323 today!

Code Promotional Merchandise Christmas Break

Hi! Just a note to say that the office will be closed from the 23rd December and we’ll re-open on the 4th January. Best wishes to you and your family from all at Code and I hope we can continue to support you in 2011.

Promotional Hand Warmers At A Great Price!

As we watch Britain shiver under a blanket of snow and ice, maybe you can turn this to your advantage.

At Code Promotional Merchandise we can offer a great deal on promotional hand warmers. You can now get 500 of these oval shaped hand warmers printed one colour, delivered for just £575 exc VAT!!

Call Code Promotional Merchandise today on 0844 879 7323 for more details.

Promotional Cotton Shopper Offer!

Looking for a great piece of cost-effective promotional merchandise?

At Code Promotional Merchandise we have the answer!!

We can now offer the promotional cotton shopper, 4.5oz, 38 x 42cm, 100% natural cotton, long handles at just 66p for 1,000 units printed 1 colour on 1 side.

Interested? Simply call 0844 879 7323 and we'll send you a quote!

UK Government Cancels Promotional Merchandise Framework...but the private sector responds!

In another major blow for the promotional products industry, the government's marketing and communications agency has announce that it is suspending all activity through its Merchandise and Promotional Items Framework.

Unveiled in December 2009, the current Merchandising and Promotional Items Framework was planned to be used for a maximum of four years. A total of 58 suppliers from across the UK secured a place on one or more of the five lots.

The Central Office of Information (COI) says that the suspension, which takes place with immediate effect, is being implemented to align its services with government priorities.

The COI says that all existing orders and individual contractual obligations will be honoured but no new orders will be placed through the framework. However it is understood that government departments may continue to commission orders on an individual basis although there is a government wide marketing freeze.

The suspension of a major conduit for promotional merchandise is expected to hit some companies hard. It commissioned merchandising orders worth around £3m a year on behalf of government departments and other public sector bodies, ranging from small orders to major campaigns such as Change 4 Life.

Ian Feingold, Director of Code Promotional Merchandise, an online distributor for promotional merchandise, business gifts and corporate clothing, commented that “coming as it does a week after the news of the new code of conduct announced by the British pharmaceutical industry, which effectively prohibits the use of most promotional products within the sector, it is a blow to the companies involved and the industry. However, we are seeing very positive signs from the private sector that they are again seeing the benefits of using promotional merchandise extensively as part of their marketing mix due it its flexibility, cost-effectiveness and long term awareness opportunities.”

New USB Insert Webkey Available At Code Promotional Merchandise

Code Promotional Merchandise Ltd is pleased to announce that it is now able to offer the USB Insert Key – bridging the gap between traditional print marketing and e-marketing.

The USB Insert is a customizable USB webkey, integrated into a die-cut detachable cardboard holder which in turn is integrated into a larger printed sheet or cardboard collateral. On receipt, the user detaches the USB Insert from the die-cut, plugs into their computer and has instant access to the content which is usually an exclusive microsite.

The USB Insert is trackable (as they are uniquely coded), virus free and Windows and MAC compatible. For more information click here or contact Code Promotional Merchandise on 0844 879 7323.

Promotional Adloops...always at hand!

The versatile Ad-Loop promotional keyring is a simple and cost-effective way to promote your company.

The flexible, non-scratch design allows your customers to keep your name, number and message at their fingertips.

We are offering a fantastic 5 working day lead-time on our Ad-Loop® keyrings until the end of November, so why not order yours today?

Visit www.codepromotional.co.uk/sc00014220/adloop-jumbo-keyring/131695/details.aspx

for more details.

Promotional Ice Scrapers Make Great Business Sense!

Have a read of the following blog entry from http://www.claims.co.uk/ who recently purchased promotional ice scrapers from Code Promotional Merchandise.


"With winter approaching I was thinking about a few quick and easy ways to get people looking at the claims.co.uk site, build some links to it, and do something useful.

I settled on the idea of giving away an ice scraper as they are cheap to produce and quite useful to people in the inevitable bad weather. Hunting around online points to various suppliers, types and quality. I prefer to deal with UK based companies as one of the benefits of running your own company is to decide where the spend goes, plus if there is a serious issue you have the option to ‘pop round’

Google is a great tool to discover reviews and experiences, and I hope this pops up for a search for “Code Promotional” as they were great (Hi Ian!) not only in the creation process but speedy delivery. Check out their site here – Their product had a built in tyre tread checker, a simple yet effective tool. Having spent £405 on tyres due to low tread earlier in the day this did seem genuinely useful!

A box arrived via courier, so I ripped that open and spread them out on a sheet for a quick photoshoot using my bog standard Canon 450D. The aim of this was to show that they are real freebies and I have loads to give away! There is nothing worse than faked freebies that dont exist. A few minutes later a page has been created and passed around a few people to get feedback/spellcheck.

I then start researching a few freebie style sites via google and compile a list of 16 in a text file. The aim being to seed them…

I did nothing more.

Late on on the 11th November I had a couple of “ICE SCRAPER REQUESTS” pop into my inbox, on checking the referer it turns out it was this post on MoneySavingExpert . I have previously had a few sites feature on MSE in various forms, and I know it sends a fair few visits.

By 10am there had been 2,238 requests for a free ice scraper and the demand had caused the server to keel over. The load averages tell their own story… 56.60 31.18 20.74… with one peak being as high as 240!

Its worth highlighting the work done by Mark & Nick at dedi.co.uk , who when I asked ‘whats up with the server?’ had already picked up the issue on monitoring and were managing it. Another great UK based company – probably best known to people under their Fast.co.uk ADSL brand.

By 1pm the traffic was making the server yo-yo due to stuff like the 359c ‘hot’ rating on HotUKDeals and several other sites.

What did disappoint me is some comments found from normal members of the public, describing claims management companies as ‘vultures’ and assuming the giveaway was part of some crazy plan to build spam lists. It wasnt, and as I put on the form I hate spam as much as anyone else (even taking people to court over it, and completing ICO complaints).


The stats looked like a trip to Egypt
At the time of writing (Monday 15th Nov, 1pm) this site has seen an extra 57,565 visitors than it would have normally in the same time period. Traffic is worth very little if it is untargetted, so this is more of a vanity measure than anything else. I was asked on Wednesday though if I was going to give the scrapers out around the local Halfords, a very traditional way of thinking about promo item marketing. The ‘reach’ of several hundred freebie items given out against the online version is massive and for mystical offline ‘brand building’ its done well.

Hopefully the below summary will help those thinking of conducting the same, feel free to pop comments and questions in the ‘comments’ section:

Lessons:

•Everyone loves a freebie.
•You really have no idea how many love to have freebies.
•Make the freebie relevant & useful.
•Cheeky ‘reverse marketing’ does not hurt ie. use this so you dont become a client of claims.co.uk!
•Use some ‘freebie’ keywords in content and others will seed/promo/viral it for you.
•Ensure you put ‘limited avalibility’ on the page, I intend to give out as many as possible but dont bankrupt yourself by promising everyone on earth a freebie!
•Tynt style stuff is worth doing as a couple of people C+P’ed content so the auto-appended link worked. I use a self hosted version
•Traffic to the page took out the server by about 10.30am , so ensure wp-cache or the like is enabled *beforehand*
Costs:

•£250ish for the first batch of scrapers.
•£xxx to cover more as I will feel bad if I cant give as many as I can out!
•Time of around half a day.
•It took out the server out for periods of time.
•Envelope stuffing time and postage…
Benefits:

•In theory 57,000 new people exposed to the ‘Claims.co.uk’ name.
•40+ new links, some private, some public.
•6 mentions on twitter.
•80 ’shares’ on Facebook
•The above experience gained

Read more about news by null

- http://www.claims.co.uk/news/40p-scraper-57000-visitors.html

How can promotional merchandise work for your business?

Promotional merchandise offers get value for money! You could promote your business from only a few pence per item or send a valued customer a great gift as a thank you for an order or perhaps a gift for Christmas.

Retaining custom is far easier than trying to gain a new customer and promotional gifts are a great way of doing this. For those who travel a lot, a practical travel mug is always welcomed as it can keep the drink inside at the perfect temperature for hours on end and has a great branding area that can be screen printed or laser engraved depending on the effect you are looking to achieve.

Here at Code Promotional Merchandise we have always offered great value for money which is why councils, schools and universities as we as SME’s and large organisations come to us time and time again. You will see that we do not just print the product and send it out, we look after your brand as we know how precious it can be.

We can advise which promotional products would complement your brand, from printed pens to personalised mugs to corporate gifts including metal desk clocks, personalised wine, business card holders and crystal awards.

No matter what you are looking for please do not hesitate to visit www.codepromotional.co.uk or call today on 0844 879 7323...we are here to help with all you promotional merchandise needs!

Stock Clearance - Promotional Pocket Diaries!

We have end-of-stock clearance prices on 2011 promotional pocket diary wallets with the following features: cream comb bound diary insert, week to view, perforated corners, gold ribbon marker, 14 month diary, 24 pages of world maps, clear credit card and ticket products, available in NewHide and NewCalf black and navy blue. Until stocks are cleared all quantities between 250 units and 1,000 units are priced at only £1.25 each including one position blocking (origination, carriage and VAT extra). To order call Code Promotional Merchandise on 0844 879 7323....offer only available whilst stocks last!

Promotional Rucksacks...a great offer!

The promotional rucksack is one of the most cost effective ways for any business to promote its brand message. And now at Code Promotional Merchandise we can offer an even greater reason to use them as we can offer FREE ORIGINATION and FREE DELIVERY on our premium promotional rucksack whilst stocks last. Call the team on 0844 879 7323 today for more details and some prices!

Promotional Bendy Watch Now Available

Code Promotional Merchandise are now stocking the trendy new promotional bendy watch.

This silicon, digital watch is available in 12 bright colours PLUS a limited edition ‘Glow In The Dark’ option and has three branding positions available.

Indicative prices are £1.28 for 1,000 units printed 1 colour in 1 position (excluding origination and carriage).

For more information contact sales@codepromotional.co.uk or call 0844 879 7323.

Promotional items...which one?

At Code Promotional Merchandise we understand that a wide range of options can sometimes be great...but sometimes can be a hinderance. With so much to choose from what route should you go down. That's why we have structured the website based on our experience of how we can best support you. So visit www.codepromotional.co.uk today and choose from Writing, Drinkware, Clothing, Office, Travel & Leisure, Exhibition & Conference and Eco...we're sure you'll find what you're looking for!