Taking Steps – and Promotional Products - for Crohn’s & Colitis

This coming Saturday (May 17, 2010) I am “Taking Steps for Crohn’s & Colitis” to help build visibility and awareness for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, while raising funds for the fight against these digestive diseases that affect one in every 200 Americans. Donations go to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) and will help support local patient programs, national research for finding cures – and me score CCFA promotional products.

While fundraising efforts should be made out of genuine support for the cause, a little promotional incentives never hurt, especially for non-profit organizations whose financial support comes mainly from donations.

You can show your support (and help me raise funds!) by going to http://online.ccfa.org/site/PageServer?pagename=TS_participant_search and typing in Jaime Weinstein.

Promotional Products for Casual Fridays at the Office

Most companies enforce a policy of casual Fridays, but in order to excite and enthuse workers even further, consider holding an internal promotional products campaign revolving around laid-back Friday rituals. Starting today, on the first Friday of Summer months, my company plans to host an outdoor barbecue for employees. In addition to dressing more casually on Fridays, now we can look forward to spending time dining in the sunshine with our coworkers. Giving staff members promotional products like t-shirts and/or flip-flops with a catchy tagline about “Fun Fridays” could publicize our vibrant, cool company culture to the surrounding community.

promotional products for kids

Seeing this post on Cool Hunting today about Gilt and Threadless joining forces to produce a new kids line reminded me that kids love promotional products more than anyone.

I remember going to construction industry trade shows with my step dad as a kid and getting completely stoked about the free carpenter's pencils the booths were giving away. I collected every free promotional product I could get my little hands on. Of course, I was most drawn to the booths with stuff that appealed to kids, like candy. I wonder if my step dad would have visited those booths if it weren't for my tugging.

When you appeal to kids, you appeal to their parents. How can you plan your promotional products with this in mind?

Promotional products at the NBA playoffs

It is NBA playoffs time again and what could go better with that than promotional products. Major advertisers spend big bucks during the playoffs to promote their brands and logos are plastered on everything from the players’ water cups to the towels they wipe their sweat off with. Of course the fans normally take home promotional products as well when they attend the games. Cheerleaders and mascots throw out t-shirts and there are often door prizes for the fans as they enter the arenas. I even have a playoff rally towel for supporting our Atlanta Hawks in the first round.

Promotional Products to Promote Delicious Treats

As the weather heats up in cities across the country, ice cream sales are increasing and companies in the food and beverage industry can distribute promotional products to ensure that they garner their fair share of sales. To me, there is nothing as refreshing as a frozen treat to cool down during the hot summer months; from ice cream to frozen yogurt and even Popsicles or Italian ice, I love it all. So, how do I decide which local shop to patron? Promotional products such as a magnet that I can stick to my refrigerator or even something larger (take note of this stuffed animal imprinted with Rita’s Water Ice logo) keep companies at the top of my mind and help me make important decisions when it comes to frozen treats.

Promotional Products for Arbor Day

Various occasions throughout the year warrant the use of promotional products to advertise a brand and today happens to be one of them – Arbor Day! Arbor Day is celebrated each year on the last Friday of April to encourage tree planting and care. Many companies create promotional campaigns for April 22 for Earth Day, but Arbor Day allows you to extend your promotional marketing efforts through the end of the month. Consider giving eco-friendly promotional products like recycled journals to promote these earth-friendly holidays while promoting your brand. Customers will likely be even more apt to patronize with your business upon seeing you are doing your part to help the environment.

Promotional Products for Los Angeles Tourists

A coworker’s tirade about her experiences shopping for promotional products in Los Angeles is the inspiration behind this post. She mentioned a disappointing visit to an L.A. boutique known for its celebrity owners. She left the store empty-handed because of unreasonable prices and refuses to recommend it to friends planning vacations to Los Angeles. I have been to many cities with expensive shopping attractions, and I can attest to the frustration of overpriced souvenir shops. Alas, I almost always give in to temptation and purchase costly promotional products because I want something tangible by which I can remember my travels.