Replies

1. 
   theslateman | Jan 28, 2009 02:59am | #1

   For the company that makes the pens -- no doubt !!

2. 
   frammer52 | Jan 28, 2009 03:02am | #2

   Send some to me and we will see how it works!

   Seriousely, if you do it, make it a good enough pen that people want.  I like the ones that the drug companies give to the doctors, myself>G<

3. 
   ponytl | Jan 28, 2009 03:19am | #3

   no..

   p:)

   I've spent many millions of OPM (other peoples money) on marketing & promotions...  I've never seen a way to track free goods = sales... really nice hats ... people like em... but transfering to sales... no... they are good to hand to people who help you out... toss'n em $20 won't get you much but a T-shirt & hat... and they'll bend over to help you...

   everytime I spent OPM I knew i was save'n em money... No way i could convince em not to spend it... but i aways got em more bang than anyone could have got em for the same $$$ spent...

    

4. 
   rjw | Jan 28, 2009 03:57am | #4

   Yes. countless studies demonstrate that they do aid marketing.

   No one is going to buy from you just because hey got a pencil, but that stuff does contribute to the buying decision.

   Similar study - folks who hold merchandise for 30+ seconds (e.g., a coffee cup) will pay more for it than those who held it for 10 sec.

   Go figure.

   ---

   "Ask not what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive... then go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."

   Howard Thurman

5. 
   Hazlett | Jan 28, 2009 02:58pm | #5

   mike,
   It is a very rare week when I DON'T get a free pen mailed to me from a company wanting to sell me on them as a marketing tool

   problem is-- each and every pen has been complete krap for quality that i would be embarrassed to have my name on them.

   Personally-- there are only 2 items I would really consider.
   I work on old houses and I am interested in obsolete things-- just for fun I have considered for several years handing out old fashioned yard sticks--- probably to cutomers after their project is finished

   reall nice old fashioned thick 4 sided ones-- I think when I priced 'em they were $5-$6 each.---after the job- I have no illusions about it creating sales- just for fun

   also--- kids LOVE carpenters pencils---- I also consider having a zillion printed up in company name--and handing them out to customers kids--again just for fun.

   most hats are Krap----but workers love hooded sweat shirts-AND carhart coats

   ( my sons' boss gave him a carhartt coat to plow snow in-- and now he would take a bullit for the guy!) guy gave him a million Tshirts -he didn't care- but the coat---LOVED it.
   stephen

1. 
   Oak River Mike | Jan 28, 2009 04:31pm | #6

   Interesting Stephen as I had thought about getting something for kids that they would use and have the parents possibly seeing your name associated with it.

   And you are right about the hoodies and coats....something about them that makes then "wanted".

   Mike

1. 
   DonCanDo | Jan 28, 2009 05:56pm | #7

   I bought a bunch of small tape measures with my name and number.  I ordered them from Amsterdam Printing.  They're a little junky, but not so much so that I'm embarrassed to give them out.

   Mostly, I give them to the kids.  They seem to appreciate it.  Sometimes I'll give them to a customer if the happen to start looking for their own tape measure.

   It's just a fun thing to do, it's never generated any work.

1. 
   rasconc | Jan 28, 2009 06:49pm | #8

   You can get some pretty good Zippo 6' tapes. They are pretty classy.For those who have fought for it Freedom has a flavor the protected will never know.

2. 
   Oak River Mike | Jan 28, 2009 06:58pm | #9

   Yeah, thats the part I wonder about is if they can ever be determined to at least generate a call?

   I gave out t-shirts years ago and folks loved them but I never had someone say "I saw your shirt so I called".

   I realize just giving someone a pen or ruler or hat will not GET you the job but just would be nice to get them to call you to talk about the job!

    

1. 
   rjw | Jan 29, 2009 03:46am | #18

   >>Yeah, thats the part I wonder about is if they can ever be determined to at least generate a call?Most of the marketing books point out the return address stickers vets orgs give out for free in soliciting donations - when they don't include them, their rate of reponse is significantly lower.Folks will rarely if ever mention promotional items as a motivator - but the fact is they help.

   "Ask not what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive... then go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."

   Howard Thurman

2. 
   bstcrpntr | Jan 29, 2009 05:31am | #19

   I give can coolers to customers and just about anyone.  I got them for about $0.40 per.  I like them, the guys like them.

   I know they have generated one phone call, that turned into a job.

   I pass out hoodies to the guys, and to other owners. 

   Often when I ask a subs employee to do something a little extra they ask for a tshirt and I give them one.

   I have hats but few ask for them and the ones that do havent worn them.  I dont wear other peoples hats either though, I dont even wear mine.

   Got guys coats this year in November when I gave the xmas bonus.  They seem to like them.  October 17th, 2009

   Jeremy and Lisa

   Was there ever any doubt?

6. 
   Huck | Jan 28, 2009 07:37pm | #10

   No pens or pencils.  I give shirts with my logo out to sub's, employees (when I used to have 'em), clients, and business contacts - the ones I really like.  Mainly a good will gesture, seems to work well, people really like 'em.

   View Image

   "...craftsmanship is first & foremost an expression of the human spirit." - P. Korn

   bakersfieldremodel.com

7. 
   CAGIV | Jan 28, 2009 08:17pm | #11

   no, waste of money.

   We have small things like key chains & pens we give out at the Home Show, but from a marketing perspective they are worthless in my opinion.

    

    

   

8. 
   gfretwell | Jan 28, 2009 08:33pm | #12

   I have given away, lost and otherwise distributed about 500 pens and I am not sure any of them actually generated a call from a stranger. It is a handy way to give someone your phone number tho. When my wife was in the HVAC biz she said refrigerator magnets were the only thing that worked for her. It was still a handful of sales for ~1000 magnets mailed out.

9. 
   Hazlett | Jan 28, 2009 10:39pm | #13

   2 other ideas--- one a little dated though.

   Memo pads--- just give em away-- they get passed around- you name will get spread-- but it is definitely better for a service business like a plumber or an electrician-- than for a builder. I priced 'em once upon a time- and they were not that expensive

   Ash trays--- if this was 40 years ago-you could actually do this-- but no more.------At one time my city was known for tire production---all the rubber companies had ash trays that sat inside little rubber tires-- pretty much every office in town---every house- had at least one of these. I have 2 sitting in my office here right now---a little 6 inch diameter tire with an ash tray in the center-- mine of course say Firestone-- but the other rubber companies had them as well

   in my neighborhood I could STILL give something like these out and people would love it for nostalgic reasons-- maybe ou have something local like that as well?
   stephen

1. 
   Oak River Mike | Jan 29, 2009 02:46am | #16

   Stephen,

   Wanna hear something funny?  I collect those rubber tire ashtrays!  They go for top dollar at flea markets now!  I just paid $30 for one last week when I was there.

   Mike

1. 
   Robrehm | Jan 29, 2009 03:40am | #17

   I use them but mostly at a show where i have my booth. Ive become a destination booth because of my give aways at the medical conventions i display at.  What i give away is a squirtgun and a wine opener, a good one. I have people come looking for me. I'm debating on using the wine openers at the upcomong pizza & ice cream show ( for resturaunt operators) as they cost close to $4 each, the squirt guns are only 50 cents."this dog may be old but he ain't cold. And he still knows how to bury a bone."

   Lattimore

    

   http://www.rehmodeling.com

2. 
   Hazlett | Jan 29, 2009 03:45pm | #20

   the 2 I have--- one is a tractor tire
   the other one is "priceless" it is the "Firestone Radial 500"- which is the tire that just about bankrupted firestone when I was a kid-( of special value to me- because my neighborhood is Firestone Park-- located just down wind of the now-closed plants and the former world headquarters--another neighborhood here is Goodyear Heights-adjacent to what was Goodyears world headquarters---- this is probably the only city in america where you could have got in a fist fight at school based on the tires on your dads car )
   Best wishes,
   stephen

10. 
    RedfordHenry | Jan 29, 2009 12:31am | #14

    Dunno, but one time I had to rent a mini van and under the seat I found a bag full of SWAG from what must have been a medical convention.  Wicked nice stuff, a swiss army knife with a drug co. logo, a mini-mag flashlight with another medical company logo, a couple of really nice pen/pencil sets, a nice personal calendar/organizer, a t-shirt or two, everthing was stuffed into a heavy duty canvas tote with Viagra or something similar on the side.

    Nothing like the cheapo plastic bags and carpenter pencils you get at JLC live.

    I may start going to medical tradeshows regularly.

     

11. 
    Dave45 | Jan 29, 2009 01:14am | #15

    I don't know about generating business, but some of the caps sure catch on.

    In the 60's, I paid for college working as a heavy equipment operator. In '74 or '75, my Dad (who was still running those yellow dogs)sent me a black ball cap with the CAT Diesel Power patch. The sales rep had stopped by his job, remembered me and asked how I was doing. Pop told him where I was and what I was doing and the rep gave him a cap to send to me.

    I was working as a nuclear engineer by then and wore the cap to one of our weekly pickup softball games. EVERYBODY at the game wanted one! I mentioned it to Pop and he conned the sales rep into sending me a box full of those caps and I handed them out to the team. It was a riot watching some of the PhD engineer and scientist types pulling their CAT hat down over their eyes before whiffing three straight pitches. - lol