| Giving away freebies is a great way to | | | | function are more likely to be accepted |
| publicise your small business, but | | | | as a useful give-away. |
| before you place an order the challenge | | | | If you need more inspiration or are |
| is to find items that are likely to give | | | | worried about 'being seen to be green' |
| maximum impact and really promote your | | | | how about looking at promotional items |
| company. Any such items will undoubtedly | | | | made from recycled materials? In an |
| be more effective if they are also | | | | amazing initiative in Oregon, USA, a |
| relevant to your target market, but | | | | non-profit organisation collects |
| where do you start? | | | | approximately 3,000 pounds of used |
| The first challenge is to find an item | | | | bicycle parts from shops throughout 17 |
| that people will use every day or on | | | | states every month, and then attempts to |
| most days of the week, but isn't too | | | | recycle as much of it as possible. Any |
| expensive to supply. Ultra-cheap, tacky | | | | parts that can't be re-used are turned |
| items should be avoided for two reasons; | | | | into usable items such as funky bike |
| first, they won't give a very flattering | | | | chain bottle openers, that can be used |
| impression of your company and second, | | | | as a keyring or hanging from a belt. |
| they will be instantly discarded. People | | | | Indeed, keyrings with built-in bottle |
| like to receive free stuff but that | | | | openers are a pre-requisite wardrobe |
| initial joy at getting something for | | | | item for most youngsters these days, and |
| nothing will soon evaporate if they are | | | | if you are operating in a younger market |
| simply not usable, or unwanted. | | | | you should certainly consider these as |
| Unless you want it to spend most of its | | | | an effective marketing tool - especially |
| days stuck in a dark drawer, also | | | | if you can make them extremely funky! |
| consider something a little more | | | | Funky promotional keyrings also fall |
| adventurous than a branded biro. | | | | into the 'used every day' category and a |
| Although top quality pens will | | | | cursory search around the internet |
| definitely be used by recipients, they | | | | throws up other such marvellous examples |
| are far too expensive to give away | | | | as; hard hat keyrings, PVC keyring |
| indiscriminately and so would be far | | | | bottle openers and house-shaped bottle |
| more suited to being given away as | | | | opener keyrings, amongst many others. |
| Christmas gifts to your customers. | | | | It appears the only limitation to buying |
| Look for innovative novelty value or go | | | | innovative or funky promotional items to |
| for something particularly visually | | | | publicise your company will be your |
| stunning to distinguish your promotional | | | | budget, as there is a plethora of |
| items from the many others out there. | | | | material available out there. Enjoy |
| Items that have a unique or everyday | | | | deciding which is best for your company! |