Jun 1, 2012

How To Give Your Brand Wings!

The quick answer is to put it on an airplane, and thanks to a few carefully chosen promotional products, there's a practical, cost-effective way to do it. In just a sec, I'm going to give you a few ideas, but first...

Did you know that about 445 million business trips were made by Americans in 2011? Sure, businesses are cutting back on their travel because of the economy, but that's still a big flock of folks doing a lot of flying. If you're B2B, that number includes a lot of your customers. Here are a few fun ways your company can tag along, where other travelers will see your brand on airport luggage carousels, on hotel desks and walking along city streets.

I've already mentioned tags, so let's start there...

BAG TAG

My luggage is forest green, and apparently my taste is pretty mundane. I see at least three or four bags that look exactly like mine coming around the carousel on any given flight.  Of course, I use a bag tag, not just to differentiate my bag from the clones, but because in 2011, there were 3.39 reports of lost luggage per 1,000 U.S. domestic passengers. A bag tag helps, so bag tags make excellent ambassadors for your company. Want to go a step above? Throw in a sewing kit. This highly visible luggage tag has one on board!

COSMO BAG

These days almost half of biz travelers are women, and we don't go anywhere without a few essentials--make-up, hand lotion, ibuprofen, nail polish, other stuff (and by that I mean--well, women will know what I mean.) I've found that small cosmetic bags don't hold everything I need, and I don't want to shlep a big bag all over the place. At just 9" wide and 7 1/2" high, the Cosmo bag is just the right size. I can keep it close by on a long flight, and its flexible polyester fabric lets me stuff it in my luggage or large purse without damaging any of the contents.

BUDGET TRAVEL WALLET

I always keep a separate bag ready loaded with travel essentials at home in case I have to make a quick getaway. Instead of having to scramble in the bedroom and bathroom to pull everything together, the bag is ready to go at a moment's notice. Our travel wallet does the same thing--my passport is always in a place where I can find it. All I have to do is add my itinerary, my flight information, my room key or card when I get it, and any other stuff I need for a particular trip. It's all right at hand in a purse or pocket! Your customers will get miles of use with it, and you'll be presented at airport and hotel counters everywhere!

UMBRELLA

Q: What do you call two straight days of rain in Seattle?

A: A weekend.

If your customers are headed to Seattle or anywhere else on business, chances are they'll forget their umbrella. I keep an umbrella in my car, but if get anywhere by air, I'm stuck in a rainstorm. The solution? An extra umbrella just for travel. Give one of these logo-ready, reasonably priced umbrellas to your clients, and your brand can hit the streets anywhere from L.A. to London!

ROLLING BRIEFCASE

For your most valuable clients--and your own business! Step up your promotional gifts game with a thanks-for-your-business offering that shows just how you roll. I see these convenient corporate carriers in airports, office building lobbies, restaurants (business lunches!) and lots of other places. When you're ordering, get one for yourself and any members of your staff who are out and about selling your products and services!

When your business is ready to take off, we've got your ticket!