What the Brandelope Can Do

The digital age, with its constant advancement should make conducting business easier, shouldn’t it?   Every business has a website, where you can search for the person you think would be best to introduce yourself to.  Email addresses are readily available, phone numbers, addresses, even the smiling picture of the person you’re trying to reach.  No more trying to guess if the voice will match the face…now you know before the first ‘Hello’ is uttered.   With all the information available, connecting to others and spreading the word about your business should be a piece of cake.  The only problem is..it isn’t.  Everyone is checking websites,  sending introduction emails,  trying to set up appointments.  There’s an information overload on the information highway and most intros and offers are lost in the shuffle.

How can you stand out?  Get noticed?  Make it past the ‘gate-keeper’ and one step closer to the decision maker that you’d like to meet with?  Consider  The Brandelope. ™

The Brandelope ™    is a an eye catching way to send a direct mail piece to the people you want to reach.  In a stack of the usual correspondence, the Brandelope™  practically begs to be opened.  Other, bland envelopes and crumpled flyers will be lost in the glow of the bright colors and high gloss images of your Brandelope™.

Keeping your information at the fingertips of the contacts you’ve made with the Brandelope ™  is even easier if you send the Tabelope. ™   The same crisp and professional information in a file folder format available in standard and legal size.  The Tabelope ™ helps ensure that your contact is keeping your information close at hand, and in their mind. 

The Brandelope ™ and the Tabelope ™ provide a stunning visual way for you to market your business.  It prevents you from being lost in the shuffle of  technological communications as well as the standard mailers that are seen in every office ever day.    Contact us today and let us help you develop a marketing program that will not only get you noticed, but keep you  at the front of the pack.

Summer is Coming...Break Out the Warm Weather Products!

After the winter we had, it's about time to look forward to warmer weather and the fun products to get everyone into the spirit for summer fun.
Are you ready to head to the beach?  Hit the sand in comfort with a a double chair/cooler combo with an umbrella to keep things cool.  Your logo will be there for all to see as everyone gathers around for a good time.  Great for tailgating too!

Of course protection from the sun is important when you step out from under your umbrella too, so make sure you have your suntan lotion and lip balm and aloe vera handy as well. 

Walking on the beach can be an experience if you're not protected, so why not let everyone know who you are or who you represent along the way with these fun flip flops that stamp your logo in the sand as you stroll along the shore?

 And don't forget to shade your eyes with the classic Wayfarer sunglasses in great neon colors!

Whatever your summer needs (or wants!)  Safeguard is more than happy to help you put the cold winter behind you and let the sun shine in.  Give us a call today at 203-371-6000 or email us at info@ctsafeguard.com and we'll get you started making this a summer to remember.

Have a pen? Look around. I’ll be you have plenty, and I’ll bet that a good percent of them have the name of a local businessperson or company on them. The business could even be a competitor of yours. Why do you keep them? Because people use pens. People also use shopping bags, something you see more and more every day. With the push to conserve and reuse, many businesses are using reusable bags to make sure their message is carried around and viewed by many people. But what else is there? Are you doomed to a life of pens and post-its? Not if you don’t want to be. The enormous selection of promotional products that are available gives you the ability to find something that fits your business or event to a ‘T’. There’s no need to lock yourself into the ‘same old thing’ when there are plenty of useful products out there to choose from.

Planning an event for the summer? Get some sunscreen, or aloe printed with your information or logo. Lip Balm, lens cleaner, anti-fog wipes, even sunglasses or beach towels would be fun. If you’re looking to make a bigger statement, you can even get a beach chair! Your information would be there for all to see, every time your chair opens at a beach, park or parade. Above all, make sure the product you use provides use to your targeted market. A perfect example is the water proof case for smart phones seen here. The number of smart phones users is growing daily and this case is the perfect gift as the summer months arrive and outdoor activities are more frequent. This useful gift will be used again and again, and those who see it will want to know where it came from and how to get one for themselves.

Trade Show Tactics

Trade Show day is finally here and you’re ready to go.  You’ve sent out mailings inviting people to attend, you have an awesome booth design and the doors are about to open. Now what?

Have an assistant hand out a reusable shopping bag to people as they enter the trade show, with your company information and booth location imprinted on the outside.  Not only will visitors know where to find you, they will carry your name with them wherever they go for others to see.  As a bonus, your information will stop at each booth with the attendees, so even more people will see and hear about you.

Once you get them to your booth, what are you going to do with them?

Make sure you have an interesting, eye-catching display which clearly demonstrates what you do and what you can do for your customer.  Because of the nature of trade shows you’ll want to make sure you can provide the most information in a small amount of time. 

Give people an incentive to call you.  Are you an insurance agent?  Provide a free quote.  Caterer? Give a discount on an upcoming event.  Your incentive doesn’t have to be huge, just big enough to create a follow-up.

Give out some presents and make people remember you.  Everyone likes to get a present!  A useful promotional product with your contact information will be used repeatedly, not tucked away with a stack of business cards.   Pens are useful, though they too might get lost in a pile on someone’s desk.  Try and find an item that ties into your business to make an even bigger impression. 

Pizza shop?  Customize a pizza slicer. Tailor?   Hand out luggage tag/sewing kits for future travelers.  Wine shop?  A simple two bottle tote or wine tasting journal will make sure people remember you.  The possibilities are really endless.

The important thing to remember when it comes to a trade show is that you don’t have to go it alone.  Contact a professional who can help you plan the day and help you expand your ideas into a concrete plan to increase your business.   It’s easy to get lost in the shuffle, so make sure your efforts count!

You're Going To A Trade Show..Now What?

So you’ve signed up to participate in a trade show and you’re planning on showcasing your amazing products or services.  You’re excited to make people aware of your business, but a little nervous as well.  How are you going to present your company?  Will there be competing businesses?  How are you going to make yourself stand out?  Will people remember you?

You’ve come to the right place.

Start with your table.   Sure you can just toss a plastic cover from the dollar store over the top and call it a day, but no one’s going to be very impressed.   Instead, consider investing in a trade show display that will feature your company name and logo.  There are many cost effective items available to give a professional and classy appearance. A simple table cover may be all you need, or you might decide that you'd rather go 'whole hog' with an entire display.  Either way, use your company colors and logo so that you'll be recognizable.

Simple works.

So does the whole enchilada. 

 Once you've decided on how to face the public, you have to figure out a way to get them to your table.  Usually everyone tries to stop at each table, but it's much better to have people consider your display a 'destination.' Word of mouth is the simplest solution.  If you give the people at the show a reason to talk about you, they will. If they talk about you, people will want to see what you're up to. One idea is to hand out 'Tabbers'.  Everyone who stops at your display gets a wrist band, branded with your company information.  Attendees hand tear off tabs from the wrist band to other attendees, who then rush to your booth to get a bracelet of their own when they present you with the tab.  Why would everyone be so excited to help your cause?  At the end of the trade show you hold a drawing, choosing from the tabs that have been returned to you.  Whether you're raffling off an i Pad or a 50 percent discount on an order, everyone likes the chance to win. And if there are four other businesses at the trade show that provide the same service or product you do?  You will be the one that people remember.

Tabbers, a great way to draw a crowd. 

 Check back often for more ideas to make your trade show not only a great  investment in your business but a great time too!

 

The Road To A Trade Show

So you’ve decided to take part in a trade show.  Trade shows are an excellent way to let your current and future clients know about your products and services.   We’ve got a few tips to give you a head start and ensure your success.

Before you do anything, know what your objectives are and who you are trying to reach.  There are many types of trade shows, all over the world.  Are you trying to build your local business?  A regional trade show, geared toward businesses within a specific area, would be the best bet.   Who are you trying to reach?  If you’re trying to market the tax services of your accounting office, it doesn’t make sense to attend a trade show focusing on toys and games. 

Once you’ve decided on the right venue, the next step is making sure people know that you’ll be at the trade show.    Post the information on your website, as well as your social media channels.  You can send invitations, or create an event on Facebook and ‘invite’ people to attend.

Getting people to the trade show is the first step.  Getting them to your booth is another.  Consider sending out a direct mail piece with some type of incentive to encourage visitors.  A simple tear-off card that guests drop at your booth to enter a contest is one idea.  Another is to offer a free gift to those who present the mailer at your booth.  This will not only increase traffic, but allow you to gauge the effectiveness of your mailing. 

Now that you've let the everyone know you will be at the trade show, it's time to start preparing for attendance.  Is the show local?  Will you need transportation?  Hotel reservations?  Don't wait until the last minute and find yourself out in the cold.   What type of accommodations will you need at the show itself?  Will you need an electrical outlet nearby to power a display at your booth?  Make sure you make arrangements well before the day of the show.  

Know your booth size so that you can properly plan what you will display.  Will you have plenty of space to showcase your products and services?  Will you have space to hang items if you need to?  It's important to plan ahead so you can utilize the space in the best way possible.

As long as you plan ahead and have a firm plan to make the Trade Show a success it will be.  Stay tuned here for more great tips for making your trade show visit a triumph.