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. 

What's Vector Art And Why Do You Need It?

You've done it.  You've decided to create a marketing campaign using promotional products.  You've done all your research, and know that promo products are a great way to reach your target audience and to make them aware of your business and the services you provide.  There's excitement in the air and you can't wait to get started.  And then...someone asks you for your logo in vector format.  What?  What or who is vector?  What does vector have to do with you?  Why, after so much time and effort did you not know that vector was going to come along and stop you in your tracks?

Don't panic.  It sounds more complicated than it is, and it's not the end of your marketing plans. Vector is your friend and just wants your campaign to look its best. Providing your supplier with vector art will make sure that your promo items look crisp and clear, rather than a jumbled mess.  Basically,  a vector file allows your image to be scaled or modified without changing the original image.  Vector is really in your best interest, trust us.

If you're not sure if your file is vector art or not, look at the file type.  Vector art files usually end in .eps. .ai, .cd or .fh.   If your artwork file ends like this,  you're in good shape.  There's no reason to lose all hope if your file is a jpg or a .gif since you can get them converted.  No, typing .eps at the end of your file won't convert them to vector magically, but it can be done.

Not ready for the marketing campaign just yet?  You should still make sure that you have access to your logo and design work in vector format.  It will make things easier for you and all parties involved in the long run.

What is DTG?

DTG is Direct to Garment printing, meaning a design is applied directly to the garment with a digital printer.  Think of it as a color printer for your clothing.  DTG is relatively new in the grand scheme of customized apparel, but is making advancements all the time.  At one time DTG was best suited for light colored items, but now modifications have been made to allow printing on all colors, dark or light. 

Another advantage is that DTG can be used on basically anything.  Shirts, jackets, pants, or bags to name a few.  DTG will even print on the zipper of a sweatshirt, creating an unbroken design.  

There are benefits to DTG over Screen printing to be considered, cost being an important one.  With Screen printing,  a design must be broken down into individual colors and  each color applied with a different screen.  With DTG the entire design is printed at once, therefore there are no screen charges.   This can be a major cost savings when a design has many colors. 

Another advantage to DTG printing is that if you need one shirt you can have one shirt. Because the printing is done digitally, you can have one item made or 100.  The cost of setting up a screen for each color in the design is no longer a cost issue. 

DTG also makes it easier to modify a design.   If you want to change something about your image, you can.  A new screen doesn’t have to be made at greater cost, everything is accomplished digitally.

While there are still reasons to consider Screen Printing rather that Direct to Garment printing,  knowing that there are options available is always a good thing!

What is Corporate Apparel, and Who Needs It Anyway?

Corporate apparel.  It sounds intimidating, producing visions of high powered executives in large offices at the top of tall buildings. In reality, corporate apparel is simply about creating a positive impression at every level of business. Don't think it's important?  Lets imagine a typical day without corporate apparel...

A quick stop for coffee on the way to work brings mass confusion while you try and figure out where to place your order.  It's safe to assume that the people behind the counter are there to serve, but they look just like the people in front of the counter.  Not only that,  they don't seem very happy.  (It seems that uniforms really do provide a sense of unity and pride for employees.)

Driving to work isn't any easier than getting coffee when passing through a construction site.  Is the man on the corner directing traffic authorized to do so?  Does he even know what he's doing?  A police officer without a uniform doesn't really provide the same level of confidence, now does he.  

A stop at the bank at lunch elicits some unease.  Though the woman behind the counter looks nice enough, how can you be sure that handing over your deposit to her is the right thing to do?    'The same goes for taking your car in for service. It's a little unnerving handing over the keys to the car when you aren't even sure who the mechanic is.

Stopping for groceries on the way home is another matter. There's no clear way to check pricing on produce because you can't tell who works at the store.  Rather than ask the wrong person (again) about the price of apples, it might be easier to just go home and try again tomorrow.

As you can see, corporate apparel plays a huge role in day to day life.  Do your part to end the confusion and make sure your employees present a unified and professional front.   Safeguard is here to help!

Marketing Your Business

When it comes to marketing a business, many people can become overwhelmed and with good reason. There are so many options available for such an array of costs,  even someone experienced in growing a business can wind up throwing their hands in the air and giving up. At Safeguard, we work to make sure your business image is exactly what you want. It's our priority to help you find exactly what you need for a great public impression. 

When deciding how you want to promote your business, consider the following points.

• Have a uniform appearance. Do your checks, business cards and business stationery give your customer an idea of what products or services you might provide? Are your forms professional, expressing the tone you want your business to convey?

• Outfit your employees so that you are comfortable with how they are representing your business. Whether your company apparel consists of a simple polo shirt with your logo or an entire uniform, it is important to remember that your employees are making an impression. Make sure they stand out in a positive way.

• Choose a promotional item to keep you in your customer’s thoughts. Research shows that almost 72 percent of people who receive promotional items remember the companies for more than 12 months.

• When choosing a promotional item, be sure to consider the usability, reliability and visibility of the product. To be most effective, the product should be something your customer will use often, so that others will see it as well as your company information. If the product is not reliable, your business will not get the maximum benefit.

Contact us at Safeguard today so that we can help you meet and exceed your business goals in 2012.