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.

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!

 

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 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!