SMB Marketing

It's been said that "imitation is the greatest form of flattery". That concept has inspired some of the best works in popular music, comedy and fine arts for ages. But when it comes to crafting corporate identities and brands, copying other designs is not a good idea. Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) should always strive to be unique.

One great way to tap into the enthusiasm for the upcoming fall and winter is to highlight football promotions. As we have mentioned before, football is currently America's favorite sport -- both the professional and college varieties. The sport provides many opportunities for distributors of promotional products.

Last week on the Idea Custom Solutions blog we pointed out three must-haves for any business that participates in trade shows. Granted, we mentioned the obvious: trade show attendees love to get promotional products.

Trade shows are an important cornerstone of both the American and world economy. They're one place where B2B companies can build relationships and sell to each other. For other firms that sell goods and services to consumers, trade shows foster an environment where they can build their brands and reputations.

Of course, a perk for guests and attendees at trade shows is the free stuff. Promotional products weren't necessarily invented with trade shows in mind, but certainly fit the environment perfectly.

Color is more important to brands than you probably think. It's one of the things that makes logos stand out and also helps shape perceptions about products and services in almost every business sector. How color plays its part is almost as fascinating as seeing how it is used in marketing.

Long before cellular mobile phones became "smart", letting you surf the internet, watch movies, or record every moment of yourself climbing Mount Everest or Machu Picchu, it was a big deal when the cell phone became something you could slip in your pocket.

When you think of the National Air and Space Administration, known more famously as NASA, you probably think of names like Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, the first humans to walk on the moon back in 1969. Perhaps NASA's even bigger footprint conjures up thoughts of America's Space Race depicted by Hollywood in “The Right Stuff” and “Hidden Figures”.

It seems today like gourmet coffee is just another part of life. It's something that is consumed as readily by Americans almost as much as air, water and food. Today, coffee comes in just about any flavor, roast, or serving style imaginable and plenty of busy coffee lovers even pay a little extra (and wait up to five minutes!) for single cup of coffee.

Despite their long history and broad usage, disposable plastic shopping bags are on their way out. A number of cities nationwide have banned disposable plastic bags completely. Meanwhile, other cities like Chicago have created a tax to suppress their use by consumers.

Promotional products are more than just after-the-sale reminder advertising. Likewise, they are more than another version of business cards with names and phone numbers imprinted on pens or magnets.