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Posts tagged ppai expo
PPAI Expo: How to be Socially Savvy
0505 days
As those within the promotional items industry know, the PPAI Expo takes place this week in Las Vegas, Nevada. Attendees have reported back on new, unique products, a keynote by Captain Mark Kelly and Jeffery Zaslow, and much more. Another big take-home point came from Jason Sadler of iwearyourshirt.com. Sadler spoke to distributors about using social media to grow their businesses.
According to the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI), Sadler and his coworkers spend their days “spreading the company’s message through a variety of social media outlets, including viral videos, Facebook, Twitter and an online TV show.” But what might come as a surprise is what Sadler says not to do: “Too many people use outlets like Twitter for sales or marketing messages,” he says. “That doesn’t work.”
So then, what does work in social media? According to Sadler, companies should focus on highlighting their personal side. He offered the following tips:
1. When it comes to making connections, focus on quality rather than quantity.
“If you have 20 followers on Twitter, you’re kicking ass,” Sadler said. “Those are 20 real people you can establish relationships with.”
2. Create interesting content
On Facebook, for example, users love seeing photos. But rather than showing a boring stock photo of a product, post an image of your product in use.
3. Derive inspiration from other sites
Social networking is difficult to master, so it’s smart to browse the Web for inspiration. The more you search around, the more inspired you’ll be. Plus, staying on top of social media trends will help you remain ahead of the curve.
Today is the final day of the PPAI Expo. What have you learned while attending the huge trade show event?
Promotional Items Trends
11227 days
by Jenn
in Promotional Items
A few quintessential promotional product trends have been flowing in and out of booths at the PPAI Expo 2010. Helping to reinforce the trends I spotted were last nights PPAI Awards, where the best in the business were honored. Between being that coveted badge wearing trade show attendee to watching the most innovative company’s claims to fame in 2009 at the award ceremony, there are three things to focus on for 2010.
It’s no surprise that some of the most showcased items this year were environmentally-friendly products. From biodegradable drinkware to plantable seed cards, going green is all the rage. As new government policies are enforced and the general public is made more aware of the dangers of climate change, using sustainable items are becoming increasingly important. Many people will want these items to show their eco-friendly support while others may just be attracted to the cool solar technology that some of these posses. The best thing about eco-friendly giveaways at the PPAI Expo this year was that suppliers are hopeful that going green won’t break the bank. While sustainable materials are harder to find, resources are being found and prices on green items aren’t pulling too far away from traditional promotional item numbers. Now you can go green without using all of your green.
One trade show booth display read, “1 Day Production.” However, the number 1 was actually a piece of paper attached. When questioned about it, a representative answered, “It used to say 5 days! That used to be great but now people want things even faster.” And thankfully, many companies offer quick production and shipping. That said, another trend at the PPAI Expo this year was fast production and shipping times. If a customer calls in and wants an order for an awareness event five days away, they may be hoping for a miracle. Because of the importance of pleasing every customer, many suppliers have added rush service to their already competitive business.
Lastly, a trend that is sure to grow is multifunction items. Today, cell phones can take a photo, post it on twitter and send it to the computer to be printed. As technology bring everything we need right to our fingertips, it’s important to jump on board in the promotional industry. One company showcased stickypads with perferated edges for extra large adhesive paper or adhesive flag options all in one. It even included a clip that held the note pad together and could be used to hold note reminders or important documents together. Other multifunction items at the PPAI Expo included padfolios with attached calculators and pen/flashlight duos.
More then half of the trade show floor has been explored so far leading to these new trends but there’s more to see. I’m sure that these trends will be seen at the upcoming booths and am excited about the strategies and designs that each company incorporates to make their promotional products the most desirable. Stay tuned for more trends and as always, the promotional items buzz.