All posts by Sherry Tisdale

Promotions & Branding

Frequently Asked Questions about Promotional Products

Choosing a promotional product to market your business can be a daunting task. How do you know what item is right for you? There are several things to take into consideration, including the brand you are marketing, your budget, the type of customer you are targeting, and the type of event you are promoting if applicable.

Price, of course, is always a factor when looking for promotional items. Especially if you are a new or small business. The good news is, we have many products that fall under $1 each, and many that are under 50¢ a piece. That’s hard to beat!

And let’s face it – the less they cost, the more you can afford, which is always important especially if you are attending a large tradeshow or sponsoring an event. Every one of our stores (except for the umbrella store), has customizable products starting at prices below 50¢ apiece! With prices so low, it’s easy to be able to advertise your brand or event.

Our Promotional Pen and Hand Sanitizer stores offer the lowest prices overall with pricing starting below 20¢ each, with the Custom Lip Balm and Sunscreen Stores coming in second with prices as low as 32¢ per piece!

Our stores offering Custom Drinkware, Bags, and Cleaning Cloths all start around 50¢, and Sunglasses below 75¢. And while our Custom Umbrellas might be a bit more, the prices are still hard to beat starting around $5.00.

Once you’ve made your selection, you might have questions about the process or questions in general. We have pulled together the most frequently asked questions from our customers, along with a few suggestions to get you started.

 

Coupons

 

Do you offer any promotional codes?

Yes, we do! We have promo codes for new and current customers. During checkout, scroll down to where you see Use Coupon Code – enter the appropriate code and hit enter. Your discount will be applied at checkout.

Please note that promo codes are case-sensitive.

 

New Customers

new25 – For first-time customers, we offer a $25.00 discount off your first purchase of $200.00 or more (before shipping).

Returning Customers

We have 2 promo codes for returning customers only. This code will remove your setup fees. There are however, stipulations for using these codes.

  • To use the customer reorder codes, you must be logged into your account so we can verify your previous order.
  • These are good for EXACT REORDERS ONLY.  It must be the same product, same quantity, same flavor or color, and same art work. No changes can be made from the previous order to qualify for the reorder promo codes.

peach – this is for the Custom Lip Balm store only

customer – this code can be used on any of our other stores

flavor – this one is strictly for the Lip Balm Store. On certain products, you will see the option to mix flavors. You simply order the number of lip balms you wish to buy in one flavor, then in the notes section provide a list of the flavors you want and the quantities.

Please be aware that there is a minimum number that must be ordered per flavor. Each product has details listed on its page.

 

Seasonal Coupons

We also offer seasonal coupon codes. In order to receive these codes, you will need to be signed up for our emails. When they become available, we will send out an email with the code, expiration code, and details.

You can sign up to receive our emails by clicking here:

Can we get free samples before we place an order?

Absolutely! Feel free to order a sample of any of our products before you buy. For lip balms, you can even order more than one flavor – within reason of course! You can try up to 5 different lip balms/flavors so you can see which one you think customers would prefer.

Just send us an email along with the product number of the product you want to try, and the flavor, scent, or any other option that may be a choice, along with your company name (if applicable), name, address, and phone number.

 

Miscellaneous

 

Can I get a lip balm, hand sanitizer, or sunscreen without a label?

Unfortunately, the FDA requires that the drug facts and ingredients are listed on each item. You can always order a blank label if you prefer, but a label will be provided on each item.

 

What is the difference between a one-color, two-color, and full-color imprint?

This refers to the number of colors in your graphics. A one-color imprint means that your logo, or other graphics, is just a one-color image. Two colors, of course, means it has two colors, while a full-color imprint means that your graphics contains several colors to create a custom image.

We always receive a number of questions regarding artwork, and the submission requirements.

 

Artwork Requirements

 

File Types

We prefer to receive art in an Adobe Illustrator eps (vector) file in either CMYK or PMS (all fonts/typefaces outlined) but will gladly accept electronic art in eps, pdf, tiff, or jpeg files in a PC format. Please keep in mind that artwork with high color saturation will print with better quality. All art with halftones, screens, fades or blends are subject to our review and approval.

 

How to Send Artwork

We make it easy! When you go through the online ordering process you will be prompted to upload your logo before checking out. We also have a NOTES area where you can provide us with additional information about your art if needed.

Alternatively, you can email your logo to us before you order and request a FREE PROOF. Be sure to tell us which product you would like a proof for, and let us know if you need to make changes or add to the art file you are sending. Our email address is info@promowebstores.com.

 

Do you keep our artwork on file, or do we have to resubmit it with each order?

Once you place an order, we will keep a copy of your artwork on file, so you can quickly and easily reorder your product, or even another item using the same artwork.

 

Will we receive a proof before our order is placed?

Absolutely! Every order comes with a free proof that must be approved by you before the order will go to production. Once you place your order and submit your artwork, we will send it to our designers to create a mockup of your custom product. We will then email it to you to proof and authorize. Simply reply to the emailed proof and let us know you approve.

Once we receive your authorization, it will be sent to production. We do request that proof approval be made within 24 hours of receipt to maintain your ship date.

 

Production and Shipping

 

What is your standard production time?

Production times are noted in the description of each product. If available, rush production times will be noted as well, including the time frames and additional pricing if applicable.  Special art submission and proofing time requirements may apply.

 

How are the finished products shipped, and what is the shipping time?

All of our products are shipped using UPS ground shipping within the continental USA. The production time depends on the product and is noted in the product details. Once you have your order in your cart, select “Estimate Shipping”.

Your available choices along with pricing will pop up, and you can choose the speed you desire. Many of our products, including all of our lip balm and sunglasses, are offered with free shipping for up to 3,000 pieces.

 

Do you offer any guarantees?

We do! Every order comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you are unhappy with your order, we will refund or rerun your order. Should you have any problem with your order, please contact customer service at 1-800-974-3611 within 15 days of receipt.

We advise opening your merchandise as soon as it is received for review, even if you do not intend to use it right away. Should you find a defective product, a UPS call tag will be issued immediately.

Should you have any other questions we can answer, please email us at info@promowebstores.com.

Promotions & Branding

Spring is Here – Refresh your Promotional Products

A change of seasons always signals a time for renewal! As the saying goes – out with the old, and in with the new! The term “Spring Cleaning” brings to mind cleaning out closets, changing heating and air conditioning filters, refreshing batteries in smoke alarms, and buying new clothes. It’s also a great time to refresh your marketing efforts to attract new business with new promotional products.

Spring means warmer weather and more outdoor events. School will be ending soon, and people will start making plans to head to the beach and other vacation destinations with friends and family.

Whether you are thinking of sponsoring an outdoor event, booking a tradeshow, or ramping up your advertising efforts to promote your brand, it’s the ideal time to add new products to your collection of gifts for events and client gits.

Sunglasses, sunscreen, drinkware, tote bags, and umbrellas make wonderful promotional items for outdoor events!

Custom Sunglasses

Outdoor events are a fantastic place to showcase your name on a stylish-looking pair of sunglasses! At the Custom Sunglass Store, not only do we have a large selection of sunglasses available, but we offer the ability to mix colors so you can offer guests a choice.

You can choose one pair of sunglasses in several colors that match your company colors or event theme. One of our best sellers, the RETRO ! Baja Neon Rubber Sunglasses, comes in your choice of 9 colors, with the option to mix colors in quantities of only 25 pairs per color!

We have many styles available, including Retro Sunglasses, Malibu, and Aviators, as well as sunglasses for Pre-School Kids.

Custom Sunscreen

At the Custom Sunscreen Store, we offer sunscreen in various styles, including lotions, sprayers, sticks, and more sun protection, available in SPF 30 and SPF 50. We also offer several sunscreens that come with a lip balm also containing SPF to protect lips from the sun. We also carry aloe gel for customers that forgot to put the sunscreen on!

For a truly unique promotion, try our Sunburn Alert Stickers! These stickers change color and let wearers know when it is time to reapply sunscreen, to help prevent burning. The user simply adheres the sticker to their skin, and when it turns blue, they know it’s time to reapply or get out of the sun!

Custom Drinkware

Have a beach party, sponsor a race, or host a nighttime event! At the Custom Drinkware Store, we have promotional drinkware for everyone! Our Koozies are perfect for beach parties!

Ultra-affordable at prices starting below 50¢, koozies are an effective way to promote your event on any budget! They also make terrific take-home reminders for weddings and other family events.

We offer a vast selection of personalized drinkware including sports bottles and bottled water, ideal for promoting a foot or bike race. Sports bottles are reusable and give participants a permanent reminder of the fun they had running in the race! During the race, remind everyone who sponsored the event by serving bottled water featuring your logo! Why advertise a national brand of water when you can hydrate everyone using bottled water showcasing your brand!

For nighttime events, we have light-up drinkware! Custom drinkware that glows featuring your company logo or event message is a fun and distinctive way to promote your event. It adds an element of excitement, and guests can take one home as a reminder of the great fun they had that evening!

Custom Bags and Umbrellas

You should be customizing products that people will take with them everywhere they go. Why? It gives you better exposure! Every time someone uses your promotional product, it is seen by everyone around them.

You create a cooler featuring your brand’s logo or message – it’s seen every time it gets taken to the beach, a baseball game, on a picnic, or hiking. At The Custom Bag Store, we have everything from lunch bags to large coolers that hold a dozen cans or more for a day full of adventure! We have drawstring sports bags for kids’ sports and use at school, and tote bags that are good for, well, everything else!

And of course, we have the Custom Umbrellas Store – a very useful gift when you find yourself caught in a downpour of spring showers! Just think, your umbrella will be seen all over town – getting in and out of cars, running into buildings, and dashing through the streets – all featuring your company logo! And our golf umbrellas are perfect for sponsoring a local golf tournament!

The bottom line is, spring is a time of renewal, and there isn’t a better time to refresh your advertising arsenal and prepare for warm-weather events. At Promotional Webstores, you’ll find a vast and varied selection of products guaranteed to make your event a hit!

 

Tradeshows and Events

Custom Hand Sanitizer – a Necessity for Corporate Events and Tradeshows

Large-Scale Events – a Breeding Ground for Disease

No one likes to think about germs and bacteria, but the reality is you pick them up everywhere – work, home, restaurants, shops, and anywhere else you may go. And not just during pandemic events! Each time you open a door, push an elevator button, use the company copier, or pour yourself a cup of coffee (at home and the office), you pick up whatever germs the person before you left behind.

So, just think about what happens during tradeshows, promotional events, and other large events that attract a large number of people! You are constantly shaking hands, exchanging business cards, and sharing pens and literature with hundreds of people throughout the day. Not to mention the number of surfaces you touch that have already been touched by countless others!

Pump Bottle Gel Hand Sanitizer for your Trade Table

At a minimum, when sponsoring an event or booth at a tradeshow, you should keep a large pump bottle of custom hand sanitizer at your table so you can refresh your hands periodically, and offer the same to those visiting your booth. Employees can use it often after shaking hands with guests or sharing objects such as business cards. Guests can use it before they move on to the next vendor, helping to thwart the spread of possible viruses before it starts. It only takes one person with the flu or a virus to pass along their illness to countless numbers of people during large-scale events!

Individual Gift Hand Sanitizer Bottles

You could even go one step further by offering visitors a small bottle of hand sanitizer to take with them. Set up a large fishbowl or another container, fill it with individually sized bottles of custom hand sanitizer featuring your company logo, and let attendees grab one when they come to your table. Not only will they be reminded of your company each time they use it, but others around them will notice your logo as they use it, prompting them to visit your table for their own bottle. This gives you a chance to present your business or products to more people, to gain additional customers.

Hand sanitizer really is a necessity during tradeshows. It benefits you, your employees, and attendees by helping keep everyone’s hands fresh and germ-free during the event, to prevent the spreading of viruses and germs from one person to the next. You don’t know where other people’s hands have been or what they have touched before they get to your booth.

The Benefits of Gifting Promotional Sanitizer

Using custom hand sanitizer to promote your business, allows you to promote your brand in a useful and practical way. Everyone comes prepared with promotional products to pass along to guests in the hopes they will remember their brand after the event is over. A health product like hands sanitizer shows people that you care about their health, and were thoughtful when selecting a promotional gift. You didn’t just throw your name on some one-use gimmick that most likely will end up in the nearest trash bin and won’t even make it out the doors of the event, let alone be seen again as a reminder.

At the Custom Hand Sanitizer Store, we offer a great selection of personalized promotional products to fit every need. From credit card-sized hand sanitizers to gels, pumps, and wipes, we offer a varied selection at low prices made to fit any budget. Head on over to our store and place an order for your next event!

 

Healthy Promotions

Sunscreen Basics and Benefits

Why you need It, How it works, and How much to use

Using sunscreen can be a hassle, especially if you’re just running a quick errand. But is it really necessary? Most people would agree it is. Even the shortest amount of time in the sun can expose you to the possibility of getting burned when you don’t use sunscreen, even if it’s only your arm getting sun through a car window. We’ve all had a “driving tan” at one time or another!

You may not even realize you are getting burned if clouds or wind make it seem cooler than it actually is. I have often heard you are more likely to get sunburned when the sky is overcast because you don’t feel the burn until it’s too late. And the longer you stay in the sun unprotected, the greater the risk.

The greatest danger of not using sunscreen is one that won’t show any effects until years later – melanoma – a type of skin cancer that kills more than 20,000 people each year, with numbers steadily growing. They say people with blue/green eyes, fair skin, and blond or red hair are among the greatest at risk for melanoma because they have less melanin than those with darker skin. For some people, a sunburn is a precursor to a tan, while others never burn at all. That doesn’t mean you don’t need sunscreen.

In addition to the danger of skin cancer, sunburns can be extremely painful and even cause agonizing blisters. They can take days to heal, preventing you from touching the burned area without causing pain. And no matter how much you moisturize, it usually leads to peeling skin, which is not an attractive look. So yes, sunscreen is an important part of your daily health, and is necessary to protect your skin and prevent skin cancer.

Wearing sunscreen can be inconvenient. You’re late for work or an appointment and trying to get out of the house as quickly as possible, so you try to eliminate non-essential steps from your daily routine. But do you want to skip applying your sunscreen? Before you say yes, think about the reasons wearing sunscreen IS essential.

Top 5 Benefits of Using Sunscreen

 1.  Prevents Painful Sunburns

The most obvious benefit of sunscreen, is of course, to prevent a sunburn. And the best way to prevent a sunburn, aside from not going outside, is with the use of a daily sunscreen. It’s so easy to get burned, yet so simple to prevent!

And don’t forget that it doesn’t have to be sunny for you to get sunburned – some of the worst burns are acquired on a cloudy day! Just because you can’t see the sun, doesn’t mean that it’s rays can’t reach your skin.

The sun isn’t the only culprit either – tanning beds can cause extremely painful burns too if used without proper preparation. It’s easy to fall asleep in a tanning bed, so it’s important that you always use sunscreen before getting into one. It might take a little longer to achieve your desired tan level, but it’s much safer and will provide you with a better looking, more even tan in the long run.

 

2.  Reduces Appearance of Age/Sunspots

Sunscreen protects your skin from the harmful rays of the sun that cause browns spots commonly called “age” or “liver” spots. You might think you don’t need to worry about this if you won’t be out in the sun very often, but even the smallest amount of exposure can do damage you won’t notice until it’s too late. Caused by hyperpigmentation, sunspots can occur anywhere on your body where skin is exposed and left unprotected. So always be sure to cover your face, shoulders, arms, and back, as well as the back of your hands. Your future skin will thank you!

 

3.  Reduces Signs of Aging for Clearer, Younger Looking Skin

Your current skin will thank you! Using sunscreen daily can delay the appearance of wrinkled skin and premature aging. It protects the collagen and connective tissues, giving your skin more elasticity, thereby reducing wrinkles. Additionally, sunscreen helps reduce and prevent the redness and blotchiness that often occurs on the face, and gives your skin a generally clearer and more even complexion. We all want to look and feel younger, and using sunscreen to keep skin protected is one of the best ways to have younger, clearer skin.

And don’t wait until you are older to start using sunscreen! It’s very important that you ensure your children are well protected too! While the effects may not show up until you are older, it all starts the first time you step out into the sun.

 

4.  Medications

Many medications can cause sun sensitivity and increase your chance of sunburn. If the label on your medication says to limit your exposure to the sun, this is why. This list includes antibiotics, cardiac drugs, diuretics, NSAIDs, and even some acne medications. So be heedful of your prescription labels! If they warn you against long sun exposure, be sure to use plenty of sunscreen if you must be in the sun.

 

5.  Reduces the Risk of Skin Cancer

And most importantly, using sunscreen helps prevent cancer. Skin cancer (melanoma) rates are rising daily. The use of sunscreen offers protection and reduces the chances of getting skin cancer greatly. The CDC recommends using a broad-spectrum sunscreen containing at least SPF 15. However, the higher the number the better the protection. Using a sunscreen containing SPF 50 is the best way to help prevent skin cancer (barring not being in the sun at all).

So, before you head out for the day, remember to show your skin some love by applying your sunscreen! You and your skin will be grateful in the long run! 

 

How Sunscreen Works

We know sunscreen plays an important role in our daily lives, protecting our skin from sun damage including premature aging and cancer, but how exactly does it work? While the sun is the sustaining force we need to live, the UV rays can be harmful to our skin, causing age spots, cancer, and other unwanted effects. There are essentially two kinds of rays we want to avoid: UVA and UVB. UVA rays penetrate deep into the skin, leading to premature skin aging and possible skin cancer, while UVB rays cause your skin to burn and/or tan. Sunscreen absorbs, reflects, and/or scatters ultraviolet light, helping to reduce the amount of UVA/UVB rays reaching our skin.

Sunscreen is made from both organic and inorganic chemicals. It filters light from the sun to help keep it from reaching the deep layers of our skin. While some of the light might get through, much as a screen does on a window, not nearly as much light gets through. If you are using sunscreen, it helps to protect the skin and lowers the chances of sunburn, age spots, and eventually skin cancer. Sunblock, on the other hand, prevents these rays from reaching the skin at all by reflecting the light away from the skin.

Typical ingredients include titanium oxide, or zinc oxide which is used in sunblock (we all remember the white noses of our youth)! These ingredients work by reflecting or scattering UV rays away from your skin. Organic ingredients such as oxybenzone absorb UV radiation, allowing the various modules of the sunscreen to break down and release heat. If you are concerned about using any kind of chemical on your skin, zinc oxide is your best bet. Zinc oxide is a natural mineral and provides not only the safest and most effective protection for your skin but is also coral reef safe. This means it won’t harm marine life or coral while blocking out both UVA and UVB rays.

Shop Coral Reef Safe Sunscreen

Coral Reef Slider

How Much SPF do you Really Need?

There’s a lot of debate about how much sunscreen you actually need to use, and what SPF level gives you the most protection. It can be very confusing since SPF levels range from as low as SPF 4, to as high as SPF 110. But do you really need that much? It would stand to reason that if SPF 30 is good, SPF 110 would be great, right?

Research studies say No. While theoretically (in the lab) the higher the number the better the protection, in reality, it doesn’t work that way. Sunscreen with SPF over 50 gives people a false sense of security, believing they can skip reapplications and stay out in the sun much longer without a break. Additionally, the FDA warns higher SPF levels are basically ineffective and can contain ingredients that cause skin irritation. Most recommend the use of a water-resistant, broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 to 50 for any outdoor activity. And for it to be effective, must be reapplied every two hours (at least), and immediately after swimming or sweating. SPF 15 is typically used on the face for daily activities like driving.

The amount is important too. It typically takes two tablespoons (1 oz.) to cover an average size body, less for children. The main thing to remember is to use enough to generously cover all exposed parts of your body, and to reapply often, especially if you are swimming or on the water. For added protection consider a hat and pair of sunglasses to protect your face and eyes.

And don’t forget to reapply! Wearing sunscreen is great, but if you don’t reapply it throughout the day, it won’t work as intended. The general rules for reapplying are as follows:

    • After every 2 hours you are outside or exposed to the sun, including driving
    • Every 80 minutes while swimming
    • After sweating, or showering
    • After toweling off

So, the bottom line is, you probably don’t need anything above SPF 50. The bigger the number isn’t as important as how often you reapply. So go out and enjoy the sun! After applying your sunscreen. And don’t forget to keep a bottle on hand for quick and easy reapplications throughout the day when needed.

Healthy Promotions

The Importance of Keeping your Cell Phone Clean

People tend to be negligent regarding the cleanliness of their phones. Many just wipe the screen off quickly, without concern for germs, bacteria, and fingerprints. That is, until the debris build becomes too much to hide. Then they start searching for ways to clean it!

Honestly, you should probably clean your phone on a regular basis – or at least once a day. It’s not a difficult task, and can be done easily and quickly. Keeping your cell phone and other electronic devices is important. Not only does it prolong the life of your device, it helps keeps you (and others) healthier by not the spreading germs and bacteria you pick up from others and transfer to your phone.

The information below outlines the quickest and easiest ways to keep your cell phone clean. It only takes a minute, but the benefits are numerous!

Microfiber Cleaning Cloths

Microfiber cleaning cloths are the perfect way to keep your phone clean and smudge free. Used alone or with a cleaner, these convenient cloths are very soft, and non-abrasive, so they won’t scratch your phone screen or case. They effectively remove fingerprints, dirt, and grime from your phone screen and case. We all know fingerprint smudges can’t be avoided on our phone screens, and microfiber cleaning cloths offers an easy, effective way to quickly clean up your screening.

To use a microfiber cleaning cloth, simply dampen it with water or disinfectant and wipe the screen. Remember, never pour water on your screen directly. You can even use the cloth dry without any kind of cleaner to effectively remove fingerprints! This works well for any screen – cell phone, tablet, or even laptop.

Alcohol-Based or Disinfectant Wipes

Since the appearance of Covid, people have taken every day health precautions to the next level. Alcohol-based disinfectants are the new pocket “must-have”. Once you leave your house, you are subjected to all kinds of public surfaces covered in other people’s germs. From door handles, to shopping carts, to seats and counters, it’s a never-ending realm of germs and bacteria left in places you can’t help buy touch!

And before you know it, you are using the same hands to touch your phone. Using disinfectant wipes or alcohol-based wipes not only cleans your phone, but also kills the germs and bacteria associated with viruses.

Don’t have a wipe handy? Spray a small amount of 70% alcohol-based solution on a microfiber cleaning cloth and gently wipe your phone. Be sure not to spray any into the ports, and completely dry the screen afterwards.

The Tape Trick

The tape trick is the best way to remove lint, dirt, and sand that have become stuck in small ports and crevices you can’t easily reach. To do this, place scotch tape along the ports, speakers, and crevices and gently roll it up. As you do that, the sand and lint stuck in your phone will adhere to the tape.

For a really small hole where the tape trick won’t work, you can use a toothpick. However, always be gentle while doing this and be sure not to puncture to deep!

Conclusion

Keeping your phone clean is not difficult, and if you wipe it down on a daily basis, you can help prevent the spread of germs and bacteria while maintaining a clear screen for viewing.

 

Promotions & Branding

Take Your Brand on a Summer Vacation

The last couple of years have been hard on us all. But now the winter blues are starting to lift. Many of us are starting to think about that well-deserved summer vacation. A beach holiday in the summer sun perhaps? Maybe a beautiful apartment with a lovely swimming pool. Or a wonderful city break to that destination you have been dreaming about for the last few years. We all deserve it, don’t we?

With restrictions starting to lift around the planet, those summer vacations are back on and it may just be a record-breaking year for the tourism industry! Well, let’s hope so, especially after the last couple of years!

Does Your Brand Need a Vacation?

Have you ever considered sending your brand on a summer holiday? Now before you question if I have already started on the summer cocktails, let me explain what I mean.

When we go on holiday there are a few items we regularly need! Sunglasses comes to mind, a bag to carry my kit to the hotel gym or down to the pool or beach, and even a bottle of sunscreen. Imagine if these items were promotional products that highlighted your brand!

In a previous article, we highlighted the value of using promotional products for great brand awareness. For someone to keep and use a promotional product it needs to fit two main criteria. It is something they will regularly use in their daily life, and it has to be of high quality. Here at Promotional Webstores, we offer a great range of quality sunglasses, sunscreen, and bags that can be customized to your brand. All at competitive prices! Hand these out to your clients, let them use them not only in their daily lives but also when they go on vacation. Then suddenly you have international exposure!

Now you might be sitting there reading this, thinking my brand does not really need international exposure. So, this really does not apply to me. Before you click away let me convince you that this is might not be the case!

Social Media is a Powerful Advertising Tool

With the boom of picture-based and video social media, your products have the potential to be viewed by millions of people worldwide along with the whole of the US. Just one great photo or video where your branded product is in full view and before you know it you may just become a viral sensation!

Just think how many pictures and videos will be posted and viewed this summer, of people enjoying their summer vacations with the most wonderful views, on the most beautiful beaches, at a great romantic restaurant, or at that tropical swimming pool. Each picture potentially has your branded sunglasses, sunscreen, or bag in that photo. Viewed by all their followers who suddenly start thinking…. I wonder who that company is?

Still not convinced?

Think back to your last holiday. We look at everything, taking it all in. We see everyone. Intrigued by their appearance, what they are wearing and carrying. Then we take pictures and videos and post them on social media for the world to see!

I bet you can picture someone you saw on your travels with a certain bag or product, and you remember the name of that company that was printed on it. Maybe you even googled them. Maybe you ended up being one of their customers…

Healthy Promotions

Why Hand Sanitizer is Still Important in 2022

Before the pandemic changed our lives, how many of us really ever thought about hand sanitizer? Not many unless you worked in a medical environment. Over the last two years, it has become one of the must-have items in our daily lives, at times being the reason for some crazy panic buying! In the US alone the hand sanitizer market was worth over 4.3 billion USD by the end of 2020 and is forecasted to grow a further 3.6% over the next 5 years.

Now you won’t say this too loudly, but there are signs on the horizon that the world might be returning to normal. Or at least a version of whatever normal is or was to us all. The numbers of worldwide infections have decreased over the last few weeks, a pattern mirrored in the US and much of Europe. The number of individuals vaccinated is ever-increasing and many countries are starting to lift all signs of restrictions. So, does this all mean we no longer need this once essential product?

Back to normal?

Many people work from home today. For some this is how they have always worked, for others, it became necessary during the pandemic. Working from home has its positives, but it does have its downside. It can be quite a lonely way of working. Interacting with the same four walls every single day and only speaking to people via a computer screen or phone.

But as restrictions are being lifted there are murmurings that some countries are now looking to live with the virus. Many are starting to venture into the office more and more, once again.

A day out

Working from home, spending time out in the world is often a treat. During the pandemic, shopping was only a necessity, and coffee and dinner with friends was a luxury. For many, shopping was done online for delivery to eliminate any unnecessary contact with others who may or may not be ill. Not everyone adheres to the recommendations of the CDC, and although hand sanitizer was available at every store, not all took advantage of it. Even being around someone with a cough would often send people into a panic!

The weekend

Saturday hits and you have plans with friends or family. Coffee out, a trip to the shops, and then an afternoon of chores while the weekend’s sport is on in the background. Then if all goes well, you plan to meet some friends for dinner in the evening.

But when you wake up, you just don’t feel yourself. You can’t quite put your finger on it, but something is not quite right. Trying not to dwell on it, you start your weekend with all the excitement that it brings knowing the working week is behind you. Lunchtime arrives, and wait. That can’t be, can it? Did you just cough?

The test

The coughing gets worse over the next couple of hours, so you decided to take a Covid test. Because that is what we have become programmed to do. You find the at-home kit you have and follow the instructions to the letter. You need to be sure after all! You get ready to wait the fifteen minutes out staring at this test, but after just three minutes your heart starts to sink. Surely not. It can’t be, can it? Those two red lines appear. Oh no you have Coronavirus!

Later that evening the cough becomes more prominent, your joints begin to ache, your nose starts to run, and you become congested. The hot and cold feelings come and go every few minutes and you feel awful.

But you thought the pandemic was coming to an end? You are double vaccinated and for so long during this pandemic, you were so careful when you were out. But habits have slipped. you have become too relaxed! Maybe Coronavirus will never go away and we are all going to have to live with it. Along with Flu, the common cold, and many other little bugs that try so hard to bring us down!

The downfall

It could have all been prevented. Simple really. Using hand sanitizer. You don’t even know why you stopped using it. You have been so careful throughout the pandemic. Maybe it’s “Covid fatigue” or you just started to believe (or wanted to believe) it was all going away. Let’s be fair, it’s been two years and we are all sick of it! (Yes, that was a joke!)

Your journey out into the world brings so many opportunities to catch the infection. The hundred passengers on the train or bus, and the ones who sat in your seat before you did. The coffee barista who handled your coffee. The hundreds of people you interacted with throughout the day. Endless opportunities.

We can never control what everyone else is doing, but we can control what we do. And while we all learn to live with Coronavirus and all the other bugs out there, we can take one simple precaution that would have saved you from a rough week in bed. Regularly sanitizing our hands. A good thirty seconds would have saved your whole week. Seems silly now, when you look back.

Learn from your lesson

Don’t let those exciting times on the horizon be stopped by not continuing to do the little things like regularly washing your hands with soap or water, or using hand sanitizer when you are out and about. That quick 30-second habit might just allow you to enjoy that holiday in the sun, the concert that has been postponed three times, or that meal out you have been looking forward to for months with your friends.

 

Promotions & Branding

Boost your Brand with Custom Bags

Having your brand name and marketing message seen all over town is a goal many business owners strive to achieve. The more you put your brand in the eyes of potential customers, the quicker your business brand becomes a household name in your industry. While some people solely rely on the digital space to advertise their brands, you can go far beyond that to leverage the power of promotional products.

As a business owner, it’s important to understand that the world’s digital market economy is characterized by congested and aggressive advertising. As a result, you must look for smarter ways to build brand awareness outside the digital space. Promotional products are items you can personalize to drive your brand marketing campaign locally or nationally. Business owners who understand the power of traditional advertising include promotional items in their marketing efforts.

Regardless of the type of business, custom tote bags, lunch bags, grocery, messenger, business, gym, and duffel bags can be used for effective physical brand promotion. Not only do they make great customer gifts, but they provide the added value of repeated use and brand exposure. Unlike a disposable plastic bag, tote bags are reusable; and recipients will use them over and over again, giving you extended brand exposure. The longer they use these bags with your promotional message imprinted on them, the higher the exposure your brand gets.

Why Use Custom Bags as a Marketing Strategy?

Imagine what it will look like when people are seen in shopping malls, offices, streets, and event arenas with your personalized bags. Of course, this will go a long way to improving your brand visibility. But this isn’t the only reason you need custom bags for your business marketing.

Here are some other reasons why more businesses are paying attention to the use of reusable bags for their brand marketing:

Promotional products are cost-effective

The cost of advertising your business using custom bags is less when compared to the use of radio, television commercials, or billboard advertising. As such, even small business owners can depend on it. And with the added value of repeat exposure over longer periods of time, you get more for your advertising dollar!

Custom bags come in different types, styles, and sizes, making it easier for you to pick one that fits your budget. At The Custom Bag Store, you can see the different designs, materials, and prices that fit your advertising budget.

Nothing beats the reusability of custom bags. People have the habit of reusing custom bags multiple times and for different purposes. You can easily benefit from this habit by customizing a bag with your business logo, promotional message, and contact details. Not only will the recipient be reminded of your business, but you can potentially gain new customers from the exposure you get when it is used around town.

There is no doubt about the importance of using promotional custom bags for your brand awareness. Whether you are using them to promote your business at a tradeshow, or a customer and employee gifts, you stand a higher chance of benefiting from this marketing with a unique bag for your business. Get started today, by creating walking billboards through customers that will provide you years of return exposure!

Healthy Promotions

The Benefits of Using Hand Sanitizer

Differences Between Hand Sanitizer and Soap & Water

There’s no doubt the hand sanitizer industry took a swift turn in recent years, and justifiably so. There are germs everywhere! Potentially everything you touch has germs that can cling onto your hands, clothes, and anywhere else really.

Washing your hands is certainly the recommended action, however, that is not always the most practical solution. You might be out shopping, riding a bus, or someplace else where you can’t safely wash your hands, that’s where hand sanitizer comes in. Its mobility and size allow us to take it anywhere, and with just a few drops, your hands are clean and germ-free.

An effective hand sanitizer contains at least 60% alcohol to effectively kill the germs and bacteria needed to keep your hands sanitized. However, there are significant differences between cleaning your hands with soap and water and using hand sanitizer. And depending on the situation, hand sanitizer might be the better choice.

Soap and water are a great combination to remove all or most germs. On the other hand, sanitizer, containing at least 60% alcohol, kills up to 99% of all germs and bacteria – it doesn’t just wash them off. That said, while hand sanitizers might be great for killing germs, they don’t work as well when it comes to cleaning your hands from chemicals or even pesticides. Knowing when to use hand sanitizer and when to wash your hands can maximize your protection against germs and other components that might not be good for you.

The Hand Sanitizer Industry

During the past couple of years, the hand sanitizer industry has grown tremendously due to the rapid spread of the coronavirus. Revenues of hand sanitizer grew to $92.3 million in 2021 and are expected to grow another 6-7% in the following years. While the virus may seem to be leveling off, people are still hyper-vigilant about their health and protecting themselves and their families.

How does it Work?

Everyone knows the basics of using hand sanitizer correctly. But are you using it correctly to ensure its effectiveness?

With hand sanitizer, there’s no need to combine it with water as the gel is simply absorbed by your skin. The first step is to make sure there’s no organic matter in your hands, or at least visible matter, such as dirt. Be sure to clean off any visible dirt and grime with a clean cloth before applying the hand sanitizer.

You don’t need to use a lot of hand sanitizer, just squeeze a small amount about the size of a nickel to a quarter into the palm of your hand, depending on the size of your hands. Then rub your hands together repeatedly, making sure you cover your entire hand and fingers up to about 2 inches of your wrist. Continue until you don’t feel any gel remaining and your hands feel dry.

One of the best things about hand sanitizer is that you can use it anywhere! It doesn’t require water, takes less time than soap and water, and doesn’t require a towel to dry afterward. Hand sanitizer works quickly and kills most germs and bacteria leaving your hands clean and germ-free.

Healthy Promotions

After the Burn – Using Aloe Vera to Heal

You didn’t heed the warnings and spent time at the beach, gardening, or another outdoor activity without the proper use of an SPF sunscreen product. Now you’re paying the price! From a painful burn to subsequent skin irritations, the consequences of not using sunscreen, or not using it properly, are yours to bear. The best way to combat a sunburn is by using Aloe vera to ease the pain and promote healing.

Benefits of Aloe Vera

Aloe vera soothes and softens the skin, bringing relief to the discomfort and pain associated with sunburns by promoting regeneration while moisturizing the skin. An extraordinary cactus-like plant, Aloe vera contains a healing gel-like substance comprised of vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, and amino acids to help inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria and accelerate the healing process.

Aloe Vera Uses

Not just for sunburns, aloe vera is used for various skin conditions including burns, bug bites, psoriasis, frostbite, psoriasis, cold sores, and acne. Aloe vera gel also treats the itching and inflammation associated with these conditions. As a bonus, it also helps fight the visible signs of aging, prevents dark spots, reduced dental plaque, treats canker sores, and more.

How to use Aloe Vera

Using an aloe plant can be a bit daunting, given the spiky ends of the plant’s leaves, and isn’t very practical for everyday use for today’s on-the-go lifestyles. Luckily you can easily purchase this wonderful product in convenient travel-sized bottles you can toss in a purse, backpack, or briefcase for quick relief anytime you need it. Custom aloe vera gel makes a great promotional item as well. Whether handed out alone or alongside a promotional sunscreen, customers will appreciate the gift and think of your business each time they use it! You can find everything you need at the Custom Sunscreen Store to both prevent and treat a sunburn.

Promotions & Branding

Why Use Promotional Products?

A promotional product is any product you gift to someone, to promote your business, organization, or service. Each product is personalized, containing the brand name, logo, contact information, website address, or anything else that highlights your brand! Gifting these personalized products is a great marketing tool and can really help to boost your brand awareness!

The Benefits of Promotional Products

Companies already use promotional products to increase their brand awareness. Whether it’s handing out customized products when they visit the office in an attempt to sell you their product, or at trade shows trying to increase their customer base. But why do they do this? Let us look at an example.

Imagine as part of your promotional strategy, you give a potential client a personalized product they can use daily that promotes your brand. Marketing research has shown that people in the US are likely to keep a promotional product for on average 12 months. That person will be continually exposed to your brand for 365 days! Now let us imagine that just 2 different friends or work colleagues see that product each day over that same period. Your brand awareness has now reached over 700 people within a year.

Now imagine you gift 100 products. Your brand exposure is now potentially over 70,000. For 1000 products it grows to over 700,000.

Now, this is a simplistic view, but you can see how by using promotional products you can achieve massive brand awareness very quickly. In practice, with the right product, that brand awareness may even be higher. Think about gifting travel mugs. How many people may see that mug daily? That lovely barista that makes you your morning coffee, the customers in the queue, the people on your commute, the staff in the office. That earlier example has suddenly gone from 700 people for one product in a year to over 7000! Just by using a type of product that people will use in their daily lives! You can see how you can expose your brand to large numbers of people with the right product!

At What Cost?

Well as always, the answer to that question is “it depends on the product”. But let’s look at our travel coffee mug example. At our Custom Drinkware Store, we have great options for personalized travel mugs for under $4 each. So, for just $4 you can reach potentially over 7000 people with your brand within a year.

And we don’t just do travel mugs. We have great options to suit all your brand awareness needs! Such as personalized coffee mugs for under $2, personalized pens for under 25¢, personalized bags for under $1, and so many more fantastic options.

What Types of Products Should You Use for Promotion?

To achieve maximum exposure, you want a promotional product that can be used in someone’s everyday life. Market research has shown that the two main reasons people keep promotional products for a long time are the quality and usefulness of that product. So, think about what you use every day either at work or on the go. Pens in the office, coffee mugs (all the time!), bags on the go!

Here at Promotional Webstores, we have a wide variety of stores that sell products that are both high in quality and products that people will use repeatedly giving your brand massive exposure!

From pens to coffee mugs, we have the office covered. From bags to sunglasses, we have the everyday fashion sorted. We even can supply you with high-quality, personalized hand sanitizer gels. A must have item to keep your clients safe in this Covid world.

If you want to take your brand awareness to the next level, then check out our stores! With so many products to choose from, we can help you achieve massive brand awareness!

 

Promotions & Branding

Benefits of Beeswax Lip Balm

When looking for a lip balm, one of the best choices you can make is to use one containing Beeswax. Naturally produced wax secreted by bees, beeswax has natural properties that carry many surprising benefits. Below we will discuss 4 of these benefits to help you understand why our natural beeswax lip balms make a great promotional product to market your business or event.

 

The Benefits

 

1. Natural and Chemical Free

Naturally derived beeswax is free of unnecessary chemicals and parabens that can irritate your skin. It is also free of alcohol, which is can dry lips out. Beeswax is non-irritating and helps to retain moisture, keeping lips soft and supple. Additionally, beeswax is non-comedogenic so it won’t clog.


2. Organic Moisturizing

Beeswax contains natural emulsifiers to help keep lips moist, plump, and soft without the use of chemicals or added ingredients. It heals while softening, making it ideal to help prevent and repair dry, chapped, or cracked lips year round.


3. Protective and Antibacterial

Beeswax is a natural protectant against the sun and other environmental elements. Some of our beeswax lip balms include SPF 15 to provide an additional layer of protection. If your lips are sensitive or prone to infection, the antibacterial properties of beeswax will go a long way in protecting your lips against inflammation and irritation.


4. Anti-Aging

Beeswax is rich in Vitamin A which aids in cell turnover, which diminishes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. This prolongs the process of wrinkles and age spots forming on the lips!

 

Promote Your Business with Beeswax Lip Balm !

If you’re as impressed as we were with the benefits of beeswax lip balms, we invite you to explore your available options for custom promotional lip balms. Personalized with your logo, you have a great giveaway for all your marketing needs. Here’s a quick list of options you can choose from: