Tag Archives: custom umbrellas

Holiday Gift Giving for Customers and Employees

The holiday season is a great time for businesses to show appreciation to customers and employees for their loyalty. Without either of these groups, your company would not be operational! While you are always looking out for new customers, keeping current ones happy is important. Repeat business is the key to long-lasting success.

And of course, you always want to include your employees. Sales might bring in the money, but happy employees are key to making your business run smoothly and efficiently. When you show employees that you care about and appreciate them, they will be happier in their work which is reflected in their attitude, and the way they treat customers. It’s also important for employee retention – a content employee is a long-term employee.

 

What makes a great gift?

When choosing branded gifts, whether for customers or employees, think about the quality of the item and the reusability factor. While small trinkets and items are great for promotions throughout the year, holiday gifts should be something that makes them say “wow”!

Studies have shown that when you give a customer a promotional gift, they tend to keep those gifts for 5 years or more! And of course, each time they use your gift they will think of your business, creating a reminder so they will call you when they are once again in the market for your services or products.

 

Gifts that Last

The best holiday gifts are ones that can be used over and over again. Repeat impressions are key to successful marketing, and that includes branded holiday gifts. Below are a few ideas for promotional gifts that are ideal for both customers and employees.

 

Drinkware

Custom drinkware makes a great promotional gift and is an easy way to keep your name in front of people throughout the day. The Custom Drinkware Store has a wonderful selection of sports bottles, koozies, glassware, and stainless steel drinkware.

16 Oz. Denali Stainless Steel Thermos – Stainless Steel with a screw-on, spill-resistant lid, and pop-up lid for pouring, this thermos has double-walled construction and is ideal for hot coffee as well as cold beverages like iced tea and water.

20 Oz. Full Color Stainless Steel Himalayan Tumbler with Antimicrobial Additive – featuring built-in antimicrobial properties to prevent germs and bacteria from forming on the cup, this stainless steel tumbler has a 4-color process wrap to create a one-of-a-kind gift that people can immediately associate with your brand.

Bags

A custom bag gives the recipient a useful and long-lasting gift with many uses. At The Custom Bag Store, we offer a varied selection of bags to meet every need.

Deluxe Sports Duffel Bag – This handsome duffel bag sports has several pockets and a shoe compartment to hold everything you need for a trip to the gym or weekend getaway, and features a generous size imprint to showcase your logo.

Manhattan Tote Bag – this stylish tote comes with a unique checkered pattern with Black, Blue, or Silver Accents and a Black or Brown pouch. It’s ideal for carrying groceries, work supplies, and books.

 

Umbrellas

A custom umbrella can be used year-round, and it’s one of the few items that you can use to promote your brand that will give your brand a broader reach. Every time someone uses a promotional umbrella with your logo, not only will they think of your company but they are advertising your product to everyone around them each time they use it. Check out our complete line at the Custom Umbrella Store.

46″ Auto Open & Close Reversa Inversion Folding Umbrella – The intelligent design makes it easy to open and close and is designed not only to protect you from rain but also from a rain-soaked umbrella. When not in use, it folds to only 13″ long so that it fits almost anywhere.

46″ Auto Open Reflective Iridescence Umbrella – featuring a generous imprint area, you can promote your brand while offering users a safe way to travel in the rain. This umbrella features a reflective iridescence canopy so others can easily see you when the skies are gray.

A Personal Touch

No matter what gift you decide on this holiday season, you can always add a personal touch to make it even more special. If you are wrapping your gifts, consider adding a Custom Lip Balm, Hand Sanitizer, or Promotional Pen to the bow so they know just who the gift is from! You can also add a gift tag to these items and attach it to the gift if you decide not to wrap them individually.

 

Why Marketing with Promotional Giveaways Works

Creating a promotional giveaway with custom-branded products is a wonderful way to gain attention. A promotional giveaway is where a business gives away free products featuring its company logo to customers and potential customers to attract new business and build customer loyalty. It’s a way that allows you to connect with your current customers, and attract the attention of potential new customers.

 

Promotional Giveaways are Cost-Effective

Promotional giveaways are a low-cost, yet effective way to leave a lasting impression and keep your brand on the minds of your target audience. It’s cheaper and more effective than standard advertising and allows you to connect with your target audience.

Most people keep a promotional gift for an average of one year or longer depending on the product. Something like stainless steel drinkware or an umbrella will last for years, giving you extended exposure.

 

Creating Brand Recognition

In addition to keeping your name on the minds of your customers, it’s a great way to attract new customers. Others will see your custom product being used, and it will pique their interest and prompt them to reach out to your company to inquire about your business and its services.

 

Customer Appreciation

Promotional giveaways are ideal for showing your customers how much you appreciate them and their business. When people feel appreciated, it will increase their loyalty to your company. Items that people can use every day, like custom drinkware, is a great way to keep your name front and center so your brand is ever present on their mind.

 

Promotional Products that Work

While most custom products are a great way to promote your brand, some products do work better than others. Items such as custom bags, drinkware, pens, lip balm, umbrellas, and hand sanitizer are more effective than a one-use gimmick or gad items such as fidget spinners, stress toys, or other items that wear out or break easily.

When considering the kind of promotional product you want to represent your brand, consider long-lasting and useful items. Almost everyone owns a promotional pen or drinkware product. Why? Because they work. For instance, stainless steel drinkware is something that everyone can use, and use often. Drinkware that is versatile and can be used for both hot and cold beverages will give you more exposure than a plastic cup.

You also need to consider your audience. If you are a sports-related brand you might want to use a sports water bottle that can be used during workouts or while playing sports, or even hiking or biking.

 

The Bottom Line

No matter what type of business you are in, you can benefit from promotional giveaways. Whether you are attending tradeshows, hosting an event, or just looking for a way to show your customers how much you appreciate their business, promotional products are a winning marketing idea.

Promotional products are also a great way to show employee appreciation. And when you give your employees brand merchandise, they will often give it to a friend or family, giving you even more exposure.

How to Create an Awesome Swag Bag for Promotional Giveaways

When planning promotional events, swag bags are a great idea for any business. They not only provide guests with a goodie bag (which everyone loves!), but it’s a wonderful way to promote your brand and keep your name on the minds of customers and potential customers.

Creating a swag bag guests will love isn’t hard. Just make sure you have items that people can use more than once. Don’t waste your money on a one-use gimmick or fad items that will just end up in the trash before they even leave your event.

Start with a custom tote bag, like our Non-Woven Promotional Tote Bag. Pricing starts at 96¢, with an imprint area of 10″ W x 10″ H to showcase your company logo or event theme graphics. It comes in a variety of colors so you can match or complement your theme colors. We have a great selection of tote bags, paper, and plastic bags, and more with prices ranging from 43¢ to $25.00 per piece so you can find the right size and style of bag to hold your swag.

Include useful items that will remind people daily of your company. Small and compact items from our Custom Cleaning Cloth, Lip Balm, Hand Sanitizer, Drinkware, or Pen stores are inexpensive and easy to fit into any size bag. Below are some of our best-selling items from these stores.

Custom Cleaning Cloths

Staring at 57¢, CC-1000HP is a Value Microfiber Cloth in a Printed Pouch that includes a one-color imprint directly on the pouch for an inexpensive gift. Measuring only 4” W x 2-1/4” H, this pouch is easy to carry to easily clean phones, glasses, and more.

Another popular product is CC-2000LP – our 6″ x 6″ Microfiber Cloth with a Zig-Zag Edge that comes with full color, edge-to-edge imprint to make your graphics come alive. Pricing starts at only 65¢ per piece and makes a great and useful giveaway.

Personalized Lip Balm

Our best-selling lip balm, LB-7000TW – is an SPF 15 Lip Balm w/ Vitamin E & Aloe – includes a Full-Color Imprint starting at just 46¢ per piece and comes in 18 delicious flavors.

Another great option is LB-7005TW, an All Natural Beeswax Lip Balm with a Full Color Imprint . Available in 24 flavors, pricing starts at just 39¢ per piece.

You can even opt for several flavors in quantities of 100 by using the coupon code FLAVOR on either of these great lip balms. Most of our lip balm products are available to purchase in multiple flavors. Information regarding quantity requirements are located on each product page.

Promotional Hand Sanitizer

Available with your choice of cap colors, HS-7000TW, our .33 Oz. Hand Sanitizer Pocket Spray starts at 72¢ per piece. The clip cap makes it easy to keep with you in a shirt pocket for a convenient way to keep hands free from germs and bacteria.

Another popular and extremely portable item is HS-7001TW, a .67 Oz. Credit Card Hand Sanitizer Spray. Available in 10 Colors, this sprayer easily fits into a wallet or pocket so you can take it with you everywhere.

Custom Drinkware

We have a great selection of Custom Drinkware to fit any event or promotion. 820DB – our Best Coolie with a 1 Color Screen Print (Printed in the USA) is a very affordable option. This koozie holds standard drink cans, comes in a large selection of colors, and starts at only 48¢ per piece.

For evening events that serve adult beverages, 289DG – our 11 Oz. Executive Old Fashion Glass is a great option. Pricing starts at $3.14 per piece and comes with a one, two, three, or four-color imprint.

We have something for every promotion, including Sports Bottles, Stainless Steel Drinkware, Bottled Water, and more at affordable prices at the Custom Drinkware Store.

Promotional Pens

An extremely affordable, practical, and usable giveaway is a Promotional Pen. Preston B (539PE) – our top-selling pen – is a click pen with a pocket clip that starts at only 21¢. Coming in a close second place is the Belfast Budget Stick Pen. Pricing starts at 18¢ per piece. With a white barrel and black ink, you have a choice of 13 cap colors to match or complement your logo or theme.

For outdoor events, opt for a pair of custom sunglasses from The Custom Sunglass Store or a bottle of Custom Sunscreen.

And of course, if your bag is large enough, we have umbrellas. At the Custom Umbrella Store, we have a great selection of promotional umbrellas, ranging from just under $5.00 to around $25.00.

You don’t have to use all of these items of course. Pick a few that you feel people will use the most, put them in a custom bag with your logo, and people will remember your event and brand long after it is over!

Custom Umbrellas – Expand Your Marketing Reach

Custom umbrellas are a great way to promote any business! Not only are they reusable providing you with repeat exposure for your brand, but putting your name on an umbrella has many other benefits. Umbrellas are a great choice for any promotion, providing you with a lot of exposure for years to come. They also make wonderful marketing tools!

 

Get Noticed!

Picture this – it’s raining in your town and everywhere you look you see – your logo! Walking down the street, jumping in and out of cabs and cars, and entering and leaving buildings. Not only do you get repeated exposure, but you can get a lot of it if you come up with a good strategy for distributing them!


Consider handing them out during tradeshows, as customer and employee appreciation gifts, or during special promotional events. Better yet – do it all!

 

Selecting a Style

Once you have decided on a custom umbrella for your promotions, the next step is picking one out. There are many styles of umbrellas available, and they come in numerous colors, shapes, and sizes. So, which one do you pick? Let’s cover the basics to help you make your selection.

Mini Umbrellas

This seems pretty self-explanatory, but what makes them mini? The size of the arc, or the dimension of the canopy, when the umbrella is fully open, ranges from about 36” to 46”. Many of them fold to a length that fits into most purses and briefcases, and are sized for use by one person.


Vented Umbrellas

A vented umbrella is what you want during stormy or windy weather. If you live someplace where winds are prevalent – a vented umbrella is a must! These umbrellas are made to be extra strong with sturdy construction to keep them from turning inside out during heavy wind and rain and are usually windproof.


Folding Umbrellas 

A folding umbrella is just what it sounds like. It folds down to a manageable size to make it easy to carry and store. These umbrellas are great to keep in a briefcase, purse, or backpack.


Golf Umbrellas 

Golf umbrellas are big! Meant to cover two or more people, or maybe to set in a golf bag to keep equipment dry, these umbrellas are strong and make a great display for your logo. Ideal for promoting or sponsoring a tournament, golf umbrellas have extra-large imprint areas, and are an impressive way to display your logo.


Clear and Safety Umbrellas 

The name says it all on these. Clear umbrellas have a translucent canvas to you can see where you are going without having to look out from under the umbrella. Safety umbrellas have the added protection of being reflective so others can see you even in the dark. They have one or more reflective strip, so the user is seen more easily at night and during dark and stormy days. These are ideal for people that spend a lot of time walking around time, or for children so commuters can easily see them.


Inversion Umbrellas

How many times have you become soaked getting in a car while trying to close an umbrella? A regular umbrella closes downwards, often leaving you and your clothes wet. Inversion umbrellas are unique and close outwards, pushing the wet rain away from you, and keeping you and your clothes dry.


Auto-Open Umbrellas 

As the name implies, these umbrellas open at the touch of a button, and are very convenient for getting in and out of cars and building doors. They make it easier to maneuver when you are carrying multiple items so you can get the umbrellas open and closed without getting wet.


Manual Open Umbrellas 

The good old fashion manual-open umbrella. Many people prefer these, so they have better control over how quickly they open and close so they don’t have to worry about pinching their fingers.

Top Promotional Items for Sponsoring an Outdoor Event

Promoting your company or brand is one of the most important things you can do as a business owner. Many people think it’s a waste of money, but you can’t rely on word of mouth if you want to grow your business properly.

No matter how awesome your product is, if people don’t know about it, they can’t purchase it or your services. One of the best ways to get your name out to the public is by sponsoring an event.

There are numerous kinds of events you can have, depending on what type of business you are promoting. For sports-related companies, sponsoring a local race, golf tournament, or even holding your own company-sponsored outdoor event is an effective way to get the attention of the masses.

For general businesses, offering to be a sponsor for an event, school, or sports team is a wonderful way to get involved in your community and let people know you are in business.

Let’s take a look at the top promotional items you want to have when sponsoring an outdoor event.

Bottled Water and Water Bottles

First and foremost, one of the most important items you can have on hand for any outdoor event is water! You want everyone to have a good time, but you don’t want anyone’s day ruined by a trip to the hospital for dehydration! Even if your guests are not participating in sports or any exertion activities, it is still easy to become dehydrated when spending time outdoors.

The easiest way to keep everyone hydrated is of course by keeping cold bottled water on hand. And sure, you can hit the local store and buy cases of water, but why promote someone else’s company at your own event? Have custom bottled water on hand for everyone to enjoy, that also gives you the benefit of your name being on the label!

Another convenient option is a custom water bottle. While this may not provide immediate hydration, it allows guests to fill up the bottle with their own beverage to enjoy during your event. And afterwards, they get to take it home and use it again and again, each time seeing the name of your company on the custom logo imprinted on the bottle!

Umbrellas

Company golf outings are a great way to boost employee morale, and while everyone is out having fun, you can advertise your company on a promotional golf umbrella! While umbrellas are typically used while it’s raining, they are also good to have on hand during outdoor events. Golf umbrellas are larger and offer protection from the sun as well as the rain. Sponsoring a golf tournament is another valuable way to market your brand.

Not just for golfing, custom umbrellas are always a good idea to have on hand for any outdoor event in the case of rain. Whether it’s your event or you are participating in a larger event, people will be grateful to protect them in case of rain.

Hand Sanitizer

In today’s world, you should never have an event without having lots of hand sanitizer available! It’s inexpensive, fits into any marketing budget, and is a fantastic way to promote your brand during any event. Not only can it be used during whatever occasion you are promoting, but it is small, portable, and can be easily displayed, no matter the venue.

Fill bowls or other containers with hand sanitizer with your custom label, and let attendees grab them when needed. Then they can take home the bottle to use at home or the office later, which will remind them of your event and company.

Lip Balm

Lip balm is another item you don’t want to forgo for your event. Being outdoors can take a toll on lips, leaving them dry and cracked, especially if it involves sports of any kind. You can even opt for a lip balm containing SPF to offer protection from the sun.

Custom lip balm is extremely affordable and gives guests another great reusable product they can use during the event and then take with them when they leave. Giving you another opportunity to keep your name, literally, on their lips!

Sunglasses

Sunglasses are a must for outdoor events! Even in the winter, the sun can be blinding, and you don’t want accidents to occur during sporting events because people were blinded by the sun causing them to lose sight of whatever their goal is. Even if they are not participating in the event sport, onlookers will be grateful for the protection a pair of UVA/UVB sunglasses will provide for their eyes.

Sunscreen

And of course, let’s not forget the custom sunscreen! A necessity for any outdoor event, sunscreen protects your attendees from the harmful rays of the sun. Most people don’t think about bringing sunscreen when they head out to a promotional event, so they will be grateful that you had the forethought to have it on hand in case they need it.

Even if your event is during the winter, the sun doesn’t take days off! Remember, you can get a sunburn even if it’s cloudy outside, so make sure you offer your guests the protection they need.

No Gimmicks!

What about the fads, the gimmicks, the cute little toys with your name on them? Sure, you can go that route if you like throwing your money away! Because that is exactly where that gimmick will end up – in the trash!

No one keeps those cute little fad toys, and if they even make it out of the event, they will either be tossed in the trash when they get home or given to a child to play with until it breaks (which honestly, won’t take long).

So don’t throw away your marketing dollars! Get the best exposure money can buy with a custom water bottle, bottled water, umbrella, sunglasses, lip balm, and hand sanitizer and make your event as successful as possible!

History of the Umbrella

The use of the umbrella dates back over 3,500 years to ancient Egypt, and possibly China, Assyria, and Greece. The first known use of the then called “Parasol” was in Egypt, which was typically made from palm leaves attached to a stick. Parasols were meant to protect users only from the sun, not rain or other elements.

Status of Wealth and Nobility

Umbrellas during this time symbolized wealth and nobility and were used to protect royalty so they could maintain the pale skin their status demanded. Hieroglyphics were discovered from ancient Egypt showing gods and royalty depicted with parasols being held over them by servants.

The Greeks and Romans perceived umbrellas as a luxury item used by women of affluence and status, which were often carried by servants. Men during this time deemed umbrellas a feminine item.  Their pride demanded they not use them, and instead wore hats and coats. After the fall of Rome, the use of umbrellas was almost non-existent, due to the loss of wealth and status in most areas.

Sometime in the 11th century, China created the first waterproof umbrella, but due to the high price of leather and silk, they were mainly used by royalty and the extremely wealthy. Signaling power and affluence, a tradition of multi-tiered, elaborate umbrellas began and spread across the region. The Chinese Emperor reportedly carried an umbrella with as many as four tiers, while rulers in nearby regions had umbrellas with as many as 24 layers.

Mainstream Acceptance

The umbrella was considered a feminine accessory until the middle of the 18th century, when Jonas Hanway, founder of English Magdalen Hospital, began carrying an umbrella almost everywhere we went. This led to the eventual acceptance of stronger and more masculine umbrellas being sold and used by men everywhere.  Through the years umbrellas were updated to adapt to the times and fashion of the era, ranging from plain leaves on sticks to the elaborate, to the functionality of the modern umbrella. The first steel umbrella was created in 1852, the pocket umbrella in 1928, and the folding umbrella in 1969, leading to a new era of umbrella use.

Today, umbrellas are considered an everyday item used by people of all classes and come in many styles, options, and colors to fit every budget and personality. One thing undeniable is the umbrella today has come a long way from the original palm leaf and stick parasol of ancient times!