Exhibiting No-No's

Feb 13

Last month, I attended the big, annual trade show for the promotional products industry. It's an amazing show where I not only see an array of new, "new," and classic promotional products; I also h...

Why "What's Hot" Could Be a "What's Not" for Promotional Products

Dec 12, 2023

The question I'm asked most often at trade shows and in conversation, especially by new clients and prospects is, "What's hot?" You easily can substitute trendy, cool, popular, or another similar a...

It's Trade Show Season Again!

Dec 27, 2022

I'm heading off to my big industry trade show in a couple of weeks to find out what's new and exciting in the world of promotional products, I'm also inundated with clients needs for trade show g...

Are Millennials Truly Different?

Oct 18, 2022

Here I am setting myself up for controversy on my opinions, so read this at my own risk! I've been hearing for years now how the Millennial generation is so different – they want instant g...

Respect the Time You're Given

Jul 26, 2022

I was at a networking event the other evening and we had a guest speaker come in. He was billed as a motivational speaker, but I would call him a sales strategy speaker. He was dynamic. He had som...

Your #1 Marketing Tool

May 3, 2022

Clients often ask me, “What is the number one most effective marketing tool?” My answer is, “Delivering consistent customer service at or above the level that is consistent with...

Are You Marketing for You or for Your Prospects

Apr 19, 2022

One of the challenges I face on a regular basis is getting clients and prospects to understand that their marketing should be a reflection of them without being all about them. It's a difficult c...

People Are Always Watching!

Apr 5, 2022

So, I'm on the freeway when I see a van with signage for a plumbing company I know. Traffic is moving a bit slowly, so I'm able to peek in the window to see if the driver is one of the employees ...

Is TV Advertising Effective?

Nov 30, 2021

I recently read an article that said that even the most memorable TV ads didn't cause any type of significant, sustained uptick in business for the company advertising! Those super-expensive ads ...

Does the “Exclusive” Networking Group Work?

Nov 16, 2021

For years, I used to belong to those one-industry-rep-only “exclusive” networking groups. They were Chamber affiliated or independent groups, but built on the same basic model as BNI ...

When Social Media Expertise is Not Very Social!

Sep 21, 2021

I attended an event featuring a LinkedIn expert who spoke on how to leverage LinkedIn to grow a business. I must admit that I was impressed by what he had to say – his strategies made sense...

Are You Just Gambling with Your Business Cards?

Aug 10, 2021

While COVID has changed some of our behaviors, I suspect that many of those networking-related actions will return once in-person events resume in full-swing again; if they haven't already in you...

Tradeshow "Season" Is Back

Jun 15, 2021

One of the things I love doing most is helping my clients make their trade show/tabletop show exhibits more successful. It's been a quiet year in regards to those live shows, but they're baaaaack! ...

Are You Promotional Products Prepared?

Jun 1, 2021

It's been a while since I offered my “Developing a Strategic Marketing Plan” seminar, but I remember how I would get a lot of requests at the end of December wanting to know when the ne...

Marketing or Selling?

May 19, 2021

I was reminded today of a discussion I had some time back about our local Chamber where I mentioned that our Chamber knows how to sell, but not how to market. Not sure what that means? Think tha...

What Is Marketing?

Mar 23, 2021

I was having a conversation with someone the other day about the definition of marketing. She believes that advertising is not a part of marketing. In my opinion, that is incorrect. The way I se...

Is Your USP Really Unique

Feb 23, 2021

Sometime ago, I wrote about developing a 30-second commercial and five of the key points that go into making a successful elevator pitch. Part of that pitch can be your unique selling proposition, ...

Track Where Your Business Comes from for Better Marketing Strategies

Feb 9, 2021

Determining what is a successful marketing technique for any business can be challenging. Most businesses don't have good tracking methods in place to measure ROI/ROO. Those that do, tend not to ...

A Solid Infrastructure Is Crucial to Successful Marketing

Dec 15, 2020

Having been a startup once and having worked with several over the years, I've learned some critical lessons. One of them is that startup owners' goals are usually lofty and they have the willing...

5 Tips for a Better Elevator Pitch

Dec 1, 2020

While we may not be sharing elevators too much right now, we are still attending networking events - virtual or otherwise - and that pesky "elevator pitch" is still important to your introduction...

Just Because You Can Doesn't Mean You Should!

Nov 17, 2020

I recently read a post on LinkedIn talking about trade show someone had attended in the past month. There was a comment that the best thing in the show bag was a COVID-19 rapid test. I have to admi...

Marketing Creatively Can Set You Apart

Jul 28, 2020

Every month, I update the Lev Promotions website with a list of upcoming commemorative dates, holidays, and events that can be used as wonderful marketing tools. Many of them are fun, silly littl...

Why Are We Followers When It Comes to Marketing?

Jul 14, 2020

Good marketing is all about making you stand out from the others – building a brand that is recognizable, unique and compelling. Why then do so many business owners insist on doing what som...

Why Is “Everyone” Not Your Target Market?

Jun 30, 2020

I was on the phone the other day with a prospect. I asked him who his target market is and he told me, “Every church in town.” When I told him that, although in theory “every ch...

When You Plan for Opportunities, They Usually Show Up

Jun 2, 2020

Ever notice that, once you've put your mind to something, things kind of fall into place to make it happen. I was reviewing my strategic marketing plan to see where I was on track and what needs...

Choosing an Effective Promotional Product

May 19, 2020

With businesses opening back up and bringing along better access to our clients and prospects I am fielding a lot of questions about choosing and using promotional products effectively; especiall...

Marketing – The Unofficial Aspect of It that Can Make or Break You

May 5, 2020

As businesses begin to open up again, it's time to make sure that we've done everything we can to polish our image and make some changes to the way we present ourselves to our customers and clients...

Review & Regroup for 2020

Jan 28, 2020

So 2020 is officially here. Have you taken the time to review 2019's business successes, challenges and (dare I say it?) failures. If we want to make a difference to the growth opportunities we h...

Target Market vs. Referral Source

Dec 17, 2019

I've noticed over the many years I've been in business helping others market theirs is that there is often lack of clarity with the terms “target market” and “referral source.&r...

Marketing Lessons from Disney

Dec 3, 2019

Anyone who's known me for more than 2 minutes knows that I am an avid Disney fan. Not only do I enjoy just about everything Disney on a personal level, but I find many things about their busine...

Image-Changing Mugs: A Great Way to Promote A Change in Your Business

Nov 5, 2019

Does your business have a change coming up that you'd like to publicize? A custom branded product that has a changing image component to them are the perfect item to get people excited about the ...

It’s Never Too Early to Learn How to Make a Good Impression

Aug 13, 2019

I remember when I enlisted my then 0-year old daughter to stuff and label envelopes for me for a Lev Promotions' mailing. Each envelope required seven steps in order for it to be ready to mail. S...

Vacations as a Marketing Tool

Jul 30, 2019

So you're a micro – to mid-size business owner and you just don't/can't find the time to be away from the office long enough for a vacation? I'm in the same boat, but I know that vacations ar...

Is Your Photograph a Good Marketing Tool?

Jul 16, 2019

At the risk of creating a great LinkedIn controversy and alienating my photographer friends, clients and prospects, here is my view of using your photograph as a marketing tool. I know the most po...

A Solid Infrastructure Is Crucial to Successful Marketing

Jun 18, 2019

I've been working with several start-ups recently who are looking to put together a marketing plan. Their goals are lofty, but they have the willingness to work to achieve those goals. The proble...

What Is Marketing?

May 21, 2019

I often see the question “What's the difference between marketing and advertising?” posted in chat groups and discussion boards. Do you know the difference? Or is there one? Advertis...

Are You Delivering on Your Promises?

May 7, 2019

Every business has something that they are promising, along with the product or service itself - a benefit. The item will work better or faster. It will last longer. You will receive it within a ...

The Mood Card Repurposed

Apr 23, 2019

You may have seen that stress or mood card, often used as a business card, which shows your stress level when you put your finger on the test button. It turns a color which you match up with th...

Is the Customer Always Right?

Apr 9, 2019

I often start a seminar/presentation/workshop on marketing by saying, “Your number one marketing tool is great customer service. Without at least good customer service, there's no sense in sp...

What Is Marketing?

Mar 26, 2019

I often see the question “What's the difference between marketing and advertising?” posted on chat groups and discussion boards. Do you know the difference? Or is there one? Advertis...

Is Any Publicity Good?

Jan 2, 2019

There are those who are of the belief that any publicity is good publicity – even if it's bad. I don't believe that a bad story about you can be "good" publicity, but there may be a way to ...

Business Events are about the Marketing, Not the Social

Dec 18, 2018

A great marketing tool for businesses and organizations is holding an event. It can be an open house, a launch party for a new product or service, a grand opening for a new location, an anniversa...

Should Holiday Business Gift be Imprinted?

Nov 20, 2018

A few weeks ago, I wrote about how it's already time to start thinking about holiday business gifts. Well, after the gifts have been chosen, the big question is all about the imprint. Although ...

Giving Holiday Business Gifts

Oct 25, 2018

If you haven't already started thinking about your holiday business gifts, then now is the time. While most people believe that the best time to give holiday business gifts is the week or two le...

Customer Service – Your #1 Marketing Tool

Oct 9, 2018

Now I may have addressed this topic before – I may even have an entry under the same name; nevertheless, here I go again. Why, you ask? Because I am currently on hold to speak with a custom...

What Is the Cost of Marketing, or Not Marketing?

Aug 28, 2018

It seems to be a constant refrain from the many business owners and managers: “We just don't have the money to market the business.” My question to them is, “How do you expect ...

Politics – Good Marketing or Not?

Aug 14, 2018

Without revealing my own political beliefs, I can honestly say that politics embodies one of the worst examples of marketing that I have ever seen. Really doesn't matter if it's for a person or for...

What Is a SWOT Analysis?

Jul 31, 2018

'Tis almost the season for developing marketing plans for 2019. But, really it's never too early to start planning. When a developing a marketing plan is on your to-do list, it's important to kno...

Evaluating What Works

Jun 19, 2018

I believe the most overlooked, and yet very important, part of a marketing plan is evaluating the components to see what is working and how effectively it is working. That means examining the resu...

Viral Marketing at Work

Jun 5, 2018

You've probably heard the phrase “viral marketing.” If you're unsure what it means, it is word of mouth taken to the nth degree by having people spread the word quickly and effectivel...

An Inexpensive, Yet Invaluable, Marketing Tool

May 29, 2018

I firmly believe that customer testimonials are one of the most powerful marketing tools available to any business. Nothing says “success” like a customer willing to put into words ho...

Deliver What You Promise - Or Else

May 8, 2018

We've all heard the phrase "under-promise and over-deliver." I am a personal fan of that saying. I heartily believe that you should deliver at least to the level you promised. When possible, prom...

Why Are Marketing Results So Hard to Measure?

Apr 10, 2018

It seems that the biggest argument for decreasing marketing budgets is that the results are seemingly "impossible to measure." Without hardcore proof of ROI or ROO, how do you justify spending th...

What's in a Name

Mar 27, 2018

I recently saw an old networking group cohort of mine who told me that the group is considering changing its name because they feel their branding is non-existent. Although I don't disagree with ...

Determining Your Target Market

Mar 14, 2018

I have too often heard sales people and business owners say that their target market is “everyone.” No matter how useful, ubiquitous, inexpensive, or absolutely necessary a product or...

A Lesson In Branding

Feb 14, 2018

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a bit about who appealing to as many senses as possible reinforces your brand. Here's a great example of one company that does it amazingly well: Anyone who has kn...

Branding: Does Yours Make Sense?

Jan 23, 2018

A networking organization asked me to speak on branding to four of their chapters a while back. Since I wrote about an aspect of how our brand is really built last time, maybe another installment...

More on Branding – Experience is Everything

Jan 2, 2018

Looking back at a previous post, I noticed that I kind-of-sort-of-almost talked about creating an experience around a promotional product as part of the branding process. What I didn't do, howeve...

The Only Way to Safely Drink and Drive

Dec 19, 2017

One promotional product I discovered at a trade show quickly became a favorite of mine because it immediately awakened the punster in me. I realized that this item was perfect for drunk driving a...

Do Your Clients Know What You Do?

Dec 6, 2017

This may seem like a strange question. After all, if we've already defined them as “your clients,” doesn't that mean that they've already done business with you? And, if that is the c...

Using Videos for Marketing

Nov 21, 2017

Using video can be a powerful tool in your marketing arsenal. Since I understand this, but concede that this is not my area of expertise, I defer to my friend and client, Shawn Dennison, owner of...

Are You Marketing to Your Internal Customer?

Nov 7, 2017

So we all know the importance of marketing to our customers and prospects. Without their patronage, we can't have a successful business. But what about your internal customers? Are you marketing...

Getting Your Name out There

Oct 25, 2017

Getting your name out there can be tricky, especially for the smaller business which may have the challenge of a big-name competitor whose name everyone recognizes. One way to combat this is to ...

Your Vendors – Another Marketing Arm for Your Company

Sep 26, 2017

Most of us take our vendors for granted. We choose them based on some combination of price, quality and service. If one part of that equation falters, then we may look for a replacement, or we ma...

Is Social Media a Successful Marketing Tool?

Sep 14, 2017

Social media is such a hot topic in the marketing world. People are spending several hours per week (or day) updating their profiles, looking for connections, posting, and more in the hopes of bu...

Marketing Is Successful When Time, Effort & Money Is Invested Wisely

Aug 29, 2017

Lately, I've run into several business owners who don't understand why their business is not more successful than it is. After all, their current customers seem happy, they just don't have enough o...

Are Promotional Products an Expense or an Investment?

Jul 19, 2017

I was recently approached by someone who had gotten my contact information from a local printer. This person publishes e-books and had decided, on his own, that license plate frames and "maybe pens...

Can Marketing Deliver Measurable Results?

Jul 7, 2017

There is an old cliché in the marketing industry: “Half of my marketing is effective. The problem is, I don't know which half.” The fact is, most people don't really know if the...

Is It Wrong to Market a Product/Service Based on a Disaster?

Jun 20, 2017

This is a tough one for me. I have a client whose whole business is developing contingency plans for businesses. (You know, those plans every business – and family, for that matter – is...

Why a Business Card is NOT a Lead

Jun 6, 2017

Today, I'm bringing you the thoughts of Candy Adams, The Booth Mom(r). Candy is the owner of Trade Show Consulting and an expert in all things trade show related. I'm thrilled to be able to learn f...

Rethinking How We Can Use a Promotional Product

May 24, 2017

As I was looking at some samples I'd recently received from one of my suppliers for a client's needs, it dawned on me all the amazing opportunities there are to utilize these to make a variety of e...

What Makes a Promotional Product Effective?

Apr 25, 2017

So you're all excited about using a promotional product as a marketing tool! You've found the “perfect” pen/mug/t-shirt/key chain/whatever and can't wait to give it away to all those pe...

Promotional Products Sometimes Don't Work...

Mar 29, 2017

This was taken from an e-newsletter that I write where we feature case studies of promotional product and trade show marketing successes. I wanted to share this promotional product case study her...