Top 5 ways to get better brand awareness.

March 14, 2016/in Headlines /by redenergy

Top 5 ways to get better brand awareness.

TEAM RED | Kathryn Bruder

Very rarely do we hear customers say that they do not want to grow their business and knowing where to start (in order to get the best return) is generally a common problem amongst brands of all sizes. Below are 5 simple and easily implemented business growth strategies that work well in almost all market conditions.

1. Referral Programs

Customers will gladly spread the word of your product or service when they know there is an added perk. Dropbox is a great example of how smart referral programs can grow a business. Dropbox gives additional storage for every friend they refer (500mb each up to 16gb), as well as gift incentives for multiple-referrers. Back when the business was new, this referral generated huge volumes of word-of-mouth, delivering large sign-up volumes and saving Dropbox countless advertising dollars.

2. Local Partnerships

Another great brand building strategy is to get involved with local partnerships (especially for businesses with a local-oriented customer base). Partner with other local business to hold joint intro seminars/festivals or support not-for-profit and community organisations that can expose your brand to a whole new audience. The money you spend in branded promotional tools and sponsorship is tax deductible and can be much less costly than other advertising options.

3. Car Wraps and Signage

A classic tried-and-true strategy for brand building is visual/physical exposure – namely signage for your business and vehicles. Take another look at your business and think about the impact it has on passers-by over a 3-6 second period, you may just find that simple items like outdoor banners/flags could provide life and attract attention for a very low-cost.

4. Freebies

Everyone loves free stuff, they can be used to both acknowledge and reward existing customers (increasing your word-of-mouth opportunities), as well as be an incentive for new customers to try your business for the first time. Low-cost giveaways to a broad audience or more premium items to a more tailored/specific audience are sure-fire ways to get your business name in the hands of new customers.

5. Incentive sales and social media activity

Contests and ‘like’ competitions are a very simple way to create engagement online, much in the same way as branded merchandise can be used to incentivise sales within your business. Petrol stations are the perfect example of this “receive an additional 4c per litre discount if you spend $5.00 or more in-store”, or other businesses using “spend over $XX in-store and receive a gift valued at $XX”.

Whichever direction you decide to take, the simple goal of business marketing is to speak to as many ‘relevant’ leads/potential customers as possible for the lowest cost. This way you are creating opportunities for the best possible ROI (return on investment). The reason why a simple item like pens continues to be a popular branding option is the fact that they deliver a great ROI.

For product inspiration tailored to your business, talk to Team RED – we are the brand behind your brand.

OZTAG State Cup Retail merchandise

February 29, 2016/in Headlines /by redenergy

OZTAG State Cup Retail merchandise kicks goals in 2016.

Kahla Eyers | Team RED

OZTAG is quickly becoming Australia’s favourite football alternative, with age groups spanning across kids and adults – men and women in all shapes and sizes. The enjoyment factor of the game, coupled with the way that it has been run in Queensland has been central to their success.

After years of mixed feedback, Red Energy Promotions was engaged to design, produce and retail a range of merchandise for both the Junior and Senior state cup events (held on the Sunshine Coast, QLD).

If speed of sale is anything to go by – the pre-event webstore exceeded all event expectations with many products selling out before the merchandise tent could be stocked. Red Energy Promotions click&collect option gave competitors/fans an opportunity to beat the queues and it was taken up in big numbers.

Red Energy Promotions added their collective 250+ years of promotional branding experience giving fans a broad range of product options, colours and available sizes – leading to one of the best results the sport has seen for this type of event. “Our biggest problem was running out too soon with our key product lines” said John Leach of Red Energy Promotions.

Following feedback from Oztag, Red Energy Promotions have been engaged to manage other key events for the sport in 2016 and beyond, a partnership that the brand is particularly proud to see grow in both size and brand perception.

If you have an event where you need branded merchandise, talk to Red Energy Promotions, the company that brings a wealth of experience, know-how and retail understanding to the table. From supply only, to a full service retail solution – we are the brand behind your brand.

A simple question. What does your branding say about your business?

February 29, 2016/in Headlines /by redenergy

A simple question. What does your branding say about your business?

Justin Veivers | Team RED

The sign shop owner who doesn’t care enough to have the best signs for his own business or the accountant who wants to deal with my money, but doesn’t care enough to make sure his staff uniforms convey a professional look.
You might say they are just small things, but to me as a customer it makes me ask the question; Do you really care?
Branding is your message to the world, about what sort of business you are. 68% of customers make a judgment whether they like or dislike your business based on what they see! Nothing else!
Branding is one of the easiest things to control and have influence over, yet we see businesses who think the sign out the front or the collateral they use isn’t important.
Owners work so hard and spend thousands of dollars on traditional advertising to get people to walk into their business, but the simple fact is a brand health check will deliver you more customers who already like what they see!
Don’t know where to start. Speak to one of our Red Energy Promotions team members today.

FACT: A brand health check is a free service offered by Red Energy Promotions, allowing Australian businesses to no longer miss customer opportunities.

Forgotten Marketing Must-Have

October 27, 2015/in Headlines /by redenergy

The marketing must-have that we have forgotten

Rowland Percy | Team RED

There is a misconception with a lot of businesses in Australia, where they feel they need to be the loudest voice in a sea full of other voices. This has been evident over and over again with advertising that is designed to annoy and provoke (under the guise of being different and memorable). Because this is lazy marketing, we won’t use this as a forum to name and shame them.

The point being missed here is that you don’t need to be the loudest, if you are the most relevant. Whilst traditional advertising has changed significantly over the years, the one key element that was used early on and has lost its way in recent times – is the power of a good ‘hook’. We’ve seen a lot of this in recent times with start-up businesses. They don’t have the marketing budgets of bigger players, but they have a hook in the product and they know how to communicate it well.

A hook is the message that identifies the issue, addresses how the advertisers’ problem is the answer and goes on to reinforce benefits – giving the potential customer ammunition in order to switch allegiance. A business is doing themselves no favours by promoting their business without a compelling reason to switch. Changing companies often requires a degree of pain/effort – in order for a person to do this, they need to be presented with a ‘better’ solution to their needs.

How to present a better solution?

What makes your business unique? What makes your product or service different from your competitors?
- Please do not say ‘high quality’ or ‘great service’, these are 2 of the most over-used terms in advertising and hold no weight in proving difference.
If your service is significantly different – can you quantify how?
- If you cannot succinctly define why a customer service experience will be different, you need to look further into your business.
Features and benefits – what are they?
- After you’ve identified your core unique selling point, what are the individual product features/benefits that will help reinforce a compelling reason to change.
Closing the loop – what do you want to happen after you’ve engaged a customer?
- See more information on your website
- Contact you for an information pack
- Purchase
- Sign-up
- Whatever the desired action – be sure to communicate ‘the next step’.

How can I communicate this information on a promotional product?

There are many different options for promotional products (some with a very small branding area – such as a pen or keyring), others have a large branding area that is perfect for this.

If you are looking to produce a small item
- We can help you on packaging this item in a particular way to allow for a stronger sell message to be present
- Accompanying collateral is an important way to set the path for future business with customers. If you are not handing this product over personally, it’s even more important.
If you are unsure on what product is right for you
- Ensure the product has a function
- If function is not a necessity, then make sure the product is memorable/quirky. A product that is neither functional/handy or quirky will be unsuccessful in its primary purpose.
- For ideas, talk to us – it’s what we do!

It’s better seeing RED.

The Influence Of Colour

October 23, 2015/in Headlines /by redenergy

The influence of colour

John Leach | Team RED

With up to 90% of judgement of a brand based on colour alone, this one seemingly small element plays a huge factor in your business success. Use these 16 facts to your advantage when creating a logo or repositioning your existing brand (or simply when marketing your company).

Up to 90% of judgement of a brand can be based on colour alone
It is estimated that brand recognition increases by 80% with colour
30% of the brands on the Forbes list of the 100 most valuable brands use red
35% of the 100 most valuable brands use blue
23% of the 100 most valuable brands use black and white or have no set colour scheme
20% of the 100 most valuable brands use yellow or gold
51% of the 100 most valuable brands use one colour only
27% of the 100 most valuable brands use two colours
Only one of the 100 most valuable brands uses purple (Yahoo)
Studies have shown that ads in colour are read 42% more than the same ads in black and white
Our brains are programmed to respond to colour, we stop at red traffic lights and signs, yield at yellow and go for green
Research reveals people make a subconscious judgement about a product within 90 seconds of initial viewing and that between 62% and 90% of that assessment is based on colour alone
Women list purple as a top tier colour, whilst men do not
Blue is popular with both men and women
85% of shoppers place colour as a primary reason for why they buy a particular product
Each colour has its own energy:
1. Yellow – optimistic and youthful, often used to grab attention of window shoppers
2. Red – energy, increases heart rate, creates urgency, often seen in clearance sales
3. Blue – create the sensation of trust and security, often seen with banks and businesses
4. Green – associated with wealth and nature, the easiest colour for the eyes to process, used in stores to relax customers

So often do we see logos that have been designed without thought of the message that the brand needs to convey. The next time that you are looking to package a brand, consider the psychological benefits of colour and reap the benefits of having a colour scheme that is coherent with the brand that you are trying to position.

For more information, talk to our experienced team in any of our 5 showroom locations. It’s better seeing RED.

How not to commit brand suicide

September 15, 2015/in Headlines /by redenergy

2 days ago, reports that our kids’ favourite cartoon characters (Peppa Pig – pictured, Frozen, Disney and Dora the Explorer) were dangerous to children. Branded crayon sets sold through retail stores contained Asbestos. Most of the time, these mistakes never make it to the public like this, however when it does, it doesn’t spell great news for your brand. Here’s how to avoid what is a very damaging mistake.

We’ve seen a lot of fails in our time from companies looking to ‘go it alone’ and not paying careful attention to testing, quality control and Australian consumer laws. Here are 4 of the worst cases.

‘Fire Engine Red’ a company looked to produce 10,000 gear bags and wanted a vibrant red, which they called ‘fire engine red’. The order was urgent (naturally) and the Chinese factory was very eager to please their new customer, so they sent a worker down to their local fire station with a PMS colour book to get the exact colour. The biggest issue was that the fire engines in this province were a bright lime green colour and inevitably, the customer received 10,000 bags in lime green.

‘Doesn’t like to Travel’ floating pens are a popular item, essentially they have a liquid filled barrel and include floating graphics or logos within. Providing that you aren’t in a hurry and don’t mind waiting for them to arrive by sea freight, they will arrive in relatively good working order. An Australian company quickly found that their great idea of air freighting their stock in to get them sooner was a mistake. The barrels in the pressurised cabin exploded, leaving them with no product and a cleaning fee from their cargo carrier.

‘Choking Hazard’ plush toys are a popular merchandise item and an order was placed with a Chinese factory for 50,000 plush teddy bears. The Australian graphic artist thought that button eyes were a cute touch and specified this to their client, who agreed. The teddy bears were produced and subsequently rejected upon entry into Australia as not fit for sale. The buttons were a choking hazard. The teddy bears are now taking up landfill in WA.

‘Not fit for purpose’ an Australian fitness/supplement provider was looking to run a promotion with a range of drinkware to complement their new range launch. They engaged an overseas factory to produce a large volume of drink bottles and meticulously ensured that the product was food grade plastic and BPA free. What they failed to test was the quality of the bottle build, the drink bottles leaked (faulty mould during tooling). A drink bottle that doesn’t hold water wasn’t suitable to be released and all bottles needed to be destroyed.

In all of the above cases, the issues could have been avoided.
• Be scientific/exact. If the product feature/colour/design cannot be explained in precise terms, it can be misunderstood.
• Testing is crucial, just because a factory specialises in this type of product doesn’t mean that all onus of responsibility falls on them. If you’ve dealt with China before, you’ll have learnt quickly that if an error occurs, regardless of who is at fault, it is your problem.
• Understand the local market conditions, health/safety/standards of the country it is to be imported in.
• Accept that it takes as long as it takes, speeding up the process without the proper systems in place generally leads to corner cutting and ultimately a less than stellar result for you.
• On average there are 25+ touch points during the manufacture process, if you are looking to do this yourself, be prepared to take on the responsibility for controlling the production process.

Red Energy Promotions has often developed product ideas with quick turnaround after companies have tried and not succeeded, if you are looking for something unique, talk to us and we can develop a solution for you that ticks all of the boxes.

Indent Caps – Plan Ahead & Save!

September 11, 2015/in Headlines /by redenergy

Marketing your not-for-profit organisation on a budget.

September 11, 2015/in Headlines /by redenergy

Understand the power behind reach and frequency

The marketing goal of any brand is to reach as many people as possible, knowing that of that audience, there is a percentage of people who are ready to engage with them. For most businesses and not-for-profit organisations especially, the goal is to reach as many people as possible, for as little cost as possible.
Editorial and news coverage is naturally a huge benefit to a brand (providing the content is complementary), but cannot be guaranteed when you need it. Developing social media channels and engaged audiences is important, but only part of the process – as your brand will need more than just ‘likes’ in order to continue your work.
It was often told that put your brand out there as many times as you can, as often as possible (and as cheaply as possible), but this school of thought has more recently swayed towards being more selective. Where we find the best results are marketing to demographics (society filters) that allow us to hone in on an audience that is more inclined to support our brand.

Leverage social media with influencers

Social media will continue to drive conversations (what we still call word of mouth), these conversations grow exposure to new networks and allow you an opportunity to expand your range of influence. Bringing onboard influencers (celebrities, athletes and the like) as ambassadors help to rapidly increase your exposure to new networks.

Ensure your brand tells a story

The goal of many not-for-profit organisations is to benefit society in some way, with a view of improving the world (or a portion of it). Telling people purely about your organisation unfortunately falls well short of this goal and often lands on deaf ears (regardless of how beneficial your organisation may be).
Content is such an important part of communicating benefits and the marketing role of a not-for-profit should be to maximise ways of telling your story to as many people as possible and central to your marketing strategy.
Storytelling is an effective choice, due to the fact it can be accomplished without great expense and appeals to the interest. It comes back to the fundamental human need “What’s in it for me?” Developing content that talks about the journey, the founders’ stories and how the organisation came to be, as well as the milestones that have been achieved along the way. Remember to keep the content interesting to engage your audience.
Continue to develop information about future plans, people on the ground within the organisation and the people’s lives that you touch. Distribute the content through social media, your media channels, branded merchandise, website and through your printed collateral.

No cost marketing

Developed (and developing) not-for-profit brands find unique ways for their followers to engage with their brand and merchandise is a huge component of this. It allows for a tangible way for a person to show they care about a cause and they’re a wonderful branding tool that generally have a long life and opportunity to be seen by others.
Where the true benefit comes is from the fact that they can be at nil cost to your organisation (and in most cases, can generate funds that continue the work that you do).
Branded merchandise can help deliver 3 goals – grow your brand awareness, give your audience ways to support your cause/getting something tangible in return and lastly, the financial benefit from selling merchandise. The way to be truly successful with this type of marketing is to understand your audience, select product that is tailored to this audience and then a design that tells your story and appeals to your audience.

Take advantage of smart production

Red Energy Promotions have developed systems through their work in growing not-for-profit organisations in Australia called smart production. Smart production allows for a brand to market a merchandise product through a bespoke online portal, gather sales over a set period of time and then manufacture at the end of the campaign. This protects your brand from the usual shortfalls (is the design going to be well received, what sizes should I order, how many should I order). We call it smart production, you’ll call it a way to mitigate risk and get your brand to market. Talk to us for more information.

At the end of the day, the one thing that a not-for-profit organisation cannot lose sight of, is their reason for being. Most importantly, they must continue to remind their supporters (and prospective supporters) of this fact and paint a picture for what to expect in the near future.

Graphic Design Fails

August 6, 2015/in Headlines /by redenergy

Adam Woodward
Lead Designer

A memorable logo is an all important part of a business’s brand identity. What are the logo’s that first come to your mind? I bet the likes of McDonalds, Coca-Cola and Nike are first to the fore. These companies have nailed their branding and are consistent. Sadly, not all companies get it right… In fact some get it spectacularly wrong. How do they fail?
Generally, fails fall under 4 categories and all stem from a lack of thought at the planning stage.

• Right design, wrong product
• Wrong design, wrong product
• Offensive without merit
• Completely off the mark

5 Things to Consider

1. Look to a product that is useful/has value for the target audience
2. Ensure this product will complement your brand message (for instance a premium brand wouldn’t do well to cheapen their image)
3. Ensure the message complements the brand and gives the campaign meaning
4. Be sure that the product will add value to the relationship it’s designed to improve

It is so important when putting your brand out to market that the message is fit for purpose. At Red Energy Promotions, we find ourselves guiding customers to avoid problems such as these. It’s very much a collaborative effort and having a second or third opinion helps each campaign in testing their concept before going to production.
How you can look to avoid marketing ‘fails’. When liaising with a supplier like Red Energy Promotions, look to convey the ultimate goal of the campaign, you’ll often find that the design can take on an angle that hadn’t been previously explored.
For ideas tailored for your business, talk to us.

RED ENERGY PROMOTIONS BACK AS OFFICIAL EVENT MERCHANDISER

September 18, 2014/in Headlines /by redenergy

Energetic promotions outfit Red Energy Promotions Noosa will return as the official merchandisers for the 2015 Noosa Festival of Surfing, presented by Cricks Noosa.

Red Energy Promotions partnered with the Festival for the first time this year to produce a great selection of Festival-branded goods, including caps, visors, and stubby coolers, and Justin and Jodi are promising an even more exciting range for 2015, utilising LED Design’s classic new look logo.

2014 merchandise packs now available on the Festival website. The pack includes, Festival t-shirt, choice of cap or visor, sunglasses, stubby cooler and poster. $30 including postage anywhere in Aust, $40 including postage for overseas orders.

2015 merchandise will be available pre Christmas.

Red Energy Promotions are the leaders in promotional products and merchandise for business, sporting, government and charities throughout Queensland. Their product range is enormous and includes printed stationery, personalised pens, stubbie coolers, uniforms & clothing, headwear and corporate gift ideas to name but a few. If you’re a Festival organiser in need of a look for your event, shop local. Give Red Energy Promotions a call.

WHAT MAKES RED ENERGY DIFFERENT?

September 10, 2014/in Headlines /by redenergy

Brand Power!

February 24, 2014/in Headlines /by redenergy

YOU might not own one, but you’ve certainly heard of them.
Italian car maker Ferrari has been labelled the world’s most powerful brand due to its mix of desirability, loyalty and consumer sentiment, according to a brand strength index released today by Brand Finance.
Brand Finance CEO David Haigh said Ferrari’s logo of the prancing horse is “instantly recognisable the world over, even where paved roads have yet to reach”.
The brand is one of just 11 in a global elite that have ratings of AAA+ along with the likes of Google, Hermes, Coca-Cola and Red Bull.
See a full list of the world’s most valuable brands
“Ferrari inspires more than just brand loyalty, more of a cultish, even quasi-religious devotion, its brand power is indisputable,” he said.
But despite being powerful, the niche nature of such a luxury product means Ferrari is far from one of the world’s most valuable brands, ranked number 350 in the world with a value of $US4 billion.
Instead, tech companies dominate the top 10, along with consumer goods and food products.

Brand Finance’s world’s most valuable brands 2014 ($US) include:
Apple, US, $104.68 billion
Samsung, South Korea, $78.75 billion
Google, US, $68.62 billion
Microsoft, US, $62.78 billion
Verizon, US, $53.47 billion
General Electric, US, $52.53 billion
AT & T, US, $45.41 billion
Amazon, US, $45.15 billion
Walmart, US, $44.78 billion
IBM, US, $41.51 billion
Toyota, Japan, $34.90 billion
Coca Cola, US, $33.72 billion
China Mobile, Hong Kong $31.84 billion
T, Germany, $30.61 billion
Wells Fargo, US, $30.24 billion
Vodafone, UK, $29.61 billion
BMW, Germany, $28.96 billion
Shell, Netherlands, $28.57 billion
Volkswagen, Germany, $27.06 billion
HSBC, UK, $26.87 billion

Mr Haigh said Apple’s ability to monetise their brand has made them a global standout. However Samsung is hot on their heels with a $US59 billion jump in their value in the last 12 months.
“Though tablets were in use before the iPad, it was the application of the Apple brand to the concept that captured the public imagination and allowed it to take off as a commercial reality,” he said, adding the brand is the most valuable in the world for the third year running.
US companies dominate the top 500 with Japan taking second place, while Germany, France and the UK round out the top five.
Woolworths is the top Australian brand coming in at number 130 on the list, followed by Telstra, Coles, ANZ, Commonwealth Bank and NAB which are all within the top 250.

news.com.au

Promo Power!

February 14, 2014/in Headlines /by redenergy

Find out why promotional products are more cost effective than nearly all advertising options

Brand Advocacy

February 10, 2014/in Headlines /by redenergy

Brand Advocacy

In today’s connected world, brand advocacy is vital. On average, 32% of advocates recommend 10 or more brands a year via email (57%), Facebook (35%) and traditional word of mouth (92%).

This means brands need to create strategies and systems to generate, track and manage their brand communications effectively. There is no option but to mobilise your customers, employees and influencers and then turn them into your highly productive and powerful sales and marketing channels.

As businesses we need to continuously promote our products with positive customer testimonials and then encourage interaction with our brands on social networks. As brand ambassadors we need to always address negative comments from unhappy customers immediately.

With 18-24 year olds on Facebook boasting an average of 510 friends each, it’s very easy for bad news to spread fast.

Next we need to appreciate that consumers like being rewarded. Advocates are loyal to brands with which they have a strong relationship. Based on the research of Dr. Kathleen R. Ferris-Costa from the University of Rhode Island’s College of Business Administration, over 50% of advocates appreciate incentives and rewards.

It’s also important for the brand to recognise their efforts – they want to be known as a trusted agent of your brand and therefore it’s the relationship that is really important to them.

So, how do you do this?

First and foremost, make it fun engaging with your brand – people love a great experience and yearn to come back for more. Next, make it easy for people to do business with you and, thirdly, always under promise and over deliver. There’s nothing better than receiving a product a few days before you were expecting it to be delivered.

Finally, show you care and take time to follow up regularly with your customers. Brand Advocates like talking about products or services so survey them from time to time or get their input on a new product line.

Nielsen reports that 77% of consumers are more likely to buy a product when recommended by an advocate.

According to Social Chorus, there are at least seven customer advocate archetypes including:

The Titanic Tweeter – eager to share anything and everything. Supply this group with interesting, entertaining and digestible content.

The Passionate Pilgrim – who’s just in love with your brand. Give the pilgrim a road map that helps them share great content regularly.

The Heroic Hipster – who spotted your brand first and wants the world to know it. Welcome these ‘web warriors’ into your elite and privileged network.

The Megaphone Millionaire – these are your celeb musicians, actors, entrepreneurs and political leaders who have a huge following because they’re well known and they share loudly.

The Giving Guru – who looks diligently for information, products and services that will help their friends and family members. It’s not always about your product or service – share ‘Giving Guru’ tips as well.

The Curious Curator – has a big appetite for detailed data and analytical information. They will read and click from link to link in order to collect the very best sources on a subject.

The Noiseless Ninja – the stealthy yet influential brand advocate. They tip-toe the social streets in search of killer deals, sneaky offers and great brand secrets.

Whatever the brand advocate, they are all content creators, and content marketing is the most effective way for brands to increase engagement, especially on social networks. The problem is that brand content, whether created internally or externally, is expensive, and doesn’t perform as well as trusted content.

So the answer to your content problem is to leverage advocates.

Your brand advocates create content that not only performs better, but is also less expensive than professionally produced content. Dr. Ferris-Costa’s survey also found that brand advocates create and curate more than twice as many communications about brands as the average web user. They are savvy in writing meaningful content and sharing it on highly visible sites.

Encourage them to share their experiences with your product, give them interesting content that’s easy to share and keep it fresh. Behind the scenes videos, news, creative statistics and industry tips are all great shareable content.

Social @ Ogilvy conducted a study of nearly 7 million brand mentions from 23 brands in four countries – Brazil, China, the UK and the US. According to the study the number one driver of customer advocacy was ‘product features’.

In traditional advertising we are told to sell the benefits – the sizzle not the steak – however it seems when it comes to brand advocacy it’s the product features that drive customers more.

For brand advocates to make a buying decision and then share their knowledge with others – especially through short posts on social media – product features are easier to understand, compare and then share with others.

Remember, consumers trust other consumers. Nowadays a customer does not have to rely on the brand itself to advertise or promote a product or service because they can easily and instantly access reliable, real-time information from their social networks, friends and forums.

Tony Eades is the Director of Brand Strategy at BrandManager, a creative, marketing and digital communications agency based in Sydney and Perth.

Promotional Merchandise makes the meeting!

February 5, 2014/in Headlines /by redenergy

Promotional Merchandise makes the meeting!

Near the end of the business presentation you hope impressed board members, thunder cracks loudly and rain begins to fall in steady force. The corporate heads suddenly look to be a very somber group indeed. Pull out your printed promotional umbrellas and pass them around. Your likeability meter has just moved to the highest measuring point. This benefits you with a better chance of securing business dealings with the corporate leaders who hold the power of deciding who is awarded with business contracts.

Promotional merchandise holds many other benefits which make them a worthwhile

consideration. Those printed, promotional umbrellas you just gave away will keep your business in the forefront of board members minds, even if you are not the only hopeful to make a presentation to them today.

Another benefit of promotional merchandise is that it permits you to advertise your business on a large scale with less out of pocket money than most any other advertising method. You probably do not need me to tell you how beneficial it is to have the ability to stretch your advertising reach further while saving money, do you? As business owners we are always in search of ways to advertise effectively while keeping costs to a minimum to maximize our overall profits.

The enhancing of your business image is another benefit of promotional merchandise. Being seen as a generous person is good in business and on a personal level. You can give away promotional merchandise without worries about high costs, and be seen as a generous individual. Business professionals from all over world do this and the receivers of these gifts are getting high quality gifts, they are not concerned with how much the gifts cost or did not cost, only with who was kind and generous enough to give them. In other words, you can buy on the cheap, give it away, and be seen as a very generous chap indeed.

Promotional merchandise can turn a casual business contact into a definite customer which is certainly a benefit to your business earnings. Think of promotional merchandise as incentives because people will often choose to do business with the company that has given them a free, usable item. Alternatively, promotional merchandise serves as reminders to people of whom to turn to when in need of business goods and services. Promotional merchandise is better than a directory listing because this merchandise are items people use everyday and it gives your business advertising with dimensions, not a flat and boring page listing.

The wide assortment of styles and choices available and the low cost of promotional merchandise are further benefits. You can afford a variety of promotional merchandise and you have a wider selection in styles and functions than with most other advertising methods. You will have an assortment of promotional merchandise at your disposal to match your contacts and the settings in which you are meeting them in.

Your family benefits from a more relaxed you because you do not have to work quite so hard to advertise your business with your promotional merchandise doing most of it for you. The money you save on corporate promoting with the use of promotional merchandise could be put into a special holiday fund for you and your family to enjoy a fun and memorable holiday together.

There are long-term promoting benefits for your business with promotional merchandise. Your business name is indelibly etched into an item that will be in use for a long time and the use and display of that item will continue promoting your business for you.

The benefits of promotional merchandise are many and make them a worthy consideration for your corporate promoting needs.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/583739

Red Energy continues to define the market with franchise business offering

July 16, 2013/in Headlines /by redenergy

Sunshine Coast business Red Energy Promotions this week rolled out their plans for Queensland, a franchise network extending through Queensland with regions stretching from Cairns to the Gold Coast.

“Whilst the geography is quite broad, we will be looking to take a different angle with our approach to franchising – we are going for the premise of less is more” said Red Energy Promotions director, John Leach. “With only 17 exclusive locations across Queensland, our franchisees will have fantastic opportunity in which to grow their businesses”.

Following the outstanding success of Noosa, launched in late 2012 – a full marketing campaign beginning this week will look to attract professionals from all walks of life, looking to take the leap into small business. Red Energy Promotions will give franchisees the training, support and brand power to ensure their success.

When asked why Red Energy has been successful in business, John responds with “the secret is actually quite simple, we’ve set out to create a one-stop service that people enjoy, all the while creating a very strong identity in the business branding space. With much of Queensland under-serviced by other businesses, it has been the impetus for us to bring on franchise partners and offer the same high level of service we offer and excel in their local markets”.

The Red Energy Promotions brand, launched in 2004, has become one of the largest and most well regarded suppliers of promotional products, merchandise and printing to companies across Australia. With a product range now exceeding 30,000, the broad offering allows for different marketing ideas suitable to any business, Government, sporting club or not-for-profit looking for ways to connect with their customers.

To find out more about the Red Energy Promotions opportunity, contact Beau Worsley on 1300 325 977 or visit www.redenergypromotions.com.au/franchising

Growing online… the right and (oh so) wrong.

July 10, 2013/in Headlines /by redenergy

Chances are that you’ve heard of a thing called the internet and yes, this fad is likely to last. The internet has (and continues) to change the way we do business. From adding a new method of customer enquiries, through to businesses being developed purely to promote their wares online – having an online presence has never been more important.

Where businesses generally fail with their websites, is that they forget to look at the experience from the perspective of their customer. Your customers generally come to you with a problem (expecting a solution to that problem).

For instance – we are considering a family, we should get health insurance. The customer visits your website and you bombard them with information that allows you to boast your company and does nothing to address their need.

Get to the point – tell your customers what you can offer them and what you do well.
Simplify the look of your website, don’t bury the important information to make these people search for it.
Find a way to communicate 1 to 1 – request contact information to allow you the chance to discuss (and close) the sale.

How does your online presence represent your company’s brand?

In this, we aren’t talking about the colours in the design of your website… If your company stands for fun, vibrant and easy to deal with – use this same approach in the way you present your webpage.

For ideas on designing or redesigning your website to become more user friendly, talk to our team.

Also… think about the domain name… Here is a snapshot of the most notorious website names.

Your customers could end up thinking you sell a completely different product.

kidsexchange.net Kids Exchange
penisland.net Pen Island
sydneytherapistonline.com Sydney Therapist
gotahoe.com Go Tahoe
choosespain.com Choose Spain
partnerstalking.com.au Partners Talking
webone.com.au Web One
nobraces.com.au No Braces
molestationnursery.com Mole Station Nursery
wintersexpress.com Winters Express
teacherstalk.com Teachers Talk
childrenswear.co.uk Childrens Wear
auctionshit.com Auctions Hit
ihavegas.com IHA Vegas Holiday Rentals
oddsextractor.com Odds Extractor

Red Book 2013 out now!

January 15, 2013/in Headlines /by redenergy

The much anticipated Red Book 2013 was released today and sent to over 5,000 customers across Australia & New Zealand. With 100 pages full of great new products, every business, not for profit or sporting club will find a product to help them kick start their marketing in 2013. The growing business confidence we have seen in the market place means now is the right time to get your marketing ramped up – make 2013 a great year for your business!

To organise your free copy of the Red Book, simply Contact Us, alternatively you can also view this booklet online on our Catalogue page. It is even broken up into handy sections so you can go directly to the section that interests you.

DID YOU KNOW?

Successful marketing campaigns address a number of key factors, some of which are:

Engagement triggers (to resonate with consumers and act as a call to action)
The ability to collect data and analyse this information for future campaigns
Correct use of branding to enhance business profile and also drive demand

A recent survey found that promotional products can be used to enhance marketing campaigns, 100% of respondents reported that the addition of branded items increased the campaign effectiveness, in some cases up to 400%.

For ideas on how to increase your profile and your business’ bottom line, talk to us.

It’s better seeing RED.

Case Study

November 9, 2012/in Headlines /by redenergy

When one of Australia’s big four banks was looking for inspiration, they were continually presented with tired, used and short sighted recommendations that lacked imagination. Enter Red Energy Promotions, from our first meeting – we looked to what the client was trying to achieve and then presented solutions that met the criteria, but exceeded expectations.

Taking a whole of business approach to uncover previously missed branding opportunities, we developed a plan for the client to…

Maximise branding exposure at events sponsored by the client
Develop solutions to improve business performance in key markets – through tailored and personal campaigns
Created a range of gift merchandise that was tiered to the value of the customer
Outdoor and portable signage solutions for events and partnerships
Developed strategies for how the merchandise would be delivered for best results
Created the conceptual designs, produced and delivered the product across Australia

By presenting the client with a structured, innovative game plan – we could work to deadlines most pressing and ultimately, give the client a better service than what they had ever experienced. By delivering ideas that generated a noticeable return, that were innovative and within budget, we have raised the bar for our client in the eyes of our customers.

No matter what size your business is, creating a plan for when/how you will communicate with existing or new customers can help you to structure the growth of your business. Talk to us for promotional product ideas that improve your business.

Valued Client or Client Value?

November 9, 2012/in Headlines /by redenergy

What are your clients worth to your business and how do you acknowledge their custom?

Have you ever tried to quantify what a customer’s worth is to your business? Whilst some companies (generally those who raise sales orders and invoices) can track the monetary value of a customer, there are other businesses that do not – making it increasingly difficult to understand what value a specific customer brings to their business.

Most businesses will easily (I hope!) work through the basic formula of the average fee/sale per customer multiplied by the number of transactions they have with you each year, and then multiplied by the number of years you expect to work with them.

That is all simple enough – if you know these averages and key business metrics for your company.

But is that the total measure of what a good customer is worth to your business?

How many referrals to other great customers could you get from a really happy customer over the expected lifetime of the relationship? What extra value can be attached to your brand, or business value, from having great advocates in your clientele?

It is often difficult to understand the above fully, but if you are hands on within your business or have staff in place that can assist – you would generally be able to estimate the number of repeat sales and average sale value. By doing this, you will then be able to look at your customers and also prioritise their value to your business.

By understanding their value to your business (approximately), you now have a benchmark as to what that customer means to you and what you would need to do to replace that value should the customer choose to shop elsewhere. It is our recommendation that you reinforce your relationships to ensure that you do not have to replace old customers with new (hindering your growth).

At this time of year, it’s a great opportunity for you to take stock and acknowledge a customers’ value to your business. Branded Christmas gifts or even customised Christmas stationery (gift cards) and the like are a perfect way to say thank you and create an even more loyal customer to your business as we embark on 2013.