Christmas morning (or Hanukkah for the non-gentiles) you wake with an excited burst of energy that has nothing to do with caffeine. What will you be unwrapping? What exciting new possessions will now be yours? It's a happy thought for most. The new possibilities and general happiness that comes with receiving a gift.

Maybe you answered a store survey online to receive a free sample. I was happy to receive my free cookie from Kashi. There are websites devoted to receiving free samples with people clammering to be the first nationwide. Brides have gotten in on the act too. What bridal shower goody will we get today? Will we have a box of mints next to our place setting to take home at the end of the reception?

Did you know that your company can promote it's own good will with something better than free samples? It's called promotional products (or swag). There is an entire industry of people that make products expressly for the purpose of slapping your business logo on it. It goes beyond pens and t-shirts. I'm talking, bar napkins, potholders, flash drives, stress balls and even condoms. There are magazines devoted to giving companies ideas on how to sell these products to your company. There are even magazines devoted to ideas on how to use these products, for what events, and what obscure holiday is coming up that you could link to your promotion.

The way the industry is set up does not allow most companies to call up the potholder company and buy these wonderful products directly. That's a no-no. You are supposed to call a Distributor who can work with you to determine your budget, marketing plan or reason for your decision to purchase promotional products and then match your order with the best supplier (or company that makes the products). Distributors have access to literally thousands of companies with different items to sell. They track your order and make sure it meets your timeline especially when promoting a special event.

The possibilities are endless once you've discovered the realm of swag. The first step is to figure out what your theme is. A good distributor will think of your company and the event behind your promotion.

For instance, a pizza place we'll call "Pizza Palace," is looking to promote their delivery service to people in the area decides they need to boost business a bit. Advertising on TV is too expensive for them and they've exhausted the door-jam menu delivery system. What can they do?

The Distributor prices out refrigerator magnets to be mailed, handed out at local events and even extras given to customers that are already established to hand out to their friends. The magnets are in the shape of pizzas with the Pizza Palace number and a coupon code that entitles the customer to one extra topping every time they order delivery. These magnets get stuck to the fridge, and the Pizza Palace gets stuck foremost in the mind of its new customers.

Many companies use pens as promotional products. TD Bank and their green pens...need I say more? What about a Construction company following up their open quotes with a nice pen and note saying how they would love the opportunity to help their customer sign the deal? Pens come in more colors and styles than you can imagine. They can be a really cheap way to get in your customers' hands and minds. How many times have you thrown a free pen away. You use them until they don't work anymore!

Tip: Look for pens with more ink capacity. The longer the pen works, the longer someone will keep it.

An under-appreciated promotional product is the T-Shirt. It's the back to basics approach. How many times have you thrown on that free Coors lite shirt they handed out at the local bar on your way to the gym or grocery store? T-shirts are walking advertisements.

Tip: Buy them in larger quantities for cheaper prices. Also aim for 1 or 2 color prints to keep your cost down. Use the color of the shirt to help define your logo.

Those are some of the basics, but the possibilities are endless. The key is to find the right match for your company's needs.

Need help marketing your company? Contact me at www.phoenixfiremarketing.com