Today we celebrate Promotional Products Work Day! Promotional products are integrated into our industry and most importantly, our lives. The power of promo lies in the impact it makes on those who use it. The value and effectiveness of promo is why it is the most memorable form of advertising. Today, we join members of the American family to showcase their favorite items and why they are effective marketing tools!
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“I chose hats because when you find a good hat that people love they tend to wear that hat everywhere showing your brand everywhere they go. Hats are pretty affordable, can be worn indoors and outdoors, on a daily basis, making impressions to all sorts of audiences. The hat I am wearing in the photo I wear to my golf tournaments, and it always sparks conversation one way or another.” -Kimberly Bengtson“This little bear is one of my favorite promotional products because it was given to my son when he was born. Dog not included.” -Amy Spychalla“We had a vendor recreate the original MN 31 Home office building in December of 2000. This was Larry’s first building in downtown Glenwood. The building is where many associates joined the American Family while attending a DA (Discover American) session. This is where you usually find Justin & Larry yet today.” -Wayne Martin“Here is a photo of the American cooler backpack I used this summer while traveling to Lake Tahoe in California. It was great to keep water bottles nice and cold.” -Nicole Roelike“Being able to reflect on American’s founding over morning coffee in a mug from one of our great partners Otterbox.” -Mike Pfeiffer“My current favorite promotional product is the 12 oz Silipint tumbler: It is unique – from the moment the customer touches it, you get a “wow response”. It has functional use – hot drinks, cold drinks, microwaveable, freezable, etc. It is durable – unbreakable, flexible, dishwasher safe. It comes in multiple color options, sizes, and has lids and straw options – and is perfect for customer kitting projects.” -Mike Kahler“My favorite promo item is the pizza cutter by Fey Line (#Mi1040). The metal wheel drives through anything and it’s easy to clean, dishwasher safe. For customers, it’s a great sell: inexpensive, indestructible, dishwasher safe, everyone eats pizza, everyone needs one, constantly in use, lots of brand recognition, will not be thrown away or used up. My son is also an aficionado of this piece.” -Martha Mitchell“Fall trap shooting league evenings can get a little chilly in Montana. The Blue Generation Zip Hoodies are the perfect weight to stay warm while not adding a lot of bulk. The Insulated Slim Can Insulator adds class to that sip of courage needed to go out and shoot from the 27 yard line. It’s textured silicone grip not only looks and feels good – it’s functional. No slips. Now, let’s break some clays!” -Leanne Schlillinger“One of my faves – Earth Tumbler. It hits all “eco” trends – its constructed from organic bamboo fiber, it is reusable and percentage of proceeds are donated to Project Aware (Project Aware helps rid our oceans of harmful debris). Super cute leaf shape spill stopper, spill resistant screw on lid and retail packaging explaining all the features of the item is great add on bonus.” -Laura Zaukaite-Silva“I never leave the house without my favorite tumbler and water bottle and with the weather changing I need an amazing branded hoodie and umbrella. I love to keep a business card in hand and my branded pens I leave at every office and shop I stop because a pen is a business card people steal. I use tote bags for everything to drop off samples to my clients or pick up my groceries. This is pretty much what I look like going to my car all the time. If you need a product put your logo on it! Honestly, I love it all!” -Kristina Beal“Keeping it classic with my Eddie Bauer microfleece jacket. I’m always cold so this is my daily go to and favorite promo item.” -Amy Kovach“Apparel is one of my favorite promotional products to help my clients market their business because it is personal, memorable, and offers a wide range of creative branding. For example, this Champion hoodie features screen print, heat transfer, and puff printing in 3 different locations to create a look that is on trend and truly impressive. High quality blanks and unique decoration come together to create a retail look that the end user will look forward to wearing, ultimately generating more impressions for your brand!” -Katie Kahler“My favorite promotional item BY FAR are lip balms! Not only are they inexpensive, everyone loves to get them. I for one am a huge lip balm fanatic – always several in my purse, on my desk, in the car, in my golf bag. They taste great and the opportunities for customization are limitless. You can even use them as business cards, raffle tickets, games, tradeshows, just about anything. We can even make them in any custom flavor imaginable! It’s a small luxury that keeps everyone smiling!” -Kari Gutstein“This is my favorite promo item because I use the Pop Socket constantly and the flush design allows it not to snag in my pocket.” -Jon Stewart“Greetings from Estes Park, CO! On vacation from MN this week and I happened to bring several of my favorite promotional products with me. I have to give a huge shout out to Storm Creek apparel of which I’m wearing 3 pieces today: pacesetter quarter zip, Katrina Vest and my rain jacket. The weather literally can change by the hour here as we’ve seen today and I love my Storm Creek apparel to layer on and off as needed. We’ve seen rain, sun, rain, sleet and more rain. I love that it’s kept me warm and dry from the elements as we were downtown sightseeing and shopping all day. “ -Joal McAlister“Hands free doggy fanny pack. Large top pocket for personal belongings, small front pocket with two compartments for treats and disposable bags! Steel latch for flashlight and leash and an imprint area for logo.” -Mary Harper“Not only does it do a great job of keeping hot/cold, the cork on the bottom gives this a finished look as so many of these tumblers scratch in that area over a period of time.” -Jim Mikuta“I really like the attached promotional item. It’s a Qi charger that’s compatible with most recent vintage smart phones and some accessories. It’s a great promo item because it performs a useful function, charging up the devices that make our digital life possible. And since it sits on a desk or table, it serves as a constant reminder of your brand.” -Jim Fennell“Blankets, blanket, blankets! I can’t get enough of them this time of year! I love to snuggle down with blankets and you can decorate them boldly like this example or subtlety with a small embroidered or leather patch in the corner. Either way it’s a classy item which I love to sell.” -Jan Barrett“I love the lunch box promo item I got to send to clients 2 years ago (believe it’s from vendor Tekweld) as well as the knit blanket I got back as part of the 40th ASB anniversary when items were offered.” -Jake Wells“I never thought I would admit that fanny packs are the bomb, but I field-tested the Cotopaxi fanny pack last month in St. George, UT as a spectator of the Ironman 70.3 World Championships and it was a life-saver. Hands free, held all the necessities and stayed in place. LOVED it and love the colors also.” -Heather Rausch“Here is my new favorite promotional retro cooler that I ordered to celebrate ASB’s 40th Anniversary. I have had it on display at each of the first 3 Viking home games in our tailgate lot at US Bank Stadium this year and everyone that sees it comments how cool it is, asks where I got it and the bottle opener feature is awesome. It’s a welcome addition to our SKOL factor and keeps beverages ice cold!” -David Robinson“The quarter zip is Union made and great fit. We embroidered our Union company name that is powered by ASB so you know. The hat came from Delta Apparel and it’s a nice one.” -David Bronson“I love the feel of it with the embossed logo. Its big enough to hold a lot of liquid but slim enough to fit well in my hand. The biggest bonus is how long it keeps my water cold. (I’m sure it would be good for coffee too if I drank it).” -Chris Kleven
“Though a flag may not seem like an everyday piece, for a small business owner it can be. Its promoting/advertising to the passers-by, the people they hope will come into their shop and buy ,or to help grow a business by announcing much needed hired help. Signage for business owners is an everyday promotional product piece. An easy pop-up flag is a great way to promote a business or event easily and quickly! Pop them flags, bags, and tags!”
“Who doesn’t love to match their clothes with our accessories? Well maybe not all of us but we do it with simple things like a belt and shoes, scarf and watch, nails and fit. So why not with a branded sweatshirt and mug. When you’re carrying a branded message on not one, but two pieces you become eye catching. Done right, it can look fun and classic.”
“A no-frills basic twill hat is not only comfortable, but it is a wearable marketing piece! Hats are confirmable, functional, and can carry a branded message for years and years! You can even brand a pair of nice shades to complete a look.” -Cassandra Chiodo
“2 oz. Hand Sanitizers Bottles. I have provided about 20 different Promo items to this Health Care client since I joined ASB but this item has been the biggest repeat order in my bucket. This privately owned Hospital and Medical Group pass out Promo items to promote their Brand at local Malls, Health Fairs/Senior Centers/ Physician Offices/ to Employees/ their Patients, etc. and this item is always a big hit for a very low price – currently purchasing from Innovation Line.” -Bob Tullio
American Solutions for Business Blog 
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