It is the time of year when we are all busy with Christmas preparations – the shopping, the decorating, the party planning which is why you need direct mail that will capture attention immediately and keep it.  The way to do this is with entertaining marketing techniques that your customer will enjoy receiving and will absorb the information too.

Deck the Halls with a Pop-up Lantern 

The Pop-up Lantern is a quirky little product with a cheeky personality that is eye-catching and obtains customer focus immediately on receipt. It arrives in its’ customised mailer which looks tempting and will be opened immediately. On opening the Pop-up Lantern leaps free and starts to work for you in a most amusing way.  Often this product is sent as an alternative Christmas Card;

however it plays a key role in direct mail advertising throughout the calendar year too. Recently it was designed to advertise outdoor events for a corporate team building company and was so successful that we are currently producing a repeat order for them.

All Your Customers Want for Christmas …………

…is a Pop-up Box. A product that is a delight to receive, will be retained and will continue to work for you long after the festive decorations have been taken down.  There are many entertaining marketing techniques you can apply to the Pop-up Box to ensure that it works hard for you and remains on your customers desk serving as a constant reminder of your company. The ways you can adapt your customised Pop-up Box are by adding pen holes – everyone needs a desk-top or workplace pen pot so you are onto a winner with this. Another direct mail advertising tip is to add a coin slot to the product, this creates office banter and the possibilities are endless for it – a money box, a swear box, a suggestion box and a fines box are some of the successful adaptations.

Winter Wonderland Changing Picture

 The Picture Dissolves are absolutely wonderful for being tactile and amusing.  They are available in a variety of sizes and designs and add kudos to any direct mail advertising campaign.  They are particularly suited to messages about “before and after”, “changes”, “from this to this” and have gained a remarkable record as a vest selling product. Entertaining marketing techniques capture attention and keep it – perfect!

For more ideas see whitneywoods and popupmailers

The next and twenty third Bond Movie is in the making and will be full of action and surprise, the audience wait with anticipation for the drama to unfold.  You too can create the same impact for your next direct marketing campaign by using unusual and attention-grabbing promotional ideas. The element of surprise is always a winner for obtaining customer focus and ensuring that they do not reach for the ejector seat button.

Pop-up Ball – Versatile and Surprising

You can design your own “thunderball” in many different guises, the Pop-up Ball can be sent on its own as a ball, with pen holes for holding pens and pencils, with a printed calendar on for your customer to refer to each and every day, or even depicting an object associated with your campaign or products.  As part of your strategic marketing the Pop-up Ball will bounce into action immediately on opening and just like a James Bond movie will amuse the audience and create lots of interest from others which will extend your advertising time and exposure greatly too. This product has been portrayed as a globe, a football and even a cupcake in recent promotions.

Telescopic Box – New Vision for Strategic Marketing 

Compared to some products the Telescopic Box is relatively new but is gaining significant recognition for being a dynamic promotional idea.  It is sort of a box within a box that extends to 720 mm in length and because it has a great print area and is very tactile you keep your customers full attention much longer than with a boring flat letter or pamphlet.  You can even add a small gift to the box and/or a call to action.  This is a “view to a kill” as far as a direct marketing item is concerned and I am sure that Miss Moneypenny would approve of this gadget for your next direct mail mission.

Jumpinjax for the Ultimate “Skyfall”

I am lead to believe that the next movie is to be named “Skyfall” and filming is well under way. No doubt there will be even more spectacular special effects, rather like the Jumpinjax; action when you least expect it!  The Jumpinjax is a terrific product for capturing attention in a most unusual and entertaining way; as your customer slides out the tray four small pop-up cubes leap free much to the delight of the recipient.  The Jumpinjax has been used to depict – four points on a compass; four stars for hotels; four seasons; however the number four does not need to be a key factor at all and recently a company had a successful strategic marketing campaign using only three cubes to announce three new ranges.

For more information and demo videos see the website popupmailers

It was announced recently that the next James Bond Movie is in production and this will be the twenty-third. This proves that when you have a winning formula you simply need to use that as groundwork with a different story each time.  Direct mail products have been around for a long time because they work, however with different special effects  each time you can generate extra interest and increase sales easily.  I have selected  three products from the oscar winning top ten best selling chart at popupmailers here today:

Your mission completed with Interactive advertising techniques

Start the film rolling by sending surprising and interactive direct mail products that will capture attention and ensure that your message is read and retained.  Pop-up products are sent in your chunky customised mailer and as opened they leap out which is always least expected and warmly received. Definitely not “for your eyes only” the pop-up products will be shared with others and will create office banter. As part of your marketing campaign a Pop-up House is a novel product with lots of print area that will sit on your customers desk for a long time; it is a very unusual shape that arouses curiosity all the time; by adding a secret weapon – penholes in the roof you can be assured that the Pop-up House will stay with your customer for even longer.

Diamonds are Forever Pop-up Gem

Diamonds are forever and by using interactive advertising techniques such as the Pop-up Diamonds you will impress your customers instantly. Leaping into action from your customised mailer this is a product that is definitely not a gamble at “casino royale” but a winner every time.  Adding a classy metallic string transforms the Pop-up Diamond into a hanging ornament which is particularly popular as an alternative festive greeting.

Licence to Kill Sideshooter

The Sideshooter is a most entertaining product and has played a major role in many a marketing campaign for blue chip companies. Tripling in size as opened it is one of my favourite interactive advertising techniques with a “can’t put down” element to it.  There is a large area for print and with clever graphic designs there is limitless potential for your next advertising promotion.

For more shaken and stirred ideas see popupmailers 

You have your data and you know what you want to say so don’t waste it all by sending flat mail that may never reach your intended audience.  Use effective marketing ideas that work every time and generate the very best response rates and extra sales.  I have some awesome ideas for capturing attention immediately and keeping it long after your marketing campaign is over.

Desk-top Products for Effective Marketing

Add power to your campaign with a Power Pen Pal that will soon be your customers’ pal as it sits proudly on their desk holding pens, pencils etc.  The product is sent in a custom mailer and leaps free when opened. This is always least expected and a complete surprise adding to the power of your campaign.  There is a generous amount of room for your promotional print too and since they stay on your customers’ desk for a long time they really are effective marketing ideas that work.

Pop-up Pyramid – Standing the test of time

For a product with longevity and novelty the Pop-up Pyramid is a wise choice every time.  This product has featured in the best selling chart for effective marketing ideas that work and the novel shape and majestic feel to it adds kudos to any marketing campaign. The Pop-up Pyramid has plenty of room for your customised print and will sit proudly displaying your message and working as a constant reminder of your company each and every day. 

Adding a touch of humour -  Effective Marketing ideas

Why not add a touch of humour to the gloomy wintry weather by sending something that will create office banter and raise a smile?  The Cootie Catcher (Fortune Teller) is a very nostalgic item and one which is very tactile and always shared with others and discussed during coffee break. Or maybe you have an idea for incorporating a Face Mask into your advertising?  There are so many ways to design a Face Mask and they are a most distinctive product and top class for encouraging brand loyalty.  Face Masks and

Cootie Catchers are never discarded, they are kept for a long time due to their novelty value.

For more exciting ideas see the website popupmailers

Today I talk about products that will be music to the ears of corporate event organisers. Whether planning a Trade Show or Exhibition, a Gala Ball or Dinner you need attention-grabbing invitations that will capture attention immediately and increase footfall.  For the best Trade Show or Exhibition give-aways you need promotional products that will be kept for reference and continue to work for you long after the show.

Event Invitations to Capture Attention  

Getting your event noticed and well attended is a dream with unusual and eye-catching products and products with a first class reputation within the events marketing sector are the Dissolving Pictures range. These are available in a variety of size and styles and are basically a changing picture, which is absorbing and entertaining. To reveal the picture change your contacts have to pull a tab or lift a cover (Cover Dissolvers). Because of the high tactile involvement focus is on your event in a very amusing way and since it is a proven fact that the more interactive a product is the more it is remembered makes the Dissolvers perfect for Event Invitations.

Unfolding Design – Pocket-sized Brochure 

How many times at a trade show do you see pamphlets and flyers strewn everywhere – discarded without a second glance.  This will not be the case if your promotional print is on the Foldilocks Card – a pocket-sized product with lots of print area that will be retained and read again and again.  Ideal for a reference brochure for example the cards fold up concertina style into the outer covers that have a locking tab to prevent damage.  The Foldilocks Card has endless possibilities for the events marketing sector and since the panels are perforated they are ideal for offering vouchers and coupons for future purchases for example. Available as credit card sized or A7 they are one of the best trade-show giveaway ideas.

“Swatch” your Attendees Smile 

Swatch Cards have been around for a long time and are often used for trade show and exhibition give-away items. They are more often than not designed pocket size which guarantees that they will be taken away and looked at after the show rather than being discarded.  A natty little trick is to custom-shape the Swatch Cards; recently the i-pod Swatch has been a trendy shape to use to capture attention and keep it.

For more ideas and demo videos see popupmailers and whitneywoods