Little Acorns and Big Oak Trees

In my family, I am considered to be the marketing guru and often receive requests for advice in this area. I have a cousin in America who may be going to set up a new business. No doubt I'll be asked for my ideas. She will need some items to get the business logo around her patch, so I'll be able to point her to some promotional products on the internet.

I've seen a site which has a really comprehensive range, and carries lots of stock. Because of the volume of turnover, these people can keep their prices really low, and that has to be good news for anyone investing in a new business. Lots of major companies will be using them too, but they're as happy to fill small orders as massive ones, and no doubt customers return over an over again. And remember that old saying that it's from little acorns that great big oak trees grow.

This pic of a very old English oak (Quercus robur) was taken in a field near Ardeley, Hertfordshire and posted at Wikimedia Commons by AnemoneProjectors (talk).

Anyway, my cousin will probably start by ordering small items like logo pencils and pens that she can give away. Then people will carry them around with them and pull them out in banks and post offices, and maybe even drop them so other people will pick them up. I have a few of those lying around in my office and before I use them, I usually glance at the logo for a reminder of the brand they represent. It's not a bad way to get your logo into people's minds.

Of course, big companies will have larger budgets for promotional items. They might go as far as buying clothing items and carry bags with their logo prominently displayed. There are many ways to promote a business. Sometimes they even attract customers by using promotional items with campaigns that support charities. I wrote a blog post about one of those in January. I wonder how many people actually treated themselves to one of those lovely chocolate stars.

Anyway, my cousin will probably start by ordering small items like logo pencils and pens that she can give away. Then people will carry them around with them and pull them out in banks and post offices, and maybe even drop them so other people will pick them up. I have a few of those lying around in my office and before I use them, I usually glance at the logo for a reminder of the brand they represent. It's not a bad way to get your logo into people's minds.

Of course, big companies will have larger budgets for promotional items. They might go as far as buying clothing items and carry bags with their logo prominently displayed. There are many ways to promote a business. Sometimes they even attract customers by using promotional items with campaigns that support charities. I wrote a blog post about one of those in January. I wonder how many people actually treated themselves to one of those lovely chocolate stars.