Marketing is a drag, let’s not lie. Talk to any business owner about what they like least when it comes to running a company, and most of them will say advertising and marketing. Getting the word out just isn’t that much fun, plain and simple.
Yet it’s critical, and you know you need to focus on it. The problem? Your competitors know this too. More than ever before, companies are stepping up their marketing game, devoting more funds to it, crafting ever-more-clever online strategies, and creating streamlined brands that get them noticed. While in one sense that’s a good thing – it means there exist a multitude of strategies for you to try – in another sense, it just goes to show how tall a hill you have to climb.
The downside of all this marketing awareness is that if you don’t get yourself out there, the competition is bound to overtake you sooner or later. And if you do market, you’ll still have a hard time matching your competitors – which means you need to do it well.
Depressed yet? Don’t be. Thankfully, there are solutions.
One of the biggest and best are reusable bags, which achieve more notice than any other physical marketing type. Per dollar, bags get 1,000 impressions. That’s compared to only 500 for writing utensils and billboards, about 300 for calendars and 200 for shirts, and double-digits for analogue media advertising (think magazines and radio).
So yeah, bags do pretty well. But what should you do with them? How can you make excellent options such as laminated bags integral to your own marketing plan today? Here are 10 smart ways to do just that.
1. Match Them to Your Brand Colors
Brand is everything. If your brand doesn’t flow smoothly from store signage to product labels to paper collateral to website and beyond, you’ve got a problem. Namely, confused customers who don’t know what you’re selling or why. Make sure that doesn’t happen by starting with a select set of brand colors that help tell your story in a visually appealing way.
2. Use Your Name and Logo Well
Your name and logo should come front and center on all bulk reusable shopping bags. Otherwise, they’re not doing their job out in the world. It doesn’t matter how many impressions you get per dollar if no one knows what they’re seeing, after all! Design a crisp, clear and relevant logo, then print it proudly above your name on all your laminated bags.
3. Put Them Around the Store
Your bags should be accessible if you want them to forward your marketing efforts. Place them at the register, by the front door, near the tasting counter and along the walls for best effect.
4. Find a Reputable Provider
Never work with a disreputable or little-known bag provider. That’s a one-way ticket to disappointment and customer dissatisfaction. Instead, work with a brand that’s been around for several years such as ReuseThisBag.com and understand the purpose of branding, as well as the means to get the job done. Also, make sure they use quality materials and test their products first yourself, so you know they’ll do you proud.
5. Take an Environmental Stand
Reusable bags also make it easy to take an eco-conscious stand. (See wholesale recycled plastic shopping bags) More and more consumers today are looking to partner with green companies that put the environment first. They look for sulfite-free wines. They want clothing made of organic cotton. They desire recycled paper for greeting cards and wrapping supplies. Give the people what they’re looking for, and your business is bound to thrive.
Whatever role you play – whether you’re a green company already or just a company that’s trying to be greener – it’s nice to highlight your efforts with an inherently green product such as laminated bags. For an extra touch, print out tags that you can hang around each bag, explaining why you care about the environment and how to care for your bag to make it last the longest.
6. Use Them as Loyalty Gifts
Want customers to keep coming back? Using your bags as loyalty gifts is one of the smartest marketing strategies you can employ. Give them out for special occasions or when customers reach milestones (say, co-op members on their yearly anniversaries). That way, they have a bag they can proudly sport, and you have another avenue to get them out into the world.
7. Make It Easy for Clients to Own Them
If you want your clients to own your bags and carry them proudly, you need to make the barrier to entry low. For most companies, that means:
- Giving them away for free, or
- Selling them at a low cost up at the register
Either of these strategies works well. Just make sure customers know where to find the bags, and that the rules for purchasing or gifting them are clear. For instance, many companies will throw in a free bag for purchases over a certain amount, while others sell them for a cool dollar and call it good.
8. Take Them to Trade Shows
There’s nothing like a trade show to disseminate your marketing materials to the masses. Make sure you have a bulk supply of trade show bags and give them out freely.
9. Use Bags for Nonprofit Ventures
Are you a nonprofit yourself that wants more attention? Do you partner with nonprofits on the regular and want people to know more about them? Would you like to devote more of your time and resources to charity this year? Do you simply want to draw attention to one of your favorite causes with good branding, right there in your retail shop?
Good news: Laminated bags can help you do just that. If you’re looking for foolproof nonprofit fundraising, bags can play a big role. For instance, you could:
- Donate a dollar to the charity for every bag someone purchases
- Give away a bag for every product a customer buys, then give part of the proceeds to charity
- Supply your local nonprofit with laminated bags to give their own customers
- Raffle off items in your bags, then give the proceeds to charity
- Create a dedicated run of laminated bags that advertise the charity
10. Always Order Before You Run Out
Once you’ve succeeded in working bags into your daily marketing plan, it’s important you don’t run out. Many companies are so delighted with the results of their reusable bag marketing plan that they get caught up in the success and fail to notice dwindling stock. Don’t let that be you: Whichever strategies you try, whether to help a nonprofit or simply to boost your own business, it’s critical you keep a weather eye on your inventory.
Therefore, whenever you place a fresh order, make a note on your calendar to check on your bags at regular intervals. As soon as you get below a certain threshold (dictated by how fast you run through bags and how long it takes to order them), hop back on the phone and order more.
Ready to start that first order? We invite you to give us a call here at Reuse This Bag and get going today. There’s no reason to wait for better marketing, so just pick up the phone and dial 877.334.5323 now!