Advertising Magnets: Make Your Message Stick
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Magnets are available in various sizes and serve various purposes ranging from home to industrial uses. As
magnets can stick to steel and iron, they are also used for promotional purposes.
Aside from their use in radio and television sets, magnets are also used in bulk loading and assembly line
productions in the industrial world. Industrial magnets provide solutions to complex mechanized activities
and come in all shapes and sizes – round, bars, rods, U-shaped, rings etc. Magnets in the industrial sector
range from pulleys and separators to magnetic sweepers, fabrication and welding devices. All these can be
custom-built to suit the needs of any particular industry. Bulk purchases are always advantageous and cost
beneficial than individual purchases.
Owing to the varied sizes in which they are available, magnets are increasingly being used for advertising
purposes. Advertising magnets are usually custom-made. The name and logo of the company along with the
services and products offered form the main theme of advertising magnets. Depending on your budget the
magnets can be put up on billboards or distributed among prospective clients.
Business cards are another common way to promote your services or products. Since paper business cards
often get lost or are forgotten about, business card magnets help keep that company's service or product
fresh in people's minds, as they are very visible on the refrigerators or on other magnetic surfaces and never
get lost.
Business, promotional or advertising magnets should be made attractive and colorful so that they stand out
from the crowd. With their increasing popularity, people are bound to receive a lot of promotional magnets
that all get stuck onto the same board. You would definitely want yours to stick out and attract all the attention.
All kinds of custom magnets can be ordered online at the various websites that offer such services.
Magnets can be used in a lot of ways at home such as for school projects. Refrigerators and iron cabinets
are often adorned with magnetic stickers or small motifs. Refrigerator magnets can be bought from your local
departmental store or from home-décor stores. Magnets with Disney or cartoon characters are popular with
the kids. The ideal refrigerator magnets could be fruits and vegetables or cocktail magnetic stickers, which
can also be made at home. Homemade refrigerator magnets are easy to make, requiring only a piece of
cardboard, your favorite photo or design, glue and a small piece of magnet. Custom magnets can be a family
photo, your favorite stars or the year's fixture of your favorite baseball team.
Refrigerators in the United States almost always come with refrigerator magnets. The beautiful and colorful
designs of the magnets and their uses make them a favorite kitchen appliance accessory.
Refrigerator magnets come in different colors and designs. However, the most common ones are those that
are related to kitchen work and food. Examples of these are cooking pans, kitchen utensils, vegetables and
fruits. There are also kitchen magnets that are shaped like wine bottles with labels that closely resemble
famous wine brands. Common materials used for kitchen magnets are plastic and metal. These materials
are more durable. as they do not easily break. However, some modern kitchen materials also use ceramics.
Because the refrigerator is one of the most exposed appliances in the home, the idea of posting notes on the
said appliance has become very popular. This is especially true for families that do not often get to meet
each other throughout the day. To do this, a kitchen magnet is used. Papers containing notes or reminders to
family members may be attached to the refrigerator using a kitchen magnet. This way, the recipient can easily
be made aware of the message once he or she approaches the refrigerator.
Aside from this, kitchen magnets are also useful for posting family mementos such as pictures and artwork
on the refrigerator. They can also be helpful in binding the family together because through them, family
members can be reminded of the beautiful times they have shared together.
Because kitchen magnets are popular, they have also been used by some companies to promote their
brands. They manufacture several quantities of these magnets and distribute them for free when people buy
their products. An example would be a cola company that releases several designs of kitchen magnets to
represent the different bottles they use for their product.
Kitchen magnets have indeed become a favorite accessory for the refrigerator. However, people who plan to
use them to post notes or pictures should ensure that the kitchen magnet they will use is strong enough to
hold the material firmly. Otherwise, the notes or pictures can easily be misplaced and consequently, the
message cannot be rightfully delivered to recipient at the time he or she needs to read it.
As I was searching through a kitchen drawer the other day, I found dozens of pens, pencils, letter openers,
sticky-note pads, oversized paper clips, rulers, dental floss, calendars, magnets, whatsits and thing-a-ma-
bobs, each with the name of a business on the front. In looking through my "collection" I discovered some
things I love and use and others that I can't imagine why I picked them up. Some, I'm not even sure what they
are!
They are all advertising specialties. You know, those giveaways that are going to bring customers swarming
to your door. Advertising specialties can put your name in front of prospective customers and keep it there.
That way, your name will be on their minds and in front of their faces when they decide to buy. But too often,
they don't work the way you expected them to.
The trick to using advertising specialties effectively is to understand who your customers are, what they value,
how they will use your giveaway, and where they will be when they make a buy decision.
Pizza delivery restaurants give out lots of refrigerator magnets. Where are you when you decide to order a
pizza? You probably just looked in the fridge for something to fix for dinner, didn't find anything and are closing
the door. At that moment, you spot a magnet and say, "Pizza!" Some of the magnets even come with
detachable coupons.
Where will your customers be when they make a buy decision? At home, at the office, in their cars, on the
phone, at the computer . . .use a specialty that will be in front of them there.
Or maybe you just want something that they will use a lot to keep your name in their minds. A mug. Or
something like a wall calendar where your name will be in front of them 365 days. (366 in a leap year!)
However you hope to influence your customers, make sure you choose an item they will actually use. Will
they want another ball point pen, pocket calendar, or stress ball? How many wall calendars do they get from
other sources? Will yours be one they are willing to put up on the wall? Does your item look or feel "cheap" or
of poor quality? If so it won't give a good impression of your business.
If you use advertising specialties, choose something that is unique, doesn't look cheap, will be used by your
customers, and will be nearby when they make a buy decision. That doesn't mean you have to give away
expensive items. A couple of my favorites are ball point pens. One, from British Airways, has a clip that folds
out to look like wings on a plane. It's not great to write with, but it's really cute. Will the pen cause me to fly
British Airways? Probably not, but it is one more positive impression I have of their airline.
Want to try something a little different? Why not get tote bags, t-shirts, sports bottles, or other items made up
and sell them. If you have a clever logo or slogan, people might be willing to pay. For example, the National
Museum of Funeral History in Houston (yes, a museum about funerals) sells mugs and more with their
slogan, "Any day above ground is a good one." If you are actively creating a brand people respond to, you
might be able to start a whole new product line. One source for image products is http://www.cafepress.com/.
Oh, one last thing about using advertising specialties. You have to actually give them out. Buying them and
leaving the box in the closet won't bring you a single customer.
