Friday, December 26, 2008
Businesses
Companies are always giving away things for potential (or even current) clients. One time I was at a local golf course and they were giving away promotional polo shirts for people to wear on the course. I think though that it wasn't until I got to college that I saw the most giveaways ever.
When you are on a college campus, you can't turn a corner without seeing someone trying to give something away. We have a corner on our campus where people stand and give out flyers to upcoming events and advertise their businesses and even give away things. Welcome week at school is usually when you get the most stuff. When I was a freshman I walked across campus one of the first days of school and I came back to my dorm with a free red bull, 2 t-shirts, pencils, a whole book of coupons and a sandwich. Yes, that's right, I got a free sandwich. It is unbelievable what companies will do to try to get your business. I remember one day last year my roommate and I were walking down campus and there was a stand advertising free pizza. Well in order to get the free pizza you had to go to the local pizza place and sign up for a credit card from this specific company. Well I already had one, but we decided to go anyway and then just cancel the card. So we signed up for the card, ate our free pizza and then we canceled the card a few days later. We basically ripped them off, but think of all the students who fell for that credit card. They probably either have it right now and are paying for it, or some may have it and are racking up debt and keep using It and using it. So the store really did win.
Corporate gifts are something else that have become really popular. My dad's company gives him tickets to games like baseball and basketball so he can take clients (but usually we just get to go with him), But it is a way to sell the client and also keep the company on good terms. The client sees all of the benefits and wants to be involved in a company that has all of this going on. It is amazing what promotional gifts and products can do for both the business and the client.
Mike @ 10:59 AM