Brandbite #5 Stamping your name on every single promotional item you can find will not ensure big brand buzz, but may certainly fill up circular filing cans fast. Printing your logo on promotional items can be an effective branding tactic or a useless expense. It is up to you. The selection of brandable products today is so great, why not select items that reinforce your brand story instead of doing like your competitors do with the same-old unoriginal tradeshow trash. If you must be utilitarian, think about the material and design of the giveaway item. Is it slick and trendy like your company? Or rustic and adventuresome? Also consider how you package and deliver the item to your market. There may be more brand leverage opportunity here. I use 3M Post-it® notes as one of my giveaway items, except mine say, “Karen Post-it”. Seen MBA brand Smart Chicken® (smartchicken.com) On a trip to Europe, entrepreneur Mark Haskins made a culinary discovery. European chickens tasted more like the farm-fresh birds he remembered from his childhood. Turns out it is because of the way they are processed. They use a cold air method instead of the water immersion/absorption method commonly used by processors here in the States. So, he brought the technology home and created Smart Chicken®, a premium poultry that introduced consumers to the superior quality and natural taste of air-chilled chicken. MBA Brand brand Smart Chicken® is the only chicken in the United States currently using this flavorful method. The MBA name came from his three kids, Mark, Bridgette, and Amber. Nice work.

Karen Post helps organizations and professionals prosper with a powerful brand. She is a 20-year branding enthusiast, professional speaker, and author. If you’d like to learn more on branding, speaking programs, or consulting, please visit www.brandingdiva.com.