Balloons and other advertising gadgets

What is it with balloons and Car Sale Yards?

I know I am a sad case, but today I noticed each car yard I went past had balloons tied to their cars. Was it balloon day for the cars? Obviously, the tactic worked. I saw the balloons moving all over the place and as I sat at traffic lights, I secretly hoped some would blow away in the strong wind. But the funny thing is I never noticed any of the cars for sale. I can see a session at the next Car Sales Manager Conference: "100 places to tie balloons to Cars".

At one yard, I noticed the now required balloons but then my eyes were taken to the giant "person" waving in the now stronger wind. Once again I never noticed the cars. Worse still I don't think I can tell you the name of the car yard.

This got me thinking about other promotional devices used in business. Ask any PA or Administrator in a business about conferences-events-promotional items and I can guarantee they will pull out at least one 50 page plus, full colour, catalogue of items that profess to keep the business name in front of mind.

A quick count on my desk shows four pens with obligatory website and phone contact details, one post it note pad with catchy logo and website(again) and one A4 notepad from another conference (with the sponsor's name and website). All of this things are very handy and I am more than happy to receive them. But do they make me come back to their website again or buy their products?

It is one of the conundrums of marketing, how to measure the response to a promotion or advertising campaign. Who knows, the subliminal message of using the pen each day may influence a purchase at some future time. More likely the pen will run out and I will be left with a remnant memory: " I used to have a pen with a website for that photocopier reseller, geez I wish I had it so I could buy a photocopier from them.......oh well fire up google again."

Next time I see the balloons, I promise to make a conscious decision to look at the car dealers name. I promise to pay more attention to the websites on the pens I use. And next time I write a note on my pad I will look at who the company was that kindly gave me the pad.

I hope you do as well.

the BizWiz
www.informgroup.com.au
www.boulterassociates.com.au