Those of you who have kids, or taught or organize parties and need inexpensive gifts, decorations or favors, you might have ordered from the Oriental Trading Co. I often get the catalog and occasionally go through it.  My first thought is for any party I might plan for my twin girls.

My close friend got a catalog and viewed it in another light...an opportunity for marketing herself.  I often surf for sales promos ideas, but it usually is geared to real estate.  As you all know it is not always inexpensive and you must buy in bulk to make it worthwhile.  And everybody you know that does it, has similar note pads, pens, water bottles etc.  She was so excited to see the catalog... as if it was the next best thing to sliced bread.

For 50 cents a client, she ordered a post itpad in the shape of a star with red, white, and blue colors, pens with a shape of a star on top in the three colors.  Next she wrote Happy Memorial Day on the pad, stapled her business card to the pad, used a "I love referral sticker" to attach the pen to the pad.  She spent $17 including tax and shipping for 36 gift sets.  Jenny then stopped by her clients to see them and give them a goody. IF they were not there she just put it in the mailbox. (yes ,I know about not putting anything but US mail in the mailboxes, so please don't beat me up on that!)  Gee, was I impressed with her ingenuity and I did ask her permission to share with Active Rain!!

Bottom line is what else can you think of for marketing ideas that could be this unique and cheap?  I am off to go shopping at the Oriental Trading Company.

P.S. Many years ago when I worked in marketing, we lovingly referred to our sale promotion budget line item as "trinkets and trash".