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Ideas for parade giveaways???

So the sad news came in that this year, we are not allowed to throw candy during the Kanabec County Fair parade. This was pretty depressing, considering last year was the first year I did it, and I thought it was a blast. No candy. Hmphf.

So then I decided to look at the bright side of things. So we can't throw candy. Surely there must be something I can hand out quickly, without explaning to everyone what it is, without running the risk of hurting anyone and promote myself and what I do. Surely, there is SOMETHING I can do.

The first thought was jar openers. Lonnie had some for the East Central Home Show, and they went like hot cakes. We went through 700 in about an hour and a half, and had to stop handing them out because the Home Show is two days long, and Lonnie had only ordered 1,000. Since there are 1,000 of them already running around Kanabec County with Lonnie's name on them, perhaps that isn't the way to go. Besides, we spent a lot of time explaining what they were.

There has to be something. So I'm sending this out to all my dear friends, wondering if any of you have any ideas. I want something that will promote me, isn't going to be thrown away less than a week later, and that I can hand out quickly to people watching the parade. Any ideas? Or should I just stand on the float behind my sign and wave??? :(

Thanks in advance!

Posted by Joslyn Panka Solomon - Mora Minnesota - Minnesota's One Way Ticket to SOLD! on 05/01/2007 04:35 PM

Comments (65)

kanabec county, kanabec county real estate, mora minnesota real estate, kanabec county fair

Post is included in group: Marketing FISBO's Expired's and The Overpriced Seller

65 Comments on Ideas for parade giveaways???

MAY

2007

I know you will be throwing it, but here restaurants will give us concierge cards for free appetizers and desserts. I put them in a bag with my business card on a magnet and other stuff. Wildflower seeds go well here, koozies, pads of paper, coloring sheets for kids. It's not just about them keeping it, it's about having a good appearance in the community. How 'bout balloons?

What was the reason that the practice was stopped this year? How long had the practice been going on? I get tired of bureaucrats ruining good things for poor reasons.

Joslyn, I recently received an lcd pen light for a key chain I thought was cool. I'm trying to find the cost. I hope you get some response. I'd love to see what others are using.

I'm sure what happened is someone complained either that their kid got too much candy, or they got hit with candy by careless throwers. We always threw ours in the gutters, but I'm sure it was something like that. We can't use water guns this year either... it's such a bummer. These are some good ideas, though. I hope they keep coming!!!

NO candy at a parade? Sac-relidge (sp?) How about little magnetic calenders with community events on it? or a fridge magnet with coupons from local restaurants? anything that can go on a fridge that entices people to keep it. they get kept for a long time. Or buy, fewer nicer things and run along the parade route asking parents to sing for a gift.

Maybe you should try frisbees. There are several companies that will coustomize small frisbees for little money. Simple and easy to "throw" to people at the parade.

Last year at the parade in Blaine, Mn. we handed out pens, pencils, and note jotters (small notepads with a pen attached). The note jotters were the most expensive of the three items and I think I paid 99 cents each which included the imprinting (for 350 note jotters).

Try contacting Pat at Twin Pines Imprinting for ideas. He has always helped me find effective marketing items for less than many other providers.
Address: 8018 Hayes Street NE, Spring Lake Park, MN 55432-2161
Phone: 763-780-4994 / 763-515-8344 / 866-503-8994
Email: twinpines1@qwest.net

I think the main reason most cities ban thowing candy is because kids will blindly rush out into the street to get the candy and they can get hurt. I've seen a couple of kids get awfully close to the wheels of moving floats/vehicles in past parades.

Patti Ann

MAY

2007

Try miniature basketballs or just make goody bags with your card attached. Just interact with the crowd. This is how I suggested it at our Christmas parade. Crowd interaction will be remembered.

Thanks for all the great ideas! I will share with the whole office, and see what everyone thinks!!! Thank you so much! The frisbees are a great idea - I love it!

Joslyn, we had a parade that outlawed throwing candy but allowed you to walk the curb and hand it out. The problem they had was kids running into the street in front of the vehicals to grab candy. If they let you walk the route and hand it out next to your float.

MAY

2007

We are going to be giving away collapsible frisbees and beach balls at our Memorial Day parade this weekend.

Donna - GREAT IDEA! I think I will look into beach balls, at least! Thanks!

MAY

2007

I've done the miniature foam frisbees with our logos on them and mini beach balls. The frisbees went over better because we could fling them into the crowd and the beach balls needed to be inflated, so we had immediate recognition with the frisbees. The frisbees are also harmless if they hit anyone. Have FUN!

Great ideas! I really want to try this! I think I'll starting looking into it on my camping trip this weekend!!

My office has been in several 4th of July parades. At one point candy was not allowed too. We brought candy anyways and tossed it to the curb. You do have to be firm with the kids and tell them if they are not sitting or standing at the curb they can not have candy. Once the parade officials or police officers see that you are trying to keep the parade fun and safe they are usually willing to work with you. The other thing we have handed out is the farming flags. (flagco.com) If the entire office is sharing in the cost that will help. We usually purchase about 3000 American flags and split between 40 agents is usually about $25-35 an agent. It is a very unique giveaway and people do remember. The only other thing we have handed out but it is a lot of work is freeze pops. You can have a few agents take them home and freeze them. Get a few big camping coolers together. Put a layer of ice on the bottom, fill the cooler with freeze pops and then put a layer of ice on top. As long as the cooler stays closed until the parade starts they stay frozen. That was a really big hit!!!! Just takes a little bit of work. Good Luck! Oh by the way, we are never too busy for your referrals!

MAY

2007

Rick and Lynn - Great idea! I love it! We're discussing the freeze pops here in the office now!

By the way, I'm never too busy for YOUR referrals, either!!! :)

I love the beachball idea, and the freezer pops! We usually use balloons here in Myrtle Beach. They are very hard to manage and keep in the heat, but the kids really love them and it's awsome to see all the red, white and blue RE/MAX flags everywhere!

We used balloons at the home show, which was fun, because we were the only ones giving balloons away, and we are very close to the entrance. I love watching the red and white and blue bounce through the civic center! It's such a neat experience! Perhaps we should look into doing that!

MAY

2007

We had our parade today. We gave away custom labelled water bottles, frisbee type fliers, beach balls and small hand held american flags.

Our biggest hit was the small american flags. We took one of our labels and put it on the stick. EVERYONE wanted one.

We were out to get some name recognition since this is a new office (3rd one for our company) and I think it went very well.

Kids loved the frisbees also.

MAY

2007

Donna- Were the water bottles reusable bottles or filled ones like you would buy at the gas station? I know the school has water bottles labled with "Mora Mustangs" that they sell at the concession stands.... that's actually a pretty good idea. Did you do the labels yourself?

Interesting that the flags went well - great idea though! We'll definitely have to look into it! Thanks for the input!

JUN

2007

Wow! This is exciting. I want to be in a parade. How would I go about finding out when these things happen before it's too late?

Joslyn - you can always take 3 or 4 pieces of candy and wrap them in a little 'pouch' of clear plastic wrap and tie it with a piece of curling ribbon. Make sure to punch a hole in the corner of your business card and tie it on. I found that this way the candy doesn't scatter and the kids are less likely to run into the street to pick it up.

Also, you can always order the small boxes of crayons that have your business card imprint on the back of the box. Kids will always keep crayons and after a day or two the box is always in the hands of the parent. I can't recall where I got them a few years ago, but I'm sure most promo companies can do this.

Good luck! Let us know how things go.

JUN

2007

I love the beach ball idea! I will try it! thanks.

Expensive - but how about giving away small American flags (while wearing your personalized logo tee shirt, of course)? Wouldn't that be neat, to see flags lining the parade route, and everyone knowing they came from you? And, of course, you would do a press release with photos in your local paper - just in case they forget.

Susan - I would contact your local chamber of commerce. They should be able to tell you, or at least point you in the right direction.

Carol - That's a good idea! I even have a ton of bags at home that I was going to use for the wedding, but am not now. Thanks!

Simon - I was discussing the beach ball with Shawn Gerhardson, and we thought that you could just get the really cheap ones, and then do the inprint yourself. I'm going to look into that, too!

Margaret - I brought that up in our Tuesday morning meeting, and the idea was welcomed whole-heartedly, but then they somehow got off track and decided to look into flags for flag day...

Gotta love Tuesday morning meetings.

JUN

2007

I hate to rain on anybodies parade, but I have a question. I'm all for give aways of any variety. But how many calls, listings, buyers, did you get from doing this? Or are you just building good will? When I go to events I try to give away Bronco schedules because they will live on the fridge for at least a few weeks but I have yet to get a call from them.

We have done Koozies in the past everone loves them! You can get them at a good price at discountkoozies.com

JUN

2007

Dena- That's a good point. I would love to know how that works. It's more or less just good publicity, sometimes.

Tammy - Thanks! I'll check the website out!

Hi Joslyn- We are in the local 4th of July Parade and we took an office vote and we ARE doing the freeze pops again. 3000 of them to be exact. I know we already told you about them but the offical vote is in at RE/MAX All Pro in Bloomingdale, Illinois......Freeze pops are IN!!!

JUN

2007

Rick and Lynn - I like the idea, but we're getting chip clips this year. Maybe next???? I'll definitely remember that though!

I am guilty of giving out candy, but so far no one complained.

Carol has a good idea with the few pieces of candy and did you know M&M on line you can order printed M&M's with your logo name etc... a girl in my office did this a little bags tied with ribbon and her card and gave out to everyone she saw at christmas! they come in bigger bags and you just get little bags to put them in Also we did ballons with our company name on them and handed them out at the Hilton Head Island St.Patricks Day parade HUGE parade for a tiny island

You can get flags for as low as 14 cents a piece here http://www.united-states-flag.com/usastfl4x6ec.html (I just ordered 1000 of them and they came pretty quickly) - many of last year's parades in Colorado outlawed passing anything out on the parade route. As an aside, one year I marched with a group that had a guy who dressed as the Statue of Liberty and walked on the short stilts that ceiling people use (does that make sense?) and people went crazy - especially the kids.

Kitchen Magnets that have Measuring Equivalents on them (for the refrigerator)

Nobody throws them away, and all my clients love them!!

Galel Fajardo, CMPS™

President, Coast Mortgage Group

JUN

2007

Saber - We will see. Now there is talk of maybe being able to pass candy out!

Maureen - I love the M&M's that are imprinted. I was showing them to my broker last year because I was curious about cost for my wedding! I'm sure I'll do that at some point! Thanks for the idea!

Beth - VERY cool idea! We should try that! Thanks for the flag link, too. We were wondering where to get them!

Galel - I think I am going to use those for the home show next year! Thanks for the ideas!

JUN

2007

We have passed out beads before with a business card stabled around it. It is amazing how many people come up and ask for them!

BEADS what a great idea everyone LOVES beads at parades!! great idea

Hi, Joslyn!

Hope it's not too late for my 2-cents...How about small snack-sized baggies filled with wrapped hard candy (so it won't melt)? Then you can print labels for them, either to stick on or staple on, with your name, contact info, photo, etc. We see a lot of those at conventions we go to - cheap, easy and quick to assemble!

~Maura Gebhardt

Maura another great idea

JUN

2007

The beads are a great idea! Thanks!

Maura- You totally rock! That's a great idea, and I can buy baggies cheap! Thanks!!!

JUN

2007

I use ink pens, everyone loves them and they stay around for a long time, probably even get passed around. Good exposure for the money, I just buy the cheapest ones I can find so I can buy more. The plain stick pens, people yell for them when they see what I am passing out.

Linda ink pens are good I have never gotten any calls from them but i did try them another good place to hand them out is the waiters and waitressess Trust me THEY LOVE free pens as you cant have enough (experience in my past work history) but that is a great idea at a parade also

Linda - Crazy! I wouldn't expect people to get that excited about pens!

Maureen - That is SO true. I used to be a waitress, and you can never have enough pens! I always had a few sticking out of my pony/bun/mess of hair when I was waitressing.

Joslyn i never had a p0ny/bun/mess so i had to steal my fellow workers pens LOL

LOL. I know what you mean! I was the freak with the antennas sticking out of her head, and the other waitresses stole them from me all the time!

JUN

2007

Joslyn - when's the parade? I'm eager to hear what you chose as your "giveaway"!

~Maura Gebhardt

JUN

2007

Maura - It's July 21st! Hopefully I'll be able to get something together! Even if it's something small.

JUN

2007

I like the Frisbee idea that is great. Last year our office did a giveaway of fly swatters I know what you are thinking I had the same thought, but decided to give it a try. Put all my info on it. Office cell, web, and so on. Gave them out. Believe it or not I received a ton of calls

JUN

2007

Dan - That's also a GREAT idea! Who doesn't need a fly swatter in the summer????

The farming flags are a great idea, we used them in a parade also. We found that the plastic flag makers fivestarflags.com and flagco will compet. Five Star also makes fabric flags. One is in GA and the other CA (Five Star's stick flags are at www.FarmFlags.com)

I am actually thinking about the same idea. I was thinking about freezing the freeze pops and placing them into a cooler and walking along-side the float and giving them out to smaller kids. You can buy boxes of 100 or more. Plus it will be a really cold treat on a hot, humid day. Just a suggestion. Hint: carry a small pair of scissors to snip the end before giving them out to the kids. Hope this is helpful.....

I like to give out pens and notepads, but do go to a local business and network while you are there!!!! Build up a good relationship and you will get the best prices (Discount Trophy calls me when my pens go on sale) and you will gain a client as well. Going to the big boys on the web won't get you one more contact!!!

JUN

2007

I think at the 4th of July parade, it is so hot, that if you give bottled water, with your label, people will appreciate , the water. You may not get a listing, but will build goodwill in your community.

I've used Frisbee's and I've also handed out coolers to the adults. Kids love the frisbees. Adults use the coolers and have asked for them as you walk the parade.

Gita that is a Fantastic idea Water!! We had a yard sale in Bluffton, SC and it was hot we had water and se sold more water...People would LOVE that i think Good one!

Jack - Thanks for the comment! I love it!

Pam - That is very helpful! I really want to try that!

Chris - I agree. I just met someone in my networking group that does things like that. I think it's a great idea!

Gita - You have a VERY good point, too! Although that could get kind of pricey. It would be GREAT for next year, though! (When I've made lots of sales!!! :)

Kay - I would love to do frisbees!

Maureen - I totally agree with you, and that's a great twist!

Hey, I'm looking for more tips. Please read my blog

More Thoughts On the Local Parade

Thanks!!!

JUN

2007

Losyln

Rent a snow cone machine from a local rental store they will sell you the paper cones and the syrups all you have to do is by the ice and rent a genarator to keep it going. On a hot day you will have the entire parade of people there. make sure you have a banner up at your table.

JUN

2007

Gary - That's a good idea too! Thanks!

JUL

2007

Our preschool kids ride bikes/get pulled in wagons each year in our city parade. We too can no longer hand out candy, so we print and hand out colorful stickers with the preschool logo and phone number on them. Kids love stickers, and this is amazingly cheap and quick.

Karen - That's a great idea too! Stickers are easy to do, and who doesn't love stickers? Except the parents when the kids stick them on the furniture...

SEP

2008

We give away bouncy balls. The kids are crazy for them. A huge hit. (no pun intended.)

Everyone likes beads like mardigras? They are not very expensive

OCT

We found lapel pins. Some say Meery Christmas and some are Rudolph the red nose. They were 6 cents each wholesale shipped! I also found 3/4 inch flag pins for 3 cent each. We attach them to our business cards and pass them out. Both the Older and younger parade spectators love them.

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