Print Blog: Communicate, Motivate, Educate, Enhance, Celebrate, Animate, and Promote with Print and Promotional Products

Desk Pad Calendars To Die For: A Timely Marketing Strategy

Posted by Jack Valentine on Mon, May 10, 2010 @ 22:59 PM

Desk Pad Calendars

When you've been in the promotional printing business, you think you've seen it all.

Apparently, we haven't.

At first glance, using fashion models in leather dresses and catsuits to sell one of life's most unglamorous products -- the coffin -- seems like an odd marketing approach.  But the Italian premium casket manufacturer, Cofani Funebri, has been promoting its product line with eye catching calendars since 2003.

Their slogan: "Death has never been so sexy."

Desk Pad Calendars

These unusual fashion calendars are obviously meant for decorative purposes more than business planning.  But the world of novelty wall calendars is filled with marketing lessons for any industry.

The goal of any promotional item is to put your brand in front of your clients' eyeballs and keep it there ALL the time.  You want your brand to seamlessly become part of their office, a subconscious reminder of who to call when they need your product or service.

In order to do that, you obviously can't force product placement upon your customers!  They have to WANT to keep your calendar around. The good news is that this does not require you to hire any scantily clad models or ask your employees to squeeze into costumes they may feel uncomfortable with.  In all likelihood, you may not want to project that kind of image anyhow.

So, how do you make a promotional desk pad calendar as desirable as possible?

Take a look at a few examples of how various title insurance and real estate companies distribute engaging and free desk pad calendars to their loyal customers and prospects. Whether it be the dates for courtroom filing deadlines, closing cost rates or important phone numbers, these calendars provide one-stop shopping for the target audience's informational needs.

A great desk pad calendar is inviting and roomy, with plenty of space for scrawling down appointments, phone numbers and even doodles.  For all the BlackBerries, iPads and PDAs out there, many people still prefer to have their "To Do" list spread out in front of them all the time. No battery issues.  And if you drop the calendar, it still works!

Right now is the ideal time to order customized desk pad calendars for the fall. Early order discounts are often available and the sooner you have them in hand the sooner they can start promoting your brand .

Drop us a line to brainstorm how you can take full advantage of being in your client's workspace without being the least bit intrusive.  Of course, there's not room on most desks for two huge calendars, so make sure you're there first. 

Download  24 Innovative Uses  of Accordion Folders

Topics: promotional calendars, branded promotional items, desk pad calendar