The best promotional items under $2 for small businesses are printed beverage napkins, silicone wristbands, bottle opener keychains, SPF-30 lip balm, custom pens, magnet notepads, and stadium cups. On the Air Trends International promo items page, prices start at $0.46 per piece, and every item in this guide stays under $2 each. These items work well because people use them often, so your brand stays in front of them without a big budget.
An ideal promotional product costing less than two dollars should not only be inexpensive per unit, useful in everyday life but also large enough for your logo placement. First of all, the cost plays an important role since it is what determines how much bang your buck would get. In addition, the object itself must be a thing that a person needs.
Prior to purchasing, one should go through the following checklist:
➯ Cost per unit: the cost has to remain below $2.
➯ Useful on a daily basis: it has to become an everyday object, such as a pen or a key chain, not a useless trinket.
➯ Logo placement: it should be easy to place a company name and contact details there.
➯ Minimum order requirements: it has to be low for a small enterprise.
Furthermore, it is crucial to take into account the entire order cost rather than cost per unit. For example, 250 napkins costing $0.46 per unit would cost $115 altogether. It is not much money for so much exposure.
Things that people are going to use in their routine life. That is why things such as pen, key chain, magnetized note pads and lip balm are so successful. All these items provide a solution to some daily problem, and your logo will be seen again and again.
Napkins and cups, on the other hand, have another effect on people. You may be absolutely sure that people will use them at the very moment when they consume some food or beverage in your restaurant.
To sum up, the most successful items belong to three categories:
➯ Desk and home items: Pen and magnet notepad will stay with people for several weeks.
➯ Items to carry along: Key chain and lip balm go into pockets and bags.
➯ Items to consume food and drinks: Napkins and cups introduce your brand in the moment when people are eating or drinking.
Here are the seven best options from the Air Trends International promo items page, along with what makes each one useful. The prices below are listed per piece at the lowest quantity shown on the page.
➯ Beverage napkins ($0.46): The cheapest item on the list. A 250-piece order costs $115, and your logo can print in one color.
➯ Silicone wristbands ($0.76): Light and bright, with a minimum order of 500 pieces for $380. They come in many colors, including glow in the dark.
➯ Bottle opener keychains ($1.49): A practical gift that people keep on their keys. A 500-piece order costs $745.
➯ SPF-30 lip balm ($1.62): A personal item with a low starting order of just 100 pieces for $162.
➯ Ion pens ($1.70 to $1.87): A classic choice. A 300-piece order starts at $510.
➯ Magnet notepads ($1.82): A 50-sheet pad that sticks to a fridge or file cabinet. A 250-piece order costs $455.
➯ Stadium cups ($1.82): A 16 oz cup that works well for events. A 250-piece order costs $455.
Besides these, a few other items on the same page also stay under $2. For example, compostable 16 oz cups cost $0.99 per piece, and a 3-in-1 letter opener costs $1.59 per piece.
Pens, keychains, and magnet notepads have an affordable price below $2 per piece as they can be found at Air Trends International promo items page. Therefore, you may choose which product suits your budget without making your price per piece too expensive.
Below is a brief overview of these three:
➯ Pens: White pen with colored grips cost $1.70 and full colored pen has a price of $1.87
➯ Keychains: Bottle opener style has a price of $1.49 and wrist strap style costs $1.63
➯ Magnet notepads: Have a cost of $1.82 per piece with a minimum order of 250 pieces.
Since prices might fluctuate, it would be wise to check out this page before placing your order. You can also compare these prices in the pricing page.
Printed beverage napkins and stadium cups are the best budget options for your restaurants and cafes. Napkins will cost you $0.46 per piece, the smallest order is 250 pieces that are worth $115. The price of one cup is $1.82, thus 250 cups will cost you $455.
Also, they both have on-the-spot usage. Your customers will see your logo while eating, some even take cups home. It means that your brand goes beyond your front door.
Here is how they fit your business:
➯ Almost all customers use napkins, so they show your logo at each table.
➯ They are easy to take with customers, thus act as walking advertisements.
➯ They cost you very little money, so you can distribute them freely.
Silicone wristbands and lip balm SPF-30 are perfect giveaways. The price of one wristband is $0.76. The minimum order consists of 500 wristbands, and it will cost you $380. This item is lightweight, colorful, and convenient for handing out in a crowd of people.
In contrast, lip balm would be a better choice if you need an inexpensive but personalized little gift. Its price is $1.62 for one item. The minimum order of lip balm starts from 100 pieces, costing $162. In this way, it would suit a small store or a first time gift giveaway perfectly.
A few examples of the event ideas where these items could be used successfully:
➯ Local fairs and markets: Give wristbands at your stall.
➯ Opening of a new store: Give lip balm or key chains on the first purchase.
➯ Fundraising: Hand out wristbands.
The small business should buy sufficient pieces for one objective only like a particular event, shop opening, or one month worth of customers' visit. It's better to begin by buying less amount and then increase the order if needed, to prevent the purchase of unnecessary stocks and waste of money.
Here is the rule of thumb of how much quantity to order:
➯ For a small event: 100-250 pieces.
➯ For daily usage by customers: 250-500 pieces replenishing as needed.
➯ For the campaign: 500 pieces or more, as the price per piece is normally cheaper when buying in bulk.
There is always fear about minimum order among many owners and the concern is justified. However, it should be noted that quite a few products listed above have the minimum order from 100 to 250 pieces. For additional information on small minimum orders, please refer to this article about how small businesses can buy wholesale with minimum order.
You create value in a low-budget promotional item through selection of a functional item, simplicity in the design, and timeliness in the handing out. To start with, you should select something that the customer would find useful. Second, you should ensure that the logo is designed in such a way that it appears simple and clean, and includes a single point of contact such as the web address or the telephone number.
Moreover, here are some simple steps that you should follow:
➯ Keep the design simple: The logo and one line of text are sufficient.
➯ Choose colors which are easy to read: Black text on light color items is easy to read.
➯ Select the right gift for the right person: Hand out lip balm in a shop and pens in the office.
➯ Give it along with receipt, thank-you letter, or service call.
Since people tend to hold things which are handed out unexpectedly, the $1.70 promotional pen is more valuable than the $5 item not asked for.
The major blunder is purchasing something solely due to its affordability. In case no one will use the item, even a $0.50 item will become a waste of money. Another typical blunder is placing too much information on a logo.
Keep in mind those:
➯ Selecting items that are not used on a daily basis: Think if your client will use it.
➯ Buying too many at once: Order smaller amounts and increase if you have results.
➯ Not placing contact information: It should be the website or telephone numbers to contact.
➯ Ignoring the price list checking: The prices may vary, so make sure you check them before ordering.
Custom promo items are available online through a supplier who has clearly priced products, and where you can even upload your own company logo. There is Air Trends International, which is one supplier to check out. One can view all the products available on the promo items page and pricing on the pricing page.
Apart from this promo item, there are also air fresheners offered by the same supplier. This would be useful for the case where you want a single brand partner for different giveaway products. In summary, the best promo product will be the one that your customers will be using.
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