When was the last time you were in a store and was attracted to a CD or DVD because it is a ‘collector’s edition’? Many movies or music get re-released often and a nice boost in sales thanks to different free gift with purchase items. If you are a band and selling CDs at shows, it attracts more fans and potential buyers if there are some ‘added perks’ to CDs.

iPod/cell phone skins

For the special edition of the release e=MC2 by Mariah Carey, a custom iPod skin matching the album cover was bundled with the CD, and the special edition sold 500,000 copies. While iPod skins are generally sold for around $10 a piece, when purchased in bulk for promotional purpose, they can be custom made for alot less. This is not only a great memorabilia item for fans to keep, it makes great economic sense as well – the iPod skin has a much greater perceived value than the actual cost. You may even raise the retail price to offset the cost of the free gift.

Compressed tees

The first 5000 DVD copies of the movie Paranormal Activity came with a compressed t-shirt in the shape of a DVD case. Compress tees is completely unique from start to finish. Starting with a t-shirt, your graphic is silkscreened onto it and then the tee is compressed under tremendous pressure into the solid custom shape of your choice. The actual cost of a compressed tee is about the same price as a silkscreen tee with 1 or 2 color imprint. Again the higher perceived value of the item will help bringing in more sales because customers’ thinking that they are getting a better deal by paying a little more with a free gift.

Check our special on compressed tees

Mp3 or video download card

If you or someone you know are web-savvy, this maybe an easy and effective way to entice CD or DVD sale. Include a unique download code on the CD/DVD packaging that will allow fans to to download b-sides, music video, interviews, trailers from your website. In the process you may also capture fans’ contact info. You may need help from your webmaster and a printer that can print unique codes on business-card type printed products.

Bumper stickers / stickers / temporary tattoos / magnets

If the previous items areout of your purchasing budget, the items here in this last category are for you. They have been quite successful and frequently used as added value for retail CD/DVD. The great thing is that they are light and can be inserted into any package. The key to success is a compelling, memorable and eye-catching design. Think of how many times you have seen the Apple sticker on the back of a car, a backpack, or a desk. They are extremely budget-friendly and fun for a larger audience.

Check our special on temporary tattoos

For more free gift with purchase ideas, check out our promotional items database, and let us know any past experiences you may have in the comment section below!

Whether you are part of a band, movie production, or corporate company, you can always increase exposure and visibility of the brand. While internet and social media is big part of it, don’t underestimate the power of physical merchandise.

When is the last time you notice a particular brand from a cool-looking tee someone was wearing?

A few tips on how to put together your first promo item together:

1. Select the right items

Think of what your audience will mostly purchase, in conjunction of the music CD or DVD movie, t-shirts, polos, caps, bags are popular choices. If you are running a tradeshow booth, think of items that attendees will likely keep after the show. These are items people tend to use over and over, they will stick around for a long time and be walking advertisement for your brand. Based on your industry, there may be specific items that are better suited, ask for a promotional catalog to get some ideas.

2. Design

In terms of design on a promotional item, less is more.  Simple design with bold colors that can be seen a mile away is most effective. The printing method on a promo item is usually silkscreening and it is not the same as printing on paper. It may be quite a departure from designing disc packaging. The simpler the design the lower is the cost of printing.

3. Imprint locations

A design can be printed on the front, back and sleeves of the tee, however the cost will be substantially higher than printing just the front. The same goes for other promotional items as well.

4. Imprint colors

The imprint color should be a nice contrast against the color of the promo item. If you are mixing different promo item colors, make sure the ink color will work across all items.  PMS (Pantone colors) colors are the most common inks used on silkscreening, on some items there may be an extra charge to use a PMS color that is not considered standard by the promo printer.

5. Choosing size

On garments, you can usually select a variety of sizes. However, the imprint should be sized appropriately so that it fits nicely on all sizes. It may pose a challenge on some designs because there is a huge difference between a Men XL to a Women XS. In some cases it may make more sense to pay for an additional printing setup to have 2 imprint sizes.

Take a look at what our customers have done along with their CD/DVD in product gallery. What is your experiences with promo items? Are they effective?

Photo by Austinhk