there are about 750,000 promotional products out there. So who are the main buyers of these products? I would have to say, the number constituting that list is even higher. But you can run through the categories with me. The education category is huge, as you can witness any time you visit a school or walk onto the campus of a college or university—even some high schools. Their name, their logo, their mascot, their slogan, their sports teams, pictures of the president, their clubs—it’s endless. And what do they use? Things like banners and signs; all kinds of apparel, whether it’s T-shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, blazers, even umbrellas; pencils and pens, and cases and book covers, backpacks, lunch bags, and umbrellas. You can create a “scholarly” look to all these things and more. Then there’s our financial sector. Think of all the banks, savings and loans, and credit unions; and don’t forget currency exchanges. How many times have you seen a piggy bank or a plastic dollar sign or a calculator with one of their logos on the side of it? The financial industry is a huge purchaser of promotional items. Add on the eventbased products, sponsorship products, and the enormous selection of desk items. This category is huge. And right on the heels of the financial sector is the healthcare industry. Think about it. When you enter a hospital or a care center, a nursing home or a clinic, you fill out forms with their pens on one of their clipboards; you’re given their note paper; you get something to drink in one of their mugs; their staff and guests wear lanyards with breakaways for safety. In the larger facilities there are gift shops that offer all kinds of products, like blankets, pill organizers and cutters, a broad assortments of desk items and memorabilia. You can see, there a ton of different options for just about any field. How you get your name in front of people depends on your target market, who should be buying your services. So let’s look at nonprofits. There are so many good causes out there. It’s amazing. We’re so lucky at AnOpportunityKnocks.com to be able to work with such good causes. We hear about them all the time, the funds that they’re raising, the good that they’re doing in the world. And one strategy that helps them do this is by getting their brand out there. We love the fact that they’re using mugs, shirts, and hydration packs for their runs and walkathons, how they’re generating awareness through their fundraisers with an enormous selection of items that they sell or give in return for a donation—including the magnets in the shape of ribbons and ribbons themselves. It’s great that we can be a part of their efforts to raise funds for those very needy and worthy causes. In a similar category next to the nonprofits are all the clubs and organizations that use tote bags and planners. There are civic clubs and service clubs, hobbyists and even governmental offices that use themed products and Tshirts.

1. An Opportunity Knocks:
Sourcing and Product Ideas
Dave Burnett / db@aokmg.com
With Over 750,000 Promotional
Products to Choose From, Which
Category Best Fits Your Purposes?
Let’s examine which industries tend to use which
categories of promotional products. Since there are so
many options available (and suitable) for most
organizations, your choices depend mostly on your
target market—and your budget.

2. From the Moment You Walk on Campus
Until You Head for Home, How Many
School Logos Do You See?
The education category is huge for promotional products, as
you can witness any time you visit the campus of a college or
university—and even some high schools. You will see their
name, their logo, their mascot, their slogan, their sports
teams, pictures of the president, their clubs—everywhere!
And what products do they use? Banners and
signs; apparel (T-shirts, sweatshirts, jackets, blazers, even
umbrellas); pencils and pens, cases and book covers; back-
packs, lunch bags, duffel bags. You can represent your
“scholarly” affiliations with all these things—and more.
Dave Burnett www.AnOpportunityKnocks.com

3. Two More Huge Users of Promotional
Products Are the Financial Sector and the
Health Care Industry.
Think of all the banks, savings and loans, credit unions, and
currency exchanges. Financial institutions and promotional
items go together like dollars and cents. They use piggy
banks, plastic dollar signs, calculators, and an enormous
selection of desk items as event‑based giveaways and spon-
sorship products. And the health care industry does the same thing.
When you enter a hospital or any care facility, you fill out
forms with their pen on their clipboard, with their note
paper; you drink out of their mug; their staff and guests
wear their lanyards. Their gift shops offer blankets, pill
organizers, and a broad assortment of desk items.
Dave Burnett www.AnOpportunityKnocks.com

4. How You Get Your Name Out There
May Depend on Who Should Be Taking
Advantage of Your Services.
Let’s look at nonprofits. There are so many great causes out there—from
national organizations like NPR or public TV to local institutions like your
school foundation. To garner support they match donations with mugs,
shirts, and hydration packs for their runs and walk‑a ‑thons. They generate
awareness through their fundraisers with an enormous selection of items
that they sell or give in return for your donation—including those magnets
in the shape of ribbons that you see
so often. Civic clubs and service clubs
follow suit with tote bags and planners.
Even hobbyists and government offices
use themed products and T‑shirts.
Dave Burnett www.AnOpportunityKnocks.com

5. The Real Estate Industry Is a Major Player
in the Promotional Product Business.
Realtors use a lot of promotional products. You probably have a good
number of products on your desk from someone in real estate. They use
pens, magnets and calendars, document holders, Post-It Notes, even little
emery boards—all imprinted with their logo and office information. Title
companies offer pens, clocks, and sticky notes. Property inspectors who
evaluate your property carry logoed measuring
tapes and wear company polo shirts. Appraisers
work hand in hand with the financial institutions
with their dollar‑sign‑themed goods and their
hats and jackets. They all want you to know they
are who they are.
Dave Burnett www.AnOpportunityKnocks.com

6. The Automotive Industry Is a Prominent
Purveyor of Promotional Products.
Just stop by your local car dealership, or keep your eyes
pealed the next time you’ take your car in for repair. You
will see a whole case of promotional items, because the
need for brand awareness from the manufacturers and
all their suppliers is huge—manufacturers use promo-
tional products for their dealers; parts suppliers offer
personal gifts and purchasing incentives; the dealers use
sales awards and receive plaques and jackets from the
various manufacturers. And they give you key chains,
travel mugs, and all kinds of incentives to take a test
drive: from backpacks, to sunglasses, to baby blankets.
Dave Burnett www.AnOpportunityKnocks.com

7. An Opportunity Knocks:
Sourcing and Product Ideas
Dave Burnett / db@aokmg.com
Get your name out there with
amazing promotional products
from AnOpportunityKnocks.com,
the number one promotional products
resource on the Internet.
Sixty-four categories and almost 200 subcategories of industry-leading
products, including (but not limited to): Apparel, Awards, Business Cases,
Calendars, Desk Items, Executive, Eco-Friendly, Golf, Health and Wellness ,
Key Chains, Luggage and Cases, Mugs and Tumblers, Pens, Pencils, and
Highlighters, Post-It Notes, Safety, Tools, Travel, USB Drives, and Watches.