Custom magnets are an incredibly useful advertising tool for all kinds of business. Both services and products can be marketed using magnets. It's just a matter of maximizing their advertising potential to see the profitable rewards.

It's tempting to simply put an order in for plain, small, rectangular refrigerator magnets and consider your marketing task finished. But you'd be doing yourself a disservice to think that that's all advertising magnets can do and be. When attempting to make the most out of your custom imprinted magnets, keep these things in mind:

1. Personalized magnets should help you stand out from competitors as much as they advertise.

2. Advertising magnets can be used on more than just refrigerators.

3. The chances that your promotional magnet will have to share space with competitors' magnets are slim, especially if you buy magnets that can be used on specialized surfaces.

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Get creative with your magnet advertising

Think outside the box, or in this case, the refrigerator. Magnets can be designed for use on car doors, house or business doors or almost any other place with a hospitable surface. The great thing about non-traditional magnets is that they can reach more people than just the owner. For example, more people will see your business magnets if they're on car bumpers rather than on refrigerators.

I recommend: Vista Print allows you to design and order magnetic promotional materials right on their website. SupportStore.com also provides magnetic bumper stickers.

Make your promotional magnets multi-functional

Magnetic advertising doesn't have to one-dimensional. Stand out from the competition by providing your customers with custom printed magnets that do more than bear your business's information. Custom promotional magnets can be designed to help customers organize their personal reminders, schedules or even their personal photos. Ideally, you should choose a magnet style that serves a daily function, like a calendar.

I recommend: MagnetStreet has a large selection of quality magnetic calendar designs. In addition to having a great image on the magnet, you can also add your own logo and business information at the top. FridgeDoor has a great selection of custom frame magnets and truly multi-functional magnets. For example, you can order a magnet picture frame and calendar in one.

Choose customized magnets in a shape that reflects your business or service

All of your business's pertinent information can be on promo magnets, but making the most of custom magnets by choosing unique shapes, can help grow your business. For instance, if you run a telephone company, you can design a magnet in the shape of a phone. The shape of your magnet advertises your business before potential customers even take the time to read the information on it. The shape grabs attention.

I recommend: ImprintItems.com can make a custom-shaped magnet out of almost any design. They'll work with you for custom quotes and designs. Rainbow Magnets boasts an impressive collection of stock shapes and can also help you design your own.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Some advertising magnet styles, colors, shapes and sizes may cost more than others. Don't be scared away by price tags. Consider magnets, especially multi-functional ones, to be what they truly are- mobile marketing pieces that can work for your business years.

If you were in front of your refrigerator right now, how many business magnets would you see? 10? 20? Let’s face it – almost all of us keep these handy promotional magnets on our home and business refrigerators, file cabinets – even in or on our cars! Promotional magnets offer the small business owner a high return on investment: these custom magnets cost only pennies each and can remain in view of your customers or clients for weeks, months, and even years.

The top things to know about magnet advertising:
1) Customized magnets are a great way to keep your company and products at the forefront of customers’ minds, while attracting new customers who notice them.
2) Advertising magnets (when ordered in bulk) can cost as little as 10 cents each; for a few hundred dollars, you can get a large supply of these customized magnets (think: mini-ads) to send home with your customers.
3) Business magnets should contain your company’s vital info: name, phone number, address, and Web site address, so the customer has the info at his or her fingertips immediately.

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Determine the best style for your promotional magnets

Which style (or styles) of business magnets will best suit your needs, budget, and giveaways? Whatever type of magnet advertising you choose, remember to stick with your company's logo, colors, and overall advertising theme to help create recognizable branding.

I recommend: Go to Magnets-4-Less to order your business magnets and get free artwork, design, and revisions. At Graphic Ice, there are more than 700,000 promo products from which to choose, including a large selection of promotional magnets. Check Business.com for a list of suppliers of promotional products, including magnets.

Company logo magnets

Company logo magnets can often give you a big return on a small investment, and they're likely to remain in the customers' minds much longer than those flashing banner ads your competition uses on various websites.

I recommend: Inkspress has more than 500,000 promo products, which include business magnets of varying sizes, shapes, and styles. Don’t forget to check out the car magnets – an ever-present reminder of your business for those always on the go (that’s most of us!). For a free online quote, click on the advertising magnets of your choice. Visit ArtPromos for a goldmine of promotional magnets and magnetic clips and magnetic memo boards

Magnetize your business cards

However eye-catching your business card is, it's not going to make any impression if that card gets misplaced or tossed in the trash, an unfortunate fate that awaits most business cards. A magnetized business card is one of the smartest promo magnets you could invest in - a way to keep your business card right there, sticking to your clients' and customers' file cabinets, refrigerators, and dashboards - so they're easily accessible at all times.

I recommend: At VistaPrint, you can order magnetized business cards. While you’re there, check out VistaPrint’s entire selection of custom magnets, including their large business magnets.

Save money on promotional magnets

The price of promotional magnets is nominal, but depending on the magnet you choose, that price can jump higher than you might have budgeted. To keep the cost low, go with fewer colors, and order in bulk - the more you order, the better price you'll get.

I recommend: Business.com provides you with lots of sources for many vendors of Decorative Refrigerator Magnets. Check out 3MAG, which manufactures full color custom advertising magnets for refrigerators.

Consider customized magnets

A great way to catch potential customers' eyes is through customized magnets that reflect your company logo, especially if you use these magnets in new-and-improved applications - for example, on your car doors, or in lieu of bumper stickers; magnetic clips embossed with your company logo and info; or banner-length advertising magnets. Prices range anywhere from a few cents per advertising magnet to several dollars each for the larger or truly unique magnet options - so check your budget before you hit that 'Place Order' button!

I recommend: Check out Business.com’s Promotional Magnetic Calendars page for a full listing of promotional calendars that double as advertising magnets. Visit Absorbent, Ink. to check out their promotional magnet choices.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Before you order, make sure you're clear on all pricing, including any 'extras,' set-up or art design fees, additional color printing charges, and even cancellation fees.
• •  Set-up fees for promotional magnets are often higher with the more colors you add to the imprint.
• •  Ask about the production time for magnets before placing your order, especially if you're planning to give them away at a particular event or trade show. Most places take 10-12 working days to create the magnets, plus shipping time, though other places will offer to 'rush' a job for a premium price.
• •  Remember that - just as with purchasing other printed promo items - you'll usually pay less for the single-color promotional magnets with a simple line of text or logo, than you will for the 4-color cutting-edge (or is that writing edge?) imprinted magnets with all the gimmicky doodads.
• •  Mix up your promotional magnet selection, but keep the logo consistent - and soon everyone will recognize it on sight.

When marketing any business, you can't go wrong with magnet advertising. Magnets are relatively cheap, durable and can act as one of your greatest allies when marketing because they can be put in visible places in homes of customers.

But while custom imprinted magnets can do the bulk of your advertising for you, you still need to take steps to ensure that they're advertising your business as much as they possibly can. When considering promo magnets as your next marketing method, consider that:

1. Magnets for business can be handed out to people of all walks of life and be useful in more ways than one.

2. A promotional magnet doesn't have to be confined to a single surface type.

3. Promotional magnets act as mini-billboards because they can't because their function requires them to be placed on top of objects and at eye-level.

Action Steps
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Make sure that your customized magnets have more than one use

As a business owner who has spent money on advertising magnets, you want to ensure that your potential customers will have little reason to ignore or get rid of them. Business magnets have good reputations as becoming staples on refrigerators, but it can be easy for someone to get used to their sight and end up forgetting they're there. But if you have a magnet that is more than just a magnet, the chances that your customers will keep coming back to it increase.

I recommend: VistaPrint offers simple calendar magnets, photo magnets and small magnets that the size of business cards. You can also order informational, schedule and memo magnets from Magnets.com.

Take your personalized magnets on the road

No matter how hard you try, you won't reach all of your potential customers all of the time. You need to find a way to advertise even when you're not trying to. Let your promotional magnets do the leg work whenever you're driving by having your car wear magnets designed to be worn on vehicles.

I recommend: BuildASign.com sells magnetic signs designed to be put on the sides of vehicles and allows you to upload your logo, customize your sign and order it a simple interface. The Advertising Store gives you choices beyond your standard, large rectangle for car magnets. Some magnet shapes are even designed with popular bumper sticks in mind.

Buy your advertising magnets in bulk to save the most money

Every business has an advertising budget, and you likely have a set idea of how much money you want to spend on promo magnets. Although magnets are cheap, you can magnets in bulk to save even more money. You can also opt to reduce the size of the magnets to be no bigger than a business card or choose a single color for inking.

I recommend: Mapleleaf Promotions provides wholesale deals on a variety of interesting, customizable and multifunctional magnets. They even offer non-traditional magnetic items like pens and clips. Magnet America openly lists their pricing schedule and has a part of it's website dedicated to custom orders.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Using custom magnets the correct way simply means convincing your customers and potential clients to keep it a part of their everyday lives. The more they use your magnets, the more your magnets are advertising your business.

Custom magnets can make great sales and marketing tools. Many promotional product companies sell magnets in all sizes, colors, shapes and designs. Magnets seem pretty straightforward, but there are a few things to consider when choosing which kinds are right for your use. Custom magnets can be produced quickly, so getting a head start on your research will keep you ahead of the game. Knowing a few key terms associated with magnets before you start shopping for the perfect customized, promotional product can help you in your search.

Action Steps
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Die-cut

Die-cut refers to the way a magnet is cut into a certain shape. Different magnet shapes from apples to hammers can be formed using a die process that cuts through the metal, forming the shape of the magnet.

I recommend: Magmate Taiwan LTD offers more information on the die-cut process.

Bumper-sticker magnet

A bumper-sticker magnet can make a better marketing tool than a normal bumper sticker because it is removable. The magnet is basically made to stick a bumper sticker on and then magnetize it to a vehicle bumper, saving the vehicle from an unwanted sticky mess and enabling the customer to move the sticker.

I recommend: The bumper sticker magnet is shown and explained at the SupportStore.com.

Full color

When buying any promotional products, including magnets, you pay by the number of ink colors used. A full-color project includes the basic four color hues and will generally cost more than a one-color or two-color print option.

I recommend: The Fridge Door offers four-color printing and explains its pricing.

Bleed

Bleed refers to the way the printing process prints to the edge of the magnet, or other object. Not all companies offer a bleed, meaning there may be some white space around the edges of the magnet. The bleed options are important to understand when sending artwork and designing your magnet.

I recommend: Vista Print explains bleed and what you should consider when designing your magnet.

Lenticular

Lenticular magnets are designed to create a 3-D type image. The image is printed in a way that makes it appear to change or move when it is shifted in the light.

I recommend: Absorbent, Ink sells different styles of lenticular magnets.

Isotropic and anisotropic

The terms isotropic and anisotropic describe how a magnet is attracted to metals. An isotropic magnet doesn't have a preferred direction of attraction so it will attract to either the north or south polarization of a metal object, while an anisotropic magnet has a preference and will only attract to another of the opposite magnetization.

I recommend: The All Magnetics glossary defines both isotropic and anisotropic magnets in detail.