Here comes the bride – and boy, has she got money to spend. Unfortunately, your bridal shop isn’t likely to be the only one angling to get her business. Advertisements and sales are all well and good, but there are other ways to reach your prospective customers, and promotional products can play a big part. Here are some uses for promotional products that can help your till drawer ring along with the wedding bells.

Wedding Show or Expo Giveaways Wedding shows are one of the biggest draws for new customers for bridal shops and other wedding-based businesses. The problem with taking part in a wedding show, though, is that your shop is one of dozens that the brides-to-be will see that day. You need a way to stand out from the crowd, and a way for them to recall your shop in particular once they get home. Promotional products offer you just that kind of distinction.

While many other consultants and shops will be appealing to the bride-to-be’s dream of a big day, you can score points by recognizing what she needs right now. One of the handiest promotional gifts you can hand out to a girl in the midst of the planning whirlwind is a personal wedding planner. Conference folders with multiple pockets are ideal for this use. All the features that make them ideal for note-taking at conferences apply just as well to all the meetings and decisions that the future bride faces. Tuck your own materials into the main pocket where they’ll be displayed, and discreetly emboss your name on the front cover. Voila! You have a very special bridal gift that will stand out from the pack for its utility and style.

Little Nothings That’s what my Gran used to call those little notions that shops give away when they’re courting your business. They range from a bowl of mints at the till to little packets of sewing notions with the shop name on them. Giveaways of this type are great for keeping the mood in your shop and for spreading your name outside the shop. Instead of just dumping a bag of wrapped mints into the bowl, though, fill it with personalized clic clac tins or cards of mints with your shop name on them. Other promotional handouts that will help spread your name include emergency repair kits with needle and several colors of thread and compact mirror and comb sets.

Special Thank You Gifts When you outfit an entire wedding party, keep in mind that every single bridesmaid is a potential bride, bringing you even more business. The experience that they have with you will determine whether or not they return to your shop when it’s their turn to walk down the aisle. Little touches can make a big difference. One way to make a great impression is to give each member of the wedding party a special thank you gift when they come in for their final fitting. Remind them of the special pampering they’ll get with a specially boxed set of incense and candles, or perfumed bath soaps and spa gelee, with your name discreetly printed on the gift box, of course.