Every year a national pizza chain does a very successful promotion: To reward children for meeting their monthly reading goals, the chain (through the teacher) gives a coupon for a free personal pizza, an inexpensive holographic carabiner, and a brochure.

Although the brochure is promotionally useless, the monthly pizza and the holographic carabiner combine into a powerful promotion that will create habitual customers of both children and their parents.

The pizza chain’s carabiner is made of inexpensive plastic and attached to a holographic logo tag. As a holograph, the logo appears to move when the tag moves—which makes it very eye-catching. Because the holograph appeals to its audience (children), attaches easily to a child’s backpack, and its movement catches the eye, this carabiner gets 10 out of 10 stars as an excellent promotion.

Carabiners can clip onto belts, key chains, purses, and backpacks. They’re imprintable on their strap or their side. They can be custom shaped to fit a promotional theme. Because of their versatility, carabiners can be excellent promotions for many businesses, not just pizza chains.

A doggy bone carabiner has a shape and usefulness to do good job promoting a veterinarian or pet store. The strap attached to the doggy bone has a 3" x 2-1/8" imprint area and because it attaches easily to a collar and leash, a doggy bone carabiner will be a long lasting promotion (it can also be used as a key chain).

A navigating carabiner has a compass on its strap. An obvious promotion for an outdoor store, it could also be part of a promotional package for schools around an exploring theme. This carabiner has logos laser engraved on its bright aluminum side.

Heart carabiners are good for medical promotions as well as a seasonal promotion around Valentines Day.

I’m a big fan of promotional products with practical uses like: a mini-flashlight carabiner, a calculator carabiner, a carabiner with lip balm. And I really like the mini-carabiner radio. These are carabiners that will get clipped to a bag, get used, and get noticed.

Remember to put a phone number or website address with the business name whenever it’s on a promotional product. That way, when a potential customer needs what you sell, your promotion will lead them to you.