The technical term is Advertising Specialties, but the real term is "Free Gifts." This is a multi-million dollar industry providing typically, small inexpensive items with your company name, phone, address, etc. imprinted on it.

Most people pick these items up at home and garden shows and take them home and they usually just gather dust in some junk drawer until someone finally pitches it out on cleaning day.

The secret to advertising specialties is to get the product used in such a way that people actually see your lawn care company logo on a regular if not daily basis.

One of the best items we've found is a refrigerator magnet that has a holder for note pads, a pencil and a place to hold coupons or other papers.

This product not only gets your name in front of potential lawn care consumers, but it also gets used.

The best way to distribute the advertising specialties is when you run your estimate. Leave the free gift with the lawn care estimate. However, our research indicates that giving items like these away at Home & Garden shows is a waste of your turf marketing dollars.