Contributed by Info Guru Lindsay Shugerman

If someone has a refrigerator, odds are there at least a few magnets on it. And a few more on the side of the filing cabinet. And a couple on the white board, too. Magnets have been a popular marketing tool for years, but most businesses aren’t taking full advantage of this long-lasting advertising medium.

If you’re not using custom imprinted magnets as a part of your marketing plan, check the list below to see how they might work to remind customers about your business. And if you are using them, take a look and see if there are more opportunites to get your message into homes and offices in your area.

10. Distinctive Shapes

Custom printed magnets don’t have to stick to basic squares, rectangles or circles. Today’s choices include die cut magnets that look like everything from a slice of pie to a firefighter. Look for a shape that represents your business, and you’ll make your message stand out.

9. Local sports teams

Combine your company’s logo and contact information with a magnetic schedule for favorite local or regional sports teams to increase its display value throughout the season. If there are several rival schools or pro teams in your area, have schedules printed for each of them, so fans can take the one they want (and you won’t lose business from fans of the “other” team!)

Make sure the schedules are large enough to be easily read…a schedule that requires a close up squint won’t work as well as one a bit larger.

8. Classic Calendars

Calendars remain one of the most popular choices for advertising magnets. Customers like having a quick, at-a-glance calendar on the fridge or filing cabinet. And marketers love the fact that the message remains in front of a customer’s eyes all year long.

Pick an easy to read font in a good size for maximum use. Make sure your message is front and center, so every time they check the date, they see your business name or logo, too.

7. Special event reminders

Save the date magnets have become the norm in the wedding world. But there’s no reason why you can’t use the same concept to let prospects and customers know about upcoming events, especially if they’re several months down the road. Some good uses for save-the-date magnets for businesses include opening a new store (or moving locations), adding a major new service or product line, participating in a major festival or event, or having a once-a-year special promotion or sale.

Use these kinds of magnets for the big things to avoid confusing customers, or creating a “not another one!” reaction.

6. Appointment reminders

Help your clients remember when they need to see you next, while keeping your name and information in plain sight with appointment reminder magnets.

Choose write on/wipe off designs, or imprinted magnets designed to hold appointment cards.

5. Business cards

Sometimes the old stand-bys work best. And that’s true of advertising magnets, too. If you’re in a traditional business like law, accounting, finance or real estate, a full color business card magnet might be your best choice. The stand format allows your prospects to see all the details they need, without the clutter of special shapes or other unrelated information.

4. Quick reference tools

Combining your business information with a quick reference guide tailored to your customer base is a great way to get people to keep your marketing materials on hand and in sight. Think quick view facts, basic conversions, simple facts to keep it valuable and useful.

3. Read it, clip it

A lot of give-away magnets look great until someone actually tries to use them to hold up more that one or two pieces of paper. That’s when their pages… and your message… crash to the floor. And all too often, your magnet gets tossed away.

Solve that problem with custom printed magnet clips. The design allows for a larger magnet, and the clip safely holds papers together. That means your message stays right up there where it belongs.

2. Social good

Show the causes your business cares about with custom imprinted ribbon magnets. Not only will your information get out there, you’ll also be able to let people know your business has a heart. Choose indoor (memo board style) or outdoor (designed to adhere to cars) to reach the right audience for your business and your cause.

1. Collectible

Make your magnets something people want to get… and keep… by making them collection-worthy. Depending on your business, original art work, pieces of a story or puzzle, a series of superhero or cartoon images and other popular images are good choices for turning your ad pieces into something of value beyond the message.

It can be “just a magnet” or it can be a powerful, lasting marketing tool. The choice is up to you!