Coming up with a promotional item that grabs the attention of your audience takes creativity, but in a world that is over-saturated and overstimulated this can be a difficult task. So for some inspiration, here are five tips for finding new, creative ideas.

1 – Use the internet. It may be a bit obvious, but with sites such as Pinterest and Etsy you can surround yourself with a plethora of pictures and product ideas that can inspire your next promotion. Take a chance and follow some advertising or design blogs that will  provide you case studies and strategies you can tweak to fit your current situation.

2 – Use your own experience. What have you received lately that you thought was really creative? Or better yet, what has someone spent hours raving about top you? Examining your own experiences and looking outside of your industry or target audience will create more opportunities for inspiration.

3 – Check out what retailers are doing. Walking around the mall or your favorite department store to see what is out there could spark that new idea. The styles and types of products that are featured in retail are what your audience is excited about and what they are buying.

4 – Watch people. The closer you are to your target audience, the better. Pay attention when you are out and about to what people are carrying with them, what grabs their attention, what could solve a problem they are having.

5 – Find a professional. Touch base with your promotional consultant because they work with these products on a daily basis and are your best resource for ideas and buying the products to achieve these ideas. They know the suppliers, the latest products and the trends.