What item did I hand out?

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gillumhouse

gillumhouse

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For several years I gave an item out at trade shows, events, wherever I happened to be (including class reunions and standing lines). It has probably been 10 or more years since I gave this item. Today, a man who installed our cable for the TV who is now retired saw me in a shop. He said, "You have the bed & breakfast don't you." When I replied, yes, he said, "You gave me one of those ______ and I still have it and it still has your B & B label on it."
Would anyone want to guess what that item is? They cost me $4.95 + shipping for 24 and the time to stick my labels on them. This man is not an unusual occurrence. I hear this every so often when I am in different parts of my State or at meetings/Conferences.
 
Didn't you share this idea some years ago - and it's really bugging me that I can't remember!
 
Morticia said:
Back scratcher? Fly swatter?.
Click to expand...
Mort remembered. I did both. The mini fly swatter was a bust. It had Swat the Blues on it but people only saw it as a fly swatter
The mini backscratcher was a TOTAL hit - one Tourism Day a group was trying to come up with other uses (one of my friends used it as an oven rack puller) and some of the ideas were getting raunchy. Himself and I both thought it has been at least 10 years since I did them. I got tired of putting labels on and then when I did try to order more, they are no longer making the mini ones.
As we started our 7th year, I started using them with a label on one side of the handle: We have the 7-year itch - Come help us scratch it! The label on the other side Had the name of the B & B and our toll-free phone number because not everyone has a computer but everyone has a phone. THEN we were in year #8. THEN the label read: Itching for a getaway? Let us scratch it!
I used address labels and had to cut them apart (3 to a label) to fit on the scratcher. I did thousands of them over the 3 or 4 years I did it. BUT PEOPLE STILL HAVE THEM.
 
gillumhouse said:
Morticia said:
Back scratcher? Fly swatter?.
Click to expand...
Mort remembered. I did both. The mini fly swatter was a bust. It had Swat the Blues on it but people only saw it as a fly swatter
The mini backscratcher was a TOTAL hit - one Tourism Day a group was trying to come up with other uses (one of my friends used it as an oven rack puller) and some of the ideas were getting raunchy. Himself and I both thought it has been at least 10 years since I did them. I got tired of putting labels on and then when I did try to order more, they are no longer making the mini ones.
As we started our 7th year, I started using them with a label on one side of the handle: We have the 7-year itch - Come help us scratch it! The label on the other side Had the name of the B & B and our toll-free phone number because not everyone has a computer but everyone has a phone. THEN we were in year #8. THEN the label read: Itching for a getaway? Let us scratch it!
I used address labels and had to cut them apart (3 to a label) to fit on the scratcher. I did thousands of them over the 3 or 4 years I did it. BUT PEOPLE STILL HAVE THEM.
.
Click to expand...
Pretty good the cable guy has it and remembered the Gillum name!
Sort of related: I found one of our mugs in a nearby thrift shop. I bought it back for .50, kind of sad it ended up there but kinda of glad it came home.
Also sort of related: I find more people reach for a business card instead of a brochure to take with them when they leave.
 
Anon Inn said:
gillumhouse said:
Morticia said:
Back scratcher? Fly swatter?.
Click to expand...
Mort remembered. I did both. The mini fly swatter was a bust. It had Swat the Blues on it but people only saw it as a fly swatter
The mini backscratcher was a TOTAL hit - one Tourism Day a group was trying to come up with other uses (one of my friends used it as an oven rack puller) and some of the ideas were getting raunchy. Himself and I both thought it has been at least 10 years since I did them. I got tired of putting labels on and then when I did try to order more, they are no longer making the mini ones.
As we started our 7th year, I started using them with a label on one side of the handle: We have the 7-year itch - Come help us scratch it! The label on the other side Had the name of the B & B and our toll-free phone number because not everyone has a computer but everyone has a phone. THEN we were in year #8. THEN the label read: Itching for a getaway? Let us scratch it!
I used address labels and had to cut them apart (3 to a label) to fit on the scratcher. I did thousands of them over the 3 or 4 years I did it. BUT PEOPLE STILL HAVE THEM.
.
Click to expand...
Pretty good the cable guy has it and remembered the Gillum name!
Sort of related: I found one of our mugs in a nearby thrift shop. I bought it back for .50, kind of sad it ended up there but kinda of glad it came home.
Also sort of related: I find more people reach for a business card instead of a brochure to take with them when they leave.
.
Click to expand...
Fits in a pocket easier.
 
gillumhouse said:
Morticia said:
Back scratcher? Fly swatter?.
Click to expand...
Mort remembered. I did both. The mini fly swatter was a bust. It had Swat the Blues on it but people only saw it as a fly swatter
The mini backscratcher was a TOTAL hit - one Tourism Day a group was trying to come up with other uses (one of my friends used it as an oven rack puller) and some of the ideas were getting raunchy. Himself and I both thought it has been at least 10 years since I did them. I got tired of putting labels on and then when I did try to order more, they are no longer making the mini ones.
As we started our 7th year, I started using them with a label on one side of the handle: We have the 7-year itch - Come help us scratch it! The label on the other side Had the name of the B & B and our toll-free phone number because not everyone has a computer but everyone has a phone. THEN we were in year #8. THEN the label read: Itching for a getaway? Let us scratch it!
I used address labels and had to cut them apart (3 to a label) to fit on the scratcher. I did thousands of them over the 3 or 4 years I did it. BUT PEOPLE STILL HAVE THEM.
.
Click to expand...
Clever and cute! I doesn't get better than that!
thumbs_up.gif

 
Anon Inn said:
gillumhouse said:
Morticia said:
Back scratcher? Fly swatter?.
Click to expand...
Mort remembered. I did both. The mini fly swatter was a bust. It had Swat the Blues on it but people only saw it as a fly swatter
The mini backscratcher was a TOTAL hit - one Tourism Day a group was trying to come up with other uses (one of my friends used it as an oven rack puller) and some of the ideas were getting raunchy. Himself and I both thought it has been at least 10 years since I did them. I got tired of putting labels on and then when I did try to order more, they are no longer making the mini ones.
As we started our 7th year, I started using them with a label on one side of the handle: We have the 7-year itch - Come help us scratch it! The label on the other side Had the name of the B & B and our toll-free phone number because not everyone has a computer but everyone has a phone. THEN we were in year #8. THEN the label read: Itching for a getaway? Let us scratch it!
I used address labels and had to cut them apart (3 to a label) to fit on the scratcher. I did thousands of them over the 3 or 4 years I did it. BUT PEOPLE STILL HAVE THEM.
.
Click to expand...
Pretty good the cable guy has it and remembered the Gillum name!
Sort of related: I found one of our mugs in a nearby thrift shop. I bought it back for .50, kind of sad it ended up there but kinda of glad it came home.
Also sort of related: I find more people reach for a business card instead of a brochure to take with them when they leave.
.
Click to expand...
Yes on the biz card!
 
gillumhouse said:
Morticia said:
Back scratcher? Fly swatter?.
Click to expand...
Mort remembered. I did both. The mini fly swatter was a bust. It had Swat the Blues on it but people only saw it as a fly swatter
The mini backscratcher was a TOTAL hit - one Tourism Day a group was trying to come up with other uses (one of my friends used it as an oven rack puller) and some of the ideas were getting raunchy. Himself and I both thought it has been at least 10 years since I did them. I got tired of putting labels on and then when I did try to order more, they are no longer making the mini ones.
As we started our 7th year, I started using them with a label on one side of the handle: We have the 7-year itch - Come help us scratch it! The label on the other side Had the name of the B & B and our toll-free phone number because not everyone has a computer but everyone has a phone. THEN we were in year #8. THEN the label read: Itching for a getaway? Let us scratch it!
I used address labels and had to cut them apart (3 to a label) to fit on the scratcher. I did thousands of them over the 3 or 4 years I did it. BUT PEOPLE STILL HAVE THEM.
.
Click to expand...
That is a cool idea. Can we see a picture?
 
ChrisandShelley said:
gillumhouse said:
Morticia said:
Back scratcher? Fly swatter?.
Click to expand...
Mort remembered. I did both. The mini fly swatter was a bust. It had Swat the Blues on it but people only saw it as a fly swatter
The mini backscratcher was a TOTAL hit - one Tourism Day a group was trying to come up with other uses (one of my friends used it as an oven rack puller) and some of the ideas were getting raunchy. Himself and I both thought it has been at least 10 years since I did them. I got tired of putting labels on and then when I did try to order more, they are no longer making the mini ones.
As we started our 7th year, I started using them with a label on one side of the handle: We have the 7-year itch - Come help us scratch it! The label on the other side Had the name of the B & B and our toll-free phone number because not everyone has a computer but everyone has a phone. THEN we were in year #8. THEN the label read: Itching for a getaway? Let us scratch it!
I used address labels and had to cut them apart (3 to a label) to fit on the scratcher. I did thousands of them over the 3 or 4 years I did it. BUT PEOPLE STILL HAVE THEM.
.
Click to expand...
That is a cool idea. Can we see a picture?
.
Click to expand...
I got them from Orie ntal Tra ding Com pa ny but I looked - they no longer make them. I MAY have one somewhere, but finding it will be done by the next owner (or my kids going through the trash before it goes to the curb as we did with my Mother's house) to find it. It was just a bamboo back scratcher about 8 inches long. The beauty of it was that it fit in a purse, briefcase, glove box, the TV table next to your favorite chair.....
The 18 inch variety is 6.95 a dozen - these were 4.95 for 2 dozen. I thought about going back to them but alas....
 
gillumhouse said:
ChrisandShelley said:
gillumhouse said:
Morticia said:
Back scratcher? Fly swatter?.
Click to expand...
Mort remembered. I did both. The mini fly swatter was a bust. It had Swat the Blues on it but people only saw it as a fly swatter
The mini backscratcher was a TOTAL hit - one Tourism Day a group was trying to come up with other uses (one of my friends used it as an oven rack puller) and some of the ideas were getting raunchy. Himself and I both thought it has been at least 10 years since I did them. I got tired of putting labels on and then when I did try to order more, they are no longer making the mini ones.
As we started our 7th year, I started using them with a label on one side of the handle: We have the 7-year itch - Come help us scratch it! The label on the other side Had the name of the B & B and our toll-free phone number because not everyone has a computer but everyone has a phone. THEN we were in year #8. THEN the label read: Itching for a getaway? Let us scratch it!
I used address labels and had to cut them apart (3 to a label) to fit on the scratcher. I did thousands of them over the 3 or 4 years I did it. BUT PEOPLE STILL HAVE THEM.
.
Click to expand...
That is a cool idea. Can we see a picture?
.
Click to expand...
I got them from Orie ntal Tra ding Com pa ny but I looked - they no longer make them. I MAY have one somewhere, but finding it will be done by the next owner (or my kids going through the trash before it goes to the curb as we did with my Mother's house) to find it. It was just a bamboo back scratcher about 8 inches long. The beauty of it was that it fit in a purse, briefcase, glove box, the TV table next to your favorite chair.....
The 18 inch variety is 6.95 a dozen - these were 4.95 for 2 dozen. I thought about going back to them but alas....
.
Click to expand...
No worries, just curious. We are looking for cheap giveaway ideas. That sounds like a winner. I'll do some research.
 

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