When It Rains, Promotions Pour In

Chances are you've been unlucky enough to be stuck in the rain without an umbrella. Some people are even unluckier, and a tiny black rain cloud follows them everywhere and just continually soaks them from right above their heads, basically like they're Eeyore. Either way, having a good umbrella can make a big difference. Here are some tips for choosing the right one.

Hold Onto Them
Umbrellas make great promotional giveaways because of how useful they are in daily life. Richard Meth, vice president of sales at Rainkist Umbrellas, Edison, N.J., described the many promotional opportunities that umbrellas present. "I always like to say umbrellas are a great corporate gift or incentive because the truth of the matter is that no one ever seems to go out and buy themselves an umbrella," Meth said. "When was the last time you woke up and said 'I'm going to go out and buy an umbrella?'"

But it's not just that some people may not think to buy umbrellas themselves. Meth added that users typically hold onto umbrellas for a long time. "People don't just throw it away," he said. "They use it for their house, their office; the perceived value is there. It's something that people do use."

Dan Edge, national sales manager at Peerless Umbrella Co. Inc., Newark, N.J., echoed this statement. "It's usually an emergency purchase," Edge said. "You're usually looking for a cheap umbrella just to get you to your next point, but those don't last."

Edge said his general rule is that people should have three umbrellas: one for the car, one for the office and one for home. Having an umbrella at a moment's notice is important, because, as Edge puts it, "Murphy's Law will have it that your umbrella is never where you are when you need it."