Help me with my business: Promotional Gifts Ideas

I use re-usable water bottles a lot. Not BIKE bottles (I would use those of course) but just the plastic ones I've picked up at Expos or fairs. I have one on my desk right now, actually.

The one I have is just like this, but you could go all the way to Nalgene or aluminum options.

at $2 it's tough to get something "nice".  You could go with a little nicer Pen or something along those lines.

I own a business and when we do givaways my thought is similar to your thinking.  I want to give them something they'll use which will remind them of my business as many times as possible from an impressions standpoint.

At our events we generally give away a drawstring backpack with our logo on it ($1.89ea.). Inside the backpack we have Three side pens with logo, phone number, website ($.76ea.), logo T-shirt with slogan on the back ($8.75ea.), note pad with our logo on it. ($.05ea.).

Memory sticks are a good idea, but for $2 it would be tough to get one that's meaningful and also depending on your demographic people may not want/use memory sticks.

Based on your budget and demographic I'd go with notepads and a decent pen.  I like those because people always keep notepads on their desk and people rarely throw away pens.  

Can't do much for less than $2.

On the water bottle front, a little over your budget but if you order 100 you can get the cost down to $2.47.

I use these people for my race goodies and am quite satisfied with the service. Maybe you can find something you prefer on their site.

Why? The site I linked to the water bottle picture has ceramic mugs well under $2, if ordered in quantities (like a gross). We do nice commemorative beer mugs for my race and don't pay a whole lot more than that.

If it's a gift that I may perhaps actually make a special trip into the optical shop to get (b/c otherwise I only go once a year or so), PLEASE keep it useful or nice (more useful)
ie the re-usable grocery bag or water bottle.
(or even a small bottle of anti-fog solution   )

Etched key rings and suck are nice (I love my tri club bottle opener) but I really would hate to make a special trip somewhere to get something not as useful.

Second thought...

being in the optical business... do you have access to order sunglasses that would be cheap enough for promotion?
While I wear my "nice" sunglasses for most activities I ALWAYS keep an extra pair in my desk (I work a lot outside too) and in the glove compartment of the vehicles.  AND OF COURSE the kids go through these things like crazy (which would be great for kids too)

Perhaps you could have your name printed on the arms w/ taste?

On the birthday card offer a free T shirt with this deal. 

Come in with the card and get your free shirt along with a date stamped biz card.  The shirts have your advertising on it, as well as a coupon for a discount on sunglasses. 

They must come back another day wearing the shirt of course to claim their discount. Or if you happen to see them wearing it around town you give them a biz card discount then as well.  You don't care how many discount cards you give out because it is all money to you.

This way they are wearing your advertisment around town, they get a nice discount on something they actually want, and you get to upsell additional products.  Everyone wins.

We did this coupon shirt with our pizza place and it was a giant success.  Ours was a large pizza with unlimited topping for $9.99 if you wore the coupon shirt.

The other ad we used was a deal we made with the Ford dealer across the street from us.  It was buy a exlarge pizza with unlimited topping for $30,000.00 and get a free car.  It made everyone laugh, but we didn't sell any of those.

How about a stay-fit set?  It's got a pedometer, water bottle, shoe pouch and reflective arm strap.  Great for teens and adults.

How about a microfiber lens cleaning cloth? I'm always misplacing those. Something like this:

http://www.rei.com/product/794649/carson-stuff-it-lens-cloth

You could print your logo on pouch.

I like the cleaning cloth idea, I am always losing those too and could use one like that for runs and such when I get sweat on my glasses.  In fact, I might get one of those next time I'm in REI.

Yeah, notepads are always present at your desk or office. However, as it comes to sporty things, I like custom printed dextro's as well. You can ask some local candy shops for more info on that, I guess.