There are limitless applications for promotional products, as pointed out in our recent posts: Commercial businesses, nonprofit organisations, academic institutions as well as councils and other government agencies can all leverage the power of promotional items externally and internally.
From an external perspective, for example, current as well as prospective customers may receive marketing products to drive sales and referrals to the business, or companies hand out giveaways to celebrate a new product launch, etc. If your promotional items are fun, interesting, and useful, your sales team can use them to their advantage, leave a positive impression and build rapport with potential clients.
From an internal perspective, businesses can leverage branded merchandise to improve relationships with key stakeholders, such as employees, investors or partners. By demonstrating appreciation through promotional products, organisations can help secure long-term contributions and maintain existing business relationships.
Thus most commonly, organisations use branded corporate products with the following goals in mind:
Brand Awareness & Recognition
Product Awareness & Recognition
Corporate Culture & Identity
Incentive Programs
Employee Appreciation & Retention
Customer Appreciation & Retention
Sales, Lead & Referral Generation
Public & Investor Relations
There is a lot that can go into maximising the performance of your promotional products and choosing options that work. Thus, taking into consideration some of the following points can result in big benefits to your brand:
Match the branded product and its quality to your business or the sponsored event
Stand out and choose decorations that best match your goals and brand
Use promotional products as a thank you for clients or as employee gifts
Consider distribution options and enhance brand exposure via cross-channel synergy
Followed by the final step: Measure results - Testing and recipient feedback
Be purpose-driven, set goals & use promotional products that will get seen (Cheaper is not always better)
A promotional product that is being used is being seen!
Goal setting with a plan is going to make things much more achievable! Having a goal and a measurable plan allows you to evaluate the outcome and to see what’s working and what’s not in the end. Sometimes, companies view promotional products only as nice extras or one-offs needed during a sponsored event or for a short period. Instead, corporate merchandise should be seen as a part of overall marketing investment and not be considered for one season only. Promotional products are important for businesses, especially small or local companies who want to drive sales and be vested and active in their communities. Therefore, it's important to track and measure ROI for these as you would for any other marketing investment.
Firstly, think about what goal you want to achieve by handing out promotional products: Do you want to increase your brand awareness? Are you looking to generate leads and drive repeat customers? Or are you looking in-house and want to boost employee morale and satisfaction? Where and who is your target audience? This knowledge plays a crucial role in the effectiveness of the chosen products as it'll influence the type of products you select and is also going to guide you in how many units you need. Before ordering, simply run some numbers to ensure you are getting just the right quantity of products (not too many or too few).
A practical product is generally a performing product and a safe choice. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t be bold and try new things, they both have their place in creating a successful marketing campaign. There are many creative promotional products available that will be a great fit for your industry niche too and will also create a memorable experience: A house-shaped keyring, for example, is perfect for builders or real estate agencies, or a floating keyring for a business that sells boats.
But please note that cheaper is not always better when it comes to the right choice of your promotional products, Yes, sometimes a cheap product can generate huge ROI (return on investment) but that doesn’t always mean it’s going to be the best option for your business. As previously discussed, the lifespan, functionality and how positively the product is received need to be considered when making the choice.
Here’s a great example with some promotional pens. A company has the choice of two pens that are going to be given away to attendees at their upcoming trade show with the goal of increasing brand awareness and displaying contact information to prospective customers.
As an example: Even if there are cheaper pens out there when breaking down the cost of the ink per cent, a more expensive one might turn out to be the better one when the user can get out more than double of life than with the cheaper one. Another advantage of the costly one may also be that this one is made from higher quality material and is thus likely to be received more favourably anyway.
If you are looking to take advantage of long-term exposure through your promotional items, make sure that you invest in products that will cast your company in a good light — cut-rate products that break easily will make your company look cheap and will probably be thrown away sooner. While it may feel as if you are getting a great deal when ordering your promotional products, especially when you are able to order many units for a low price, it is always worth stopping and asking yourself if you would be better off investing in higher-quality products.
The better the quality of your promotional products, the more likely they are to make a good first impression, and not just on the recipient. When your consumers wear an attractive branded cap, carry a sturdy laptop bag with your logo on it, or have a nice-looking branded coffee cup in their hand, passers-by will also see that your business is concerned with quality.
Match the branded product and its quality to your business or the sponsored event
It's important to think about promotional products as an extension of your business and how they will represent your brand message. We can consider promotional pens or other branded writing instruments as a very popular product category. Sure, everyone uses them. But are they the best choice when it comes to a physical representation of your product, brand or service? If you own a law firm, yes. For a gym, it'd probably not be the best fit and a branded sports item will attract more interest here.
So what items come to mind when you think about your type of business or industry? Brainstorm and jot down anything you can think of. Things like custom branded flash drives and charging cables might make people think of a technology-based business. Spatulas, measuring cups and other branded kitchen accessories bring to mind baking, kitchens and canteens. Custom printed notepads and letter openers are typically equated with bills and finance. All of these examples and so many more items from all areas of life can be turned into promotional products featuring your logo, hashtag, or slogan!
When sponsoring or attending an event, consider ordering promotional items that tie into the featured activities. These will usually already be related to your audience and business (you probably wouldn’t be involved in the event otherwise), but think outside of the box. How can you reach people at the moment? At the same time, think about what the other businesses will already be handing out. What will be a need for people attending the event that you can fill? Custom branded sunscreen for example makes a great promo item for a sports event! Consider, perhaps, investing in some branded bags that your guests can carry around during the day and fill them with goodies you know they’ll want to use: For example a promotional lanyard or keyring, and maybe some tasty promo lollies to snack on.
Stand out and choose decorations that best match your goals and brand
New and better technologies have increased the possibilities and affordability of many decoration methods in the world of promotional products, so there has been no better time than now to use branded products to promote your business, brand or event. Do you want to print just your logo on the promotional product? An eye-catching design? Or a message? Maybe you should consider imprinting your address too? Once you sort all of that out, make sure your message is simple, memorable and relatable.
The right artwork plays a great role in this process. The task is to create a high-quality design for your promotional items. When the artwork is amazing, people love using and wearing promotional products. They look exclusive and interesting. But, you’re not doing it just to make the receivers happy. You’re also doing it because eye-catching promotional products with a clearly visible logo will attract the interest of everyone who sees them too. Double benefit!
The branding option you apply to a product, in the end, therefore plays a big role in how the item is perceived too: Laser engraving, for example, can promote a sense of class and sophistication whereas a stunning full-colour digital print allows for fun eye-catching designs that evoke excitement. Or perhaps you want a low-cost giveaway item? A single-colour print is the most cost-effective option and will usually be your best bet here. #standoutfromthecrowd #bestbranding #brandedpromotionalproducts #brandedproducts
Give them to the right people - Know what promotional giveaways your audience will love and appreciate
First and foremost a good understanding of your target market will not only make choosing the best promotional products much easier but is crucial to marketing success in all of your marketing channels. Even if you haven’t invested in professional market research, you probably already know many characteristics of a person who is most likely to do business with you: Such as age, education level, income, hobbies, etc Why not use that information when thinking about your promotional product investment? How does your business fit into their career or personal life? Think of as many details to answer as you can to create your ideal customer persona. Understanding your customers allows you to make informed decisions that will hit the mark. For example, a promotional nail file will be much more effective than a stubby cooler for a nail salon with a primarily female demographic.
A thoughtful product choice, and being selective and targeted when it comes to your audience, also allow you to save a huge amount on your costs and ensure you’re getting your logo into the right hands: Would you rather give your promotional products to 100 random people who will most likely never buy from you or 20 that are likely to go on to buy and become advocates for your brand? The choice is easy!
Sustainability is also a driving aspect in many demographics - Having your finger on the pulse shows that your company is in line with your target market's values and beliefs. This trend is apparent in buying decisions from Millenials who currently lead with a preference for eco-friendly products, showing a willingness to pay more for products that are ethically sourced. #knowyouraudience #connectwithyouraudience #targetaudiencestrategy #targetaudiencemarketing
Hand promotional products out in person
This can be a little tricky nowadays, but try delivering your promotional items in person when you can. People appreciate putting faces with names and names with businesses. This is rare these days and in the digital era, but the idea is to get your audience to associate and interact with you whenever they use your product. The more you remain top of mind, the more likely they are to remember your business in the future. #giveaways #freebies #freebiesforyou #promotionalgiveaways
Use promotional products as a thank-you for clients or as employee gifts
It's so simple and natural: People appreciate a thank you! This is when you want to think about a promotional product with value and benefit to the receiver. Thank you gifts are not bought in bulk for a mass audience at a convention for example. Instead, you'll be taking the time to find the right product with which you will personally thank another person for trusting your company and choosing to spend their money with you.
Don’t neglect to show your hard-working employees appreciation, too! Consider products with your company logo that your employees will find beneficial. Part of this means thinking about the people who work for you, your business location, and your company culture. Adventurous creatives might enjoy camping-related gear, while tech types may appreciate a laptop bag instead.
Handing out promotional products to your staff is also a great way to trial a product, and find out exactly what your employees think of them before investing in larger quantities. This will turn them into brand ambassadors at the same time. Equipped with your business’s branded backpack on the commute or wearing a custom printed t-shirt to the gym, your employees will pass by plenty of people they can show their products off to. This is just another way to gain more awareness and exposure and brings us to the next point.
#thankyougifts #showappreciation #appreciationgifts #employeemotivation #staffgifts #employeegifts #valuablecustomer
consider distribution options and enhance brand exposure via cross-channel synergy
Business events, such as trade shows, are an excellent opportunity to dazzle a crowd with your promotional freebies. Another way to distribute your branded merchandise is through various giveaways and contests. Consider using social media to your advantage here to breed desire in your target audience and let your customers know that if they drop into your booth or event they can receive some promo merch. Use that to persuade them to like, share, follow and even tag other people who could also participate. Or get creative and come up with a unique hashtag or slogan and add that to your custom branded items. This will encourage recipients to post pictures of themselves with their freebies. All that exposure should help you create some well-deserved buzz around your business and with the added hashtags, you're also able to track the popularity!
#DistributionChannels #socialmediamarketingtips #socialmediamarketingstrategy #socialmediacontest #CrossChannelMarketing
Measure results - Testing and recipient feedback
Promotional products provide great ROI, making them a highly effective advertising medium.
Branded corporate products are ranked as the most effective form of advertising and marketing to spur action across multiple consumer generations: From the silent generation to the baby boomers, Gen Xers and millennials, custom branded marketing products are the highest-rated methods to prompt consumer action. A consumer who receives a practical and attractive branded promotional item is more likely to use it for a long time, all the while promoting your brand in spaces and places other advertising mediums can't reach. Finding out what works and what doesn’t, and how you can improve in the future is therefore integral to any marketing campaign and strategy.
Feedback from recipients is a helpful way to gauge this. Simply start a conversation and check in with the sales department: Did they like your promotional freebies? Was there an increase in participation at your trade show booth? Did sales increase? Etc.
A big part of what makes promotional merchandise so special is its ability to evoke joy and excitement while broadcasting culture, advertising, and other messaging in a way that sticks with customers, prospects and even employees. Everyone loves to receive gifts and the act of giving is scientifically proven to bring happiness. You're happy when your audience is happy. Is that right?