Promotional products are one of the oldest forms of advertising, and in the ever evolving world of modern business where marketing has taken to the internet, some may think that grounds for considering them outdated – but they would be wrong. The marketing strategy for your business should be as multifaceted as possible, encompassing print, digital content, social media and anything else you can make time and room in your budget for. However, one area that should never go overlooked is promos.
The major and most immediate benefit of utilizing promotional products is that they create opportunities. Ad specialties create opportunities to get your brand out in front of as many new eyes as possible, show off your ability to be creative, clever or forward-thinking and leave a good first impression with prospective customers or business partners. If you aren’t already realizing that these opportunities, if seized, could drive business and increase your revenue, then here is a list of a few more remarkable things promotional products can do for your business.
Draw Attention and Open Up Communication
You might think that inexpensive promos with all their bells and whistles are a waste of your budget and say nothing for your business, and in some cases you might be right, but have you ever attended a tradeshow? It’s a veritable marketing circus with each act competing for the attention of their onlookers. Exhibitors need to draw attention to themselves and lure tradeshow attendees into their booths in order achieve a meaningful exchange. Suddenly those chachkies that barely make a dent in your budget don’t look so worthless, do they? Promotional products, whether they are a cheap thrill or a truly compelling custom gift, will do their part to open up lines of communication between you and your consumers.
Increase Brand Exposure, Presence and Recognition
According to a study by the Promotional Products Association Industry on the effectiveness of promotional products as an advertising medium, 58% of people who receive a promotional product will keep it for an average of 1 to 4 years. These are products that end up on someone’s desk or in their kitchen at home and eventually serve as a daily reminder of your business’s presence. Some of these promos will get passed along to others, like a pen that is lent out and never returned or an amusing novelty stress ball given to a friend or coworker as a small gift. In some way or another these tangible and useful reminders of your business make their way out into the world and then stay out there for quite some time.
Enforce the Rule of Reciprocity
It’s engrained in almost all human beings to give back after they’ve received something. You know that terribly uncomfortable feeling you get when you receive a gift from someone and you have nothing to give in return? It’s the rule of reciprocity and when you are promoting your business you should be taking full advantage of it with promotional giveaways. Do you want new prospective clients to sign up for a mailing list? You won’t make a great deal progress if you’re asking them to give out their information in exchange for nothing at all, but a simple promo will compel them to oblige. Don’t feel bad about taking small advantage of our human nature. It’s just business.
Create Positive and Memorable Experiences
To put it bluntly, people like free stuff. Gifts make them happy and create positive and memorable experiences – experiences that could be associated with your brand. Keep in mind that this is where the importance of a well thought out promotional product comes into play. You want to ask yourself if you would want the product if it were given to you and what it has to say about your brand, because this isn’t only an opportunity to create a happy memory, but a lasting impression as well. A thoughtfully chosen promotional product can speak volumes about your brand, long after the initial exchange has occurred.
Turn Your Recipients into Walking Billboards
Custom apparel, especially tee shirts, are always well received and end up working double duty for your brand. They create that positive experience that promos are so renowned for and then turn your recipients into walking, breathing advertisements for your business. It’s ingenious, if I may say so. Bags, caps and tech cases can equally get the job done.
Play a Major Role in Employee Recognition Programs
While advertising is the primary function of promotional products, many business find that they are extremely effective as employee incentives, recognition awards and appreciation gifts. In fact the ad specialties industry has placed a major focus on employee recognition over the years, as the product market has expanded to include custom awards, desk accessories, travel essentials, high end apparel, and cutting edge tech products.
Your business needs promotional products because of all the ways that you can remind your audience about your presence and create a lasting impression that will keep you fresh on the minds of prospective customers, promos are the only ones that are tangible and long lasting. That’s something worth considering.