With today’s emphasis on digital marketing, you may be wondering if promotional products are still relevant. In fact, promotional goods are still a very valuable tool for generating brand awareness and creating new opportunities for your business. Just how beneficial can promotional products be? Over half of adults use at least one promotional product regularly and of that group, 85% will eventually do business with the company advertised on the product.
What Are Promotional Products?
A promotional good can be anything that features your company’s branding. Everything from a pen with your company’s logo and phone number to wall clocks and watches featuring your logo can be a promotional product. These products can be given to consumers in a variety of situations like events, as corporate gifts, or gifts with purchase. Marketing promotional items are also included such as event stands, tents for corporate events, and more.
Reasons to Use Promotional Products
There are several reasons why promotional items should be used by a business from repeat advertising to building relationships. They are a great addition to your company’s overall marketing strategy for the following reasons.
Repeat Advertising
In general, a digital advertisement is viewed and forgotten in just a matter of seconds. Something like an email may be deleted before it is even opened. On the other hand, physical products last much longer. Items like stationary, drinking glasses, or t-shirts are items that people are much more likely to keep. Every time they pull that pen out of their purse or wear that t-shirt in public, even more people are being exposed to your brand. You paid for the item once, but it continues advertising for you for days, weeks, or even years.
Physical Connections with Consumers
People are not able to touch a digital advertisement or social media post. This, along with its temporary nature, means it is easily forgotten. Something that can be physically held creates a physical connection between a consumer and your business. This makes your company and your products or services much more memorable.
Build Strong Brand Identity
Promotional goods are not only made for consumers or corporate business partners. Your own internal employees also like promotional products. Building a strong brand identity within your workplace can make your customers more excited about working for you. Social brand identity is when employees are proud to show off their place in a company. Your own employees can turn into in-house brand ambassadors as they may advertise your business in public.
Become Known for Your Quality
When done correctly, promotional goods can make your brand synonymous with quality. While cheaply made products might be okay for situations like trade shows, meaningful, high-quality items can create a sense of luxury with your brand. It can show consumers that you care about what you give away, which most likely translates to your actual products or services.
Promotional Products Best Practices
Marketing promotional items serve a purpose beyond simply getting your name out there. They are a way to build a genuine relationship with customers. Follow these best practices to choose the most effective promotional products.
Products Your Audience Will Actually Use
If your product isn’t something your audience will actually use, you are not building brand awareness. You are also not building a relationship with your audience. All you are creating is clutter. Make sure the products can actually be useful to the recipients, otherwise they will simply get rid of them.
Products That Relate to What You Do
A construction company giving out baby blankets simply doesn’t make sense. But if that company gave out hammers or screwdrivers, it wouldn’t be confusing. If your products relate to what your business does, this creates a deeper awareness of your brand. It may also even position your brand as industry experts!
Provide Choices
This is especially applicable for events where you are giving away free items. When you give out products that are the same as what everyone else is giving away makes your product much less impactful. Plus, giving customers options shows them that you are easy to work with and are not afraid to invest in them.
Use More Than Your Logo
It’s easy to paste your logo on an existing product and call it a day. But doing so is unoriginal and can come across as cheap. Simply put, if the recipient appreciates the product you give them, they will tell others where it came from. Your logo doesn’t necessarily need to be on it.
Examples of Fun Promotional Items
The more fun and/or useful your promotional product is, the more likely it is to be kept and used by the recipient. Check out these examples of useful or fun promotional items that you could use for your business.
- Work From Home Products: With so many people still working from home, those working from home have unique needs. Think of extra-long phone charging cables, mouse pads, branded USB drivers, or stress balls!
- Eco-Friendly Products: Not only do consumers look for quality products and services in the companies they buy from, they also look for companies that align with their personal values. Being more eco-friendly is one of these values that are on more and more consumers’ minds. In fact, according to ASI’s Ad Impressions Study, 46% of consumers have a more favorable opinion of an advertiser if their promotional items are environmentally friendly. Products made from recycled fibers and reusable lunch boxes or storage bags are just a couple of examples.
- Wireless Products: Consumers today are always looking for wireless products. As personal life and work life have become more synonymous, decluttering is on everyone’s mind. No one wants to be tied down to an outlet anymore. From wireless charging items and wireless speakers to bluetooth keyboards and computer mouses, there are many options available.
Using Promotional Products
Both B2B and B2C companies alike can benefit from using promotional products. They are an inexpensive way to spread the word about your business and its services. With so many options to choose from, you are sure to create a product that matches your business and its goals.