With so many different types of marketing, there is something for every kind of business. But there is one type of marketing that continues to make an impact—promotional items.
Why do they work, and what even are they?
What are promotion products?
Promotional products are items that are branded with logos or in the color of the brand you are promoting. Depending on the size of the item, they can be used for taglines and slogans or have artwork on them.
Where once it was a useful pen with a name printed on it, the amount of promotional items is far-reaching. Typically, the designs will either be screen-printed or embroidered.
The big bonus about using promotional items is that even though it might be an upfront cost, say, for a t-shirt, the item can be used for years. People will carry tote bags, use pens, drink from the mugs and more.
What are promotional products used for?
Promotion products are ideal for trade fares, giving them employees giving away bundles as online competitions. Promotional items inspire brand loyalty and brand awareness. Typically used by small businesses and startups - but more often, we are seeing them given in bundles to new employees.
Apple, LinkedIn, SEGA, Just Eat, and UBER all give in-office and some remote employees a welcome bundle that is loaded with branded products.
How can you give away your promotional items?
You could make it like Reddit and start sticking stickers all over the place and wait for people to come to you. Or you can take a different approach. Giving away promotional products at trade shows is a big one; customers and other businesses can scoop a mug, a pen or any other goodies - be sure to follow up on any leads!
Contests and giveaways can cause a big stir online; there is nothing people enjoy more than winning. Even people you might not have considered in your audience will take part - and for a short time, your exposure will skyrocket - and you’ll likely see an increase in traffic and conversations. You can list your promo codes on websites such as Bountii, which will put them in front of an audience.
Pop-up shops or stands can go a long way to seeing you grow your email list and see a bigger profit. Enticing people to the stall is much easier where there are free things being handed out.
Why do promotional items still work?
Better than card
The good old days of handing out a business card and letting it do the talking are in the past. Although there is still much to be said for the humble business card - an item is much more unforgettable.
Research done by MarketingSherpa found that 71.6% of people who received promo items remembered the business name that gave them it. It only works if the promotional items are smartly designed and have a memorable logo. What really matters, though, is getting them from a branded promotional products company that has plenty of options.
Everyday Exposure
While social media, podcast adverts and social media are wonderful for marketing, they last a few seconds and are scrolled on by. If you’re lucky and have created something memorable, people might like it and return to it. But in the super-scroller era, it is just as likely to be missed as the last advert.
But give people something useful, something that fits with their life, and they can make the most of it; your branded, logoed items will be everywhere. PPAI data showed that the average person keeps promotional items for up to two years - however, sweatshirts, t-shirts and bags get used for years.
Making it one of the longest-lasting forms of marketing - because you never know where the item will end up or who will see it years after.
In terms of price for exposure, it makes it one of the cheapest.
If you’re still working on making the most of your social media, check out our tips on building your brand.
Brand Recognition
Brand recognition is when customers know your business by a color, shape or logo. Like when you think of red, a few brands, like Supreme or Coca-Cola, might spring to mind. And a tick will remind you of Nike.
There are many different logos that are instantly recognizable, and that is because you see them everywhere. And that is the idea with promotional items - the more people see them, the more recognizable your brand is.
FOMO
Promotional items are usually a limited run, which means once they are gone, they are gone. And that creates a sense of urgency and fear of missing out. When the fear of missing out kicks in, more people will flock to the internet to find you.
Promo items are big and better than ever - the only question is, how will you use yours?