A lot of effort goes into distributing giveaways and spreading brand visibility. For that reason, a considerable amount of thought should go into choosing what promotional items will be gifted to customers and partners. Apart from relevance, there are still many factors to consider before selecting a quantity and requesting a shipment.
Items come in a variety of sizes, colors and styles as well as offering different uses and recognition values depending on what a company selects. Knowing what works for the business could mean boosted revenue and an enhanced customer base.
Picking from a variety
There’s no need to offer a dozen different products to customers. Not only are they more expensive to acquire, the volume could confuse or alienate people more than bring them in, as it may communicate your company doesn’t have a set direction.
Promotional calendars, notepads and USB drives can raise brand awareness in an office space, but unless that’s the target audience, they may not be the best solutions. Similarly, tote bags and T-shirts have a lot of street presence, but an undirected campaign may not have the same effect as in a setting with contained viewers and a modicum of knowledge about the product or industry it’s aimed at.
It’s also important to be aware of aesthetics when choosing products. A well thought out, visually pleasing product is more likely to be picked up, displayed and kept, which are crucial aspects of a successful promo giveaway campaign. Some people may feel they have a good eye for these things on their own, but checking with customers, partners and staff may show that a certain style or color just doesn’t work for the business.
Affecting the market
A recent article regarding promotional items in Australia said that “a product is a product until it is linked with a promotion, and then it becomes an advertisement.”
This points to the need for effective marketing, not only to keep the business moving in the right direction, but to get the knowledge of a promotional product out there in the first place. If people aren’t aware of a campaign with free promotional keychains, it’s less likely these items will be picked up, getting the visibility a company needs to see a return on investment.
Once these have been distributed, though, it’s still important to try and affect the mindset of the carrier as well as anyone who views the item later. For instance, instead of just printing a symbol or logo on the side of a custom pen case, include contact information or a slogan as well. The longer your item can hold a person’s attention, the more likely it is they will recall something about the brand later.
It also helps to put the idea of activity into a consumer’s head, even if it’s as simple as including a phrase like “Call today” or “Check us out online.” These short sayings will make consumers feel more compelled to actually do research or enquire further about the business.
Try it first
Before ordering one hundred promotional notepads with your logo or company information written on the face, see if you can get a physical sample first. Checking the quality and ensuring it’s a product you and the rest of your team are happy with will increase the likelihood that consumers will feel the same way.
Promotional items are an important investment for any corporation, and making sure they are the right fit will help get the most bang for your buck.