Getting the message out about a new promotional giveaway can make an initial investment seem even more expensive. First there’s the expense of purchasing custom branded items, and then there’s advertising for the event or product giveaway in order to get people to come in for it. Smart companies have been finding ways of achieving this advertising feat in less expensive and more visible ways, increasing their return on investment through strategy.
Fortunately, online social media outlets have been making this process progressively easier for businesses of all sizes. Even the biggest brands have seen the benefit of online media networking for their promotional products, and they’re driving some new ideas to attract attention that other organizations should note.
Making a splash
Even if you have a great product like a custom logo tote bag or similar seasonal giveaway items, there’s no way for people to know about the promotion unless you find some way of advertising to consumers that it’s happening. This is the same problem faced by major organizations, but while they may have a lot more money for marketing than a small entity, the mark of a good strategy is always looking for ways to cut costs.
That’s why brands like 7-Eleven and Starbucks promote their beverages not only through traditional methods but also with online tools. These stores usually offer promotional sales, but a recent trend for other retailers involves handing out samples, so that’s the way these two coupons have gone as well, and with great results.
7-Eleven recently ran a promotional giveaway of their trademark Slurpee drink, providing taste samples for free to customers in special branded logo cups that were much smaller than regular drink sizes. This not only gave consumers a little taste of what they could expect from every flavor without committing to buy, it served to pull more people into stores, get them interested in making a specific purchase and compelled them to take cups with them and spread the company’s advertising.
According to a statement from the organization, its use of social media tools has doubled their giveaway numbers. This means the brand has twice as much exposure using these outlets without incurring any additional cost, as Facebook and Twitter are free to use, even for businesses.
International awareness
This trend in social media success isn’t isolated to the United States. Other nations can not only access the same channels and utilities, they have been using these same advertising tools the same as American companies, making them even more valuable assets in some areas like Canada where organizations have taken traditional advertising wars to the internet. Almost two-thirds of business owners said in a recent study that they had seen marked success from promoting with online networks.
“Social media represents a powerful and cost-effective tool that, when used properly, can help any business grow,” said UPS Canada’s small business director Paul Gaspar. “Firms can broaden their existing brand equity while building real relationships with current and potential clients.”
These tools make advertising for promotional giveaways free and easy as compared to any paper ad campaign. That’s why they’ve gained so much popularity with younger business owners and with larger organizations who recognize the innovative ways this technology can be used to create revenue. Using social media for promotional product information can get people talking about a business online, spreading awareness of the brand around the globe.