Every small business owner makes the occasional mistake when creating new marketing campaigns. It’s impossible to be perfect all the time and small errors can teach entrepreneurs valuable lessons for the future. Many owners learn from their flubs so new advertisements will be improvements over older ones.
That said, there are some mistakes that small businesses make repeatedly. Specifically, some company leaders believe that they can simply pick marketing tools and they’ll be able to generate brand awareness. That’s very rarely the case, especially with promotional items. Owners must ensure that they follow suggested best practices to avoid basic mistakes that can do irreparable damage to a business’ image.
Below is an examination of the most common mistakes owners make when using promotional marketing products, and how to avoid those flubs in the future.
1. Picking items without clear goals
Before small business owners can create marketing campaigns, they must decide on specific objectives. For instance, entrepreneurs must use different tactics for creating brand awareness, generating leads and bolstering sales. Exhibitor Online notes that some companies choose sponsored items without having clear goals for trade shows. That said, this problem also affects businesses that aren’t participating in large conventions.
Small businesses must decide what they want to achieve by distributing branded gifts. Having clear goals allows entrepreneurs to find the best items and develop effective marketing campaigns to meet those ends.
2. Poor distribution plans
Perhaps the most important aspect of using sponsored products is having an effective distribution system. According to MarketingProfs, many companies lack solid channels and have to store leftover items. Obviously, if promotional gifts aren’t being given to consumers then the marketing campaign is a bust and won’t be effective for achieving any type of objective.
After small business owners choose items, a distribution plan must be created. One possible solution is to have employees hand out presents to every customer who buys a specific amount of merchandise. Alternatively, entrepreneurs can decide to only give personalized business gifts to the best clients. Lastly, holding promotional giveaways to attract large groups of consumers can ensure that a company won’t have many products left in storage.
3. Inappropriate items
Performing market research is an essential part of creating an advertising campaign. Small business owners must know what type of promotions motivate consumers to respond and learn about a company. Research is doubly important for giveaways because some items are more popular than others. If entrepreneurs pick gifts without input from clients, there’s a chance that customers won’t want the presents. As a result, the company wasted resources on a faulty strategy because no one asked patrons what they’d like to receive.
Market research is relatively easy, especially for small businesses that can communicate directly with customers. A company can email surveys to loyal clients and ask what promotional items should be distributed during the next event. Many industry studies can also give great insight into what type of products consumers want the most. Using every available resource will help small business owners improve their marketing campaigns.
4. No creativity
Giveaways are promotional events that help independent companies attract attention and generate excitement. Unfortunately, some businesses only think in terms of achieving specific objectives and don’t consider creative ways to connect with consumers. In some cases, this will result in a lack of public participation so small businesses will be left with dozens of undistributed items.
Entrepreneurs should have fun with their marketing events so consumers want to attend. Using minor holidays is a great way to spice up giveaways because customers will love the unique celebrations.