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Promotional products are one of the most proven marketing strategies, yet they aren’t used by a surprising number of businesses. It’s o
ften said that you have to spend money to make money, but what most people forget to tell you is where to spend it and how you can use it wisely. Keep reading if your company hasn’t used promotional products and you want to learn more about how you should be using them. Reason 1: They Open Lines of Communication
Whether or not you believe in karma, it’s a law of business that the more you give the more you receive. Promotional products are a perfect example of how this works. Having a branded item on hand gives you the perfect conversation starter. “Here take this free pen. Oh, you’re now willing to sit still and listen to my sales pitch? Excellent.”
If you don’t believe us, then just ask Santa! He’ll gladly tell you just how much more willing people are to talk to you after you give them something for free. Still not sold? According to a study done by L.J Market Research, 52% of study participants did business with an advertiser after receiving a promotional product. Of those who had not done business with that particular advertiser, almost half of them stated that they were more likely to do the business with them in the future. Reason 2: They Attract Attention
Have you ever seen the lonely table at the trade show with little or no visitors? Well good news! That won’t be you! Promotional products are extremely effective attention grabbers. Let’s be honest, what’s better than free stuff? It will not only attract potential customers to your booth but also (as mentioned in Reason 1) give you the perfect opening line to begin conversing with them. Promotional product giveaways travel far beyond the visual reach of your trade show booth thereby expanding your company’s reach and allowing for the following conversations to occur:
•“I’m going to the booth that’s giving away clocks. The one in my hotel room doesn’t even work.”
•“They’re giving away golf towels? Now there’s a company that knows what I want.”
•“Where did you get that USB drive shaped like my favorite food? I want one! I’m going to visit [Your Company Here] to see if I can get one.”
Still not sold? According to a study performed by Exhibit Surveys, Inc. there was a 176% increase in the number of visitors to a trade show booth if they were to receive a promotional product either before, during, or after the trade show. Reason 3: They Stick Around
Advertisements come and go but tangible items stick around forever. Promotional products are often items that can easily be used repeatedly in every day use thus allowing for an increased chance of retention by the receiver of the item. Items like key chains, pens and note pads can stay with someone for a very long time because of the universal need for their services. Promotional products take your cost per impression and drop it drastically compared to traditional advertising. Less advertising expense and greater impression numbers, what more could you ask for in an advertisement! According to a study done by L.J Market Research which interviewed business travelers at airports(slide 24), 71% of business travelers reported receiving promotional products within the last 12 months. Furthermore, 33.7% of this group that the item on their person. Reason 4: They Elevate Brand Recognition
A large part of brand recognition is exposure to that particular brand. Very few individuals will remember who a logo belongs to or what a company does if they are only exposed to them once or twice. Good news is that with your promotional products, potential customers will be exposed to your company on a daily basis! Not only will your potential customers be constantly exposed to your brand, they will also develop a favorable impression of your company over time. According to a study by Schreber & Associates, 39% of people who received a promo product could recall the name of the advertiser as long as 6 months after they received it. Reason 5: They Expand Brand Exposure
So you advertise on local websites, in the newspaper and at events but you’re still not getting the exposure that you want. We have a solution for you! Promotional products can expand your exposure as well as reach potential customers that may not currently be seeing your advertisements. Whether your promotional product of choice is one that changes hands like a pen, or one that is an active billboard like a t-shirt, you can rest assured that your brand is being promoted. Promotional products often show off your company, brand or logo in a variety of places that traditional advertising has a hard time reaching. These places could include the inside of a boardroom meeting, a gym, or even an educational environment like a school or university. You never know where your customers may be hiding so why not utilize a marketing strategy that allows you to advertise non-stop in even the most unconventional of places. According to the Advertising Specialty Institute, apparel is one of the most popular promo products because they get high exposure. People wear them at the gym and on weekends. They also account for 30% of promotional product sales. Reason 6: They Increase Company Goodwill
A positive image can often be more powerful in the way of advertising than a R15 million Superbowl ad. Promotional products offer a way to heighten the positive feeling about a company or product simply by distributing them. A large amount of those who received a promotional product tend to not only remember the company behind the promotion but also think highly of the company who gave it to them. This person is then more likely to recommend your company or product based on their positive experiences with you. Promotional products can also be given to employees as rewards for working hard or achieving certain goals. This employee is then likely to continue working as hard or even harder for their employer because of the newly obtained sense of appreciation he or she has gained from this gift. According to a study performed by Louisiana State University, 71.6% of study participants who received a promotional product remembered the name of the company that gave them the product. Reason 7: They Create Share-ability (Yes It’s A Made Up Word)
Often times “re-gifting” is frowned upon, but not here in the world of promotional products; here we don’t call it “re-gifting” we call it continuous advertisement. Sharing is a very common action among people in our society and what better than to have your existing or potential customers share your brand! By passing along a promotional product to another individual, your brand will now be exposed to a vast network of people to whom it had previously not been accessible. Viral videos and advertisements tend to be very effective because they are passed along and exposed to a large variety of audiences and this example is no different! If you give a bottle opener to one person, there’s a good chance 100 people in an office may be the ones who end up using it! Now lets say you gave out 100 bottle openers at an event; if each of them follows the previous example, your bottle opener will have been shown to 1 million people! Now that’s what we call effective and exponential advertising! According to a study done by the Advertising Specialty institute, 62% of respondents in the US stated that they would give a promotional item to someone else if they didn’t wish to keep it, as opposed to throwing it away. Reason 8: They Enjoy Wide Appeal
Most advertisements and products are created with a target audience in mind. While the idea of a target audience is very beneficial to various types of marketing, the limitations generally do not apply to promotional products. Promotional products often satisfy a very universal need for a large group of individuals. This means that items like pens, stress balls, and note pads can be appreciated by anyone. This also means that they can easily land in the lap of a potential customer who was six degrees separated from your company. The more people that are exposed to your products, the more potential business you will receive. Melissa Mulligan, partner at 2M Promotions, was searching for a promotional product that would appeal to a wide range of individuals that would be visiting her trade show booth. What did she find out? Promotional drink holders worked like a charm. They are a high-demand practical item and they always ran out before the trade shows would end. Reason 9: They Generate Referrals and New Sales
The entire purpose of purchasing and distributing promotional products is to bring in money for your company. Fortunately for you, they can do just that. Promotional products can often begin the sales process without you having to do any work! As promotional products are used, passed along they create brand recognition in addition to a positive association with your company. This leads to individuals that are more likely to recommend your business to others by as much as 22% over businesses who didn’t take advantage of promotional products. According to a study conducted by Baylor University, sales people who gave their promo products as gifts to their customers received 22% more referrals than sales people who didn’t. Now go grow your Business!!
