How to use Promotional Products Effectively

If your marketing strategy doesn’t include promotional products, you’re in for a bumpy ride. However, you can’t just order a pile of products, slap your logo on them, and call it a day. That will get you nowhere. You’ll just end up blowing your marketing budget with no return on investment.

GoPromotional products are the holy grail of marketing. They offer many benefits. In fact, there are so many that it’s hard to list them all. Nonetheless, you’ll see none of those if you don’t use promotional items to your advantage.

Firstly, it’s important to remember that your client’s loyalty is your bread and butter. Therefore, you have to cultivate a strong, long-lasting relationship with them carefully. You have to make them feel appreciated.

However, you have to choose which items you present to your current and potential customers. Not every piece will have the same, desired effect. The goal is to bring people back to your brand, continually. You can’t do that if you offer them irrelevant, cheap-looking, and useless items.

Promotional products will be the wind beneath your wings. Yes, it sounds cheesy, but it’s true. They can improve your brand visibility and brand awareness. You need to cultivate the image of a caring, thoughtful brand. To do that, you have to employ some witty tactics. Here’s how you can use promotional products to achieve just that.

Take Advantage of All Events

Building a brand image is all about exposure. People need to see your name and be aware of your company. To achieve the right amount of exposure, you need to take advantage of every opportunity. Events like trade shows and conferences are ideal for promoting your brand. That will increase your visibility and get your name out there.

Exposure is invaluable. Your sales and revenue will rise immediately after a successful promotional campaign. Furthermore, the crucial part of those campaigns is the use of promotional products.

Pick promotional products based on your business niche. That way, you’ll utilize all their might and power. Make sure you don’t miss out on any opportunities. For example, if you’re a big retail brand, you can’t neglect products like tote bags and T-shirts.

However, you don’t always have to stay in your lane. Include unique, high-quality items to create an excellent impression. Mix things up and offer stress balls, for example. That way, people will think of your retail brand while reducing their stress levels and relaxing. And what’s also great for relaxation? Shopping, of course! Make sure you’re on their minds in times like these, and you’ll quickly see a boost in your profit.

Give Out Freebies to Win Hearts Over

Here’s the thing — we all love free stuff. An added benefit is if the free item is also useful or practical to us. If we get something useful, we will use it frequently, and we will eventually grow attached to it. That’s what you need to do. If you give people free items like T-shirts or bags that they’ll use on a regular basis, you’re actually turning them into walking advertisements.

Furthermore, if your customers love your products, they will willingly advocate for your brand. There is a massive difference between accidental and deliberate promotion. You’ll benefit from both. However, your revenue will get a more significant boost if your customers spread a few kind words around about your brand on purpose.

Start at Your Own Home

Promotional products aren’t reserved for potential customers only. You can also hand them out to your employees. As they say — start at home.

Your employees are essentially your business family. Therefore, they should promote your brand as well. Every piece of their equipment, stationery, and even clothing should be branded. That provides a uniformed image for the clients that visit your stores and offices. Seeing your logo everywhere can also spark interest in your potential customers and intrigue them.

But promotional merchandise can play an incentive role as well. Let’s say your sales team had a particularly great quarter. Or, perhaps your marketing team completed a successful campaign. You can reward them with high-end promotional products. That’s killing two birds with one stone — you’ll motivate your workers, and they’ll promote your brand wherever they go.

Social Media Platforms Dominate the Marketing Game

Do not underestimate the power of social media. Not only is it an excellent way to promote your brand, but it’s also the perfect place to get other people to advocate for it. Through social media, you can connect with a significant number of your target audience members. Those who like your brand will be happy to promote it online.

Here’s how you can include promotional products to help you. Try organizing a social media contest and hand out various products to winners. The contest itself will make you seem more interesting, and you’ll show your audience that you’re real. Furthermore, it will spark their interest.

What’s more, it will give them the impression that they can reach out to you, and that you’re a person, not a corporate entity. Communicating with your customers via social media should be the focal point of your marketing campaign. There’s nothing better than being relatable.

PR and Company-Sponsored Events Are Often Missed Opportunities

The way you handle public relations says a lot about your brand. Don’t think that your target audience doesn’t notice that. Use PR events to show them that you care by giving them a token of your appreciation. Promotional products will come very handy at these events. Therefore, you should use those opportunities to create a perfect impression and enhance your brand image.

Furthermore, much like the PR events, company sponsored events are the proverbial gold mine for marketers.  Promotional products should play a significant role in those events as well. Giveaways like branded T-shirts, bags, sunglasses, mugs, etc., can be used as gifts or prizes.

Don’t Forget Your Current Customers

Although increasing your customer base is essential, you shouldn’t neglect your current customers. It doesn’t matter if you have just a few or a few million. You have to show them your appreciation and thank them for doing business with you.

Use promotional products as tokens of appreciation that you’ll hand out after you close a deal or negotiations. Actions like these will perpetuate loyalty among your current customers, and they will ensure repeat business.