A good relationship with your customers begins with the first impression, but the work does not stop there. While your main marketing objectives might be to increase brand awareness, you also have to establish ongoing positive relationships to create repeat customers.
One strategy that can accomplish several objectives for your marketing initiatives is by using branded merchandise for giveaways. Whether you sell a product or service, that is not the only way to make your customers satisfied. This strategy requires an investment in customized products that contain your brand information, and then giving away those items to various groups.
Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of promotional products and how they can take your business to the next level.
Increased Visibility
Most businesses that invest in promotional product marketing do so to raise brand awareness. Whenever these items are used by the recipients, others may take notice of the company logo or name that is printed on the products. The more they see this logo, the more curious they may become about the associated brand. Promotional products can be one aspect of a functional lead generation strategy by establishing a physical presence in your target market. To this end, you can choose to focus on either a large quantity of cheaper products for more giveaways or a smaller number of high-quality items for greater usage.
Recruiting Power
A company’s most important resource is its people. When you have to go out and find talent that will fit into your team and improve the organization as a whole, attracting the right people and enticing them to consider your business can be a challenge. Free swag can be a great incentive for potential employees to make a great impression and show them that you are willing to invest in their talents. Plus, having these items can remind them of your company when they are continuing their job search. Bringing a bag of free gifts to a job or career fair can be a wise way to utilize branded merchandise for your recruitment.
Brand Loyalty
As mentioned previously, awareness is just the first stage of the customer journey. You still have to convince them to make purchases and keep coming back for more. This process is known as building brand loyalty. Promotional giveaways are an easy way to establish credibility with customers and reward them for playing a role in the company’s success. For example, promotional chocolates can earn a whole lot of goodwill toward the brand for those with a sweet tooth. If the thought of your business gives people feelings of positivity because of your gifts, then those people could become customers for life.
Positive Work Culture
Customers are not the only people that could use some promotional gifts. Your employees work hard for the company every day, and they deserve to be appreciated for their efforts. Promotional products can serve as a reward for hard work and to demonstrate that you care about your team members. Gifts like wellness items, coffee mugs, tote bags, fitness clothing, stress balls, and more can provide a morale boost to your team, increasing the likelihood that productivity will flourish and employee retention will increase. A positive work culture can only benefit your company’s productivity and potential for profits.
Cost Effective
Perhaps the greatest benefit to your business is that promotional products have the potential to be extremely cost-effective. The only expense is the upfront purchase of the items. Once you have them, success will depend on your giveaway strategy and how they are used by recipients. One branded t-shirt could create impressions for the brand every time it is worn, so a fifteen to twenty-five dollar investment could end up introducing many new customers to the company. Once you build up a good stock of branded merchandise, visibility could skyrocket over time.
Local Market Opportunities
Promotional products are a very visible marketing initiative, so taking advantage of them in your local geography can have a big impact on your community presence. You can give items away as free prizes at a community festival that will earn goodwill toward the brand. Sponsor a local charity race with branded bracelets, cooling towels, or other athletic equipment that will make the rounds among the competitors.
A Successful Campaign Relies on Strategy
Giveaways are not successful just because of their existence. They require a strategic plan to accomplish your business objectives. How is your target audience most likely to interact with these products in public? What lifestyles do they lead that produce a need for a specific item? Where and when should you give these gifts away to achieve maximum reach?
Answering these questions before you initiate your giveaway campaign can give you a better chance of achieving growth with this marketing strategy. Put some thought into who your target audience is and what they desire before making this investment.
Small business owners are constantly looking for ways to differentiate their companies from their competitors, and one of the most effective strategies to do that is to use promotional products as part of their marketing plan. Promotional products are items that companies distribute with their logo or contact information printed on them. By handing out promotional products to potential and existing customers, businesses can keep their name at the top of their customers’ minds, as well as make a lasting impression.
Promotional products are an affordable and cost-effective way to promote your business. Compared with other forms of advertising, the cost of promotional items is relatively low — and the potential return on investment can be much higher. For example, a business could purchase 500 custom logoed pens for about $500, which works out to a cost of only one-cent per pen. Assuming that all 500 of these pens are put to good use, each one functions as a mini-billboard for your business, giving you an impressive 500 potential touches with prospective customers.
Another great benefit of promotional products is that they have a much higher perceived value than other forms of advertising. When someone receives a free item, associated with a business, they tend to remember that business more positively and think of it in a more favorable light. It is almost like the business is rewarding them for their loyalty.
In addition to providing an affordable, cost-effective way to market a business, promotional products can also be used to reward customers or employees who have gone above and beyond. By giving away useful items, such as water bottles or t-shirts, businesses can show their appreciation and thank those customers or employees who have done something special.
Finally, one of the greatest advantages of using promotional products is that they are a form of advertising that can help companies target specific customer segments. Instead of sending out flyers or brochures to everyone, businesses can pick and choose promotional items that appeal to their target audiences.
Promotional products are an effective way for businesses to stand out from their competitors, reach new customers, and reward current customers and employees. By taking advantage of all the benefits that promotional products offer, businesses can increase their visibility and promote their corporate identity, leading more traffic to their doors.
