Do You Know How Versatile Promotional Products Are, Really?

Promotional items are versatile products that can be imprinted with a company’s logo, information, marketing message, etc. This is the basic definition of these tangible items. Because of their versatility, there are multiple ways to use them.

For example, these items can be used to help a company’s brand image, increase both customer and employee loyalty, help you connect with new prospects and drive sales, to name a few. The interesting part is what you do with them is what really counts because that is how you will use them effectively enough to see results.

How do you know where to begin? The best way to figure out how to use them is to define how you intend to use the products.

There are Two Main Intentions:

1. Branding. This is when you want to enhance your company’s brand image and look more professional. When your goal is branding you want your logo on everything in your office to streamline your brand presence internally.
2. Achieving a goal. Promotional items can help you achieve goals like increasing sales, customer loyalty and customer appreciation. If you’re looking to achieve a goal, you want to create a strategy or campaign.

To decide which side of the fence you are on, ask yourself: “am I buying the products because I want to see my logo on something and to look professional?” Or, “do I need these items to give me measurable results because I am trying to achieve a goal?”

If you have the intention to use them for branding, you can use promotional items for:

• Brand consistency around the office. For example, branded office supplies.
• Employee uniforms
• An online store with your company’s merchandise that is available for your employees to purchase.

If you resonate more with the second category, you can use promotional items for:

Increase Sales

Trying to increase sales? Host a contest on social media and give promotional items to the winner. For example, “the first 100 customers to come to our store next Friday will receive a free tumbler”.

Or, send out a mailer. To do this, add a coupon code to your promotional item and a call to action for redemption. An example of this is if a driving range mailed a golf ball to prospects and customers. In the mailer, include a flyer for a free bucket of golf balls when they purchase a bucket with the message “first one is on us”.

Customer Loyalty

Think of a rewards club or frequent buyer program to implement if you’re looking for customers to keep coming back.

For example, companies have implemented member clubs, birthday clubs or something that relates to their customers and business. When you implement a customer loyalty program, this looks like rewarding customers every once in a while with a special gift.

Employee Incentives

Want your employees to achieve a higher volume of customer compliments? Boost company morale? Improve personal bests? Achieve sales goals?

A great way to do this is to motivate employees with rewards every time they complete their next milestone or goal they set for themselves.

Thank You Gifts

Follow up sales with a thank you gift to appreciate them for their business. To appreciate employees, follow up accomplished goals with gifts.

The rule of thumb for a gift is don’t put your logo on a gift. A gift should have the recipients name printed on the gift to make it more personal. Whether it’s for a prospect, a client or an employee, printing your logo on the item makes it branded not personalized. Gifts should always be personalized because you are giving it to a specific person not advertising to them.

When you’re giving away a gift, always think twice about whet her or not you should put your logo on it by asking yourself, is this a promotion or a gift? If it’s a promotion, that’s when you brand. If it’s a gift you want it to be personal.

Membership Incentives

Give prospects an incentive to sign up with your club, gym, member association etc. Give customers “exclusive” or “member’s only” prizes and gifts for signing up for membership, and paying membership dues.

Not only can this lead to more sign ups, you will have happier members.

As you can see, the fact that promotional items and the way you can use them are so versatile is one of their best qualities!

The methods above are only some of the ways you can use promotional items. Really, it depends on your intention and the goals you have for your company. By using these parameters, you can create a greater impact on your marketing and business goals, branding, event, company program, and more.