What to Consider When Buying Promotional Products in Your Business

We always look for excellent, affordable marketing ideas to help our businesses thrive. This is especially the situation after a tough few years for most due to the global pandemic and related stay-at-home orders, staff shortages, shipping issues, etc.

One way to get your brand name out there and help engage more effectively with your customer base is to utilize promotional products. However, it's crucial to strategically buy and use the items to get the most bang for your buck with this type of investment.

Decide on a budget upfront.

Before shopping for giveaway gear, decide on your budget for this marketing activity. How much can you afford to spend on purchasing goods and feel comfortable outlying, based on other projects you need funds for and your likely return on investment? You're less likely to spend too much money on promotional products if you create a budget right from the start. You won't waste time looking at options that aren't feasible, either.

Know who you plan to give items to and why

Before you investigate different choices, get clear on exactly who you plan to give the products to and why. For example, do you plan on giving away goods to individuals or those at organizations, and what are these people interested in? Again, you should be clear on what's important to them, where and how they live and work, their family status, location, age, and more. 

When you target goods directly to a specific type of recipient, you're much more likely to make a definitive and positive impact and get a better return on investment. For example, buying branded coffee mugs can be perfect for busy parents who need some caffeine to start their day off or writers who brainstorm while having a hot cuppa. 

Take company values into account

Sustainable gifts such as reusable water bottles or tees made from organic cotton or bamboo suit people trying to have a lighter impact on the earth, while vegan tablet covers instead of leather ones suit vegans, vegetarians, and animal activists. The more targeted you can be with what you purchase for your giveaways, the better.

Also, know what your goals are for exercising. You might be buying promo gear to help you increase brand awareness or generate more leads, for instance, or it could even be to acknowledge and reward your team members or say thank you to your most loyal customers when they place their next order. Other objectives could be highlighting a new marketing campaign or helping launch a new product or service. Let the impression you want items to have and the results you're hoping to achieve guide you when buying promotional products. 

What your company stands for is another element to keep top of mind as you choose promotional products. What are the values, beliefs, mission, and other areas of note that the firm was started and operated based upon? Again, picking goods that reflect your business and its reputation is essential. 

For example, this could include protecting children, animals, or the earth, making severe, challenging things fun, helping people get fit and healthy, or entertaining or educating consumers. There’s no right or wrong here, as it all comes down to your venture’s branding and reason for being. However, when you hand out items that don’t align with company values, this can cause shoppers to lose trust in your business and wonder if you mean what you say.

Invest in multiple product options to suit different recipients and occasions

When utilizing a promotional product strategy for your organization, you might consider purchasing multiple items to suit different recipients and occasions. This, of course, requires a higher budget, typically, as you’ll need to buy at least the minimum order of each, but it can be a great way to get even better results. 

You might like to purchase goods in a few different price ranges and then give out the lower price-point items to new leads or customers and the costlier pieces to your most treasured clients whom you v want to impress. Or, you may want to invest in some unique, limited-edition products that you use to celebrate big occasions, such as long-term employee anniversaries.  Be open to what will work best for your particular business and the goals you have determined for the promo products you buy. 

Other tips to get the most out of what you spend on giveaways include considering product longevity, so you don’t have to worry about items going bad before you’ve used them all, and always adding a call to action on pieces. For example, this could be a website for people to check out. Analyze the results of your promotional expenditure, too, so you can tweak future purchases as needed. 

Promotional products come in all types and for all budgets and can assist entrepreneurs with achieving various objectives. So it’s worth considering this marketing strategy today.

Excellent benefits of business promotional products

Even with a tiny budget, business promotional products are worth the investment. Not convinced?

Check it out:

• 83% of people enjoy receiving a freebie
• 91% have at least one promo item in their kitchen
• 85% became a customer of a branded giveaway they received.

Those numbers are pretty strong, right? So investing in giveaways for events, trade shows, product launches, or even ‘just because is a great way to boost brand awareness. Your brand can benefit from promotional gifts in many ways. These top reasons for using branded gifts are a way to convince the person who holds your budget that it's a good business investment.

1. Products can be used again and again

A brand gift is not a one-time event. It won't get lost amongst a stack of business cards in your desk drawer. Branded items are everywhere: a handy mug, a fashionable bracelet, a tee for the gym: everyone uses them. So why pay for something when you've already got a freebie item in your drawer/kitchen/office that does the job?

2. Get more people to buy the same product

Your promotional gifts are used all the time. This means that others will also see your branding. Everyone considers the bamboo travel mug on their daily commute. During weeks of meetings, the notepad is often used. Your logo and contact information are easily shared with others by giving valuable giveaways. Imagine the additional impressions that you can make from one promotional item. It's amazing!

3. Create a recognizable brand

Promo products are an excellent way to create an instantly identifiable brand. Look at some well-known brands: Even if you remove the words from Coca-Cola, McDonald's or United Airlines, people will still recognize the logo.

It is easy to establish a strong brand if you keep your style consistent throughout your promotions. To make your brand easy to understand, ensure that promotional products are designed using the same fonts, colors, and logos. But, it's more than just color and logo. Customers will also notice how high-quality the items you give away are.

Although it might seem boring to stick to a color palette, it is the best way to go if people see a specific Pantone shade and immediately associate it with your company.

4. Make your brand memorable (not just awareness)

Many people will see your logo and become familiar with your brand. But, it's not enough to recognize your brand. People will also remember you as the person they trust when they need you.

On average, people keep their desk accessories for 14 months. This means they will be looking at your brand multiple times per week and relating it to their work for 14 months. After that, they'll think of you and go to you when they need your services.

5. Increase brand loyalty with existing customers

You don't need to lure new clients with promotional items. While branded candy will attract customers, more targeted promotional gifts can increase loyalty. For example, you can send your clients gifts to thank them for signing up, celebrating their anniversary, or just because. This will make them feel appreciated.

Sometimes all it takes to get someone to return to you is to offer an extra gift along with their next order. You don't need to give a large or expensive gift; small, functional products are much more valuable to customers. This increases loyalty and encourages customers to use your product or service rather than shop with competitors.

6. Exchange giveaways for leads

People love to get something for free, but they are also open to trading if the giveaway is worth it. High-value, branded products can also encourage customers to take action. If people feel they will get something in return for their information, they are more likely to give it away and trade their data. For example, if someone completes a questionnaire, you can offer a USB stick branded with your company's logo or a promotional mug.

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