How Should I use My Promotional Items?

We've all seen plenty of promotional product campaigns (heck, you've probably got a few promo items in your office right now!). And if you're here, you've probably seen some of the data suggesting that promotional items have a better ROI than most forms of digital and traditional marketing. But even with all this info, I find that many people are still hestiant to pull the trigger on their campaign. One of the top reasons? They're unsure how to use their promotional products. This is why I always advocate setting a goal before launching any type of marketing campaign. Your goal for the campaign will help dictate every detail, and will make launching and measuring your campaign much easier. But most importantly, don't put the horse before the cart. Decide what you expect to get out of the campaign before you launch it. So I've compiled a few different reasons why businesses launch promotional gift campaigns, but remember, these are just jumping off points. When conceptualizing your campaign, make sure it is tailored to your business needs.

• Brand Awareness: According to Schreber & Associates, 39% of people who received a promotional product can remember the name of the business 6 months later. The first step in bringing in new customers is making them aware of your business. And since promotional products are meant for repeat use, potential customers are being frequently exposed to your product. Over time this will result in new customers.
• Attract New Customers: I know, obviously the reason we do any of this stuff is to attract new customers. But what I'm talking about here is a direct response marketing approach. Rather than simply looking for brand awareness that will pay off over time, in this scenario you would use a timely offer inconjunction with your promotional product that would encourage recipients to act immediately (something along the lines of a discount that expires soon).
• Promote A Positive Image: A variation on brand awareness, many businesses and companies will sponsor a local event by providing custom t-shirts, or a personalized gift. Some great ways to do this include sponsoring little league teams, to offering gifts to volunteers at a local non profit. This is a great way to build good will in your community, and besides the benefits to your business, it's something you can feel good about doing!
• Incentivize Employees: Promotional products aren't just for giveaways to potential customers. Gifts can be used to motivate your team to meet their goals. Great gifts like personalized tablet computers or a watch can really motivate your sales teams.
• Improve Other Marketing Campaigns: Many businesses use promotional items as a way to enhance and improve their other campaigns. For instance, try offering a free promotional gift to any one who fills out a form on your website. This can increase your email list, and you still get the benefit of sharing a promotional product with a customer.

These are just a few of the ways you can use promotional products, but remember, these aren't the only ways. Feel free to get creative with your promotional item goals. As long as you start with a strong concept that will help you reach these goals, there's no wrong way to use promotional products.