Read on to learn about a uniquely powerful and cost effective marketing tool
Even if you've never used a branded promotional item in your own marketing activities, you have certainly been the recipient of one. Pens with company logos and phone numbers, fridge magnets, baseball caps - we all have them and probably use them on a daily basis. But did you realise that these small tokens are one of the most powerful ways of promoting your business to both existing and potential customers - so perhaps now's the time to give them serious consideration.
Why use branded promotional items?
Branded promotional products can range from simple giveaways such as pens, badges and balloons to high quality add-ons that will enhance the perceived quality of your product and your brand name. Luxury packaging and heritage gifts in particular will leave the recipient feeling valued by you and in turn will add value to your relationship with them, while functional promotional items such as good pens, bottle openers or desk tidies can keep your corporate name in a position of visibility for far longer than a magazine or newspaper advert, often for a lower overall spend.
Whether your promotional item comes as an add-on to purchase or you give it a way as a freebie at an event or send it out to targeted prospects, if you have chosen the right item it will not only enhance brand awareness but also build customer loyalty. Add to that the fact that these effects will last longer than almost any other form of marketing and the advantages of using promotional giveaways become indisputable.
What promotional items should I choose?
Depending upon your business, this can be a tricky question. Naturally, there are a multitude of items that you could choose to have branded with your company name, logo, and web address or telephone number. However, in choosing which to commission, there are some key considerations:
€ Does the choice of item reflect your positioning in the market? If you produce upmarket heritage fashion, a cheap key ring or bright mug isn't going to do anything to enhance brand quality in the mind of the recipients. Likewise, if your primary product is aimed at children, make sure you choose something that will appeal to the appropriate age demographic. It's all a matter of choosing something that accurately reflects your brand values.
€ Be mindful of your budget in relation to how many prospects you want to target. Do you need something that you can use as a blanket giveaway at an event that will attract thousands of people or are you looking to target relatively few, high-value prospects with a gift they will think of as special?
€ How does the item you've chose speak to the recipient about your brand values? Where will it place you in the market and in relation to your nearest competitors?
How to succeed with promotional branding
Without in-depth market analysis, these questions can be hard to answer, and it is at the conceptual stage that you could benefit most from using a specialist promotions consultant. They will be able to analyse your brand, your market and the competition and come up with a solution that will be an effective marketing tool and will add real value. They will also be able to advise on design, production and distribution for your chosen promotional item.
The more care you take in producing something unique that speaks with your own corporate voice, the more effective it will be as a marketing tool. One area which has proven to be particularly value enhancing is the use of luxury promotional products. This can be used to produce presentation versions of your premium products or to enhance quality during targeted sales periods such as Christmas or leading up to Valentine's Day. Linking your product to a national event such as the Jubilee or the Olympics, with special editions and free give-aways is another way in which promotional branded items can be used to build your corporate profile - but be careful to choose events and areas that have some relevance to your product or overlap in target audience.
Combining longevity of effect with brand value enhancement gives promotional product marketing the edge over many more conventional forms of marketing. The key to using it successfully is to identify the right product and to target it effectively at high quality prospects. Using a specialist promotions consultant will ensure that your promotional budget is used to fullest effect and that you derive maximum benefit from your branded marketing campaign.
Even if you've never used a branded promotional item in your own marketing activities, you have certainly been the recipient of one. Pens with company logos and phone numbers, fridge magnets, baseball caps - we all have them and probably use them on a daily basis. But did you realise that these small tokens are one of the most powerful ways of promoting your business to both existing and potential customers - so perhaps now's the time to give them serious consideration.
Why use branded promotional items?
Branded promotional products can range from simple giveaways such as pens, badges and balloons to high quality add-ons that will enhance the perceived quality of your product and your brand name. Luxury packaging and heritage gifts in particular will leave the recipient feeling valued by you and in turn will add value to your relationship with them, while functional promotional items such as good pens, bottle openers or desk tidies can keep your corporate name in a position of visibility for far longer than a magazine or newspaper advert, often for a lower overall spend.
Whether your promotional item comes as an add-on to purchase or you give it a way as a freebie at an event or send it out to targeted prospects, if you have chosen the right item it will not only enhance brand awareness but also build customer loyalty. Add to that the fact that these effects will last longer than almost any other form of marketing and the advantages of using promotional giveaways become indisputable.
What promotional items should I choose?
Depending upon your business, this can be a tricky question. Naturally, there are a multitude of items that you could choose to have branded with your company name, logo, and web address or telephone number. However, in choosing which to commission, there are some key considerations:
€ Does the choice of item reflect your positioning in the market? If you produce upmarket heritage fashion, a cheap key ring or bright mug isn't going to do anything to enhance brand quality in the mind of the recipients. Likewise, if your primary product is aimed at children, make sure you choose something that will appeal to the appropriate age demographic. It's all a matter of choosing something that accurately reflects your brand values.
€ Be mindful of your budget in relation to how many prospects you want to target. Do you need something that you can use as a blanket giveaway at an event that will attract thousands of people or are you looking to target relatively few, high-value prospects with a gift they will think of as special?
€ How does the item you've chose speak to the recipient about your brand values? Where will it place you in the market and in relation to your nearest competitors?
How to succeed with promotional branding
Without in-depth market analysis, these questions can be hard to answer, and it is at the conceptual stage that you could benefit most from using a specialist promotions consultant. They will be able to analyse your brand, your market and the competition and come up with a solution that will be an effective marketing tool and will add real value. They will also be able to advise on design, production and distribution for your chosen promotional item.
The more care you take in producing something unique that speaks with your own corporate voice, the more effective it will be as a marketing tool. One area which has proven to be particularly value enhancing is the use of luxury promotional products. This can be used to produce presentation versions of your premium products or to enhance quality during targeted sales periods such as Christmas or leading up to Valentine's Day. Linking your product to a national event such as the Jubilee or the Olympics, with special editions and free give-aways is another way in which promotional branded items can be used to build your corporate profile - but be careful to choose events and areas that have some relevance to your product or overlap in target audience.
Combining longevity of effect with brand value enhancement gives promotional product marketing the edge over many more conventional forms of marketing. The key to using it successfully is to identify the right product and to target it effectively at high quality prospects. Using a specialist promotions consultant will ensure that your promotional budget is used to fullest effect and that you derive maximum benefit from your branded marketing campaign.
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