Chances are, you have at least one promotional product at home or in the office: 80% of people do. Maybe it’s a pen you picked up at an event, a cute USB drive that a company sent you, or even a bookmark that often comes in handy.
Promotional products are popular – but what exactly are they used for, from the point of view of a company?
If this seems like an obvious question, you might want to consider giving it a bit of thought – because if you’re just handing out branded pens to anyone and everyone, you’re probably not getting great results from your promotional products.
You can use promotional products:
To Build a Connection With a Prospect
There are a lot of different promotional products out there (Good Things sells a dizzying array, including things like cheeseboards and toothpaste squeezers) – so you can easily pick something that will really appeal to your potential customer.
If you want to play it safe and opt for promotional pens, you’ll still want to pick ones that are just right: click here to take a look at a whole range of different types and styles.
To Get Prospects to Remember You
Prospects come across your brand every day – and almost instantly forget it. They might scroll past your posts on social media, or read a piece of content on your website, all while barely registering your company name.
By giving them branded products that they can keep on their desk or in their home, you hugely boost the chances of them remembering you.
To Reward Existing Customers
Don’t just think of promotional products as a way to spread awareness: they’re also a great tool for rewarding existing customers (and for encouraging them to buy again).
If you send something small but useful and relevant to a current customer, you’ll get your name and brand in front of them again … and you’ll have made a great investment in strengthening your relationship with them.
To Replace a Business Card
Have you ever cleared out your wallet or bag weeks after an event to find handfuls of business cards you’d forgotten about? By that point, you probably can’t remember why you were even interested in those individuals or companies.
Guess what: your prospects do exactly the same thing! Instead of handing over yet another business card, use promotional pens (or any other cheap branded products) with your contact details on instead.
To Encourage Word-of-Mouth Marketing
Many people pass on promotional products to friends, especially if they no longer need them or have duplicates. Some branded products are also particularly likely to be seen by other people (reusable coffee cups, for instance).
This means that branded products don’t just make an impact on the person you give them to: they can potentially reach that person’s network of family and friends too.
Whether you’re giving out promotional pens, coffee mugs, reusable cups, T-shirts, water bottles, USB drives, or something else entirely … branded products are a brilliant way to get your brand in front of prospects in a way that also builds your relationship with them. If you’ve not tried using promotional products to market your business before, why not give them a go?
If you’re looking for a guide on how to build a profitable marketing strategy, this article from Foundr is a good starting point. Building a strong marketing strategy should be at the forefront of your business growth.
