Why Are Promotional Products Still Being Used By Companies?

Posted on Nov 26 2013 - 10:26am by Ivan Dimitrijevic

Promotional Campaign

There is no doubt about the impact a good marketing campaign can have on your business. The question CEO’s like to bring up is what actually constitutes a good marketing campaign. You can’t really tell with absolute certainty whether a promotional campaign is going to work until its all over and the numbers are in, so there is no way to be sure that your investment will pay off. No one enjoys their investments failing to bring what they were supposed to bring. This is why you should gather some data on how your promotional campaign is going to work out – does it  as you think?

Using promotional products doesn’t really grant you much of an edge over your competition, as this is a common tactic that everyone employs as a cheap and easy means of getting their brand name out there. However, giving away trinkets like lighters, keyrings and pens has become a pretty standard practice and a company that fails to implement this simple marketing tool can be thought of as lower grade. People are so accustomed to receiving free items as part of a company’s promotional efforts that those who fail to provide the goods are considered cheap. It all boils down to “If company X can’t afford TV ads, billboard signs and promotional products, than they are not really as good as the competition, who clearly has enough funding to afford all of these things” – this is not the reputation you want to get.

That being said, you will still want to a bit tactical and incorporate these products into a larger scheme. With that in mind, here is what you need to know about promotional products:

Are people going to throw it away as soon as they get the chance?

This is the first thing that comes to mind to most people who just started using promotional products in their marketing campaign. You should know here that people will throw away stickers, papers, and similar advertisements, but not practical things. And you are certainly going to use practical things for promotion. Things like pens, mugs and bags, are rarely discarded so easily, since people use them all the time, which is why they have proven to be the most effective promotional products. People tend to keep useful items for several years, and during that time a lot of other people could see them and even use them, which is why it would be good to have your logo on those products.

Do people really see logos on branded products?

The short answer – yes. The question you should be asking is whether this truly makes a difference. The answer to this question lies in the psychology of people. Studies have been done on this and it seems that people doremember logos and slogans for quite a while after exposure. I had a person tell me that these don’t really work because he received a bag from such and such company last year and even though he uses it he doesn’t feel any particular urge to buy their products. What this person fails to realize is that he has become a walking billboard and actually remember the name of the company a year later – this is all anyone can really ask from such a cheap marketing tool.

Will people really consider buying what you’re offering after seeing your logo on a promotional product?

The wider masses will constantly be exposed to your brand through such products in combination with signs, ads and online marketing efforts. For a lot of people it won’t really make a difference, but you only need to reach a small amount of people who are willing to spend their money. When they need a particular product or service guess who’s name is going to be the first to pop up in their head? The one they have been fed constantly day in and day out.

The answers to these questions are thankfully positive enough for most people, which is why you need to consider promotional products. Besides the ones we already mentioned, there are plenty of others which you can use as well. Products such as stress shapes, pencils, key rings, water bottles and more are among the ones you can consider. But remember what we already said – keep in mind the general wants and needs of your targeted audience. And don’t worry that they are going to want some unusual items, most people are interested in the products we already mentioned. If not, just think about the general things that people need every day. All the products that you are likely to use – you will certainly be able to find them easily.

In conclusion, I hope that the information provided is what you needed to hear in order for you to start your promotional campaign. All that I can add is good luck with your marketing campaign and may it bring you success in your business.

Photo Credit: Flickr/fsse8info

About the Author

Ivan Dimitrijevic is an Online Marketing consultant and blogger who likes to research the latest trends in business, technology and marketing and writes about a range of topics. His favorite topics include small business development, marketing strategies and web design.