Promotional Products: Do They Still Work?

We all love a bargain, and freebies can be even more appealing! But do people actually use promotional products, or do they just end up throwing them out? The answer lies in the quality and choice of the marketing product and its value to the customer or client's life.

When choosing a promotional product to use as an advertising gimmick, the savvy business owner needs to weigh up the pros and cons of the item of choice and decide whether it will add or detract from the business image as well as deciding whether that product is actually relevant to the business. Promotional items that look cheap and are of limited use to customers will soon end up in the bin, resulting in a negative business image and a wasted marketing budget.

Great Ideas for Practical Products

While pens, pencils, calendars and key rings may immediately spring to mind when choosing marketing gifts, these are items that tend to be chosen by businesses time and time again. And to be frank, if a calendar is not relevant to a recipient or a key ring looks cheap or uninteresting, these will soon be tossed aside or thrown out with the rubbish!

Choosing promotional gifts means selecting products that will stand out from the crowd and be used time and time again. This will ensure that a business name or logo will be foremost in the user's mind every time he or she uses that item. Choose products that are current, useful and desirable, such as protective mobile socks or mobile wrist straps, ideal in a world where mobile phone usage increases daily.

Ask the Customer

Finding out what customers may appreciate as promotional gifts would have been time-consuming a few years ago, but now, as social media usage has become a popular means of communication, businesses will find that they have a quick and simple way of finding out what customers want. For example, opening a business-related Facebook page is simple and allows direct contact with those who are interested in what the business has to offer.

Utilise the popularity of 'Facebook giveaways' by asking customers what they consider a useful promotional gift, and use the responses to make choices. A popular way to encourage social media interaction is to invite page followers to 'like and share' a promotional giveaway, spreading the page's reach towards a wider audience. And, of course, remember to reward those who have participated by giving them a gift as a thank you from the business.

Avoid Gimmicks

Every business owner, whether large or small, must focus on attracting customers to use their services or buy their products. Using gimmicks to attract business can backfire, leaving customers feeling tricked and annoyed and generating a negative feeling toward the business concerned, which may cause irreparable damage to a small business trying to survive.

Choose promotional products with a value to those receiving the gifts. Gimmicky products may convey a cheap business image and, while they may be inexpensive to purchase as part of a marketing strategy, will not be received with enthusiasm!