Businesses need promotional products as a cost-effective means of reaching out to more potential customers. This is a low-cost marketing method to drive customers. Even established global players resort to this marketing strategy. For small businesses like startups, promotional products help cut their marketing budget and still draw people’s attention.
Promotional products have been in use as cost-effective marketing tactics for years. Right from new businesses to big enterprises, these giveaways are marketers’ favorite. One of the renowned websites has listed some interesting stats about the use of promotional products. Here are some of them:
- In the U.S, 8 out of 10 consumers have one to 10 promotional products
- Six out of 10 such consumers keep promotional products with them for up to two years.
- 85% of people do business with the advertiser after receiving a promotional item.
- 31% of U.S consumers own a promotional bag.
- 89% of consumers can recall the advertiser even two years after receiving a promotional product.
- 63% of consumers give away their promotional products when not needed.
The importance of promotional products for business promotion can be gauged from these stats. According to a study by PPAI, 94% of people remember where they received a promotional product gift.
The study reveals that 83% of consumers like to get promotional products that have an advertising message. Those who receive the products, 85% of them do business with the advertiser. Furthermore, 58% of the surveyed consumers said they keep the gift items from one year to four years.
Another important stat revealed by the study is that 89% of the consumers said they could recall the advertiser’s name or company name for 24 months after getting the items.
Furthermore, promotional products draw a whopping 500% more referrals from customers who are satisfied with the gift items. These crucial stats lay emphasis on the significance of promotional products for marketing and brand recognition.
Here are some reasons why promotional products are crucial for any business.
Low-Cost Effective Marketing
Many small enterprises can only dream of an overwhelming advertising campaign on a large scale, spreading all over the divergent media.
But they can still achieve their marketing goals with low-cost promotional product campaigns. There are many low-cost promotional items for startups.
Most of the manufacturers of promotional products keep the prices very low for mass distribution. Prices of the gift items are low but the impact is high on the recipients.
According to Sageworld.com, personalized coffee mugs, in particular, are effective advertising as 57% of people were able to recall the advertiser on a mug. The products thus deliver a great value for your investment. You will win your customers with a simple giveaway.
Instant Brand Recognition
Brand recognition implies that consumers can identify your company and its products or services immediately when they spot your logo. For example, people can immediately recognize McDonald’s fast food business on seeing its yellow arch logo.
Your gift of promotional items to the customers helps them in remembering and recognizing your business. This is one of the key reasons to distribute promotional items.
An article published in technomarketinginc.com states that 89% of consumers can recall the advertiser of a promotional product they’d received in the last two years.
The gift remains in their homes and offices or cars etc. for a long time, reminding them of your business and company. In fact, consumers hang on to promotional products for an average of 6.6 months.
The next time, when they see your logo they instantly remember the gift and your business. The customers will remember your business even more if you gift them a branded item. They will reward your business by recognizing your products when they go shopping.
Greater Exposure to Your Business
An advertisement on TV or announcement on promotional sites such as Joy of Android or billboard passes through your eyes immediately in a few seconds. But, gift items are in use most of the time and are in front of eyes.
For example, the consumers will wear your gift of a trendy T-shirt design for many days. Or, they will sip from your tea or coffee mug more often. Such freebies are an excellent way for increasing your business exposure on daily basis.
According to Ppai.org, 76.1% of participants could recall the name of the advertiser on the promotional product that they received in the past 12 months.
In comparison, only 53.5% of participants could recall the name of an advertiser they had seen in a magazine or newspaper in the previous week. Businesses also take the help of marketing service providers like Webtrends Sites to promote products or services online.
Works As Your Business Card
Business cards introduce your company and its products to the consumers. Your promotional products also function more or less in the same way but with better results.
When distributing your gift items related to your business and industry, you are actually introducing your business to potential consumers.
According to Marketingsherpa.com, 71.6% of attendees who received a promotional product remembered the name of the company that gave them the product.
Remember the promotional giveaways also have your contact information just as business cards have. The gift items have your company logo, images, and a slogan depicting your business message.
The tangible branded product thus works as a useful business card that the consumers can use daily.
Promotional products also work as part of your social media campaign. You can use promotional products as part of your social media campaign. For example, you should print your QR codes on a promotional bottle. You can also put your hashtags on t-shirts and other promotional items.
Customer Loyalty
Your customers’ should be purchasing your company’s products frequently when needed. Marketers spend more additional resources to build a solid base of loyal customers. They use promotional products to drive customer loyalty in a short period.
However, make sure that your promotional merchandise is of high-quality standards and preferably branded. People will associate the premium quality of the gift items with your quality of business.
This will help a lot in keeping the first-time buyers of your products forever. An article published in Risinghillmarketing.com reveals customers who received a promotional product scored 52% higher than a letter only.
In conclusion, find out your own way to use promotional products to drive customers. It would be great if you include promotional products in your marketing mix. Branded promotional merchandise will even create a buzz around your company and brand.
Make sure that the gift items are innovative and well-planned. A cleverly chalked-out promotional campaign using the giveaway items will complement other forms of marketing such as your TV and newspaper ads.
This way, your marketing campaign will create a greater impact on the target audience and will help raise your brand’s profile.
While promotional items bring customers’ attention to your brand, your logo, business cards, website, etc. graphic design must also be able to drive customers.