Take a look around your work space. How many branded items do you see? I’ve got 4 within easy reach—in fact, 74% of consumers have at least 1 promotional product in their work space.
There are a lot of numbers out there citing the effectiveness of promotional products. They are a usable, versatile advertising medium that can generate awareness of and excitement about your brand. But how and when should you go about using them? Try one of these 5 strategies to start incorporating promotional products into your business strategy.
1. Trade Shows
Trade shows are a popular occasion to use promotional products in a variety of ways. Table cloths, floor mats, and banner stands are all areas where you can maximize the look and feel of your trade show booth with promotional products.
An event like this is also a chance for valuable face time with potential customers or other businesses. To make the experience more memorable, you can provide a branded gift item for visitors to your booth. Depending on the show you are attending and who would be receiving your promo item, you can take a couple of different approaches.
Items like pens, note pads, magnets, and some tech accessories are popular for giveaways because they are generally inexpensive and used by a variety of different people. If you have a small budget but want to provide a branded item for visitors to take home, you can consider such an item.
However, sometimes these events are a time to make a substantial impression. That’s when it can be effective to invest in a higher-end promo giveaway that you can use as part of a package. With this method, it’s all about the presentation. Find an item your audience will want to take home and use, add custom branded packaging, and create a memorable experience that will generate interest and leads.
2. Safety Programs
In construction and industrial fields, there is large potential for on the job accidents to happen. When they do, the results can be devastating, including injuries, loss of productivity and morale, and loss of money.
Sometimes, companies will hold training sessions to help improve understanding of safety practices and regulations. Promotional items can be given out as part of the course, or as a reward for completion.
Other companies have found that promotional items work well as incentives to improve workplace safety. In one successful promotion, a national bakery created a program to give a gift to employees every month they went without having an accident. The items encompassed a variety of products, including apparel, drinkware, and tool kits. Each item was chosen as appropriate and usable for the employees who would receive them.
The results? The bakery went an entire year without having an accident. While promotional campaigns are often designed as an upfront investment that will generate more business and income in the long run, in this case the cost of the promotion was dwarfed by the amount of money the bakery saved by not having to stop production due to accidents.
3. Wellness Programs
Like safety programs, wellness programs are designed to incentivize employee behavior. Maintaining a focus on employee health benefits both employees and businesses. Corporate wellness programs have been shown to reduce the number of days employees miss work, increase productivity, and reduce healthcare costs. When your employees use an item branded with your logo during their fitness or wellness routine, it’s a reminder that you care about their health.
Some popular wellness-focused promo items include:
- Reusable Water Bottles: Staying hydrated has been shown to reduce fatigue, boost cognitive performance, and protect against certain illnesses.
- Stress Relievers: Both mental and physical health are important for employee satisfaction and performance.
- Exercise Accessories: Fitness trackers, pedometers, exercise bands, and more are all ways to encourage employees to pay attention to and take better care of their bodies.
4. Employee/Top Client Gifts
A popular saying about promotional products is that they are the only advertising medium people like receiving and will thank you for. That’s why many businesses use promo as gifts for hard working employees and top clients.
This can take many forms:
- Plaques or glass awards to honor milestones
- Part of a special package mailed to long-term clients
- An item you can leave behind after client meetings
- Yearly or monthly awards for top achievers
- Quality branded apparel for employees to wear on the job
5. Direct Mail Campaigns
Tradeshows are often all about generating new leads for your business. You’re in an environment where you can connect with potential customers or partners, and you have a chance to wow them with your presentation.
But often, the people or companies you most want to get in touch with aren’t all going to be in the same room. To make an impression on these individuals and make sure your message is heard, you can incorporate a promotional product into a direct mail campaign.
Why is this successful? If we’re honest, we probably don’t open every envelope we receive in the mail. But when you mail a promotional item as part of a package, it’s likely in a box or bulky envelope that, more often than not, is going to be noticed and opened.
First, you’ll want to determine who you’ll be sending to and what kinds of promotional items they’re likely to use. Then, you can combine the item with a letter of introduction, brochure detailing your services, or any other content you want to use to inspire interest and generate action. Packaged together, you have an impressive way to get your foot in the door and encourage more recipients to accept your follow up calls.
Start Generating More Leads with Promotional Products
Interested in incorporating branded promotional products into your marketing strategy? At Paw Print, we can help you find the right item for your intended audience, take care of the ordering process for you, and use our design and creative marketing teams to put together promo packages to wow your audience. Contact our Promotional Branding Specialist, Sarah, today to get started!