3 Ways to Empower Employees With Promotional Products

New employee carrying branded promotional products

When you hear the term “promotional products” you may picture items designed to promote your brand to potential customers and clients as a means to increase sales. While many logoed items fall into this category, promotional products also have many applications internally, for use by your employees. Here are 3 ways you can help your business to succeed by investing in promotional products for employees.

1) Onboarding Kit for New Employees

New hires can breathe new life into your business. But it may take them a while to settle in as a member of your company. You can help new employees feel like a part of the team with an onboarding kit.

Ideally, an onboarding kit is a mix of items that are informative, useful for that employee’s role, and some fun pieces your new employee can use during work or play.

Selection of branded items for employees
The promotional items you choose to provide to new employees will differ depending on the nature of your business and the role of each employee.

Some items to include in such a kit could be:

  • A branded polo, vest, fleece jacket, or hat
  • Metal water bottle
  • Pen, personalized note sheets, or mousepad
  • Lanyard & badge reel, if employees will need ID cards to access your office space
  • Tote bag
  • A journal to keep track of all the new info coming their way
  • Ceramic mug to enjoy a cup of coffee at their desk
  • A pocket folder holding employee guidelines, outlines for new hires, or other important files and information
  • A logoed USB drive with various digital resources that may help orient a new employee

An onboarding kit for your business will likely look different from that of another, based on the tools employees need to succeed in your industry. For instance, a fitness center may give new employees a decorated athletic polo or t-shirt, while a bank or insurance company might choose to provide a debossed planner.

2) Put Promotional Products to Work

Employee wearing branded apparel and carrying branded promotional items

Similar to an onboarding kit, you may decide to provide your employees with branded items for use in the field. If your employees are regularly attending meetings, client appointments, or site visits, having branded items to bring with them can help to develop a professional image for your company.

Branded apparel is especially relevant in this category. Consumers associated employees who wear branded apparel with companies that are professional, knowledgeable, and reliable. A branded jacket or polo helps to give your employee a sense of authority in the eyes of the customer. And, it can create the sense that the employee is proud of the company they work for, generating a positive impression of your business.

Again, the items you may provide to your employees will depend on your niche market and each employee’s role in your company. Let’s take the example of a business that offers installation and maintenance of electrical systems.

An electrician visiting an existing customer to solve a technical issue may sport an embroidered polo, and carry a clipboard, pen, and tool bag imprinted with the company’s logo. As soon as they walk in the door, the customer knows where the employee is from and what they’re here for. This can instantly instill trust and confidence in the service.

Likewise, an employee in a sales role may visit a potential client wearing an embroidered button-down shirt, carrying a debossed padfolio in which to take notes. He or she may also bring a logoed pocket folder to leave with the client detailing the company’s services and timeline of the work to be completed.

3) Thank You Gifts

woman in white t-shirt holding red gift with pink ribbon
Ribbon image created by Valeria_aksakova – Freepik.com

Whether during the holidays, to celebrate a milestone or successful campaign, or just because, you may want a special way to say thank you to your work team. A thank you could take the form of a smaller item, like a water bottle or ball cap, that could go to everyone in the company. Or, you could invest in some higher-end items, like an engraved pen, a Bluetooth or Bose speaker, or leather journal for your executive level employees.

Another way to use branded items are as achievement awards. This could be etched glass plaques given as awards to long serving employees. It could also be yearly or quarterly rewards of a higher-quality promotional piece to go to the top selling employee in that period.

In each of these cases, the use of promotional products is all about recognition and professionalism. By gifting your employees with a useful branded item, you’re reminding them in a visible, tangible way that they are a valued member of your work community.

Do you have a company milestone coming up? Looking for new hires? Or are you ready to create a more cohesive image for your brand? All of these are occasions when promotional products can be used to support and reward your employees. Contact Sarah, our Promotional Specialist, to start building your brand’s image with promotional products.