You’ve probably been to enough trade shows, employee events, and health fairs to acquire plenty of promotional products—those magnets, pens, t-shirts or baseball caps that fill up your swag bag and maybe your desk top. And your company probably uses promotional items itself. If so, that’s a smart move. If not, this could be the time to start. Here’s why:
- Promotional items are budget friendly. A vast array of promotional items means there’s something for every budget.
- Creativity pays big dividends when it comes to product selection. Remember: branded merchandise is more than a carrier for your logo. It’s an opportunity to represent your brand in a unique way. A promotional consultant can be a great resource for creative ideas and can help you find just the right product—the one that resonates with your brand and promotional goals.
- Branded merchandise gets passed along. A survey by the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) showed that 26 percent of promotional products are passed on to someone else. So, you’re getting at least 26 percent more bang out of every promotional product dollar you spend.
- People love getting branded merchandise. More than 80 percent of respondents to another PPAI survey said they liked receiving promotional products and more than 50 percent said they’d do business with the company that gave them. And, in a virtual world, branded merchandise is real. It hits any or all five senses: sight, sound, taste, touch, smell.
- High recall. Branded merchandise is remembered. More than 75 percent of people in the PPAI survey who had received an item of branded merchandise in the past 12 months recalled the advertiser’s name.
Although there are online aggregators of promotional products, opting to work directly with a promotional consultant has advantages that just aren’t available when you order online:
- Personalized service. From making product recommendations to ensuring your artwork is properly imprinted and that your items are distributed appropriately, your promotional product consultant is with you every step of the way.
- Time-saving. There are an estimated 700,000+ promotional items on the market. Do you really want to spend time sorting through even a fraction of them? Your promotional products consultant will offer ideas based on your unique needs—type of event, budget, and any special requests, for example.
- Attention to shipping details. Need shipping to a particular address on an exact day? Your promotional products professional will ensure that happens. Do your items need special care? You don’t want those chocolate logos to melt when they’re shipped to Florida. Your promotional products person will make sure their properly packaged so they don’t.
- Trendy (not tired) items. It’s their job to stay current with what’s hot and what’s not in promotional items, so your promotional products specialist can source products that grab attention while also meeting your goals and budget.
Are you ready to try your hand at branded merchandise by making it part of your promotional mix? Or have you used these kinds of products already and have ideas to share? Please send them along, so we can share them with our readers.
Nancy Reuscher is a product manager with Marketing Innovators International, Inc. She brings extensive experience with branded promotional products and works closely with clients to ensure that their reward mix is the best possible choice.
