Promotional Products – The Key to Success

[Rachel Clarkson]

The key to success in business is to be remembered by customers as soon as they need your kind of product or service, thus, you have to work to make it easy for them to remember you and locate you.

Advertising in newspapers, TV, or magazines are always good options, but quite expensive for small businesses to use regularly. This is why promotional products exist, to offer a free and practical token to your current clients or potential ones; something they can use on their daily routines, reminding them of you every time they do.

We have all received pens, key chains, or mugs engraved with a company's name. But, do you really understand the power promotional products have and how to get the best out of them?

The power of these products lies mostly on their durability. The more and longer your prospects can use them, the longer you will be remembered.

These statistics about promotional items will help you understand their power better:

-Mailing a promotional product with a letter can increase the response rate to it by 50%

-Clients who get a promotional item as a gift are more inclined to refer others to you

-Promotional products increase repeated orders by as much as 16%

-Giving an useful item as a gift instead of sending a thank you note will increase your positive image among clients by 25%

-At trade shows, promotional items can increase the presence and preference for your products or services by as much as 70%

There are lots of different products you can choose from and personalize according to your business and market; the important thing is to select something useful and that lasts, so that your customers are able to use it for a long time.

It is very positive to choose something related to your business, like key chains for car companies, caps for lawn-care businesses, or cash cans for banks. Anything you select must be top quality and meaningful for your prospects.

You can even choose to give different items for different people, depending on their consumer level; in the end, you will be remembered positively by everyone who receives a lovely free gift.

In regards to opportunities for giving small gifts away, there are thousands of them. Just be creative, as the most unexpected times are the most effective ones. You will certainly be remembered by giving an interesting and original gift, instead of not thinking out of the box. You can use these gifts to celebrate your company's anniversary, the launch of a new product or to create a “thank you” month. Give gifts to paying customers, support community events, sports teams or educational programs, recognize employees for their good work and commitment.

The key is to differentiate your company from the rest by giving added value to your clients and creating relationships with them. Show them you really care.

Feel free to publish this article on your website or blog. If you do, please add this info about the author: “Written by Francine Mertz. You can find more of her articles at www.sunshineproductsusa.com”

[Ian Arkin]

I think promotional products are very effective because they legitimize a brand. Instead of buying from a salesperson, the client is instead buying from an entity that has "brand power." It is like a layer of abstraction resulting in a pen or sticky-pad cube having more meaning than simply a marketing tool. "I am part of an elite group that has this tri-highlighter because it has the [Company X] logo on it," they think. They build brand recognition.

Speaking of which, does anyone have any contacts for purchasing promotional products? I am part of a company currently looking to purchase said promotional items for our current and potential clients, and we are price shopping right now. One idea we had was 1gb flash drives with our logo on them since we are a web development firm. Thoughts?

[Jane Howard]

Hi - I'd be glad to help you find just what you need - give me a call at 257-4111 ext 261 - I just joined Bright Ideas this week! Jane

[Linda J Ranger]

Ian - I always enjoy shopping for promotional products at Bright Ideas in Broad Ripple on Westfield Blvd since they have a showroom to give me an idea of quality and show a vast variety of products. Matt Middaugh is the President and is great to work with. If you stop in tell him "Hello" from me.
http://www.bright-ideas.org/

[Patricia Johnstone]

Salutations!

I do agree with you, the power of promotional products in huge. I think the real trick is to find items that people will want or actually use.

I have found that with the increasing awareness of the environment with our customers has created a paradigm shift in the fact that they don't "just take stuff" because it is free. Their thought is the less you use and consume the less manufacturing occurs...which means less of a carbon footprint.

I found this is the best place for... promotional products . I get all my company's promotional materials from them. Definitely worth your while to check them out :-)