With so many advertising and promotion options, finding a promotional product supplier has become secondary to finding firms to improve company websites and internet identity. Is the effectiveness of promotional products obsolete? Is there still a benefit to setting aside a budget to give these things to clients and potential customers?
The convenience of promotional items like pens is easy—people like to get free stuff. It doesn't matter whether you spend on a fancy freebie or give out generic and token items just to implant your name among clients, people will likely be grateful for whatever you give them. This immediately gives you a good reputation before clients even do business with you.
Promotional products like pens are long-term marketing strategies. They can get you, new clients, years after you give them. This is why big corporations like pharmaceutical companies don't release their promotional products despite being popular brand names. It is a cost-effective method compared to other outbound marketing strategies.
Since there are advantages to finding promotional suppliers and giving your clients free stuff to remember you by, the question now becomes which product to associate your name with. When choosing a product, look at usability. Things like notepads and pens are always relevant no matter who you give them to.
If possible, avoid products that cannot be borrowed or disposed of easily. People throw away your pens or lend them to someone else they are still useful. By exposing your company to a different circle, someone can easily pick it up and use it. T-shirts can be fun to give to your employees but not to your big-name clients as they are less likely to wear your company shirt.
Whatever product you choose to advertise, try to make it as relevant as possible. If you're a law firm and you give out pens and papers instead of totes, it makes for easy association. It also shows creativity. If this is not possible for you, you can use your imagination and find an innovative item supplier to offer unique items instead.
Make promotional products relevant to your target audience. If you have a company that would benefit from a lot of young clients, make your product attractive and useful to young people. If you plan to bring a fan or umbrella, try the weather and time of year. If you offer weather-sensitive products off-season, you run the risk of clients putting them in storage, leaving you with no exposure at all.
More companies may be giving out promo items like pens to improve their internet relevance but giving away freebies to customers has been tried and tested to maintain their good graces. As important as it is to invest in good advertising, keep offering these items when you can afford them. The indirect promotions you get from these products are ultimately priceless.