The selection of promotional items available today are so vast and varied that you might start getting paralysed trying to decide what’s the best option for your marketing campaign. You’ll have to pick one that’s relevant to your target market, provides practical use and has an aesthetic appeal to make clients want to keep them on their desks for a long time. Here’s our shortlist of the top promotional items, along with interesting trivia about each product’s strengths, and how best they can support your marketing message.
It’s amazing how even the simplest branded promotional item can give you so many business benefits inside and outside your company.
First, corporate giveaways motivate leads by making way for conversation starters. Even a simple promotional pen eases your brand into their awareness much easier than any clever slogan.
Second, promo gifts can also create a positive attitudes within the workplace when anyone in the office receives small tokens of appreciation on special occasions work should be fun right!
And last, these marketing giveaways create lasting residual value by being kept for longer periods/ or by being passed around. (pens can be owned by up to 7 people during their life!)
The Power of Residual Marketing
Residual Marketing offers what is called the “residual marketing effect” or RME, which happens after the initial campaign is over, and past the novelty phase of a marketing tool. RME affords opportunities for brand awareness at an organic phase – without the struggles of hard selling. This eventually leads to better brand recall and retention.
Promotional products are the perfect example of this phenomenon. They get a proper introduction to decision makers and they stay in front of them until a purchasing decision is made and sometimes long after keeping you in your customers mind which can lead to referrals and repeat business. This is more likely to happen once a promotional gift is kept for longer and longer periods.
Promo Items Brand Recall by the Numbers
75 % response rate for sales letters with enclosed free gifts*
A Promotional Products International Association (PPIA) study in 1992 indicated that direct mail offers with free gifts are more likely to be opened. The added bonus of a promotional gift works as continued advertising long after the sales letter has been thrown in the bin.
A branded coffee mug can be seen as much as 5 times a day*
One of the advantages of promotional products is that it provides the most cost effective cost/impression rate. Compared to radio or TV ads, where each impression is delivered at such a huge expense, the practical use of promo items leave a better impression, and can stimulate a purchasing decision much more effectively.
a 100 sheet notepad can give as much as 100 impressions*
This doubles if the note is passed to another person! Promotional items are so effective that impressions do not stop as long as the item is seen. This guarantees better brand awareness.
(*Source: “The Power of Promotional Products: ..”, By Maria Carlton, David Blaise)
Increase Your Market Share with Promotional Products
With effective promotional campaigns that use promotional items, you can tap into the residual marketing effect to double or triple your market share. If you know your target market well and know how to gain their attention, make your marketing message heard time and time again with a relevant marketing giveaway to suit their needs.
If you need help picking the right promotional item for your campaign, get in touch with us on the phone, via the web, send us a letter (old school!) or connect with us on social (digital is where its at!). We have been in the business of branding since 2007 and we offer a wide selection of promotional products for any type of campaign you have in mind.
As we are continually moving towards a more technical kind of marketing, through online and digital, its refreshing (and hopeful) to know that traditional marketing tools are still sought after today. According to the latest marketing surveys, promotional items have not lost their appeal with marketers. A study done by the British Promotional Merchandise Association (BPMA) shows that they are still as popular as ever. It seems in this digital world there is still room for touch and feel, haptic marketing is an advantage that shouldn’t been under played.
It makes the message tangible and gives your target a hands on experience that helps them lodge it in their long-term memory. In fact you will probably be out manoeuvring your competition if you remember to use all senses in your marketing approach.
Popular Promotional Products Being Purchased
The latest marketing surveys done in 2015 say that among the top promotional products, pens are the most popular, followed by bags and electronics. Many are noticing the rise of promotional gadgets as a favorite among consumers. It’s not surprising since a major demographic among businesses now are millennials and commuters who value social media and online transactions as part of their day to day lives.
Top Uses for a Promotional Product
Generally, marketers use promo items to push several marketing messages like brand visibility or attracting leads, but for the most part, they use these products for raising brand awareness. Here’s the breakdown:
74% of promo items are used for increasing brand visibility
59% are used at events, fairs, seminars
19% are used in direct mail marketing
This study showed that 70% of study respondents use promo items mainly for brand awareness objectives. Keeping your brand top of mind!
What Makes a Successful Promotional Item
Marketers also noted the following qualities that made clients happy with promo giveaways. First is quality, second, if a product was memorable, and third, if it was relevant to them. Consumers also appreciated usefulness and long desk life. It was not unusual for people to keep promo items for more than 6 months, especially if it held some sentimental value.
Average Budget for Promotional Products
While big companies are shelling more money for TV adverts, it’s not uncommon for almost all businesses to give promotional products a share in their marketing budget. Spending statistics show:
22% of marketers surveyed said, their annual spending was between: £500 – £2,000
38% of marketers surveyed said, they spent an average of £1.01 – £2.50 per unit on giveaways
What Motivates Marketers to Buy Promo Items
It was a common consensus that marketers were also willing to spend more on promotional items if the following incentives were present:
They were allowed to have bigger budgets
There were more relevant product ideas (we can help with that use us to help you form ideas)
If it was easier (and cheaper) to source products that offered something different
How Marketers Choose Suppliers
Finally, marketers were asked how they chose the right suppliers for their campaigns. 81% of respondents said they found their suppliers online. Others either went back to their trusted suppliers or used ones referred to them. What’s interesting is that only a minority found suppliers through advertising.
What Makes a Good Supplier (like us!)
Marketers were also looking for the following guarantees from a quality supplier:
Understands requirements
Provides great customer service experience
Had quality products
Well-designed website and catalogue
Industry compliant products
Offered a wide range of choices
If you have any questions about promotional products, and how they can help your marketing efforts, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
We offer expert advice on promotional marketing and branding to help get you started! Connect with us on social for more tips on how to do great branding!
Our company is part of the British Promotional Merchandise Association which gives industry standard regulations for the promotional products industry in the UK. They recently released the results of how promotional products impact businesses and consumers today.
BPMS Industry Research 2013 Survey Background
1,000 respondents (where 52% were aged 30-49) from IT, retail, services, insurance, charity and education sectors where interviewed in December 2012, by BPMA and an independent research agency, to find out how promotional items affect consumers’ response towards businesses who offer them. The study further analysed which promotional products were the most effective in eliciting the most positive response. Here are 4 lessons we learned from this study:
1.) Promotional items are welcomed positively and are still effective tools for brand recall
Here’s a summary of survey results that tallied common responses from promotional merchandise recipients:
– 94.1% Do not forget the advertiser/product after they have had the promotional item for more than six months
– 66.6% Generally keep promotional products if they are practical
– 46.1% Generally like receiving products that have an advertising message
*multi answers were possible
2.) Promotional products are as effective as TV advertising but only take a fraction of the cost
BPMA asked respondents which of the following media were effective in making them remember a product, brand or service:
– 39% TV garnered the top spot
– 35% Promotional merchandise followed
– 10% Print and Online split
– 5% Direct Mail was last
3.) Promotional products are still the best motivators for purchase decisions
Respondents were asked which of the following advertising media were the most effective in getting them to take action:
– 50.7% Promotional Products got the top spot
– 19.4% Went to TV
– 11.2% Went to Online Ads
– 9.8% Print (newspapers/magazines)
– 8.9% Direct Mail
4.) Recipients were most likely to pick a promotional product if it’s USEFUL and ATTRACTIVE
The study asked respondents what actions are they most likely to take if free promotional items were being given at an event:
– 53.9% “I would get the promotional item if it’s useful.”
– 20.2 “I would get it regards of the product”
– 17.4% “I would get the product if it’s attractive”
5.) The Top Promotional Products for Brand Recall are Mugs, Pens and USB sticks (storage device)
Lastly, respondents also clarified which promotional products (if they are useful) will enable brand recall, and help retain an advertising message:
– 47.1 % Mugs
– 47.1% Pens
– 40.6% USB Stick
– 36.7% Calendar
– 35.2% Diary or Notebook
As part of the promotional marketing industry we are happy to see that promotional products are still getting the recognition they deserve for being one of the most effective tools for marketing any business. It doesn’t matter if you’re one of the Fortune 500 or a small startup, anybody can reap the benefits of using promotional items in their marketing arsenal. They’re not only cost effective, but they are the most positive means to create and maintain lifelong customer relationships.
The truth of the matter is, no matter how fancy adverts get and no matter how clever they are, promotional products will always be at the heart of business marketing. The idea behind it is so ingrained in human nature, that nobody can argue with how effective it is. Promotional marketing‘s take on the “Law of Reciprocity” makes it easier for your marketing message to get through!
Simply put – corporate gifts make customers more receptive to what you have to offer. A promotional product is a tangible, but residual advertising tool, that helps them evaluate the merits of your product or service and keep you in thier mind for when they are ready to buy. According to the British Promotional Products Association (BPMA), its not unusual for people to keep their favourite promo product for more than 6 months. And that’s more advertising value for your money! It’s at a fraction of the cost your business can get from TV advertising, the top rated advertising method known today.
But as most tools go, you’ll need to give the right kind of promotional gift to the right audience. Once you’ve identified your core market, it pays to know what makes a promotional product irresistible to customers.
Here are the top 3 reasons people hold on to them:
1. Usefulness
People are more likely to be drawn to corporate giveaways that are practical to them. Something that can be part of their day, or something that will make their life a little easier. Right now, pens, calendars and trendy promotional gadgets make up the top promo items with long shelf lives. Second to that are: post-it notes, mugs and pencils. You can be sure your business is always on their minds if your product is a part of their day.
2. Sentimental Value
Holidays, Christmas, Anniversaries, Events, Promotions. Why not let your brand be part of an important milestone in your customer’s life? This is how successful businesses with long term customer relationships do it: they know how to “grow up and grow old” with their market.
3. Actual Product Value
Finally, choose corporate gifts that reflect your brand’s image well. Your promotional item doesn’t have to be the most expensive trinket, but it will still have to be of high quality and extremely relevant to your target audience. Ask yourself if this product can remain on their desks for more than a month. Will it be good enough to spur them to action, and think of you when its time to make a purchase?
How to Make Sure You Are Getting Quality Promotional Products
We at Promo2u are always happy to help you pick the right product for your ideal customer. As part of the BPMA, we adhere to the highest industry standards, with a guarantee.
This means:
We follow a strict BPMA code of conduct to protect end users
A written product specification will be produced and agreed
Samples will be provided to ensure sufficient product quality
A production/delivery schedule will be issued as part of our contract with you
Get in touch with us and we’ll offer our knowledge and expertise to keep your marketing on track.
