When looking to advertise for your company there is many avenues that can be sought out. Of course traditional methods are tried and true however simple, boring and the same old thing are. What do you do to spark new interest? During corporate events, company picnics, trade shows and even for holiday gifts clients, new and old are looking to see what you are offering that is unique and new. Proving to them you are still in the game. Many companies are looking towards a variety of promotional products and gifts to promote the business.
Choosing promotional items for a company is a difficult challenge to say the least. It is pertinent to offer something that is useful to the client and provides a benefit to them as well as to increase the awareness they have with your company. As with anything there are individual pros and cons to each chotchkie item.
Many companies will choose to advertising using food products. This is especially appropriate ate golf outings, corporate picnics and for holiday gift giving. The nice thing about offering a food item is that the price level you desire is often easy to match. For instance, offering a packet of gum with your logo advertising the company is inexpensive and will be enjoyed by individuals after they are finished eating. The nice thing is that later when they reach for another piece after the event is over they will again remember who supplied it. If you have an increased budget, baskets of coffee or fruit make a nice offering at a higher price level. It is easy to stick with in a budget even for a large amount of clients.
The drawback to food items are that they often perish reasonably fast. This limits the amount of time clients will be exposed to your company advertising product. Another thing to consider is the ever abundant food allergies and clients with special dietary needs.
Another often thought of item to use for a promotional product are things that offer a utility purpose. This could range from a pen, a reusable bag, insulated lunch carrier, a calendar or a simple mug. The benefit of these items is their longevity. Clients will see your company advertisement over and over without a sales person being in their face. These simple items are things people will use day in and out which in turn become more free advertising for you.
The drawback is that the item could end up in the hands of someone who is not responsible for decisions that could lead to business for your company. These promotional items really only end up working as company advertising if the person using it is the one that will be a future decision maker to send business your way.
A new recent category that has come about in promotional advertising is items for the office. These items include unique USB drives, adhesive notes and mouse pads. With the range of products with in this category it will be for sure that one of the items will fit within your company's budget for promotions. This is an advantage for companies of all sizes seeking to advertise. This has become a popular promotional category therefore the major drawback is that these products may already be overwhelming the desks of the clientele you are seeking.
The business advertising and marketing of companies is such an important division within a company. The choices made will affect the perception of the clients. It is important to keep your companies name and logo top of mind to clients. You want to be the first person they think of when your industry is brought up and they seek support. This will lead to relationship building which will grow bringing referral business for decades to come.
I agree, the idea of sharing something useful needs to be a major focus. Water was great, when we didn't worry about recycling. Frankly, the thought of being given another cup is not high on my agenda. Sticky notes---are great IF they are not entirely filled up with your advertising, but then again, you are right, how many do you need?
ReplyDeleteI'd like to suggest that you build a relationship with a person who handles all these promtional items...ask them to call you when something "new" has been produced....keeping on top of products and you'll be noticed because it is a fresh idea.
You both make great points. I actually own an ad specialty company that specializes in promotional products. The key is communicating your budget and target audience. The ROI on the "right" item will be seen for much longer then that one event because of brand recognition, word of mouth, etc. If you have any further questions, don't hesitate to contact me. Bill Grablewski, bill@proactivemarketing.com or (484) 994-5371.
ReplyDeleteSpecialty items are proven effective ways to promote a company's products and services. But it is important to note that these promotional items reflect the company's perspective of quality. What would you think of a company that gives away shirts that are fashionably unbearable to wear? Pens that create more stains on your hand than on paper? Bags that can only carry half of what it should be able to? And other signs of poor workmanship. Given that they're free, the name attached to the item should still maintain a level of quality if it is to use such a strategy for marketing.
ReplyDeleteAllan Holaday