Promotional Products - A Survival Guide

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Navigating the wide world of promotional products can be an intimidating and sometimes treacherous journey. Without the right planning, the right resources and the right promotional products, your time, money and resources can quickly go awry.

Promotional Products -- A Survival Guide is your all-inclusive guide to industry tips, trends and ground-breaking information related to the purchasing, branding and effective usage of custom branded promotional products. Designed to help you navigate your way through the entire buying process, while making the most of your promotional marketing and branding efforts, this guide will help you choose the appropriate product, maximize the impact of your promotional product and even help you calculate your return on investment.

 

Implementing a successful marketing promotion or event can be easy when you carefully plan all aspects of the campaign. The most effective promotions are strategically planned and evaluated before implementation to ensure that the intended outcome is feasible. With Promotional Products -- A Survival Guide, you will get an in-depth look at the strategic work that goes into a successful marketing campaign or promotional event. From analyzing the target demographic, developing strong brand guidelines all the way to distributing your promotional products and marketing collateral. Promotional Products -- A Survival Guide gives you the marketing insight and know-how your marketing team needs when planning campaigns utilizing custom promotional products.

 

In addition to the detailed information discussed throughout the guide, you will find several helpful resources for planning future promotions and events. While the information contained in the guide is important to learn and apply to all of your promotional marketing events and campaigns, the guide is perfect for referencing helpful planning guides, tips and suggestions. When you are constantly planning for the next event, it can sometimes be challenging to come up with a unique promotional idea. With the event guides and suggestions provided in Promotional Products -- A Survival Guide, you can quickly sort through ideas and planning information to come up with ideas of your own. Whether you need a refresher on budgeting or an idea for an upcoming campaign, with the right resources on hand, planning is quick, easy and painless.

 

 

The phrase “promotional products” is a broad term used to define a product that is branded with a logo, message or corporate information and is distributed with the purpose or intent to educate, advertise or market an organization, service, product or event.

 

The only distinguishing mark between a retail product and a promotional product is often only the appearance of a branded logo or advertising message on the promotional product. Nearly any product that can be printed, embroidered or marked with a logo can become a promotional product. This leaves the options and uses for these printed representatives of your company nearly endless.

 

Used across all industries, organizations and fields, promotional products are an effective means of distributing a corporate advertising and branding message. Typically used as a means to advertise and promote a corporation or organization, promotional products are distributed to customers and potential clients free of charge to advocate awareness of their company, product or service. This particular type of marketing is commonly referred to as promotional marketing and focuses on giving the target audience a promotion as a means of driving business.

 

The act of distributing promotional products as part of corporate branding and marketing initiatives has been on a steady rise since it became a popular and widely recognized form of advertising in the United States. While promotional products have been a part of U.S. marketing and advocacy since George Washington distributed commemorative election buttons in 1789(1), the promotional product industry has grown exponentially since the early 1990’s. Now as a multi-billion dollar industry, the distribution and usage of promotional products in corporate advertising and marketing continues to grow and evolve.

 

Types of Promotional Products

 

As the definition of promotional products explains, nearly any product can become a promotional product with the addition of an informative branding imprint. Because of the wide variety of promotional products available, your options for creative and unique promotions are endless. When you are first planning for your promotional marketing initiatives, it is very important to evaluate the available promotional products fully before making a selection. Depending on what your promotional campaign entails, your approach will likely differ. And while recipients will appreciate any free promotional product giveaway, your branding message and advertising exposure will only work if you pick the appropriate products and method of approach.

 

Generally the promotional products industry is broken down into two overall categories:  wearables and hardgoods. While the wearables category includes uniforms, t-shirts, golf shirts, aprons, headwear, etc., the hardgoods category includes writing instruments, desktop gifts, stationary, drinkware and practically all other promotional products that do not fall under the wearables category.

 

Wearables

Apparel sales represent over one third of the total sales of custom imprinted promotional products worldwide. As you can imagine, that is a huge percentage of the industry, and one in which many companies cannot afford to ignore. One of the reasons for this category’s popularity is the amount of exposure that apparel provides for the advertiser. Names and logos are generally prominent features of apparel items, and are easily seen by every individual with whom the wearer comes in contact. From casual to corporate apparel, these wearable items not only serve to advertise to the recipient of the promotional product, but to the general public as well. There are few other advertising mediums that will garner such publicity at such a low cost. 

Apparel used as promotional products is also frequently used as a means for advertising internally within a company. Consider the importance of custom apparel to university students and university alumni alike. College bookstores are stocked with t-shirts, teamwear, headwear and more, all of which prominently display the university name and crest. Current students proudly demonstrate their affiliation to their school by wearing such apparel everywhere - along with alumni, siblings, parents and friends.

While education does happen to be one of the top ranking spenders when it comes to promotional products, imagine branding your company with apparel in the same fashion as educational institutions. You can use these promotional products as employee gifts or incentives too, and show your employees that their hard work is appreciated. You are certain to receive not only a happier and more appreciative staff, but additional advertising for your company in return. 

Hardgoods

The sale of hardgoods accounts for the remaining promotional products sales. While this category seems to dominate over wearables, this diverse and practically all-encompassing category accounts for everything that cannot be considered a wearable.

 

By wearing promotional apparel, customers ally with your brand’s identity. But it is through hardgoods that customers form tangible relationships with your brand.

 

Let’s use an example. My coworker Kim has a promotional product that sits on her desk and greets her at work each morning. The product is a biodegradable promotional water bottle wearing a sweatshirt. Yes, the water bottle is wearing a sweatshirt. The sweatshirt even has a little zipper up the front and a drawstring hood that slips over the mouthpiece. The hand-warmer part of the water bottle’s sweatshirt has a pocket in which slips little notes, pens or concert tickets.

 

 

Kim loves this water bottle. I have never once seen her drink from the bottle or use it in any other practical manner. She simply displays the bottle proudly on her desk and smiles at it once in a while. She has even written about it on our company blog.

 

Kim has a relationship with this promotional water bottle, and via the promotional product she has a relationship with Pinnacle Promotions.

 

The unique thing that promotional products bring to the table is their ability to form tangible connections with customers. Imagine you’re in a long-distance relationship. You and your partner talk on the phone, video chat, email and text. All that is fine for a while, but what allows these forms of communication to work is that you are constantly looking forward to seeing your partner in person. You long to hold their hand, to hug and kiss them. Touch is the ultimate way to relate to a person, and promotional products enable customers to have that meaningful contact with your brand.

 

Think of promotional products as the hand of your company. Especially key in service industries like energy, healthcare and education, where customers do not receive a tactile product as part of the exchange, promotional products act as the handshake that seals the relationship.

 

According to Promotional Products Association International (PPAI), a not-for-profit industry trade association dedicated to market research, approximately 30% of all promotional products sold last year fell under the wearables category while the sales of hardgoods encompassed about 70% of the total promotional product marketplace(2).

 

2008 Promotional Products Sales By Product Category:

 

·       Wearables - 30.68%

·       Writing Instruments - 9.04%

·       Calendars - 7.89%

·       Bags - 6.92%

·       Drinkware - 6.09%

·       Desk/Office/Business Accessories - 5.54%

·       Recognition Awards/Trophies/Jewelry - 3.23%

·       Other - 3.19%

·       Sporting Goods - 2.99%

·       Housewares - 2.60%

·       Buttons/Badges/Ribbons - 2.53%

·       Games - 2.44%

·       Magnets - 2.32%

·       Computers - 2.27%

·       Stickers & Decals - 2.06%

·       Electronics - 2.04%

·       Textiles - 1.99%

·       Automotive - 1.85%

·       Personal - 1.63%

·       Clocks & Watches - 1.43%

·       Food - 1.25%

 

While there are certain products that always top the charts for total sales, other unique promotional products are also available to help add a personal touch to your branding efforts, events and promotions. With such a broad range of available products to choose from, it is important to evaluate your brand image and event details to determine the appropriate message you want to convey, and in turn, what promotional products you wish to distribute.

 

How Are Promotional Products Used?

 

There is a nearly limitless list of reasons why and how promotional products can be used for marketing and branding initiatives. While there are far too many tried and true reasons why people choose to utilize the power of promotional products to list, we’ll hit a few of the highlights here. The most important thing to remember about using promotional products:  your only limitation is your creativity. With tens of thousands of different products to choose from, you can make each event, each mailing, each client gift as unique as your branding guidelines will allow.

 

According to PPAI, the top ten uses of promotional products(3) are:

 

1. Customer Goodwill & Retention

Your clients need to feel appreciated. When you thank your clients for their continued patronage they are more likely to keep coming back. Sending your clients - both big and small - an imprinted promotional product after the close of a deal or at the end of the year is a great way to say thanks. When your customers know that you appreciate their business and feel like a valued member of your community, they will want to do business with you again. And when you position your name in front of them with thank you or holiday promotional products, there is no way that they will forget about you.

 

2.  Tradeshows

Unique promotional product giveaways attract potential customers and open your business up to hundreds of sales opportunities. New and unique tradeshow items including cool games, bold tote bags and practical desk accessories and are a great way to get your name in the hands of potential customers. Try raffling off a premium promotional product - customized of course - for even more leads. Not only will people be lining up to receive a promotional product at your booth, but you will have the opportunity to collect contact information from hundreds of potential clients who will all leave with an item clearly imprinted with your name.

 

3.  Employee Relations & Events

Happy employees equal productive employees. However keeping an entire workforce happy can often be challenging. Encourage internal branding and boost corporate morale by offering your employees promotional products such as branded apparel, desktop supplies, headwear and recognition awards for reaching milestones within your company. No matter how big or small your promotional products may be, you are sure to see an increase in productivity and morale among your staff.

 

4.  Brand Awareness

With name recognition comes trust and reliability. With high-profile promotional products, getting a brand image into the public eye and increasing corporate visibility is easy. Imprinted apparel and customized bags practically serve as walking billboards for your company. When employees and customers sport a logo on a customized piece of apparel or other highly visible product, it helps to cement a brand as a legitimate company. And when a customized promotional product sits on your client’s desk all year long, they will likely remember to contact you when the need arises for your services or products.

 

5.  Public Relations

The distribution of promotional products is a great way to show the public what your company stands for. Whether you want to cement your brand as a “company that cares” by demonstrating your charitable giving, or you want to show your commitment to environmental sustainability. No matter what message you need or want to convey to the public, there is an appropriate promotional product to help you disseminate your message.

 

6.  New Customer/Account Generation

Expanding your client base is never an easy task. But leaving behind a promotional product at a meeting or on a cold call, can be an effective means to building business relationships. Imprinted products are a great way to impress customers before you’ve even done business, and serve as an excellent way to remind potential customers of what you do. For events, meetings, lunches and cold calls, when you leave behind a customized promotional product, you leave your name in the hands of someone who could potentially be your next big client.

 

7.  Employee Service Awards

Honoring employees for their service to your company is a great way to increase employee morale and comradery within your organization. When employees reach milestones in their career or go above and beyond their traditional job description, reward them with a branded recognition award or high-value promotional product. Job satisfaction is sure to increase and you will help build a more loyal employee base.

 

8.  Not-for Profit-Programs

Because organizations in these industries rely heavily on the donations, advocacy and support of volunteers and corporate sponsors, it is important for them to keep their cause on the forefront of their donors’ minds. Not-for-profit organizations can benefit heavily from the distribution of customized promotional products. By distributing and selling branded promotional products, not-for-profit organizations can raise extra funds and keep their volunteers and donors eager to work with them in the future.

 

9.  Internal Promotions

Utilizing promotional products for internal promotions is a great way to build a stronger team. It can sometimes be easy to forget to recognize your internal team when you are focused on bringing in business. Help keep your team motivated with frequent company contests and goals. Remember to set goals realistically and watch your team strive for business success.

 

10.  New Product/Service Introduction

Spread the word about a new product release or a new service offering for clients with promotional products. Increase sales and awareness of your newest release when you send your clients fun and unique imprinted promotional products. Have a technology theme? Send a technology-themed computer accessory. Want to introduce a new mascot? Send them a stress reliever or custom-designed bobble head that represents your mascot. Recipients will appreciate the gesture and retain the functional and appropriate promotional product as a constant reminder of your company.

 

While this list is by no means an all-inclusive list of potential uses for promotional products, commonly the majority of promotional uses fall under one of these ten categories, all of which can be combined under one main umbrella: advertising.

 

Advertising With Promotional Products

 

Advertising is a form of communication that brings a product or service to the attention of current and potential consumers. Typically conveying its messages through the use of signs, brochures, commercials, direct mailings, e-mails, etc., advertising that incorporates the usage and distribution of promotional products, however, can be very effective in generating a positive response to advertising campaigns. In fact, advertising utilizing promotional products is one of the fastest growing forms of marketing being used today.

It garners revenue of billions of dollars annually according to PPAI.

 

And while many assume that an industry constituting the use of “giveaway” products would fall victim to the turbulent economic times, sales are showing that the use of promotional products has maintained its place as a profitable advertising strategy as more and more companies begin to understand their value. While the promotional products market has obviously changed over the past 200 years, and expanded significantly since its inception, the original notion remains the same: get your message seen, and generate results.

 

With the ability to translate an advertisement into a tangible item, the effects of advertising with promotional products goes beyond those of the other methods in the advertising arena. First of all, in a world where consumers are inundated daily with commercials, Internet pop-ups and print flyers that are largely perceived as irritating distractions, promotional products are welcomed by consumers. Furthermore, we all know Americans love getting anything for free. And this means that recipients of the product will have a significantly more positive image of the advertiser, ultimately motivating prospective clients to try their product or service. In a recent study conducted by PPAI(4), research found that 52% of participants reported their impression of the advertiser as more favorable after receiving the promotional product and 52% of respondents actually did business with the advertiser after receiving the item.

 

Not only are promotional products typically met with favorable reception, but unlike a television ad that may air for 30 seconds or a flyer that will most likely be thrown away, they are retained and reused, repeating the imprinted message multiple times - raising brand awareness and increasing exposure - without any added cost to the advertiser. And like other advertising mediums, you can customize your item in a way that targets your particular consumer audience. Just as a magazine ad advertising a toy store for kids would incorporate bright colors and crazy fonts to catch the attention of a young reader and entice them to want to go there, a promotional product targeted for the youth should equally employ bright colors and fun fonts. But when using a promotional product for advertising, you can additionally attract the prospective consumer by picking an item appropriate for their audience, such as an imprinted toy for adolescents. After all, your advertising campaign should be driven by the goal of communicating your message to your audience and persuading them to carry out the resulting behavior you desire from them.

 

Brand Marketing vs. Traditional Advertising Mediums

 

The promotional products industry has tripled over the last 15 years(5).  The average continued growth and steadfast numbers show that even during times of economic downturn, promotional marketing shows little decline, and proves to be a strong, stable and effective form of advertising. As the apparent effectiveness of traditional advertising means drops rapidly, guerilla and buzz/brand marketing are proving to be a force to be reckoned with in the advertising industry as a whole(6). With only a difference of 7% between the apparent effectiveness of television and brand marketing, it is easy to see the power and effectiveness behind the use of innovative and tangible marketing tactics. In comparison to traditional forms of advertisement - print, radio and television - the use of promotional products as a supplement to traditional mediums or as the sole form of promotion has proven to be one of the most favorable options for businesses.

 

Non-Traditional Marketing Gains on TV

 

1.    TV Advertising - 64%

2.    Online Ads - 61%

3.    Guerilla/Buzz Marketing - 57%

4.    Magazine Ads - 51%

5.    Social Media - 40%

6.    Radio - 30%

7.    Outdoor Ads - 26%

8.    Newspaper Ads - 19%

 

The earliest form and means of advertising to the masses was via print publications. Advertisements in newspapers and magazines were - and still are - commonplace in print news and entertainment publications. Effective at delivering a long-lasting reminder of a brand or product, print advertising has long been viewed as a respected means of marketing. However, with the emergence of television and the Internet, less and less people rely on print publications for their news and entertainment. The Internet now provides instant access to breaking news, weather reports and the latest celebrity gossip.

There is no longer a need to wait for the morning’s paper to access information about the goings-on in the world. While magazines and newspapers still provide valuable educational resources, pop-culture scandal, industrial information and other forms of entertainment and news, the popularity and circulation of print media decreases every year.

 

As the need and dependency of print publications continues to drop, marketers must decide which route to take. Continue with their print advertising? Switch to online or television advertising? Or boost their current print tactics with an advanced marketing mix?

 

While effective at quickly reaching the masses, television advertisements are continually becoming all too easy for potential consumers to avoid and ignore. With the introduction of the TiVo® digital video recorder (DVR) in 1998, skipping unwanted commercial breaks became even easier for viewers. With just the push of a button, television viewers could schedule to record programs, pause live television programs and then skip through commercial breaks during playback. This functionality is becoming even more prevalent as digital cable providers push subscribers to “enhance” their services with DVR packages. While a popular convenience for viewers, the decrease in commercial viewers lessened the power and effectiveness of television advertising.

 

Radio advertising has undergone a transition similar to that of television over the past years. As technology has changed and developed, the necessity and popularity of radio has dwindled. With the emergence of television, and then the creation and rapid evolution of the Internet, radio promptly transformed from the central household source of information and entertainment to, in many cases, a second or third information source. To harden the blow against commercial advertising and promotions via the radio waves, the emergence of satellite radio - the cable network of radio, if you will - provided consumers with a commercial free entertainment platform. With the payment of the monthly service fee, satellite radio subscribers have access to hundreds of completely commercial free music stations. Beautiful for dedicated listeners; this innovation is not so advantageous for advertisers.

 

As technology continues to advance in favor of convenience for the consumer, savvy marketers and advertisement firms have to develop new, innovative ways to successfully reach their target audiences. While television, radio and internet advertising are still effective means to reach large audiences, these forms are often no longer the best option for a singular marketing campaign. In order to improve the outcome of a print, radio or television advertisement, studies have shown that by adding a promotional product into the marketing mix, recipients demonstrated a favorable attitude to the advertisement. And when promotional products were used singularly as the advertising medium, 69% of recipients showed an increase in brand interest and 84% of recipients had a positive impression of the brand(7).

 

This proven increase in brand interest and visibility demonstrates how important the integration of promotional products is to your marketing plans. The simple act of distributing imprinted promotional products is more powerful than the millions of dollars one commercial advertisement can cost. While all means of promotion are effective ways of branding and advertising your business, the low associated costs and corresponding positive impressions show how important and influential it can be to provide recipients with a tangible promotional product. This change to a broader mix of promotional tools is evident in the spending of businesses across the country. With over $18 billion spent on promotional products in 2008, the industry is towering over many long-standing leaders in advertising(8).

 

Promotional Products Share of the Advertising Pie

 

1.    Promotional Products - $18,101,299,000

2.    Yellow Pages - $13,227,750,000

3.    Business Magazines - $9,954,125,859

4.    Event Marketing (Sponsorships) - $8,788,000,000

5.    Out-of-Home (e.g. billboards) - $7,000,000,000

6.    Couponing - $6,843,000,000

 

 

What is a brand?

 

Brand is… everything.

 

Your brand is not your website. Your brand is not your logo. Your brand isn’t even who you are; it’s who people think you are. “A brand,” says Craig Johnson of the branding house Matchstic, “is someone’s gut feeling about a product, service or company(9).” Brand is perception.

 

The website brandtags.net demonstrates this definition by presenting visitors with a brand logo and asking them to type and enter “the first thing that pops into your head.” Visitors are then allowed to view what other people associate with the brand, and words and phrases are bigger or smaller based on popularity. What brand do you think the following gut feelings are in response to(10)?

 

[brandtags new yorker2.png]

 

“The basic idea of this site,” says brand tags, “is that a brand exists entirely in people’s heads. Therefore, a brand is whatever they say it is” -- they being the people who visit the site. So what about cartoons, classy, elitist, informative? That would be the New Yorker.

 

Branding is much more than just name recognition or a company logo. Your brand encompasses the public’s perceptions of your company. Your brand holds the power to construct associations with your name or image in the minds of your customers. So how do you know if you have a good brand? Check it against the following categories.

 

Consistency

 

One of the most important factors when branding your business is consistency. Before customers can buy your products or services, they have to both recognize and remember your brand. Promotional products embody your brand; they are the material reminders of your company in a customer’s home.

 

I once belonged to a religious organization on my college campus that provided a great service. The minister was an incredible speaker with infectious enthusiasm. The culture was vibrant and down to earth. The people were friendly, smart, creative and cool. The club had much to offer to the students on campus, but they just couldn’t get people to come, no matter how hard they tried.

 

One year the club got a new pastor who had experience in marketing. Before the new year he ordered a thousand plastic yellow cups with the organization’s logo and website imprinted on them. The group set up a table at the annual religious life fair and handed out the promotional products to all the new students who came by. Freshmen took extra cups for their friends and roommates and brought them back to the dorms. The yellow cups appeared all over campus.

 

That year, the organization’s attendance tripled. Years later, they are a thriving entity on campus with a solid community. Did the new pastor change anything essential about the group? Did he start preaching a new message? Did he change the meeting location? Did he change the name? No. All he did was offer a consistent tangible reminder of the organization to people who might be interested. He branded it.

 

Color

 

It’s not coincidental that those cups were yellow. An important aspect of consistency is color. A recent study by the University of Loyola, Maryland determined that color can increase brand recognition by up to 80%(11).

 

Think of some of the great brands that you recognize by color: JetBlue. Nickelodeon. Target. Coca-Cola actually owns their PMS color.

 

In order to focus the direction of your branding, consider focusing your color palette to a single color.

 

J. L. Morton, color expert and author of the blog Color Matters, says, “The biggest mistake amateurs and professionals make is using too many colors(12).” The human brain becomes overwhelmed when confronted with too much visual information and fails to organize it. Use color to communicate to consumers, not confound them.

 

Of course, there are always the rule breakers: Think of Google’s blue, red, yellow and green. But Google’s palette is both simple and consistent; it’s focused.

 

Use color to separate your brand from competitors; i.e., if Company B is already blue, be green. Color is enormously influential with promotional products. Be the organization that passes out yellow cups.

 

In the words of UPS, what can brown do for you?

 

Alignment

 

Consistency goes hand in hand with brand alignment. Imagine for a moment that you own an independent bookstore. All of your customers are loyal, and they tell everyone they know to shop at your store because it’s the best. Great, right? Wrong.

 

Raving fans are not enough to bring business your way. In order to be effective promoters of your brands, customers have to say the right things, not just good things.

 

“The Regulator always has the newest books by local authors, and they often invite the authors to speak and sign at the store. I love the Regulator because they are really in touch with our community” is a statement that will carry your brand leagues farther than, “You should really shop at the Regulator because it’s a great store and I’m worried they’ll go under otherwise.”

 

The first statement embodies brand alignment because it is purposeful, pointing in the trajectory you intend to go. You have communicated to the customer exactly what sets you apart and above the competition, and now that customer is passing your message to a future customer, who will tell it to another future customer, and so on.

 

But in order to properly align your brand, you must first have a clear strategy.

 

Strategy

 

If a brand is all about perception, then managing a brand is about managing perception.

 

Pretty pictures like your company’s logo and website aren’t the whole story of your brand. Branding should be holistic, encompassing every aspect of your business, all the way down to the signature on your emails and the way you answer your phone.

 

If your brand is people’s gut feelings about your company, your branding strategy is deciding what you want those gut feelings to be.

 

One thing you have to decide: Do you want to be a house of brands, or a branded house?

 

 

Gold Bond, Inc., a vendor of promotional products, appears to have made its decision to be a house of brands. The company is focusing its branding efforts on a particular promotional product: the X-One mug(13).

 

After sending samples of the mug to distributors and encouraging them to participate, Karen Sherrill, director of marketing for Gold Bond, waged a social media campaign through Facebook and Twitter to promote the X-One mug. The online communities provide a space for people to share their interactions with the elusive X-One mug by posting photos of the mug on its travels around the world.

 

Attention grabbing? Yes. But Sherrill’s strategy is also deliberate and focused: “When a distributor posts a comment saying how much they love the mug, it is more credible than any ad I can buy,” she told Advantages magazine(14). By centering the campaign on a promotional product, Sherrill gives the brand a face and a personality. “The huge advantage of promotional products is the ability to engage, to get people to interact with your brand,” she says.

 

The X-One strategy is both smart and purposeful. It communicates a consistent, clear message.

 

Rebranders Beware

 

After reading the above, maybe you’ve decided your brand needs an overhaul. Taking the step to rebrand your company could bring your business to the next level. As design evolves, refining your brand to stay relevant with the times is usually necessary. But beware: some companies have actually derailed by reinventing a style that customers have come to love. Think of improper rebranding as giving Grandma a face-lift. No kid wants to give that a kiss.

 

Coca-Cola and Tropicana are two brands which learned the hard way that sometimes classic is better than current.

 

 

We’re all familiar with the disastrous New Coke campaign of 1985, which proved there are some things Americans simply don’t want changed. In fact, according to a 2009 study by the Integer Group and M/A/R/C research, Coca-Cola is one of the top three brands consumers are least likely to trade for store brands. (The other two are Kraft and Tide.)

 

New Coke actually introduced a different formula, but a drink’s packaging alone can inspire similar indignation. In January 2009 PepsiCo’s Tropicana introduced a new carton with a design that was simplified, cleaned up, and modernized(15).

 

 

It seemed like a smart move. But only a month later Tropicana announced they were discontinuing the new packaging after receiving an outpouring of complaints. Customers said they hated the new cartons, that they looked “cheap” and “generic.” Their favorite orange juice, they said, no longer stood out from the crowd.

 

Indeed, standing out from the competition is what branding is all about. 

 

 

Don’t let these case studies scare you away from taking risks, however. There’s good news in the bad: after Coca-Cola switched back to the “classic” formula, their sales rocketed so high that today many speculate the whole thing was a ploy.

 

With the immediate lines of communication available to us through the Internet, your customers are incredibly accessible to you. You can receive feedback on your branding instantaneously. Some companies have even engaged customers by allowing them to make choices about the company’s marketing. Remember when M&M let us choose their new color?

 

Take risks with your branding. But be smart, and stay focused.

 

 

Preparing a Promotional Products Marketing Budget

 

Marketing in general is an area that tends to create a lot of resistance from company executives, viewing it as a continual agenda of advertising and sales techniques that must be supported by excessive costs. However, for those that understand the true benefits of marketing, and marketing with promotional products in particular, they consider these expenses as investments, rather than plain fixed costs. They defend their beliefs by reiterating that successful marketing efforts can significantly benefit businesses, building brand recognition, establishing customer loyalty, and increasing overall sales. After all, that is what marketing with promotional products is really about - building relationships between you and your clients through their trust in your brand. 

 

There are several different strategies that one can employ when planning a budget for the use of promotional products marketing. One strategy is known as a residual approach to establishing a promotional products marketing budget each year. This approach involves companies determining the amount of money to be allocated to promotional marketing according to the amount of money the business can afford after all other expenditures have been configured. Again, this approach is probably not the most beneficial. As mentioned previously, marketing and promotional products expenditures should be regarded as investments and important influences in the future success of the business, and thus should be a part of the entire budgeting process for a company rather than merely an afterthought.

 

Another common method is to prepare one’s financial plan by allocating a certain percentage of expected sales for the upcoming business year to a company’s promotional activities. So, for example, if a company has projected that they will generate $250,000 in sales for the upcoming calendar year and they want to spend only around 5% on their marketing efforts with promotional products they will plan to invest $12,500 in such efforts. But what about a brand new company, or one that is under new ownership, or one that is launching a new product or service within a certain division of their business? These companies may not have available or reliable sales projections for the next year to be able to effectively use this strategy. Additionally, the types of companies mentioned may need to invest even more money into their promotional products marketing efforts to help them establish a place within the market, in addition to creating a stable consumer base, so this strategy may not apply well to these types of businesses.

 

Thus, rather than relying on these aforementioned approaches, it is much more beneficial to most companies to prepare an actual promotional products marketing budget based on a company’s individual goals and the efforts planned to achieve them. This method is driven by the specific promotional objectives that one wishes to achieve within a given year and the tasks required to do so. You can have an ideal budget in mind, but do not initially let it constrict your promotional products marketing ideas.

 

Businesses should begin by constructing a list of the promotional products marketing tactics they wish to carry out, and assign costs to each task. You can then go back and review your list to determine what is absolutely essential, readjusting costs and even postponing or eliminating some efforts, based on the total amount your company can truly afford to invest. And don’t worry, promotional products budgets do not have to be set in stone but can be flexible, used as guidelines for promotional spending but able to be modified as projected sales change throughout the year as different events and situations arise. It is still a good idea to have this outline available at the start of the year to ensure you allot for everything you want to accomplish by the end of the year. It would be terrible if the holiday season rolled around and you had already expended your entire budget come October, not saving any money to spend on promotional products as corporate holiday gifts.

 

Evaluation and Planning Your Promotional Products Needs

 

Let us consider the circumstances for a new business, incorporating promotional products efforts into their marketing campaigns for the first time in the following sample case study for their promotional marketing budget. As restaurants consistently rank in the top ten industries that utilize promotional products to advertise their businesses, we will use the example of Paparella’s, a new Italian restaurant opening in the suburbs of a large city with the promotional objectives of establishing a customer base as well as pushing their delivery service. They have a targeted promotional products spending budget of $5,000.

 

Paparella’s Promotional Products Marketing Tactics:

 

• Paparella’s wants to execute a large direct mail campaign to advertise their new restaurant to members of the surrounding community. As opposed to simple flyers, Paparella’s has decided it will be more beneficial for them to order promotional products like business card magnets, especially since they are offering delivery services. In this way, recipients are likely to hold on to their magnets in order to have the number readily available, and this will provide exposure for their brand each time the magnets are viewed.

 

• Paparella’s would like to order one or two large car magnets to adhere to the side of the cars used for delivery as well as custom plastic bags imprinted with their company name and logo to gain exposure in the community when they are delivering.

 

• Paparella’s would also like to provide custom apparel such as embroidered polo shirts for their employees in order to maintain a uniform and professional look inside their place of business, as well as outside when deliveries are made.

 

• Paparella’s would like to participate in the annual “Taste of the City” festival where local restaurants set up table stations and offer samplings of their dishes for event attendees. In addition to paying the fee for participation, they will need a large table cover printed with their name and logo and would also like to provide promotional products such as custom wrapped mints for added brand exposure.

 

• Finally, Paparella’s would like to give engraved stainless steel wine stoppers to their employees as end-of the-year holiday gifts.

 

The following is Paparella’s estimated costs for the previous outlined promotional products marketing tactics and other associated costs.

 

Promotional Product	Cost Per Item	# of Items	Print Set-Up Charge	Total Cost
Business Card Magnets	$0.35	2000	-	$700.00
Magnetic Car Sign	$72.00	2	-	$144.00
Custom Plastic Bags	$0.29	5000	$60.00	$1510.00
Embroidered Polos	$13.95	20	-	$279.00
Envelopes for Direct Mail	$8.29 (Box of 500)	4 boxes	-	$33.16
Postage for Direct Mail	$0.44	2000		$880.00
Taste of the City Fee	$1000.00	1	-	$1000.00
Nylon Table Cover	$184.00	1	-	$184.00
Custom Mints	$0.05	5000	$45.00	$295.00
Stainless Wine Stoppers	$15.00	10	$55.00	$205.00
TOTAL				$5,230.16

 

Upon reviewing their list of promotional products marketing tactics and costs associated with each, Paparella’s decides that the cost for custom plastic bags is a bit excessive, especially considering the high number of bags that would be necessary to accommodate packaging for all delivery orders and customer leftovers, plus the additional cost of the print set-up charge. By eliminating the cost for these custom bags, Paparella’s then decides they can afford to invest more money in their direct mail campaign, giving them the ability to advertise to a broader range of potential consumers using promotional products in this way. 

 

This is just one example of how businesses can plan their promotional products marketing efforts for the year. Remember that the amount necessary for a promotional products marketing budget varies tremendously with numerous factors contributing to the necessary costs for promotional campaigns ranging from a company’s size and location, to a company’s industry and sales performances from previous years. But as you can see from the example shown above you do not need a very large budget to boost your marketing efforts with the use of promotional products. One of the greatest factors contributing to their value lies in their cost-effectiveness, a factor that will be discussed in the next section.

 

 

Many assume that an industry greatly consisting of the use of “giveaway” products would be overshadowed by seemingly more effective forms of marketing. However, the use of promotional products has maintained its place as a profitable advertising strategy over other methods as more companies begin to appreciate the benefits of utilizing these products. This trend has been documented by studies based on promotional products return on investment. The return on investment (ROI) is a measure of the net income a company can earn based on its total assets, or essentially, what one can get back from the money they spend. The ROI is calculated by dividing profits by assets. In regards to promotional products, the ROI basically measures the effectiveness of your advertising efforts.

 

It is difficult to calculate the actual ROI in terms of individual sales garnered from the use of a particular promotional product or the enactment of a particular marketing campaign because these efforts are generally in support of brand development and recognition, that in turn leads to increased sales. However, we can look at the cost-per-impression of promotional products and compare it to that of other advertising mediums. Not only do they promote favorable impressions, but unlike a television ad that may air for 30 seconds and be ignored or disregarded or a flyer that will most likely be thrown away, promotional products are retained and reused, repeating the imprinted message to the recipient multiple times - raising brand awareness and increasing brand interest - without any added cost to the advertiser.

 

Promotional products are kept on average for 7 months and many are used every single day! Consider the business card magnet used by our sample restaurant Paparella’s from the previous section. Studies have shows that the average American family goes to the refrigerator 25 times a day. That makes nearly 10,000 chances that Paparella’s magnet, and their company’s name and logo, will be seen per year!

 

The Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI), the largest media and marketing organization that has been serving the advertising specialty industry for over 50 years, actually conducted a study during the summer of 2008 to provide a cost analysis for the effectiveness of the use of promotional products. The overall cost-per-impression can be calculated by dividing the cost of a particular promotional product by the total number of impressions it receives within one year (based upon the impressions it receives per month and the average number of months the item is kept). Below are detailed findings from that study(16).

 

Number of Impressions Per Month

 

·       Bags - 1038

·       Caps - 476

·       Shirts - 365

·       Writing Instruments - 363

·       Desk/Office/Business Accessories - 294

·       Glassware/Ceramics - 251

·       Calendars - 227

·       Recognition Awards - 221

·       Other - 192

·       Other Wearables - 64

 

 

Length of Time Respondents Have Item

 

	One Month or Less	2-3 Months	4-6 Months	More Than 6 Months But Less Than A Year	More Than A Year	Average # of Months
TOTAL	19%	20%	17%	26%	19%	6.9
Other Wearables	6%	11%	17%	28%	39%	8.7
Bags	11%	6%	20%	21%	42%	8.6
Other	8%	19%	18%	18%	37%	7.8
Calendars	8%	11%	18%	58%	4%	7.6
Recognition Awards	35%	7%	7%	16%	34%	7.4
Caps	7%	15%	24%	38%	15%	7.1
Glassware/Ceramics	9%	19%	22%	24%	26%	7.1
Shirts	7%	20%	18%	45%	10%	6.8
Desk/Office/Business Accessories	36%	17%	12%	8%	17%	5.7
Writing Instruments	22%	37%	21%	12%	8%	4.3

 

 

Total Impressions/Cost Per Impression

 

·       TOTAL - 0.004

·       Caps - 0.002

·       Bags - 0.002

·       Writing Instruments - 0.002

·       Calendars - 0.003

·       Glassware/Ceramics - 0.004

·       Shirts - 0.005

·       Other - 0.005

·       Desk/Office/Business Accessories - 0.007

·       Other Wearables - 0.016

·       Recognition Awards - 0.021

 

 

As you can see from the information analyzed by ASI, promotional products have an average cost-per-impression of $0.004. This amount can be compared to costs-per-impression data that ASI compiled for other advertising mediums - the most noted figures being $0.033 and $0.019 for print and prime time TV advertising respectively.

 

After all, even a local newspaper can charge up to $1000 for a full-page black-and white advertisement to run once. Thus, as can be interpreted from ASI’s data, the use of promotional products gives marketers a more favorable return on advertising investments than most other forms of media, the reason for which lies in their cost-effectiveness from the amount of exposure they garner.

 

 

There are many factors to consider when purchasing promotional products. After discussing brand visibility and the development of a marketing strategy, it’s time to think about the best promotional products for your needs. This decision will depend on a company’s industry, promotional purpose, budget, target audience and brand image. In this section, we will discuss what is involved in purchasing promotional products, from how to select the promotional product that is right for your company, to how to navigate through the variety of imprinting options and how to gain the maximum amount of exposure without breaking your budget.

 

Get Expert Advice

 

Promotional products include anything you can customize with a company name and logo, whether it is a one-time creative, sophisticated gift for a top executive or a standard mass giveaway, choosing the right promotional products can seem scary and overwhelming without the guidance of someone with in-depth knowledge of the industry. Just as you would see a doctor or specialist for a specific health need, you should consult an expert in the promotional products field in order to effectively select the promotional products that best suit your needs.

 

Look for experts that have extensive corporate training and years of experience in the promotional products industry. Although specialized certifications do exist, concrete field experience allows salespeople to gain a better understanding of the promotional products industry and contribute to its advancement.

 

Whether you are a first time buyer or a seasoned promotional products user, knowledgeable product specialists will be able to provide you with a wealth of information and ideas that you may never have considered on your own. Backed by years of experience, product experts are an excellent source for creativity and ideas. These experts can help you think of a certain category of promotional products that fit within your delegated price range and correlate with your theme or event, or can even suggest a specific item if you have a general product type in mind. They can also assist with order placement by sending you a sample item to preview before you make a final decision.  In many cases promotional products companies are willing to send a reasonable number of lower-value samples free of charge to their customers.

 

In addition, promotional product specialists can clarify the many imprinting options (keep reading for a brief overview) and answer questions about cost. Your sales team will be happy to vouch for the quality or appearance of promotional products that they know and trust, and a reliable sales team will leave you with a positive, pressure-free shopping experience and a positive opinion of their company.

 

Evaluating a potential sales team? Here are a few sample questions to ask a promotional products expert when beginning to search for a distributor:

 

• I want to spend $3 per item on tradeshow giveaways, which promotional products do you suggest?

 

• As a school superintendent, I plan to give out backpacks to my district. Do you have a specific model you recommend for increased visibility?

 

• Can you help me design creative promotional marketing events and help me choose innovative promotional products that fit?

 

• Oops! I forgot to order promotional products for my event next Saturday. What items can you have imprinted and ready in time?

 

• Do you back your promotional products with a money-back guarantee?

 

In essence, expert distributors are valuable sources of input that can enlighten you about the most popular promotional products and elaborate on strategies to help you successfully integrate these items into your marketing mix. To get the expert guidance, quality promotional products and innovative ideas you rely on, it is important to select a reputable promotional products company that is staffed with product experts ready to talk you through each step of the buying and ordering process.

 

Choosing the Right Distributor

 

The promotional products industry includes four main constituents: suppliers, who may produce goods domestically or abroad; distributors, who are industry experts that work with suppliers and assist with consumer sales of promotional products; you, the buyer; and ASI, self-defined as an accredited “media and marketing organization… [that] bring[s] together participants by providing catalogs, information directories, newsletters, magazines, Web sites and databases.(17)”

 

The following provides a visual image to facilitate your understanding of the promotional products industry:

 

Your Business >> Promotional Products Distributors (22,000+) >> Advertising Specialty Institute >> Promotional Product Suppliers (3,500+) >> Your Business

 

As a promotional products buyer you will likely only interact with your chosen distributors, also known as promotional consultants. These industry experts are available to help you develop solutions to marketing challenges. According to ASI, there are more than 22,000 promotional consultant firms in the promotional products industry, many of which are singularly-positioned for web-based sales(18). Although this might seem overwhelming at first, there are certain factors you can look for to help you differentiate between these distributors in order to select the right fit for your company.

 

To start with, look for a distributor that is a member of Promotional Products Association International (PPAI), and Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI). ASI distributors are all marked with a six-digit number, which signifies this association and reaffirms their credibility as a distributor. Working with distributors that are members of these accredited organizations provides you access to an increased web of reputable suppliers and promotional products.

 

When deciding between certified distributors, you may want to consider the size of their business, the number of suppliers that they work with and the speed of their service. Look for companies that can give you a production calendar in order to ensure that your products arrive in plenty of time for your event. If, like many Americans, you tend to be the type of person who waits until the last minute to get things done, select a company that is willing to ship your promotional products within 24 hours. When you buy from a trusted promotional products distributor, your purchase will often come with a satisfaction guarantee. Any guarantee should also cover inaccurate shipping and/or production times.

 

Another aspect to research is whether or not the company has a creative team or art department. Art departments offer unique benefits because they ensure that your logo prints exactly as you envision it. In addition, some art departments will even help you craft an innovative design if you do not have a logo or are looking to re-brand your company. Lastly, as environmental consciousness increases, you may want to consider your distributor’s business ethics and green initiatives. Some distributors sell eco-friendly promotional products and a select few will even donate a percentage of proceeds to charity.

 

Although it may take time, it’s essential to do your research and choose a trusted distributor who can assist you in determining your needs and selecting ideal promotional products. When you thoroughly evaluate your options, you protect your investments of times and money and ensure that your company will benefit from your distributor’s innovative ideas and suggestions. 

 

Evaluating Your Needs and Selecting the Perfect Promotional Products

 

There is no set formula for the successful integration of promotional products into any marketing campaign. Rather, following a certain set of guidelines, consulting experts and considering a variety of factors before making a purchase will help you to use these products as efficiently as possible.  

 

Preliminary Factors to Consider when Selecting Promotional Products

 

• Industry
• Promotional Purpose
• Target Audience
• Budget

 

Industry

 

Often times, companies distribute promotional products that relate to innovations in their industry. The education industry buys more promotional products than any other industry, with the financial and not-for-profit sectors close behind. Healthcare, construction, trade, real estate, government, professionals and food industries round out the top ten buyers of these items.

 

While industry certainly isn’t the only factor to take into consideration, it is a good starting place for companies who have never used promotional products, as well as an ideal way for more experienced businesses to evaluate the success of their campaigns. If you’re in the energy business, it makes sense to give promotional products that are considered green. If you are in education, consider giving backpacks or school supplies for functional brand exposure. Healthcare companies might want distribute first aid kits and pillboxes to promote a new product. However, all industries can use any variety of promotional products for a multitude of purposes.

 

Promotional Purpose

 

After deciding whether or not to distribute an industry-related item, a company should consider their promotional purpose. Some of the top purposes for utilizing promotional products include creating brand awareness, improving corporate image, giving company gifts to top executives, distributing mass giveaways at tradeshows, advancing public relations and increasing customer goodwill and retention.

 

There are many reasons why a company may choose to incorporate promotional products into their marketing mix, and these motives impact which product they should choose. For example, a promotional product tradeshow giveaway will generally be a small, fun, inexpensive item since hundreds of less-qualified leads will be receiving the promotional products, while more sophisticated gifts are generally given to important clients, colleagues and executives with whom you have already established a relationship.

 

Target Audience

 

The reason for distributing promotional products relates closely with the target audience. For instance, companies that want to improve their brand image amongst teens will be targeting younger recipients, and should tailor their promotional products accordingly. Unlike older, professional recipients, teens often appreciate interactive promotional products, such as light-up pens or spirit accessories. Recipients are more likely to hold onto items that excite and engage them; as a result, engaging your target audience with your promotional product will provide the most brand exposure for your budget. This is extremely important to remember when planning your purchases. The more targeted your demographic, the stronger the likelihood that your promotional products will have a long-lasting impact.

 

Budget

 

Remember to consider your budget when preparing to purchase promotional products. You can start by deciding how frequently you will be distributing the items. Are you holding a one-time contest reward? Or are you using promotional products as giveaways during an ongoing a rewards program? Determining your needs reduces wasteful spending because it allows you to buy in bulk without ordering too many promotional products. For more help on developing a marketing strategy and preparing a budget, please refer to section three.

 

Imprinting Options and Descriptions

 

After choosing the perfect promotional products and the distributor that fits your budget and service needs, it is time to choose a method to imprint your company name and logo onto the items. Depending on your product selection, there are many different imprinting options to choose from - each creating a different look and feel. Although there are a wide variety of techniques, the decision is not as overwhelming as it may seem.

 

Some imprinting techniques are more suitable for certain types of promotional products, leading to an obvious choice or a decision that the distributor may have already made. Another determining factor could be the use of color, as some methods - such as engraving - do not provide color images, and some promotional products are only available with a black or white imprint or a pre-selected color that works best with that particular item.

 

The following list defines the most common imprinting methods. To eliminate confusion and help you understand the advantages and disadvantages of each option, definitions also contains tips, drawbacks, and promotional products for which the method is best suited. Never be afraid to ask your sales team to clarify information regarding the available imprint methods and specifications for your promotional products. This list is by no means comprehensive and only begins to scratch the surface of the multitude of options.

 

1.  Debossing

This method involves depressing an image into the material so that it lies just below the product surface. Debossing is commonly used for leather products, resulting in items with sophisticated images and high-perceived values. Debossing does not create color images but can sometimes be coupled with a color-fill technique that “fills” in the depressed area with colored ink. This method is most frequently used on leather, vinyl and paper promotional products, which can effectively be pressed with the die. This technique is the opposite of the embossing method, where the logo appears as a raised image on the object.

 

2.  Engraving

Engraving refers to the practice of carving or chiseling a drawing onto promotional products, generally by using a blade that cuts into the surface. This imprinting mechanism works best on metal, wood and glass promotional products; it creates durable items that exude refinement. However, like debossing, engraving generally does not produce color images. 

 

3.  Embroidery

Modern embroidery involves a computerized embroidery machine that quickly stitches a design onto promotional products. Due to the fact that it employs a needle and thread, embroidery is most commonly used on apparel and other soft promotional products, such as towels, totes and bags. This technique offers many advantages, including the fact that it creates fun, high-colored images. Just be aware that often times embroidery does not allow for fine attention to detail.

 

4.  Four-Color Process

In this process, a full color image is broken down into cyan, magenta, yellow and black color elements. The four color elements are then replicated in various intensities and printed onto the product, creating very colorful, detailed images in a wide spectrum of hues. In order to utilize this method, companies must have perfect artwork in vector file format, preferably with high contrasting colors. Ideal promotional products for this method include paper products and mouse pads.

 

5.  Heat Transfer

Heat transfer printing is a decorating technique that uses controlled heat and pressure to thermally bond the graphic onto the object’s surface, achieving high quality and durability. Essentially, specialty solid dyes are heated and turned into a gas that passes through the material to be printed, and adheres to that surface. Promotional products made of synthetic or cotton materials are best suited for this process.

 

6.  Laser Engraving

Laser engraving involves the use of a computer system, which controls a laser head, to cut an image onto an object. Unlike the traditional engraving process, this technique does not involve the use of small tool bits that come into direct contact with the imprinted promotional products. Laser engraving, ideal for branding wood and metal alloys, produces highly precise, defined and durable images. However, it can at times be more expensive than other imprinting mechanisms.

 

7.  Pad Printing

Pad printing is a technique that can transfer a two-dimensional image onto a three-dimensional object. It utilizes a flexible silicone rubber transfer pad that picks up a film of ink from a photo-etched printing plate and transfers it to the surface of the promotional product. The unique properties of the pad are what enable it to pick up the ink from a flat plane and transfer it to a variety of curved and textured surfaces. This process is ideal for small, uniquely shaped imprint areas.

 

8.  Screen Printing

During the screen-printing process, ink is pressed through a mesh sponge onto the surface of promotional products. Meanwhile, a stencil blocks off areas of the surface, effectively creating the imprint design when the ink passes through the open space. Screen-printing is one of the most versatile customization techniques because it is effective for all promotional products with large imprint areas. This process is alternately referred to as a silkscreen technique.

 

Last but not Least: Other Aspects of the Imprinting Decision

 

Other factors to consider when customizing promotional products include the size and shape of the imprint area and the cost of the imprinting technique.

 

The item you select must be able to accommodate your logo or text comfortably, with ample room to fit whatever size design you choose. It’s important to note that the imprint area does not always correspond with the size of the item. While a polo shirt may be large enough to fit an adult male, the imprint area might be a small, square inch on the pocket.

 

Also, the color(s) of your desired imprint should tastefully mesh with the color of the promotional products. People have different interpretations of “tasteful,” but your interpretation should always use the tastes of the product’s intended end user as a point of reference.

 

You can discuss the cost of a specified imprinting technique with your promotional consultant. Imprinting a name and logo onto promotional products requires setting up the printing plates, engraving device or embroidery tape; the one-time cost to format these tools is referred to as a setup charge. The setup charge is generally a fixed amount regardless of quantity, and unless it is specifically noted, prices are for one-color/one-location imprint.

 

Some promotional products have multiple spaces for imprinting a company name or logo. A run charge refers to the cost for incorporating an additional color or location. When deciding whether or not to print your name and logo in multiple locations on the item, consider the amount of extra exposure you will receive, and also evaluate your needs and budget.

 

 

Promotional Products for Internal Employees

 

According to a U.S. Department of Labor study, a whopping 64% of working Americans claim to quit their jobs because they feel unappreciated. Employee motivation is a crucial facet of maintaining a successful business, and many companies underestimate the power of promotional products to encourage consistent high performance in the workplace from the day an individual accepts a job.

 

Welcome Packets and Bags

 

When embarking on a career at a new organization, employees may feel overwhelmed and insignificant when compared with longtime staff members. Promotional products like padfolios, pens and other desktop necessities can help foster a sense of loyalty between the recent hire and their employer. Every time the product is used, the imprinted message will remind the hire that they work for a reputable company that prides itself on treating its employees with the utmost respect and consideration. One way to integrate a company’s values and mission into the day-to-day activities of employees and subtly ingrain specific ideals into the company culture is by imprinting mission statements or guiding principles onto these introductory promotional products. Post it note pads, rulers, picture frames, and calendars offer ample space to display relevant content, and the frequency with which recipients will be exposed to the messages means that they will quickly become acclimated to the overarching customs and beliefs of their employer.

 

Incentive Programs

 

According to a global study conducted by Hay Group Insight in late 2008 or early 2009, companies that engage and enable their employees excel in the areas of revenue growth, profitability, customer satisfaction, and employee retention when compared with companies that do not actively engage and enable their employees(19).

 

Promotional products are a great way to engage workers without requiring high capital expenditure. Internal branding efforts aimed at employees have proven to positively impact customer experiences, as personnel serve as the face of the organization to external parties and can make or break their perceptions of the company. Strategic Management Resources found that 75% of marketing teams neglect to care for the internal “market” of employees, in effect bringing about the loss of approximately 40% of marketing efforts when customers interact with unenthused staff members with insufficient understanding about the company’s values and objectives(20). 

 

To maximize the effectiveness of promotional products used in incentive programs, managers should consult with workers and gather their input before launching the program. By involving them in the planning stages, they will feel empowered, and thus may be more strongly influenced by the program’s initiatives. In a 1994 Baylor University survey related to employee awards and incentives, respondents verified that they “like awards and incentives,” “are motivated to win the awards,” “work hard to win the awards,” and “encourage each other to work toward awards and incentives.” The study also disproved the statement that awards or incentives do not appeal to employees and therefore bear no impact on their behavior(21).

 

Awards

 

Corporate awards are crucial in keeping employees and executives motivated to perform, as there is no greater honor than being recognized for outstanding achievements in front of one’s peers with a valuable promotional product or customized recognition award. Whether your organization holds a monthly awards ceremony or annual awards ceremony, it is important to give credit to workers who have demonstrated efforts above and beyond the call of duty to support the mission of the company. You may want to consider holding departmental awards ceremonies more frequently to highlight significant accomplishments by individuals or teams. As mentioned above, awards provide immense motivation for workers to exceed expectations and uphold the standards of their brand.

 

Client Gifts

 

In addition to welcoming and awarding employees, giving corporate gifts is a good way to show hospitality and appreciation to clients. Since generating new clients is usually much more expensive than maintaining existing ones, it’s important to cultivate the relationships you have with your customers. Just like with friends and family members, giving promotional products as gifts to clients is especially important around holidays. Remember how we talked about how your brand should transcend your products or services? The holidays are the perfect opportunity to come out from behind the curtain. Your brand should be a personality to customers, not the faceless entity of a corporation. And giving promotional products as gifts is a great way to do that.

 

 

According to the Promotional Products Association International, 72% of tradeshow attendees who received a promotional product remembered the name of the company that gave them the product. That being said, the power of promotional products in supporting brand recall is clear. But overall marketing goals can differ significantly from company to company and the choice of promotional products to give away at tradeshows, and subsequently, the audience they attract, are very important considerations in achieving your desired results. 

 

The Power of Sponsorships and Hosting Events

 

Regardless of the economic climate and the changing ways in which consumers are influenced to make decisions, event marketing has maintained its place as a profitable strategy to promote your brand. Events allow you to advertise your company and its services in a face-to-face, personal environment where you can capture the attention of consumers and convert them into leads and hopefully, clients. And nothing generates awareness for your cause or event like promotional products.

 

Sponsorships

 

More and more organizations are becoming increasingly cognizant of community involvement. Sponsoring a local fundraiser, youth sports team, charity, or festival allows your brand to connect with potential clients on a personal level and build awareness for your company as an integral member of your surrounding community. The exposure that can be attained by increasing your brand’s presence among the public at large is immeasurable, as the crowds in attendance at any of these events will far outnumber the audience you could reach through your current network.

 

Non-profit organizations frequently hold 5K or 10K road races to raise money for their causes, and they often seek partnerships from local businesses and retail stores. Promotional products are a key facet in executing these events smoothly and professionally, as participants have come to expect inexpensive giveaways on race day at the start and finish lines, in addition to the expectation for small prizes as rewards for obtaining a certain quantity of monetary donations. Your brand can facilitate these promotional products giveaways by volunteering to cosponsor the events in return for prominent display of your marketing collateral. Consider donating logo apparel featuring the name of the race, date it took place, and name and logo of your organization. Or order professionally printed promotional signage and/or display items to make a bold impression on participants and observers of the event. Maximizing visibility is a primary benefit that can be achieved through sponsorship, so any advertisers’ objective should be to place their message and/or promotional products in as many locations around the event as possible, thereby introducing a large amount of individuals to their brand over the course of the affair.

 

Pre-Event Marketing

 

One of the most important factors that demonstrates the success of an event is the number of people that attend: the greater the amount of attendees, the greater the potential for new customers and higher revenues. It does not matter how creative and well-planned your event is if no one is there to witness it! Therefore, it is extremely important to generate interest and excitement for your function well ahead of time, days or even months before the planned date. Research shows that the most successful events - in terms of business generated and leads collected - are those in which the company contacted their customers and prospects before such a function. One way to do so is to create a direct mail campaign, inviting recipients to attend the event, and including promotional products in this mailing can play a significant role. Think about distributing a felt pennant imprinted with details of your function to advertise a fitness or sporting event. Or maybe a business card calendar magnet that can remind them of your upcoming event date each time they view this promotional product when they open their fridge! 

 

Creating Attendee Incentives

 

To make an even larger impact with your pre-event marketing, consider offering an incentive for attendees at the event, such as a free gift or notice of a prize drawing. Using promotional product giveaways along with your pre-event mailings is just another way to entice potential attendees. Advertise the free gift or prize drawing on the mail-out to effectively garner the attention of your potential consumers.  Going back to the example of advertising a sporting event, perhaps tell the customers to bring their pennant to the event (making sure the attendees hold on to the item to make sure they don’t forget about the event date) in order to receive the free gift, or to be entered into the drawing. Then offer higher value promotional products, like talking pedometers or even personalized laptop bags imprinted with your company’s name and logo, of course. Just make sure you have a general estimate of how many people are likely to attend so you have enough promotional products to give away!

 

Picking Your Promotional Products

 

There are many things to consider when deciding what promotional products to use for your event. Many of them have been covered in other parts of this handbook, but just to reiterate a few key points with regard to promotional events: you need to consider your budget and what percentage of it you are willing to spend on promotional products. You need to think about who you want to attend and choose an item that targets the interest of that audience - Men or women? Children or adults? Etc. You may also want to focus on a particular theme for your event and have your promotional products correspond to this topic. This will help make your event memorable.

 

Promotional Products for Tradeshow Giveaways

 

Any tradeshow exhibitor or attendee can attest to the importance of promotional products at these gatherings. Everybody loves free promotional product giveaways, and distributing items custom imprinted with your company’s logo or name can maximize your exposure long after the end of the affair. Here’s how to make your next tradeshow experience a success by using promotional products as giveaways:

 

1.  Strategy

Define your strategic objectives prior to deciding which promotional products you would like to order. Are you aiming to attract visitors to your booth? Do you want to provide an incentive for visitors to participate in a demonstration or contest? How about using promotional products to thank guests for providing you with their contact information? Whatever goals you hope to achieve, it is critical to plan ahead prior to any tradeshow appearance. 

 

2.  Usability

Are the promotional products that you want to give away relevant to your industry or business model? Unless promotional products are useful to the end user, they will most likely be ignored, or even worse, discarded. With an overwhelming variety of promotional products available for customization, narrowing down your options can be a challenge. Check out the appendix for lots of ideas and inspiration!

 

3.  Complementary

Select tradeshow giveaways that are complementary to your business’ core competencies. If you are in the Healthcare field, revolve your promotional product selections around items that would be pertinent to tradeshow attendees with similar needs. Any items that can be utilized by end users on a regular basis are great choices!

 

4.  Customize

Always adjust your promotional product giveaways for different tradeshow audiences. Many industries hold events specifically for supply chain partners in addition to separate events for end users. These tradeshows attract very different parties, so the promotional products which you give to them should vary accordingly.

 

5.  Educate

Promotional products are essential tools to communicate information about your business to prospective customers and business partners. Due to the abundance of knowledge being shared at tradeshows, it is easy for exhibitors and attendees to experience information overload. By sending visitors home with paraphernalia advertising your company and services, they will be more likely to contact you in the future.

 

6.  Send a Message

Tradeshow giveaways should send a particular message about your company’s brand image to other attendees and exhibitors. For many visitors, these promotional products will be their first touch point with your business. The products and imprints which you select should be consistent with your already established brand guidelines and support your goal of building a strong brand.

 

7.  Summarize

Wrap up your tradeshow experience with a session to summarize your results. Track your responses from the outset of the show by recording data about booth traffic, written and oral feedback about promotional products and/or leads generated through the promotional product giveaways.

 

 

Setting the Theme/Environment

 

The appearance of a tradeshow booth, including any marketing collateral, promotional products and representatives, can influence visitors to pause and peruse your display area further. Avoid making the mistake of overwhelming passersby with excessive information; rather, stick with bold colors, eye-catching graphics and concise text. Simple displays allow attendees to glean the basic gist of your brand and your offerings in a few short seconds, and they also pique visitors’ curiosity because of their visual appeal and clean lines.

 

Any facets of your marketing efforts that are going to be exposed to passersby in plain view should match your established brand guidelines and present a consistent image to tradeshow guests. These noticeable factors include, but are not limited to, logo apparel worn by your representatives, promotional products given to visitors, and print materials discussing the mission and offerings of your brand.

 

Regardless of what marketing techniques you choose to utilize at a tradeshow, the execution of any actions should appear to visitors as effortless. A well-organized, clutter-free tradeshow booth immediately implies that your brand is professional and experienced, conveying to potential clients that you are a reputable company with which to conduct business.

 

Communicate Your Message

 

While it is important for tradeshow participants to remember your company name, you also want them to remember your message. There are hundreds of thousands of promotional products that can be used as tradeshow giveaways, and the key to choosing the right one for your marketing campaign is by making sure that it not only promotes your company’s name and brand, but also its services or products. Your promotional product giveaway should not just be a mere novelty item, but rather an advertising mechanism for your corporation.

 

There are many promotional products out there that directly correspond to different industries. By imprinting your company name and logo on an item that relates to your business, you are helping your brand recall when a recipient sees the item later on, and are also attracting your target audience to your booth as they help give an idea of what your company is about. Here are a few popular ideas for tradeshow giveaways in which a business’ services or products are incorporated:

 

• Healthcare Industry: Bandage dispenser, hand sanitizer, pill box

 

• Travel Industry: Stainless steel tumbler, luggage tag, travel alarm clock

 

• Sports Industry: Foam sports ball, binoculars, koozie

 

• Computer Industry: USB drive, mouse pad, miniature mouse

 

If there are not abundant promotional products that correlate with your industry, think about choosing items that you can customize to relate to your company’s particular message. You can even formulate a creative tagline to imprint on the promotional products along with your company name and logo to further tie in the item. Here are some examples:

 

• Frisbee: If your company relates to being in the air, such as an airline. If not, one possible tagline that could apply to any industry may be: “Helping our customers soar above the rest” 

 

• Stress Ball: If you provide a service that helps people relax, such as spa services. If not, one possible tagline that could apply to any industry may be: “Don’t stress. We’ve got you covered.”

 

• Mini Fan: If your business relates to the outdoors. If not, one possible tagline that could apply to any industry may be: “Keep cool knowing we’re by your side.”

 

• Dice: If your business involves games. If not, one possible tagline that could apply to any industry may be: “The quality of your _______ (insert service being provided here i.e. Healthcare) should never be a gamble.” 

 

Entice Your Audience

 

Your marketing objectives may be as simple as wanting to direct as many people as possible to your booth, regardless of whether they are your target audience or not. Building a crowd may influence others to want to see what all the fuss is about in your area, and in turn build a sizeable number of consumer leads.  Here are some ideas to lure in the numbers:

 

Let’s face it, Americans are obsessed with food and what better excuse can we have for eating more of it than that it’s free? Providing some sort of food giveaway tends to increase traffic toward your booth; however, you need to make sure that the recipient has something left to remember your company by after this giveaway is digested. In addition to mints or gum enveloped in customized wrappers that the customer will likely throw away once the tasty treat is consumed, accompany your breath-fresheners with promotional products like a reusable candy tin that can be used for other purposes long after the candy is gone.

 

Another way to draw tradeshow traffic is by holding some sort of tradeshow contest at your booth. As eager as you may be about the opportunity to promote your brand, many tradeshow participants seem to grow bored quickly as they aimlessly wander the floor from booth to booth, with corporations clamoring for their attention. Make your exhibit exciting by incorporating a contest touting high-value promotional product giveaways.  One example of how to do so is by using custom scratch-off cards. Make sure each contestant receives one of your lower value promotional products giveaways just for participating, but you can further the entertainment, and have people coming back to your booth, by having each card printed with a number for a grand-prize drawing to win the higher value promotional products at different times during the tradeshow.

        

Gain Maximum Exposure

 

At tradeshows, time is limited and you are competing with other companies in your industry, so if you ultimately want to gain recognition for your business you want to choose wisely, making sure that the promotional products you decide to give away are long lasting and present your message multiple times. Here are some tips to consider when choosing a promotional product that has a long life, and a big impact:

 

Toys and games like bouncy balls and bobble heads may attract initial attention for your booth, but they do not tend to provide a lasting impact for your brand. They are most likely to be thrown away after the show. If you are looking for promotional products with longer life spans, invest in products that provide a practical use to the recipient. Although pens and keychains may sound like boring giveaways, they have actually proven to be very successful custom items as people tend to hold onto them, thus seeing your brand name well after the tradeshow ends.

 

You also want to make sure that your company name and logo can be easily displayed on the promotional products you select. If you have a particularly long company name, or large logo, you may want to make sure the imprint area of the item is large enough to accommodate it. Tote bags make great tradeshow giveaways and generally have a large imprint area. You can even further your brand exposure by printing your company name on both sides of the bag.

 

Conference Giveaways

 

A conference is, essentially, a large gathering of professionals who come together to present and discuss topics of relevance to a particular field or industry, in effect providing a forum for the exchange of information. This differs from a tradeshow, which is generally an exhibition for individual corporations to showcase their products or services to the marketplace and acquire prospective buyers. That being said, it is necessary to make a distinction between the promotional products that should be used for each particular event.

 

During a tradeshow, participants generally spend their time traveling from booth to booth, as exhibitors vie for their attention. Thus promotional products chosen for tradeshows are often meant to entice visitors to a booth. Alternately, conference attendees most likely spend their time sitting in meeting halls attending lectures or panel discussions, so the promotional products that are chosen for these events serve a very different purpose. Here are some considerations for choosing promotional products that are relevant and applicable for conference giveaways: 

 

As the main purpose of a conference is to obtain information, promotional products that make it easier to do so serve as excellent giveaways. Journals customized with your brand name and logo of course, are highly appreciated and likely to be used during the conference and after. There a wide variety of journals and jotters with assorted characteristics available in many different price ranges.

 

Another great promotional product giveaway for conferences is customized water bottles and travel mugs. Many conferences have lectures that start early in the morning and run late into the evenings. Attendees will surely need to stay hydrated with plenty of water (and plenty of coffee!) to make sure they can stay focused well into the evenings, too. Additionally, these promotional products prove to be quite handy, as they make maneuvering across rows in lecture halls a spill-free process!

 

As mentioned previously, the best conference giveaways are ones that are useful and serve a purpose other than just promoting your company name and brand, and apparel is another excellent category of promotional products that does just that. For most people who attend conferences, their industry is a very important part of who they are, so customized apparel like shirts and hats are appreciated conference gifts that the recipient will most likely continue to wear in the future. Additionally, conference rooms and lecture halls are typically kept at very cool temperatures to compensate for the amount of bodies that fill them. Provide a customized sweatshirt as your promotional product giveaway and attendees will be ever grateful.

 

There are a few other promotional products that may come to the rescue under certain circumstances, making you and your giveaway the hit of the conference. Umbrellas make excellent conference giveaways, especially when unexpected bad weather hits and conference participants need to run out to their cars or across the road to another building without getting their business attire soaking wet. Or what if unexpected hunger hits in the middle of an important lecture? Attendees will be so happy they have your gift basket full of snacks to hold them over until lunch! And with your name and logo imprinted on each item, they will know just which company came to their rescue.

 

 

Demonstrating your corporate initiatives is an important aspect of branding your business. When you showcase your corporate culture by demonstrating your organization’s commitments, you show your customers and employees that you care about the members of your community. By integrating the usage of the applicable promotional products into your mix, you can increase your branding efforts while distributing practical pieces in support of the causes you hold close to your heart.

 

Eco-Friendly Promotional Products Campaigns

 

As the environmental movement continues to progress to the forefront of our nation’s public interest socially and politically, it is important that we also address environmental issues commercially. If we can recognize that industry and ecology are essentially connected, we can begin to do our part to assist with environmental conservation. While the primary intention of promotional products is to build and sustain awareness for a company’s products or services, in using eco-friendly promotional products to promote your brand you can simultaneously promote environmental conservation!

 

Non-woven recycled grocery totes are one of the most popular eco-friendly promotional products on the market today. Grocery stores began the trend of using these recycled grocery totes as an alternative to environmentally harmful options like paper or plastic. Many other industries have quickly followed suit and today the use of these bags can be seen everywhere from retail boutiques to technology tradeshows as companies search for practical, eco-friendly promotional products to promote their brand. It has even become somewhat of a fashion trend, marketed by fashion designers to increase awareness of environmental concerns.

 

From a consumer viewpoint, companies can create a greater positive perception of their brand by using eco-friendly promotional products, especially as the number of people who recognize the importance of environmental responsibility continues to widen. Demonstrating a commitment to sustainable initiatives can result in greater customer loyalty and an increased customer base. In fact, research has shown that over half of all global consumers say that they would prefer to do business with a company known for their strong environmental reputations. In addition, eight out of ten workers surveyed stated their preference of working for environmentally ethical employers.

 

The best place to start your initiatives is in your workplace. Here are some tips to make your office environment eco-friendly with promotional products:

 

1. Reusable Drinkware

Many offices rely on the use of paper or Styrofoam cups for staff and client use.  To eliminate these kitchen disposables, companies can purchase promotional products like branded mugs to supply employees and clients with a reusable means of drinking beverages. There is a wide variety of eco-friendly drinkware on today’s market too from biodegradable travel mugs to sports bottles made of recycled materials and more.

 

2. Eco-Friendly Electronics

Convert your office into a green environment by using energy-saving (and cost-saving) promotional products. Utilize computer power saver buttons, for example, that conserve more energy than regular sleep mode on a computer. Or try water-powered items like calculators and clocks. Just fill the water battery compartment and never use a conventional battery again!

 

3.    Create a Green Environment - Literally!

Make your office more “green” by growing green grass right at your desk! Provide promotional plants and seeds for your employees or customers. You can find many promotional products kits on the market that include everything you need from a tin container, to the grass seed and soil. Just add water to the enclosed seeds and watch the grass grow.

 

4.  Reward Eco-Friendly Behavior

As professionals in the field of promotional products, we know the influence of incentives. Motivate your staff to exhibit environmentally friendly behavior around the office by providing a selection of eco-friendly promotional products as rewards. You can give this recognition at monthly staff meetings for example, to show the importance of green behavior to your business.  Stock your giveaway bag with everything from recycled yo-yos, to recycled Frisbees and more. And store these items in a recycled bag or tote!

 

And remember, being eco-friendly does not mean you have to break your budget. Many people think that items including promotional products that are made of natural and organic materials are more costly than others, but this is not necessarily valid. New technology for recycling and manufacturing recycled materials has allowed these costs to greatly decrease. Additionally, these promotional products are also of the same, or higher quality than their more environmentally harmful counterparts without any added costs.

 

The grocery totes mentioned previously, for example, are made of polypropylene, a durable plastic material designed to have the look, feel and quality of cloth, with some even featuring reinforced handles or binding on the edges for added durability, however are more lightweight and actually more inexpensive than bags made of other materials. These factors have added to their popularity as they are compactable and easy to transport, an important consideration for companies who want to ensure their choice in promotional products is easy to deliver to event sites, and also easy for recipients to carry home.

 

In order to do its part in assisting with the environmental conservation movement, Pinnacle Promotions trademarked its own line of eco-friendly promotional products called EarthSmart™. From eco-friendly promotional apparel, bags and totes to recycled journals, jotters and padfolios, all EarthSmart™ promotional products are made from natural, organic or recycled materials and inflict minimal to no harm on the environment. In addition, as a corporate member of 1% for the Planet Pinnacle Promotions contributes 1% of its sales of all EarthSmart™ products to a network of more than 1,700 environmental organizations worldwide.

 

It is easier than you may think to demonstrate your corporation’s commitment to sustainability.

 

Charitable Promotional Products Campaigns

 

In addition to using promotional products to show your commitment to environmental initiatives, companies can also use promotional products to show their commitment to the community by donating items to philanthropic activities and events. By offering promotional products custom imprinted with your company’s name and logo, you are not only providing organizations with valuable items, but you are also advertising your brand. Additionally, charitable donations are generally tax-deductible, adding another positive result of performing such generous acts.

 

There is an endless array of organizations out there that are in need of help. Youth athletic leagues and school sports teams are two examples that are generally always welcoming donations from businesses in their surrounding community. Consider donating promotional sportswear to the players. You can have the main imprint area customized with the team or player’s name, but co-brand the promotional product by adding your own company’s name and logo to the sleeve. In this way you are making a generous donation to the team, but are also advertising your brand.

 

Promotional products for the fans such as stadium cushions and spirit accessories are also great ideas for items to give to these groups. As appreciation from the athletic organizations they will often offer you free ad space in their athletic programs and even personal business from family members of athletes and others from the community. Plus, parents are usually the players’ number one fans, and they generally try to support those who support their children’s activities so these small charitable efforts can result in large returns in sales for your business.

 

The following is a list of other ideas for organizations that would appreciate donations and corresponding promotional products from which they would most benefit:

 

• Scouting groups could benefit from promotional products such as flashlights and other gear perfect for camping and outdoor activities.

 

• Schools could use school supplies like custom notebooks and pens or donate balloons to graduation ceremonies and show your support in student accomplishments and futures.

 

• Donate custom tees or golf balls to a charity golf tournament.

 

• Donate bandage dispensers and first aid kits to non-profit hospitals.

 

• Companies can donate household supplies to the Red Cross or local Departments of Social Services who will then distribute these promotional products to victims of natural disasters. 

 

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Putting A Face On Your Company

 

One of the most important factors addressed by consumers and a challenge that must be tackled when shopping for a product, and sometimes even more importantly, a service, is how to find a reputable company to do business with. When active seekers look for an organization to work with, it is often important to them that they recognize the company as a legitimate, and recognized brand.

 

This is why, as we discussed previously, Coca-Cola and Tropicana customers were outraged when their beloved product changed its packaging styles.

 

Brand truly does mean everything.

 

When you successfully “humanize” or put a face on your company, you help to solidify that relationship with your loyal customer base.

 

Think about the insurance company, Geico. What’s the first image that pops into your head? If you watch much television or have ever received any of their advertising materials, I would bet it was a Gecko that came to mind.

 

Geico has created a recognizable face for their company - and therefore their insurance offerings. While the Geico Gecko will most likely never answer the phone when you call for a quote or to make an adjustment to your policy, the consistent reminder is always there. There is never a snake, or a dog, or a lion. It is always a Gecko. It always has the same voice. And they always convey the same core values.

 

In a world with so many organizations competing for the same potential clients, what can you do to set yourself apart from the competition? How can you ensure that it is your name that is on the forefront of their mind the next time the need for your product or service arises? By putting your name, your face, or even a promotional product in the form of a mascot representation of your organization in reach of your clients, you help increase name recognition along with brand visibility.

 

I’m not by any means saying that your company needs to go out and create an animal entity representing your company. However, what are your core company values? Figure out your marketing stance and make it stick. You may never have as strong of a market representation as Coke or Pepsi, but stick to your values. Build your brand and personalize your business relationships.

 

When you are seen as a human rather than a cold-steel industry, your customers are more likely to keep your number in their little black book of businesses they know and trust.

 

Building Business Relationships

 

Building your business relationships is a key aspect of growing a successful corporation and a strong brand name. When you choose to utilize the distribution of promotional products that you have strategically analyzed and planned for, you make a sustained effort to effectively reach out to your clients and form those integral partnerships.

However, the relationship-building process can be a time consuming and often frustrating process. If you are unsure of how to approach your clients, your intended message can fall on deaf ears.

 

When you build a substantial relationship with your client base, you solidify your corporation as their “go-to” source for your product and/or service offerings. While giving your key customers promotional products as holiday gifts is an effective and important means of sustaining your relationships, repeated contact is imperative to a strong bond.

 

Constant phone calls and intrusive office visits can sometimes come across as irritating to your clients. Reach out to your clients and remind them who you are by mailing an inexpensive promotional product to their office, or leave behind a gift at the receptionist’s desk every now and then. You will reaffirm your presence while delivering a significant and thoughtful reminder of who you are and what you do.

 

The practice of giving corporate gifts and giveaways is an easy and efficient way to keep your current business relationships strong while constructing new partnerships with potential clients. When you make a conscience effort to personalize the relationships you have with your clients, you commit to growing a mutually beneficial and longstanding partnership.

 

In order to make these strategic alliances work, you must continually make the effort to familiarize your potential and current clients with your organization and the services and/or products that you provide. The overriding goal of company-client relationships is to solidify your position as a reputable resource and legitimate company that your customer can repeatedly call on. By following the steps and practices discussed in this guide, you can make the most out of your budding business relationships while saving your organization precious time, money and extended resources.

 

Garnering Maximum Results

 

The key to the maximizing your promotional marketing efforts is merging all of the strategies we have discussed throughout this guide.

 

·       Careful planning

 

·       Demographic analysis

 

·       The development of a marketing strategy

 

·       Setting a budget

 

·       Choosing the correct distributor

 

·       Finding the perfect promotional products

 

·       Demonstrating your core values

 

And incorporating all of the above into one, seamless system to promote your brand.

 

By taking the time to strategically prepare for your marketing initiatives, you can maximize the time and money you spend on your promotional products brand marketing throughout the course of the year. By diving deep into the core of your business structure and brand, you can develop the marketing system that works best for you.

 

As we have seen, the lasting power of promotional products cannot be denied. Promotional products increase recall, drive impressions, and assist in building a stronger brand image.

 

Research Shows(22):

 

Reach:

·       70% of business people reported receiving a promotional product in the last 12 months

·       34% had the promotional product on their person

 

Recall:

·       76% of people could recall the advertiser’s name

·       only 53% could recall the name of a single advertiser they had seen in a magazine or newspaper in the past week

 

Impress:

·       52% of respondents did business with the advertiser after receiving the promotional product

·       52% of participants reported their impression was more favorable after receiving the promotional product

 

And at $.0004 per impression, can your organization afford not to use promotional products?

 

Marketing and advertising can be a treacherous road to travel at times. However, in order to drive the best results for your business, you must be willing to take chances in your marketing efforts.

 

Keeping your head above water while searching the tens of thousands of promotional products, the endless possibilities for themes and the wide range of customization options can be challenging if you aren’t prepared for the journey.

 

Don’t let this challenge stop you from using promotional products for your marketing efforts. The addition of promotional products into your traditional marketing mix allows you to be creative while at the same time, delivering a long-lasting representation of your brand image. By working with product specialists and a distributor that you trust, you can get the expert assistance you need to build the perfect promotion.

 

 

There’s a lot of information here. We know that. If you feel yourself getting overwhelmed, just pick up the phone and call an experienced salesperson employed by a reputable distributor like Pinnacle Promotions. These salespeople specialize in understanding promotional products, and they want to talk to you. There is invaluable information that can be gleaned from a brief interaction, but the support offered by knowledgeable professionals can only be utilized if you reach out to such personnel. Many promotional products companies even offer services like real-time, online chat room capabilities, free telephone hotlines, or FAQ sections on their websites. These reference tools are readily accessible to the general public and can greatly simplify the process of buying promotional products!

Hopefully this guide has been helpful in getting you started with incorporating promotional products into your marketing campaign, but this is only the beginning of your journey.

Additional resources are located in the following pages as appendices: a glossary of terms, calendar of events, quick ideas, and budget planner. You can also follow the citations and additional resources listed throughout the book for more information and research on promotional products.

As you can see, there is no dearth of information when it comes to promotional products. A reputable distributor will be willing to work with you and guide your hand every step of the way, but it’s up to you to get started and get promoting. Once you take the initial step to open the lines of communication, a distributor can speak with you about what’s working and what isn’t, and work with you on maximizing your investment. If you happen to select a promotional products distributor with in-house creative talent, the company can even help you with rebranding efforts by designing your logo and other artwork. Planning your promotional products campaign is actually pretty fun, and hey - you sure get lots of swag.

 

So get going: we can’t wait to see how promotional products make a difference at your business. 

 

Need a little creative inspiration?

 

• For the young at heart: Executive gifts can put a unique spin on childhood favorites like checkers, yo-yos, brainteasers and puzzles to make these classic promotional products appropriate for workplace settings.

 

• Heritage months: Incorporating promotional products into month-long recognition celebrations honoring various cultures can reinforce values like equality and diversity in the office. From Black History Month (February) to Native American Heritage Month (November), there are an abundance of ethnicities and cultures that have been declared as national observances for particular months of the secular calendar year. Promotional products commemorating these occasions are easier to think of than you might expect!

 

• Picnics or outdoor gatherings: Promotional products like imprinted water bottles, headwear or battery-powered fans can keep attendees cool despite hot and humid temperatures. These items are practical warm weather giveaways that are sure to come in handy whenever recipients are forced to brave the heat, thereby garnering lots of exposure for the custom messages featured on each of the promotional products.

 

• Milestones in the personal lives of employees/clients: Weddings, births and anniversaries are significant events in an individual’s life, and you can extend your congratulations and well wishes by giving promotional products to the individual on behalf of your organization. Depending on the nature of the event, recommendations for gifts may include custom engraved plaques, executive pens, cigars and bar accessories, or photo frames. Whenever the recipient looks at or uses one of these promotional products, they will be reminded of the genuine sentiment and generosity behind the thoughtful gesture.

 

• To create stylish and highly valued corporate gifts, imprint products using the laser engraving or debossing technique.

 

• April marks Stress Awareness Month; consider distributing promotional spa products or custom imprinted stress balls. Also, browse the Internet for ideas about the plethora of other awareness months out there. From month-long celebrations of hamburgers to months dedicated to certain musical genres, there is sure to be a month to recognize something that you or your target audience feel strongly towards.

 

• Draw inspiration from the weather and customize promotional products according to the season. In the summer, distribute custom imprinted fans and coolers, and be sure to give promotional outwear when the weather turns cold.

 

• Got a trade show coming up? Give away cinch packs in your brand's color. Attendees will have armfuls of promotional products from the other booths, and your bag will be a welcome and useful item to them. Your brand will get great exposure bouncing around on the backs of all the guests. "Where can I get one of those?"

 

• Need a quick reward for all your company employees meeting their sales goals? We had this dilemma at Pinnacle recently, and decided to embroider company blankets. Everyone can use an extra throw, especially in the winter season. 

 

• Have a big game coming up? Market your team during half-time by throwing rally towels into the audience. It only takes one promotional product to turn an attendee into a fan.  

 

• School orientations, whether primary schools or colleges, can encourage parent participation in programs like Parent Teacher Associations or Booster Clubs by distributing promotional products like calendar magnets or notebooks. These giveaways enhance school spirit and can benefit attendance at various events or meetings.

 

• Who doesn’t love promotional balloons? Custom balloons can be used as part of the décor for a variety of occasions, inside the office or at assorted industry gatherings or sponsored activities. Any attendees who have kids at home, or who just love the idea of promotional balloons featuring a company logo, will want to take the items home with them to spread joy and awe.

 

• Contests are a highly effective way to promote interaction between your brand and clients, or even internally among your staff. Incorporate mystery and surprise into contests by boasting about some of the amazing promotional products up for grabs, while subtly alluding to an incredible grand prize. Participation is sure to sky-rocket!

 

• Do you occasionally wish you could read your customers’ minds? Try distributing a survey or focus group to learn about the preferences of your target audience. Inexpensive promotional products are a great reward for the individuals who volunteer to share their opinions, and as an added bonus, the products will serve as a lasting reminder of your brand’s consideration.

 

• Stock your supply closet with an array of promotional products that can only be accessed by management staff. When lower level employees exceed expectations or simply do something kind to help a coworker or client, they can be recognized for their behavior with branded promotional products.

 

• Vendor fairs hosted at local shopping malls or office parks can be ideal venues to target a large audience with a single appearance. By bringing promotional products customized with your contact information and marketing message, guests can follow up with you or a representative from your organization after the event. Make sure that you have enough promotional products to accommodate a sizeable crowd if attendance surpasses projections.

 

 

advertiser, the company who purchases promotional products from the distributor with the intend to distribute as a promotional tool.

 

account opener, a promotional product that is given to a customer as a thank you or reward for opening a new account.

 

advertising specialties, imprinted promotional products that are distributed free of charge.

 

alignment, the unification of all branding efforts. Alignment ensures that a customer has a consistent experience throughout all points of interaction with your brand and ultimately develops the gut feeling you defined in your brand strategy.

 

ASI, Advertising Specialty Institute. This is the largest media and marketing organization that services the advertising specialty industry. ASI assigns distinct numbers to suppliers and distributors who meet their standards for inclusion.

 

award, a recognition item give to recipients to signify an accomplishment. These items are usually personalized with the recipients name, the date and reason for the recognition.

 

bitmap, a map of dots or pixels. File formats include: GIF, JPG, TIF, BMP, PCT, PCX, and DIB. These can be read and edited in imaging programs but can not be scaled up in size without a pixilated or blocky appearance.

 

brand, someone’s gut feeling about your product, service or company.

 

branded house, a parent company like Apple or Coca-Cola that is a household name.

 

collateral, a term used for printed pieces. Brochures, catalogs, flyers and other various printed information items fall under this term.

 

collectibles, promotional products that are perceived as collectible in nature.

 

commemorative, an item that is given to a recipient to commemorate a milestone, anniversary or other remarkable occasion.

 

continuity premium, a planned series of gifts that are distributed over the course of weeks in correlation with a continuity program.

 

copy, may refer solely to printed text, or may include graphics and all content to be printed for graphic design.

 

cost-per-impression,  the overall cost-per-impression of a promotional product can be calculated by dividing the cost of a particular product by the total number of impressions it receives within one year (based upon the impressions it receives per month and the average number of months the item is kept). 

 

direct mail, advertising materials that are distributed to the target audience via direct delivery methods.

 

distributor, also known as promotional consultants, this term refers to the person or team who helps the buyer decide which promotional product will be the most efficient for their marketing needs. There are over 22,000 distributors in the promotional products industry.

 

door opener, a promotional product that is given to a potential client in order to generate interest about a product or service, and persuade the recipient to participate in a meeting, sales call or presentation.

 

drop shipment, an order that is divided and shipped to multiple locations.

 

EQP, end quantity pricing. Refers to the best pricing available when the largest listed quantities are purchased. Also may be referred to as end column pricing.

 

EPS, encapsulated postscript file. Expressed as the extension .eps. File format that allows PostScript data to be easily transported and formatted. One of the preferred file formats for logos and scalable images.

 

exact rerun or reorder, the reorder of the exact product with the exact imprint as the initial order.

 

GIF, graphics interchange format. Expressed as the extension .gif. Commonly used for web imaging, this format allows for the display of images with up to 256 distinct colors. This imaging format is widely used because of its portability and accessibility.

 

giveaway, a promotional product that is given to recipients free of charge or obligation. Typically used to generate goodwill and awareness of a company, brand or product.

 

hardgoods, promotional products other than apparel.

 

house of brands, a company like Unilever that focuses branding efforts on its subsidiaries -- Slim Fast, Hellmann’s, Axe -- rather than its parent company.

 

imprinting, the method by which you choose to display your company name and logo on a promotional product. Common options include silkscreen, debossing, 4-color process, engraving, laser etching etc.

 

incentive, a promotional product used as a reward for reaching a goal or for performing a designated action: i.e. a gift with purchase incentive.

 

in-pack, a promotional product that is distributed inside a product package.

 

JPEG, Joint Photographic Experts Group. Expressed as the extension .jpg or .jpeg. The most common imaging file format due to its portability, accessibility and ability to be compressed in size with little loss in quality. This format is widely supported by digital cameras and most websites.

 

logo, a graphical representation of a brand.

 

marketing, marketing is the process by which business attracts the consumer, satisfies the consumer, and keeps the consumer. This is often done by creating and exchanging products and services of value.

 

marketing mix, combining a variety of marketing elements - which may include: price, packaging, distribution, promotion, public relations, etc. - into one, strategically designed marketing plan.

 

market share, the proportion of sales of a particular product or service that is held by one individual brand.

 

on-pack, a promotional product that is attached to the outside of a product package.

 

overruns/underruns, because promotional products are produced in bulk quantities, depending on the item, the quantity may vary from 5% - 10% in case of any quality issues.

 

PMS, Pantone Matching System®. This is the standard color matching system used by most printers. Each color on the Pantone color chart corresponds to a particular number, allowing for exact color matching.

 

PPAI, Promotional Products Association International. PPAI provides industry research, information and tools regarding the promotional products industry.

 

perceived value, what someone believes an item is worth.

 

premium, a promotional product that is offered to recipients free of charge for performing a designated task: i.e. meeting a sales goal.

 

pre-production proof, an actual imprinted product that is sent to the client for approval before the entire order goes into production.

 

price break, the reduction in price for ordering a larger quantity of promotional products.

 

prize, the reward given to the winner of a contest, tournament or other form of competition. 

 

promotional product, a product that is branded with a logo, message or corporate information and is distributed with the purpose or intent to educate, advertise or market an organization, service, product or event.

 

production time, the number of business days between the confirmation of the order and the ship date of the promotional product.

 

proof, a graphical representation of the imprint showing color, size and imprint area for approval by the client before printing begins on the actual promotional products. This may be presented to the client electronically or via a paper proof.

 

process colors, cyan, magenta, yellow, black (CMYK). The colors needed for 4-color process printing.

 

random sample, a single promotional product displaying a random imprint. Sample products are typically used to show clients an actual product before a large quantity purchase is made.  

 

raster art, images that are more commonly referred to as bitmap images. A bitmap image uses a grid of individual pixels where each pixel can be a different color or shade.

 

rebrand, to market a product or service with a different identity than before, often involving radical changes to the logo, name, strategy, and advertising.

 

recognition item, an award or other product used to recognize an accomplishment.

 

referral premium, a promotional product given to a recipient for their referral of a customer.

 

return on investment (ROI), the measure of the net income a company can earn based on its total assets, or essentially, what one can get back from the money they spend. The ROI is calculated by dividing profits by assets. In regards to promotional products, the ROI measures the effectiveness of one's advertising efforts and can be determined based upon one's cost-per-impression. 

 

resolution, the number of pixels being stored or displayed in an image

 

run charge, the additional charge per promotional product that is added to the cost for choosing additional imprint locations, and/or secondary and subsequent imprint colors.

 

set-up charge, the fee to create dies, screens or any other necessary tools to imprint your promotional products. This fee may be waved or reduced for reorders of the same promotional products.

 

speculative (SPEC) sample, a single promotional product that has been imprinted with the client’s logo. These are typically used to show clients what their finished product will look like after production.

 

supplier, this term refers to the suppliers of imprinted promotional products. There are over 3,500 suppliers in the promotional products industry.

 

TIFF, tagged image file format. Expressed as the extension .tif. Standard format used to exchange bitmapped images.

 

traffic builder, a promotional product used to drive traffic to a tradeshow booth, store or other promotional event, sale or display.

 

vector art, graphics which use mathematical relationships between points and the paths connecting them to describe an image. Scalable vector images can be scaled to various dimensions while retaining a smooth appearance.

 

wearables, apparel, headwear and other “soft” goods that may be worn.

 

 

Citations

1. “Early History of the Promotional Products Industry”. PPAI, 2009. Web. 12 Nov. 2009. <http://ppai.org/Buyer/Need%20More/History%20of%20the%20Industry/>.

2. 2008 Estimate of Promotional Products Distributor Sales. Promotional Products Association International. PPAI. 2008. Web. <http://www.ppai.org/Media/Industry+Information/Sales+Volume+Estimate/>

3. 2009 Promotional Products Fact Sheet. Promotional Products Association International. PPAI, 2009. Web. <http://www.ppai.org/Media/Industry%20Information/Fact%20Sheet/>.

4. ibid.

5. ibid.

6. Advertising Specialties Impressions Study. Rep. Advertising Specialty Institute, 2008. Web. Nov. 2009.

7. 2009 Promotional Products Fact Sheet. Promotional Products Association International. PPAI, 2009. Web. <http://www.ppai.org/Media/Industry%20Information/Fact%20Sheet/>.

8. Nelson, Ph.D., Richard A., and Rick Ebel, comps. "Promotional Products Share of The Advertising Pie." Chart. Promotional Products Association International. PPAI, 2009. Web. <http://www.ppai.org/Media/Industry%20Information/Fact%20Sheet/>.

9. Johnson, Craig. "Defining Intended Perception." Web log post. Matchstic Blog. Matchstic, 21 Oct. 2009. Web. <http://matchstic.com/blog>.

10. Brand tags. Web. <http://www.brandtags.net>.

11. "Kraft, Coke, Tide Least Likely to be Traded Down." Study. MarketingCharts. Watershed Publishing, 26 Oct. 2009. Web. http://www.marketingcharts.com/topics/behavioral-marketing/kraft-coke-tide-least-likely-to-be-traded-down-10853/>.

12. Morton, J.L. "Liar, Liar, the Color Wheel is on Fire." Web log post. Color Matters. 10 Sept. 2009. Web. <http://www.colormatters.blogspot.com/>.

13. "X-One Mug." Facebook. Web. <http://www.facebook.com>.

14. Zorger, Jen. "5 Hottest Marketing Trends." Advantages Aug. 2009: 83. Print.

15. Elliott, Stuart. "Tropicana Discovers Some Buyers Are Passionate About Packaging." The New York Times 23 Feb. 2009: B6. 22 Feb. 2009. Web. <http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/23/business/media/23adcol.html>.

16. Advertising Specialties Impressions Study. Rep. Advertising Specialty Institute, 2008. Web. Nov. 2009.

17. "ASICentral.com - About ASI." ASI Central. Web. 12 Nov. 2009. <http://www.asicentral.com/asp/open/aboutASI/index.aspx>.

18. ibid.

19. "Hay Group : Tough Decisions in a Downturn Don?t Have to Lead to Disengaged Employees." Hay Group. Web. 12 Nov. 2009. <http://www.haygroup.com/ww/Press/Details.aspx?ID=21404>.

20. Atkinson, William. "Employee-focused Marketing Campaigns." Meetings Net - Meeting industry news, Meeting Planning Tools, Resources, and Jobs for Meeting Planners | planning meetings, incentives, and events. Web. 12 Nov. 2009. <http://meetingsnet.com/corporatemeetingsincentives/mag/meetings_inside_job/index.html>.

21. Promotional Products Work as Employee Awards and Incentives. Issue brief. PPAI, 1999. Web. 12 Nov. 2009. <ppa.org>.

22. 2009 Promotional Products Fact Sheet. Promotional Products Association International. PPAI, 2009. Web. <http://www.ppai.org/Media/Industry%20Information/Fact%20Sheet/>.