Why are Promotional Business Products so Effective?

As a business owner/entrepreneur I do understand the need to make sure that my target audience knows who I am and what I do. As a marketing professional I understand the need for the branded awareness even more. People buy from people they know and trust and sometimes it’s the brand they know and trust.

That’s why promotional business products are so important to most any business. Why? They are kept and used regularly reinforcing your name, brand and your product or service.

Promotional Products are strong influencers of brands

A recent 2014 PPAI Buyer Insights Study found that when asked about promotional product effectiveness, almost 75 percent of the respondents said that these products are either effective or extremely effective. In addition, the study found that promotional products are seen as strong influencers of brands as they are used to promote brand recognition, brand/product awareness and corporate identity.

So banding is a key benefit of using promotional business products. There are many more benefits that can be achieved with a business promotional item as part of your marketing campaign:

• Exposure for your brand is very important. And as I stated above, promotional business products are kept and used. So, what does that do for you? It gives you repeated exposure. Keeps you top of mind with your clients and prospects. So when they are ready to buy, they buy from the name they know and trust. I gave a pen to each member of a non-profit board that I served on, a year later, one of the pens ended up 500 miles away – I didn’t give the person the pen, but their friend had, they trusted the friend and loved the pen so we began a business relationship. Still have it today, 5 years later.

• They provide a different type of “business card”. If you give a prospect a business card they may add it to their database or it may end up in the trash. But a promotional item will probably be kept. I have rescue dogs and the vet I took them to initially gave me a “goody” bag – magnet and a travel water bowl. The magnet is still on my cabinet 7 years later so I can call when I need to. I recommend them all the time because their information is right at my fingertips. I wouldn’t have kept their business card the same way.

• Promotional business products are very cost effective. There is a product that will work with just about any budget and quantity. There are very high quality pens for under $.50 and there are high end business accessories for over $100.00 or more. It just depends on what your needs are. If you are exhibiting at a trade show you don’t want to be giving out expensive gifts to unqualified prospects, but maybe you do want to give away a $2.50 item that they will keep and use to remember your products or services by.

• Promotional business products engage your clients and prospects because it’s tangible. You can definitely see it and touch it, but it may also have a sound, a smell, or a taste, probing their sensory memory. The engaged are more likely to remember you. A few examples include:  food products, candles, speakers, sound cards, stress relievers and so much more. The engaged also consider you to have a relationship throughout the useful life of your promotional product gift. Take advantage of the opportunity.

So, if you want to brand, expose, stay top of mind and engage your clients or prospects all at the best ROI (return on investment) of any of the marketing mediums, then promotional business products should be a part of your marketing mix.