A promotional product, a small sample of what you are all about, or a gift that ensures your customer remembers your brand and your company in the future, is always a great idea – it works. In fact, it’s often more effective than other means of advertising. All of us have at one point in time received a pen, an umbrella, or a hat proclaiming a company’s brand; and more often than not, we’ve enjoyed its use.
However, an enterprise can’t just start producing promotional giveaways and hand them out on the street. The process needs to be thought through, and several considerations need to be made to have a truly effective marketing campaign. Are you thinking about promoting your product or brand? Here is your essential guide to choosing the best promotional giveaways.
Your target demographic
Different people enjoy different things – so if you’re in the business of pleasing your customers or clientele (as all businesses should be), it pays to understand what your target demographic would appreciate. Buying an umbrella for someone who lives in the desert is useless; giving a pen to a writer is guaranteed success. It requires some study, but it’s well worth the effort – know your target demographic.
Your budget
Your budget is important, and hence you should be realistic about what you can afford. Ask yourself: what budget is available to you, and how many people do you aim to please? Based on this, make a shortlist regarding possible items and decide, based on your target demographic research, which would be most effective.
Your image
You have to make sure that you promote your business – this is, after all, the main purpose of giving away those free items. Ensure your items proclaim your enterprise, your brand, and your product; be consistent when it comes to branding and brand recognition. Use your logo and your colours to their full advantage.
The distribution
You need to be able to bring the free promotional merchandise to the target demographic, so make sure they receive them; where do they live, where do they go, and how can you ensure the item is given to the right person at the right time? Distribution strategies are important as well.
To illustrate the concepts above, here are some excellent examples. Refrigerator magnets are economical to produce and very handy – most everyone sees them on a daily basis. Tumblers, containers, umbrellas, and other such items are great for outside booths and trade shows. More expensive items, such as electronic gadgets, wine glasses, and so on, are best given in person to large potential customers during meetings or conferences. Your options are endless and are only limited by your means and imagination. Think the process through, and your customer base could grow very quickly indeed.
