NBA Benefit
Provider - 4imprint.com
http://www.4imprint.com/nba/nba.aspx
Copyright
© 2008 4imprint.
There's an old adage that everyone
loves free stuff.
If that's the approach you've been taking
when you select your promotional products, you're missing some big opportunities
to make big impressions. Promotional products-those clever little marketing tools
that bear a company's name and logo-can be powerful branding tools. When chosen
correctly and used creatively, they can create a positive, lasting brand impression.
How do we know? Take a moment and look around your desk.
Do you have a pen bearing a vendor's name? A coffee mug containing your company's
logo? A mouse pad imprinted with your tech support team's phone and Web site?
If you have one or more promotional products within easy
reach, you're not alone.
Promotional products are designed
to cleverly cut through the clutter by doing double duty-they're merchandise that
is useful to the end user and holds a company's name, logo or message for marketing
and communication purposes. They go beyond merchandise samples, making their mark
as your favorite pen, your desk's coffee cup coaster or your gym bag. In reality,
promotional products can come in any form, from gadgets and gizmos to garments,
housewares and food - to name a few. Anything that is specifically chosen to represent
your company can be given away to your customers and potential customers, promoting
who you are and making a positive lasting impression.
And,
that's exactly what they do.
Survey says…success!
The
Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) conducted a survey at Georgia
Southern University to test the effectiveness of promotional products.
In
the study, one group of students received promotional products with a local restaurant's
identity, while the other group did not. One month later, testing revealed that
those who had received promotional products had a better perception of the restaurant,
thought its image to be overall positive, and were more likely to both patronize
and recommend the restaurant.
This study clearly demonstrates
the power of promotional products in affecting both awareness and perception among
prospective customers.
Those findings jive with another
survey, The Effectiveness of Promotional Products in Trade-Show Settings-Recipient
Perceptions of Recall Usefulness and Company, conducted in 2004. Researchers in
the latter study did pre-tests and post-tests with 326 trade show attendees. At
the show, attendees were asked the name of the company that gave them the promotional
product. More than 70% could do so. Thirty (30) days after the show, 56% could
still do so.
We know that promotional products make an
impression. If you want to make the best impression possible, you'll want to make
sure you choose the right promotional products.
Where
do you start?
That's the big question: You have literally thousands of
options - from pens and magnets to putters and fleece jackets. Picking the "right"
promotional products is a strategic decision.
Thinking about
who your target market is and what they do is essential. Do they golf? Drink coffee
by the gallon? Spend a lot of time at the computer? Make so many sales presentations
that they live in their cars? That's just part of the equation.
As
you look at your promotional products options, ask yourself these key questions:
-
Who is the customer?
- What are they interested in?
- What
product will give us the best chance to make a lasting impression?
-
Which product best reflects our company's culture?
Answer
these questions and you'll be well on your way to selecting a promotional product
that delivers results.
"Choose, but choose wisely."
You
might be tempted to start your search based on budget. If you look for the first
item that pops up at 37 cents/each, you're likely to miss something that could
be high impact for your business.
Cost will always be an
essential ingredient in your decision-making, but try to think about how you can
package the promotional product to give you the most bang for your buck. Here
are a couple of ideas:
Theme
Find products that
tie into your current promotions. For example:
- If you're a realtor
who sells a lot of vacation getaways, offer people who tour a property an outdoor-themed
promotional product, such as a camp chair or a hiker's tool kit.
- If
your travel agency wants to promote Caribbean cruises, beach balls or flip flops
would be excellent tie-ins to your already-planned advertising.
- You
can quickly liven up a trade show exhibit with golf-themed games and giveaways.
Even if it's the middle of winter, your business is in cold-weather country and
unrelated to golf, by using promotional products to create an interactive experience
built around a theme, you can attract attention, draw in potential buyers and
make sure people take home a clever marketing tool carrying your name.
Useful
Think
about what your target audience uses on a daily basis, and cater to their needs.
Think through when you'd most like a prospect to see your name. Is it when they
are at their desk? (That's perfect for an office supply company or a restaurant
specializing in take-out/delivery.) In the car? (Say yes if you're a gas station
or car wash.) For example:
- If your best prospects work in an office,
imprinted Post-It® Notes give you multiple exposures. They're useful and welcomed.
- If you own a building supply company, give out yard sticks.
- If
you sell to traveling salespeople, offer travel alarm clocks.
If
you choose promotional products that are useful, people will keep them - and every
time they use your promotional product, they'll be reminded of your business.
Being in the right place at the right time makes your company a no-brainer for
their buying decision.
Take home (for loved one)
For
businesspeople spending a great deal of time at trade shows, promotional products
become incredibly common. If that's your typical audience, consider a thoughtful
differentiator-something meant to be passed along to a loved one at home.
- "
If the average person who stops by your exhibit is a 35-year-old man, why not
wow him by wowing his children? Offer fun items for kids, like Nutty Putty, a
ball and glove set, or rubber ducks. Or, help him surprise his wife or significant
other with a wine gift set, a chocolate-dipped spoon, or lotion.
- For
animal lovers, offer a pet dish, pet first aid kit, or retractable dog leash.
Your
goal is to make people stop! By tugging on their heartstrings or touching them
emotionally, your promotional product is able to reach out to them, pulling them
in to your company. Your promotional product is giving them a purpose to stop
and talk with you - on a whole different level. And this benefits you too!
Fun
"Fun"
promotional products draw attention. They arouse interest! Give your prospects,
clients or customers a break from 'real life' with something that reminds them
of childhood, like a Rubik's Cube® or yo-yo. Countless fun products can be
imprinted with your name-and these are the kinds of products that people will
keep at their desk, so it'll pleasantly remind them of your organization! Your
name attached to a great memory secures the target audience's attention. (You
just know they will be playing with that Pac Man® keychain again and again!)
Product/service
tie-in
For a clear way to reinforce your company's product or service offering,
choose related promotional products. It'll reinforce what you do! For example:
- If
you work at a credit union, offer piggy banks.
- If you manage the
organic foods department at a grocery store, give away a useful and environmentally-friendly
cotton tote bag.
- For an electronics store, a tripod case would be
a hot item.
Linking a useful, functional, handy or
amusing promotional product to your company generates a lasting image. This lasting
image ties into brand recognition, which flows into knowing your company name
at the right time and the right place when a purchasing decision is being made.
Get
out there.
When most people think of promotional products, their mind goes
directly to trade shows. They're just one opportunity. We've said it before-but
we'll say it again-promotional products are clever little marketing tools. They
can be used as incentives, business gifts, recognition and award items, commemorative
gifts, or advertising pieces.
These clever little marketing
tools can be given out to your prospects, customers and clients in numerous ways.
Think about all the ways you need to communicate with clients. Could a promotional
product help that communication stick? Whether you need to thank your 'best of
the best' customers or cut through the clutter to reach your best prospects, promotional
products can play a role.
- Referrals. If you're a dentist, offer
something like a stadium blanket with your logo on so patients can stay warm and
cozy during their visit and take home a useful product. If you're a contractor
who specializes in decks and other expensive remodels, perhaps you can offer a
premium item like a Columbia fleece or parka. Word of mouth is the most important
marketing tool for any service provider. Encourage it by rewarding your loyal
customers with thoughtfully selected promotional products.
- Incentives.
When you launch an advertising campaign or send direct mail, offer an incentive
for people who check out your business. You could offer a branded pint glass to
anyone who buys a microbrew at your pub. Or, offer a pack of golf balls for anyone
who tours your country club. This type of strategy can reach an unlimited number
of people - it really gets your name out there.
- Appreciation.
Customer retention is a key strategy for many businesses. When you say 'thank
you,' make your message stand out by including a useful product that carries your
company's name.
The Moo Heard 'Round the World
River
City Rubber Works is a Wichita-based rubber stamp manufacturer. The owners-two
sisters and their best friend-are a fun, laid-back group with a terrific sense
of humor. Their promotional product of choice? A stout spotted cow that sits in
the palm of your hand and moos. Why a cow? Their business is located in a beautiful,
red, renovated barn.
They've given these cows to existing
wholesale clients, mailed them to key media contacts and even sold them in their
retail store. Much like the Travelocity gnome, the cow has taken on a life of
its own. Their rubber-stamping faithful are now taking their River City Rubber
Works bovine on vacation and sending the accompanying photos and stories back
to Wichita headquarters. The wit that infuses River City Rubber Works' brand carries
through to this promotional product, helping both prospects and customers connect
with the company and make an emotional investment in its culture.
In
your face-in a good way!
With promotional products, you can put your company's
image right into your customers' hands and in front of their faces - exactly where
you want them!
Cutting through the marketing clutter is
increasingly a challenge. Clever little promotional products can help you do just
that, building your organization's brand awareness and strengthening perceptions
among potential clients.
Before making a buying decision,
prospects will consider who you are, what you stand for and what you do. Keep
your message fresh in their minds by choosing your promotional products wisely
and then using them creatively and regularly. Do that and they won't be able to
miss your message!
Copyright © 2008 4imprint. Articles
may not be reprinted without their permission.
