Do Promotional Products Work?

We all love getting free stuff. But as a business owner or marketer you’d probably think twice at the idea of giving away free stuff. I’m here to tell you that handing out promotional products is an excellent way to increase your reach and brand awareness.

Many people probably write off (pun intended) promotional products as an effective form of marketing. I know what you’re thinking — Do people keep promo items? Do they really use them? Does it have any effect on my brand? A 2012 study by the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) answered these questions.

The study found that promotional products “have a high reach and potential for top-of-mind recall” and are an excellent way to increase your brand awareness. In fact, they found 70% of consumers recalled receiving a promo item within the past 12 months and, of those people, 88% remembered who gave them the product. That’s a better recall rate than advertising in a newspaper or magazine.

Many people use promotional items to get visitors at their trade show booths and think as long as they have something to give away they are good to go. But you need to consider whether what you are handing out to your potential clients will be something they can use and what kind of impression it leaves of your business. To help select the right item, try to think of it as a gift for a friend rather than a handout to a stranger.

The key is to find a promo item that is useful to your client base. If the item is useful, people will incorporate it into their daily lives. And if they can’t use it, they are likely to pass it along to friends and family that can use it, increasing your reach. Some of the products categories ranked as most useful include Computer Products, Health & Safety Products and Writing Instruments. The good old Bic clic stic is still relevant!

When deciding what to print on your item, the logical temptation is to plaster your promotional items with your company contact info. After all, why give something away to potential clients without your contact information on it. While I’m not saying you shouldn’t have at least your phone number or website on the product, people don’t generally use promotional items as a contact info reference. In fact, only about 35% do. The point of the product should be to make a good impression for later brand recall, not to provide contact information. That’s what business cards are for.

Promotional products can definitely have a positive impact on customer acquisition and retention. If you are able to select a product that is appealing and useful you will create a positive impression and increase the likelihood of brand recall during the purchasing decision process. Browse our huge online catalog of promotional items to get ideas or contact us and we’ll help find the perfect gift for your clients.