Small business owners are constantly seeking out new, innovative, yet cost-effective ways to get their business in front of more prospective clients. The key to successful marketing is to smartly diversify your marketing efforts to target your ideal client. One often overlooked item is promotion products. Should promotional products be a part of your marketing strategy? Here are a few reasons that may cause you to take a look at adding promotional items to your marketing budget.

The power of gifts in marketing

A strong yet simple concept is the idea of giving something away for free. People love free, which is why people love swag at trade shows.  While a free notepad may seem innocent enough, giving away logoed promotional items can help in opening lines of communication between your company and the person holding that promo item. L.J. Market Research did a study that found 52% of participants given a promotional item, ultimately did business with that company. The remaining 48% of participants said they would be more likely to do business with that company in the future because of their gesture. All that from a small gift!

Making a good impression

When your small business gives away promotional products to clients and prospective clients, you really do make a good impression. As a matter of fact, fifty-three percent of the time, promotional products create a more favorable impression of the advertiser. Receiving a promotional gift with no strings attached can create positive feelings towards the company.

promotional productsPromotional products generate leads

Historically, marketers assumed that promotional products fell under the umbrella of branding, but did you know that, when leveraged correctly, promo products can actually generate leads?  The key is to have your brand and contact details in the front of your potential customer when they are considering a purchase relevant to your company. There are several promo products that are ideal for this. Examples are desktop items such as calendars, calculators, notepads, mugs and pens. The key is to always be top of mind with your potential clients.

If it’s good enough for big brands, it’s good enough for you

Sure, larger companies have larger budgets to spend on marketing, including promotional products, but consider this:  Xerox gets higher response rates, 5% to 15%, from campaigns that incorporate personalized promotional products. The same can happen for your company!

The cost point can be lower than you think

A lot of small businesses are understandably budget-focused when they decide what marketing tactics they want to pursue. Of course, any marketing effort made by a small business needs to show some kind of ROI, but it also has to be cost-effective to undertake in the first place. To dip your toe into promotional products, you can start small, such as logoed pens. The pen has the ability to serve as “mobile advertising” since they tend to be given away, left behind, etc. from one person to the next. And a pen can last a long, long time, so your brand stays in front of your client for quite some time. Consider also that if your pen is being used by someone in during a meeting, more than one person is now going to see that promo item. Don’t underestimate the power of the pen!

The next time you’re considering new marketing tactics for your small business, take a look at promotional products to see if they make sense to be a part of your marketing mix. Not sure how to start using promotional products?  Reach out to a small business marketing professional for guidance. They can help you determine what products will be best for you, and how best to measure results.

Patty Hughes
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