Out of sight, out of mind. This old saying rings true when it comes to your brand awareness. If your brand isn't top of mind for your customers, chances are you are missing out on opportunities to increase revenue and get referrals.
We've all been given a promotional product or corporate gift with a company logo on it before, and some of these items even get used on a daily basis. That kind of brand placement is hard to buy!
So why should branded merchandise be part of your marketing strategy?
Here, we'll discuss a few of the top reasons why corporate merchandise needs to be considered in your marketing strategy and how your business can benefit from giving quality products to key stakeholders.
Promotional items create lasting awareness.
It's a known fact that the majority of people recall the name of a company who gave them a high-quality promotional gift. The best promo products are highly useful, easily fit into the life of the recipient, and are a constant reminder of your company. The branding options available these days provide a wide range of different effects. Check out the 300+ ideas in our Gifting Guide.
The "Law of Reciprocity" is highly effective.
Oh yeh, it's considered by many to be the most powerful law of human nature. Basically, it states that “If you do something nice for me I'll do something nice for you". This also applies to gift-giving and promotional items that are valued by the recipient. That's why a lot of companies using promotional items well are seeing increased brand loyalty, improved customer relations and increased sales!
Merchandise can increase brand exposure.
Think about it, your customers are at work for about 8 hours every day. They are a captive audience if you can strategically place a branded product into their hands during that time. Someone's office desk is considered to be the most valuable advertising space in the world! A well-positioned promo item is like a private billboard for your ideal customer. Some of the most popular promo items and corporate gifts include flash drives, drink bottles, tote bags, promotional clothing, card holders and the good ole coffee mug.
Ensure your promo items are useful and relevant.
By understanding your customer base, you will have insight into what makes them tick. Adding a personal dimension to your promotions can have a multiplying affect – whether you choose to localise or personalise your branding message. Leverage perceived value and desirability to a particular audience in the same way the big brands do, and you'll see some significant results.
Go for high adoption products.
People love lifestyle products and utilities and they are ideal to grab your target audience's attention at conferences and trade shows. Products such as power banks, chargers, t-shirts, sportswear, hats, and health items such as protein shakers and reusable coffee cups.
Leverage the perceived cost.
Most people have no understanding of what promotional item costs, and often overestimate their assumptions about cost based on the perceived value of the item received. Get clever with your choice of promo gift and source quality, relevant items that have strong desirability for the recipient. Additionally, if there is the perceived value placed on an item, it's more likely they will want to hold onto it and use it – further increasing your brand exposure!
Consider including merchandise as a gift with purchase.
Another idea is to include a gift with purchase instead of using discounts. Everyone loves free stuff! The branded-gift item should be worthless to you than a proposed monetary discount but should be perceived to be worth more to the customer. By giving away something "cool", and desirable you also have an opportunity to stand out among competitors by offering something they're not.
Share the impact and co-brand.
A great strategy could be co-branding with your strategic partners. This is especially effective when the other brand is well known in the eyes of your target audiences. You can piggyback off their brand awareness, which in turn enhances the worth of your brand. Plus, it helps share the cost of the goods!
Branded merchandise is three-dimensional advertising.
We live in such a digital world, filled with email and impersonal online automation. But humans are naturally tactile beings and still love something they can touch, hold and feel. And we also LOVE free stuff. Creating a promotional item that is relevant, thoughtful and has a high perceived value goes a long way to increase brand awareness.
Set up automated ordering.
With most merchandise, the set-up costs and time involved in purchasing merchandise can be intensive. By leveraging technology, such as B2BHub online ordering portal, you can give your teams access to approved products sourced just for your business, and they can order with confidence, knowing pre-approval of products and brand development is done for them.
As you can see, there are a lot of reasons you should be including promotional products. If you are just getting started using promo gifts, check out our blog article "6 Things to Consider When Planning the Perfect Corporate Gift" and definitely check out "Calculating ROI on Promotional Items" to learn more about the financial benefits of using brand merchandise.
At the end of the day, it's all about creating a memorable experience and keeping your brand top of mind. Online marketing is certainly here to stay, however conventional marketing strategies shouldn’t be overlooked. Using promotional merchandise is one such strategy.
If you want to discuss using promotional merchandise in your business, we'd love to chat. Email hello@uniform.com.au or call 1300UNIFORM to talk to a sales consultant.