9 Tips to Creating Better Promotional Products

Reaching customers and competing for their business requires savvy market sense and determination. Today's companies compete not only against local competition but an ever-growing global marketplace. Giving out promotional products is one way of reaching customers and getting your brand in front of them.

Researchers found 85 percent of people who received branded items from a company later did business with that company. Researchers found 85 percent of people who received branded items from a company later did business with that company. Click To Tweet However, not all promotional products are created equal. The last thing you want is to spend a bunch of money on branded merchandise only to see zero return for your efforts.

If you want to create promo items which speak to your audience and drive sales, follow these nine tips.

1. Create a Connection

Your promotional giveaways should relate in some way to the business you own. If you sell swimming pools, you wouldn't pass out ink pens, but you might pass out sunglasses or beach balls. Think about the items people use alongside your product or service, and pick a product they will use, but also one that will encourage them to think about your company.

2. Create a Budget

How much is each customer worth to you and about how many connections do you need to make before gaining a customer. Once you have a firm grasp of the value of a customer, you'll choose how much to spend on a giveaway. You may also want to create tiers of giveaway items — an initial lead receives a less expensive promo while one who is further along in the buying process receives something of more value. Back to the swimming pool example, beach balls go to everyone while designer sunglasses go to people who had you out for a consultation.

3. Hand Out Walking Billboards

About 50 percent of people wind up doing business with a company that gives them a promotional bag. About 50 percent of people wind up doing business with a company that gives them a promotional bag. Click To Tweet However, you reach more than just that person with a bag that boasts your company name on it — you reach anyone who sees that bag. This expands your reach and turns your contacts into walking advertisements for your brand.

4. Use Your Name and Logo

When creating promotional products, realize they might wind up in the hands of someone who has never interacted with your company. If you only place a logo on the item, the recipient may not understand who you are or what you do. Always combine your name with the logo. Ideally, a logo, name (unless it is already part of the logo) and a short tag line. Of course, how much information you can include depends upon the size of the item you pass out.

5. Choose Contrasting Colors

You want your branding visible on whatever merchandise you pass out, so think about the color choices. Yes, you'll want to utilize your brand color palette, but the background colors make a difference in how well those colors pop. Let's say the swimming pool installation business has a red logo, but the beach ball they look at for branded merchandise has a red panel. The choice becomes putting the logo on one of the white panels, changing to white lettering for the red panel or choosing a beach ball in a different color.

Recommended: Color Psychology for Marketing and Branding

6. Invest in a Prototype

No matter what company you use to print your promotional items, you'll want to order a prototype so you can ensure everything looks the way you'd like. Check for typos and misspellings. Take a look at the way the logo lines up. Is everything centered or where you intended? Finally, check the quality of the product and make sure it's something that will last. No one enjoys a promotional item that breaks the first time you use it.

7. Find What People Want

Some promotional items are more popular than others. Where will you give out the item and what types of things are attractive to your audience? Let's say the swimming pool company decides to take out a booth at the county fair. The county fair occurs in July during the blazing hot days of a Midwestern summer. The pool company decides to pass out handheld fans. This will be a popular giveaway as it serves a need and cools off attendees. On the other hand, that giveaway might not be attractive to those going to a home show in an air-conditioned building, so you'd be more likely to pass out the beach balls or sunglasses.

Also, ask for feedback from your customers about which giveaways they like best. If you have a popular product that gets used and results in a new lead, then you might want to order more of that item.

8. Give Away Two

Word-of-mouth advertising is an effective way to reach new clientele, but it's sometimes difficult to get the buzz going. One way of creating chatter about your brand is to send a promotional item to your current customers and then send an extra and ask them to give it to someone they know. You don't have to ask them to share your business model with others when you give them a freebie to pass out. The person will naturally want to know more about your business when they get an unexpected gift from you via their friend or family member.

9. Pass Out Every Item

If you purchase a product for a special event, but you don't pass them all out, put a note on your website, on social media or in your newsletter, and offer to send the item to current customers or anyone interested until you run out. If you waste your investment by throwing items out, you miss out on a marketing opportunity. Instead, pass out every single one and up your chances of landing a new customer.

Try New Ideas

Some of your promotional giveaways will be a hit and others will flop. Don't be afraid to try out new ideas and find new ways of reaching your target audience. Over time, you'll gain a better handle on which items your buyer personas enjoy and which items they pitch in the trash. Promotional items are one of the most powerful marketing tools at your disposal, so take the time to study what works and tweak your giveaways until you find the perfect combination to reach customers and not exceed your advertising budget.

Lexie Lu

Lexie is a designer and typography enthusiast. She enjoys writing HTML code and creating new styles guides. In her spare time, she works on her design blog, Design Roast.

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