Recently our hometown NBA team, the Utah Jazz, made it to the second round of the NBA playoffs and while the games were thrilling (and in the end a little disappointing for Jazz fans) something besides the game caught my eye. Amongst the tv coverage and Instagram posts, I saw a common theme in each photo, a t-shirt saying “Take Note” that was given to all fans in attendance. Now, one could say that the reason behind the t-shirt was to create a unified crowd and give the team some support, and while in part I do believe that’s true, I also believe that it was a great use of the promotional product. Here’s why:
Who doesn’t love a free t-shirt? Or pretty much free anything? Promotional Products are a great way of incentivizing your audience to associate your brand or product with something good. Promo products (like the #TAKENOTE T-shirt) are great advertising for an organization because as the t-shirt or product is used it has the potential to make thousands of impressions which can turn into more support or possibly dollars for the brand. While using promotional products in marketing strategy can only seem possible for huge organizations that’s simply not the case! Here are 5 ways small companies can use promotional products in their brand strategy.
Start by getting promotional products into your office. This means items such as pens, polos, mousepads, and power banks printed with your logo or name should be visible to clients as they enter your office. Having extra pens or t-shirts on hand is also wise to practice. This will help raise brand awareness and also encourage clients to come back as they have received something from you.
Instead of using an average business card use promotional products to get your name in front of the competition. What better way to convince someone of doing business with you than by offering a sample of your work? Flash drives, unique business cards, and t-shirts are awesome ways of showing your brand off to potential clients.
Donate promotional products to nonprofits. Donating products to nonprofits might seem counterproductive to a cost-effective marketing strategy but hear me out. Many nonprofits host frequent fundraising events, an awesome way to increase brand exposure is by donating commemorative t-shirts or relevant promo products that are co-branded with your organization's name and the nonprofit name. This also helps people to associate your brand in a positive light.
Promotional products aren't just for customers. Reward employees with awesome promo gifts that they will actually want to use. Products like branded drinkware, quality athletic wear, and bags make great employee gifts. Rewarding your employees makes good business sense, not only will you have happier employees but they will be more likely to talk about your organization with others in a way that promotes favorable brand recognition.
Introduce products- have an idea for a new product or are you prepping to launch a product? Gifting new products to employees, associates, relatives or even those at an event is a perfect way to receive product feedback while also generating buzz about said product.
Over 90% of people who receive a promotional product are able to recall the name of the brand- imagine 90% of receivers being able to recall your brand! Promotional products make for a very effective marketing strategy so long as you are willing to adapt. The same flash drive given each time will get old pretty fast. Take the time to adjust your promotional products as needed and curate the proper product for your brand.
*This post was inspired by an article from Elevare, you can find the article here.
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