When it comes to marketing, most businesses tend to think digital – finding the best way to increase their social media presence and potential reach. There is still, however, something to be said about using traditional marketing materials and promotional items.
These tools have served businesses for decades now, and still remain relevant as ever when it comes to spreading brand awareness and winning over customers. Below you will find tips on how to successfully integrate these tools into your marketing strategy.
Low-Cost and Effective
Large- scale advertising campaigns are usually out of reach of startups and small businesses. However, there are many low-cost promotional items they can use to effectively increase their brand recognition.
Unknown to your average person, most promotional items are priced very low and sold in bulk. Your company can leverage this by buying a large number of items at low prices and bundling them to create promotional packages. The perceived value of these packages will be much higher than the real cost, which in turn will spread your brand recognition without you having to break the bank.
This is especially useful if your promotional items are actually useful, like mugs, pens, or calendars, for instance. Something that sits on the customers’ desk every day will lead to…
Creating Brand Awareness
According to a study done by Sage, 74% of consumers have at least one promotional item in their workspace. Having your logo near them every day will inadvertently create a lasting impression in your customers’ mind and increase their awareness of your brand.
Mugs are particularly effective advertising – according to the Sage study, 57% of people could remember the name of a company whose logo was on the mug. Add to that the fact that 66% of consumers pass on promo products they don’t need anymore, and you get…
Easier Distribution
In this age of digital marketing, it’s easy to forget that printed material such as brochures, catalogues and business cards are still essential for effective marketing. Print is far easier to distribute than digital content, and much more certain to hit your intended audience. Handing out business cards and flyers, or even setting up banners will help you reach a large audience in a very short time.
Gift items such as tote bags and T-shirts serve much of the same purpose. Having your customers carry or wear your logo not only further increases your reputation, but also allows you brand name to travel to places it might not otherwise reach.
Another benefit of this type of marketing is it helps you target you intended customers much more accurately. Handing business cards at a convention or networking meetup, a well-placed banner or billboard, or handing out promotional gifts designed for a niche audience will all make sure your company name ends up in the hands of people who are most likely to respond positively and do business with you.
Customer Loyalty & Brand Ambassadors
All the resources spent on marketing material and promotional items mentioned above is enough to bring your company name to the front of your customers’ mind, but how do you keep them coming back? When it comes to the items you gift them, make sure they are of premium quality. Yes, it might initially cost a bit more to use wood or metal rather than plastic. But don’t forget, even though everyone likes getting things for free, the quality of your promotional items reflects the quality of your business. You will have a much higher customer loyalty in the long run, and people will be proud to use a well-crafted product with your logo on it.
When it comes to marketing material, the main principle carries over – better quality will attract more customers in the long run. Your marketing materials often provide the first look into your business. Putting your best foot forward will not only boost your brand’s reputation, it will give you an edge over other businesses who might see this type of marketing as a pointless waste of money.
Combining the principle of high-quality marketing and promotional gifts with the targeted advertisement we mentioned above will help get your company branding in the hands of people who might like your product or service so much, they will recommend it to others. This creates brand ambassadors, who will further spread the word of your company, driving more business and creating a positive feedback loop of word-of-mouth marketing.
As we have seen above, branded items such as marketing materials and promotional products definitely deserve a place in your marketing strategy. Leveraging these tried and tested methods will allow you to reach a wider audience with less effort and money spent, while still achieving high results and building your company and brand.
