These days everyone realizes that they need to work promotional items into their marketing plan. The question is how do you make that investment work most effectively for your business. The key is to plan and use your marketing tools thoughtfully. Think about it this way, another term for promotional items is ADVERTISING SPECIALTIES. Its advertising for your brand!
1) Plan your product choices. Its great to buy 1000 pens because they’re inexpensive and most people use the pens. There are many other choices that could strengthen your brand. Are you an musician? Media storage might be a better choice. Do you run a bar? What about considering Koozies? Realtor’s might find key chains or coffee mugs more directed toward a market that would increase their sales.
2) Plan your custom imprint. It makes sense to put your contact information of course but what contact information and what other information should appear on your promotional item. EBS will always suggest a minimum of your web address on the smallest of imprint locations. The rest of your contact information such as address, phone and emails can be located once on the web site. Also, a short phrase, usually your tag line. This will let people know what you are about. Take EBS; our web address might not tell you exactly what we do but if you see the tag like, One Source for All Your Promotional Needs(R) it will make sense. Its not very effective to advertise if nobody knows why they should call you; are you an accountant? Consultant, etc. Its also one more piece of information for recall. A friend, coworker or loved one starts talking about a big project and your tag line pops into mine. Finally, if you have the room on your item we suggest your logo. There should always be a few versions of your logo; full color for digital processes, web appropriate and finally a black and white version; original vector are is almost always preferred. Printing processes don’t always allow for full color decoration and you want to be sure that if available your space is filled with images that will be another reminder of your brand. Its also important not to clutter your imprint location. If its too full of information sometimes your brand will get lost.
3) Plan your demographic. Sure the original thought of pens can be handed out all over town; everyone loves free pens. When you’re marketing plan involves items like tote bags, travel mugs, media storage and other more directed marketing give aways you want to be sure that the people you target are seeing your message. If you’re a young dj its important to focus your budget on people in an area that your audience would be located. If you’re a financial advisor its more important to plan the distribution of your promotional items in areas where your potential clients would be found.
4) Track. Finally, its very important to know that your marketing plan is working (or not). When new customers call you should ask how they heard about you. If you find that nobody is saying anything about your promotional items it might be time to rethink the distribution, OR if everyone is talking about them, it might be time to up the order and have a few college kids get more out to future clients. I don’t suggest giving up. Marketing is like the tide ebb and flow are a part of the way things work. A consumer won’t coming running to you the minute they get their promotional item. People need to trust and the continued exposure is what will drive new business in your direction.
Promotional items are one of the most important, cost effective tools in your marketing aresenal but if you don’t have a plan you might as well be just throwing your budget out the window. Plan and track thoughtfully and you’ll see the benefits in new customers.