That branded pen you got free from a local business probably seems like a throwaway item. Sure, it’s got the company’s contact information on there, but who actually reads those things when they reach for a pen? As it turns out, plenty of people do. What many don’t realize is that those personalized marketing items may seem small, but they can have big impact. No marketing or promotion is going to work 100 percent of the time, but when used well, personalized marketing items can help you boost your company’s image and serve as a physical reminder that will lead people to your services when needed. Here are a few of the key differences between promotional goods that work and those that don’t.
Build Positive Associations
It’s a pretty universal sentiment: people love receiving free things. Just the act of handing out promotional marketing items for free helps build positive associations with your business or organization; it’s like getting a gift. However, that goodwill will quickly dwindle if the item promptly breaks. In order to really leverage those positive feelings and garner more repeat customers, make sure you choose personalized marketing items that are useful and won’t fall apart quickly.
Reach Your Audience
There are a range of different promotional goods out there that can be branded with your logo and information. You aren’t strictly relegated to pens or notepads. Choosing items that are appropriate for your clientele can help forge better connections. For example, if you run a salon or day spa, a branded lip balm would be an appropriate item and can easily be branded with your information. Your personalized marketing items don’t need to be perfectly tailored to your clientele, but when you can, it will help forge stronger associations to bring customers back.
Create Lasting Impressions
The other big thing that pretty much all quality promotional goods can do is serve as a lingering, repetitive reminder of your business. Every time someone writes with your branded pen or drinks from a coffee mug with your logo, they see your organization’s information. When the need arises, your company will be at the forefront of their mind because they see reminders of your company so frequently.
Encourage Reciprocity
When people receive things, even something as inexpensive as a free pen, they feel compelled to react in return. According to this New York Times article, the Disabled American Veterans saw an 18 percent response when they mailed requests for contributions. When they mailed the same letter with a set of personalized address labels, the number of contributions rose to 35 percent—more than enough to cover the cost of the labels. Free personalized marketing items encourage customers to reciprocate, which can help boost business. Just don’t indulge in promotional goods that are so expensive you’ll be hard pressed to recoup the cost. Find the balance between quality items and keeping costs down.
When Promotional Goods Don’t Work
One of the biggest difference between promotional items that work and those that don’t is their staying power. Items like disposable water bottles with printed labels will be used then tossed when the bottle is empty. It’s a good start, but it won’t provide a recurring reminder of your business. Likewise, promotional goods that aren’t useful and lack any sort of connection to your business won’t do a whole lot to forge connections.
Ultimately, the most successful personalized marketing items are those that customers will want to keep around. When possible, use those promotional goods to tie into your overarching marketing plan, but always choose items made with enough quality that they will have a lasting and useful lifespan. It’s not quite as quick as a digital advertisement, but many customers keep custom marketing materials for more than a year, and some will keep those items for more than four years. That’s a pretty enduring impact.
Want to learn more? Work with the Impress Ink team to choose the right promotional goods, customize your branding, and get marketing. Contact us today to learn more about our quality personalized marketing items!
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