Let’s consider four potential reasons why you might be considering using corporate gifts as part of your marketing strategy, and look at each in turn in a little more detail. As we’ve indicated, each of these scenarios requires careful thinking, and potentially different types of promotional products.
- You could be exhibiting at a show, and it’s a powerful way of increasing brand awareness and reminding people that they visited your stand
There are usually so many exhibitors at shows that it’s very easy to get forgotten, however impactful your products or services. The key message then, is to ensure that you’re remembered! A popular way to do this is to provide something like a tote bag for your visitor to put all the stuff they’re collecting in – that way a) your brand will be widely seen as different people carry the bags around, and b) when the contents are finally unpacked the last thing people will look at is your bag! And incidentally if it’s a sufficiently well designed and quality bag, people might even continue to use it.
Of course, that’s just the start. Think creatively, think how you can differentiate yourself from your competition …
- It could be a “thank you” after a meeting or a presentation (being mindful of course of policies on this)
Let’s just clear up what we mean by “policy” here first. If you’re trying to sell to someone, you must be very careful that anything you offer them could not be considered an inducement. Notwithstanding the ethical considerations, many organisations (e.g. local government) will forbid the practice altogether, while others will set limits on the value of the item and/or insist that they can only accept items that they could easily reciprocate.
That said, a “thank you” gesture is always to be welcomed. It will remind people of your own values and generosity, and keep you at the front of their minds. The key message here is “it’s the thought that counts”. There are numerous products available that will “hit the spot” perfectly!
- It might be a takeaway gift at an event or conference (we’ve all seen people carrying canvas briefcases – with highly visible logos – containing their notes and paperwork)
Having dealt with the policy issue (above), the reason you’d consider this is similar to why you’d give out promotional material at an exhibition.
A highly effective way of promoting your brand at such an event is to provide the briefcase that everything goes in, but there are other ways too. Branded folders, writing materials, memory sticks containing the conference presentations … all of these will keep the memory of your products and services fresh in people’s minds.
- It’s a superb way of promoting a new product!
In most marketplaces new products don’t come around very often – so it’s usually a very exciting time for all concerned. The thing to do, then, is to harness that excitement in tangible ways. You want your potential customers to be excited too.
This is an area where creativity and imagination are so important – how can you promote your new product in such a way that people are desperate for it, without breaking the bank? Thankfully there are all sorts of clever ways …
Watch out for our next article in which we’ll be considering a further four purposes of promotional products as part of your marketing strategy.
Click on the infographic below to see all of the areas we’ll be covering and how we’ll approach them.
You can click here to learn more about many of the brilliant promotional products that we have, here for our home page, or if you wish to contact us use the contact form or call us any time on 020 8391 3001 and we’ll be delighted to help you!