Marketing with Promotional Products

A little promotion can go a long way in your marketing efforts

By Maggie Rauch

Putting a giveaway product – such as pens, key chains, hats and thousands of other items – with your company's logo into the hands of your target market can be a powerful way to stay on their minds. A recent market research survey showed that while only half of the respondents could recall the name of an advertiser they had seen in a magazine advertisement, more than three-fourths could remember an advertiser that had given them a promotional product in the last 12 months. When used effectively, promotional products can:

Keep your name in front of customers wherever they go.
Support your brand's differentiating characteristics.
Expose your company to new audiences when people wear, use or display your products in public.

Choose a product

T-shirts, key chains, calendars and pens are tried-and-true promotional products: They're inexpensive and everyone needs them. But don't be afraid to get creative, either by choosing a distinctive product in a traditional category or seeking something unusual.
Try: Get creative and put your logo on batteries or create a customized deck of playing cards that reinforce your brand. Check out Top Brands or Zagwear for a huge selection of products.

Find the right vendor

Vendors may be called fulfillment houses, promotional products distributors or promotional products consultants. These companies can do as little for you as simply supplying the products, or as much as custom-creating a new product that fits your needs. They can also help with distribution and design and provide customer support services for products like electronics.
Try: Find a supplier database at Incentive magazine. Promotional Products Association International can put you in touch with a promotional consultant firm.

Go shopping with retailers

Some big-name retailers have an internal department- usually called the special markets or corporate sales division-that handles bulk orders and customization for promotional products.
Try: Lands' End has a separate corporate sales site where you can shop for customizable clothing and accessories.

Look for a seal of approval

With your brand's reputation on the line, you want to know you're working with a trusted supplier.
Try: It's a good sign if your supplier is affiliated with either the Promotional Products Association International or the Advertising Specialty Institute.

Determine a distribution method. You can distribute your products in several different ways-at a trade show, in your store(s) or office(s), through direct mail or at a private event.
Make your products and their distribution part of an integrated campaign that requires action on your customers' part. For example, if you distribute at a trade show, send a coupon in the mail, which they can redeem for their gift.
Think carefully about your logo and its placement. Sometimes a loud logo that blares your brand name is appropriate; for higher-end items, it's often smart to choose a subtle, and thereby tactful, placement of your name. A loud logo can tank your investment by announcing, "I got this for free."
One way to keep your promotional products interesting and relevant is to keep up on consumer trends among your target demographic. But don't enslave yourself to the latest fads; simple and proven products are usually a safer choice.