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What Are Promotional Products and Why Are They So Popular?

The Power of Promotional Products comes from their ability to get an effective, targeted marketing message in front of exactly the prospects and clients you need to reach, and keep it there…without the waste associated with other media. While broadly considered to be any useful item featuring a company logo, name or advertising message, the very best promotional products don’t just brand, they generate actual, measurable results.

The Four Factors of Successful Promotions

1. Audience-appropriate product – the most compelling marketing message in the world will be lost on the recipient if the promotional item itself is not appropriate to the targeted audience.
2. Effective marketing message - too often, promotional products convey only company names or logos without any strong benefit statement, advantage or call to action. It generally costs no more to add these things to the imprints, but the effect it can have on the entire campaign is dramatic.
3. Targeted, qualified recipients – very few companies can afford to market to everyone. So each promotion should be geared toward the individuals most likely to generate positive results for you.
4. The right time - it’s been said that the difference between salad and garbage is timing. This is equally true of marketing. The perfect marketing message delivered either too soon or too late will not produce the desired result.

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The Real Power of Promotional products

In today’s ultra-competitive environment, what trait do successful companies share? They use integrated marketing to enhance relationships with customers and employees. One of the most cost-effective tools for building rapport is with promotional products.

The value of promotional products is in their ability to carry a message to a well-defined audience. Because the products are useful and appreciated by the recipients, they are retained and used, repeating the imprinted message many times without added cost to the advertiser.

For years, promotional products were viewed primarily as a tool for enhancing goodwill. Now we know they do much more. Recent studies show “Ad Specialties” are an effective means for increasing repeat business, improving direct mail responses, and stimulating customer referrals.

Southern Methodist University conducted a study on the role promotional products play in gaining repeat customers. The school tracked the activity of 300 new customers at two dry cleaners over an eight-month period. All of the customers received a welcome letter, one-third also received a $5 promotional products. After eight months, the customers who received promotional products spent 27% more than those who received coupons, and 139% more than those who only received a welcome letter.

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Maximizing Trade Show Response

In many companies, trade shows are a significant part of the marketing budget. Given their cost, the amount of time and effort they require, and their ultimate importance in reaching prospects and clients, it is vital to ensure an impressive return on investment. Promotional products, in conjunction with relationship marketing, are one of the most effective methods to boost your trade-show ROI.

Send an Invitation They Can’t Refuse
Prior to a trade show use your relationship-management database to create a list of clients and prospects that might visit the show. You can also contact trade-show management and ask if a mailing list of attendees is available. Once you have this information, plan a direct-mail campaign to advise prospects and clients that you’ll be exhibiting, and encourage them to visit your booth.

Your promotional consultant can suggest products that may be delivered in two parts – the first as part of the direct-mail piece and the second redeemed at your trade-show booth. Or, you may choose a more expensive incentive for your top clients. This can be delivered at a scheduled meeting where you sit down with their representative during the trade show.

Dress for Success
You may choose to dress everyone at your booth in company colours and styles. Whether everyone’s in polo shirts and caps or business shirts with ties – your salespeople will be immediately identifiable with your brand, product and company name, strongly reinforcing your corporate image. Also, when members of your team walk around the show, attendees will notice their presence, creating another subtle reminder to look for your exhibit.

Treat Them…and Improve Your results
Make attendees feel special when they stop by to talk with you-when appropriate, have them sit down and offer them a drink or a treat. Refreshments reduce barriers and increase concentration, and are often very much appreciated by the tired show attendees. A simple idea that is always well received is to offer hot chocolate or other candy imprinted with your logo.

Give Them Something to Remember You
Needless to say, you want to stand out from your competitors. A low-cost item that is practical and useful, which gets your marketing message in front of the recipients for days, weeks, or even months after the show, helps to ensure that you remain on the top of their “shopping list” when the time comes to act on a purchasing decision.

It’s a good idea to keep a stash of imprinted products in various value levels, so that you can give a “lukewarm” lead a useful but less-expensive item, while offering a “hot” lead a gift that is more appropriate to their value to the company. The key here is to be discreet so that no visitor to your booth is offended.

Be Mobile and Visible
Consider positioning extra staff or friends in company apparel promoting your booth number and special deals around the show. Highly visible balloons touting your logo and booth number, or useful, imprinted tote bags in the hands of show-attendees can further increase your presence at the show.

Another idea is to have an incentive promotion, for which staffers roam the show floor looking for attendees wearing a button imprinted with your company logo and booth number. The button may be included in trade-show gift bags, distributed at the door or mailed in advance of the exhibition. Those people found on the show floor wearing the button may receive a small gift, or perhaps be entered into a drawing for a much larger incentive. Such incentives encourage attendees to wear your company’s “little billboard,” thus spreading the word about your brand.

Manage Your Database and Don’t Forget to Say Thank-you
After the show, send thank-you notes to all your qualified prospects, and include an invitation and incentive to contact you again. Send your post-show offer in the form of something that can be kept or used, such as a key-tag or magnet, even if the prospects don’t act on your offer immediately. A friendly gift in the mail is an extremely effective way to encourage prospects to talk with you further when you make a follow-up call.

Marketing in a show environment involves encouraging prospective buyers to first look at you, and then to remember you when the time comes to buy. Prospects that leave without buying on the day of the trade-show aren’t lost to you as long as you follow-up promptly and generously, creating positive feelings about you and your company.

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Direct Mail Strategies…Make Your Message Stand Out

Here’s a test: Given the choice, which would you open first – an ordinary flat envelope or one with a noticeable bulge?

If you picked the bulkier envelope, you’re not alone. A research study at Baylor University found that when a promotional product was added to a direct mail piece, response rates rose as much as 75%!

Adding a dimensional product such as a magnet or bookmark pen to your mailing is just one way to get noticed. Another strategy is printing on both sides of the envelope since there’s a 50% chance the mail will sit face down on a table or a desk. One psychology publication grabbed attention and new subscribers with the phrase, “Do you close the bathroom door even if you’re the only one at home?” on the flip side of their mailer.

No matter how artfully designed your direct mail piece, the only thing that matters is the response. Some of the most successful marketers rely on tried-and-true-techniques to help ensure a strong response.

Consider these suggestions:

Mail Three Times – try a mailing blitz; three mailings in 10 days. For most companies, the third mailing captures the best response.

Get Help – it sounds elementary but mistakes do happen. All it takes is one misspelled word, name, or address to spoil your promotion. Let a friend, spouse, or co-worker proofread your letter. Remember, you only get one chance to make a first impression!

Make an Incredible Offer – It’s hard to beat a free offer for increasing response rates. Try to offer prospects something free with no strings attached. While it may cost a little, the payoff might be the beginning of a long-term client relationship.

A creative delivery approach can turn a good promotion into a great one. A leasing company promoted the grand opening of a new office building with plastic boomerangs during a local parade. Their address was printed on the top of the boomerang while pertinent details were featured on the bottom. Another firm used logo’d sports drink bottles as the mailer, stuffed with a packet of drink mix and a message inside.

Need creative ideas for your next direct mail promotion?
Give us a call!

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Awards and Recognition Programs

In this rapidly changing business environment, keeping a satisfied workforce is the key to increased profitability. Companies with high turnover ratios tend to spend a large percentage of profit dollars on recruiting, replacing and training employees. In addition, companies with motivated and satisfied employees are more likely to have high customer service levels and therefore satisfied customers. Also, think about expanding your programs to include distributors, suppliers and independent reps.

Create a Positive Work Environment
Build employee recognition and award programs that will acknowledge exemplary performance or behaviour patterns. Programs can either be ongoing or have a particular duration. The first step is to establish the goals and objectives of your program, and then set the parameters.

14 good reasons to give awards

• Duration of service
• Completion of a project
• Award attendance
• Improve safety
• Improve customer service
• Increase customer satisfaction
• Build Loyalty
• Foster Teamwork
• Boost Productivity
• Improve Performance
• Increase Sales
• Increase Market Share
• Reduce Turnover
• Lift Morale

Type of awards
The most common award is usually a free standing desktop award on a base or a plaque. With a long shelf life, these awards make the employee feel special and continue to remind the employee of their achievement. Consider creating a customized version of this award with a symbol that represents either your company or the specific achievement. Some awards may represent extraordinary milestones that would be best rewarded with something of value such as a trip or high-end merchandise. In addition, there are certificate gift programs that allow your award recipient to choose their own reward from an approved selection of items displayed in catalogue format.

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Motivating Your Staff for Peak Performance

Have you heard of the Pareto principal? Some people refer to it as the 80/20 rule. Most companies depend on 20% of their sales force to generate 80% of revenues. Sales Managers track the top group like a cheetah stalks wildebeests. But what about the people who perform at moderate or mediocre levels? What can you do to inspire them to produce more? Here are a few ideas:

Set realistic goals
What do you want your underachievers to achieve? More sales calls per day? A percentage increase in sales? Goals must be clear, concrete, quantifiable and reasonable. You are looking for solid, incremental improvement.

Involve the target group
This isn’t a top-down process. As you develop new performance expectations, involve the people they’re aimed at. Ask for feasible goals and how they may be achieved. Ask employees what obstacles they see and how you can increase their chances of success.

Have people compete against themselves
You already know the bottom group is not going to challenge your top performers – so ask them to compete against themselves. Can Pete exceed last year’s sales by 10%? Can Charlotte make 12% more telephone cold calls?

Reward and recognize
Devise a rewards program and spread out the recognition so that it does more than honor top performers year after year. Give tangible awards such as prizes, plaques, or other highly visible items to employees that exceed their goals. In other words, give the rest of the pack a reason to aspire and an opportunity to show-off their new ‘trophies’.

Communicate!
Keep in touch with individuals and talk to the group through weekly or monthly reports that mention ALL Successful performers and their rewards. Be sure to reinforce company goals, expectations, and you mission statement.

Your objective is to reach a group of people that feel under-appreciated. By showing those employees you recognize their potential and want them to tap into it, you’ll motivate your staff for peak performance.

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Creating a Successful Incentive Program

Good salespeople can find motivation in even the toughest circumstances. Still, you have to fire them up with something more than inspirational talks and occasional “attaboys.” One way to pump adrenaline into your sales force is a well-designed and managed incentive program. Follow these tips to inspire your troops:

• Increasing sales is the ultimate objective but you can have other targets, such as aiming at a number of new accounts or committing to a new product launch. Use measurements that fit your goal – dollars, units, increased profit margin – that everybody understands and can agree to
• Take into account your salespeople’s individual talents and track records so you can set goals that are neither too high nor too low. The economy and state of your industry are important factors. You want to whet salespeople’s competitive appetites without short changing yourself by offering too much return for to little effort
• What kind of prizes to offer? You have three basic choices: goods, money and travel. Goods, such as clothes, jewellery and electronics, please more people provided they’re of high quality. Awarding material items are perceived as showing more thoughtfulness on your part. Cash is straightforward, but cold. Nobody has to guess how much a cash prize cost you, and unlike logo’d apparel, cash doesn’t stick around to remind people what a caring employer you are. Travel is nice, but you don’t know if the recipient is going to like the destination, the style or the timing of what you offer
• Whatever you decide as far as objectives and awards, don’t delay handing out prizes once people reach their goals. Keep programs fairly short-durations of six weeks to three months work best.

The rule of thumb is that you’ll spend up to 10% of the increased sales you expect from the incentive program on prizes, promotions and administration.

Call us today for ideas that will inspire your sales force!

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How to Build A Successful Promotion

Successful promotion campaigns don’t happen by chance.
Like any solid marketing program, they require careful thought. Of course your budget must be considered, but you must also bear in mind other factors like your target audience, and your ultimate goal.

You and your promotional consultant should discuss these six important elements to help you plan the best promotion for reaching your objective:

1. Define your promotion objective – Decide what you want to have happen in the end. Whether you are trying to boost sales or increase awareness, be able to state exactly what will make the program a success
2. Identify your target audience – Is it a particular industry, mostly blue-collar workers, or do you just want to motivate your own sales staff? Decide precisely who you want to be aware of your message
3. Plan the product distribution – How will you get the products to your audience? Will you use direct mail or present them yourself? Depending on your goal, the method of distribution can greatly increase a program’s effectiveness
4. Determine a theme, if appropriate – Building your message around a theme helps to brand your message in your target audience’s mind
5. Develop a message for imprint – In some cases, you’ll use only your company name or logo as an imprint. In other instances, such as a direct mail campaign, clever copy ties your promotion pieces together, giving a better impact. Wanting to promote its services to small businesses, one bank created the theme “Are you tired of being treated like a small fish?” and sent fish-related products along with promotional literature to prospects
6. Choose an appropriate promotional product – Don’t get caught up in the latest trend. Instead of choosing products based on uniqueness, price or perceived value, choose an item appropriate to your business or that supports your theme. For example, pharmaceutical companies routinely give pens, notepads and other items imprinted with their company name to doctors’ offices and hospitals. Another example is a company who developed a magic motif for its conference at Disney World, then gave attendees magic-related products that tied in with the theme “Experience the Magic at Disney.”

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How to Reap the Rewards of “Residual Marketing”

Promotional products are a cost-effective way to reach and to motivate key decision-makers. First, they get in front of them. Second, and perhaps most importantly, they remain in front of them.

Direct mail illustrates the value
When you prospect, or contact a client by mail and include a free gift or promotional item, you increase the likelihood that the package will get opened and generate a response. A 1992 study by Silver Marketing Group for PPAI found that the response rate was 75% higher than that of those who received a sales letter only. But getting your message in front of the prospect is just the first step.

After the package is opened, the promotional product continues to work, creating ongoing advertising in addition to a positive feeling about your company. It is a tangible reminder that remains long after the letter has been filed. We call this benefit “residual marketing.”

For example, when you leave a note pad or other usable item with your client, every time he or she uses it and sees your logo, it re-enforces your brand to him or her. Ideally it is also there at a point of decision-making, when the prospect is most in need of the service or product you offer.

Perhaps the most significant reasons for the popularity of promotional products is the frequency of exposure and reasonable cost per impression.

An article in the Wall Street Journal said that a coffee mug with an imprinted marketing message may be seen by the designated recipient as often as five times a day. Could you afford to reach a prospect using television five times a day? What about radio? Or even newspaper?

If an imprinted note pad has 100 sheets, you can expect a barebones minimum of 100 impressions. If each note is then passed to just one other person, it doubles the exposure. But the advertising and the impressions don’t stop there. They continue for as long as the items remain in use or in sight.

Multiple impressions generate brand awareness, which is one of the keys to success in any business.

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