4 Simple Ways to Generate Leads with Promotional Products

Promotional products are more than a branding tool handed out at trade shows. When used correctly promo products can also be used as a powerful lead generation method. The goal of every company, no matter the industry, is to find new potential customers. After they find them then they must convert those leads into paying clients or customers. The more leads a company has, the more clients/customers they will be able to convert. Of course, this is easier said than done, and often times the most difficult step of the sales funnel is the first one- acquiring the leads.

There are tons of costly methods that marketers and sales teams use to generate their leads, and sometimes these methods end up falling short. Promotional products can be a great alternative. They are cost-effective, and work as a two for one as they are capable of generating new leads and they help with your branding efforts at the same time!

Not only will promotional products help you obtain contact info to put into your CRM, but with the right strategy; they will generate the type of leads that will be receptive to your product/service.

Giveaways with Increasing Value

Cheap promo products are a common giveaway to trade shows and industry events, but these cheap giveaways won’t support quality leads, and they won’t wow the people who use them.

A better way to generate leads is to give away high-value promotional products like custom flash drives or custom phone chargers. You can offer one of these promotional products to people in exchange for contact information. This can be as simple as having a pad of paper where they can write their name and email address. By doing this, not only did you just get a new lead, but that lead walked away with a promotional product that they will actually use regularly.

Regular use of the product will make the potential customer view your brand in a favorable light and ultimately make them more receptive to what you’re offering. According to the latest ASI research, 43% of people keep the promo USBs for 2 years or longer, and 40% of people who receive a power bank keep it for 2 years or longer. Talk about a useful product!

Your customers will see and associate your brand with an item that they genuinely appreciate.

Send Promotional Products Directly

If the clients your business needs are a specific group of people or type of company then you should consider sending out promotional products directly. Think of this as cold calling but with a twist (and generally more effective).

First, take some time to think of relevant potential leads. Brainstorm companies that you believe would benefit from what your business offers. Next, choose a promotional product that you think they would find valuable. Make sure the product is something useful and personalized to their industry.

For example, a large corporation would probably really value bulk flash drives. You can even make them visually unique looking to add interest, such as custom wooden flash drives with your brand name on them.

In the package that you send include a thoughtful note explaining who your company is, the services that you offer, and the contact information of someone from your team. This is a fantastic way to create new contacts, as well as establish a sense of goodwill. The best part of this strategy is that you won’t ever get hung up on before you finish your sales pitch.

Digital Meets Real World

Many people don’t realize that your digital lead generation strategies and your promotional products can work together. Next time you’re at an event, consider passing out smart flyers or smart business cards. On the cards or flyers include some content about your business that would impress potential clients. If it makes sense to do so, include a section promoting a discount code for your product, or a gift card offer. In order for people to redeem this discount or gift card, they must follow the link that leads to your website.

Some smart flyers include a USB that will pop out of the page. A potential customer can simply plug this USB into their computer and it will take them directly to your site or promotion.

Once they get to the site before they can access the gift card or discount, make sure you include a popup that collects their contact information. This will allow you to contact them again and nurture the relationship. This method also comes with a bonus. You will be able to track how many people visit your landing page, which will give you some great data about the success of your promotional product.

Consider Contests

Who doesn’t love a good competition? People love free stuff; it’s a given. Yet, for many people, free stuff isn’t really worth giving away their personal contact information unless of course, it’s really cool free stuff. That’s where custom promotional items come into play.

Consider setting up a sweepstakes competition on your social media accounts and give away unique items like custom bulk USB drives in the shape of a popular TV show character, or cool branded headphones that people will actually use every day. The only thing people will need to do to enter the giveaway contest is to supply their contact information. Read more on this idea in our Social Media Giveaway post.

What if your social media profiles don’t get a lot of engagement? Don’t fret, you can still use this strategy. Take the digital competition to the real world. At your next trade show or event set up a game, and make the prize a really neat promotional product. In order to play the game people will have to put down their contact info. Not only will some people walk away with a cool branded product, but they will have created a fun memory associated with your brand. When your team reaches out, they will certainly remember your company.

Getting this contact info will allow you to put all of these people into your CRM and into your sales funnel. This technique casts a wide net, and it may not be as targeted, but it should get you a large number of leads, which means your chances of a decent amount of people converting will be high.

Make Promo Products Work for You

Using these strategies will help you get the most out of your promotional products. Promotional products are a fantastic brand awareness tool, but they can also be used as a concrete method to generate leads.

Generating leads that will convert is all about creating a positive perception of your brand. People are more likely to convert if they feel that you offer a valuable service and if they generally have a favorable view of your company.

Quality promotional products establish goodwill and positively impact the perception of your business. In fact, according to PPAI, after receiving a promotional product, 82% of people had a more favorable view of the brand, and 83% were more likely to do business with the brand.

So, get smart about your lead generation tactics and consider promotional products to boost your marketing!