How to Use Promotional Products to Increase Brand Awareness

Businesses have used promotional products for decades to help expand their reach and to drive sales. But, do they really work? As the idea of brand awareness pervades every industry and sales niche, it’s important for businesses to ascertain that an investment in promotional giveaways gets the desired results: increasing brand awareness that ultimately facilitates better sales.

So the first question is: Do promotional products increase brand awareness?

And, the second question is: How does one utilize promotional gift to increase brand awareness?

Brand Awareness

Promotional giveaways leave a positive impression about the brand in the minds of the consumers who receive the item – whether it is a custom flash drive, a wearable, or a pair of ear buds. Studies back this notion up with hard numbers. The Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) found that consumers who received a promo product:^[i]

• Recommended the business to friends and family.
• Maintained a more favorable impression of the company over time.

The British Promotional Merchandise Association (BPMA) established similar results. Their 2012 report showcases responses from consumers who had received a promotional product within the past year. Here’s what it found:^[ii]

• Two-thirds of people could recall the name of the company that gave them a promotional item.
• Almost 80 percent of the consumers surveyed reported they did repeat business with the brand.
• Over 85 percent said they held on to the product for more than a year.
• Fifty-six percent reported that their impression of the brand was more favorable after they received the product.

Additionally, the study found that promotional merchandise delivered a higher return on investment than other marketing strategies used by businesses, such as indoor and outdoor ads, or even print and TV advertisements. Promotional products offer businesses a bang for their buck, they keeping customers coming back and getting sales on track.

Using Promo Products

The right way to use promotional products depends on your industry, your marketing goals, and your audience. With that said, there are certain strategies that any business can employ to increase their brand awareness through promotional gifts:

• Boosting products and services you already offer. Need to give an existing product line a boost? Rolling out a new feature? Using a promotional item is a memorable way to get the word out.
• Showcasing new products/services. When your organization plans to introduce new products and services, your marketing strategy should include promotional products to give consumers a tangible reminder of your brand. Create a custom shaped replica of your product that your prospects can take home.
• Retaining existing customers. Giving away a promotional merchandise can help boost the loyalty of existing customers and encourage upsells and cross-selling.
• Attracting new customers. Include clever branding on a promotional product that appeals to your target audience, and give it away at trade shows, fairs and local events.

Employ promotional products to put more power behind your marketing strategies, give your brand awareness programs a boost, and attract existing and new customers to your business. No longer is the question, Do promotional products increase brand awareness, as we now know that they do. The question is, Which promotional product will you choose, and how will you use it as part of your organization’s overall marketing strategy?