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When
drawing up a promotional campaign from scratch, there are all
sorts of factors to consider, hence a multi-faceted approach.
Look at your company
The first thing to do is to take a good look at the products and
service you have to offer. Taking a good look how are they differentiated
from others in the marketplace, and are the colors and style of
your logo going to attract potential buyers. The message must
be clear and consistent.
Analyse your competitors
Then look at what your competitor have to offer. Look at the differences,
both good and bad. Find out how your competition utilises promotional
products in their general advertising schema. If it's within
your budget, you and anyone else that wishes to lend a hand could
place an order, for say personal stationery, at competitor printers
and see what comes out at the other end. What sales methods were
used? How are the goods packaged, priced and what was the turn-around?
Did you have to pick goods up yourself or were they delivered?
How were you asked to pay? What in-stock choice was there? And
so on.
You have probably come to know your target audience by now. So
this is one way of getting to know your competitors! You have
probably a good idea of what you want to achieve by your promotional
products campaign.
Stick to specific objectives
Is this a short term ad or does it form part of a long term plan?
Does the strategy concern say promotional
goods, a promotion or your business image? What do you want
the recipient to remember most? What do you want to achieve for
your business with this giveaway or gift? Maybe you want to get
rid of surplus stock by way of a promotion. Probably, you want
to draw more customers into your busines. Maybe you want to boost
your business image and reaffirm your place in the community.
Maybe you want to announce a new product range or service idea.
Maybe you want to package your products and service in a new light.
The framework
Once you know what you want to get across, write it all down.
Your piece of paper should include your target audience and your
specific objectives. Is it to establish, maintain or change potential
customer's attitude about your business, or are you wanting to
change the image of your products or service? What is going to
be the USP (unique selling proposition -see "Advertising Philosophies")?
What benefits are you offering the customer? Can you prove it?
What other peripheral but necessary information are you going
to include? A successful promotional
products campaign generally doesn't begin and end with one
products. A series of related branded products will reinforce
your theme or message.
The concept
While looking at the above piece of paper with all the basic information
on it, think about a concept for putting this information across.
It's a unifying idea through which your message can be put across.
Maybe it could be based on your particular service and what it
offers. So the unifying idea could be the luxury of door-to-door.
It could be based on the benefits of having and using a product
that you offer. For instance you could be offering printed "promotional
mouse mats" and aiming at computer buffs who communicate with
computer buffs!! It can focus on printing needs and your proximity
(i.e. the need that businesses have for printed matter and your
ability to deliver). It can be based on an association between
the product and a desirable state of being (e.g. a woman of substance
has her own personal printed stationery, business cards etc).
Whatever it is, you need a concept to work around.
The approach
Think about how you want the recipient to react to your promo
and this will help you to decide upon the type of approach. Do
you want to make them jump to their feet and call you? Do you
want to make them giggle by using humor to aid memory retention
about your business? Do you want to inform them about something
new that they're bound to be interested in? Do you want to jog
their curiosity in a persuasive kind of way?
So, decide upon either an "entertaining" approach, or an "'informative"
approach, or a "persuasive" approach, or a mixture. This sets
the tone and style of the promotion.
An informative approach requires a factual tone, whereby you simply
state the facts neat and simple. This may be the best approach
to use for messages of obvious consumer benefit such as a price
slashing promotion.
A persuasive approach could have an emotional tone, whereby the
item shape identifies you as being affiliated with a cause. Maybe
you are donating part of your profits to, say a children's charity,
for the next two months, this might very well persuade customers
to your door from an emotional angle rather than from pure need
for goods or services.
An entertaining approach can use a humorous tone. It's more often
used to create interest in a business, rather than to offer specific
information.
The gimmick
You can also include a gimmick in your promotion. A gimmick is
used to draw attention rather than to impart information, such
as flashing buttons or high bouncing balls at a trade show. It
helps to create interest and awareness of your company.
Logo size
Your logo should be printed as large as possible on this type
of "see me" item. Use simple design and simple language to keep
your logo and message tastefully bold.
Product selection
Before you begin to write a rough draft of your campaign, place
a piece of paper next to you that describes in one sentence what
it is that you want to stress in this promotional campaign. Keep
glancing at it to make sure that your design thoughts and product
ideas stay on the right track.
Four rules of thumb: - make sure the product is as useful as possible
for the intended campaign, whether it be food or a high tech gift.
The item should have a relationship to your product or service
and act as a consistent reminder. Say to the recipient, "Remember
Us!"
The benefits are what the customer gets from using the product,
rather than the product itself. For instance, it is better to
say that "the soft leather key fobs you buy from us will give
your company a prestigious image over that of your competitor",
rather than "we sell soft leather key fobs".
So, back to the drawing board, you have a good idea about how
you want to promote your product or services or your company brand.
Brainstorm it all out onto a sheet of paper or onto your computer
and take a good look at what you've got. There is no particular
order that the sequence of products you give out have to take.
If you were in the logistics business, you could come up with
a truck shaped mint tin for starters. After that, a truck shaped
stress ball. Perhaps a shaped ceramic desk caddy for the buyers
of your service. Finish off with an auto safety travel kit for
the year end holidays.
Make sure that your selection of products have a level of quality
consistent with your image. One disappointment in the flow of
your campaign will cause your potential customers to loose interest.
Headlines
Make sure that you have the most appropriate headline possible
to communicate your message. Of course the best headline is one
that is going to both grab attention and entice the user to keep
the product provided it is attractive and useful. Make sure your
promotional items are given to the correct target audience. If
you are aiming at housewives with a new home landscaping service
for instance, and spring is coming up, the headline could simply
be "Perennial landscape designs to enjoy year round. "If it can
at least summarise the selling message and identify your business
you have succeeded some way. If it offers a benefit appropriate
to your target audience too, then all the better.
Illustrations
Illustrations as part of the imprinted design can work wonders.
It should be immediately recognizable. If you can use an illustration
to identify your business, product or service, as appropriate,
this takes that responsibility off the text headline title or
logo.
If stuck for a headline, here's more food for thought. A headline
can make a claim, give a command, identify a product, offer a
challenge, or inspire curiosity.
Slogans
You might want to use a slogan somewhere on the product. This
is a motto or catch phrase, often adopted by businesses to advertise
themselves or used - as an immediately recognizable "symbol" -
to advertise brand goods, franchises or services. TV adverts for
drinks, detergents, cars etc, are renowned for using short, punchy
slogans. In some, the product is not even mentioned (in all but
the small print). The slogan does all the work. The general public
have had it pushed in front of them over so many years they immediately
know what the ad is advertising. If you can work out a short and
simple (is best) slogan then this could be good for business,
also in terms of a professional image. For the hot foil printer
ideas such as the unique nature of the business, or the quality
of the finished product could be good angles to go for. Otherwise
there are the door-to-door or personal service type angles. Catchy
slogans are difficult to develop.You'll probably find a few weaknesses
in the copy of your first draft so revise and revise until you
hone it down to perfection. For instance, look at every word used
and ask yourself:
- is this the best word that I could use here? - do I really need
to say this? have I included everything that 1 want to say and
does it reflect the first sentence that I wrote down in front
on me?
Maybe you can think of more questions to ask yourself. It could
take quite a while, but better to spend a few days in thought
and come up with a "good 'un". Finally, check all punctuation
and spelling, word for word. It is so easy to miss something obvious
if every word is not spelled out letter for letter.
Typeface
The same design rules apply here as with any print job. Choose
appropriate type styles according to the image you want to get
across. Choose either one typeface or complementary typefaces
(in both size and design) and the number to a minimum - unless
you have the knack of using various styles to great effect. Most
importantly, make sure that it is easy to read. Sans serif typefaces
in small sizes are more difficult to read than serif faces of
the same, so sans serif faces are more suited to headlines rather
than the smaller body copy text. Factories tend to be mechanical
in their use of type styles used for text added to logos. Preferably
you want your promotional products distributor or an advertising
design studio to assist you in the final preparation of your imprint.
Colour
Research has shown that adding a second color to the imprint on
your promotional products adds a great deal of recognition to
the user. If your logo has two colors, spend the little exta to
reproduce it that way when possible. If this is going to add too
much to the cost though, maybe using an eye-catching imprint method
such as engraving or debossing may be a good alternative.
Choosing a product
Avoid promotional products that require assembly, instructions
on how to use, or don't have the required batteries to operate
them. The product must work "out of the box".
Emphasis
Of course emphasising too many different parts of a message and
using too many different ways of emphasis simply negates the whole
process. To draw and keep your company name top of mind, keep
it simple.
Effective promotional campaigns
There are many theories on what is good and bad advertising. One
thing's for sure, you're not going to get new sales if people
don't know about you. So where do you start? Whether you're at
the beginning of your business road, or established and about
to embark on a campaign to advertise a new product, or set to
expanding into a completely new area of business... whatever it
is, there are many ways of putting your message across.
After your "business image" has been established, the two most
important considerations are "need" and the "target audience".
Before you even begin to invest hard-earned cash into anything
you must have some idea of the people and businesses you wish
to target and then establish that there is definitely a need for
the goods or service about to be offered. If you have been in
business for a while, you are most likely fully aware of what
and who are around you.
You'll probably know your competition and what they are offering.
You'll probably know what goods or services are lacking and where
you can "hang your hat" so to speak. You must first decide whether
such new avenues are worth chasing, both in monetary and time-and
energy terms, at the end of the day. Every branch of a business
must pay its own way and not detract from the profit or smooth
working of any other part in the long run.
Anyway, back to the theme of advertising successfully ... once
a need and a target audience have been sought out and proven,
then you will no doubt have a few handles to hold on to with regard
to how you are about to approach this need from the advertising
angle. Take a good look at the people you want to do business
with. You may need to split your advertising strategy in order
to target split audiences accurately, for instance, if you need
to "speak to" both the general public and local businesses.
Visibility
One of the most effective characteristics of promotional products
is their repeated usage and high level of multiple exposures.
One famous campaign involved a huge gathering of executives and
press, with all cars in one visible parking lot. The valet parkers
installed windshield sun screens so that the product logo was
visible on hundreds of vehicles at one time. That's effective
use of promotional products for the event and a product that each
driver would subsequently use to keep their cars cool in the summer
sun.
Choose products that will get multiple exposures, in turn giving
you a great return on your advertising dollar. Sometimes choosing
a more expensive product in a smaller quanity rather than a cheaper
one in higher volume will prove more effective since the cheap
one may be discarded while the nicer product is used for years.
Demographics
Above all, know your audience and choose products appropriate
for their needs and lifestyle.
Proximity
If your small business has multiple locations it may be a good
practice to list them on the back side of a product if space permits,
so clients will know that your services are close by and easily
accessible. Once you have your "communication" ready, the next
consideration is ... how are you going to get this message to
your chosen audience. Sometimes it's easy as in a tradeshow, other
times product must be delivered to salespeople covering many different
territories with different needs for quantity of product. Find
this information out to keep your distribution costs down for
the products you buy.
Consistency
Some say that, despite the fact that you have a. sales message
to get across, nowadays it has been found that the more original
and memorable an promotion is, the more influence that advert
has on an audience's awareness and response to you as a business.
So an advert must surprise people into remembering your business.
Advertising apart, this idea bears well too for the importance
of having a strong business image, an original logo (mind-bending
if you so must!) and letterhead. It begs that all reflections
of your company - from sign to stationery - be consistent and
reliable to a fault.
Reflect on the idea that each of your businesses, with its products
and services, has it's own ""drama" about it, something sensational
that people will be interested to hear about. When creating an
advert for your business, think about how you can make it appealing
enough visually, in order that people are in some way emotionally
rewarded. OK you may think this type of philosophy is more pertinent
for a television car advertising campaign for instance, but having
such a notion behind a simple promotional item can only help (yes
it can!).
A promotional campaign is propped up all around by the marketing
strategies of that business that go to make up the "business image",
and these strategies should be in the form of a long-term plan
for the business. The long-term plan should be influencing the
nature and content of the promotional campaign just as it is influencing
a consistent image for the business itself. A successful company
offers consistent advertising over a period of many years.
Also, people must be clear about your business image or "personality"
over the long term. Do not be frightened of dismissing certain
audiences in favor of promoting to the preferred target audience.
Trying to please everyone just waters down the concept. It's the
business with the clearest personality that gets the orders.
When devising your campaign you can be creative and not get the
message across, or you can stick to the letter of the message
in such a boring way that no one bothers to read it. So how to
avoid either of these scenarios ... a) know your audience and
b) decide what memory you want them to have of your business (not
too complicated, and relevant to his/her needs). A good promotional
item draws attention, and implies that it both knows where its
audience is "coming from" and that it can satisfy its needs. This
draws attention and registers in memory.
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- Our Promotional Staff are highly experience and will provide
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Browse our massive online Promotional
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