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Having
your brand name emblazoned on everyday products is a popular marketing
method in some quarters, but will it really help you acquire or
retain customers? Alex Tomlin Investigates
Be it free pens handed out at trade shows, calendars
sent to customers at Christmas or a hamper full of expensive food
and champagne for those extra special clients, a well thought
out promotional
merchandise strategy can raise brand awareness and retain
valued clients. But is it really worth the money?
Top sellers by far are diaries, calendars
and writing
instruments, each accounting for 20 percent of the total spend
in the promotional
products world. This is not surprising considering such everyday
items allow existing or potential customers to be exposed to your
brand all year round.
There are clearly thousands of items suitable for promotional
use; essentially anything upon which a logo can be printed, including
bum bags, cakes, dart sharpeners, first aid kits, perfume atomisers,
ponchos, tabards, tea cosies, yo-yos and zipper pulls, not to
mention the seemingly endless range of golf related merchandise.
Industry insiders are evangelical about the benefits. 'A considered
and appropriate gift has a permanent or semi-permanent shelf-life,'
says Charles Wade, editor of Promota Bulletin, the magazine from
the trade association representing manufacturers and distributors
of promotional
products.
Why It Works
'Having your name, logo and web address on an item that you give
to someone and that they will see regularly serves as a subliminal
reminder', continues Wade. 'It plays a major role in marketing
support.'
It is not usually employed as a marketing campaign on its own,
but more to reinforce a focussed message given out by, say, an
advertising campaign in a magazine or on television.
'I strongly advise going through an experience distributor,' says
Wade.
'They will find out exactly what it is you want to achieve and
what other marketing methods you are using in order to recommend
the type and quantity of product required.'
Margot Parker, board director for the British
Promotional Merchandise Association, is one such distributor.
She's sales director of Fragrance For You, which supplies bespoke
perfumes and packaging to consumer and corporate clients, such
as Easyjet.
'Easyjet wanted to promote their new route to Cologne and a perfume
was the obvious choice,' explains Parker. 'They explained what
they wanted, the image they were trying to project and we produced
a raft of samples, of which they chose an orange blossom scent,
which matched their corporate colours. 'They passed the scent
out at airports and locations nearby and were very pleased with
the response,' she concludes.
Keep The Client Sweet
However, there's no point investing in a promotional
goods campaign if it misses the mark. Specialist insurance
products provider MedEx Direct was ploughing the traditional furrow
of giving out branded pens and post-it notes to prospective clients
without much success. It decided to change tack and sent its sales
force out bearing chocolate branded with the company name and
logo from promotions company Sweet Temptations.
'Now our sales guys are known as the 'chocolate men' and everyone
remembers us,' explains the sales and marketing director Steven
Katz. 'We have gained 20 per cent more clients than anticipated
since introducing the chocolate, with negligible outlay.'
Plying clients with sweets has now become a regular occurrence
for MedEx, which also sent out branded event card replete with
chocolates at Christmas, receiving phone calls of thanks across
the board.
Prices and ordering arrangements obviously vary, but most companies
offer lead times of 28 days or less, although if you want a Christmas
promotion, it's best to plan well in advance. Most suppliers place
minimum amounts on orders, such as 2,000 pens, but you are usually
able to see an image of what the product will look like before
it's mass produced.
We at Ideasbynet are here to help you with
your promotional gift requirements. Call us: 0870 787 5527
- Our Promotional Staff are highly experience and will provide
you with the dedicated professional service you would expect from
a major corporation.
Browse our massive online Promotional
Gift Catalogue for a diverse
selection of products all at great low prices.
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