PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS – DON’T COUNT THE PEOPLE YOU REACH, REACH THE PEOPLE WHO COUNT

  The old saying that when it comes to advertising, it’s more important to reach the people who count rather than count the people you reach is as meaningful for a million dollar strategy as it is for a low-cost promotion.  Strategy is all-important and making sure that the chosen advertising channels are appropriate for the target audience will ensure that advertising dollars are stretched to the maximum.

There are many different channels, from print and electronic media to social networking media such as Facebook, to promotional products and direct marketing.  When it comes to the media mix, budget is usually one of the key considerations, but promotional products are popular with entities with large and with small marketing budgets.  Studies indicate that these items are very effective in generating brand awareness, and in terms of recall and reach among the target audience.

Audiences can ‘tune out’ of other forms of advertising, but not really from promotional products.  They’re generally received very favourably by the target audiences, because as we all know, everyone loves a free lunch (or at least, a free promotional pen, keyring, golf ball, cap, watch, embroidered polo shirt … the list runs into the hundreds of thousands !) .  The more useful the item or the more wearable (in the case of apparel), the more likely the recipient is to retain it and use it – thereby giving the advertiser’s message repeated exposure and leveraging the investment in the campaign.

As there are so many thousands of speciality products available, it’s impossible to list them or even categorise them.   They include a vast range of office and home items, apparel and sports equipment, stationery and confectionery to promotional keyrings and pens.   When considering promotional products, it’s advisable to consult an established supplier who can make informed suggestions on budget, quality, production times etc.  It’s also important to think about the quality of the intended product.  There are many economy products that are extremely effective (eg fridge magnets) but it is always worth paying attention to whether the quality of the item does justice to the advertiser – does it send a quality message?.  

Following are some typical uses for speciality advertising :

·         Opening of a new shop or branch

·         To introduce a new service or new product

·         Motivate or incentivise sales team

·         To welcome new clients

·         Developing business or sales leads

·         Encourage visitors to a trade show/stand

·         Give people easy access to your location/contacts

·         Invite people to attend a particular event

·         Open doors for sales consultants

For all these applications, there are a huge number of speciality items to choose from that would work.  But to avoid negative repercussions, it’s important to get it right first up.  Making a good first impression is a huge advantage.

The internet is a treasure trove of ideas and opportunities for promotional products, but it’s always worth checking the credentials of any supplier before making a commitment.  Some of them will even offer the option of having a sample made up before the final order is processed.  Whatever the Perth promotional products you’ve chosen to get your message across, you’ve chosen a channel that has proven effectiveness and offers value for your marketing money!

This much is true – “You can’t do today’s job with yesterday’s methods and be in business tomorrow”.