10 Ways for How to Use Promotional Products Effectively

You have taken the steps to research, find, order and buy your products, they are ready to go. Now is the time to think about how you can best distribute your products.

Simply having your products is not enough. You need to find effective ways to resonate with your target audience so you can make a lasting impression on them. Otherwise, all your efforts will have been for nothing.

With our 10 tips to use promotional products effectively, you can stop wasting your time on ineffective ways to get your name out there. Stop diminishing your impact by handing out these items for free with no lasting benefits. Take our expert advice and up your promotional product distribution game today!

1) Set goals for your promotional products

You can't measure success without having goals to compare your result with. Define goals before you consider ordering branded items. In many cases, this can impact which types of products you will even want to choose.

Goals to consider when thinking of promo items:

• How will people use these products?
• Is the goal to increase brand awareness?
• Recruit more applicants to your open job positions?
• Is the idea to generate leads?
• Increase customer relations and retention?
• Employee satisfaction?
• Overall improve company culture?
• Run a specific campaign?
• Announce a product launch?

2) Think about your target audience

When ordering products, you need to think about the impact they will have on whomever receives it. You might think a cute branded stuffed animal keychain will be perfect. However, if your audience is targeted towards bikers, those keychains might not be the most effective choice.

Offering promotional products should make sense with your industry, your services and products. Dentists hand out toothbrushes or tooth-shaped products for a reason – because it is effective and it works. Imagine a dentist handing out chocolate bars to their clients.

3) Get your message across

You will need to find a balance between being catchy, but also relatable. You need people to connect with your message, but also present a message that is worth remembering.

Consider these things:

• Do I only want to feature my logo?
• Can I include a catchy slogan?
• Would it make sense to include my business address?
• Is it better to have a catchy design instead?

Choosing the right option is important. For some people, this might be the first (and only) interaction they have with your business. Especially if it is not memorable.

Your products should effectively communicate your services while also reflecting your corporate culture and personality to make a greater impact. Think it through and consider doing some research in advance.

4) Focus on brand visibility

You might think that these products are only possible for events or as corporate gifts. But you can also take advantage of these items for an increased brand visibility. Consider partnering with sports teams or sponsoring local events for added coverage and awareness.

Much like you would do with a fair, event, conference or gift, you should tailor your products to match the event. For sporting events, water bottles or apparel would make sense. For a community event, tote bags or candy could be a fun way to promote your presence.

➥ For more resources, read about business branding and why you should take it more seriously. Or you can learn more about the psychology of branding for businesses to see why branding goes beyond a simple color or logo design.

5) Customize products for the occasion

Understanding the situation before handing out a product is key. If you are looking to hand out employee gifts, it might make sense to skip the logo or company name on the product. Consider printing the names of your employees instead. This is ideal for work anniversaries or onboarding new employees.

6) Make your items stand out

The more your audience likes your products, the more likely they will keep them. So when you think about your audience, choose something that is practical, relates to your brand and has that WOW effect.

The most used promotional items will either be practical or so unique that people can't help but imprint your company into their minds.

7) Take advantage of social media

Lasting impressions come from the product itself, but also by having the items shared on social media. Choose products for career fairs or trade shows that make people want to upload images to LinkedIn or Instagram. This helps spread the word about your company culture, making others want to apply as well.

8) Make personal connections

We have mentioned the products themselves, creating WOW factors and linking it to your corporate identity. But it isn't just the products that make the impact. How you distribute these items will also make an impact.

At trade shows, it is pretty easy to do so. Consider creating a small swag bag for conferences and events to personally hand out to people who arrive at your booth. If you are at a booth, consider creating games or interactions that get people excited. This small but meaningful personal connection can make a difference.

➥ Read more about how you can build your own swag bag.

9) Create a sense of belonging

If you are looking towards the branding route, then hand out corporate swag in the form of branding clothing. Create a unique and vibrant sense of company culture through the use of apparel.

Think of how popular bands, artists, TV shows and movies create merch for their fans. This is what you can do with your own employees. You cannot fake employer branding like this. Think of products that your employees would like and what makes sense for the company's message in sending these.

10) Analyze your results & effects

Do promotional products work? Yes, but now is the time to see exactly how much.

After your event, it's important to analyze how well your campaign performed based on the goals and results you defined. It may take time to see the full effects. This is especially true for sales leads, returning and new potential customers, and job applicants. The time frame depends on your initial goals.

Hopefully your efforts were well received. However, if not, that is also something to learn from for the next time. Without analyzing your results, you can never truly know how your overall impact was.

Why Promotional Products Work & Going Forward

Now that you have learned the 10 best ways for how to use promotional products effectively, you can go forth and apply this knowledge to your next campaign. As shown, there is more than one way to make the biggest and lasting impression on the people who receive promotional products. Various factors play a role in maximizing the effectiveness of your hard work and creativity.

Useful promotional products are still an effective marketing tool. With this form of advertising, you can apply it to your branding and marketing strategies.

Choose promotional products for your business from our recommendations below.