6 Do’s and Don’ts of Promotional Product Marketing

Product and service promotion is the most common form of marketing. Promotional product marketing is a great way to enhance the marketing your company is already doing. It gets your brand out there, starts a conversation with potential customers and lasts longer than other forms of advertising.

Promotional materials are used to make a business stand out from its competitors and to engage the target audience. While promo materials can come in a variety of mediums, they usually contain the business logo and can be directly linked to sales of the product or service. Both new and existing customers can benefit from promotional marketing.

Promotional materials are a part of the larger marketing strategy of a business. Organizations can utilize many different mobilized marketing in addition to promotional materials to meet their business goals. The marketing mix, as it is often referred to, consists of different elements such as print and online advertising, public relations, direct mail, social media, events, sponsorship and personal selling. Promotional materials can fit into any one of the marketing mix mediums.

1. Do: Keep Your Target Audience in Mind

You know who your current customers are, and hopefully you know who you are trying to target to become new customers. Whether it is a particular campaign, initiative or event, it is imperative to know your target audience before choosing your promotional products.

2. Do: Consider the Logistics of Distribution

Determine exactly who should receive your swag, and how. Each campaign or event may have a different recipient list, and as we learned in the first "Do," you must know who your audience is. But, more than that, how will these products be distributed, and how will they get to your target market? Once you figure out the best way to reach your recipients, make sure your promotional products fit the plan.

3. Do: Add a Call to Action

Usually, you are not giving a product away just because. What’s your objective? For the recipient to visit your website? Or, is it to engage in your social media? Go one step beyond just giving something away, and incorporate a call to action with the product. Get something back in return.

1. Don’t: Wait Until the Last Minute to Order

Great things take time. If you want the best swag (in your budget), be sure to plan for your order. Not every product has as many options. But the more you know about what you want, the better. If you don’t know, ask your sales or order representative to present you with a few good choices. It always helps if you provide an approximate budget, the estimated number of units and a time frame so that those options fit your needs.

2. Don’t: Use Generic Items

If you use items that people have already received a ton of, such as a stress ball or a cheap keychain, your product (and money) might just end up in the trash. If this is what happens to your giveaway, do not expect an effective impact. You can ensure your swag is held onto and remembered by making it useful, creative, high-quality and innovative. There are ways to make even simple products look sophisticated. Use guidance from your sales or order rep to help you make your items uniquely yours.

3. Don’t: Make It Difficult to Implement

Make sure your marketing campaign and the giving away of your promotional items are not overly complex. For example, if you are exchanging a promotional product for an e-mail address at a trade show, make the process simple with a business card drop or a quick form on an iPad. The more difficult you make the process, the harder meeting your objective will be.

Nathan is the creative writer of Automail Llc here talks on the print to mail outsourcing services for print and mail services. He likes to read journals and scholarly books.