The Seven Deadly Sins

Promotional Products are a tremendously powerful marketing too. Used correctly, they can build and strengthen a brand in the most cost-effective manner. Power can be dangerous when used incorrectly. There are seven mistakes to avoid as a promotional products buyer. You do not want to waste money, damage a brand and weaken marketing efforts. 

1. Not understanding the medium. Promotional products are an advertising medium and a very effective one at that. Consider this. What other advertising medium do recipients say “thank you” for? What other advertising medium will people stand in line, fill out forms, change behaviors or take action to receive? What other medium can touch all five of the senses? 

A survey revealed the power of promotional products by measuring how end users respond to organizations that use promotional products as part of their marketing mix. More than 71 percent of respondents surveyed indicated they had received at least one promotional product in the past 12 months. The study also showed that respondents’ ability to recall the name of an advertiser on a promotional product they had received (88 percent) was much better than their ability to recall the name of an advertiser from a print publication they had read in the past week (53.5 percent). This is powerful impact, exposure and influence and because promotional products have a long life and are used again and again - they are seen again and again. This means a very low cost per impression. 

Promotional products have a strong impact on brand and company image. Take a look at the advertising history and brand growth of some of the most valuable brands in the world and you’ll see that many were built through this medium. Coca-Cola is a prime example of a company that used imprinted items to become ubiquitous in the consumer consciousness. 

Promotional products engage customers and start conversations. The recipient is providing an implied endorsement every time they use or engage with the medium. Other advertising media interrupt. Only promotional products creates involvement and engagement with your brand. 

Promotional products can be used to advertise, recognize, as a marketing tool, to increase your presence (and build your brand), as an incentive (for engagement, involvement, action) and to assist in teaching and training employees and customers on how to best utilize your products and services. Working with a promotional products professional who understands marketing, motivation and branding can help you better understand how to best use this powerful medium. 

2. Not Knowing Your Target Market. 

One of the strongest attributes of promotional products is their ability to precisely appeal to a specific target audience. Ignoring what people want, are interested in or want to engage with can hurt your brand and your communications efforts. 

In the case of promotional products the medium is the message. It is critical that you reverse the Golden Rule and give your audience what THEY want to receive, not what you would want or what you might want to give. Choose carefully based on the demographics, lifestyles and affiliations of your target audience. 

Think of how do you want the recipient to feel about your brand when they receive the item. Your professional can guide you to lifestyle specific, age specific, generational specific and other criteria to select items that enhance your brand image and your communication impact. 

Want to reach fisherman? Put your imprint on a fishing lure. Baseball fans? Everything from the caps and tee shirts to the balls and spirit gear is in play. You may have several different audiences that you need to connect with and it is a great idea to have different promotional solutions to reach all of them. A realtor or financial consultant for instance may be helping young singles, new parents and retirees. Promotional products can be selected to appeal to each of these target markets and create a strong bond of appreciation. 

3. Not Telling Your Story. 

When you offer promotional products, you expand your communication reach to all the senses. Only promotional products can touch your consumers' sense of smell, taste, sight, sound and touch. This creates a sixth sensory touch - emotion. This is a powerful way to tell a story and marketing is all about telling stories with your brand as the hero. 

Have you ever been to a concert, show or other event and seen the people line up (perhaps even you were one of them) to pay twenty dollars or more for a tee shirt or a cap or other imprinted item that commemorates the event? The product just became the exclamation point to the experience. 

Every interaction that you have with your customers is an opportunity for you to stage an experience. Every experience deserves an exclamation point and you can do just that with the right gift to remind them of the great job you have done. Think about the total communication and relationship efforts that you are making to build your business, your image and your brand. Then select the appropriate way to remind your customers of the story you’ve written for them. 

4. Not Working With a Professional Partner. 

Let’s face it. You’ve got many choices where to buy promotional products. Unfortunately, many companies come and go and you’ll do yourself and your brand a big favor by looking for professionals who are in it for the long haul. The professionals will be the ones who are involved in their industry and community. They continually are learning and are continually giving back. 

Working with a company that does not show those characteristics of professionalism is actually very dangerous. It’s your name and your reputation that is imprinted on that product and how it performs is a reflection of you. The sources you buy from are also a reflection of you. 

Compliance to laws and child safety concerns are just two reasons to work with a well-established company. A strong professional partner can help you select products from the best suppliers in the industry. They will be aware of CPSIA consumer product safety compliance standards. They will consider whether the product will be used by children. They are aware of the consequences and requirements for products you may ship into California. 

Promotional products may seem like a very simple business. But it has some complexities that only the true professionals understand and build the right practices around to protect you and your brand. 

5. Not Having Clear Objectives and Measurements 

Buying promotional products without a plan and without clear objectives is not a marketing strategy. The promotional product does not have to always be the marketing campaign but you should consider each of your campaigns and how you can enhance it with this powerful medium. Adding a promotional product to the media mix generated favorable attitudes toward a print ad in all cases, according to a recent study. The use of a promotional product as the advertising medium alone achieved maximum impact, up to 69% increasing brand interest and 84% in creating a good impression of the brand. (ASI Impressions Study). 

Don’t just think of promotional products as an “add-on” to your campaign. Make your other media buys measurable by including an offer for the promotional incentive. Promotional products have a proven track record of increasing response rates and positive emotions of recipients. Want to drive traffic to a trade show booth? We can do that. Want to inspire employees to work safer or to embrace healthier life styles and choices? We can do that. Looking to recruit and retain the best talent? We can do that. Let’s not talk about what you want to buy. Let’s talk about what you want to achieve! 

6. Not Giving Yourself lead time. 

It’s always amazing to us how much money you can save if you PLAN AHEAD. Let us help you optimize your marketing dollars! Make us part of your marketing strategy! 

This is very much an event driven industry. The value of the product often becomes inflated by the date that it is needed. Rush charges and expedited delivery charges often exceed the cost of the product itself when the purchase decision is delayed to the last minute. 

Talk with your professional about your full calendar of upcoming events. This will allow them to make better recommendations and allow them to provide you with more value through better buying. Time is 

the best gift you can give yourself if you wish to really build your brand and save money. 

7. Not Buying for the Right Reason. 

Your job is to get the most value for your company for the resources that you use. You’re not measured by the money you save but by the results you achieve. There are often very tempting prices offered from unknown sources with products that look very much alike. 

If you buy something just because it is cheap, you will probably cheapen your own brand. That is not to say that a low price is always bad. It is to say that if you don’t know who you are buying from, if you don’t know that your professional will be there to stand behind the product, if you don’t know where it is being sourced from or the makers behind it — you could be paying a much, much higher price. 

The right reasons to buy promotional products are many. Buy them because they turn a tangible product into a marketing experience that touches all the senses. Buy them because your recipients will keep them and use them. (47% will keep and use them for more than a year!). 

Invest in them for Brand Awareness, New Customer and Account Acquisition, to increase your Trade Show Effectiveness, to generate positive Public Relations, to incentivize your Dealers and Distributors, for Employee Engagement, for Service Awards and Loyalty, for New Product Introductions, for Safety and Wellness Education. 

Buying promotional products the wrong way is a waste of money and can damage a brand. Buying promotional products the right way can grow your business and build your brand. Buying promotional products the right way means understanding this powerful medium, appealing to your target market, putting an exclamation point on every great experience you deliver, working only with the top professionals in the trade, knowing your marketing objectives, planning, and buying for value rather than price.