3 Powerful Ways Promotional Products Build Your Brand

We’re focused on continuing to push the envelope at Forefront when it comes to creating innovative branded products and know it’s a surprisingly effective way to build your brand. But when you think of promotional products, you may think of branded beer koozies, bottle openers, pens, and other cheap objects. In reality, promotional products can be just about anything – and the more innovative and useful they are, the better. Research shows a surprising level of efficiency for branded products. A 2010 study by PPAI revealed that 94% of people who owned a promotional item could remember exactly where they received it – up to two full years later! So whether you’re investing in some branded pens, or an entire complement of branded accessories and other fun “schwag”, just remember – these products are important, no matter how big or how small. Here are 3 reasons why.

1. Products Open Lines Of Communication

When you give away a product, you open lines of communication. A study done by L.J market research found that 52% of participants who were given a branded promotional item ended up doing business with the company in question. Not only that, even the 48% who didn’t do business with the company at the time still said that they would be more likely to do business with them in the future because of the gesture. People like getting free stuff! And when you give them something for free, they’re more likely to stick around and hear what you have to say, whether you’re planning on pitching them, selling them on another product, or just trying to strike up a friendly conversation.

2. Products Stick Around For A Long Time

Think about the longevity of a branded pen, bag, or bottle opener compared to other forms of advertising. A Google AdWords ad? Gone in a half-second. A television commercial? We’ll give you a couple weeks of runtime at 10 seconds each ad – by then, viewers will be so sick of it that they’ll stop paying attention. A billboard? You’ll get a couple months out of it, max. Promotional products are eminently useful, and usually quite durable compared to other forms of advertising. T-shirts, pens, bags, water bottles, key chains are all useful in everyday life. Once you give them away, your customers will keep using them, seeing them, and being reminded of their interactions with your company.

3. They Can Exponentially Increase Your Brand Recognition

Brand recognition is all about repetition. The more a customer is exposed to your brand, the more likely they’ll be to remember it. According to epromos, 89% of customers can recall the exact branding of an item that they received within the last 24 months. By giving a customer an item they will use all the time, you can increase their exposure to your brand exponentially. Every time they look at their keychain, use their bottle opener, or take a drink of water, your brand will be there.

Don’t Underestimate The Power Of Branded Products

Because branded products create feelings of goodwill, last an incredibly long time compared to other advertising methods, and can increase your brand recognition at an exponential rate, they’re one of the most powerful – and least cost-intensive – tools in the arsenal of any good marketer. So next time you head to a convention, trade show, are sponsoring an event, or just want to better arm your sales team, consider investing in some smart, innovative, and useful branded products. Once you’ve felt the difference that smart promotional products can make to your brand, you’ll never want to go without them again.

Feel free to get in touch with myself or our team to learn about some of the truly innovative work we’ve been doing for our clients at Forefront.