It’s Hard to Eclipse the Value of Promotional Items
In case you’ve been stargazing for the last few weeks, I’ve been discussing promotional items quite a bit. It’s one of the easiest, yet most powerful, ways to get your brand in front of your most important audiences. Give customers and prospects something useful, and they will, first, think more highly of your brand and company. Second, and perhaps more importantly, they’ll give you the nod in future purchase decisions.
Promotional items are truly the giveaways that “keep on giving.” You never know where your brand will end up, or how much positive exposure it might receive. Two recent items in the news make this point clearly.
Promotional Items: A Bright Idea
Think about all the people looking for solar eclipse viewing glasses in recent weeks. Some businesses and local municipalities were handing them out for free. In addition, other companies were selling them. But supplies didn’t last. As a result, plenty of people had to settle for watching the eclipse on television or online.
Imagine, instead, how happy they would have been if they had a pair, with your business to thank for it. And even more relevant, with the name of your business on it. That is, if, of course, you had taken advantage of the chance to provide them.
When we say we have, can get, or manufacture every item under the sun, that also includes solar viewing glasses for looking at that sun. Did you pass up this easy opportunity to connect with your best prospects? Did you even think of it? No? That’s too bad because adding value for your target audience and building relationships with them is what promotional items do best.
Consumer research from the Promotional Product International Association (PPIA) shows that promotional items drive brand loyalty. Results reveal that promotional items earn consumers’ gratitude. In addition, those consumers say that promotional items from a brand make it more likely they will do business with that brand in the future.
Promotional Item “Stars” at Awards Show
Next, let’s look at an example brought to our attention by our friends at Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI). It was an article in Inside Higher Ed that shows just how powerful the reach of promotional items can be.
The power of a #Tshirt perfectly defined in this piece by @InsideHigherEd https://t.co/tbqQQETDgO #AdamLevine pic.twitter.com/5U93JXvkz2
— ASICentral (@asicentral) August 16, 2017
Adam Levine of the popular band Maroon Five was accepting an award on the nationally televised “Teen Choice Awards.” As he did so, nearly two million viewers saw that he was wearing a T-shirt from Clarion University in Pennsylvania. The T-shirt was sent to him by the school’s student activities board, hoping to entice him to perform on campus.
The school received plenty of attention. No word yet on whether it will increase applications or enrollment. But two million exposures for the cost of a T-shirt? Seems like a pretty good investment. Let any other advertising channel try to beat that rate.
Have We Gotten Your Attention?
Sure, a little good fortune doesn’t hurt. But you can help good fortune happen with an organized plan. Superior can customize a promotional product management plan that will allow you to easily, creatively and effectively seize opportunities to help your business.
Think about Adam Levine. Then remember solar eclipse glasses. Don’t risk missing out on any more marketing opportunities with promotional items. Contact Superior today and ask for a FREE promotional product audit. And if you missed it, catch up on our recent series on the value of promotional items. It’s okay to look directly at them; no special glasses needed!
