subject: Promotional giveaways: What is best? [print this page] Promotional giveaways: What is best? Promotional giveaways: What is best?
Promotional gifts are an essential part of any business' marketing operations, even in the internet age. While social networking and company blogs have become all the rage in recent years, there will always be customers and clients who must be won over using a different sort of charm offensive. Promotional gifts in the form of branded merchandise are an excellent way to spread the word about your business and get its name and logo noticed - and they don't have to cost the earth. By putting just a little time and effort into your promotional items, you might just find that your investment is paid back tenfold as you seize the imaginations of hundreds of new clients.
As a general rule, effective promotional gifts fall into two main categories those that are useful and those that are novel. In order to create an impact, you either need to provide people with an item that they will want to use regularly, rather than simply discard, or one that is amusing, unusual or otherwise has a strong novelty factor so that it immediately grabs their attention. Gifts that are mundane, disposable or lack any practical purpose will soon find their way into the waste bin, along with your company's money and chance to get noticed.
Sometimes simple gifts are amongst the most effective. The humble branded pen may be largely unremarkable but in a world where people are constantly struggling to find a writing instrument, your pen and your company can prove a lifesaver at the most crucial moment with an item that only cost a few pence. The same goes for other forms of branded stationery; notepads, post-it notes, diaries and more. Having your company's logo and message there in the right place at the right time can be a surprisingly good way of getting noticed and winning new clients.
If you find the idea of stationery gifts a little outdated, you can opt for something a bit more modern while still providing potential customers with a useful item. Branded USB memory sticks cost more than pens or post-its but are arguably much more useful and an excellent way to represent a modern, tech-savvy company.
Novelty promotional gifts can be extremely effective too and don't necessarily need to be silly or outlandish to make an impact. A branded golf umbrella is large enough to be eye-catching and speaks volumes about your business. Of course, if you do decide to opt for entirely outrageous novelty gifts, you won't be short of options, with everything from drinking games to stress toys ready to be adorned with your company's logo to spread the word about how fun and down-to-earth you and your personnel are.
The most appropriate promotional gifts for your business will ultimately depend on what kind of image you wish to portray and who you identify as your customers. Do not underestimate the power of giveaways to help spread the word about your company.
