Businesses need promotional products as a cost-effective means of reaching out to more potential customers. This is a low-cost marketing method to drive customers. Even established global players resort to this marketing strategy. For small businesses like startups, promotional products help cut their marketing budget and still draw people’s attention.

Promotional products have been in use as a cost-effective marketing tactic for years. Right from new businesses to big enterprises, these giveaways are marketers’ favorite. A website sageworld.com has listed some interesting stats about the use of promotional products. Here are some of them:

• In the U.S, 8 out of 10 consumers have one to 10 promotional products Six out of 10 such consumers keep promotional products with them for up to two years.

Another important stat revealed by the study is that 89% of the consumers said they could recall the advertiser’s name or company name for 24 months after getting the items. Furthermore, promotional products draw whopping 500% more referrals from customers who are satisfied with the gift items. These crucial stats lay emphasis on the significance of promotional products for marketing and brand recognition.

Small and larger businesses recognize the importance of promotional products for reaching out to increasing number of people in a competitive market. The gift items with high-quality product packaging entice the recipients and draw their attention to a company’s business. These products have logo and brand message of the company printed. An aim of the exercise behind giving away promotional merchandise is to drive customers’ interest in the business.

For better results, marketers use branded promotional products that the recipients can use for many months. Such quality products help keep consumers engaged with a brand. This means that one-time distribution of the gift items is good enough to engage customers with your brand for months.

01. Low-Cost Effective Marketing

Many small enterprises can only dream of an overwhelming advertising campaign of a large scale, spreading all over the divergent media. But they can still achieve their marketing goals with low-cost promotional products campaign. There are many low-cost promotional items for startups.

Most of the manufacturers of promotional products keep the prices very low for mass distribution. Prices of the gift items are low but the impact is high on the recipients.

02. Instant Brand Recognition

Brand recognition implies that the consumers can identify your company and its products or services immediately when they spot your logo. For example, people can immediately recognize McDonald’s fast food business on seeing its yellow arch logo.

Your gift of promotional items to the customers helps them in remembering and recognizing your business. This is one of the key reasons to distribute promotional items. An article published in technomarketinginc.com states that 89% of consumers can recall the advertiser of a promotional product they’d received in the last two years.

The gift remains in their homes and offices or cars etc. for a long time, reminding them of your business and company. In fact, consumers hang on to promotional products for an average of 6.6 months. Next time, when they see your logo they instantly remember the gift and your business. The customers will remember your business even more if you gift them a branded item. They will reward your business by recognizing your products when they go shopping.

03. Greater Exposure Of Your Business

An advertisement on TV or billboard passes through your eyes immediately in a few seconds. But, gift items are in use for most of the time and are in front of eyes. For example, the consumers will wear your gift of a trendy T-shirt design for many days. Or, they will sip your tea or coffee mug more often. Such freebies are an excellent way for increasing your business exposure on daily basis.

According to Ppai.org, 76.1% of participants could recall the name of the advertiser on the promotional product that they received in the past 12 months. In comparison, only 53.5% of participants could recall the name of an advertiser they had seen in a magazine or newspaper in the previous week.

04. Works As Your Business Card

Business cards introduce your company and its products to the consumers. Your promotional products also function more or less in the same way but with better results. When distributing your gift items related to your business and industry, you are actually introducing your business to the potential consumers. According to Marketingsherpa.com, 71.6% of attendees who received a promotional product remembered the name of the company that gave them the product.

Remember the promotional giveaways also have your contact information just as business cards have. The gift items have your company logo, images and a slogan depicting your business message. The tangible branded product thus works as a useful business card that the consumers can use daily.

Promotional products also work as part of your social media campaign. You can use promotional products as part of your social media campaign. For example, you should print your QR codes on a promotional bottle. You can also put your hashtags on t-shirts and other promotional items.

Promotional products can drive consumers to your business in a cost-effective way. These giveaways bring instant brand recognition. You can expand the reach of your products or services amongst a larger audience. These items are also excellent for building a solid customer base and driving customer loyalty.