How to Use Promotional Products to Elevate Your Brand in 2021
Elevating your brand recognition and reaching new prospects can be done with the right promotional products through effective marketing strategies and campaigns. As you plan out the rest of 2021 from a promotional marketing standpoint, it’s smart to think about what types of promotional items resonate with your brand and your audience.
Why Invest in Promotional Products?
People tend to make a purchase only when they’ve developed trust in the brand form what they have seen, heard, or experienced for themselves. Promotional products can play a crucial role in building that brand recognition and familiarity with your potential customers. When someone has a useful promotional product with your logo at home, you’re building impressions on a daily basis. And if they recognize your brand, then you’re one step closer to attracting their business. It’s even more effective if you pick an item that gets a lot of use and relevant in 2021, like branded hand sanitizer or custom reusable face masks.
It’s also worth pointing out that people really like free stuff. By strategically giving away promotional items, you can create a feel-good response to your brand, especially if they creative and thoughtful. It might even trigger a sense of reciprocity, where the recipient feels compelled to check out your website or give you something in return.
Using Promotional Products to Retain Customers & Build Loyalty
It’s far more expensive to acquire a new customer than it is to retain an existing one. Use promotional products to retain existing business partners, clients, and vendors by giving thoughtful, branded gifts. By acknowledging these long-standing relationships, you can help increase your company’s stability and generate new business for the future.
Use Promotional Gifts to Improve Employee Engagement
You can also use promotional gifts internally to motivate your employees. In fact, studies show that salary is not actually the best predictor of employee satisfaction. It’s actually more closely associated with benefits, corporate gifts, and morale. Try welcoming new employees with a pack of branded items they’ll use at work to help with their productivity and creativity. Nothing makes someone feel like part of a team quicker than corporate swag.
Many companies use corporate gifts as an incentive for employees. Workers can earn branded items as rewards for achieving certain milestones. This serves to create a sense of pride and achievement while increasing employees’ identification with the company. Not only can this strategy increase retention, but it can also improve productivity. Use this strategy if you’re struggling with retention. For example, you could use something like a UV sterilizer/wireless charger to incentivize reaching the six-month mark.
Launch a temporary pop-up shop and distribute branded items as part of a seasonal reward for employees. Offer up the branded items at the big, end-of-year meeting or presentation. Everyone likes free stuff, and branded items can create a fun environment and camaraderie during your next corporate gathering. Not to mention all the bragging your employees will do with their friends and family about all the cool perks and swag they get by being a part of the company.
Creative Ways to Use Promotional Products to Boost Brand Recognition
If you’re ready to be bold, then promotional products can help your brand get noticed. One strategy is to embrace the spirit of generosity. Donate a bundle of branded food items or other items in need to a nonprofit for them to use as part of a giveaway basket. Local charities are always happy to receive free items to help raise money for a good cause. This is a clever way to get your brand seen while also showing that your company is involved with community philanthropic work.
Try connecting a promotional product with a unique advertising campaign to make a major splash. For instance, you could create a unique item that will attract press and deliver a key message for your company. Bring this concept to your marketing team and see what they come up with. If you sell software, you could order some branded computer bags and fill them with old school floppy disks, with a hidden software download code inside. Or simply go with a super useful item that will be used on a daily basis. For example, customize on-trend blue light blocking glasses to help protect people’s eyes with all the increased screen time at home during the pandemic. They’re a super useful product with a subtle branding touch, not to mention budget friendly and fun! Just make sure your strategy is aligned with the products or services you sell.
Choosing the right promotional items for your company
There are several categories of promotional products. It’s important to pick the right type of item for your goal to ensure longevity so that your purchase gets you the highest return on your investment. It’s wise to select an item that will get multiple uses, rather than a single-use throwaway item. Although, promotional food and candy items certainly have a very big impact when implemented with the right strategy and audience.
If you’re looking for smart promotional items this year, there’s 4 major trends to follow this year and we picked our favorites for each of those trends to make sure your brand has the best promotional items for 2021.
1. Virtual Conferences, Events & Working From Home
Virtual conferences are here to stay, along with other corporate events like virtual happy hours. In addition, most people have transitioned to working from home full time, so comfort has become major trend to keep in mind this year. We can help you build swag bags for virtual conferences and events, or stay connected with your remote employees with gifts like blankets and drinkware.
Sweatshirt Blanket
Arctic Zone® Tiran Thermal HP® 2 in 1 Cooler 12oz
2. Personal Health
A major effect of the pandemic is the shift in wanting to stay healthy and keeping your home and workspace clean. Employees are now ultra aware of sanitizer and keeping contact surfaces clean. We have great multi-functional products that help prevent germs from spreading.
UV Mobile Aromatherapy Sterilizer
elleven™ Travers Stainless Vacuum Tumbler 16oz
3. Renewed Appreciation
To show appreciation to employees that have overcome very challenging circumstances over the pandemic, companies are looking to send more thoughtful and useful gifts to their employees and clients to thank them for their commitment and loyalty through everything. Premium gifts show how much the company cares and in turn, it boosts employee morale and makes them still feel connected to the brand they work for.
Kariba Knit Jacket
Camelbak® Eco-Cloud walker Computer Backpack
4. Family Time At Home
One positive from all of the increased time spent at home is being able to spend more time with family, relax more, and enjoy all the little things that come with it. Any unique and useful for the home is a great idea for 2021. From backyard barbeques to getting outdoors, we have a wide range of awesome home gifts your recipients will love.
Zigoo Silicon Collapsible Bottle 18oz
20 Can Backpack Cooler
Even though our lives have changed throughout the pandemic, promotional items have continued to be an integral part of every business. Find the product that aligns with your industry as well as with your brand. If you see something you like or want more information and ideas, contact iPromo today, we can’t wait to help elevate your brand in 2021!