{"id":22208,"date":"2018-12-27T09:31:08","date_gmt":"2018-12-27T15:31:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ipromo.com\/blog\/?p=22208"},"modified":"2018-12-27T09:31:08","modified_gmt":"2018-12-27T15:31:08","slug":"getting-the-most-out-of-your-marketing-dollar-with-promotional-items","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.ipromo.com\/getting-the-most-out-of-your-marketing-dollar-with-promotional-items\/","title":{"rendered":"Getting the Most Out of Your Marketing Dollar with Promotional Items"},"content":{"rendered":"

Companies are always looking for ways to stretch their marketing dollars. If you are like most brands, you don\u2019t have an unlimited marketing budget and need to get the best return on your investment. Hands down, \"Promotionalpromotional items deliver the lowest cost per brand impression.<\/p>\n

Think of the old term \u201cbang for your buck.\u201d That\u2019s exactly what you are going for here.<\/p>\n

The goal is to spend the least amount of money and get the greatest number of impressions for each product you purchase. However, you want to make sure you get actual impressions and ones that will likely convert into customers.<\/p>\n

So, are promotional items worth the money you are spending on them? We think so, but don\u2019t just take our word for it. Here is what the experts say:<\/p>\n

According to the Global Advertising Specialties Impression Study<\/a> released by the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI), promotional products do in fact deliver high brand impressions. If you calculate the cost per impression, you will find that they can be more cost effective than billboards, print ads, and even online pay-per-click marketing.<\/p>\n

Still not sure? Let\u2019s walk through how it works.<\/p>\n

Understanding Cost Per Brand Impression<\/h2>\n

To understand if you really getting a bang for your buck, you need to understand what \u201ccost per brand impression\u201d means.<\/p>\n

As the phrase indicates, it pretty much means what you are paying for each time a person sees your advertisement. Note that the cost per brand impression for some advertisements are easier to calculate than others.<\/p>\n

For instance, online advertising campaigns often charge per impression. That\u2019s and easy metric as you know upfront how much you will be charged each time someone sees your ad. A good example is Google Adwords which sets a specific rate each time someone clicks on your ad. You pay for each website impression that Google brings you.<\/p>\n

In-print marketing can be a little trickier.<\/p>\n

Billboard advertising is normally calculated by dividing the cost of the advertisement by the estimated number of people who drive by a billboard.<\/p>\n

Cost (ex. $1,000 per month) \/ People (ex. 5,000 per month) = $.05 per impression<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Promotional products can be a little more difficult, but in a good way. You know the exact number of impressions you get when you deliver a promotional product (one \u2013 the person you give it to). However, popular promotional items get even more life than traditional advertising and generate residual impressions.<\/p>\n

Imagine someone driving by a billboard, putting it in their vehicle, and showing it to everyone else they come into contact with. That\u2019s exactly the type of impression metric you get with promotional products.<\/p>\n

So, you cannot always determine the exact number of impressions, but know that they are compounding even after you provide the item to someone.<\/p>\n

\"Promotional<\/p>\n

Why Do Promotional Products Get More Impressions?<\/h2>\n

Quite simply, they deliver lasting impressions until someone gets rid of them. If you give a promotional product, it will continue to be seen by those who receive it until they throw it away.<\/p>\n

In fact, some promotional items are re-gifted which means those impressions will continue, even when the original recipient is no longer interested.<\/p>\n

People hate to throw away promotional products. So even if you make a bad choice on what product to buy, there is still a strong likelihood that it will be put in front of someone who will use it.<\/p>\n

\"Custom<\/a>Think about it like this.<\/p>\n

If you get a golf ball with a logo on it and you are not a golfer, are you going to throw it away? Likely not. I am sure you have a friend or relative that will gladly use it. So, in a way, you are getting free marketing performed by those who receive the original promotional items.<\/p>\n

There are even unintended impressions. If you give a branded bag to someone, you get the impression from that person, but you also receive thousands of others from those who see that person carrying it.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the U.S., bags continue to generate the most impressions of any item measured in the study,\u201d according to ASI. \u201cThis is because bags are used in public places where they can be seen by many people.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

So which products should you use to get the most impressions? Well, that answer can vary, but giving something that people use regularly is a great way to gain more impressions.<\/p>\n

Which Promotional Items Receive the Most Impressions?<\/h2>\n

There is no right answer for this question as it all depends on your brand and your audience. However, some of the items that work best are clothing (hats, shirts), calendars, pens, and other every day items. People use these products more and therefore they will be seen more.<\/p>\n

Here are a few things that will help you decide on the best promotional items for your brand and audience:<\/p>\n