Are you thinking about purchasing some promotional products to help your business? If so, you’re not alone. Promotional products are one of the most effective and popular forms of advertising in the world today. They are effective and affordable tools that can really boost a company’s sales, and draw in more clients and regular customers.
Promotional products are, in essence, any physical item that you give out to customers (or potential customers) in order to advertise your business. They typically display your company’s name, logo and website, and may include a description of your services. Some promotional products are disposable, while as others (such as fridge magnets) may be kept for months or years.
Today, we’ll explain exactly why companies use promotional products, and whether or not they really work. We’ll also discuss the most popular promotional products, and how you can use them effectively.
Why Do Companies Use Promotional Products?
Many companies use promotional products alongside more traditional forms of advertising – such as posters, billboards, TV, newspaper and radio adverts. Like advertisements, promotional products are designed to show off your brand and draw new customers in. However, they are slightly different to regular adverts, and much more effective.
The majority of promotional products are designed to be kept by the consumer, and used (or looked at) regularly. Some examples include personalised pens, postcards, mugs, t-shirts and fridge magnets, all bearing a company’s name and logo.
This clever merchandise may be given away at trade shows, as a competition prize, as part of a grand opening (or re-opening) celebration, or simply gifted to customers and clients as a ‘thank you’. An advertisement on a billboard may be forgotten within seconds of viewing it – but if your customers have a magnet on their fridge bearing your logo, they’ll see it multiple times a day.
Do Promotional Products Really Work?
Simply put: yes. According to research by the Advertising Specialty Institute, most consumers will keep a promotional product for eight months (on average). And when they no longer have need of it, over 60% of people will give the product away rather than throwing it in the bin.
Company mugs are particularly good examples of promotional products with staying power. The research suggests that around 50% of consumers who own logoed drinkware use it 2-3 times a week or more. The consumer might also serve drinks to visiting friends and relations in your company mug. So, not only will the person who originally received the product be constantly reminded of your brand, but their friends and family will be too. These repeated impressions can have a significant impact on a company’s reputation and sales.
It’s an established fact that consumers who have been given a promotional product will view the company in a more favourable light as a result. They’re also more likely to do business with the company whose merchandise they own, over a competitor.
How to Use Promotional Products Correctly
There are all kinds of promotional products out there. In fact, almost everything that can be printed on can be turned into a branded product bearing a company’s logo. We’ve seen promotional hats, bags, umbrellas, coasters – you name it.
But the most popular and commonly used promotional products are flyers, postcards, magnets, and mugs. Let’s take a look at each one and how you might use it effectively to promote your company, whether big or small.
Flyers
Flyers are some of the most basic and affordable promotional products. The great thing about a flyer is that it’s lightweight, cheap to design and print, and perfect for slipping into letterboxes or handing out in shopping centres. You can order flyers in a variety of different sizes, and they’re essentially a blank canvas for your own design.
Advertise your company’s most popular services, or use them to feature a brand new product. Use them to promote your brand ethos, or what makes your company stand out. Flyers are great for advertising sales and special promotions, too. Either hand out your flyers to your customers when they purchase a product or service, or hire a door-to-door leaflet distributor. That way, you can draw in new customers in your area.
Postcards
Postcards, similar to flyers, are flat printed products designed to be posted through a letterbox. However, postcards are much more robust. Rather than being made of flimsy paper, they’re a more durable and hard-wearing cardstock with a professional glossy finish.
Everyone enjoys getting a postcard in the mail, so they can be a great tool to help your business flourish. Choose a pre-set design template or create one of your own. Postcards are great for keeping your services or products fresh in the minds of current clients, past clients, and prospective clients alike. They work great as greetings cards (for Christmas, Easter, or other special times of year).
Magnets
A magnet is an example of a promotional product that’s designed to last. The best thing about a magnet is that it’s often displayed on the fridge or freezer, in the busiest part of the home (the kitchen). Your client or customer, as well as the rest of their household, will be exposed to your logo every day.
Fridge magnets are versatile and can be used to promote virtually anything, from a specific product or event, to your company in general. As they have a practical purpose (to hold shopping lists, receipts, or notes in place), they’ll be used regularly, creating the kind of exposure your business needs.
Magnets work best as ‘freebies’ given away with the purchase of a product, but can also be used as an alternative to a business card. Hand out a magnet after a productive conversation with a prospective client and you’ll be sure to create a lasting impression.
Personalised Mugs
Personalised mugs are some of the most effective promotional products available to businesses today. Made of ceramic, they’re designed to last for years, and be used over and over again. We’re a nation of tea-lovers, so they work especially well in the U.K.
Because of this, mugs are used most effectively to advertise a business as a whole, rather than one specific service, sale, or promotion. They work great as:
• Freebies given out at trade shows and corporate events
• Competition prizes (company raffles, etc)
• Gifts for attending a grand opening (or re-opening, if your business has had to close for a while, e.g. due to Covid-19)
• Christmas and birthday presents
• Thank-you gifts for longstanding clients and repeat customers
They’re also fantastic given out as gifts to employees – they’ll take them home and spread the word of your business to their family and friends. Use them in your own home, too, and subtly advertise your company every time you entertain guests!
Where to Buy Promotional Products in the U.K.
If you’re looking for affordable yet high-quality promotional products, look no further than 123Print.co.uk. We’re an established printing company that specialises in promotional products such as flyers, postcards, magnets and mugs, as well as:
• Business cards
• Letterheads
• Address labels
• Notepads
• Appointment cards
• Greetings cards
As well as personal products, such as wedding invitations. When you shop with 123Print, you’ll receive a quality, professionally printed product that is compatible with any budget. What’s more, all of our products are fully customisable (for free). Use our handy editing tool to design your colour scheme, upload your brand’s logo and create a custom design that’s right for you.
Once you’ve placed your order, we’ll aim to ship it the very next business day, provided you place your order before 11am. We have a 100% satisfaction guarantee policy, so you can rest easy knowing your designs are in good hands!