Before You Buy, Consider these points:

  • What do you want to accomplish with the marketing program?
  • Who is your primary targeted market? Who is your secondary targeted market, if any?
  • What budget have you set aside for this promotional marketing program?
  • What method of distribution have you chosen?
  • When is the best timing for your to utilize these promotional products?
  • Is this promotional marketing program part of a larger campaign? If so, how can these promotional products enhance the program? Do you need to alter your original campaign idea to achieve overall better results?

The 12 Most Popular Promotional Products Used in Canada.

Wearable

35.8%

Writing Instruments

10.7%

Glassware/ceramics

8.4%

Recognition/awards/trophies/emblematic jewelry/time pieces

7.7%

Buttons/badges/ribbons

6.1%

Sporting goods/ leisure products

6.0%

Calendars

5.5%

Desk/office/business accessories

5.4%

Automotive/accessories

5.1%

Games/toys/playing cards/inflatable

2.0%

House wares/tools

1.9%

Food/gifts

1.6%

What Advantages do Promotional Products Offer Your Marketing Program?

  • Your customers can control the message transmitted to them, which means a lot in a world of mass media.
  • Your ability to communicate your identity and message to your customer is greatly enhanced with a promotional product.
  • Promotional products are the medium that adds the "personal touch" to your marketing because someone at your company personally gives the product to the client. They are received with a feeling of gratitude and in a positive atmosphere.
  • Promotional products are non-intrusive. You are not bombarded with your message at times you are not receptive to see or hear them.
  • Promotional products don't ask the client for anything in return which tends to create a very positive atmosphere towards the giver and your company.
  • They are an extremely cost effective marketing tools. If you look at the long life of each product you give to a client and the number of times that person will see your message, the cost effectiveness of that product rises dramatically.
  • Promotional products can be "bullet targeted" to a very specific audience. This also makes them a very cost effective advertising and marketing tool.
     

How are Promotional Products Most Often Used by Companies?

  • To promote good will
  • Because a promotional product is given in a positive atmosphere and there is nothing asked for in return, they promote the goodwill of the company giving the product. They are a tangible way of saying "we appreciate you as a client".
  • To reinforce marketing of existing goods and services
  • Including a promotional product as an added benefit to your product or service strengthens the marketing position of that product or service by drawing added attention to it and giving added value to it.
  • Recognize, enhance and stimulate employee performance
  • Using promotional products in an employee performance program is a tangible way for the company to demonstrate its appreciation and recognition of outstanding performance.
  • Generate sales leads
  • Using a promotional product as part of your sales development strategy can increase potential sales by raising awareness of your company's products and services.
  • Promote trade show traffic
  • A promotional product included in a data base mailer can dramatically increase potential traffic to your booth. It shows a personal interest in the prospect and invites them to visit you.
  • Introduce new products, services or facilities
  • Using promotional products in conjunction with one of these can increase the profile of the product and your event.

How Can Promotional Products Help You?

  • Expanding advertising exposure:
  • Recipients of promotional products are more likely to remember the advertisers name.

    Stat: 39% of those who received a promotional product could recall the name of the advertiser as long as 6 months after receiving it.
  • Increase Awareness of Your Company
  • Companies that used promotional products as part of their marketing strategy achieved increased corporate awareness within their marketing area.

    Stat: In a Southern Methodist University study on advertising awareness, selective distribution of a promotional product created a 2 to 1 ratio in increased awareness over newspaper advertising.
  • Boost Direct Mail Response
  • Statistically, direct mail will achieve a 1.5% - 2.5% response rate. Using a promotional product in conjunction with a mailer can dramatically increase the advertiser's response because you catch the attention of more recipients, thus increasing potential readership of your direct mailer.

    Stat: A Baylor University study showed increased response can range as high as 75% with the addition of a promotional item with the direct mail piece.
  • Build Increased Customer Loyalty
  • Promotional products can potentially reduce time between customer orders and increase the frequency of customer orders.

    Stat: Using promotional products in a marketing survey showed an increase of 16.2% in repeat business for participating companies.
  • Improve Employee Sales Performance
  • Internal contests that are reinforced with periodic product awards can potentially improve the overall performance of an employee group.

    Stat: A survey by Baylor University showed companies that used awards outperformed non-award companies programs by 51.3%
  • Increase Trade Show Traffic
  • Using pre-show promotional gifts sent to a targeted audience can produce close to 3 times greater traffic to an exhibit then using just a show invitation.

    Stat: A Baylor university survey showed companies that included promotional gifts along with their invitations enjoyed a 37% increase in traffic to their booth    s