What Are Promotional Products, Why & How to Use Them?

What Are Promotional Products, Why & How to Use Them?

When it comes to promoting your business or company, there are many routes you can take. However, an interesting way, which will also bring a smile to your customers’ faces, is by providing promotional products. 

From small pins to pens and bags, you can find promotional products in all shapes and sizes. You need to figure out what product suits your business the most. 

But we are getting ahead of ourselves. Let’s stick to the basics first and discuss:

What are Promotional Products?

Generally speaking, promotional products are different types of customized items that businesses, sports teams, non-profits, etc. use to advertise themselves. They can be any type of custom product with a logo, slogan, or design. Promotional products are a great way to spread the word about your business.

Promotional products can be found all over the place. From the smallest shop to your bank, you can find promotional products in all shapes and sizes. Basically, any product you hold that has a brand, logo, slogan, or specific design on it can be considered part of this category. 

Have you ever bought a T-shirt at a concert with a band on it? Or maybe you have gotten a calendar or pen from your local grocery store? Whatever the actual product is, it serves its purpose well - to provide a form of advertising for your business.

The important thing is that it is not hard to have versatile promotional products made. There are businesses that provide such services which make excellent quality items with your design on them, which you can then use for promotional and advertising purposes.

Benefits of Using Promotional Products

When it comes to the benefits of promotional products, they have numerous positive aspects. Marketing methods are changing and molding to the needs of the current markets, which is how promotional products and customized items have become so relevant. 

Obviously, promotional products would not be so widespread if they did not work. You are more likely to use an item if it has an actual purpose and you will be reminded of the specific brand or business each time you use their items. Plus, they can be excellent conversation starters. 

However, businesses are aware of this phenomenon. That is why promotional products have become so popular in the 21st century. Therefore, they have to bring benefits to the business in order for them to be worth creating.

So, what exactly are the benefits of using promotional products?

Increasing Brand Awareness

This is a given. Promotional products are an excellent way to spread knowledge about your business with the least effort needed. By creating custom products with your brand on them, you are ensuring the possibility of someone seeing and using your promotional products. 

This is a marketing manner that every company can utilize to improve overall brand awareness. Be sure to select popular products and items that are somehow related to the nature of your business to use in this promotional campaign to ensure their success. 

Increasing Brand Loyalty

Customers who use your products or services like to feel appreciated. Additionally, a satisfied customer is a loyal customer. Sometimes receiving a small token of appreciation in the form of a promotional product will be the push they need to choose you over your competition. If customers know they matter, they will be more encouraged to give their business to you. 

No matter whether you own a small or larger business, providing interesting and useful products to your customers will encourage their return. Furthermore, you can also organize a reward system, where customers would receive specific promotional products by earning points. 

It’s Cost Effective

While having promotional products created is not free, it is still a cost- and budget-friendly manner or marketing. Usually, these custom products need to be ordered in bulk. The good thing about this is that the cost per item becomes lower as production needs to create the same item numerous times. By buying in bulk, you will also have enough stock to last you several months. 

Promotional products can also act as a business card, especially if you also have your contact information printed on them. Therefore, even if customers just use them in their everyday lives, they create the opportunity for the items to be noticed by others. With the right product, one person turns into more, which is a whole marketing strategy on its own.

Promotional Products Examples

So, what types of promotional products can you have made? 

There are versatile products and items that offer good examples of promotional products. What you choose should, in a way, represent your company while it also needs to make sense for your business. The perfect promotional product will greatly differ from company to company.

Custom T-Shirts

T-shirts are an excellent example of what promotional products can be. From unique designs representing your company to your logo, basically, anything can be printed onto a T-shirt in a tasteful manner. Furthermore, clothing items can be costly, and adding an interesting T-shirt design among your promotional products can be a superb idea, which will turn out to be beneficial in the long run. With advances in today's technology it's pretty easy to order custom t-shirts online and have them delivered in a no-time.

Custom Pins

Pins come in versatile shapes and sizes, and they can be manufactured from different materials. They are small enough to not be overbearing on the jacket or bag of your customers, while still being visible. Pins can be used to brighten up the style of the wearer, without them being too expensive to manufacture for marketing purposes. Lastly, pins are cute and will serve their purpose well.

Here at BrandSick we offer a wide variety of custom pins at affordable prices. From Enamel to Die Struck pins, we got you covered. They also come in low purchasing minimums and free shipping on orders over $150.

Custom Headwear

Headwear, like caps and beanies, is a great choice. Especially considering you can have them designed & ordered online with ease. Different headwear designs can easily be embroidered or printed with your design or logo, which still offer good use to your customers. Much like other clothing items, headwear can be expensive. Therefore, customers are more likely to use promotional headwear they can get for free (even if they earn it with a reward program).

Custom Patches

Different types of patches are available to be turned into promotional products. The great thing about patches is that versatile types are available. You can easily choose whether you wish to use embroidered, (vegan) leather, or PV patches to serve as your promotional products. We offer all these different types of patches at BrandSick. Various application methods can also be selected when searching for the perfect custom patch. The fun part - patches do not need to follow a strict shape.

Promotional Pens

The safest bet is to invest in promotional pens. When it comes to pens, it doesn’t even need to necessarily make sense for your specific business. Paperwork is a tedious task that everyone deals with and having a pen with us at all times can reduce headaches. However, if your customers forget their pens, the nice thing to do is to offer one to them - you get bonus marketing points if they can take the pens home.

Custom Coffee Sleeves

In our rushing modern times, we find ourselves splurging on coffee often. However, that coffee is hot and if you don’t have a coffee sleeve the risk of injury is high. If it makes sense for your company, think about adding custom coffee sleeves - preferably with your logo, slogan, or special design. This will allow your customers to receive useful products and spread awareness about your business in one breath. 

How to Use Promotional Products?

Unfortunately, there is no straightforward answer to this question. The answer greatly depends on the type of business, company, non-profit, band, sports team, etc, you are managing the marketing of. 

However, there are some steps you need to take no matter what market you are part of in order to efficiently utilize the benefits of promotional products and to bend them to your will.

Firstly, you need to make sure you know your target audience. Without knowing who you are selling to, the whole plan will painfully fall apart. It is also important that your products make sense in the field you are working in, therefore, considering the product’s usefulness to your target customer group is a good way to start. Don’t order tacky products that customers will be embarrassed to have, but ensure that the items will still stand out from among the plethora of freebies they receive. 

In order to run a successful marketing campaign with your selected custom promotional products, you need to go the cost-efficient route. Do not order too many units if your target customer base is small. On the other hand, you have to ensure both new and old (loyal) customers are benefiting from the products. Do not neglect anyone, as that can just harm brand awareness and your business at the end of the day.

Okay, so these are what you need to keep in mind, but how can you use your ordered promotional products? - you ask. 

Well, promotional or custom products can help your business greatly in various ways. 

Apart from boosting brand awareness and visibility, they can also serve as an excellent tool for your sales department (if you have one that is). Sending out even a small gift basket with promotional products - the safest bet is to send a basket of office supplies with your brand on it as they will surely be used - will help your sales representatives have easier access and callbacks from potential clients. 

Combine social media with promotional products. Create a giveaway or a reward system where customers can win or earn specific, useful products by interacting with your social media pages or by using your business more often. Everyone likes to receive a gift once in a while, and it will make your customers appreciate your business more. 

Most Effective Promotional Products

When choosing which promotional products you wish to add to your marketing campaign, it is important that the products check a few criteria.

Promotional Products Impressions Generated Over a Lifetime

They should be relevant to your business, they must be popular with the general public, and they need to be cost-efficient as well. However, sometimes the lines get blurred and you can easily invest in items not necessarily connected to your business type without fear. These items are usually part of everyday life, which customers use frequently. Therefore, they are more appreciative when they receive them. 

While USBs and calendars are among the most popular items, they are still ranking last. Most people like to purchase their own reliable USB driver and will not trust the quality of promotional products. On the other hand, calendars are a decorative choice and not all customers wish to have companies displayed on their calls 365 days a year. However, if they make sense to your business, they are still a good starting point. 

Drinkware, like coffee sleeves and tumblers, is also an excellent choice. Getting a stylish tumbler or coffee sleeve is not a priority for most people. It is more about functionality for them. The same can be said for desk accessories, including paperweights, photo, and business card holders. They can be stylish yet functional, but their functionality is more important. 

Continuing with office supplies, writing instruments also serve their purchase well. Pens, ink pens, pencils, and even customer erasers will stay with the customer for a longer period of time, giving them about time to generate excellent impressions. 

Bags, T-shirts, and headwear all are great choices. They tend to be expensive items, which customers will more likely appreciate. They show that the company puts some thought behind their promotion product decisions. Additionally, all of these items are useful. They can be used regularly in everyday life, without needing to have specific applications - which will make customers reach for them more. 

However, the reigning champion of promotion products is without doubt outerwear. In this category, we include versatile pins, patches, shoe accessories, etc. which stay with the customers for long periods of time. Due to their usually small size, these products are more subtle, and wearing them will not make the customer feel like a walking billboard. Therefore, customers can wear the company’s pins or patches with pride.

Increase Brand Reputation With Custom Branded Products

Branded products will help you improve your brand’s reputation. Especially when the products and their design is chosen well, they show customers you care about them and their opinion. Promotional products show appreciation to your customers, while also offering a budget-friendly manner to improve your marketing.

These products do not need to be over the top to generate good impressions among your clientele. Just be smart about your marketing decisions and truly think about which products would suit your brand and what your brand stands behind. If promotional products are integrated into the marketing campaign in the correct manner, they will prove to be beneficial for the business in the end.


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