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In today’s digital world, standing out as a business requires more than sending emails and paying for highly overpriced advertisements on Google and Social Media Platforms.
In a saturated sea of digital advertisements, promotional products are a great way to stand out from your competitors and offer actual value to your new or existing customers.
Handing out branded merchandise is a timeless marketing strategy that triggers the human need to reciprocate value. Whether you’re handing out a branded mug or branded hoodie, these tangible items benefit your target audience and keep your brand in mind for years.
This guide covers everything you need to know about branded merchandise. We will cover the basics and offer valuable tips and tricks to maximise your promotional strategy and generate the most substantial return on investment.
Once you’ve read this guide, you’ll be well-positioned to supercharge your marketing and branding efforts and attract new customers to your business.
Let’s get straight into it!
Promotional products are custom-branded items handed out to market your brand and generate new business. Examples of such products include apparel, drinkware, bar accessories and gadgets.
These items are custom-branded with your logo, tagline, or contact details. Once handed out, they effortlessly amplify your brand for years. For example, imagine receiving a promotional mug at a trade show or event. When offered this mug, you’re very unlikely to refuse. I mean, who doesn’t like a free giveaway?
Once you leave the event, that mug will end up in your home kitchen or work desk. Every day, without you noticing, it is advertising to you nonstop, penetrating your subconscious and keeping the brand at the top of your mind.
With such a wide variety of promotional printed products, creating a tailor-made promotional strategy has never been easier. Whether you’re trying to target builders, insurance firms or tech firms, a highly effective promotional tool will help broadcast your brand and generate new leads.
Now that you know what giveaway promotional products are and why they offer such a great exposure opportunity, let’s look at some great branded merchandise ideas for your business.
One of the most popular promotional categories is apparel. Some common examples in this category include Branded T-Shirts, Branded Hoodies and Branded Tote Bags.
Simply print your business logo or details on one of these items, and your recipient will promote your business as they do their daily business.
Within our business, Tote Bags are currently extremely popular. They are great promotional tools for giveaways and are well-aligned with the current focus on sustainability.
Our customers frequently hand these custom-printed tote bags to staff members or give them away at shows and exhibitions. Drawstring bags are also a great alternative and are becoming increasingly popular.
Another extremely popular promotional category is bar accessories. Ideally suited for hospitality environments such as pubs, clubs, bars and restaurants, bar accessories are great for marketing your brand.
Popular promotional items within this category include Custom Bar Runners, Beer Mat Printing, Custom Printed Bar Blades and Branded Coasters. We frequently custom-brand these promotional tools for our customers in preparation for summer festivals. We also get a lot of orders for these types of items when a hospitality-based business is looking to rebrand.
Are you looking to target a business that works primarily in an office-based environment? There’s no better way to do it than with promotional products.
Why not hand out some Logo Door Mats at your next show or perhaps give out some Branded Mouse Mats? Or, if you’re feeling old school, why not hand out some classic Branded Mugs, one of the most popular promotional tools?
These types of products are used every day in an office environment. If you can get these products into your prospect’s hands and their office, it’s game over. They will effortlessly market your business every single day.
Looking for a highly practical promotional giveaway? Look no further than branded tech accessories. Think branded USB drives or custom-printed power banks. With the rising prevalence of work-at-home culture, these promotional tools are becoming extremely popular.
Given that these promotional items are highly functional and also a bit more expensive than other promo tools, they can make your customer feel like you have made an effort and trigger the need for reciprocation that we all feel when we are gifted something.
Lastly, branded drinkware is a great promotional opportunity for your business. Within this category, we see massive demand for reusable and sustainable drinkware options, like reusable water bottles and travel mugs.
The great thing about this category is that people take these items wherever they go. They may start the day in the home kitchen, spend the day in the work office, and promote your brand while the recipient trains in the gym after work.
Within this guide, we have loosely referred to some of the many benefits that giveaway promotional products offer your business or brand. Let’s look closer at the benefits you can reap from investing in a promotional marketing strategy.
Cost-Effectiveness
Promotional giveaways boast a very low cost per impression compared to many other marketing techniques. A single Branded Mug can generate thousands of impressions over its life cycle. Unlike PPC Ads, you do not need to pay continually for new impressions. This allows you to maximise your ROI and keep your marketing costs lean.
Brand Visibility
Many promotional items, such as Branded Tote Bags, Apparel, and Drinkware, are often used outdoors as people do their day-to-day business. When outdoors, these items become mini billboards that market your brand to broader audiences. This increases impression count and maximises opportunities to acquire new leads and customers.
A recent survey found that 83% of consumers feel more loyalty and affinity toward a brand after receiving a free giveaway. Think about it: How do you feel when somebody gives you something? You want to reciprocate, right? This is precisely the same psychological effect that drives this feeling of loyalty and affinity between your brand and prospects.
Hyper-Specific Marketing
Giveaway promotional products offer a level of personalisation that few other marketing and advertising methods can achieve. With some thought and market research (we’ll touch on this later), you can tailor your promotional giveaways to target specific business sectors or demographics.
For example, if you want to target a brewery, you could opt for Printed Beer Mats, personalised bar mats, or Custom Bar Blades. You can ensure these items will be used regularly by aligning your giveaway with your target audience. This will massively increase your impression count and return on investment over time.
Employee Satisfaction
Promotional products are great for handing out to potential future customers or clients and for staff handouts. Handing out these branded goods is a tactical master plan. Not only will your staff market your brand as they go about their day-to-day business, but it will also increase employee satisfaction and help build a stronger working culture.
Brand Perception
A promotional product can change the way your brand is perceived. For example, to market yourself to eco-conscious businesses or consumers, consider handing out some reusable drinkware. Or, if you’re looking to sell yourself to cutting-edge tech firms, perhaps hand out some power banks to show that your brand is in tune with the latest technological trends.
Differentiation in a Competitive Market
In a highly digital age where every business invests its attention and resources into digital marketing initiatives, promotional products can help set you apart from competitors.
Instead of bombarding potential customers with digital advertisements, offer them convenient, long-lasting branded merchandise that will amplify your brand for years.
To maximise your return on investment, consider a few key things when thinking about what branded merchandise ideas suit your business. These are –
Your Audience
One of the most important things you must do when developing your promotional merchandise strategy is to fully consider the target audience to whom you will sell the items.
Are they office-based, and if so, will a branded mouse mat be a wise choice? Are they a construction firm? Perhaps a classic builder’s mug with your logo could be a strong choice.
Essentially, you want to get inside your target audience’s mind and environment and consider what promotional item would provide the most value and utility in their daily lives. The more practical the item, the more frequently and for a more extended period it will be used, maximising impression count and conversions over time.
Consider your audience’s preferences and needs. Are they corporate professionals who’d appreciate branded notebooks or outdoor enthusiasts who’d prefer reusable water bottles? Consider how your product can seamlessly fit into their lifestyle.
Once you have your target audience sorted, reflect on how you want your brand to be perceived. For example, if you’re targeting high-value customers, you may want to opt for more premium branded merchandise to make an extra strong impression and establish your brand as one that doesn’t skimp on quality.
In many instances, the only thing potential customers or clients have to value your brand’s merit is the promotional giveaways you provide them with. Don’t fall into the trap of buying cheap branded goods and being perceived as a low-quality supplier.
The promotional goods industry is similar to the fashion industry; trends constantly change. Therefore, look for trends before investing in promotional goods.
Look at what your competitors or other businesses do with their promotional strategies at shows and exhibitions. Check online retailers to see what’s popular and trending in their stores. Sustainability is a massive trend that will continue for years to come. This is always a great place to start if you struggle with ideas.
Budget Constraints
Once all of the above has been fully considered, the final thing to think about is your budget. Balancing quality with cost is essential, and you should aim to maximise the quality and quantity of your order while staying within your budget range.
If you’re still struggling to find the right product, consider calling us at BEE 4. We have years of industry experience and would be more than happy to help.
Another critical component of your promotional marketing campaign is your distribution strategy. A good plan can amplify your efforts, whilst a bad strategy will massively diminish your potential return on investment.
Do you need help figuring out how to distribute your branded merch? No worries; we have provided plenty of ideas below –
The best place to distribute your custom-printed promotional products is at corporate events such as trade shows, conferences, and shows.
If you’re at a trade show for construction businesses, try handing out some branded kneeling pads.
If you’re at an event for employment agencies, you could hand out office-related goods such as branded mouse mats, commercial door mats, or even branded apparel.
A direct mail campaign is another excellent way to kickstart your promotional strategy. Simply put together a list of addresses for the prospects or businesses you’d like to target and send some free goods out in the mail.
Custom Fridge Magnets are an excellent product for this type of strategy thanks to their small and lightweight nature.
Do you have social media channels for your business? Do you have a Facebook, Instagram or TikTok account? If so, consider running a free giveaway.
Free giveaways are a great way to gain followers and create new online interest in your business. Simply advertise the giveaway on your channel and create conditions for winning the contest, such as liking and sharing your post.
Once the competition has concluded and you have generated a great deal of new interest, send the branded goods to the winners as promised.
Reward your most loyal customers by gifting them with promotional products. For example, after a customer places their second order with your business, you could offer a free branded mug and custom-printed T-shirt.
This can be a great way to show appreciation and encourage new customers to return to your business after their first order or purchase.
It’s not just your customers who need a bit of TLC; your staff should also benefit from your free giveaways. Perhaps surprise your staff with branded beach towels during the summer or get some hoodie printing on the go just before winter sets in.
This can be a great way of showing staff your appreciation and turning them into brand ambassadors as they go about their day-to-day business.
Now for the million-pound question: do promotional products work? Do they generate the strong ROI they promise? The answer is a resounding yes.
But don’t just take our word for it; let’s examine the numbers. To obtain raw data on the effectiveness of promotional products, we can refer to annual data collected from research conducted by three key promotional organisations.
These organisations are the British Promotional Merchandise Association (BPMA), Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) and The Institute of Promotional Marketing (IPM).
These organisations regularly conduct studies and surveys on using branded merchandise across the global economy.
Here are eight mind-blowing findings from the research they have conducted within the last decade alone –
85.4% of consumers would rather receive a promotional product than email marketing.
89% of people surveyed reported that they remembered the advertiser for two years after receiving a promotional product.
85% of people who receive promotional merch stated they did business with the advertiser after receiving the goods.
76.1% of people who receive promotional products remember the advertising brand’s name a full year after receipt. Compare this to magazine advertisements, which only 53.5% of respondents could remember.
87% of recipients hang onto their branded merch for at least a year.
79% of respondents agreed that businesses handing out freebies are more likely to acquire their business than businesses that do not.
89% of consumers hang on to promotional products indefinitely if they find them useful in their day-to-day lives.
Over a third of promo recipients claim they still hold on to their promotional gifts four years after receiving them.
Whether you’re a sceptic or an advocate of promotional marketing, it’s always worth tracking your return on investment to ensure your marketing efforts are worthwhile and not just burning cash.
Here are a few tips on how you can measure the effectiveness of your campaigns:
Gather Feedback
A few weeks after giving away your promotional merch, gather as much direct feedback as you can from recipients. Find out how valuable and practical the products are for your target demographics.
Monitor Online Analytics
If you have a website, check Google Search Console, Google My Business, or Google Analytics to see whether your web searches and site traffic have increased.
These tools will be able to highlight new customers who have never visited your website before, providing you with a rough estimate of how many visits and conversions your promo strategy yielded.
Also, ask your sales staff whether they have spotted any trends or experienced an uptick in enquiries or orders from new customers.
Calculate ROI
Using your website analytics and feedback from your sales team, you should get a rough estimate of your short-term return on investment.
To do this, assess the cost of your promotional product against the new customers your promotional campaign has generated for your business.
It is important to note that some customers may have years to convert, so don’t get too bogged down in the short-term figures. This is particularly true for B2B businesses. Instead, try to take a long-term growth outlook on your promotional campaigns.
Remember, if you send your target genuinely helpful promotional products, they will keep them for years. Thus, your full return on investment will not be fully calculated until years after they were distributed.
Implementing the tips above can help you gauge the effectiveness of your promotional campaign. We always encourage our customers to A/B test different products to determine the best product/market fit. Conducting these tests will massively enhance your ROI over time.
So far, we’ve discussed different strategies for enhancing the effectiveness of your promotional campaign. These include establishing a good product-to-market fit and creating a strong distribution strategy.
However, one key ingredient remains: your brand design. You should pay close attention to this detail to get the most out of your marketing campaign. For new customers unaware of your brand, the logo you print on your promotional handouts will be their first impression of your business.
You should follow a few key rules to create an effective design. These are as follows –
Keep it simple
When working with our customers, we often witness the brand trying to create an extremely complicated and intricate design. This is entirely unnecessary.
Instead, focus on creating a clear and uncluttered design. All you need is a bold logo and tagline. Overloading your design with too many elements and information will overwhelm your prospects and push them away from your brand.
Try using a logo template tool such as Canva. These tools provide tried-and-true brand design templates that can be very effective for your promotional strategy.
Use strategic colours
One of the most critical aspects of your design is the colours you use. Although it may seem insignificant, subconsciously, we judge a brand by the colours they use.
We recommend reading Color Psychology: How to Use It in Marketing and Branding. This guide will help you decide which colour will best suit your brand.
To maximise your conversion chances, reduce friction for your customers as much as possible. Think outside the box and add a QR code to your promo products that link to your website.
This is a great way to show your target audience that you’re a modern and tech-savvy business that cares about making it easy for its customers.
Order Samples
Before you place an order with a promotional goods manufacturer, order some samples to ensure your design will translate well into your chosen product. At BEE 4, we offer free custom-printed samples for enquiries over £100.
The best product for you to invest in will depend on your business sector and target audience. As a general rule of thumb, Branded Tote Bags, Personalised Fridge Magnets, Custom Printed T-Shirts and Printed Mugs are timeless classics across all UK industries.
This depends on your business objectives and your budget. Typically, our customers order promotional goods a few times a year for shows, events and staff giveaways.
Research has demonstrated that recipients of branded merchandise will keep their giveaways for years if they find them useful. This is why it is so vital to split-test products and target audiences.
Certainly. Using your website analytics and feedback from your sales team, you can get a reasonable estimate for the return on investment your promotional strategy has yielded to your business.
Focus on what products will provide genuine value for your target audience. Get inspiration from what your competitors are handing out at shows, events and exhibitions. Follow up your giveaways with surveys to see how your prospects responded to the giveaways they received.
How should I send you my artwork?
We recommend that your artwork be at least 300 DPI to maximise quality. We prefer working with .ai or PDF files but can also accommodate .indd and .psd files. To ensure colour accuracy between your artwork and our print, ensure all colours are converted to CMYK format instead of RGB.
Do you offer trade pricing?
Yes, we offer hyper-competitive trade pricing. Contact our sales team for a bespoke quote.
What should I include in my design?
A good design includes clear, bold, and eye-catching elements. Remember to include your logo and company information if you’re a business. Use colours strategically to match your brand tone and amplify your message.
What are your turnaround times?
Lead times will vary significantly depending on the complexity of the project and the quantities you’re after. Typically, we can turn around small volumes (100 or less) in 5-7 working days, while larger orders can take up to 10-14 days. Contact our friendly sales team for a bespoke turnaround quotation, who will gladly advise.
In a digital world dominated by online advertising techniques, stand out from your competitors with our promotional products offering. With plenty of high-quality products, we offer your business unrivalled opportunities to enhance brand visibility and generate new business.
Whether you want to distribute custom bar runners, branded hoodies or logo door mats, strategic product selection and targeting the right audience can provide a mouth-watering return on investment.
Employing the tips and tricks in this guide will reward you with a strong return on investment that other marketing techniques will struggle to match.
So, what are you waiting for? BEE 4 stands ready to advise and assist you with your promotional strategy. We are more than just a supplier; we pride ourselves on being a collaborative partner who will help amplify your promotional objectives.
With highly competitive pricing structures, fast turnarounds and free samples on orders over £100, you’ll struggle to find a better UK promotional manufacturer.
Want to learn more about our printed promotional products? Take a look at some of our articles provided below –
Joe is our digital marketing lead. He specialises in SEO strategy, web development and PPC advertising.
He can be contacted at Joseph.Beese@Bee4LTD.co.uk