Put Branded Merchandise to Work for Your Business

Take a look around your desk or office - more than likely you'll see at least one branded merchandise item (also known as promotional products). Perhaps it's something as simple as a pen, mouse mat or mug or maybe you have something more substantial like an item of clothing or a bluetooth speaker.

Now think back to who gave you that item, or why you received it? What feeling does that give you? Perhaps it brings a smile to your face because someone you've become friends with gave it to you, maybe there is a funny story behind the item, or perhaps it makes you feel valued as a customer or employee of the company that gave you the item.

A 2021 Consumer Study by the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) found that 94% of people like receiving promotional products and that 3 Out of 4 people keep a promotional item because it is useful.

To put it simply Branded Merchandise works..... but (isn't there is always a but) it is important to understand that the branded merchandise you are using needs to do a couple of important things, and this is where working with a local community partner like Behind Your Design can help:

1. Represent Your Brand
   Behind Your Design knows that the branded merchandise that you choose represents your brand. We all recognize this scenario: Boss comes into the office with a branded YETI mug that a vendor gave him. Boss tells his secretary that 'we should get some of these to give to our customers'. Secretary goes online and sees that custom YETI's cost over $30+ and thinks, 'wow that's too expensive' so instead searches for 'cheap travel mugs'. Secretary finds a product that is only $5 per mug so they order 100 of them and send in their logo. Fast forward to 3 weeks later and the mugs arrive - logo is a little blurry and the mugs look and feel cheap.  Boss sees the mug and says 'there's no way we can give these out to our clients' so the mugs get shoved in a closet and handed out to other employees on their birthday (join us for another blog on this later!).
   
   So what can we learn from this. The most important thing to remember is that the items you hand out represent your brand (in most situations).  For example, you are a financial advisor handling retirement accounts of $1 million + and you meet with a potential client. Rewind to the story above and you hand the potential client a $5 plastic mug - what thoughts are they going to have in comparison to if you handed them the $30 YETI mug?
   
   
2. Be Useful, Unique, or Provide Long Term Value
   As mentioned earlier 3 out of 4 people keep promotional items. 75% of these people keep them because they are useful, 38% kept them because they are fun to have and 19% of people kept the product because they feel loyal to the company that gave it to them.
   
   So, utilizing items that are useful and have long term value will help make sure people continue to use your project (and therefore remember you). Being unique can be a little more challenging, some items will be useful always and aren't necessarily unique - pens, notebooks, keychains for example - but other items can also be useful while still be unique. Remember when fidget spinners were all the rage? Every tradeshow or expo we went to people handed them out and everyone thought they were going to be unique  until they walked into the show and saw that EVERYONE else was handing them out as well.
   
   
3. Fit Your Budget
   In the earlier example we discussed the secretary who didn't think $30 was in her budget so went cheap. A defined budget and purpose could have helped guide the decision making process better. For example, you sell HVAC units to large commercial clients. The average cost of the product and installation is $20,000.  Your budget for a thank you gift is probably going to be higher than someone whose average client spends $500 a year with them.  It's also important to consider what the product is going to be used for and why it is being handed out
   
   
4. Be Relevant to Your Customers and Employees
   This again is an area where working with a local company and leaning on their expertise can be vital. Quite simply what works in one area of the country might not in others. For example handing out pool toys probably won't be much use in Michigan but would certainly be popular in Florida!
   
   
5. Promote A Cause
   Supporting a cause through your promotional items is a great way to help showcase your business. Sustainable products, fair trade sourced, products that give back to charities are all examples of ways you can use your branded merchandise to help make the world a better place.

Ready to use Branded Merchandise to help grow your business and reward your employees. Contact Behind Your Design today to get started.