Imagine yourself lost in the desert without water, shade or anything which might assist you in survival. Imagine also that before you like Lawrence himself you saw in the shimmering haze a figure standing alone, arm outstretched. Using you last kilojoules of energy you drag yourself towards this figure which soon becomes a firm reality and which, when you fall exhausted at its feet, reaches down to provide you with a cool bottle of water. How would you value that water?
To some extent your provision of the right promotional merchandise item at the right time can be as much a life saver as a bottle of water to a desert wanderer dying of thirst. When choosing branded merchandise to represent your company there is value in offering something which might have everyday use, but an alternative approach which has value is to provide a product which will save a recipient from a rare but threatening situation. As many people would not allow for events which are rare when calculated based on traditional probability there can be potential value for a promoter to take advantage of the "black swan" event which appears at first to have no simple solution.
Consider for instance an item like a roadside breakdown kit which could be given as a gift to motorists or other contacts who regularly use their vehicles. While many people may receive this gift in a blase manner and tuck it into the boot of their car without further thought, their reaction will be one of far greater excitement when caught on the side of the road with their vehicle disabled they suddenly remember your thoughtful gift. You can be sure that you will also hear from them and receive their thanks. Such events leave an indelible impression on the minds of most people. A single event like this can result in enough response from your client base to justify an entire promotional campaign.
Items which work in promotions which act as saviours include ideals like sunscreen, emergency powerbanks for phones and tablet computers, lip balm, bottled water and a host of other branded suggestions. Again, many of these items may be received with a less than enthusiastic initial response, but when the time is right and they save the day they can be worth their weight in gold to a person in a vulnerable position.
The objective in all promotional product activity is to engage and satisfy your clients, creating a favourable impression of you and your organisation and encouraging action which might lead to higher levels of engagement. When you choose a branded item for your next promotional activity there are a number of considerations you should check off your list and first and foremost amongst them are how your client may solve problems they face with the aid of your offering. Always think ahead in promotional marketing and in life and you'll find the bumps in the road have less impact if your forward vision accounts for all possibilities.