These days much of the world's marketing activity is conducted online or via electronic media. More than ever companies seek to connect the public and the communities in which they live with their product and service offerings, but at the same time the means by which they communicate their offers become more and more impersonal. The greatest proposition in promotions which has eternal appeal to the public is "value". The effective use of this lever in marketing to profitable segments is enhanced by using the right branded promotional products in the right way. Below we explain ten of the foremost reasons marketers should include promotional merchandise as part of their mix.

Maintain Personal Relationships

In the olden days of the 20th century much business communication took place at a personal level. The effectiveness of general media promotion cannot be denied however there is proven value in supplementing the general message with targeted offers which personalise and make relevant the general brand imagery. Not only does this reinforce the mainstream communication it increases the likelihood of localised marketing effectiveness.

Leverage Profitability

Most promotional products can be purchased in bulk for less than their apparent retail value (in fact, if you are not buying product for less than it's retail value you are buying badly). This allows, for example, a product which costs you two dollars to represent $5 of value to the recipient/consumer. So when a product is bundled with a complimentary piece of branded merchandise ( ie. a carton of beer and a stubby cooler) the total apparent value of the package is increased substantially beyond the cost of making the offer.

Increase Brand Awareness

Research from PPAI in the USA (of which we are members) shows 62% of people remember the name and details of a company which gave them a promotional product. This is a rate far beyond anything other than personal representation. Certainly a company should identify a list of high value prospects who can be engaged with promotional merchandise as their potential orders will justify the higher individual communication cost.

Access Valuable Advertising Space

The space on your clients' or business prospects' desks is the most valuable advertising space in the world, as much for its high visibility as the act that it is generally inaccessible. The right promotional product can become a permanent billboard of your offer and message and can become an important part of the regular workday of your business prospects.

Engage With the Local Community

For both large scale marketers and smaller, local traders wishing to be seen to be involved with the community, local sports clubs, charities and suburban community organisations, offering customised merchandise is a proven way to enhance consumer perceptions and market share. Supplying the basic needs of these organisations and adding your logo as sponsor allows you to be good corporate citizens and enjoy the reflected glow of attention.

Compliment Brand Values

Choosing the right promotional product and adding your logo will enhance perceptions of your offerings. While most brands are restricted as to how they can be represented on packaging and at point of sale, printing say a cleverly designed T shirt which carries a contemporary design motif allows your brand to trade off the zeitgeist without meddling with brand imagery.

Discounting Without Damaging Retail Margins

By giving away a stubby cooler with a perceived value of $5 with every carton of beer instead of discounting the carton of beer by $5 higher gross margins are maintained and the brand value is enhanced in the long-term rather than being diminished. This is a trap which many manufacturers have fallen into that their products are only considered worthy of purchase at the discounted rate, and if the product regularly appears at retail at a heavy discount consumers quickly realise the discounted price is the real price and will not purchase at full margin.

Expanded Awareness

Consumers wearing or utilising promotional products become mobile billboards for your brand. Every time you see somebody wearing a promotional baseball cap, a T shirt or a backpack be aware that the wearer has become an ambassador for the product and a free mobile advertising medium.

Targeted Promotional Merchandise is Cost Effective

If 62% of people recall the details of the company who provided them with a promo item all you need to do is make sure the right product is handed out at the right price to achieve levels of cost-effective recall far greater than general media advertising. For targeted market segments and niche messages promotional products allow control of budgets and accurate break-even calculations.

Three Dimensional advertising

More than ever, promotional products are something real and tangible in a digital world. While the internet and digital communications can enhance connections between people, more often in the modern world we see email blasts, virtual reality and people dealing with each other at arms length. The gift of a promotional product can therefore cut through more powerfully than ever before and emphasise the personal and the practical in a disengaged world.