By Mark Lee
The start of another brand new year is a good time to take stock of your client relationships. Are you doing everything you can to let your customers know you appreciate them. Are you excited about working with them in the year ahead?
If so, then let them know. Say it loud and clear with a
premium logo item that will find a permanent home in their office, a daily reminder of your products and services and your commitment to customer service.
Recently, the Promotional Products Association International conducted a
survey of people who had received promotional items in a range of prices and categories, and they discovered a number of useful insights.
They looked at the types of items that had been used for promotional purposes, the costs associated with those items, the effectiveness of the items, the length of time items were kept or used, understanding of why
promotional items were given, and the perceived value of items.
By developing insight into consumer views on these items, it’s easier to determine which items may be of best use for your practice and help you to budget for this kind of marketing more easily.
In general, people who receive a
promotional item appreciate the thoughtfulness of the gift regardless of the actual or perceived value. Even when the sole purpose of the item was to promote a business, recipients had a favorable reaction to the company who gave them the item.
Nearly half of respondents to the survey said that they were either somewhat more or significantly more receptive to a company and its message as a result of the promotional item. To be fair, the higher the value of the item, the more favorable the reaction, but even less expensive items garnered favorable responses.
Not surprisingly, the items most valued by recipients were that that were deemed to be most useful. Obviously, an unwanted
promotional product is a waste of your marketing dollars and does nothing to help you achieve your marketing goals. Among the list of most popular items as identified in the survey, respondents identified “goodies and food items” as the most popular item to receive. Granted, this may not be the best option for your practice, but it may spur ideas for alternatives to foam drink holders and rubber coin purses.
Other preferred products included wearable items such as T-shirts, hats, or jackets, items to collect or convey such as bags, notebooks, or backpacks, items associated with computing such as mouse pads or flash drives, and items that relate to communication such as pens, pencils, highlighters, and sticky notes. These examples provide a large range of pricing options as well as giving you diverse choices.
Ultimately, the idea behind using
promotional products is to spread the word about your business and to offer a small good-will gift to those who support you. Remember, a little bit can go a long way.
AlphaGraphics Arlington. Promotional Products Experts.
www.us110.alphagraphics.com