JEV’s recent involvement with Positive Identity Promotional Products had me thinking about the benefits promotional products can have, and how often they are so poorly executed. It’s a safe bet that at any given time a consumer has some sort of promotional trinket in the back of their desk drawer collecting dust. Lanyards, stickers, that old ceramic coffee mug – forgotten items that offer nothing of value to the consumer, and are largely ignored until they bite the dust come spring cleaning. But if they’re done right, promotional items can help boost business and recall. The very premise of receiving something for free entices the consumer to give back and fosters good will, but not all gifts are fool-proof. Here are some do’s and don’ts for free swag and how the investment can benefit your business.

DO give out a product with functionality. Stay away from items that don’t offer the consumer any value just to save a buck (one-time use pens, anyone?). Instead, focus your efforts on items that see daily use, items that provide purpose for the consumer visiting your booth at next weekend’s trade show, items that have a decent shelf life. You want the consumer to be reminded of your business every time they pick up that item – not likely if you hand out something that will never see past the cluttered desk drawer.

DON’T blow your budget on a fancy, customized gadget. While higher end products like branded USB sticks can be effective, they also come with a larger price tag. Every decision you make regarding the marketing of your products and services need to derive from an overall, cohesive strategy; don’t throw a flashy promotional item into the mix if it isn’t feasible.

DO align your offering with your business. Give away something that works with your business’s agenda – if going green is something you see as important, dish out reusable grocery bags or sports bottles. Likewise, if you sell higher end products, those higher end promotional items might not be a terrible idea. Your promotional offering, like the rest of a firm’s marketing efforts, should make sense and relate back to the core going-ons of the business.

If you’re in real estate, offer consumers a loaded USB stick with recent home listings; if you’re in construction, why not offer a branded measuring tape? Have the item make sense. The more related the item is to your business the more unique it becomes, and the greater the likelihood that product will be remembered. Make the effort to differentiate your offering from all the others; a creative message will go a lot further than a name and logo on the side of a ball point.

DON’T proceed without a plan. Throwing customized calendars into a piece-meal marketing plan does not success make. The bottom line is cohesion; put the effort into your pieces so customers remember your name, and align the effort with your overall strategy. Items should be relevant and useful, not throwaways that have the potential to leave a bad taste in the customer’s mouth. JEV Marketing & Communications can help your business in moving forward with promotional items, integrating all of your efforts to ensure a successful outcome.