Promotional Merchandise

There’s countless reasons why you should be investing in branded merchandise. We’re not just being biased when we say this either, the statistics below really do prove the power promotional products have when used as part of your marketing mix.

  1. Boosts Brand Awareness at Trade Shows & Events

Getting noticed at trade shows and other corporate events is one of the most common reasons to buy branded merchandise. We’ve all been to a promotional trade show and noticed that one stand giving away awesome freebies. It’s the stand that has a queue of people waiting alongside it receiving a quick ‘elevator pitch’ and promotional literature whilst they wait for their promotional freebies. Not only can well chosen merchandise gain attention and attract people to your stand, it can also portray your brand image and even to convey the personality of your brand. Items such as tote bags and coffee cups, which many customers use during the show, bring about additional brand awareness with your logo featuring prominently at the event. Additionally, staff merchandise can be just as effective. Staff in polo shirts with your logo embroidered, taking notes in branded notebooks with a branded pen show your brand to be professional and of a certain quality, helping to instil trust, which is exactly what you want if you are to get those important contacts.

BPMA MWL17 Infographic 3

  1.  A Cost Effective Option

Generally speaking, branded merchandise is an incredibly cost effective marketing option. There’s merchandise for all budgets and you can buy more or less of an item as and when required. In comparison Television adverts and large scale print campaigns are very expensive and can prove difficult when trying to specifically capturing your target audience. Just one screening of a 30 second advert can cost anywhere between £3,000 and £30,000 on British TV, depending on the time of day that it’s shown. Whatsmore, this doesn’t include the cost of production! Making T.V a very costly method of promotion. With promotional merchandise you have the opportunity to be more targeted with your campaigns by accessing existing customer bases you can select relevant events to promote at that will specifically appeal to your target audience. The narrower your target audience, the more unique and creative you can be with your purchasing option to further ensure your brand stands out.

stat11Promotional Merchandise also has a greater impact than other marketing mediums, again making it much better value for money. Research from PPAI found that 8/10 recipients of promotional merchandise will research a brand after receiving promotional products. With 83% saying they are more likely to do business with a company after receiving the giveaway. It’s also, unsurprisingly, the least “avoided” marketing method with 66% of people avoiding TV commercials and 48% avoiding magazine ads. In stark contrast only 20% of people avoided receiving promotional merchandise.

 

  1. Client Appreciation & Customer Lifetime Value

Receiving free branded merchandise from a company makes clients feel appreciated. Research by the BPMA (British Promotional Merchandise Association) found that after receiving promotional merchandise, 79% of people felt appreciated. Even more impressive however, is that the same research found promotional products are 3 times more likely to invoke loyalty than other marketing mediums and we all know how important customer lifetime value is! If your aim is to build a brand with a strong brand image and a loyal customer base, then promotional merchandise should definitely be incorporated into your marketing mix. As previously mentioned, branded merchandise is also a great way to get across your brand’s personality, whether it be clean and professional or colourful and playful. It can also help promote your brand values. For example, sending out engraved reusable metal straws or reusable bamboo coffee cups, will inform customers that your brand is Eco-conscious and cares about environmental issues. Promotional merchandise is about so much more than branding the cheapest low cost giveaway, it’s a great opportunity to show customers that you care about them!

BPMA MWL17 Infographic 2


 

Our team or merchandising experts are always on hand to discuss with you the best products for your upcoming marketing campaigns. Get in contact by phoning us on 01753491470 or emailing UKsales@brandelity.com.