Play for Keeps: Maximising your marketing and promo merch lifespan
You’ve got your business cards stocked, your flyers printed and your cups customised. You’ve mocked up some magnets and sourced some stickers. You’re ready to make a lasting impression and send your marketing merch to the masses…
But what happens when more of those materials end up lining bins than bringing in leads?
If you want to ensure your promo merch and marketing materials hang around and get noticed, then check out our top tips below.
Know Your Audience
Business cards are great, but if you’re visiting a bunch of tradies on a building site, stubby holders are better.
Flyers can be crammed full of facts, but if your customer base consists of time poor professionals, then something useful, like a pen or pack of post-its is going to speak in much louder volumes (because let’s face it, they’re not reading that flyer).
Organising promotional and marketing materials for your business is as much about knowing how your brand wants to represent itself, as it is about knowing who your brand is being presented too.
Did you know, according to Assemblo, a customer needs to see a message at least seven times before it sinks in? That’s seven times that they need to see your logo or branding before they will consider your business. Having a bunch of tradies wandering around sipping out of a cup-sized billboard, or busy professionals lending out their printed pen is going to get those views (and sales) looking up.
If it’s not useful to the audience you’re promoting to, then it’s likely not going to be useful as a marketing tool either.
Layer on the Love
So, you know your audience, you’ve done your research, and you’ve nailed the type of promo product you want to use. But have you thought about the cherry-on-top? Is there a way you can integrate even more into your giveaway items to make them a higher value item?
A QR code linking to exclusive sales items?
A website link that gives them access to trade specific hints and tips?
Details about your referral program that offers them cashback or discounts?
If you’re going to have promo and marketing merchandise customised, then you want to make sure you’re making the most of every pixel. Not only for your brand, but for your customer too. Adding layers of value that make the item interactive as well as useful keeps it in their hands, and away from their trash can.
Keep it Quality
We agree with Arnott’s - there’s no substitute for quality.
If there is anything the world (and your customer) needs less of, it’s breakable, inferior products that don’t last. Providing a substandard product might be tempting when you’re looking solely at the cost between quality and clutter, but in the long run, those extra pennies will work hard to make sure your marketing materials are not disposed of the moment you dish them out.
It may be that your budget is restrictive, but focusing on quality, rather than quantity, is likely to have a much bigger impact and bring in more solid, serious leads.
Remember, your promotional products and marketing materials are a direct reflection on your business as a whole - they’re part of your brand identity… The last thing you want to do is create a connection between your brand, and the bin.
People, not Profit
Lots of marketing materials and promo merch focuses on the next sale. Whilst we all love to get the next dollar in the bank, it’s important to focus your marketing efforts on the bigger picture.
People like to buy from people. They also like to have a relationship of some sort with the brand they are buying from. From trust and rapport to authenticity and connection, your branding and subsequent collateral should speak to these traits.
If you’re wanting to increase your profits… then your marketing should focus on people.
So, the next time you’re in the market for some promo merch, try thinking about the whos, hows, whats and whys. Because those are the things that will take your products from bin-liners to brilliance.
#nailedit