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With an often limited budget to put toward marketing and advertising, companies are regularly challenged with ROI analysis, deciding which channels or vehicles will deliver the most ROI. For their part, promo products are often compared against traditional forms of marketing such as television, radio, print advertising. It has been found that promo products actually deliver the best return on investment—one that extends beyond just reaching existing clients.
The Return from Promo Products
Findings published in Advantages magazine indicate that the majority (60%) of people who receive promotional merchandise then decide that they will do business with the granting company, and experience an overall increase in their favorable impression toward that company.
Also of benefit is the fact that promotional products often commonly get passed on to others if not used by the original recipient rather than being thrown away. This actually provides a viral way for the company to reach more of its target audience and beyond without having to do the work or pay for additional impressions.
Even better is the fact that this strategy is so much cheaper than traditional marketing and advertising mediums, offering a considerable payoff for what can be as little as half a cent per impression than, say, a few dollars or more per impression utilizing the traditional route.
In order to get the best return, however, it is recommended that a company does its homework and get an idea of the individual preferences among various demographic groups that may be targeted as part of such as promo product campaign. Some promotional items are more attractive to certain groups than others and it’s imperative to strategize accordingly.
Promo Products that Fare Well
In listing those items that appeal to the largest audience and deliver an attractive return among the many choices of promotional and branded products, our ROI analysis determined that the most was gained from:
• Bags, backpacks and totes
• Caps and headwear
• Writing instruments such as pens and pencils
• Shirts of all different styles
• Calendars, diaries and planners
These are practical items that most anyone can use so the recipient is likely to hold onto the item and even wear it if it’s apparel-related. In turn, become walking billboards for the company whose logo and information are on them, which enhances the potential ROI. These items also have considerable room to put critical contact information, including name, address, phone, email and website address.
In Review
Here is a summary of the key ideas about promo products and why and how they deliver a significant return on investment:
• They cost less per impression than traditional marketing channels like television, radio, and magazines, which immediately drives up the return.
• Those that receive them either keep them or pass them on both of which have been found to leave the recipient with a positive impression of the company and a greater likelihood of buying from them.
• Promo products should be suited to certain demographics but the overall products that do best are bags, headgear, writing instruments, shirts and calendars.
References
Source: Advantages Magazine, Feb 2011, p. 107
Promo Products Rule ROI
