We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.
Everyone loves swag, or those promotional items you receive at an event or from a business. Usually the item is printed with the company’s name and logo, or the name of the event and date. The purpose of swag for a business is to get your attention and be a positive reminder of that company. Next time you need the type of product or service offered by that company, the hope is that you will remember them and contact them first.
So what is good swag?
Good swag is something that the recipient keeps and uses. Not so good swag is something that the recipient throws away or leaves behind. That might get your brand in their hands, but why bother if it’s not going to stay there? Your promotional items say a lot about you. Buy cheap plastic crap (official promotional product industry term) and you won’t impress your customer. Don’t get me wrong, they won’t think badly about you because everyone loves free stuff. But they won’t be wowed by your gift either. And swag with the wow factor doesn’t have to be expensive.
What’s in a pen?
Let’s take pens for example. Everybody uses pens. Many people steal pens. If you’re promoting your business using pens, choose a really cool pen that your customer will want to steal, and then let them. Encourage them to. Choose a pen that writes well, is comfortable to hold and has an eye-catching design in a color that matches your branding, or a color that catches their attention. And put your logo and contact info or website on it.
Way back when I became a consultant for my first direct sales company, I was taught to buy red pens for customers to use when filling out their order forms at home parties. The reasoning was that they would be less likely to steal the pens if they wrote in red ink, and that made sense back then. Replacing the pens is an expense. However, now I know that’s crazy talk! Choose good pens with your info on them. Allow and encourage your customers to take them. Keep those pens in their hands and they’ll be reminded of you every time they use them. And when they are ready to buy again, they’ll think of you first.
So many products, so little time.
The promotional products industry is huge. HUGE. There are a lot of products. And when I say a lot, I do mean a lot. If you want a number, we’ll say it’s over 800,000 specific promotional products. But I think that’s low. Really, anything can be a promotional product if you put your logo on it and give it to someone. It can be overwhelming to find just the right product to fit your requirement just right. But that perfect product is out there. Do you need a hot pink travel mug with glitter? It not only exists, but there are choices. The trick is to find the right one and keep it within your budget, but that can be done with the help of a promotional products professional.
Contact me for some great swag ideas for your business. I can help you wow your customer within your budget.
Check out my latest pins here.
