Promo Products: What Your Customers Really Want

If you’re using promotional products to increase your brand visibility and connect with your audience, you know how important it is to offer something of value to those who receive them.

The key to using promo products effectively is to find products that your prospective customers will appreciate and use. A cheap pen that sits in a desk drawer won’t help you sell anything.

Finding the right products is the key to effective promotion. A recent survey by the Promotional Products Association International sheds light on what branded products resonate with consumers.

Major Industry Survey Shows What Customers Think

The PPAI survey, based on more than 3,400 U.S. participants, looked at what happens to branded promo merchandise after consumers receive it. Researchers studied the results to evaluate both the initial reactions and what the products’ impact was afterward.

Merch is Everywhere

One thing researchers found is that consumers are receiving promotional products from more sources than ever before. Schools, conferences, festivals, conventions, and workplaces are common sources. Another popular source was retail gifts that come with purchases.

People Like Merch – of The Right Kind

The study also showed that people appreciate branded merch, with nearly 82 percent of respondents saying they were either “pleasantly surprised” or “very excited” to receive such gifts.

With the ever-growing number of sources, however, comes a catch. People are beginning to have higher expectations for such products, both in terms of quality and usefulness.

Think Useful First

Usefulness is the key to a successful promo product. If you give someone a product that they can’t use, it’s going to end up either tucked away in a drawer, on a shelf, or tossed into the trash. It’s not going to inspire interest in your brand or increase brand exposure to others.

In the PPAI survey, 38% of respondents said the main reason they would discard or give away a product was that it wasn’t useful to them. A good product such as a hoodie or tumbler gets used often. That keeps your brand top-of-mind for those who receive them, and keep your brand or logo in sight for others.

Quality Counts Too

Don’t skimp on quality, though. No matter how useful a product may be, if it’s badly made, hard to use or feels cheap, it’s likely to end up in the trash. Remember, when you give something to someone free, they don’t feel as obligated to keep it as they might with something they purchased.

As consumers have grown more savvy, they’ve rejected the idea that more is better. Two-thirds of the respondents in the PPAI survey said they prefer fewer, higher-quality items to cheaper low-quality ones. The survey also noted that nearly 90 percent of respondents said high-quality promotional products improves how they think about brands.

Keep in mind that the recipients of your promotional products are free to dispose of them at any time. A poor quality product will likely hit the trash at the first opportunity. Spending a little more upfront for a better product gives you a better shot at it being kept, used and shown to others.

Quality products don’t have to cost you more overall. When you’re planning your marketing approach with promo products, consider narrowing your audience. Go for a higher-quality product given to fewer, more targeted recipients. That will pay more dividends than a scattershot approach of cheap items.

Other Factors

Sustainability

Sustainability is also an important factor today. With more people than ever before focusing on the environmental impact of the products and services they consume, a sustainable product will gain their approval before a less practical, throwaway item.

Better Product Means More Use

Remember too that a better product will get used more. Your customer might wear a simple, functional hoodie with your brand on it. But if it’s higher quality, soft and comfortable, they’ll wear it more. Likewise, many people will appreciate and use a basic water bottle or tumbler with your logo. But if you give them a double-walled, vacuum-insulated tumbler, they’ll be a lot more likely to use it every day. The more they use it, the more people will see your brand and logo.

Emotional Connection

Successful promotional products aren’t just about practicality. For maximum impact, emotional connection to your brand is critical as well. Tell a story that people can relate to, something that makes your brand mean something to them. Take Coca-Cola’s polar bears for example. The bears were depicted as friendly, warm creatures always happy to share a Coke with a friend. Plush polar bears, imprinted tumblers and other items created a powerful brand campaign.

Good Merch Builds Brand Trust

A good custom promo product is your best brand ambassador. A well-designed, attractive product is one that people want to use. That gives potential customers a positive feeling toward your brand. In today’s competitive market, consumer trust is hard-won, and easily lost. A well-designed product goes a long way toward winning over buyers.

Finding the Right Mix

Creating the right mix of promotional products can be challenging. You have to balance utility, sustainability, quality and cost in a way that best reaches your target consumers.

That’s where we come in. At TJM Promos, we have 20 years’ experience providing custom promotional products of all kinds for businesses of all sizes. Our experienced, talented staff will help you choose the ideal products give your brand the maximum exposure possible.

We have useful, high quality products at every budget level that your potential customers will appreciate. With more than 800,000 custom products to choose from, we have everything you need to build a well-curated selection of products that are just right for your brand and your target customers.

If you’d like to find out more, call us today at (800) 423-0449, or email us. We’ll be glad to answer any questions you might have about how custom promotional products can boost your brand recognition and your bottom line. If you have a specific product and design in mind, fill out our free quote form and we’ll send you a free digital proof of your design. We look forward to serving all your custom promotional product needs!