Misconceptions of promotional products are surprisingly common, so we took at crack at identifying some of then and explained why they aren’t correct.
Misconception 1: Promotional products aren’t as effective as other marketing mediums.
Research has consistently shown that promotional items are extremely effective compared to other marketing mediums. For example, a study found that 88% of survey respondents could recall the name of the advertiser on a promotional product they had received, while only 53.5% could recall the name of an advertiser in a print publication they had read in the past week.
Misconception 2: They just get tossed anyway.
In a study by the Promotional Products Association International, 90.4% of respondents said they currently own a promotional product received during the last 24 months. A good promotional products distributor can help you select a long-lasting, useful item that your target audience will value and keep.
Misconception 3: My business can’t use promotional products.
You like the idea of using promotional products, but you’re just not sure your organization can benefit from them. You think they cost too much, they’re unoriginal, or a variety of other things. It’s easy to doubt the effectiveness of promotional items – especially if you’ve never used them to promote your brand. Here’s a statistic to consider: According to PPAI, after receiving a promotional product, 85% of consumers do business with the advertiser.
Promotional items also help you lock in new customers. Eleven percent of advertisers, according to PPAI research, increase their business even among those who hadn’t done business with them before. A quality promotional products distributor will help you select the best promotional items to fit your objectives and budget.
Misconception 4: All promotional products companies are the same.
Promotional products companies all do the same thing – they put logos on products, and then pass them on to customers for various campaigns or programs. It doesn’t really matter which company you work with as long as you get the promos you need.
Many promo companies are small mom-and-pop shops or even one-person shops. They’re doing it all themselves. As a result, there’s a good chance your promotional items won’t turn out as great as they could – or even arrive when you need them.
When selecting a promotional products vendor, think of it as a partnership. You want a specific person or team handling your order from start to finish. You want him or her to answer all of your questions and be there for you in a pinch or when things go wrong. Look for a company who will ask how and why you are using promotional items and offer creative ideas, not just peddle product to you.