As part of our Marketing in May webinar series, the Marketing department here at CompanyCam is contributing some fresh material to help guide you in your marketing efforts!
We’re talking swag, aka promotional merchandise, and why it’s important for marketing your business.
Let’s be honest, everyone likes getting free stuff right? That’s why here at CompanyCam we give away tons of free swag. I understand it may sound crazy spending a bunch of money on merchandise just to give it out for free, but it’s actually a low-cost and effective way to market your company.
The biggest thing promotional products can do for your business is create brand recognition. Your promotional products are essentially a business card. Not just a regular business card though, a cool business card (if you know, you know). Promotional items are a “business card” that most people keep around and look at months later.
The difference between giving someone a t‑shirt vs a business card is the impact it has and the longevity of that impact. Business cards are easy to lose or can get thrown out. On the other hand, getting a free t‑shirt means that someone is going to be wearing that shirt around — not only making them think about your company, but also exposing other people to your brand every single time they wear that shirt.
A study done by ASI found that 85% of consumers remembered companies that gave them a hat or a shirt.
You’re not only marketing yourself to new customers but also improving your current customer relationships. Rewarding your current customers with free swag keeps your customers happy and creates positive buzz around your company. If a current customer gets sent a free shirt, they’re more likely to have positive feelings towards your company, resulting in telling their friends about it or even giving you a shout out on social media.
Yes, giving out any promotional merchandise is a step in the right direction, but what will really separate your company from other others is giving out high-quality products that you would actually enjoy receiving.
This may sound expensive, but buying merchandise in bulk can cut the cost significantly. The more items you buy, the lower the cost per item is — this goes for most places that print custom merchandise.
You should choose merch that serves a purpose or is useful to your target demographic, this way they are more likely to use it and be excited about it. If you’d like to go even a step further, write personal handwritten cards or notes to send with the merch if you are mailing them out. This is a nice touch and shows your customers how much you really appreciate them.
Adding personal touches to each customer’s, or potential customer’s, experience with your brand is huge in creating trust, recognition, and is sure to keep you top of mind.
