The Secret to Smart Marketing Revealed

Does Your Advertising Strategy Include Promotional Products?

Should Promotional Products Be a Part of Your Advertising Strategy?

If you normally turn to traditional media to advertise your brand, you might want to read the results of a new study (The Advertising Specialties Impressions Study) conducted by the Advertising Specialty Institute first. Over 600 business recipients of promotional products were interviewed. Expect to be surprised and enlightened.

ASI's investigation reveals that people really do remember the names of advertisers whose items they receive. Jackets, pants, scarves, and other apparel led the way in name recognition (94%) followed by bags (90%), caps (89%), shirts (87%), recognition/awards (85%), writing instruments (85%), glassware/ceramics (84%), calendars (69%), recognition/jewelry (69%), and desk/office/business accessories (67%). This finding alone should help you decide which category(ies) to spend the most advertising dollars.

The second revelation of the study was that an average of 42% of businesspeople look with more favor on an advertiser after receiving their promotional product. Interestingly, bags topped this list with 53% of the vote. Hmmm. Could the popularity of tradeshows and conferences have something to do with this? Or is it related to more retailers going green and replacing their plastic bags with the green variety?

Furthermore, promotional products encourage their recipients to do business with the company whose name appears on the item. On average, 62% of businesspeople are influenced in this way. The promotional products that stand out in this category are recognition-awards.

Why are promotional products so popular with the business community? For starters, people tend to hold on to them longer. Think pens. We're always losing them and we can't seem to find one at the least opportune time. That explains why your client will hardly refuse your branded pen and why writing instruments topped the list for this category.

But how do you determine if your particular item will get you a decent return on your investment? Ask yourself this question: How useful is it? The more useful it is, the more likely it is that your client will keep it. In fact, usefulness beat out attractiveness and other reasons given by 55% and 54% respectively.

We are halfway through the results and I hope by now your interest is piqued enough to continue reading my next post on this subject. Look for it in the next few days.

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Recession Proof Your Small Business

The worst thing you can do when business is slow is hibernate!
Get out there. Be visible.

You cannot rely on drive by traffic. The days of "you build it, they will come" are long gone.


In order to increase customer traffic, you must first know your customer.
Keep track of what they buy or what services they tend to need and remember.
Define the demographics (sex, age, habits, etc.) of your best customers.
Get feedback from your customers.
Track the results of your promotions.


It is 5 to 10 times more expensive to find a new customer than to retain an existing customer. Therefore, customer loyalty is imperative. Concentrate on the benefits they receive from using your products and services.

You can build customer loyalty by following these steps:

Make your relationship personal.
Ask customers about themselves and their family.
Delight them by remembering dates important to them like their anniversary (this could also be the date they first became your customer).
Over-deliver and surprise them with an extra bonus.
Do more of what you do best and expand on it.
Send them thank you notes, they may lead to referrals.
Surprise them with a gift.
Send them useful information about items that might interest them.
Reward them with a frequent buyer program.

When developing a new customer you must do four things:

Get their ATTENTION!
Dramatize the biggest benefit of your products and services.

Keep their INTEREST!
Explain your product and service in short simple sentences.

Create DESIRE!
Focus on the benefits rather than features.
Use pictures or interesting descriptions.

Provide a COMPELLING REASON for why they should buy from you.
Sell them before your competitor does.
ASK FOR THEIR BUSINESS!

How to find new customers and sell them:
Ask for referrals - develop a referral program.
Seek joint venture opportunities- a local tile contractor created a networking group with contractors in other trades. He has found new business that way.

Use direct mail creatively:
(I realize cash flow is a concern but this is an investment you cannot afford to pass on!)
Send an invitation
Send Coupons
Send Promotional Gifts
Mail often

Get and use testimonial endorsements.
Hold a drawing.
Browse the internet.

For more marketing tips like these, visit our website at http://GetMoreROI.net and click on our blog tab.