By Tim Thomson
Profit Impact Broker for ((((( AMPLIFY )))))
Promotional products, sometimes called SWAG or Merch, have transformed into powerful marketing tools that drive sales and enhance brand visibility. SWAG increases sales because it’s a tool. Discounting to attract sales can potentially harm the brand by lowering the value so consider substituting your tactics to include promotional products instead; they are a much more positive way to increase profitability and sales.
Like all marketing, the content you use needs to align with your goals, match promotional products to the correct categories for better impact. We endorse using the following five categories when creating your promo strategy.
GIVEAWAYS: Ad Specialties. These are the ubiquitous items found at trade shows or in welcome bags, such as pens, notepads, and gadgets; they also make great ice breakers to open a conversation with a stranger. People hold on to them for years, so it’s crucial to find something cool and useful. I encourage you to get creative, a twist we presented to a customer industrial pressure washer dealer one time to have them giveaway branded water pistols instead of mugs to get prospects attention.
BRANDING: Membership ID. Custom uniforms and corporate wear transform staff into walking billboards, enhancing brand visibility and trust. Putting your brands on your corporate gear puts your staff in a better league. Your inner circle customers and followers will also show off your brand so be sure to look for items that won’t end up hidden at the back of a drawer. Items are even more valuable when you can match the item to your services, an example is custom branded work gloves for a garden store.
LOYALITY: Promotional Gifts for Retention. People love getting gifts. Staff feel recognized and appreciated and studies show that giving gifts to customers are great tactics to keep customers from leaving to a competitor. Promo conscious clients can often post on social media showing off the gifts given to them. Choose thoughtful gifts, they go a long way. Try to choose unexpected items your target audience will say “wow” to.
BONUSES: Premium Products. These make great motivators to improve call-to-action behaviour. You may use this to get clients to compete tasks, add-on when people hit sales goals, and are popular as onboarding packages for new staff or new customers. Use these as client facing extra such as a gift with purchased to close sales quicker.
REWARDS: Awards. Tailoring awards to align with brand values is essential. Choosing eye-catching items that inspire curiosity, and conversation can inspire engagement and conversations. Find something fascinating, like a work of art or something fun. The alternative is matching the award to the audience; an example would be of a figurine of a soccer player atop a trophy for the most improved kicker.
For help with selecting promotional items that fit your business goals, or creating custom strategies with SWAG, please reach out to AMPLIFY.
“We work with organizations who want to be number one. Let’s work together.”
Contact AMPLIFY today at 705-626-8461 or Tim@ampbroker.ca for great ideas for your business.