Promotional products are more important to your marketing strategy than you might think. Those products that you give away at your trade events play a pivotal role in influencing the choices and behavior of your customers. Here is a short, expert guide to help you understand why promotional products are important.

The Power of Branded Items in Marketing for Your Business

There is a science behind branded, promotional products. It is not necessarily about the details of the items you choose to promote your brand, but rather, the psychological principles that inform their success. Branded products inspire reciprocal action in your customers, serve as tangible reminders of your brand, inspire brand recognition and loyalty, and help to form emotional connections.

The Reciprocity Principle in Branded Promotional Products

The most important psychological principle at the heart of promotional products’ effectiveness is what is known as the reciprocity principle. This is the idea that people will generally respond in kind to a gift or good deed. When you give a gift to a customer or potential customer, they are likely to feel a sense of obligation to do something in return, whether that is signing up for your mailing list, listening to your pitch, or even choosing your product over a competitor’s. Through corporate gifting, you invoke the reciprocity principle and foster a positive association with your brand.

Brand Recognition and Loyalty with Marketing Products

Promotional products work by serving as tangible reminders of your brand. Advertising and content marketing are easily forgotten, but a physical item that remains in a person’s possession – and preferably serves an important, everyday function, helps to keep the brand at the front of the user’s mind. In turn, this increases the probability that they will choose your brand when making a purchasing decision.

More than this, however, marketing products help to enhance brand recognition. Your promotional products ensure consistent, ongoing exposure to your brand, which creates familiarity and trust. This is a decisive step toward the establishment of strong brand loyalty. Promotional products, therefore, are not merely a matter of first impressions. They help to establish a long-term relationship between the brand and the consumer.

Creating Emotional Connections with Branded Promotional Material

As a result of reciprocity and brand recognition, promotional products have effects that far exceed the immediate benefits of their practical uses. The pleasure of receiving a gift, and the ongoing appreciation of a quality item, actually help to foster an emotional connection between customers and your brand. When customers are more emotionally engaged, they are more likely to commit to your brand and become strong advocates for it.

Be Sure to Use Quality Promotional Products People Will Actually Use

Please remember that, in order to see any of these benefits in your promotional product strategies, you must be sure to choose quality products that feature excellent design and functionality. They must be pleasing to the eye and serve a practical purpose that is actually meaningful to the user. This is why things like tote bags, shopping bags and document bags make excellent billboards for your brand. The more the recipient uses the product the more your brand will be reinforced, and, if the person is using it in public, at the office, the gym, while running errands, the more people will be exposed to your brand.

We hope we have made it clear why promotional products are important. If you would like to incorporate promotional products into your marketing strategies, we can help. At Red Iron Brand Solutions, we work closely with our clients to design and supply branded merchandise to suit and effectively promote your corporate brand identity. Contact us if you need promotional products for your next marketing event.