Promotional merchandise

[ImranR]

Hi all. Does anyone have any suggestions on "original" marketing merchandises that I can send to existing clients?

I ideally want to get something that will be talked about and useful as appose to some terrible pens or mousemats that no one uses.

Initially I need to do a run of 100 or so branded items with a budget of £200-300.

Needs to be post and desk friendly.

 

[fisicx]

What are you promoting?

 

[WebshopMechanic]

Hi Imran,

If you are running a test then I would probably speak to a specialist who has tried and tested products before. It will save you a lot of pain and money in the long run.

If you need some help sourcing something unique then I recommend Tim Richards at www.front-foot.co.uk. This guy specialises in finding products that create 'a buzz'.

He's worked with a lot of brands and will be able to advise on the best product for your business and what you're trying to achieve.

Matt

 

[Mark T Jones]

Oddly enough I went to see a customer between lockdowns and they were lamenting the lack of mouse mats and pens with all exhibitions cancelled

Personally (when I can) I gave customers good quality pens and scrap pads which in the hospitality sector are well received

In your case, we'd really need to know how many items, how you plan to distribute them and to whom in order to give meaningful ideas

 

[ImranR]

Thank you for everyone's response. I work as a consultant and want to promote my business and brand so my clients ideally remember and call me as appose to other firms. Therefore, I wanted something unique that clients will use regularly.

 

[WebshopMechanic]

It's really a toss-up between giving something useful and making an immediate impact. I think traditionally, businesses go for mouse mats and pens because they think the continue use will make the brand resonate with the customer and they will eventually pick up the phone. I'm not sure whether this actually works or not. I find these gifts a bit naff.

One thing I did see recently that was quite cool and I believe would capture attention is a video mailer. It's a mini tv screen within a piece of direct mail. I'm not sure of the cost but it was pretty slick and would undoubtedly capture the eyeballs of your prospect, even if they were not interested.

Of course, you need to make sure you have a video that does 'the vehicle' justice. A video that is all about you will probably fail even though the mailer is great.

Think about pain points of your prospect and how you can show them that you can change their world or make their life easier. Do that and it will be more effective and you will get better results.

 

[Mr D]

I do not bother with mouse mats - use the arm of my chair usually.
However pens are always welcome. Usually pick up a dozen or more pens, some note paper, occasionally a hat, a few times some sweets etc.

Trouble is for something to be useful the odds are the business already has it and your stuff becomes spare.

 

[WaveJumper]

Other than the odd mouse mat and pens which are always useful looking around my desk this morning the one thing that has been with me for more than 15 years is the glass thermometer with floating balls thanks to a sprinkler installation company, oh nice big golf type umbrellas are good too

 

[Lucan Unlordly]

With your budget of £2-3 per customer your going to struggle to make any sort of impact.

This may be a little cheesy for your type of business but we ran a promotion a few years back for fitness gyms using Ad-Loop Key Rings. In themselves they are not a great nor a memorable gift but we had them made with Glow in the Dark end caps so had a story to tell 'if you drop your keys outside your car you can see where they landed. Can't find your keys in your handbag, this will help'. So good were they that my mother had demands for them from her friends at the W.I.

We had them sequentially numbered and put a few out with each order with the message to check your numbers on our website or Facebook page to win a prize. The intention being that they could hand out to staff or gym members, thereby sharing our brand name with a wider audience. I'd do it a different way now as one of a few issues we faced and could improve on was that eg., the bosses secretary opened the mail, checked the numbers and claimed any prize before distributing the key rings to others!

 

[Darren_Ssc]

oh nice big golf type umbrellas are good too

The only 'promotional' gift I ever use; though I couldn't tell you from memory what the company name is or what they do?

 

[Mr D]

I'd do it a different way now as one of a few issues we faced and could improve on was that eg., the bosses secretary opened the mail, checked the numbers and claimed any prize before distributing the key rings to others!

A perk of the job!

 

[Mark T Jones]

Looking at my desk, I have

- Drinks coaster from a factoring company - i had to lift my cup to remember which one.
- Bookmark from a leasing company - I use it lots and know who they are.
- A mug full of branded pens - Cant even be bothered to look to see who they are.
- Said mug from a bridging leoan company I have never spoken to.
- Scrap pad from A finance company I know
- Mousemat from a finance company I use a lot.
- A good quality wooden ruler engaved with my / my company details - which is 20 years old and which I actually feel quite attached to.

It's very hard to say what impact most of these items have on my decision making process (or whether I remember the item because of the donor, or the donor because of the item) - except for the ruler.

As Others have said, if you want more than a passive reminder you need to build in an action/response.

 

[WaveJumper]

With your budget of £2-3 per customer your going to struggle to make any sort of impact.

This may be a little cheesy for your type of business but we ran a promotion a few years back for fitness gyms using Ad-Loop Key Rings. In themselves they are not a great nor a memorable gift but we had them made with Glow in the Dark end caps so had a story to tell 'if you drop your keys outside your car you can see where they landed. Can't find your keys in your handbag, this will help'. So good were they that my mother had demands for them from her friends at the W.I.

We had them sequentially numbered and put a few out with each order with the message to check your numbers on our website or Facebook page to win a prize. The intention being that they could hand out to staff or gym members, thereby sharing our brand name with a wider audience. I'd do it a different way now as one of a few issues we faced and could improve on was that eg., the bosses secretary opened the mail, checked the numbers and claimed any prize before distributing the key rings to others!

A nice idea I like it

 

[Chris Ashdown]

Not in your price range, but a wall map of the UK, Europe or World with your logo printed over the sea. need not be to large

 

[fisicx]

Thank you for everyone's response. I work as a consultant and want to promote my business and brand so my clients ideally remember and call me as appose to other firms. Therefore, I wanted something unique that clients will use regularly.

How many clients can you cope with? If you are already busy do you need more? Maybe be remembered by your exceptional service, the follow up phone calls, birthday cards, invitations to meet and so. Nobody cares about your brand.

 

[socialsoul]

I have found a great way to stay top of mind with existing clients and be remembered is to send personalized thank you cards, birthday cards, funny keep in touch cards etc - this cand be done within your budget.. Many clients have kept these cards and gifts on their desks long after they received them. I have an online service that makes it easy and convenient to send memorable cards and gifts that get talked about, including on social media.

 

[merch girls]

Hey! If you want useful and unique merch, try things people will actually use, like reusable coffee cups, mini desk plants, or wireless chargers. These are more interesting than the usual pens and mouse mats and will keep your brand in

 

[DontAsk]

These are more interesting than the usual pens

I like the free pens. I haven't had to buy a biro in donkey's years. They do not, however, make me more likely to do business with the provider, nor would any of the more expensive options you suggest.

 

[PaulSmt]

I’d go with mini desktop planters—they’re memorable, tie into your coder vibe (growth, iteration), and scream “original.” Second choice: cable organizers for sheer practicality.

 

[MarketingQuote]

We have done promotional chocolates in the past - since most people like a milk chocolate it will be appreciated and can be followed up on.

 

[fisicx]

We have done promotional chocolates in the past - since most people like a milk chocolate it will be appreciated and can be followed up on.

Unless you are lactose intolerant or prefer dark chocolate…

I’d still rather have a pen.

 

[DontAsk]

Unless you are lactose intolerant or prefer dark chocolate…

Or Coeliac. A lot of chocolate is "may contain..." and unsuitable.

I’d still rather have a pen.

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