Did your mom ever say, “Don’t give something, just to give something.”? That quaint expression speaks to obligation.
Sadly, a lot of marketers plan their giveaways with that in mind – going to a conference, need something in the $2 per item range.
Whenever I hear that, I think of that saying, and the wasted opportunity of not tying your promotional item into your larger marketing objectives.
Don’t waste an opportunity. Use these questions to guide you in finding the perfect item for your target customer:
Why Are You Giving Something Away?
Are you trying to get new customers or thank existing ones? Knowing who the “gift” is for will help you select something more meaningful, and compelling to the recipient.
Are you Aligning your Promotional Product with your Sales Funnel?
A promotional item for someone just learning about your business should be different than someone who’s ready to commit to and buy from you. At the top of the sales funnel, those items should incentivize and move potential buyers along to learn more about your offerings. It should allude to the promise of something more.
Items for those ready to purchase could be things they would find helpful should they buy your product or service. It can also be something that would motivate them to buy. Auto dealers use that when they offer something like a free TV with car purchase. A TV wouldn’t cause you to buy a car if you weren’t ready, but it sure might swing you towards that dealer if you were already in the market.
All items, no matter what part of the sales funnel they’re supposed to influence, must provide consistent, effective branding for you. Don’t cheat your company out of an effective promotion by missing the opportunity to tie the giveaway items together with consistent branding.
Are you Thinking Item or Strategy?
No man is an island and no promotional piece should be treated as one either. Your giveaway is part of a larger marketing strategy. Integrate it into your goals. The item says something about your company. Going for the cheapest giveaway out there just to have something at a tradeshow, is a wasted effort.
Bring meaning to your marketing dollars with a well-branded, consistent message with your promotional product. Don’t give something, just to give it.
Call the branding specialists at ThinkQuik today and we’ll help you with a cohesive promotional strategy.
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