The court case for serving up promotional gifts to your customers is made by our tennis playing MD, Stephen Ward.
In this age of digital media and artificial intelligence, businesses and their customers are starting to seek out forms of advertising that carries original content. Away from their screens, they want direct, real-world content, contacts, and authentic touchpoints that are meaningful and real.
Promotional merchandise provides all of this plus the advantages of goodwill, longevity and a tactile, emotional connection. You can’t click away from your favourite coffee mug, a stylish notebook, or a comfortable hoodie.
These reasons mean that merch is very much appreciated, and why it is the only form of advertising that recipients say thank you for and may actually pay for.
A report by Haptica Live is quoted by the British Promotional Merchandise Association showing the strong arguments for the use of merch.
Here are the top reasons to start serving business gifts to your customers and prospects.
Emotion
Merch has an emotional effect on people. It can surprise, create joy, pleasure and even desire. There is real goodwill in the giving and receiving. Research by the German promotional products association, GWW, found the emotional impact of merchandise in terms of attractiveness, relevance and popularity is much higher than for a successful TV advert. 80% of a Gen Z group in a study said that merch was “a good thing” and two thirds of this digital generation said they would use items received. They love merch. Emotions create memories, so get your brand remembered.
Usefulness
The best merch fits easily into the everyday life of recipients providing a solution to a real need, when practical and looking good. Perfect gifts for usability include a stylish metal stylus pen, a high-quality keyring or a travel mug that keeps your drink hot for hours.
Conversation starters
Good promotional items catch the eye of people and get them talking. Handing out gifts at trade shows, exhibitions or when networking makes it easy to open a dialogue and leave a lasting reminder of the good impression you make. Why not make that next conversation about your brand?
Cost effective
All marketers want to know about the ROI of their spend and merch has one of the best stories to tell. One of the major powers of merch is its longevity. You get repeat exposure of your message over many years and your contact details can be right there when a buying need arises. Even when undertaking a supplier search, your contact is much more likely to turn to the brand already in their hands. I have given out pens as my business cards for many years and I often get greeted as “the pen guy” and quote requests often start with “You gave me your pen, do you also do…”
Tangibility
In Europe, merch is known as haptic advertising and they believe that touching something makes it familiar. This creates a sense of familiarity, connection, attracts attention, increases purchase intent and trust.
Sustainability
Giving something away is not throwing something away. You control the distribution to ensure the products only go to your target audience. The BPMA professional body has embraced the challenge of merch that does good and rejects the idea that it has to mean ‘plastic waste’. We have embraced their Sustainability Challenge. Good merchandise will align with progressive corporate values, make a positive impact, and will not cost the planet. According to “Merch Magazine”, a study by 51toCarbonZero found that, measured by emissions per brand recall, promotional products rank second only to outdoor advertising. Per impression, promotional merchandise generates up to eight times fewer CO2 emissions than digital advertising.
In real life
Promotional items can go anywhere and put brands into situations where consumers are to be found. They make brands familiar and relevant.
Long-lasting
Branded items hang around and keep delivering their message long after other media have disappeared. Some research has found that two thirds of recipients used an item for over a year, and 40% for more than two years.
Delivering sales
Free gifts work better at building sales than discounts, with a study finding that the perceived value of gifts is 2.4 times greater than their cost. On-pack and cover-mount printed gifts have long been a premium incentive to buy at the point of sale.
Memorability
Merch leaves a lasting impression. A PPAI consumer study found a recall rate of 90%, while the Promotional Products Effectiveness Study by GWW measured recall of 78%. (Source Merch Magazine by the BPMA).
Bespoke your brand
Want something totally unique to give away? Do not worry, if you can think of it, we can probably source it. Working with many manufacturers over 40 years, custom items can be created with low print runs, custom shapes, total personalisation and creative packaging to create merch that really stands out while being bang on-brand.
These are some of the reasons why merch can ace your marketing and give you game, set and match in the marketing race.
It just works.
You now need your own merch game plan. Get in touch today on 01772 429111 or email steve@businessgiftuk.com.
Stephen Ward is the founder and Managing Director of Ad-Options Ltd which trades as BusinessGiftUK.com, established in 1985.
New balls please.