Campaigns form the core of marketing. They employ a careful strategy to reach and engage customers with a blend of content, social media, advertising and creative execution.
However, one crucial element often gets overlooked until the very end: promo products.
When executed well, branded promotional items can strengthen marketing campaigns and offer a significant Return of Investment (ROI) for businesses. Sadly, instead of planning them efficiently and realising their actual value from the start, they’re often left as an afterthought in the strategic planning process. So, it’s high time to rethink when you are implementing your promotional products.
This delay can turn them into a gimmick.
In today’s world, where audiences have high expectations and short attention spans, promotional marketing products can make a significant impact when incorporated into a campaign. However, to do this effectively, promotional marketing needs to have a purpose. This purpose ensures it adds true value to your business.
To help you ‘promo with purpose’, we have compiled 6 ways your Marketing team can get the most out of promo marketing.
(1) Begin with the end results in mind
Understanding the overarching goals your campaign aims for is the best way to achieve a positive outcome from your promo marketing.
Determining the ideal outcome will assist in setting your performance indicators. This understanding will also guide your team to tailor your strategy to meet these goals. By knowing where your campaign is headed, you can be clear about your approach and about what kind of promotional products will help you achieve your goals.
(2) Plan your promo marketing
A good plan never fails.
Just like you determine the content and social media elements of your campaigns, it’s equally important to consider the role that promotional items will play in the overall execution and rollout of your marketing from the very beginning.
This early planning will allow them to form a useful component of your campaign. Consequently, they won’t be a poorly considered afterthought which ends up having little effect on the outcome.
(3) Consider your objectives
What is your business aiming to achieve? Launching a new product, sharing a PR update, showing loyal customers some love, or generating more leads?
When you have a clear purpose, you can pair it with a branded item that will leverage an ideal outcome.
Ask questions like:
What kind of promotional materials will be ideal to use?
How will promo-branded items contribute to the campaign’s message?
How will these products connect us with our customers better?
What physical promo items will reinforce the digital elements?
For instance, if your campaign goal is to raise brand awareness, which tangible branded items will contribute to this? You might create gift packs or merchandise that customers can redeem when they click on an advert or attend an event.
(4) Determine the target audience
Knowing your ideal customer will allow you to personalise your promotional marketing strategy and deliver a brand message that resonates with them. When you understand who your audiences are, you can select relevant promotional items that will engage their interest.
Remember, your promotional marketing strategy should add value to the person you’re targeting. Knowing what they need and what appeals to them will ensure that what you’re giving is valuable and desired, rather than a discarded item.
(5) Decide the kind of impression you want to make
The right promotional item can connect with customers like no other marketing can.
A wearable device feels satisfying and practical. An event wristband brings people together. A prize creates excitement, and a gift pack can make someone feel truly appreciated.
These are vibrant emotional responses that can leave a lasting impression and develop deep fondness for your brand.
Therefore, spend time considering designs, colours, packaging and anything else that can improve your branded items and ensure consistency with your overall campaign.
For example:
Do eco-friendly products align with our brand message?
Are tailored welcome kits beneficial to business clients?
Will that branded item reflect our company’s image?
(6) Choose the right promotional product
While the world is going digital today, there’s something exceptional about a physical promotional product that you can touch and interact with.
Your audience can easily recall your business every time they see your logo on their reusable coffee cup, the calendar or the leather journal they use daily. Tangible items can enhance a customer’s experience and extend your brand’s reach without getting lost in cyberspace.
Just make sure you pick the right promotional products. You can’t expect a successful result if your promotional marketing products do not align with the marketing campaigns.
Want some promo inspiration?
To give you some ideas, here is a list of our suggested products that may match with that social media execution or your upcoming event.
The importance of strategic promotional marketing
When you consider these 6 tips above, suddenly you shift your perspective away from gimmick items that do nothing for your brand, and more towards developing creative applications that extend your campaign’s reach and augment its strength in the eyes of your customers.
Our team can be an extension of your Marketing department. Leave it to us, and we can come up with a creative and tailored solution.
How can Red Tomato help you?
At Red Tomato, we take your marketing strategy to the next level by providing you with innovative promotional products that serve a real purpose – elevating your brand and increasing your returns.
Contact us directly to discuss your promotional marketing strategy and we’ll work on getting you only the right products for the right clients at the right time! Phone: 1300 776 733
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a wide range of challenges for all businesses. You might be facing a lot of uncertainties due to decreasing demand levels and adjustments to your marketing timelines, which have resulted in the accumulation of too much product stock.A typical response may be a ‘knee-jerk’ reaction like throwing a big sale – however, this can damage your brand in the long run. Instead, utilising promotional marketing is an effective strategy to remain connected with your audience and help spur demand again.Creative promo marketing provides strong exposure by offering both potential and current customers tangible items – helping them remember your business both during and long after this crisis.Here are some ideas to increase sales and move some of that extra stock by combining your offline promo campaigns with online promotions.
Social media competitions
Customers are relying on social media now more than ever. They spend hours looking for information and entertainment online- this is an opportunity! You can interact with followers online by hosting social media competitions like “Spin the digital wheel”, a “photo caption contest”, “best comment competition” or “monthly draws”. Your branded items and extra stock can then be used as prizes for winners.
Engagement incentives
Rewarding people for engaging with you can help drive them forward along their buying journey.
Promotional products are effective engagement incentives because they allow you to include your personalised branding or logo on items that customers will most likely use. For example, a mug, calendar or diary.Do you need some ideas? Here are some suggested promotional materials you can tailor for your business.
Gifts for customer retention
To foster trust and loyalty, offering quality promotional items such as a cheese board or printed book is a smart way to strengthen long-term relationships. It’s also an indirect way of showing appreciation.More than anything, your audience likes the idea of receiving gifts from you. These items can help them become brand ambassadors by making them feel special.
Gifts with purchase for online orders
How can you encourage customers to purchase more products and services? By providing extra value! Offering them free promotional materials with their online orders can encourage them to increase their spend.
Staff gifts
With isolation and people still working remotely or from home, staff need to be looked after as well. You may consider sending them Working From Home kits, promo product hampers and other branded stock.This nice surprise will help them remain engaged with your brand and increase loyalty to your business while helping you put excess stock to good use.Promotional marketing is an effective way to increase brand awareness and capture more sales using the power of tangibility, especially during this period. Whether it’s a shirt, a planner or a bag – seeing your brand on useful items makes people feel more attached and closer to your business and the solutions you provide.See some more promo marketing ideas here.
But what return does promo marketing really offer?
See for yourself here, by using our Promotional Marketing ROI Calculator.
Want to build your own promotional marketing campaign to increase sales?
No worries. We can guide you step-by-step through our free Plan A Promotion service. Our team can be an extension of your Marketing department. Leave it to us, and we’ll come up with a creative and tailored solution for your business.
At Red Tomato, we take your marketing strategy to the next level by providing you with innovative promotional products that serve a real purpose – elevating your brand and increasing your returns. Contact usdirectly to discuss your promotional marketing strategy and we’ll work on getting you only the right products for the right clients at the right time! Phone: 1300 776 733Email: sales@redtomato.com.au
The recent COVID-19 pandemic has challenged businesses all over the world.
New physical distancing norms have affected events, seminars, product launches, trade shows, conferences, and live interactions.
We know that it can be tough to devise alternative ways to reach and re-engage event attendees, especially with the restrictions and limitations in place.
However, there is a way.
Through promotional marketing (or ‘promo marketing’), you can continue to spark brand awareness and stimulate engagement with your audience, even if you have to shift your events to an online format. In these unprecedented times, finding innovative promo marketing ideas to spark brand awareness and stimulate audience engagement has become crucial.
Here’s how.
Webinar gift bags
Because physical gatherings are limited right now, online conferences and webinars play a big part in organising events for your business.
But just because you’re not in person, doesn’t mean they have to go empty-handed! You can have physical event merchandise delivered straight to your clients. To promote your brand further, you can encourage people to take photos of your event’s promo products and share them for all attendees to see.
Invites are essential if you still want to run events. But, as you know, digital invites can get lost or ignored. So, get extra creative by sending customised invites using promotional materials or printed direct mailers.
Try ignoring an invite printed on a mug or a fancy printed card that arrives in the post. These will capture attention and ensure no one forgets to log in.
Exclusivity for sign-ups
To attract more attendees and increase excitement, you can put together a branded hamper or “swag pack” full of promo marketing goodies for the first 50 or 100 people to register for your online event. They’ll love the exclusivity and probably share the pack on their socials for everyone to see.
Involve interactive games
In between sessions, you can interact with online event attendees by hosting mini-games like “Spin the digital wheel”, “the best comment competition” or an opportunity to enter the draw by submitting their details on your site. Your branded promo items can then be used as prizes for winners.
Tutorial collateral
If you’re running an educational event online, then you can send them a pack in the mail with all their learning materials, some pens, a pad and even a few promo items gifts.
As you can see, promotional marketing is an avenue your business can take to increase participant engagement using the power of tangibility – even for an online event.
Our team can be an extension of your Marketing department. Leave it to us, and we’ll come up with a creative and tailored solution for your business.
At Red Tomato, we take your marketing strategy to the next level by providing you with innovative promotional products that serve a real purpose – elevating your brand and increasing your returns.
Contact usdirectly to discuss your promotional marketing strategy and we’ll work on getting you only the right products for the right clients at the right time!
Marketing today has a big focus on digital. Advancements in technology and people’s obsession with the internet has encouraged brands to shift their tactics to online promotions – whether it’s content marketing, email marketing, social media marketing and more.
However, this space has become crowded and because of the growing competition among businesses, your audience now demands a personalised and interactive experience.
While digital marketing campaigns are effective in gaining attention, they often don’t create enough impact and engagement.
As such, incorporating offline promotional products can give your marketing efforts a little more edge by making your brand more memorable than ever.
Humans are very tactical and appreciate tangibility
People naturally crave physical connection. It’s in our DNA to engage all of our senses, and our experience heightens when we have something we can touch, see and feel.
This means that when you’re building customer relationships, non-digital marketing can play a big part in enhancing your brand image.
So, whether this is in the form of physical mail, corporate promo items or branded gifts, sending promotional materials can help reinforce your marketing message in a more impactful and effective way.
Renowned digital marketing brand, Marketo, also agrees with us – recently publishing an article reminding Marketers not to forget the power of offline marketing too.
It doesn’t mean you have to choose between online and offline campaigns.
However, online campaigns can have a more significant impact when supported by offline elements too. For example, a digital campaign that involves welcoming a new client via email is good; but also sending them a card or a welcome pack too is even better.
Taking advantage of both online and offline campaigns allows you to raise brand awareness more effectively than just one or the other, and there are so many creative ways to do this.
Here are some ways to strengthen your digital marketing with physical promotional products
Having a blend of online and offline campaigns allows you to boost your overall marketing strategy.
Some examples include:
Engaging leads through gifts
Want to drive leads further along their buying journey? One thing you can do is nurture them with an offline experience after an online one.
For instance, providing a gift card that arrives in the mail will mean they interact with your brand multiple times, rather than just via a fleeting email. You may even send coffee vouchers to people who decide to book an online consultation.
Sending direct mail with a promotional package
Contrary to what many think, physical mail is still an effective tool in marketing – especially when targeting other business clients.
To stand out in more ways than by just using an email, you can deliver printed collateral to their office, or you can get creative by sending them branded items such as a mug with your core values printed on it or a desk calendar with an attached note asking them when they are free for a chat.
Drive attendance to your webinar through physical invitations
Online conferences and webinars are the new normal. But how can you excite people enough to attend?
The answer lies in sending physical invitations. The good thing here is you’re not limited to just a printed note – you can tailor your promotional products according to the theme of your online event.
To give you some ideas, here is a list of our suggested products that may match your social media content or your upcoming event.
Event merchandise leaves an impression
What about during your event – do you want to be remembered?
To convert more attendees into considering your products and services, you can provide drink bottles, pens, shirts or journals as souvenirs of their attendance.
These tangible promotional products are items they can see and use every day, reminding them about your business and what you do.
Prepare training packs for clients
If you are providing free trials of your products and services, adding training or explainer packs with useful items can enhance their experience, motivating them to invest more time and interest.
Follow up with a customised note
When you feel like your emails are being delivered into a void, you can try sending a personalised note with branded items from your company.
In this way, clients will realise you’re going the extra mile to earn their trust.
As you can see, it’s not about replacing digital marketing, but augmenting it with a physical element too. Integrating your online and offline campaigns can provide your business with more cohesive and consistent marketing that engages more of your audience’s senses, making more of an impact.
With your online digital content and offline promotional products working hand in hand, your brand can gain more recognition, achieve differentiation and experience greater returns.
Our team can be an extension of your Marketing department. Leave it to us, and we can come up with a creative and tailored solution for your business.
How can Red Tomato help you?
At Red Tomato, we take your marketing strategy to the next level by providing you with innovative promotional products that serve a real purpose – elevating your brand and increasing your returns.
Contact us directly to discuss your promotional marketing strategy and we’ll work on getting you only the right products for the right clients at the right time! Phone: 1300 776 733Email: sales@redtomato.com.au
As an Event Manager, do you think that the only events you should be attending are tradeshows? Well, we’ve got news for you. The more that you expand your vision, the more that your demographic (and business) will grow. If you are in the field of technology, get it out of your head that you can only attend IT conferences. From sporting events to concerts to street fairs, the limit of your brand’s reach is up to you. Whatever event you choose to attend, be sure to arrive prepared not only to mingle, but to make a strong connection with potential clients. In this article, we will discuss how using event merchandise will translate into gaining loyal consumers.
No matter which way you spin it, people love free stuff.
How often do you see people turn away free samples of food at your local market? How many times have you seen people go crazy for a free t-shirt at an event? Look at your collection of pens; we bet not many are store-bought. A free product is one of the easiest ways to get a person’s attention. However, we want to show you how to use that initial interest and successfully convert it into revenue.
Which events should you attend?
The first step is to choose your event wisely. Think about your current demographic and how you could expand it. Delve deeper into different age groups, ethnicities, and interest groups. For example, say you run a craft brewery. However, you are only drawing in broke, post-college graduates who come in specifically for your happy hour. Sure, you value your current clientele. Nonetheless, you realise that you, too, might be living in your mother’s basement if you don’t bring in higher paying clients.
Think about what kind of people you’d like to add to your clientele. What do they do for a living? Where do they hang out? What are their favourite activities? As the owner of the craft brewery, you may want to make an appearance some golf tournaments. Pay a visit to your local casinos or rent a booth at the next car show. Choosing the right events to attend is crucial. However, it is only part of the equation. Knowing the keys of using promotional merchandise at events will make your investment worthwhile.
How do you determine which promotional products to use?
When choosing the merchandise to pass out, don’t take the easy road. Skip what everyone else in your field is handing out. Unless you’re trying to attract writers, don’t bother with pens. Use your creativity to stand out as much as possible; design a quality product that people will actually use. In the instance of the craft brewery, a beer bottle opener, an eye-catching t-shirt, or a schooner glass would all work seamlessly as promotional merchandise. Why? Well, people who drink beer would actively use all three items. Each time they do, they will think of the brand that was so generous with them. When you are giving, it’s very likely that this act will be reciprocated – in the form of purchasing your products. This is how loyal consumers are born.
At Red Tomato, we are here to help you successfully grow your business, no matter if you’re a veteran or in the process of creating a start-up. If you would like to discuss ideas about which events or promotional products are right for you, please let us know! We will work side-by-side with you, helping you create the perfect alchemy of investment, creativity, and increased revenue. You will be amazed at how using promotional merchandise at events can lead to life-long clients, who in turn will very likely bring in referrals.
Are you ready to start planning your next event? Download your Free Event Planning Checklist and make your life easier.
1300 776 733
hi@redtomato.com.au 
