Is Business Merchandise Still Effective in This Digital-Driven World?

In the constant battle of focusing our efforts to keep up with all the latest technological advancements, you might be missing out on the power of the old stalwarts of marketing: business merchandise and promotional products.

We all know that businesses and especially the marketing industry are becoming increasingly digitized in the way they operate and perform tasks. You might be hearing a lot about online social media campaigns and less about tangible marketing efforts.

But are promotional products still effective in this digital world?

A survey that was conducted with marketers of various companies reported that 87% of companies heavily backed promotional products as a contributor in reaching their marketing goals. 54% of them agreed on the fact that such merchandise helps them to engage with their customers at a regular interval. And lastly, 96% of marketers believed that promotional products are one of the most effective forms of advertising.

So, yes, the results display that the promotional merchandise is relevant to its approach today also, just like it has always been.

Adding Value for Businesses

Yes, that’s what promotional merchandises are most effective in; adding values to businesses.

If you own a business or running it, where will you focus to add value? It’s in brand association and brand awareness.

Promotional products encourage brand recall in 9 out of 10 customers. Are these numbers common to your business? When compared to online, mobile or print ads have a recall of 2 out of 10 customers. Promotional merchandise is way above them in terms of adding value to awareness. 

In a study by Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI), an overwhelming majority of participants who received business merchandise such as promotional mugs kept their items for more than a year. More importantly, more than 50% of people said that their impression (value) for the business improved after receiving a branded promotional gift.

 Today, brand association and brand awareness are two key driving factors behind customers in choosing your brand over others and also in retaining your service or product over them.

In a competitive market that is oversaturated with alternatives, and an increasingly competitive internet marketplace that hinders brand loyalty, giving out valuable promotional customized products can exhibit how much you value your customer base.