Gimmicks or Genius Giveaways?

The Power of Promotional Gifts and how they win you business

It’€™s a jungle out there. Take your eye off your customers, and your competitors swoop down and grab them. Ok, maybe a little dramatic, but customers often aren’€™t as loyal as you’€™d like to think. Building relationships increases the loyalty odds and, as we know, loyalty = repeat business. You’€™ve gone to the effort of gaining the customer, it doesn’€™t pay to ignore them now.

Free gift inside
A time-bound discount is sometimes a good way to prompt people to buy, especially for customers who are solely motivated by price. But that’€™s not everyone. The trouble with discounting is it sets an expectation of a lower price next time the customer is ready to buy.

Consider giving them a free gift with their purchase instead. One benefit is that it incentivises the person placing the order – and that may not necessarily be the person paying the invoice. Think of all those airline miles, paid for by companies, redeemed on trips to Barbados. Or the stationery supplier who gives a free pack of biscuits with every order, compared to the one who’€™s a little cheaper. Who do you think the office junior will order from? Correct. And their next tough decision is who’€™s going to brew up.

Promotional gifts, really work…
…as a thank you

• After a customer has ordered, to thank them for their business.

• On the anniversary of their first order
with you
. A reminder that you appreciate their business.

• At Christmas. It’€™s a time for giving€“ and ensuring you’re remembered in the new year.

…as a give away

• At trade shows. If they make the effort to visit your stand, don’€™t let them go away empty handed.

•  To everyone who attends your
conferences or meetings.
If they’€™ve forgotten a pen or something to write on, give them something branded with your details which they’€™ll use and take away with them.

…as a call to action

•  To encourage an order. Order by the end of the week and receive a free XX!€™.

TOP TIP – A thank you is more powerful when the promotional gift is sent separately, rather than in the box with their order. It shows you’€™ve gone that extra mile.

The World is your Mousemat€
So how do you go about choosing the right promotional gifts to get your message across? There are thousands of gifts available -€“ from the clever to the bizarre. Here’€™s some top tips to help you decide what’€™s best for you:

1. Make them useful
89% of people say they would keep an item if it were useful. Makes sense, if it has a use, customers will use it.

2. Make it complement your business
If the gift is relevant to your business or your customer demographic, you won’€™t get funny looks. Try a bottle opener if you run a wine shop. Or a sports bottle if you run a gym. How about a mousemat if you repair computers?

3. It’€™s about perceived value
How much it’€™s worth to the customer, rather than what it costs you. The more valuable your gift is perceived to be, the better the response. For instance, a wall planner might cost you as little as 30p/45c each -€“ but your customer would have to pay ten times that to buy one from a stationery shop.

Talk to your local printing.com studio and find some gifts to suit your business.

 

Top 3 benefits of branded promotional gifts:

1. Increase your brand awareness
76% of people say they can name a brand or organisation featured on promotional merchandise on their desk, without having to look for confirmation.

2. Encourages reorders
Over half made a purchase from businesses who had branded promotional merchandise on their desk.

3. Knockout the competition
Your details on their desk, or in their briefcases€, not your competitors.

Two thirds of people who receive promotional gifts make a purchase

That’s according to research from ASI. Giving away stuff to your customers can be a cost-effective way of promoting your business and helping increase repeat custom.

The study found that giveaway items are typically kept for 7 months. Imagine 210 days of your logo in their face everytime they pick up a pen, pull out their keys or play with a frisbee. Stick your phone number or website on it, so that people know how to get in touch with you when they need you.

We’ve got lots of great promotional ideas… from just a few pence each… up to high-end gifts like personalised wine and champagne or crystal glasses – perfect as a ‘thank you’ for large purchases.

TOP TIP: It’s about perceived value
How much it’s worth to the customer, rather than what it costs you. The more valuable your gift is perceived to be, the better the response. For instance, a wallplanner might cost you as little as 30p – but your customer would have to pay ten times that to buy one from a stationery shop.

 

Invigorate your Marketing Campaign with a Competition

Reward your loyal customers and generate new interest too

Share the fare
Give prizes customers will appreciate… but don’t pay ‘retail’ for them. How? Ask your suppliers. Some may give you free products, which come from their marketing budget. Remind them that they’ll be promoting their products too. If you don’t ask, you don’t get. Decide what prizes would motivate your target audience to enter. You could try joining forces with another business that complements yours. If you’re a hairdresser, partner with a nail bar. Run a restaurant? Pair up with the local theatre. You could give reciprocal deals which will also double your exposure.

They think it’s all over…
Give your competition a deadline, to give it some momentum (you can always extend it later, or run it again). When the competition is over, it’s time to pick your winner. This is a great opportunity for PR – make sure to get a photo of yourself presenting the gift to the winner. If you’re giving a voucher, get it framed to make it look more valuable. Tell the local newspaper. Get the local press along.

What’s the point?
Decide what you’re trying to achieve before you start. What do you want? More customers? Visits to your new website? Followers on Twitter? Work out what they need to do to achieve your goal and how they should enter. What information do you want to capture on the entry form? How about an email address, so you can keep them up to date with offers? Avoid asking for too much – keep it simple or you’ll put people off. It might be worth setting up a specific route for them. Create a new phone number, webpage or email address for the competition, so you can monitor the response.

Everyone’s a winner
Don’t forget about all the other entrants. Now’s the time to digest the information you‘ve collected. Don’t just let your juicy leads go cold. Consider sending out a ‘thanks for entering’ card. This could contain a picture of the winner enjoying their prize and a consolation prize for the losers – give them a 10% off voucher, a free pen or a bar of chocolate – something to say thanks. Tell them to keep checking for future competitions and promotions.

The Nuts and Bolts Checklist
Announce the competition. Use every opportunity you get to promote the competition for maximum impact. Add a signature to all your emails, an advert on your homepage, or stick stickers on everything that leaves your premises.

Display your entries. There’s loads of free blog sites out there to display your entries (including photos if that suits your competition) and it encourages word-of-mouth communication.

Sort out your dates. Plan your start and finish dates and when the results will be released. Get the timing right. Allow enough time to enter and for the competition to get going without losing momentum. Allow yourself time to pick your winners, contact them and have the announcement ready for the public (don’t forget the photo of the winner).

3 Reasons to run a Competition

1. Increase your customer database Collecting entrants’ details is a great way to expand your customer database. Get them to ‘opt in’ to your marketing and you’ll have their permission to contact them in the future. What would a list like that be worth to your business?

2. Push and Pull
Competitions are a great way to launch a new product or to give a leg up to an existing one. Use them to canvas ideas and feedback and to test the water.

Ask them to complete the sentence
“I love blah blah because…” and use these in your marketing.

3. Blogging on and on
Competitions often get quickly picked up on money saving and competition blogs and forums. It’s great exposure, and while some are just ‘in it for the money’, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to convert some entrants into customers and increase your brand exposure.