Ideas to Steal: Guys Wearing Hard Hats, Others, Use Giveaways

The use of promotional products is on the rise as distributors reported a 9.4% increase in sales to $7.8 billion for the first half of 2010, according to the Advertising Specialty Institute. That’s good news after some precipitous drops in sales last year.

So where is all that money going? Danny Friedman, vice president of Added Incentives, Inc., shares the ways that five industries are using branded promotional products, ideas that can be translated to any number of products or services.

Banks:
When promoting new account openings banks are tying services to products like binoculars (to see the vision of your future) or offering seasonal items, such as tailgate packages, fleece blankets and thermoses at this time of year (football season) or beach balls, cooler bags in summer.

Piggy banks and cinch backpacks make nice incentives for young people to sign up for Junior Saver programs as a means to get them familiar with the bank their parents use.

For loyal customers, travel mugs, acrylic tumblers or grill sets say thanks or are used as end-of-year gifts.
One bank is giving some top customers a Monopoly game where local vendors appear on the game board.

“It’s a custom promotion item that is more expensive, but what it’s doing is incorporating the community and showing them that the bank is partners with all the vendors in town with the bank the epicenter,” Friedman said.

Construction Companies are putting logos on everything mobile: jackets, lunch boxes, umbrellas, fleece jackets and other items.

“If you are trying to promote a brand, whether it’s your company as the brand or a product as the brand, you want something mobile, something that’s going to be walking around that the public can see. An item that’s not just sitting on a desk,” he said.

College
One college is conducting a mass saturation promotion to gain name recognition among high school and continuing education students. On the high end it is giving away 5,000 to 10,000 T-shirts at every college fair at high schools, as well as lower cost items like rulers.

Law Firms
When doing a lot of recruiting in the past law firms used a three-tier program to court students. Interview gifts such as a nice pen or portfolio. Travel mugs, baseball caps or backpacks for summer interns. And for students they wanted to hire, a leather briefcase, laptop bag or piece of rolling luggage.

“It’s basically keeping the process moving forward,” Friedman said.

Dentists and Podiatrists
A consortium of podiatrists marketing their services to nursing home administrators handed out stress balls shaped like a foot. Dentists do similar marketing with stress balls shaped like a tooth.

“Companies trying to get the administrators business are all fighting for some real estate on their desks so they’re seeing your name everyday,” Friedman said. “It’s just a fun little item.”

A consumer’s perception of the gifts can have everything to do with the packaging. Jay Deutsch, CEO and co-founder of BDA, outlines three packaging tips to make sure what’s inside is fully appreciated. A successful branded merchandise campaign also takes a thoughtful plan. Here are five tips to make sure it happens.