People Love Free Stuff

Let’s face it: Everyone loves getting free stuff.

We all have that friend that hordes tiny bottles of shampoo from hotels. We run into a colleague at a trade show that has grabbed a handful of tchotchkes to whom you comment, “why did you take ten smiley face stress balls?” to which they reply, “well, they were FREE!”

Promotional gifts become less about the gift itself, and more about the prize of getting something for just being there.

I’m fairly sure the moment that colleague got home, they looked at the ten little smiley faces and thought, “why did I take these?” and threw them (and the name of the company that was branded on them) in the trash.

Does this mean we should all stop investing money in branded gifts? Heck, no!

Here’s a few reasons why:

1. Branded gifts make people remember your company.
   Most people (about 89%) that have received and used promotional gifts in the past 2-years can recall the name of the company that branded it.

2. They stand the test of time.
   Instead of a momentary impression (ahem, social media), many people keep promotional items they find valuable anywhere from 1-year to a lifetime. The higher-quality the gift, the longer it’s kept and used.

3. They really work!
   The numbers don’t lie - people are more likely to do business with a company that has given them a remarkable branded product.

So what’s the catch? Did you catch the italicized words in the list above?

These branded gifts need to add value to a person’s life, and be items they will use over and over again. An impact won’t be made by a gift someone uses once then throws away. Repeated use of gifts branded with your company name means repeated exposure, and a constant reminder of the value your business can provide to them.

Yes, it’s important to invest in promotional branded items. There is plenty of research to back up that the return is valuable. These numbers do come with a price though (pun intended), as the items that are represented aren’t just throw-aways - they’re items that are remembered, remarked upon by people who see them, and used over and over again.

We all love getting free stuff. But what’s even better is getting a valuable gift, that people will enjoy using. And customers, clients, and partners will notice that.

Gift Remarkably,

David

[Credit: Notto, Kristie. “ Get Your Swag On! Turn Your Customers Into Brand Ambassadors With Promotional Gifts .” Huffington Post.’]

[Credit: Cohen, Andy. “ Prove the ROI of Promo Products. ” Advertising Specialty Institute.’]