Do we all know what swag is? Basically, it’s an item with your brand on it – a pen, box of mints, coffee mug, magnet, frisbee, etc.
Something that people can touch – something tangible – can set you and your brand apart and be a great complement to your other marketing campaigns.
According to Active Campaign, promotional items are a $23 billion industry! That means companies are investing heavily in promotional products. So why do they work so well?
When you give someone something, it’s in their nature to give something back to you. That could be their time, their contact information, or something else. But you’ve got their attention and the opportunity to likely collect something from them. This means either a new lead, or perhaps moving a prospect further in the funnel.
The statistics, from Buzztag:
- 85% of people like receiving promotional products
- 58% of people keep their promotional products for 1-4 years
- 73% of people use a promotional product once a week
- 8 out of 10 people remember the brand advertised
- 21% of people make a purchase after receiving a promotional product
Here are my 7 steps to successful swag:
- Make sure your swag item is somewhat related to you industry. For example, a health and wellness company may hand out water bottles to promote the drinking of more water.
- Cater to your audience. Like anything you make as a part of your marketing plan, think about what your audience will find useful. Will they really wear that t-shirt? Do they have a desk where they might find your item useful? Put yourself in their shoes.
- Think logically. For instance, if you are handing out swag at a conference, make sure it’s something small that people can pack away in their suitcase. Otherwise, these items get left behind in hotel rooms.
- Make sure it’s interesting. Even if your swag item is something sort of basic – like a pen – make sure there is something unique about the item to catch your audience’s attention.
- Don’t go cheap. If you get something that appears cheap or breaks quickly, you won’t see a return on your investment. Get something great, that your audience will love and want to keep.
- Consider going the useful route. Things like pens, shopping bags, earplugs, etc. are things that people can always use, and are therefore something they are more likely to hang onto.
- Consider really standing out. I once worked for a company that gave out flying stuffed animal monkeys. Any show, client meeting, etc. people couldn’t wait to get their hands on one. Toys, electronics, etc. also offer unique opportunities to stand out.
Things like brochures and business cards can be a necessary part of getting your sales message out there. But people don’t rave about brochures or show them to their friends. Swag items have the ability to do that through a little creativity.
Any great swag items you’ve seen lately? I’d love to hear about them!
