Hotline Blog

When you hear the word promotional giveaways...

When you hear the words ‘promotional giveaways’ what do you think immediately?  Promotional pens? Promotional bags full of freebies?  Printed logos? Exhibitions and tradeshows? Fundraising giveaways? Free promotional gifts?  The lists of associated words are endless and the term is coming more and more familiar as the days wear on.

Promotional giveaways have been around for many years and are still highly popular due to their success and demand in many business industries.  Their marketing potential is second to none and they represent a cost effective way to create brand awareness easily.  Promotional giveaways are usually small, inexpensive gifts which are given to existing customers, potential customers and anyone else as a good will gesture.  It is always nice to receive something for free and sending out a promotional giveaway is the perfect way to achieve this.  They can be used to say ‘thank you’ , ‘welcome’ or even ‘remember us!’

Promotional giveaways can be effectively used in a number of situations: corporate days, sports event, quiz night, competition, tradeshow, conference, seminars, charity event and product launches.  And if you are not making your brand stand out you can guarantee that your competitor will be!  It is vital that you present yourself at these important events to drum up some support and recognition for your product/service.

Promotional products / giveaways can also act as a lure to persuade people to buy a certain item or amount of items.  ‘Buy this ... and get the fabulous...for FREE!!’ etc.  The customer is then more likely to go with your product then competitors if they feel they are getting something extra within their deal!  This can also be a seasonal gift e.g. an ice scraper in the winter or a sample bottle of sun tan cream in the summer.  Seasonal gifts are actually very successful and are used on a regular basis!

The best products to use as promotional giveaways

Hmm.. the best products to use as promotional giveaways? People always want to know what the best promotional products are and which are the most successful where brand awareness is concerned.  The answer to this question is simple – just pick one of the following and you are guaranteed to see success bloom in a matter of weeks.  The most important factor to consider is what the product is actually being used for and what time of the year it is.  You must think of its usability.  What would be the point of investing money into a promotional item that the customer has no interest or use for?  Promotional items such as promotional mugs, printed T shirts and promotional pens are ideal as they are constantly used throughout the year.  Pick any of the following three and see the results instantly.

Promotional mugs:  You see them everywhere, in the office, in the staffroom, at home and even in shops and schools.  They are not the cheapest promotional giveaway on the market, however when you weigh up their shelf life, it all seems worth it in the end.  As with anything, there is always a budget busting cheaper option and an executive stylish alternative.  People become very attached to promotional mugs and can keep using them for years and they become a highly effective advertising tool.  I would strongly recommend the Manhattan printed mug or the stylish Griffin mug.

Promotional Keyrings: I would say that 90% of people in the UK possess a key ring of some sort.  It may be a key ring brought on holiday, one given to them as a promotional giveaway or one that has been lying redundant around the house for the past couple of years and has suddenly come into use.  Popular  promotional key rings at the moment include the Ad loop keyring, the value printed keyring and the liquid keyring.  All different in appearance and budget yet all highly effective from all angles.  Just think of them as a personal message carrier carrying your logo and contact details from place to place for people to see!

Promotional bags:  Everyone is going ‘ saving bags’ crazy.  You go into a supermarket and they ask you if you want a carrier bag for you 1002 items brought and you feel bad that you haven’t brought your own ones in! It’s ridiculous!  However there is a solution you can offer your clients - a printed cotton tote bag which they can use for years to come.  We could coin it ‘a bag for life!’ but I guess that would be copywrite.   Carrier bags, tote bags, ruck sacks, cases etc all have a huge potential where advertising is concerned because of their huge print area and the fact they are carried around from location to location.  Take a look at our selection of bags today!