The Promotional Gifts Guide - The Vanilla Sauce Of Promotional Gifts

The essence of promotional gifts is the pulling-power they can add to any dimension of a promotional marketing campaign. The problem is that the term ‘Promotional Gifts’ covers such a wide range of uses from giveaways to executive gifts. For some it is almost as though they need to be seen to spend a portion of their promotional budget on gifts no matter what. Others though take a more strategic approach. Off course a promotional gifts company will want to satisfy all-comers but there is a lot to be said for the latter, as they tend to form longer lasting relationships and allow promotional gifts suppliers to become a more integral part of their marketing activities.

The term ‘promotional gifts’ differs in use across continents. We tend to use this term in the UK alongside ‘promotional products’ but in the US it is more common to substitute ‘items’ for gifts or ‘merchandise’ for products. Giveaways, refers to the lower-cost end of the spectrum with bulk purchases for tradeshows, exhibitions and conferences.

So what is the true vanilla? Well the point about promotional gifts is that they can be used to stimulate response to many of the marketing communications mix elements. In doing so they can help to identify spends that work and those that do not.

Reality takes a bite these days when we consider the waste involved within traditional marketing. There is now little room for ‘muck against the wall’ spending and it is important for organisations to take an environmentally-friendly approach throughout their businesses. The internet has had a big impact here as companies offer self-help brochure-ware websites and self-service database ecommerce websites. Visitors can download datasheet PDFs and information rather than request printed materials (to be sent via post) or view samples and visuals online. In fact most information these days is electronically available dramatically reducing the number of printed catalogues and leaflets.

This move to electronic-based marketing communications has had a dramatic impact on the work that used to flow naturally to printers. It is perhaps a reason why more are opting for work within the gifts segment of the promotional industry. But can promotional gifts themselves reduce marketing waste? The answer is an emphatic ‘yes’ because whether you are running print, media, broadcast or internet-based campaigns, promotional items can help improve response rates, leading to potentially higher sales and perhaps conversion rates.

The days of wasted marketing spend are over. Promotional gifts and their use in strategically targeted marketing programmes are here to stay.

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