How promotional products are used in marketing

Promotional products have many different applications within the marketing mix, but their prime function is to communicate with customers and prospective customers.

Organisations as diverse as blue chip public limited companies and government bodies to educational establishments and charities regularly use promotional products to promote their company, brand or message.

Sometimes the objective is to raise brand awareness, generate trade show traffic, encourage customer goodwill and referrals, reward and motivate employees, or to generate leads and increase sales. One of the uses of promotional products is to inform, persuade and influence - delivering the right kind of information in such a manner that a decision to purchase will be made.

However, before being able to decide the specific role of promotional products within the marketing mix, the message and the audience have to be identified and agreed upon. Usually a range of methods are used but in order to be most effective they should form part of an integrated marketing campaign.

This is essential so that the consumer does not become confused, and possibly demotivated, from receiving mixed messages. By working together the various elements can achieve a synergistic effect.

Although proven to work well as a stand-alone advertising medium, promotional products complement and actually increase the effectiveness of other advertising media such as television and print. A clever advertiser will therefore opt for a combination of media.

As a key ingredient within any company’s marketing strategy, promotional products provide a unique and cost-effective way to enhance customer awareness and influence perception.