BRANDED PRODUCTS PROMOTE GOOD BUSINESS

Promotional products are an indispensable marketing tool as demonstrated by a recent study which showed that distributor sales in the US in 2008 were the third highest recorded sales number.
Findings from a study commissioned by the Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) showed that promotional products increased by an average of 0.8 per cent from 2006 to 2008.This was achieved in spite of one of the worst recessions the world has ever experienced.
While the more traditional forms of advertising and marketing have fared far worse during the recession, promotional products have held their own.”This goes to show that promotional products are a cost-effective investment which give value to marketers and visibility for the brand,” according to David Schneiderman of Cyber Pens, a leading supplier of promotional products in Western Australia. 
“Anything from a promotional pen to an individually branded set of luggage can fall into the ambit of promotional products, which are a key aspect of the marketing mix.The product can be tailormade to suit a particular target market which enhances their effectiveness.Just about any product can be branded with an organisation’s name, logo, web address, tag line etc. make it very easy to communicate vital information to the target market,” he said.
According to the 2009 Promotional Products Fact Sheet from the PPAI, adding a promotional product to the media mix generates a favourable attitude towards a print ad – and the use of a promotional product as the sole advertising medium achieves maximum impact.Customer goodwill and retention, tradeshows, employee relations and events and brand awareness are given as the top four uses of promotional products. 
Tiger Woods, the world’s number one golfer, is rarely seen not wearing his Nike cap.In fact, he’s rarely pictured without his ‘swoosh’ peak.Clearly that’s part of his huge sponsorship arrangement with Nike, but it does illustrate the point that a promotional product such as a peaked cap, can be highly visible.Branded items get noticed plus people like receiving them.Promotional products are multidirectional which makes them even more effective.  They build brand visibility and they strengthen brand loyalty and goodwill among the target audience.  Moreover, they are used over and over, repeating the brand message without additional cost to the advertiser.
Promotional products go much further than merely imprinting items with an organisation’s name or logo.They make a lasting impression by appealing to all the senses – sight, sound, touch – even taste and smell depending on the product. 
It’s advisable to talk to a professional promotional products company as they can give advice on the products that are best suited for the target market and the budget.They will advise on all the latest innovations and products and provide creative yet practical solutions.
“An experienced promotional product company will quickly graasp the marketing challenge and make suggestions as to the most suitable product, packaging, budget etc.,” said Schneiderman.  “We’ve had years of technical experience and have insights as to what works best.”
Any organisation – regardless of size- can get promotional products to work for them because products can be selected according to budget.  Whether it’s an order for 50 gold watches, 500 luggage locks, 5 000 jars of jelly beans or 50 000 imprinted promotional pens, the choice is vast. It’s hardly surprising that the promotional pens industry is a billion dollar industry – which attests to its success as an essential part of the media mix and as a standalone advertising tool. 

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