How Promotional Merchandise Can Drive Your Business

Promotional merchandise is available in many formats, from badges, pens and keyrings to clothing, mugs and umbrellas, all of which are usually imprinted with a company's name, logo or message. When used imaginatively to develop solutions to marketing challenges, promotional merchandise can help drive your business by increasing brand awareness, generating tradeshow traffic, improving employee retention and more.

The impact on your brand image can be significant with recipients of well-targeted promotional merchandise gaining a more positive overall image of your business. As a result, they are more likely to recommend your business to others and give you their custom.

Promotional merchandise can also have a significant effect on increasing tradeshow traffic. A US survey* found that 71.6% of tradeshow attendees who had received an item of merchandise could remember the name of the company that gave it to them, and that 76.3% had a favourable attitude towards the company as a result. By including a promotional product with a pre-show mailing, you can therefore greatly increase the number of visitors coming to your stand. This in turn will produce more leads and ultimately more sales.

Regardless of the actual or perceived value of the item, most promotional merchandise is appreciated by the recipient for its practicality. Because it is often kept and used on a regular basis, your advertising message will therefore gain repeated exposure without any additional cost.

Promotional merchandise can be a great way of making a positive impression on your customers, prospective customers and employees, which can only be beneficial to your business.