If you are like 99.9% of the population, you have used a promotional ink pen. This totally generic, slightly sad Bic ballpoint click pen may have had the name of a bank, a realtor, or a local restaurant on it.
The name was likely a plain, all caps block print since most of these pens are produced without the ability to upload your company’s logo.
Since these pens get picked up and left behind, it might have been low on ink, slightly chewed, and generally gross. The business being advertised was probably smudged, and even though it was a free pen, no one wanted it.
You get the picture. This is not a high-end item. It is effective as a promotional item in that it lets people know your business exists, and it likely has some sort of contact information, but it says nothing about the quality of your business or the service you provide, nothing good at least.
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Custom Promotional Products Represent Your Brand
It is pretty clear the downfall of cheap promotional products like pens. They get the word out but do nothing to make your customers and potential customers understand who you are and what you do.
Other inexpensive promotional products like drawstring backpacks and windbreakers have many of the same shortcomings. Handing out bags at a festival might get your brand carried around for the day so people can have their hands free, but those bags will probably be stuck in a car trunk, closet, or trash can after that first day of use.
One day use may be enough for your company to justify the financial outlays of expenses,
But to really maximize the value of purchasing promotional products, you should find custom products.
Custom products allow you to find products that perfectly represent your company, that will also be durable enough for your customers to wear every day, and cool enough that they will want to. Custom products are made to order, giving you one of a kind promotional materials that can showcase exactly who you are, while giving your customer something especially useful.
Custom promotional products can be any number of different products. You might choose a higher quality duffel bag to market athletic wear, or a specialty brush for a makeup company.
If your custom promotional product is well made, people will want to show it off to their friends on social media, and the conversation around your brand will potentially go viral. This means your promotional product can keep your brand awareness growing for long after the initial production of your product.
Custom Promotional Products Heighten Your Brand
As you have seen, cheap and poorly chosen promotional products will cheapen your brand. Quality, well made promotional products will do the opposite.
Choosing custom products that represent who you are, or who you want to be as a brand, heighten the perception of your company as a whole. If your products are elegant, the assumption is that your company is elegant as well.
Choosing products that are clearly designed with intention and made well will make your company seem intentional and high quality. Making choices like this isn’t straightforward.
You have to know your product, and the image you want to convey, and you need to partner with a marketing company that is able to help you convey that image. If you choose the right partners, your message can be made clear.
In summary, properly chosen custom promotional products can show your customers and potential customers the company you want to be. The right promotional materials represent you, long after the promotional period is over.
