I’ve been writing quite a bit about content marketing and the appeal of having your intellectual capital on full display online. But a client asked me this question the other day, and I thought it was worth answering. Are promotional materials (swag, tchotchkes, doodads or whatever you call them) still worth it? The answer has to be a resounding yes! Promotional materials are an excellent add-on to an integrated campaign. Mugs, t-shirts, a URL on the back of your car…all of these are excellent reminders and for the most part, really inexpensive impressions. Here are a few ideas that work well for “on the ground” marketing to supplement your online work:
- If you want to bump up your web traffic, try paying a few people running the next 5K to wear a t-shirt bearing your company logo and website address. Sometimes family and friends will do it for free.
- Find a really unique product that people won’t want to lose. I love the mood pencil, that changes color with your mood. http://www.qualitylogoproducts.com/pencil-personalized.htm
- Hand out hats to your friends (again, runners or x-country skiers always love a free hat!) and make sure they wear them. Often, you’ll create brand ambassadors for your product as well. People always ask about a logo or brand someone is wearing.
- I’m not a huge fan of junk on your desk, but people usually need a new coffee mug from time to time. This is a pretty expensive piece, so make sure you have a nice one that is usable.
