Promotional merchandise to complement your business

Custom promotional products are a savvy form of marketing, with seemingly endless options. From bags to pens, mugs, sweets, caps, toys and even bottled water, you're sure to find something that matches the needs of your business.

"Promotional merchandise puts your business name out there and reinforces your branding," explains Lindsay Bragg from Limitless Promotions. "And it's much cheaper than using print media or television."

Inventive promotional products

Unusual or 'linked-in' promotional products can be fun, and can tweak the imaginations - and therefore the wallets - of customers in ways that more common products may not. While it may be easy to opt for a promotional pen, consider how many of those you will be competing against.

Rather, consider promotional merchandise that ties in with the type of product or service you offer - for example, a hairdresser might get promotional combs made. That way, whenever a person is combing their hair, they will be creating a positive association with your business.

Communicating through merchandise

Custom promotional products are also useful for giving potential customers a good sense of your business. For instance, customised soft toys might suggest that your business is approachable and family friendly, while champagne glasses may create an association of sophistication.

Basically, think of the links that potential customers might make between certain types of products and your business and you're on your way.

Maximum visibility

While using custom promotional products can work well to capture the attention of potential clients, Lindsay doesn't believe it's crucial to match the merchandise to the business.

"It's more about having a promotional product in your client's face all the time," he says.

Coffee mugs are a prime example, according to Lindsay, as many companies that don't make beverages use them as a promotional tool.

"A coffee mug sits on a person's desk all day," he says. "So it's there when they are thinking about making a decision. It's about visibility - what has the most exposure for your client base and the field they're in."

Benefits of using custom promotional products

They're fun - people like to receive them - and this will generate goodwill among potential customers so that they're well placed to become actual customers.
Promotional merchandise is an inexpensive form of advertising, given its relative cost when compared with TV and print.
Custom promotional products act as repeat advertising - the message is 'repeated' each time a product is seen or used, and at no extra cost to you.