Most marketers today have difficulties competing with numerous rivals on the market. To really win in the game of marketing, you have to be better than everyone else in your industry. Being good at marketing your products and standing out from the crowd is definitely something your business should prioritize. But have you ever thought about taking advantage of marketing materials that can help you boost sales and build a stronger brand image?
Think About the Goal Before You Create Materials
The number one step, in this case, is to define the purpose you want to achieve through your promotional materials. Do you want to attract more customers? Do you want to boost your brand effectiveness? Or do you just want to hand out corporate gifts to your partners? Define the purpose and the goal you want to achieve. When you do that, you will have an easier time figuring out which items can make for great promotional materials. For example, if you want to strengthen your brand image, you can give away mugs or t-shirts (branded with company logos). You could also think of gifting a limited amount of certain items you sell to your most loyal customers.
For instance, you could sit down and figure out some good marketing gift ideas. Consider what fits your goals well and then decide what option makes the most sense. You could make a marketing gift box full of promotional material along with some of your products. This will surely show how much you appreciate your VIP customers since this kind of treatment speaks volumes regarding customer care and retention efforts.
Take a Look at Your Rivals’ Marketing Materials
Do some research on your rival brands just to see what they have to offer to the customers. You can never know when you will find something interesting that will inspire you. However, ensure that your marketing materials and products are distinctive and serve as reminders of your brand. Many companies hand out low-quality cheap gift items and that is certainly a practice that you should avoid. Avoid making this mistake since it will destroy the impression that your brand is trying to develop.
Make a list of the good and bad sides of your rivals’ promo marketing materials and items. Once you do that, do everything you can to make your offerings better.
The Gift Should Be Simple but Significant
If you aim at an overall simplistic branding strategy, you should definitely follow the same practice when thinking about your marketing materials. It’s true that some brands have no branding at all. This applies to real products with touchpoints such as packaging or commercials but also to apps or other web products.
A minimalistic approach may be the right way to go if your business is all about sacred simplicity. But keep in mind that even if your brand image does not revolve much around minimalism, your marketing materials shouldn’t be too overwhelming. This is especially true if you plan on creating gift boxes to send out. The main goal is to make one product in the box dominant and memorable. The rest should complement it. Of course, all of the complementary material should also be branded with your logo.
Collect Feedback
Once you send out the first few gifts or promo materials, kindly ask for feedback. This could be a short essay that describes customers’ feelings about the package or even a short survey that is easy to complete (and doesn’t take too long). Hopefully, you will receive honest responses and once you get enough of them, you should take some time to think about what can be fixed and what works well. Remember, being a good listener when it comes to your customers’ comments and wishes can make all the difference between a successful company and a failure.
After all, your customers are the backbone of your business. So, ask them for their opinion and take them seriously. Then try to act on it and improve things. That way, not only will you make better products and thus make your customers happier but you will also earn more profits.
Marketing Materials – Final Words
People like to receive promotional materials, marketing materials, and they really like receiving gifts. So, even a small gift can sometimes make a big difference. Maybe you disagree, but 83% of customers in the US would like to have promotional products along with ads or marketing materials they receive from companies. Let that sink in and you will probably realize how this can pay off.