Posted: 4/5/2010
It's always amazing to see conference attendees, some of whom probably earn six-figure salaries, stand in line to get that coveted promo bag. What's in it can either draw cheers or jeers, depending on how wisely corporate sponsors conceived their marketing ideas.
Promotional products are one of the most effective medium of advertising. Marketers should know that giving out generic promo items may not generate an intended return on investment. Instead, give-aways should be carefully planned to suit customer demographics that the company is targeting.
For a trade show geared towards white-collar professionals, for instance, attendees would appreciate promo items that they can use in their work. A USB flash drive is a hot item, so are decent coffee mugs, name card holders and computer mouse pads.
What's important in coming up with promo item ideas is how long these items could serve their marketing purpose, as well as their function. Promo items that can be discarded right away may not be the right vehicle to deliver the message. Marketers should put themselves in the shoes of their customers. Items that marketers would want to keep will more likely be the same items their customers would like to have.
