4imprint, LLC

| Updated: February 15, 2023

Why use promotional products

  1. Promotional products leave a lasting impression
  2. Promo products have staying power
  3. People love promotional items
  4. People are willing to purchase promo items
  5. Promotional products are useful
  6. Eco-friendly promo items cast a favorable light
  7. Promotional products span all generations
  8. People keep promotional products on-hand

Editor’s Note: This blog post was originally published in January 2017 and has since been updated to incorporate updated research on why to use promotional products.

 

Whether used for branding, lead generation, gifts or fundraising, promotional products get the job done. The vast majority (90%) of recipients remember the branding on their promotional item (PDF). And, each and every time they use that item, they are reminded of the same business. If you’re asking the question “why use promotional products,” here are eight more reasons why.

 

1. Promotional products leave a lasting impression

Woman receiving a branded pen.

To help your brand leave a positive, lasting impression on consumers, consider offering useful promotional giveaways. For example, you could welcome first-time customers with a soft-touch pen or an LED flashlight. You could also thank customers who’ve been with you for the long haul with a high-quality useful promotional item like a wheeled duffel bag. The goal is to provide a gift that will be used over and over again, keeping your brand top-of-mind for new and long-time customers.

 

2. Promo products have staying power

Person giving away a branded ball cap to another person.

 

 

One of the best things about promotional giveaways is that most of them don’t stay with the same consumer—they get passed on, exposing your brand to even more eyes. In fact, 55% of consumers give promotional products to someone else when they’re through with them. Seventeen percent save their promotional items. Only 20% throw them away. When choosing promotional giveaways, think about an item that will be easy to hand off to other people. For example, a mesh ball cap or a coaster set are easily passed on to customer’s friends or family after they’ve hung on to them for a while.

 

3. People love promotional items

A "# 1" in the middle of a blue spiked circle.

Another reason to use promotional products is that consumers love them! Promotional products are the most highly regarded form of advertising—over newspaper, radio, magazine, television, internet, and mobile. Items that are fun, useful, memorable or delicious to make consumers happy they received your form of advertising—promo products! Think anything from a simple squishy stress reliever to a treat box filled with mouthwatering pecan turtles.

 

4. People are willing to purchase promo items

Branded T-shirt, tote bag and water bottle.

Nearly a quarter (23%) of consumers say they bought a promo product in the last year. People love useful promotional items so much, they’re willing to give money for them! If you’re considering selling promo items in addition to (or in place of) handing them out, consider what would be most useful to your specific audience. For example, if you’re a sporting company, offer a branded sports duffel bag for them to pack their gear in. If you sell gardening equipment, consider selling metal garden shovels with your logo on them.

 

5. Promotional products are useful

Logo'd pad of paper, pen and USB drive

One of the top three reasons people keep promo products is that they’re functional (PDF). People like to receive something that won’t sit on their shelf and collect dust. For example, a power bank tech kit with chargers, a USB pen or a jumbo 24/7 pill organizer are useful items that serve a purpose.

 

6. Ec0-friendly promo items cast a favorable light

Recycled tote bag, notebook and water bottle.

More and more people want promotional gifts that are sustainable. In fact, the percentage is getting closer to the halfway point, with 46% of consumers saying they have a more favorable opinion of an advertiser if the promo product they received was environmentally friendly. One sustainable yet useful promotional item is a growable planter gift kit with herbs. Your customers will be reminded of who you are as they care for their new plant or whenever they snip off fresh herbs for home cooking! If you’re a retailer, consider bagging purchases in a recycled cotton tote. Or if your audience tends to have young kids or you sell products for children, consider handing out an eco-friendly fun sticker book. It’s a great way to make your logo “stick” with them!

 

7. Promotional products span all generations

Desk covered in promo products including laptop bag, calendar, pen cup and mug.

From millennials to Gen Xers to baby boomers, all generations hang on to promo products, with Gen X owning the most at 34 (millennials owning an average of 30 and baby boomers owning about 28). Promotional gifts are a great way to reach all ages. An older adult might appreciate a snapback hat or a comfy robe while a college student may prefer to rock a pair of wireless ear buds.

 

8. People keep promotional products on-hand

Four consumers. Two of the four are grayed out.

More than half of consumers keep some promotional products for at least five years, and 40% of consumers have kept a promotional item for over a decade! When handing out useful promotional items, think about the kinds of things that people will want to keep around. For example, a personal espresso set or a stemless wine glass may get lots of daily use for years to come. In the end, your brand has numerous opportunities to appear on well-loved and often-used promotional items. With so many choices, you’ll gain business and fans!

 

Why use promotional products? Why not!

Now you have answers to the question, “Why use promotional products?” Through all sorts of avenues, promotional items can be a great way to increase sales, leave a lasting impression and retain more customers. For countless other ways to use promotional items and reap the benefits, check out our promotional product learning center. And then give promo items a try for your business!