Let lead-gen gifts pave the way to future wins
When putting together plans for an annual conference for higher-education professionals, Dawn Renta doesn’t think just about the upcoming event. She also considers what it will take to bring people back the following year.
Renta is president of the Middle States Association of Collegiate Registrars and Officers of Admission (MSACROA), a regional professional development group for people working in higher-education admissions, registration, student services and other areas. MSACROA’s yearly conference draws about 150 attendees from around the East Coast. Each year, it’s held in a different city.
At the start of the conference, every attendee receives a swag bag. Inside is a magnet imprinted with the date and location of next year’s conference.
Make your branding stick
“People come to the conference and walk away with a physical reminder of the next one,” said Renta, who also is director of graduate academic operations and student progress at West Chester University in West Chester, Pennsylvania. “If they put that magnet on their refrigerator or filing cabinet, it’s constantly in their line of sight. It keeps us in the front of their mind.”
Focus on the long term
MSACROA’s strategy nurtures leads over an extended period. Using promotional products as lead-generating gifts—also known as lead-gen gifts—helps turn today’s success into momentum for the future.
The likelihood of a recipient doing business with an advertiser after receiving a promotional product increases by up to 41%, according to research. But when that positive business outcome happens varies. It could happen immediately—or it could take days, weeks, months or even years.
An incentive to foster relationships
Another organization keeping an eye on long-term success is McColly Real Estate, an independently owned and operated real estate company in Schererville, Indiana. Drew Ranich, director of relocation and referrals, said the company celebrates the closing of referrals by giving out items like boat tote coolers, luggage identifiers and water bottles.
Halcyon Water Bottle with Flip Carry Lid // Grip-it Luggage Identifier // Boat Tote Cooler
A referral sale happens when a McColly agent connects a friend or family member with an agent outside the local market. The company is part of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World®, a network of independent brokerages in more than 70 countries. A referral sale nets agents a cash payout plus a few lead-gen gifts to celebrate the occasion.
“I’ve seen deals close as fast as 30 days, and I’ve seen some go on for three years,” Ranich said. “That’s just how it is in real estate. You never know.”
Branded gifts are given to recognize a colleague’s effort to help a fellow agent within the network and often come at the end of a lengthy process. Ranich said when other agents see a gift delivered to somebody in their office, it reminds them of the referral process and might inspire them to chase down a lead.
Because agents are independent contractors, the gifts also serve as tokens of appreciation. The real estate industry is highly competitive, Ranich said, so the company wants to show agents they are valued. “The gifts also have McColly Real Estate branding, so it’s good promotion for the company,” he said. “I’ve known agents who use some of those products as gifts for their own clients. They’ll fill the tote bags with some nice stuff and use it for a closing gift.”
Staying top of mind through branded gifts
MSACROA and McColly Real Estate are two organizations harnessing the power of lead-gen gifts. The biggest rewards of these efforts may take time to develop, but using promotional products to keep customers, clients and others thinking of your organization can prove valuable in the long run.
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