Mix It Up With Promotional Products

Do you remember how a yellow wristband raised awareness and money for cancer research? How about when everyone rushed to a certain fast-food restaurant to get their hands on a favorite bean bag toy? These are examples of promotional products— imprinted items such as giveaways, premiums, incentives, business gifts, awards, prizes or commemoratives—used to promote a product, service or company program.

Research shows that the planned and targeted use of promotional products can increase repeat business, encourage customer referrals, build employee retention, develop brand recognition, and increase customer loyalty and goodwill. The value of a promotional product is in its ability to carry a message to a well-defined target audience. Because the products are useful to and appreciated by the recipients, they are retained and used—repeating the imprinted message many times, without any additional cost to the advertiser.

Can this be used in the tanning industry? Definitely. Promotional products can be highly effective when added to a salon’s marketing mix. Keep in mind that there are a variety of ways to advertise your business, and using only one method isn’t the answer. By adding promotional products to a salon’s other efforts, you are able to complement and diversify targeted marketing and advertising techniques in your salon campaign, which can help boost sales exponentially.

The beauty of a promotional product is that it is the only medium that has the opportunity to touch all five senses, which greatly enhances its impact on the recipient. In fact, the recall power of promotional products was measured in a survey conducted for the Promotional Products Association International, an industry trade organization.

Of business travelers interviewed at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, 71 percent indicated that they had received at least one promotional product in the last 12 months. Three out of four respondents—76 percent—were able to remember the name of the advertiser that gave them the promotional product. Compare that to the 53 percent who could recall the name of an advertiser from a print publication they had read in the past week, and you can see where promotional products stand.

However, it’s also important to bear in mind that choosing the right type of promotional product and deciding how to use it is key—whatever you give your clients needs to be representative of your salon and your marketing goals. It’s important to put thought into which product to use; don’t just pick a product in order to be able to mark another project “completed” on your to-do list.

You also can turn to a certified promotional consultant in your area to help you through this process. They’ll be able to offer examples of successful promotional campaigns and will help you identify your goals and how you can reach them. To find a promotional consultant in your area, visit www.promoideas.org and enter your Zip code.