The media that rolls off the printing presses are not the only “print media” that contractors include in their integrated marketing strategies. Along with physical versions of newspapers and magazines, Direct Mail letters and postcards, business cards and letterhead – you’ve got other tools of the trade in this traditional camp. These print collaterals include promotional pieces, such as coffee mugs, refrigerator magnets, equipment stickers, pens and t-shirts, that put your company name in someone’s hand or someone’s eyesight.
They come with a long shelf life too. Because these specialty items are often seen as gifts, there’s a good chance your customers and prospects will hang on to them a lot longer than, say, a printed ad. There’s just something about a pen with your logo that people like to keep around.
As a matter of fact, the Advertising Specialty Institute says that 84% of Americans will hold on to a gift with a company’s logo and name on it. One of their studies also took note of price point compared to other media and found that pens and similar items have an average cost per impression of $0.002, compared to the average cost per impression of $0.025 for an online ad. While no one is suggesting a box of pens is essential to your marketing strategies, it’s one more idea for small businesses looking for creative ways to keep your name in people’s minds.
In marketing terminology, these are called advertising specialty products, meaning they’re an item from your company that is useful for the home, car or boat, or when traveling, or for fun. It’s got your logo and a message from your company, and it’s usually given with no strings attached. In that way, it’s different from a “premium,” which has higher value and comes with a catch – such as a bonus for purchasing by a certain date.