Radios and Stop Watches for Promotional Needs
Companies are always looking for new ways to promote their businesses. The old methods of using business cards and tote bags at local trade shows do not seem to work as well as they once did. That leaves companies searching for new and more efficient ways to get the word out to potential customers. Is there a promotional method that will work in every case? Certainly it would be nice to think there was one fool-proof method that would reach every potential customer and entice them to read all the promotional materials your company is able to provide. Unfortunately that is not going to happen, so it is essential for the advertising department of each company to develop new and innovative ways to get their company’s message to as much of the target audience as possible.
Many companies have now entered into the realm of providing promotional gifts that are more practical for their customers. Instead of the typical pens and other small tokens they used to use in the past, they have begun to choose gifts that are more useful including radios and stop watches. While these gifts may not be very practical for the companies themselves, they appeal to those who attend trade shows, seminars and conventions—namely the buyers, purchasing agents and other staff who are directly or indirectly responsible for choosing the vendors with which the company has contracts.
Are promotional products essential to a company’s business? While those outside of the advertising fields may not think these things are important in order to draw in new customers, the truth is they are more likely to draw attention than just a direct marketing letter with a business card and promotional pen or other small token. When a company goes to the trouble of sending more innovative things such as radios and stop watches it tends to draw the attention of those who can create the necessary influence. When is the last time you received a shower radio in the mail or as part of a trade show exposition? These gifts tend to show potential customers that the company is willing to spend money on advertising because they are bringing in enough money from sales to reinvest those funds.
In addition to ordinary radios and stop watches, Red Fish Marketing also offers radios for running, headsets, shower radios as already mentioned, pocket radios, and desk radios. These promotional items can help a company draw in new business or strengthen old business. Another way a company can use promotional materials to generate new sales is to appeal to customers who have not purchased any of your products or services recently or who are in a position to promote your business to their customers. Word of mouth is still one of the best means of communication though the expression has been expanded to include online communication as well—we just don’t change it to say “word of fingers” because it would sound rather unprofessional and too informal.
In addition to current customers or vendors promoting your business for you, trade shows and business expositions are excellent ways. Instead of only including a direct sales letter, financial statement, a business card and a pen or key ring in your media package, provide those who show definite interest something more substantial. With the emphasis on health today, more people are regaining the desire to exercise, so the small running radio or headphones would be just the kind of thing they would appreciate. Even if your prospect is not into running they can use these trinkets for exercising in the gym or walking around the block.
How much should you spend on your promotional materials? A better question is to ask the following questions:
- What is your advertising budget?
- What is your current sales volume?
- How much additional sales volume do you need to generate in order to make the additional advertising expense worthwhile?
- How successful have you been with other promotional methods?
While it is important to be able to remain within a specific budget, there are also other things you must take into consideration. If you have only $6,000 remaining of your advertising budget for the year and the purchase of promotional materials may cause you to have budget overruns, you need to ask yourself whether the cost is justifiable. Before purchasing those promotional materials you may want to ask the following questions:
- What is the likelihood this decision will increase your current sales volume?
- What are your projections for future sales volume based on this additional expenditure?
- Are the promotional materials only going to be used within the domestic Australian/New Zealand domestic market or will they also be used within the global community such as Europe, Asia, North America and other countries?
Red Fish Marketing has promotional materials to match everyone’s budget. The key factor is for you to work with your advertising department in order to assess your company’s needs and budgetary requirements. Trade shows and training seminars, while popular places to promote business entities, are certainly not the only places available. Your advertising department can put together media kits for your sales staff to take with them when they are calling on new customers. A company that sends sales representatives that are prepared with information about the company as well as a sales/media kit are more likely to be successful in their quests for new business.
If you are unsure what kinds of promotional products would work best for your company you may wish to look at what your competitors are offering—even other businesses that are unlike yours. You want to grasp an idea of what is working and what is not working so you know how to approach it. You want to develop something different than your competitors yet something that will grab the attention of potential customers. You don’t want to directly approach customers of your competitors, but you do want them to see you can offer a better product or service at a competitive price.
