There are two main goals for retail businesses. The first goal is to attract customers and the second goal is to retain customers. Both are a challenge, requiring you to think about what it is that your customers truly want from you. While you may believe that it is all about the products, that couldn’t be further from the truth. To obtain customer loyalty, you need to prove that you are deserving. A great way to spark this relationship is by giving free corporate gifts to reel them in.
When you receive a free gift, it feels like you are special and lucky. It inspires you to further learn about the business that it came from. This free item could be a trial membership to your latest program or a sample of your products. No matter what it is, promotional giveaways are a smart strategy. The following are some of the most innovative promotional items that you can use for marketing to retail customers.
Custom 3D Pop Up Cards
Cards are the perfect way to tie your promotional items together or stand alone entirely. No matter the age or background, people love receiving them. They indicate that you genuinely thought about that person. But don’t go with just any old card that you can pick up from a rack at the grocery store. An example of an effective, impressive custom 3D pop up card for your retail business comes from Ruhlin Group. It features the Cutco knife that kicked off its business of gifting options and strategies. The 3D knife is set within a cutting board, and rises upward to make it more dynamic. By giving their clients this innovative promotional item, Ruhlin Group is able to position their most notable product in an interesting way, right in their mailboxes.Graphic T-Shirts
There is an immense amount of shirts flooding the market. Everyone wears them, which can make them a good investment for business promotions. Few things exist that are able to cross gender, cultural, and economic boundaries as easily as T-shirts do. Unfortunately, not all of them are comfortable. If you decide to create graphic T-shirts to promote your business, make sure that they are high-quality and extra soft. This will reinforce the value of the efforts of your team because customers will note how your free T-shirts compare to others. But comfort isn’t the only thing that makes this an innovative promotional item. Step out of the box and make the design abstract or otherwise visually exciting. It doesn’t have to just be your logo, although it still should be representative of your business.
Hats and Beanies
Apparel across the board continues to be seen as an important tool for advertising. You are able to pick whatever colors and styles your team likes the best. And custom embroidered logo hats, in particular, are a sure-fire way to increase brand recognition. Not only are they affordable, but they are long-lasting and can generate thousands of impressions in a single year. They act as your everyday business card (although you can still also pass out your creative 3D business card at events). Ultimately, hats and beanies are part of a marketing technique that makes people more likely to buy from your business. These innovative promotional items can be thrown on whenever someone leaves their house, and they are commonly worn during sports. They can be seen by passersby while out shopping, subtly convincing others to look you up online.
Photo by Greta Hoffman on Pexels
Eco-Friendly Tote Bags
Many grocery stores today don’t offer plastic bags anymore. This way, they are able to reduce their waste. The Austin City Council even announced the Single-Use Carryout Bag Ordinance (SUBO) back in 2012. A few years later, it was reported that, when it came to the litter composition, there was a 75% reduction in the number of plastic bags. With this in mind, going the tote bag route with your promotions is especially fitting for Austin-based businesses. Consumers will appreciate having a high-quality bag on hand for their shopping needs. Design it to be a more innovative promotional item—something that they want to reuse many times when they go to a store or trade show. You could opt for recycled cotton or unique mesh panels, for instance. And going with full-color imagery will especially make it pop.
Company Pens
Take the time to brainstorm some items that you know customers will regularly use. They shouldn’t be things that the recipient will look at once and put away. It defeats the entire purpose of attempting to create brand loyalty. Practical gifts are some of the best things that you can give. For that matter, you can be incredibly cost-effective and still dramatically boost awareness of your business. Are you looking for an inexpensive yet innovative promotional item? Go with a company pen that customers will be able to use whether they are taking notes during meetings or making a list of what they need to pick up from the store. On it, you can include your logo and contact information. So, every time the recipient sees it, they will think of you.
Tumblers and Water Bottles
Need a way to market your business on the go? Look no further than branded tumblers and water bottles. These are useful marketing tools because of their convenience. Fresh water is a gift in itself! Tumblers and water bottles give the recipient greater access to quenching their thirst, while simultaneously making them feel appreciated. And this innovative promotional item pays for itself by securing you free advertising. When your customers take their tumbler or water bottle on a hike or run, your branding will be prominently displayed for any passersby to see. This will draw people in. Note that there are many types of water bottles. You can use aluminum, glass, or stainless steel for environmentally-friendly options. Determine your budget and what kind of customer you are targeting.
Photo by Melissa Keizer on Unsplash
Unique Stickers
90% of word-of-mouth conversions are happening offline. Although businesses should have an online presence, getting physical with your marketing materials is critical to success. You can think small when it comes to innovative promotional items. Stickers will certainly do the trick. In fact, stickers are an ever-growing trend amongst millennials and Gen Zers. They are known to place them on their water bottles and laptops, which could be seen by others in the library or coffee shop where they hang out. This is due to them wanting to call attention to their interests and passions. Perhaps your business can make the cut with memorable, colorful stickers. You might even want to use a sticker on an envelope when you send direct mail. This makes it even more exciting for the recipient to open. Inside might be a 3D card from Texas!
Personalized Keychains
Think about all of the keys that you have to carry around. These might be the keys to your home, your car, your office, your mailbox… And you put them all on a key ring or lanyard so that you don’t have to keep track of them separately. Keychains make for good innovative promotional items on account of the fact that people won’t misplace them. They have to take their keys with them every day, after all! So, find a keychain style that can reach your customers and effectively showcase your business. Perhaps an aluminum bottle opener keychain is your style. Alternately, you might be leaning toward personalized carabiner keychains. In either case, you can make your name known through engraving.
Remember, 3D pop up cards are an excellent accompaniment to other promotional products! Adding a custom corporate 3D card with your other promotional gifts adds that “little extra” that is sure to set your brand apart from others.
No matter what time of year it is, your retail business can benefit from sending direct mail. With custom 3D pop up cards, you can make that strategy even better. This unique brand of innovative promotional items from Awesome 3D Cards will undoubtedly delight your prospective buyers and current customers alike. Design a one-of-a-kind 3D model that captures the spirit of your business. What do you hope for in a promotional pop up card? Kick off the process today for a fully-custom model that will result in an increase in interest toward and sales for your business.