So, you’re launching a new product or service? Congratulations – what an exciting time for your business! We understand that your next step is to develop your action plan to make this launch overwhelmingly successful.
However, even with the countless social media posts, in-person sales meetings, and hours of planning out a marketing strategy, if you don’t promote the release in a way that piques your audience’s interest, it, unfortunately, will become an oversight.
Breaking away from your typical routine, maybe it’s time to try a new form of advertising. Promotional products are a creative, intriguing medium that leaves high impressions. Did you know that after receiving a promotional product, 85 percent of people did business with the advertiser (PPAI)?
It’s true, promotional products can play a huge part in creating buzz around a launch and help with generating sales. Many times, a creative campaign can also garner media attention, thus helping promote your product or service even further! Here are a few ideas on how to incorporate this popular medium into your launch's action plan.
Raise Public Awareness
Creating hype around your launch is one of the best ways to get people excited about your new product or service. Promotional products can build anticipation by acting as a physical reminder of what is to come. When you give consumers a product that they can take home and use, not only will they remember your launch, but they will be encouraged to share the good news with friends and family.
So, what’s an example of getting products into the customer's hands?
Let’s say a sparkling water company is pushing a new flavor. The company can send branded water bottles to loyal customers who already purchase the drink regularly. Then, urge customers to bring the water bottle to participating grocery stores that are offering samples of the new sparkling water flavor. Not only does this enhance customer appreciation, but water bottles are easily portable, increasing brand exposure to others.
Attend Future Tradeshows
Most of us are working from home currently given the current situation, and attending tradeshows is probably on the back burner right now. However, eventually, this heavy fog will dissipate, and our personal and professional lives will be back to normal.
With that being said, it’s always a solid idea to plan ahead. If your product or service is launching later this year, begin researching future tradeshows that you need to attend. When setting up a booth at these shows, not only will you be conversing with your customers face-to-face, but you can hand out thought-out promotional products to also pique interest.
For instance, if a gym is introducing new workout classes, the sales rep could hand out pedometers with the gym logo imprinted on the band or a branded calendar with the weekly class schedule. Not only are you informing recipients of the new offer, but they also have a class schedule readily available.
Send Direct Mail
Creating curiosity around your new product or service is imperative when trying to produce momentum before your launch. One of the best ways to do this is to directly mail a promotional item to your existing clients.
An example could be a music store now offering private guitar lessons. In order to drum up anticipation for this new service, the store could send out an emailer with the details and a logo-ed guitar pick for students to use when they sign up.
Offer a Promotional Giveaway
A promotional giveaway is an effective marketing strategy that gets people interested in whatever it is you’re launching. This free giveaway needs to align with the product or service you are trying to promote. For instance, a local pet store is designing its very own patterned collars and leashes for dogs. This pet store could work with a local animal shelter to offer a free goodie bag, filled with treats and a branded bandana, as well as a 50% off coupon to anyone who adopts a new furry friend.
Launching a new product or service is an exciting chapter for any business. It’s a time to let the creative juices flow and brainstorm clever ideas that will draw in the target audience. Why not add another component to your marketing strategy, like promo products, that is memorable and will entice customers to learn more about the upcoming offer? If you’re in the process of developing a strategy for your launch, reach out to us – we have hundreds of product ideas that will create buzz around this new endeavor.
