What Are Promotional Products?

Building relationships with people who matter to your business is hard work. Promotional products work to strengthen those connections in a way that feels personal, memorable, and human. When someone sips coffee from a branded mug or writes notes with a custom pen from their bag, you stay part of their everyday world. 

Marketing strategies in today’s world have shifted to social media campaigns, online ads, and fleeting pop-ups. Promotional products, unlike social posts that disappear with a swipe, are a physical object that carries your message. The experience creates the memory. The memory reinforces your relationship.

Your company may handle hundreds of marketing decisions each year. Promotional items remain one of the few tools that build brand visibility without demanding another moment of screen time from your audience. They sit on desks, travel through airports, ride in backpacks, and show up in meeting rooms. Promotional products recall through physical contact. You create trust through usefulness. You create recognition through repetition. They continue to work even while you sleep.

Think about the thousands of forgettable digital ads you scroll past daily. Now look around and see if there’s a branded pen, custom logo tote bag, or promotional mug in your vicinity. Promotional products are effective and underutilized tools in an age when attention spans are short-lived. From drinkware to drawstring backpacks, custom logo promotional items can transform your brand’s visibility and lead to success.

What are Promotional Items?

Promotional items, also known as promo products or swag,  are useful items that carry your logo, company name, message, or design. You can print them, engrave them, embroider them, or deboss them. Hand them out to employees, clients, or prospects for brand awareness or give them away as a thank you to show appreciation. 

Promotional products are used to create effective marketing campaigns. From a simple pen to a premium jacket, your promo product delivers three things: a brand impression, an experience with your business, and a reason to remember you long after the first introduction. 

Someone may toss a flier, but they will keep a great notepad. Someone may skip a digital ad, but they will keep a stainless tumbler for years, creating lasting impressions. When a product features a company’s logo, slogan, or contact information, your promotional items act as physical marketing tools, integrating into the daily lives of potential customers.

Promo Product Quick Facts & Statistics

To get a quick idea of how useful promotional products can be for your business, our promotional product industry experts have put together some easy-to-digest facts and stats.

• According to Sellers Commerce (opens in a new window), 87% of people keep custom promotional merchandise for more than a year
• More than half of promo product recipients (opens in a new window) will look up the company that gave it to them, and almost half will post on social media with or about the product
• Advertising Specialty Institute (opens in a new window) states that items like travel mugs, tumblers, and promotional drinkware can create upwards of 3000 impressions for your brand
• Promotional giveaways are cost-effective, with a lower cost per impression than most other forms of advertising, depending on your platforms and products 
• Consumers are more likely to purchase from a company that gives away branded items

How Custom Promotional Products Work for Your Brand

Your company grows when people remember you. Promotional items let you stay visible in environments where decisions happen. A pen sits in a meeting room. A tote travels through a trade show. A water bottle visits a gym. Each moment becomes another impression.

Will promotional products increase sales? Promotional products can lead to an increase in sales as you build your relationship with your target audience. When you hand out products that align with their interests, you increase the likelihood that they will return to purchase your products and services. 

1. Boosting Brand Awareness, Recognition, and Recall

Promotional products are a proven way to increase brand awareness. They spark interest at trade shows and street fests and are sought-after freebies at sporting events. Your company’s brand makes an impression the moment someone holds one of your products, and continues to keep your logo visible again and again in offices, homes, and public spaces.

How can promotional products improve brand recognition? The more useful the item is to the recipient, the more your brand is seen and remembered. This builds familiarity and trust.  Handing out items like custom stickers, bottle openers, or promotional umbrellas means your organization’s name and logo are seen repeatedly. Studies show that 80% of consumers can recall a brand’s name (opens in a new window) after receiving a promotional product.

2. Strengthening Corporate Culture and Identity

Promotional items help your team feel connected. When employees receive branded apparel, stainless steel water bottles, and desk accessories, they feel part of something shared. Culture grows through symbols, and custom-branded products create a sense of belonging. 

When employees wear or use these products outside the workplace, they spread brand visibility organically. Offering promotional items as part of employee welcome packages, at company picnics, for work anniversaries, or during events can boost morale and solidify your company's culture.

3. Appreciation Gifts and Incentive Programs

Promotional items are also effective tools for showing appreciation to clients, partners, or employees. A thoughtfully selected promotional gift, such as a high-quality power bank, an upscale cooler, or an embroidered name-brand jacket, can leave a lasting positive impression. Many businesses also use promotional products as part of incentive programs to reward performance or celebrate milestones. This builds goodwill but also motivates further engagement with your brand.

4. Visibility on the Go

When you hand out promotional products like tote bags and custom logo sweatshirts, they bring visibility wherever they go. This expands your brand’s reach to a wider audience, generating thousands more impressions as these items are seen by others in public places . It’s like having mini brand ambassadors all over. 

When To Use Promotional Products & Giveaways

Promotional products can be used year-round. Any time is a great time for a promotional marketing campaign. They fit into any scenario with a chance to create a meaningful moment,  whether you already know the recipient or not. They are a powerful touchpoint in a customer journey and are great for welcoming clients and employees to your business. 

What are the most popular promotional items? In our 20+ years of experience, we’ve seen our clients buying the following promotional products for these events and giveaway opportunities:

• Company swag bags - Branded merch like coffee mugs, totes, chargers, and t-shirts
• Tradeshow giveaways - Easy to grab stress balls, business cards, and occupation-specific promotional items
• Staff and volunteer uniforms - Lanyards, retractable badges, flashlights, and keychains
• Golf outing sponsorships - Golf balls, golf towels, sunscreen, lip balm, and koozies
• Parade handouts - Branded candy, beaded necklaces, foam fingers, and hand fans
• Customer loyalty gifts - Embroidered polos, long sleeve tees, and premium gift sets
• Holiday gifting - Gourmet gift baskets, fitness trackers, and wellness gifts
• Onboarding kits - Useful office supplies like sticky notes, padfolios, stylus pens, and laptop bags

How To Measure The Performance Of Your Promotional Products

You want to know that your investment works. You can measure impact through impressions, sales influence, retention, customer feedback, or cost per impression. Unlike digital ads, where referrals, clicks, and impressions are instantly trackable, the effectiveness of promotional items requires more nuanced metrics. 

Impressions Over Time

One of the most common ways to gauge the impact of promotional products is by tracking the number of impressions they generate. Impressions refer to the number of times a product, and therefore your brand, is seen by consumers or those around them. For example, items like tote bags, jackets, or drinkware can generate thousands of impressions over their lifetime as they’re taken out into public spaces. 

To calculate this, consider how frequently the product is used and in what settings it’s likely to be seen. A travel mug, for instance, is used daily. It will generate far more impressions than a pen kept at home. The higher the value and the more practical the item, the more times it will be used. The longer the lifespan of the item and its visibility, the more effective it will be.

Sales Impact

Promotional products can directly or indirectly lead to sales. Tracking their effect on revenue can be done by integrating promo items into marketing campaigns with specific call-to-actions like coupons, discount codes, or special offers tied to the promotional item. By monitoring redemption rates and comparing sales figures before and after the promotional campaign, you can assess whether the items are driving customer purchases. 

Additionally, customer loyalty programs that incorporate promo products often result in repeat purchases. Measuring customer retention rates after distributing these items can provide insight into their effectiveness in building ongoing business relationships.

Customer Engagement and Feedback

Customer feedback is a valuable tool in measuring how well your promotional products are being received. Encourage customers to provide reviews or share photos of the products on social media. This not only boosts brand visibility and creates user-generated content, but also helps you gauge customer satisfaction with the items. If your customers are actively engaging with your promotional products online, it’s a strong indicator of success.

Cost Per Impression (CPI)

The Cost Per Impression (CPI) calculates how much you are spending for each impression your promotional item generates. When you divide the cost of the promotional product by the number of impressions you expect it to create over its lifetime, you’ll get your CPI. The longevity of promotional products often makes the CPI lower for promotional products than for other forms of advertising, such as TV or digital ads.

Read More: How to Get Promotional Products When You’re in a Time Crunch

How To Choose the Right Promotional Products & Company Swag

Make sure you’re representing your brand and giving your target audience something they’ll use when you pick your promotional items.  How do I choose the right promotional product for my marketing campaign? When choosing your promotional products, consider the objectives of your campaign, your industry, and the interests of the recipients. Start by asking yourself a few key questions:

• What message do I want to convey with this product?
• Is the item practical for my audience’s daily life or work environment?
• Does it align with the tone and values of my brand?

Take it one step further and think about the occasion or event that you plan to feature your promos. For example, a tech conference might be the perfect venue for branded wireless chargers and tracking tags, while a wellness event could benefit from eco-friendly apparel or yoga mats. Choosing items that are relevant to the event or your industry can increase the number of impressions they generate​.

Eco-friendly products & sustainability are becoming more and more popular. Choosing sustainable materials, recycled products, or items made from ocean-bound plastics demonstrates your brand’s commitment to environmentally conscious values. In fact, 46% of consumers prefer eco-friendly promo products (opens in a new window) and think of companies more favorably when they go the extra mile to be green. 

Using Promotional Products for Corporate Gifting

Promotional products make corporate gifting both thoughtful and strategic. A well-chosen corporate gift reinforces business relationships. High-end branded products are perfect for VIP customers, employee incentives, and client gifts.  

During the Christmas season, gourmet gift baskets are a best seller for holiday gifts. They are thoughtful and can brighten up the breakroom of an entire office. Another great corporate holiday gifting option that will continue to spread awareness is embroidered apparel. Golf shirts, custom outerwear, vests, and warm winter beanies are more premium gifts you can give to your loyal clients and employees.

For more information and help selecting your corporate Christmas and holiday gifts this year, check out our Corporate Holiday Gift Guide.

FAQ About Promotional Products

Who buys promo products?

Promotional products are useful across all industries and types of organizations. Corporations and small businesses, non-profits, and even political campaigns buy promo products to spread their awareness. We have even seen consumers buy promo items from 4AllPromos to use as wedding favors and keepsakes at family reunions.

How can I customize promotional products with my business logo?

Choose the promotional product you feel will perform best at your event and add it to your cart. Once you’re in the checkout, you can upload your artwork, and our art team will get to work digitizing your design.

You’ll get an electronic proof to approve before your products get sent to production. If you aren’t quite satisfied with your proof, we will revise it and send another until you approve. Once your items are out of production, they’ll be shipped to your door. 

Can you sell promotional products?

Yes! Once you order your products, they are yours to hand out to people or sell in your shop. Most businesses use promotional products to generate awareness, but they’re also great to use as branded merchandise, limited edition apparel, and product runs, and to populate new products in a boutique shop. 

How does a logo get put onto a promo item?

Logos are applied to promotional items through various methods depending on the material of the product.  Here are the most common techniques:

1. Screen Printing: Each color in the logo is printed separately, which makes it cost-effective for simple designs.
2. Embroidery: Used on fabric items such as hats, jackets, and bags, embroidery involves stitching the logo onto the item using thread. 
3. Laser Engraving: Often used for metal, glass, or wood products, engraving involves using a laser to etch the logo onto the surface. It’s ideal for high-end products like pens, drinkware, or plaques.
4. Pad Printing: This method uses a silicone pad to transfer ink onto objects with irregular shapes or surfaces, such as bottles or pens. 
5. Sublimation: This allows for highly detailed, full-color, vibrant images that won’t fade over time.
6. Process Printing: For full-color logos and detailed images, process printing combines cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (CMYK) to create a broad range of colors.

Why do most promotional products have minimum order quantities?

When promo items have minimum order quantities, it’s to distribute all the costs of producing, shipping, and setting up customization options across the products. It would be very expensive to have our distributors produce only a single product. Minimum order quantities make it profitable for both suppliers, like 4AllPromos, and distributors, and affordable for our customers.

 

Promotional Item Recap

You build stronger relationships when you connect with people in ways they can see, touch, and use. From a branded pen on a desk to a tote bag carried through city streets, promotional items create thousands of impressions and put your brand in the lives of your audience. They build awareness and develop brand recognition, recall, and trust.

Your company succeeds when people recognize your name, trust your message, and remember their experience with you. Promotional products create those moments. They work quietly, they work consistently, and they work for years. In addition to boosting your brand visibility, promotional products strengthen corporate identity and even boost sales. Integrating them into your events and corporate gifting means more brand touchpoints with clients, employees, and prospects. 

The key to success lies in choosing the right product for the right occasion. Whether it's a simple mouse pad, useful tech accessories, or a high-end corporate gift, promotional products build deeper relationships, increase engagement, and enhance your brand’s reputation. The data is clear: businesses that invest in quality promotional items see positive returns.

Sources

1. Promotional Products Association International. (n.d.). Hungry for promo? PPAI Media Hub. Retrieved October 24, 2024, from https://www.ppai.org/media-hub/hungry-for-promo/ (opens in a new window)
2. Promotional Products Association International. (n.d.). Nine in 10 consumers remember branding on promotional products, study finds. PPAI Media Hub. Retrieved October 24, 2024, from https://www.ppai.org/media-hub/nine-in-10-consumers-remember-branding-on-promotional-products-study-finds/ (opens in a new window)
3. Advertising Specialty Institute. (2023). Global advertising specialties impressions study: 2023 edition. ASI Central. Retrieved from https://media.asicentral.com/resources/Ad_Impressions_2023.pdf (opens in a new window)