Promotional printing isn’t a new marketing concept. In fact, it’s more than a century old, and unsurprisingly, was originally utilized by a newspaper. Today, promotional printing and promotional products are in widespread use among many industries.

Promotional printing is an important part of any marketing strategy, and working with a reputable commercial printing company provides the best ROI.

What is Promotional Printing and How Does it Help a Marketing Strategy?

The very first example of promotional printing (that we know of) dates back to George Washington’s presidential campaign. Dedicated followers of the future first president created a series of promotional buttons expressing support for the founding father.

Promotional buttons are still in use among political campaigners, but the idea of promotional printing itself has been greatly expanded on. Today, promotional printing is used with an enormous variety of products. You’ve seen many of them – pens, tote bags, ball caps, shirts, office supplies, computer accessories and more – but this only scratches the surface. Just about anything can be branded with the help of a commercial printer.

Commercial printing companies have various specialty processes they can use to inscribe your brand’s name and information, or a logo. Aside from printing technologies that can be used on plastic, nylon and some metals, commercial printers also have laser engravers, CNC machines, and other options for advanced promotional product campaigns.

Promotional campaigns have a place in any company’s marketing efforts. There are several reasons why that’s the case, including:

1) Promotional Printing Creates Long-Term Brand Awareness

A major advantage of promotional items is their durability. A branded pen or stapler may sit on a person’s desk for months, maybe years, and provide value during that time.

And during that time, your promotional product is constantly reminding potential clients of your company. It’s a well-known fact that many people will not transact with a business until they’ve made contact with the brand several times. Promotional printing establishes that long-term contact, with branded items that fit seamlessly, unobtrusively into a person’s daily work or personal life.

Long after your company has made contact with a potential lead, promotional printing is still doing the job of converting them into a customer. In this way, promotional printing doesn’t just boost brand awareness, it boosts brand memorability – the likelihood that when a potential client requires a product or service you offer, your brand will be the first that comes to mind. An enviable position to be in, for sure.

2) Promotional Printing Expands the Brand’s Presence to Others

Promotional printing can be used with items designed for regular use and designed to be carried around. If someone walks into a grocery store carrying one of your brand’s tote bags, it’s a free ad that’s delivered to everyone who sees it. Apparel, coffee mugs and thermoses are all excellent examples of this phenomenon at work. Many small businesses have succeeded by developing strong local awareness of their business. Promotional apparel, in particular, is one of the most cost-effective approaches for doing so.

Promotional products are designed to last for months, if not years, so your company will reap that expanded brand awareness for a long time.

3) Promotional Printing Generates Additional Customers and Leads

Promotional printing and products are often “free” in that the receiver doesn’t pay money for their swag. However, by providing freebies to customers, companies position themselves in a much friendlier position and prime people to engage with the brand.

You can think of promotional items as a small bit of emotional currency. When someone receives their promotional product for free, they’re compelled to provide something in return. That something can’t be money, so many people instead are more willing to listen to a sales pitch or provide contact information. In both instances, the business has additional leads to work with, just for the cost of a pen, cup, or T-shirt.

4) Promotional Printing Can Also Boost Customer Loyalty

Promotional printing isn’t just for generating leads. It can also be intelligently deployed with existing clients to maintain brand loyalty. It’s common for business owners to get caught up courting new customers and neglecting to reinforce their existing client relationships. That’s a mistake, as plenty of market research shows that it’s much easier to sell to an existing customer than to generate a new one.

Promotional printing can be used as a small way to say “thank you” to an existing client, to recognize an important date (customer anniversary), or as a gift along with a new order.

Such gestures come at a minor cost relative to the major impact they can have from a customer loyalty standpoint. Promotional printing, therefore, can keep important customers from searching out competitors when they’re in the market for your products and services again.

Promotional Printing is a Powerful Marketing Tool When Using a Reputable Printing Company

Promotional advertising, products and printing are time-tested marketing strategies, in use for more than a century. It’s still an effective approach, as commercial printers have access to an incredible array of technologies, designed to brand a variety of items. Whether a pen, a shirt, a box of candy, a phone charger, an ornate clock, or something else, promotional printing can give your brand a major boost.