As "big data" becomes more important to businesses, and even small concerns start viewing their leads in chunks of hundreds or thousands of people, it becomes far too easy to overlook the all-important personal connection that ultimately drives sales.
After all, consumers today - both in B2C and B2B industries - are being inundated with more offers, from more companies, than at any other time in the history of media. Depending on which studies you pay attention to, the average buyer is exposed to hundreds or even thousands of ads every day.
When buyers make purchase decisions, they're unlikely to spend hours researching the dozens (or hundreds) of options available to them. While a few do, most simply go according to their gut and which brands feel most personally relevant to them.
That's why, even in a world of high-speed all-digital communications, branded promotional merchandise is still a great investment. It helps create that personal connection between you and individual leads which big data often overlooks.
Three Reasons Why Promotional Items Still Convert Leads
1 - Around-the-Clock Impressions
When it comes to getting closer to individual leads, you can't get much closer than their own desks. If one of your leads is using a desk-pad calendar, or address book, or even a pen with your brand on it, you're getting more impressions each day than you'd ever hope to get with electronic advertisements.
And when most brands' messages will be seen as an interruption or imposition, yours would simply be part of the lead's life. The familiarity from constantly seeing your brand reduces their resistance to your messaging.
After all, if they're looking for a business like yours, and your phone number is right there on their desk... why would they call anyone else?
2 - Inspiring Conversations
Another reason promotional items are so useful is that they inspire direct person-to-person conversations about your product. As great as social media is, it will never have the same direct impact as personal conversations.
When a visitor walks into someone's office, and your promotional products are in use, they become instant conversation-starters. Your promo merchandise may even get passed around between people, which adds even more impressions to the package.
Again, it's that direct personal contact that really matters, and helps buyers see you as being close to them.
3 - Being Useful To A Lead
It's all well and good to talk about impressions and lead generation, but let's simply talk gratitude. Promotional merchandise that's genuinely useful to leads will virtually always generate some feelings of gratitude, which naturally makes them more likely to use your services.
The best promotional items are ultimately chosen because they'll be useful to your target market. A quality desk-pad calendar is an invaluable tool for C-level execs, whereas a real estate agent would likely love a high quality pen to be used at closings.
That's why a strong customer focus makes for better promotional items. There's a "gift-giving" aspect to it. Picking merchandise which will be most useful to your leads creates a perfect storm of utility, impressions, and lead-building.
Add The Personal Touch With Branded Promotional Items
Even as you look to expand your electronic outreach and try to rope in thousands of new leads, don't forget the potential in simple promotional items. They create a direct connection between you and your leads, giving people a reason to remember you, rather than any of the other hundreds of brands they're exposed to each day.
Few outreach efforts can so quickly produce qualified leads who already have a reason to think well of your business.
