Welcome to San Antonio Promotional Products!

Proudly serving Little Rock to Albuquerque since 1999!

Using collateral and branded give-a-way items can be effective tools to keep your services front of mind with clients and prospects. When these items are designed with the intention of having a useful and long shelf-life, your business is more likely to be front-of-mind when discussion around the need for services you offer arises. Referrals typically are the result of word-of-mouth advertising from those you currently serve, or those who have heard of your business through various means or marketing activities.

Collateral refers to branded marketing handouts that inform customers and prospects about your firm’s offerings and contact information. Clearly worded, well-designed, and professionally printed collateral that defines your services and the benefits of working with you matters. If you are unsure whether your collateral is sound, hand your brochure to someone you do not know – who does not know you – and ask them what services this (your) company offers, and ask them their opinion of the (your) business based on the collateral. If their opinion mirrors your ideal, your collateral is sound. If not, you have established a starting point from which your collateral can be improved.

Promotional products are branded items that can be used as give-a-ways for customers and prospects. Great promotional products are those that are inexpensive and have a long shelf life, and those that can be used by your target audience in places where they make decisions about your services.

For example, if your prospects are business owners, giving away branded sticky note pads for their office desk is an effective promotional tool that will be used frequently and provide repeated exposure. Another example is a branded beverage coaster. Giving away a product that is stationary like a coaster, versus something portable such as a mug, pen, golf balls, or the like, may cost more, however, the coaster is likely to remain in place, not get lost and used repeatedly.

Timing Matters

Collateral is most effective when it is used in a consultative role, where customers and prospects can be shown relevant highlights of printed material prior to handing it off for their review. For example, taking time to ask the customer or prospect a few basic questions will demonstrate you care while also allowing you to point directly to the collateral that contains the information they are most interested in. It is the action of showing you care, while using this collateral, which will increase the likelihood of referral business from customers or prospects.

The timing of giving away promotional items also matters. When participating in a local event, such as a parade, giving away low-cost branded items like a Frisbee or refrigerator magnet in mass volume makes sense. However, measuring the effectiveness or how many referrals stream in because of this activity will be nearly impossible.

Shelf-life and Goals Matter

There are ways to help ensure an increased likelihood that a promotional item will benefit a business and generate future referrals. Consider the purpose and shelf-life of your collateral and promotional items. If your goal is to blanket a community with a mass give-a-way such as a parade handout, more is better, and selecting an item that is most likely to have a shelf-life is ideal. Most promotional item companies source their items from similar or the same mass producer, therefore searching for a competitive price once an item has been selected is wise.

Shelf-life:

Collateral: Use quality paper and professional printing services for collateral. Promotional products: Consider sticky note pads, refrigerator magnets or calendars with local (printed) emergency contact numbers such as Fire, Police and Hospital.

Goals:

Increase referrals:

Give away something that has a long useful shelf-life.

Encourage your existing clients to share your collateral or give-a-way with a friend. This can be something as basic as giving them 3 business cards versus.

Build your database of prospects: Create a “Register to Win” handout (postcard or business card drop box) and give something away (office or party sub sandwich, iPod, flat-panel TV, etc.). Your message should move potential prospects to give you their contact information (visit your website, send you an email, drop off a registration post card, etc.).