What Promotional Products Means
In its simplest form, the term promotional product is a catch-all phrase for products that are used to affect a behaviour or convey a message. But they are really a sophisticated tool. Some examples of the different ways to use promotional products are to motivate your salespeople, thank your board of trustees, introduce a new product, get your dealers to load up on more product, reduce on-the-job accidents....
Promotional products usually, but not always bear an appropriate logo, slogan or saying, known as the imprint. There are many different ways a product can be imprinted, depending on the material from which it is made.
Some common methods of imprinting include printing, screenprinting, embossing, embroidery, hot stamping, pad printing, etching, engraving, die-casting, etc. The message itself can be as simple as a company logo or as complex as a mission statement.
By their nature, promotional products are usually sold in quantity and imprinting is rarely done on a single item. And because promotional products are generally purchased in quantities, they usually cost less than the recipient thinks they do, giving them a higher perceived value. How a promotional product is packaged can enhance its perceived value even more.
Certain products have traditionally been used for promotional purposes, and are the products most typically associated with this market. Some of these products include calendars, mugs, pens, T-shirts, bumperstickers, keytags, etc. But there is really no limit to the type of product that can be used to communicate a message.
Today, there are literally hundreds of thousands of promotional products, including many high-value items like clocks, crystal, china and watches. Additionally, automotive accessories and desktop products are very popular.
