Business Marketing Advice: 5 Best Branded Items to Try Out This Year

Listen

Working through your yearly budget, you’re probably asking yourself what is really necessary to spend on this year—or any year. Marketing is always a difficult topic to make the final call about, isn’t it? You know it’s important, but how much is too much and what will ensure the best ROI?

To help you get those great returns, do make sure you spend the money in the best areas. Despite the digital age, branded items like embroidered shirts with logos or a branded pen are still well worth the cost. And we’ve simplified the decision-making process for you by showing which ones will be the most effective, for incase you have to reduce that marketing budget a bit. 

Branded Work Clothing

You can turn your employees into an active part of your marketing, simply by dressing them in branded work clothing. This means that wherever your staff go, your brand elements—colours, logo, slogan and even contact details—can be seen in your community. 

And this is sure to be met with enthusiasm on their side, as it makes it much easier for them in terms of managing their own budgets. You can sponsor a jacket and a few shirts with embroidered logos and tell them they’re welcome to order more if they want to. This often works out more affordable than them needing to buy new work clothes every season. 

Casualwear Items with Your Logo

Your staff can also wear some casual items as part of their workwear, such as tees. These are ideal for a more comfortable look on a Friday. But they’re also an excellent gift idea for:

• Partners
• Suppliers
• Competition winners—think radio competitions or at events in your community
• Loyal clients
• Anyone committing to a new membership or signing up for your newsletter

Experts believe it can take as much as seven times of exposure to a brand, before someone will commit to a purchase. So, a main goal of your marketing should be to simply give people more access to your logo, colours and brand message. If your network is wearing your tees, the exposure can take place much easier. 

Over time, this continual (free) publicity can also help breed trust in your company. 

Bags in Your Brand Colours

Another item that’s almost always a wise investment is ordering a few bags that have your logo printed or embroidered on them. Their functional value means people appreciate getting them and won’t simply discard them. 

Sportsbags 

A larger sportsbag of good quality can communicate that your brand is all about the detail, since you went to the trouble of picking out a durable item for the recipient. Sportsbags are versatile, so your logo may travel to sports events, when people go on holiday, or transport items to friends or family. This creates a multitude of opportunities for your brand to be viewed and eventually remembered. 

Small Bags for Portability

You want your brand’s colours and logo to move around as much as possible, because that means exposure to a larger audience. Most households will have a use of smaller bags:

• Backpacks for children’s sleepovers or use at school
• A cooler bag for picnics
• Tote bags to carry groceries or other shopping

Choose a stylish bag in any of these categories, and those you give them too will carry your brand wherever they go—even multiple times a week. 

Headgear

Many people also enjoy receiving headgear, whether it’s a beanie for the cold, or a cap to use on sunny days. These aren’t items you think of buying every time you go out clothing shopping. But they sure come in handy sometimes. Make your branded gear the accessories people reach for, by choosing modern designs and practical colours that match any clothing palette.

Fun Items

Fair enough, this category is quite vast, but let your team get creative and brainstorm about what your specific audience will view as ‘fun’. 

For example, chefs will view a branded apron as part of their daily attire. But, if you’re a supplier in the food industry, they become tools in your marketing campaign.

For example, when you set up at an industry business exhibition, ask passersby to don the aprons and try out your latest gadget or food product, or challenge them to a competition. If the aprons are brightly coloured, they will help onlookers remember the event and the vibe. 

In the process, you’re creating the most fun corner at the exhibition. 

Here are some more fun ideas to get your brainstorming started: 

• Coffee mugs with a catchy phrase that someone would smile at every morning—sure to put your brand in a good light!
• Branded board games that families can have fun with. 
• Kitchen utensils.
• Branded bags of peanuts that will put someone in a good mood when they’re urgently in need of a snack.

Conclusion

Never ignore marketing when it comes to your budget. But also, be brave and creative enough to have a unique approach to it. With a little money and appropriate branded items, you’ll be the company everyone remembers this year.