There’s a lot to think about when starting up a business, and often not much of a budget to cover everything that you’d like to do. This might leave you thinking that marketing and promotion should be put on the back burner for now, but it shouldn’t. Marketing isn’t something you can put off until you’re bringing in more money. It is the way to make more money.
One way to start promoting your new business from the beginning is by using branded products.
The benefits of branded products for your start-up business
When you first start a business, your main disadvantage is that no one knows who you are. You need to establish a name and reputation for yourself in order to gain more exposure and bring in more customers. This requires strong and consistent branding, and the materials to back it up. By using and distributing branded products, you can increase brand recognition and awareness.
You can even use promotional products to market your business passively by turning your early customers into brand ambassadors. Include a branded gift with their first order as a way to thank them for their custom. If they then use or wear that gift in front of others, they are giving your brand more exposure while you work on other aspects of running your business.
Another benefit of using promotional products is that it can be a very low-cost and cost-effective marketing method. You can promote your business using cheap (in cost, not in quality) items like pens, keychains, and mugs. If you’re buying in bulk, you get even better value. Much cheaper than paying for a huge billboard to promote your brand.
With the above benefit in mind, here are some low-cost branded products that would be great for advertising your start-up business:
- Pens – Handing out free, branded pens may seem like a cliché, but people are unlikely to throw out a pen because they’re handy to have nearby if you need to jot down a phone number, for example. You can use more interesting styles of pens, too.
- Tote bags – Since we’re all being encouraged to cut down our plastic use, tote bags are useful to have around for grocery shopping. Your customers may keep them folded up in their purse or in the trunk of their car for whenever they need them.
- Mousepads – If you give free mousepads to office workers, they’re likely to use them every day without even thinking about the branding printed on them. But, subconsciously, your brand will be at the back of their mind, helping them remember you for future purchases.
If you’re looking for branded promotional products for your start-up business, check out the range of products we have available to custom order online from Custom Advertising. Contact us to find out more or to get a quote for your advertising products.