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The youngest of the besley & copp canine support team, Darcy's strengths lie in 'lead' generation and sniffing out new business (..oh and looking pretty!)
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For reasons beyond even my canine comprehension, Milo got a guest (dog) blog, last month. We all thought he’d make a dog’s dinner of it but, actually, it wasn’t too shoddy. Judge for yourselves and take a look at his It's all about the CX. Well, every dog has his day I suppose!

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Humans are so excitable!

Then again, besley & copp are right to be excited. They have just launched a product which very niftily visualises a client’s logo across the whole range of their catalogue promo items. How handy is that! It’s ideal for franchise businesses or memberships.

If, like Milo, you’re the impatient sort, take a look here

PromotionalMerchandise 2023 | MerchBook™

.....The rest of us will take time to consider why promotional merchandise is such a good idea in the first place!

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1. Cementing brand recognition

Marketing is all about standing out and remaining visible or top of mind in a noisy market. Promotional merchandise is a tried-and-tested way of building brand awareness. When the British Promotional Merchandise Association (BPMA) surveyed marketers in 2022, over 95% of agreed.

In this nebulous digital world, it's good to have something you can put your hand on: something tangible can make all the difference. It’s an easy, cost-effective way to foster positive associations for your brand. A one-time purchase can prove to be the gift that keeps on giving, paving the way if you’re sniffing out new business.

Promo items mean the client has something to take away – something that lasts. It could be that trusted pen that they use again and again and take into important meetings. It could be the water bottle they take out on their daily run: the perfect memory jogger!

2. Promotes brand loyalty

Branded gifting builds relationships. It is a great way to show clients they matter to you. Concrete things cement customer loyalty, building an affinity with that most abstract of things: a brand. And we all have an emotional attachment to some of the stuff we accumulate over the years, whether it’s a particular picture or keyring or coaster.

79% of people feel appreciated when they get promo items, according to the BPMA survey. Furthermore, over 58.6% believed branded merchandise to be best suited for invoking loyalty towards an event or cause.

And promo items hang around for some time. What’s on your desk right now? How much of it is branded? And how long has it been there?

People do have an attachment to promo items. Humans are an odd species. Just look at the prices Starbucks mugs go for on eBay. Why are Starbucks mugs so popular?

Furthermore, as examined in Robert Cialdini’s seminal book on persuasion Influence, people feel a powerful sense of obligation or need for reciprocity (or returning the favour) when receiving free gifts.

And promo items can be effectively used in lieu of quantity discounts or price reductions. The BPMA survey found that around 51% of the people surveyed said that receiving promotional items would make them more likely to use that company in the future. And 52% said they were likelier to recommend a company's services if they received freebies.

3. A reflection of the brand’s personality

Quality branded products reflect well on your products and services. Done well, they’re a mark of quality.

Our advice is to keep things simple. There’s no need to over complicate. No one, for instance, wants to wear something ugly with a big corporate logo. But something useful and understated is not to be underestimated.

Take the rather beautiful butterfly tag round my neck. People are always telling me: “Darcy, you look very dapper!”

And of course, Nigel and Shane and the team look very fetching in their besley & copp jackets. They’re certainly very comfortable to lie on. (The jackets, I mean, not Nigel and Shane!)

And while you don’t have to be wildly original, it sometimes pays to be playful with promotional products. There’s amazing choice in the MerchBook, with everything from pens, notepads, keychains, USB drives, t-shirts, hats, and bags to the less obvious. A touch of sophistication might be what you are after, such as a lead crystal panel square spirit decanter or a Glencoe lead crystal panel goblet. Or consider the eco items below.

4. Eco aware

Of course, we don’t want to produce and give away stuff that is simply going to be thrown away. In the age of the bag for life, reusable cups, and Marie Kondo, consumers are increasingly aware of the dangers of stuff for stuff’s sake. And quite right, too!

But you can be sustainable and eco-friendly if you think quality and durability. 50% of those surveyed by the BPMA valued “usefulness” in promo items.

Water bottles are popular as we move away from single-use plastic, and the desktop cube gardens and the seeds ticks are great fun. Mighty marketing oaks from little acorns grow!

5. Tailored to all budgets

We’d add that promo items don’t have to be big or grand.

Have fun with the merch is our mantra.

And match the merch to the marketing.

Little items can make a big impact, whether it’s the wireless charger or those ingenious earbuds.   

....final thoughts

Well, there you go: 5 very good reasons for using branded gifting in business. Promotional products are a great way to make a lasting, tangible impression. Cost can be a factor, but we’ve now got the tech to allow you to visualise the end product and get a better sense of whether something actually looks good. That’s the best way to ensure positive associations for your brand and a return on your investment.

Thanks for being patient, unlike dear Milo. Here’s the link to our catalogue. The sheer variety of merch on offer may well surprise you!

PromotionalMerchandise 2023 | MerchBook™

If you’d like your own complimentary branded catalogue or would like to know more about how besley & copp can help promote your business, Nigel, Shane, and the team at besley & copp would love to talk to you.

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