Why Promotional Products Work Printer-friendly versionSend to friend Look at your desk or inside your desk drawers. Do you have a useful product with a logo imprinted on it? What about your pen, your mousepad, or the dispenser for your “sticky” notes? Logo-imprinted products are everywhere and usually within easy reach. These imprinted products are used to promote a product, service or company program.


Promotional products have reached a high level of popularity because they are flexible, tangible and long lasting. But how effective are these products when it comes to influencing or changing one’s perception or behavior towards an organization and its products or services?

To answer these questions, Promotional Products Association International conducted a 2004 research study and the results were quite surprising.

In this study, over 800 business travelers were randomly surveyed at Dallas/Ft.Worth International Airport. Of those surveyed, at least 71 percent reported receiving a promotional product within the last 12 months. Of this group, over 33 percent actually had the promotional product on them or with them.

Effective Recall

Of those who responded to receiving a promotional product in the past 12 months, 76 percent of these participants could recall the name of the advertiser on the promotional product that they received. In comparison to traditional print advertising, only 53.5 percent of this same group could recall or name an advertiser they had seen in a magazine or newspaper in the previous week.

Lasting Impressions

In this same study, 52 percent of the participants conducted business with the advertiser after receiving the promotional product. Of those who had not done business with the advertiser that gave them the product, almost half stated that they were more likely to do business with the company that gave them the product, and 52 percent reported having a more favorable impression of the advertiser after receiving the item.

Repeated Exposure

One of the key advantages of using promotional products, as proven in this study, is the frequency of exposure. The more the item is used and the logo message is exposed to the user, the lower the cost per impression for the advertiser.

(Excerpt from PromoSolutions_8pg.pdf published by PPAI.)

 There are many reasons why buying locally makes sense. A marketplace of small businesses is the best way to ensure long-term innovation, low prices, an increase in jobs and a decrease in environmental impact.

When you purchase at local, independently owned companies rather than nationally owned businesses, more money is kept within your community. For every dollar spent at a local business, 73 cents stays in the community versus 43 cents at non-local companies. Locally owned businesses tend to support other local companies, which in turn encourages their profitability as well as the growth of the local tax base.

Neighborhood businesses generally donate more money and goods to local charities than non-local owners. As the largest employers nationwide, local companies contribute to the job market and they provide better customer service by hiring people with expertise specific to their product or service.

Owned by people who live in the neighborhood, local business owners are more likely to stay in the area, and as such are more invested in the community’s future. Economic research shows that in an increasingly regulated world, entrepreneurs and skilled workers are more inclined to invest in and inhabit communities that retain and showcase their unique businesses and distinctive character. They add a distinct character to a town and as such increase tourism as visitors are drawn to locations with unique shopping and attractions.

In cities throughout the Silicon Valley, chambers of commerce can and should be active participants in the economic development of their business communities. The Campbell Chamber of Commerce, for example, recognizes this need and works in affiliation with the city to help drive the local economy. We do this by collectively reviewing policies and procedures to ensure they are business friendly. We have also instituted a marketing plan to attract new employers to Campbell.

Like all cities, the goal is to build a strong local economy, and local governments that partner with their chambers have a genuine opportunity to turn that vision into a reality. That strong partnership is more crucial today than ever, as the economy continues to recover and competition for local dollars remains fierce.


Protect your community: Keep money local Premium content from Silicon Valley / San Jose Business Journal by Neil Collins Date: Friday, July 1, 2011, 3:00am PDT