In the age of the internet, it seems as if it has never been easier to market your business successfully.
There are, after all, countless different tools at your disposal – including automated (and cheap) email lists, social media platforms with billions of daily users, search engine optimization tools, and many others besides.
However, one of the most basic mistakes you can make when it comes to modern marketing is to believe that these tools are all you need and that more traditional methods are redundant.
In fact, the opposite is true.
Most modern marketers are so fixated by the latest internet-based tactics that they lose perspective of the larger picture: position your business in the best way possible within your market.
Take merchandise, for example. It is one of the oldest tricks in the marketing book but is arguably more potent than ever at marketing your business.
Here’s why.
Merchandise helps customers connect with your business on a deeper level
Arguably the most critical reason why the merchandise is such a great marketing tool is that it helps your customers connect with your business on a deeper level – which is your aim.
The worst thing a prospect can be is ambivalent because they simply don’t care about your business or what it offers. Merchandise helps humanize your brand and allows prospective customers to build their own connection with your company.
It also helps if you offer custom promotional products in Tampa. Having your own custom merchandise will make it feel like a more unique, tailor-made experience for your prospects and further distinguish your business from the competition.
Offering free products is a great way to attract new prospects
The most obvious reason why the merchandise is a fantastic marketing tool is that it helps entice new prospects towards your business. If you are offering a new, unknown product, service or trying to build a following on social media, you will need an edge that helps skeptical consumers buy from or follow you.
Offering free merchandise in competitions or as a gift for first-time buyers will help you stand out from your competition and make the customer feel as if they get more for their money.
Merchandise is one of the cheapest but most powerful methods for getting your brand out there
However, there is an ulterior motive when you offer free merchandise. It gives you a priceless opportunity to have your branding scattered around your customer’s house, office, or on their clothing. For a fraction of the price of a billboard or internet advert, you can have a mug, coat, wristband, or poster reminding your customers (and anyone else who sees it) about your company. This is an excellent example of employing a bigger picture marketing strategy, rather than throwing different tactics at your prospects and seeing what sticks.
The best part about this is that, unlike other marketing tools, merchandise doesn’t have a sell-by date. As long as your customers don’t lose or throw away their merchandise, your brand will remain prominent for months or even years, massively expanding your brand’s outreach in the process.
