As humans, we are used to following the latest trends and leaving the old ones behind. And honestly, we believe that it’s a necessity, especially when we are running a business.
If you are an entrepreneur or C-Level Executive, you’d not only be looking forward to attracting the maximum number of your prospects and customers towards your business but also crush your competition.
The reason why we used the word ‘crush’ is that we mean it. If you don’t crush your competitors and get a leg up on them, they won’t hesitate to do it for you. They won’t mind giving you a helping hand when you’re shutting down your business.
Don’t let them! In today’s ever-competitive world, if you want to break through the noise, it’s really important to do things differently. And while physical promotional marketing may be a trend of the past, multiple businesses worldwide have capitalized on this trend to build a rock-solid foundation.
To help you gain deeper insights into the power of physical promotional marketing, we’ve rolled out a brilliant piece revolving around the subject titled “4 Incredible Benefits of Physical Promotional Marketing.”
That being said, to get the most out of this iconic strategy, it’s critical to keep yourself updated with the latest trends.
This blog post lists down and goes deeper into the five promotional product marketing trends businesses should look forward to in 2022.
Without further ado, let’s dive in.
5 Promotional Product Marketing Trends You Should Look Forward to in 2022
Here are the top five promotional product marketing trends to capitalize on:
- Work From Home Products
- Virtual Event Giveaways
- Wireless Products
- Full Custom Products
- Eco-Friendly Promotional Products
What are these trends all about? Let’s gain deeper insights.
Work From Home Products
Okay – so this isn’t really a new trend to capitalize on. Most of us have been working from the comfort of our couches since early 2020. Initially, companies had to ask their employees to work from home because they had to – in order to curb the spread of the virus.
At first, work from home was more of a temporary thing for both employees and employers.
However, a year and a half into the Covid-19 pandemic, we’re witnessing an ever-increasing number of employees not wanting to return to the offices. Some like it, some don’t. Honestly, it’s a complicated situation.
In the near future, once the Covid-19 pandemic has been completely dealt with (bye-bye Covid-19, you suck), we may witness companies switching to a hybrid model – where some employees will work from home, whereas others will return to the office.
However, you’ll be shocked to know that 16% of the companies worldwide are 100% remote. At the same time, tech giants like Facebook, Atlassian, and many more have announced that they are allowing their employees to permanently work from home.
This means the “work from home” model is going nowhere. And it’s here to stay. As an employer, if you want your employees to stay productive, you need to keep them happy. You need to make them believe in your company’s vision and mission – and there’s no better way to do it than by offering free goodies. Also, you can help them set their own home offices (for a permanent work from home situation), by sending their way branded physical promotional items like laptops, wireless chargers, blue light glasses, notebooks, mugs, and anything they need to set up their home offices – all with your company’s logo on it.
At the same time, if you are planning to build a loyal customer base, you can do the same by sending your customers free goodies that will help them in their day-to-day lives while they are working. For example, you can send them branded wireless chargers, pens, water bottles, and more which will help you make sure that they have your business’ name at the top of their minds.
Virtual Event Giveaways
“With nearly a year of sheltering in place and prolonged absence of in-person events, it has been really amazing to see the creative ways that the brands have continued to engage with their audiences through transformative virtual experiences.”
– Jonathan Yaffe
With digital being the new normal, we’re expected to witness an increase in the number of people tuning in to virtual events. The virtual event industry was at its peak throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. And during this time, we witnessed brands engaging with their audience and their employees in various creative ways.
Examples of some inspiring virtual events:
- National Geographic Storytellers Summit 2021
- QS Reimagine Education 2020 – Scheduled in December 2021 this year
- Tomorrowland – Lined up upcoming events
And many more!
Just like work from home model, virtual events are here to stay. And we’re witnessing event organizers trying to brainstorm ideas – thinking of innovative ways to engage their audience. And one of the things that have helped them boost engagement and attract as well as retain the maximum number of their audience members are giveaways.
Branded apparel like T-shirts, polos, hats, jackets, and other items with your brand’s logo on it will really help you engage your audience in a manner you’d have never seen before.
Hosting events is one of the best ways to engage with not only your audience but your employees as well. And you can drive online engagement and build up excitement by hosting giveaways and generating buzz around them.
Offering free goodies via giveaways during virtual events will not only help you boost your engagement but also build authority and position your brand as lovable and trustworthy.
Wireless Products
“When wireless is fully applied, the earth will be converted into a huge brain – capable of response in every single one of its parts.”
– Nikola Tesla
Gone are the days when we used to spend our precious minutes untangling those messed-up earphone wires. These days, with brands like Apple, Samsung, One Plus, and many more rolling out truly wireless earphones, our lives are a whole lot easier.
And the same is the case with keyboards, chargers, and various other devices we use in our day-to-day lives. In fact, it’s the era of wireless. And the best part is – we’re witnessing people switch to these wireless devices as if they were born to use them.
That being said, your target audience and employees will simply fall in love with your brand if you offer them branded wireless earphones or phone chargers. And since we use these devices 24/7, every time they see your brand’s logo on the devices they’re using, your brand’s image will flash right in front of their eyes and if you apply the right tactics and strategies, they would be proud to say, “I love {Your Brand’s Name}.”
Fully Personalized Products
Personalization is powerful. 36% of consumers have reported that brands should offer better personalized experiences. At the same time, 71% of consumers have revealed that impersonal shopping experiences make them feel frustrated.
If you run an eCommerce store, you can 2x-3x your retention rate by sending a personalized hand-written note along with the product that your customers ordered.
Here’s an example:
Or you can offer a personalized promotional product like a wireless charger, t-shirt, hat, pen, water bottle, mug, notebook, and more. If your customer’s name is Nathan, you can have Nathan’s name ingrained in the free pen or the cover of the notebook.
And when they see a brand putting in extra efforts, you’ll be building a positive image of your brand in their minds – which in my opinion is the best marketing strategy EVER.
Eco-Friendly Promotional Products
Sustainability sells. 77% of US-based consumers have reported that they are extremely concerned about the environmental impact of the products they use. At the same time, over 56% claimed that they would use a credit card for calculating and offsetting the environmental footprints of the products they purchased.
In a nutshell, if you want to show your consumers and employees that you care, do it 100%. If you want them to love your brand, make sure that your brand’s beliefs align with theirs.
These days, people are really concerned about the environment. They hate companies who are hell-bent on destroying our planet just for the sake of earning a couple of extra bucks.
It’s not only about showing your consumers and employees that you care about them. At the same time, you need to make sure that your brand’s values align with theirs.
Offering eco-friendly products will help you not only leave a great impression but also showcase your brand’s ethics. Doing this will help you position your brand as credible and trustworthy – which is why we’re witnessing more and more companies offer eco-friendly promotional items to their consumers and employees.
Show Them You Care!
While physical promotional marketing is one of the most classic marketing tactics, it’ll help you do wonders for your business. By offering physical branded products, you’ll be building an emotional connection with your customers and employees.
Every time they touch your product and see your brand’s logo or other visual elements, you’ll be building a bridge to your audience’s hearts.
And if you are doing it, you need to do it right. Even though physical promotional marketing is an old-school marketing strategy, you need to keep yourself updated with the latest trends and capitalize on them to achieve the best possible results.
Focus on the trends we’ve listed in this blog post and trust me – you’ll see incredible results.
So, what are you waiting for?
