When most people look around their homes, they find pens, calendars, rulers, water bottles, and other items that have the name of a local business on them. Known as custom merchandise or promotional products, these items may look insignificant to some people. However, they play a huge role in helping businesses achieve name recognition and other important benefits. 

According to one study, 90% of consumers surveyed stated they would remember a company’s name and consider using them for various services for at least 24 months after receiving customized or promotional merchandise. Due to the strong bond that seems to be created between customers and businesses once custom merchandise enters the picture, it is clear using this approach can change your business in many positive ways.

Low-Cost Marketing

While some larger businesses can afford to have multimedia campaigns and spend large dollar amounts on advertising, the majority of smaller businesses do not have this luxury. However, by embracing the use of custom merchandise, you and your business will immediately have an effective low-cost marketing strategy right at your fingertips. By having an ample supply of pens or other products always on hand, you can have them with you wherever you go and hand them out virtually anywhere at anytime. In doing so, you can reach your marketing goals without spending lots of money.

Building Your Brand

When customers and others receive custom merchandise from you that contains your business logo or slogan, it will instantly help you build your brand and start the process of developing instant brand recognition. Once this occurs, your business has cleared a substantial hurdle. Just like many of the world’s leading businesses, customers will be able to look at your logo or slogan and automatically know what your business is all about. Thus, when they need various goods or services for themselves or their family, it is likely your business will be the first one they call or visit.

Greater Business Exposure

While you may think airing TV commercials or having billboards around a city offer the most exposure for your business, the fact is custom merchandise far surpasses either of these marketing options. Once people have pens, calendars, coffee mugs, or other useful everyday items in their homes, your business will get virtually unlimited amounts of exposure 24/7. After all, while a TV commercial or billboard will be in front of a person’s eyes for only a few seconds here and there, using your customized ink pen, wearing a t-shirt with your business name and logo, and drinking from their favorite coffee mug each day will keep your business first in their thoughts each and every day.

Better than a Business Card

While business cards can be an effective way to tell people about your business, they far too often get stuffed into billfolds or tossed into drawers, where they are rarely if ever looked at again. However, by choosing instead to use custom merchandise or promotional products for your business, you get all the benefits of a traditional business card without having to worry about customers forgetting about you along the way. Though a business card may get tossed aside, a great ink pen, calendar, t-shirt, or coffee mug will always be used by people on a regular basis. As a result, your business will remain popular day after day.

Customer Loyalty

Finally, your business knows it will succeed if it is able to attract and retain loyal customers. Believe it or not, promotional products and custom merchandise play a big part in making this happen. By giving customers these products, it makes them feel far more special than if they simply got a letter in the mail from your business. Once customers receive custom merchandise from you that is of the highest quality, they will automatically assume your goods or services are of the highest quality as well, creating a win-win situation.