Everyone loves a gift. That’s why marketing giveaways of promotional items are such a popular way to garner new business. Marketing studies show that using marketing giveaways can help you attract new business, retain current customers and bring old customers back to the fold. Before you run out and plunk down a roll of money on some fancy little trinkets with your company’s name on them, though, sit down and plan out how marketing giveaways can fit into an overall promotional and marketing plan for your company. If you don’t, you won’t ever know if the marketing giveaways you chose actually did their job – or if you really were just giving them away.

1. Define the goal you want your marketing giveaways to accomplish.
That may seem like a no-brainer – you want them to increase your business, of course! But by narrowing your focus down and deciding exactly what part of your business you want to increase, you can choose marketing giveaways that specifically target those customers and encourage them to contact you.

Example: You want to encourage current customers of your accounting business to sign up for a new invoicing service. What sort of marketing giveaways would help? How about fold-up tote-bag imprinted with your name, accompanied by a letter inviting them to ‘use our tote to bring us your customer records and get 10% off 6 months subscription of our new invoicing service’.
2. Choose marketing giveaways that inform your prospective customers about your business.
Remember that the keyword in ‘marketing giveaways’ is marketing. While it’s valuable to get your name in front of customers, you increase that value dramatically if your marketing giveaways can tell your customers about your company and how they benefit from using your services.

Example: You want to introduce customers to your new line of low-carb bakery goods. One of the best marketing giveaways you can use is a coupon for a free sample of one product. That way when they come in to redeem their coupon, you have the chance of selling more of your products.

3. Get all the mileage you can out of your marketing giveaways.
One of the best marketing giveaways around is one of the oldest – the calendar. Use a custom calendar to give your customers a new reason to come back every single month.

Example: You want to bring customers back to your auto service shop as often as possible. A calendar can become 12 months worth of marketing giveaways simply by highlighting a different, appropriate service for each month – “It’s almost snow season – have you got your snow tires on yet?” or “Time to have your air conditioner recharged!” on the appropriate month will remind your customers of needed services … and bring them straight to your door.

By setting goals, choosing your market and planning in advance, you can make marketing giveaways do double and triple duty for your business. Why just give away marketing giveaways when they can work for you?