These days it seems like everyone is talking about using the internet to promote their business. Obviously, I don’t have to tell you that using the Internet to promote your business can be effective; However, let’s not forget that offline marketing can be just as effective, if not more. An excellent method of advertising offline is the use of promotional products.
Promotional products are a cost effective and low cost way to get your message across, these items can help you get in front of your customers and more importantly stay there. In this article we will see the importance of residual marketing.
First of all, I think it will be useful to define what is meant by residual marketing. Residual marketing is a way to continually market from a previous effort. That means you receive benefits from your marketing long after the event (trade show, outlet, conference, etc.) is over. This is similar to how an actor earns residual income every time their movie plays on TV or a song writer earns income every time their song plays on the radio.
This lingering effect is what gives residual marketing its power and why it is so important. Think about it, you only have to do the job once, yet you reap the benefits of your work over and over again. One of the easiest ways to do residual marketing is through the use of promotional products.
In fact, one of the reasons promotional products are so profitable is because of their residual marketing benefits. Let’s say, for example, that you send a letter to a prospective client to introduce your services. This is the first step in marketing, getting in front of your prospect. Does the challenge become creating a strategy to stay there? What better way to do this than by using a fun and functional promotional product that will be used over and over again.
For example, instead of just sending a letter to a prospective client, why not include a letter opener, luggage tag, keyboard calendar, or jar opener?
Now every time they use your item, they are kindly reminded of your business. They feel good about you and your company, after all, who doesn’t like receiving a free gift, right? Especially one that is useful.
Now, when the potential client needs your service, they will be more inclined to call you instead of your competition. You see, you only had to market to your prospect once, but you received residual benefits because you included a promotional item with your letter. That relatively inexpensive plugin worked for you time and time again without any effort on your part, like a silent salesperson.