The 5 W's of Promotional Products

There’s a difference between knowing who your customers are and understanding why they behave the way they do. Whether you’re a veteran or a novice in the promotional products industry, it’s always worth taking a moment to review the reasons behind your customers’ actions, so you can anticipate their needs and remain a step ahead of the competition. But before you dive into the puzzling web of consumer behavior, you need to identify the five critical questions that shine a light on the customer buying cycle:

Who buys promotional products?

What kinds of products do they buy?

Where do they find the products they want?

When are they more likely to buy these products?

Why did they decide to buy them in the first place?

Who and What?

The first rule of successful sales is quite elementary – you must know who you are selling to. You don’t have to get into the personal details of your client’s lives, but having a broad overview of the industry they operate in and knowing their investment preferences can weigh in on the probability of repeat sales potential and customer retention.

A large majority of promotional products are from B2B clients rather than a B2C market.

This data gives us perspective on the specific audience-based purchasing habits of promotional product buyers. For instance, B2B professionals are generally motivated by logic and reason, with their branding strategy expanding on areas of relationship building. Therefore, they will be more inclined to purchase corporate gifts and practical items that can appeal to their business market. On the other hand, B2C professionals are motivated by emotional investments and opt for a more transactional branding approach. Their buying habits may include more giveaways and incentive-oriented product options that will appeal to a larger audience.

Where and When?

A typical promotional products business is not what it was a mere 20 years ago. The mediums of advertising alone have gone from print catalogs to broadcast channels and now have firmly landed in the hands of digital media. Plus, modern-day consumers have access to advanced technology that allows them to scout competition and exhaust all options before making an informed decision. On average, 55% of survey respondents found that social media campaigns were the most effective channel for product promotions. (Source: PPAI)

A detailed analysis of brands’ promotional products purchasing habits shows that:

And in today’s landscape, having a strong and reputable web presence is more important than ever. Promo is being used in so many different ways than it was previously! Before your customers pick up the phone to inquire about your offerings, they will search your company name and judge your branding potential based on the quality of your website after going through your social media channels.

If you don’t yet have an established online presence or want to revamp your site to bring in more customers, take a look at SAGE Websites. With plentiful customization options and modern, full-width layouts, you will have no trouble finding a virtual headquarters that fits your audience!

Why?

There are many reasons why media buying professionals bring promotional products into their marketing mix, most attributing their power of brand recall and credibility. An impressive 83% would experience a strengthened loyalty to a brand they currently shop with that gave them a promotional product. (Source: PPAI)

Companies these days are busy mapping customer experience programs that can increase their satisfaction, and ultimately generate more reviews, referrals, brand awareness, and customer retention.

What Next?

We are living in the age of the consumer, no longer the age of the seller. When you don’t just know your customer but are able to understand their goals and concerns, you can tailor your messaging to adhere to their goals and provide them with products that are a perfect fit for their business. Consider the following questions a quick entrance exam for each prospective customer:

1. How did you hear about my business?

2. Have you worked with promotional products in the past?

3. What does your immediate audience look like?

4. Who else are you comparing my business to?

5. What is your timeline?

6. What is your budget?

7. What will it take to win your business?

8. Do you have any concerns about this transaction?

Your customers want to achieve a certain outcome with their purchase and focus mainly on their business priorities. When you’re aware of their concerns, you can easily connect the dots by outlining advantage outcomes to them doing business with your distributorship. As the B2B industry gets further saturated with more vendors offering similar products, being able to articulate your value to the customer clearly will be the key factor that separates you from the rest!

This blog has been updated since its publication in 2017 for content and accuracy.