When you own or manage a company, you must continually find ways to connect with customers and grow your business. Many people jump to online strategies like social media, email and blogging but they forget that some of the best brand interactions come from tangible items.
Swag promotional items allow brands to connect with consumers by engaging all five of their senses. When consumers are able to interact with products on a physical level, they tend to enjoy more memorable brand experiences.
Need some inspiration? Below are four companies that have succeeded with branded swag.
1. Buffer
Buffer is a growing company that offers social media engagement tools to help businesses manage multiple social media accounts. As a social company, Buffer maintains a friendly and cohesive workplace that employs 85 people across 15 different countries.
Buffer works hard to show communities what their customers mean to them. They host meetups and send handwritten notes, swag and special gifts. For example, in 2016 when Buffer turned 6 years old, the company sent out Buffer swag packs to select winners. The pack included socks, t-shirts and stickers.
2. NerdWallet
NerdWallet is an American personal finance company that assists users with making personal financial decisions. The company also does a great job of rewarding people for making smart financial decisions such as choosing the right credit cards and crunching numbers.
Aside from their free online guides and calculators, NerdWallet is also known for their savvy branded swag. For instance, one year they gave out a stylish backpack from the popular retail brand Herschel. Their branded swag even has its own name – Nerd Swag.
3. Chewy
As an online retailer of pet food and pet products, Chewy has to compete with big-box retailers like Petco and Petsmart. Luckily, the company does well by keeping their prices low, operating a licensed and accredited pharmacy and providing customers with monthly coupons.
Chewy also offers a wide range of branded swag to promote their online store. While there are a few things for pet owners (sunglasses, coasters, koozies), many of their promotional items are geared towards pets – frisbees, tennis balls and water dishes. If your pet could talk, they would say, “Shop at Chewy!”
4. SiriusXM
What’s one of the best ways to promote satellite radio? By getting it into the hands of dealerships. And that’s exactly what SiriusXM did. For one campaign, dealerships were offered a SiriusXM marketing package to share with their customers.
To keep their name front and center, SiriusXM sent out flip-style desktop calendars that also included “Dealer Tips.” With their colorful graphics and photos, SirisuXM was successful in promoting their brand and securing thousands of loyal subscriptions.
These are just a few of the companies that have inspired us and others to make use out of branded swag. To set up a marketing strategy that promotes your brand, contact Inkwell today. We have worked with many companies including SiriusXM, Benjamin Moore, the American Red Cross and Sheraton Hotels and Resorts.