Entretenir une relation durable avec ses clients est l'un des piliers de la réussite d'une entreprise. Dans cette optique, promotional items, aussi appelés goodies, constituent un excellent moyen pour renforcer les liens avec votre clientèle.
Ces cadeaux d'entreprise, lorsqu'ils sont bien choisis et personnalisés, peuvent s'avérer être true communication and marketing tools.
What is a goodie and why use it?
A goodie, or promotional item, is a gift given by a company to its clients or prospects. It can be a pen, a USB stick, a mug, a t-shirt, a bag, etc. The goal is to make an impression, to pleasantly surprise, and to create an emotional connection with the recipient.
Using goodies in your communication and marketing strategy has several advantages:
- They allow you to convey your image and logo in a durable and visible way.
- They help retain your customers by offering them a gift that will be useful in their daily lives.
- They are an excellent way to thank your customers for their loyalty.
By offering a goodie, you show your customers that you appreciate their support and trust.
Goodies also have a strong power to spread your brand. By using them, your customers are likely to share them with their surroundings, thus introducing your business to new prospects.
Goodies can also be used at professional events such as trade shows, conferences, or seminars. By offering promotional items on these occasions, you increase your visibility and create opportunities to meet and discuss with potential clients or partners.
Finally, goodies are often perceived as gifts, which provides a positive experience for your customers. They thus reinforce the positive image of your company in the minds of the recipients. Goodies are an effective tool for promoting your brand, retaining your customers, and creating opportunities to meet new prospects.
Read more: Ideas for successful event goodies
Original goodies to make an impression
While classic goodies have proven their worth, offering original goodies can help you stand out from the competition. For instance, a company specializing in sustainable development might offer a cotton tote bag, a flower pot, or a reusable water bottle.
Moreover, an original and useful goodie is more likely to be kept by the customer, which prolongs its exposure to your brand image.
The choice criteria
Choosing your corporate goodies should be thoughtful and strategic. It's important to consider several criteria:
- The target: your goodies should correspond to the expectations and needs of your clients.
- The budget: there is a wide range of promotional products available at very varied prices. It is therefore necessary to define a budget in advance.
- The occasion: the choice of the gift can vary depending on the context (trade show, event, end-of-year holidays, etc.).
- The values of your company: your goodies should align with the image you wish to convey.
How to choose these corporate goodies
1. Think useful
Offer original items that can be used daily. For example, high-tech keychains, personalized water bottles, or portable solar chargers.
2. Think ecological
Offer ethical goodies that reflect the values of your company, such as items made from recycled materials, seeds to plant, or reusable bags.
3. Think technological
Tech products like personalized USB sticks, power banks, or car phone holders are appreciated goodies because they are both useful and modern.
4. Think original
Be bold with your goodies: a lamp shaped like your flagship product, a 3D puzzle of your logo, a heat-sensitive mug that reveals your slogan... The important thing is to impress your clients and remain memorable.
5. Think practicality
Choose goodies that are not too bulky and easy to transport to facilitate distribution at your events.
Original goodies will allow you not only to differentiate yourself from the competition but also to create a bond with your clients. They are an excellent communication tool, enabling you to value your brand subtly and effectively. So do not hesitate to be creative and original in choosing your goodies!
Personalized goodies for targeted communication
The choice of goodie to give depends on your target. It is essential that the gift be useful and appreciated by the recipient. Therefore, it may be wise to personalize your goodies.
A study conducted in 2017 by the French Federation of Communication Professionals (2FPCO) reveals that 76% of respondents keep a promotional item because they find it useful.
You can personalize your goodies in various ways:
- By adding your logo or slogan;
- By choosing colors that match your graphic charter;
- By opting for shapes that recall your activity or products.
Market trends and developments in goodies
Many companies have succeeded in retaining their clients through goodies. For instance, the cosmetics brand Lush regularly offers samples of its products to its customers. Similarly, SNCF has distributed USB sticks shaped like TGVs to travelers on the Paris-Lyon line.
These promotional items have helped to strengthen their brand image and create a lasting bond with their customers.
With the evolution of technologies and consumer expectations, goodies tend to become more and more personalized and original. Notably, the emergence of connected objects as new communication tools can be mentioned. It is therefore essential for your company to stay attuned to new trends to continue to surprise and retain your customers.
