An idea doesn’t stick around more than 200 years if it’s not a good one.

With history at least as far back as George Washington in 1789, promotional items have been around for a while. Two printers in Coshocton, Ohio, in the late 1800s are considered to be the originators of promotional products as a business. Branded book covers and marble bags were among their first products. In 1904 12 promotional item manufactures joined together to form the trade association now known as the Promotional Products Association International. Today, you can get your brand on just about anything you can think of.

In the meantime, newspapers have seen their reach diminished by radio, TV and the internet. As communication has become more digital, the real-world presence of promotional items has held steady, and by some accounts gotten stronger. A recent report by the Promotional Products Association International shows that sales of promotional items continue to grow.

An estimated $21.3 billion in promotional items were sold in 2016. The top items were: wearables (34%), drinkware (9%), bags (8%) and writing instruments (8%). The PPAI predicts growth to continue into 2018.

Staying Power

In our increasing digital world, messages are fleeting, gone with a click on a screen or a remote. Promotional items stick around and sometimes become a part of a consumer’s daily routine. A favorite T-shirt, a keychain that hangs on the wall, a flashlight or a flying disc, they all last a while.

PPAI research shows that when consumers were asked about a promotional product they had received in the previous two years, 3 out of 4 could remember the product, the advertiser and the message.

Top of Mind

That kind of recall comes from repetition is the key to getting a message to stick with a consumer, a quality often referred to as Top Of Mind Awareness, or TOMA. Put simply it means that a particular product or service comes to mind when you think of a general one category. For example, thinking about Kleenex tissues when you need a tissue, or asking for a Band-Aid when you need a bandage.

According to the textbook, Advertising: Principles and Practice, people must see an advertisement nine times before they become interested in the message. Many other advertisers swear by the “Rule of 7,” suggesting the magic number of times an ad must be seen is seven.

The number of times an ad must be seen, also called its effective frequency, can vary by product or service, but most experts agree that repetition is a key part of advertising.

Reaching into Life

Consumers are bombarded with messages and advertising all day. According to Jay Walker-Smith, president of the Marketing Firm Yankelovich, consumers now see about 5,000 ads per day, compared to about 500 a day in the 1970s.

In fact, consumers go out of their way to avoid ads. Ad-blockers, premium subscriptions, DVR fast forward features, there’s an entire industry devoted to avoiding advertising.

On the other hand, consumers will go out of their way for a free pen, or coffee mug, or shirt, or almost anything that is free. In a small survey by the PPAI, 70 percent of consumers would pick up an item they found useful. An additional 23 percent would take the item regardless of what it was. More than 9 out of ten people would take an item that carries your message. 

Those items often end up a part of the consumer’s daily routine. Ninety-one percent of consumers surveyed had at least one product in their kitchen, 74 percent had one in their kitchen and 55 percent in their bedroom closet/storage space.

Return on Investment

That access to a consumer’s life can be had for pennies. Products like branded magnets and keychains can cost less than a nickel each, but can provide daily messages to customers about a business or product. For years to come.

In the digital advertising world, you pay for every click or view of your message. With promotional items you pay once for something that may gather real-life views for years to come.

Other Keys to Success

In addition to repetition, which was discussed above, an advertiser needs to consider the message, timing, and delivery of the advertisement. What is said, when it is said and how it is spread can affect how an advertisement is received.

Keep It Simple

While the amount of printing space can vary on a promotional product, it is usually not very big. The message needs to be short and simple. Instead of “Dan’s Donuts are made with the freshest ingredients, in small batches throughout the day to be hot and delicious whenever you order,” simplify it with key words. “Dan’s Donuts, Fresh, Hot & Delicious.”

The Big Three (or Two)

In a short message it is important to include the business or product name, a memorable slogan, and a point of contact. The slogan can be left out, or combined with the business name if space is tight, but a point of contact is a must. If the message succeeds in connecting with the potential customer, there must be a way for the customer to get to the product. A web address, email or phone number are best. A street address or location may work for a business that relies on foot traffic. Businesses that skip the contact info, hoping that consumers can find them through a web search, are putting themselves at the mercy of Google, Bing and Yahoo, which may lead potential customers to a competitor.

If a business is clever or lucky enough to have a web address that includes enough identifying information, that may be all that is needed. Some good examples of this are 1800flowers.com orYouTube.com.

So when it comes to promoting your business, stick with what works, promotional items.