Technology is always pulling us deeper into the “digital age” that so many businesses are still resistant to. Pressure is increasing and progress is being made, but in some areas there are still many people insisting that the new age success stories don’t apply to them, and they know the traditional methods that work in their market. A great example is the idea of getting promotional materials produced and personalised with company branding. How can this still be a relevant part of marketing in 2016?
It has been suggested that digital marketing has advanced so far that it shouldn’t even be referred to as such any more, instead simply being part of “marketing” for all businesses. For a large number of brands, traditional marketing including creating physical products to help with advertising is completely redundant, and wouldn’t even be on the radar. It’s definitely possible, and usually much cheaper, to create and shape your brand image entirely using online tools like social media. You can use e-commerce channels to make sales and distribute adverts entirely online, so where would you even have an opportunity to use promotional products?
Of course, this applies to some businesses but the rule most certainly doesn’t apply to all. Some strategies are simply tried and tested, to the point that new technology can’t compete. When it comes to engaging people with your brand and creating a long-lasting impression, the digital age offers no better alternative to promotional items that you can physically distribute.
Think about it this way: if you give someone a useful item that’s printed with your branding, at first it’s just a fun gift. Sure, they realise you’re doing it to promote your brand, but it’s free! Later that item ends up gradually becoming one of their many possessions, and hopefully takes a place in their home if you judged the choice of function correctly. That turns it into a permanent piece of advertising, right there in the home of your target audience, and creates a unique personal bond with each potential customer. In an age where online interaction and success can come and go in seconds, perhaps something traditional will make all the difference after all.
