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As the promotional products medium increasingly becomes a standard weapon in
the arsenal available to marketers and other communicators, users will just as
frequently need to ensure their clients and/or upper management that this tool
can meet goals and deliver results.
Fortunately, a variety of research is available which offers scientific
evidence that promotional products programs can respond to a host of sales and
marketing challenges.
Promotional products are useful for decorative articles of merchandise
imprinted with a company's name, logo or message and used in
marketing/communications programs.
To illustrate, here's a summary of several major research efforts:
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A study by Baylor University found that the use of promotional products as
"dimensional mailers" can significantly improve response rates over direct mail
alone. The research focused on 3,000 school administrators, divided into three
groups. One group received an envelope with a sales letter, sales collateral
and business reply card; the second, an envelope with similar contents plus a
promotional product; the third, all of these delivered in a box with a die-cut
slot.
Those who received a promotional product in the dimensional package responded
at a rate 57 percent higher than those who received the same promotional
product in an envelope. Response rates for the dimensional package recipients
were a whopping 75 percent higher than for the group that only received the
sales letter.
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Southern Methodist University (SMU) explored quite a different topic — the role
promotional products can play in gaining repeat business. Two separate studies
were conducted and, with each, the SMU research team found that customers who
receive promotional products, on average, return sooner and more frequently,
and spend more money, than customers who receive dollars-off coupons.
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A study by Exhibit Survey, Inc. revealed that promotional products programs can
provide exhibitors an edge when vying for buyer attention at trade shows. Five
different communications packages were sent to registrants for an upcoming
trade show.
Findings showed that, for instance, booth traffic was significantly higher from
the groups that received an invitation to receive a gift at the show than for
those groups that did not. And, the response rate was highest for the one group
that received a gift set: a coaster mailed before the show and a matching
coffee mug at the show.
Other studies have focused on the impact promotional products bring to employee
incentive campaigns, customer goodwill, customer referrals and business gift
programs. In 1998, research is planned on the medium's role in generating
sales. The advertising community may have its Nielsen ratings and Starch
reports. However, the university and marketing studies discussed here provide
powerful and meaningful prove-up of the benefits of promotional products.
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