I never realized the full power or value of promotional vendor products until today.
All Buyers have a desk full of relatively cheap promotional products with logos and taglines emblazoned on them. These are the marketing give-aways or promo products picked up at trade shows, left by vendors after sales calls, or delivered by mail with sales literature. Samples that I have include fancy pens, water bottles, key chain flashlights, pape rclip holders, and wrist rests. There are thousands of other possibilities and entire catalogs devoted to them.
Let's go back in time for a moment...
A few years ago, I received a mug with a company name and website address. It's oversized - more like bowl with a handle - perfect for a bowl of soup or an ice cream sundae. In fact, I used it just yesterday for ice cream.
I know nothing about the company, had never heard of them before or since. I never needed to investigate.
Here we are tonight. I had the idea to write a post titled Vendor Metrics. What popped into my mind? That mug, which has been in my kitchen for years was the first thing. Why? The mug says, "got metrics?" (sic) For the first time, I visited the company's website.
Here's the power of promotional products: Years later, I'm about to give a company I have no relationship with whatsoever (Maybe I should blame them for making it easier for me to eat more ice cream!) free advertising in a semi-related blog. Imagine, most have us had never even heard the word "blog" when I received this mug. Keeping your name in front of Buyers can reap benefits at any time. Who knows who might read this post and become a customer of the company?
Well, now I'm off to have some more ice cream. So, thanks, TyMetrix.
P.S. Can we do something about promotional hot fudge next time?
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