Did you know 75 per cent of customers who receive branded merchandise are more likely to buy from you again? Promotional materials are one of the oldest forms of advertising, particularly in the event space. From trade shows to events and exhibitions, promotional products present brands with an opportunity to stand out and showcase products and services.
Whether you use eye-catching roller banners or are giving away branded merchandise, each element will play a significant role in boosting your marketing efforts and leaving a lasting impression. In this guide, we’ll explore the world of event promotional material by discussing its importance and effectiveness in 2024 and the different product types that can elevate your brand.
What is promotional material?
Promotional materials come in all shapes and sizes and encompass a wide variety of printed and branded items designed to market a company, product, or service.
These products serve as a physical representation of your brand’s identity and message, making them incredibly invaluable when it comes to engaging with potential customers and the wider public at events.
From branded merchandise such as mugs, bags, coasters, caps, and key rings to more traditional promotional printed products such as flyers and banners, these materials are incredibly diverse and adaptable to various modern marketing strategies.
We regularly work with brands to keep their business at the forefront of customers’ minds, providing promotional products such as notebooks, drawstring gym bags, pens, tote bags, delegate gift packs, and quirky, memorable giveaways combined with eye catching POS, banners, exhibition displays, and other printed promotional signage.
Why is promotional material important?
According to UK consumers, promotional products are the most highly regarded form of advertising and, in fact, are 2.5 times more likely to have a positive opinion of promotional products compared to online advertising.
Promotional products have a clear place in modern marketing strategies, helping to enhance brand visibility, attract the attention of potential customers, and effectively communicate key messages.
In the busy events environment where often tens or hundreds of brands are competing for the attention of attendees, compelling promotional products and printed materials will act as vital assets to help you stand out in the crowd.
Not only are these functional and often unique products the preferred form of marketing for modern consumers, but they also offer a tangible connection to your brand that digital advertising simply cannot replicate.
The physical presence of your company, combined with your range of interesting promotional products, offers a real world connection to your brand, allowing attendees to engage with your message in a more personal way.
Promotional materials at your event and, when taken home, act as valuable touchpoints for lead generation.
As attendees walk away with branded materials such as mugs, notebooks or pens, they will have a new addition to their home or office space that will ensure brand recall long after the initial event.
In distributing items such as business cards or branded merchandise, your brand can use events as a valuable opportunity to start conversations and collect customer data, which can result in future business.
These printed marketing materials are a bespoke, more personalised approach to building professional relationships with potential customers and promoting your brand.
What do customers look for in promotional material?
According to ASI, 57 per cent of consumers who own promotional products reported keeping some items they’ve received for more than five years.
Customers will always appreciate well designed and practical promotional materials that they can enjoy and get real use from.
To keep your brand firmly planted in their minds, it’s crucial to invest in promotional items that prioritise functionality and utility.
Products that serve a purpose, such as mugs, pens, tote bags, and USB drives, are often well received and, as the data shows, kept for years.
When it comes to choosing your promotional products, try to think about your customers’ needs, preferences, and interests. Offering items at an event that are visually pleasing, unique, and demonstrate creativity from your business will always stand out and leave a lasting impression.
Above all, choosing quality, durable and well-designed promotional materials will reflect positively on your brand.
The attention to detail in these products alone will tell customers everything they need to know about your professionalism and commitment to excellence.
What makes promotional material effective?
Effective promotional materials incorporate a number of key attributes that ensure they are successful in grabbing the attention of potential customers at events, conveying the desired message and driving business.
The first attribute to focus on is ensuring your promotional products are relevant.
When attending an event, your promotional materials should align with your brand, target audience, and event theme.
Your event material can be customised with everything from event dates to hashtags and unique themes, but it is essential not to overload items with excessive information. This will ensure your message resonates with attendees and serves as a meaningful reminder of your brand and the event.
The next important attribute is ensuring that your materials are simple, clear and effective in communicating your brand and message.
Promotional products can increase brand awareness by more than 96 per cent, so choosing products best suited to your brand and message is vital.
All information should be clear and concise, with clean designs and high quality images to avoid overwhelming or confusing attendees.
Any graphics or imagery can play a huge role in grabbing attention, so it is important to double-check your designs and ensure all images are high-resolution to avoid errors.
Each piece of branded promotional material reflects your brand image, so prioritise good design and quality production to ensure success at your upcoming event.
Finally, to ensure maximum impact, promotional materials should always be strategically distributed and integrated into the event experience.
Be mindful of where you display your promotional products and signage, the timings of the event and how frequently you distribute products throughout the day.
To maximise exposure and engagement, your booth layout should also be strategically designed to organically draw people in as they move through the space.
By ensuring each of these criteria is met, your brand can use these unique promotional materials to create interesting and memorable experiences that will keep your company firmly in the minds of attendees long after the event has concluded.
Examples of promotional materials
Did you know 83 per cent of customers suggested they could name the brand of the promotional product on their desk?
Promotional materials are a surefire way of putting your business at the forefront of your customers’ minds. From branded merchandise to signage and displays, there are a variety of promotional products and materials we can print to boost your brand.
Here, we’ve detailed some of the key materials we’ve worked with clients to produce that grab the attention of potential customers and reinforce your brand message.
Event flyers
Whether you are looking to generate interest ahead of an event or promote specific products and services on the day, event flyers are an incredibly useful and versatile promotional tool.
They are simple but effective in conveying important event details, showcasing products or services and driving sales or attendance to an event. By using eye catching brand colours and interesting designs, flyers can attract the right audience.
Event banners
Banners serve as a larger and more impactful visual display that can be used in event and exhibition spaces to instantly enhance your brand visibility and create a strong presence.
Whether you choose to hang your banner above your booth, as a stand alone piece or lined along walkways, banners with exciting designs and clear messaging can draw the attention of attendees.
Branded merchandise
According to a study by Sage, wearables are the top product category, followed by writing instruments, bags, calendars and drinkware, with 91 per cent of consumers who receive a branded piece of clothing stating they would wear it.
Branded merchandise such as t-shirts, tote bags, pens, notebooks, lanyards and USB drives are all incredibly popular materials that offer attendees real value whilst promoting brand awareness. Each item serves as a valuable and functional reminder of your brand that will stay with them long after the event.
Whether attendees use a branded mug in their homes or have your branded pen on hand in their office, these touchpoints have a wide-reaching impact that regularly reminds the individual and those around them of your brand on a regular basis.
Event brochures
Another key piece of promotional material is bespoke branded brochures that can be used at events to offer attendees a comprehensive overview of who you are, what you have to offer and your key messages.
By incorporating brochures packed with engaging content and visually appealing designs, you can provide attendees with valuable information they can take away with them and a reference for future purchases.
Event business cards
Although business cards are seen as a more traditional form of marketing, they still remain an essential networking tool that allows businesses to connect and communicate after events.
Modern event business cards can offer so much more than the standard name, email and phone number by incorporating exciting design elements such as QR codes, embedded NFC tags or even (AR) augmented reality features.
These innovative additions can take a standard business card and not only enhance its functionality but also provide recipients with a chance to digitally interact with your business.
Most businesses now use QR codes to link to their website, social media, or specific products and services quickly and easily.
NFC tags have also become increasingly popular as a way to allow an almost instant data exchange and connect with attendees’ devices.
AR features can also help bring your business card to life by offering product demonstrations, virtual tours, or interactive 3D models.
We always encourage our clients to think outside the box to stand out, particularly when attending events and exhibitions, and by embracing well-designed and even interactive cards, you can create a powerful networking tool that leaves people with a positive impression of your brand.
Elevate your next event with promotional materials
Event promotional materials play a pivotal role in aiding your marketing efforts at events, exhibitions and trade shows.
Understanding the importance of thoughtful design, clear messaging, and strategically placed promotional materials can elevate your brand presence, helping to engage your audience, drive business, and contribute to your overall marketing success.
At Birch Print, we have worked with countless brands across the UK to ensure they have unique, high-quality branded materials for events and exhibitions.
We can handle all your printing needs, from banners and exhibition displays to promotional merchandise. We also have a range of materials for outdoor events, such as branded gazebos, flags, and signage, to help you stand out from the crowd. In fact, we were recently commissioned to produce some large bags for our esteemed client, William Morris, with a strategic aim in mind. Their vision was to dominate the event space by providing the largest bags possible, ingeniously encouraging attendees to consolidate all other branded bags within theirs. This move ensured that William Morris branded bags became present throughout the event, effectively elevating their brand visibility,
With the help of our team, your entire project is managed under one roof to ensure seamless service and delivery to minimise the risk of loss or damage.
Take a look at our catalogue of work for an insight into the sort of promotional materials we offer!
If you are interested in collaborating with us for a streamlined project experience to create high-quality promotional materials, then don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today at 0115 951 2468 or email us at [email protected].
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