How to Choose Your Swag Gifts

People are picky when it comes to making decisions. We can’t blame them, though. They don’t want just any promotional product. They want the best of the best. We all want the best.

In fact, there are over 750,000 promotional products available in the US today. And that number is even bigger if you include custom possibilities. With so many options, how do you settle with just one? And how do you know that it’s going to fit your brand message?

While we don’t have all the answers, we do have some suggestions that’ll help you figure out what makes your customers happy.

GETTING TO KNOW YOU

Open up a doc and start typing all the info you have about your customers: hobbies, occupation, gender, age, favorite show, even their Spotify playlist if you have it.

Put yourself in their shoes. What if you're targeting working mothers?. They have to make sure that the bread’s on the table -- both financially and getting the groceries -- while also having to clean up after it. Doing this every day is tiring and it turns out that they just want some time to relax.

How can you make her day better? A great gift could be a non-leaking tumbler that keeps her coffee hot for hours. If you have a little more budget, perhaps include the kind that has an autoseal so even if the tumbler gets knocked over, you know nothing is coming out.

TAKE NOTES

Going deeper into your customer’s values also makes a difference. Search for what makes them unique. Read their company’s “About Us” page, look at their social media, or even just google them to see where they pop up. Take the time to learn about what matters to them by what they’re sharing and what they're saying.

If your audience is primarily millennials, chances are they are cause-aware and would value a gift with a global give back more. A great gift for this demographic could be a scarf made by a businesswoman in Honduras, a candle poured by a developmentally disabled adult, or a notebook put together by disadvantaged youth in Chicago.

ASK THE EXPERTS

We’ve been around for quite a while and have seen swag trends come and go. We’ve helped a ton of people to get to know their audience, so don’t be shy in asking us. We have tons of creative ideas.

Our team is able to distinguish between a short-term fad and a long-term classic. Just because something is trending doesn’t make it a good gift for your target recipient. It also doesn’t mean that it will convey your brand promise. Count on us to make sure we hit this trifecta!

HAVE A CONVERSATION

Still stuck figuring out what your crowd wants? Just ask them. Engaging in conversation with your brand ambassadors is always worth the time and effort. When they receive an awesome piece of swag that ties to your brand promise, they’re sure to be thrilled and feel seen.

A good way to ask them is to send them a survey or use your social media channels!

WHAT DO PEOPLE WANT?

In your creative process, you should ask yourself:

1. Does it pass the double-take test? (Look once. Back up. Look again. I love this. I need this. Thank you.)

2. Is it useful?

3. Will it make people feel something?

4. Does it tie to my brand promise or ethos?

5. Does it connect with my audience’s experience and values?

If the answer to all of these questions is a hearty YES!!, then you just hit the jackpot. Brand away!