Promotional Products
The best swag items available to small businesses
By Nicholos Poma
Swag is a slang term used to describe promotional material handed out by a company in order to promote their business. It’s often in the form of items like pens, hats and key chains which depict the company’s logo and tagline. In some instances, these items can go a long way in promoting your business. However, it’s important to understand what types of items are appealing to your customers, and when to give them out.
Pens
Pens are a great item to give out to your customers - they’re relatively inexpensive to have made and are useful as well. The nicer the pen, the more likely the customer will hold on to it, and they will always have a reminder of your company and its products or services. The other great thing about a pen is that even if your customer loses it, it still has your company’s logo and tagline on it, and it may just find its way into the hands of another prospective client!
Coffee Mugs
Coffee mugs are another great piece of swag which your company can hand out to customers. They are a little pricier to create, but again they are useful and a little out of the ordinary, which may leave an impression with customers.
Logo Attire
Some companies will hand out items such as t-shirts and baseball caps, which are another great way to promote your business. Like the coffee mugs, this can be an expensive proposition, and it depends entirely on how much you have set aside in your budget for advertising. Of course, if the budget allows, you may want to consider jackets or pullovers as items to give away to your customers. Remember the better the swag, the more likely your customers will keep it and use it.
Golf Accessories
Another creative promotional item is golf balls. These can be imprinted with the company logo and tagline. They are very useful and relatively cheap to have printed. The one thing about golf balls is that they are sometimes lost on golf courses - however, many times they are found. It works as an advertising recycling program!
Delivery
It’s important to know when to hand all these items out. In too many instances a company might hand out swag like candy, and salesmen are the biggest offenders. However, one thing to remember is that these items cost money to produce, so it’s not wise to hand them out to just any prospective customer. It would be a good idea to give them out to existing customers as a sign of appreciation for their business, or in those situations where it is highly probable that a company or individual will become your customer.
