3 Steps to Building a Great Promotional Campaign

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Promotional products can be the most effective part of your marketing efforts, but only if they’re based on a strategic campaign, not the other way around. Far too often, companies select and distribute promotional products without considering how they’ll fit into a broader campaign.

So how do you build an effective promotional campaign? Begin with these steps:

1) Start with strategy – The first step to an effective campaign is building a thoughtful promotional strategy. Ask these questions:

  • What’s our key objective?
  • What’s our audience for this campaign?
  • What’s our primary message?
  • What resources will we need?
  • How should we position our brand in this promotion?
  • What will this promotion accomplish for our company?

Before you set the campaign in motion, make sure you already have the resources you’ll need.

Also, think about timelines: seasonality, the reasonable lifespan of the promotion and lead times. Then review your campaign and be sure it aligns with your overall business strategy, brand standards and brand positioning. Even the most brilliantly executed promotional campaign will be a flop if it doesn’t adhere with your brand.

2) Partner with the right distributor – The company that provides your promotional products is far more important than the product itself. Most promotional products can be found from more than one source, so what truly matters is the service and guidance you’ll receive from the company throughout the life of your campaign.

A great promotional company will not just sell you a product; they’ll walk you through each step of the process, from planning to implementation to strategic insights and final plans.

3) Measure your campaign strategically – If you don’t properly measure the impact of your campaign, it won’t have a lasting effect. More importantly, you’ll miss out on the opportunity to strengthen and improve your next campaign.

To obtain the right measurements, consider these questions:

  • How did our audience respond?
  • What was the overall ROI and ROI per customer?
  • What were key messages from audience feedback?
  • What would we do differently in retrospect?

Branded Merchandise
Proforma Business Impact, based in Greenville SC, helps companies build their business with branded merchandise. Learn how we can help you build a strong relationship with your audience by calling us at 888-230-1448.

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