It takes a lot of effort for businesses to make their brands stand out in a competitive world. If you don't work hard to market yourself, your voice is muffled by the big names in the industry, but the good news is that you don't always have to rely on expensive marketing channels... Promotional products are great and effective marketing tools if used in the right way!

A 2016 study proved that most people keep promotional products with them for over 8 months. That means your brand stays in your customer’s mind longer than a promotional email, social media ad, or a website pop-up. What a fantastic way to make a lasting impression! So be creative and think about your customer’s needs! If you are wondering how to get started, here are the 10 best promotional items for businesses in 2021 to incorporate into your marketing tactics.

When choosing promotional gifts for your business, select the ones that your customers are likely to use and keep for a long time. Here are just a few examples of the best giveaways for businesses.

1. Phone Straps

For a product giveaway to appeal to customers, it has to be practical for the user, personalized, and of high quality. That is precisely what Phone Loops are about.

Phone Loops are custom made phone strap or phone leash. They offer people a better and safer way to use their phones. It’s also a constant reminder of your brand each time they take a selfie, text, or check their social media.

A recent survey found out that 90% of people drop their mobile phone at least once a month, so Phone Loops are a welcome solution to avoid unnecessary expenses from accidental drops.

Phone Loops are a popular promotional product for global brands worldwide, including Disney, Netflix, and Microsoft. They were prominently featured in the 2017 season of Radio-Canada’s Dans l’oeil du Dragon (Dragon’s Den).

Pros

• Fit any mobile device with a case
• Compatible with wireless chargers
• Fully customizable
• Durable, reliable, and built to last
• Eco-friendly
• Affordable
• Discreet and light
• Can be easily shipped!

2. Custom Bags

Offering bags to loyal customers is a good idea because the benefits are twofold: they get to use the bag frequently while being reminded of your brand, and your customers help you market your small business by walking around with it, meaning more eyes on your brand.

There is a huge variety of bags to choose from: tote bags, backpacks, clutch bags...even grocery bags!

Ensure that they are of excellent quality, are durable, and have an attractive design!

3. Hand Sanitizers

The promotional item that no one saw coming! Get your brand seen through portable hand sanitizers as they help your customers maintain hygiene wherever they go during the pandemic. One of the primary advantages of this product is that it is small, and can fit in a bag or even a pocket.

4. Face Masks

Like hand sanitizers, face masks are of a great necessity during the COVID-19 pandemic. In many countries, people are required to wear them at all times when outside their homes. A great way to market your brand and offer your customers protection is by giving away customized face masks.

They will appreciate these items that keep them safe: masks are a promotional product that they will definitely use.

Face masks are affordable, with a price ranging from $7 to $15. We recommend giving away a pack of 5-7 masks in different colors and patterns.

5. Drinkware

A timeless classic. 78% of consumers own promotional drinkware. According to this study, consumers keep these products for an average of 12 months.

These statistics give you an added reason to ensure your company’s extra edge by offering customized drinkware. You can include your company’s logo on coffee mugs, wine glasses, water bottles, and tumblers. Your brand stays in your customer’s hands as they sip their favorite drink.

6. USB LED Lamps for Laptops

We all love tech gadgets that help us organize our lives. With this in mind, you can give away trendy USB LED lamps for laptops to your loyal customers after a purchase or as part of year-end promotions. They are quite stylish and fairly new to the promotional item market.

These lamps’ plugs can be fitted into laptops and smartphone ports. It provides light to a person working on their computer and helps not to disturb others sleeping nearby, for instance.

It also provides laptop keyboard illumination and can double up as a phone charger.

7. Sunglasses

A summer holiday getaway is not complete without trendy sunglasses. Ensure brand awareness by giving a good pair of shades to your customers.

Sunglasses are practical in any outdoor event, from barbeques to carnivals.

Pros

• Affordable
• Trendy and attracts different age groups

Cons

• Small space for an advertiser to put their branding
• Limited use only for sunny outdoor activities
• Can be costly

8. Branded Journals and Sticky Notes

A day cannot go by without someone in the corporate world taking notes or jotting down a few reminders. With so many people working remotely, the popularity of notebooks is rising, as no one wants keyboard sounds to disrupt a virtual meeting while taking notes.

Even stay-at-home moms may use them as notes to stick to the fridge, or reminders of important upcoming events.

We think that your customers will appreciate these branded journals that will serve them well when they least expect it.

9. Umbrellas

Make it rain! You have probably seen lots of umbrellas branded with a business logo lately. It’s a marketing strategy that is working well for others, and so it may just work for you as well.

Each time it’s raining and someone opens an umbrella with your logo on it, your brand gets seen by many eyes. It’s a win-win situation. You are taking care of your customers by ensuring that they stay dry in wet weather, and every time they open an umbrella, they remember you. What’s more, your logo is out there for everyone to see!

Pros

• Large surface for an advertiser to get creative with design, logo placement, and style
• Your brand gets a lot of attention on rainy days

Cons

• Bulkier size may limit portability
• Only practical when it’s raining, thus not for daily use.

10. Calendars

Calendars are one of the best promotional products for businesses in 2021. Your loyal customers will enjoy keeping their schedules and meetings on a custom made calendar.

It reminds people of the services you offer each time they check the date. Ensure your calendar is unique, eye-catching, and contains updates each month with eye-catching details about your brand. Fill it with visuals, quotes, tips, and fun graphics.

Pros

• Customers may hand out your promotional calendar to their circle of friends, thus marketing your brand to a broad audience
• The small, compact size makes it convenient to carry
• Low-cost

Cons

• Digital calendars are increasing in popularity, making paper planners somewhat redundant

Conclusion

Even on a low-budget, you can get creative and come up with affordable yet practical promotional products to market your business and get your brand seen by many people!

When you advertise through other platforms, whether traditional or digital, your ad will only run for a certain period and sometimes get lost in an overcrowded marketplace. However, when you use promotional products, your customers and everyone else around them will see your brand, and for a longer period of time too.

Investing in branded giveaways is a good idea for your any business. They strengthen your brand’s image and help you win your customer’s loyalty. It is an affordable and powerful marketing strategy, and we can tell from having experienced it!