Think Outside the Box With 5 Promotional Branding Ideas

Last Updated: May 12, 2021

Small businesses can get great mileage from promotional products, a creative way to market your company branding in the new year. Start the year with a fresh stock of new promotional products to leave a lasting impression on current and potential clients and customers. In today's digital printing world, you can brand almost anything. You can do more than print on pens; everyone already has plenty of those! The key is branding smart and being different.

The goal is to provide a promotional product to a potential customer or current client that is so practical or clever that they frequently use it. As a result, your brand (and associated services or products) stays subliminally top-of-mind with that individual. Here are five unique promotional items to help leverage your company brand

Industry-Specific Tools

Certain industries use unique tools that present valuable real estate to promote your brand. Tape measures, carpenter pencils, and miniature flashlights make great promotional items for construction, engineering, or inspection industries. Think about your industry-specific tools and find something portable and useful on which to showcase your logo.

Check out these awesome and affordable promotional products by VistaPrint.

Tote Bags

A branded tote bag will almost never get discarded and will be used by recipients in a variety of capacities. They're generally inexpensive to produce, depending on the style you choose and the number of colors used to print, so it's a cost-effective investment for your small business branding. Tote bags are often a hit at any trade shows, job fairs, or conventions. People often pick up extra items and literature from several booths and need a bag (your bag!) to carry everything.

View different styles of branded tote bags available for customization.

Folders

A neatly branded folder has many uses: great for proposals, delivering reports, mailing documents, and carrying with you on appointments. In some cases, it's almost cheaper per unit to buy branded folders, than it is to purchase generic folders at an office supply store! We’ve heard firsthand from clients that the presentation of a proposal or marketing materials within a well branded, quality folder adds a finishing touch that can even influence vendor selection.

View customization options for presentation folders. 

Functional Keychains

Like an industry-specific tool, a branded keychain tape measure or flashlight serves a function to its recipient and will see a lot of use, gaining a ton of mileage for showcasing your branding with minimal cost. Keychain pens, laser pointers, can openers, or highlighters are also useful.

View functional keychain ideas.

Tech Branding

There are a lot of top-notch supplies out there, designed specifically for tech use. For example, a business card pouch that affixes to the back of the smartphone, phone mount props (e.g. PopSockets), USB flash drives, headphones, or portable chargers are super useful for people and can easily be branded. These are modest investments and a must-have for tech-savvy businesses.

Explore brandable technology giveaway products.

Branded Promotional Products for COVID-19

The unfortunate COVID-19 pandemic has indirectly created a new opportunity for useful promotional products. With face mask requirements and an ever-growing need for convenient hand sanitization, this creates an opportunity for health-related promotional products that make your customers or employees safer while also inadvertently advertising your brand.

For example, you can purchase branded face masks for your employees or giveaways for clients.  Additionally, there numerous options for custom branded hand sanitizer bottles, or even convenient Clip & Go Hand Sanitizers. 

Engaging Promotional Products - Imagination is Your Only Limit

Use your imagination and look inward to your industry-specific products. Look for essential and business type items for opportunities to showcase your branding. Pay attention to what your competitors are handing out and find something different and undeniably useful for your target audience. Browse promotional product websites for latest trends and new ideas. Creative promotional items and printing supplies might be the most fun part of marketing your business. Enjoy it! For more unique ideas and strategies on what promotional products you can brand, check out VistaPrint’s wide array of promotional products.

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