Why Aren’t Prospective Clients Responding To My Brand?

Promotional products are not “just a give away” item but a reflection of your brand message; your strategy for addressing a brand goal with a result you expect to happen. For example, if you tell a client you’re creative and creativity will help them with client acquisition, then your products that brand your company need to showcase creativity. If retention of your current client base is important, brand pieces need to be pieces that your client will find useful each day. If growing your brand exposure in the community is important remember that leisure pieces you provide employees make them a brand ambassador for your company.

Communication is critical to your message, but is the recipient hearing what you have to say? Branding goes way beyond having an appealing logo or deciding which company colors will generate positive reviews. Brand communication requires being able to articulate to others what makes your company different compared to a competitor that they view as the same or similar for services. Your message needs to fit the intended audience; for example, established professionals like words such as guarantee, reliable, safe, while a younger market key in our products or services, trends and images seeking quick results or easy to process features.

Before you begin your message clearly define your target audience.

Keep in mind that content is not for you to boast about your services or products; it needs to express a point. Ask yourself, what will be gained by reading your message. If you can share your core message with a couple of objectives you might not have a clear focus. If your intent is not to provide some substance that will benefit the reader, consider why you think they will read the content. Having clear objectives makes it easy to expand on your content with examples that make sense to your reader. Be approachable to the reader, after all your representing yourself in a one way communication that you hope will open up dialogue between you the reader at another date.

For example are the activities your company important to your brand identity?

If your company is engaged in your community then you are building a brand identity whether you’re aware of it or not; in essence others are talking about you in a positive way in the community. Consider being ahead of the curve on promoting what is important to your company. Purchase products that reflect your standards for domestically made products, ask us to partner with NC suppliers or make sure you are purchasing sustainable products for your tangible advertising is the environment is important to your company. Ask us to look for creative ways to package products so recipients are more aware of your story. For example:

• Share articles about local causes in your blog 
•  Post photos on your social media
• Consider developing a secondary icon or logo that speaks to specific charity involvement. Many products can be dual branded. 
• Offer to create some products for your favorite charity that has both your logo and their logo as part of the branding. Give out dual branded materials on key dates that you have incorporated into your yearly promotional calendar to market causes that are important to your company. 
• In developing relationships with key clients, consider including cards or notes in with promotional gifts or distributions that acknowledge your appreciation of their business, because as it allows your company to assist your charities of choice.

At least once a year, assess your brand. Compare where your brand is positioned in relation to your competitors. Review your product selections for marketing, how those are integrated into social media or more traditional print and visual communication displays for your company. Once you’ve defined areas to change it will be easier to select products that will adapt to the strategies in your marketing plan.