There is no doubt that personalized promotional gifts work. But now that customers are managing more and more of their lives from their smart devices, what does this mean for successful promotions campaigns? The simple answer is: go back to the basics.1. Know your customer: some demographics use smart phones more than others. Everyone still uses pens (one of the most reliable and persistent promotional gifts), but these days Google Maps is more often used than printed city maps. So make sure your promotional gift idea is current and relevant to the customer.
2. Know your objective: why do you want to communicate to the customer and what do you want them to do? If you want to stay in front of your customers then a branded mug or mouse mat still does the job. If your objective is to reward loyal high-value clients then beautifully engraved crystal glasses and a bottle of champagne are hard to beat when saying "thank you". There's no app for that!
3. Know your place! Smart phones and iPhones are highly personal technology. Customers may not want to clog up their phones with marketing spam so be wary about developing apps or covers. There is nothing wrong with doing it if your brand is right for the purpose.
That is not to say that you can't jump on the bandwagon and really connect with your customers through their beloved gadgets. Engaging social media campaigns are de rigeur in the marketing world. There are also more and more options for accessorizing the customer's personal technology. The Touch Pen from BrandHK (pictured) brings together the old and the new: a classic high quality rollerball pen, branded with your logo, and a rubber tip designed for accurate interaction with touch screen devices like iPads and HTC smart phones. And of course you can always give your customers the latest gadgets... if your budget stretches to that!
So promotional gifts in the smart device age will not be fundamentally different. You want something new and you want to get your message across in a way that stays front of mind and matches your brand.
