Meaningful Promotional Products to Brand Your Company

Whether you refer to it as swag, promotional products, or branded merchandise, customized gifts are a valuable component in building connections with your customers and employees. These tangible items provide an opportunity to re-engage your audience every time the item is used. Some research has even found that over 70% of people who receive a promo item will keep it for at least a year.

But achieving ROI with promotional products requires an intentional strategy that tells your brand story in a unique and compelling way. Your customers and employees want to feel a connection with your company. They want a branded experience that feels authentic and meaningful. This might sound like a lot to deliver in one marketing kit or employee welcome packet, but fostering a connection is easier than you might think. And you don’t need to blow your marketing budget to do it either.

Our team has rounded up the top drivers of some of our most successful promotional marketing campaigns to help you get started. Check out the list and contact us to start a conversation about your company’s branding.

How to Build Relationships with Promotional Products

Authentic Sustainability

A recent Forbes report revealed that over 80% of consumers prefer products that support eco-conscious practices. But it’s no longer enough to simply brand a reusable tote bag and deem yourself a green company. Materials, packaging, carbon neutral shipping methods, and the overall environmental impact of the product are also important factors to consider.

Start with products that are well-made to ensure they won’t wind up in the landfill within a few weeks. Look for products and packaging made from post-consumer and highly renewable materials. Organic cotton apparel, tree cellulose bags, and recycled paper are simple changes that can have a big impact on your recipients.

B Corp Brands

B. Corp Certification is a well-recognized indication of a brand’s commitment to social justice and sustainability. Branding B. Corp certified promotional products aligns your company with these values. Top brand names such as Patagonia apparel and outerwear, Klean Kanteen drinkware, and Moleskine notebooks and portfolios are all examples of B. Corp certified organizations that allow custom branding through exclusive partnerships with well-respected distributors such as our team here at Apex.

Support a Cause

Supporting causes that are meaningful to your employees and customers can help to build a connection rooted in doing good. Stay mindful of promotional products that aim to simply gain awareness of a cause but do not provide an actual monetary contribution to the organization.

At Apex, we’ve carefully vetted our partners to ensure that dollars spent are actually reaching the organizations in need. Some of our favorite brands that give back include:

• • • TenTree Fairtrade organic cotton hoodies plant 10 trees for every purchase made. Each garment comes with a trackable code allowing recipients to follow along on the tree planting journey.
    • Terra umbrellas feature RPET fabric constructed from recycled plastic bottles that creates a beautiful canvas for your logo. Even the handle is crafted from recycled plastic.
    • Field & Co. organic cotton throw blankets feature quality custom embroidery and, one percent of every sale is donated to environmental nonprofits through a partnership with 1% for the Planet.
    • Patriot Tumblers insulated stainless steel travel mugs support U.S. military Veterans by donating a portion of sales to the organization Homes For Our Troops.

How to Develop a Strategy to Leverage Promotional Products

When planning your promotional marketing campaign, it’s important to choose a partner that is experienced in increasing brand value and ROI. This end-to-end experience expands far beyond purchasing promotional products.

At Apex, our in-house team will work with you to develop a unique campaign that represents your brand and is designed to meet your marketing goals. Our unique selection of promotional products are hand-selected by our team based on years of experience and trusted relationships. With over 30 years in the business, our team excels in developing fully branded marketing and employee on-boarding kits. We’ll manage your product inventories, fulfilment, and ensure your materials arrive to your location or special event.

Browse our product flipbook and contact us when you’re ready to get started!