The 7 Psychological Reasons Why Promotional Products Are The Most Vital Part Of Your Business

The current economic atmosphere has caused most Americans to hold on to their wallets like never before. People are less willing to spend money on little things that are not vital to their existence. Everyone is looking for a bargain, and becoming and staying a successful business owner is getting more and more difficult.

At least that’s how many business owners think. Some business owners are thriving and thriving in today’s climate, and what probably sets them apart from their failing counterparts is the courage to remember how they got their success in the first place.

Marketing is key to most businesses, and if you’re one of the lucky few who doesn’t require a marketing plan, stop reading now. For those of you looking for new business, pay attention to the psychology that determines whether or not a customer decides to do business with you over the competition.

This author has a deep and enduring love for guerrilla marketing. The act of physically seeking business through phone calls, promotional events, print advertising, and relentless footwork. These techniques have been proven time and time again to be highly effective, especially for those businesses with the tenacity to do it on a regular basis.

There’s a reason big box stores send out brochures and catalogs to their customers…they work! Visit your local Wal-Mart and you’ll see dozens of customers shopping based on what they found in an ad before visiting.

There’s an old adage that you need to spend money to make money, and there’s a tremendous amount of truth to that. It’s vital that you present a prospect with something that makes a great first impression, and nothing makes as strong a statement as a well-designed, professional business card, flyer or brochure to accompany your winning smile.

The following is a list of seven psychological reasons why quality promotional products are a vital part of your business:

1. When someone is in the market for a product or service, they are usually looking for people who are good at what they do. Consequently, they believe that someone who is good at their profession is successful. They expect everything about a business to be perfect. Nothing destroys that mental perception more quickly than a poorly designed brochure or business card that’s printed on your personal computer.

People assume (and they are usually right in their assumption) that successful people succeed because they can focus on the small details. Its mystique and uniqueness can be quickly undermined by a perforated border or a logo that looks like it was designed by a third grader. If you expect success, you must demonstrate success. Today’s consumer demands excellence, not only in the quality of their work, but also in their business acquisition methods.

2. The evening news is full of stories about unsuspecting consumers being taken advantage of by companies that promised one thing and then did another. For this reason, consumers are very cautious. A business card printed on Avery business card paper and run through a home laser printer is something that literally anyone can do with relative ease. Professional promotional products make customers more comfortable doing business with you. The last time someone handed you a business card with a perforated edge, how long was it before it was in the trash?

3. Put yourself in the shoes of a hypothetical customer for a moment. How comfortable will you be writing a hefty check to a company that doesn’t care enough about your business to produce a decent printed explanation of what it offers? How much research will you have to do before you decide to do business with a company that hands you a black and white business card listing their services? The world revolves around the consumer, and the consumer expects immediate gratification of his desires. How likely is it that a consumer will do business with you instead of a competitor if he doesn’t immediately trust you? Plus, how much steeper is it to climb that proverbial hill if you can’t deliver an attractive print product that reflects your dedication to your craft?

4. Size matters. Despite what every girlfriend you had in high school told you, size is very important to a potential client. Nothing means more size and success than a professionally designed promotional product. If you hand someone a business card that took almost no effort to create, consumers will instantly view it as suspicious, demonstrating a lack of professionalism and a small, one-man operation whose future is in doubt. By contrast, a glossy business card with substantial thickness evokes a feeling of confidence. It sounds a bit silly, but most professionally designed business cards are about the thickness of a greeting card. Professional products feel like a gift to a client and help build a relationship and trust.

5. Clients need to see things in writing. Bids and proposals just don’t look good when printed on plain white paper. Professional letterhead makes a fitting statement and is a demonstration of the professionalism of your business.

6. Name recognition is subconscious. If you can remember the first time you heard about Nike, it would be a surprise. However, without any effort, you can probably name ten products that they produce. This is because the world’s great companies have done a fantastic job of building a brand through intelligent advertising and using a wide variety of promotional products to etch their company in your memory forever. You can, on a much smaller scale and for much less money, do something similar for your business in your own community.

7. First impressions are literally everything. Setting the tone for your future business dealings with a client determines the likelihood that you will get immediate business from a client and any future business. There seems to be a belief that cutting costs and cutting corners is important, and the first thing many companies tend to cut back on is advertising. Advertising is the lifeblood of a business, and without professional marketing materials, your chances of getting new business are drastically reduced. Your feet don’t have holes, so don’t put them in by skimping on the little things that make your business look as professional as possible.

I worked in business-to-business sales for almost a decade. I never took business seriously unless the business card I was handed could be used as a coaster. Your invoices and letters should be on professional letterhead if you expect a client to take you seriously. Business cards, brochures, flyers, banners, and any other type of printed marketing materials need to be professionally designed and look their best if you intend to use them to promote your business and tell your customers about what you do.

In conclusion, it is vitally important that your marketing materials reflect the professionalism of your business. If you don’t love your business enough to make it look good, how can you expect a prospective customer to do business with you?