Make Your 2014 Resolution Aligned With Your Promotional Strategy

January 25, 2014

Lisa Apolinski

Lisa Apolinski is a professional speaker, blogger, and digital strategist. With her company, 3DogWrite.com, she works with event managers to get their message to attendees, particularly through digital channels, on and off the show floor.

I recently read some interesting data on Statistics Brain about New Year’s Resolutions. By one month, almost half have failed their resolution, and only 8 percent actually maintain and achieve their resolution.

I am going to give you a new one, whether or not you have made a resolution (and nearly 40 percent of us don’t even bother with one): align your promotional item with your event marketing strategy in 2014.

Now, you may wonder why I am asking you to do this. How about for these reasons:

Your promotional item is often the first thing, and always the last thing, that your attendee will remember about your booth and your company. Consider that most attendees will make a beeline to your reception desk, or hit it on the way out of your booth. So, your promotional item can easily be a talking segway as they come into your space, or be associated with their in-booth experience as they walk out. Do you really want to leave that engagement to chance?

Your attendees may not take (or keep) your marketing brochure, but I bet you they will take a handful of your promotional item if they can. You really have no guarantee that fantastic brochure you spent months developing and printing will make it to the attendee’s hotel room, let alone even make it out of the convention center before it is trashed. Most attendees immediately pocket their promotional item – and that is gold! What do you want them to find once they pull that promo item back out into the light of day? I would hope something that captures your overall event marketing message.

How would you like to be on your prospect’s desk (or mobile phone) in six months? I know I would. Every time your attendee reaches for your promo item (because you took the time to really think that item’s strategy and purpose through), they are in essence reaching for your company. That is subliminal and can be the difference between that attendee contacting you versus the other guy when a need for your products and services arise.

Your promotional item is the final piece of your booth experience, and your company, that the attendees take with them. So make sure you align this important piece with your event marketing strategy, and have it work for you.

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