Business Gift or Promotional Advertising?

At ePromos, we sell corporate business gifts and promotional products, and the difference between the two can be subtle. Sure, some itmes may be considered promotional advertising gifts, but both are products imprinted with a logo and/or message designed to have an effect on a target audience. In both cases, the item is given away, making it a gift, and it contains your message, making it advertising. This article will help you distinguish between an imprinted business gift and a promotional product and help you understand how that affects product selection and imprinting.

Your Goal Is the Difference
Ultimately, the best way of distinguishing between a business gift and a promotional product is to look at the goal of the item. If your primary goal is to thank your customers and your secondary goal is to ensure improved brand recognition and awareness, that's a business gift. If your goal is to reach new prospects, introduce a new service, drive traffic to your trade show booth or get someone to open up your direct mail, then promotional advertising is the correct strategy.

Product Selection: Price, Type and Style
In general, corporate logo gifts will be more expensive items, since they're typically given to your top customers and they need to reflect the importance you place on your relationship with these consumers. This doesn't mean they have to be extravagant, in fact, that's typically not a good idea, but they need to be something of value, or they're not a very good gift. When selecting a type of gift, consider the context it will be used. For example, will it be used in the office, at home, or while traveling? In terms of style, you'll generally want an item that is clean-cut and of high quality rather than something flashy. Putting these three factors together will help you focus on the best gift choices.

For example, if I wanted visibility in an office setting, I would send out a gift that is professional and stands out compared to other things I would expect to see on my customers' desks, either something they weren't likely to have or something that is high-quality which can replace what they currently had. This could be a clock, a photo frame, a desk organizer or even a nice pen. If my own desk is a decent example, it wouldn't take anything expensive to become one of the nicest things on my desktop, just something that's useful, tasteful and of good quality.

For promotional advertising, the message is something other than just "Thanks!" Standard pricing and product selection rules aren't as useful here because there is such a wide array of promotional products that are suitable for specific types of clients. The key considerations in this case are finding a product that fits into your budget and allows you to reach the audience you wish to reach, and finding a product that will appeal to this audience and tie into your message. Although it is nominally a gift, it's a promotional advertising gift with the emphasis on advertising - think impact, not heirloom.

Imprinting Considerations
If you're sending a business corporate gift, I would always recommend branding it as tastefully as possible. In general, a simple logo is best. You're thanking them, so they already know who you are and what you do. Going overboard with imprinting designs can make a relationship with a client feel fabricated or desperate. Laser engraving, embossing/debossing and tone-on-tone printing are all great ways to include your logo on the advertising gifts without harming its appearance or value. However, when imprinting for promotional advertising, a logo is almost never enough. If you're just printing a logo on an advertising item, chances are you haven't clearly defined your business objective and that needs to be set in stone first. Creative imprinting will make a big difference in the impact of an advertising product, so use multiple imprint areas if available and come up with a message that ties the product to your campaign or your organization's value proposition.