At its most basic, a promo item is a useful product with an advertiser’s logo on it, offering countless brand impressions for the company. And yet, says Brian Scott, president of Le Tour de Spice (asi/67035) in Kitchener, ON, so many products miss the mark by not focusing on design and the overall aesthetic.

“There’s significant opportunity to increase the value and impact through the strategic and creative use of good design,” says Scott. “Any product that offers a large design area in particular is an opportunity to go beyond just a logo and make the end-buyer’s product a true marketing tool.”

Before starting Le Tour de Spice in 2018 with his wife Cynthia, Scott was on the distributor side for years and counted a number of Fortune 500 companies in his book of business. He consistently looked for quality products that offered a generous design area.

“I used the ad space analogy,” he says. “If you could buy a quarter-page ad or a full-page ad in a magazine for the same price, what would have a better return on investment? The full page, of course. So I looked for well-designed products that have more space to show a client’s message.”

But it’s not just the size of the design area; what also matters is what’s done with the space.

“Recipients judge a brand’s value based on the product’s aesthetic,” he says. “Creative design signals quality, intentionality and trustworthiness, while poor design does the opposite. Ultimately, good design makes a brand memorable and increases the likelihood of a favorable ROI.”

Here are four key tips for making the most of great design, which Scott says are possible no matter the size of the team.

1. Tell a Story

When appropriate, product design can accommodate much more than just a logo. “It can be a vehicle to communicate a brand’s values, personality and mission,” says Scott. Working with a distributor, Le Tour de Spice assisted an end-buyer with an internal promotion to communicate the company’s new mission statement. With the right design and available space, products can accomplish other things like announce a new offering or reiterate core values to employees and clients alike.

Products with ample space, like this promo spice tube with sleeve from Le Tour de Spice (asi/67035), can be used to tell a story or convey a longer message.

Find on ESP Find on ESP+

2. Get Creative With Copy

Creative copy is a must, says Scott. “It helps make the product and brand memorable, adds personality, clarifies the messaging and boosts emotional impact,” he says. When it comes to a self-promotion campaigns, for example, distributor clients of Le Tour de Spice have done well with “relaxation” verbiage for products like tea, and “hot sales” copy for spice tubes.

3. Include a Call-to-Action

A short call-to-action (CTA) gives the recipient direction, which creates a sense of urgency, boosts engagement and conversions, and generates quantifiable ROI. Scott says it’s a good idea to distribute handouts at trade shows with a CTA tied to a giveaway, such as “book a meeting and receive a free product.”

“With a suitable amount of design space,” says Scott, “the product clearly communicates its call to action in a way that’s both visually engaging and strategically aligned with the brand’s objective.”

QR codes and call to actions, shown here on the PowerPak from Le Tour de Spice, demonstrate how promo products can directly lead to a goal or increased sales activity.

Find on ESP Find on ESP+

4. Combine the Physical and Digital

QR codes, when used strategically, can encourage engagement among recipients. A quick scan takes target audience members to a website where they can follow through on a CTA, like claiming an offer, watching a video, entering a contest, downloading an app, following social channels or scheduling a meeting. Meanwhile, the advertiser can measure ongoing engagement.

Scott says these four concepts are easy to apply and remarkably impactful. “As we navigate a potentially challenging period,” says Scott, “this is an excellent opportunity for distributors to differentiate themselves by offering greater value and ROI, thus creating lifelong customers.”

Product Hub
Find the latest in quality products, must-know trends and fresh ideas for upcoming end-buyer campaigns.