helping healthcare organizations grow

Welcome to The Healthcare Marketing Connection! This week we are talking about using promotional items in our business. As a business owner and marketer, does handing out pens and calendars do much to win new business? I'll give you a hint - the promotional industry is not an 18.8 billion dollar industry for nothing. The key is finding the right giveaway that will make your business memorable.

My friend Steve Horowitz from Consider It Done, a 16 year industry veteran, shared some tips with us on how to choose the right promotional vendor for your healthcare business. With literally thousands of promotional product vendors to choose from, creating a relationship with a vendor can be key to meeting tight deadlines and getting the best items for your budget.

To your success!

Kelly

Do Promotional Products Really Attract Customers?

Are you one of those people that go to a trade show and walk from booth to booth filling up your bag with goodies from all the trade show booths? Do you collect pens from your doctor's office? Keep the magnet from the veterinarian on the refrigerator?  

I do. I love collecting all this stuff -- it's shameless and it's fun. I love going back to my room after a trade show and sorting through all the things I collected throughout the day.

I came home from the last trade show I attended (SHSMD conference in Washington DC) with tons of stuff. My favorite pens are there every year and I was sure to grab several this time - one in every color they had. I come home with gifts for the kids. This year I came home with an electronic coffee warmer to plug in by my computer, it's truly amazing the things companies give away.

The question is, is it worth it? As the receiver of these handouts I enjoy the overall experience of the conference more. But what about the companies handing out the promotional items? Is spending the money on these trinkets worth it? How many of you have worked a trade show, or sponsored a community event, and felt like people were taking things without caring who handed them out? They didn't even look at your name on the mug, they just grabbed it and walked on.

I did a little research on the promotional products industry. Let me share with you what I discovered...

According to Promotional Products Association International (PPAI), the healthcare industry is one of the top ten users of promotional products in the U.S. Another one in the top ten is professionals such as doctors and lawyers. My dear readers that is most of you!

The promotional products industry was an 18.8 billion dollar industry in 2006, so we know companies purchase promotional items. A lot of promotional items.

But do they work? Is a patient more likely to visit your practice if you hand out a mug or a pen with your talk?

According to studies done by Georgia Southern University, the answer is yes! Recipients of promotional products are reported to have:

1. A significantly more positive outlook on your business
2. A higher likelihood of recommending your business
3. A higher likelihood of patronizing the business.

The top three promotional items purchased in 2006? Wearables such as t-shirts, hats, etc, writing instruments followed by calendars.
 
Top ten uses for promotional items? Business gifts, trade shows, brand awareness, employee relations & events, public relations, dealer/distributor programs, new customer/account generation, new product/service introduction, employee service awards, not-for-profit programs.

3 Tips for choosing a promotional products company

I asked Steve Horwitz with Consider It Done for advice on how to choose a vendor to provide promotional products. He suggested healthcare marketers:

1. Find a vendor with specific industry & product experience. If the vendor specializes in your industry you are safer because they already know the best manufacturers' for the products that industry purchases, and they understand what you're working to accomplish.
2. Not to knock independent sales people, but buying from a real company with an actual location, employees and real live people answering the phone during business hours is priceless - especially if there is a problem.    
3. Look for a published satisfaction guarantee.

(c) 2008, A Marketing Connection

Want to use this article in your ezine or web site? No problem! Just let me know at info@KellyRobbinsLLC.com. I'll send you a short bio to include at the end of the article.

This week Kelly recommends www.authorize.net. Are you looking to sell products or services on the internet? Authorize.net is an easy to use payment gateway that easily integrates into many shopping carts including 1shoppingcart.com.

If you have any other great resources you'd like me to share with everyone, let me know and I'll check it out. Kelly@AMarketingConnection.com

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Disclaimer: A Marketing Connection, Inc. does not represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any of the recommendations or advertisements, or the quality of any products, information, or other materials displayed, purchased, or obtained by you as a result of an offer in connection with any ad in The Healthcare Marketing Connection. We recommend, as always, that you do your own due diligence before purchasing any product.

To learn more about healthcare copywriting and marketing, visit my Web site at www.amarketingconnection.com/mailing_list.shtml. There are tons of fr ee articles on a variety of helpful topics.