With their sizable impact, small promotional items prove that oftentimes less is more. And this is exactly what large companies such as UPS, Wachovia, Liberty Mutual, Chase, Nationwide, and Honeywell have found out. They’ve all promoted themselves with smaller items such as antibacterial pocket sprayers, even though they certainly could utilize big, impressive, expensive promos. Why would they use smaller items? Consider these exerpts taken from an article from ASI’s Advantages magazine.
Lower Cost
The first consideration is the obvious one, a lower cost. When one financial services consulting firm wanted to give its clients a classy holiday promotional gift, they considered items such as a 5″x7″ digital photo frame. They believed the frame would be a very useful item for many demographics because everyone likes to display pictures of family and friends. But the cost of the frame exceeded their budget. What their distributor found instead was a digital mini photo keychain, which holds 56 photos and displays them on its 1.1″ screen. The function was still satisfied and the price difference brought the gift promotion down right where it was needed.
Good Traveler
In addition to helping clients stay within their price point for gift promotions, miniatures can also offer portable, practical giveaways for a general end-user. Smaller items are perfectly sized for the pocket, purse, briefcase, and drawer. One hotel wanted to provide their customers with a small, attractive momento of their stay. They decided to use mini stain removers which met this need perfectly. Their diminutive size also ensured that airplane travelers could take their souvenir home in their carry-on luggage.
Quality Counts
Selecting a smaller item may allow the advertiser to ensure a higher quality item, which reflects more positively on the advertiser’s image. One Realtor wanted to give mini flashlights to his clients as a closing gift. The problem with most mini flashlights, however, is they are provided with a watch-type of battery. The concern was that these types of batteries would expire before the Realtor was able to hand them out because they would need to be stored (the Realtor did not close a lot of houses per month). What his distributor found to fit this need was a higher quality mini flashlight which used AAA batteries. With this flashlight the Realtor was able to buy fresh batteries for a high quality promotion at every closing.
Cross-Generation Appeal
Mini items do not just appeal to one or two demographics or age groups. It works across the board. Folks 65 and older, for instance, like getting almost anything free. But they prefer quality items and American-made goods, particularly if it’s a thank you gift.
Many Baby Boomers, upon retirement, downsize their digs and whittle down their stuff. They may be more likely to keep a smaller item than a big one, especially if it fits in with their pared-down lifestyle.
Generation X likes portable items that help them maintain their on-the-go lifestyle.
Generation Y has grown up with their favorite techno toys shrinking with each new release. Smaller is better to this age bracket, especially wth anything technologically savvy.
And, finally, children like things that are small, like them. They like items that older people use, such as lip balm or flashlights on a keychain. But tiny replicas and toys such as mini plush or popular figures work well also.
With the stress of today’s economy, going smaller may just be the way for advertiser’s to go. The right product could yield a lower cost, higher quality, higher portability, and the right appeal to appease every demographic.
Tags: small items
