Promotional materials are a special part of your marketing and come in countless types, shapes, and sizes. From business cards and banners to drinkware and pop-up tents, these forms of marketing truly promote your brand in a positive way. This is because they provide your audience with a gift and something to keep on to, reminding them of your company every time they see or use it.

When thinking of promotional products, the topics of trade shows, events, and conferences come to mind. And even if your business has never attended trade shows or events, promotional items are still extremely beneficial to promote your business.

You can use promotional items as on-site handouts, you can use them within virtual event giveaways, and you can mail them to customers and prospects.

To help guide you in choosing the right materials for your promotional campaign, we have compiled 10 promotional materials that will win your customers over this year and are the perfect branded products to add to your marketing strategy.

Top 10 Promotional Items

1. Custom Tote Bags

Tote bags are always a great promo product to give your audience, and they have become a more popular item throughout the years due to their positive environmental impact.

You can use them instead of paper bags for your customers to keep forever, hand them out at trade shows along with other branded promotional items placed inside, or mail them out as giveaways. Many people keep these bags and make use of them on a daily basis. So, by giving them out, you will increase your brand's visibility while giving customers and prospects solid promotional material that’s made to last.

2. Branded Hats

Everyone loves a good hat, making them the perfect promotional item for promoting your brand.

You can have your employees and team members wear your custom hats with your logo at events, tradeshows, or while golfing with potential business partners to represent your brand professionally. You can also hand them out or gift them to customers and prospects to build strong brand recognition while providing your audience with a useful and favored apparel item.

3. Promotional Stickers

Stickers are an excellent way for your customers to advertise their loyalty to your company or spread the message about your business. Custom stickers are also an interactive way to get prospects involved with your company. They're the perfect tool for advertising, and there are endless possibilities for where your audience can place them. And no matter where they stick them, your brand is being promoted in a positive way.

Stickers are also extremely affordable compared to many other promotional materials. You can offer them to people who sign up for your weekly newsletter, hand them out at an event, include them along with your direct mail marketing campaign, or place them within packages as you ship out your online orders.

Giving away free promotional stickers is a great marketing ploy. It lets customers and prospects interact with your company while increasing brand exposure.

4. Custom Branded Pens

Pens are proven promotional materials used by every type of business, small and large, in some way. What makes pens such a great promo product is that everyone uses them whether they keep them in a drawer or pen holder, in their briefcase or purse, or even in their car for times when a pen is needed.

They can be used as a grab-and-go on your front desk, given during document signings, or even mailed.

Because pens are relatively small, they are the perfect material to include within a kitted project to be shipped to customers and prospects. This is a perfect strategy because whether your audience works in an office or at home, they can use your pen regularly while keeping your brand in mind.

5. Promotional Drinkware

Mugs, glassware, tumblers, drinks with straws, and other branded drinkware are some of the most popular promotional materials due to their reusability aspect.

There are a variety of custom drinkware options that you can use as a promotional item. You can hand them out at events as promotional freebies, use them as prizes to mail to customers, or give them away when a customer makes a purchase. No matter how you utilize promotional drinkware, it will be used again and again while your brand gets promoted each time.

6. Notepads & Sticky Notes

Taking notes and jotting down reminders are tasks we all do in some way or another. Whether creating a grocery list, leaving a reminder on the counter, or taking notes during a meeting, everyone can benefit from a notepad or sticky note.

That is why handing out or shipping them with your company's logo is the perfect form of marketing. Every time your audience writes in it, they will see your logo while increasing your brand awareness with repeated exposure to your brand.

7. Custom Banners

Custom banners are an essential tool to add to your custom signage. They are extremely effective at trade shows and social events and can also provide effective marketing when hung outside of your store to promote a big sale or a grand opening. They also come in a handful of options, including retractable banners, x-stand banners, and vinyl banners.

Banners allow you to get creative with your designs as they are large-format items. They are eye-catching promo products and inform the viewer about your brand, special events you are holding, or discounts your company is offering. Another great thing about banners is that they allow you to include a call to action large enough for anyone who walks by to take notice.

8. Branded T-Shirts & Polos

Branded t-shirts and polos are a fantastic way to promote your business, and the best part is that they never go out of style.

When you hand out, ship, or give away a promotional t-shirt or polo, you turn your audience into walking advertisements or brand ambassadors. You can include a unique design and your logo, which can become a conversation piece that gets people talking about your brand. You can host a giveaway and tell your audience that if they post on social media wearing your t-shirt, they will receive a discount or freebie. In addition, having your employees and staff wear your branded shirts at an event is an effective way to promote your brand and make a great first impression. Custom t-shirts and polos are also relatively inexpensive promotional materials compared to the amazing value they bring to your brand.

9. Custom Power Banks

Power banks are extremely popular promotional products, especially since we use smartphones, tablets, and other devices daily. They are a lightweight and portable means for your customers and prospects to charge their devices while being exposed to your brand. The best part is that everyone has a cell phone and will appreciate and use your branded power bank.

Custom-branded power banks come in all shapes and sizes, allowing you to choose the right one to customize that meets your company's style. Some have multiple charging ports, and some have a flashlight attached for your outdoorsy and on-the-go audience.

Because power banks are practical and useful promotional items, they make the perfect giveaway or handout at trade shows and events, and for gifting to your employees. While many tech companies use promotional power banks, they work for all industry types to provide their prospects, customers, or organizations with a branded means of charging their devices on the go.

10. Promotional Pocket Folders

When attending any event, you typically have a business card, flyer, brochures, and other materials that you hand out so individuals have the necessary information about your business on hand for easy reference. Carrying those materials around at a conference or tradeshow can be a real hassle. To make it easier for your audience, place them within a branded pocket folder so they are easy to hold on to and organized from the other materials they receive from other businesses.

The great thing about branded pocket folders is that they can be reused for years, providing exceptional brand exposure.

Promotional merchandise is a sure way to advertise your brand in a way your audience will love. Although these are the top picks, be sure to choose promo items that match your brand's voice, style, and message. For example, a veterinary clinic could use branded pet collars as promotional items or a university could use custom bookbags as promo items. You can explore all promotional products by clicking below!