By Tom Gudekunst & the MARCO Ideas Unlimited Team
Custom branded promotional products are one of the most effective marketing tools available for driving customer loyalty and community engagement according to industry research*. 
A well-planned marketing campaign that leverages intentional swag giveaways, repeated engagement opportunities, and the power of social media to spread awareness & encourage participation is sure to provide a higher return on investment than any simple paid advertisement ever could!
But how can you use budget-friendly, desirable swag to get your community to show up and support your outreach efforts?
Our President and Sales Specialist of more than 20 years, Tom Gudekunst (seen here modeling an embroidered patch beanie he created for Energy Trust of Oregon), recently observed a creative and effective multi-platform marketing campaign being carried out by his Portland metro-area client, and has collected his insights into their marketing tactics in this short blog entry.
Tom says:
"I’m not a complete expert on the inner workings of a social media campaign, but I can tell when one is done right - and I‘ve got to say, my people at the City of Tualatin have got it goin’ on!
Recently (and without telling me why or how they’d use them) my clients in the general marketing and community engagement department for the City of Tualatin local government ordered a bunch of mini pencil toppers in the shape of collegiate style felt pennants.
Aside from the cute designs, I figured these would likely be handed out to youngsters who needed to be entertained while a city employee talked to a parent; but as I came to see, they had bigger ideas...
Photo credit: City of Tualatin - Government Facebook Page
I found a post on facebook instructing me to try to collect three of the five styles of mini banners available so I could earn a bigger, full-sized banner (also a custom promotional product they ordered from us).
Specific local events can be attended (like the iconic West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta at Tualatin's Lake of the Commons), at which a custom-designed mini banner could be collected.
Special pennants are also given out to those who volunteer in community service projects around the city as a thank you gift for the volunteer's time - which encourages people to really get engaged, and to participate multiple times and in multiple capacities. Pretty cool!”
I love how they combined the viralness of social media with the lasting effectiveness of promotional products to drive continued engagement from community members who are already active locally, as well as incentivizing new participation from community members who might not have come out to events otherwise."
We hope that this quick overview of a successful marketing campaign that incorporates promotional products, physical events, and social media to drive more community engagement from one of our most seasoned swag specialists has sparked fresh ideas on ways to leverage multiple marketing channels to gain more ROI and buy-in from your targeted audience.
If you need assistance finding the right swag to complement your marketing campaigns or in-person events, let our team of promotional product experts do the work for you!
Since 1959, we've been helping companies in all industries create the best swag and decorated apparel for their specific brand guidelines, event types, and budgets. We'd love to share our creative ideas for your branded merchandise needs!
Tom Gudekunst has helped organizations customize the best promotional products for their unique industry and audience since 2005. He achieved his Certified Advertising Specialist designation in 2012. He enjoys spending time with his family, including two children, his wife, and their adorable dog Ruger.
*Source: PPAI https://www.promotionalproductswork.com/how-experiential-marketers-are-leveraging-promotional-products/