Using premiums to intrigue clients

Cutting through the noise and making genuine connections with customers is a challenge. What can you do that will be engaging and differentiate you from every other brand trying to engage with the same constituency? It is a significant challenge. What can you do that lifts your story and gets results? Marketing agencies often recommend sprinkling marketing campaigns with premium giveaways at the store, shipped with orders, or in direct mail to attract attention because they enhance customer engagement.

By Pat McGrew | On PRINTlovers 103

Across Europe, where traditional values often blend seamlessly with modern trends, receiving a physical item still evokes a sense of nostalgia and appreciation. Using premiums in a store setting or shipped with an order offers a chance to reward loyalty and intrigue customers. Simple things like luxury packaging with an added small gift bring people back to the brand to see what is new. Pairing premiums to themes and promotions in an arc, where a series of collectible premiums can also extend the power of a campaign.
While not common in every market, direct mail marketing is another tangible connection between the consumer and the brand that augments communication in digital channels. Physical mail is often perceived as more personal and trustworthy than digital communications, leading to higher engagement rates in both consumer-facing and business-to-business settings. That is why the recommendation to integrate direct mail marketing with premium giveaways while following all GDPR requirements is based on decades of experience with the power of gifts.

The HubSpot marketing and CRM platform team notes that direct mail on its own brings a personal touch that can make recipients feel valued and appreciated. It doesn't go into a spam folder that can be quickly deleted or ignored. It demands attention as a physical mail piece, making it more memorable and impactful​​. Add giveaways such as a bar of premium chocolate, key fobs with useful tools, customized mugs, high-quality pens, or early releases of new products, and you not only capture attention but also encourage recipients to interact with the brand on a deeper level.
Even tech and manufacturing companies can find premiums that reflect their mission, such as branded USB drives or headphones, while a fitness brand could send custom water bottles or gym towels. A targeted approach ensures that the giveaway is appreciated and used, providing ongoing exposure for the brand and leading to increased brand loyalty and repeat business​.

Who Manages Premium Campaigns?
Look for marketing agencies with a strong brand focus and the ones behind the innovative campaigns. They come in all sizes, serving all markets. Ask about concepts, how they implement campaigns, who they work with, and who they buy from. Companies that prefer account-based marketing should ask how their potential partner enables targeting key accounts with different premiums based on account value and potential. Ask for references! Come to the table prepared to discuss expectations and how your marketing campaigns are usually implemented.
Also, talk to your printing partners. Many developed marketing expertise, organically or through acquisition, to expand their services and build options to incorporate premium giveaways. Even if they don't handle premium management internally, they often have partners and can handle the coordination.

A Role Model for Using Premiums Effectively: Marketing Kitchen
No matter what market you serve, great companies are creating amazing campaigns. One company with an intelligent approach is the Canadian agency Marketing Kitchen in Markham, Ontario. Started by Audrey Jamieson in 2014, Marketing Kitchen fosters a collaborative approach to developing smart campaigns. When asked about the name, she says, "To me, the kitchen is the one place where people like to gather, collaborate, and create, and that's exactly what we do here at Marketing Kitchen."
In December 2020, Marketing Kitchen created a buzz with a beautifully implemented, premium-based campaign for Absolut Vodka. In response to safety measures required in the stores that limited in-store displays many brands had turned to digital campaigns. In a case study from Marketing Kitchen, Anika Sharma, Assistant Brand Manager for Corby Spirit and Wine, who holds the Canadian distributorship for Absolut Vodka, decided to look for alternatives. "We thought it was a good time to test and learn."
Targeting urban millennials and using research that proved this group responded to direct mail marketing, Sharma was convinced that there was an opportunity, saying, "We're not used to getting mail; it's all digital culture for us." Neither Sharma nor the agency for Corby Spirit and Wine had experience with an agency like Marketing Kitchen. Still, its role as a Canada Post Expert Partner allowed Sharma to engage confidently. Marketing Kitchen created a turnkey approach that leveraged an oversized trifold, four-color piece with unique die-cut tags to elevate the premise – remember to celebrate your friends during the holidays with a collector bottle of Absolute Vodka.
The postcard also had recipes and a QR Code to help people locate the closest store with the bottle in stock. Delivered during December 2020, Sharma says the total sales for the limited-edition bottle were 70% higher than the previous year. She called the response phenomenal. These are the kinds of campaigns that can elevate a brand story.

Marketing Kitchen did similar campaigns for themselves, sending carefully considered marketing pieces containing unusual premiums to their business clients. After experiencing projects that had problems with size specifications, they created a campaign that reminded clients to measure twice and cut once. Included in the package was a small, branded measuring tape to keep Marketing Kitchen visible. Another campaign included chocolate from a local boutique chocolatier, and another included a key fob with a metal tag that could be used to release shopping carts.
Agencies like Marketing Kitchen (MarketingKitchen.ca) know how to weave communication channels and premiums into a bigger story that has longevity. Whether you use premiums as in-store giveaways, in a direct marketing campaign, or in direct mail to drive a recipient to request the premium, they can elevate the relationship between the sender and consumer.

Best Practices for Implementing Premium Direct Mail Giveaways
The opportunities are endless, but it pays to prepare!

• Understand Your Audience: Tailor the giveaways to the preferences and needs of your target audience. Use available research and internal data on buying patterns to understand what items they will most appreciate and use.
• Quality Over Quantity: Invest in high-quality items that reflect well on your brand. A cheap giveaway can do more harm than good by making the brand appear low value.
• Personalization and Customization: Add a personal touch to the giveaways. This could be as simple as including the recipient's name! It can significantly enhance the perceived value of the gift.
• Clear Call to Action (CTA): Ensure your marketing includes a clear and compelling call to action. Whether visiting a website, redeeming a discount, or contacting the business, a strong CTA can drive the desired response from recipients.
• Measure and Analyze: Track the effectiveness of your campaigns. Use metrics such as response rates, conversion rates, and ROI to gauge success and refine future campaigns.