Running a loyalty program? Offering amazing referral benefits? Enhancing customer journey every day? So are your competitors. 

With multiple alternatives for every solution, inculcating brand loyalty is no easy feat. You must take deliberate steps to make the brand experience memorable and stand out.  

One great way to do this is by taking a product-based approach. You can offer promotional products like branded swag and merch as rewards or sell them on your website since it:

• Gives customers a sense of belonging and exclusivity 
• Acts as social proof and encourages brand advocacy
• Fosters reciprocity in buyers

Today, we show you the eight best strategies to leverage promotional products to boost customer loyalty. 

8 strategies to use promotional products for brand loyalty

Here is all you need to know to use promotional products to win loyalty: 

1. Align promotional products with your brand identity

Whatever promotional products you offer, they have to represent your brand image and identity. Otherwise, the sense of belongingness will be compromised. 

Follow your brand’s style guide while designing the product. Make sure each item has your brand logo. Ideally, the products should follow your brand’s color palette. It creates a consistent representation of your business. You can also keep a few options with different colors as well. 

Promotional products should show what you stand for. It reinforces your company’s messaging and makes your brand more recognizable and memorable.

Let’s say you run a bakery. You can offer cookie cutters, mitts, aprons, and recipe cards as promotional items or gifts. 

If your brand promotes sustainability, you can offer reusable items like branded tote bags and water bottles. Add designs that communicate the message clearly for apparel swag like t-shirts and caps. 

Such efforts show that you practice what you preach, fostering trust and brand reputation. People who share your values will show off your merch proudly. 

For example, The Body Shop is a cruelty-free beauty brand. Their merch, such as the above T-shirt, communicates the brand’s advocacy against animal testing. 

2. Offer personalized and meaningful items

Now, let’s talk about the exclusivity factor. How do you make your customers feel special with your promotional products? Personalize them. 

That way, even though your merch promotes your brand, it will hold a personal meaning for the buyer. It strengthens their connection with your brand, boosting loyalty. In fact, a HubSpot report noted that personalized experiences drive sales and repeat business according to 75% of marketers. 

Give customers an option to customize their merch whether you are selling them or offering them as rewards. They can add their name, favorite slogans, and other design elements to the item to make it more personal. You can also let buyers make a bundle with their favorite merch. 

Offer merch range that’s relevant to customer preferences and usage patterns. 

For example, Coca-Cola products are a popular beverage for get-togethers and parties. So the brand introduced a special merch collection to celebrate the Big Game watch party. 

Coca-Cola also offers customizable and collectible bottles, cans, and gift packs. 

3. Focus on high-quality, durable products

Some brands often compromise on promotional product quality since it’s not their main product. 

Don’t be one of them. 

If your merch doesn’t have a nice finish and durability, customers may just see them as your performative efforts. That won’t do much for their brand loyalty. Instead, it can harm your reputation. 

Choose high-quality and sustainable materials. You can create some prototypes, give them to your employees, and ask them for feedback. It will be like beta testing but for your promotional items. This shows that your promotional products are not just a cheap giveaway and are meant to be enjoyed. 

Ensure your products are practical and functional for your customers’ daily lives. It ensures that the swags are used regularly. 

For example, Lego offers swags like display cases, storage boxes, key chains, base plates for building Legos, and even comic books — perfect for regular use by enthusiasts. The designs are quirky, durable, and have a nice finish, making the brand merch very coveted among Lego fans.

Tap into customer data to understand their preferences and design products accordingly. Run surveys among different customer segments asking what type of merch they will prefer. You can analyze purchasing data and engagement. This will give you actionable insights into your customer’s likes and dislikes, letting you offer relevant products. 

Additionally, consider incorporating e-commerce app development to create a seamless shopping experience for your customers, making it easier for them to access and purchase your products.

4. Use seasonal or limited-edition merchandise

Since merch is often novelty items, you must create an urgency and buzz around them. One way to do that is to create limited-edition products that represent seasonal themes and trends. This will drive attention to your regular swags as well. 

You can offer Christmas-themed gift boxes, advent calendars, or Halloween-themed merch. Create products for holidays from different cultures, like the Lunar New Year, Eid, Holi, and Hanukkah. A meeting recorder can help capture brainstorming sessions to develop creative ideas for these exclusive products.

The trends you choose should be relevant to your business. You can use a social media analytics tool to find current conversations. Select the ones that align with your brand identity and design products around them.

This will encourage conversations and build anticipation around your brand, generating organic marketing. Plus, the scarcity factor for limited-edition and seasonal items will make customers feel special when they buy them. 

For example, Actively Black’s mission is to represent and uplift the black community with their apparel. Staying true to their mission, the brand released limited-edition Black Panther merch.

5. Incorporate eco-friendly and sustainable options

Modern customers are more conscious about the environmental impact of their shopping sprees. 

According to a PwC survey, 40% of buyers say that the most important drive of their purchasing is waste reduction and recycling, while eco-friendly packaging is important for 38% of customers. They are even willing to pay 9.7% more than the average price for sustainable products. 

Commitment to sustainability also boosts brand reputation, encourages organic engagement and positive association, and drives brand loyalty. So, you must follow the best sustainability practices while designing promotional products. 

Use recycled materials and eco-friendly packaging. You can also donate a part of your merch sales to environmental causes. It takes your promotional products beyond vanity, making customers more inclined to buy your merch and join your mission. 

Launch campaigns on social media to promote your cause. Ask your team to think of Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn content ideas that will market your “Merch for a Cause” initiative without being boastful. 

Your website should also detail how sustainable your swags are and how they contribute to the environment. Using overhead messaging on your homepage can also drive traffic to your merch page. 

For example, Beyond Meat sells plant-based vegan meat and strongly commits to environmental sustainability. They teamed up with Veritree for Earth Month and donated all their profits from merch sales to restoring critical landscapes. 

6. Distribute products through loyalty programs

Launch a loyalty program with exclusive items as rewards. If you already have one, add newly launched merch rewards for each tier according to the item’s value. 

For example, you can offer small gifts like branded keychains or magnets for the lower levels and more high-end merch like gadgets, apparel, or bags for higher tiers. This rewards your customer’s continuous support and strengthens your connection with your brand. They feel like a part of your family, encouraging repeat purchases, loyalty, and customer retention. 

For example, Outdoor recreation product company The North Face runs a loyalty program called XPLR Pass. Members get early access to exclusive gear and branded gifts for their loyalty. 

7. Leverage promotional products at events and trade shows

Events are an excellent channel to connect with customers. Take them to the next level by offering branded merch as participation gifts. It makes your event more memorable. Customers feel valued for their participation and will be more likely to buy your products and join your next events. 

Plus, personalized event swags encourage UGC, spreading organic brand awareness and starting conversations. 

For a B2B event, you can create a gift bag with swag like keychains, magnets, t-shirts, caps, coffee mugs, and mouse pads. Alternatively, if you want to provide a free trial to your SaaS, you can hand out scannable QR codes for attendees to scan for trial access. B2C companies can offer sample products, tote bags, and other brand-relevant merch. 

For example, Workday offers event attendees branded coffee mugs as gifts.  

The above post promotes Workday’s event merch store and the fans did not shy away from showing their love for the brand swag. 

8. Create exclusive items for top customers

Besides your regular merch, design some exclusive products to reward your best customers. It proves your appreciation for their love for your brand and boosts average order value and loyalty. 

You can offer special customization options for your top buyers. For example, once they reach a specific number of purchases, they get access to and can personalize your exclusive merch. Making it a point-based system also makes the initiative more fun and engaging. 

For example, after collecting 400 stars, Starbucks lets customers choose from their signature cups, drink tumblers, and other coffee merch as gifts. 

Conclusion

Gaining loyalty is difficult. But maintaining it in the long run is even more challenging. Offering trendy and on-brand promotional products can make the journey easy. 

However, they must communicate your brand values, should be durable and aesthetic, and have practical use for the customer. It’s also important to launch seasonal merch to build anticipation and buzz. Use sustainable designs, add swags as loyalty rewards, and let top customers personalize their swag gifts. 

Finally, keep track of the trendiest conversations and launch new promotional product collections regularly.