Most marketing strategists understand the value of using promotional products (aka merch and swag) to increase brand awareness, to foster goodwill among existing customers, to generate leads, and to get referrals.
It turns out that people of all ages really like merch and swag. According to a PPAI consumer study, 81% of consumers keep promotional products for over a year, and 40% of consumers keep promotional items for more than five years!
What are merch and swag, and how can they fit into your marketing strategy?
Merch defined
Merch (short for “merchandise”) includes branded products you have created and plan to resell. Branded merchandise you develop can be sold at retail prices for a profit and used as an additional revenue stream for your business. You can also choose to offer your merch at lower prices—even at cost—to get your brand in front of a larger audience.
Some of the most popular merch items are t-shirts, hats, tote bags, and backpacks. Products with unique custom designs have proven to be more popular than items with just a logo printed on them.
The term merch has become especially popular in sports, entertainment, music, and e-commerce. Social media influencers love merch and feature it regularly in their promotions.
Swag defined
What about swag? Swag typically refers to items that you give away at events. While swag is usually considered to be of lower value, a well-designed swag item can be trendy and become a fan favorite.
Favorite swag items include water bottles, mouse pads, keyrings, and pens (yes, pens are still popular!).
Use merch & swag for external and internal promotions
Merch and swag can support marketing strategies for all kinds of organizations, including commercial businesses, government agencies, academic institutions, and nonprofit entities. Each organization has both external and internal clients, customers, and stakeholders who can be influenced by merch and swag.
For external promotions, you can start with swag at events and conferences to generate awareness and interest in your brand. You can follow up the initial contact and offer higher-quality merch to prospects and loyal customers to generate sales and retain customers.
For internal stakeholders, marketing strategies using merch and swag can drive outcomes like improved relationships with investors and higher employee retention.