Marketing with Unusual Promotional Items

Promotional items are a great method for marketing your organization or business, but unusual items of this type can be even more effective in some situations. Many people already possess a number of promotional pens, hats, t-shirts, mini flashlights, and other commonly distributed items. It is less likely that customers will already own unusual items of this type, thus making them more memorable and less likely to be lost or discarded. Read on for a few ideas you might consider when selecting the most appropriate unusual promotional items for marketing your business...

A few different promotional item dealers offer branded plastic squirt guns. For example, usimprints.com sells them for $0.83-$1.12/each (depending upon the quantity purchased) in red or blue colors. Using these promotional items to market your business has some advantages; they are not disposable, and they don't require any sort of refill or batteries to keep functioning. A store which already sells squirt guns from another brand name might include these as an extra bonus, as the purchase confirms that the customer is interested in using them.

Another unusual promotional item, which is multi-functional and somewhat less expensive, is the combination tape measure, level, and keychain. These are offered by usimprints.com for $0.58/each and promopeddler.com for $1.62-1.71. Motivators.com sells a branded level with a keychain (no tape measure) for $2.46-2.82. Promotional yardsticks, tool boxes, screwdrivers, and other tools are also available for purchase. These make good promotional items for marketing a hardware, building supply, or home improvement store.

A more expensive unusual branded item is a computer mouse. The website usimprints.com offers a variety of these, including optical and wireless units. Motivators.com and promopeddler.com sell promotional wired PS/2 mice. An advantage to PS/2 computer mice is that they are compatible with more computers. These items would be great for marketing many types of businesses and organizations, but might be especially effective if included for free with purchases at a retailer which sells computers. Promotional mousepads are also available, but are less unusual and unlikely to be used by people who already have a mousepad.

Finally, another possibility is promotional bottled spring water, sometimes referred to as "private label" or "custom" spring water. One distributor of such products, mineralsprings.com, offers sizes ranging from 8-12 ounces. These can be easily sold in a convenience store or vending machine, making them easy to distribute in some types of businesses. They have slightly improved marketing value in states with bottle redemption laws, but promote the business for a relatively short period of time unless customers decide to reuse them for carrying tap water.

Prices and details were accurate as of August, 2007.