Whether you are a startup or a middle-sized business, there is a high chance that you'll find yourself in a tight spot, especially when it comes to balancing your marketing budget. As marketers, budget restrictions can leave you with a limited promotional scope and affect your marketing efforts. However, since promotional items are worth spending money on due to the positive impressions they leave on people, using the office budget to purchase these items can be a brilliant way to source cheap promotional products.
Buying Promotional Products Using Your Office Budget
Since an office budget usually includes money for office supplies, you can make sure that you buy the necessary items, but ones that are customized and branded with your company's logo, name, and any other relevant information. Depending on the scope of and magnitude of your company, a reasonable office budget ranges from 10 to 15% of your annual business budget. Make sure that you take your time to think about what promotional products will deliver the utmost value. If you can order the same products to use both in the office and as giveaways, you are maximizing your budget.
For example, if you are targeting employees that stay in front of a computer all day long, things such as microfiber cloths can be ideal gifts. If you want to gift an individual who operates machines that produce loud noises, headphones could be the best gift.
One crucial thing you should in mind when buying promotional items with the office budget is to avoid going overboard with the budget. Overspending will mean that you will have less cash to spend on things that are absolutely paramount for running the business.
Top Seven Low-Cost Promotional Products That You Can Buy with Your Office Budget
- Pens
When it comes to brand promotion,
pens are perfect products that can be used to show appreciation to employees and customers. Everybody uses a pen at one point in time, and thus they make cheap promotional products to keep your brand in customers’ minds.
Promotional pens can be imprinted with a company’s logo or name to ensure that they bring the desire brand exposure.
- Notebooks
Another item that should be featured in your promotional arsenal is a
notebook. Despite the advancement in technology, employees and customers still like to write down important things in a journal. As such, a handy
custom notebook labeled with your brand at the front and the back can help you sell your brand to the masses. For authenticity, make sure you go for notebooks that come with hues that align with your brand. Since notebooks have greater longevity, they are ideal for brand awareness. If your office is more digital-centric, opt for the paper option that nobody can replace-
sticky notes.
- Coffee Mugs
Gifting employees or customers with a coffee mug is also an excellent idea to promote your business. When employees go for a refill with a
custom coffee cup, they help advertise your business to those around the office. Additionally,
coffee mugs can be engraved with some inspiring quotes and company-related phrases and given to unique customers. The clients will, in turn, promote your company whenever they use them to drink any refreshment.
- Magnets
Magnets are another cheap promotional product that you can use to effectively promote your business. You can customize your magnet to have your business name, phone number, address, logo, or any other essential information. And since they are always up on the fridge, you can be sure that employees or customers who have the
magnets will be reminded of your company every time they want to take something from the refrigerator.
- Calendars
You'll never go wrong with
calendars as promotional products. Whether it the
wall,
desk,
magnet, or
pocket calendars, they are sure to provide your brand with the visibility it deserves all year long. For your employees, calendars can be customized to include schedules of upcoming events to acts as planning guides. Additionally, giving your customers a calendar as a token of appreciation is a brilliant way to get your brand in the eyes of their families and friends for 12 months.
- Branded Screen Cleaner
Another promotional item that everyone can use is a
microfiber cleaning cloth. It can be used to wipe the computer, tablet screens, smartphones, as well as other personal items such as reading glasses. When branded with a company logo, name, or address, microfiber cleaning cloths can help you reach out to your prospects.
- Clipboards
Whether you are giving them to employees or customers,
clipboards are useful to almost everyone in every profession. Clipboards can be customized with your company color, and logos can be printed in a variety of places. This ensures your branding will be seen by not only the person you give the clipboard to, but everyone who walks past them too.
