Give Products Away as Gifts

Sometimes we have to give to get. This goes for business as well. If we use some of our products as free gifts now, we get to make a bigger sale later. It is a trade-off and we have to decide if it is worth the effort and money.

It is up to us how much product we want to keep on hand as inventory. Most direct sales businesses do not require an inventory be kept.  Keeping inventory can result in having too much product on hand or getting stuck with something we can’t sell.

Promotional products are a way to interest people in buying from you. Purchase a variety of products, maybe something from each category of product that you sell. Use these gifts at parties as:

• Door prizes
• Hostess gifts
• Game prizes
• Incentives

The items don’t have to be expensive but they can be something that a customer would like to have. Use more than one product item to create baskets that can be given away with a show booking or with at least fifty dollars in purchases.

When giving away promotional items, don’t forget to include a business card. A good business card includes several ways to get in touch with you: telephone number, address, and website address. You want people to continue to use your products and see you as a resource.

Free gifts are an option for building a list of contacts. Have everyone at the open house party enter a drawing to win a product prize, like a raffle. They will sign their names on a slip of paper that clearly states that they are giving you permission to add them to your mailing list for future notices.

The point of giving away products is to build exposure. Other ideas for product giveaways are: charity auctions, school events, public events, and trade shows. For the price of your products you are getting your name out there among people who can become customers at some point, which is the strategy we are going for.

All giveaways don’t have to be purely products that you are selling. Many businesses use familiar items and pair them with products. Personalize keychains, hats, mugs, pencils, pens, and lanyards with your company name and contact number. Every person who gets a free gift now is promoting your business and you don’t even have to pay them.

Product giveaways are a great way to market to a wider audience when direct selling. Target your product choices to the type of customers you want to attract. Add other items that are useful and contain your contact information for additional free advertising. Download our free guide “Marketing your Direct Sales Business.”