Boosting B2B Engagement with Digital Assets in Promotional Swag

One of the most effective tools for B2B marketing campaigns is distributing promotional swag. Not only are promotional gifts widely preferred by consumers to other forms of advertising, such as marketing emails or unsolicited phone calls, but they’re also uniquely effective at communicating messaging. Promotional swag says a lot in a small package, conveying your company’s professionalism, ideals, and utility with a symbolic, useful branded gift. 

However, while there’s no shortage of research corroborating the effectiveness of promotional swag in marketing campaigns, leaders wonder: is there a way to make this marketing technique even more successful? In the age of digital marketing, where more B2B consumers are looking for partners capable in both the physical and digital realms, is there a way to connect the two through promotional swag? 

The answer? A resounding yes. Promotional swag supports your marketing strategy while facilitating consumer engagement. These benefits can be bolstered further by pairing it with digital assets, connecting would-be partners to your brand via quick response (QR) codes, augmented reality (AR) experiences, and digital companions. Doing so not only encourages further engagement with your brand but also allows you to track and record that engagement better.

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Integrating the Digital into Physical Campaigns

The underlying impetus for this reinvention of promotional swag comes from the recognition that in order to survive, organizations must adapt. Consumer needs and expectations are changing in tandem with evolving technology. While future-proofing your organization, you need to re-evaluate even effective modes of advertising and see how they can be pushed further. Their effectiveness largely depends on the B2B consumer using the item, remembering your brand exists, and taking steps to connect.

Integrating the digital into physical promotional products is all about streamlining that process for them, making it easier than ever to connect with your brand. Through the use of the techniques we’re about to break down, you can provide your audience with a concrete connection to a wide variety of brand assets, allowing them to access you with just a quick scan from their smartphones. 

You can accomplish this by:

• Printing QR codes: QR codes are a phenomenal asset for driving brand connection, as they’re relatively unobtrusive ways to direct a consumer wherever you want. At any point, as long as the consumer retains the item, they can scan the code and go wherever you want to lead them: industry microsites, about us pages, or even straight to contact us forms. 
• Creating AR experiences: AR experiences merge the physical and digital together, creating an interactive interface that consumers can access at their convenience. AR experiences can place consumers in a digital environment, such as your manufacturing facilities or office buildings, or allow them to engage with your product remotely, like trying on clothing or holding a 3D model. While these can be accessible via a QR code, you can also create custom tech swag designed specifically for the experience. Doing so associates directly connects your brand with the cutting edge.

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One of the most significant benefits of this, aside from the potentially higher engagement rate overall, is the ability to track and report on that engagement. With promotional swag standing alone, it’s difficult to tie a specific item back to a lead that crops up months later; with digital integration in play, you can access real-time reporting on who is accessing the experience and concretely tie each instance to a developing lead. 

Digital Companions: Your Greatest Promotional Asset

However, if you want to create an integrated marketing campaign that engages customers, consider integrating recent advancements in technology that take engagement further. Digital companions have been around for a while, facilitating better engagement with the brand and its products; think Clippy from Microsoft or the more recent  Metapals. However, integrating access to these companions into promotional swag is a relatively new endeavor that enhances effectiveness. 

Part of the reason for this strategy’s effectiveness is advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) that make digital companions smarter and more responsive. When accessing companions via a QR code on promotional swag, for example, the would-be customer can not only navigate the site with a helpful assistant; they can ask said assistant questions about your company's history and processes or even derive an accurate quote. This all happens remotely, without any manual sales input. While the customer journey can be recorded in a centralized database for later follow-up, more advanced companions can even take them all the way through the sales funnel.

The capability of digital companions is light years ahead of pre-AI. When combined with promotional swag, they can drive interest, engagement, and even sales, making them one of your best marketing assets. 

Bolstering physical marketing with digital assets is a relatively new idea that may soon become the new normal. Keeping on the pulse of emerging trends is therefore key to ensuring your integrated campaign stays innovative and effective. Consider how you can use new technology to amplify your physical marketing efforts, and you’ll keep customers engaged long after they receive your token gift. 

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