Promotional items benefit my business in several ways.  A customer writes a note with a pen.  The pen has my business name imprinted on it.  The customer is reminded of my business.  This scenario is the premise of giving away promotional items to customers and prospects. 

Does it work?  It must because most companies use some version of this type of promotion.  It is a huge dollar market and the items to be given away are as different as snowflakes.

There are some ideas of what a company should give away and to whom.  Useful items like ice scrapers do not cost much and the need after a snowstorm will make them useful to all you give them too.   Expensive items should be handed out gingerly.  Pens can be given willy-nilly, but crystal should be reserved for good clients or superior prospects.

The more useful the item, the greater the promotional benefit to the giver.  Repeated use means repeated reminders of your company.  These repeated reminders are essential to picking good promotional items.  If you can imagine what you give away being used often, then it is a good choice.  Pretty or decorative items have much lower reminder value.

Your business benefits by the choices made, and how often the item will be used.  Cost of the selection has to be measured against its promotional pay-off.  So, there should be some thought given to what choices have potential and finally what is determined to give the best bang for your buck.  You never know when a 33-cent pen can set the stage for the largest order of the year.