Do you remember the old wisdom ‘Give, and you shall receive’? In the marketing world, truer words were seldom spoken. As a good entrepreneur, you know that your current customer count is the best measure of the quality of your ideas and your business overall. Acquiring and retaining customers, keeping them happy, and deepening your relationship to them are key to your success. Promotional gifts and giveaways are a great means to that end.

Giveaways are an essential part of every smart marketing strategy. ‘Smart’ does not only mean your plan is financially sound and media-savvy, however. It also entails a deep understanding of human psychology, of attraction and persuasion. Gift-giving is an important part of building lasting human relationships, and you should make it a staple of your customer acquisition and retention efforts. Here are some great ideas on how to go about it effectively.

Useful branded gadgets

Statistics have long proven that customers who own a company’s branded item and are happy with it are significantly more likely to buy from that company in the future. So, know your customer base well and target it with thoughtful, high-quality branded merchandise that will hold a special place in people’s everyday life. Find a trustworthy partner, such as the online printer HelloPrint who keeps a wide stock of promotional items, which cater to techies, travellers, stationery lovers, outdoorsy types, and everyone in between.

Additional services post-purchase

Another significant giveaway which sticks is giving your customers an extra service after a transaction. This option kills two birds with one stone: it brings tangible value which improves and expands the customers’ experience with your product, and it forges a deeper personal and emotional connection. By going beyond what the original contract states, you demonstrate to your clients your commitment not only to keeping them happy but actively making them happier as well.

Expand your customers’ minds and you’ll expand your base

Information is so accessible and ubiquitous nowadays that it can overwhelm and even kill the desire to learn. Keep your customer base engaged and intellectually stimulating by offering free insights and small tutorials about making the most of your product or about the niche where your business resides. Invest in making engaging videos or podcasts, which customers can take in during their commutes or short breaks throughout the day. You will educate consumers and fill some of their free time productively all at once – these are gifts that definitely make an impression.

Use discounts sparingly and precisely

Discounts are another form of giveaway, albeit one that normally does not nurture deeper engagement. By making an exclusive, lucrative, limited-time price slash, you create a strong incentive for the customer to act. It is important, however, that you follow this up with some other form of relationship-building that builds up on this one impulse. You should also be very precise with the targeting of your discounts in order to elicit the desired response from a majority of customers and get the engagement ball rolling.

Timing and targeting are key

All of these giveaway strategies need to be employed at the correct moment in the customer’s journey. You have a variety of tools to monitor customer engagement and behaviour, so use them wisely and do not shy away from personalisation and microtargeting. Each of the paths outlined above can bear fruit in different segments of your consumer base. Get to know your audience and make each individual in there feel special with the right gift. They will repay you for it many times over.