The lanyard.
It seems like such a boring piece of whatever it is. You use these things to hold phones and cameras, and keys. But, did you know they can also be great marketing tools? Well, they can be, but you need to know how to use them.
How They Position You As “Ubiquitous”
Because most people use lanyards for simple “everyday” items, they are stealthy marketing tools. Think about it. The great thing about these devices is that people attach them to things they use all the time, like keys. Because of this, they’re hard (impossible) to miss.
People wear them around their neck and, when they do, anyone who is speaking with that person instantly recognizes the marketing message, even if only subliminally. Whatever you put on your lanyards is then easy to see and take in. All you need to do, once you’ve printed up your message on a lanyard, is to give it out to as many people as possible.
It will spread the word about your brand and help get people comfortable with who you are as a company. The simple impression of your name, over and over, helps identify you as being a business that is “everywhere.”
And, a business that is “everywhere” is usually seen as being legitimate and trustworthy.
Printed Lanyards Boost Credibility
When you market with lanyards, you’re not doing the traditional direct response type marketing. You’re doing branding. Now, many people don’t believe in branding — especially smaller businesses with small budgets. But, it does work when you take a long-term view of things. The best thing to print on your lanyards is your logo and business name.
You could also print your phone number so that people can call you if they want to know more. Here’s a better idea: print your website on the lanyard.
But, really, this is not designed to directly sell anything. It’s designed to get people more familiar with your brand.
The idea is that, if you stay in front of people long enough, then they will eventually remember your name. And, when they need a product or service like yours in the future, they will be more likely to think of you first. This presupposes that you have done a good job imprinting your brand through your advertising efforts.
Companies, like lanyardsfactory.com.au make this process pretty easy, but you still need to have a good message or your efforts are going to be pretty much wasted.
Be Flexible
For some companies, putting a logo on a lanyard isn’t feasible. That’s OK. You can add whatever you want. For example, let’s say you want to clip something to it that will mention your business in a positive way. You could include a tag with your website name, business hours, phone number, and maybe your tagline. You could also clip a business card to the lanyard and hand them out.
This works well at events and trade shows, where people are expecting to receive business cards, brochures, and other marketing materials.
The thing is, it almost doesn’t matter what you attach to your lanyard. As long as it gets your message across, it’s going to be a success.
The Longevity Factor
Lanyards have a longevity factor — especially ones that are easy to keep clean and are actually of high quality. Most people throw lanyards away when they break because they’re utilitarian devices first, not marketing tools.
What you need to do then is make sure that your lanyards aren’t just marketing fluff slapped on a cheap lanyard. Instead, you need to make sure you’re buying high-quality pieces that are unique and functional, and then integrating your brand into them in some novel way that almost forces people to stop and consider you every time they use it.
While it’s not a very common piece of advertising, it can be very effective for building your brand awareness. The fact that it’s not popular actually works in your favor. So, find yourself a good supplier and start printing them up by the thousands. Have them out at your office, at events, and to friends and family. Put them in the mail and send them to prospects as a “free gift” just for checking you out.
The worst thing that could happen is that you don’t end up with a sale. But, more than likely, you will at the very least get people to stand up and take notice of who you are and what you do. And, that’s all you can ask from your marketing.
About the Author
Richard Perry knows Lanyards and has worked in the conference supply industry for over ten years. A member of APPA and The Advertising Specialty Institute you can ask him anything about organising your conference or event and assistance will gladly be provided.
