BLACK FRIDAY HAS come and gone, and if you missed out on all the good doorbusters—the 90“ flat screen at a price “too low to print,” the next-generation gaming console you swear is “for the kids” but everybody knows the truth—then you’ve come to the right place. No, we don’t have inside tips on where to find all the hot tech items you woke up too late to snag, but we do have inside tips from industry experts on how to sell promotional electronics and accessories. Read on for the low-down on the most popular items, the future of promotional electronics and more from Scott Pearson, vice president of merchandise and design, Sweda Company LLC, City of Industry, Calif.; CJ Schmidt, vice president of sales, Hit Promotional Products, Largo, Fla.; and Kim Gasparini, sales manager, Numo, Kaufman, Texas.
Promo Marketing (PM): What kinds of electronics or electronics accessories do you see used most often as promotional items? What makes these items so popular or effective? What are some new electronics-related products or trends that you’re particularly excited about, and what makes them exciting or worthwhile?
Scott Pearson: Power banks and listening accessories such as headphones, earbuds and speakers have made a big jump in popularity. They’re a desired gift due to the functionality and usefulness of the items. These are items that users are keeping with them every day—a big value for cost per impression.
CJ Schmidt: Items that can be used on the go and for several different types of phones or devices are the most popular right now. Most of these items are compact, which enables the user to grab a small charger and throw it in their car, travel bag, purse or briefcase, and has taken away the need to search for outlets while traveling. In addition, many items are now compatible with almost any Bluetooth-enabled device, which covers a broad array of recipients. The convenience factor makes these items appealing to all demographics.
Kim Gasparini: High-quality neoprene sleeves for all size tech devices [are] effective because everybody has some size tablet or computer. We can screen print one to two colors up to full four-color process, with zippers or without—something to fit everyone’s needs and budget.
PM: What’s the most interesting, creative or effective way you’ve seen electronics or electronics accessories used in a promotion?
SP: Power banks are universal and non-gender specific. With the right adapter, they can be used on any personal electronic device. Power banks would work great for travel, conferences, employee stores, executive gifts, etc.
CS: Many electronics, such as higher-end Bluetooth speakers and chargers, are being used as employee recognition or reward gifts. One of our speakers is being used as a gift for the teams that are participating in a major college bowl game. Another one of our chargers was given as a gift to season ticket holders with a note from the owner. The ability of both of these items to be used outside the home or office is a nice touch, and the gifts were well received.
KG: An alumni group was having a get-together dinner. They used our Kappotto tablet sleeve, which fits iPad up to 15“ MacBook Pro, as a reinforcement of school spirit. These accessories are great for building, maintaining and reinforcing a brand. It’s a tangible item in your hands [and] works for all kinds of promotions.
PM: Wearable technology, such as Nike’s FuelBand, Google Glass and others, is becoming more and more popular, with some estimates suggesting up to 171 million wearable devices will have shipped by 2016. Has wearable technology influenced the promotional industry yet? How do you see it influencing the industry moving forward?
CS: We have not seen it influence our industry too much at this point. Once it becomes more prevalent, suppliers will need to offer apps that integrate with these items, or partner with outside companies to offer these apps. Product offerings like charging devices will still be popular for these. We think augmented reality, which can feasibly be seen as a feature of Google Glass, is already in motion in our industry, and we will see more and more of it in the near future.
KG: I don’t believe the technology has influenced our industry yet, [but] the ability of a device to notify you of any information you have plugged into it will [influence the industry] in the future. It could be as simple as letting you know if bad weather is coming—people want and need the information. I’m not sure people want to wear it like glasses, but rather blend into their everyday life.
PM: Do you have any advice for distributors selling electronics or electronics accessories?
SP: Don’t be intimidated by technology or selling technology. The biggest mistake a distributor can make is to not bring a personal electronic accessory into a presentation. It’s fairly simple to use the device that you plan on presenting, so that you know the features and functions well enough to at least feel reasonably aware of what it is capable of.
CS: Demonstration is key with these items—not only demonstrating the sound quality of a speaker, but the effectiveness and convenience of a charger or Bluetooth device, such as a foldable keyboard. Many people who are not tech-savvy are leery of trying out electronics as a promotional item and a quick demonstration can help allay those fears. Also, don’t feel limited by a client’s budget. Tech accessories are available for every budget, from under $1 to over $100. A large portion of the population uses some type of device that can pair with these items, so tech accessories work for almost any type of promotion or giveaway.
