Non-profit agencies often find themselves working on public awareness advertising and marketing campaigns. While radio PSAs and flyers are good ways of spreading the word, promotional items can really launch a message in a way that it can’t be ignored. Whether your message is a greener Earth or cleaner lungs, here are five ideas for non-profit campaigns using promotional items.

Get peer leaders on board.

One of the most effective methods for getting your marketing message out to the widest audience possible is to get peer leaders on board first. That works just as well in the executive business community as it does in the world of teens and school. Start your campaign with an event targeted at peer leaders, using promotional items to reinforce your point. Give out promotional t-shirts and conference folders emblazoned with your brand logo and advertising message. The conference participants will wear them or carry them, bringing additional publicity to your cause and highlight your brand and organisations message even further.

Get viral.

The tactics used by guerilla marketers work just as well for non profit PSAs. Put your slogan or logo and web site address on a range of inexpensive promotional items and start handing them out on street corners. The visibility will raise brand awareness and the curiosity factor will bring people to hear your message. If you choose wearable promotional items, every one that you hand out will reach dozens of other eyes.

Give out goodies in return for a pledge or work.

Give to get is a time-honored tradition in the advertising world, and it can work for you too. Need signatures on a petition? Hand out car stickers to those who sign. Looking for a commitment to eschew teen drinking? Give out “I signed The Pledge” lanyards or jelly bracelets. Be sure to choose promotional items that have a high visibility factor to ensure that your campaign gets the most visibility possible..

Use promotional items for membership drives.

Whether you hand out an inexpensive promo item to every new member or choose higher value items as recruitment incentives to existing members, promotional items can boost your membership numbers into overdrive. Increase their draw by choosing highly visible promotional items like t-shirts and carry bags as your message carriers.

Choose promotional items that are appropriate for your message.

If you’re raising green or environmental awareness, it doesn’t make much sense to hand out disposable items or those made from petroleum based products. Make sure that everything you hand out fits your specific message – but don’t be afraid to give it a clever and novel twist. Hand out imprinted breath strips for an anti-smoking campaigns with the message “You wouldn’t need these if you didn’t smoke” or mug snugs imprinted with the message “I Don’t Drink!” for a teen drinking awareness campaign.

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