We are part of a nearly $21 billion industry with vast reach and influence. Promotional products are worn by celebrities and average Joes, they’re on the desks of CEOs and interns and in the largest and tiniest of homes. People look to our products to tell them the date, write a grocery list and to keep warm while carrying their food home from the market. Our products are valued and appreciated and 88% of people remember the advertiser who gave them their favorite promotional products.

ASI recently published its annual State of the Industry issue, highlighting top trends for success for the rest of this year and beyond. According to the article, “challenging trends are apparent and obstacles exist, but the opportunities are significant – if you know where to look.”

Here are some suggestions of where to look to succeed in this ever-evolving market:

• Moving to Mobile

  65% of distributors now have mobile-friendly sites, helping cater to the vast number of consumers shopping and researching on their phones and tablets. If your site isn’t mobile friendly, it’s time to look at how to best reach all your customers (and prospects) where they’re doing business.

• New Age of Prospecting

  In 2016, social networking surpassed cold calling for winning sales. More distributors used sites like Facebook or LinkedIn to get to know new clients than simply picking up the phone and dialing for dollars. Spend some time investing in your personal and business social media pages to better attract and engage potential customers.

• Fight for Brand Exposure

  Promotional products companies are taking a page from their own books this year, with 44% of distributors planning to increase their marketing budget. The most important thing with marketing, however, is to know your audience and invest in what matters to them, whether that’s ecommerce, storytelling or social media. And be prepared to adapt and change on the fly.

• Education in the Lead

  The education market, encompassing K-12 schools, colleges and universities, remains the top sector in promotional products sales, accounting for $3.28 billion. Don’t overlook your local schools when considering business plans and think about back-to-school, sports seasons and even tradeshows and conferences when targeting school sales.

Our industry is predicted to continue to grow this year. Capitalize on these opportunities for even more sales with marketing tools and strategies that reach your target audiences in the right way.

According to ASI’s annual Impressions Study, t-shirts remain the most commonly owned promotional item, with 58% of all Americans owning at least one. Bags are also appreciated and generate more impressions in the U.S. than any other promotional item. Higher value items, like outerwear and fleece, are valued for their usefulness and longevity.