It's getting tougher than ever to compete online these days so more companies are taking a unique approach to Internet marketing ..... custom printed promotional products to help set them apart from the competition and to gain customer loyalty.

If you have a business online, you can benefit tremendously by using promotional items. There's more to promotional products than just buying some printed pens, caps, t-shirts, or calenders. Here are 10 tips to show you how promotional products can help increase your web site traffic and keep your customers once they purchase from you.

1. Free Gifts to New or Loyal Customers

Promotional Items such as pens, calenders, mugs, keychains, etc. make great gifts to show your appreciation to new or loyal customers. When you give a customer something of interest for free, it adds value to your offer and it also reminds her/him of your company continuously! Remember, much obliged translates into

- MUCH OBLIGATED -

2. Incentive for Customer to Purchase More

You can give promotional items to your customers as an incentive for them to purchase more. Many times, customers will purchase only one item. You can offer a special gift to the customer if he/she purchases an additional item.

For Example: If your company sells computers and printers, you might enhance the customer to buy a computer with the printer in a special discounted package and offer free items as a bonus, such as pens, mouse pads, office supplies, etc. Make sure it's something he/she can use; that the gift matches the style and value of the product. If only a small percentage of customers per day take advantage of your bonus offer, imagine what it could mean to your bottom line! It's that simple!

3. Bring New Visitors to Your Web Site

Do a campaign to bring more customers to your site. One of the most successful methods to get potential customers to visit is to offer them something free of high perceived value. If you send out a weekly or monthly newsletter, you could offer a free mouse pad with each sign-up for your newsletter. Or, you could offer a free item to customers who fill out your online survey (one of the most effective ways to find out what your customers really want from you).

4. Find Promotional Items that Compliment Your Business Niche

You can always find certain items that will compliment your type of business - items that you know your customers will use often! For Example: A pharmacy may want to order daily pill organizers with the pharmacy name, address, phone, fax, and Web address printed on them. This way, as soon as the customer needs a refill, they will be automatically reminded to go to www.yourpharmacy.com to reorder!

5. Packaging Products for Multiple Sales

One of the most overlooked (and cost effective) techniques for generating extra revenues is packaging.

You may be able to package your products along with promotional items for increased sales. For Example; An online video business may offer all three Star Wars videos along with a Star Wars T-Shirt. Customers love packages such as this, and it would be a unique way to promote the site and the product! Do you have products which compliment each other? Remember, this is a sale you may or may not have made without the package deal so it's almost like getting FREE MONEY!!

6. Free Contests and Drawings

You can give promotional items away in contest drawings. People love to win stuff. It's exciting for them to enter, and the contest helps drive traffic to your site!

** To be successful with contests, make the prize related to your business so that the entrants are targeted.

I hope this has you thinking about special promotions and how you can use them to enhance your online business. Online success comes in increments so use some of these tips along with other fresh marketing ideas to keep your business ahead of the competition!

About the author: Candice Pardue is the Webmaster and co-creator of OS-Marketing.Com - Developing cutting edge marketing techniques for emerging and established Internet businesses. Lots of free articles, tools and resources for building Web traffic. Visit OS-Marketing.com at: <http://www.os-marketing.com/>