The world is facing an unusual time. People are working from home. Many stores and companies are forced to sell their products online. And we're not able to go about our lives and socialize as we would normally.
These changes have affected shopping trends substantially, from where people are shopping to what people are buying. It’s no surprise that the areas we’re seeing growth in the promotional product industry follows these new trends we’re seeing behaviorally. Consumers are looking to make their work from home lives easier and to stay comfortable during their period of working from home. When we’re looking to see what products our customers would find most useful, here are this Fall’s trending promotional products.
This Fall’s Best Promotional Product Categories
Two major branded merchandise categories that are currently trending are work from home and health. Consumers are working from a home office and are looking to improve productivity and comfort. They will be using a coffee mug instead of a to-go cup from their favorite local spot because they're working from home.
In many places, gyms are closed; people are having to workout at home. Athleisure is trending. It's functional and comfortable, and easy to go from a Zoom call to doing a workout video. Consumers are more focused on self-care and health and are purchasing products that will help their health and wellness, which range from hand sanitizers to gratitude journals.
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Personalizing Products
What's so special about a mug with your name on it? LinkedIn explored the psychology of customization and personalization and found two main factors: identity and function. Whether it's being able to choose the design or have your name written on it, personalized products allow for self-expression. A customer can "put their individual stamp on a typically mass-produced product." On the functionality side, consumers enjoy products that are uniquely tailored to their needs.
Psychology Today found that customers are more likely to purchase a product if they've customized it because of two psychological factors. The act of customization, even online, activates "touch sensors," creating a higher engagement. The other psychological element is ownership; when a customer personalizes a product, they feel like it's theirs and it puts a higher value on the personalized item. Personalization is also great for companies to help their employees feel included, especially during remote work. Brands can personalize products to give them a higher value.
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This Fall’s Trending Personalized Products
At Ironmark, we make it easy to personalize nearly any product. If you can dream it up, we’ll do our best to print it. We do both small and large print runs, and print on a variety of different surfaces. If you have questions about finding and sourcing promotional products, talk with our Promo Expert, a free service we offer to our clients. Our Promo Expert will give you one-on-one guidance throughout the process. Need some ideas for this fall? These personalized products are going to trend this fall:
- mugs and water bottles
- organizers (planners, folders, calendars)
- tote bags
- home office supplies (desk phone stands, mouse pads, stationery)
- hand sanitizer
- lotion
- lip balm
- face masks
- fitness gear
- headphones
- stress balls
- planters
- pet care items (collapsible bowls, collars)
If you need help deciding which promotional products will work best for you and your brand, Ironmark is here to help you. We have a promotional product expert who will help you find the best solution to your promotional product marketing.
Contact Ironmark today to get all of your burning questions answered!
