Among the many advantages of marketing your business with promotional items is the visibility you gain when your gifts are used. If increasing brand awareness and recognition is part of your intent in using promotional gifts for marketing, then visibility should be high on your priority list when you choose which items or gifts to use. Of course, visibility is ? if you'll forgive the pun ? in the eye of the beholder. There are many different kinds of visibility. Before you make your choice of promotional giveaways, you should decide exactly what you hope to gain from them and the type of visibility that you want. That will help you choose promotional gifts that most closely achieve your objectives. Here are a few for instances to help you in your own planning.

Maximum Visibility

If you're gunning for maximum visibility for your brand because your market is nearly universal, then you can't go wrong with big visibility items. Among the best promotional gifts to get your name and logo seen all over town often are umbrellas. The cost is a bit higher than printed pens, but you'll get enormous return on your investment, especially if the umbrellas and your logo are eye-catching.

B2B Selling

If your main market is other businesses, then choose products that will be where your customers are. Most often, that means that you'll want to choose promotional items that are used in the office or at the desk, in the workplace. That's where and when you want your customers to be thinking of you ? when they're getting ready to place an order for supplies or need your services. Post-it notes, pens, desk calendars and mouse mats are all excellent choices for this type of marketing gift.

Targeted Visibility

Are you aiming your product or services at a particular market segment? Then you'll want to choose promotional items that will give you high visibility with that market segment. For a diaper service, that might be promotional bags that serve as diaper bags ? imprinted with your logo, of course. For a company that sells sporting equipment, t-shirts with your logo or golf umbrellas might be a good choice.

Specialized Events

Promotional gifts and items have a special place at marketing events like trade shows and conferences. You want to choose giveaways that serve two purposes ? attract people to your booth, and remind them of your company after they leave the conference. Sometimes, it's better to choose different items for each purpose, but there are some items that can serve both needs. Promotional bags and water bottles are examples of those. Both will be useful immediately, so attendees will carry them around with them, advertising your booth. Both will also be useful after the conference, so your recipients will take them home and use them, spreading the word about your business and product.

There are some promotional items that suit every occasion, of course. Promotional pens and coffee mugs are among the most popular promotional gifts sold for the simple reason that they're always welcome. In most cases, though, suiting your marketing gift to your particular purpose will serve your bottom line very well.