I thought of writing another entry related to tools as promo items because I came across a rather interesting idea from Theodore Levitt (Harvard Professor Emeritus). He said that over 250 million quarter-inch drill bits are sold every year, but that nobody wants a quarter-inch drill bit. What people really want are quarter-inch holes.
True – especially in promotional tools. When you give someone a Tool N’ Torch, for example, you are not really giving them a Halogen flashlight and a device tote. You are giving him convenience – the ease of doing tool work even in low-light conditions (such as in campfires and during car trouble). This ability to associate with ‘experience’ is what separates promotional tools from other traditional forms of advertising. A buyer is more likely to remember the brand imprinted on a tool he repeatedly uses to make his life easier than the brand mentioned in a 20-second television ad he sees only twice a week (or less).
Tools are also very ‘multipliable,’ because they are likely to be borrowed by or lent to someone other than your original recipient. Give Tom a six-function wrench, for example, and his neighbor Ben will probably use it, too, and so will his friend Anthony. For as low as $6, you have already reached – and have been remembered by – at least three people. If your tool’s lifespan is 5 years, you will reach hundreds of potential customers. Now that is cost-effective advertising.
– Josh