For many marketers, the idea of cost effective promotional products conjures up the same generic items: pens, tote bags, coffee mugs, magnets, etc. In today’s oversaturated world, you want to find promotional products that won’t get lost in the mix. While they are popular in their own right, not all swag items are created equal. Especially when you’re working with a budget, unique promotional print items and underrated promotional products are often overlooked when they have the potential to make the biggest impact. Thinking outside the box with unexpected materials, formats, or functions can turn a simple giveaway into a lasting brand touchpoint.
In this article, we’ve selected ten visually striking promotional products that will help you stand out, from affordable custom printing to sustainable products and even luxury options. No matter what your marketing goals are, these cost effective custom printing solutions are here to help take your business to the next level. Whether it’s for a trade show, a client pitch, or a branded event, you can customize each item to align with your budget and brand identity.
1. Belly Bands
Why It’s Underrated:Although belly band printing has long been used for wedding favors and announcements, the more recent trend in this stationery item has been to feature it on luxury event marketing materials and high-end trade show materials, or even business gift packaging. Sleek and simple, this design feature unifies a set of collateral such as brochures, menus, or invitations with an additional layer of branding panache.
Use Case:Wrap a new client welcome kit, product sample pack, or branded media kit with a custom belly band for a curated, cohesive look and feel. Whether you're introducing your brand, showcasing product highlights, or delivering important documents, a belly band ties everything together with polish and purpose.
Why It Works:The low-cost belly band is an easy-to-add-on feature that instantly elevates the perceived value of a set of printed collateral. It transforms a basic bundle into a premium tactile experience, suggesting attention to detail, creativity, and care. Plus, it offers extra real estate for messaging, logos, or calls to action, all while keeping costs minimal.
2. Details Cards
Why It’s Underrated:Detail inserts are easily one of the most flexible print products that often go underused in a marketing plan. They are perfect for printing quick calls to action, including QR codes, or providing promotional offers in a sophisticated, minimalist layout.
Use Case:Include a custom detail card in your product packaging or event handout, directing recipients to a landing page, app download, or digital experience.
Visual Tip: Mock up ideas with event branding, pops of color, and elements you can scan for interaction.
3. Foil Sell Sheets
Why It’s Underrated:Sell sheets are classic, but foil sell sheet printing is a step above. Foil printing adds metallic finishes that immediately impress and signal luxury, precision, and exclusivity.
Use Case:Ideal for high-end promotional printing in industries like real estate, automotive, or boutique hospitality.
Why It Works: When promoting premium print products, it’s crucial that your materials look just as premium, especially at trade show materials booths where standing out visually is everything.
4. Wire Coil Booklets
Why It’s Underrated:Most people are familiar with saddle stitching, but wire coil booklet printing has several advantages. It’s durable and flexible and adds an element of professionalism to your material, without the added bulk or expense of perfect binding.
Use Case:Custom wire bound booklets are great for training manuals, onboarding guides, or brand playbooks.
Comparison Tip:Use a comparison chart of coil vs. saddle vs. perfect binding to help customers visualize the longevity and usefulness of wire bound formats.
5. Vellum Wraps
Why It’s Underrated:Ethereal and textural, custom vellum wraps deliver layered luxury. Commonly used in stationery, they’re now trending in creative business print ideas and niche print collateral.
Use Case:Add translucent overlays to marketing kits, corporate invitations, or event marketing supplies for a whisper of elegance that enhances your core design.
Visual Inspiration:Showcase use cases like vellum-wrapped menus, folded brochures, or soft-touch mailers.
6. Letterpress Postcards
Why It’s Underrated:Tactile finishes, like a custom letterpress postcard, can help you leave a memorable impression. Letterpress has a physical indentation of the press into the paper that’s there for people to feel (and remember).
Use Case: Send as part of a high-value direct mail campaign or client thank-you note.
Visual Tip:Feature macro photography of letterpress textures to help buyers see the quality and craftsmanship that goes into these premium print products.
7. Desk Calendars
Why It’s Underrated: The promotional calendar is frequently ignored by companies, but it’s one of the best year-round brand building pieces. Desk calendars are convenient, front and center, and ideal for both employees and clients to have or give as gifts.
Use Case:Calendars for sales reps to use, partner incentives to give away or show off at a trade show booth.
Why It Works: If a beautifully designed desk calendar is given to someone, it’s more likely to stay on their desk all year, long after a flimsy flyer might be thrown away. It’s a daily reminder of your brand.
8. Escort Cards
Why It’s Underrated: Wedding favors like escort card printing are prime for office adaptation. These small, sophisticated cards double as identifiers, tags, or branded personalized office giveaways.
Use Case: Personalize escort cards for seating charts at executive dinners, customized thank-you notes, or small business promo items at networking events.
Visual Tip:Showcasing a mood board that contrasts traditional wedding vs. modern corporate use can inspire your clients.
9. Square Cut Envelope Liners
Why It’s Underrated: Secretly tucked inside, custom square envelope liners are the “wow factor” or surprise-and-delight element of printed business presentation tools. They double down on brand colors, patterns, or messaging.
Use Case: Drop them in luxury mailers, high ticket client invitations, or fundraising kits for an eye catching, visually impactful marketing moment.
Visual Tip:Show a color wheel of liner options to clients who want an on-brand, but subtle detail on their custom branded materials.
10. White Ink Table Tents
Why It’s Underrated: Standard table tents are useful. White ink table tent printing on dark stocks gives you the contrast and upscale look that you crave.
Use Case:Set them at fancy restaurants, product pop ups, or with event marketing supplies to stand out.
Why It Works:White ink printing allows brands to push beyond traditional design boundaries and create eye-catching promotional stationery.
Small Format, Big Impact
Selecting the appropriate cost effective promotional products doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice quality or creativity, either. In fact, most of the most effective solutions tend to be the ones that most wouldn’t think about.
Here’s a quick run-down of the most overlooked print marketing tools by format and use case:
|
Product |
Best For |
Approx. Cost (100 units) |
|
Belly Bands |
Packaging + Event Sets |
$65 – $100 |
|
Detail Cards |
QR Promos + Event Inserts |
$45 – $90 |
|
Foil Sell Sheets |
Trade Shows + Luxury Service Sheets |
$150 – $250 |
|
Wire Coil Booklets |
Training + Welcome Kits |
$200 – $300 |
|
Vellum Wraps |
Layered Brochures + Invitations |
$80 – $120 |
|
Letterpress Postcards |
Direct Mail + Storytelling |
$160 – $240 |
|
Desk Calendars |
Client Gifts + Brand Visibility |
$120 – $180 |
|
Escort Cards |
Table Cards + Mini Notes |
$60 – $90 |
|
Envelope Liners |
Premium Mailers |
$100 – $140 |
|
White Ink Table Tents |
Upscale Signage |
$90 – $130 |
Everything from tactile marketing collateral to high-quality printed inserts, these ten products can provide design flexibility, quality finishing options, and robust ROI. The best news is they’re easily accessible for even small business owners, start-ups, and solopreneurs.
Need to reboot your next marketing campaign or develop a comprehensive suite of personalized branding tools? Bryant Graphics has you covered with an extensive array of promotional prints and affordable custom printing services. Browse our product catalog to purchase all our print products.
Ready to Reimagine Your Brand’s Printed Presence?
Explore our full product lineup today and discover how these cost effective promotional products can help you make a lasting impression, without breaking the bank. We have a great selection of everything from business cards to banners, from merchandise to event materials, and so much more. Our products are all high quality and made to enhance your visibility and strengthen your brand.
If you’re starting a new campaign, attending a trade show, or updating your marketing materials, we can help you bring your vision to life, economically, expeditiously and elegantly. For all your custom business printing needs, contact Bryant Graphics.
