Curious about how promotional items could transform your school marketing efforts? Many schools offer branded items for their students to wear outside of school as a way to increase brand awareness.
Your school could also consider offering freebie giveaways and promotional items during open days to help start a conversation with parents about their child’s choice of school.
In this guide, we’re looking at the role of promotional items for schools and how to maximise your marketing spend to increase the impact.
| Item | Cost | Visibility | Use Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pens & Pencils | Low | Medium | Very High |
| Mugs | Medium | Medium | High |
| Water Bottles | Medium | High | Very High |
| Umbrellas | Higher | Very High | Occasional |
As with all branded promotional items, the biggest benefit is an increase in brand awareness. This could translate into more parents making your school their first choice. And this increase in demand could translate into growth if that is your goal.
It can also help to start conversations with parents and young people about their school choices. And finally, it also helps to improve relationships between parents and their educators. Everyone likes to get something for free, and we look favourably on those companies that are able to give items away for free.
Branded items help schools extend their presence into homes, workplaces and public spaces, reinforcing familiarity and trust among parents.
There are some items that are ideal for promoting schools. Whether you choose to make these available for parents to purchase, or you plan to give them away for free, you can be sure you’ll enjoy a publicity boost either way. If you’re struggling to choose the right promotional items for your school, consider the following…
Promotional pens and pencils as a school is the easy option. It makes sense to have a branded supply of the items that you use every single day. You can offer these for parents to take home during parents evening, or during open days. If you need parents to sign up to a mailing list to learn more about the school, you can offer a free pen as an incentive. In short, everyone will also welcome a free pen, so this is a simple yet effective branding tool.
Parents will love a free mug to enjoy their morning coffee. Some may even take their mug to work as a mark of pride that their child is attending such a well-known and prestigious school. You could include a funny phrase that is known throughout the school, or include your school mascot.
Subtle branding and practical design help parents and pupils feel proud to use school-branded items outside of school.
Reusable water bottles are an excellent choice if you want to promote environmentally friendly policies within the school. Children could be offered a free branded bottle on their first day of school – just be sure to leave a large section where they can write their name or decorate their bottle so they can tell them apart.
If you often see parents at the school gates holding single-use coffee cups, you could encourage them to switch to a reusable mug and enjoy some free branding and publicity at the same time. Offering a free coffee mug in exchange for agreeing to only walk or cycle to school is an excellent green incentive that will encourage everyone to leave the car at home.
On sports day or graduation day, wouldn’t it be wonderful to hand out branded umbrellas so that your school logo appears in all of the wonderful pictures? Umbrellas can be brought out rain or shine, as many parents will appreciate the chance to stay out of the blazing heat in the middle of summer. Golf umbrellas for the teachers will also help to promote your school while they are out and about. It sends a clear message about the status of your school when you have high-quality branded items available for staff and parents.
Discover practical promotional products designed for schools and education providers.
Should schools give items away or sell them?
Both approaches can work depending on budget and marketing goals.
Are eco-friendly items important for schools?
Yes — reusable products reinforce sustainability values and set a positive example.
