A wireless Bluetooth speaker to help promotion
In today’s digital era, where terms like Ethernet, RJ45, USB and Mini USB, 3.5MM, TOSLINK, HDMI, IEEE 1394, i.LINK and Lynx are commonly bandied around, one term stands out: Cord-cutting! And nowhere does that term seem more impactful than in one device: The Bluetooth wireless speaker. Since its invention (back in the 90s), the BT standard has found its way at the center of the cord-cutting revolution. And today, these devices are a clever way to market and promote a range of products and services around the world.
Read on to learn how you can use a promotional branded Bluetooth speaker to market your own products and services.
Historically speaking
When you look at any Bluetooth device, be it an earbud or a promotional branded Bluetooth speaker, it’s hard to comprehend that these modern-day digital devices have a steep history behind them. The term “Bluetooth” itself comes from the name of a 10th-century Viking overlord who fostered unity between Norway and Denmark. However, standards for Bluetooth communication have been in existence since 1994.
The push for this modern-day communication medium came about from the need to replace the older, cord-based RS-232 telecommunication system that was in vogue since the 1960s. And history credits a scientist at telco company Ericsson, Dr. Jaap Haartsen, with creating the cord-cutting Bluetooth standard.
The genesis of Dr. Haartsen’s use case was truly very simple: What would it feel like to have a wireless speaker and headphones that had no constraints or restrictions from cables, wires, and cords? How would people feel if yards of cables no longer tethered them as they put on their microphones and speakers to hear music or listen to conversations?
His vision was to create a custom Bluetooth speaker that users could take across long distances – typically across rooms or between rooms – without having to plug them into some form of a wired connection. And that was exactly what the genius accomplished!
The 1999 COMDEX technology consumer show featured a hands-free mobile headset. That device was based on the first iteration of Bluetooth standard – 1.0. And that unleashed a flood of other cord-cutting technologies based on Bluetooth.
In 2000, Bluetooth-enabled chipsets, mice, and PC cards became available. In 2001, the first of Ericsson’s mobile phones – the T39, a Bluetooth-enabled device – made its way onto retail shelves. And since then, countless devices, from the promotional Bluetooth speaker to monitors and gaming gear, have flooded the market.
Today, we have come a long way since BT1.0 – the standard enforced back in the late 1990s. The most recent standard, Bluetooth 5.0, is a much more powerful and versatile standard than even its immediate predecessors – BT4.2.
For one, the newer standard transmits data at speeds of up to 2Mbps (Megabits per second) – which is twice that of BT4.2. And then, there are other cool features, such as Dual Audio, that make it possible to play audio through more than a single wireless Bluetooth speaker simultaneously. With two BT devices supported, you and a friend or colleague can both listen to simultaneous broadcasts transmitted through the device.
With a custom logo Bluetooth speaker that supports 5.0, you’ll also be able to move around freely – without corded interruptions! – up to distances of 240 meters (or 800 feet). That’s nearly more than 4x the distance (60 meters or 200 ft.) that BT4.2 supported.
All shapes and sizes for a wireless Bluetooth speaker
Today, creative gift manufacturers like OYI Gift have mastered the art, science, and technology of producing Bluetooth devices in all shapes and sizes. The great thing about these products is that they are well-suited for any application:
- Industrial
- Commercial
- Promotional
- Educational
- Sports and leisure
- …and many others
You name it, and a cord-free device, such as a custom logo Bluetooth speaker, can find its way into an application for that sector. Where users previously used corded headsets and speakers, Bluetooth has set them free from those corded bondages.
- You might see someone listening to music while walking – with no apparent cords, cables, or wires – that’s Bluetooth
- An engineer talks to his/her colleagues and gives them instructions over a cordless speakerphone – that’s Bluetooth
- Groups of students in a classroom watch YouTube videos on a large screen, with the sound playing out of multiple wireless speakers – that’s Bluetooth
From miniature Pandas, Penguins and Ducks, to larger Pop cans, Coffee mugs, and Halloween pumpkins – the colors, shapes, and sizes in which the promotional branded Bluetooth speaker is available today are unlimited. Businesses have realized that, because people are so fed-up with confinement through corded devices, cord-free Bluetooth speakers offer a unique marketing opportunity for them.
Wireless Bluetooth speaker promo potential
Whether you are a large corporation, a small to medium enterprise, or a start-up company, you likely know what Bluetooth speakers are – you or your family members or friends may already be using them. So, you’re probably wondering, is there an opportunity to use this technology as a promotional device?
And, the answer is…a resounding YES!
- Start with your own employees. How great would it be to give each of your workers a Bluetooth speaker for them to use when listening to conference calls or doing company work? No more needing to plug their speakers into a corded outlet – imagine the freedom and mobility they’ll enjoy. PLUS…it’ll boost productivity too!
- Why stop there? Let employees take their custom logo Bluetooth speaker with them when they leave the office, go home, or on trips. Your company logo will receive “free” publicity on buses, trains, and subway trams. Hundreds, if not thousands, of onlookers, will see it at airports, supermarkets, and malls. And you’ll be getting all this promo without engaging expensive marketing companies
- Give it away – FREE. Have custom-designed Bluetooth speakers inscribed with your company logo and slogans, complete with contact details? Pass these around at marketing events and sales conferences. Hand them out at marketing booths. With so many people visiting these events, and more of them actively using Bluetooth devices, this is a perfect way to promote brand recognition for your company’s products and services
- Build partnerships with other like-minded organizations, and use a promotional Bluetooth speaker to market your company. For example, offer to give away three (five, nine…however many!) Bluetooth speakers, with your company’s branding, to a community center that promotes healthy lifestyles. If you are in the diet, fitness, health food, sporting goods, or activewear business, this would be a great way to shine the spotlight on your business, while also giving back to the communities where you operate
- Work with schools and educational facilities. Don’t kid yourself: Kids (both young and teenage learners) aren’t just using cordless devices for entertainment. Many schools have mandated group learning sessions, where children view documentaries, videos, and other online content as part of their learning experience. Having those sessions conducted using a Bluetooth wireless speaker that has your corporate imaging would be a great way to promote your brand to future clients and prospective users of your products and services
There’s probably never been a time when functionality and marketing have merged to create powerful business opportunities for companies of all sizes. Because Bluetooth devices are so versatile, custom gift makers like OYI Gift are able to turn them from being simple communication tools, into powerful corporate and commercial promotional and marketing opportunities.
Why a wireless Bluetooth speaker?
So, what makes Bluetooth speakers such a powerful gift idea, and why should businesses use it for marketing and promotional purposes? Well, the answer lies in their popularity. One market researcher expects the global market for Bluetooth speakers to surpass $8 billion USD by 2023. That’s a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10% plus.
With that much expansion for cordless devices like Bluetooth speakers on the market, businesses would be foolish not to leverage a promotional Bluetooth speaker for marketing and sales promo purposes:
- They’re ubiquitous – you see them everywhere. So why not create your very own BT speaker and tap into that ubiquity?
- They’re extremely cost-effective. Gone are the days when high-quality BT speakers would cost hundreds of dollars. Today, thanks to revolutions in custom gift manufacturing technologies, you can get personalized versions of these extremely popular devices at a very low cost – in bulk!
- They’re very functional. Although they’re called customized “gift” items, the sophistication built into them makes them more than just presents and trophies. Employees, executives, students, athletes, executives, and ordinary people everywhere use wireless BT speakers every day. So why wouldn’t a company use a custom Bluetooth speaker to promote its own brand?
All the above reasons make great sense for using BT speakers in corporate marketing strategies. However, one compelling reason for customizing BT speakers as promotional tools trumps them all: The wow factor! Nothing attracts more attention – even from casual onlookers – than something that packs the power of WOW!
Custom gift designers today can take any design, pattern, logo or object, and turn it into a compelling promotional Bluetooth speaker that’ll wow even the most skeptical of onlookers. Once you hook onlookers on the design, shape, and color of the gift, they tend to look more closely at the device itself. And, if you have a catchy slogan or image included on the device, along with your company contact details – you’ve sold your product/service to anyone that’s impressed by your gift!
Sure, there is any number of personalized gifts that you may use to promote your company. But, unlike other customized gifts, such as USB sticks and silicone key chains, the promotional BT speaker is always on display – users typically don’t put them into purses or pockets while using them. And because of this overt display of the device, they make great promotional gift ideas.
Speak up for your company…and make your message heard
It doesn’t matter how large or small your organization is, or what industry you represent. All that truly matters is how many people – prospective clients or users of those products/services – know about your company. Chances are that your competitor already has a promotional branded Bluetooth speaker that’s speaking for his/her company’s products or services. And some of your own clients and prospective clients will likely hear that message.
So, why not act now, speak up for your company and let the masses hear your message through your very own custom-made Bluetooth speaker?
If you are thinking of leveraging the power of BT speakers, contact OYI gift to see how we can help you. Even if you don’t have specific ideas for a custom Bluetooth speaker, don’t worry! Our specialists have plenty of suggestions and recommendations that you’ll love – guaranteed! We can even brainstorm together and come up with unique products that’ll redefine how your customer base views – and hears – your marketing message!
By creating your personalized line of BT speakers, you’re not only promoting your own business, products, and services, but you’re also advancing a global phenomenon – cord-cutting!