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If your business operates in an area that is frequented by tourists or out-of-town visitors regularly pass through your door, selling souvenirs maybe a great way to bolster your company’s sales.
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Branded
Souvenirs that advertise the very things for which your region or state is known are a big hit with tourists. New York is famous for its iconic “I Love NY” T-shirts, and cars are seen worldwide bearing the “This Car Climbed Mt. Washington” bumper sticker, named for the Mr. Washington, the highest peak in the Northeastern United States, at 6,288 feet. Souvenirs of this type also provide cost-free advertising for your area. Even without an official brand slogan or logo certain items naturally seem to represent the states and locales that they have become associated with. For example, a coffee mug from Seattle, a turquoise bracelet from Arizona, maple syrup from Vermont or Kentucky bourbon are all reminders of primary industries from those states, and these greatly help to drive return consumer traffic.
Easy to Carry
Everything you sell should be small enough for customers to easily transport back home. Large, bulky souvenirs that cannot fit into a carry-on bag or be easily and inexpensively packaged for shipment are likely to be a turn-off for customers. If someone is left wondering, “How will I get it home?” they are not likely to buy. If you are selling larger items, you may want to offer shipping to your customers.
Practical
Items that can be used or enjoyed at home every day will help buyers feel better about their purchases. Rather than stick an item in a drawer or on a shelf to collect dust, practical souvenirs will be utilized regularly. For example, a pineapple-emblazoned beach towel from Hawaii or a hand-crafted cheese board from Wisconsin not only connects a visitor back to the area but serves a practical purpose as well. A shot glass or a t-shirt bearing the name of your town or your attraction’s name and logo are also basic, utilitarian items.
Inexpensive
No matter which items you choose to sell, they should be fairly inexpensive. Visitors have already spent money on travel arrangements, accommodations, meals and entrance fees to amusements and area sites, so their pockets might be getting somewhat empty. Well-chosen items without a big price tag are more likely to leave the shelves than expensive items. Again, these items can be simple, everyday objects that invoke a feeling or memory about the area. A pencil sharpener shaped like a famous area landmark or a food item that is a local specialty are both good choices.
Memory Invoking
While all souvenirs are meant to bring back memories of a trip or a special adventure, a picture is worth a thousand words, and then some. A photograph snapped when taking off on a zip line or a video of a daring moment commemorates the adventure in a way that nothing else can. Businesses that take advantage of the opportunity to capture these special moments, especially when visitor phones need to be tucked safely in pockets, can sell these personalized items to visitors wishing to relive their thrilling feats.
Another way to capitalize on photographs is selling postcards of places, vantage points and images that visitors may not be able to capture on their own. Snapshots taken of a landmark during various seasons or times of day or images of building interiors that may not be well lit allow visitors to take home pictorial memories that perhaps they were not able to personally capture.
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